Fun race memories

Last night I was thinking about some of my favorite races...  in no particular order...

Broad Street Run.  May 2011. 



Awesome race.  Got locked in and just sailed down Broad Street in Philadelphia.  I felt good and ran well and was really happy with the day.  (I'm in the green top.)

Back on My Feet 20in24 relay.  July 2011. 

I ran two legs of 8.5 miles each.  I was on a team of 5 girls, and my times were amongst the strongest of our runners.  As the oldest on the team, I was happy about that! 

I had to run the first leg at about 8:15pm and the second leg at about 2am.  That second leg was SPOOKY.  And it really felt unsafe.  But the whole experience was super fun, and we WON our division! 

 

Great Urban Race.  NYC.  August 2009.

I hope Maria is ok with this pic -- I chose it because it shows just ONE of the super fun parts of this day, and it's tough to see our faces so we aren't identifiable.

This was like a one-day Amazing Race in NYC.  Follow clues, complete tasks, do some running, have a BLAST.  We were team SOLARPOWERED and it was one of the best days in my running experiences! 

LBI 18 Mile Run. October 2009.   

The link above the picture actually takes you to something that I wrote about my first 18 Mile Run.  The first time I ran it (2006), and this 2009 race, were my best ones.  I've written about the LBI 18 Miler a lot (you can search the posts) and I think this race, the 2009 one, was an important race for me because I trained well AND ran well -- an up to that point I wasn't good at that in distance races. 

(Note -- for those of you who have read my blog for a while, I did not link to the post about this particular race because there is a picture of G, the craigslist guy, included in that post.  Anyone can see it if you search for that post, but I didn't want it linked here.)

Outer Banks Half Marathon.  November 2009. 

What a FUN weekend.  A ton of friends, a huge, amazing house, and a

surprise PR. 

7 Mile Bridge Run.  Marathon, FL Keys.  April, 2011.

It was a HUGE production just to be one of the lucky few to get to run this race, but what a day!  Such a cool, unique race to have done.  And, after all the calf problems I'd been having, this was a great run to get back in the game! 



There are so many others I could add -- my first ever trail race in Colorado this past summer, my great races at the Philly Distance Run, the Urban Wildland Half Marathon that I did with my Minnesota friends when I skipped across the country, my first marathon (not a great day, but a great accomplishment), my first race EVER, my PR marathon in Philly this past November, and more. 

I think I need to do a whole post just on the different marathons I've run.  This is fun to think about and look back on these experiences!  You should try it, too! 

A Tease

Spring made a guest appearance yesterday.  Temps have been in the 50's and 60's yesterday and today, snow has melted, and although it was grey on my run yesterday, I wore capri's and a long sleeve t-shirt.  No headband, no gloves, no tights.  It was warm enough to get the taste of spring.  The flowers I got this weekend brought a spring-like pop of color to my house and my classroom.  The sun even shined through my classroom windows for a short time yesterday -- and yes, I did stop the kids from working again to make them all look out the window and soak up some vitamin D. 

It may just be a 2-day tease, but the spring temps remind us that winter won't last forever. 

Pop Quiz Day!

Answer any or all of the questions in the comments.  Pick and choose, or do them all.  Keep answers simple, or elaborate all you want! 

Come on, how long has it been since you've had a pop quiz?  Play along! 

1.) True or false:  Treadmill running is a last resort choice.

2.)  True or false:  Running in cold weather is better than running in super hot heat.

3.)  True or false:  Stretching after a run is important.

4.) Circle one:  I  always/never/sometimes stretch after running. 

5.) Circle one:  I always/never/sometimes listen to music when running. 

6.) Circle one:  I always/never/sometimes check out other people's running style when I'm running.

7.) Fill in the blank:  I currently have __________ different pairs of running shoes in my rotation.

8.) Fill in the blank:  When it comes to my running, I wish I could improve _______________.

9.)  Fill in the blank:  The best thing about my running is _______________.

10.) Quick fire short answers: 
             a) Favorite drink on a long run _______________
             b) Favorite fuel on a long run _______________
             c) Favorie piece of running gear _______________
             d) Favorite time of day to run _______________
            
11.)  True or false:  Running itself is WAY better than taking random quizzes. 

12.)  True or false:  I'm curious about other reader's responses to these questions.


You're done! 
And if you answered TRUE to number 12, you better leave an/some answer/s in the comments so others can see your responses, too!   *wink*

I'll put my answers in the comments, too... 

Snow, Sleet, Swimming (NOT!), and a Saying

Once upon a time, it was a cold, wet, dreary day.  It started as a little snow, then turned to freezing rain, then just straight rain as I left work.  I planned a legs-rest day, so I made my way over to the pool.  I'm glad I remembered how to get there, seeing how I haven't swam in about three whole weeks. 

I passed right by the sign on the locker room door that said

Pool and Spa

Closed

because I was pretty certain I'd seen someone swimming out of the corner of my eye on my way to the lockers.  (The pool is in its own room, with windows out to the treadmill, etc. area.)  Another guy was also heading into the pool area, and I asked him if there was a sign in their locker room about the pool being closed.  He said nope, and sure enough there was someone in the pool.  Hmm. 

