Early Morning Run

Five for Friday

2012-02-02T21:24:00.001-05:00

It’s been a while since I’ve done one of these posts and it’s not even Friday yet! I’m waking up at 3:30am tomorrow and I doubt I’ll want to get on the computer.

1. I will be on my way to Minneapolis for a business trip before the sun comes up tomorrow, and will be staying the weekend with my sister, BIL and my adorable niece and nephew! This all fell into place a few days ago and with a few other things, this has been a pretty unconventional week. I love it when I don’t have to sit at my desk all day!

2. You all know of my love for Oiselle. Well, they’ve been hard at work in collaboration with the sportswear company, Title IX, to create a line of special edition t-shirts to commemorate the 40^thanniversary of the enactment of Title 9, and the first designs will be released next week! This is a special project for the women of Oiselle, so please take a minute and go HERE to read their story! While you’re there, go check out their new Spring 2012 line. Super cute stuff!

3. I mentioned an MRI in my last post. I got the results and all is clear so no need to worry about that anymore! I also went to my GP for a physical Tuesday morning and on the way I saw this…

Yes, that’s right New Yorkers! Panera Bread is finally coming to Manhattan! I only wish it was a little closer to our neighborhood!

4. These videos have been making the rounds lately. I have to say I love this one (and the New York version)!

5. You might have heard there’s a football game this Sunday. I usually watch the Super Bowl for the commercials but I’ll miss the whole game this year since I’ll be flying back, so I’ll have to catch up on Monday. I think every year one or two brands ‘leak’ their commercial early. This blows my mind since they’re spending millions of dollars just to purchase the time, let alone produce the commercial. But, apparently that doesn’t always matter. Anyway, if you haven’t seen this yet, here you go…

Have a great weekend!

Do you have plans for the Super Bowl?
Do you try to make healthy choices when you watch the Super Bowl or do you just have fun and give yourself a night off?
As a runner, what is the one thing you say most often?

Locks on the Bridge

2012-01-30T07:41:00.001-05:00

I’ve had a pretty eventful few days, and the week is just starting! Is it bad to be looking forward to next weekend already?

Friday afternoon I left work early for an appointment with my Sports Doc. I’m happy to say that she said I’m healing well and she’s happy with how I’m doing. Unfortunately, still no word of when I’ll start running and still a month till I can go to yoga (one of my goals for 2012 is to take more yoga classes consistently through the year). So, still pretty light workouts for me till I see her again in a month. I’m happy she’s happy, but it’s frustrating that so much time has gone by and still no running in sight.

While I was sitting in the waiting room and was checking my work emails I got the one I’ve been hoping to get for the past two weeks. During the holidays I was working on a team that was putting together a pitch for a new business account. We found out just after the holidays that we made it to the second round and I was asked to go out to Minneapolis for the pitch. We went, we were cold, we rocked it. Then, we waited. And waited. Finally Friday afternoon our VP got the call that we had won the account! I was so freaking excited when I read the email that I almost jumped around in the waiting room! I think the receptionist may have thought I had temporarily lost my mind because I was smiling so much. I’ve worked on a few new business pitches before, but this was the first that got to the in-person pitch and then won! And I love the company too, so it’s even better! So, the non-news about running didn’t hurt so hard when I had this great news going into it.

Saturday’s weather was so fantastic that I was determined we wouldn’t spend the afternoon inside. After our workouts and trip to Trader Joe’s, we headed out for a walk to Brooklyn across the bridge. We were hoping that it wouldn’t be too crowded because it was still pretty chilly and it is the middle of winter. We’ve only gone during the summer and fall before when it’s packed with tourists. Well, there were quite a few people on the bridge. Guess they had the same idea! We headed over the bridge, walked around DUMBO for a bit checking out a few bookstores, dreaming about the pastries at Almondine and the chocolate at Jacques Torres and then headed to the Brooklyn Ice Cream Factory. Hey, we had to celebrate Friday’s awesome news somehow, right?

Random Fact 1: DUMBO stands for Down Under the Manhattan Bridge Overpass

Random Fact 2: Even if it’s delicious, eating ice cream outside in 43’ weather will make you really, really cold.

We had three ways to get home. Subway, East River Ferry and walking. We chose to walk and work off a few more calories. On the way back, we discovered something we had never seen before.

There were padlocks all over the bridge and many of them had names, hearts and dates. I had to Google this and what I found out (there was a NY Daily News article back in November)…

About five years ago, Romans started imitating characters in the book “Ho Voglia di Te” (“I Want You”) by Federico Moccia and it has spread to other European cities before coming to New York. Apparently it is mostly done by tourists trying to leave their mark of enduring love on the Brooklyn Bridge. What a romantic gesture, isn’t it? As a New Yorker, part of me thinks it’s crazy since these locks will probably be gone not long after they’re put there, but I love the romanticism at the same time. Doesn’t surprise me that this idea is from a European novel.

Sunday was not so romantic. I had to cut my workout short because I had a follow up MRI for Cushing’s Disease. I haven’t had one since July 2010, so it’s time for a check. I am confident that it’ll still be all clear, but it’s still a tiny bit worrisome. Thankfully the staff at the Imaging Center at Weill Cornell are amazing. Every time I’ve been there I’ve had nothing short of a good experience. They’re all extremely nice, willing to strike up a conversation and they don’t rush you through the process. They understand patients are on edge and need a friendly smile, not a cold hand.

After, Woody and I had brunch in our old neighborhood then took a walk to see what’s changed. It’s hard to believe that in April I will have lived in NYC for 8 years, and it will have been 7 years since I moved out of my first apartment here. Crazy how time flies, isn’t it?

How did you spend your weekend?
What great things have happened in your life recently?
Would you leave a lock on the Brooklyn Bridge to show your love for someone?

************

Today’s workout -

2x15 cable twists (ea. side)
2x15 weighted side bends (ea. side)
35min elliptical
2x50sec plank
100 ab exercises
stretching

If This Guy Had His Way, We’d All Have Pet Chickens

2012-01-26T07:54:00.001-05:00

For Christmas Woody’s brother and his girlfriend bought us tickets to see Joel Salatin speak at the 92nd St Y. You might know of Joel Salatin from his appearance in the documentary “Food, Inc.” or from Michael Pollan’s book The Omnivore’s Dilemma. His latest book, Folks, This Ain't Normal: A Farmer's Advice for Happier Hens, Healthier People, and a Better World, was released last October.

From first reading about him in Pollan’s book and then seeing him in the documentary, I knew we were going to be in for an interesting evening! If you don’t know him, Salatin is a farmer and owns Polyface Farms, a “family owned, multi-generational, pasture-based, beyond organic, local-market farm and informational outreach in Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley.” (That’s a mouthful!) It’s pretty fantastic, enlightening and a bit confusing to hear him speak about his farm. Fantastic because he is so enthusiastic about what they are doing. Enlightening because he speaks truthfully about the industry, has incredible ideas and has created a farm that honors the earth, natural processes and treats animals well. And confusing because he’d go off on tangents spewing terms that almost sounded like a foreign language!

Salatin admitted that the farm is continually evolving and that they aren’t as self-sustainable as they’d ultimately like to be. Currently, they have to purchase grain from neighboring farms as their soil isn’t able to support it. They understand they’re not perfect, but they are always looking to improve their processes and offerings. Overall, it was a pretty entertaining to hear him interviewed by Dan Barber (chef and co-owner of New York's Blue Hill restaurant and Blue Hill at Stone Barns).

Just a few takeaways from the evening:

Farmer’s farm because they don’t like people (it’s okay for me to write this because I have farmers in my family!)
Beef (and giraffe) that are raised properly, are better choices of meat than chicken.
There is a great organization called the Farm to Consumer Legal Defense Fund which supports farmers when faced with overstepping from the government.
Everyone should have chickens at home rather than dogs. This way you’ll never have to pay for eggs again, thus doing away with large factory farms producing eggs, and they eat kitchen scraps which will greatly reduce the amount of waste in landfills! If you’re wondering, he did suggest that even us New Yorkers get chickens!
Like the rise of ‘rock star chefs’, he hopes to see the rise of ‘rock star farmers’

I highly recommend that if you have an opportunity to see Joel Salatin speak, you should go! I’ve added his book to my list of must reads.

What do you think of the idea of having chickens in your home? (I’m kind of intrigued by the idea!)
Do you pay attention to how the meat, dairy and eggs you eat are produced?

************

Today’s workout -

3x10 cable push downs
2x15 weighted side bends (ea. side)
2x15 upright row
30min elliptical
2x40sec plank
1x30sec side plank (ea. side)
100 ab exercises
2x15 back extensinon
3x10 bridges

(image from Polyface Farms)

The Dreaded Cold Invaded My Life

2012-01-23T08:13:00.001-05:00

I’m sick. I hate being sick. It’s really gross and annoying. And I think I can say with good certainty that Woody would agree with that statement. A bug has been going around my office since the New Year and I felt this coming on when we were in Charleston but it hit hard Saturday morning. I had to finish a project for work on Saturday and it took me for-ev-ah cause it was so hard to concentrate. You know that feeling, right?

A lot of people get sick with colds and such during the winter, but I think it might be worse this year because the temperatures have been all over the place (this could just be an old wives tale that the weather has anything to do with colds, but I’m going to go with it). Unlike the flu, it can be tricky to know whether it’s okay to workout or not when you have a cold. Woody swears by sweating out a cold. He’ll wear long pants, a sweatshirt, and knit cap then doing a long cardio session on the treadmill or elliptical before hitting the sauna. Here are the guidelines Woody and I have come to follow, and which seem to go along with ‘expert’ advice I’ve read over the years.

Workout if….

You can breath without much trouble.
It’s all in your head, not in your lungs.
You got a good nights sleep.

Stay home if….

You can hardly get out of bed.
Every muscle in your body aches (or even half of them).
You’re coughing and/or sneezing frequently.
You have a fever.
You have a throbbing headache.
You simply feel like rest is more important.

I did go to the gym Saturday and actually had a pretty good workout. Sunday was a different story though. I just didn’t have much energy but I’m glad I got my heart rate up for a bit. Today I slept in, skipped the gym, and because I’m still feeling pretty nasty and don’t want to give this to my co-workers, I’m staying home from work.

Two things I did all weekend, and plan to do today, was load up on citrus fruits (thanks to my mother in law who sent us another shipment of grapefruits and oranges straight from Florida) and drank tea. Lots of tea….

When you have a cold, how do you decide whether or not to workout?
What’s your go to remedy for colds?

************

Saturday’s workout -

2 circuits:
- 15 cable side twists (ea. side)
- 15 cable push-down
- 15 weighted side bends
- 25 kickbacks
- 15 squatting rows
2x15 lateral arm raise
30min elliptical
30min stationary bike
2x40sec plank
100 ab exercises
stretching

Sunday’s workout -

20min stationary bike
30min elliptical
2x15 upright row
2x15 lat pull down
stretching

Today’s workout -

None.

What Happened to Prevention?

2012-01-19T07:49:00.001-05:00

I don’t think many of us were surprised to hear the other day that Paula Deen was diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes, but maybe a little surprised that she was diagnosed 3 years ago. Before I get too far into this, let me say that I feel horrible for anyone who has to face this horrible disease, and would never wish it on anyone. That being said, I was a little annoyed when she revealed to Al Roker on the “Today Show” Tuesday morning that she was diagnosed so long ago and just now felt like it was time to tell her millions of fans who take pride in making the butter-drenched dishes she promotes on her shows and in her magazine. I totally get the need to keep private matters private, at least for a time, but she has many platforms available to her that can use to help others, three years seems like a long time to me.

During her “Today Show” interview and in subsequent print interviews, like the one she did for THIS article in the New York Times, Deen recounts preaching that everything should be enjoyed in moderation, she won’t blame herself and stresses that Type 2 can be caused by a host of things beyond diet and who gets it is a sort of “Russian Roulette game'”. Type 2 can be caused by inactivity, age, excess weight, high calorie diets, family history and heredity. We can’t do anything about our family history or our race, but we can do something about what we eat and how active we are. I found it particularly interesting that while she stressed genetics as a factor in multiple interviews, she also said that her grandmother cooked and ate the same way she did and didn’t have it. Maybe it was just me, but it seems as though she’s still in a bit of denial that her diet has something to do with her diagnosis. She has given up sweet tea and is eating smaller portions, though.

Here’s the thing. While I’m glad she’s come out and told the world she has this condition, which may make some people take note about their own lives and see their doctor, it’s interesting that the official announcement came the same day her new multi-platform endorsement of the Novo Nordisk medication (which costs $500/month) was launched. I’m also concerned that she may be more focused on controlling the disease with the and the “lighter” meals she and her sons will promote on the new website, than encouraging prevention. Yes, life doesn’t have to stop for people with Diabetes, but people don’t have to get it, either. She and her sons will be paid by the Pharma company to promote the drug, and as it turns out, they announced Wednesday that they’ll be donating a portion of their profits to charity. What charity and how much? Who knows.

We tend to focus so much time, effort and money on trying to cure or control diseases rather than preventing them. While we all need to take responsibility for our own lives and the choices we make along the way, sometimes we also need a little guidance once in a while. We’re all experts in certain things, but we’re not all experts in health and nutrition and look to others to help us along. While I would never look to Deen for advice on nutrition, it’s a shame that with such a huge following, she’s more focused on promoting a drug rather than promoting a healthy lifestyle which could possibly help prevent the disease from affecting many of her fans to begin with. Hopefully out of all this hoopla, people who are at risk will start making changes and listening to health experts to turn things around and live healthy lives. At the same time, hopefully those who are on a healthy road will stay there!

Approximately 26 million Americans have Diabetes, 90% of whom have the highly preventable Type 2. Let’s focus on spreading the word about healthy eating, staying active and lowering obesity rates and in turn, hopefully, keep people from getting this horrible disease.

Okay, I’m done with my rant. Thanks for reading!

What do you think about Paula Deen’s announcement and diagnosis?
What are your thoughts about prevention vs treatment?

************

Today’s workout -

2x15 cable side twists (ea. side)
2x15 squatting row
2x20 kick-backs
35min elliptical
1x40sec plank
1x35sec superman hold
stretching

When Yankees Go South

2012-01-17T09:36:00.001-05:00

This is our last morning in Charleston and we would happily stay another few days if we could. After a crazy trip to Minneapolis Thursday/Friday and not getting home until after 1am Saturday morning because my cab driver got lost in Brooklyn (don’t ask), we were back at the airport Saturday morning by 7am. As soon as we went through security I realized I had left my headphones and Polar watch at home. It’s hard to remember everything when your head is fuzzy and you’ve had about four hours of sleep after a stressful week.

After a 2hr flight on a small plane that didn’t seem to have adequate air conditioning, we had finally arrived in Charleston and at our hotel, Charleston Place.

We conferred and agree that the Charleston Place is the second nicest hotel we’ve stayed in together. (The first being Little Dix Bay where we spent our honeymoon) The hotel is absolutely gorgeous. We booked a package through Luxury Link and are definitely enjoying our stay on the club level. Including the breakfast each morning and wine in the afternoon and evening. This isn’t how we usually roll, but we’re definitely enjoying it!

We have done more than just hang out in the hotel though! Woody’s friend and his family were able to drive down Saturday afternoon. It was great to see them, get some insider info on the area and just catch up over dinner and breakfast the next morning.

We’ve spent a lot of time walking around the city, exploring all the little streets and ally ways and imagining what it would be like to live in these amazing houses. We love the Southern charm and the history of the area is pretty incredible. One thing I’ve noticed about this city is that the people are very fit and active. Yeah, there’s a ton of Lowcountry cooking everywhere you turn, but we’ve also seen a ton of people out walking, running, biking. At least from an outsiders perspective, it seems like this is a community that really takes advantage of the great weather, walkable community and beautiful scenery. I just love seeing so many people out and about. I wish I was able to go for a run and take advantage of it myself.

Yesterday we took a drive outside of the city to visit Middleton Place, a former rice plantation about 15 miles outside of Charleston. Apparently it has America’s oldest landscaped gardens. They were beautiful, but certainly would be quite amazing in the early spring when the azaleas bloom. It was interesting to learn about the history of the plantation, but also quite sad to think about what really went into making this place what it was and is.

After exploring the plantation, we came back to the hotel and enjoyed amazing massages at the spa here at the hotel. Aaaahhhhh! Anyone know of a ‘massage of the month club’? Cause I’d like to sign up for that!

We’ve had some good meals while we’ve been here, the two best I would say have been dinner at Fleet Landing and breakfast at Eli’s Table. Unfortunately we’re not going to make it to HUSK, which we’ve heard amazing things about. Next time!

This morning we hit up the well appointed but very cramped gym and are enjoying breakfast before heading out and exploring some of the coastline before heading to the airport and back to NYC.

If you’ve never been to Charleston, I highly recommend it!

Did you have Monday off for the MLK holiday?
How did you spend your weekend?
What’s your favorite Southern city?

Using Pinterest to Achieve Health & Fitness Goals

2012-01-12T07:54:00.001-05:00

It seems like there are about a billion different social media platforms already and I’m sure we’ll see a lot more pop up this year. It can get a little overwhelming and annoying but one that I’ve started to explore lately has been Pinterest. While it’s still technically ‘invite only’ it’s not very exclusive because it’s now broken the top 10 of social media platforms. Pinterest can definitely absorb a ton of time, like all the other digital distractions, but I have found some pretty interesting stuff on the site related to health and fitness, and a lot of other topics too.

If you’re not familiar with Pinterest, it is basically an online inspiration board or notebook. The co-founders developed the platform as a way to create online collections. I had resisted checking it out for months because I didn’t feel I had time to devote to another platform, but when I read THIS article from Businessweek that I was inspired to check it out.

While there are 32 categories (a few of which are pretty broad), you can find workout tips, cute clothes to lust after, beautiful places (and great races) to run, healthy recipes, and inspiring quotes and images. You can also start up conversations with other pinners through posting comments on pinned images. Some of what you’ll find might be a bit questionable, but let’s face it, that happens everywhere now and there is a lot of good stuff to be found on the site too. When you have time, it can be a fun and inspiring place to spend a few minutes!

A few of my boards…

Like I mentioned earlier, you’ll definitely find the need to wade through some junk, but there are great ideas and lots of motivation. And you don’t have to join to browse.

THIS article, posted on Mashable recently, gives some great tips for using Pinterest!

Are you a Pinner?
Are you sick of social media?

Follow me on Pinterest HERE

I’m off to Minneapolis this afternoon and will hopefully get to see my sister and my cute little nephew and niece! Then off to Charleston this weekend! Let me know if you have any suggestions for while we’re in SC.

************

Yesterday’s workout -

2x40sec plank
40min stationary bike
stretching
100 ab exercises

Today’s workout -

2x15 cable ab twists (ea side)
2x1min rope pull down
2x45sec rope pull ups
1x40sec plank
2x15 back extensions
30min stationary bike
stretching

Mission for the Week: Stay on Track

2012-01-09T07:36:00.001-05:00

This is going to be a crazy week for me. I am going on a business trip at the end of the week, leaving Thursday afternoon and returning very late Friday night, which means likely several late nights this week to prepare. Friday is Woody’s Birthday. I’m going to miss his birthday. I feel pretty horrible about it. But being the great guy he is, he totally understands that I couldn’t say no to this trip.

Thankfully too, we’ve been planning to celebrate his birthday all weekend long with a trip to Charleston for the long MLK Jr. holiday weekend! We bid on a package on LuxuryLink.com back in November thinking it would be a great way to celebrate his Birthday and I’m sure it will be! Thank goodness we decided to fly down Saturday morning instead of Friday night, although I might as well spend the night at the airport Friday night since I’ll only have about 7 hours between landing and when we have to be back there to fly to South Carolina! Yikes. At least I’ll be racking up a lot of frequent flier miles!

I’m really excited about our trip but I don’t see much rest in my future over the next two weeks. Well, I do expect to rest for at least one hour while we’re in Charleston because our package comes with a spa credit and we plan on using it for a couples massage! That’ll be nice. The hotel is gorgeous, beyond what we could have done on our own, and I can’t wait to take advantage of the amenities, including a gym.

