tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7035995241873239712024-02-20T21:45:43.571-05:00Brooklyn RunningA blog about running, Brooklyn, and some other things I like.Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04661183268241421312noreply@blogger.comBlogger85125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-703599524187323971.post-49359648961834450142013-11-05T22:18:00.000-05:002013-11-05T22:18:01.770-05:00ING NYC Marathon Race Recap<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I really wanted this race recap to be about beating one or both of the goals I set for this race. I wanted it to be a positive, happy-go-lucky recap like most of my race experiences are. But Sunday's marathon was one of the hardest things I've ever done. There were times when I wasn't sure whether I would be able to keep going. But I did, and I crossed that finish line. And for that, I'm really proud of myself.</span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhno6hPP1ZPYZKrKgXRqT61Uq5VhAY2pgwYxYJcfr-yAnIp4ARkdd3I4it_cmUNl5hHB69oySi5PGQMpq3Lvu-v_mOuE4xvfTgTbhGL70q23sP83ONAct4i5-FBvjz80HFvOCciq2Ic8S7G/s1600/start+line.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhno6hPP1ZPYZKrKgXRqT61Uq5VhAY2pgwYxYJcfr-yAnIp4ARkdd3I4it_cmUNl5hHB69oySi5PGQMpq3Lvu-v_mOuE4xvfTgTbhGL70q23sP83ONAct4i5-FBvjz80HFvOCciq2Ic8S7G/s400/start+line.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">The days leading up to the race were filled with the normal mix of excitement and borderline anxiety/nausea. I went to the expo on Thursday night ready to spend some cash on a new running jacket. After 6 try-ons and sending photos to both Keith and my sister Kelly, I finally decided on the purple one. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6bwEe0H7y_Xz5PA0icCNf_KLBMiqRRjkG8gpNzbd4NC2T5aCzFWIeWgDWY2dObRzhOIjkV0WtxNUjTjaBI8OJKDGqOo-abHY9wBNSQ3jesM2I8HF5dnFL1BhTtP1mPFNSGkL8ThE9KztP/s1600/expo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6bwEe0H7y_Xz5PA0icCNf_KLBMiqRRjkG8gpNzbd4NC2T5aCzFWIeWgDWY2dObRzhOIjkV0WtxNUjTjaBI8OJKDGqOo-abHY9wBNSQ3jesM2I8HF5dnFL1BhTtP1mPFNSGkL8ThE9KztP/s400/expo.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-z_c8DghuR42xWHnhVkBpoUiX62g0_YB1gzRRuUPnxdjuzMVdaDFvGpcPYn6WHQx8wKirYRGZFHeFxqtDNnmLDAL-bs5bJNOcLynjIJPxYSVpbK4KLTbzSpJ_vvbt_OXN3mBKfHvaWIDr/s1600/jackets.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-z_c8DghuR42xWHnhVkBpoUiX62g0_YB1gzRRuUPnxdjuzMVdaDFvGpcPYn6WHQx8wKirYRGZFHeFxqtDNnmLDAL-bs5bJNOcLynjIJPxYSVpbK4KLTbzSpJ_vvbt_OXN3mBKfHvaWIDr/s400/jackets.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I wanted the white one solely because I thought Olivia Pope would approve.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I spent the weekend carbing up, and thinking about the race. I laid out all of my clothes, painted my nails, hydrated properly, and got to sleep nice and early the night before. </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPWvBCGnlTSSh0Hon-O8aZZTxHuzYQtkrxceyUUdqSNagtn9xxyiYMlI02ZTszjO5Xgpgtau3MapRZO0eSoMDoyDdgvODKnMi0V3Jk-VEzubzbPXG-X2CXZrw9SU4fb33CtcDxo4KrFg1D/s1600/nails.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPWvBCGnlTSSh0Hon-O8aZZTxHuzYQtkrxceyUUdqSNagtn9xxyiYMlI02ZTszjO5Xgpgtau3MapRZO0eSoMDoyDdgvODKnMi0V3Jk-VEzubzbPXG-X2CXZrw9SU4fb33CtcDxo4KrFg1D/s400/nails.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghayHO4WZzcCWje73Y16hOSHUsZ1Z5O7F6fzhjvYcEz5QPu2SpQoxNQPk1oVLIY6MN7AkdG5gGRwN9iKv1LFOTkBIDvP0msz4Eg7lRDqz_HExe727c1ILDYGjQHrcJIBnNm3tpTy26BCu2/s1600/clothes.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghayHO4WZzcCWje73Y16hOSHUsZ1Z5O7F6fzhjvYcEz5QPu2SpQoxNQPk1oVLIY6MN7AkdG5gGRwN9iKv1LFOTkBIDvP0msz4Eg7lRDqz_HExe727c1ILDYGjQHrcJIBnNm3tpTy26BCu2/s400/clothes.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br style="color: #222222;" /></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">On marathon morning, I woke up 20 minutes before my alarm, ready to jump out of bed. </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">I took a cab to the ferry terminal, and got there with plenty of time before my ferry. Things seemed to be a little bit behind schedule when I got on the ferry, which took off a few minutes late (making me even more nervous). Then the buses had massive lines to get to the start. By the time I got to the start village, I only had about 15 minutes before I needed to get to my wave (I still somehow managed to hit the porta potties about 10 times). </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLrL5UXK5Er2GzvJtLJO7DgHyJyk1MfMdFIg_0DREEzQlsKz9YZt1-y6JykOqjhIHwZgF6PJR9Qsv6hsvuvaok7q5VugzYINAl55TJDVt_vJNy4VCTLkx3fhfQ8zYXgYfzhy0pqsZhtD8W/s1600/green+wave.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLrL5UXK5Er2GzvJtLJO7DgHyJyk1MfMdFIg_0DREEzQlsKz9YZt1-y6JykOqjhIHwZgF6PJR9Qsv6hsvuvaok7q5VugzYINAl55TJDVt_vJNy4VCTLkx3fhfQ8zYXgYfzhy0pqsZhtD8W/s400/green+wave.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">OMG.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">While waiting in my wave, I tried to block out the noise and focus on the race. I felt good, I felt really ready to run. </span><br /><br style="color: #222222;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">The moments after the gun went off, and we started running on the Verrazano Bridge, it felt surreal to finally be running this marathon. It was quiet and windy, and I barely felt the elevation under my feet.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br style="color: #222222;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">My game plan was to run the first few miles at a slower pace, then pick it up to close to marathon pace (9:10 mile). I started out at about a 10:00 pace, and was right on plan by mile 3. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #222222;">Running through Brooklyn was amazing. The crowds were so diverse and happy to be there. From the boisterous crowds in Bay Ridge to the hipsters holding kale and bananas in Park Slope, their energy made the first few miles fly by. I tried to run on feel, but monitored my pace that hovered around 9:10/9:15. I followed behind people that were going about my pace (a pair of Italian guys chatting away, another Kate who must have had her name ironed on the front of her shirt. I kept turning my head every time someone said our name). I was so, so happy.</span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #222222;"><br /></span></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #222222;">Then I turned onto a familiar street in Brooklyn at mile 11, and I felt a little pain in my left IT band. I slowed down a moment, and then the pain came back so intensely I said "OUCH!" out loud. I knew, deep down, that this was not good. I decided to slow down my pace, and really walk through the water stops that I had been swiftly jogging through before. I told myself not to allow the pain to affect me, but it kept rising. I knew I was going to see Keith and some friends around mile 13, so I decided to keep going and hoped that seeing them would make the pain go away.</span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #222222;"><br /></span></span></span>
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">As I approached mile 13, I was starting to feel pain in my right leg as well. But I was determined to have a smile on my face when I saw my friends. I made the turn onto Greenpoint Ave, the most familiar part of the race for me, and got a real jolt of energy from seeing Keith!</span><br />
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlkEfe257qGECxH90h53tnB2P3q0VSJMdR3EbBdT4TZKjUeUBpnIcydL3J0RfaD1t28dqoCDjijRpp4Fg1KMgIweIGgrn_aE25KXJNl-j9Yfwc0z7sq_pljl-mHfqPFCxR1zlKh0O3xSS8/s1600/mile+13.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlkEfe257qGECxH90h53tnB2P3q0VSJMdR3EbBdT4TZKjUeUBpnIcydL3J0RfaD1t28dqoCDjijRpp4Fg1KMgIweIGgrn_aE25KXJNl-j9Yfwc0z7sq_pljl-mHfqPFCxR1zlKh0O3xSS8/s400/mile+13.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I gave him a quick kiss, threw some high fives, and I was on my way. </span><br />
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I popped the two tylenol I had in my running pack at the next water station, which helped a little bit over the next mile. Last year, the tylenol I took at mile 18 combined with seeing my family helped push me to run the last 6 miles at a good pace. I was hoping I would have the same luck this year, and that the pain would magically disappear.</span><br />
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">As I approached the base of the Queensboro Bridge, the pain crept back. I made it my mission not to walk, since I had run the bridge so many times during training. I slowly passed other runners, just telling myself to give everything I had.</span><br />
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The downhill on the bridge was killer on my legs, and once we got to first avenue, the roaring sound of the crowds couldn't dissipate the pain I was feeling. I decided to put my iPod on to get my mind off of it. I knew my family was waiting about 20 blocks up, so I tried to focus on looking at the crowd for them.</span><br />
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I saw my amazing running angels at 93rd street, and when they began to cheer for me, the entire half block around them started cheering for me too. </span><br />
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLyONmJjjdbZAWQ6lbjCZJXSmiCCUstop7w0edlPipmDPWtc8_e7j49T1bmQ_ZHVIGbF9PDVeWNihLtgyroUGmjSR78qmZKabLXX3j-gcjX6tKMSVxqfpGpMo0j9noKgqaG8eO4N-TpRip/s1600/angels.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLyONmJjjdbZAWQ6lbjCZJXSmiCCUstop7w0edlPipmDPWtc8_e7j49T1bmQ_ZHVIGbF9PDVeWNihLtgyroUGmjSR78qmZKabLXX3j-gcjX6tKMSVxqfpGpMo0j9noKgqaG8eO4N-TpRip/s400/angels.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Kelly remembered a story I told her about the Cape Cod Marathon, when I had running angels who helped me get through the race. And this time, it was my family who were my angels. I was in so much pain at this point, that when I saw them I just started to cry. Kelly had more Tylenol ready for me, and they told me how great I was doing. </span><br />
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">After I left them, the worst part of the race came. I was still about 7 miles from finishing, and the pain was almost unbearable. I told myself to walk through the water stations and just keep going. I had my music on, but I couldn't even tell you what songs played. </span><br />
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">It was a real low point not only because of the pain, but also because I was so angry that I wasn't enjoying this race I had worked almost 2 years towards. I have talked and thought and dreamed about this race so much, and I couldn't even keep my head up and smile during it. I was wishing so hard I could go back to the start line and just start slower. I would have given anything to go back 3 hours and remind myself that it was a windy day on a really hard marathon course. It wasn't the day to set a PR. But at the same time, I didn't think I really started out that fast. It didn't feel fast, and yet I still was having this intense pain in a part of my body that literally didn't give me any issues during training. I was angry that I wasn't enjoying the race, and angry that I couldn't think any positive thoughts.</span><br />
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Once we went through the Bronx and came back to Manhattan, I counted down the blocks until I would see my family again. When I saw them at about mile 23.5, I started crying (again), and told them how much pain I was in. They encouraged me to keep going, and later told me that I actually looked good compared to a lot of people at this point. I was still running.</span><br />
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">When I turned into the park, a moment that I thought would be inspiring, I just rejoiced in the fact that I only had a little over two miles to go. I looked down at my watch for the first time in about an hour, and realized I would finish slower than my time at Philadelphia. </span><br />
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I put all my strength toward looking at the crowd, because I knew that Keith said he would try to see me again near the finish. I pulled out my headphones when I had about a mile to go, and caught a glimpse of Keith and the crew on 59th street. I heard Keith yell at me to finish strong, which I wanted to do so much. I tried to pick up the pace, but my legs didn't want me to. At this point, I was proud of myself that I was still running instead of walking.</span><br />
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The last few meters flew by, and I smiled up at the camera when I crossed the finish. I thanked the high heavens it was over. </span><br />
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I finished in 4:16:36.</span><br />
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">As I was moving towards the crowd of runners getting their medals, I saw my amazing friend Meggie who was volunteering. I couldn't keep my emotions in any longer! I started bawling, and gave her a hug. I was so happy to see someone I love, and be able to unleash some of the negativity that I held onto during the race. </span><br />
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheZJboY1VPGXj81ya69KR2OYJ2GVRCJD8eTOwBMZ9RgTH_mOj8WW8IoSzs6wwdklQCiuA-q4fjOAdQ6WbFB4ptWbAtafJN37TQ4iDdvpCh6MqoYiB4pm49zj4Htmuv9Oal8HxuKtrYovcL/s1600/meggie.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheZJboY1VPGXj81ya69KR2OYJ2GVRCJD8eTOwBMZ9RgTH_mOj8WW8IoSzs6wwdklQCiuA-q4fjOAdQ6WbFB4ptWbAtafJN37TQ4iDdvpCh6MqoYiB4pm49zj4Htmuv9Oal8HxuKtrYovcL/s400/meggie.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I made my way to lunch with my family and friends, and started crying more when I saw them all. I was so disappointed in the race, and I didn't understand why it happened. But once I got some of it off my chest, I was really thankful to have people I love around me, and beers and burgers on the table.</span><br />
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Are you still with me? I know that was uplifting.</span><br />
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I don't mean to be dramatic, but I have had a hard time coming to terms with this race. During the race itself, I kept asking myself why I was in so much pain after so many months of hard training. Should I have run 5 days a week instead of 4? Should I have done more speed work? Am I simply not as fast as I think I am? I've had a few days to ruminate (and mope) about what went wrong, and I still don't have any answers. The simple answer is that I probably did go out too fast, and compared to other people perhaps I didn't train as much. I feel better after talking to a few of my friends who said they also lost steam, and thought it was a really hard race. But then I also look at the race times of other people who did awesome, and I am selfishly jealous of them. Why them and not me?</span><br />
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The hardest part for me was not being able to enjoy the race. At the end of the day, it's just a number, and finishing is the hardest part. I am angry that I wasn't able to enjoy the race I have been looking forward to for so long, and trained so hard for. I just wanted it to be over. As a sentimentalist, I'm sad I won't look back at this race as a happy day. But maybe with some time, I'll have more perspective. I'm hoping I will look back at this as a day I persevered. Even though I didn't break any records, I'm happy with the time I completed the race in despite the pain. </span><br />
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5jpyYEYvBRPP5kdvHeGVQ1vvpqYRjUK7mG9fnteaznICy8InbsToqWPr087igMzbx7UebVox9qGF7uR7UE7cZ_cWr3wA4GlJH54ucwC7-Slo_hfVc5EyB3Hf7rg4ljsRF0lj8R8UcwLbg/s1600/mile+13.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5jpyYEYvBRPP5kdvHeGVQ1vvpqYRjUK7mG9fnteaznICy8InbsToqWPr087igMzbx7UebVox9qGF7uR7UE7cZ_cWr3wA4GlJH54ucwC7-Slo_hfVc5EyB3Hf7rg4ljsRF0lj8R8UcwLbg/s400/mile+13.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">What I do know is, I'm going to take some time off from running. I don't know that I want to sign up for another marathon in the near future. I certainly lost some confidence in this race, and I need time to build that back up. I do feel pretty sure I will do another marathon, and the goal for that race will definitely, 100% be for enjoyment. </span><br />
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">My mom said something to me yesterday that I really appreciated. She told me that the marathon isn't the accomplishment. The training is. All of the early mornings and long runs are what I should be most proud of. And I am.</span><br />
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I wish this post wasn't full of so much negativity, but this experience was totally new to me. All of my races have been uplifting experiences, which is why I continue to run. I enjoy the sense of accomplishment I get from training and ultimately reaching a goal. And when that doesn't happen for such a big race, I can't help but feel let down.</span><br />
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">To finish on a high note, here are some things I'm thankful for from this race. I'm thankful that I have more inner strength than I did 3 days ago. I'm thankful I have friends and family who gave me words of encouragement when I felt down. I'm thankful they still love me even though I was a super hot mess right after the race. I'm thankful I have a sweet new NYC marathon poncho that I have little use for. I'm thankful I have another medal to hang on my wall. </span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I'm thankful for the little boy who said "congratulations" to me after the race when I was on the verge of tears. </span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">And lastly, </span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I'm thankful I didn't give up.</span>Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04661183268241421312noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-703599524187323971.post-69921923542557164882013-10-31T09:53:00.000-04:002013-10-31T09:53:07.538-04:00Goals of a Recently Calm Runner<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">There are 3 days until the marathon I've been waiting almost 2 years to run. To get to this starting line, I have participated in 9 races, run hundreds of miles, and spent more than $500 on membership fees and races. I'm ready. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Yet, up until this week, I hadn't given the marathon a ton of thought. I was a stressed little thing! While running under normal circumstances is a stress-reliever for me, running 35+ miles per week is not. I realized this year that training for a marathon does, in fact, add stress to my life. I always tried to convince myself it was good for me, no matter how high the mileage. However, I was also crazy busy at work - planning off-site meetings in 3 different cities that I had to travel to while also trying to balance my day-to-day work. The combination of training and work made me feel stressed, unhappy and overwhelmed. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I was mentally <b>exhausted</b>.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">So when taper time came a week and a half ago, I welcomed it with wide open arms. I was ready to buy taper a round of heavily alcoholic drinks.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I'm just not one of those runners who freaks out during taper. While there is always an element of doubt about whether I trained enough, I look forward to weeks with long runs totaling "only" 12 miles. I see taper as a way to regain my confidence. I ran my last two "long" runs at a much faster pace than my previous long runs. My lack of exhaustion at the end of each of them gave me a sense of pride. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I've even had the time and energy to fit in two yoga sessions in two weeks. On my first day back to yoga after months of running and mental exhaustion from work, I could hear my body and soul say to me "this is what you needed."</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">So now that I'm starting to regain my calm, and all of my work meetings are over, it's time to evaluate what I want from this marathon. After two years in the making, I've decided I only have two goals for this race - a peaceful one, and a competitive one.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Peaceful Goal - I want to have fun!</span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">(this one is for you mom)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">One thing I learned from my <a href="http://brooklynrunning.blogspot.com/2013/07/birchwood-lakes-sprint-triathlon-race.html">first triathlon</a> back in June, is that you should make having fun a priority during a race. I spent a lot of that triathlon pushing myself, and thinking about how slow I felt I was going. I ended up doing well, but I sort of regretted not enjoying the day as much as I could have.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The number one thing I want from this marathon is to have fun. I want to savor every moment, and celebrate the fact that I'm running one of the biggest marathons in the world. After waking up all those early mornings, surviving killer long runs, sacrificing countless Friday nights for this marathon, I sure as heck want it to be a day I remember. The goal is to have a smile on my face from the moment I wake up, to the moment I go to bed that night.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU-ng6aCwZrRpjrF_ZtbVa2OLoSWEbGmP-8jMTZyPrt0uzRe-9h5b2UD9EuaQpcbCKpvNEOPpWJXEjc46P17upJicTbDVSnu22NNkJPPIdL3EPAKsCtSrwbxR9t_SdstCevMkXVVKRX9mh/s1600/queensboro+bridge.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU-ng6aCwZrRpjrF_ZtbVa2OLoSWEbGmP-8jMTZyPrt0uzRe-9h5b2UD9EuaQpcbCKpvNEOPpWJXEjc46P17upJicTbDVSnu22NNkJPPIdL3EPAKsCtSrwbxR9t_SdstCevMkXVVKRX9mh/s400/queensboro+bridge.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Queensboro Bridge is deceptively insane to run.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Competitive Goal - I want to beat 4 Hours</span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">(this one is for me)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I would be lying if I didn't admit this was something I wanted. This number, breaking 4 hours, has been a huge motivator for me. On the days I had speedwork, it made me push myself to go faster. During my long runs, it was the reason I finished the last few miles strong, despite the pain I was feeling.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">After coming in at 4:09 last year at Philadelphia, I think it's possible. I trained so much harder and longer this year compared to last, and I think it's in my reach. I want to go for it, because I don't know what the next year will bring. I don't know if I want to run another marathon next year. I only want to think about this race, and give it everything I have.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIDtlrO6VZ3WgeqnWQY0k4bEYc327Qo6Tkq2pgYwjb79NCpmpIZdvVsgHfc3GYll5AlxRka4TLlXFNh_3OZVHD9gpEFUqvQpl443uTDSQwrvQS96u0VGhtbmmu5qLmMbTNXLKBp8ujD6fT/s1600/gloves.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIDtlrO6VZ3WgeqnWQY0k4bEYc327Qo6Tkq2pgYwjb79NCpmpIZdvVsgHfc3GYll5AlxRka4TLlXFNh_3OZVHD9gpEFUqvQpl443uTDSQwrvQS96u0VGhtbmmu5qLmMbTNXLKBp8ujD6fT/s400/gloves.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Unrelated photo of the gloves I've been wanting <br />to buy for two years.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">While I will definitely be disappointed if I don't beat it, I want the focus of my race to be something I enjoy. I don't want it to be a pain-fest, like some of the miles were for me last year. I want it to be a celebration of running, and the city I live in. And even if I don't reach that 3:59 number, I think the beers and family time afterwards will taste just as good.</span>Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04661183268241421312noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-703599524187323971.post-45207665703894453852013-10-02T13:57:00.000-04:002013-10-02T13:57:15.204-04:00Perfect Attendance<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">I have a