I couldn't imagine why the pool would be closed -- they just redid the whole thing last winter/spring.  But sure enough, the guy I walked in with, who got in the pool and immediately got back out, confirmed that, in fact, the heater must be broken.  I got in, determined to make this swim happen. 

And then I got right back out.  I've done this before -- tried to swim in the pool when the heater's broken -- but today I just couldn't make it happen.  It was too cold.  So I left the gym, ticked about the timing because I could've gotten to a yoga class at the yoga studio if it was 20 minutes earlier. 

So what did I do?  I went food shopping.  I did situps and pushups at my house.  I took a long, hot shower, and I thought about a clever saying I need for myself...

We are putting our picture and a saying/quote/etc. that we like/that relates to us/etc. on the running store's website and I got this email from the manager today:

I'll get pictures tomorrow night and let me know a clever saying to include with your pic



But I'm not clever!  I don't know what to say!  One person is using, "I'll sleep when I'm dead."  Another is playing off of Robert Frost's Miles to go before I sleep lines of that poem.  A third is using, "I sell smiles." 

I may just steal my dad's quote that I've sort of adopted for my own life:      

Earn Your Shower (every day)

That is, unless you can suggest something better?  Give me your ideas! 

Jetty + Waves4Water East Coast Rising event

What an amazing event.  I've talked before about how Jetty + Waves4Water has helped my brother rebuild his store on Long Beach Island, NJ.  The amount of help this combined organization has provided is staggering:  more than $200,000 given directly back to the local community to rebuild and restore homes and businesses hit by Superstorm Sandy. 

Last night they held a fundraiser event (that's the pic above) and they asked my sister-in-law to speak as someone who has directly benefitted from the aid they've provided.  It was a fantastic night.  And, any time I get to spend with my brother is an added bonus. 

We paid $20 each for our tickets, and with over 300 people in attendance, the event was sold out (by Thursday, actually!).  We paid an additional $10 for beer and wine, and there were silent auction items as well as a raffle for other items through the night.  There was a small buffet of food that was included with your ticket price, and the viewing of the film.  I heard today that they raised over $15,000 last night, and immediately wrote 4 $5,000 checks to different people/businesses in the community.  Outstanding. 

There was also a table set up with postcards that gave information about the relief efforts on LBI and urging people to come visit and support local businesses.  Those of us attending were urged to bring addresses of people outside the area that we could send those postcards to -- and there were even stamps provided so we could do it right then and there.  Keeping the efforts moving forward.  Fantastic. 

As the amazing evening came to a close, we were given "goodie bags" to take with us. 

Cans of drinking water, a surf calendar, a Jetty knit hat, several can cozies, a ready pac meal (I'm intrigued!  I've never tried one!), a packet of the postcards, various stickers and flyers, and two nose/mouth masks (which I, upon first glance after many glasses of wine, thought were weird diapers or something!).  Fun! 

While I was there, and even moreso afterwards, I was so heartened by the sense of community and caring that was evident amongst all who were there.  You could feel such a cool vibe in that room, and it carried through conversations last night and reflections today.  A truly amazing event, put on by an even more incredible group of people.  I've known the founder of Jetty for many years, and I've worked with him in the past, and it was so great to be able to thank him (and his partner) in person for all their help.  Really wonderful people. 

And when I woke up this morning, this is what I saw across the street from my parents' house:

So you know I had a great run before leaving the shore :)



Snow, Sleep, and a Long, Slow Run

We got some snow last night that actually stuck!  It wasn't a lot, but it was enough to cover cars and the roads and make driving tough.  And even though I am powered by the sunshine and generally don't like the freezing cold and lots of snow, I can admit it was kind of pretty. 

I worked at the running store right after work at school yesterday, and then went out for a friend's birthday.  By the time I got home, I was so exhausted I went right to bed. 

I love my bed, but I really think it's time I get a new mattress.  I'm not a good sleeper at.all., and although I flip my mattress often, I've had this one for a while and it's losing its comfy-ness.  (I think I just made that word up.)

After letting myself sleep in a bit, I got out for my long run of the week.  The footing was tough because of the snow, but it wasn't icy so the run actually went well.  I kept it at a slow pace -- which I haven't been great at lately -- and by about mile 6 I was starting to enjoy it.  I decided to make it an 11 miler, but misjudged the route I took and it ended up being a 12 miler.  Whatev -- these days I'm just running what I want until I start training again. 

So now I'm headed to the shore for a big fundraiser for the organization that's been helping so many people affected by Sandy.  More to come on that tomorrow! 


Thoughts on running in the snow?  Like it?  Hate it? 

Adizero Tempo Shoe Review

406 miles and counting....

Years ago I broke up with my orthotics and started just running in mild stability shoes.  For a while it was the Saucony Guide, then I fell in love with the Brooks Ravenna.  The Ravenna has been my go-to shoe for a long while now -- it's the shoe I've worn for at least the past 3 marathons I've run and most of the races I've done in the past 3 years. 