We’re going to see Woody’s friend from school, his wife and daughter, who live in South Carolina while we’re there, and I’m hoping to meet Alyssa, a fellow Oiselle runner, who will be in town for a race! I love seeing people we know well (or not so well yet, in some cases) when we are in a new city. It makes me feel a little less like a tourist and a little more connected!

Amidst this crazy schedule I have to make sure to eat well and make time to work out. If I don’t, I won’t have enough energy to get through the weeks feeling good, alert and strong. I won’t be on top of my game. Over the weekend I prepared food for my lunches and planned some fairly healthy dinners for the week. I’m also going to make sure and get to the gym each day while I’m in town and take advantage of the gym at the hotel in Charleston. Maybe even the swimming pool! Who knows. I might just go a little crazy!

Since I’ll be traveling with four other colleagues on Thursday, I won’t be able to dictate where we eat, so I’m going to be sure and take some healthy snacks with me, like an apple, some larabars and a small bag of nuts and raisins. I’m hoping they don’t want to eat at a sub shop or something since I don’t eat Gluten, but I’ll have a few things in tow just in case I need to supplement a meager salad. South Carolina is also home to some good BBQ, so while I plan to enjoy local specialties, I’ll also be careful not to indulge! On this trip, Woody and I can stop at markets to pick up some healthy snacks like fruit, and maybe some prepared veggies and yogurt. I’m going to adopt the Boy Scouts motto for the week: Always be prepared!

How do you prioritize when you’re normal schedule gets turned on its head?
What are your favorite snacks for traveling?

************

Friday’s workout -

None. Rest day.

Saturday’s workout -

10min rowing machine
3x10 cable side twists (ea. side)
3x14 squat row
2x1min30sec rope pull-down
3x45sec rope pull-ups
PT balancing exercises
2x15 bridges
28min elliptical
2x40sec plank
100 ab exercises
stretching

Sunday’s workout -

15min stationary bike
2x17 weighted side bends (ea. side)
2x15 lateral arm raise
1x60 forward arm circles
1x60 backward arm circles
25min elliptical
3x8 wood chop w/ medicine ball (ea. side)
100 ab exercises
stretching

Today’s workout -

PT balancing exercises
2x40 sec planks
2x15 back extension
10min rowing machine
30min elliptical
stretching

NYC Favorite Places: New Amsterdam Market

2012-01-05T07:57:00.001-05:00

It may be closed for the season, but Woody and I look forward to the New Amsterdam Market re-opening this Spring! A great collection of local-ish bakeries, cheesemongers, farmers, wineries, producers, purveyors and more, downtown in the old Fulton Fish Market space.

www.newamsterdammarket.org

************

Yesterday’s workout -

3x10 cable pull push-down
3x10 cable side-twists (ea side)
3x12 seated row
100 ab exercises
1x40sec plank, 1x50sec plank
stretching
26 min elliptical

Today’s workout -

100 ab exercises
lots of stretching
2x45 sec plank
30min elliptical

Getting Ready for the Week

2012-01-03T07:36:00.001-05:00

I was very much enjoying the few days off that I had and am not quite ready to go back to work. Sleeping in till 7:15 every morning, workouts that can go beyond a measly 50 minutes each morning, plenty time to read books and blogs, movie watching, TV watching, cooking, exploring… just being. It’s nice not to have to rush everywhere all the time. To create a list of things to do, but not be tied down by a schedule. Ywp. I am already used to this routine!

But, that doesn’t change the fact that I do have to go back to work today. Because I want to start the year off on a healthy note, and let’s be truthful here, because our credit card balances are a bit inflated right now, I wanted to be prepared for the week and have ingredients ready to be able to pack healthy lunches. Being that I don’t eat gluten, packing lunches takes a bit of thought. I can’t put a sandwich or wrap together, cut up some carrots, grab an apple and be done with it. I mean, I can if I use GF bread, but it tends to have a lot of calories and not much substance, so I eat GF bread sparingly.

To get ready this week I cut up a bunch of root veggies on Monday and roasted them in the oven. In the mix: 2 carrots, 1 parsnip, 2 small-ish turnips, and 1 small sweet potato. I cut them up, tossed them in a 9x9 baking dish sprayed with canola oil, added some ground pepper, a little herbs de provance and a few dashes of turmeric. I pre-heated the oven to 375’. After baking for 20 minutes, I stirred the mixture then roasted another 25 minutes!

Before:

After:

I put a large spoonful of this in a microwavable bowl with 1/3cup of quinoa or rice and a quarter cup of beans. I’ll take along about a tbs of sunflower or pumpkin seeds and maybe a little cheese or hummus and that’s my lunch! Along with an apple, this is definitely filling and keeps me going through the afternoon.

Yesterday, I also hard boiled a few eggs so I can take one to work each day as a protein packed snack!

Have you ever tried hummus with eggs? It’s delicious. Try it if you haven’t yet!

Do you pack or buy your lunch?
What’s your favorite go-to lunch?

************

Today’s workout -

None. We needed to ease back in to the early mornings!

The Start of a Great New Year!

2012-01-02T11:08:00.001-05:00

Yesterday was a pretty lazy day for me, which is exactly how I wanted it. We actually slept in until 9am (crazy, I know!) and then I made my delicious and indulgent peanut butter and banana stuffed French toast. I didn’t let that indulgence get me off on the wrong foot though. I also did some cleaning, laundry and got myself to the gym.

I love and loath the gym from January – March. You know, after people have made their resolution to get fit and go to the gym more often and there are lines for equipment and people who still don’t quite understand the need to wipe off a machine after use. Thankfully today our regular gym was closed so I went to the workout room in our building. It was empty when I arrived just after noon but didn’t take long to fill up. By the time I left there were 10 other people, which is a lot of people in the small space.

There was one totally ripped and fit woman who, I admit, I was staring at and was in awe of. Probably in her late 30’s, she was incredibly fit and strong. Great motivation. A few hours later, I was thinking I should have asked her if she’s a trainer! I could use one.

I had to laugh when three guys walked in together a few minutes before I left who were all wearing bright white sneakers. One guy got on a treadmill only to quickly say to his friend “I think I should stretch a little first.” Ah…newbies.

So, because I can’t yet start on my race schedule for the year since I don’t even know when I can run yet, I have to come up with other goals for the year. One thing I want to focus on this year is going to yoga more often. I do love yoga, and in the past I’ve had my spurts of yoga-ness, but this year I’m going to make a more concerted effort to make time for it. I think it will be good for me – mind, body and soul.

There are three places I have in mind –

Yoga to the People on St. Marks Place, where I’ve been several times before. They have big studios that fill up quickly and work on a donation basis, asking for $10. The studios are pretty basic and it’s in an old walkup building on a busy street, but conveniently located between work and home. I’m going to try going here during the week for their Power Vinyasa Flow class once I’m done with PT.

YoYoga is only a few blocks from my office. Only $12 a class, I haven’t tried this studio yet but a few co-workers have. They have a class at 6:45pm each night that I might be able to get to once in a while.

Lululemon stores in the city have free open-level classes on Sunday morning, which I have been to quite a few times with Grace and Kether. The two closest stores to our apartment don’t have their January schedules posted yet, but I’m hopeful they’ll still offer these classes in 2012.

So far, this is the only fitness goal I’ve set for the year. We’ll see how my appointments with my Endocrinologist this Wednesday and Sports Doc on Friday go before I start setting any more ambitious goals.

I’ll tell you this though, I want this year to be a healthy, fun and adventurous year. I hope you have the same thing in mind for yourself!

Did you start the year with a run or workout?
What is one goal you have for the year?
Have you ever recruited a buddy to achieve goals with?
What are you looking forward to in 2012?

************

Yesterday’s Workout -

stretching
125 ab exercises
2x15 back extension
25min elliptical
3x10 hip extensions
3x10 hip abduction
3x10 hip adduction
3x10 cable twists (each side)

Today’s Workout -

3x10 cable-pull pushdown
3x10 bicep curl
3x10 lat pull-down
PT balance exercises
3x10 weighted side bends (each side)
10min rowing machine
26min elliptical
2x35 sec plank, 1x45sec plank
100 ab exercises
stretching

5 for Friday: Goodbye 2011

2011-12-30T10:33:00.001-05:00

If you’re looking for a ‘Best of’ list, sorry, you’re not going to find that here today. BUT, I can point you to THIS mother of all mashup ‘Best (and worst) Of” list from Fast Company. It’s seriously genius.

1. It’s so hard for me to believe that the year is just about over. It’s gone by so quickly! While I wasn’t able to achieve many of the goals I had set at the start of the year due to multiple stress fractures, I still got to do a lot of incredible things and made fantastic memories! So, all in all, it was a pretty good year. Every year we have is a pretty good year.

2. We enjoyed the most laid back Christmas ever. Even with Woody’s Mom in town for several days, we made sure to balance the activities with a healthy dose of relaxation! While I did miss being with my family on Christmas with all the hub-bub of lots of people, stories, and little kids running around ripping open presents on Christmas morning, there is something to be said for a relaxing day at home. We did actually leave the apartment on Christmas day though, to take a walk to the new pier near South Street Seaport.

3. I only had to work two days this week. There was hardly anyone in the office, but I was working on a big project that we were just assigned the week before and was due EOD yesterday. It was pretty intense since there were only a few of us available to work on it, but it was actually a fun assignment and allowed us to do some creative thinking.

4. I’m still going to PT, my left leg is feeling pretty good, the tight ITB is loosening up, I’m building up time on the elliptical and my right foot is still hurting with just about every step. I’m glad I’m in PT cause my therapist, Amanda, spends some time working out the muscle along my shin that’s causing all the trouble. It was feeling a lot better after the session yesterday, but not 100%. I really hope to get rid of this soon; there is plenty I want to do! Like yoga.

5. So far I haven’t come up with my goals or resolutions for 2012. Given my inability to reach my goals this year, I’m kind of weary to write anything big down for next year. I guess my real goal is just to stay healthy, or get healthy, more like it! Aside from that, Woody and I want to keep traveling. We already have a trip to Charleston, SC, planned for his Birthday weekend in a few weeks! Then I’ll be spending President’s Day Weekend visiting my parents. Other than that, we don’t have anything planned yet, but hope to soon. I love having a trip to look forward to and new places to explore.

What have you been up to while I’ve been MIA?
How do you like to celebrate the holidays – big parties or small gatherings?
What is your favorite memory from this holiday season so far?
Do you have any goals or resolutions for 2012?

Why I Love My Physical Therapist and Other Musings

2011-12-23T08:12:00.001-05:00

Why I love My Physical Therapist…

Tuesday I had a great workout. I did some strength training, 35 minutes on the bike and a good stretch session. When I left the gym I was feeling pretty optimistic about where I was and looking forward to PT after work.

Fast forward an hour and I’m on my way to work. All of a sudden my right foot started hurting. Like really hurting. With every step. I’ll admit it, I kind of started to panic. All day it continued to hurt and I talked to my PT about it that evening. She took a look, iced it, and we modified my exercises a bit. She thought it might just be one of those freak aches and pains that come and go. So I was to ice it at home the next day and let her know Thursday how it was feeling.

Wednesday, the pain was still there when the alarm went off so we skipped the gym. Later I realized the pain had moved from the base of my toes to the top of my foot. It hurt all day. I stretched Wednesday night and iced it. Thursday I was determined to get back to the gym and while it didn’t bother me on the bike too much, I was walking really slowly and deliberately. All of my leg muscles were tense. It hurt all day Thursday.

I got to PT and told my therapist what was going on. By this point I was feeling pretty helpless with my mind going directly to thoughts of another stress fracture and not understanding how in the world I could get a stress fracture from walking to the subway! My PT was not happy to hear it was still hurting but thought it was a good sign that the pain had moved, as a stress fracture wouldn’t do that. She confirmed the only cardio I’ve been doing outside of PT has been the bike and after checking out my swollen foot and poking around the muscle along my right shin, she determined that the muscle had tightened up because I went from hardly ever riding the stationary bike to riding it nearly every day and the circular motion and up and down of my toes were tightening the muscle. She worked on it for at least 5 minutes then worked on the muscles on the bottom of my foot as they had also tightened up. After about 10 or so minutes I tested it out and while the pain wasn’t completely gone, there was definitely less of it. We did alter my exercises a bit but I got through the rest of my session and left with a few extra stretches to do and orders not to get on the bike for a few days. Because I’ve been doing well on the elliptical during my sessions, she gave me the okay to do 15 to 20 minutes on the elliptical instead.

To say that I’m relieved is beyond an understatement. Thank goodness I’m in PT now and she was able to determine this without me worrying like crazy for days and possibly going to a doctor just to find out I need to switch up my cardio and do some stretches!

It did hurt a bit this morning when I woke up, but I spent a few minutes massaging the spot and stretching before heading to the gym. I also did a lot of stretching while there, and it seemed to help!

Other musings….

I am not working today, yet we still woke up at 5:30am to go to the gym. Something is wrong with us.

I am in denial that Christmas is in two days. Perhaps it is because I’ve been so busy at work these last few weeks. Or maybe the fact that not only is there no snow, but it has been over 50 degrees the last few days. It’s felt more like Easter than Christmas.

My mother-in-law is known for her sugar cookie recipe which she used to make for team gatherings when my husband and his brother were in high school. Woody even admits to splitting up the batch (and a batch is about 60 cookies) and keeping half for himself and taking the rest to the team cause he liked them so much. Well, the first time I tried making them I quickly realized my bowl wasn’t nearly big enough and my little hand mixer broke. We had to go out and buy new of each. Once I finally got things set it took me a whole day to bake an decorate the cookies. No joke. I haven’t made them since. She’s bringing some for him today when she arrives. Some things are just better when they come from your mom.

The rest of my family is in Minneapolis at my sister’s house. It’s always an off Christmas for me when I’m not with them. I’ll be thinking of them though.

The heat in our building went out yesterday. Apparently a steam pipe blew. We still have no heat. Thank goodness it was 56 degrees yesterday but it’s getting colder. At least we have hot water though!

If you aren’t following @30RockTree, you should be. It’s hilarious!

I wish the holiday season was more about showing people how much we care than just buying stuff to buy it. This video is a little hilarious and a little disturbing. But the little girl who likes her mom’s cooking… has the best line of all!

And on that note…. I hope you all take some time to relax, have fun and just enjoy life over the next few days! Live up the last days of 2011!

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

************

Today’s workout -

3x15 Pulley ab twists
2x17 weighted side bends
10x10sec wobble board balancing
2x18 seated row
125 ab exercises
17min elliptical
2x35 sec planks
2x15 back extension
stretching

Shopping, Friends, Oysters, and Christmas Trees

2011-12-19T07:41:00.001-05:00

A few highlights from an exhausting 3 day weekend getting ready for the holidays…

Lord & Taylor’s holiday windows

Christmas trees made for NYC apartments

-->

Getting out of Macy’s alive (still not sure how I let Woody convince me to go there) and enjoying the light show at the Time Warner Center

I made a big pot of chili after traipsing around the city all day.

Sunday morning we met up with my friend J, from home, her husband and their son. Not so long ago they celebrated their son’s 1st birthday and this was the first time we’ve met him! I definitely don’t get to see my friends often enough and it was great that they were able to come to the city while they were in New Jersey visiting family. We met for brunch and then Woody and I introduced them to the New Amsterdam Market!

The market was celebrating its 50th market by showcasing local fisheries. The market’s location is where the Fulton Fish Market was for decades, so it only makes sense! While I will enjoy my life just perfectly without ever trying an Oyster, Woody decided to have a few.

It was the last market of the season, so we hit up our favorite vendors. So sad to say goodbye, but we’re glad they don’t have to stand out in the cold anymore!

We had a great time visiting with J and her family, just wish it had lasted a little longer. After we parted ways, Woody and I headed over to Battery Park City to get our Christmas tree!

It was a good weekend, we got a lot done (including three good workouts over 3 days) and I’m feeling a bit more prepared for Christmas!

How did you spend your weekend?
Will you be traveling for the holidays?
What’s your favorite gift to give?

************

Today’s workout -

100 ab exercises
1x35sec plank
35min stationary bike
2x15 weighted side bends
2x16 lateral arm raise
stretching
PT exercises

We Have a Winner!

2011-12-14T07:35:00.001-05:00

Thanks to everyone who entered the giveaway! I wish you all could win, but really, I can’t afford all that shipping! (although I’m sure the Postal Service would love it!) You all have a lot of great holiday traditions! So fun to read about them!

And the winner is…

Kabri (@kabori17)

Congratulations Kabri!! Stay tuned for my DM!

Getting Back on Track

2011-12-12T07:36:00.001-05:00

My second week of PT is starting and while I took one more rest day last week than I had planned on (long, stressful hours at work required an extra morning of sleeping in) I’m feeling really good and optimistic about my recovery!

On Thursday my PT had me start with 10 minutes on the elliptical. I was definitely nervous about using the elliptical since I haven’t done more than the stationary bike since October 17th. That’s a really long time by my calendar! I kept the resistance very low and it was definitely the slowest pace I’ve ever done on the machine, but I finished the 10 minutes and felt okay. I followed it up with some balance work on a square wobble board and a four different exercises on the hip flexor machine. There were other exercises and then she worked out the spot on my ITB and hip that are really tight. I also learned that Woody can help by pushing down on my tailbone while I’m sitting in Child’s Pose to help loosen the muscles too! The session finished with 10 minutes on ice and then I was off to meet Woody for drinks.

Oh, did I mention our new date night? We decided we don’t take advantage of our city enough and one night each week we’re going to meet after work and get a drink at a different restaurant or bar before heading home. Mix things up a bit! The first week we went to the bar at the Andaz Hotel which is near our apartment, last week we went to a New Zealand restaurant/bar on Front Street near South Street Seaport, called Nelson Blu. We had planned to go to the Oyster Bar in Grand Central, but tis the season for holiday parties and the restaurant was closed for a private function. We’ll get there sometime though!

Anyway, I had two long workouts this weekend, spending 45 minutes on the bike and working on my upper body strength and also the exercises I did at PT, and I started the week today with another good workout. Truthfully, I really wanted to sleep in but I knew it would be best to start the week with a workout and not a lazy morning. My leg muscles are still extremely tight but I think they’ll loosen up as they get used to moving again!

My goal this week is to get to the gym 5 days (plus PT) with two, maybe three, 10 minute sessions on the elliptical. While I’m feeling good, even after walking around the city a lot this weekend, I am still going to be cautious and I will not push myself at the gym too much. Enough to break a sweat and get a good workout, but I don’t intend to start running anytime soon. Or even spend too much time on the elliptical. I’ll get there one day and by then my legs and core will be strong enough to support it!

I’ve finally started listening to Christmas music and I’m getting in the holiday mood! I think we’re going to get our tree this weekend. Nothing like buying your Christmas tree on the sidewalk like we do here in the city. It’s definitely an odd way to do things, but it works. Can’t wait for the smell of pine to fill our apartment!

Have you entered the giveaway yet? Better do it now, cause tomorrow’s the last day to enter! (Just scroll down a little farther!)

What did you do this weekend?
Do you have travel plans for the holidays?
How do you start your weekend on the right foot?

************

Today’s workout -

35min elliptical
200 ab exercises
1x40sec plank
2x18 seated row
PT exercises
stretching

Season of Giving Giveaway

2011-12-08T07:44:00.001-05:00

I’m so excited to announce this giveaway! I’ve pulled together, what I think, is a pretty great package for someone to win. Some of the items have been donated by companies for the giveaway, others are things I’ve collected over the past few months.

It’s the holiday season, the season of giving, so it’s the perfect time for a giveaway, right?

One winner is going to get all this…

A 4-pack of running inspired greeting cards from Banana Blossom Press, a Seattle-based small business specializing in greeting cards and tees. The best part is that the founder and owner is a runner! They’ve also partnered with Trees for the Future to plant a tree for every greeting card and tee purchased on their website. One of my favorite cards says “Stop saying ‘just a half’”!