memory from 4<sup>th</sup> grade that was a really proud moment for me. It
wasn’t when I earned a lot of stars on my report card, or when I first learned
how to put up a ponytail on my own (because let’s be honest, that was by far
the best day of my life before age 10. I started coming home looking like
Michelle Tanner instead of a homeless person). But the moment I want to talk
about is the time I won an award for having perfect attendance for the first 100
days of school. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";"><br /></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1FsOQRv9RiaHovm0x5LlXFvF1J7Uo27PXg0QpxlQl3pyIM8KL0AWiVGSdshLQ2P_vcYUosSqHbmT7WdUkAXO1E-hLfWDsuHSC94fbD6X8UKBaA3m-hER052Ra60Dh5CN9KgyGwyLE1SSc/s1600/michelle+tanner.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="296" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1FsOQRv9RiaHovm0x5LlXFvF1J7Uo27PXg0QpxlQl3pyIM8KL0AWiVGSdshLQ2P_vcYUosSqHbmT7WdUkAXO1E-hLfWDsuHSC94fbD6X8UKBaA3m-hER052Ra60Dh5CN9KgyGwyLE1SSc/s400/michelle+tanner.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rocking a side 'po like a boss.<br />
(For those of you who did not connect the<br />
Michelle Tanner reference to Full House).</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">I don’t
remember what I received for this mighty accomplishment, but it is somewhat
impressive if you think that 100 days of school in central Jersey takes you to
about mid-January. I guess I have my parents to thank for this too, because
unless I had a fever of 103 and/or a visible case of nausea, I went to school
(there were no sick days given in the Wyman household for a “stomach ache”).</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">I remember
standing in front of the classroom, while all of my classmates shouted at the
teacher that they also had perfect attendance. She reminded everyone that if
you took a day off for being sick or going to Florida to visit Granny, you
did not by law earn this prestigious award. Arms folded, my classmates finally
quieted down and let me have my moment to shine. It was the beginning of my
life as a bonafide go-getter.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">I share this
story because I realized that before last week, I hadn't missed one run in the first 10 weeks
of marathon training. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";"><br /></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJmp8TBPkqmElEXO4zxSTj-wOX10jyel1IDVlfJ6_0sYYd5E9R1V5oNTYp8Q6DiPtuh-2AjZ7b5Pru55wNXdqjGVZPAc-ydM9H0G6bUzCra0mUdbNNAcumCnnanzwXs-_hKfoXOmm6cWCJ/s1600/conover+field.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJmp8TBPkqmElEXO4zxSTj-wOX10jyel1IDVlfJ6_0sYYd5E9R1V5oNTYp8Q6DiPtuh-2AjZ7b5Pru55wNXdqjGVZPAc-ydM9H0G6bUzCra0mUdbNNAcumCnnanzwXs-_hKfoXOmm6cWCJ/s400/conover+field.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Over-achiever.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">I’ve been
blessed with a great training season. Up until last week, I was really excited
for the majority of my runs, and my muscles felt strong. Last week was supposed
to be one of the highest mileage weeks on my schedule, and I was ready to take
it on.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">I did 10
miles on Monday night, and I was completely exhausted by the end. I normally
don’t have such long runs during the week, but I decided to front-load my
mileage so I didn’t have to do such long runs later on in the week. On Tuesday, I did 7 miles after work. It was one of the best
speedwork sessions I’ve had this year. I did a mile warm-up, 5 miles slightly faster than marathon pace (whatever that is), and a mile cool down. I felt fan-freaking-tastic.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">I woke up
Wednesday morning with pain in my right foot. Damn it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">I sort of
hobbled around on Wednesday in my flats at work, wishing that sneakers or
orthopedic shoes were acceptable footwear at my cosmetic company. I suffer from
plantar fasciitis every day, so I’m used to foot pain, but this was definitely
something more. I went home and immediately iced.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">I had every
intention of doing 7 miles on Thursday morning, but I could feel my foot in
pain before I got up, so I went right back to sleep, and skipped the first run
of my training cycle. It was glorious, and I felt no guilt at all.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">I went
through the quick succession of pros and cons all runners go through when we feel an injury coming on. Should I push it? I really need to get the miles in. Only
3 weeks til taper! But your foot and entire body are sore. Maybe just 4 miles
instead of 7. Then one voice came over the loud speaker, “what’s the point?” I
went right back to sleep, deciding that skipping a run would not make or break
me. It would actually probably help my body heal.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">I think
something happened in that moment that I haven’t quite been able to shake. I
think the dormant anti-running subconscious in me woke up, and has been chanting to me since last Thursday, “<b>but really Kate, what is the point of all this</b>?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">I woke up
Saturday morning, knowing I had 20 miles to do. I was dreading it so much, and
wished that for once, I didn’t have some insane workout to do on a Saturday
morning. I wanted to do what normal twenty-somethings do on Saturdays. Sleep
in, nurse an imminent hangover, and lay around. It took a lot for me to get out
the door, reminding myself I would be happy I did.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">Which I was,
kind of. The run went really well, much better than most of my long runs. That
20 mile threshold has a way of telling you that YES you can actually run a
marathon now. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";"><br /></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyrFkGWCahtcZ1PwR6W-k50FUqvTFvmwrPbCv1vXjcJrUUWJllOpHyF-yeDEdjasmfbAt8cIO8URBE_NARfJgt4IT07Dz254QxKzVGvXRGOGmKrJiptUViRA7uaqr-9pzfiPyZiw5eBW8I/s1600/elevation.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="168" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyrFkGWCahtcZ1PwR6W-k50FUqvTFvmwrPbCv1vXjcJrUUWJllOpHyF-yeDEdjasmfbAt8cIO8URBE_NARfJgt4IT07Dz254QxKzVGvXRGOGmKrJiptUViRA7uaqr-9pzfiPyZiw5eBW8I/s400/elevation.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My legs hurt just looking at that.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">But now, I’m
just not as amped about training as I was just a week ago. My foot was bothering me during my runs on Monday and Tuesday, and I decided to shorten my run this morning because I knew I just needed a bit of a break. Both my body and mind are completely exhausted.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">I try to tell myself that I only have a week and a half until I start my taper. This week is a step-back week (thank the HIGH HEAVENS), and next week is my last week of intense high-mileage. I have one more 20 miler to go, but I'm not sure if I will be up to doing all 20 of those miles. If I do 18 instead of 20, there will be no natural disasters or anyone telling me I'm not doing enough. My family and boyfriend think I'm crazy enough as it is.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">So I'm taking the rest of training day by day, reminding myself that I've already put in 11 1/2 weeks of hard work. I don't know how the next few weeks will go, but I know exactly what I'll be doing on my first free Saturday post-marathon training.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><br /></span>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5WVUUClZa5tBOflDDhgkvtjJTRBiQU-nCXw25MjzTKfIWiTynE1pxbED3w1iuTsO35AEYM8H8CdLy4eSYzBXofyOi8ooRDQWUeybbulmYqCWcC3F7tm-ApypuT5sogXTX1LJTDUd9MMUO/s1600/beer.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5WVUUClZa5tBOflDDhgkvtjJTRBiQU-nCXw25MjzTKfIWiTynE1pxbED3w1iuTsO35AEYM8H8CdLy4eSYzBXofyOi8ooRDQWUeybbulmYqCWcC3F7tm-ApypuT5sogXTX1LJTDUd9MMUO/s400/beer.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Absolutely nothing.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04661183268241421312noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-703599524187323971.post-70331694083275211252013-09-24T11:15:00.000-04:002013-09-24T11:15:14.490-04:00Giving up + Week 10 Marathon Training<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><span style="background: white;">I made a big, heavy, life-changing decision two
weeks ago. I'm giving up one of my favorite carb-filled treats: <b>cereal</b>.<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="background: white;">Before I tell you why I'm cutting out my
delicious Kellogg addiction, let’s start out with the status of things as of
fourteen days ago.<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="background: white;">I relied on cereal to take up a fair amount of
my calories. Between triathlon and marathon training, I became lazy about
making myself breakfast every morning. Instead of one hearty meal, I would have
a small bowl of cereal before I left my apartment, and eat either an English
muffin with peanut butter or a bowl of oatmeal at work. This did a fine job of
balancing my time management issues in the morning, and my tummy’s constant cries.<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><br /></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdccLp1K8s10LreinKwu-NQ7HlZ8NfqsOl-flYIXBYrT9vfBrEGTiqyhqruQMkwkjWhqve3YARIWNoSOQ7ILpwzh_wDM_HJiRkqoptRizTabNuvcg0L4zHH-n93oZ0Hj9ZtzJ-qkl1muXY/s1600/special+k.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdccLp1K8s10LreinKwu-NQ7HlZ8NfqsOl-flYIXBYrT9vfBrEGTiqyhqruQMkwkjWhqve3YARIWNoSOQ7ILpwzh_wDM_HJiRkqoptRizTabNuvcg0L4zHH-n93oZ0Hj9ZtzJ-qkl1muXY/s400/special+k.jpg" width="268" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One of my favorite morning cereals, no more.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><span style="background: white;">But then on the days I forgot to bring my staple
afternoon yogurt snack, I would slink into my office kitchen looking for a fix.
The options are small. My first option is to munch on some pretzels that sit in
a glass jar, stale and germ-filled due to the constant touching of my coworkers
hands that are covered in grime from subways and keyboards. My second option is
to open up an individually packaged cardboard bowl of cereal.<span class="apple-converted-space"> So on those days, I go for the option that is
less likely to give me a head cold or pneumonia. <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Let’s
not forget about the 10PM grumbling that happens to us all. As I’m laying on my
couch, watching House Hunters International, I have a direct view of the cabinet
that houses my crunchy delight. It takes very little for me to move the 8 feet
between my couch and my cabinet, and the 5 feet between my cabinet and my
fridge to pour up a little snack for myself. My late-night cereal is also
eaten out of a mug, because that somehow justifies it. If it’s not in a bowl,
I’m not really committing.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><br /></span></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglFd8wqrMiVwp9YDjgdlUyKsY_udNeMrXl0AEjEF_rGOVqo7FsbFqewGPIrEld1IcnritMphyphenhyphenA2izzK8KBoCs4o5MT63uBhMWdBj3EomxshRWLVIgdf-swxJ0etyJ9_6lxAGF5iJfNKVB2/s1600/frosted+flakes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglFd8wqrMiVwp9YDjgdlUyKsY_udNeMrXl0AEjEF_rGOVqo7FsbFqewGPIrEld1IcnritMphyphenhyphenA2izzK8KBoCs4o5MT63uBhMWdBj3EomxshRWLVIgdf-swxJ0etyJ9_6lxAGF5iJfNKVB2/s400/frosted+flakes.jpg" width="257" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My favorite late-night cereal.<br />Yes, I used to have more than one cereal boxes in my pantry.<br />Keep your judgments to yourself.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, serif;">I
invite you to count with me – on a “bad” day (really a good day though, let's be honest), I
would have cereal THREE TIMES. I don’t want to add up how many carbs, grams of
sugar, or calories that is. I don’t care. But that seems excessive, even to
me.</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, serif;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, serif;">So I decided enough was enough, and
I would stop eating cereal. Cold turkey.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">I
thought it was going to be really hard, but I made a few choices that I think
have helped smooth out the process. I bought fulfilling breakfast
food, and built in an extra 10 minutes to my wake-up time so I would have time
to make it. Which means I’m actually being thoughtful at the grocery store, for
the first time in a long time. I’ve been on a huge turkey sausage kick (thanks
Keith!) and eating it with eggs and half an English muffin. That might seem
like a lot to you non-breakfast people, but I don’t feel overly full
afterwards, and I am full until lunch time. This is a HUGE success for me. I
was blessed with a fast metabolism, and food goes through me really quickly
(especially in the morning). I am normally hungry <i>all morning long. </i>As it turns out, following those Shape Magazine tips telling you to start off with a hearty
breakfast sorta work. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">I’ll
keep you updated on my Cereal progress, but it’s been two
weeks, and I haven’t looked back since.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><br /></span></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCbQV4lc_VtveLlk5zkeVF2DGHI2oe1x0udcF_QYqfNM77jwhAdvpLw-zUQnvUdYBmYcJOKOdXFDWQBdTVb18I95-eL2jSMzga6sAZ6G6ZPbFr66BCpHa_7D67el69AQDYXZTdOkEAAMDG/s1600/CerealGirl.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="303" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCbQV4lc_VtveLlk5zkeVF2DGHI2oe1x0udcF_QYqfNM77jwhAdvpLw-zUQnvUdYBmYcJOKOdXFDWQBdTVb18I95-eL2jSMzga6sAZ6G6ZPbFr66BCpHa_7D67el69AQDYXZTdOkEAAMDG/s400/CerealGirl.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Some people named Ernie or Elmo as their favorite Sesame Street Characters.<br />I always identified with "Cereal Girl."<br />(<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TgIfdl6by1o">Youtube </a>it so you know what I'm talking about)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, serif;">Onto
training!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><b>Week
10 Training</b><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><b>Monday:
7 Early Morning Miles</b><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">I
had a very busy weekend before this week, and was in bed fast asleep at 9:30PM
on Sunday night. I normally feel like a functioning zombie on Monday mornings
along with the rest of the world, but this morning I was actually able to get a
semi-long run in. There was hardly anyone out, and it was awesome.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><b>Tuesday:
7 Early Morning Miles</b><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">If
we are friends on facebook, you likely saw my status about me running into
JOHNNY LEE MILLER OF ELEMENTARY this morning. It was super early and cold, and
when I realized it was him, I flipped out. Not externally of course, I played
it super cool. And I got a fist bump out of it. I had a really awesome
speedwork session, on a Sherlock Holmes-high.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><b>Wednesday:
Blissful rest</b><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><b>Thursday:
7 Morning Miles</b><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Perhaps
the first week ever where I fit in all of my runs before work. I definitely did
not leap out of bed this morning, but I had lots to do after work, so I wanted
to get it out of the way. Relatively uneventful compared to Tuesday morning.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><b>Friday:
Rest and HOME</b><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><b>Saturday:
18 Miles</b><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">This
was an interesting run. I was at home, hanging out with my grandma this
weekend. I woke up pretty early on my own, and decided to do three 6-mile loops
so I could refill on water at the house. I started out pretty slow, but my muscles felt
well-rested. Everything went well until the last two miles, when I was really, really tired. This has been a bit of a pattern on my long runs, where I feel good
until I’ve the majority of the distance, and then feel
exhausted during the last two miles. Once the run was over, I felt fine. My legs were
a little beat up, but it wasn’t anything a little retail therapy and couch
surfing couldn’t fix. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><br /></span></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjweR0e1-Hsv5tD5WwuXvDW0bHRwh9FCLW3sc5FYnjiL6N5iGZKvCDfSl61dcVFOxflEf6QIWx8-k2ucLAOIuZ4OyyGap8Uwh2zarf3flQBHBYnC84BGAC3R3hEAXyKs9dt9gg2iqJU4f4F/s1600/beer.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjweR0e1-Hsv5tD5WwuXvDW0bHRwh9FCLW3sc5FYnjiL6N5iGZKvCDfSl61dcVFOxflEf6QIWx8-k2ucLAOIuZ4OyyGap8Uwh2zarf3flQBHBYnC84BGAC3R3hEAXyKs9dt9gg2iqJU4f4F/s400/beer.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This was me from about 5PM to 10PM on Saturday.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, serif;">This
week marks what will be one of the highest mileage weeks for me. I have a 20
miler on schedule this weekend, a step-back week next, and then one more
high-mileage week before taper. I am definitely being more conscious this year
of getting plenty of sleep and good nutrition, and I feel pretty good. I’m
going to say the cliché thing that I simply can’t believe I only have three
more weeks of hard marathon training before taper. Mostly because it’s all gone
pretty well, and my body looks forward to running each day. I’ve had way more
good runs than bad ones. I am getting pretty excited and antsy about November 3rd...</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"> </span></div>
Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04661183268241421312noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-703599524187323971.post-1287198832990705152013-09-06T13:15:00.000-04:002013-09-06T13:20:44.962-04:00Priorities + Week 7 Marathon Training<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">One thing I've learned from going through the marathon training cycle a few times is you
have to have conviction in your <b>priorities</b>.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">I suppose
this is true in life as well, but when you have fewer hours of free time during the
week because of training, it becomes even more obvious. I try not to become a complete hermit when
I train, because I enjoy being social and doing fun things outside of running.
