Average Marathon Gal

Okay, some decisions made

2012-02-13T13:43:00.000-05:00

I've had the Chicago Marathon percolating around in the back of my head for several years now, always looking at 2012 Chicago as my own personal rematch after my 2007 Chicago heatwave fiasco - 5 years ago, timing seems right, etc.

And of course, after cheering my friends on in NYC back in November, with all the excitement of that fantastic race, running the streets of my home city, I was desperate to run the NYC Marathon again.

After some thought (and spurred on by the rapid pace of registrations for Chicago), I bit the bullet and registered for Chicago before they reached their registration cap of 45,000 runners. And I'm in the lottery for NYC Marathon. Heaven forbid I get into NYC now that I've registered for Chicago, because I certainly don't envision myself running two marathons within 4 weeks of each other.

So the plan is, Chicago Marathon on 7October2012. Trained up and ready to go. And fundraising for Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center as always!!

Please help support the Aubrey Fund for Pediatric Cancer Research by visiting my fundraising page at:

http://mskcc.convio.net/goto/elizabethchicago2012

what's new

2012-01-25T10:51:00.000-05:00

So, I did my race back in December, the NYRR Ted Corbitt 15k. I was very much at the back of the pack, but it was a great day to run, I had great company with my as one of my best friends (much faster than me) hung with me back there, and remembered and honored my Dad in the best way I know how.

Since then, I've been fitting in about 3 workouts a week, a mix of running or time on the elliptical. I am VERY MUCH looking forward to having longer daylight hours, not that I'll necessarily be outside running, but just for improved mood. :-)

My race calendar for 2012 is fillling up a little, mostly with short stuff in the first half of the year, then hopefully 100-on-100 Heart of Vermont Relay in August (assuming we're putting a team together again).

And the big one. My 7th NYC Marathon for MSKCC.

This week

2011-11-22T12:18:00.000-05:00

So over the weekend I took a drive with the DBF (dear boyfriend) to the new Crown Point Bridge (aka the Champlain Bridge), that connects the western and eastern sides of Lake Champlain. Had a great walk across it - complete with howling wind - and back. Great view from the top of it - out over the Ticonderoga historical site, and a nice lake view as well.

Last night, hit the elliptical at home for 30 minutes. Tonight, planning on 4 miles after work, TM at the gym. Followed by a trip to Costco for Thanksgiving groceries. That might be more of a workout than the run. :-)

6 days later

2011-11-15T12:41:00.000-05:00

6 days after my last post, and I've only fit in 3 runs. Let's just say work is kinda busy these days and it's taking over some of my personal time.

Tonight, working until 8:30, then will head home and get on the elliptical while watching Biggest Loser, my guilty pleasure. I'll post time/pace stuff after that.

It's been a while

2011-11-09T07:39:00.000-05:00

It's been a while since I posted here. Holy smokes, almost a year!

I just got back from a weekend in NYC cheering on about 25 friends who were running the NYC Marathon, and came back totally inspired to get back out there next year.

So that's the plan! I'm currently running about 10-12 miles per week, with a little elliptical thrown in on days when I work late and can't get to the gym. I'm slowly (very slowly) moving that up, and would like to be at 20-25 mpw by February or so. Stick there for two or three months, then in May, start moving the mileage up again, essentially stretching an 18 week marathon-specific plan out over 26 weeks or so.

I'll post here regularly going forward, and essentially this will be my training journal.

what's next?

2010-11-19T13:49:00.002-05:00

So, I'm thrilled to say the marathon is past now.

Very brief recap - I DNF'd. I slipped on some cups at mile 10 water stop and wrenched my back trying to stay off the ground. Kept going at glacial pace, but felt worse the further I went, and when I reached my family near the mile 18 mark, I called it quits. Not my best day, but met some amazing people and had fun. Most important of all, with the help of family and friends, I raised $5400+ for Neuroblastoma research at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center. That is literally the only reason I was out there on race day. So using that as my guide, the day was a complete success.

As for my back, it took about a week and a half, but with some low key cardio to get the muscles warm, and gentle stretching, my back seems to be fine now. The first day after the race, well, I looked like I was 90 years old, but yep, back to normal now.

Anyways, having said all that....

I'm running just small stuff now, 3- and 4-milers, will throw a 6-miler in on the weekend, and am loving it again. No pressure, just enjoying it.

I'm in the lottery for the NYC Half, and should know in the next week or so if I got an entry for the race, which is late March sometime. If I get in, I'll slowly ramp my mileage up again. If I don't get in, I'll just keep doing what I'm doing, maybe getting myself back up to 20-25 miles a week by May. No pressure, just fun and fitness. And 100-on-100 in August. :-)

2010-08-12T10:39:00.004-04:00

I haven't been on here for a while. Guess I don't have much to say for myself. :-)

Running is progressing, sort of. My marathon training schedule is moving along, I'm trying to keep up. I'm still doing the run/walk/run/walk thing. Actually, at this point, the marathon is the least of my worries. 100-on-100 is just over two weeks off and although I know I can cover the distance, my speed will be so far off from what my teammates are doing. I will definitely be the turtle of the team.

On a sad note, my dog-nephew (i.e. my brother's doggie) died yesterday. He was the best doggie, just the sweetest boy ever.

3 more weeks and then the fun starts

2010-06-14T11:51:00.003-04:00

Well, it's Monday 14 June. Three more weeks of base-building and maintenance. Right now, I'm running 4 days per week, 3-4 miles on the weekday runs, and 5 miles or so on the weekend "long" run. My midweek miles are ahead of my training plan's first week, weekend long run is where it's supposed to be. Only problem being that I'm not exactly running all that mileage - definitely doing the run/walk/run/walk methodology because that's where my fitness is at.

So, on July 5th, my 18 week marathon training plan starts. heaven help me LOL. I'm not sure why I get so worked up about this, since I've run 5 of these things. But I've never run one well. Focus, pay attention to the plan, FOLLOW the plan, and it'll be fine on race day.

2010-05-14T07:55:00.003-04:00

Can't believe where my fitness is right now. As the weight climbed pound by pound, I never really noticed what my body looks like, because it's gradual. But every once in a while, I'll be walking by a store window that's reflective, or like yesterday, catching sight of myself in the full length mirror at the gym, and well holy crap, it ain't pretty. Just way too round at the moment.

Anyways, I've done all the runs on my plan this week (a 2, a 3, and a 3). I know they're tiny short runs, but I'm glad to be doing them and glad to check them off my schedule every day. I've tacked on an extra mile or so of walking at an incline for an additional calorie burn after those runs.

SRD today, back at it tomorrow with 5 miles.

it's all planned out now

2010-05-10T10:52:00.003-04:00

I've picked my training plan for my fall marathon (Hal Higdon Novice I). Actually, it's his Novice Supreme plan, for beginner beginner runners, but essentially that's what I am right now. Fitness level is pretty poor, and endurance is pretty poor too. In other words, I have no business planning to run a marathon this fall - but hey, I'm gonna do it anyways - I have enough experience at this distance to know I can get the job done. So back to square one.

I've laid out the next 3 months of the schedule on my chalk-board at home. Learn it, do it.

I also started mixing in some cross-training yesterday. wait for it... Step aerobics. I'm having a flash-back to the early 90s. But I've gotta say, it's different than other stuff I'm doing, so was a pretty good workout. Muscle confusion. I'll mix in other x-t options as well. If it ever warms up, I'll pull my bike out of the basement.

I'm working to take off 30-35 pounds before my fall marathon, which is a pretty tall order. Race day is a little less than 26 weeks away. I'll report in every Saturday morning with my progress.

James Fortner, aka Jim2

2010-04-08T16:53:00.011-04:00

I'm so sorry to say that Jim2, James Fortner, one of the kindest people I've never met, recently passed away after a short, but tremendously courageous battle with cancer.

Jim2 was a legend - a thoughtful, kind, legend - on the Runners World Online (RWOL) forums. He had a ton of knowledge, but more importantly, a ton of class. He could step into any thread on the forum, and offer insight into the discussion. No matter how many times a question was posed, Jim2 offered a patient answer. Jim always had a kind, considered, thoughtful response, and his knowledge of running and generosity of spirit were valued so deeply.

From his diagnosis, which he talked about here, through his treatment and updates (here's the last one), Jim inspired all of us who are regulars on the RWOL forums with his strength and sense of humor while operating under the worst of circumstances.

Here's to Jim's 3rd running life. RIP Jim Fortner.

2010-03-08T13:29:00.002-05:00

The weather was great over the weekend, sunny and high 40s. DBF and I walked into town on Saturday, along the lake, and back home for total of 7.6 miles. Not running, but 7.6 miles nonetheless. Sunday, my Sis#1 and I went for a power walk, only 2.25 miles but better than nothing.

