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First thing’s first: HAPPY BIRTHDAY ATHLETIKATY! My calendar reminder me this morning that today’s the blog’s 9th birthday. Nice.
Yes it’s already March 12th, so it’s (overdue) time for February’s run report! Would have had it out in a more timely fashion if it weren’t for that whole Boston rabbit hole that I launched myself headfirst into about 10 days back. Invitational bibs to the Boston Marathon have been a hot topic in the running community, especially with the unprecedented number of time-qualified applicants who didn’t actually make it into the race.
I just couldn’t pass up the opportunity to take myself out of the numbers for once, and take a look at something that’s been discussed a lot across all platforms. The feedback I received from several run creators that I am mutuals with, some of whom I’ve even spent time with IRL, was very supportive.
If you read the blog post, you know there was a lot of information in there. Even talking at breakneck speed, my TikTok presentation of the data ended up being something like 7:42 long. It spurred LOTS of conversations in the comments section, and none of it turned nasty. For that, I am eternally grateful.
When you put out a piece of content that has to do with a hot topic, you never know how it’s going to go.
I’m still scared to post on YouTube, TBH. Those kiddos in the comments section spend all of their time dragging random strangers and none of it on doing their homework.
ICYMI: Dive in and catch up
Who got into the 2024 Boston Marathon if 11,000+ Time Qualifiers Didn’t?
Threads has been my go-to app for all sorts of running discourse lately. In the last two weeks, I saw a couple of posts in passing along the lines of “there goes another runfluencer with a Boston bib who doesn’t deserve it.”…
February Run Report: Not So Easy, Very Breezy
While I narrowly missed out on hitting that 100-mile mark, in hindsight, I’m still proud of how much I was able to get done. Training for a half marathon while spending more than half the nights of the month on the road is nothing to sneeze at. I struggled to fit speed & longer efforts in as the month picked up steam, and got plenty of cold wind in the face (ahem, Chicago, Seattle, Denver… ALL OF YOU). As my Dad would say… “it builds character.” Here’s how it all shook out.
My goal for 2024 is to run 1200 miles, which shakes out to an average of 100mi/month. I admittedly fell short in February, clocking in at 93.44 miles. Winter GRIT took me above and beyond the hundo mark in January, so while I didn’t *quite* make it to triple digits this month, the train is still on the tracks.
As you can see, I’m still crushing it overall in comparison to any year leading up to this point. Since I’ve started running, I’ve usually only been good for 33ish miles in the first 2 months of the year.
For context: I didn’t fall off the CrossFit wagon until I accepted my current (read: full-time travel) job in late 2021. Pre-pandemic, I was still training for 1-2 races a year, and they were always in the fall. I worked 9-5 in an office like a normie, and was still attending classes consistently. The lack of mileage 6-7 years ago can easily be attributed to time spent in a nice, warm, INDOOR gym.
THE OUTDOOR STREAK IS STILL ALIVE! A snowstorm mid-month tested me when a foot of snow got dropped on us. Instead of using the treadmill in the basement, I shuffled up my schedule to swap rest and run days. The less I manage to use a treadmill, the more averse to it I am becoming.
Staying outdoors all winter long has done wonders for my mental health, therefore, I want to keep the momentum as long as possible. Sooner or later, some sort of weather/safety concern is going to snap the streak, but to make it this far? I’m excited.
Highs & Lows: Thermometer Says…
February wasn’t *quite* as rude as January was, but it still wasn’t some sort of spring thaw. The average temperature I ran in was still just above freezing. Between air & wind, the lowest Real Feel still dipped into the teens, a stat I hope not to carry over into March. My run in Chicago on the last day of the month was BRUTAL between the wind & humidity, but go figure it was a random ass run back home in CT that took the ice cream cake.
On the other end of the thermometer, I got to bust out a tank top exactly once. Denver did what Denver does, and was 61°F/16°C one day, and half that the next. I was so excited to get a sunny and warm day for my signature “I just stumbled off a plane” run, but when I got to town, the wind had other plans. Something like steady wind in the 20mph range that day. I got sun, I got 61°, but I also got a ton of chafing because the wind dried my minimal sweat instantly. I was so mad at the wind that I didn’t even notice the whole “lack of oxygen” thing.
