The long awaited finish line......



Here I am, almost at the end of what I set out to do. Never in my lifetime I thought my body was going to allow me to run another long distance race especially because of my injuries. Now a newly paved road was placed in front of me to do what I wanted to do...... run a marathon.
Injured or not my mind was set to at least walk my very first marathon. So I began training as if there was no tomorrow. Once again Jenn provided me with support and care for my knees, thank you Jenn.
Anyways, so I could safely say my mind was ready for a full length marathon but my body was still in pieces. A couple of weeks before the marathon I had a chance to talk to a fellow marathoner who's also a member of the gym and his advice was to rest just rest but my mind kept thinking no way! no way! So now I was facing the part of my brain that kept me from resting, so I went to the gym as usual. One day however, while I was running my everyday 4 miles on the treadmill my eyes caught the attention of a lady I often see either at the elliptical bike or doing her floor exercises, so I decided to approach and introduce myself to her. I am so glad to have met such a lady, she appears to smile all the time which makes me smile as I know she has one hell of a personality. During our chat, swimming became part of the conversation in which I really, truly had enjoy. So ladies and Gentlemen its an honor to introduce my friend and swimming coach Danielle
Why do I call her my swimming coach you may wonder well here is why.....

After running the NJ marathon, the NYC marathon(if I get accepted) and the Philly classic half marathon I plan to take some time off until June of 2007. My plan is to complete in the Philadelphia Triathlon, my ultimate test of endurance and physical toughness. The only bad thing about the triathlon is that I don't know how to swim to complete a half mile swim. Luckily Danielle is teaching me the right way and on return I plan to make a runner out of her. :)
She might have a great smile but she is one tough cookie, one tough coach which is great thing as I need that "push" from her. So now I am dedicating most of my time to learn how to swim and I know with Danielle's help I will do just fine. *Thank you Danielle*


The Marathon.....

So the day came, nervousness set in days before the marathon but that was the last thing on my mind. The day before I checked into the hotel thinking how awesome it was going to be. After checking in I went to the Expo center to pick up my bib# and the other goodies that came in a bag. I also purchased a couple of shirts and spent some time walking on the boardwalk., Took some pictures also as the day was sunny and warm. Walking back to my room all I thought was how I was going to do, if I was going to finish, was I going to miss it?? My mind was flying and there was nothing I could do about it.,
After a while I realized that it was time for me to head to the expo and hope to meet the very first woman who ran the 1967 Boston Marathon. Kathrine Zwitzer was actually there, right in front of me and she had asked me if she could sign my BIB in which I happily said yes. She is not only an inspiration for all women but to everyone who run long distances. What a great feeling it was to have chatted with such a woman. Even at her tender age of 60 she still looks good! and still runs too :)

So now I was really hungry for some pasta, so I went to the hotel's dining room and had the biggest, heaviest, sauciest, spagetthi and meatball meal ever, with garlic bread of course. :D
By the time I went to my room I felt about 5lbs heavier and I just wanted to crash for a while but unfortunately my mind couldn't rest and I actually only slept about 3 hours.

The time came, it was around 5:30 am and I was starving so I drove to dunkin donuts and got myself a coffee with a bagel sandwich. Driving back I couldn't wait to get into my running clothes, I couldn't wait to wear my 0001 Bib on behalf of Scarlet and Madison my *melanoma fighters*
So I got dressed up and ready to go, changed the battery of my Sony MP3 player and went out for a long walk. As soon as I started to walk along the boardwalk I noticed there were so many people heading towards me and all I thought was "OMG so many runners and they all look so young compare to me" lol.
It was about 6:45 when the announcer told us the early gun runners to get ready so I started my walk back to where I supposed to be,. Once I found my pacer I knew it was going to be allright as Laurie(the pacer) had made feel more comfortable as she knew it was my very first marathon. I waited, she waited, we waited, then the National Anthem was sung by a fellow runner and right after that was over Kathrine said few words as I went deaf due to my nervousness.
Suddenly I heard it, the moment of truth arrived with a bang. It was the sound of our start, it was the sound I've long waited for, it was the sound of destiny. So I walked along side the pacer and other runner, we walked for a while but my running instincts took over and just ran I ran free, I ran to feel the air, I ran because I needed to run. It was about 17 miles later when I noticed that a friend of mine Angela had fallen to the ground as she apparently pulled her hamstring muscle so I helped her stretch and decided to walk really slow alongside her to make sure she doesn't injure her muscles any further. We chatted and really enjoyed the scenery around Long Branch until we had about 2 miiles to go.
With 2 miles left I told myself that I had to finish running instead of walking so I told Angela I was going to run the last mile and a half and so I did.
With the last bit of energy I ran the last miler to the point I had my eyes partially closed so I could save more energy. I remember looking at the finish line, I remember hearing the cheerings, I remember the race marshalls saying " clear the course please there's a runner coming through" and those words made me run, I ran with pride, I ran with all of what I had, I ran for a cause, I ran as I needed to fulfill my own destiny.