Today is SRD due to class tonight. Back to the running tomorrow with 3 miles after work...

I've taken a base-building schedule, and a marathon training schedule, put them together and then stretched them out (i.e. together they were 30 weeks, and I've stretched them out to 36 weeks). More time for my base-building, and also have repeated some weeks during the marathon training. I think it'll be a good working plan for me.

2010-03-04T09:45:00.003-05:00

So, we're in a stretch of decent weather at the moment. Mid-20s at night, and mid-30s during the day. Add in a little sun, longer days, and it's almost easy to believe that spring is here. Of course, this is Vermont, so let's not be fooled into thinking that winter is over. heck, we've got another 2 months of it! (no, just one more month, really).

All that is to say that the long winter funk is over. I'm psyched to be outside, and it's almost to the point where I can run outside after work and still be in daylight hours. Maybe another 2 weeks or so.

I'm focused on the running, and focused on eating better. I've also cut down to just one cup of coffee a day (and am even trying to skip that a few days a week). Now comes the hard part - cutting down on salt. oy.

Oh, and as far as the "giving cheese up for Lent" thing, well, it's starting to annoy me. :-) 4 weeks and 3 days until that's over.

Lent starts today

2010-02-17T07:36:00.002-05:00

I'm not, strictly speaking, a practicing Catholic anymore. But a lifetime of observing Lent means I keep observing it.

I take Lent as my opportunity to make some changes to my habits for 40 days, so here goes:
1.) practice more patience
2.) no more swearing
3.) giving up CHEESE for Lent - my favorite food
4.) and follow my running plan more faithfully

The last two are a little self-serving, more a way to better my fitness level. But all 4 will be difficult, which is why I chose them.

base building - not very exciting stuff

2010-02-15T08:51:00.002-05:00

Pretty low key these days... I'm just laying the groundwork, pure fitness- and base-building right now.

I've got a few things planned out:
* I'm doing a leg of the Vermont City Marathon RELAY (leg 4, which is 5.5 miles) on Memorial Day Weekend.
* I'm doing the 100-on-100 Heart of Vermont Relay again this year (August 28th). Hoping for my "runner 3" position again. That's about 17 miles but spread over 3 runs during the day.
* and of course, I'm running NYC Marathon again this fall, raising funds for pediatric cancer research at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center as always.

Seems like a good progression of goals through summer/fall.

brrrr but a great day outside

2010-01-09T17:28:00.002-05:00

DBF and I went cross-country skiing today. This is at Shelburne Farms, looking towards Lake Champlain and then a bit further, across the lake, the mountains you see are the Adirondacks in New York. Shelburne Farms was Lila Vanderbilt Webb's agricultural estate. Nice nice piece of property, and now a National Historic Landmark. It's still a working farm, has an Inn open during summer, and the grounds are open during the winter so folks can ski/snowshoe for free.

Skied for a little over an hour before nature called and went in for a bio-break. At that point, we called it a day. I'll count that as the equivalent to 4-5 easy miles.

2010-01-06T11:16:00.004-05:00

Wow, so the gym is packed these days. I guess I shouldn't be surprised at that? Lots of folks with New Years Resolutions to get fit and healthy.

Now, normally, I get annoyed by the fact that all these new faces pack the gym for the first month or two of the year - and HEY BUDDY, get off my treadmill. But, I was completely inconsistent the last 4-5 months of 2009, and now I am one of the New Years Resolutionists. So I will keep my trap shut about how crowded it is. LOL.

Anyways, I've been doing just mixed cardio the last few days. We got 30" of snow over the weekend - yes, you read that right, 30" - and I think I pulled a muscle in my left lower back. That's been a bit ginger, so I'm doing light stuff to warm up and loosen the muscles. I'll try for a run tonight.

See above for what 30" of snow looks like.

Welcome to 2010!

2010-01-01T13:33:00.002-05:00

I got to the gym yesterday afternoon for a workout. 40 minutes of mixed cardio (treadmill and elliptical). Then a good stretching session.

Back at it today with 4-5 miles. Heading over there now. Normally, I would expect complete madness since it's the first day of the year, but given it's a holiday, it should be fine. NEXT WEEK, though, when everyone is back to work, and going to the gym after work - well, that's when it'll be zooey. I'm not looking forward to that.

2010 plans and goals

2009-12-30T11:56:00.002-05:00

My running goals/plans for 2010 are shaping up as follows:

1.) get back to "fighting weight." 4-5 months of focused effort should do the trick.
2.) work up to a mileage base of 30 miles/week by April/May timeframe and hold there through June.
3.) Starting in June/July, start working in some doubles in prep for 100-on-100 Relay on August 14th.
4.) Starting in July, training season for NYC Marathon starts.
5.) Blow my marathon PR out of the water.

and I may try for:
6.) a yearly mileage goal of 1200-1400 miles. Just not sure how to come up with a goal number given the peaks and valleys of training cycles.

2009-12-22T10:16:00.001-05:00

It's been a while since I've posted here. Not a lot to say for myself really. I've been in a bit of a mental slump. We're in the dark cold season here in VT, and especially the last month or so with the short-and-getting-shorter days, it's been very tough to motivate to do anything. All I've wanted to do is go home after work, make soup, and curl up on the couch under a blanket. :-)

But we passed the shortest day of the year yesterday, the tide has turned, and it's time to get my tail in gear.

My main goal this time of year is consistency with number of days that I'm running. I'm shooting for 4 days/week right now, and not focusing on length of run. I just need to get out the door, into the gym, and get moving (oh yeah, I'm a treadmill runner for the winter).

I'll report back in regularly.

about 90%

2009-10-13T16:34:00.002-04:00

I've been sick for the past 2 weeks with a sore throat then head congestion then cough and laryngitis then general cold. All with a lack of sleep.

However, I'm happy to say that I'm finally feeling pretty good, have slept through the night for 3 nights running, and feel about 90% right now.

I'm going to try running tonight, treadmill at the gym since it's freezing out here. I'll be interested to see how my stamina has been affected - both by being sick, and by lack of running. (insert whistling emoticon here).

Pretty much at this point in the year, I'll be on the treadmill for all my weekday runs. It's getting dark earlier, and I'm a wimp with the dark and the cold. Weekend runs will still be outside until the snow clogs the sidewalk.

Decision made...

2009-09-14T14:14:00.003-04:00

I officially cancelled my NYC Marathon entry this weekend, deferring until the 2010 race, and I'm confident it was the right thing to do. We're 7 weeks away from race day, and I decided to be realistic, given the continued stomach issues and my lack of quality long runs at this point due to the stomach issues. I'll still be in NYC that weekend, just as head cheerleader on race day.

I'm going to do a half up here on November 8th instead as my second fall race for Neuroblastoma research at MSKCC.

Other random notes... I'm back from my trip to the city - observed 9/11, spent time with friends, and went to the US Open. Rain wreaked havoc with the Open schedule, and my tickets for mens semis on Saturday (first match at 11 a.m. and second immediately after that) became Sunday (matches at noon and 4:30 p.m.). So I saw the Nadal vs. Del Potro match - Del Potro was amazing. But I had to leave the Open to catch my flight at 7 p.m. Not a complete loss, though - it was a gorgeous day at the Open for the first match, and I saw the second match at the airport bar with an ice cold Corona or 2. Oh, I also went to the Met to see the Vermeer exhibit that just opened. Beautiful paintings.

I have 5 miles on tap for tonight after work, looking forward to working up a good sweat and getting the legs moving.

what to do, what to do

2009-09-08T16:00:00.003-04:00

I'm in a muddle lately.

I've been debating, for weeks now, whether to run the NYC Marathon on November 1st, or to defer my entry until 2010. I haven't been able to finish a long run yet, due to stomach issues that seem to come on sometime around mile 6 or 7.

Two major issues come to mind:
1.) I haven't been able to finish a long run yet, so don't have the training on my legs or under my belt for race day, and
2.) Even if I can start the race, there's a good chance, based on the stomach issues I've had in my last few marathons, the 100-on-100, and my last few long training runs, that I'm going to end up walking the bulk of the marathon. I did that in 2008, walking the last 20, yes, you read that right, the last 20 miles. And it's just not how I envision my marathon.

I'm going to NY on marathon weekend. I have a flight down, and two nights of hotel booked. And I have my race entry, via the lottery. Which gives me the freedom to cancel. I can defer even up until the day before the race. So will keep training, keep trying to run long, and will hope for the best.

Worst case scenario, I found a half-marathon about 10 miles from home, the weekend AFTER New York. If I cancel NY, I can always do the half. That way, even if my stomach kicks in and I have to walk a bit, it won't be for that far.

