27 November, 2008

yesterday/today

I did 6.25 miles last night, TM at the gym, and 100 crunches. Then out w/ DBF for Thai food.

Today, SRD although will try to fit in a walk at some point. Right now, I'm heading over to Mom's to help her put together some veggie/dip and chip/dip trays. Then we're going w/ my sis and her family to her inlaw's Thanksgiving gathering.

Back at it tomorrow with 5 or 6 miles.

Happy Thanksgiving!

p.s. I know I've said 100 times that I'm sticking with half-marathons for a while, but I'll admit here that I'm considering running Chicago 2009. I'll see how my running is going in Feb/March timeframe when Chicago registration opens up, and make a decision then. In the meantime, I have a *cancellable* hotel reservation for Chicago marathon weekend - $206/night, which is GREAT!! - and if I decide not to run, well, I can cancel it.

24 November, 2008

5 months from today

I looked at the calendar this morning and realized that my brother's wedding is 5 months from today. I'm taking this as my wake-up call to get back on track with eating properly, and getting and staying consistent with my running, or really, exercise of any sort. :-)

I have 5 miles on tap tonight at the gym.

17 November, 2008

This week

Start of a new week, and I'm now 2 weeks past my NYC Marathon. So, feeling recovered for the most part!

I did 6 miles on Saturday, treadmill, followed by 100 crunches and 2x10 pushups.

This week, I'm planning on:
Monday: 5 miles
Tuesday: 6 miles
Wednesday: 5 miles
Thursday: SRD (and it's my yearly condo association meeting)

Then between Friday, Saturday and Sunday, will get in a 4-miler and a long run (8 miles). It'll depend on the weather - if we have a nice day on the weekend, I'd rather be out hiking, so will move the run to the other day.

13 November, 2008

yesterday/today

I got in 40 minutes on the treadmill at the gym last night. 3.4 miles - sheesh, I'm slow again.

My goals for the next few months are:
* consistency with my running - which should help with
* my overall fitness - which should help with
* gaining my speed back again.

I was planning on 5-6 miles tonight, but turns out I have a work event tonight (rolling my eyes here), so will have to take today as USRD.

Back at it tomorrow with that same 5-6 miles.

12 November, 2008

Sometimes I really need to sit back and think before making a decision... Last month, when the stock market was tanking (and of course, it still is), I quit my gym membership to save the $52/month. Reason being I can go to the fitness center at the college I work at for free, and that paying for the convenience of a gym near my house is just wasteful.

Well, I suppose it is wasteful, but I know myself well enough to know that if it ain't convenient, I ain't going.

So I've rejoined my gym as of today. The sales staff there must think I'm a nut. But at least I'll be a healthy nut. :-)

Back at it tonight with 4 miles, or however much I can fit in before going over to my BFs for a night out.

10 November, 2008

I ended up with no run yesterday.

DBF and I were going to hike instead, so I skipped the run, then by the time we got to the trailhead, it was pouring rain (rolling eyes here). So, on we drove, down to Barre where the granite quarries are, hoping they might have tours going - but closed for the winter now (rolling eyes here). So, on we drove, down to the Waitsfield area, hoping to drive over Lincoln Gap and take some pix (the sky has cleared now) but the Gap is also now closed for the winter (rolling eyes here). So all in all, lots of driving for no apparent reason - but some nice countryside and scenery. :-)

Finally, we ended up going bowling. My best game was 91. Yes, I'm awful at it, but it's still a hoot! DBF was in the 120s for all 3 games.

So, today, running after work at the gym. This'll be my first post-marathon run, so I'm interested to see what my legs will feel like.

05 November, 2008

My NYC Marathon race report...

AKA The worst day at the NYC Marathon is still pretty darn great...

After an okay night sleep, up for brekkie of bagel and cream cheese and a luna bar. Felt nervous but great. Get to the start around 7:30, meet up with my friend Cindy. We are so bundled up from the cold that we're unrecognizable (I'll post pix when I'm home - it's hysterical). We also find my friend Joe. And out of 40000 people, I see John, one of my RWOL forum buddies. SMALL WORLD. :-)

Line up for the wave 3 start, gun goes off at 10:20, and I'm over the start by about 10:30. Beautiful run over the bridge, and I see some friends around mile 4. I take my first pack of sport beans around this time.

By about mile 5, I'm starting to have stomach upset. By about mile 6, I'm about to puke, so I drop it to a walk and my stomach calms down. So I start to run again, my stomach revolts again, and I drop it to a walk. I'm able to do the running/walking for a while, but finally give it up around mile 8 and stick with walking. So, I accept that I'm on a walking tour of NYC and walk through the rest of Brooklyn, walk through Queens.

I arrive at the 59th Street Bridge and start powering up the hill. As we arrive at the top of the bridge, I'm behind an Achilles runner wearing a t-shirt that he's a heart transplant recipient. He turns around right then, and tells those of us walking near him that his guide is the brother of his heart donor. I promptly burst into tears and blurt out something to the effect of "that is the most beautiful thing I've heard all day." Gosh, I was a blubbering mess, but it really put the day in perspective for me. The NYC Marathon may be a competitive physical event for some people, but it's also the most amazing exhibit of personal spirit that you'll ever find.

So, I carry on. Down the bridge, into Manhattan. I run by Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, for whom I was fundraising - give high-fives to the patients, docs and nurses who come down to cheer on the Fred's Team runners (and walkers, in my case). See friends at 74th, and then on to 92nd/1st where my DBF and sis and friends are waiting. Hugs, kisses, and on my way.

Up to the Bronx, back to Manhattan. By about mile 23, I'm exhausted and also starving, but still nauseous beyond words. I haven't been able to stomach anything but water all day, and have been taking salt packets to keep my salt okay.

But my DBF, Sis and friends are waiting for me at 92nd and 5th, so I keep trucking on. Into Central Park, past mile 24, past mile 25, onto Central Park South, back into Central Park at Columbus Circle, then finally the finish line.

Anyways, that's it - a long day, actually my personal WORST. I'm guessing I lost about 20 minutes to the portolets, which is always a fun time (rolling my eyes here), but it really doesn't matter.

I had a great day, covered 26.2 miles on foot, talked to folks from all over the world, high-fived kids in every neighborhood along the course, and had a truly amazing moment with the Achilles athlete.

I'm in New Orleans now with Sis#1, and we're doing Habitat for Humanity this week. The benefit to this is that I get so sore from the hard labor LOL that I lose focus on how my legs feel!