(Bad blogger!!) I am so sorry for being such a lousy blogger. As you can imagine, life has been pretty busy, particularly with my new venture. Please follow me on Instagram, @roadfitness_ig, where I'm posting almost daily (and check out my personal training site, http://www.myroadfitness.com) With everything going on, it's just easier for me to post pictures with really brilliant (aka, mediocre) captions every day. I have always tried to put thought into all of my blog posts, but these days I just don't have the time. I will continue to blog in the future, but probably only to write race recaps and reviews.
See you on Instagram, I hope!!!
Tuesday, February 9, 2016
Tuesday, January 19, 2016
LIVE From Long Island!
3 things:
1. I am officially a Certified Personal Trainer - Exercise Fitness Specialist after passing my nationally accredited Academy of Applied Personal Training exam. I will also be receiving my TRX certification at the end of the month and my Run Coach certification from the USATF. I might have an addiction to certifications or school or both.
2. My coaching website is LIVE and coincidentally, from New York. Go to www.myroadfitness.com to be trained or entertained or preordained (not really). I promise you won't be pained (well, maybe a little. In fact, you may be pained reading this. Sorry).
3. I am registered for Marathon #6, the Shipyard Maine Coast Marathon on Sunday, May 15. This is a small race with a cap of 1,000 runners. It is a rolling point-to-point race along the Atlantic coast. My good friend, Edison, will be running it, too. It will be his first and I will be his trainer. I will be following the Hanson Marathon Method again because I didn't like it the first time around. I loved it. Okay, love may be too strong a word. It was a good fit for me. Edison will be following a much more moderate plan. I don't think Hanson is the best plan for first timers who are not already experienced , accomplished runners.
Other news since we last rendezvoused: I'm up to 45 miles per week; I ran with a nice group from Life Time Athletic in Syosset one evening; I took a killer TRX class that my friend Jeanne taught at Forever Fit out east (Do not be fooled by her sweet disposition. Actually, she is truly sweet, she just happens to be a hardcore bad ass when it comes to working out, but that's exactly what I want in a trainer); and it's finally beginning to feel like winter on Long Island.
1. I am officially a Certified Personal Trainer - Exercise Fitness Specialist after passing my nationally accredited Academy of Applied Personal Training exam. I will also be receiving my TRX certification at the end of the month and my Run Coach certification from the USATF. I might have an addiction to certifications or school or both.
2. My coaching website is LIVE and coincidentally, from New York. Go to www.myroadfitness.com to be trained or entertained or preordained (not really). I promise you won't be pained (well, maybe a little. In fact, you may be pained reading this. Sorry).
3. I am registered for Marathon #6, the Shipyard Maine Coast Marathon on Sunday, May 15. This is a small race with a cap of 1,000 runners. It is a rolling point-to-point race along the Atlantic coast. My good friend, Edison, will be running it, too. It will be his first and I will be his trainer. I will be following the Hanson Marathon Method again because I didn't like it the first time around. I loved it. Okay, love may be too strong a word. It was a good fit for me. Edison will be following a much more moderate plan. I don't think Hanson is the best plan for first timers who are not already experienced , accomplished runners.
Other news since we last rendezvoused: I'm up to 45 miles per week; I ran with a nice group from Life Time Athletic in Syosset one evening; I took a killer TRX class that my friend Jeanne taught at Forever Fit out east (Do not be fooled by her sweet disposition. Actually, she is truly sweet, she just happens to be a hardcore bad ass when it comes to working out, but that's exactly what I want in a trainer); and it's finally beginning to feel like winter on Long Island.
From our website photo shoot
at SUNY Old Westbury.
Pictures courtesy of Hoan Nguyen
(www.hoannguyen.co),
friend & photographer extraordinaire.
Saturday, January 2, 2016
2015 Year In Review
This year I got back in the game. 2014 was mostly disappointing as far as running was concerned. Even though I ran my favorite race ever (I'm talkin' 'bout you, Boston!), my times suffered. I was unmotivated and over trained by the time Patriot's Day came along. I spent the rest of that year running with no real goals other than just to run, which was both liberating and unsatisfying.
January of 2015 I ran my first race since the Brooklyn Half in May of 2014. I had signed up months earlier for the Sayville Run to the Brewery. I signed up only because it seemed like the thing to do at the time (Something I'll do again months later for the Army Ten Miler. Oops, again). This is an extremely popular ten mile race on Long Island that sells out in minutes. I think Freighbor reminded me the day of registration so I logged on and unexpectedly got in. Fast forward to January and ta-da, race day arrived. I hadn't trained at all for the race and it turned out to be colder than Arendelle during one of Elsa's tantrums. Considering the circumstances, I was pleased with my result.
February, March, and April came and went, I ran in a lot of snow, over the Williamsburg Bridge, and among alligators in Hilton Head. Then in May I found out I got into the St. George Marathon! Cool! I had been working on building my base up to 40 miles per week. I was ready to get back on track (both figuratively and literally). I chose the Hanson Marathon Method as my program and was looking forward to a nice PR come October. Over the summer I ran in Santa Fe, Pittsburgh (Go Steelers!) and Canada for the first time (Separate trips, of course). I even ran the streets of Manhattan without forking over any moola to the New York Road Runners.
The Hanson program kicked my arse, but I loved the challenge. I loved having a strict schedule and running six days a week. I didn't love not racing. It was strange not knowing whether or not I was getting faster.
I unexpectedly ran another 24 hour 200 mile relay race in September and then finally the marathon! I didn't run sub-3:30 as I'd hoped, but it was a beautiful, deceivingly challenging course and I PR'd and BQ'd for the third time around. Not too shabby. I'll take it.
I took it easy for the rest of October. When November arrived, I decided to start building again. I recruited a bunch of fellow runners to do the Runner's World Holiday Streak with me. And here it is, New Year's Day which included the now annual Hangover Run with my two favs, The Petite Pacer (TPP) and The Emerging Runner. What better way to start the year! We ran five loops in Eisenhower Park with about 400 others and then warmed up at Starbucks where we exchanged holiday gifts and sweet nothings.
Sunday (12/13/15) - 1 mile, 9:00 pace with Sanibel
Monday (12/14/15) - 8 miles, 1:07:17, 8:25 pace
Tuesday (12/15/15) - 6.2 miles, 51:49, 8:21 pace
Wednesday (12/16/15) - 5.92 miles, 49:55, 8:26 pace
Thursday (12/17/15) - 6.02 miles, 51:37, 8:34 pace
Friday (12/18/15) - 7 miles, 1:01:19, 8:46 pace
Saturday (12/19/15) - 6.1 miles, 52:40, 8:38 pace
Sunday (12/20/15) - 1 mile with the 4-year old and 6-year old. As in, they both ran. As in, the 4-year old ran like the Energizer Bunny!
