Philly Achilles

Athletes helping Athletes

New Athlete, Volunteer?
Check our our FAQs

What’s it all about then?

by

Seriously, what on earth posessed me to sign on for 48.6 miles in 4 days of riding in January. Training at this time of year is torture…it’s cold outside. It’s dark too early. I like to put my bike away after Thanksgiving so that I’m excited to take it out again in spring!

I decided to go back to basics: Athletes helping athletes. This is the video we made about Philly Achilles back when we were a brand new chapter. This is what we’re all about. This is why I’m riding to support Achilles. If you can take 8 minutes to meet people like Andrew, Matt and me, you’ll see what it’s all about*.

So, I’ll get up early…and ride with excellent people.

*aside from the Hokey Pokey.

There is still time to support my fundraising

 

Why do we run?

by

I’ve been asking around for the past week or two: Why do you run?  Since I’m the one asking there are bound to be some wise answers, but there is a grain of truth in those, too.  I’ll group similar things together so this doesn’t take forever.

To get away from my spouse/child/family:  Obviously this was said in a joking manner (if they weren’t then I’m not qualified to address it), but there is truth to it.  There are times when we are too involved in what is happening in the lives of our nearest and dearest.  We have no perspective about what is happening to them, between us or just the world in general.  If you stay in the house/apartment/mansion, you can’t get that separation you need.  So take that hour to be by yourself, an individual not part of a unit.

To have time to think:  This is just a more generalized version of the prior answer.  Something always needs our attention.  The phone rings, the text dings, the neighbor wants your recipe.  The blessed silence of a run can be revitalizing.  The only thing that matters is to keep moving.  You don’t have to be fast, just keep going.  If  someone wants your attention, they have to be fast enough to keep up with you andthey have to want to keep up with you.

To see things differently:  This one sounds absurd, but it is literally true.  When you are running you notice different things.  You may have driven down that street hundreds of times, but you never noticed that little garden behind the front wall of the house.  You were going too fast.  You may have walked down a different street a hundred times, but never noticed that all the houses have the same shape.  You were going too slow.

To feel better, look better, be better: This one shows up over and over again.  Someone decides that they are sick and tired of being sick and tired.  They need to make a change and it’s too expensive to get that Italian villa with the winery out back and the gorgeous local that is besotted with you*.  So they make one change:  I’m going to run around the block tonight.  It may start there, but it escalates.

Because I can:  This is my reason and the reason for a lot of other people to.  It is an affirmation.  MS/cancer/divorce/awful thing won’t stop me.  You think you can stop me?  You’re wrong. because today I will run.  I may not run far.  I may not run fast…but I will run…and tomorrow I will do it again…I might find someone to run with or I might do it by myself…but I will do it…because I can.

*erm…that might just be me.

A picture’s worth a thousand words

by

In which case, this will be the longest post I’ve written.
This weekend was the Philadelphia Marathon weekend. If you’ve been following this blog, you know two things that I was planning: adding the 8k on Saturday and trying to break 4 hours in the marathon on Sunday.

Well: I did it! I did them both!
I rode the 8k on Saturday.
I didn’t breatk 4 hours, I CRUSHED 4 hours with a 3:48:51. HA!

It’s hard to express the camaraderie and support that happen during races so I’ll just share the images with you.

The excitement begins at the expo
The excitement begins at the expo
and prepping your outfit so you don't make decisions at 5:00 a.m.
and prepping your outfit so you don’t make decisions at 5:00 a.m.
Waiting (in the cold) at the line with friends
Waiting (in the cold) at the line with friends
and heading out just as the sun rises.
and heading out just as the sun rises.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

to get a personal best
to get a personal best
and a funky medal!
and a cool medal!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

On Sunday you do it again…

with the fun parts...
with the fun parts…
And the not so fun parts.
And the not so fun parts*.
When mile 10 and mile 21 try to break you.
When mile 10 and mile 21 try to break you.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

But you end up breaking your personal record (by a LOT)
But you end up breaking your personal record
and get an even cooler medal with a bell that really rings!
and get another cool medal with a bell that really rings!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And that is why you sleep 10 hours on Sunday night!

 

*I call this My Pretty Face

That Little Voice

by

The Philly Marathon is less than a week away. That means that little voice in the back of my head has started to add two cents to every mental monologue.

That little voice says, “Go, look at the 10 day forecast. It’ll probably be snowing or sleet and freezing cold. You’re going to miserable. There’s no way you’ll get through this.” I avoided looking at the 10 day forecast but finally caved. Guess what? As of 8 p.m. on Tuesday night, the forecast is calling for partly cloudy and 45 degrees.

That little voice says, “You had a stomach bug last week. You couldn’t eat for three days. There’s no way you’ll do this.” It’s true. I had a terrible stomach bug, but I’m making sure that I eat well and get a good night’s sleep every day. I’m refueling and filling my batteries to be ready.

That little voice says, “Who do you think you are? 26.2 miles? There’s no way you’re going to do that. You aren’t ready. You haven’t done enough work.” Instead, I listened to the voice of my friend Natalie. She said “Patricia, you should do the 8k on Saturday and the marathon on Sunday.  That’ll be good prep for the Dopey Challenge.”  So it’s true.  I’m signed up for two races in two days.

That little voice likes to try to convince me that I’m not good enough or fast enough or smart enough.  It doesn’t really matter what the situation is, that little voice has something to say.

In short:  that little voice is a dick.

So I’ll ignore that little voice.  I’ll stick my fingers in my ears and la-la-la until it stops.  I’ll let other voices drown it out.  I’ll speak in my own voice instead.

Listen to these voices instead
Listen to these voices instead

 

The Brutal Math of Marathons

by

Last year I rode in my first marathon and got a very respectable time of 4:13:00. My goal this year is to knock 13 minutes off of that. It sounds pretty simple until you start doing the math.Saturday run
253 minutes to complete 26.2 miles is 9:40 per mile* which means that if I can do a 9:10 pace I can easily make my goal.

But wait…26.2 miles is if you run the course perfectly, cutting out your natural inclination to follow the line of the road. You must take every corner perfectly. You must drift a across the lanes when the road is slightly angled. You must have the perfect strategy for approaching a water station…and you must never, never, never have to go around or between other runners (that’s why the elite runners start at the front).

According to my gps, my marathon last year was 27.34 miles. That means my pace was 9:15 last year, not 9:40. It means that my average pace has to be 8:44, not 9:10.

Now let’s talk about hills: down hills** where I gain some time and the (dreaded) uphills. My fastest mile was 5:39 on a long slow down hill early in the race before lots of people caught up to me. My slowest mile was 12:19 a long slow up hill that just goes on and on and on.

And what about fatigue? The last 6 miles my pace was around 11:15.

HOW WILL I KNOW IF I’M GOING FAST ENOUGH?!?!?
I guess it all comes down to this:
• Gut it out.
• Don’t push too hard at the beginning and burn out.
• Work hard and steady the whole way.
• Get a good dinner and a good night’s sleep.
• Trust that you’ve done the work.
And aim for an 8:44 average pace.

In other maths:
Thank you for your support. I have reached 11.67% of my fundraising goal. My Dopey Challenge will be complete two months from today. If you haven’t yet and would sponsor me, that would be amazing. Click here to donate.

A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds.
A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds.

*Please forgive the rounding issues
**When I say “wheeeeeee” and “wheels on the left” and “get out of my way!”

New members, please bring your completed form to your first workout:

Member Athletes or Volunteer Guide!

Saturday Workouts

Philly Achilles meets at 9AM every Saturday at 1601 Chestnut Street.

Newsletter