But last summer our Adidas rep asked me to try this shoe.  The Adizero Tempo 5.  And I loved it. 

This shoe is lightweight (about 7.3 ounces) and just slightly narrow.  It fits true to size (I generally wear an 8 for my running shoes -- about a .5 size bigger than I measure), and the laces are long enough to let me lock-lace them (the key to a secure fit!) AND double knot them.  There is a mild post to the shoe, so I still get the stability help I need, and yet they aren't clunky like some posted shoes feel.  Since they are (in my mind) less shoe than the Ravenna, I feel lighter on my feet.  I wore them for the run in sprint tri I did this summer, and I wear them normally on regular runs, even up to 12-14 miles.  I have worn them for an 18 miler, and I remember thinking I might not want to wear them for a longer run since they are less cushioned, but I may re-experiment with that as I get into my next race training round. 

The best part about them?  I wore them on my 7 miler yesterday, putting the total miles on this pair at over 400+ miles.  Normally I get great mileage out of the Ravenna -- easily 350+ miles -- before I've worn out the soles and I feel like I need to replace them.  It's only one of the reasons I love the Ravenna.  But on my run today, with more than 400 miles on my Tempo's, my legs were fine.  I can see the tread is getting worn on them, but there's still life left in this pair.  And while I'm lucky to get my running shoes for cost or even for free sometimes, I like the idea of my shoes lasting longer before having to be replaced. 

I still love my Ravenna, and I still wear them often, but these days I'm LOVING my Tempo's. 

So if you're a mild overpronator, and you like a lightweight, mild stability shoe, try the Adizero Tempo.  You might just surprise yourself, too, and become an adidas wearer! 

What's your go-to shoe? 

It's a BIG deal! x2!

First, check out this DELICIOUS veggie wrap I made for my lunch:

This is BIG, BIG news!  Seriously -- I have been struggling to find easy, quick prep, healthy and delicious lunches to make for work every single day.  This was an experiment, and while my wrapping skills are definitely lacking and it was everything I could do to keep the stuff from falling out the end as I ate it, it was so good! 

Ingredients:

*Whole wheat wrap                         *roasted red pepper hummus                   

*thinly sliced cucumbers                   *shredded spinach leaves                         

*black beans                                    *baby bella mushrooms (I sauteed these)

*roasted red pepper slices                *avocado

*shredded carrots

Once I sauteed the mushrooms and sliced the cucumbers the other night, this became an easy wrap to throw together each night this week to pack for my lunch!  Sweet! 

And the other BIG deal is...

I wore long tights for the first time in forever for my run yesterday.  Yep, this is a big deal, too!  I kind of really hate having stuff on my calves/lower legs and around my ankle area when I'm running. I usually wear capri length running tights through most of the winter.  But with a whipping, cold wind making the wind chill temps in the single digits, I knew I'd want the legs covered.  

(By the way, I'm also LOVING my Brooks running jacket.  Not only does it have that super cute flower stitching on the right hip (and on the back shoulder), it also keeps me ridiculously warm on cold running days.)

OH!  And if those two things weren't big enough for one day, I just thought of BIG deal #3!  I left my house at 5:30pm for my hot yoga class last night and (drumroll, please!).......

....... IT WAS STILL A LITTLE LIGHT OUT!!!!!!!!!!  Wheeee!!!!!!!!

What's been a big deal in your life lately?

3 Random Things

Here are three random things about me:

1.  I love chocolate milk, but don't really like chocolate ice cream. 

2.  I once tried to pierce my own ear.  After numbing it and starting to make the hole with a needle, I had to stop because I just.couldn't.do.it.

3.  I don't know how to apply makeup at.all.  My dad worked for L'oreal when I was growing up, but I don't wear makeup and have no idea how to even use eye shadow. 

4.  I picked the number 3 completely randomly.  (That was 4 things.) 


Now, you go!  Tell me random things about you! 

Pomp, Tradition, Pageantry... and a solid run.

As a public school teacher, I had off from work yesterday for MLK Jr Day.  While I'm sure everyone reading this did the wonderful thing of volunteering, I did not.  I know, that makes me a terrible person. 

Instead, I met my sister for a 9 mile run around the river, then did this, then watched the second inauguration of President Obama.  I love watching history unfold in live events.  I'm always intrigued by the pomp and pageantry and traditions of things like this.  I was glued to my tv when William and Kate got married, and during the Queen's Jubilee.  I stayed in on a Friday night to watch the Olympic Opening Ceremonies (and closing!). 

I am drawn to the traditions that carry from centuries ago. I am drawn to the show that is put on -- for us (the country) and for countries around the world.  I love the pageantry of it all, and I hope that somewhere there is a child watching who, after seeing the festivities of today, may be drawn to being a part of all of this her/himself one day. 

So I didn't volunteer, but I also had doctor's orders to keep my feet up for the rest of the day.  It was a good time to get more trip planning done, and grade a few papers...