But when I commit to something, I am super committed. I am taking marathon
training seriously, especially because as the weeks go on, I am finding it to
be one the more successful training cycles I’ve had. So what does this mean? I
have to let some things go. But there are things I've learned along the way that are both good and bad. Do you want to hear about them? Okay then.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<i><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">The Positives<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">I’ve trained
my body to wake up before work and run, specifically for the purpose of being
able to meet up with friends in the evening, or just lay on my couch and catch up
on Project Runway. This has proved helpful so far, and I find on the days when
I train in the morning I have a TON of energy the rest of the day. I make both
my runs and my evening plans a priority, and everybody wins.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirdsLs4TJAn2EEnHYMeRp_p41kWv93RkmEjy0-ZROkVW-c0snm7N7UyWvEVW0q4SD8foLnYx5Si5zWv76DWwQS67BtaIhsXV-P5ASJWwb24rsMweUKyGqwl7PnWi_EaqNV1RVrF4jqN8Ar/s1600/wburg+bridge.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirdsLs4TJAn2EEnHYMeRp_p41kWv93RkmEjy0-ZROkVW-c0snm7N7UyWvEVW0q4SD8foLnYx5Si5zWv76DWwQS67BtaIhsXV-P5ASJWwb24rsMweUKyGqwl7PnWi_EaqNV1RVrF4jqN8Ar/s400/wburg+bridge.JPG" width="326" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A photo of a happy, well-balanced runner.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">Last year
when I was training for the Philly marathon, I had a hard time balancing everything. I
was burnt out from running all year, and my original training plan was pretty
aggressive. Between running and work, I was stress city. Even when I was
training for the tri in the spring, fitting in workouts 6 days a week was no
easy task. I pushed a lot to the side, and focused on my training. Too much of one
thing made me super stressed. But this time around? I feel great. It is the
first time since last November that I’ve been able to devote all of my active time to
my love for running, and I couldn’t be happier. I really try to use my time when I run to sort out my worries and let go of negative emotions, instead of letting it bring any added stress into my life (MOM ARE YOU
READING THIS).</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<i><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">The Negatives (wah-wahh)<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">The reality
of marathon training is that you will not be able to do everything. You can’t
get drunk Friday night AND nail that 18 miler on Saturday morning. At least I
can’t. It’s either a Harry Potter DVD and the 18 miler, OR getting drunk Friday and
laying in bed Saturday morning while chugging Gatorade. During marathon season, I
choose the former because that’s what I’m committed to. I’m very lucky to have
a boyfriend and a family who support my training, because I know that my long
training runs can be selfish. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">While I know that my long runs can cut into weekend time, I try to adjust my schedule so training doesn't take over my life. For example: I’m going
away to Keith’s house this weekend, where his mom, Keith and I are going to the
Brimfield Antiques Market to scavenge for cool old knick knacks. I know we
usually leave EARLY on Saturday morning to get good parking, so I chose to do
my long training run last night so I didn’t have to worry about it over the
weekend. Running 2 ½ hours on a Thursday night is not exactly my idea of fun,
but now I don’t have to stress about when I’m going to fit it in over the
weekend. Sacrifices, people.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">Anywho! Let’s
get down to how last week’s training went.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";"><b>Monday </b>: 6M,
3M @ Marathon Pace (kind of)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";"><b>Tuesday</b>: 5M
easy<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";"><b>Wednesday</b>:
Rest<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";"><br /><b>
Thursday</b>: Rest (and drive up to Portland for Labor Day!)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";"><b>Friday</b>: 13
Miles in Portland<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">AWESOME run.
Well, awesome first half, when Keith joined me. Keith and I got to the
apartment we were staying at around lunch, and strapped on our sneakers to
enjoy the fresh air. Keith’s plan was to join me for the first half, and I
would do the last 6 ½ on my own. We had a bit of fun.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";"><br /></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAZTiWibXU11f1G-KIetZZ87aHzbIx9X6oNlrlF4tXp_kRodu2NizngkaU50Vg1qM2Y59cMh6Okp0CUuiP-QaXtHetn8r-OcSdqDuLlw7whBcNCp76kh2T54DrqNoBRH3nthTPW74hdUpd/s1600/keith+climbing.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAZTiWibXU11f1G-KIetZZ87aHzbIx9X6oNlrlF4tXp_kRodu2NizngkaU50Vg1qM2Y59cMh6Okp0CUuiP-QaXtHetn8r-OcSdqDuLlw7whBcNCp76kh2T54DrqNoBRH3nthTPW74hdUpd/s400/keith+climbing.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Show-off.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUzJ-w4uJSVAq5F2T_07rE7GxWFE13wzri5H9X3oOw_hHCiFJBFO-M_xqxVIOQcwfxp8lkyXt-qaKRUeRjSwojblT1vw88c0kkg3RrzYee4CPgpsHQiyUA1NK7BS68ZuTWU9NkjBL220Te/s1600/me+clibing.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUzJ-w4uJSVAq5F2T_07rE7GxWFE13wzri5H9X3oOw_hHCiFJBFO-M_xqxVIOQcwfxp8lkyXt-qaKRUeRjSwojblT1vw88c0kkg3RrzYee4CPgpsHQiyUA1NK7BS68ZuTWU9NkjBL220Te/s400/me+clibing.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kind of showing-off.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";"> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjq5dtG_MrxpyLtlH36y8hRt8dRcPy0dV31D4F5Qd__s9KpID49l8USuzd2KxVHqwSoaggrsgcUAJm1YeHIZSpspL4oJpwZPgwqdumYDasFqNNHufe8kHT_IsGjfyQYo6oKHMV18qhXo2im/s1600/keith+aned+me.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjq5dtG_MrxpyLtlH36y8hRt8dRcPy0dV31D4F5Qd__s9KpID49l8USuzd2KxVHqwSoaggrsgcUAJm1YeHIZSpspL4oJpwZPgwqdumYDasFqNNHufe8kHT_IsGjfyQYo6oKHMV18qhXo2im/s400/keith+aned+me.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">VERY PLEASED.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">The first
half I felt really strong, despite the heat and humidity. I also didn’t fuel properly before the run. I had an egg sandwich at about 10, and half of a
banana right before the run. So by the time I turned around for the second half
of my run, I was HUNGRY. My clif shots and blocks weren’t doing the trick. The
last few miles I could feel how drained and dehydrated I was. Plus, being by
myself was not fun. I was ready for a weekend of drinking and playing.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCngW3a-RSmrVOdd5buFXoWammyWAhNg8LrdtVYjeyoZ0ZdsFh8SOR_u-Bf2nsZRQrD7TWGnXjgeJOSZyY7rcZtMtbZRIPTB6AXQo-Fa8zNjY2-Z7Z0jhV1Rq6TekeHyaT0dKI5a8Iv9Zu/s1600/bay.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCngW3a-RSmrVOdd5buFXoWammyWAhNg8LrdtVYjeyoZ0ZdsFh8SOR_u-Bf2nsZRQrD7TWGnXjgeJOSZyY7rcZtMtbZRIPTB6AXQo-Fa8zNjY2-Z7Z0jhV1Rq6TekeHyaT0dKI5a8Iv9Zu/s400/bay.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">I turned on
my iPod, and kicked it into high gear for the last two miles. A little Miley
Cyrus got me to do my last mile at 9:19, which I was really happy with. Then it
was beer time.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJOIyxEdp25hyaSZ5yA5S8uwSX9tz_Qsoq9hj72HdGGDpp3IexsRUhglbQmXqFrSHAs39En991Cb-KPG1E-ZsO9FcCHfm-7QPGcNz53iu5TD1kHLYG2hr2vghDjEmth_4pLzu_6-YV-Qct/s1600/gansett.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJOIyxEdp25hyaSZ5yA5S8uwSX9tz_Qsoq9hj72HdGGDpp3IexsRUhglbQmXqFrSHAs39En991Cb-KPG1E-ZsO9FcCHfm-7QPGcNz53iu5TD1kHLYG2hr2vghDjEmth_4pLzu_6-YV-Qct/s400/gansett.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fall beer is LITERALLY my favorite thing.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">And beach
time.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5BV4OfajZbrBrOx91JyUSiKGpsLalpt7PZhpxI_xfb6iTRAZncokCXPTQFzCoiB7uiWm1c55cDFRvjtsl0FxMSKPfP0u9xBu22g0ZtZB7FTGAfwQKX2DijJyIzVLiC9MhY5RfA__slbwX/s1600/beach.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5BV4OfajZbrBrOx91JyUSiKGpsLalpt7PZhpxI_xfb6iTRAZncokCXPTQFzCoiB7uiWm1c55cDFRvjtsl0FxMSKPfP0u9xBu22g0ZtZB7FTGAfwQKX2DijJyIzVLiC9MhY5RfA__slbwX/s400/beach.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">And casual
biking time.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLCyk9znAu0JgDTgp4RJrL6QK-j5O91b4neZaL9QYUkOocDMtYmV-jvyjDS5rSUiw_DJuEjzVxZJc_zeXlKICBGZZyGlZPLfbnGLG0eCwwwD0KQOHZGOIayHNRf5hvKLTtPUVR33C41cmF/s1600/keith+biking.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLCyk9znAu0JgDTgp4RJrL6QK-j5O91b4neZaL9QYUkOocDMtYmV-jvyjDS5rSUiw_DJuEjzVxZJc_zeXlKICBGZZyGlZPLfbnGLG0eCwwwD0KQOHZGOIayHNRf5hvKLTtPUVR33C41cmF/s400/keith+biking.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";"><b>Sunday</b>: 4.25
Miles<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">Keith and I
did another run on Sunday, and I was not really up for it. After a weekend of
beer and fried food, I just wanted to nap. But we plotted our route so that we
would end at a bar on the water. As I said before, it’s all about priorities.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";"><b>Total Miles:
28.25</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">Here's to another week of being balanced and stress-free. And drinking all the fall beer I can get my hands on.</span></div>
Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04661183268241421312noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-703599524187323971.post-65536582369886718912013-08-29T16:49:00.000-04:002013-08-29T16:49:52.636-04:00Week 6 Marathon Training – and Where the Heck I Have Been<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">I'm here!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">I’ve spent the last
few weeks enjoying the beautiful August weather we’ve been having. </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">The sun has been out and I haven't been to work on a Friday in weeks. </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">Work has
also been crazy busy, so play time + work time = no blog time. I’m
back! I hope.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">The last few
weeks have been REALLY great. I feel like I spent part of the spring and the hot days in
July focusing on the negative. But with beautiful 70/80 degree weather and lots
of little trips planned, I think I'm back to focusing on the positive. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">Do you want a
recap in photos? Those are my favorite.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">Summer
Streets! One of my favorite running weekends of the year. I had a great 9 Mile
run down Park Avenue.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-JjSf1bsFRS8TKOIrSYZKCdjaSxWS_V3uBDAq_g6N3RrT_wApgAUgOMQPYjpLrdxnCwuP6duB_G3VBwXogGKB0PryZrd22d76LdpAc4bhqEThcmXoUd5YfeNsaEt807say3AVvaqLuhIz/s1600/summer+streets.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-JjSf1bsFRS8TKOIrSYZKCdjaSxWS_V3uBDAq_g6N3RrT_wApgAUgOMQPYjpLrdxnCwuP6duB_G3VBwXogGKB0PryZrd22d76LdpAc4bhqEThcmXoUd5YfeNsaEt807say3AVvaqLuhIz/s400/summer+streets.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">Another long
run spent over the Williamsburg Bridge. It was hot and sweaty, but I was
finally able to run up the Williamsburg Bridge without feeling like I was going
to collapse. Gettin’ that hill stamina.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9RaLZSm7azOec8-kCQnlozXb7_l7mMthl_5OOzpf677F08EzViEzHvCUCRSuVpfqyvscwpmAcsD1ilvPCr22uhyphenhyphenJoNlH-nm0aFW7gRR1hgkZdVwlt5mSwuIsZ2pdXA7B2me_lvJFZtcrT/s1600/wburg+bridge.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9RaLZSm7azOec8-kCQnlozXb7_l7mMthl_5OOzpf677F08EzViEzHvCUCRSuVpfqyvscwpmAcsD1ilvPCr22uhyphenhyphenJoNlH-nm0aFW7gRR1hgkZdVwlt5mSwuIsZ2pdXA7B2me_lvJFZtcrT/s400/wburg+bridge.JPG" width="326" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">After Keith
took the bar (!!!) we spent plenty of time celebrating him being able to bar
hop again. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj090FATb89Kfck9EeRD7bQwpf7ZlkXLcD-5s3hr14o3XTYE8TbnfCDp-1gep5zfm1d9dtCtLEjXR0XcqMAWuqPmOAkMuIqt2bR2EgQzJnA8cwcFrdPBwvFZfF1PZP01UIlc_WEmxD4kVsq/s1600/keith+and+me+out.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj090FATb89Kfck9EeRD7bQwpf7ZlkXLcD-5s3hr14o3XTYE8TbnfCDp-1gep5zfm1d9dtCtLEjXR0XcqMAWuqPmOAkMuIqt2bR2EgQzJnA8cwcFrdPBwvFZfF1PZP01UIlc_WEmxD4kVsq/s400/keith+and+me+out.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">With busy
weekends, busy work days, and training, I've been been seriously neglecting my kitchen.
