First 5.

Yesterday was my longest run since I gave birth: 5 miles at a comfortable 9:30 pace.

It was more-or-less a good run, except for the part where my ears felt as if they would freeze and fall off because I failed to wear a headband even though I knew there was a whipping wind. I blame it on a lack of sleep . . .

Anyway, my easing back plan is going well and my mileage is starting to creep back up. And, best of all, I have felt great each time out. Which means, of course, it is time for a plan! Not a major, serious plan or anything like that. I guess I'm thinking more of a guide. A guide that will get me back in to racing shape. You see, I've got a little 5K coming up on 12/4 and I'd like to run well. Ideally, I'd run it faster than the 27:11 I ran when I was 5.5 months preggo. Wishful thinking would be finishing faster than the 25:13 I ran in my first race back after Conal was born.

If I'm going to do either, I need to make a plan. Since my schedule is driven by my little one-month-old, I can't set anything in stone. So, I've decided that my plan will be to run 3-4 times a week with a progressively longer run on the weekend, one 3-4 mile fartlek or tempo run, and then another run or two at my comfortable base-building pace for about 4-5 miles. I don't want to push my body with intervals at this point so I'll hold off on them until after the new year. By then, I'll be three months postpartum so I should be able to handle tougher workouts.

So that's that. A plan is a plan.

Now, I just want to say a little something about the NYC marathon. I watched the broadcast yesterday and was, as usual, entranced. It was so exciting and I was really happy for Shalane Flanagan and her second place finish.

But I was even happier for a runner named Wendi Ray. She rocks, people. Rocks. Wendi is 37, works THREE jobs, trains in Wisconsin, and finished in 2:39:15 yesterday -- good enough for 22nd place overall and 6th among American women. She was recently profiled on the Running Times site and when I read about her I thought to myself, "Dang. I have NO excuse not to get it done."

No, I don't mean running a 2:39 marathon because that's just laughable. I mean making time for running. Getting back and running strong and well. If people much busier than I am can run to their potential, well, so can I.

And so I shall.

Did you watch the NYCM yesterday? Run it? Love it? Are you entering the lottery for next year? Good luck to those of you who are!

~ Felice