A Banjee wrist wallet from Sprigs. While Sprigs isn’t technically a running company, I think these wrist wallets would be perfect for a run! You can tuck your wallet, keys, even a phone (in the large ones) right on your wrist! There are tons of patterns and colors to choose from. Their affinity scarfs look pretty incredible, too! I can’t wait till I’m running again and can try out the one they sent me!

I have this weird quirk, I have to brush my teeth before I run or workout. Have you ever had to drive a distance for your race or long run and had to eat on the way? It’s not so easy to brush your teeth in a porta-potty or with a bottle of water. iBresh makes biodegradable disposable tooth brushes and the winner will get ten Bresh toothbrushes!

A Photon LED Vest from Nathan. The days are shorter now but runners are still running and it’s super important to be careful while running in the dark. You’ll definitely be seen in this reflective vest with multiple reflective points creating 360 degrees of reflectivity, although you’ll probably be just a blur!! It’s incredibly lightweight, has a zippered pocket for your ID and phone, plus another smaller pocket for keys. It’s also adjustable so it should fit just about everyone!

And all this….

A copy of “The Runners Field Manual” by Mark Remy, a white Mizuno visor and a box of my favorite mint tea from Trader Joe’s!

How to enter -

Each entry requires a separate comment and be sure to get them in by Tuesday December 13th at 11pm EST.

Be a follower of this blog, or become one.
Share your favorite holiday tradition.
“Like” Banana Blossom Press on Facebook, tell them I sent you and let me know you did!
Follow Sprigs on Twitter and let me know you are!
“Like” iBresh on Facebook, tell them I sent you and let me know!
“Like” Nathan on Facebook, say hi to them and let me know!
Share this giveaway on Twitter with this tweet: I just entered the Season of Giving Giveaway on Early Morning Run http://bit.ly/s00ffJ

Disclaimer: Items for this giveaway were provided by Banana Blossom Press, Sprigs, iBresh and Nathan Sports.

Good luck!

I’m Still Here

2011-12-06T07:22:00.001-05:00

It’s been a while since you’ve heard from me! But don’t worry, I AM still here. I’ve just been pretty busy at work and, well, living life. And truthfully, without running and the fact that my workouts are all pretty boring, I don’t have a whole lot to write about.

That being said, I did go to my first PT session yesterday morning. And I’m still feeling it! Turns out the spot on my left leg near the hip that my Sports Doc thought might be a pinched nerve is the inflamed IT Band! I hadn’t even thought at all that it could be connected to the ITB as my knee doesn’t hurt at all, but when my PT pushed around the spot I almost screamed. She worked it out a bit and used the ultrasound machine. It’s been aching (the good kind of ache) ever since. She also worked out the other spot that’s been aching a bit. Of course, as all PT’s do, she showed me a series of stretches and exercises for homework. This first session was pretty passive on my part, but I have a feeling it won’t be much longer. I go back Thursday after work (which should be better than the 7am of yesterday morning) and then twice a week for 4 – 6 more weeks. Thankfully my PT is also a runner, having run two marathons this year including NYC.

Okay, a little promotion here – either Wednesday or Thursday (depending on how awesome our company holiday party is tonight) I’ll be posting what I think is a pretty awesome giveaway. Among other items, the prize pack will include products from Banana Blossom Press, Sprigs, and Nathan. So, check back soon!

What have you been up to while I’ve been silent?
Are you done with your holiday shopping (I haven’t started yet!)?
Are you participating in any charity drives or gifting this year?

Coffee? Yes, Please!

2011-11-29T07:40:00.001-05:00

Oh wow. That was tough! My alarm went off just after 5am and for the first time in over a month it wasn’t just for Woody!

I started going back to the gym over the holiday weekend, but we were able to sleep in till 7 or so. I admit, I did miss that extra hour of sleep I’ve been getting and when Woody announced this morning that he didn’t sleep well and was going to skip the gym, I came real close to skipping as well. But, if I want to build up my strength again and loose the few lbs. I’ve pub on during this hiatus, then I’d have to get up and go to the gym. And I definitely need to do that. I got up and got myself to the gym, but my eyes were a bit foggy at first. This is going to take a few days to get used to again.

Yesterday I had my check-up with the Sports Doc. It went pretty well. I’m still feeling these odd tweaks every once in a while but it might be due to nerves rather than the fracture. The bad: it’s going to be a while before I’m running again. The good: I have to go to PT. I’m actually happy to be going to PT. I think I need some expert advice to get me on the right track, so I’m looking forward to this. Sports Doc did say that if the PT office has an Alter-G Treadmill then I can run on that, but otherwise I need to stick to the bike for now. I made an appointment at a PT office near my work for next Monday morning, but I forgot to ask about the Alter-G, so I’ll be calling them back today!

I’ve been trying to drink less coffee during the week and more Green tea, but today might be an exception!

Giveaway alert! I’m almost done lining up some great items for a giveaway that I’m planning to post next week. It’s been a while since I’ve done a giveaway, I hope you like it!

************

Today’s workout -

150 ab exercises
stretching
2x20sec, 1x25sec plank
2x30sec superman
40min stationary bike

Let the Shopping Begin!

2011-11-25T11:03:00.001-05:00

I hope you all had a fantastic Thanksgiving, enjoying time with family and friends, reflecting on all you have to be thankful for!

I have some Oiselle holiday news to share with you! Because I know you all love cute running clothes as much as I do!

Check out these great deals…

Psst. the link doesn’t work, so click HERE

How are you spending Black Friday?

************

Today’s workout -

stretching
100 ab exercises
2x15 cable pull push-down
3x10 cable pull side twists
2x15 front arm raise
3x10 backward leg extensions
20 min stationary bike

A Moment to Reflect

2011-11-24T11:06:00.001-05:00

This week a lot of people have been talking about what they’re thankful for. The chatter is all over twitter, Facebook, the news, and conversation. It’s great that people are thinking about it, but it also makes me wonder why we don’t do it more often. Why it takes a National Holiday for so many of us to do it. I wonder what the Occupy Wall Street protesters are doing today. Are they thinking about the things they have to be thankful for? I’m the type of person who believes that everyone has something to be thankful for, no matter how small it might be. Maybe I’m living in a fairy tale, I don’t know. But I think life’s too short and I’m trying hard to focus on the good things rather than get caught up in what’s hard or disappointing.

I know I have quite a lot to be thankful for…

I have an amazing, and healthy, family that cares about me

A comfortable apartment with a cozy place to sleep and plenty of food in the kitchen

A good job

Great friends

(Relatively) good health

The ability to watch the sun rise and set every day

Opportunities to travel and experience amazing things

I get to live in a city with endless opportunities

I was able to run one of the half marathon’s I had set out to run this year

That I went to the gym for the first time in over a month this morning!!! (even if it was only a mini-workout)

And so much more…

What are you thankful for?

Woody and I stayed home for Thanksgiving, as we’ve done every year, but our hearts are with our families today.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

************

Today’s workout -

This was my first workout after more than a month off due to a stress fracture. Because I need to ease back into working out, and not re-injure myself – the first few workouts will be on the shorter side with little cardio. Our gym is closed for the holiday so I used the fitness room in our building. So far, I’m feeling good, no aches or pains, but I could definitely tell it had been a while since I had stretched or done any strength work!

stretching
125 ab exercises
2x15 weighted side bends
2x15 overhead tricep extension
2x15 lateral arm raise
2x15 hammer curls
2x16 bicep curls
2x16 upright row
12 min stationary bike

NYC Favorite Places

2011-11-21T06:40:00.001-05:00

With this being a blog partially about NYC, I thought I’d start sharing with you some of my favorite places around the city! Saturday was the first time in over a month that I was able to go out and enjoy the morning without crutches. I made a trip to the Union Square farmers market to stock up on a few Thanksgiving essentials and then checked out a few shops in the area, including Fishs Eddy. I love all the unique treasures and vintage style. I went into the shop without needing anything in particular, but I left with two little treasures; check them out below!

Have you ever been to Fishs Eddy? What did you think?
Do you shop at independently owned stores?
Would you ever eat off a polka dotted plate?

It Just Snuck Up on Me

2011-11-17T07:47:00.001-05:00

I realized yesterday that the holiday season starts a week from today. Well, as far as I’m concerned the holiday season starts with Thanksgiving, although it started about two months ago for most retailers. Please tell me I’m not the only one who’s totally annoyed by how retailers skip holidays and put out the Christmas decorations before Halloween. I mean, we’re always in such a rush to get through life, shouldn’t we enjoy it a little?

Woody and I had a really great time in Denver over the weekend! It was nice to get out of the city for a few days and …. go to another city! Seriously though, we stayed with my aunt and uncle who showed us all over the city. They know the best restaurants and sights, and they can definitely grill a fantastic salmon! I wish I had been able to run as there are running trails everywhere! While it was too windy for a visit to Vail on Sunday (I had no idea they get 100mph winds there!) we did take a trip into the mountains with a stop in Estes Park for lunch and fudge and a little turn through Rocky Mountain National Park. I think we would have been perfectly happy to stay another week, although by then I’m also sure we would have worn out our welcome. Still, we had a fantastic time and I hope I get back there again soon.

In the lobby of The Stanley Hotel (apparently they filmed a movie here?)

Elk by the side of the road in some guys front yard!

I really need to start taking more pictures on our weekend trips. I love to travel, and if I have anything to say about anything, we’ll be doing a lot of it over the years. And I want a good record of our adventures. 2012 Resolution: Take more pictures

We are staying in the city for Thanksgiving, like every year, and since the holiday apparently snuck up on me I’ll be spending this weekend figuring out our first gluten free Thanksgiving and cooking a dish for my company Thanksgiving potluck on Monday!

Because this is still a running blog and you’ve read this far in the post, I have one piece of running news for you. Penny, from Splits59, a women’s active wear company, is sponsoring two women to run the LA Marathon in 2012. Two winners will be chosen on December 1st, to receive not only paid registration for the race, but also gear from Splits59. If you’re interested, click HERE to register for the drawing.

Are you the one in your family and group of friends who always has a camera at the ready or do you sometimes miss capturing memories like I do?
Are you staying home or traveling for Thanksgiving?
What’s the one Thanksgiving dish you can’t go without?

Crutches and Air Travel

2011-11-10T21:49:00.001-05:00

A rare evening post on EMR!

Today I used my crutches to get to and from the office, but once I was there, I was on my own. I was pretty confident that I’d be slow, but that it would be okay. Well, it didn’t turn out quite as good as I had hoped. You know how sometimes you can just feel something a little funny? Well, that’s how it was for me. I’m definitely disappointed but maybe I was just expecting too much. Maybe this is normal. I hope it’s normal. I’ve been on crutches for almost a month now and it’s just frustrating. I want to get back to the gym. I want to get moving again. I know I need to stay on the crutches a bit longer, I’d rather be on them a few more days and make sure it’s healed rather than go solo too early just because I’m impatient and then regret it. But, it’s still just annoying.

Bright and early tomorrow morning Woody and I will be on our way to Colorado. It would definitely be more fun without the crutches (I had hoped to try some high-altitude running), but I’ll have to make due. It’ll be a great time anyway and we are definitely looking forward to getting away for a long weekend and exploring a new place. It’s always good to get a change of scenery once in a while!

Alright, time to finish packing….

Have a great weekend!

If you could take a last minute long weekend anywhere, where would you go?

Healthy Burgers? Yes, That’s Right.

2011-11-09T07:58:00.001-05:00

Before I get to the yum stuff, a quick injury update. Today is the last day I need to be on crutches full time!! Starting tomorrow I am to use them for a few more days when I’m going longer distances (so, to and from work and in the airports, for instance) but can start walking around the office and such without them! I cannot wait! My leg is definitely feeling much better, but I’m going to follow Sports Doc’s orders and do this right. I don’t want to be reunited with these crutches once I put them away!

Okay…the burgers.

Now that the weather has turned cooler and the days are getting shorter, I’m trying to cook more often and try new recipes. The other day I decided I wanted make black bean burgers but switch it up a little from the recipe I’ve used before. I need to get a good amount of protein and fiber in my diet – especially while my stress fracture is healing – so I decided to try adding lentils to the black beans.

I’ve had a bag of lentils sitting in our cupboard for a while but haven’t made them. Not sure why since they’re pretty easy to prepare and they’re an extremely healthy legume. Lentils are a great source of dietary fiber, protein, iron, folate, copper and B vitamins. They pack a pretty good punch!

I really had no idea what I was doing when I put this together, but I thought it was worth a shot. (And I had a backup dinner in mind just in case)

Black Bean Lentil Burgers

1 can black bean drained and rinsed
1 cup cooked lentils
3/4 cup onion, small diced
1/4 cup zucchini, small diced
1 egg
1/3 cup oats
1tsp turmeric
Pepper to taste

First, dice the onion and zucchini then sauté with a little black pepper till the onions are opaque and zucchini is soft
In a 9x9 baking dish mash black beans till there aren’t too many chunks
Add lentils; mash some more
Add onion, zucchini, more black pepper and turmeric; combine with mixture and mash a bit more
Add oats and the egg; combine and mash
Spread mixture evenly within dish then divide into four quarters. Use a spatula to remove each square from dish and place on a pre-heated and greased flat griddle.
Heat on medium for a few minutes, making sure the burgers aren’t sticking to the surface; flip and cook some more, letting each side brown. Burgers are ready when they’re firm.

When you get to step 6, the mixture is pretty moist, but don’t worry. I was a bit apprehensive at this point but thankfully, it all turned out well! I just bought a jar of turmeric as I want to our meals, but since I hadn’t used it before I only added a small amount. I definitely think one teaspoon or a little more, would be fine.

I made one of the burgers a bit bigger for Woody, and I had two for leftovers for this week. That worked out well since Woody has been out of town on business and I’ve had pretty easy dinners. Turns out they were a bit dry after the first day, but nothing a bit of ketchup and avocado didn’t fix!

I won’t lie, it did take me a bit of time to put these together, with all the mashing and mixing, but as with most recipes, they should be faster to make next time since I know what I’m doing. If you’re in a pinch for time, save this for another night. They got a thumbs up from Woody so I’ll be making them again!

*While some people with gluten sensitivities can’t eat oats, or can only eat certified gluten-free oats, I (thankfully) don’t have a problem with them, which is why I was able to use them in this recipe.

Do you prefer meat or veggie burgers?
What’s your favorite spice?
If you could only eat one type of legume for the rest of your life, what would it be?

ING NYC Marathon

2011-11-07T07:57:00.001-05:00

The other week I wasn’t sure if I’d be able to volunteer for the Expo as I had signed up months ago, but I followed through with my commitment and I’m so glad that I did!

The volunteer organizers were incredibly accommodating and switched my assignment from goodie bags to ID check – the only seated volunteer position – so I wouldn’t be on my feet on the crutches all afternoon. It was a fun spot to be because you were basically the first line of interaction most of the runners had with marathon personnel or volunteers. I loved welcoming people from all over the world, and learning a little bit about their story. When you think about it, there are 45,000 stories running through New York City on marathon day. Each person has been through a long, and often grueling, journey to get to the start line. I welcomed locals from down the street (one guy I helped actually lives on 1st Ave so his friends and family were going to hang out at his apartment to cheer him on), and runners from Europe, Asia and South America. One woman in particular, broke my heart as she had to cancel her registration and defer because of a torn muscle. She had made the trip from France. And I felt a bit nervous for the people who showed up to the expo with less than an hour left and their luggage in tow. I would be a nervous wreck in that situation. I hope they got some rest before the morning! Overall though, people had smiles on their faces and were appreciative for the warm welcome. I doubt any of the runners will remember me, but I felt like I was playing a part in their marathon experience and I appreciate that immensely.

Throughout the afternoon, I was able to catch up with some friends – both old and virtual! And that’s always fun! In particular, fellow bloggers Molly and Amanda were in town and we made plans to meet up at the Expo. Molly was in town to run the marathon (Congrats on an awesome finish, lady!) and Amanda (fellow Team Oiselle runner!) was here for a Birthday celebration weekend! While I wish we could have chatted longer, it was so great to meet them in person!

I admit I was absolutely exhausted by the time I got home (although I’m sure that the fact it took me nearly a half hour to get a taxi), but I am so glad I was able to volunteer. I love the excitement and production of the expo, seeing all the people, emotions, great races, charities and companies in attendance, pro-athletes galore, and experts giving last minute advice. Everyone is there with one thing on their mind: The ING NYC Marathon.

Speaking of the marathon – what a women’s race, right? Firehiwot Dado pulled out an awesome win after Mary Keitany was on a record pace for most of the race. I was kind of pulling for Buzunesh Deba to win, as she’s been living in the Bronx for 6 years, but her 2nd place win was stellar! And a men’s course record was set by Geoffrey Mutai!! And even though Meb finished sixth, he still set a PR! The weather was gorgeous and it was a great day for running in the city! I hope ALL the runners had a fantastic time and are feeling great today! Whether you met your goal or not, just getting out there and tackling 26.2 is amazing. You did something absolutely incredible and you should be so proud! Hope you enjoyed your tour through NYC!

Did you run a race this weekend? NYC, Savannah, or another? What was your favorite part of your race?
What’s the best encouragement sign you’ve seen while running or spectating?

Why This Time is Different

2011-11-03T07:59:00.001-04:00

Yesterday I had a follow up appointment with the Sports Doc. My leg has been feeling much better the last few days than it did last week, but I know I’m not 100% yet. Going in, I anticipated that she’d tell me I have a few more days left on the crutches. I was trying my best to be prepared.

After Sports Doc checked my leg and asked how I was doing, we took a look at my MRI. Originally she had just given me a call with the results so I didn’t have to make another trip into the office, which meant I hadn’t actually seen the pictures. On an MRI, solid bone appears black, while soft/injured bone ‘lights up’ the image, appearing white. There was one bright spot near the area that hurts and another area close to my knee. She had mentioned this on the phone but I haven’t felt anything odd near my knee so we didn’t worry about it since I was staying off my leg anyway. While her physical examination didn’t reveal anything new and I am improving, I am to stay on the crutches for another week then try short distances without them. Deal is, Woody and I are going to Denver next Friday, which means the annoying things are coming with me.

So, what is this time different from? It’s different from the last time I had a stress fracture, which was only about six months ago. Same leg. Some of you probably remember this episode.

Why is this time different? Because I am able to wrap my mind around it. Last time I was training for my first destination race, during which I was going to celebrate my 30th Birthday. The pain was a dull ache that came on slowly and I had convinced myself it was muscular because I didn’t want to think otherwise. In the end, we cancelled the trip and I also had to downgrade my registration for the See Jane Run Half Marathon to the 5K in Seattle. I had my heart set on running 3 half marathons this year and that dream was dashed with a simple MRI. I bet you can understand what that felt like.

This time, it hurt so bad I could hardly stand. I knew right away that whatever happened was not good. This time the tears rolled because of physical pain rather than the pain of not being able to run. At least I finished the race this time. I realize this is a sign that as much as I want to run half marathons and event marathons, for some reason it’s not meant to be for me. Apparently while running can make your bones strong, in my case as someone with osteopenia, it’s stopping me in my tracks.

Long distance running is no longer in the cards for me. As much as I hate it, I have come to terms with the fact that I need to stick to shorter distances. Sports Doc and I talked about this and she doesn’t want me to stop running but she does want me to stick to lower mileage. Maybe next year my goal will be to get a new PR in the 4 and 5 mile. I’m only 30, I have many years left in me. Maybe I won’t run a half next year, or even the next, but maybe a few years from now. I am not happy about it, but this is my reality. This time I’m thinking logically about the situation and not letting my emotions rule. If I’m smart about this now, there’s still potential in my future.

I just hope you’ll stay with me even though I won’t be training for any big races in the near future. I’ll do my best to keep things interesting around here!

Until I can run again, this will be in my dreams….