Monday (12/21/15) - 8 miles, 1:11:23, 8:55 pace
Tuesday (12/22/15) - 8 miles, 1:09:46, 8:43 pace
Wednesday (12/23/15) - 6 miles
Thursday (12/24/15) - 4.13 miles, 35:21, 8:34 pace
Friday (12/25/15) - 1 mile with the 4-year old again. This time she stopped a couple of times for a breather, but she recovered quickly and sprinted home for the win!
Saturday (12/26/15) - 10.24 miles, 1:29:46, 8:46 pace
Sunday (12/27/15) - 2.07 miles, 20:15, 9:47 pace with The Kid on his bike.
Monday (12/28/15) - 8.01 miles, 1:07:19, 8:24 pace
Tuesday (12/29/15) - 5.02 miles, 42:35, 8:29 pace
Wednesday (12/30/15) - 7.02 miles, 1:00:17, 8:35 pace
Thursday (12/31/15) - 6.3 miles, 54:59, 8:44 pace
2015 Total Mileage - 1,762 miles - The most miles I have ever run in a year to date. Twenty miles more than 2013. Bring it on, 2016!
Friday (1/1/16) - 5.02 miles, 43:04, 8:35 pace
January of 2015 I ran my first race since the Brooklyn Half in May of 2014. I had signed up months earlier for the Sayville Run to the Brewery. I signed up only because it seemed like the thing to do at the time (Something I'll do again months later for the Army Ten Miler. Oops, again). This is an extremely popular ten mile race on Long Island that sells out in minutes. I think Freighbor reminded me the day of registration so I logged on and unexpectedly got in. Fast forward to January and ta-da, race day arrived. I hadn't trained at all for the race and it turned out to be colder than Arendelle during one of Elsa's tantrums. Considering the circumstances, I was pleased with my result.
February, March, and April came and went, I ran in a lot of snow, over the Williamsburg Bridge, and among alligators in Hilton Head. Then in May I found out I got into the St. George Marathon! Cool! I had been working on building my base up to 40 miles per week. I was ready to get back on track (both figuratively and literally). I chose the Hanson Marathon Method as my program and was looking forward to a nice PR come October. Over the summer I ran in Santa Fe, Pittsburgh (Go Steelers!) and Canada for the first time (Separate trips, of course). I even ran the streets of Manhattan without forking over any moola to the New York Road Runners.
The Hanson program kicked my arse, but I loved the challenge. I loved having a strict schedule and running six days a week. I didn't love not racing. It was strange not knowing whether or not I was getting faster.
I unexpectedly ran another 24 hour 200 mile relay race in September and then finally the marathon! I didn't run sub-3:30 as I'd hoped, but it was a beautiful, deceivingly challenging course and I PR'd and BQ'd for the third time around. Not too shabby. I'll take it.
I took it easy for the rest of October. When November arrived, I decided to start building again. I recruited a bunch of fellow runners to do the Runner's World Holiday Streak with me. And here it is, New Year's Day which included the now annual Hangover Run with my two favs, The Petite Pacer (TPP) and The Emerging Runner. What better way to start the year! We ran five loops in Eisenhower Park with about 400 others and then warmed up at Starbucks where we exchanged holiday gifts and sweet nothings.
...so happy together...
me and you and TPP...
the only one for TPP is you and me and TPP,
so happy together...
Sunday (12/13/15) - 1 mile, 9:00 pace with Sanibel
Monday (12/14/15) - 8 miles, 1:07:17, 8:25 pace
Tuesday (12/15/15) - 6.2 miles, 51:49, 8:21 pace
Wednesday (12/16/15) - 5.92 miles, 49:55, 8:26 pace
Thursday (12/17/15) - 6.02 miles, 51:37, 8:34 pace
Friday (12/18/15) - 7 miles, 1:01:19, 8:46 pace
Saturday (12/19/15) - 6.1 miles, 52:40, 8:38 pace
Sunday (12/20/15) - 1 mile with the 4-year old and 6-year old. As in, they both ran. As in, the 4-year old ran like the Energizer Bunny!
Monday (12/21/15) - 8 miles, 1:11:23, 8:55 pace
Tuesday (12/22/15) - 8 miles, 1:09:46, 8:43 pace
Wednesday (12/23/15) - 6 miles
Thursday (12/24/15) - 4.13 miles, 35:21, 8:34 pace
Friday (12/25/15) - 1 mile with the 4-year old again. This time she stopped a couple of times for a breather, but she recovered quickly and sprinted home for the win!
Saturday (12/26/15) - 10.24 miles, 1:29:46, 8:46 pace
Sunday (12/27/15) - 2.07 miles, 20:15, 9:47 pace with The Kid on his bike.
Monday (12/28/15) - 8.01 miles, 1:07:19, 8:24 pace
Tuesday (12/29/15) - 5.02 miles, 42:35, 8:29 pace
Wednesday (12/30/15) - 7.02 miles, 1:00:17, 8:35 pace
Thursday (12/31/15) - 6.3 miles, 54:59, 8:44 pace
2015 Total Mileage - 1,762 miles - The most miles I have ever run in a year to date. Twenty miles more than 2013. Bring it on, 2016!
Friday (1/1/16) - 5.02 miles, 43:04, 8:35 pace
Tuesday, December 15, 2015
A DNS And An Award (Jingle Bell 5k Recap)
I'm back! Sorry I haven't posted for a couple of weeks. I have been crazy busy with Christmas preparations, family obligations, and school. I'm sure you can all relate. As hectic as it got, I am still keeping the streak alive (Now watch me whip, now watch me...)! I'm not going down that easy! So here are the last two weeks in a nutshell:
Sunday (11/29/15) - 3.5 miles - Earlier that week, the Emerging Runner (ER) asked if we could all get together for a group run. The Petite Pacer said she was racing in Rob's Run, a 5k trail race at Stillwell, ER's famous running haunt. This was the perfect opportunity for me to finally check out this course, as well as see my crew, which is not only 2 Live, but also included Kin, aka ER 2.0. That morning I still had not recovered from my chest cold #2. I decided to just run casually with the guys while TPP raced. I met Kin and ER in the parking lot of Syosset High School which is directly across the street from Stillwell. We planned to do some easy laps on the track. Soon after, TPP stopped by with her sister and fellow blogger, Neon Is My Color (NIMC)! This was a treat since I have been reading her blog for a few years. Seeing a blogger whom you follow in real life for the first time is truly like a celebrity sighting (I'm sure this is exactly how ER felt the first time he met me). I wondered if I should ask for her autograph. Instead, we took a group selfie. When in doubt, selfie! The sisters headed to the start of the race to pick up numbers and get settled while the guys and I continued running around in ovals. ER went his own way, literally. He decided to be that guy running around the track in the opposite direction from everyone else. After a few laps together, Kin left me to run with ER (Out of pity, I'm sure). Before we knew it, it was time to meet TPP and NIMC at the starting line. There was a large crowd, approximately 700 runners. We cheered the ladies as they took off. I said hello to the president of my running club who was standing next to me taking photographs. Another celebrity sighting! Kin, ER, and I left for Starbucks where we didn't have to wait long for the girls to meet us. We drank our coffees, ate ER's pumpkin bread, and enjoyed each other's company until it was time to part ways. It's always a good day when it starts with these guys.