My "100-on-100 Heart of Vermont Relay" race report

2009-08-19T14:08:00.003-04:00

I'm not sure where to begin. Firstly, it was one of the most memorable weekends I've ever had. My 11 teammates (we have 2 teams of 6 running) come from all over the country. We're 3 VTers, 2 from IN, 1 from VA, 1 from MD, 1 from MA, 1 from IL, and 2 from NY. Anyways, I'm so fortunate to know them and to have spent quality (albeit smelly and stinky) time with all of them. We were truly a team, and this was really about pulling together and honoring Cody, the son of my teammate Mickey and his wife Diane, who passed away this March at age 6 of Neuroblastoma. It was an honor to run in Cody's name, and Cody was in mind a good portion of the day.

Saturday, we meet in the hotel lobby at 5:30 to head to Trapp Family Lodge. I'm a-skeered. Runner order for team 1 is: Eric, Scott, Elizabeth, Rick, Kerry, then Bill. We run in that order, and repeat 3 times. (Team 2 order is: Leslie, Ros, Karen, Tobes, Judy, and Mickey).

My 1st run:
This is my first run of the day, and it's 7.0 miles. It was still a bit fogged in when I started running. Legs feel good. Plenty of rolling hills, and I'm feeling comfortable. I get about a mile into my run, stop to stretch my calves and quads a bit, and keep going. I think our van passes me around mile 2 or so, cheering me out the window. Around mile 4 or so, though, my stomach starts acting up, very similar to the problem I had at NYC last year - I feel like throwing up when I'm running, so take it down to a power-walk until my stomach calms down. Start running again, feel like throwing up again. This goes on pretty much the rest of this leg. I get passed by about a million people, I reach the transition point and hand off to Rick. I was VERY frustrated at this point. My teammates were wonderful, reassuring me that they didn't care about my pace (or lack thereof).

My 2nd run:
This portion of the run is described as leaving the forest behind and entering pasturelands. They were telling the truth. It's 4.7 miles, mostly flat, but there is not a lick of shade to be found. NONE. ANYWHERE. It's a little over 90f, I'm absolutely roasting, and also still tremendously nauseous when running. I was running with a waist-pack water bottle carrier, and that's making my stomach worse - too much pressure around the stomach I think. When the team passes me at around mile 2, I give them that, and just take a water bottle. That helped, and they checked in on me again around mile 3. I run (a little) and walk (a lot) to finish out the leg and hand off to Rick again. I manage a good number of pretzels and a piece of bread, hoping that'll help.

My 3rd run:
This leg is 4.5 miles and described as: "Kill-ington Descent, sure to leave a lasting memory with those that take on the challenge." I get the hand-off from Scott, and take off. My stomach seems kinda okay, so I keep my stride smooth and low to the ground and keep running. The leg is rolling small and large hills for the first 2 miles or so, then all downhill from there. 1000 feet descent in 2.25 miles. I just keep running downhill, downhill, downhill. It actually felt pretty comfortable for me, although there were a few places where the slope would increase to a point where I was a little worried about taking a wipe-out. Just before the 4 mile marker, Karen from Cody Team II comes flying by me - yelling out something to the effect of "I'm out of control. I can't stop!" with a huge smile on her face. Anyways, I feel good and strong on this leg, and after the disasters of my first two run, am VERY pleased with this one. I hand off to Rick as dusk is setting in and away he goes.

The cameraderie of this race was awesome - we saw Team 2 out on the course, and at transition areas throughout the day. And as Mickey (Cody's dad, on Team 2) and Bill approached the finish, we all joined in and Teams 1 and 2 crossed the finish line together. I'll never forget that moment. Lots of hugs, and lots of thoughts of Cody.

We all had breakfast together Sunday morning, then hit the road, with folks going in different directions - back to MA, IN, VA, MD, IL, and NY.

GREAT GREAT race, and I'm definitely doing this next year.

p.s. That downhill run... Well, let's just say it's a little tough on the quads. :-)

2009-07-08T13:08:00.003-04:00

Ha, a week into training season, and I've already changed my training plan. I'm swapping from Bob Glover's plan over to Hal Higdon. I like Hal's mid-week middle-distance runs. I'll be mixing it up between his Novice I and Novice II plans. Hey, who ever said this stuff was set in stone? :-)

a few steps forward

2009-06-17T16:03:00.004-04:00

So, a few new things going on with training...

I finally selected a training plan for the fall, and will go with the classic "Official training program of the NYC Marathon" by Bob Glover (the first time/casual marathoner program). It's the same training program as in his book. I like that it gets up to 20 miles a few times, unlike some of the other beginner plans. And I am indeed counting myself as a beginner this time around, since my running over the winter wasn't what it should have been.

Regardless, I'm looking forward to the program and getting into the thick of training season!

Also, a fun little twist to this... The health and wellness writer at the NY Times is training for her first marathon, and by virtue of the resources of the Times, and her column, a slew of training programs are now accessible as online programs. Same program I have printed out and tacked up on the bulletin board, but I can log my runs online, keep track of weekly mileage, how many weeks until the race, etc. And Bob Glover's beginner program is one of the ones they've included. :-) So, it's a nice little toy to play with.

and here we go!

2009-06-04T06:56:00.003-04:00

So, for the first time EVER, drum roll please....... I got selected in the NYC Marathon lottery! 1 acceptance in 6 tries. :-) That's not to say I haven't run that race before, because I have - 5 times. But it's my first time in via the lottery. woohoo! I should have played PowerBall yesterday too, while my luck was running good LOL.

Consistency has always been my problem when it comes to running, but I'm slowly getting there. My fitness isn't exactly where it needs to be, considering my official training program starts on June 29th, but slow and steady wins *that* race.

More to follow as base-building continues, and as training season starts!

2009 New Orleans Jazz Fest recap

2009-05-04T10:15:00.001-04:00

It's time for my 2009 New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival recap, so here goes...

Thursday 30 April: We saw/heard Tulane University Jazz Ensemble. Then off to see Little Freddie King Blues Band in the Blues Tent (he played at the first Fest 40 years ago) - awesome. Then the Louis Armstrong Summer Jazz Camp band. Then New Birth Brass Band (love those horns and that brass sound!), then Michael Ward (jazz violinist). Next up, George Wein and the Newport All-Stars (also played at the first fest 40 years ago). Then Emmylou Harris.

High points of the day - the Louis Armstrong Summer Jazz Camp band, and some of Emmylou Harris' songs - she has the most amazing voice.

Clever t-shirt of the day: WTFWJD

Friday 1 May: tons of music again: Forgotten Souls Brass Band - great; BeauSoleil avec Michael Doucet (zydeco/cajun music - great); then Marcia Ball (great blues and funk piano/vocals, all with a Louisiana twist to it); then off to John Boutte (great jazz vocals), followed by Esperanza Spalding (24year old phenom, plays upright bass with incredible vocals - watch for this name going forward). Last but certainly not least, Tony Bennett, who was incredible.

High points of the day - Marcia Ball singing "Louisiana 1927" (that song alone was worth the price of admission for the day), and Tony Bennett singing "The Good Life" and "I Left my Heart in San Francisco" as well as many of his other standards. He also has a sense of humor, dedicating "The Good Life" to Britney Spears - the crowd was howling with laughter at that one...

Clever t-shirt of the day: Please direct all questions to my agent.

Saturday 2 May: started the day with The New Orleans-Helsinki Connection band (made up of musicians from Helsinki Finland, and New Orleans - they met through some joint gigs then the Helsinki folks came over post-Katrina to help, and the rest is history). then on to Sherman Robertson in the Blues Tent; then over to see/hear Treme Brass Band in the Economy Hall tent (the most New Orleans-centric music at Fest is there), then Preservation Hall Jazz Band. Both Treme and Pres Hall had the crowds on their feet the entire time. Economy Hall tent is the only stage at Fest with a dance floor - it was packed as usual; and the second lines were frequent - moving through the entire tent. Finished the day with a little of the Kings of Leon set at the Gentilly Stage. I saw them a few years ago when they opened for U2, and didn't think much of them, but I heard a good number of songs that I really liked.

High points of the day: seeing the usual dancers and second-liners in Economy Hall - after 11 years in a row at Fest, I know these faces and come to count on them as part of my Fest - including the little 80+ year old lady that leads the second lines, and the french couple on the dance floor (she's pregnant this year, but still dances amazingly well); tall-grey-haired guy second-lining, and middle-aged-guy who dances with little-old-lady. I don't know a single name, but they're a big part of Fest to me.

Clever t-shirt of the day: This isn't the most direct route to work, but I hate my job anyway.