ING NYCM Expo Training

2011-11-02T08:05:00.001-04:00

I have been all over this week and it’s only Wednesday morning! I am not letting these crutches stop me!

As you know, I’m volunteering at the ING NYC Marathon Expo Saturday afternoon. I’ve volunteered for several races and I’ve been to the Expo a few times but I’ve never volunteered at it, so I’m pretty excited. For some runners, it’s the first taste of marathon excitement that they get and it can be a bit overwhelming and runner heaven all at the same time. I haven’t been to very many expos, but I have to imagine this is one of the biggest. I mean, it’s gigantic. Monday night, as an expo volunteer, I had to attend a training session at the Javitz Center.

Several hundred volunteers were there and we were right in the middle of everything. They had us meet in the massive hall where the expo is being built. Actually, they were building while we were there. It was pretty cool to see things in such a state. While we could have easily been out and on our way in much shorter time than we were, we did get an inside track on a few things. For those running on Sunday, it might be helpful to know that bib pickup isn’t color coded this year; it’s all by numbers only. Also, new this year, the marathon shirts are in men’s and women’s sizes. Ladies, you know what this means….you may not get the size you want (which really isn’t new though, is it?). NYRR ordered shirts using their ‘best guess’ so who knows how many there will be of the size you want. My suggestion is that if they don’t have your size, it’s best to go up a size instead of down because women’s shirts are typically slim cut and you’d rather have it be a little loose and be able to wear it than not be able to because it’s too tight.

Part way through the orientation Mary Wittenberg stopped by to say hi. She spoke about the importance of this race as it’s the 10th Anniversary of 9/11 (the marathon was the first big event to happen in the city post-9/11 and almost didn’t happen) and the race is being dedicated to Grete Weitz.

Check out the new NYRR logo!

The expo is open to everyone, so if you want to learn about races all over the world, pick up some cool new gear, meet runners (both casual runners like us and elites) and learn where the best places are to watch on Sunday, then I suggest you check it out. It can get a bit hectic, so you’ll need to bring along some patience too! I’ll be working ID check (just for the runners) Saturday afternoon, so if you come to the expo stop by and say hi! I’m looking forward to finally meeting MissZippy and Molly!

If you’re coming, here are the details: Location – Jacob Javitz Center – 11th Ave and 33rd St (It’s huge, you can’t miss it)

Thursday & Friday – 10am – 8pm, Saturday – 9am – 5pm

If you’re running this Sunday, I hope you’re having a great week and feeling good!

Quick injury update: My leg is feeling really good, but not quite 100% yet. I have a follow up with my Sports Doc this morning so we’ll see what she says! I know I’ll still be on crutches a few more days but I hope I don’t have to take them to Denver with us next week.

What do you think of the new NYRR logo?
What makes an expo a great expo in your opinion?

ING NYC Marathon Week – It’s Here!

2011-10-31T07:40:00.001-04:00

Well, Marathon Week didn’t start as usual this year. Because of the crazy Snowtober storm on Saturday, the Poland Spring Marathon Kickoff race was cancelled. The trees in Central Park are still covered in leaves and the heavy snow on top made for unsafe conditions. Plus, a lot of the suburbs around the city were hit hard (um, can we say 19 inches of snow in some places?!) and lost power, so while some people may have been unhappy and it did mess things up in some ways, I definitely agree with NYRR’s decision to cancel the race.

I love running this race; it’s a great distance – 5 miles – and starts the excitement of the week. Plus, because it’s the weekend before Halloween, people are bound to dress up and be entertaining! I definitely signed up to run, but obviously even if it hadn’t been cancelled, I wasn’t running this year. *Sigh*

There are advertisements up now all over the city and ads running on TV. It’s super exciting. I wish I could get to Central Park though, because it’s always best around there. In my opinion anyway. There are tons of events throughout the week; I’m really not sure how NYRR is able to do it all. They must all be absolutely exhausted by the time it’s all over.

I can remember the ball of mixed emotions I was at this time in 2009, when I ran the NYCM. It was so exciting and terrifying at the same time. For those who run this race yearly though, I can imagine there aren’t too many nerves but rather it’s a thrilling run through the city. While some people are, justifiably, turned off by the sheer size of the field, it really is a party along almost the entire race (all but the bridges and a few blocks in Queens, Upper Manhattan, and the Bronx).

I found this video on YouTube, which was put together by WNYC and had to share! Unfortunately though, the camera’s battery ran out of steam before the runner finished, so you don’t get to see the best part of the race! But I still think it’s pretty cool.

And here’s a picture I took of the finish line last year

Will you be running in or spectating this year’s marathon?
If you’re a marathon runner, what’s your favorite tip to pass on to others who are running their first or thinking about running one?
If you’re a spectator, where do you prefer to cheer for all the awesome runners?

Five for Friday

2011-10-28T07:55:00.001-04:00

1. My friend Grace is hosting a new monthly women’s networking event, Sweet Talk, here in the city. Because it’s bound to be a huge success, I want you to be able to get in on it right away (before it becomes so popular there are wait lists)! The first one is next Saturday (Nov 5) from 5-7pm at The Fulton, a hot new restaurant on Fulton St downtown. Check out here blog [HERE] for all the details!

2. I’m thinking about changing my Twitter handle from @EarlyMorningRun Why? Because I tweet about more than just running, and want it to represent my professional side as well. Most Twitter handles that include my name are already taken, so here are a few that are possibilities. I need your advice!

@Lisa_EMR @LisaA_EMR @LisaA_NYC @LisaAlcorn @LisaAlcornEMR @LisaAlcorn_EMR

Thoughts? Other suggestions?

3. We all know the NYCM is coming up. Fast. Here are a few interesting articles that have popped up recently:

Grete Waitz, Fred Lebow 1st inductees into New York Road Runner Hall of Fame (Washington Post)

Road Runners to Attempt Sports Social Media Milestone at NYC Marathon (Mobile Sports Report)

How To 'Endure' the Taper: Countdown to the New York City Marathon (Huffington Post)

Now, NYCM is not the only marathon happening. The Marine Corps Marathon is this Sunday in our nation’s capitol! I’ve heard fantastic things about this race.

4. Two weeks from today Woody and I will be on a plane to Denver!! I’m so excited about our trip, even though they got a few inches of snow Wednesday and was 18 degrees there Thursday morning (crazy)! We’re actually visiting my Aunt and Uncle who I rarely get to see, so it’ll be great to catch up and explore the city.

5. Unless you’ve jumped a few holidays and are focused on Christmas like most retailers have, you know that Monday is Halloween. I was thrilled a couple weeks ago to find out that the woman in the cube next to me also is not a fan of Halloween. I think in this city we’re in the minority group on this one. While I’m not big on costumes however, I do love the candy! If you’re g-free like me, here is an extensive list of g-free candy from celiac.com

What should I change my Twitter handle to? Have you ever changed yours?
Do you love reading about marathons and big races? Are you racing MCM or NYCM? Or another race coming up?
If you’ve been to Denver, do you have any suggestions for our trip?
Are you dressing up for Halloween? What’s the most creative costume you’ve worn, or seen?
What’s your favorite candy?

Have a fantastic weekend!

Finding the Silver Lining

2011-10-27T09:02:00.001-04:00

I really appreciate all the support I’ve been getting. I’d much rather be writing about running or fun Fall things, but I’m really lucky to have this great community who understands what I’m going through. Or at the very least, can imagine what it might be like.

So truth be told, I’m not really seeing a lot of ‘good’ when it comes to being on crutches, but there are a few and those are the things I am trying to focus on while I try to recover from this latest injury.

More ZZZ’s – I’ve been exhausted the past week and a half. This means I’m getting to bed at the same time as usual or even earlier, so between 10 and 10:30pm. And because I can’t go to the gym with Woody, I’m sleeping in until 6:20am so I can get the tea going before he gets home. This means over the past week and a half I’ve been getting nearly 8.5 hrs of sleep every night! That is absolutely unheard of for me. It’s pretty crazy and I know it’ll take some major adjusting once I can go back to the gym.
Power Shoulders – my arms, particularly my shoulders, are becoming super strong. They hurt, because I never use my shoulders and upper arms like this, but it’s getting slightly easier every day, so I’m gaining strength.
Flatter abs – many say the key to a flatter stomach is to keep it tight all day to engage the muscles. I am not very good at this usually, but it really helps on crutches to keep my stomach muscles tight. I’ve definitely noticed a difference, so now I just have to keep it up once I’m off these blasted things.
Priority Seating – I get to sit in the priority seating at the front of the bus. Unfortunately it’s not that easy to get in and out of the bus, and sometimes it takes asking for it, but I always end up with a seat on the bus. Even during rush hour.

Okay, so those are the only benefits I can see from being on crutches, but it’s something. Right?

I’m getting super excited to read all the blogs, articles, tweets and Facebook updates about the NYCM, which, if you don’t know, is next weekend (Nov 6)! It’s such a fun time in this city and even those who can’t even imagine running to catch the bus, will get excited for the marathon. It’s a huge 26.2 mile party and personally, I think it brings out the best in our city. As of now, I’m still scheduled to volunteer at the expo on Saturday afternoon, but we’ll see how I’m feeling next week and if I’m still on crutches. It’ll be extremely disappointing if I can’t do it. I love running, runners, the marathon spirit and this city. I love being around it all and I do not want this injury to keep me from it.

A piece of advice – if you feel something strange, muscle or bone, go see your doctor right away. If you can do anything to keep an injury from getting worse, do it. You don’t want to be on crutches. Runners want to be running, not hobbling along.

Take care of yourself!

Running Through The Pain

2011-10-24T08:01:00.001-04:00

As you’d probably suspect, the first thing people ask when they see me on crutches is “what happened?” Those who know I run assume it’s from running, which even though it’s right, it’s also annoying because non-runners often assume running is bound to injure anyone who attempts it. Once I tell them I got a stress fracture while running a half marathon, they’re stunned to also learn that I actually finished the race. I often got the same reaction after I ran the NYCM and finished with a broken foot.

There are two sides to this. 1) I’m stupid for not stopping as soon as I realize the pain is not normal, and 2) it takes a lot of perseverance, strength and focus to run miles with broken bones.

I thought about this the other night as I rode home from work on the bus. It was a particularly trying bus ride home for several reasons and my leg was hurting quite a bit. It was really bothering me and I was dying to get off the bus and to the safety of our apartment. How could this bus ride be bothering me so much while I could run 3 miles on a stress fracture?

Well, it took a few days but I figured out why I can do it. And I bet you wouldn’t guess this.

Marching Band. To be exact, the Michigan State University Spartan Marching Band.

As a freshman each member of the SMB is introduced to the band through 8 days of pre-season drills. The first few days are just freshman and squad leaders – then the rest of the band shows up. The days are long. Usually 8am until 10pm or after. Hours of drills, running, music rehearsal, more drills and then a few hours after everyone else has gone home to learn Series. A grueling and intense series of horn moves choreographed to the drumline Series, performed while marching to and from the Stadium on game day (and any parades throughout the season) with breaks to play the fight song. Band members and fans of the band take this insanely seriously. It’s part of game day tradition in East Lansing. Crowds line the street every game day Saturday to watch the band march to the stadium. If you miss a horn move, fall out of line, or yell the wrong thing at the wrong time, you know you’ll hear about it for days to come from your squad leader and probably others as well. As a freshman, you spend hours each night during pre-season drills after everyone else has left, being drilled by the Section and Squad leaders in a stuffy hot room until you’re doing the series in your sleep. I still remember every element to this day.

At the end of the week, while our fellow freshman were getting to meet other students and hopping between house parties, we were being marched around campus for hours by the veterans to make sure we could do the Series up to their standards before you earned our band jackets and were allowed to march along side them on game day. It was a particularly hot and nasty night when I went through Freshman Dress. My arms, like those of my fellow alto freshmen, were covered in bruises, my legs were heavy and tired; I was busted before it even began. But I was more excited (and scared) about what was to come. After being yelled at for hours, the feeling we felt at the end of that night was the closest thing I can think of to the feeling I got when I finished the Detroit Half Marathon last weekend.

As a member of the SMB we learn to push through. We march through 3 months (hopefully 4) of 90 degree heat, rain, sleet, and then snow. All in heavy wool uniforms. We march 5 days a week, plus game days which start off with 8am rehearsals. We’re part of a team that becomes our family. You can’t let them down. So even if you have an injured wrist, food poisoning, whatever it might be, you suck it up and get through it.

I’m convinced that’s why all these years later, I can suck it up and finish a marathon with a broken foot and a half marathon with a stress fracture. I suck it up and keep heading to the finish line. It’s definitely not the smartest decision to keep running, I’m sure it makes things worse, but that’s just who I am. Once I start, I don’t give up*.

And some people think there’s no value in having band in schools.

*If I had been running the full marathon in Detroit, things would have turned out different. No way I could have made it through 26.2 miles.

If you’re not feeling right in a race, do you push on? What would make you stop?
Do you have a SMB in your past? Some experience that taught you to push past your (perceived) limits?
How was your weekend? What was the highlight?

***********

Today’s workout -

none. still on the injury list.

Quick Update

2011-10-19T09:24:00.001-04:00

Thanks so much for all your comments on my race recap yesterday. I guess I am spoiled by NYRR having clocks at each mile. I do have to mention one thing I didn’t yesterday – the awesome volunteers. They were seriously fantastic. They were up and on the course when it was still dark out and as the rain fell – handing us water, steering us in the right direction, cheering us on. They were really fantastic and I appreciate every one of them.

In other news – my Sports Doc called yesterday with the results of my MRI. It’s a good thing I went in straight away because I have yet another stress fracture in my left femur. This one is in a different place than the one earlier in the year, and truthfully, it hurts more than that one did. It even hurts when I sneeze! Hopefully it won’t take too long to heal, the fact that it was diagnosed so soon after it happened and I started using my crutches (thankfully I didn’t let Woody get rid of them!) when we got home Sunday night, have to be in my favor. While I hate crutches, this does mean I have a good excuse to sleep in! Next appointment is in two weeks.

I think it’ll be a while before I train for, and run, another half marathon.

Thanks for all your support and good wishes!

To end this post with something happy, here’s a beautiful picture from Saturday….

Race Recap: Detroit Half Marathon

2011-10-18T07:41:00.001-04:00

Sunday was the Detroit Half Marathon that I’ve been training for over the last 10+ weeks. Woody and I flew to Michigan Thursday after work. Friday we headed down to Detroit to pick up my bib since we wouldn’t make it on Saturday while the expo was open. The expo was pretty well organized – you followed an S of vendors including Women’s Running Magazine (where I got to meet B.O.B.), Brooks, local running shops, regional races, Meijer, and to my dismay, McDonald’s. The bib pickup was pretty seamless even though not only was there a half marathon, but a full and a relay.

After the expo we got back on the road and headed home for dinner with my Grandma. Saturday was a great but exhausting day, and after watching MSU beat Michigan for the fourth straight year, and give UofM their first loss of the season, we packed up the car and headed back to Detroit. We got to the hotel around 8:30pm, a little later than I had hoped. It took us quite a while to figure out the exact start location of the race. The race goodie bag was by far the worst I’ve seen. There was only one sample and maybe only two or three coupons. I was hoping there would be more details about the race, like when the waves start, where exactly the starting line was, etc, but no such luck. The only map that was detailed enough to show the start line was that on the Android App I had downloaded on my Dad’s phone. Anyway, once we figured that out, it was time for me to get everything ready for the next day which included stuff for wet weather as there was a good chance it would rain. On top of being super windy.

The alarm went off at 5:10am and it was time to get ready (I’m still half asleep in that picture). At Six, Woody, my parents and I found our way out of the hotel and followed the crowds to the start line. We were there with plenty of time before the 7am start so I got in one of the long port-a-potty lines and chatted up with a few other runners. Soon I was saying goodbye to my cheering section and got in a wave, several behind my assigned wave which was based on the finish time I had hoped for way back in January before my stress fracture in the Spring.

It was still dark out when the gun went off and each wave went about a minute and a half after the one before. All the runners were mixed in together – full, half, relay – and I kept reminding myself to run my own race. My warm up only consisted of the nearly mile walk from the hotel and some dynamic stretching at the hotel and in the corral. Thankfully, it was a nice 50 degrees and no rain. Just wind. I wasn’t sure how my legs were going to feel once I started running, but turns out they felt great!

My cheer squad was down the road not even a mile and I waved as I passed. Then we hit the first water station – I always go to the end but that was a mistake because they already had Gatorade at the first water station. So, I had to wait till the next one. I also never saw the 1 mile marker and when we hit the mile 2, I realized they didn’t have timers up so there was no way I’d be able to keep any track of my splits. Which really didn’t bother me too much, but I thought it was weird.

Soon we were nearing the Ambassador Bridge heading to Canada. The approach was a little crazy, lots of loops and all gravel. Then, the high winds started. Not only do we have to climb a bridge, but we have to do it while battling crazy strong winds. What?!?! I pushed my way to the top and on the way down I thought it was sweat that hit me as a guy whizzed by me, but then after I felt a few more drops, I realized it was rain. We were welcomed into Canada by a cheering crowd, which was nice cause a lot of the route had been pretty quiet. We ran down the road along the Detroit River – and I checked out the houses and imagined the amazing view they have of Detroit. By now the sun was up but it was really cloudy and the light rain was still coming down. I walked through the last water stop, took my Hammer Gel, and headed towards the tunnel just was the rain started to come down a little harder.

The start of the tunnel wasn’t too bad, but after about three minutes, the cool factor was gone and I was ready to be out of there. Thankfully I’m not claustrophobic but the stale air was kind of gross and it was about 15 degrees warmer in there than outside. The incline seemed to go on forever and I could not have been more happy to see the customs and borders patrol guys saying “fresh air right around the curve”!

We ran through Hart Plaza, hit another water station and my cheer squad wasn’t far beyond. It was great to see them again and our plans were working on where to meet! I loved the signs they had made and my Dad was there with the camera. A little more than a mile later, my left leg started to feel a little funny up towards my hip. To this point, I was feeling great and had to keep slowing down my pace because I would catch myself going too fast. The pain kept getting worse but I tried to keep it out of my mind. The last few miles I just kept thinking that I was getting closer to the end and I tried to focus on the neighborhoods we were running through, the mariachi band that was playing outside the Mexican restaurant as we went by, the neighbors in Cork Town that had set up a massive sound system and were blasting classic rock to keep our spirits up. The crowds were pretty slim throughout most of the race, but when there were spectators, they were great.

I saw my cheer team again and knew I was almost there. Usually I’m able to sprint to the end, but this time I just wanted to make it across at a speed above walking. I crossed the finish line in 2:16:03, got my cool medal and found some water. I saw people with bagels and chips but never found out where they actually got them from. It’s okay though, since I wasn’t the least bit hungry and I can’t eat bagels anyway! I called Woody, broke out through a gate that was open and limped my way to meet up with them. I couldn’t believe how much my leg hurt. Seriously worse than when my leg was fractured. We made it back to the hotel after taking some pictures with the Spirit of Detroit and I iced for about 15 minutes and drank mint tea.

We checked out and headed to a Coney Island for brunch. It was also my Dad’s Birthday and I’m so glad we could spend it with him. Although I felt bad that it required him to wake up so early and stand in the cold dampness for hours as I limped my way across the finish line. He loves me though, so we he didn’t mind, too much! We also stopped by a Cider Mill in the afternoon for some hot apple cider and donuts (for Woody).

Aside from the pain (which I spent the majority of Monday at the Hospital for Special Surgery having tests done trying to figure out what’s going on), I had a great weekend! I think I’m spoiled by the NYRR uber-organized races that I run because I do think quite a few things about this race was unorganized or unclear, but I do recognize that the logistics must be crazy to have so many runners going across international borders, so I do have to hand it to them for that. Also, it’s a great event to bring people to Downtown Detroit, which I’m always in favor of! But I’m not sure if I’ll run this race again. Actually, I’m going to rethink the distances I’m going to race in the future all together.

(Thanks to my awesome Dad for most of these pictures!)