After that trash run, I consoled myself with a peanut butter Buckeye Bar from Whole Foods in the backseat of my rental car. Whoever said money can’t buy happiness has never bought a pack of those.
Speaking of Outfits…
My most worn pieces remained relatively unchanged between January and February. Still reaching for a Swiftly LS all the time, still running up the miles in the Brooks Ghost Max, and will never not grab a pair of Goodrs. On the bottom, though, a different pair of tights took the lead.
In January, I kept reaching for Athleta’s Rainier Legging, my cold weather running GOAT. The move away from brushed items can (thankfully) only mean one thing… it’s slowly but surely warming up out there.
Top 3 by Number of Wears: Shirts
- Swiftly Tech Long Sleeve Shirt 2.0 – lululemon
- Swiftly Tech Short Sleeve Shirt 2.0 – lululemon
- Base Pace Ribbed Tank Top – lululemon (Discontinued)
Top 3 by Number of Wears: Tights/Crops
- Fast and Free High-Rise Tight 25″ – lululemon – The older version are the best, get them before they disappear forever
- Fast and Free High-Rise Crop – lululemon – RIP F&F 2017-2023 #gonetoosoon
- Rainier Leggings – Athleta – NGL I’m excited to see my COLD WEATHER gear move down the list
The most disappointing thing to note is that lululemon’s Fast and Free High-Rise Tight 25” Pockets Updated just isn’t working for me. It’s been almost a year since this core style’s overhaul, and I can’t get down with the new design. In theory, I should, it all looks right on paper. But in real life, it’s not been the case.
I appreciate their higher rise and the inseam’s removal, I do. However, I can’t seem to get them to stay put. The distraction they caused was enough to put a real damper on what was turning out to be a solid Tempo run in Central Park. I really WANT to give them a high mark, but they keep missing it. lululemon’s quality has also gone down in the last few years. Both updated pairs of F&F Crops and Tights I’ve gotten have had unraveled seams after a single wash cycle.
There’s a reason that I have exactly one pair of each length in the updated fit, and that’s it. They haven’t impressed me into buying any more.
Meet the New Kids on the Block
As a member of the the 2024 Brooks Running Collective, I received a very generous welcome kit that included a handful of outfits from Brooks’ latest lineup. I’ve been running in their shoes for the last decade, but have had limited experience with their clothing, only owning a few pieces up until the box of goodies arrived.
One of my incredibly fast favorites has become their Canopy Jacket. (As a matter of fact, I had the jacket in my cart for weeks, holding my breath in the event that I received one in the kit. You can imagine my ecstatic face when I opened up and saw it. Kiddo on Christmas morning.)
I’ve really been enjoying it as a breathable yet effective over layer for the runs on the chillier side. Some of my double-lined options from lululemon can get a little steamy, so it’s been a great piece to add just a smidge more protection from the wind while Mother Nature figures herself out and flips into Spring Mode.
February 2024 Running Shoe Rotation
For someone who’s got at least 44 pairs of running shoes (the last I counted, yesterday), it’s actually a little bit surprising that I only wore 3 models in the month of February.
It’s too easy for the Ghost Max to take the top spot. They’re a sensible shoe that’s excellent for all-day wear and whatever workout’s on the menu that day. Given that I spent half the month living out of a suitcase, I had to choose one pair of running shoes at a time, and the off-white Brooks Ghost Max (aka my Dad shoes) have generally been the winners. Otherwise, for the few workouts my ego needed a little boost for, I popped on the Levitate 6s and even took the carbon plates for a spin. Usually they’re only reserved for race day!
2024 Running Shoe Rotation (As of 2/29/24)
Just like it was for last fall’s marathon training, it’s always the most fun to track the shoes. I wore 16 (!!!) different running shoe models in 2023, and am excited to see how this one shakes out over the course of the year.