Sunday 3 May: started the day in the Blues Tent hearing Kenny Neal - amazing guitar; then over to the Jazz Tent for Jeremy Davenport (great trumpet, great vocals and an amazing band); stayed put to hear Ellis Marsalis next (amazing jazz pianist, and father of Wynton, Branford, Delfeyo and Jason Marsalis - all great jazz musicians in their own right). He also was Harry Connick Jr.'s piano teacher when Harry was a kid. then over to Economy Hall to hear Bob French and the Original Tuxedo Jazz Band with Teedy Boutte (related to John Boutte, not sure how). Great band and great energy. The heavens opened during this set, sure was glad to be in a tent. Rain let up as it was ending but sky was still ominous, so we left for the day.

High point of the day: Jeremy Davenport's 11-year-old trumpet student playing "Do you know what it means to miss New Orleans" during his set; and the Ellis Marsalis set - amazing as always.

Clever t-shirt of the day: Don't let reality ruin your day.

OVERALL: Music, food and spirit are alive and well in New Orleans - go down and spend your tourist dollars, because that's the lifeblood of this city. The post-Katrina rebuild and recovery is coming along, but again, it's a tourism-driven city. They're being hurt by this economic downturn as much if not more than any other region.

Fest dates for 2010 are: 23-25 April and 29 April - 2 May. Mark your calendars!!

it's been a while

2009-04-13T13:18:00.004-04:00

I haven't posted here in a while. Guess I'm just not a talkative sort! :-)

But I do have some running-related news... I've registered, as part of a 6-person team, to run in the 100-on-100 Heart of Vermont relay on August 15th. This race starts at Trapp Family Lodge in Stowe, VT and travels 100 miles southward on scenic Route 100, ending at Okemo Mountain Resort in Ludlow, VT. The course is broken down into 18 legs, and runners 1-6 each run 3 legs over the course of the day. Total mileage per runner is somewhere between 15 and 18 miles. only other thing to note: HILLS GALORE! www.100on100.org

I'm running the race with 5 runners I know from the Runners World Online masters forum - having met 3 of them in person already - and we're running in memory of Cody, my friends Mickey and Diane's little boy, who passed away of Neuroblastoma in March at age 6. We'll also be fundraising for neuroblastoma research. I'll be fundraising for this race in conjunction with my NYC Marathon fundraising, which is also for neuroblastoma research. (see link http://tinyurl.com/dxabjt)

2009-04-01T10:54:00.001-04:00

I've been feeling a little directionless lately with regards to my running, so spent a little time this morning at the chalkboard (I have an old schoolhouse one on my hallway wall) mapping out my running for the next few months. Just a consistent 4 days per week, slowly increasing the weekly mileage. Need a better base than I have currently! Anyways, it was good to see a plan up on the wall.

I've got 3 months of consistency and base-building before marathon training season starts on 1 July.

2009-03-13T10:35:00.004-04:00

I've got a head/chest cold at the moment, but got to the gym last night for 3 TM miles. It was REALLY hard work! But I think warming up the body, getting the blood pumping, working up a good sweat, helped my cold a bit, so back at it tonight with another 3-4 miles.

By the way, we're back to winter again. 14F today and bright blue skies.

sigh.

2009-03-06T13:43:00.003-05:00

I can't really say much for myself right now. Have been running fairly consistently (3-4 days per week), need to make that 4-5 days per week, and then up the mileage per run. I'll get there. The time change this weekend will help for sure.

Much more importantly, though, I'm heartbroken to have to say that Cody, the 6-year old son of my friends Mickey and Diane, passed away from Neuroblastoma this morning. You can read more about their journey on Mickey's blog: http://deckapes.blogspot.com/.

I am so ANGRY that cancer has taken this beautiful little boy, so ANGRY that his amazing parents have to bear this loss, and so ANGRY that Cody's brother and sister have to move forward without their little brother.

Here we go!

2009-02-19T16:33:00.004-05:00

Again, first order of business is prayers and positive thoughts for the Johnson family!

I have a 3-4 miler on tap for tonight, however much I can fit in before rushing home to get cleaned up for a night out w/ DBF.

CONSISTENCY IS KEY! Right now, I'm doing runs of 3-4 miles at a go. 4 days a week. Will move up to 4-5 milers as my mainstay runs. stay there a while, then start lengthening one weekday run and the weekend run. By May or so, I need to be doing 20-25 miles per week, consistently. That's my base-building plan.

Because as you might have guessed by now, I have registered to run the NYC Marathon this fall. I know, I can hear the eyes rolling around in your head right now because I swore I would NEVER, EVER, run that race again.

But I'm running in Cody's name again, and will fundraise for Neuroblastoma again. And that makes it worth all the effort.

2009-02-18T11:20:00.001-05:00

Again, first things first - sending every positive thought that I can to Mickey, Diane, Cody, and family today.

Other than that, just happy that I'm enjoying my running again. It's been a long time since I've been able to say that! It's really hard work again, which isn't surprising given how much time I took off, but I finish a run feeling like I've accomplished something. :-)

Did 4 last night, TM at the gym, and am planning on 4 or 5 tonight. I need to start back up with the crunches and pushups.

Monday, Monday...

2009-02-16T12:00:00.004-05:00

First off, I'm sending every positive thought and energy I can to Mickey, Diane, Cody and family today. Praying for a miracle that Cody's liver function improves so he can start back with his chemo again... sigh.

I'll be running my fall marathon in honor of Cody again, and will start my fundraising for Neuroblastoma research at MSKCC pretty soon as well.

Other than that, just planning on a 4-5 miler tonight at the gym. I can't believe I'm sore from the 3-miler that I did on Saturday. Just goes to show that other cardio, whether elliptical, bike or arc trainer, are no substitute for running.

2009-02-13T14:32:00.002-05:00

Winter has returned after taking off a few days (we had 52F temps on Wednesday and 45F temps yesterday). 18F today, but nice blue skies.

I'll be hitting the gym tonight for a few miles. Then going to the movies with sis#1.

I haven't been running much or often - lots of plans but things seem to get in the way. Not necessarily important things, just things in general. But I'm signing up for a marathon next week, and I darn well better get consistent with my running, and long before the training season actually starts.

2009-02-05T10:15:00.001-05:00

I'll get to the gym for a 4-miler tonight, looking forward to it.

But my main thought today is for Cody, the 6-year old son of my friends Mickey and Diane - waging his 3rd battle against Neuroblastoma. And for Mickey and Diane themselves, waging their battle against stupid insurance companies.

Sending every positive thought I can!

2009-01-28T10:12:00.002-05:00

I've been in a bit of a mojo-slump, with not much interest in getting to the gym at night. Unfortunately, as someone who hates being cold, this weather makes me want to go home straight from work, and curl up on the couch under a blanket. :-)

However, with winter being really long here, 4-5 months of no exercise is really a bad idea - I'd be a complete blob by spring time. :-)

So, back at it tonight with 4-5 miles, treadmill at the gym.

Caveat being that with 10-16" of snow on the way today/tonight, I'll see how the roads are.

brrrrrrrr!

2009-01-15T16:56:00.004-05:00

What else is there to say... It's freakin' freezing here in VT! It was -10F on my way to work this morning, and was only up to 3F when I went to grab lunch.

Needless to say, there is no WAY I would run outside in this kind of weather, so off to the gym I go for a treadmill run. Hopefully I can actually get a parking spot at the gym (as opposed to last Thursday when I drove around the lot for 22 minutes, seriously, with no luck whatsoever).

I have 4 miles on tap for tonight.

CONSISTENCY IS KEY! I need to keep telling myself that!

last day of 2008

2008-12-31T11:19:00.004-05:00

We're closing early today at work (3 p.m.), so I'll hit the gym for a good run. I'm planning on 4-5 miles, but if feeling good, might as well keep going. Gym closes at 6 for New Year's Eve, so have plenty of time available to me.

Then home to clean up and over to DBF's for a low key evening - videos, pizza/salad, and a good bottle of wine.

I'm volunteering at a local 5k tomorrow (forecast for friggin' freezing, so I'm glad I'm not running LOL)!

2008-12-30T11:33:00.003-05:00

First things first, I'm starving and can't wait for lunchtime (12:01 p.m.). :-)

I went to the gym last night for what was supposed to be 4 miles, but ran out of time around the 3.25 mile mark. Not to worry, it was a run and for now, it's okay if I come up a little short in the mileage department. The main thing is to actually get there consistently during the week and get a mid-length long run on the weekend.

Tonight, I'm planning on 4-5 miles, treadmill at the gym.

By the way, the New Year's resolution folks have already invaded the gym and are crowding my treadmills. Now, I'm not going to complain and wish that they would just disappear, because I've been one of those folks before, trying to get back on track with my fitness and health, and indeed, that's my plan for 2009. So more power to them. But I still want them out of my way. ;-)

time flies!

2008-12-29T15:12:00.004-05:00

Time flies when it's the holiday season! I can't believe 2008 is almost over and that 2009 is almost here. Holy smokes... So, time to look back and time to look ahead.