Monday (11/30/15) - 7.06 miles, 1:00:46, 8:36 pace
Tuesday (12/1/15) - 6.07, 50:31, 8:19 pace - I ran to the gym where I wanted to do some speed work on the treadmill. I thought it would be fun to try Yasso 800s for the first time with quarter mile recoveries in between. In Yasso 800s, you run 800 meters in your marathon time converted to minutes. I ran them in 3 minutes 34 seconds.
Wednesday (12/2/15) - 1.84 miles, 16:55, 9:12 pace - It's super streakyyy.
Thursday (12/3/15) - 8.02miles, 1:10:33, 8:48 pace
Friday (12/4/15) - 6 miles
Saturday (12/5/15) 4.1 miles, 31:39 - Since I missed out on Rob's Run, I decided to sign up for the Jingle Bell 5k at Hofstra University. I ran this race a couple of years ago sick as a dog (Wow, my sickness seems to be a recurrent theme here). This year I was only sick as a cat. Judging from the times in years past, I thought I had a good chance of winning the women's race. I parked on campus and picked up my number and fun, festive green long sleeve cotton shirt. I was wearing leggings and a lined turtle neck running top which turned out to be too warm. Almost all of the participants were dressed as Santa or elves. There was even a giant gingerbread man who looked more like Gumby in disguise. I ran a quick warm up mile. As I was waiting for the start, I saw the president of my running club again! Finally, we all lined up and took off. For most of the race I saw that there was a cross country college girl up front and then what looked to be a fourth or fifth grader behind her. I was third. The course took us in a circle around the perimeter of the campus. On a couple of occasions, I had to pull off to the side to cough my lungs up. They stayed down. As I started to slow down, Miss Elementary Schooler sped up (Annoying). I crossed the finish line in 22:27. This was a minute slower than my PR, but I was happy. The results were posted almost immediately. I saw that I actually finished second overall, instead of third. The 11-year old (Little Miss Sprinty Pants) took first. I'm not sure what happened to the cross country chick. I was psyched to be in the top three overall, plus I won my age group (40-49) as a bonus. I couldn't stick around for the award ceremony so one of the volunteers took my information to mail it to me. She called me later in the week apologizing that they actually gave the gold medal to the third place winner because it was hard to distinguish from the bronze. She was so sorry and sweet and said she was going to mail me a gift card instead. Unnecessary, but thanks!
Total Weekly Mileage - 36.6
Sunday (12/6/15) - 1 mile - We had a lot on our plate this day. Church, then Hicks Nursery to see the Christmas display, then my mother's house for a quick stop-and-chat (Oh, curb your enthusiasm, will ya!), dinner out, and finally watching Miracle On 34th Street (The original! Don't even get me started on damn remakes - yeah I'm talking to you despicable Seuss recremations!) with the kids. When oh when will I run? Damn you, Runner's World! It turned out I ran immediately after dinner (meaning immediately after food and a glass of vino). It wasn't so bad. The air was crisp and I was verrry relaxed.
Monday (12/7/15) - 8 miles, 1:08:48, 8:36 pace
Tuesday (12/8/15) - 8 miles, 1:06:38, 8:20 pace
Wednesday (12/9/15) - 3.05 miles, 26:02, 8:32 pace
Thursday (12/10/15) - 7.01 miles, 1:00:32, 8:38 pace - Happy 14th birthday, Sanibel!!!
Friday (12/11/15) - 6 miles, 51:52, 8:39 pace
Saturday (12/12/15) - 4.89 miles, 41:49, 8:33 pace - Run cut short due to technical difficulties (aka, bathroom emergency. Oh you know the drill by now), 2.33 miles 19:12, 8:16 pace - I did the second part of the run after my study group. I ran a loop around Museum Row near Nassau Coliseum.
Total Weekly Mileage - 40.3 Whoo hoo! Building the base, baby.
Sunday (11/29/15) - 3.5 miles - Earlier that week, the Emerging Runner (ER) asked if we could all get together for a group run. The Petite Pacer said she was racing in Rob's Run, a 5k trail race at Stillwell, ER's famous running haunt. This was the perfect opportunity for me to finally check out this course, as well as see my crew, which is not only 2 Live, but also included Kin, aka ER 2.0. That morning I still had not recovered from my chest cold #2. I decided to just run casually with the guys while TPP raced. I met Kin and ER in the parking lot of Syosset High School which is directly across the street from Stillwell. We planned to do some easy laps on the track. Soon after, TPP stopped by with her sister and fellow blogger, Neon Is My Color (NIMC)! This was a treat since I have been reading her blog for a few years. Seeing a blogger whom you follow in real life for the first time is truly like a celebrity sighting (I'm sure this is exactly how ER felt the first time he met me). I wondered if I should ask for her autograph. Instead, we took a group selfie. When in doubt, selfie! The sisters headed to the start of the race to pick up numbers and get settled while the guys and I continued running around in ovals. ER went his own way, literally. He decided to be that guy running around the track in the opposite direction from everyone else. After a few laps together, Kin left me to run with ER (Out of pity, I'm sure). Before we knew it, it was time to meet TPP and NIMC at the starting line. There was a large crowd, approximately 700 runners. We cheered the ladies as they took off. I said hello to the president of my running club who was standing next to me taking photographs. Another celebrity sighting! Kin, ER, and I left for Starbucks where we didn't have to wait long for the girls to meet us. We drank our coffees, ate ER's pumpkin bread, and enjoyed each other's company until it was time to part ways. It's always a good day when it starts with these guys.
Left to right: Kin, ER, Pink Lady, NIMC,
and Farrah Fawcett
Monday (11/30/15) - 7.06 miles, 1:00:46, 8:36 pace
Tuesday (12/1/15) - 6.07, 50:31, 8:19 pace - I ran to the gym where I wanted to do some speed work on the treadmill. I thought it would be fun to try Yasso 800s for the first time with quarter mile recoveries in between. In Yasso 800s, you run 800 meters in your marathon time converted to minutes. I ran them in 3 minutes 34 seconds.
Wednesday (12/2/15) - 1.84 miles, 16:55, 9:12 pace - It's super streakyyy.