As I just mentioned, it’s easier than easy for the Ghost Max to take the top spot because, well, I have 4 pairs of them. The pink ones were an experiment. The off-whites were meant for double duty. The gray ones were because I didn’t want to get the first 2 pairs dirty if it was gross out. The all-black ones were a gift from Brooks. I’ve got a pair for every occasion, and an unnecessary 5th in my shopping cart right now. The chokehold is strong.
Running on the Road
Lastly, I got to crank out miles in 4 different cities in February. Early in the month, I found myself with an off day and a boatload of sunshine with 24 hours to get from Newark to Long Island. Of course you know where I ended up.
Central Park – New York, NY
At the time of this writing, I’ll be toeing the start line of the United Airlines NYC Half Marathon on Sunday morning, and it’s been a long time coming. I got in via lottery for last year’s event, but had to defer. My work schedule wouldn’t allow me the time off, so I ended up losing the money and punting to this year. Yes, I had to pay again, but at least I was able to get the PTO cleared and claim my spot. My name was drawn in November of 2022, it’s now March of 2024. I’ve been looking forward to this race for AGES, so it was a no-brainer that Central Park was the perfect spot to crank out some miles and harvest some inspiration.
I was luckily able to run in CP twice that week. The first was a tempo run, a second was a sleep-deprived 12-mile long run. During the long run, I did a full loop in the park in each direction (I had only ever run clockwise before), and I’m glad I did. After getting home that weekend, I looked at the race course and realized that the NYC Half might finish in the same spot as the marathon does, but you come at the Tavern on the Green from the opposite direction. Probably should have checked that out at some time in the last 15 months?
Seattle, WA
This was a SIGNATURE of all signature “let’s roll off the plane and long run” if there ever was one. I had a busy two days in Boston working at the Bruins, and then hopped a direct from BOS-SEA at 6am the next morning. 6+ hours in a tin can, and somehow I still managed to make it (sort of) happen.
Catch the totally sleepless run vlog here. Hands down some of the worst IT band pain I’ve experienced in all my years. I guess hours on hours on hours in an airplane chair can do that to you.
Denver, CO – Crown Hill Park
Landed too early, downtown hotel not ready, so I found this spot by going on Strava and checking the heat map. One of my HS friends lives in Arvada, so all I needed to do was find somewhere non-sketchy heading toward the front range to pass the time while I waited for him to get out of work.
The loop at Crown Hill Park said something like “Citius Saturdays” so I am thinking that *maybe* that’s where some of the Citius Mag crew runs? Plenty of parking at the trailhead, and the bathrooms were super clean. The fun stopped there.
Mainly, it was windy. Excessively windy. I was exhausted from flying across the country. My insides weren’t agreeing with me that day. I cut the run early and y’all know what happened with the backseat buckeye bars.
Chicago, IL – Lakefront Trail
Finally, a city where it was acceptable for it to be windy, because, well… it’s the Windy City. Chicago gets a pass. I was excited that I was able to come back to Chicago for a 3rd time this season. Even though I got REJECTED by the Chicago Marathon (ok fine I was unlucky in the lottery), I still love running in that city. Did I wear my NYC pullover in an act of “harrumph”? You betcha. Chi-town it’s your loss, I’m going back to NYC for year 3.
Another one fresh off the plane, ofc. An intended tempo turned into mile repeats with a handful of sit on a bench breaks. Still managed to notch 2/3 under the 9:00 mark, which is a treat for me. Despite the geese, I still had a good time. The hot shower after this one felt ah-ma-zing.
Speaking of New York…
One last thing! Past Katy took a video for Future Katy from the finishers’ area of the 2023 NYC Marathon. Check it out:
Yeahhhhhh… I did it again. I said I’d leave it up to the lottery. Then an email came out to everyone on the company wellness distro offering an exclusive employees-only access window to Team V. FOMO took over and the love of making graphs was too good to pass up. I loved the process of training for the race last year. After going unlucky in both the Berlin & Chicago lotteries, I figured it was a sign.
Year 3. NYC Marathon. LFG!
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Wow, this turned into a long one.
Kind of like a marathon. Those are fun.
xx
Katy
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