I do it. So should you.

Skin cancer checks. A visit to the dermatologist once a year.  As someone who loves to soak up the sunshine, I think it's so important to strip down to my undies and have this guy who is old enough to be my dad check me over. Ok, that last part sounds weird, but so is the idea of stripping down and having anyone look you over.  But that's ok with me. And once a year, I do it. And so should you.


The gown might be too big, but let's face it -- I'm only wearing it for a little bit of modesty while my doc is asking me what's new since I saw him last year.  I'm totally comfortable with this doctor -- I've been seeing him for years now.  So when he asked if I have any skin concerns, I told him I'd like him to remove this wart-looking thing on my left foot. It's small, and he had tried to freeze it off last year, but since it was still there, we both agreed it would be smart to remove it today. He knew, before I even brought it up, to reassure me it wouldn't interfere with my running.

Doc: If you are comfortable, you could run tomorrow -- but I'd like you to put your foot up tonight and stay off it as much as possible before work tomorrow.

Me: Well, I kind of planned on taking a rest day tomorrow, figuring that's what you'd tell me to do.  What about the pool?

Doc: I'm going to do this as minimally invasively as I can so you can resume normal workouts as soon as tomorrow -- as long as your foot is comfortable in your shoe.  Pool's ok, too, but maybe wait a couple days.

Me: Whoa. Ok!  Cool!

Doc: Yep - and then I'll send you the biopsy report.

Errrrrrert!  Um, what?

No, don't freak out, he said. This is routine. You're young, so it's likely nothing more than a small wart. But in someone older, this is what skin cancer can look like.

Ok. Whew. I'm not worried at all, but I'm glad he'll follow up on that. It's the reason I go every year -- to catch stuff early. I wear sunscreen all the time in the summer.  On the beach, when I run. But there's always that chance I miss something. That's why I come.  And he did compliment me and say my skin, overall, looks just fine.

So now I've got this (WARNING!  SORT OF GROSS PICTURE AHEAD!)

(Yes, I realize I need a pedicure)

And I'm sure it'll heal up just fine. And I'll go back and get checked again next year.

And maybe, just maybe, you'll think about getting checked, too.


(note:  this is not the post I referenced yesterday.  I'll finish that asap!)

Life got in the way

of me finishing the post I started this morning.  I ran, then had to shower and eat and head to work.  Right after work, I headed to a bar to meet up with friends to watch the playoff games.  I was there longer than I planned.  I didn't finish my post from this morning.  It's one of those thinking posts, so I'll finish it and post it tomorrow. 

I was at the bar longer than I planned because a) I really like these friends.  They are fun, and they are really good people to have in my life.  and b) the beers were good. 

I also got distracted watching one of my friends do this:

I'm not sure the impressive nature of this trick comes through in this picture.  Trust me, it's pretty amazing.  Those top two small rocks glasses are not touching each other.  They are both just balanced on the rim of the bottom glass.  Try it.  It's not easy. 

Chilly Recharging

The SUN was out today.  On my 11 mile run this morning and through the afternoon, the sun was shining.  It was so needed. 

In fact, I was in such need of solar recharging that I plopped myself onto my deck with my face in the sun, despite the chilly wind keeping the temps cool. 

Lemonade, papers to grade, and, um, a People magazine.

I bundled up in my puffy coat, wrapped my legs in my compression socks, and completely ignored the grading I had to do.  I read the People magazine instead (look closely -- William and Kate are on the cover.  I'm planning on stalking looking for the new princess while in Wales!). 

And then, I closed my eyes and soaked it in. 

My hair looks crazy from the wind.  My face looks all crunched up behind those glasses because I'm SQUINTING from the bright light while I'm taking this picture.  It's been so long since we've had such a clear, sunny day, my eyes weren't used to it.  Or maybe it's only been a few days.  Whatever -- it felt like a lifetime. 

It was chilly today, but that sunshine was awesome.  SO needed.  Amazing what even a few minutes of solar recharging can do! 

Plans, a run, and a beer (or two)...

I stayed up late Wednesday night deciding on and then booking our flight for the Wales trip.  SO EXCITED!!!  But there was a bunch of coordination to deal with and then the website freezing that prolonged the whole thing, and it was 11:30pm before I got to sleep.  I was exhausted all day yesterday.  Like, wanting to nap right there at my desk while my kids worked on their group projects kind of tired. 

I was not too tired, however, to notice this big, bright light that was warming my back and illuminating my classroom at one point in the day.  You bet I made all my students stop working and stare out the window for the 5 whole minutes the sun came out!

Somehow, I made it through the day and even got a decent 7 mile run done around the river.  Today will be a shorter run and then a 75 minute hot yoga class. 

It's funny how the friend stuff I mentioned the other day comes in waves.  I have plans to see a friend's friend's band tonight, and yesterday I got a text from one of the running store guys about having some Happy Hour beers.  This was my choice of brew:

Ever have it?  It's delicious, and there are fun sayings inside each cap.  I would've taken a picture of this one, but it was a dumb one, so I didn't.  Years ago, though, I got this cap:

Hilarious, and completely appropriate considering the higher alcohol content of this beer! 