Looking back, I didn't meet very many of my running goals for the year (the usuals being to run consistently, to PR in all distances, etc.). I lost traction in my goal to run consistently back around July, and never really got back on track. Forget the fact that I was in the middle of marathon training season, I just couldn't get interested in running. As for PRing in all distances, well, I only raced three times last year: a 5k on New Years day (run with 6 inches of fresh snow on the course, so no PR there), the Manhattan Half in late January (a PR by 11 minutes, woohoo), and my NYC Marathon (which was a personal worst due to stomach issues). So, I'm happy to leave 2008 behind from a running perspective.

Looking ahead to 2009, well, I think my main goal is to get consistent again, with a minimum of 4 runs per week. I have a 15k in March, and a half in June. After those, we'll see how things look with regards to doing a fall marathon.

So, repeat after me: CONSISTENCY IS KEY!!

Oh, and while I'm at it, I plan to take off the extra pounds I put on in 2008 while being inconsistent with my running. :-)

I spoke too soon

2008-12-19T19:49:00.002-05:00

It started snowing, heavily, this afternoon right around 2 p.m. Watching it pile up quickly, I was thinking our boss might send us home early but no such luck.

So, I leave work at 5 p.m. on the dot. And it takes me 65 minutes to cover the 5.0 miles between work and home. Roads were absolutely AWFUL. Too much snow falling too close to rush hour, no time for the plows to clear the roads, and even if they had, they couldn't have kept up with the snow fall.

That's my long-winded way of saying I blew off the gym. There was no way I was driving any further than my house tonight.

getting caught up

2008-12-19T13:46:00.003-05:00

I feel like I'm starting to get back on track with my running, at least with the motivation and consistency of it. Certainly not on the fitness end of things (I'm unfit and slow as molasses at the moment), but those improvements will come with time.

This week so far:
M: srd
Tu: 5
W: 5
Th: 3

Normally I'd take SRD today, but I'm in a 4/5/6 running challenge, where I have to run minimum of 4 days a week, minimum of 5 miles/run, for 6 weeks straight. And this week since I only have 2 5-milers so far, and the challenge week ends on Saturday, well, I have to do 5 today and 5 tomorrow.

On an unrelated note, it just started snowing again. We're due for 6" or so tonight.

Another unrelated note, I have to buy my Christmas tree tomorrow, decorate it, do all my Christmas cards, and shop for my DBF's present and my Mom's present. Yowza.

2008-12-12T16:16:00.004-05:00

Not much to say for myself running-wise. Did a 3-miler on WEdnesday, skipped last night, and have a work event tonight. Back at it tomorrow with something in the 1:30-2:00 hour range. I need to start getting some endurance again.

More importantly, please think some positive thoughts for Cody, the little boy in whose honor I ran my marathon. He's not feeling great and his mom is taking him in for tests today.

Looking ahead a bit

2008-12-08T11:12:00.003-05:00

Given the small population up here in the North Country, it's difficult to find enough races to fill my race calendar, and it's sometimes necessary to travel to other parts of the state for races. I've been keeping my eye on a race called the Covered Bridges Half-Marathon down in Woodstock, in June. It's hugely popular, and last year, the registration cap was reached in 82 minutes. Yes, you read that right, 82 minutes.

So, with registration opening up this morning at 9 a.m., I had a reminder on my Outlook calendar at work. I jumped on a few minutes early with no luck, so went to my 9 a.m. meeting, When the meeting was out at 9:45 or so, hopped right back on my computer, got the "this site is busy" message a few more times, kept refreshing, and finally got through and got registered.

Sheesh, it's almost as tough as getting Red Sox tickets. :-)

So, my first race of 2009 is on the calendar!

2008-12-07T22:19:00.002-05:00

Let's see, where were we??? :-)

My knee seems to be back to normal now, thankfully. Yesterday, I hit the gym for a mixed bag of cardio:

4 x 10 minutes on elliptical, then arc trainer, then back to elliptical, then the rowing machine.

Can I just say that the rowing machine kicked my butt? Partly because I was 5 minutes into my 10-minute interval before I realized I was on the highest resistance setting, and partly because I just don't have any upper body strength. Clearly I need to remedy that!! LOL.

Today, went for a walk along the river w/ DBF after brekkie. BRRR! Then I went home and did some house stuff. Also fit a nap into my afternoon.

Tomorrow, back to the gym after work for a run, 5 miles or so.

2008-12-02T14:54:00.003-05:00

You know, I really have no idea what's going on. I've been having pain and instability with my right knee since Sunday. No apparent reason whatsoever. No fall, no twist, no nothing. It *is* my knee with the ACL reconstruction, and occasionally it acts up. But that doesn't make it any less annoying.

I'm finally feeling good and motivated about running again, and now I'm taking USRDs for the knee issue. Very annoying.

Anyways, I'm going to the gym tonight, and will do cardio of some sort.

yesterday/today

2008-11-27T11:12:00.003-05:00

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.

5 months from today

2008-11-24T15:09:00.003-05:00

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.

This week

2008-11-17T15:01:00.002-05:00

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.

yesterday/today

2008-11-13T15:34:00.002-05:00

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.

2008-11-12T14:02:00.003-05:00

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.

2008-11-10T10:26:00.002-05:00

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.

My NYC Marathon race report...

2008-11-05T21:36:00.003-05:00

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!

Can't believe it's almost here - 2 days 22h 09m 14s to go!

2008-10-30T10:49:00.002-04:00

Wow, so the marathon is just a few days away, and also just a few days from being over. :-)

Deposits = Returns. No deposits = No returns. And I didn't make many deposits this training season. I just want to get this over with. I'm disappointed in myself already and will cross the finish line feeling the same way.

When I'm mentally ready to do the hard work again, I'll think about another marathon. Until then, running for the sake of running. Working up a sweat. Getting the legs moving. My overall health. Being able to eat without worry. The cameraderie of races. and of course, the free t-shirt with race. :-)

2008-10-24T07:48:00.002-04:00

Nice sunrise this a.m. and brrrr, it's cold out there! 24F at the moment. Mount Mansfield is now white on top, as is Camel's Hump (Camel's Hump is the mountain pictured on the VT state quarter, fyi ).

My right calf is still killing me, so I'm still stretching, still using the stick, etc. I'm going to try one of those icy/hot patches today to see if that helps. I tried running last night with no luck, so ended up on the exercise bike at the gym just to get some cardio. Anyways, I'll try running again at lunch today.

I had the funniest dream last night. DBF bought a house on my Mom's street without realizing. Within 2 days of his closing date, she put him to work on her yard like nobody's business. By coincidence, the same day, the Vermont City Marathon also finished in my Mom's backyard. but I could see the NYC skyline at the back of the yard. The mind works in very strange ways...

hmmmmph.

2008-10-23T07:53:00.002-04:00

My right calf was tight all day yesterday, and by the time I left work, it was bad enough that I was limping. It also cramped up most of the night. No idea what's going on there, but I've been using the Stick and will get out for a walk at lunch to see if I can loosen things up. If so, will run tonight.

This is the LAST thing I need right now, with NYC just over a week away.

Heaven knows my training has been crappy. And I was planning to get another quality run in this weekend (12-15 miles) for a bit more confidence.

2008-10-14T15:30:00.004-04:00

Busy busy weekend! The forecast was best for Saturday and Sunday, and not quite as nice for Monday (which I also had off, thanks to my paesano Christopher Columbus). So, we went hiking on Saturday and Sunday.

Although I can run until the cows come home, I was sucking wind within about 5 minutes of starting - from the incline. I should run more hills, apparently. :-)

Did 15 miles yesterday. SRD today.

By the way, I'm offering up a huge thanks to the finance gods that the MS/Mitsubishi deal got done and that MS has a new infusion of capital. Otherwise, I'd be crying in my (insert beverage of choice here).

Now that they've got a bit of stability, I'm going to move the shares of out the ESOP plan administrator and into a brokerage account where I can sell a little at a time and DIVERSIFY my retirement.

The stupid stock market is giving me agita

2008-10-10T12:22:00.003-04:00

Good grief, I'm going to have a coronary soon. The stock market is out of control. It's completely irrational and completely driven by fear, nothing to do with fundementals of individual stocks.

The overall economic picture, lack of liquidity, etc. is CRUSHING stocks that are perfectly profitable.

I'm going to be working until I'm 90 at this rate. Way too much of my retirement savings is in financial services stocks, a result of working 10 years on Wall Street. Yes, I know I should have diversified, stupid me, but I have/had great faith in the business models and more importantly, the leadership of the stocks I own.