I did it......


So I crossed the finish line, what a feeling of accomplishment, what a race, I was so happy to have done it. I am now a marathoner, I survived the pinnacle of endurance, I have reached a level of inhumane capabilities. I have accomplished what most people don't even dare to do.
Right after the marathon, Laurie the pacer and I congratulated each other, we both share the same love for the sport, we both had a blast but the time came to say goodbye. So we gave each other a hug and waved good-bye. As I arrived to my room the only thing on my mind was to ice my knees so I made a call the front desk and had ask them for a few bags of ice, a few minutes later an employee from the hotel knocked on my door and he had 4 bags of ice. After he left I locked my door, basicalled dragged to the bathroom, put the ice in the tub, turned the cold water until the tub was 3/4 way full.
After a few minutes of thinking about what I was about to do, I grabbed a small towel, took a bite and summerged myself into the tub. IT WAS SHIVERING COLD!!!!! omg it was so freaking cold, my genitals were frozen shot and I could barely focus on my thoughts or anything. For the next 5 minutes I sat there, frozen with nothing to say, nothing to think other than WHY!!???
Afterwards I felt a little better as it was the time to drive home. Coming home felt good, I felt good, my knees were ok, but I was really tired.
The minute I came home I went to sleep, I took a 5 hour nap. After getting up I ate and kept drinking water as I knew my body needed to refurbish all the fluid lost during the race.

What will happen from now until ...

I feel good, my knees feel good, somewhat sored but that's understandable since 26.2 miles is not just a around the corner run, we are talking about twenty six miles.
The thought of running again or at least completing a different event has settled in my mind, so I will be participating in the Philadelphia Triathlon, June of 2007.
But before I do have to learn how to swim for at least a quarter mile so thankfully I met someone at the gym by the name of Danielle, who happens to be a swim coach and a woman who's always smiling :)

Danielle has become a friend, a coach, she has this smile that makes me smile, she has this unique character which makes things a lot easier for me especially now with this dark cloud hanging over me. I would like to take this time to thank her for being who she is. I just wished she could go a little easier on me next time we are at the pool :P
hehehehehe

Thank you Danielle!!!!!!! :)

I am looking forward June 15th which is the day I find out whether I'm accepted to run the NYC marathon....*wish me luck*

While I wait for that day to come I plan to run the Princeton's 10k and if I don't get in the NYC marathon I will run the Philadelphia classic half marathon in November.

Long distances and my long awaited let down.....



For those few weeks off from running I felt as if I was done! I really felt tired and part of me wanted to rest for however long but the other part of me wanted to run even faster.
So October came way too fast for me. It was the beginning of my fall races which happened to be only one race.
The Seaside Heights Half marathon; My very first really, really long distance race. This particular race felt like an eternity, it was long, windy, cold and the sun gave me once again a nice sunburn :) the SH half covered the length of Island Beach state park, surrounded with trees and a hard surface road, this race gave me the sensation of actually buying an MP3 player as I needed to keep my mind busy as there was nothing to see while running or walking. I remember having some water at the 5 mile mark and that was it, there was nothing else or anyone else for that matter throughout the whole race.
As I approached the finish line I began to feel really tired as my knees felt awful as if they were going to break in pieces,. This feeling grew the minute I cross the finish line, I could barely walk, I could barely move and I had a hard time walking. So I sat for a while which was the worst mistake I ever made.
So I found myself being injured, with a driving distance back home of at least 2 hours. Luckily I had some ice bags given by the race organizers. As I started to drive back home the pain intensified to the point I could hardly press the clutch., After a few hours I was home and in need of a long rest. I was really tired and thirsty when I got home so I took a nap and drank lot of fluids but my pain was still there so I rested for a few days thinking the pain was going to go away but it never did.