************

Today’s workout -

None. Resting.

Love Your Running Group? Read This Now!

2011-10-12T08:00:00.001-04:00

I’ve never been part of a local running team or club, but that doesn’t mean it hasn’t interested me. I’ve always thought it would be cool to train with other runners, put on a team singlet, cheer on my teammates through the tough miles of a race and celebrate together after crossing the finish line. For one reason or another, I’ve never joined a team or club. Now, though, I’m on Team Oiselle, which is a little different, but I’m still looking forward to putting on the Oiselle singlet on Sunday and wishing my teammate Deloris before the race!

Sarah, from Oiselle, gave me the heads up about a cool contest they’re running today through Monday. The women of Oiselle are all about supporting runners and spreading their love of running. They want to honor the awesome (am I the only person who still says this?) running groups that keep us going. If you love your running group (a formal group or not) and you love cool running stuff, then you want to enter this contest.

It’s pretty simple. All you have to do is send an email to info (at) oiselle.com or post on their Facebook page HERE (this is the more fun way to go) and tell them:

The name of your running group (or a description of the group)
Where you are.
What your workouts are like and if you’re working towards a specific goal
Favorite post-run activity
Anything else that makes your group the most awesome (again with that word!) running group

The winning entry will be chosen at random, and the team that’s selected will win these cool Oiselle Start Line Tees for the whole group! [tip: since the winner is chosen at random, the more entries from your group, the more likely you’ll win!!]

The contest starts at 10am PST today and runs through next Monday. Go to Oiselle’s blog HERE for more info. Leave a comment here if you enter so we can all read about your running group!

************

Today’s workout -

45min bike
2x20 seated row
2x20 lat pull down
stretching
ab exercises

It’s Only My Fault if I’m Bored

2011-10-11T07:49:00.001-04:00

Michigan State’s football team had a bi-week this last weekend which meant our Saturday wasn’t dictated by what time Woody had to be at the bar to watch the game (he’s on the Alumni Club Board and is a rep at one of our watch bars) and how long he’d be there. The weather was amazing – high 70’s and low 80’s – so I packed it full of stuff to do!

After we got our usual things done in the morning, we headed out to the East Village to check out the BMW Guggenheim Lab that took over an empty rundown lot a few months ago. The lab is meant to inspire innovative ideas about urban living for the future. It allows people the opportunity to think about and discuss how all aspects of urban living impacts the world around us and what we can do to shape it in the future. Turns out the lab is more about programs, workshops, and screenings than exhibits, so there wasn’t much for us to do when we were there, but we did get to play this game URBANOLOGY, which you can play from your computer (just without the life size game pieces).

Then we walked down Houston hoping to catch a bus, but it turns out there are no buses on Houston on Saturday. Along the way, we found a beautiful community garden with little hidden benches and fountains, and lots of lush green plants.

After more walking down Houston, we finally made our way to the West Side Highway and Pier 25 for a little Mini Golf!! The Hudson River Park opened the new Pier 25 late last Fall, which includes a basketball court, skate park, beach volleyball courts, sunbathing area and a Mini Golf course!! Woody loves to golf and one thing we used to do in the early years of our relationship was to play put-put golf. We had to go try this course and it was a ton of fun! Plus, only $5 a person and they’re open till 10pm. We were able to watch a beautiful sunset as we finished up our game!

The weekend wasn’t over yet! After my 9 mile run Sunday, we headed over to the New Amsterdam Market then rushed to catch the East River Ferry to the Brooklyn Flea in Williamsburg. We’ve been to the Flea during the winter when it’s inside, but never at this location. It was a fun way to spend the afternoon, but my feet and legs were sore by the time we made it home.

So often we are drained by the end of the work week, training runs and errands, that we don’t take full advantage of this amazing city we live in. This past weekend was not one of those times!

Do you take advantage of the fun things your community has to offer?
What’s your favorite way to enjoy your town?

************

Today’s workout -

3 mile run
stretching
ab exercises

Detroit Half Marathon Training Recap: Week 9

2011-10-10T07:50:00.001-04:00

Six days until the half marathon! It’s finally almost here. And just in time, too.

Monday -

After running 12 miles last Sunday (the longest run of the training cycle) I took Monday as a rest day. My legs felt stiff and heavy.

Tuesday -

Took a little coaxing to get me out of bed but once I started my run I felt great! I was really surprised how easily it came Tuesday morning and how quickly it was over. Yes, it was only 3 miles, but still flew by.

Wednesday -

So, I admit it. I took another rest day. My legs were still feeling really heavy and stiff and I thought it would be best to get more rest. My week was turning out to be pretty exhausting and stressful at work, so I thought the extra sleep might be what I needed more than a x-training session. Looking back it might have been better to go and spend a little time on the bike loosening up my legs.

Thursday -

Still feeling tight, I got up and went for my run. It was a beautiful morning and the weather was incredible. One of those runs that made me really thankful to have the opportunity to watch the sun rise. I couldn’t help but stop and take a picture.

Friday -

It is unheard of for me to take 3 rest days in one week when I’m not on vacation, sick or injured, but that’s exactly what I did this week.

Saturday -

Easy three mile run that took me to Whole Foods. I needed to do a little grocery shopping and wanted to get it done early, so why not combine a run and errand?

Sunday -

While I guess I’m technically in taper mode, I had one last long run to do. 9 miles on the plan and 9 miles is what I did. My legs were still really tight and heavy so the last few miles were a bit tough. I have trouble pacing, so I also kept having to remind myself to slow down. It was really warm on Sunday as we’re having a summer like weather this weekend and I definitely prefer to run in cool weather. I finished the 9 miles, put some ice packs on my legs and drank mint tea (the tea, and eating a low fiber dinner the night before is helping my post-run stomach!).

Overall it was a good week of training but I wish my legs weren’t so stiff. I stretch morning and night and before and after my runs, so I’m not too sure what else too do except keep stretching! Other than that, I’m feeling pretty good about this race on Sunday. I’m excited to go home, see my family, see some friends, go to the Michigan State football game, and maybe a visit to a cider mill even!

What was the best part of your weekend?
- Mini-golf with Woody on Pier 25, finding a random hidden community garden on Houston St and taking the east river ferry to the Brooklyn Flea! (more tomorrow)
Do you ever combine your run with errands?
- Sometimes, like Saturday.
Do you love or loathe taper?
- I have no strong feelings one way or the other, especially when taper is only a few days long for a half marathon

************

Today’s workout -

stretching
ab exercises

Finally Friday

2011-10-07T07:34:00.001-04:00

So, another week that I don’t have a 5 for Friday post ready. It’s been a long week and I’m definitely ready for the 3 day weekend (yes, we actually get Columbus Day off on Monday)! I have to say, after the few week’s I’ve had at work, I really deserve this day off. And next Friday too, when we’re in Michigan!!

For a longer post from me today, head over to Grace’s blog – Lean Girls Club – for a guest post from yours truly!!

Anyone running Chicago this weekend? Who’s doing a long run? Anyone lucky enough to be going to a cider mill? Whatever you do this weekend, I hope you enjoy every minute of it!

Oh yeah, I almost forgot… Go Tigers!!

Sometimes A Run Can Surprise You

2011-10-04T08:02:00.001-04:00

I woke up this morning with stiff and aching muscles still from my 12 miler on Sunday. It was cold and dark outside. I was not all that enthusiastic about this run. Truthfully, my first instinct was to stay under the covers and go back to sleep. When I trained for the marathon I hit a point where I was on the edge of being burned out. It might not happen for everyone, but I found that following a training plan week after week and really got to be exhausting. I just wanted to wake up and do what I wanted to do – be it a run or the elliptical a class or just sleep in. I did get over that bump then and at first when I woke up this morning I felt that burn out coming on now that I’m in my 9th week of training. BUT, I reminded myself that I only have one more week after this one and I only had 3 miles to do so I got up and got ready!

Today was the first time this season I wore capri pants and a long sleeve top for my run. It was only 50 degrees and the sun wouldn’t be up before I finished so I decided to go with it. Thankfully I did because it was pretty windy out there.

Right from the start my legs felt pretty fresh and I was feeling much better than I had expected. I cruised along and before I knew it I was done! After running 12 miles two days ago, 3 miles is nothing. It’s funny how that happens, right?

This is big news for me, probably not for most of you, but yesterday it was announced that the Michigan State/U of M football game that we are going to the day before the Detroit Half Marathon is going to start at NOON!! This was the best possibility and I’m SO unbelievably relieved it isn’t a night game or even a 3:30pm start. This means we’ll get to the hotel in Detroit at a fairly reasonable time and I’ll be able to get to sleep before midnight! I had such a huge feeling of relief when I read it on twitter!

Okay, pumpkin banana oatmeal time! Have a great day!

Do you sometimes have to push yourself to get out there for a run, only to have a great one?
Are you a pumpkin person or not?

************

Today’s workout -

3 mile run
ab exercises
stretching

Detroit Half Marathon Training Recap: Week 8

2011-10-03T07:18:00.001-04:00

Only two weeks till the Detroit Half Marathon!!!

Monday -

After the 10 mile run last Sunday I took a rest day on Monday. I did do about 15minutes of stretching on my yoga mat when I first woke up to get my muscles moving and flexible for the day.

Tuesday -

3 mile run. I took a new route that basically hits all the hills downtown, one twice. I need to do some hills and while these aren’t big ones, it’s the best I can do down here. It was a pretty warm and humid morning. There had been a chance of rain but I missed it.

Wednesday -

Cross training day. Went to the gym and spent about 40 minutes on the stationary bike and did a bit of strength training. Even though I know it’s not good, as I run more, I strength train less. Once the race is over, I definitely need to pick it up when it comes to strength training.

Thursday -

6 miles on tap. I did the same route I had done the week before, which I really like. Again, really warm and humid, but it didn’t rain. I almost wish that it had rained a little, because there’s always a chance it could rain on race day and it would be good to get that practice in.

Friday -

It had been a long week at work and knowing what was ahead, I took my usual Friday rest day with stretching.

Saturday -

Easy three mile run. It was a bit cloudy but didn’t rain. We had an apartment guest this weekend so I was glad this run was on the short side so I could get back and go to brunch with her.

Sunday -

Longest run of the training cycle – 12 miles! I mapped out a route that was similar to my 10 miler last weekend but ended closer to home. Absolutely gorgeous morning. Only 51degrees when I started out and not much warmer at the end. I wore my new Oiselle arm warmers, which were absolutely perfect. My pace was all over the place but my legs felt pretty strong until the last mile. I finished my run near the Staten Island Ferry so I could walk back home and stretch out. I’d been really worried about the stomach cramps coming back, especially with our apartment guest in town, so for the 24 hrs before my run I drastically cut back on the amount of fiber I ate and cut out dairy completely. I also had a cup of mint tea Saturday night and one before my run, several after too. Seems to have done the trick!! Now I just have to figure out how to make it work when we’re in Michigan spending the afternoon at the MSU football game and then driving to Detroit and staying at a hotel. Hmmmm.

TOTAL MILES: 24 Miles

So, I’m feeling pretty good about things. My long run next weekend is only 9 miles then it’s just a matter of days until the race. Crossing my fingers that nothing crazy happens between now and then. This is when I really start to get nervous that I’ll get hurt walking down the street or something random like that (but so like me).

What was the best part of your weekend?
- Having a family friend stay with us, getting to catch up and show her a part of the city she’s never seen. Oh, and finishing my 12 miles!!
What’s one trait of runners (or some runners) that annoys you?
- When runners discard their empty gels by dropping them on the sidewalk or leaving them on the drinking fountain. Really not cool.
Apple cider – hot or cold?
- Love it both ways – depends on my mood!

Five for Friday

2011-09-30T07:42:00.001-04:00

1. This has been another crazy week at work. Some of it interesting, some of it just necessary. Long hours too, so I feel quite far removed from what’s happening in the outside world. One person I work closely with works from home, and the last few days I’ve been getting emails from her super late at night, like after 11pm. Sometimes I wish I could work from home, but then seeing that reminds me that it’s nice to have the separation between work and home. While I’ve been extra busy at work, I’ve been trying extra hard to disconnect from work once I leave. I owe it to myself and my husband.

2. If you read my training recap on Monday you’ll know that I’ve been having issues with stomach cramps post long-runs. Yesterday I even got them after running only 6 miles, which was an issue because I had to go to work and couldn’t curl up on the couch all day like I did last Sunday. I’ve tried eating different things the night before, the morning of, during and after. And still, cramps. I did a little research on RunnersWorld.com and they suggest not having dairy (unless it’s yogurt with live cultures), high fiber foods and cruciferous veggies within 24hrs of a long run. I’m going to try to make this work for my long run on Sunday, which is going to be 12miles. I really don’t want to spend the afternoon on the couch in pain. So, my question is, have you ever suffered from stomach cramps after a long run? How did you stop them and then keep them from happening again? Do you restrict any specific types of food before a long run?

3. I just read THIS article in the New York Times and it absolutely infuriates me. It’s all about the unnecessary tests doctors order and why they do it. Researchers surveyed primary care doctors around the country and of the 600 responses (a 70% response rate, which is huge), nearly half believed their patients received too much care. That means too many tests, too many prescriptions, too many procedures. And we all know that translates to super high medical costs. No wonder healthcare in this country is so out of control. I’ve had to deal with a lot of medical expenses over the last few years and every time I go to the doctor a battery of tests are performed. It drives me nuts that the doctors are saying they do them because we want them, or because it’ll be faster. Faster shouldn’t be the deciding factor – what’s right should be. I suggest you read this article and then question your doctor on every test they want to run and every medication or procedure they prescribe. Then go for a run, eat healthy foods and try your best to quit any unhealthy habits you’ve been trying to rid yourself of. We can’t control everything, but there are some things we can do to keep ourselves healthy and strong (and save some money at the same time).

4. We have a family friend arriving tonight from DC and staying with us for the weekend. Actually, I baby sat for her and her little brother a few times many, many years ago. I’m a little nervous because I have not cleaned a thing and run a few errands. Thankfully she’s not leaving till after work and won’t be here till close to 11pm. She has some meetings on Saturday, but I feel bad since I have to go for my long run Sunday morning. I don’t want to ignore our guest – but thankfully she’s really low key and we’re planning brunch afterwards. As long as my stomach doesn’t keep me down. We haven’t seen each other in years so I’m really looking forward on catching up with her. She lives such an exciting life!

5. As exhausted as I am from work and training, I am really excited about one thing. Woody and I got tickets to fly to Denver and visit my awesome Aunt and Uncle in November!! They’ve probably been there for a decade now and we’ve never been out to visit them, so it’s about time. We also don’t see them often but I really respect them and appreciate their guidance about a lot of things, so it will be nice to spend a long weekend with them. Plus, we’re always up for exploring new cities.

How do you change your diet before a long run or race?
What do you have planned for this weekend?
If you could get on a plane today and go anywhere, where would you go?

************

Yesterday’s workout -

6mile run
stretching

Today’s workout -

stretching (rest day)

Larabar Strikes Again

2011-09-28T07:30:00.001-04:00

Really, how do they keep coming up with great recipes? It seems like they just keep pumping out new flavors.

Last week, on a particularly crazy and stressful day, I received a fantastic surprise package in the mail! A little box filled with delicious goodness.

Larabar had sent me a few bars of their new flavor – Chocolate Chip Cherry Torte. I love chocolate and I love cherries, so I was immediately curious and had high hopes for this new flavor. The cherry pie flavor is one of my favorite, but it’s quite tart and sometimes it’s a little too tart so I was a little worried it would be the same with this one.

I was wrong, it was delicious! The chocolate and cherry flavors are really well balanced, making it a nice indulgent treat with all the simple goodness that we’re used to from Larabar.

I have not tried all of the Larabar flavors, mostly because some of them just have too many calories for me – boarding on meal replacement – so I stick to those that are around 190 or 200 calories. Sometimes I’ll splurge on a day I’ve done a particularly long run or hard workout and have a peanut butter chocolate chip bar that has 220 cals. The Chocolate Chip Cherry Torte comes in a little high in fat at 12 grams and sugar with 23grams, but on the relatively low side of the calories scale at 190.

The ingredients are simple – dates, almonds, cashews, unsweetened cherries, chocolate chips (Fair Trade certified), and a little sea salt. See, it is possible to have great tasting packaged food without all the extra, unnecessary ingredients that are impossible to even pronounce. Now, only if they’d use Michigan cherries!

With all this in mind, I’m pretty sure I’ll be having this one again in the near future.

Thanks for the deliciousness, Larabar! I’m hooked!

Do you have a favorite Larabar flavor?
What’s your go-to snack?

************

Today’s workout -

40min stationary bike
2x20 seated row
2x18 lat pull down
2x20 upright row
2x16 back extension
stretching
ab exercises

NYRR 5th Ave Mile Race Recap

2011-09-27T07:39:00.001-04:00

I mentioned yesterday I had never run a 1mile race before. This is a race I’ve wanted to run for years, I’ve heard great things about it, but for one reason or another I’ve never done it. When I chose the training plan I’m following for the Detroit Half I was happy that the long runs are on Sunday so I could run this race.

This race is really unique in that, not only is it just a mile, it also runs south on 5th Avenue from 79th to 59th and the race is held in heats by age and gender. It started with boys and girls ages 8-14 running together, then women 15-29, men 15-29, women 30-39, men 30-39 and so on. There were 15 minutes between each heat and about two minutes after one heat went off, the next one started lining up. Cops lead the way for each heat.

Like usual, NYRR had everything working like a well oiled machine. The bag check was incredible. each heat had it’s own school bus. You just dropped your bag off and about 5 minutes before each heat started, the bus drove down to the end and all the bags were unloaded and you could pick yours up right outside the chute. Seriously, so easy it was ridiculous.

The one thing I didn’t like too much about it was that we lined up 13 minutes before the race time – all packed into a small area, no room to move around and stretch, but just enough room to get really, really un-proportionately nervous about a 1 mile race!

The race started and it took me a few seconds to maneuver my way to the start. I eased into a spot in the middle of the road. I know these streets, they all round towards the gutters and the middle is the only place you’ll get a somewhat level surface. It was a pretty tight field for the first few hundred yards, and then lightened up a little, but not like a typical race. Thankfully NYRR had signage each quarter mile along with a timer. I didn’t pay attention to the timer but it was nice to be able to pace myself knowing exactly where I was in the distance. I knew when there were four blocks left and really pushed the pace. The timer read 8:02 when I crossed the finish line, so I was thrilled to know I had come in just under that!

I walked through the chute, made my way to grab an apple and water from the volunteers (thank you) and was absolutely amazed by how sweaty we all got in just one mile!! It was gross.

Overall, I’m really happy with this race. At my best, I could have gone faster, but at this moment in time, I did a great job! Since I’m training for a half, I never actually trained for this particular race and I’ve heard stories of people pushing it so hard down that mile that they end up injured. That, I definitely did not want to do! Hey, automatic PR, right?!

Grace was in the heat before mine so we met up for brunch afterwards. Had to stop for a photo op with the finish line in the background. Like my new Oiselle team singlet?! (don’t be alarmed, bib numbers for this race were apparently assigned alphabetically, not by pace like usual!)

What’s your favorite race distance?
How do you calm pre-race nerves?

************

Today’s workout -

3mile run
2x15 hammer curls
2x16 lateral arm raise
ab exercises
2x15 squats
stretching

Detroit Half-Marathon Training Recap: Week 7

2011-09-26T07:29:00.001-04:00

I’m another week closer to the half marathon with another bump up in the mileage and (thankfully) I’m feeling pretty good!

Monday -

Went to the gym and spent a good 45minutes on the stationary bike then finished up with a short strength training session. I always do a little stretching at our apartment before we head to the gym so I can jump right on the machines when we get there, not wasting any time.

Tuesday -

Easy 3 mile run. Took my new morning route that stays on the main streets most of the way. Had to pass the protesters camped out in Zuccotti Park and all the cops watching them, then found out the water fountains in City Hall park have been turned off. Overall, it was a good run.