Thursday (12/3/15) - 8.02miles, 1:10:33, 8:48 pace
Friday (12/4/15) - 6 miles
Saturday (12/5/15) 4.1 miles, 31:39 - Since I missed out on Rob's Run, I decided to sign up for the Jingle Bell 5k at Hofstra University. I ran this race a couple of years ago sick as a dog (Wow, my sickness seems to be a recurrent theme here). This year I was only sick as a cat. Judging from the times in years past, I thought I had a good chance of winning the women's race. I parked on campus and picked up my number and fun, festive green long sleeve cotton shirt. I was wearing leggings and a lined turtle neck running top which turned out to be too warm. Almost all of the participants were dressed as Santa or elves. There was even a giant gingerbread man who looked more like Gumby in disguise. I ran a quick warm up mile. As I was waiting for the start, I saw the president of my running club again! Finally, we all lined up and took off. For most of the race I saw that there was a cross country college girl up front and then what looked to be a fourth or fifth grader behind her. I was third. The course took us in a circle around the perimeter of the campus. On a couple of occasions, I had to pull off to the side to cough my lungs up. They stayed down. As I started to slow down, Miss Elementary Schooler sped up (Annoying). I crossed the finish line in 22:27. This was a minute slower than my PR, but I was happy. The results were posted almost immediately. I saw that I actually finished second overall, instead of third. The 11-year old (Little Miss Sprinty Pants) took first. I'm not sure what happened to the cross country chick. I was psyched to be in the top three overall, plus I won my age group (40-49) as a bonus. I couldn't stick around for the award ceremony so one of the volunteers took my information to mail it to me. She called me later in the week apologizing that they actually gave the gold medal to the third place winner because it was hard to distinguish from the bronze. She was so sorry and sweet and said she was going to mail me a gift card instead. Unnecessary, but thanks!
Packet pickup
Who is that man?
It's easy being green when you
win an award...or gift card.
Total Weekly Mileage - 36.6
Sunday (12/6/15) - 1 mile - We had a lot on our plate this day. Church, then Hicks Nursery to see the Christmas display, then my mother's house for a quick stop-and-chat (Oh, curb your enthusiasm, will ya!), dinner out, and finally watching Miracle On 34th Street (The original! Don't even get me started on damn remakes - yeah I'm talking to you despicable Seuss recremations!) with the kids. When oh when will I run? Damn you, Runner's World! It turned out I ran immediately after dinner (meaning immediately after food and a glass of vino). It wasn't so bad. The air was crisp and I was verrry relaxed.
Monday (12/7/15) - 8 miles, 1:08:48, 8:36 pace
Tuesday (12/8/15) - 8 miles, 1:06:38, 8:20 pace
Wednesday (12/9/15) - 3.05 miles, 26:02, 8:32 pace
Thursday (12/10/15) - 7.01 miles, 1:00:32, 8:38 pace - Happy 14th birthday, Sanibel!!!
Friday (12/11/15) - 6 miles, 51:52, 8:39 pace
Saturday (12/12/15) - 4.89 miles, 41:49, 8:33 pace - Run cut short due to technical difficulties (aka, bathroom emergency. Oh you know the drill by now), 2.33 miles 19:12, 8:16 pace - I did the second part of the run after my study group. I ran a loop around Museum Row near Nassau Coliseum.
Total Weekly Mileage - 40.3 Whoo hoo! Building the base, baby.
Wednesday, December 2, 2015
Get Your Streak On
Sunday (11/22/15) - Off
Monday (11/23/15) - 8.02 miles, 1:10:09, 8:45 pace
Tuesday (11/24/15) - 7 miles, 1:01;45, 8:49 pace
Wednesday (11/25/15) - Off - Last day off until January 2, 2016!
Thursday (11/26/15 gobble gobble) - 6.1 miles, 55:36, 9:07 pace - I decided to attempt the Runner's World Holiday Streak again this year. Run at least one mile every day from Thanksgiving until January 1. I streaked two years ago and although it tested my creativity and commitment at times, I enjoyed the challenge. I've already created a Facebook Group with eager participants. It's definitely more fun and motivating when you have others to commiserate with and keep you honest.
I kicked off this year's streak with Freighbor and GM (both participants, as well) in the local park. We set out to do five, but there really isn't a five mile loop so we wound up running six. My damn cough/congestion was back so I was very aware of my huffing and puffing, particularly when attempting to engage in conversation (which I'm not used to anyway when running). Both Freighbor and GM's GPS' had different readings. I chose to record a time and pace that split the difference. It was nice to have the company while lessening the inevitable guilt about what I was going to stuff into my face in just a few short hours. I forgot to take a group selfie...so here is an artist's rendition of what a post-run selfie might have looked like...
Saturday (11/28/15) - 6.04, 53:27, 8:51 pace - Another evening run. I saved myself from a serious face plant due to an uneven sidewalk hidden by wet leaves.
Total Weekly Mileage - 33.3 miles
Monday (11/23/15) - 8.02 miles, 1:10:09, 8:45 pace
Tuesday (11/24/15) - 7 miles, 1:01;45, 8:49 pace
Wednesday (11/25/15) - Off - Last day off until January 2, 2016!
Thursday (11/26/15 gobble gobble) - 6.1 miles, 55:36, 9:07 pace - I decided to attempt the Runner's World Holiday Streak again this year. Run at least one mile every day from Thanksgiving until January 1. I streaked two years ago and although it tested my creativity and commitment at times, I enjoyed the challenge. I've already created a Facebook Group with eager participants. It's definitely more fun and motivating when you have others to commiserate with and keep you honest.
I kicked off this year's streak with Freighbor and GM (both participants, as well) in the local park. We set out to do five, but there really isn't a five mile loop so we wound up running six. My damn cough/congestion was back so I was very aware of my huffing and puffing, particularly when attempting to engage in conversation (which I'm not used to anyway when running). Both Freighbor and GM's GPS' had different readings. I chose to record a time and pace that split the difference. It was nice to have the company while lessening the inevitable guilt about what I was going to stuff into my face in just a few short hours. I forgot to take a group selfie...so here is an artist's rendition of what a post-run selfie might have looked like...
Left to right: GM, Me apparently wearing
a child's bicycle helmet, and Freighbor.
(No, Freighbor and GM are not twins.)
Challah if you want more stuffing!
Delicious challah apple recipe!
My "famous" walnut topped
cranberry casserole
right before it went Hansel and Gretel.
Probably 5,000 calories alone,
but oh so good!
Friday (11/27/15) 6.13 miles - Early evening run with some strides.
Saturday (11/28/15) - 6.04, 53:27, 8:51 pace - Another evening run. I saved myself from a serious face plant due to an uneven sidewalk hidden by wet leaves.
Total Weekly Mileage - 33.3 miles
Monday, November 23, 2015
My HDL Is LOL and LDL Is WTF?
Sunday (11/15/15) - Off - Biomechanics class in the morning and afternoon lab at the gym.