2 weeks later, still the pain was there, I kept wondering what to do so I finally decided to see my doctor. My primary doctor told me I had Patellar Tendonitis which is another phrase for "runners knee", he suggested I should see a knee specialist so a few days later I found myself sitting at a rehab center and waiting for Dr. Getcha and his assistant to come and tell me the bad news.
Dr. Getcha said the same about my knees, it was too much, too soon and I needed to go to rehab for at least 8 weeks., Luckily I served those 8 weeks of rehab at the same gym where everything started....
An experience like no other, my rehab came and went with very positive results. Thanks to Jenn and her help I was able to save myself from further injuries. She became my savior, someone who always told me I was going to be fine and for that I thank her everyday I get to see her.
**THANK YOU JENN**

Unfortunately I went back to rehab for a couple of more weeks since my running instinct took over and ran way too many miles instead of taking it easy :)

What a summer.....


2005 was an amazing year. It all started with the Diana5k run, an unbelievable experience and the beginning of something wonderful.,
On the 29th of June I entered my very first evening race; the ETS Firecracker 5k run. As easy as it looked from reading the info of the race it actually turned out to be a very challenging run, uphills and downhills and wet roads didn't make it any easier but as hard as it was the ETS run served as a great experience for longer runs ahead.

A couple of weeks later I entered one of the largest and most famous 5 mile race in the state of New Jersey: the Belmar 5 miler which is run around town and it ends by the boardwalk is the second largest 5 miler in N.J. with over 5 thousand runners from all around the country. On this July day which was in the mid 90's and the sun glaring its heat upon my skin felt like no other day. Being sarrounded by so many runners and having to meet so many great people gave me such a positive outlook in life, even after I crossed the finish line I felt very content with the results of the race even though I was really fatigued and desperate to drink a lot more water than usual.


So my summer races began with a blast, not only ran my very first 5miler but I ran it under the heat and very humid air, what a feeling!!!!!
And now I found myself at odds, summer had begun and I am ready to run but where? I remember looking at all the options and finally I decided to run a local 5k in Hamilton. What a race! All I can say is; that short 5k felt like twice the belmar 5 miler. On July the 14 th I ran my very first local race in Hamilton, this race took place by the Robert Wood Johnson hospital and ran through Hamilton's veterans park. Not only was the course tough on me but I saw a lot of competitors with their "I can't do this anymore" face. Luckily enough I finished the 5k with a 8.14 per mile pace, the fastest ever.

Having such an experience I took some time off from road running, as I needed to focus on other things than running. My next race took place a couple of days after my birthday and once again it was by the shore! The only thing I kept thinking was; why am I running by the shore again???
To this date, the Asbury park was the toughest of them all. This race in particular started at 8:30am with the temperature of 90 degrees and 9am it was 94F, along high temperatures the sun was extremely strong, I would imagine to have lost about 5 pounds or so. After the race I realized how dark my skin was and how sweaty and disgusting it felt. The good news about this race was that I felt great with nothing to complain about other than going to the potty quite too many times.
Awwww so it was almost the end of the summer and I still had another 5k to run; the Pier Village 5k at Long Branch was my last of the summer races. It was there where I received the conmmerative Meridian JerseyShore Golden GrandPrix Crystal vase. I still have that little vase somewhere as I really didn't know what to do with it :)
Once I ran the Pier Village race I took a short 5 weeks off from running to reflect on my accomplishements. During that time I thought of my success as a first year runner and what I would do next.
A friend of mine who happens to be a fellow runner said after the Pier Village race;

"Success does not usually go to the person who can take few noisy, impressive strides. Success goes more often to the person who steadily puts one foot in front of the other and embraces the challenges ahead".

Hearing her say such words made me realize that it was that time, it was the time to run farther, longer distances.......