But Keith did manage to teach me how to make an awesome kale dish. Just oil,
salt, pepper and lemon juice in a pan. So good.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDAmWQ67CZBFEkF7dE23A3WHCt3tndl7hk9kaDcIfwo5_mvH7Q3NO6iqlRUef3DQhSgdgb3lDr4AS0QNAq5DaL9dqLhC6mIniymVxlQz2KKwScFStOK0JN4505EJ7A5nDZvCn3Uz28ogCj/s1600/kale.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDAmWQ67CZBFEkF7dE23A3WHCt3tndl7hk9kaDcIfwo5_mvH7Q3NO6iqlRUef3DQhSgdgb3lDr4AS0QNAq5DaL9dqLhC6mIniymVxlQz2KKwScFStOK0JN4505EJ7A5nDZvCn3Uz28ogCj/s400/kale.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">I went to
Cape Cod to visit my good friend from college, Jaime. I managed to get plenty of time in at the beach, plus drink PLENTY with my amazing gal pal.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq7V9yrS-SKxxwjASVpaOzvWKwk2AWZ8xQm5XfqISc6NFnsbQR9SaWDwc6SpFdv4N6e02rPASgwaSayy1cg7FFV3ZpEbjWq8tKFd_nui5RjEan9Wj5uQvjhGq5nUerY4coH2FAtyYUXf_T/s1600/star+-+cape+cod.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq7V9yrS-SKxxwjASVpaOzvWKwk2AWZ8xQm5XfqISc6NFnsbQR9SaWDwc6SpFdv4N6e02rPASgwaSayy1cg7FFV3ZpEbjWq8tKFd_nui5RjEan9Wj5uQvjhGq5nUerY4coH2FAtyYUXf_T/s400/star+-+cape+cod.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc0rzWpV8cDgbxwj5XoCbH4-bKV1V3ehgxpgMHrtXHb7s156LuFtLXiyYOefDMO0iy51YNqQPEG533zAQ30NTqmpMh_NiDAKNs2lmFG4kzNy_vUuXrbzH2i_hZczq-a-ir0kFaq1yGl2Me/s1600/jaime.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc0rzWpV8cDgbxwj5XoCbH4-bKV1V3ehgxpgMHrtXHb7s156LuFtLXiyYOefDMO0iy51YNqQPEG533zAQ30NTqmpMh_NiDAKNs2lmFG4kzNy_vUuXrbzH2i_hZczq-a-ir0kFaq1yGl2Me/s400/jaime.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">I also had my
25<sup>th</sup> birthday (EEEEP) at a german beer hall in Williamsburg. General
debauchery ensued.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">There was
sister time (!!!) plus a creeper.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";"><br /></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJarjj0DFL0ownjiRBRMXBV47py-uBBfW2Ffuz-yPH18EOi9XZ_Z_1dfwT_rinCekbypzFw8UFsBi4t3ylXdtbA-RAL7bYYXTzMSQHBLSiWrwNpv6SJVDLC2TKWMxUX-AxN0t8010iCpar/s1600/kelly+and+me.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJarjj0DFL0ownjiRBRMXBV47py-uBBfW2Ffuz-yPH18EOi9XZ_Z_1dfwT_rinCekbypzFw8UFsBi4t3ylXdtbA-RAL7bYYXTzMSQHBLSiWrwNpv6SJVDLC2TKWMxUX-AxN0t8010iCpar/s400/kelly+and+me.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">(Keith's bro)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">Arm wrestling
time.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsyCuNuSrc5NjGHalRkye38Zc6U0y2KbLXmrh3TE5xSL9UOEBUVFJwvXpoPh2SNeyWB7Ug_5NQwKgLoD3UEPyU7LOggpnbz_ktH3wWcAcXXY4MsIMOGYFwiDEM9Cf13d43eyP0riF7pLHi/s1600/keith+and+kyle.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsyCuNuSrc5NjGHalRkye38Zc6U0y2KbLXmrh3TE5xSL9UOEBUVFJwvXpoPh2SNeyWB7Ug_5NQwKgLoD3UEPyU7LOggpnbz_ktH3wWcAcXXY4MsIMOGYFwiDEM9Cf13d43eyP0riF7pLHi/s400/keith+and+kyle.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">Bossy time.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0UbaOm7UKsOYPcw6Hj8V5kpGPt3ftQHDSU0r2e3TrNQLCqZu15_MZQeoZlO7SauuiI5ZVLav0hWzU6ewY2NKZL2QM4Wt_FjArWjFWp7tuS1N2qwwzq_BGAdOsdITWtVyqKcE0BSvfNHID/s1600/keith+and+me+gbh.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0UbaOm7UKsOYPcw6Hj8V5kpGPt3ftQHDSU0r2e3TrNQLCqZu15_MZQeoZlO7SauuiI5ZVLav0hWzU6ewY2NKZL2QM4Wt_FjArWjFWp7tuS1N2qwwzq_BGAdOsdITWtVyqKcE0BSvfNHID/s400/keith+and+me+gbh.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">All in all, a
pretty good August. I also got a fair amount of running in. Which brings me to…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";"><b>Week 6
Marathon Training!</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";"><b>Monday: 5
Miles (Easy)</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">Nothing to
write home about – 5 easy miles after work.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";"><b>Tuesday: 5
Miles – w/ 3 @ Marathon Pace</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">This is
typically my “speedwork” day. It's definitely not true speedwork, but I try to pick up the pace after a warm-up mile. Sometimes I go faster than marathon pace, sometimes
slower. It depends. I’m not really worried about it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";"><b>Wednesday:
Rest (I got my hair did)</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";"><b>Thursday: 4
Miles (Easy)</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">I was SO
TIRED this day. It took literally everything in my being to get out of bed. But
I knew I had to because it was my birthday weekend, and I knew I wouldn’t want
to exercise at all. So I cut it a mile short.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";"><b>Friday: 12
Miles – Long Run</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">This was an
interesting run. I was at home, which thankfully always makes for better runs
since I’m looking at something other than concrete and trash. Keith did the
first 4 miles with me, my dad biked a few miles with me, and then I was on my
own. When Keith and I started out, we realized how freaking humid it was. By
the time my dad was biking with me, my legs felt like lead and I was really
hot. Then by the time I was on my own, I actually felt great. My pace REALLY
slowed when I was with my dad, but I was able to pick it up and finish strong. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">I ran by
my elementary school I went to in Kindergarten/1</span><sup style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">st</sup><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"> grade. It is so
TINY. It smelled the same too – like PB&Js and band-aids. I remembered when my kindergarten teacher completely disheveled our classroom on St. Patty's Day and blamed it on leprechauns. I remember sitting under a tree during recess drinking capri sun and eating doritos. Running past it</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"> put me in a really good mood.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">I did lots of little loops around my neighborhood, passing no fewer than 4 cornfields. By the end of the run, my body was tired, but I felt like I could have kept on going.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsdoiPfYirXrpYqq1vaws_u8r0uPtZTBeSHW0iJO9Ck-3INJuGFRgwg_3RvnK3SFrNX0rlaakjZu4ns0fHPylsZbCiNxxylEEpnEIhPR2G9kdTeFFyPAXQeB7mnUIMEZXOarBppp-Wc2l5/s1600/corn.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsdoiPfYirXrpYqq1vaws_u8r0uPtZTBeSHW0iJO9Ck-3INJuGFRgwg_3RvnK3SFrNX0rlaakjZu4ns0fHPylsZbCiNxxylEEpnEIhPR2G9kdTeFFyPAXQeB7mnUIMEZXOarBppp-Wc2l5/s400/corn.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is in Jersey, I swear.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">Overall, I
feel really good about marathon training. My long runs have been going well, which is key. I haven’t been pushing the pace at all, but I do try to pick up speed in the last few miles to get my legs used to going fast when
they’re tired. My runs during the week have been okay, but I’m finding it more
and more challenging to fit them in the morning before work. I thought I could hold off
becoming hermit Kate for awhile, but once weekday runs become 7-8 miles long, I
may have to crawl into my shell during the week.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">Short n sweet
recap, but I felt like I needed to check-in. I’m heading up to Portland, ME
this weekend with Keith for a beer fest, seafood, and the beach. More updates
soon…</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">Until then, happy
running!</span></div>
Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04661183268241421312noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-703599524187323971.post-88627971893283714982013-07-30T17:12:00.000-04:002013-07-30T17:12:47.753-04:00Week 2 - NYC Marathon Training<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">Living in
NYC, you see a lot of crazy. I’m hyper-sensitive to other people in the
summertime, because the subways and streets seem even more crowded than usual.
I’ve observed a few things recently that annoy me and I would like to get them off my chest.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">Several times recently,
I’ve seen people get on an elevator, walk to
the back of it, and then just as the door is about to close say, “Can you press
4?” Even if you’re distracted, what is the first thing you do when you walk
into an elevator? Do you not to immediately press the button of what floor you’re going to? Are
these people just lazy? You should be in control of your own schedule. I am not going
to be at your disposal in every other transportation mode you take throughout the day. Riding an elevator should be the easiest part of your day.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">Also, I find
it really annoying when people ask me the address for a place. JUST. GOOGLE.
IT. I don’t understand. Not only will you have a better sense of where the
address is if you look it up, but it will also avoid all follow-up questions
that are likely to ensue (What is it on the corner of? How do I get there?).
Maybe people just really trust my judgment, or they are old school and don’t
automatically go to Google for their everyday questions. Either way, trust me when I say
that asking for the address of a place is a waste of both of our times. (Please
note that this anger brews almost entirely at work. Mom and Dad, still feel free
to ask me for an address anytime you like. You are both the exception to this
rule because you are very sweet and nice).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";"><br /></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu3mh3dWGnaw5OwZOpfqwMCT7pTAw-C0nVzkLlvc_W4w2EnSnqPeY_h1y8EXpEZurQw7GUtrGyPh2Sg4j-GviuTm_NHQRqSyshRc235UlYDA6GGQV4Uvl1pbpUeRY5OpswYoBTyF6Ctj6t/s1600/address.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="276" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu3mh3dWGnaw5OwZOpfqwMCT7pTAw-C0nVzkLlvc_W4w2EnSnqPeY_h1y8EXpEZurQw7GUtrGyPh2Sg4j-GviuTm_NHQRqSyshRc235UlYDA6GGQV4Uvl1pbpUeRY5OpswYoBTyF6Ctj6t/s400/address.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">LOOK AT ALL THIS INFO GOOGLE GIVES YOU.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">Sorry to
unload all that on you first thing. It’s just that the NYC summer heat can cause
irrational behavior that I am very sensitive to. And I am perhaps a victim of.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">On a high
note, Week 2 was a good week!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";"><b>Monday: 3
Miles</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">I did a slow,
easy run after work. My joints have been a little achey, I think from going to
running 4 days a week. My body is still adjusting to marathon training, so I’m
taking it nice and easy.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";"><b>Tuesday: 2
Miles</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">I was
supposed to do 4, but cut it short because my muscles were still achey. I took
the less is more approach because it is so early in training, and figured I
would make up the miles later in the week.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";"><b>Wednesday:
Rest</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">I watched a
lot of Orange is the new Black and knitted.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHAJTyIxUA5cyc49xbScN72PeDdcAokYx5_ykeLSda_PKTDf_ru3mAsUI2dvCL4EtUg0rSuxU1UCRpUKM4JkMZxX7Pz5-N79UF60X9kniocAWoaD8GegjjwvotdsSm3Qv7cueZVV7pf01j/s1600/knitting.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHAJTyIxUA5cyc49xbScN72PeDdcAokYx5_ykeLSda_PKTDf_ru3mAsUI2dvCL4EtUg0rSuxU1UCRpUKM4JkMZxX7Pz5-N79UF60X9kniocAWoaD8GegjjwvotdsSm3Qv7cueZVV7pf01j/s400/knitting.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";"><b>Thursday: 3
Miles</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">I did these
miles in the gym – I started off with 10 minutes of the stair stepper to warm
up, and then switched to the treadmill. It was great to get a true warm-up in,
because my muscles were ready to go by the time I got on the treadmill. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";"><b>Friday: Rest</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">I went home
for the weekend, and got some shopping and TLC in on Friday. Can I just express
my immense love for malls in the suburbs? I do a lot of my shopping online now,
because I just can’t stand the lines and crowds at stores in the city. But I
went to the mall by my house and I had so much room to peruse! No lines for the
waiting room, no one bumping into me in the sales section. It was just me and
my credit card.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAyNZ6egHnf7GK-0SGl87qDE3lKnXdOHxUxQcI1BHdUfy98nXRbpsotA5-QV_gvK4oBZ6z8ggeo1bmQOVG5UA1L6ghaNG-y8nydOgKTLpg_LsdYhcdQaiuEWEFvhaW10oYHhR8LdxyVWWB/s1600/new+dress.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAyNZ6egHnf7GK-0SGl87qDE3lKnXdOHxUxQcI1BHdUfy98nXRbpsotA5-QV_gvK4oBZ6z8ggeo1bmQOVG5UA1L6ghaNG-y8nydOgKTLpg_LsdYhcdQaiuEWEFvhaW10oYHhR8LdxyVWWB/s400/new+dress.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Needed approval from my sister that this was cute.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgycnS_1oaHxTD7YBOr80W59g3qLlPhjNxCfPY4qCAuIbMti9NUi1Jg56OAQnACJz9iabDpxfVPYziI6mSbSvRHzxAUm2a5JYWMSujAATwZkGuP5zEYV25uiISoC9PzM2BSKEeeSUwJ9eHj/s1600/apple.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgycnS_1oaHxTD7YBOr80W59g3qLlPhjNxCfPY4qCAuIbMti9NUi1Jg56OAQnACJz9iabDpxfVPYziI6mSbSvRHzxAUm2a5JYWMSujAATwZkGuP5zEYV25uiISoC9PzM2BSKEeeSUwJ9eHj/s400/apple.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My mall got fancy with an Apple store while I've been in NYC.<br />And I only see two people. So nice.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpdJMfwmSuaiiLsGoq32YJd3kXTdrqbJaWD6a1TzTRq_m8gxvBCurxRtGrzhyphenhyphenKBScyca71IyyYyHjqZGrkeWReqYKasuJMU3WgrPXWf6YfVmOjZZZjLzYtAp46FV2xirjN5oHBOmRn9EBW/s1600/piet.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpdJMfwmSuaiiLsGoq32YJd3kXTdrqbJaWD6a1TzTRq_m8gxvBCurxRtGrzhyphenhyphenKBScyca71IyyYyHjqZGrkeWReqYKasuJMU3WgrPXWf6YfVmOjZZZjLzYtAp46FV2xirjN5oHBOmRn9EBW/s400/piet.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Which is real?</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><b>Saturday: 7
Miles</b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">I was out the
door early for 7 miles on my favorite path at home. It was so peaceful, and I
smiled the entire way. My dad joined me with his bike for the last half, which
always makes the run go by in a flash.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuUy5iV5CoKEhQ1ZvuXFWS8NqmVLgQS4UtND7Z45o-y_a2SOtL1PifZdhMBu7c39vobmH76zRbgmgjO46y7f5m7mUzuCpVW79XnJUmhaePZASHD_EMZvHzEpgP-qdycr3F19hpCv6AtlKN/s1600/grover+farm.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuUy5iV5CoKEhQ1ZvuXFWS8NqmVLgQS4UtND7Z45o-y_a2SOtL1PifZdhMBu7c39vobmH76zRbgmgjO46y7f5m7mUzuCpVW79XnJUmhaePZASHD_EMZvHzEpgP-qdycr3F19hpCv6AtlKN/s400/grover+farm.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My happy place.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDEf7ixIqmmRqVT5rxrmn9csVGSZutVyrMw9Oys4IinKYRSKW51fyYzTmf5wWOewYnQrGX2uyQnJafGxMtYDvQEIiKaHNl6Yb8HMbEpOqiMglNOzG9unTlKkXbz-Qx9FX02VBKQ2Jg1Gdw/s1600/conover+field.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDEf7ixIqmmRqVT5rxrmn9csVGSZutVyrMw9Oys4IinKYRSKW51fyYzTmf5wWOewYnQrGX2uyQnJafGxMtYDvQEIiKaHNl6Yb8HMbEpOqiMglNOzG9unTlKkXbz-Qx9FX02VBKQ2Jg1Gdw/s400/conover+field.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">This is my
absolute <b>favorite </b>place to run. I used to play soccer here as a kid, and I
usually climb and jump over the fence, and run diagonally across the field. It
almost takes me back to soccer and Capri Suns.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">I went to the
beach after the run, which I had been looking forward to all summer. I got some
freckles, read my book, and got a healthy dosage of jersey shore <s>trash</s> crazies.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPO3ITqLVid6dmqLN64WKJwib0-1QNmaqzfhypg_A4wXjh6dhonB83Uv5e3G9CqNWq6RBSR78pYIDSm-Hc2iuE-_JJu55WO4bRQI7YjySwR7nE1l7nIqIHtGJGmihwlB4w7INgheTj8fy6/s1600/beachJPG.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPO3ITqLVid6dmqLN64WKJwib0-1QNmaqzfhypg_A4wXjh6dhonB83Uv5e3G9CqNWq6RBSR78pYIDSm-Hc2iuE-_JJu55WO4bRQI7YjySwR7nE1l7nIqIHtGJGmihwlB4w7INgheTj8fy6/s400/beachJPG.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";"><b>Sunday: 2
Miles</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">I made up
those miles! I told you I would. Slow and steady. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">I got back to
Brooklyn mid-day, went for my quick run, got some groceries, and then went
gang-busters in my apartment. I have a few storage bins that I keep random
“essentials” in (Christmas decorations, my Spanglish DVD). I’ve been meaning to
go through them, as well as re-arrange my bookshelf. There were far too many
books on my shelf, but I think “cool” bookshelves are
supposed to have a mix of books you haven’t read and cool trinkets. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">It was a
success! I went through all my books and made some tough decisions. I put aside a bunch to donate, kept the ones
I want to read on my bookshelf, and placed the rest back in a bin (I just can’t part
with all of the books I read in college. They make me feel scholarly). I cleaned and re-arranged my bookshelf, my crowning jewel in my
apartment.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi36Wi6fPa3yTsq2Am3n6st-NdphYljyKqL9Hu20i85Y8vHNRuB33dRKLT0fOkrJPdTxT68rdJ3elHMGyYvJc4MiFmI_WCgxMmhK_KIWLCKTDHlLCwobKDE3qTaAaA2sBFphkDjOK4Isbli/s1600/bookcase.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi36Wi6fPa3yTsq2Am3n6st-NdphYljyKqL9Hu20i85Y8vHNRuB33dRKLT0fOkrJPdTxT68rdJ3elHMGyYvJc4MiFmI_WCgxMmhK_KIWLCKTDHlLCwobKDE3qTaAaA2sBFphkDjOK4Isbli/s400/bookcase.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Do you see all my trinkets?</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">All in all, a pretty perfect weekend. My legs were
definitely sore Sunday afternoon, but I’ve rarely done 5 days of running in one
week during training. I’m continuing to take my own advice of taking my
increasing my mileage and pace slowly, and I'm really looking forward to each run. </span></div>
Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04661183268241421312noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-703599524187323971.post-76547802037570312462013-07-22T20:52:00.000-04:002013-07-22T21:03:59.642-04:00Week 1 – NYC Marathon Training<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">It’s true.