Monday (11/16/15) - 7 miles, 1:07:09, 9:36 pace - Run with the 4-year old in the jogger stroller (I think because I can't really account for the pace otherwise).
Tuesday (11/17/15) - 7.01 miles, 59:51, 8:32 pace
Wednesday (11/18/15) - Off
Thursday (11/19/15) - 6.01, 48:57, 8:09 pace - Tempo run on the streets.
Friday (11/20/15) - 8.01 miles, 1:08:38, 8:34 pace
Saturday (11/21/15) - 7.02 miles, 1:03:47, 9:05 pace - Started at 4:30pm and ran mostly in the dark. Dressed in all black except for my reflective belt. I stuck to the sidewalks. Mostly.
Total Weekly Mileage - 35.1
And now for something completely exciting. To me. And my doctor.
Monday (11/16/15) - 7 miles, 1:07:09, 9:36 pace - Run with the 4-year old in the jogger stroller (I think because I can't really account for the pace otherwise).
| Splits | Time | Cumulative Time | Moving Time | Distance | Elev Gain | Elev Loss | Avg Pace | Avg Moving Pace | Best Pace | Calories |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 8:57.0 | 8:57.0 | 8:55 | 1.00 | -- | -- | 8:57 | 8:55 | 3:45 | 90 |
| 2 | 8:59.0 | 17:56 | 8:56 | 1.00 | -- | 7 | 8:59 | 8:56 | 3:35 | 88 |
| 3 | 9:48.9 | 27:45 | 9:38 | 1.00 | -- | 3 | 9:49 | 9:38 | 8:38 | 89 |
| 4 | 9:57.3 | 37:42 | 9:56 | 1.00 | 13 | -- | 9:57 | 9:56 | 9:04 | 89 |
| 5 | 10:08 | 47:50 | 10:00 | 1.00 | -- | -- | 10:08 | 10:00 | 8:04 | 89 |
| 6 | 9:56.5 | 57:47 | 9:54 | 1.00 | 6 | -- | 9:56 | 9:54 | 9:09 | 88 |
| 7 | 9:22.3 | 1:07:09 | 9:22 | 1.00 | -- | -- | 9:22 | 9:22 | 8:27 | 89 |
| 8 | 0:00.9 | 1:07:10 | -- | 0.00 | -- | -- | 8:10 | -- | -- | 0 |
| Summary | 1:07:10 | 1:07:10 | 1:06:41 | 7.00 | 19 | 10 | 9:36 | 9: |
Tuesday (11/17/15) - 7.01 miles, 59:51, 8:32 pace
Wednesday (11/18/15) - Off
Thursday (11/19/15) - 6.01, 48:57, 8:09 pace - Tempo run on the streets.
| Splits | Time | Cumulative Time | Moving Time | Distance | Elev Gain | Elev Loss | Avg Pace | Avg Moving Pace | Best Pace | Calories |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 8:21.8 | 8:21.8 | 8:16 | 1.00 | -- | -- | 8:22 | 8:16 | 4:04 | 89 |
| 2 | 8:06.7 | 16:28 | 8:04 | 1.00 | -- | 7 | 8:07 | 8:04 | 7:39 | 88 |
| 3 | 8:14.5 | 24:43 | 8:12 | 1.00 | -- | 2 | 8:14 | 8:12 | 7:38 | 88 |
| 4 | 8:11.5 | 32:54 | 8:06 | 1.00 | 16 | -- | 8:12 | 8:06 | 7:32 | 88 |
| 5 | 8:08.1 | 41:02 | 8:04 | 1.00 | 10 | -- | 8:08 | 8:04 | 7:50 | 89 |
| 6 | 7:49.2 | 48:52 | 7:46 | 1.00 | -- | 7 | 7:49 | 7:46 | 6:26 | 89 |
| 7 | 0:05.5 | 48:57 | -- | 0.01 | -- | -- | 7:04 | -- | -- | 1 |
| Summary | 48:57 | 48:57 | 48:28 | 6.01 | 25 | 22 | 8:08 |
Friday (11/20/15) - 8.01 miles, 1:08:38, 8:34 pace
Saturday (11/21/15) - 7.02 miles, 1:03:47, 9:05 pace - Started at 4:30pm and ran mostly in the dark. Dressed in all black except for my reflective belt. I stuck to the sidewalks. Mostly.
Total Weekly Mileage - 35.1
And now for something completely exciting. To me. And my doctor.
The second consecutive year my blood levels were in perfect working order. I always had a history of high cholesterol, despite being a lifetime runner. In the past five years I changed my diet, eliminating pork, beef (except for a grass fed indulgence every six months or so), ice cream, and Chips Ahoy! I eat a lot of fish (mostly salmon), chicken, organic chocolate chip cookies, and dark chocolate. I finally have seen the benefits in my past two blood work results. My arteries and I are thrilled!
Friday, November 13, 2015
Rockville Centre 5k Recap
Our town puts on an annual 10k and 5k race the Saturday after the New York City Marathon. It's a large event for our little town that welcomes about 500 runners. I love the fact that I live in a running town. On any given day, at any given time, you will see at least a handful of runners, either separately or in small groups, pounding the pavement throughout the neighborhood. This year Pete and my eldest wanted to run the 10k. I was going to watch with the little ones and cheer from a corner two blocks from our house. The Wednesday before the race, my 9-year old son asked if I would run the 5k with him. Yes! How could I say no? My fantastic neighbors said they would watch the little girls, despite their baby boy breaking his leg the day before. Yay (for the race, not the broken leg)!
I picked up our bibs on Friday at the Rec Center. The woman there informed me that Cabo, the trendy Mexican restaurant in town, was going to host a free pasta (Yes, I said Mexican) dinner. Nobody has to say "free" twice to me. That evening we gathered the miniatures and headed to dinner. They had an entire room set aside forus the runners. We happened to be the only ones there. They served two trays of rigatoni, one in red sauce with parmagiano and another in garlic and oil with spinach and cheese. They were both unexpectedly delicioso considering their specialty is fish taco and paella! There was also rice and beans, salad with Italian dressing, and a bucket of Gatorades. We told the staff that our son had dairy allergies and they graciously made my son a separate plate of pasta without cheese. They even sent us home with a huge to-go box for my oldest daughter. Eventually, a man and a woman came in separately for dinner. I was surprised that there weren't more runners eating since this race is very popular in town. Am I the only one who appreciates a free meal?
The next morning I dropped the girls off and then the four of us made our way into town. My daughter was very nervous as this would be only the second time she has run farther than four miles, the first being four days prior. My son was excited. He was looking forward to getting a medal. I had to break it to him that he was in a "real" race where not everyone gets a medal, only if you place. He was okay with it, but still hoped he would make the top three of his age group. Continuing with my role as Debbie Downer, I told him that he would be competing against middle school kids so it is unlikely that he would place. (Welcome to life, kid. Get used to it. Mean Mommy!)