Wednesday –

Back to the gym for some more quality time with the stationary bike. I’ve decided to forgo the elliptical on my x-training days so I give my legs a bit of rest from the impact as the mileage increases. I don’t want to risk another injury. Especially this close to the race!

Thursday –

It’s been a while since I’ve done more than 5 miles before work. I mapped out a route that combined two 3 mile routes, which meant I doubled up on a small section. This was good because I needed to stop at the Wall Street pier to grab a drink from the drinking fountain. What I didn’t need though, was to see the naked man standing by the pier. Thankfully it was still dark and he was turned towards the water. Overall, it was a good run and I’m glad it wasn’t raining.

Friday –

Rest day!!

Saturday –

This was an odd workout because it was race day! I had 3 miles on the calendar but, well, the 5th Avenue Mile is only 1. I’m not sure how many miles I ran, exactly, because I warmed up around the area then ran the race. It was definitely different than any other I’d done, and it was a lot of fun. (race recap to come tomorrow)

Sunday –

This was a big run for me. 10 miles. My longest in a long time. I was nervous about this, especially since the forecast again called for rain and it’s been warm and insanely humid this whole week. I really wasn’t sure how it would turn out. Thankfully, it didn’t rain, but the humidity was pretty wretched. It was warm and sticky, the area was pretty busy with the protest and thousands of runners for the Tunnel to Towers 5, and I was running into the wind for several miles as I went uptown, but I finished the 10 miles! Woohoo!

So, here’s the big question I have for you. After my longer runs – about 7 miles or longer – for several hours, almost the rest of the day, I get on and off stomach cramps. It’s the weirdest thing and pretty much sucks the fun out of the rest of the day. One minute I’ll be fine, the next in pain. Do you know what I’m talking about? Any tips on how to stop this? (other than not running longer than 7 miles) This happened when I was training for the marathon too. It doesn’t seem to matter what I eat the night before, or pre-run, or during the run, it just happens. I’d love any suggestions!!

Next Saturday will be my longest run before my race – 12 miles. I’m trying to figure out how I can run my six miler on Thursday in Central Park before work to get in some more hills.

What was the best part of your weekend?
Have you ever run a 1 mile race?
How do you spend the day after a long run?

************

Today’s workout –

stretching, REST DAY!

Finding Time, Running in the Rain and Team Oiselle

2011-09-22T08:10:00.001-04:00

I know I’m having a crazy busy week at work when I basically don’t do anything other than work, sleep, eat and work out. I’m so far behind on what’s going on in the blog world, what’s been flying around on Twitter, there hasn’t been a moment to figure out the new FaceBook layout (why exactly can’t I get the feed in chronological order?) and all the current events I know about is that the UN General Assembly is happening right now, and that’s only because traffic is completely screwed around my office!

I’ll let you in on a little secret. I write majority of my posts at night when Woody and I are watching TV and trying to decompress from the day. In the morning I might add something about my workout that day, but most everything is written the night before. Hey, I run in the morning, I don’t have time to write a full post each morning too!

Well, tonight I’m preparing myself for my run tomorrow morning. What is supposed to be 6 miles – the longest weekday run of this training plan thus far and my longest weekday run in general, for quite a while. To Top that off, the weather forecast is predicting it’ll be raining, 67’ and 97% humidity. Seriously, what is that about? As unappealing as this sounds, the thought of running 6 miles on the treadmill at our gym, where it is very likely to be warmer and more humid, sounds even worse. This is what training is all about – pushing through obstacles like bad weather, tiredness, stiff muscles, long miles, fitting training runs into life, and whatever else. While I know the race doesn’t start at 5:30am, I don’t know what the weather will be like, so I have to be prepared for anything. Running 6 miles in the dark rain is a good way to do that. (yes, I’m trying to psych myself up for this!)

In other news, I have a race on Saturday and I’m so excited to tell you that it’ll be my first race running as part of Team Oiselle! The team is made up of some absolutely amazing runners; women of all ages and a backgrounds. I feel incredibly grateful to be a part of the team and I’m looking forward to representing a company with a mission as genuine as theirs. From now on, you’ll be able to spot me at races because I’ll be wearing the Oiselle singlet.

Post-run analysis: Woke up at 5am, it was extremely foggy, 69’ and way more humid than it should be at that time of morning. I ate a little, stretched and headed out. Thankfully, the rain had passed and only the ground was wet! Overall, the 6 miles went pretty smoothly. Slow and sweaty, but I’m definitely happy with how it turned out.

Now….I’m running late for work since we had to cover all our furniture so our ceilings can finally be painted today after they leaked during Irene.

What falls by the wayside in your life when you’re really busy at work?
If you write a blog, do you write and post right away, or write in advance and then post later?
How do you prepare for race conditions?
What’s your favorite weather to run in?

************

Tuesday’s workout -

3 mile run
ab exercises
stretching

Wednesday’s workout -

45min stationary bike
ab exercises
3x20 cable pull push-down
3x20 hammer curls
stretching

Today’s workout -

6 mile run
stretching

Detroit Half-Marathon Training Recap: Week 6

2011-09-19T07:26:00.001-04:00

One more week down, 4 more to go! Good thing I have my passport ready to go!

Monday -

Definitely took a rest day on Monday. Woody got up way too early to fly to Minneapolis for a business trip and I went back to sleep. The 8 miles of Central Park hills (which I am no longer used to) convinced me that a rest day was necessary.

Tuesday -

Tried a new 3 mile route that’s better for really dark mornings, as they all are now that it’s Fall. HERE’S my post about the new route and staying safe when running early in the morning. Just in case you missed it!

Wednesday -

Hit the gym for a date with the stationary bike. I did about 12 miles in 40 minutes. I was definitely lacking in enthusiasm for this workout and didn’t put all in. Perhaps it had something to do with the fact that Woody was still gone and I had to get myself up at 5:00am.

Thursday -

I was exhausted after hardly any sleep. Do you ever wake up multiple times throughout the night for absolutely no reason at all? That was how my night was and it was not cool. Still, got up for a 4 mile run. It was okay, but not the best.

Friday -

Another rest day.

Saturday -

3 miles on the plan but I did 4 instead. It was a beautiful morning and I wanted to take advantage of it. While my legs were feeling good, this run was really annoying. I’ve mentioned a few times that ever since my surgery in 2009, my sinuses sometimes go a little crazy on runs no matter what the temperature, but especially when there’s a drastic change in temps, like yesterday when it was only 52’ when I started out. It was not fun at all. But the weather was great!

Sunday -

On the plan was 6 but I wanted to do 7. I had hoped to do the miles in the park to get the hills again, but then found out the Susan G Komen race was going to be Sunday and changed my mind. I’ll let the amazing 20,000 runners and walkers enjoy the park for the day! I came up with a 7 mile route along the water but staying downtown. The weather could not have been any better. Perfect as far as I was concerned. When I got to my turnaround point I was feeling a lot better than I had at that same point on my first 7 mile run two weeks ago. I even had a little kick left in my legs at the end, which was awesome. I really could not be more happy with this run. It definitely gave me the confidence boost I need going into the 10miler I have ahead of me this coming Sunday.

I got myself a little delicious treat at the New Amsterdam Market for the great run – a donut peach and ginger popsicle from People’s Pops! Yum! Ginger is an anti-inflammatory, so it’s good for me!

I’m ready for week 7.

Oh, watch out cause I have a really cool announcement to make later this week!

What was the highlight of your weekend?

For me it was enjoying the great weather.

What song gives you energy the moment you hear it?

If I only have to choose one, it’s “Party Rock Anthem” by LMFAO

Are you totally excited that Fall TV shows are starting this week? Like “How I Met Your Mother”?!?!

Please, please, please tell me I’m not alone here!

***********

Sunday’s workout -

7mile run
stretching

Today’s workout -

40min stationary bike

ab exercises

stretching

2x18 overhead tricep extension

2x20 weighted side bends

2x20 resistance band woodchop

2x16 lateral arm raise

First Saturday of Fall

2011-09-17T13:27:00.001-04:00

Last week was really crazy at work. Most everyone was feeling exhausted only half way through and I was not alone when I was still at my desk at 7pm last night. I’m SO glad it’s the weekend! How about you?

I didn’t get my weekly Five for Friday post up but I have a few minutes before I head out to watch some Spartan Football. This is what Fall Saturday’s are about, right? College football!

Oh yeah, and running and farmers markets!

After my run this morning I had my first bowl of oatmeal for the season – simple with just flax, chia, and 1tsp each of PB and maple syrup – and coffee.

Then I headed out to the Union Square Greenmarket for some Fall deliciousness. I came home with a butternut squash, pears, apples, kale, green pepper, purple potatoes, green beans, and an eggplant! Great stuff, right?

Woody left a bit ago for the bar where tons of MSU alumni get together to watch the football games. As an alumni club board member it’s his ‘job’ to represent the club there and recruit new members, sell shirts to raise money for our scholarship fund and coordinate with the bar. He loves it, but he has to get there two hours before game time. I’m leaving in a little bit and will get there about an hour before (thank goodness for the reserved Board table!) Check him out – all decked out in State gear! Doesn’t he look like he could be an assistant coach?

Have a great weekend and enjoy some college football!

What are you up to this weekend?

I’m running (4miles today, 7 tomorrow), enjoying the first weekend of Fall, and watching Football!

Are you racing this weekend?

I’m not, but will be next weekend! (and I have an awesome announcement coming up next week!)

What’s your favorite Fall treat?

Mine used to be fresh apple cider and a donut, but now since I can’t eat gluten, I guess it’s just the apple cider. Still, not bad!

************

Yesterday’s workout -

Stretching, rest day

Today’s workout -

4mile run
2x16 bicep curl
2x18 upright row
2x20 lat pull down
2x16 back extension
2x14 cable pull push-down
stretching
ab exercises

Late Sunrises Mean Running in the Dark

2011-09-15T07:42:00.001-04:00

I had an easy 3 mile run on the schedule Tuesday morning but because it’s now super dark in the morning when I wake up and get going, I wanted to try a new route that keeps me in well-lit, public spaces. When running early in the morning, it’s really important to be smart and stay safe. There aren’t a whole lot of people out and about yet, so you can’t zone out and fall into your own little world when running at 5:30am. Running in the morning doesn’t do you any good if you’re not safe!

This is the route I took (thanks for the map DailyMile!)

I started at my usual point, ran along the water, then up Broadway, around City Hall Park, back towards the water and finished in a small park near our building. I have mixed feelings about this route.

Pros:

Safer in the dark
Nice to mix things up
More hills than my usual route

Cons:

More people to dodge
Have to contend with traffic lights and construction
Loud trucks and cars

So, I guess there are as many pros and cons about the new route and it evens out. I know the safety factor trumps the smelly trash on the sidewalks and having to dodge people on their way to/from work or the bar. At least fewer people honk their horns at that time of day!

Today I tried another version of this route to add on another mile. I don’t mind running the streets too much, but I much prefer to run along the water or in the park. It’s just more relaxing.

Do you change your route depending on what time of day you run?
What do you prefer? City streets, parks, or rural roads for your runs?
What safety precautions do you take when you run?

*************

Yesterday’s workout -

40min stationary bike
2x20 seated row
ab exercises
stretching

Today’s workout -

4mile run
ab exercises
stretching

Jenny Barringer-Simpson, Gold Medal Winner

2011-09-13T07:54:00.001-04:00

Last week I had the great opportunity to hear Jenny Barringer-Simpson talk about her Gold Medal, World Championship win in the 1500m in Daegu, South Korea on September 1st. Jenny is the first American woman to win the 1500m since Mary Decker Slaney won in 1983. From Rieti, Italy, where she was preparing for another turn at the 1500m, Jenny had much to say about running and what it’s like to be a world champion.

I have to admit, I didn’t know much about Jenny before last week. Finding my love for running after I was finished with school, I’ve been more interested in long distance running than track and field, so I’m not the most knowledgeable person about track & field stars. That being said, after hearing Jenny speak about running, I’m completely impressed and will be following her as she continues to succeed in the sport.

Turns out Jenny has been known as a Steeplechase runner but has switched to the 1500m under her coach Juli Benson, at the Air Force Academy in Colorado. She said the switch took about 6 to 8 months but now she’s more sharp and tactical because in the 1500m, you can’t “put daylight between you and the next person.” Last year she suffered an injury that kept her from racing most of 2010 season and then battled the flu this past Spring. Jenny believes things happen for a reason and because of the illness in the Spring, she was at the perfect point in her training to have a great race on September 1st when she won the world championship in 4:05.87. The last thing her coach told her before stepping up to the start line? “Stay out of trouble.” What did she think about during the race? Her younger sister who’s serving in the Army.

Winning At first “everything went quiet” and she felt a “wonderful sense of shock” that she had won. Because she doesn’t focus on who is who while she’s racing, their all just bodies, she knew there were no others around her when she crossed the line, but thought they had maybe lapped her and she hadn’t really won!

Looking ahead, she’s thinking about the London Olympics but hasn’t set out her plans quite yet. While Jenny feels she’s only getting stronger through this season, she wants to focus on what’s ahead. That being said, she’s going to decide what she wants to do this Fall then highly specialize on a specific distance and races so she’s at her strongest point at the right time next year.

Support Jenny was extremely humble about being a champion and several times mentioned the amazing support system she has. From her husband and family, to her current and past coaches, to the cadets she trains with. She credits those she trusts with the fact that she hasn’t burned out and takes time to rest when she needs it. After each season she takes 10-14 days off without running to let her body rest. She’ll indulge in family, friends, biking and hiking. She relishes in the fact that her family doesn’t know much about running so when she’s with them, she can disconnect from running a little and ‘be normal.’

Spectator Sport? When asked about the disconnect between the high number of US medals at the World Championships to the low number of media at the event, Jenny agreed it’s the big conundrum because so many people are running now and know what running is all about, that it doesn’t make sense as to why more people don’t pay attention to professional running. She hopes that running continues to gain momentum and professional running builds a bigger following.

Encouragement Her tip to new runners is to give running a chance. It’s not easy, even for elite runners after taking some time off, so don’t give in after only a few runs. Stick with it even for a few weeks before giving up! She wants younger runners to know that she doesn’t do anything in training that others can’t do. She has ‘no special guru or secrets.” It’s about knowing what you want, going after it and being consistent.

Jenny is quite inspiring, humble and obviously thrilled to be able to make running her career. I hope we’re cheering her on in the Olympics next year!

Watch Jenny’s win HERE.

Follow Jenny’s success HERE.

Do you follow elite runners? Track & Field or long distance?
Did you run on a team in high school and/or college?

************

Today’s workout -

3mile run
Ab exercises
2x18 tricep kickbacks
2x16 lateral arm raises
Stretching

Detroit Half-Marathon Training Recap: Week 5

2011-09-12T07:30:00.001-04:00

Week five done. Half way through this 10 week plan. When looking at my schedule over the next five weeks, I gotta say, I’m a little nervous. Next week is the step back week so my long run will only be 6 miles, but the week after is another story; 10miles. Quite a big leap. When I decided to use this plan, I thought it would be just fine, but now that I’m actually doing it I’m not sure. We’ll see though. I’m not giving up!

Monday -

Woody and I decided to actually sleep in on Labor Day and didn’t get up till about 8am! It was fantastic! We used the gym in our building so I spent 35min on the stationary bike and did some strength training.

Tuesday -

It was pouring outside and still dark, so I opted for the dreaded treadmill. Of course, some ab work, stretching and strength training went along with it.

Wednesday -

Another morning of x-training at the gym. I opted for the bike again to put a little less stress on my legs but did 45minutes this morning. Strength training, ab work and stretching, too.

Thursday -

While the day ended up beautiful, it was raining still when I got up to workout so I hit the treadmill. Again. I was definitely sick of it. Four miles on Thursday.

Friday -

Ahhhh. Rest day! I did spend about 15minutes stretching on my yoga mat to wake up. I’ve gotten in the habit of stretching morning and night. Makes it so much easier to have the yoga mat at the ready by our couch!

Saturday -

4mile run, my usual route. Unfortunately I had not been paying attention and didn’t realize there was a big 9/11 anniversary event happening along the waterfront in Battery Park City at the same time I was out for my run. There were quite a few people and it was moving to see them observe moments of silence at 8:45am. Of course, I had to stop as well. I then had to dodge thousands of people along the path, so that was interesting. Did a quick strength session back in our gym when I got home.

Sunday -

8mile long run. I knew it wasn’t ideal to run downtown yesterday morning so I opted to go uptown to Central Park. When my train hit 34th St, no less than 20 FDNY Firemen got in the same car I was in. They seemed in good spirits and were apparently on their way to a service uptown. My run was really slow and my quads are not used to the hills of Central Park. I really need to spend more time up there. The 8 miles were hard. Harder than I remember them from before. It’s really frustrating, but I finished. This half marathon will not be a fast one, but after the run of injuries I’ve had over the past year plus, I have no crazy ambitions to set a PR. I think I may head back up there for my 6miler next weekend.

What was the best part of your weekend?
Did you have a long run or race? How did it go?

************

Today’s workout -

Rest day with stretching.

Five for Friday

2011-09-09T07:19:00.001-04:00

1. You know those hidden camera commercials that seem to be popular right now, like the one for Febreze where people are blindfolded and taken into a nasty apartment? Well, it seems ConAgra’s Marie Callender’s brand tried to pull that off in late August with a group of food bloggers in NYC who thought they were going to a chic underground restaurant for dinner cooked by a famous chef. Well, guess what? It back fired. HERE’s a great story cautioning marketers not to mess with bloggers!

2. On June 6th, NYC launched a great campaign through advertisements, flyers and events called “Make NYC Your Gym.” According to the press release, “nearly 30% of city residents report engaging in no physical activity.” Ads in the subway and around the city, like the one below, are meant to show how we New Yorkers can use the city to get in shape. (Check out Lady Liberty’s guns! Whew!)

One of the events the city is hosting is a huge free Zumba class and dance party coming up on September 25th! The catch? It’s at the Staten Island Yankee’s baseball park on Staten Island. At least the ferry is free and then you can finally say you made it to the 5th borough! So, the details. Sunday Sept 25th – lessons at 1pm – Party starts at 1:30 – Yoga cool-down at 2:30pm. There will also be activities for kids. Sounds like a great time to me, so I have this on my calendar. [check HERE for more info] I loved the Zumba classes I took in the Winter, so this will be a fun time! I can only imagine the incredible dancers that will be there! Let me know if you’re going to go!

3. While Irene didn’t do a lot of damage here in the city, she caused devastation in a lot of other areas, including upstate New York. And now the rain we’ve been having this week has only made matters. A great deal of the farms throughout the State have been effected by the storm, many have lost all of their crops for the year. Many of these farms are the ones that come into the city each week to sell at the 53 Greenmarkets across the five boroughs. Farming is a tough way to make a living nowadays and this just makes it harder. They need our help and there are two ways to chip in. 1) Donate through the Greenmarkets [HERE], 2) go out to dinner at one of [THESE] restaurants on September 25th (you’ll need to refuel after dancing all afternoon) that are donating 10% of their sales for the day to local farmers effected by Irene.

4. Okay, this one is a little random but it’s getting me through the workday so I wanted to share it with you. If you haven’t heard of turntable.fm it’s a great music site where you can listen to music all day without commercials. Yep, you heard that right. It’s really cool too because you get an avatar when you sign up then choose a ‘room’ to enter based on the type of music you want to listen to. Each room has a theme and there are 5 ‘DJ’s’ that take turns choosing the music. And you can be a DJ too. So far, I’ve been pretty passive and haven’t DJ’d so I don’t know how that works, but it seems pretty cool – you get to help choose what everyone listens too. When you’re in the room, you get to choose “lame” or “cool” and if enough people think the song is lame, it automatically stops and moves on to the next DJ. Pretty cool. Right now it’s in beta mode and you have to log in with a Facebook profile (although that’s not your avatar and it doesn’t post anything to your FB profile). Basically the reason why you have to log in with your profile is that you have to be friends with someone who is already in. Another reason why it’s pretty cool. Anyway, go [HERE] and see if any of your friends are in already. Just don’t get too hooked on it that you get distracted. That’s really easy to do!