Although I wanted to be in bed and asleep at 9pm, I stayed up to watch part one of Lance Armstrong's interview with Oprah.  Perhaps it's a good thing I'd had some beers earlier :)

One Day

One rainy, dreary day -- in pictures:

I woke up yesterday, rolled over to the sound of rain outside, snuggled deeper under the covers, and stared at this:

I really need to get that bike actually onto the trainer and ride it.  Right now it's just propped there.  I haven't ridden in a couple months, and that's ridiculous.  Before this upcoming weekend ends, I'll get it on and actually ride -- at least for a short spin. 

After situps and some weights, after dressing and making my breakfast smoothie, after making my coffee and packing my bag, I headed out to the car.  This was my view as I got ready to pull out of my parking spot and head to work:

Rain.  It kept raining all day.  It was grey, and chilly, and even in my classroom I needed to wear the extra sweatshirt I keep in my cabinet.  Whenever I looked out my window behind my desk, I saw grey wetness. 

There's the sweatshirt, by the way.  Clearly I didn't wear it ALL day.  BUT -- note that I'm mentioning windows in my classroom!  WHee!  I spent 13 years in a classroom with NO WINDOWS!  ME!  Unbelieveable.  There's a lot of stressful JUNK happening at work right now, but I now have W.I.N.D.O.W.S! 

After work I headed home, got changed, threw on my current favorite running shoes and a hat and headed out for some wet miles.  I haven't been loving my running lately, but today's run -- despite the wet, grey day -- was actually better than any of my recent runs.  I kept it comfortable, hit the hills, and ended up back at home after 8 miles.  It never rained while I was out there, and while it wasn't a "best run ever" by any means, it was better -- and I actually caught myself thinking I could keep going right now.  Thank GOD.  I needed to be reminded that running doesn't suck completely forever.  I really think these shoes are my current favorite because they are so light but they do have a little post to them. 

It's tough to take a picture of my feet while I'm walking.  I don't know why I didn't just stand still.  Anyway, these are the adidas Adizero Tempo.  I love my Ravenna, and that is my go-to shoe, but I'm LOVING these Tempos right now.  More later on them in another post.

I was pretty chilled after my run, so after a quick visit to my sister's to catch up with her and get hugs from my little nephews, I took a long, hot shower and got in warm, comfy clothes.  I threw together some dinner and settled down on the couch to put my feet up and relax.  On my way past my thermostat, I saw this:

Yes, it was about 58-59* in my house.  No, despite hearing my dad laughing at me in my head, I did not turn my heat on.  I turned my fireplace on instead! 

I'd prefer to have the real thing, like I did in my old condo, but this serves the purpose.  It warms up the room, it sets some ambience, and it's cheaper than running my heating system.  Sitting in front of the fire, wrapped in warm comfy clothes after being outside in the wet, grey, chilliness...  Not a bad way to end this one day. 

What are your current favorite running shoes? 

Being in a FUNK and what to do about it!?

I've mentioned several times lately that I'm hating January.  I haven't been comfortable with my running, I haven't been comfortable with my weight and body, and I'm feeling pretty unmotivated with my workouts.  I kept saying that's typical for me for January, but the fact is, I looked at my running log from last January and those feelings weren't happening this time last year.  (It is interesting to note, though, that I did log many notes about these exact feelings toward the end of February and the beginning of March.  Hmm)

Anyway, I've put some thinking into WHY I'm feeling this way, and what I can do to move out of this funk.  Be warned -- this may be a long post without any fun pictures!  I'll make up for that tomorrow :)

Reasons why I may be in a FUNK:

1) I'm doing too much -- I'm working 6 days a week. I'm dealing with a lot of stressful stuff at my career job.  I'm working out at least 6 days a week.  I'm currently planning a huge summer trip to Wales/London.  I'm dealing with my NYC marathon details for this November.  I'm planning my trip to the Keys at the end of March.  I'm successfully ignoring the work that needs to be done in my spare bedroom, while being reminded every time I walk by that room that I need to get the work done.  I'm successfully ignoring the hot mess that is my loft/bedroom, while being constantly reminded by the clothes all over the place that I need to weed stuff out.  I'm doing too much, and I think it's draining me even though I don't always feel physically exhausted.  I'm mentally shot at times, and physically wanting to just s.t.o.p. at other times.  Spending the whole day just lounging around my house sounds like it could be awesome, but when I try to chill on the couch for a couple hours after work I start to feel like I'm wasting my daylight.  Ugh. 
2) The skies are GREY -- it IS January, after all.  Little daylight, lack of sunshine, chilly temps.  All this makes me feel like I'm in hibernation mode.  And pale.  And lacking in vitamin D.  Nothing good about all that, in any way, shape or form. 
3) **warning: raw honesty ahead**  I'm feeling ALONE.  Like no one cares.  I know that people do care, but if no one is paying attention, why do I bother?   It's been a while since I've been in a relationship (official or not) where I feel like someone cares about my day to day, about how I am, about what I'm up to.  I miss having a boyfriend, or at least a guy to spend time with.  Online dating is annoying and not working.  Real-life opportunities aren't happening.  My friends aren't really reaching out much these days.  Most of the time I try to not let this bother me, but it has been lately. It would just be nice to have someone or anyone, really, care about what I'm up to and how I'm doing.  Having my mom or dad check in with me counts, but not really -- they're my parents!  :) 
4) The second half of this year is going to be packed with training, so why not slack now?  I'm registered for the Wales marathon in the middle of July and then the NYC marathon the first weekend in November.  Once I start Wales training, I'll be in marathon mode until after NYC.  I haven't thought about how best to recover from Wales before jumping right into NYC.  I know people do marathons way closer together all the time, but I'm nervous about my calves, and I want to enjoy both days.  I'll have to be smart, and so right now, why not slack a bit?  It'll be a loaded spring through the end of fall. 
5) My weight is up -- Although I don't deviate all that much from my normal eating through the holidays, and I actually work out more because of my vacation time, I'm about 8 or so pounds heavier than I'm comfortable with.  THIS does usually happen in January, and I do usually shed the weight by spring, but I hate feeling this way.   