Anyways, enough of my non-running-related (NRR) rantings. Only running thing to say for myself is that I have 5 miles on tap for tonight.

yesterday/today

2008-10-09T07:48:00.003-04:00

So, I got in a 40 minute progression run last night, from "super duper slow" progressing to "still pretty darn slow." It's a little discouraging, where I am right now with regards to speed, compared to where I was in the spring. Guess I shouldn't be surprised, given the lack of consistency in my training this summer/fall. Oh well, it'll come back with some work, no doubt there...

Tonight, I have 6 miles on tap, maybe 7. TM at the gym of course. It's now getting dark early enough that I can only fit in 3-4 miles outside before it's dark out. So, gym it is.

Oh, speaking of the gym, I quit the gym near my house. I love the convenience of it, but I have free access to the fitness center at work, and also a free membership to an older gym that's near my office. Given the state of the economy (and of my retirement plan), it's best if I save that $50/month. I'm paid up through 31 October, so that gets me through marathon season. After that, I'll figure it out and also maybe work in some classes and some resistance training, something I haven't had time for with the running.

2008-10-08T10:23:00.003-04:00

I was awake from midnight until well after 4 a.m. last night. Very annoying, I must say, but I made a HUGE dent in the book I'm reading at the moment. :-)

I'll be stopping by Dunkin Donuts on my way to work for the Big One, or whatever they call the x-large coffee. and of course, a cinnamon-swirly coffee roll thingamajig.

Anyways, I have 5 miles on tap tonight. Then out with the BF.

change of plans

2008-10-06T07:53:00.004-04:00

I've decided to cancel my trip to NYC this coming weekend (was going down to do the Staten Island Half).

I'm sick with either head+chest cold or a whopping case of allergies, but it's really kicking my pants. Work is crazy right now. And lastly, I just got back from a trip (Austin, TX), and don't feel like travelling again so soon.

It's a 3-day weekend due to Columbus Day, and it'll be nice to just stay put, enjoy a little downtime, and get my run in. This will also give me a little more flexibility to go longer than the half-marathon distance I was going to race on Sunday. And heaven knows, at this point in my training, I need to go longer. (rolling my eyes at myself here).

ok, here's the plan

2008-10-05T11:35:00.002-04:00

So, my training has NOT been what it should have been. I've been on the road way too much this summer and fall, and worked way too many weekends. Too much time away, and not enough time running. As well, I have had a mental block this whole training season, and now, 4 weeks out from my marathon, I still haven't gone further than 15 miles.

So, here's the plan for the next 4 weeks including today:
today: 15 miles
this coming week: rest/5/7/5/5/rest/half-marathon race
week after that: rest/5/7/5/5/rest/18
week after that: rest/5/7/5/5/rest/15
week after that: rest/5/3/5/3 rest/marathon

In other words, little to no taper, because frankly I haven't been taxing my body enough to need one. I'm going to have to count on good general cardio fitness, and only moderate long runs/endurance to get me through the race.

So, 4 weeks from today, the torture will be over, and I can go back to actually enjoying my runs. Basic 5/7/5/10-14 long run, 4 days a week, no schedule and no pressure. Just the joy of running again.

I won't be doing another marathon anytime soon, if ever again, after this one. It really just gets in the way of my running, however counterintuitive that may sound.

Austin City Limits Festival, day 3

2008-09-30T15:51:00.003-04:00

Sunday, last day of the festival. At this point, I'm pretty beat... I did manage to drag my bumm down to the hotel gym and get in a 5-miler.

So, day 3, here's who I saw:
Nakia & His Southern Cousins
Mike Farris featuring the Roseland Rhythm Revue
Xavier Rudd - (rolling my eyes at this one)
Joe Bonamassa
Okkervil River
White Denim
Band of Horses
Foo Fighters

Best of the day goes to Mike Farris - fantastic set, fantastic voice, really tight back-up band. I only heard the last 2-3 songs from Nakia & southern cousins, but what I heard was GREAT - I'll definitely be picking up this album. and Okkervil River was really great as well. Band of Horses - I like them more now that I've heard them live. And Foo Fighters sounded great, but it was a complete mob scene near that stage, so we left after 4 or 5 songs. I'll regret that, I'm sure...

Xavier Rudd - well, folks jammed that tent so tight I was expecting something amazing. Frankly, though, it was musical wanking. I left after 2 songs - just nothing there at all that interested me. So I went to Joe Bonamassa instead and he was good.

Austin City Limits Festival, day 2

2008-09-30T15:46:00.003-04:00

Day 2, hot as h*ll. But hey, it's Texas and I don't mind. :-)

So, we saw:
Old 97's
Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings
Black Joe Lewis & the Honeybears
Robert Earl Keen
Spiritualized
Conor Oberst & the Mystic Valley Band
The Black Keys
Iron & Wine (just a song or 2 - way too mellow)

Best of the day - Old 97s, absolutely.... Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings were also great. Interesting note - she used to be in music back in the 70s, but left the business, and while away from singing, she used to be a corrections officer at Rikers Island, and there were moments when looking at her face, you KNOW she didn't take any crap from anyone. :-)

After Festival, we went to dinner at El Sol y La Luna. Yes, same place I went to brekkie on Friday. Also same place I went for late lunch/early dinner on Thursday when I flew into town. Food is great, and they serve a nice cold Shiner Bock.

Austin City Limits Festival, day 1

2008-09-30T15:40:00.003-04:00

OK, I'm digressing from running to music for a few posts....

I just got back home from a long weekend in Austin, TX, where I was fortunate enough to enjoy 3 rockin' days of great music, great food, and great weather.

Here's who I saw on day one:
Dan Dyer
Rodney Crowell
What Made Milwaukee Famous
Vampire Weekend
Jakob Dylan and the Gold Mountain Rebels
Jamie Lidell
Bobby Bare, Jr.
Hot Chip
Ryan Bingham
David Byrne
Antibalas

Best of the day, by far, was Rodney Crowell. Houston-born singer-songwriter, played some great songs, new album out called Sex & Gasoline. I also really liked What Made Milwaukee Famous, Jakob Dylan, Bobby Bare Jr., and David Byrne also sounded great, the few songs of his I heard.

Also started the day off right with a great brekkie at my favorite mexican restaurant, El Sol Y La Luna, with 2 of my Dad's cousins. It was wonderful to see them.

2008-09-24T07:22:00.002-04:00

I went to the gym last night and did 3 easy miles to get my legs loose. It's amazing how sometimes a 3-mile run is harder than a 10 or 15 mile run.

Anyways, back at it tonight. I'll figure out the distance when I get to the gym.

I head to Austin, TX tomorrow morning for the Austin City Limits Festival, 3 days of music and sun in Zilker Park in Austin. I will do some running when I'm down there, but probably treadmill, just to keep things simple. It's going to be smokin' hot (90-95) and sunny the whole time I'm there. Back on Monday. I should have computer access, just not a ton.

Time for coffee!

2008-09-16T10:44:00.004-04:00

Well, I don't really have much to say for myself lately.

I'm running, but probably not as much as I should be, and I'm hating every step of it. I'm dreading the marathon, and know it's going to be a long hard slog - mostly because I'm not training well. Sort of a vicious circle, huh? I could use a kick in the pants! The only thing keeping me going is that I'm running with Fred's Team, and have folks counting on me.

I have 5 miles on tap for tonight.

Gosh, it's pouring out!

2008-09-09T07:32:00.002-04:00

Rain of biblical proportions coming down right now, and tons of ugly thunder and lightning too. The sky is already getting a bit lighter, though, so I expect that the t&l will move out quickly. We've had so many sunny dry days recently that I suspect we could use the rain, so no worries...

I was away the bulk of last week on a road trip with the BF. Saratoga Springs, then onto Hudson, NY, then on to NYC for the weekend, including the men's semi-finals at the US Open on Saturday afternoon. Saw the Federer vs. Djokovic match in its entirety, and saw the portion of the Nadal vs. Murray match they were able to play before the rain came (remnants of TS Hanna).

Back now for a few weeks, which is good because my running suffers when I travel. I got in 2 short runs while away, but no long run. Which I'm doing tonight on the treadmill at the gym. I don't mind the treadmill at all, but doing my long run on a Tuesday for the previous weekend pushes next weekend's long run to Sunday or Monday. Oh well, I'll figure it out as usual.

2008-09-01T09:29:00.002-04:00

I've been MIA this week. DBF was in the hospital and I was pretty preoccupied with that. He got discharged yesterday, and boy, was he happy to get the heck out of there! :-)

I did 13 miles yesterday (s/h/b/ 14, but I ran out of gas), so SRD today. It's gorgeous out, so will get out for a walk on the lakefront with DBF to keep the legs loose.

Then I'm meeting my Sis and her family at the Fair (it closes today, so must get my last helping of Fair food and rides LOL).

Back at it tomorrow with an easy 5 miles.