5. I can not let today go without mentioning September 11. I know it’s on my mind and I bet it’s on yours as well. Living downtown, only a short walk away from Ground Zero, this neighborhood is going to be bustling all weekend with people, cops, firemen, secret service, snipers, FBI. Basically, it’s going to be the safest place in the world. I remember clearly where I was when the attacks happened. I’ve met many people who were here that day and I just can’t imagine what it was like. I walk around these streets knowing that these buildings, even the one we live in, were covered in ash. I just can’t imagine. This neighborhood is thriving now and one day soon, will be one of the best neighborhoods in the city. I have no doubt about this. But one thing is for sure, while buildings may rise and people may move in, no one will ever forget that day and how it changed our World. We are strong and we remember those who aren’t with us. We are rebuilding in their honor.

What are you doing this weekend?
Have you ever tried Zumba?
How do you think you’d react if you were at one of the blogger dinners hosted by ConAgra?
How are you remembering 9/11?

************

Today’s workout -

stretching/yoga
rest day

Incredibly Cheap and Easy Comfort Dinner

2011-09-08T07:35:00.001-04:00

Again, it’s been a while since I talked food. This summer has thrown me deep into a salad rut but I’m hopeful that the turn of seasons will help me snap out of it and get me back to cooking.

Tuesday night we definitely needed something other than salads. The entire day was cold and dreary; perfect for a warm, comforting dinner. Since I first tried the heat-and-eat polenta from Trader Joe’s last year I’ve made it once every month or so, with various toppings and methods of cooking. Tuesday night was another try, one Woody ended up really liking! The best part about it, I think it’s the easiest preparation I’ve tried and super cheap!

So here it is, super easy, super cheap:

Ingredients -

1 package TJ’s polenta
1 1/4cup TJ’s Fire Roasted Tomato Salsa (it’s really chunky and has a little kick)
1/4cup small broccoli florets
5 thin slices, sharp cheddar cheese

Preparation -

Pre-heat oven to 350’
Spray pie plate with non-stick cooking spray
Slice polenta into 8 even slices, place in pie plate
Spread broccoli over polenta slices evenly
Cover with salsa
Place in oven, bake for 20 minutes
Remove from oven, cover with cheese slices overlapping slices of polenta
Put back in oven, bake for another 10 minutes
Remove and serve

Now, Polenta is pretty high in sodium, so to try and balance that out I always look for tomatoes with no salt added. And while this isn’t necessarily the healthiest meal, it isn’t too bad either, especially when compared with other comfort dinners! And you can’t beat the price, this came in well under $10 for the entire dish. And of course, you can start with a little side salad! Woody really liked this dinner, so I’m bound to try it again and make a few tweaks along the way.

What’s your favorite go-to easy to prepare comfort dinner?

************

Today’s workout -

ab exercises
4mile run
stretching

So, I Guess It’s Fall

2011-09-07T07:23:00.001-04:00

Apparently Mother Nature knew Monday was Labor Day and it’s time for the seasons to change. Yesterday was absolutely gloomy, wet and cold. How did it switch so quickly?

This is definitely not happy running weather. On Twitter it seemed like everyone was turning their planned runs into spinning classes or dates with the treadmill. Looks like it’s going to stay soggy for the better of the week, but I don’t think the cold is here to stay. Not yet, anyway! But we are getting a taste of what’s to come. I sincerely wish we could send all this rain towards Texas and put out the hundreds of fires ripping through the State.

I actually like the changing of the seasons. I love the cooler temps, the cozy sweaters, leaves changing colors, apples and apple cider, football games, bustling farmers markets, not sweating buckets before I’ve run a mile, the NYC Marathon. Impending snow, on the other hand, I’m not too fond of.

What are your favorite things about Fall?
How do you like to spend rainy days?

************

Today’s workout -

45min stationary bike
ab exercises
2x15 squats
2x18 seated row
2x18 bicep curl
stretching

Sporting Life – An Exhibition

2011-09-06T07:45:00.001-04:00

Recently I learned of an exhibit currently running at The Museum at FIT (The Fashion Institute of Technology) that seemed really interesting. I had heard of other exhibits there that sounded cool, but I’d never been. This time I was going to make the time; the exhibit is entitled Sporting Life and “explores the relationship between active sportswear and fashion over the past 150 years.” Sounds great, right?

When I told Woody about the exhibit, he seemed interested, so we went to check it out on Saturday. The museum itself is pretty small, but I wasn’t expecting anything huge. This isn’t the Guggenheim or MoMA after all! As I mentioned, the idea of the exhibit was to show how clothing designed for the intent of sports, such as swimming, horseback riding, cycling, skiing, and such, has influenced apparel design – today, everyday casual clothing is referred to as sportswear.

It was quite interesting to see the evolution in swimwear; to learn that women in France during the 1800’s could have been arrested if seen wearing a divided skirt that was meant to be worn while riding a bike, if they were wearing it while attending to other activities. A Gucci jacket stands next to a ski jacket while a Chanel dress looks quite similar to a dress worn in the early 20th Century while playing tennis. The exhibit also displayed the evolution in fabric technology, most glaringly when it came to swimwear – from the heavy cotton and wool full body suits worn in the 19th Century to a skirt from the 1930’s treated with ‘neva-wet’ and finally to the high tech swimsuits worn by professional swimmers today.

I have to say, that while the exhibit is interesting and definitely worthy, we were both a bit disappointed that it didn’t delve into some areas of sport as much as we thought it could. Running, for instance, was completely left out. Golf, which has seen a drastic change in formality of wear over the years, was only represented by an early 20th Century suit. Football and Baseball also, had very little representation. We do wish more sports had been represented to show the full spectrum of sportswear to present day, but it was apparent that a lot of time and effort went into this exhibit, and we can’t complain much as the admission is free. Overall, I’m glad we went to check it out. I did learn quite a bit about the connection of sports to every day fashion and it’s always good to take advantage of the wide breadth of knowledge and experiences in this city!

If you’re interested in checking out this exhibit yourself, here’s what you need to know:

Exhibit running through November 5th
Location: 7th Ave at 27th St
Hours: Tues – Friday Noon till 8pm; Saturday 10am till 5pm; closed Sunday and Monday
Website: www.fitnyc.edu/museum

************

Today’s workout -

3mile run
ab exercises
2x15 squats
stretching

Detroit Half-Marathon Training Recap: Week 4

2011-09-05T10:15:00.001-04:00

Okay, so I just finished the fourth week of my training plan but this is only my second recap. You might remember I took a week off from the plan that overlapped between weeks two and three because my right leg was bothering me a bit. I’m glad I took the week off from running (I did spend a good amount of time on the elliptical and stationary bike) but now I’m trying to jump back into the schedule…smartly.

Monday -

I opted for a rest day on Monday because I was absolutely exhausted after Hurricane Irene weekend.

Tuesday -

Trying to get back into running I opted for 4miles instead of 3, combined with stretching and ab exercises.

Wednesday -

Cross training day at the gym. 45 minutes on the elliptical, stretching and strength training.

Thursday -

Ran the 5 miles but they were slow and no tempo miles. My focus was getting the distance in rather than the speed. It was a good run. Paired with more stretching and ab work.

Friday -

Second rest day. I took the day off from work, so I stretched and did a little yoga for a good 20 minutes before breakfast. Did quite a bit of walking around the city throughout the day.

Saturday -

3 miles on the plan, 3 miles done. Finished off with some strength training and stretching before and after.

Sunday -

Tackled a 7 mile run. It wasn’t very easy, there were a few times I wanted to stop, but I kept giving myself goals ahead of me to reach; 42nd St, the light post in the distance, 59th St turn, the top of the massive hill. Then, I was done. I don’t know why I set up the route to finish on a massive hill, but I got up it. I think the couple waiting to cross the street at 9th and 59th thought I was about to pass out. At least I was right near a hospital! (just kidding. sort of.) After cooling down, I picked up some watermelon at Whole Foods and felt horrible for those on the same subway car as myself as I went home. I stretched some more and iced my legs a little. Overall, definitely glad I pushed through this run and finished it but I have a lot of progress to make in the next six weeks.

Total miles for the week: 19

How is your holiday weekend going?
Did you do a long run, race or take a fitness class this weekend? How did it go?

************

Today’s workout -

35min stationary bike
2x12 back extension
2x15 bent row
2x18 tricep extension
2x16 lateral arm raise
stretching

Five for Friday

2011-09-02T09:11:00.001-04:00

Today is the first day of the holiday weekend for me! I’ve taken advantage of all my summer flex hours now, and I’m proud of it! I am taking full advantage of having a day off and a rest day, and enjoying breakfast outside. (smoothie and hard boiled egg, if you’re wondering)

1. Last night a package was waiting for me when I got home. My new passport!!! I’m shocked that it only took two weeks, but super excited because now I don’t have to worry about getting it in time for the Detroit Half Marathon on October 16th! What a relief. Now, I guess I just wait for our marriage certificate to be returned….

2. College football season has officially started and the first Michigan State game of the year is tonight. Woody is on the MSU Greater New York Alumni Club board and one of his duties is to represent the board at one of the bars where we have ‘official’ watch parties. We play Youngstown State (is that in Pennsylvania?) and it is the Friday of Labor Day Weekend, so who knows how many people will show up, but we have a strong team this year and Spartan fans are really excited to see what happens. If you have a moment, please go vote for Sparty [HERE]. I mean, how can you not love this guy?

3. While searching for things to do this weekend, I found out the Tugboat Race [HERE] is Sunday. Can you imagine a bunch of tugboats “flying” down the Hudson River? After the race there are nose-to-nose pushing contests (for the boats, not people) and activities at the end like a spinach eating contest and live entertainment. The fun starts at 10am at West 70th St and finishes at Pier 84 (44th St).

4. RRCA (Road Runners Club of America) announced [HERE] another list of towns that have received the designation of Runner Friendly Community. Allen Park, MI; Carson City, NV; Decatur, IL; Knoxville, TN; Lawrence, KS; Lynchburg, VA; Missoula, MT; Reading, PA; Salem, MA; and The Woodlands, TX join the list, which was first released earlier this year featuring Monterey Peninsula, CA; Dallas and Wichita Falls, TX; and Fredericksburg, VA. Communities have to be nominated [HERE] by members of the community for the distinction, hopefully the idea will gain traction. Always good to spread the running love.

5. Fast Company [HERE] featured an innovative non-profit organization in their September issue – the Green Sports Alliance (GSA). The alliance launched earlier this year and works with teams, owners and sports arenas to institute sustainable initiatives. Probably all of us have been to a large sporting event of one kind or another and have seen how much energy is used (lights, scoreboards, kitchens, ticket counters, etc) and how much waste is produced (concessions, ticket stubs, programs, bathrooms, etc). I can’t begin to fathom how much trash is hauled out of a Big Ten football stadium after each game let alone an NFL stadium. GSA is working with this industry to help them create and achieve sustainability programs. A few of their members include the Seattle Seahawks, LA Dodgers, Pittsburgh Pirates, Ford Field (Detroit), Target Field (Minneapolis), Busch Stadium (St. Louis) and many others. Sports teams are iconic pieces of American culture, hopefully the example their setting will inspire fans to make their own changes. And hopefully more teams and venues will recognize the benefits and join in.

Do you know if the US Passport Service returns old passports? (It has sentimental memories)
What are your plans for the holiday weekend?
Is your town on the Runner Friendly Community list? Should it be?
Have you ever noticed a Green initiative at a sports arena you’ve been to?

************

Today’s workout -

Stretching, rest day

My Strange Love of Grocery Stores

2011-09-01T07:52:00.001-04:00

It seems I have a weird love affair with grocery stores. Not all grocery stores; some are pretty lame, unorganized, and dirty. Those I stay away from. I mean, the nice ones with beautiful selections of fruits and veggies, meats, fish, cheeses, breads, gluten-free foods. I don’t know when this started, but at times it can be problematic because I can spend a long time exploring a store and Woody has to practically drag me out. I’ve become accustomed to small-ish NYC grocery stores, so whenever we’re in the suburbs we’re actually a bit overwhelmed by them. I mean, do we really need 30 flavors of hamburger helper (1 flavor for that matter) or 20 kinds of frozen pizzas? Never the less, I love exploring grocery stores, finding new grains or vegetables, putting together recipes in my head. I was reminded of this last night as I went down the escalator into the Whole Foods in Columbus Circle and felt a little giddy. The only problem is, I hate lugging all the groceries home but it does mean I have to limit the purchases, which I’m sure Woody appreciates.

This morning I had 5 miles on tap and I rocked them! I mean, it was a fantastic start to a new month (still can’t believe it’s already September)! I had decided to take it slow and that seemed to work out for the best. My legs didn’t feel quite as heavy as they did the other day and I was able to really focus on my breath and form. The fact that it’s still pitch dark out when I start my run is not very cool, but I’ve adjusted my route a little so I stay in more populated, lit areas when it’s still dark and it’s gorgeous to watch the sun rise. Thankfully it starts to get light out not too long into the run, but I’m sad to see the summer sun leave us. After the run this morning I feel more confident about the 7 miles I have on my schedule for Sunday.

Am I the only one who loves exploring grocery stores?
Do you have a favorite section?
What are you looking forward to in September?

************

Yesterday’s workout -

45min elliptical
ab exercises
2x20 hammer curl
2x15 lateral arm raise
2x15 squats
2x20 weighted side bends

Today’s workout -

5mile run
stretching
ab exercises

Running Slow

2011-08-30T08:00:00.001-04:00

This last weekend was a wash. In more ways than one!

I didn’t realize until the alarm went off Monday morning how exhausted I was from the anxiety, prep and clean-up from Hurricane Irene. The alarm went off and I mumbled something to Woody like “I just want to sleep longer” to which he mumbled back something to the likes of “you do? okay.” We realized we’d both rather sleep than go to the gym, so that’s what we did! I know, I know…I should have gone to the gym, but the thought of waking up at 5am for four days this week was exhausting. I’m really glad we slept in, it would have been a bad way to start the week. You’re pretty much 99% assured to have a lame workout when you’re tired, and if you start the week off that way, it’s only going to get worse as the days go by. I did run this morning – I’m not a fan of the fact that it’s staying dark later into the morning, I much prefer waking up and having the sun rise as I’m getting out there. There were quite a few people out this morning. What a relief it is that Battery Park isn’t still flooded, we’re really lucky down here.

I’m trying to figure out the best/smartest way to get back on track for my training since I took a week off from running because of the ache in my right leg. Thankfully I haven’t felt that since I ran Thursday, Saturday and Sunday, so it’s a good thing I took the break, but how do I pick back up? I’m also having trouble getting my legs to move faster. I don’t know what’s up with that. My times are super slow but I just can’t get going faster. It’s frustrating, no doubt. Given all my injuries, my main goal right now is to run the Detroit Half Marathon. After that, I’m going to focus on getting faster. Maybe I’ll sign up for the NYRR running classes again. I was raking in PRs like nobody’s business when I took the classes a few years ago.

I realized I didn’t tell you about some races I signed up for. I’m looking forward to these as I haven’t run a NYRR race since the Mini 10K. It’s really odd because for years I’d run a race just about every weekend (no joke).

Sept 24: Fifth Avenue Mile – The course goes down 5th Ave from 80th to 60th. I’ve heard of people getting injured in this race cause they race it out as fast as they can then pull muscles; this will not be my strategy. The race is run in heats according to gender and age and professional men and women compete in the last heat. I’ve never run this one before, but it’s supposed to be a lot of fun.
Oct 30: Poland Spring Marathon Kick-off – 5 mile race that kicks off Marathon week. What could be better? I won’t be running in the Marathon but at least I’ll get to enjoy some of the excitement! I also signed up to volunteer at the Marathon Expo, which I’m really looking forward to.
Nov 20: Race to Deliver – 4 mile race that supports Gods Love We Deliver, a non-profit organization here in the city that provides thousands of meals every day to people in need. Grace and I volunteered in their kitchen earlier this year. It’s a fun race the weekend before Thanksgiving.

The Detroit Half is October 16th and I might add in one or two others. We’ll see how things go…

How do you get back on track with your training when you take a break for injury or sickness?
What races do you have coming up?
Have you ever volunteered for a race?

************

Sunday’s workout -

5mile run
2x16 upright row
2x18 bicep curl
stretching

Monday’s workout -

stretching

Tuesday’s workout -

4mile run
stretching
ab exercises

Bye-Bye Irene!

2011-08-28T10:56:00.001-04:00

So, we ended up staying in the city to ride out the storm. We realized Friday night that it was very possible that it could be nearly impossible for us to get back into the city for days after the storm if the worst came true. So, Friday night we picked up a few last things and stopped by Red Mango, of course!

After a trip to the gym Saturday we spent the day preparing our apartment by packing things up and covering almost everything with plastic sheets my parents had sent us. We live on the 24th floor and all the experts were saying the winds would be much worse up here.

It's a good thing we did stay. While we got some sleep, we were awoken twice by dripping water. Our ceilings in the living room and bedroom are leaking pretty badly as there’s a balcony straight above us. Hopefully the sunny days ahead will allow it all to be fixed quickly.

Two things I’m annoyed with: 1) the stupid idiots who got in boats yesterday and last night and went out into the storm requiring first responders to risk their lives to save them. Just about the most selfish and thoughtless things I have ever heard of. I know they all received summons but I hope they end up in jail and have to spend a lot of time doing community service 2) People who are complaining that there was a lot of hype for nothing. All signs pointed to this being a huge storm with lots of damage and even though it turned out better than expected in NYC and other areas, there are a lot of places that have a lot of damage and flooding. People also died in this storm. Mother Nature and hurricanes are nothing to take lightly. Isn’t it better to be over prepared than to end up not prepared enough and experience major damage? People need to learn from Katrina and other natural disasters.

Two things I’m really thankful for: 1) All of the first responders, red cross volunteers, utility personnel who have come in from out of state, city employees on call and building employees who worked through the storm and are still working to keep us safe and the city and other areas going, 2) the fact that by the grace of God we still have power (knock on wood).

Well, once the rain stops we’re going to take a little walk and see what the neighborhood looks like. I know Battery Park is flooded from the New York Harbor so I’m not sure when I’ll be running my regular route again.

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Take care everyone! Let me know how you’re doing if you’ve been riding this out too!

Five for Friday–Hurricane Edition

2011-08-26T07:28:00.001-04:00

1. First, some good news. I ran yesterday for the first time in a week and I felt good! No pain in my right leg like before and overall the run was pretty good. Kept a good pace and felt great to get out for a run!

2. Irene is getting on my nerves. As you know, Woody and I live downtown, only a few short blocks from the East River and not all that far from Battery Park, which is at the southern tip of the island. Our actual building precariously sits in evacuation Zone C but is surrounded on three sides by Zone A (the first area to be evacuated). We also live on the 24th floor of our building (lots of stairs). We have rented a car and reserved a hotel room in the Finger Lakes district of New York. Chances are pretty high we’ll be skipping town (aka sitting in traffic) Saturday morning. I noticed big generators a few blocks away from our building last night when we were getting back after grocery shopping. I hope our beautiful new East River Esplanade doesn’t wash away over the weekend.

3. The NYRR Bronx Half Marathon, which was to be run Sunday morning, has been cancelled. The race will still count as a qualifier for the NYC Marathon and Half Marathon, for those who were signed up to run. I feel they waited a little long to cancel, but I’m sure they had their reasons. I wonder if the final straw was when the MTA announced they are likely to shut down the system Saturday afternoon (at least partially). [Check out their site for updates HERE] Whatever it was, it’s the safest and smartest thing to do.

4. Another big race that is happening this weekend is Hood to Coast relay out in Oregon. Most likely you’ve heard about this from all the bloggers on Team Nuun. [For a great team roster, check out THIS post from Tall Mom] Definitely a great group of women! My friend, April, is also out there with several others from NYC. Good luck to all the runners! Can’t wait to follow on twitter and read all the stories once they’ve showered and slept!