Last week was my first week of marathon training.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheu4MYMLFbKIIJid8e8j30PNRgvG4hL8FwDw_PtDtj6bJpL9yzOfP4sjv247RXrQWSRt03GgPgc9DgktBl5nTEnJ3cYQ9DUPutL8XMzeQtN0ylx_j_qKxW5gtszhf76V-2JifJxW4Kxu6H/s1600/mizunos.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheu4MYMLFbKIIJid8e8j30PNRgvG4hL8FwDw_PtDtj6bJpL9yzOfP4sjv247RXrQWSRt03GgPgc9DgktBl5nTEnJ3cYQ9DUPutL8XMzeQtN0ylx_j_qKxW5gtszhf76V-2JifJxW4Kxu6H/s400/mizunos.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My new mizunos! aka the same shoes Wendy Davis<br />
wore on that infamous day. aka my filibuster sneaks.<br />
(I didn't realize they were the same ones she wore<br />
until Keith pointed it out after I bought them).</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">To answer the
question that my mom/boss/friends/accountant have asked, “You don’t have a
break between tri training and marathon training?” Nope.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">When I signed
up for the triathlon back in January, I figured my running fitness would be in
good shape by July. I guessed that moving right into marathon training would be
no problem. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">I didn’t
anticipate that I would be sidelined most of the spring by an injury I’m not
going to talk about anymore. It’s brushed under the rug, just like the hours I
wasted watching the Newsroom.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">So when I
started putting together my training plan for the NYC marathon, I was nowhere
near the mileage that Hal Higdon or Runner’s World recommend you start at if
you’re an “intermediate” runner. I was a little discouraged, not to mention
unsure if I would be in good enough shape to do the marathon.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">Then I
decided to look back at what I did in 2011 and 2012 for training. I used the most
basic of basic marathon training plans for the 2011 Cape Cod marathon. It was
totally manageable, with no long run lasting more than 18 miles. And guess
what? I finished that marathon with a huge smile on my face.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLaEVitUwNqUjChJhyphenhyphenGzVfD8gAHTzkks6bqSgDR8Agtq_Te7FDkh72bEVTF8IXBC35M7sl4okrhWP5jubS-YpZAivMY8sz6jA_wjf9aFMh2bdzbvUDkYNG_g-eTgcKIVxX_J2yQ_-zJbXD/s1600/cape+cod+-+fist+pump.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLaEVitUwNqUjChJhyphenhyphenGzVfD8gAHTzkks6bqSgDR8Agtq_Te7FDkh72bEVTF8IXBC35M7sl4okrhWP5jubS-YpZAivMY8sz6jA_wjf9aFMh2bdzbvUDkYNG_g-eTgcKIVxX_J2yQ_-zJbXD/s400/cape+cod+-+fist+pump.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">In 2012, I
designed a pretty aggressive marathon training plan. I started off wanting to
beat the 4-hour time mark, and felt fairly confident I could get there. But
then I got injured, and I had to really dial it back. I had to re-assess my
goals for the marathon, and realistically kiss that 4-hour mark goodbye. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">But you know
what? I PR’d by 23 minutes in Philadelphia. And that is something to be proud of.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikYmsVcgSaRjcOlIJ9w_VArGBYlJPWXw2XW3WLQktGFoK2BFEg1RmaVJauBvfO9Fo8mGhMZryiRCXIed2XYbE63PABLHiMsIEASrLSpuL8VKJyporFCuLtmK3oU15J1WPMVFfn4S3Y7KdI/s1600/insta.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikYmsVcgSaRjcOlIJ9w_VArGBYlJPWXw2XW3WLQktGFoK2BFEg1RmaVJauBvfO9Fo8mGhMZryiRCXIed2XYbE63PABLHiMsIEASrLSpuL8VKJyporFCuLtmK3oU15J1WPMVFfn4S3Y7KdI/s400/insta.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">For my NYC
marathon training plan, I’m taking some advice from my past self. I’m going to
train for my current ability, not where I thought I would be at this point. I’m
taking it slow, and really enjoying each run. I guess this is sort of cliché
running blog chatter, but for me, it really feels true.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">I’m not going
into the NYC marathon with a time goal (!!!).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">There’s a
huge part of me that wants to get under that 4 hour time threshold. I would be
lying if I said I didn’t. But if I can learn anything from last year’s
experience, having a time goal made running NOT fun for me. And while I had a
super secret goal of beating 3 hours for the NYC tri, when I was doing the race
I was completely clueless as to what my time would be. I had no watch during the
swim or my transitions, and I started my run watch too late. My time came as a
complete surprise. That surprise factor made me enjoy the race so much more.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">So what was
Week 1 of NYC Marathon Training like? Let me spit some numbers at ya.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<b><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">Monday: </span></b><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">REST from the tri (went to the pool and
got a pedi with Meggie instead)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<b><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">Tuesday: </span></b><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">3 Miles, Easy<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<b><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">Wednesday: </span></b><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">3.5
Miles, Easy<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<b><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">Thursday: </span></b><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">Yoga <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<b><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">Friday: </span></b><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">3 Miles<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<b><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">Saturday: </span></b><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">6 Miles<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<b><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">Sunday:</span></b><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";"> Bike and Strength Training<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<b><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">Total Miles: 15.5<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">I took my
paces pretty easy this week. I wanted to just enjoy running, and get used to
the 4-day training week. I felt really good, and I was SO happy to get back
into it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">As much as I
loved the experience of the tri, I was secretly thrilled not to have to pack a heavy gym bag and squeeze into a wetsuit last week. Being able to just lace up my
sneakers and go is one of the many reasons why I love running.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">I was also
thrilled to be able to fit yoga into my workout regiment last week. I
literally haven’t been to yoga in FOREVER. I wanted to re-align my chi and do
some uncomfortable stretching.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">I checked out
Yoga to the People in Brooklyn, which is a donation-based yoga studio (they
recommend a $10 donation, but you can pay less or more based on your bank
account). It’s a no-frills studio, which meant no AC. I’m really happy I
brought a towel, since on Thursday it was about 100 degrees. It didn’t stop me receiving judgey stares from my neighbors because of the disgusting amount I was sweating.
I SWEAT OKAY? It’s normal. You are a freak of nature if you aren’t sweating in
a 90 degree studio while trying to balance in Warrior 2. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><br /></span>
I<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">t felt SO so good to do yoga again. I stopped doing it because
it always gave me back pain. But at the end of this class, I felt great (then quickly ducked out so the girl next to me couldn’t see my sweaty face. She was secretly shaming me). But I really hope to continue incorporating it into my training, since
other running blogs swear by it.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">My "long run" on Saturday was not as painful as I thought it would be. I only had 6 miles to do, and I made sure to wake up early to beat the heat. The sky decided to be kind, and I had cloud cover for the majority of the run. I took my usual long run path over the Williamsburg Bridge, which I haven't done in a hot minute. I huffed and puffed up the hills just as I expected to. I took walk breaks when I needed them. I wasn't in a rush. I was just enjoying myself.</span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">I’m excited
for another week of low-pressure running. Just me, my filibuster sneakers and I.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04661183268241421312noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-703599524187323971.post-22272825019596741512013-07-18T10:36:00.000-04:002013-07-18T10:36:41.570-04:00The New York City Triathlon Race Recap<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">There really
was no better way for me to celebrate my 3</span><sup style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">rd</sup><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"> anniversary of living in
New York City.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7Le06HgocR0L0cXNigHzdo_1KZ8aOBQ3PhbgW7Kv9tC_ddqADWHySVMtwMJamLOGMkwJrXYwT71WmEHen4IwkmBgxZ6x_YZ2P4Xh0cM-Lme1u1N-bcTuhqMpQvIclGPRQ7oE5ivyrA-XA/s1600/end+of+race.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7Le06HgocR0L0cXNigHzdo_1KZ8aOBQ3PhbgW7Kv9tC_ddqADWHySVMtwMJamLOGMkwJrXYwT71WmEHen4IwkmBgxZ6x_YZ2P4Xh0cM-Lme1u1N-bcTuhqMpQvIclGPRQ7oE5ivyrA-XA/s400/end+of+race.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">But before
the happy end of the race came, I was a ball of nerves.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">I’ve never
had more mixed feelings about a race before. I was feeling the normal, equal
balance of nervous and excitement. But I was also wondering, am I really ready
for this? There was a part of me that had serious concerns about my ability to
finish. Would I get a flat tire on the bike? Could I handle the Central Park
hills? Would I look really awesome, or close to death in my race photos? (all
questions will be answered in-depth later)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">Meggie and I
went to the Tri expo Friday afternoon and picked up some goodies before our
final Team in Training dinner. We had a casual photoshoot as well.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrYjJVmubOcUumnF9SMiIkMWh9wsFdny9Ujhm5rcZR6gAuZRMitEQq8Dq1AknKNx2QuyfogKI7dKg1iMJ_1UuQUW0XU6bCX4pTve8NFLhPhc2FO7Wkg-P6T0Y1BnbNYStkoRAuoPAw_W29/s1600/zico.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="246" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrYjJVmubOcUumnF9SMiIkMWh9wsFdny9Ujhm5rcZR6gAuZRMitEQq8Dq1AknKNx2QuyfogKI7dKg1iMJ_1UuQUW0XU6bCX4pTve8NFLhPhc2FO7Wkg-P6T0Y1BnbNYStkoRAuoPAw_W29/s400/zico.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">We made our
way to the dinner, only to find the entrance lined with a red carpet. As we
walked in, our mentors were waiting for us, cheering us on with insane
enthusiasm. I felt like a total rock star.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWCLShQ5HlD4WWJ3BDH5xVx_-qeSFDWq-SzG5PTgQpfhBPHIkCxC8ut_LBgh8iQd-LJho3XgGthmyyILJtPk9urqJOiKSAAfe_gs8IYzkSUYgaLU7ad6Xno7460LwKS_3rfQgh-Mdw2vMZ/s1600/red+carpet.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWCLShQ5HlD4WWJ3BDH5xVx_-qeSFDWq-SzG5PTgQpfhBPHIkCxC8ut_LBgh8iQd-LJho3XgGthmyyILJtPk9urqJOiKSAAfe_gs8IYzkSUYgaLU7ad6Xno7460LwKS_3rfQgh-Mdw2vMZ/s400/red+carpet.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4n-BeS6XWotRcZ4UiPWfMtLRMUi_zGGlHz1t01UoViA96L-jTMxZObE6lNjPsDmtx4jBcJBTAFMoi3uQnR1aNsj2TKpWjus9AAzflTE4KL_oPQzYnupvbCL7llYRKah3ProL2lHfYZ94P/s1600/mentors+cheering.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4n-BeS6XWotRcZ4UiPWfMtLRMUi_zGGlHz1t01UoViA96L-jTMxZObE6lNjPsDmtx4jBcJBTAFMoi3uQnR1aNsj2TKpWjus9AAzflTE4KL_oPQzYnupvbCL7llYRKah3ProL2lHfYZ94P/s400/mentors+cheering.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cheering mentors!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">The dinner
was bittersweet. It was amazing to see the entire NYC chapter of TNT together,
and hearing how much money we raised for LLS (over $1 million!!!!). We heard
really sweet speeches from our head coach, and one TNT participant who is a
Stage 4 Lymphoma survivor. It was a really great way to bring my TNT experience
to a close, and got me super psyched for race day.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiibJouGI1LDCxD1esgLZq_i8ZNfAqU_l2jRmLyOUeG2S1S1xiI6pHHuCO4yk6-K1wzUtdIlcyw66x0tzU86E5SpILXEEGysS3KcBXm1-9i76C-MutYWLEhntusZkzk1KP4_xJSTECTq0f6/s1600/megs+and+me+at+dinner.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiibJouGI1LDCxD1esgLZq_i8ZNfAqU_l2jRmLyOUeG2S1S1xiI6pHHuCO4yk6-K1wzUtdIlcyw66x0tzU86E5SpILXEEGysS3KcBXm1-9i76C-MutYWLEhntusZkzk1KP4_xJSTECTq0f6/s400/megs+and+me+at+dinner.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Megs and me carbo-loading.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3l_9TXJDH7carbnZRaxW3GX4dhPWoLUQ96dkViQccFbCd0HXHxdWaj6hRuywqjVm2VjQdBa_0hThM0JWrsLj-QZUv0KET9K3Y72JpGHUciKDOEJow7Ul6vEsw7q4t4ziRVUvJqKECTJfY/s1600/andy+and+me.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3l_9TXJDH7carbnZRaxW3GX4dhPWoLUQ96dkViQccFbCd0HXHxdWaj6hRuywqjVm2VjQdBa_0hThM0JWrsLj-QZUv0KET9K3Y72JpGHUciKDOEJow7Ul6vEsw7q4t4ziRVUvJqKECTJfY/s400/andy+and+me.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My awesome mentor, Andy!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">I woke up
early Saturday morning to put together my race day necessities. I felt like a
crazy person checking and re-checking all my stuff. Between three sports, there
is a lot of random ish to remember.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZEezlVXvDg0SazGS_5jH9iU0d3uiYCGCxEicEl2rzhSz-gGSdbyMzesJ_gf61ZZKPJ8RmgBf3ID1OSCBV4b7Yiv60jO6SppbejzNvCqlos7kINRaP2k2IjUCKmSnlefNNV-z1Womv91U3/s1600/prep.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZEezlVXvDg0SazGS_5jH9iU0d3uiYCGCxEicEl2rzhSz-gGSdbyMzesJ_gf61ZZKPJ8RmgBf3ID1OSCBV4b7Yiv60jO6SppbejzNvCqlos7kINRaP2k2IjUCKmSnlefNNV-z1Womv91U3/s400/prep.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">I met Meggie
for our long trek to the west side to drop off our bikes at transition. We were
“those people” you hate on the subway because we clogged up all entry ways with
our bikes AND got our bikes tangled up in each other so you REALLY couldn’t get
off. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">After a
sweaty subway ride, we made it to transition. Huzzah!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtNx09OxEYc4dV8WEN14hB6is4OKEQT8OGw0bP1cO3e3ZpdrJV8Jimb9ESVnIgGULcf_x_vh8jSYiNTXp7USEA7DQvvxE6Te1gr5RgIiqu4JzOhhFKd9gYxa-f-VLAVkS6yft1Vdzlb3b0/s1600/transition.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtNx09OxEYc4dV8WEN14hB6is4OKEQT8OGw0bP1cO3e3ZpdrJV8Jimb9ESVnIgGULcf_x_vh8jSYiNTXp7USEA7DQvvxE6Te1gr5RgIiqu4JzOhhFKd9gYxa-f-VLAVkS6yft1Vdzlb3b0/s400/transition.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjnEOhcUFyAurSyRWL2rK5nbO-DKDuq_TgmIr2z8mShnvnDh3D681wTdLZ5ogxo5aEAARYbW0640L_R-uCoTLoentwmWkikCF5Z1t4sTx8tRs-1vJjgvQngGIIC_KH8DVEFKyKqSO_vD4C/s1600/1376.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjnEOhcUFyAurSyRWL2rK5nbO-DKDuq_TgmIr2z8mShnvnDh3D681wTdLZ5ogxo5aEAARYbW0640L_R-uCoTLoentwmWkikCF5Z1t4sTx8tRs-1vJjgvQngGIIC_KH8DVEFKyKqSO_vD4C/s400/1376.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My transition spot, with inspirational quote/pick-up line.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">We took a quick tour of the transition area, and figured out where we would be
entering and exiting for the swim, bike and run. After walking around most of
the afternoon, we finally took our coaches’ advice and went to dinner and a
movie to stay off our feet. We also lucked out and stayed at Meggie’s
boyfriend’s Aunt’s house (are you still with me? ) on the Upper West Side. It
was a real treat not to have to go all the way back to Brooklyn after our long
afternoon. We body marked, painted nails, and settled in for the night by
watching Sex and the City. We agreed that Samantha is much more outrageous and
sexual in the movie than in the show.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">At 3:30AM IN
THE MORNING, we woke up for the big day.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";"><br /></span>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihF6bxWWu4LDuJwgoTXGXBXAvGxbeGe7lWKifYGXD-OMnOVBOz8W2TKIuHkw_vRekXhyRW-hdyYb7yqwR6dlzmrQ3tbmGEjHSIhaWpb85V-r3Aulac2hAiZswu4otgbbbE7oiL4koYY8Gz/s1600/meggie+cab.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihF6bxWWu4LDuJwgoTXGXBXAvGxbeGe7lWKifYGXD-OMnOVBOz8W2TKIuHkw_vRekXhyRW-hdyYb7yqwR6dlzmrQ3tbmGEjHSIhaWpb85V-r3Aulac2hAiZswu4otgbbbE7oiL4koYY8Gz/s400/meggie+cab.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguQpTFjB2pnZMsIOyKCXItE5RgUY9sN_VbNekcUPRfmBprnsnI5EbUPkqWBd_WJAiiCRFHybDEOWI_80ir_xbEZG9cdO9JW7AKV2nGCNBJin7ls_qeUUfljeUetKVLXdy9mkGB6mE264xK/s1600/meggie+and+me+-+transition.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguQpTFjB2pnZMsIOyKCXItE5RgUY9sN_VbNekcUPRfmBprnsnI5EbUPkqWBd_WJAiiCRFHybDEOWI_80ir_xbEZG9cdO9JW7AKV2nGCNBJin7ls_qeUUfljeUetKVLXdy9mkGB6mE264xK/s400/meggie+and+me+-+transition.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Really beautiful shot of us.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">We laid out
our items at transition, and walked to the swim start. It was very cool
watching the sun rise over the Hudson, when most of the city was just about to
go to sleep. It was one of those rare New York moments.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">I got to my
corral with Meggie, and the race officially started. While the logistics of
bike drop-off and walking to the swim were a hassle, it was exciting to watch everyone jump in
and start their race. Here I am AMPED AND NERVOUS. (also, don't mind the next several shots that say "proof" across them. Stolen from marathon foto).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVsQM0xZ9-emuEQPIJzl-WPZkyaSs_z00Us7to7xHEsDbd6-ZkwZeMnJq7OdkPU4UjbVPo9uISiKoJgz_kESMQUrT_ayB9ifB_SBva-xKQ4YRAcJp-NIW0zLKwIvHjjw8E_Um7-_6O0ocR/s1600/swim+start+01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="231" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVsQM0xZ9-emuEQPIJzl-WPZkyaSs_z00Us7to7xHEsDbd6-ZkwZeMnJq7OdkPU4UjbVPo9uISiKoJgz_kESMQUrT_ayB9ifB_SBva-xKQ4YRAcJp-NIW0zLKwIvHjjw8E_Um7-_6O0ocR/s400/swim+start+01.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nerd.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">As we got
closer to the dock, my hands began to shake. Meggie and I finally stepped up to
the starting line, hand in hand, and jumped in to start our race.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">All of the
nervousness I felt that morning disappeared as soon as I got in the water. It
felt really refreshing, and I kept reminding myself to enjoy every moment.