This year they had corrals so he and I lined up in the 9 minute mile group. He wanted to start at the front, but I told him that isn't the best strategy. Not only are you slowing the faster runners down, but it can be discouraging when they are passing you and leaving you in the dust. Been there, done that. We said hello to some people we knew, many of whom thought I was going to smoke this race. I have always won my age group in this race in the past, but this wasn't going to be a PR attempt. I was thrilled to pace my son to his first 5k finish.
Suddenly, we were off. We did the usual starting line shuffle. The kid wanted to zig zag past the crowd, but I advised him against it, explaining he would just be wasting energy. Now that I think about it, though, since a 5k is short relative to a marathon, maybe it's not that detrimental. He listened and we continued running comfortably. At one point, he wanted to experiment running with his feet kicking out to the sides instead of forward. Okay. We saw some neighbors along the course and waved hello. We hit the One Mile Marker at 9:40. This was unacceptable for the kid, he wanted to speed up. We accelerated slightly, but I reminded him that we didn't want to tire ourselves out too quickly. Our second mile was faster and before we knew it, we were at the turn around where the 10k runners kept forging ahead as we headed back to the finish. He kept looking out for kids his age and when he saw them, he sprinted past in hopes of getting a medal. We rounded the last corner with only a few hundred yards to the finish line. I told him we should run as fast as we could. He took off. I could see spectators pointing and cheering for him from the sidelines. We ran side by side and crossed the finish mat at 27:12. I thought we were 30 seconds faster because we didn't immediately hit the mat at the start. I was wrong. He got a little sick because of the all out sprint, but he was so happy and proud of himself, as was I. The timing company had two monitors outside their van where you typed in your name and it read your stats. This was new and cool.
We headed back to the finish line to wait for Pete and Sanibel. We saw the 10k winners cross which is always fun. The kid saw his friends and couldn't wait to talk about his accomplishment. This was the first time the kid ran over three miles without taking breaks. He kept going with energy to spare at the end. Children have so much heart when they compete. It was a blast to be able to watch him take it all in and experience his first "grown-up" race. Eventually, the other two arrived. We headed back home and I couldn't have been more pleased with the end result, even if I had PR'd (okay, well maybe a teeny, tiny bit more).
I picked up our bibs on Friday at the Rec Center. The woman there informed me that Cabo, the trendy Mexican restaurant in town, was going to host a free pasta (Yes, I said Mexican) dinner. Nobody has to say "free" twice to me. That evening we gathered the miniatures and headed to dinner. They had an entire room set aside for
It actually tasted a lot better
than it looks.
The next morning I dropped the girls off and then the four of us made our way into town. My daughter was very nervous as this would be only the second time she has run farther than four miles, the first being four days prior. My son was excited. He was looking forward to getting a medal. I had to break it to him that he was in a "real" race where not everyone gets a medal, only if you place. He was okay with it, but still hoped he would make the top three of his age group. Continuing with my role as Debbie Downer, I told him that he would be competing against middle school kids so it is unlikely that he would place. (Welcome to life, kid. Get used to it. Mean Mommy!)
This year they had corrals so he and I lined up in the 9 minute mile group. He wanted to start at the front, but I told him that isn't the best strategy. Not only are you slowing the faster runners down, but it can be discouraging when they are passing you and leaving you in the dust. Been there, done that. We said hello to some people we knew, many of whom thought I was going to smoke this race. I have always won my age group in this race in the past, but this wasn't going to be a PR attempt. I was thrilled to pace my son to his first 5k finish.
Suddenly, we were off. We did the usual starting line shuffle. The kid wanted to zig zag past the crowd, but I advised him against it, explaining he would just be wasting energy. Now that I think about it, though, since a 5k is short relative to a marathon, maybe it's not that detrimental. He listened and we continued running comfortably. At one point, he wanted to experiment running with his feet kicking out to the sides instead of forward. Okay. We saw some neighbors along the course and waved hello. We hit the One Mile Marker at 9:40. This was unacceptable for the kid, he wanted to speed up. We accelerated slightly, but I reminded him that we didn't want to tire ourselves out too quickly. Our second mile was faster and before we knew it, we were at the turn around where the 10k runners kept forging ahead as we headed back to the finish. He kept looking out for kids his age and when he saw them, he sprinted past in hopes of getting a medal. We rounded the last corner with only a few hundred yards to the finish line. I told him we should run as fast as we could. He took off. I could see spectators pointing and cheering for him from the sidelines. We ran side by side and crossed the finish mat at 27:12. I thought we were 30 seconds faster because we didn't immediately hit the mat at the start. I was wrong. He got a little sick because of the all out sprint, but he was so happy and proud of himself, as was I. The timing company had two monitors outside their van where you typed in your name and it read your stats. This was new and cool.
We headed back to the finish line to wait for Pete and Sanibel. We saw the 10k winners cross which is always fun. The kid saw his friends and couldn't wait to talk about his accomplishment. This was the first time the kid ran over three miles without taking breaks. He kept going with energy to spare at the end. Children have so much heart when they compete. It was a blast to be able to watch him take it all in and experience his first "grown-up" race. Eventually, the other two arrived. We headed back home and I couldn't have been more pleased with the end result, even if I had PR'd (okay, well maybe a teeny, tiny bit more).
I could have sworn he was wearing
sneakers...
Thursday, November 5, 2015
Happy Birthday to Me & All the Other Saints
Monday (10/26/15) - 7.6 miles, 1:05:25, 8:37 pace
Tuesday (10/27/15) - Off
Wednesday (10/28/15) - 6.6 miles, 54:52, 8:19 pace - I ran to the gym in thick humidity. I set out to run 4 x .75mi at 5-10k pace with .25 recovery in between. It was a suffer fest. The chest cold that had been lingering since the week before made my breathing almost impossible. I cut the run a half mile short. My first attempt at speed work since the marathon was a stupid, annoying fail.
Thursday (10/29/15) - 3.94 miles, 34:19, 8:43 pace
I couldn't remember the rule of thumb for running while sick.Was it above the neck, don't run? Or below the neck, don't run? I finally decided to look it up. Below the neck, don't run (Oops). Okay, you don't have to tell me twice. My cough was getting worse to the point where I could barely finish a sentence. The post nasal drip made falling asleep at night wishful thinking. I could definitely use a few rest days.
Friday (10/30/15) - Kids' Halloween parade!
Saturday (10/31/15) - Trick-or-treat!