SO -- Those are the reasons I can come up with that I'm feeling blah. 
Here's what I'm thinking I should do about it:

1) Ride it out -- really, this kind of stuff is an ebb and flow, right?  It'll pass.  It always does.  It's ok to succumb to some down time.  Some hibernation.  It's a renewal time.  A re-energize time.  You have until the end of January, since you've blamed this month, and then you move forward.  The funk will pass. 
2) Prepare for training ahead -- As I said in number 4 above, once I start preparing for Wales I'll be in marathon mode until after November 3rd.  That's a long period of training.  It's ok to run less now.  Which leads to...
3) It's ok to take a break -- I'm not training for anything right now.  I'm not unhealthy, I'm not going to lose all my fitness.  It mentally freaks me out to take a day off from working out, but we all know how important rest is.  I'm getting older, and I want to keep running for the rest of my life.  Giving my body some rest time, some down time, especially with the year ahead, is smart.  Right? 
4) But, EARN YOUR SHOWER!  -- Even if I'm allowing myself some down time, I need to keep exercising.  Situps and push-ups in the morning.  Swimming.  Yoga.  Maybe even get on the bike trainer.  It's ok to back off the running a little, but do something every day to earn that shower.  One rest day a week is good.  More than that is unacceptable.  And if I need a reminder...
5) Create a visual motivator  -- I'm going to make a sign.  Or hang some post-its.  Maybe set a reminder on my phone.  Earn your shower.  Get moving.  Do something.  Maybe I'll make a calendar that I mark daily when I work out so I can visually SEE the movement out of the slump.  I think I'll add mini-goals for organizing the spare room and my bedroom on that calendar, too. 
6) Set your plan for Wales -- find the date that official training should start.  Look forward to it.  Get excited about it.  Let the anticipation of that trip and that race pull you out of this.  And enjoy it! 


This is all so weird, because I want to work out.  I want to sweat.  I want to swim and run and feel good.  It just feels like January is hanging a cloud over my motivation.  I'm going to keep enjoying my work at the running store, and grabbing drinks with friends when that happens, and working on moving out of this slump.  Who knows what good things may come?  Stay tuned for how this all plays out!

Can I go 3 days without chewing a thing?

I am seriously contemplating doing a juice cleanse.  Three days, six juices a day.  No other foods.  Sounds miserable.  Sounds intriguing.

It's expensive.  Ultimately, that's probably the only reason I won't do it. 

www.catalystcleanse.com

A friend of mine did the three day, no food cleanse.  The concept interested me.  I've done personal food challenges before.  Remember the Clean Eating Challenge?  Although I eat everything again now, I have definitely altered my thinking about food since doing that challenge.  I think more about the "from the earth" concept. 

But now I'm feeling like I might be ready  for another challenge.  A different one.  The Catalyst Cleanse website talks about the effect that drinking juices, and not having to chew and break down your food, has on your body -- it's like giving it a break from the hard work.  And I suppose vacations are usually expensive, right?  To spend $60 per day on these juices hits the pocket hard -- and makes me have to truly weigh whether it's something I should do... 

Or maybe I should just go clean, vegan again.  And still get to chew everyday.  Chewing burns calories, so it can't  be that wrong! 

Have you ever juiced?  Ever do a cleanse?  Thoughts? 

I'm registered! It's official!

I'm so excited!!!  More details to come -- I'm still planning the whole trip! 

In the meantime, do this! 

I Dare You

to tell me something. 

Go ahead.  Don't be shy.  Leave me a comment! 

And in the meantime, while you're deciding on a witty line, or some way to tell me this blog sucks, or a question to ask, or whether to just say hello, look at this awesome picture: 

Sunset looking west from my deck

I promise I will respond to any comments or questions or even hellos that you leave! 