Every time I turned my head to breathe, I saw the sun shining on the water. I
was having a total blast.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">SIDE NOTE: To
answer your burning question – the Hudson was not gross (I KNOW! I was just as
delightfully surprised by this fact as you). In fact, the first ¾ of the swim
the current was pretty quick, and the water felt great. But as we got closer to
the boat basin, where the swim exit was, the only thing I noticed was the smell
of gasoline. A lot of boats + slow current = gasoline smell. Kinda gross but
perhaps understandable.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">By the time I
neared the finish, my arms started to tire a bit. The current slowed, and each
stroke took more effort. I started counting down the strokes to the finish,
which helped. Then it was time to get out!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<b><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">Swim time: 22:27<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvBwLOElDK-8qzDzL8iqLxkyo9n2BQr_lAU4_D1vLDK_3SOkx1Hd2ZUess2lYuxl2ps7sJ_GYQpJ-rbbVPk6_jgn-KLhQvqbvsnQIHNwviowbZTxLa4uUa9FxaoJNO5UYu6fzAQr649e2R/s1600/swim+finish.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvBwLOElDK-8qzDzL8iqLxkyo9n2BQr_lAU4_D1vLDK_3SOkx1Hd2ZUess2lYuxl2ps7sJ_GYQpJ-rbbVPk6_jgn-KLhQvqbvsnQIHNwviowbZTxLa4uUa9FxaoJNO5UYu6fzAQr649e2R/s400/swim+finish.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Best shot of the day?</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">I was
prepared for the fact that the distance between the swim exit and transition
was about a half mile run. I slowly jogged to my bike, and started the leg of
the race I was most nervous about (Cue my serious, irrational fear that I was
going to get a flat tire).</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<b><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">Transition 1 Time: 7:49<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">Once I got on
my bike, I decided to just enjoy myself. I started out slow, and then picked it
up to a sustainable effort. I caught up to Meggie, and by the best coincidence,
we passed a set of photographers. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7eSXsCXTOF3pKPgtS8Xr-Wjn7ZqQchDogEXBGSyLTS_K0zfCoBFcDfa8ajKyoFO8GWYHcLUOqUXCTwMOv7E8sYpwAip8_wNC1NiDvTth2OCY2-PhP_bjobsiuqhMzZ8ivqfQXqOGsig_O/s1600/megs+and+me+on+bike.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7eSXsCXTOF3pKPgtS8Xr-Wjn7ZqQchDogEXBGSyLTS_K0zfCoBFcDfa8ajKyoFO8GWYHcLUOqUXCTwMOv7E8sYpwAip8_wNC1NiDvTth2OCY2-PhP_bjobsiuqhMzZ8ivqfQXqOGsig_O/s400/megs+and+me+on+bike.jpg" width="292" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">BEST FRIENDS DO TRIS TOGETHER.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">The bike was
my favorite part of the race. I had an ongoing passing game with a 70-year-old
woman, tried with all my might to stay well-hydrated yet NOT drop my water
bottles, and smiled the entire time (there is a hilarious set of photos of me
trying to put my water bottle back in its cage. Is this also hard for other
people? Please tell me I am not alone. Or maybe I am. Whatever).</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhti2GUHz-O7sI-2WTN34KWykpB9wM7lXY9mzXcqTBvNa7yr4LMxk4lFJ27T8x8qCskXd30uxaksMb0u9q0F5o9VLGmIvnfJTQNBPaV05llwW5WD9H1wg19P5aZyn8GBXTkNlMVf_yOFzU/s1600/me+on+bike.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="242" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhti2GUHz-O7sI-2WTN34KWykpB9wM7lXY9mzXcqTBvNa7yr4LMxk4lFJ27T8x8qCskXd30uxaksMb0u9q0F5o9VLGmIvnfJTQNBPaV05llwW5WD9H1wg19P5aZyn8GBXTkNlMVf_yOFzU/s400/me+on+bike.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">COOL SHOT.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">The toughest
part was figuring out what “race pace” was. I pushed it pretty hard on the hills,
and then took it a bit easier during the last quarter of the course. I wanted
to make sure I had some fuel left in me for the run.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">By the time
we got to the last turnaround, I didn’t want the bike to end. I can honestly say
I never felt that way during training. I was always ready to be done. But this
was a really cool course, with lots of racers around you to keep you going fast.
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<b><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">Bike time: 1:34:52<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">I dropped my
bike in transition, threw on my running hat, and headed out for the last part
of my first official triathlon.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<b><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">Transition 2 Time: 1:34<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">The beginning
of the run course is on 72<sup>nd</sup> street, lined with energetic
spectators. I felt like I was going really slow, but hearing everyone yell “Go
Team In Training!” made me pick it up a bit. Not to mention, I saw Keith, which
always perks me up!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBBjsrfAU15-9FrUS_Sw77RXo0TwObC5kAKTbP67BBIg2DVqqgtE-aX8BvyT_fjEskpLDLHL0EUW8uqPOczgeTJJpo4dfx7OEfm3KIqQgtgk0VnCRSL3yjLQnSKjcC-1uXXCESgvxJxC2n/s1600/run+-+72nd+street.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBBjsrfAU15-9FrUS_Sw77RXo0TwObC5kAKTbP67BBIg2DVqqgtE-aX8BvyT_fjEskpLDLHL0EUW8uqPOczgeTJJpo4dfx7OEfm3KIqQgtgk0VnCRSL3yjLQnSKjcC-1uXXCESgvxJxC2n/s400/run+-+72nd+street.jpg" width="285" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">I turned to
go into the Park, preparing for the beastly hills. My legs felt really, really
heavy. I noticed before the start that my quads felt sore, I think from all the
walking the day before. And I had to pee. I was off to a good start.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">I reminded
myself that this was my strongest part of the race. I’ve pushed through worse,
and I should enjoy this as much as possible. When we got to the first hill, I
noticed other people starting to walk. I decided that was not going to be me,
and it fueled me to go faster.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpr8yxWRmV7Ib6vfejlnAXwYgaOT9w9DJmomcDUkjuoSoctALI8k3GJmXxuxqqsqX9zTauJKSpQVfonRLcLRI7DDnKt0YbTwsAXJQlpybO2oJrVmC95esbdjIU-Dqi7747avZXLS91JMyo/s1600/run+-+aquaphor+sign.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpr8yxWRmV7Ib6vfejlnAXwYgaOT9w9DJmomcDUkjuoSoctALI8k3GJmXxuxqqsqX9zTauJKSpQVfonRLcLRI7DDnKt0YbTwsAXJQlpybO2oJrVmC95esbdjIU-Dqi7747avZXLS91JMyo/s400/run+-+aquaphor+sign.jpg" width="288" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">NOT smiling because I am running up a hill.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">Despite the
heat and humidity, and my lead-filled legs, I felt really energized by the spectators. So many people had a connection with my purple TNT shirt, and their
words of encouragement kept me going. The TNT coaches were lined throughout
the park, yelling words of advice. Two coaches even ran with me, saying how
strong I looked and that I was almost done. I’ve never felt such support during a race,
and it made all the difference in the world.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">I started my
garmin later than where the run technically started, so while I had my mile
times, I was mostly running on feel. I knew I was pushing myself because my
mile times were faster than how incredibly fatigued I felt. I wanted to enjoy
it, but I was seriously counting down the steps by the last two miles. I was
tired and ready to finish. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">The crowds
started to get bigger, and I knew I was close to the finish. I tried to sprint
it out, and work hard to the last second. I crossed that finish line, and was
so happy!!!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<b><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">Run Time: 53:09 (8:34 Pace)<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCXfuHQZDSrfeRcDv9JFNFHy7LqWU6mgOjqmdH3q5ctUFhniKlLEvsNeFQ2HOeLUgQv0vt5YyVMeQ6fnFwWbsqTjTNdwfLHi7gsNsgOO5Gk94U5rwWAsp0tbVkCeII6l9af1ijHBdwSiKZ/s1600/finish!.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCXfuHQZDSrfeRcDv9JFNFHy7LqWU6mgOjqmdH3q5ctUFhniKlLEvsNeFQ2HOeLUgQv0vt5YyVMeQ6fnFwWbsqTjTNdwfLHi7gsNsgOO5Gk94U5rwWAsp0tbVkCeII6l9af1ijHBdwSiKZ/s400/finish!.jpg" width="293" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Exhausted, but still throwing some peace signs.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">As soon as I
crossed the finish line, I was given a cold, wet towel for my neck, water,
gatorade, and my choice of excellent post-race food. A wet towel will never
mean more to me than it did at that moment.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">Keith found
me right away, and I was beyond happy to see him. After an immediate trip to
the porta-potties, we browsed the finish line festival, and I stopped to get my
official time…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<b><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">WHICH WAS 2:59:49 !!!<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM_ooei2hKnzB830Fi-KoTYUCAjUSl8fyQA8wbKtvB10qEYrtabapWbx0G9ijcqGa0hbz3SlCz97fUgF0bvQ6NQWp-g647fPbw2UtNXaEivqU5EpBJmWTNbHnFZSO750p230yUfE3qrvwf/s1600/end+of+race.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM_ooei2hKnzB830Fi-KoTYUCAjUSl8fyQA8wbKtvB10qEYrtabapWbx0G9ijcqGa0hbz3SlCz97fUgF0bvQ6NQWp-g647fPbw2UtNXaEivqU5EpBJmWTNbHnFZSO750p230yUfE3qrvwf/s400/end+of+race.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">I had a top
secret goal time of beating 3 hours. I had heard from other TNTers that 3 hours
was a threshold to beat. I crushed it with 11 seconds to spare.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">Keith treated
me to breakfast, and my exhausted body caught up with me. I was ready for a day
of napping, eating, and watching Scandal. And Corona.</span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">I have a lot
more thoughts about this experience, both good and bad. But for now, I’ll let
this recap stand on its own. What an amazing, fantastic day. I wish I could do
it again.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04661183268241421312noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-703599524187323971.post-58955325201772346162013-07-08T18:10:00.000-04:002013-07-08T18:10:27.210-04:00With One Week to go…<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">I’ve been
training for 19 weeks for the New York City Triathlon.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJKPJo5AS9Nz8cIHTwQ26SENq5IU8gkDdvz6wK-ovq83tNpppQGaYEEkePqeoW0q0hzOHjNl9Q1myxBjLLivo8O3UEbyVnRqszvUKdlleQstBao281Z17w_iHtgzDNk1qGfHKDyS-mzgZB/s1600/cold+photo.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJKPJo5AS9Nz8cIHTwQ26SENq5IU8gkDdvz6wK-ovq83tNpppQGaYEEkePqeoW0q0hzOHjNl9Q1myxBjLLivo8O3UEbyVnRqszvUKdlleQstBao281Z17w_iHtgzDNk1qGfHKDyS-mzgZB/s400/cold+photo.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It's been a journey from being cold and sad...</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAI294P-XwWLC9fGMEsDo2H9fL_QOy4Ao2jTtJD-KEIXST5A8uWi-ARKr80DNzjJQbpe2KdDyM31vTdh7jzVAARc885tlvn4qRdEp07D45ThR9m-g2oBnu_8HEDOrO2KIPYUUQ0DZulbGP/s1600/smuggs.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAI294P-XwWLC9fGMEsDo2H9fL_QOy4Ao2jTtJD-KEIXST5A8uWi-ARKr80DNzjJQbpe2KdDyM31vTdh7jzVAARc885tlvn4qRdEp07D45ThR9m-g2oBnu_8HEDOrO2KIPYUUQ0DZulbGP/s400/smuggs.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">To feeling strong and happy! (and warm)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">When I signed
up for the triathlon in January, I was hopelessly naïve and had absolutely no
clue what I was getting myself into. I’ll admit I was even a little
over-confident about the whole thing. I had run two marathons already – a triathlon
would be easy in comparison. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">I was also
looking for a new adventure, something to get me out of my comfort zone. I
wanted to do something that didn’t just benefit me, but other people who were
in real need of help. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">I definitely
feel like I am about to achieve something bigger than myself this weekend, but
I was 100% wrong about thinking the training would be easy. It was really hard.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">I don’t say
this to elicit sympathy from anyone, but rather to remind myself that training
for any race is supposed to be difficult. It requires a little sacrifice, a bit of discipline and a lot of sleep. While I think that having experience in
endurance running helped me, it didn’t prepare me much for the
swimming and biking portions of the training. I had to work really hard to
build up my endurance for both.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">I remember
the first weekend I had my road bike – I felt like I was flying. My new baby
was so shiny and fast. I ended up doing a ton of mileage at a Saturday morning
practice, more than I had ever done, and realized about ¾ of the way through
that I was dog tired. I slowly made my way back to my apartment after practice,
and was convinced that if my couch was a foot further away from my door, I would
have collapsed on my floor instead. My right knee ached, and I slept for
about 2 hours afterwards. I learned that day to <b>respect the sport, and respect your ability level</b>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaHiBZk6tU5sUvTLF9YLeRcATcW8fzAfFJcwr3sKDRGr1KM676h0UBh0Vu6zWkjkxtPZhGdTo7yvL1Bj3ZPH1A9elqCoiYuKOuWAPLv6FLM1D2vqoDinfY4HLddiLKs9LMIRSPhKsuOr8Z/s1600/bike.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaHiBZk6tU5sUvTLF9YLeRcATcW8fzAfFJcwr3sKDRGr1KM676h0UBh0Vu6zWkjkxtPZhGdTo7yvL1Bj3ZPH1A9elqCoiYuKOuWAPLv6FLM1D2vqoDinfY4HLddiLKs9LMIRSPhKsuOr8Z/s400/bike.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Showing some love and respect for my bike.<br />I did not collapse after this practice I will have you know.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">I remember
the stretch of weeks when I loathed going to the pool on my own. I would mumble
curse words to myself on early Thursday mornings when I had to slip into my
tight swimsuit, share a lane with another crazy New Yorker, and blow dry my
hair in an insanely hot gym while sweat poured down my face. This SUCKS. I couldn’t find anything positive about my
solo swim practices. I wasn’t very good, I didn’t feel myself improving, and I
couldn’t shake my frustration. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">Then at some
point, I started to <i>KIND OF</i> enjoy it.
