Rutgers University Research Trip

I have been in New Jersey for the last few weeks on my annual research trip. My co-author (and good friend) William M. Rodgers III (Rutgers University, John J. Heldrich Center for Workforce Development) and I use the time to work intensively on our joint project concerning clinical depression and the labor market outcomes of young adults. Additionally, I use the time to focus on marathon training. The perfect Running Economist adventure (although I do miss my husband, kitty, and pups who are back in VA; the two little rascals/helpers came along).

Helper #1

Helper #2

This trip has been very productive. After several years of work, four data sets, applications for restricted data access, trips to the New York Census Research Data Center in NYC to use said restricted data, presentations in CA, DC, VA, and NJ, the submission process is in sight! Currently I am rechecking our estimates, heeding comments made by reviewers at the January ASSA/AEA meeting, and tabulating the results. It is hard to believe that so much time, effort, travel, etc. will likely fit into a handful of tables, albeit power-packed tables! We are hoping to send the paper out to a journal by end of August/September. Some power writing will need to occur over the coming weeks.

Thomas Sweet's, my 2nd office

 On the running front, things have been going very well. I finally listened to my coach and took two weeks off of cardio in May, and the rest is paying off. I had not taken 14 days off from cardio since at least 7th grade (which looks incredibly obsessive as I read it). My racing and training was stagnant and poor for about a year and something needed to change. The time off was just the change I needed. It was mentally difficult to get through the time off and the first few weeks of running afterwards felt awkward to say the least. Clothing was not fitting like it used to, which made it all the more difficult to get through the rest period, but here I am typing this blog post in early August feeling as strong as ever. Now I wonder what took me so long to truly take a break!

View on a run

I have signed up for a few races including a half in October; the Philadelphia Marathon is my A-race. My goal is the same as it has been the past few marathons: sub-2:55. I am confident that this time will be the charm. Patience will continue to be a virtue as I still do not have any speed. I have largely been working on strength and endurance. Coach Clifford will start adding in faster, more intense things about 10-12 weeks out from the marathon. Currently, my mileage is in the 70-75 mile/week range on six days (with one off or swim day) and it will likely get into the low 90's in late September/early October.

Off for my long run and a day of research,