Just call me Gimpy.

I realize I haven’t written in a looooong time. Like, since the Manhattan Half Marathon recap. Since then, I’ve raced twice more (both 4 milers – 1 sucky and 1 PR) and taken 2 weeks off running in between. That minor hip pain I was experiencing turned into major hip pain and I didn’t want to aggravate it any more. So I stuck to the elliptical, stationary bike, yoga and walking for awhile. Then, I PR-ed at the Al Gordon Classic in Park Slope! What up, 9:33 average pace!

Anyway, the month since the Manhattan Half hasn’t been too great, running-wise. I was hoping to PR and have an awesome race at the National Half in Washington, D.C. at the end of March, but I’m not sure how great the race will be. I do know that the atmosphere, weather and topography will be working in my favor, unlike the Manhattan Half. (Seriously, I’m never running that race again. What was I thinking running my first half marathon in January in NYC?!)

Unfortunately, that lingering hip pain gave me a month to work from 4 miles to 13.1. I have a 5K in hilly Washington Heights this Sunday, and I’m planning on doing 3 more miles (most likely on the treadmill) afterward. The following weekend, I’ll do a long run of 8 miles, then 10, then the half. It’s just been a little discouraging to still have this pain, especially since I had a fantastic training plan all worked out for the National Half that would have had me running 13 miles two weeks before race day and then enjoying a decent taper period.

However, I’ve run (err … jogged and walked) 13.1 miles before, so I know I can do it again in D.C. Plus, I’ll have friends watching! I know the atmosphere will be so much more positive. There were maybe 10 spectators during the entire Manhattan Half course, which didn’t make for an encouraging atmosphere. But I’m making the trip to D.C. with a friend and then staying at Katy’s. Despite the 7 a.m. start time, both have mentioned making the trek to watch the race.

As for spring races, I’m planning on doing one 10K a month in April, May, June and possibly July. I might also throw a 5-miler in there as well, as I’ve run 2 races of that distance since October and I find it far enough to get warmed up but not so far to be time-consuming, training-wise. Plus I want the opportunity to PR again! If all goes according to plan, I’ll have finished my 9 NYRR races by July. That won’t stop me from racing in the fall, though, but I’ll probably dial it down and just do one race a month. (Maybe.)

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