5. I’ve never quite understood the concept of non-alcoholic beer. Seems to me like that defeats the whole purpose, right? Woody says it’s because of the taste. I dunno. I can’t drink it anymore anyway. Nevertheless, turns out there might be a(nother) really good reason for runners to drink beer after long runs and races. 277 men training for the Munich Marathon agreed to participate in a study on the effect of non-alcoholic beer in training. Turns out the comparisons between the beer drinkers and placebo drinkers showed that the non-alcoholic beer actually seemed to make a difference and the researchers believe it’s due to the high number of polyphenols in the beverage. [check out THIS NY Times article about the study for all the info]

Are you in the path of Irene? What are your plans?
What are your thoughts on running races during rain storms (not hurricanes or tropical storms)?
Have you ever run a relay like Hood to Coast or is that on your list? What do you think is the best part about relays?
Are you a beer drinker? What do you think of drinking it as a recovery drink? Non-alcoholic beer – genius or just weird?

************

Yesterday’s Workout -

4m run
stretching
125 ab exercises

Today’s Workout -

Stretching & ab exercises – rest day

Book Review: Mile Markers

2011-08-24T07:44:00.001-04:00

You’ve been looking at the cover art for this book on my blog for quite some time now. I know. I actually finished it a few weekends ago but I haven’t gotten around to posting about it until now. And, truthfully, it took me a while to get through. After coming off the amazingly beautiful The Help, this one didn’t keep my attention like that one did.

I was excited to read this book because I know Kristin Armstrong writes a blog for RunnersWorld.com, is an author several times over and a runner herself. I also knew this book was to be stories about the ups and downs of running. I had been warned that the book could get a little “church-y” so I went cautiously into this one. I’m not big on Church, I’m sure to the disappointment of many of my family members, and I do not make it a habit to read religious themed books. But, this book is about running. But it is not a running “how-to” book.

I found many of the stories to be relatable and was often in awe of her training schedule, running adventures, and close knit group of running friends. There were points in the book when I got a little tired of her talking about what a great mom and friend she is, but at the same time I realized that if I were be a mom, I would want to be a mom like her. I love seeing families being active together, so this passage spoke to me right away “When we run we are showing our children, teaching without words, that we value ourselves, our hearts, our fitness, our health, our friendships, our clarity, and our balance.”

I tend to gravitate and appreciate books, movies, stories that follow a clear timeline. Unless it’s fully explained that there are going to be huge time shifts, moving from winter to summer and one state to another as quickly as a paragraph break, I have this problem with getting confused about what’s going on and putting the puzzle together. It took me a while to figure out what was going on in this book when one minute Armstrong was talking about Mother’s Day and then the next thing I knew it was the start of a school year. Or she’d be running in a cold winter rain of Austin and then enjoying the ocean with her kids. I finally figured out she spends the school year in Austin and summers in California (granted, I would have known this if I had read the “About the Author” section before I read the book, but I was reading on my kindle). I also found it somewhat laughable that she refers to herself as a slow runner. I would be elated to have her speed. However, that’s a personal issue and compared to some runners, including apparently, her training partners, she is slower.

Now, I don’t want to be a downer on this book. It was definitely interesting to read about her life as a runner, mother, author and speaker. (This may be connected to my love for people watching and wondering what the lives are like of other people). Sometimes we forget that people who seem to be totally pulled together and confident, also have insecurities like us. A few quotes have stuck with me that might also resonate with you -

We want to be able to endure. When life throws us some difficult miles, we want to know that we can suck it up and prevail.

It doesn’t always feel good in the moment, but ultimately you are a better person for it.

No, I don’t have to. I want to. I get to. I get to charge up this hill. I get to wake up early and run. I get to hit the gym after work.

I train because I want to be someone better than I would be if I didn’t train.

Mile Markers by Kristin Armstrong

Have you read this book? What were your thoughts?
How do you feel about books that don’t follow a clear timeline?
What is one of the best lessons you’ve learned from being a runner?

*************

Today’s workout -

45min elliptical
100 ab exercises
2x20 seated row
2x15 squats
2x20 back extensions
stretching

What Do You Do With A Perfect Evening?

2011-08-23T07:29:00.001-04:00

Okay, so, the list is probably endless. I know. Yesterday was absolutely gorgeous, so last night I had a plan when I left work to get home, drop my stuff and go for a walk.

This is something I don’t do often, even though I should. When we were living in our old apartment and I was working my old job, I would walk home from work every night, so that was my walk, my time to unwind. As we now live downtown but work in midtown, the only way I can walk home is if I have two hours to kill. We live in a great part of the city with water only minutes away, as perfect for an evening walk as it is for a morning run.

Woody wasn’t home yet so I had some time to kill before we’d eat dinner, so by 7:15 I was out the front door of our building. I came upon a wedding reception in high gear, kids running through a fountain, men fishing, ferries speeding through the harbor, tourists taking pictures, commuters on their way home, couples enjoying a beautiful night together, the sun setting, and unfortunately, a few people finding their spot to spend the night. This walk made me thankful for the beautiful evening, and reminded me how lucky I am to live in this historic neighborhood and to have all that I have. It was a refreshing way to start the week.

Do you take walks or go for leisurely bike rides in the evening?
What’s your favorite way to unwind after work?

************

Today’s workout -

45min elliptical
2x40sec plank
100 ab exercises
2x20 overhead tricep extensions
2x15 leg extensions
2x17 weighted side bends
2x20 front arm raise
stretching

Quinoa for Breakfast, Two Ways & No Running

2011-08-22T07:43:00.001-04:00

Last week a tweet between nutritionist Joy Bauer and Bob Harper gave me an idea..

My breakfast playlist consists of three songs – yogurt mess w/ banana and granola, smoothie plus corncakes with peanut butter or avocado and eggs w/ veggies and fruit. While I like not having to think very much about breakfast, it’s getting a little boring.

I love quinoa and have heard of people eating it for breakfast, but I’ve never done it myself and wasn’t sure if I’d like it for breakfast. Friday after I returned home from my day of wondering the city (I had the day off!) I made a pot of quinoa so we could have some with dinner and also for breakfast Saturday. The pot turned out perfectly, so I was thrilled and was looking forward to breakfast.

This is what I came up with on my first try -

3/4c quinoa
3 spoonful's of Greek yogurt
1/3c blueberries
1tsp chia seeds
1tsp peanut butter

Looking pretty

All mixed up

It was really tasty but it didn’t keep me feeling full as long as my usual breakfasts. So, Sunday morning I added half a banana to the mix and it stuck with me longer. Obviously, you can add any fruit to the mix and sub almonds or walnuts for the PB if you want a little crunch. This breakfast takes a bit more advance planning, but it’s a great new option to add to the mix. I’ll be having this again soon!

Now, about not running

The truth is after my run last Sunday I noticed my right leg, between my hip and knee, was hurting a bit. It didn’t feel like a muscle pull, it felt different. More like how my left leg felt in April when I was diagnosed with a stress reaction. This freaked me out a bit. I can’t have another injury ruin another half marathon dream of mine. Monday and Tuesday came and went and it still didn’t feel right. Wednesday morning I went for a slow run, it didn’t hurt during or after, but it did in the evening. Woody and I talked about it Wednesday night when I kind of broke down (poor guy). The thought of having another injury frightens me on many levels and things had been going well. While it wasn’t what I wanted to hear, it was the truth, Woody said that if I was injured again I would have to stop running. For a good amount of time. I decided then that I wouldn’t run for a week and see what happens. So, while I’ve been going to the gym I’ve been keeping to the elliptical and stationary bike and my workouts have been really good (ie lots of sweat)! As hard as it was, while Woody banged out 8 miles running Summer Streets Saturday, I had to skip it. But I knew it was the smart thing to do. I haven’t felt any pain (or more than a twinge) since Friday morning, but I'm still being cautious and waiting a bit longer. If there’s no pain through Wednesday I’ll run on Thursday morning, only missing one more run. I hate messing with my training schedule like this, but if it keeps me healthy, then that’s what I need to do.

On a better note, I got to the post office on Friday to send in my passport to change my name so I can cross the border finish the race.

What was the highlight of your weekend?
What’s your favorite thing to have for breakfast?
Have you ever thought of eating quinoa at breakfast?

*************

Saturday’s workout -

45min elliptical
10min stationary bike
2x20 squat
2x20 weighted side bends
2x15 back extensions
100 ab exercises
stretching

Sunday’s workout -

50min elliptical
15min stationary bike
4x10 monsterwalk
2x20 lat pulldown
1x40sec plank
2x18 overhead tricep extension
100 ab exercises
stretching

Today’s workout -

45min elliptical
100 ab exercises
2x20 cable pull push-down
2x15 lat arm raise
2x18 seated row
2x22 bicep curl
stretching

Five for Friday

2011-08-19T07:54:00.001-04:00

1. Thursday was my Friday this week, I have today off!! Even better, we’re not traveling, so I have the day to enjoy right here in town. That doesn’t meant I don’t have things to do though. On my list: post office to renew my passport so I can run the Detroit Half Marathon, a little SoHo shopping (I try to avoid the area on the weekend), lunch with April at Tu-Lu’s, maybe a stop at the Farmer’s Market, hopefully a little reading and who knows, maybe even a visit to Red Mango! I am very much looking forward to today, and hoping it won’t rain much. I truly think it’s essential that we all have a mental health day every once in a while to recharge. So important.

2. We’ve been hearing a lot over the past few years about the risk of concussions in sports and the high numbers of concussions that go undiagnosed, in both professional and school sports. There are a lot of people and organizations are trying to protect athletes from concussions in many ways, more recently Dick’s Sporting Goods. Earlier this week they announced a new CSR campaign called Protecting Athletes through Concussion Education (PACE) that will fund testing of athletes in over 3,300 schools nationwide. The program will test athletes at the start of a season to create a baseline picture of their neurological functioning so that if the student is diagnosed with a concussion (or one is suspected), they can perform the test again and compare the results to see if there is any damage. You can read more about it HERE. The takeaway is that for every pair of shoes bought at a Dick’s store or online, every check-in on Foursquare, or whenever someone shares info on the program on Facebook or uses the hashtag #DSPACE on Twitter, the company will pledge $1 to the program. So, start tweeting!

3. Do you know about GOOD Magazine? They have really thought provoking and interesting stories on topics like health, food, design, technology and more. Recently, they’ve held two design competitions that look at how we buy food – a new food label and the SUPERMARKET of the future. I find it really interesting to see what people come up with and wonder if we’ll ever see these ideas put into play.

Supermarket WINNER and SUBMISSIONS
Food label WINNER and SUBMISSIONS

4. Now, I haven’t checked this out yet, but New Balance has opened an “experience” store in the Flatiron district. The website doesn’t say much about what the experience is, and they talk a lot (exclusively) about dropping batons around the city on their FB page (I have no idea what this means), but I think I’ll check out the store soon and see what it’s all about.

5. Speaking of stores, have any of you New Yorkers reading this been to either of the Athleta stores that opened uptown? I wish they had opened one below 57th St, but from Fit Chick In The City’s review, I know I need to visit one of them soon. I mean, have any of you heard of in-store alterations at a fitness wear store before?

What are you up to this weekend?
If you had a free day to do whatever you want, what would you do?
What does your dream supermarket look like?
Have you been to the New Balance Experience Store or either of the Athleta stores? What do you think?

************

Wednesday’s workout -

3 mile run
125 ab exercises
2x15 squats
2x20 lateral arm raise
stretching

Thursday’s workout -

4 mile run
100 ab exercises
2x20 resistance band woodchops
4x10 monster walks
stretching

Today’s workout -

Stretching. Rest day.

My Visit To The Oiselle Headquarters

2011-08-16T07:41:00.001-04:00

Back in July when Woody and I were in Seattle, which seems ages ago now, I had the incredible opportunity to meet Sally Bergesen, founder and CEO (plus designer) of Oiselle, and her marketing guru, Sarah MacKay. As you might remember, just prior to this trip I held a giveaway for an Oiselle Bird Tee. After a few e-mail exchanges with Sarah, I mentioned our vacation to Seattle was fast approaching and asked if I could stop by while we were in town. She quickly and graciously agreed. To say I was thrilled would be an understatement. I was turning our vacation into a runners dream! A blogger meet-up dinner, a race, running along the waterfront, a run with the Greenlake Running Group and the chance to meet the women behind a great running apparel company!

I showed up at their office, which is in a low-slung building that is also home to a country music bar, just blocks from the uber-popular Green Lake, Wednesday afternoon. The area is somewhat of an outdoor sports mecca, at least for non-Seattleites like me. Not only are the trails around the lake perfect for running, countless sports fields, and water sports, but there are numerous running shops in the area including Super Jock & Jill, Road Runners Sports, Title Nine, and I know I’m missing another one.

I buzzed up and moments later Sarah was greeting me. I followed her upstairs and to their open plan office where she introduced me to Sally. I have to admit, I was a little surprised by how small their office is at first but I was also slightly relieved because there is not one ounce of intimidation floating around in there. These women are nothing if not low-key and fun. They showed me around by standing in the middle of the room and pointing around. Everyone works in one room (and by ‘everyone’ I mean the small staff of four). Their desks are close to one another along one wall, there’s a conference table butting up against another wall, a fridge, plenty of runners snacks, a foam roller, exercise ball and clothes racks. Sally’s inspiration board also doubles as a room divider. This is where the genius happens and the happiness comes from! All from this one room!

Sally began running in high school and after a stint in France during college she found running again. After moving to Seattle, she joined Club Northwest and made their cross country nationals team seven times. Fast forward a few years and two kids later, she got back into racing in 2003 and went shopping for new running shorts and her life changed.

She started Oiselle so women (including herself) would have an alternative to the running apparel made by big-name running shoe companies that typically think of apparel as an afterthought. No more poufy, bagging shorts that are less than flattering. No more ugly colors and ineffective fabrics. She wanted to design running apparel that any woman would love to wear, whether racing to win or running to stay (or get) in shape. With a background in branding and marketing, Sally has an eye for color and design. This, coupled with her passion for running made her the perfect person to start a running apparel company.

When it comes to color and fabric, Sally has strong opinions. In her own words:

“I’m a huge believer in only choosing beautiful fabrics. But finding “the right fabric” and a manufacturer that can still make it affordable is the hardest part of what we do. I choose our fabrics based on how well they perform and the “seduction factor.” When you touch it, does it draw you in and make you want to wear it?”

“Color is very emotional and powerful. Nowhere do we experience that more than here in Seattle! With months of gray days, we often need bright, fun color just to lift us up. But I also think sports are just a natural fit for bright. Having said that, I take issue with too many stereotypically girlish colors. While we’re not afraid to play around with pink, it’s not what drives our brand. We’re making apparel for women who are past the pink, tutu phase of life, nor do they want to regress there.”

Today, Oiselle can be found in over 200 running shops nationwide. Sally was quite clear that they are very selective about where they will sell Oiselle apparel. The stores must be well merchandised, understand running and runners, and offer quality products and customer service. In other words, you won’t find Oiselle stocked on the racks at your local Sports Authority or Dick’s Sporting Goods.

Their shipping ‘warehouse’ is down the hall from their office. It’s a large room with boxes neatly stacked on shelving around the room, each with a sheet of paper taped to the front to keep track of inventory and tables for packing. This is where all the shipping is done, whether it is to you at home after ordering from their online store, or to a running shop in Texas. (Remember how I mentioned there is no elevator in this building?)

While in the warehouse, they picked a few things out of the boxes for me, including a pair of Lori Shorts, which are the shortest running shorts I’ve ever worn, and a Ravenna tank (there is a street by the same name near the office), which has become my favorite running top and I’ve worn more than once in a week. Don’t worry, I wash it! The top incredibly lightweight, I’ve never had an issue with it riding up and most importantly during these hot days, it doesn’t show sweat!! It’s a miracle fabric. This is me sporting it last Saturday for Summer Streets!

I had an absolutely great time meeting Sally (below right) and Sarah; it was one of the highlights of the trip for me. Their passion for running, Oiselle and the runners who love Oiselle, is immediately apparent. If you follow them on Twitter or Facebook, you know they love talking with runners and supporting running addictions everywhere! (You’re also likely to often see some whacky pictures along the way, too!) And if you order from their online store, don’t expect to just get a pair of shorts in a mailer, they take the time to include a handwritten note!

When I left their office, I knew I found a company I wanted to support. Not only is Oiselle running apparel beautiful and functional, but the company is run by passionate, intelligent, and dedicated women who are having fun doing what they love and supporting women runners along the way.

Just a quick note, Oiselle started to roll out the Fall line, so hurry to their online store to check it out. They fly out quickly! (use code RUNTODAY to get 10% off your first order!)

What do you love most about running clothes?
Do you see running/workout gear as just a necessity or more than that?
Would you rather spend your day in formal business attire or running gear?

************

Today’s workout - Not what I was going for today, but I’ll move on.

30min elliptical
125 ab exercises
1x45sec plank
2x20 squats
15min stretching/yoga

Detroit Half-Marathon Training Recap: Week 1

2011-08-15T06:44:00.001-04:00

Last week was the official first week of my half-marathon training. In an earlier post I wrote about the pretty conservative training plan I’m following this round, hoping it will help me stave off injury and get to the start (and finish) line on October 16.

This week was a little unconventional for me because my parents had been visiting over the weekend and I had a higher than usual (albiet interesting) workload. Thankfully the first few weeks are pretty low on running mileage, so I had no trouble getting it done.

Monday

40 minutes on the elliptical plus strength training.

Tuesday

Unplanned, but much needed rest day. Sometimes sleeping an extra hour is more important than following a plan to the T.

Wednesday

3 mile run plus a long stretching session and ab work

Thursday

3 mile run plus a long stretching session and ab work, and an abbreviated strength training session

Friday

Scheduled rest day.

Saturday

Switched the long run due to Summer Streets. Ran to 25th St and back which turned out to be about 5.75 miles. Lots of stretching throughout the day.

Sunday

3.25 mile run plus strength and stretching

Random non-training related note – yesterday turned out to be a perfect day for a movie, so I decided last minute to go see The Help. You might remember I reviewed the book a while back (which I absolutely loved). While I had high expectations for the movie and I often compared the film to the book, it was a great movie and I highly recommend it. Even if you haven’t read the book yet. What an outstanding story and cast.

What was the highlight of your weekend?
What are you training for? How is it going?

************

Today’s workout -

40min stationary bike
2x20 seated row
2x20 lat pull down
4x10 monster walk
2x15 squats
100 ab exercises
stretching

Sweet Corn

2011-08-14T12:09:00.001-04:00

Like just about every week, Woody and I went to the Greenmarket at Union Square yesterday and loaded up on fresh veggies for the week. We came home with kale, zucchini, the cutest little eggplants, purple potatoes, green and purple peppers and 5 beautiful ears of sweet corn.

I love corn on the cob and it always makes me think of the time I spent at our family cottage in Northern Michigan when I was young. I’d sit on the front steps with my mom, newspaper spread out in front of us, a brown paper bag and a big bag of corn to husk. I actually enjoy husking corn, for some reason or another, although I probably didn’t like it as much when I was younger.

Now, I’m using corn in more ways than just boiling for corn on the cob. I use a sharp knife to take the corn off and add other veggies like onion, peppers, tomatoes, black pepper and olive oil to make corn salads, or add it to green salads, or omelets. One popular misconception is that you have to cook corn to eat it. You don’t! It’s an easy and delicious addition to meals of all sorts! The corn we got yesterday is sweet and crunchy. It tastes like summer!

Do you like corn on the cob? What’s your favorite way to eat it?
What’s your favorite summer veggie?

************

Today’s workout –

3.25mile run
2x20 squats
2x18 weighted side bends
2x15 back extensions
2x18 cable pushdowns
2x10 lunges
2x18 hammer curls
125 ab exercises
Stretching