Last week saw 3 different PR’s–two of the public relations sort, and one of the racing sort–all concerned with running for a cause.
On Tuesday I received an email from Get Your Rear In Gear letting me know they had decided to highlight my story and (more importantly) the story of my friend Aimee on their blog. The news was especially meaningful to me because Aimee’s story was being shared with the people closest to the disease that killed her. While my focus throughout training and fund raising is to tell as many new people as I can about colon cancer, it’s poignant to know that survivors, fighters, friends and family of those already effected by the disease are going to read about this journey we are on to kick cancer’s butt.
On Thursday I received another email, this time from NYRR, letting me know my fund raising story was on the NYC Marathon front page–just below the controversial no-baggage update. Out of all the thousands of fund raising marathoners running NYC on November 4, our story was randomly selected and shared. Needless to say I have been feeling the PR love this week!
Team Holder after the Rockaway Half Marathon (who doesn’t love a race that lets you cool off in the ocean afterward?!)
And then on Saturday Jay and I took a very early ‘A’ train down to Far Rockaway Beach for a little half-marathon on the boardwalk. I knew that I was at a point in my training that I should be able to beat my personal record (PR) at this distance, even on sore legs. My long-run pace has been faster lately than the pace I last ran a half in, so I didn’t feel much pressure going into the run. My former PR was 1:57 and change, and I thought 1:55 would be a reasonable goal. Coach/hubby Jay went from telling me to make this an easy shorter-long run to a longer tempo. Race morning came, and I decided to run 8:45 pace, or 8:40 if I felt good. I ended up running 8:38 pace for a 4 minute PR, finishing just over 1:53. The race was fun because it was small and on the beach. The goody bags post race were fabulous, with flip-flops and delicious cookies. The organizers were lovely. I’m not sure I’d ever want to run more than 13.1 on a boardwalk, though. Running on boards means a flat surface, but it also means an energy-sucking surface. My legs were exhausted after the fact, but less sore than they had been the day previous. I guess my “shake-outs” this week weren’t long enough!
The week of PR’s was an encouraging one. Good to know more people are going to hear what this run is about, and good to know I’m getting in shape to run it. Cheers to Aimee for inspiring me every step of the way (I miss her so much!), cheers to my husband for coaching me from 0 to 26.2 (soon), and cheers to the running buddies I’ve met this summer who push me to finish strong. There’s a lot of gratitude in this journey we’re on.
lauren laughs 