Off to the races

So now it's mid-june I am scheduled to run my very first 5k ever, I am nervous and yet very excited. My trainer had told me I was going to do fine and that I was ready, but she failed to warn me about my jitters and muscle twitching LOL.
So came Saturday 11th of June, I woke up feeling upbeat and dead nervous,. it was about 7am when I drove to the Hyatt Regency hotel's parking lot, near the site where the race supposed to take place. Apparently I arrived a bit too early as there were only few runners and the race staff were still putting things together. So I walked to the registration tent and mentioned who I was and they pulled out an envelope with my bib# and my t-shirt. Not knowing what I had to do I asked if we were supposed to wear the t-shirt and the lady behind the table smiled and said " this must be your first race!" I remember looking at her with the same smile and said "YES!!!". Well she was nice enough to introduce me to the staff and the race director.
After waiting for a while I noticed how crowded the place was getting. By 8:30am there were at least 700 runners and that's when I heard the director over the loudspeaker to get in position....
As I placed myself in the middle of the crowded the girl next to me looked at me, said hi and introduced herself as Amy Camuso; Half marathoner. I told her it was my very first 5k and she laughed and told me not to worry, not to run fast and just enjoy it at whatever pace I decided to run at. So we sang our National Anthem with pride and joy, runners began to loosen up and then the magic moment came....the gun went off and I was off to the races, Amy and I started together and kept running together for about half of the first mile or so that's when something unbelievable happened, my instincts took over and I began to pick up my pace to the point I lost sight of Amy. As I was approaching the last 200 meters of the race I kept saying to myself "I made it, I made it, I did it, I'm about to finish my very first road race!" I can see a lot of people cheering as I was approaching the finish line, but I couldn't hear anything since I was concentrating on not to fall and make a fool out of myself.
So I crossed the finish line with a smile and a exhausted body. My medal was placed around my neck and congratulatory words were said even though I could not hear anything as my mind kept saying the same thing over and over again "I did it, I did it". So after walking for less than 2 minutes and grabbing a couple of water bottles I saw Amy crossed the line and we got together by the finish line walked for a little bit and talked about my experience of running. Ever since then Amy and I have become friends, we still e-mail each other but we haven't had the chance to run together again.
Thank you Amy for your encouragement and words of wisdom.
Right after the race I headed to the gym still wearing my bib#162 and I showed the gym trainer my very first medal, she was so happy for me and so proud for the accomplishment. Then she said "Now you are a runner, go and find your path that will someday lead you to become a marathoner".....

The good old days......


Back in February of 2005 I found myself being a little overweight by about 30lbs. So with the help of a friend, I joined a wellness center located in Hamilton NJ. My friend Joy Allen holds a very special place in my heart as it was her who took her time to show me what running was all about. She is not only my co-worker but a true friend, she is unique, sensitive and very funny :P
** Thank you Mrs. Allen**

THE GYM:
Few days after joining the gym I decided to use the stationary bike as a my tool to better myself but a short time later after going miles and miles using the stationary bike I approached my personal trainer and asked her if I could do something more productive than sitting on my ass for hours, well she had me walk on the treadmill every other day; 5 minute warm up, lift weights and finish with a 20 minute walk then it was off to the showers. I did the same exercises for about a month or so until my trainer decided to to change my routine, she had me walk 20 minutes, then weights and then half hour walk. For another 3 weeks or so I found myself once again getting bored of the same type of exercise over and over again. So once again I approached my trainer about it and she came up with the walking/running routine. By April of 2005 I was walking 10 minutes and running 5 minutes on the treadmill which I really enjoyed doing it. For a couple of weeks I kept the same momentum but then my trainer said that my running mechanics seemed to be excellent so she had me walking 5 minutes and running 20 minutes every other day. By the month of May I was walking 5 minutes to warm up then for 30 minutes I ran like there was no tomorrow. That routine continued until June when my trainer approached me and had asked me to sign up for a 5k run to see if I would like it. I was very hesitant at first but I gave it a shot.

The good, the bad and the ugly of running

The human body; such a work of art, such a biomechanical entity. Are we as humans tough enough to run? Are we strong enough to last 13.1 miles or 26.2 miles worth of four hundred pounds of pressure to each knee everytime our legs stretch to make a step? Are our bones strong enough to endure such punishment?
Apparently so, we have to remember few things about runners than seperate us from others though. Running is mostly in the mind and lesser on the physical strenght, and yet everyone I have asked what is it about running one is afraid of? their answer has always been "oh I don't run because my body can't take the punishment or I am afraid to run out of breath or that I might fall to the ground and hurt myself". The truth is, our bodies were built to run, we are all bio-mechanically incline to do a certain type of running. Running is not about the distance one covers whether doing exercises or running in a road race, running is about letting the body do its natural movement. We are all born to run, even as kids we ran either away from our parents, being chased or just ran for the fun of it.
Why running? to simply put it, it does the body good. What other way to enjoy the outdoors, chatting with fellow runners, enjoying the scenery. I truly believe running takes your mind off the troubles of life. Running provides you with a positive outlook in determination and self-esteem.
So who am I? I am what I wanted to be ever since I set my feet in the gym, I am a Marathoner.......