I started passing people at the group swim practices that I attended
religiously. I patted myself on the back when I finished a set of long sprints
and didn’t feel like dying. I successfully finished an open water swim and
didn’t die. I learned that not everything is supposed to come easy or be fun. <b>Sometimes you have to really work at it,
and believe that it will pay off in the end. <o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2XpOzVxdGi1rchz7YhLxiP2TKR-03CWbeViRvEc0LmD-xyMdBNQ3p6EFfp9kXUN8cYwCjC6yxvYsY674FZ3IZN1es6fenyBTSMdrc0rmmZDdsL9-bmFjhep5GWqBybGvACB2Pgrj9g3u2/s1600/post+swim.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2XpOzVxdGi1rchz7YhLxiP2TKR-03CWbeViRvEc0LmD-xyMdBNQ3p6EFfp9kXUN8cYwCjC6yxvYsY674FZ3IZN1es6fenyBTSMdrc0rmmZDdsL9-bmFjhep5GWqBybGvACB2Pgrj9g3u2/s400/post+swim.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I'm smiling! Even though I'm about to swim!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">I remember
when I was cursing my body for not cooperating when I was recovering from
injury. This was especially frustrating because while I might not be very good
at swimming or biking, I felt like I was kind of good at running. I couldn’t do
it as much as I wanted to, which I felt would have lifted up my spirits. I was
nervous I wouldn’t be able to complete the race.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">Finally, my
injury let up, after some aggressive physical therapy and foam rolling. As I
slowly built up my endurance, I savored every step. It felt amazing to be able
to do the one sport that I feel most confident about.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">Last Tuesday,
I finally made it to a group run, which I had avoided all season because it is
inconvenient for me to get to (plus, I really enjoy running alone! Not ashamed
of it one bit). We were told to do mile repeats, but I just ran at a steady
pace because I didn’t want to risk hurting anything. I let people pass me, and
focused on my steady breathing. I felt strong, even if I wasn’t going as fast
as everyone else.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">After
practice, I was talking to some fellow teammates, and we were sharing how we
felt about the upcoming race. I said how I felt most confident about running,
since I have done several races in the past. One girl, whom I had never met
before said, “Oh you’ll be fine on the run. You looked so strong out
there!” It was such a small comment, but
really boosted my confidence. <b>Even if
you’re not running as fast as everyone else,</b> <b>if you feel strong, chances are, you’ll look strong to other people
too</b>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTh03vdWXQ1wI9cKrOOazZRCzq3GIdyMaCayQFDOURrJPpHZzgiBGsQuc5ZO-XulgtHk8E1j667XdaMw4jeClg7Co6vLPkEzl3WapSWIidiloWZPRxUpTe4HVvsNgpcHNDyKfBdBUlTsEZ/s1600/running.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTh03vdWXQ1wI9cKrOOazZRCzq3GIdyMaCayQFDOURrJPpHZzgiBGsQuc5ZO-XulgtHk8E1j667XdaMw4jeClg7Co6vLPkEzl3WapSWIidiloWZPRxUpTe4HVvsNgpcHNDyKfBdBUlTsEZ/s400/running.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">SO PLEASED TO BE RUNNING.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">When I first
signed up for this triathlon, I was most nervous about getting to my
fundraising goal. I know asking people to donate their hard-earned dollars to
my race is a bit of an imposition, but I hoped I would get close enough so I
didn’t have to pay for the difference myself and have to live
on ramen for months.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">I have said
before that I am truly amazed by the generosity I’ve been shown in the past few
months. <b>And two weeks ago, I surpassed
my fundraising minimum. </b>This was a huge part of my goal for this race – to
raise enough money that would make a difference for families fighting LLS. Even
if I don’t have a great race, I take great pride in knowing that I did
something to help others in need. If you supported me in the past few months,
whether it was by donating or just listening as I worried about training, thank you. Give yourself a pat on the back because we just did something really awesome together. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">So here we
are, a week away from my first Olympic Triathlon. After 19 weeks of insanely
early Saturday morning practices, countless uncomfortable swim workouts and
many moments of questioning my own sanity, I am just days away from putting
myself to the test. It has been a crazy journey, but I feel ready for it. Let's go.</span></div>
Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04661183268241421312noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-703599524187323971.post-77184129393779859752013-07-01T11:25:00.000-04:002013-07-01T11:30:46.951-04:00Birchwood Lakes Sprint Triathlon - Race Recap<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">This past weekend, I completed my first triathlon.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE864e_mzqjCBdVHmJS1DaNrTynMhVReDsQxuUqaq6rW1RksrXbkb0MdEQS3rUKMV6fe33R1_wWE-UwoRfHl7iwNxRT_Zxe3MVtocDjspGCR2Hr_amgKfDRyTeZXwpgzFdX1OIsLdARdSb/s640/photo-28.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE864e_mzqjCBdVHmJS1DaNrTynMhVReDsQxuUqaq6rW1RksrXbkb0MdEQS3rUKMV6fe33R1_wWE-UwoRfHl7iwNxRT_Zxe3MVtocDjspGCR2Hr_amgKfDRyTeZXwpgzFdX1OIsLdARdSb/s400/photo-28.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My lucky number is 8! This was a good omen.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I had so much fun, and it made me feel like all of the early mornings, long bike rides, and tough swims over the last several months were worth it.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I signed up for this triathlon as a test run for the NYC Tri in 2 weeks. I read it was a small, low-key race, which I figured would be a perfect way for me to practice transitioning and open water swimming.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I headed home Friday morning, and decided at the last minute to leave my road bike in Brooklyn. Trying to get my bike on the subway, through Penn Station, and home to NJ seemed like a lot of work. I chanced that I would be able to rent a road bike at home, like I did in Vermont. But unfortunately, I had no such luck.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I drove to a bike shop that rented road bikes, only to find out that they had none available. And neither did another place. They were all already rented, and I remembered that there were several triathlons happening in the area this weekend. Uh oh.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I quickly came to the conclusion that I would have to use one of my family's mountain bikes for the race. I was really bummed and nervous about it. I've been training on a road bike, and they're LOADS faster than mountain bikes. But I had no other choice, and pouted much of Friday evening about it.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">My amazing parents agreed to come to the race with me, and we drove down bright and early on Saturday morning. I munched on my english muffin with PB and banana, chatted with my parents, and became super nervous as we got closer to the race.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">My race-day nerves were somewhat diminished when we got to there, only to find that it was RIDICULOUSLY low-key. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifMmWF_aQ-7PadueVvlKz3C0eXy4tlL7E4aT0aYbFlRYmir8j1dCMBmIEX9SiAQH0ALl_80mkw_uBCK10RjdRVpyc6_RlfqO_BkMozX2U_ceeyC9f4_PRSd1DI-IFhUj7ttcOSZJPdxq6Y/s640/beach.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifMmWF_aQ-7PadueVvlKz3C0eXy4tlL7E4aT0aYbFlRYmir8j1dCMBmIEX9SiAQH0ALl_80mkw_uBCK10RjdRVpyc6_RlfqO_BkMozX2U_ceeyC9f4_PRSd1DI-IFhUj7ttcOSZJPdxq6Y/s400/beach.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The "start" line</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I checked in to the race, and putzed around on the beach where the swim started. The atmosphere was so relaxed that there were babies and dogs playing on the beach. It was so cute.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Next, I set up my transition area.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEyvl96ExSW1eZ4CnsL9uyvbt1fybB1CJfc0BY8gkGfdbrZIAY5pN7cjl_WrbO00BBD8ix01wIoxAG8-filDxeVUjY3HPHdQLhVXM6MmskFttyc-RMScYGzjKYcTPs6DfDDb-opWCPKNk-/s640/transtion.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEyvl96ExSW1eZ4CnsL9uyvbt1fybB1CJfc0BY8gkGfdbrZIAY5pN7cjl_WrbO00BBD8ix01wIoxAG8-filDxeVUjY3HPHdQLhVXM6MmskFttyc-RMScYGzjKYcTPs6DfDDb-opWCPKNk-/s400/transtion.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I became a little intimidated at this point, because I was about 1 of 5 people with a mountain bike. I was really wishing I had gone through the hassle of bringing my Raleigh home.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">A huge upside to a small race is having access to warm-up in the water before the start. I threw my wetsuit on and went for a little swim out to the first buoy.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTBwa60oAx2hVd1YBggF5wxKOFUYNdMLjCiPOOs4JxH89HfnCpEt5uwl_1xQ7BwG-XAUaSJKQcWWaWmNuz4p8HfQ-kiI7xOvmOccsWnz1Ck5xXDiccR439xk_iQla28eVogJIoKsDy8gO4/s640/wetsuit+in+water.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTBwa60oAx2hVd1YBggF5wxKOFUYNdMLjCiPOOs4JxH89HfnCpEt5uwl_1xQ7BwG-XAUaSJKQcWWaWmNuz4p8HfQ-kiI7xOvmOccsWnz1Ck5xXDiccR439xk_iQla28eVogJIoKsDy8gO4/s400/wetsuit+in+water.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The water was a great temperature, and I was happy to get the chance to swim off my nerves a bit. I chatted with my parents for a few more minutes, and then the race began.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The swim was a half mile out and back, with about 8 buoys lining the water. I started out in the middle-back of the pack. Because there were so few racers, I didn't encounter any kicking or punching from other swimmers. I got into my stroke, and started to race.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">After a few minutes, I started to feel pretty tired. The lake water felt really thick. It took a lot of effort for me to go a short distance, and I became a little nervous. But I put the thought out of my mind, and told myself to get to the end of the buoys.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">At the turnaround, I just kept swimming and told myself I was halfway there. I also started counting down buoys - 5 left, 4 left, 3 left... and then it was finally over.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghGwXVMYfM5DoT10EMNqEtFxYV5NmYLGmBOERwB0x26noxG8RTPFtuei9t8iOKVmWrPYnq4C_y5u363S38PZaOAQUmifEVoT3U1tcGs8e99BahEsB5Zj7hjseGeEINJetjx6SG51g870Jq/s640/out+of+the+water.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghGwXVMYfM5DoT10EMNqEtFxYV5NmYLGmBOERwB0x26noxG8RTPFtuei9t8iOKVmWrPYnq4C_y5u363S38PZaOAQUmifEVoT3U1tcGs8e99BahEsB5Zj7hjseGeEINJetjx6SG51g870Jq/s400/out+of+the+water.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Me coming out of the water!<br />
I'm second from the left... I think.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I felt REALLY tired at the end of the swim, more tired than I though I would feel. But I made my way to transition, got on my bike, and went.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The bike was a 13-mile out and back. The course was pretty flat, but it felt like everyone was passing me on their fancy road bikes. I pushed myself really hard to try to go as fast as I could, but it wasn't easy.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I just kept telling myself what my parents had said before the race - this is a test run. Don't worry about how long it takes you, just enjoy it. So at about the halfway mark, I got into a groove and stopped worrying about other racers passing me.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghI0LxLVlBdfYnxSPsL3lQ9l8VEipWbFEZSJ7AJjb0clTFQyVQjlzdFOMYe3VX6E-NFq10eVlHXhekKB477pQ0TykdX7RQT1oR-zY2CuVrXIoKGDHR376NKiSZvDraWq1PlTS0kb-8pMCB/s640/bike+transition+-+bl+tri.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghI0LxLVlBdfYnxSPsL3lQ9l8VEipWbFEZSJ7AJjb0clTFQyVQjlzdFOMYe3VX6E-NFq10eVlHXhekKB477pQ0TykdX7RQT1oR-zY2CuVrXIoKGDHR376NKiSZvDraWq1PlTS0kb-8pMCB/s400/bike+transition+-+bl+tri.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Starting the bike race... with a mountain bike.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I made it back to the transition, and saw the majority of the bikes already back in the racks... which meant I was probably in the back of the pack. But I knew my body was ready for my strongest leg, the run.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">My legs felt tired after getting off the bike, but after a minute or so I was ready to race. I didn't know how fast my body would be able to go, so I took the first half mile at an easy pace, but picked it up a bit for the last half... and clocked in my first mile at 8:22.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I started to feel really good, and was finally passing other people for once. I could feel the temperature rising, but just tried to enjoy the last two miles of my FIRST triathlon.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqXbhoYLwbyvTVJfWlYQFBuvfJRxuTM6GTMEPnl6dwYjhSY7D153m_LwpHO8v99iIixnpqEU4ezBl3P0isXsnWratE35jBU7p1ywV4LCRL0fbYJCVFrk43Xe3rKCWcBJVeCsybTLYr3YkW/s640/running.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqXbhoYLwbyvTVJfWlYQFBuvfJRxuTM6GTMEPnl6dwYjhSY7D153m_LwpHO8v99iIixnpqEU4ezBl3P0isXsnWratE35jBU7p1ywV4LCRL0fbYJCVFrk43Xe3rKCWcBJVeCsybTLYr3YkW/s400/running.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">That's me! I swear!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I finished the second mile in 8:15, and was surprised at how fast my legs were going. I had a huge smile on my face, and focused my attention in the last mile on passing one more person. I turned around the final bend and let my legs go, clocking in the last mile at 7:35.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">And just like that, I finished my first triathlon!!!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLrraLASjQokKbrjrk-iNXli21pYntaXQL-IO4XCCMLi_gN8irSWOogOLfQfL5aOxNXK1fmuMOE0p_Ai9_vuOqjHcoPcUqAfETFq7FIKMonMTjmD5kQfrl92s173gNWCjbMWjKRKTE1bN3/s640/end+of+tri.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLrraLASjQokKbrjrk-iNXli21pYntaXQL-IO4XCCMLi_gN8irSWOogOLfQfL5aOxNXK1fmuMOE0p_Ai9_vuOqjHcoPcUqAfETFq7FIKMonMTjmD5kQfrl92s173gNWCjbMWjKRKTE1bN3/s400/end+of+tri.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I was so happy that I did it, and that my parents were there to share this experience with me. They were the best cheer squad a gal could ask for.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Shortly after the end of the race, the beer-b-que started, and we enjoyed some well-deserved beers and burgers.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw-Y7ML2ibgpfarU5E_PNZsjFJHuXDmmL-Q9SHhuiwGXnPNVf76-4Beu5n65TpobFUXvlOIanIorDh8OgiWX2Xz1i3LW4MN_VxDuWCXSyK3sXE6yx3mT6e3Chr5wqFuIFtlgWicI5OpJ0T/s640/dad+and+me+beer.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw-Y7ML2ibgpfarU5E_PNZsjFJHuXDmmL-Q9SHhuiwGXnPNVf76-4Beu5n65TpobFUXvlOIanIorDh8OgiWX2Xz1i3LW4MN_VxDuWCXSyK3sXE6yx3mT6e3Chr5wqFuIFtlgWicI5OpJ0T/s400/dad+and+me+beer.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Papa! And keg beer.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I attempted to stretch, because I could feel that my hips were thrown off by the bike-to-run transition. Aside from feeling hot and a little dehydrated, I felt pretty good.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I saw on the website that they would give out overall awards and age group awards after the race. I had a dream last week that I won an award, so I secretly wanted to see if I had some small chance of winning in my age group. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">They announced overall female and male winners, and then worked their way up to the winners in the Female 20-29 bracket. I crossed my fingers when they announced 3rd place... and my name wasn't called. I knew it was silly to hope for, but thought I might have a chance. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Then I heard the announcer say, "and in 2nd place, from Brooklyn, New York..." My parents and I started yelling, realizing that I had won 2nd place in my age group!!!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwp0NSZFyps_gGQgcgkR-qVs4gin2aQ88kUC3UJOBNXfBeTUkVvFA1y_N9s-IFEbsgf1rE_s2Bi8__zcZVWgN9CHMlR6rZRoBHgyPR_14Iu2WYzwCsxl9WCYRZg1LmW_qldgsKFOb7Q6ES/s640/mom+and+dad+after+race.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwp0NSZFyps_gGQgcgkR-qVs4gin2aQ88kUC3UJOBNXfBeTUkVvFA1y_N9s-IFEbsgf1rE_s2Bi8__zcZVWgN9CHMlR6rZRoBHgyPR_14Iu2WYzwCsxl9WCYRZg1LmW_qldgsKFOb7Q6ES/s400/mom+and+dad+after+race.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The cutest parents anywhere.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I was over the moon, so surprised that I had done well enough to get 2nd place. My parents told me not to sell myself short, that I worked hard for this day, and that I deserved it. That's why they are the absolute best.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">And the splits for my second place finish were...</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Swim: 15:31</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Transition 1: 2:28</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Bike: 48:40</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Transition 2: 0:55</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Run: 24:14</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Overall: 1:31:48</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Once we got home, I was ready for an afternoon of rest. I took a shower, got into comfy clothes, and turned on a movie. I had the best snuggle buddy to enjoy the afternoon with...</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitIH-rTtIGSiHTHt4mypZgXZoltDdFKZuipcVKAbcRk9o_tB7HmHXyLrAXUOB8BCQGq-9oHdd2fGiKi_z4D__oRj9jt9zrPe_sfYglT4GELjTbRqehIUMcXiE7ebpRmLkED1igVk6UFG0w/s640/morgy.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitIH-rTtIGSiHTHt4mypZgXZoltDdFKZuipcVKAbcRk9o_tB7HmHXyLrAXUOB8BCQGq-9oHdd2fGiKi_z4D__oRj9jt9zrPe_sfYglT4GELjTbRqehIUMcXiE7ebpRmLkED1igVk6UFG0w/s400/morgy.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Morgan, the most adorable cat.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Two days later, I am still overjoyed by how fantastic this experience was. I feel really good about the NYC Tri in just TWO WEEKS. But this race, as my first tri ever, will always have a really special place in my heart.</span>Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04661183268241421312noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-703599524187323971.post-89257155848997163322013-06-27T19:16:00.000-04:002013-06-27T19:16:32.868-04:00Week 17 – NYC Triathlon Training<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">2 and a half weeks ‘til race day! Eep!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Here’s how this past week has shaped up:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Monday: 1 Hour Swim at Group Training<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Tuesday: 5.7 Miles of Running<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Wednesday: 1 Hour Bike<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Thursday: 2.7 Miles of Running<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">I feel pretty good overall today about where my training is at. Could be
because I got some solid outdoorsy training in Vermont last week…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsK4xZGfG_bOK1XyUTyrIF7m33d5QQUfLSNT9vvO6D2pBdHAerVej8QVGnl97on2mJvq_3ILtkG-fYQxoUUTkq6NuM-eGjyvSADM_c-TRbU0Mj5r-6uqemX4qVjYq3C1vrYjaNJAca-HD3/s640/me+and+bike.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsK4xZGfG_bOK1XyUTyrIF7m33d5QQUfLSNT9vvO6D2pBdHAerVej8QVGnl97on2mJvq_3ILtkG-fYQxoUUTkq6NuM-eGjyvSADM_c-TRbU0Mj5r-6uqemX4qVjYq3C1vrYjaNJAca-HD3/s400/me+and+bike.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I DID IT.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">My dad has a tradition of bike riding “the notch” when we’re up in Vermont.