Progress!

NOT with my running, that's for sure.  12.5 miles today were not comfortable.  But they got done!  And I did them at the shore.  Although my run wasn't great today, I did enjoy taking in all the progress that's happening to restore the area. 

Superstorm Sandy devastated my hometown.  I grew up on a barrier island in New Jersey.  Long Beach Island, to be exact.  My parents still live in the house where I grew up.  They live on the ocean road that parallels the beach.  Our house isn't on the dunes, it is opposite them, facing the dunes and the beach.  Luckily, despite the severe tides and devastation of the dunes elsewhere, my parents' house sustained practically no damage.  (That's thanks to the beach replenishment of the Army Corps of Engineers last winter.)

Today, you can see the work being done to restore those dunes.  I'm hoping to enjoy many days of sunshine and fun with my nieces and nephews on this beach and in this ocean next summer.

My mom's little summer cottage, built by her grandfather in 1927, wasn't so lucky.  It is about a mile from my parents' house and flooding destroyed the entire first floor.  That was heartbreaking.  Today, though, my mom told me the permits for the reconstruction have been approved and the contractor (a family friend) can start the work. 

I also got to see progress at my brother's store.  That business is his family's only source of income, and the storm destroyed the entire store.  There had been almost 5 feet of flood water in there, tipping over refridgeration units and ruining most of the contents of the store.  Devastating, to say the least. 

Today, though, after a ton of hard work and countless aid from volunteers and lots of help from organizations and friends and family, my brother was able to open his store with a small offering to his customers.  The rebuild isn't done, and the store is far from ready to officially re-open with a full offering, but they are (with the health inspector's approval) ok to get things going.  Amazing, and so important for the rebuilding of this community.  Huge thanks to this company and relief organization:

Jetty (a local surf company) and Waves for Water have been an amazing help to my brother and sister-in-law.  And the help is still coming.  Thank you to them.

So as I ran today, I struggled with how I felt, but I was happy all the same.  Progress is being made on my island, and that makes me feel good. 

Breakfast!

I know how important breakfast is in the morning.  So do you -- you've heard that a million times.  Breakfast is the most important meal of the day.  Eat protein at breakfast to increase your attention and prolong feeling hungry.  Etc... 

Here's the thing...  I have to leave for work by 6:30 in the morning.  Sometimes earlier.  I'm not ready to put food in my mouth before that!  So here's my compromise:  some days I take my cereal and eat it once I get to work.  Sometimes I make my overnight oatmeal.  Somedays I make my fruit and spinach smoothie.  All simple, quick (well, not the smoothie, but at least it's portable) and somewhat filling.  Enough to get me to lunch time, at least!  But I'm always looking for new, easy, healthy breakfast ideas.  That turkey sausage, egg white flatbread from Dunkin Donuts is delicious, but I'm not going to eat that stuff every day. 

 

If I had my way, I'd run every morning and then shower and then cook scrambled eggs with light American cheese and spinach.  Fruit on the side with some wheat toast, too.  But there's no way that's happening all before 6:30 every day! 

 

 

Got any quick, healthy, portable breakfast ideas?

 

 

Good Stuff!

After yesterday's b*tch session, I woke up this morning vowing to take note of those things that made me happy today. 

After trying out three different shirts, I finally settled on this outfit for school today.

And out of the blue I got compliments from the first three people I saw at work.  Great color!  they said.  Love the outfit with the scarf!  And because I'm not liking how ANYTHING looks on me these days, those compliments made me really happy.

I had a really good sandwich for lunch.  I should have taken a picture of that.  Whole wheat bread, honey smoked turkey, avocado, small spread of honey mustard, and a thin slice of slender American.  And some black pepper.  YUM.  Add some carrot sticks and an apple, oh - and a Lipton cup of chicken noodle soup.  Yeah, I'm hungry by 5th period.  And a chunk of dark chocolate for dessert.  Delish!

When I walked outside to head home, I noticed how sunny and nice out it was. 

Running isn't so comfortable these days, but it was super nice out so I threw on my headphones and headed on a route that takes me out of town and through a neighboring development.   I was soaking in the rays and ignoring how my legs and body just feel ragged these days, and then I passed by a coworker on her way home!  Her frantic, excited waving as she saw me made me giggle. 

And another thing that made me happy on my run was that the second half of my 7 miler was way more comfortable.  It's weird how it takes me 3 to 4 miles to get comfortable on my runs these days. 

After my run I had to hurry to meet a school coworker at the running store to help her with new shoes.  The idea of being asked at (school) work to help people with running shoes cracks me up and makes me happy.  I'll gladly assess them right there in my classroom and then meet them at the store to get shoes, even on days (like today) when I'm not working.  Love it! 

To top it all off and end the day on one more thing that made me happy, I had a yummy salad for dinner.  Spring mix, apples, chicken, walnuts, some gorgonzola sprinkled on top.  YUM. 

And the brilliant blue sky at sunset:

A day filled with good stuff.

What good things did you see today?  

Aging

sucks. 