Sunday (My birthday! All Saints Day, obviously.) - Pete took my eldest to New Jersey for the day which took soccer off the table. I was excited todrag bring the three little ones to Queens to watch the New York City Marathon! I knew a few people running so I decided to make a couple of signs. I hurried (hurried is a relative term when children are involved) my kids out the door hoping to catch the elite men at the half marathon mark. Once we got to Queens, many of the roads were closed so we just parked where we could. We walked over to Vernon Boulevard and got a nice spot right in front of a cafe. First, I noticed we missed the elites (dang it!). Then, I noticed we were on the opposite side of the road that I told everyone we would be on (double fuck a potato!). Hopefully, they would still be able to spot my bright orange Boston Marathon jacket (they didn't). Despite our little setbacks, I we mostly had a good time. There was DJ a couple of feet from us and enough crowd support to be fun, but not too crowded to be irritating. Many runners winked or smiled at our signs, and a couple even stopped to take pictures of them. We danced, we shouted, we high-5'd until we cried, we complained, and we fought ( "We" meaning "they"). It became clear that I needed to get the kids out of there pronto before they started running on the course just to spite me. I knew I was going to miss Kin and his wife by just one mile which was a bummer gigante.
Did I mention I got a Garmin Forerunner 10 for my birthday? Yup. Finally!! And can I tell you how my life has changed? No more math while running. No more stopping to get the damn phone out of the arm sleeve or FlipBelt mid-run. No more guesswork. I love it. It's simple to use, small, and lightweight. The only annoying part is having to hook it up to the laptop to download the runs (Is that lazy? Probably.).
Tuesday (11/3/15) - 6.41 miles, 59:19, 9:15 pace - Sanibel is running our local 10k on Saturday. She has never run more than 4 miles. We were going to be up in Manhasset for my doctor's appointment, so we ran there. It was a lot hillier than she's used to. Other than her shoelaces being untied for God knows how many miles (Seriously?) and her crossing the street without looking (I mean, SERIOUSLY?!?! And with headphones?! Ugh.), the run went well.
Wednesday (11/4/15) - 6.26 miles, 52:24, 8:22 pace
Thursday (11/5/15) - 7.55 miles, 1:05:10, 8:38 pace
Tuesday (10/27/15) - Off
Wednesday (10/28/15) - 6.6 miles, 54:52, 8:19 pace - I ran to the gym in thick humidity. I set out to run 4 x .75mi at 5-10k pace with .25 recovery in between. It was a suffer fest. The chest cold that had been lingering since the week before made my breathing almost impossible. I cut the run a half mile short. My first attempt at speed work since the marathon was a stupid, annoying fail.
Thursday (10/29/15) - 3.94 miles, 34:19, 8:43 pace
I couldn't remember the rule of thumb for running while sick.Was it above the neck, don't run? Or below the neck, don't run? I finally decided to look it up. Below the neck, don't run (Oops). Okay, you don't have to tell me twice. My cough was getting worse to the point where I could barely finish a sentence. The post nasal drip made falling asleep at night wishful thinking. I could definitely use a few rest days.
Friday (10/30/15) - Kids' Halloween parade!
I secretly enjoy feel badly about
scaring the tootsie rolls out of
the little kids at school.
Saturday (10/31/15) - Trick-or-treat!
Oops, my Mommy mask started peeling off.
(It ain't easy being green.)
Sunday (My birthday! All Saints Day, obviously.) - Pete took my eldest to New Jersey for the day which took soccer off the table. I was excited to
Reference?
Did I mention I got a Garmin Forerunner 10 for my birthday? Yup. Finally!! And can I tell you how my life has changed? No more math while running. No more stopping to get the damn phone out of the arm sleeve or FlipBelt mid-run. No more guesswork. I love it. It's simple to use, small, and lightweight. The only annoying part is having to hook it up to the laptop to download the runs (Is that lazy? Probably.).
I heart her.
Tuesday (11/3/15) - 6.41 miles, 59:19, 9:15 pace - Sanibel is running our local 10k on Saturday. She has never run more than 4 miles. We were going to be up in Manhasset for my doctor's appointment, so we ran there. It was a lot hillier than she's used to. Other than her shoelaces being untied for God knows how many miles (Seriously?) and her crossing the street without looking (I mean, SERIOUSLY?!?! And with headphones?! Ugh.), the run went well.
Wednesday (11/4/15) - 6.26 miles, 52:24, 8:22 pace
Thursday (11/5/15) - 7.55 miles, 1:05:10, 8:38 pace
Sunday, October 25, 2015
What's New, Pussycat?
In my last post I said I had four more days before I would return to running. Well, it was actually a whole day. The fall weather has just been so ideal, I couldn't wait. I tried, really I did.
Thursday (10/15/15) 3.91 miles - My first day back I ran with my neighbor, GM, who is tapering for the New York City Marathon (She is one of three on our block, including myself, who had a marathon on tap for this year. Freighbor is the other, who just rocked the Marine Corps Marathon this morning! Go Freighbor, go Freighbor!). I wore my brand new Hoka One One Huakas which felt great once I figured out how to do the laces ("roller blade laces" which are great because they'll never untie and trip you). GM definitely had more pep in her step. I had to breathlessly remind her it was my first day back, dammit. I mean, I can run faster. I just choose not to... (pant, gasp, pant)
Friday (10/16/15) 3.86 miles - Regular 4 mile (?) loop solo.
Saturday (10/17/15) 4.6 miles, 40:26, 8:42 pace - I ran 20 minutes east from Owl's Head Park to the Verrazano Bridge along the Belt Parkway, and then back again. It was a crisp, beautiful sunny morning. No wind.
Sunday (10/18/15) - Off
Monday (10/19/15) - 6.03 miles, 53:46, 8:54 pace
Tuesday (10/20/15) - 5.92 miles, 52:42, 8:54 pace
Wednesday (10/21/15) - 5 miles - I met a friend, JT, from high school who I have not seen since high school. She is a personal trainer out east and the mother of three very tall boys. She and I were on the cross country team together freshman year. By sophomore year, my co-dependent relationship with Phillip Morris got more serious and I wound up pursuing him, rather than continue with the team. JT stayed on cross country, getting faster each year. Decades later, we reconnected via Facebook and finally found time to get together doing something we haven't done together since we were 14! It was a blast!
Thursday (10/22/15) - 5.93 miles - 51:50, 8:44 pace
Friday (10/23/15) - Off
Saturday (10/24/15) - 6.82 miles, 57:25, 8:25 pace - I ran from Hofstra University east on the bike path along Hempstead Turnpike. It was 50 degrees and overcast. Perfect running conditions. I felt light on my feet and ran a little faster than I planned. I turned north on Merrick Avenue and ran outside the west gate of Eisenhower Park to Old Country Road. I turned around and headed back. I only passed one other runner on the path whom I spontaneously high-5'd as we passed. He was very amused and chuckled. It's fun sometimes to acknowledge how lucky we are to be healthy, active, outdoors, and awesome with fellow runners.