Can I also say that I finally feel mentally back in the game? I've been dreading EVERY run lately, and it's nice to have turned the corner from that. good thing, since my marathon is 9 weeks from yesterday.

2008-08-19T09:23:00.003-04:00

I had the cruddiest night's sleep last night. Fell asleep on the couch around 9, I think, woke up at 11, and was awake until about 3 a.m. Harrumph. Coffee will be my best friend today. Tons of upheaval at work and it's stressing me out.

Have also decided that I'm sticking to halfs after NYC this year. Yes, I know I've said that before, i.e. during EVERY marathon training season, BUT THIS TIME I REALLY MEAN IT! :-) I just find the training for a full so torturous that it really drags me down.

Or maybe I'm just in a sh*tty mood. Which would probably be helped by a run. There's logic in there somewhere??

2008-08-18T11:26:00.003-04:00

I was in Boston for the weekend (Sox game work event - not a bad gig LOL), and didn't get back in time yesterday to do my long run, so will be doing it tonight on the treadmill.

I've reworked my schedule a bit because I've missed enough runs over the last few weeks that it would have been "too much too fast" if I stuck with it as it was. So now, I'll get to marathon Sunday with 2 15-milers, 2 18-milers, and 2 20-milers (I'm taking out 1 of the 3 originally planned 20s).

Also, there's a 3-week DRASTIC taper at the end of my program, with the schedule going from 20-miler 3 weeks out, down to 10, down to 4, then marathon. I'm going to tinker with that a bit - probably follow the 20-miler with a 15-miler two weeks out, then 8 or so a week before the race. I need to think about that a bit and look at my plans from previous years.

ick.

2008-08-08T19:30:00.001-04:00

I did 6 TM miles at the gym after work.

I was thinking the entire time that the 1/2 a pulled pork sandwich I had for lunch wasn't a great idea. Sure enough, I got home from the gym and almost puked. TWICE. Is that too much information? Anyways, I had to cancel plans w/ the BF and now I'm just going to take some Pepto Bismol, lay down on the couch, and hope for the best.

6 easy tonight

2008-08-06T13:35:00.004-04:00

It's raining, YET AGAIN, so I'll be at the gym on the TM tonight, doing 6 easy miles.

I'm one of those strange folks who don't mind the treadmill, and indeed, sometimes I prefer it. Obviously I need to do outside miles, for hills, getting my legs used to the pounding on pavement, etc., but there's something to be said for access to bathrooms, unlimited water that I don't have to carry, and being able to watch the Red Sox game while running. :-)

Our 10-day forecast = rain, rain and more rain. I'm just glad I live on high ground!

repeating a week?

2008-08-04T13:55:00.002-04:00

I think I'm going to repeat last week's training schedule. No reason except I missed 2 of my 4 runs.

My job really seems to be getting in the way of my running lately. ;-) Seriously though, I'm happy to work however many hours you'd like, Monday to Friday, but I'm really starting to resent having to work weekend days due to events. By the time summer is over, I'll have worked 8 weekend days. That's a full 1/3 of my summer weekends that were taken by my job - and since not all the weekend days fell as a Saturday+Sunday pair, it's actually more like 6 weekends out of 12 that were disrupted, not 4 weekend. Harrumph...

Okay, I'll stop my whining now, I promise.

Can't wait to run tonight - the sky finally cleared, and it's blue sky and dry out.

10 yesterday, SRD today.

2008-07-28T09:56:00.001-04:00

Got in my 10-miler yesterday afternoon (treadmill, no shame in that). 10 was a nice surprise, as I had been remembering my schedule to have a 12-miler.

Anyways, SRD today, then 4 miles tomorrow.

99 days until the NYC Marathon!

2008-07-25T09:50:00.002-04:00

Guess I need to catch up here.

I was having a bit of a mental slump earlier this week. There are days where I really just don't like to run, and getting out the door is impossible. But I got a few words of wisdom from the MASTERS on the RWOL forums :-) and got back on track.

Did 4 easy Wednesday, 6 easy last night, and will do 4 easy tonight. It's a gorgeous day out, so will run outside as opposed to the treadmill like my last few runs.

SRD tomorrow, then 10 on Sunday.

10-miler tonight

2008-07-21T07:43:00.002-04:00

I was scheduled for a 10-mile long run yesterday, but my stomach had other ideas in mind for me. Apparently, it did't like something I ate on Saturday, and as a result, I stuck pretty close to home yesterday. Except for a trip to the grocery store for milk.

Anyways, I'm doing yesterday's run tonight, and will shuffle this week's schedule forward a day. This seems to happen a lot...

2008-07-19T15:39:00.002-04:00

I got in a little over 5 miles at the gym last night on the treadmill. It was in the midst of a huge thunder/lightning/pouring rain storm, so was happy to be inside. Funny, though, is that when the power went out for a second or two, I went plowing into the front console of my treadmill. Power came back on and the display was still at the right distance and timing, so I kept on going.

SRD today, back at it tomorrow with 10 miles. I'm scheduled for an 8-mile race up in Stowe, but frankly would rather skip the race and just do my long run locally without travelling for it. We'll see what my sister says, since she's also registered for the race. Maybe if I reimburse her the race fee (since the race was my idea)...

2008-07-17T16:21:00.003-04:00

So, my goal this fall is to go sub-5:00 in my marathon. I just can't run another slow race. Anyways, with that in mind, I just plugged my half-marathon PR into the MacMillan Running Calculator, and that 2:28:53 half indicates a 5:14 full marathon.

Good grief.

So, extrapolating backwards, I plugged half times into the calculator until it gave me a sub-5:00 marathon. You know what I need? A half run in 2:20 (10:46/mile pace).

That means almost 9 minutes off my half PR, and a 10:46 pace which I've never even run in a 5k, so heaven knows how I can run that for a half-marathon.

Deep breath...

Unrelated topic - I finally found a use for the 2 pair of Asics running shoes that I can't run in. My local running specialty store collects sneaks for "Soles for Souls," a non-profit that sends running shoes to Africa for those who can't afford them. I'm glad they'll get a good home. And lesson learned that Asics just aren't my brand. I'll stick with my Sauconys going forward.

2008-07-17T15:30:00.003-04:00

I got in a 4 miler last night, as scheduled. I did first 2 miles at 5.0-5.1 mph (slow, I know), mile 3 at 5.3 mph (slow, I know), and mile 4 at 6.0 mph (might be slow to some, but that's an effort for me LOL). Good grief, I really need to work on my speed.

Back at it tonight w/ 6 easy miles. My easy pace needs to come in around 5.3-5.4 mph if I'm to have any chance at a sub-5:00 marathon in November.

back at it...

2008-07-16T14:29:00.002-04:00

again.

After last week's trip to KC, and then to Boston on the weekend, I was happy to be back home on Sunday night and sleep in my own bed. Last night I ended up dog-sitting for my sister while she's travelling for business, so I stayed at her house last night, but didn't get my run in.

So, I'm shifting my schedule this week a day forward. So tonight is 4 miles, tomorrow is 6 miles, 4 on Friday, SRD on Saturday, then 10 on Sunday.

Well, actually, I have an 8-mile RACE on Sunday, so will tack on an extra 2 miles after the finish. I'm starting the race w/ my sister (different one than the traveller), but she's not trained up for that distance, so she's planning to walk part of it. I think that might give me some time at the finish waiting for her, so I'll just keep running.

I'll probably also break out my new Garmin 405 for the event! :-) I haven't even charged the battery yet and have no idea how to work it. I'm on the verge of buying a new computer soon, though, so just need to see that I don't have any software that needs to be loaded onto my computer. If there is, then I'll have to wait to use it until the new computer arrives.

anyways, now I'm rambling so will stop now.

back in town - for the moment...

2008-07-11T10:24:00.003-04:00

I got home from Kansas City last night at 12:30 (so technically this a.m.). Severe thunderstorms in Chicago, not to mention their radar system was out, delayed our flight by 3+ hours. No worries, I have the largest Dunkin Donuts coffee known to man at hand, and that'll get me going...

Here's my recap of Kansas City:
* Beautiful city (we were in the Country Club Plaza area of town - beautiful architecture, lovely sculpture and fountains), and
* Great BBQ: baby back ribs at Jack Stack's on Monday night, Gates BBQ on Tuesday at the Royals game (brisket on a bun), Gates BBQ on Wednesday night at a BBQ and Blues party at the American Jazz Museum (brisket and ham), and a pulled pork sandwich with spicy slaw at lunch yesterday before heading to the airport.

Tuesday a.m., I hit the treadmill at the hotel fitness center, and I was sweating smoke from my BBQ the night before. :-)

Back at it tonight w/ 5 easy miles.

Tomorrow a.m., I head to Boston to host 60 alumni at the Red Sox game, back to VT on Sunday a.m., so I'll run again on Sunday.