I currently hate mirrors. 
I hate wrinkles.
I hate how my body looks right now.
I hate how clothes sit on me these days.

I know, I'm being too critical.  But here's the thing -- my chest is too big to wear cute tops.  My waist has "extra" -- those extra pounds that I can hide by using a cute clip and gathering my shirt so it drapes in front and creates definition.  My body isn't as tight as it used to be.  My hands are starting to look older.  My skin is thinner.  Aging sucks.

While I don't think I look my age, I saw a picture of myself just a couple years ago and I look older now!  Look at the laugh lines wrinkles next to my eyes! 

I have been using an anti-wrinkle type cream at night.  And in the morning.  Hell, I'd put it on 15 times a day if I thought that would help.  Sometimes I think it does, but then the mirror shows the truth.

January is usually a terrible month for me.  I know that every January I feel overweight and pale and icky.  Grey skies, lack of vitamin D, getting back into the work routine after a couple weeks of holiday vacation, I'm sure, have a lot to do with it.  So I'm holding on for February.  Maybe in February I'll take all the towels down that I've currently hung over all my mirrors. 

Are you too critical (like me) about something about yourself?  At least we know it, right? 

Summer trip planning!

Every summer I travel to a place I've never been before.  One summer I skipped (ran) across the country.  The next summer I tasted the wines and ran through the vineyards of Napa.  Last summer I ran at altitude in Colorado.  All amazing trips!

Today, I spent much of my day planning, researching, thinking about, and weighing options for my trip for this coming summer.  As I ran 8 miles around town today, this trip is all I was thinking about.  It's in my head.  I'm excited about it.  I really hope I can make it happen!   

No details yet, but it will involve flying to get to the destination, and a race to run once I'm there.  It's a big one, and I'm super excited.  Once the major details are set, I'll let you know! 

Do you look for races every trip you take?  Or is that just me?  

Swimming is like riding a bike. Sort of.

I haven't been to the pool in three weeks. I didn't even realize it had been that long, but I knew I'd missed getting there during the holidays.  So I made today a rest day from running -- for no real reason than I needed to get a bridal shower gift at the mall, which is right by the pool!

I wondered if I'd remember how to swim.  I wondered how long I'd go.  I've been swimming about once a week through the past several months, but after so many weeks away from the pool, I wasn't sure how comfortable I'd be. 

40 laps.  2000 yards.  37 minutes and 29 seconds of consecutive freestyle swimming.  Not bad! 

Turns out, it's just like riding a bike.  Step away for a bit, and you can get right back into it.  I got into the pool, stayed comfortable, and just kept going.  For a while, there was an older guy in the lane next to me who was breaststroking up and freestyling back.  Without outright racing him, I used him as motivation for a a bit.  Pick up the pace!  Beat him back to the wall!   I barely knew what lap I was on because my goggles started fogging up a bit.  Eventually, I got hungry and stopped.  Good, solid swim. 

When I logged this on my runningahead.com log,  I realized I've been swimming pretty consistent paces.  The last 2000yd swim I did was all the way back in August.  37:38.  Two weeks before that, another 2000yd swim, 37:30.  Interesting. 

I know that if I actually did workouts and swam more, I'd get better.  I like to just get in the pool and swim straight, consecutive laps.  Sometimes I swim some laps fast, some slow, sometimes I take a short break, sometimes, like today, I don't.  But I never do a "real" workout.  I do know I've gotten better over the years, though.  I think back to my first sprint triathlon:


LBI Triathlon, September 2007



I had no idea what I was doing.  I was awful in the swim, and I was slow.  But it was exciting, and I've developed an attraction to swimming.  I like getting in the pool and losing myself in laps.  I like feeling like I've done a workout on a day when I give my legs a rest from running.  I may never become a great swimmer, but I like having swimming in my life.

Have you done anything lately that you haven't done in a while?

I wasn't expecting that!

I woke up this morning to this:

Snow!  Which I wasn't expecting at all!  Kind of beautiful, even though I had no idea it was supposed to snow, and I don't usually like snowy, icy roads in my life.

I knew it was icy when I watched these runners have a hard time with their footing:

Despite that, I headed out to meet my sister for some miles.  We quickly had to change the plan, because it was really icy and slippery.  We realized the stretch of road in front of my development was actually pretty clear, so back and forth we went.  It's about a half mile from end to end, so it took a few loops, but I ended up with 5 slow, easy miles in some crisp, fresh air. 

As the day went on, the sun came out and temps warmed up and the snow melted and the streets cleared pretty quickly. 

And then the second thing happened that I wasn't expecting. 

I was meeting a guy for coffee.  For a first date.  I got showered and spiffy and got there on time.  And looked around.  And waited.  And he never showed up.  So I got hot chocolate and sat outside in the warming sun and he still never showed up. 

I wasn't expecting that. 

So I headed home and sat on my porch for a bit to enjoy the end of what turned out to be a beautiful weather day.  Can't beat waking up to some snow and having it all melted by the end of the day! 

Anything happen to you lately that you weren't expecting?