Sunday (10/25/15) - 5.04 miles - Originally, I was going to run 7 miles with my son on his bike. My two little girls caught wind of this and were "not going to be ignored" (Quick! What movie? Hint: Rabbit Stew). The more theslower merrier. My 6-year old rode her bike, too, and the "baby" (she's 4) went in the jogger stroller. The baby fell asleep while the other two did great. No complaints or requests to do a shopping/eating detour.
What else have I been up to, you ask? Why was I at Hofstra University? Well, after many people telling me for years that I should be a Personal Trainer, I finally decided to take a look into it. The day I Googled, there just happened to be a free information introductory session at Hofstra that evening for a continuing education personal training certification course. I went. I was hooked. The thing that got me was this particular course is more scientific and principle based than others. I signed up the next day. I already finished my Anatomy prerequisite and CPR certification this past week. The actual Personal Training classes start next week. When JT and I got together, she gave me a ton of helpful information on working at a gym, as well as seeing clients privately. Once the course is complete, I will take the certification exam and then be on my merry way doing something that I love and completely makes sense for me, for a change.
Thursday (10/15/15) 3.91 miles - My first day back I ran with my neighbor, GM, who is tapering for the New York City Marathon (She is one of three on our block, including myself, who had a marathon on tap for this year. Freighbor is the other, who just rocked the Marine Corps Marathon this morning! Go Freighbor, go Freighbor!). I wore my brand new Hoka One One Huakas which felt great once I figured out how to do the laces ("roller blade laces" which are great because they'll never untie and trip you). GM definitely had more pep in her step. I had to breathlessly remind her it was my first day back, dammit. I mean, I can run faster. I just choose not to... (pant, gasp, pant)
Friday (10/16/15) 3.86 miles - Regular 4 mile (?) loop solo.
Saturday (10/17/15) 4.6 miles, 40:26, 8:42 pace - I ran 20 minutes east from Owl's Head Park to the Verrazano Bridge along the Belt Parkway, and then back again. It was a crisp, beautiful sunny morning. No wind.
Photo bombed!
Sunday (10/18/15) - Off
Monday (10/19/15) - 6.03 miles, 53:46, 8:54 pace
Tuesday (10/20/15) - 5.92 miles, 52:42, 8:54 pace
Wednesday (10/21/15) - 5 miles - I met a friend, JT, from high school who I have not seen since high school. She is a personal trainer out east and the mother of three very tall boys. She and I were on the cross country team together freshman year. By sophomore year, my co-dependent relationship with Phillip Morris got more serious and I wound up pursuing him, rather than continue with the team. JT stayed on cross country, getting faster each year. Decades later, we reconnected via Facebook and finally found time to get together doing something we haven't done together since we were 14! It was a blast!
Thursday (10/22/15) - 5.93 miles - 51:50, 8:44 pace
Friday (10/23/15) - Off
Saturday (10/24/15) - 6.82 miles, 57:25, 8:25 pace - I ran from Hofstra University east on the bike path along Hempstead Turnpike. It was 50 degrees and overcast. Perfect running conditions. I felt light on my feet and ran a little faster than I planned. I turned north on Merrick Avenue and ran outside the west gate of Eisenhower Park to Old Country Road. I turned around and headed back. I only passed one other runner on the path whom I spontaneously high-5'd as we passed. He was very amused and chuckled. It's fun sometimes to acknowledge how lucky we are to be healthy, active, outdoors, and awesome with fellow runners.
Sunday (10/25/15) - 5.04 miles - Originally, I was going to run 7 miles with my son on his bike. My two little girls caught wind of this and were "not going to be ignored" (Quick! What movie? Hint: Rabbit Stew). The more the
If you saw this motley crew barreling down the sidewalk
toward you, would you run away screaming?
I would too.
What else have I been up to, you ask? Why was I at Hofstra University? Well, after many people telling me for years that I should be a Personal Trainer, I finally decided to take a look into it. The day I Googled, there just happened to be a free information introductory session at Hofstra that evening for a continuing education personal training certification course. I went. I was hooked. The thing that got me was this particular course is more scientific and principle based than others. I signed up the next day. I already finished my Anatomy prerequisite and CPR certification this past week. The actual Personal Training classes start next week. When JT and I got together, she gave me a ton of helpful information on working at a gym, as well as seeing clients privately. Once the course is complete, I will take the certification exam and then be on my merry way doing something that I love and completely makes sense for me, for a change.
I know!! I'm excited, too!!!
Wednesday, October 14, 2015
The Perils of Not Running
The Hansons don't want you running for a full two weeks after your marathon. At first I thought this would be fine. I can relax, recover, and take care of the little things that might have been neglected the past four months. Well, those little things are all in school now. So instead, I've been going a little stir crazy. First, I'm still eating as though I'm in Peak Week of my training cycle. Not good since I'm not burning these calories off. Second, I may not be physically running, but I've got the mental running down pat. I am either on the RWOL message boards (Happily reading about everyone else's races. Yay Fall!) or on Running In the USA looking for my next race, and then checking Marathon Guide for reviews. I think about it all the time (Okay fine, this is no different than before). NOTE: PETE, STOP READING HERE. And yes, I'm also "window" shopping. I can't help it if I found a pair of Hoka One One Huakas on sale for $49 in my size (runningwarehouse.com). I mean, was I supposed to ignore that? Not running for two weeks just seems a bit - dangerous.
PETE, YOU MAY RESUME HERE. That is why I went for a quickie with my friends, Emerging Runner (ER) and The Petite Pacer (TPP). Sunday morning I joined them mid-run at Bethpage State Park for an easy 3 miler just to stretch out my legs and make sure they still worked. It was also an excuse to see them again since I can't remember the last time we got together. TPP had just competed in her first duathlon in which she placed second in her age group. She has been focusing on cycling lately and it's been paying off. ER was there mostly for fashion and driving tips (ex., Shorts or leggings, not both. And, turtles don't make good Formula One drivers). Despite everyone running super slow, time flew by super quickly. Apparently, fun was had by all.
Today is Wednesday. Three more days and then I'm back.
If the Joker was a runner,
these would be his shoes.
PETE, YOU MAY RESUME HERE. That is why I went for a quickie with my friends, Emerging Runner (ER) and The Petite Pacer (TPP). Sunday morning I joined them mid-run at Bethpage State Park for an easy 3 miler just to stretch out my legs and make sure they still worked. It was also an excuse to see them again since I can't remember the last time we got together. TPP had just competed in her first duathlon in which she placed second in her age group. She has been focusing on cycling lately and it's been paying off. ER was there mostly for fashion and driving tips (ex., Shorts or leggings, not both. And, turtles don't make good Formula One drivers). Despite everyone running super slow, time flew by super quickly. Apparently, fun was had by all.
Today is Wednesday. Three more days and then I'm back.
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