PHEW!

yesterday/today

2008-07-06T13:07:00.002-04:00

Was schedule for 8 miles yesterday. Got to about 6 and started having some pain in my right piriformis - kept going, but it started affecting my gait, so I dropped it down to a walk, and stopped at 6.5 miles.

Today, I'm scheduled for 3, so will add the 1.5 left over from yesterday, and do 4.5 miles.

I'm off to Kansas City for a work conference tomorrow a.m., travelling home on Thursday. Will get my runs in at the hotel fitness center.

This week's runs

2008-07-03T07:56:00.002-04:00

Did 3 miles last night, per my schedule. That seems low to me, and hardly worth getting sweaty for, but it's on the schedule so I did it.

Back at it tonight w/ 4 or 5 (schedule says 4 miles).

Pre-marathon season, I was running 5s and 6s as my midweek runs, and it doesn't make much sense to me to back it down to 3s and 4s. I might take my own mid-week schedule and then couple it with the long run progression from one of the plans I like (Glover or Higdon).

Phew, it's over!

2008-06-28T17:54:00.003-04:00

I am SOOOOO glad this week is over.

We've been in prep for a 2-day event at work, and I worked 83 hours this week. No time for running, no time for anything at all.

So the event is over now, and here's where I am at the moment:

* At my desk checking email and my running forum (RWOL)
* Huge glass of sauvignon blanc in hand
* Bought myself a birthday present of a GARMIN 405 at Eastern Mountain Sports on my way home from the event this afternoon.
* and I'm officially as old as dirt today... :-)

Need to get myself cleaned up and over to the BF's soon. He's taking me out tonight for my bday.

today

2008-06-18T12:14:00.001-04:00

I have a haircut scheduled for 6 p.m., then will hit the gym for a 6-miler.

My Camel's Hump hike for this weekend is a no-go - we're scheduled for rain/thunder and lightning the rest of this week AND the weekend. That at least helps with making sure I get my runs in...

SRD

2008-06-17T11:48:00.002-04:00

I have an SRD today (scheduled rest day) - I shuffled the schedule around due to a work event that I have tonight.

Back at it tomorrow with 6 easy miles, 6 again on Thursday, SRD on Friday (it's my BF's birthday), then 9 and 6 on Saturday and Sunday respectively. Plus the BF and I are planning to hike Camel's Hump one day this weekend (about a 6-hour hike roundtrip). And my nieces have a soccer tourney all day BOTH days that I need to go to. Not sure how to fit it all in...

2008-06-15T20:22:00.002-04:00

Got in an 8-miler yesterday afternoon (treadmill, I'm not ashamed to say).

My legs felt like they could have kept going, which is reassuring considering that's the longest I've run since my half in late January. I've been doing 5s, 6s, 7s since then, nothing longer. That didn't exactly set me up with a great training base for marathon season, but it'll have to do.

Took today off, back at it tomorrow w/ 6 easy miles.

SRD today

2008-06-09T08:46:00.002-04:00

It's going to be hazy, hot (90F) and humid again today, with chance of severe thunderstorms and possible hail. oy. Anyways, I have SRD today, so won't need to venture out on a run in that mess.

I'm home waiting for the delivery guys to come with my new washer and dryer! YAY, I'll be able to do a real-size load of laundry. I'm going from a 1.5 cubic foot washing machine up to a Whirlpool 3.7 cubic foot front-loader. Amazing that it's Energy Star rated, and will use HALF the water for a washer that's over twice as big!!

today

2008-06-08T08:21:00.003-04:00

Having some cereal for brekkie (raisin bran w/ 1% milk, in case you're curious LOL), and will head out for 8 miles around 9 a.m. or so.

Then my BF and I are going hiking. I'm letting him pick the hike, with my only request that it's easy. We're supposed to get into low 90s again today, so being up in the mountains sounds pretty good.

2008-06-05T16:19:00.002-04:00

The heat is on
The heat is o-on...

(said in my best Glenn Frey of the Eagles voice - I think that's who sings that song?)

OK, as of yesterday, I'm officially in the 2008 NYC Marathon. One would think that would light a fire under my butt and get me out the door running a bit more consistently?

I just CAN'T run another crappy marathon this fall - I was well trained last year for Chicago and the fates intervened with a 90F/high-humidity/sunny-no-shade-to-be-found day. So I'm gonna put in the work, and I damn well better come up with a good result this year... grrrrrr. :-)

2008-06-02T16:53:00.002-04:00

I only got in 4 miles yesterday, the day just got away from me.

Today is SRD, back at it tomorrow with 6 miles. And then 6 again on Wednesday.

5 easy miles today

2008-05-31T18:49:00.002-04:00

OK, did 5 easy miles on the treadmill at the gym today. No special reason I didn't run outside, just happened to be passing the gym, so pulled in.

Back at it tomorrow w/ a 7-miler. I'm in a June mileage challenge, so rather than do 6 today and 6 tomorrow for 12 total this weekend, thought I'd go 5 today and then 7 tomorrow when we're into June. :-)

yikes!

2008-05-30T16:49:00.002-04:00

OK, although the results aren't really supposed to be posted until Monday 2 June...

Looks like the NYRR is already posting lottery results for the Nike NYC Half-Marathon. And my sis and I both got in!! YAAAAAAY! I'll wait until Monday when results are really supposed to be up, and then will book my flight down to the city for it.

Running has been low priority lately due to bathroom renovation, but that's almost over now, so back at it full force!

Tonight I have 6 easy. Of course, I haven't been running much, so I don't really think a 6-miler's gonna be easy at all. :-)

some sobering facts

2008-05-23T18:32:00.002-04:00

You may or may not have gleaned from my posts that I run marathons with Fred's Team, raising funds for cancer research at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center. Fred's Team focuses their efforts on the Aubrey Fund for Pediatric Cancer Research. Here are some sobering facts about pediatric cancers:

The National Cancer Institute's (NCI) federal budget was $4.6 billion. Of that, breast cancer received 12%, prostate cancer received 7%, and all 12 major groups of pediatric cancers combined received less than 3% .

Cancer accounts for the greatest number of disease deaths of children in the United States and kills more children per year than cystic fibrosis, muscular dystrophy, asthma and AIDS combined.

Each child in the U.S. diagnosed with cancer receives approximately one-sixth of the federal research support allocated to each patient afflicted with AIDS. Yet in 2004, 48 new cases of pediatric AIDS were diagnosed vs. more than 12,000 pediatric cancer cases.

Each school day, 46 children are diagnosed with cancer.

Although the 5 year survival rate is steadily increasing, one quarter of children will die 5 years from the time of diagnosis.

Please keep these facts in mind - it's a lot to think about, but there are a lot of families bearing a terrible burden due to this awful disease.

Also, please consider making a donation to fund Neuroblastoma research at MSKCC by supporting my run in the 2008 NYC Marathon. My fundraising page on MSKCC's website is: https://fredsteam.mskcc.org/fundraising/Controller?action=userHome&user_id=26&event_id=113

Thanks so much!
Elizabeth

not exactly on schedule

2008-05-23T10:56:00.001-04:00

So, I missed a few runs this week (no surprise there).

Back at it tonight w/ 6 miles. 6 again tomorrow, and 5 on Sunday. That's lame. Not much more to say than that...

5 miles for tonight

2008-05-20T10:13:00.002-04:00

I have 5 miles on tap tonight.

Whether it's on treadmill or outside is dependant on my motivation level at the end of the day. I have a habit of going home and then never making it back out the door for my run, so sometimes it's just best for me to head straight to the gym on my way home from work.

Gosh, if someone could invent an auto-pilot button on cars to drive people right to their gym, that'd be great. Or other option would be a "kick-in-the-pants" machine to help me get my butt out the door to go running. Either way... :-)

Sheesh...

2008-05-19T13:24:00.002-04:00

This time last year, I was pleased to be at a weight where I felt really fit, healthy, and comfortable. I'm 5'5", but given my Italian-peasant-stock bloodline and childbearing hips, I will never be a tiny thing. Which is absolutely 100% fine with me - I look fit and healthy.

Anyways, I've not been really paying much attention to my diet over the past year, and through the summer/fall of 2007, it didn't matter because I was in marathon season and running a ton. So when I saw a gain of .5 of a pound here, and .5 of a pound there, I didn't really think much of it.

But I've not been running much in the last 3-4 months. Just having major motivation issues, and a general lack of interest in running.

So, today, I actually looked at where I was last year, and where I am now, and looking at those two numbers next to each other - well HOLY CRAP, I've gained 11.8 pounds in the last year.

It's clearly time to focus - on the food intake, AND on my running. Actually, the running goes without saying as I begin my marathon training season in less than a month. YIKES! I can't be carrying around 12 extra pounds - that's a lot of wear and tear that's not needed.