Filed under: 2008 NYC Marathon Training | Tags: Miles, New York City, New York Marathon, Pittsburgh, Yoga
Started my first Fantasy Football league this week with some buddies from work. My team’s name is Aluminum Curtain, cause I live in Pittsburgh, love dem Stillers and don’t think I have a chance in hell winning this low stakes competition. I’ve got Peyton Manning (would rather have Eli), Anquan Boldin, Brian Westbrook (who should be a gamer), Nate Kaeding (kicker out of San Diego, one of my new favorite cities) and the Arizona defense (got Dallas defense as well). No idea how it will go, definitely more of a Mets Baseball fan, but game on 
Tried out a new route today through the following Pittsburgh neighborhoods; Polish Hill, Bloomfield, Lawrenceville, Northside (along the Alleghany River, starting at the 40th Street Bridge), down to PNC Park and back up through the Strip. 10.2 miles, and feeling pretty decent… I’m going to work this route through the rest of the training because it’s got a steeper, longer climb than I’ll face over the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge at the start of the NYC Marathon. I finished up the run with just over a 9-minute mile pace, a little off pace target but got it done. That leaves 5 or 6 miles tomorrow early morning, a round of golf at Lindenwood Golf Club with those buddies from work (which is Bank of New York Mellon) and an 18 miler on Sunday to finish up the week.
Not totally syked about last weeks results, only 18 of 33 total miles (and skipped the long run!! BUMMER), but I was traveling and my right knee really did benefit from the extra recovery time. My damn hamstrings are too tight and I think that it’s causing a little “runners knee”; which according to the September issue of Runner’s World is often confused with “Iliotibial Band Syndrome”;
“THE DIFFERENCE The iliotibial band (ITB) is connective tissue that runs from your hip to your knee. “A tight IT band can cause friction along the outside of your knee, which is why it feels like a knee problem,”… If it’s ITB syndrome, then running downhill, lengthening your stride, and keeping your knee in a bent position for extended periods will exacerbate your symptoms. Stretching to loosen the band can help resolve the problem”…Describes what’s going on in my right knee to a tee. On the last long run, the downhills were killing me and in general, I sit in front of a computer, geeking our for hours everyday. I mentioned it before but the yoga is definitely helping.
The traveling I mentioned was back home to New York City for Labor Day. Had a chance to spend time with family, friends and saw 3 of 5 boroughs. Caught a quick 4.5 miler through Forest Park, Kew Gardens & it rocked.