It’s essentially a 3-mile STEEP uphill that I did last year, and swore to myself and anyone who would listen that I
would never do again. It was one of the hardest endurance workouts I had done
to date. </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">But since I discovered a new
love for biking in the past few months, I thought I would give it another chance.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzHHugXVgzTqC_-E3Lvr4L-1fwl7yGGlvVwHQ5qLebToDCmBql9iICbtsDSubqRnz3aqfKaiLjXmFWP1_IQS0MRwbsYwV1AtjvHfNFZ27yp1alh-1zwQsb_v5xx51kJi_11HJTqYxn9JPi/s640/bike+dad.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzHHugXVgzTqC_-E3Lvr4L-1fwl7yGGlvVwHQ5qLebToDCmBql9iICbtsDSubqRnz3aqfKaiLjXmFWP1_IQS0MRwbsYwV1AtjvHfNFZ27yp1alh-1zwQsb_v5xx51kJi_11HJTqYxn9JPi/s400/bike+dad.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My dad is one tough cookie.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">This year’s trip was loads better. I rented a fancy road bike, and I REALLY enjoyed the change in
scenery. My typical bike rides are either inside a hot gym or circling around
Prospect Park again and again and again. There was just no comparing this
ride to anything else.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3XocCYcPzRj6CeibqNStQsv2fak5Ym-gz2KrDUN3zwoxrZqmQ_g3NYuhQLJzk5kO61_iXzGphQd4HfeI80yZ8sgJSobztUoasxDPh-KWgFFnUaD0c5DFS5trAAWWPacY3cmcNqVlqdbIb/s640/trek+with+scenery.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3XocCYcPzRj6CeibqNStQsv2fak5Ym-gz2KrDUN3zwoxrZqmQ_g3NYuhQLJzk5kO61_iXzGphQd4HfeI80yZ8sgJSobztUoasxDPh-KWgFFnUaD0c5DFS5trAAWWPacY3cmcNqVlqdbIb/s400/trek+with+scenery.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">I rode with my cousins and dad, and then my cousin Pat and I did an hour
run once we got to the other side of the notch (the dreaded BRick of
the week). I was nervous about the run because of my IT band, especially since
my physical therapist told me to take it easy. I respectfully ignored his
advice because I was more concerned about getting this key workout in before
the triathlon.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">The first 4 miles I felt GREAT. My cousin Pat is one of my absolute
favorite running buddies. He makes the time fly by with good stories and
advice. But by mile 5, I could feel my IT band beginning to throb again. We
took some walk breaks, and then with only a few minutes left til the end, I told him I needed to walk
the rest of the way. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">I wondered whether I had pushed it too much, but I did some good
stretching right after and felt okay. PLUS, I did some really healthy
post-BRick fueling.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLLr9cW7pMUYbmEHvikaO7DeorLMkmK1N59A6tiGN0IzXHlFNTKEkzyHOe37_-370NZ9kf3TwPaVo8GdtTpQDmvvlTxyVoaEl4wUemuXm76nzIO7Wyd7I5l7veTVBL1LYPB_VZJYpwRCf4/s640/burger.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLLr9cW7pMUYbmEHvikaO7DeorLMkmK1N59A6tiGN0IzXHlFNTKEkzyHOe37_-370NZ9kf3TwPaVo8GdtTpQDmvvlTxyVoaEl4wUemuXm76nzIO7Wyd7I5l7veTVBL1LYPB_VZJYpwRCf4/s400/burger.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ_4RMsA4pOmHLCDYcYKDa6F7okQzVtIcjpTOufr9F8pSSYNjF3LRQx-H3ZFHdmPI3VqsH0SlB1LI2kgnT0RZhUwRJ3QxR4Nlxfn0IdQEBYg4Vhhl0yKi1NwKNvv3AsAAzWsyJLau8bBoJ/s640/blue+donkey.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ_4RMsA4pOmHLCDYcYKDa6F7okQzVtIcjpTOufr9F8pSSYNjF3LRQx-H3ZFHdmPI3VqsH0SlB1LI2kgnT0RZhUwRJ3QxR4Nlxfn0IdQEBYg4Vhhl0yKi1NwKNvv3AsAAzWsyJLau8bBoJ/s400/blue+donkey.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My awesome family!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">My time in Vermont was so needed. I got lots of fresh air, quality time
with my family, and even managed to squeeze in a few photo shoots.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivlgoKCem2YEiuk6jD9v732zfBcDLkdDQb1eUCGKjvYtedGr0D_AFyoAZdA6mroswCYcvTUpjwmURvceDb80ea3i7xFrH1P3Mr4i3Erweuvaa-WjVQmx9cibL1WfdQS2amvmouyxttwpYT/s640/molly2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivlgoKCem2YEiuk6jD9v732zfBcDLkdDQb1eUCGKjvYtedGr0D_AFyoAZdA6mroswCYcvTUpjwmURvceDb80ea3i7xFrH1P3Mr4i3Erweuvaa-WjVQmx9cibL1WfdQS2amvmouyxttwpYT/s320/molly2.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Crazy face with Molly.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHBi4spxJGZG-PjHVBajyCL7Q2ebh6wgT74vJEbZ6g599PEL7uO5qodz1qAE3WCtVNimpjG23X5GA28h80i4oJfsm3AxSRbby4RLMdl6Z_rJvyejOPmEUxNw9Ay4y30rjsng7Owh_rSGNx/s640/molly3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHBi4spxJGZG-PjHVBajyCL7Q2ebh6wgT74vJEbZ6g599PEL7uO5qodz1qAE3WCtVNimpjG23X5GA28h80i4oJfsm3AxSRbby4RLMdl6Z_rJvyejOPmEUxNw9Ay4y30rjsng7Owh_rSGNx/s320/molly3.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wacky face with Molly and Pat.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwELUqpjz9EdWWxk7lAgKeofSXXvtEj4UBNZVRrBGhoZNPxiJ8iv-rpeOp4x4sz20yj06PS9WpCjs6WOxn90AY_M5x_UVbGRdg0HHrN_WiK_3vKwZVBBtkxdnu1g0RNkSFLIAjb8nJoXKB/s640/molly+1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwELUqpjz9EdWWxk7lAgKeofSXXvtEj4UBNZVRrBGhoZNPxiJ8iv-rpeOp4x4sz20yj06PS9WpCjs6WOxn90AY_M5x_UVbGRdg0HHrN_WiK_3vKwZVBBtkxdnu1g0RNkSFLIAjb8nJoXKB/s320/molly+1.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Smiles with the cutest kid ever.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGTOKB0Ki7l4bWUX0TNNNcwVERs0a659Pp_KkxuKX9_UWef5mDLk-mk7cThP3NktvxWCc1MxFlr9oa0yRqoIL_HXhUk6oDN7B_wyB_IXEAG7R-38LVnjZ36-qLcTTV-V_PGxvRCZmw63vW/s640/kelly+and+me.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGTOKB0Ki7l4bWUX0TNNNcwVERs0a659Pp_KkxuKX9_UWef5mDLk-mk7cThP3NktvxWCc1MxFlr9oa0yRqoIL_HXhUk6oDN7B_wyB_IXEAG7R-38LVnjZ36-qLcTTV-V_PGxvRCZmw63vW/s320/kelly+and+me.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Separate photoshoot with my cute sis!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">I got home on Sunday with a killer case of the blues, and a full-blown
head cold. I immediately laid down on my couch, and watched a DVRed version of
Big with Tom Hanks. That movie is not as good as I remember. It’s actually kind
of bad. When did that happen?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">After Big put me to sleep for a few minutes, I woke up went into an
unpacking/cleaning frenzy in my apartment. Cleaning somehow energized me, and I
decided to go for a short 2-mile shake-out run to see how my IT band was
feeling…. And miraculously, it felt just fine. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">I went for a run again on Tuesday morning… and still felt fine. And
again this morning… no issues. I don’t want to celebrate yet, but I’m feeling
pretty good.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Plus, I have this crazy thing to look forward to this weekend:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgExWw8ozO90iFj9agzd_OmCU61Z9WKkrZUcfhTaRaeqmb1yeiCVvUET5F1UI6V-pBsCxzn4ImY9NCfC1TdVFaxlAScgnJ3VykoZDewGcfLZ88_qrKZngPPs9fynbtm-Aa5bvRwWOas54RM/s1015/birchwood+confirmation.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="208" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgExWw8ozO90iFj9agzd_OmCU61Z9WKkrZUcfhTaRaeqmb1yeiCVvUET5F1UI6V-pBsCxzn4ImY9NCfC1TdVFaxlAScgnJ3VykoZDewGcfLZ88_qrKZngPPs9fynbtm-Aa5bvRwWOas54RM/s400/birchwood+confirmation.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">This is perhaps one of the tiniest races I’ve ever participated in.
There were about 140 people who participated last year, and it’s projected to
be about 200 this year. When I emailed the race director, asking whether there
would be a “general” note sent out about parking, start times, etc, he wrote back:
“Maybe, good idea. All the info is on the website.” He was also quoted in a
local newspaper article about the triathlon saying that the race would be
canceled only if there was “snow or <b>zombies</b>.”
I gotta meet this guy.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">I’m feeling oddly confident about the swim, good about the bike, and
so-so about the run. I know it’s going to be low key, and there’s a beer-b-que
following the race, so the odds of having a good race are pretty high. Check
back next week for a race recap for my first triathlon! Eep!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04661183268241421312noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-703599524187323971.post-15891662811872460742013-06-13T14:26:00.000-04:002013-06-13T14:26:44.328-04:00The Open Water Swim...<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">It’s Week 15
of NYC Tri training – only 5 weeks left. I’m shaking in my booties.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">Here’s what I
did this past week:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">Saturday: <b>OPEN WATER SWIM </b>+ 45 min run<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">Sunday: 2
hour bike ride<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">Monday: 1
Hour Group Swim (I'M QUEEN OF THE WORLD)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">Tuesday: 6
Mile Run (I HATE YOU BODY)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">Wednesday: 1
Hour Indoor Bike (NOTHING TO SEE HERE)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">Thursday: 40
Minute Swim (THIS ISN'T SO BAD)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">Why all the
random add-ons? This past week was filled with highs and lows. Let’s start with
the craziest of them all – the open water swim at Coney Island on Saturday.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBMAjCo7Hxg3MMeHQFhQ74ND5QP3LAYRxmpVR4UpvRPniQFbMQAd2REX0ytKelOtCjTzQN_3Y61-hjP2DHFMgDd25cAxPsz4-ssAbF0b0cFKrf3-njrseADdfT4XIiXEfC91xqt3A0Hqe7/s1600/coney+island+1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBMAjCo7Hxg3MMeHQFhQ74ND5QP3LAYRxmpVR4UpvRPniQFbMQAd2REX0ytKelOtCjTzQN_3Y61-hjP2DHFMgDd25cAxPsz4-ssAbF0b0cFKrf3-njrseADdfT4XIiXEfC91xqt3A0Hqe7/s400/coney+island+1.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">I really thought I would be more nervous than I was for this swim. Given my general <strike>hatred </strike>dislike for swimming over the past few weeks, I thought it was going to be rough.
But swim practice earlier in the week was actually quite fun, and I was on my
first-ever high from swimming.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">My fave
training buddy Meggie and I got to Coney Island nice and early for instructions
by our coaches and the lifeguards. The first thing I heard when we got to the boardwalk – the water is COLD.
Tropical Storm Andrea passed over New York and left just a couple hours before
our swim, thus making the ocean cold and choppy. I
found out after the swim that the water hadn’t been that cold in the <b>eight years</b> that one of our coaches has
been doing TNT. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4NcjraTNKMSsqFUg_sMpE-6wCb9C8189UbRNGuhxTtgOdu4xQtqUmIelF8GXCOEAOpEF73aY7jznbsnDc9fektCY3tYCA9WrnRYu3iytCMTJTnJHt-H7YE6kilvDhYCWmYskVdquLc1_T/s1600/meggie+and+me+-1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4NcjraTNKMSsqFUg_sMpE-6wCb9C8189UbRNGuhxTtgOdu4xQtqUmIelF8GXCOEAOpEF73aY7jznbsnDc9fektCY3tYCA9WrnRYu3iytCMTJTnJHt-H7YE6kilvDhYCWmYskVdquLc1_T/s400/meggie+and+me+-1.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">MIXED EMOTIONS.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">We put on our
wetsuits, and were advised to do some running before the swim to get warmed up. When we finally got in the water, and my feet were not happy with me. During the first
lap, I kept my head up the entire time, since ya know, I COULDN'T SEE THE BOTTOM, WHICH IS STRANGE. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">In the second
lap, I told myself to trust my months of training, and try to swim “normally.”
I put my face in the water, and just swam. My face felt like ice during the first
few minutes, but I started to get the hang of it. I have heard that it is
really common for people to freak out the first time they swim in open water,
but I wanted to avoid this. I counted my strokes in my head – one, two,
three, four, five, six, SIGHT. This was also really foreign to me. We practiced
sighting in last week’s swim practice, but it’s sort of silly in the pool
because you know exactly where you’re going… but in the ocean, you have to make
sure you’re not swimming out to sea. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">We did twenty
minutes of continuous lap swimming, a few other exercises, and we were done. We
did it!!!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6-wbmGIBgaS3lzVihKkob3DuCsaYIR6wWMEhTZGK7-K2Km7TVjtJWPTskfZFEMQaj60xvaN1lrWn-1s6ipdnqhhz7PIl5scT6uF_ukiKvE7_BMSLUqCKCPuG0DL7h-UIWjXMDL-SZrcdn/s1600/wonder+wheel.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6-wbmGIBgaS3lzVihKkob3DuCsaYIR6wWMEhTZGK7-K2Km7TVjtJWPTskfZFEMQaj60xvaN1lrWn-1s6ipdnqhhz7PIl5scT6uF_ukiKvE7_BMSLUqCKCPuG0DL7h-UIWjXMDL-SZrcdn/s400/wonder+wheel.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">It really
wasn’t as scary as I thought it would be. Looking back, this swim was a </span><b style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">huge </b><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">mental barrier for me. Now that I
know that I can actually swim in open water, and brave it out in less than
ideal conditions, it just doesn’t seem so daunting to me anymore.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";"><br />That being said, I finally decided to sign up for this puppy:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvNpM-titGxJH5RtT4S1DUwRFRSto085e7udRvLNEwYYRtalqIoqcI1excV3KRejYO4GpMGo_JZSbOQjcsrhiuw5OiV_LS14gxlyTOqUWcd7KTM6-ReWaJTXgONDo5ksfY22YpPC0Gectu/s1600/birchwood+confirmation.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="207" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvNpM-titGxJH5RtT4S1DUwRFRSto085e7udRvLNEwYYRtalqIoqcI1excV3KRejYO4GpMGo_JZSbOQjcsrhiuw5OiV_LS14gxlyTOqUWcd7KTM6-ReWaJTXgONDo5ksfY22YpPC0Gectu/s400/birchwood+confirmation.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">I knew I
wanted to do a sprint tri before the big day, but I was a bit scared about
whether I’d be prepared for the swim. During the NYC Tri you swim with the current, so you’re not actually swimming for that long (my mentor
Andy said that last year his NYC swim time was 17 minutes, and in a different race
with the same distance, his swim time was 33 minutes…). <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";"><br />
The Birchwood Lakes swim is an out and back half mile swim in a lake. No
current, just still, open water. But now I feel like I can do it. Plus, I realized the
other night at swim practice that we swam a little over a mile in the pool
(!!!!).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidA0kxeg3d-bmVnHK8O04gKINLg4ZzMF5QRYCym3uVbzycHouzES2ZFcwjp53XaxQhOVnun0Umo9yJQ44cr60kS2HF4WgM-iDJbXJnZiVEbcSfgHyfidAsSTCxhLRiJblgEWXiTOHYuq_L/s1600/swim+workout.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidA0kxeg3d-bmVnHK8O04gKINLg4ZzMF5QRYCym3uVbzycHouzES2ZFcwjp53XaxQhOVnun0Umo9yJQ44cr60kS2HF4WgM-iDJbXJnZiVEbcSfgHyfidAsSTCxhLRiJblgEWXiTOHYuq_L/s400/swim+workout.JPG" width="225" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">At least I
think I did. I am REALLY bad at counting laps and meters and stuff. You can
tell me if I’m totally off, but I think I read somewhere that 33 laps is a mile.
(Actually, don’t tell me and shatter my confidence. K great).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">So the
swimming is going well (for once), and I’m pumped about this sprint tri as a
practice run for race day. Yet
I have been sidelined this week by a stupid tweak in my left IT Band.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">I went out
for 400 sprints Tuesday night after what felt like a crappy day. Everything at
work was bothering me, everyone was TOUCHING me on the subway, and I just felt
like a cranky troll. Normally, a good run can get me out of a funk, so I was
looking forward to it. But my body felt tired, and I should have listened to
that.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">I felt fine
during the warm-up, and even somewhat strong in the first five 400s. But during the last sprint, I
felt really beat, and at the end of it my body said ENOUGH. I couldn’t slow my
heart rate, and I did some run-walking to try to cool-down. I noticed some pain in my left
IT Band, and by the last mile it was really hurting. I cut
the run short, and harrumphed my way home.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">WHY OH WHY
would you do this to me IT Band? We’ve been getting along so well, you and I. Did I push you too hard? Just tell me. I’ll be good to you, I
promise.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">I went to
see the all-powerful Dr. Levine yesterday, and he was a bit perplexed by it as
well. He found two big knots in the muscle, and worked them out for me. But he advised no running for at least a week. I’m still pouting.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">Especially
because in one week, I will be here:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBIRHSX8aCDg1F87msOJa3oXmCwpAdi_mOgvjiSaokocLIOAcKR219rtpeKaTyi3a1GtnPkmB-WC5I7-ezghquKIPpcbtSrDZVygT6XnJ7bhxtrNJ41byltkg1jWgkGH2c0zaRxY5WBsHH/s1600/group+-+notch.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBIRHSX8aCDg1F87msOJa3oXmCwpAdi_mOgvjiSaokocLIOAcKR219rtpeKaTyi3a1GtnPkmB-WC5I7-ezghquKIPpcbtSrDZVygT6XnJ7bhxtrNJ41byltkg1jWgkGH2c0zaRxY5WBsHH/s400/group+-+notch.jpg" width="238" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My dad, cousins and me after the bike up the Notch!<br />You can really see what we look like, no?</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">I’ll be
heading up to Vermont next week for a vacay/family reunion, and have every
intention of enjoying the amazing scenery by running and biking as much as I
can. Give me some trails and grass, and I am one HAPPY gal. I am not going
to let my stubborn leg keep me from doing the things I love. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04661183268241421312noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-703599524187323971.post-85563431437644768472013-06-06T20:59:00.000-04:002013-06-06T20:59:21.725-04:00Week 14 NYC Triathlon Training - and Other Thoughts<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">It’s been a
good week of training! Here’s what I’ve been up to:</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">Saturday: BRick
(1M run, 1 ½ hour bike, 30 min run)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">Sunday: 1
Hour Bike<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">Monday: 1
Hour Swim Practice w/ wetsuit (!!!)<br />
Tuesday: 6M Run, 5x400 hill repeats<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">Wednesday:
REST<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">Thursday:
BRIck (1 Hour Bike, 20 Minute Run)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">The BRick on
Saturday was intense but good. A few weeks ago I was nervous about the state of
my fitness, specifically for running. We started out with a slow 1 mile run,
followed that with a 1 ½ hour bike, and finished with 30 minutes of hill
repeats. Yeah.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">The bike was
fun, but I didn’t feel the need to go too fast. I try to keep in mind that I
also have a 6 mile ride to and from the park, so I tack on 12 more miles than
everyone else. I made the mistake a few weeks ago of doing far too many laps of Prospect Park,
so I did what I thought was a good amount for me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">As a
triathlon newbie, there are a lot of things I need to work on/remember for the
race. Like hydrating and fueling while on my bike. I hadn’t purchase the
“right” kind of water bottles for my bike yet. You’re supposed to have the kind
that you can just leave open, so it’s easy to hydrate throughout the race. I’ve
been continuing to use my Rubbermaid “flip open” water bottle, and I finally
realized on Saturday why this will just not do for biking. At the end of what I
thought was a successful grab-n-sip session on my bike, I was trying to close
the lid and put it back on my water bottle holder, when I completely missed it
and my bottle went flying. The bottle went one way, the lid went another, and my dignity was back some few hundred feet.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTDlsSrbtNaPyhXaUvtVCpYQDdGjvdra4IwSGnO-vBVCYEQvfHcCNZ-aGM-9jhuEyBdXa39HP3f02Obaae0xfKZWcDHgE9s8pZ1MAadJ6HjXtGBAf0I1djF9Zji6lMryBINBmIXIIrJHnu/s1600/water+bottle.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTDlsSrbtNaPyhXaUvtVCpYQDdGjvdra4IwSGnO-vBVCYEQvfHcCNZ-aGM-9jhuEyBdXa39HP3f02Obaae0xfKZWcDHgE9s8pZ1MAadJ6HjXtGBAf0I1djF9Zji6lMryBINBmIXIIrJHnu/s320/water+bottle.jpg" width="205" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My new bottle.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">So I invested
in two water bottles this week via amazon that looked super cute online. But
they are in fact too big for my bike. So I have to exchange them, I guess. #newbieproblems</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">I also got a
Fuel Box for my bike, because I couldn’t figure out how people properly fuel
while biking and I was STARVING mid-way through our ride. While I usually
leisurely stop for water and nutrition on bike rides by myself, I was
reminded that this is NOT what happens on race day. Hopefully this thing will help me
get my gus and other nonsense easily. I will have to practice before the race because
I am not the most skilled one-handed rider.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirfgmWy2pTHwvkAwKOdE_v7O4RLE_mjk7okVdbtjrGsT0g7P_yJZNi2ueb4i_zeS321Zjt0Cvkp_NK2s9jNSF0gW0wrlmj9Ech6j3r5qr31mCDIF0I0KCCN1MhZE9H96JZ3NFqvAUnKROG/s1600/fuel+belt.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="376" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirfgmWy2pTHwvkAwKOdE_v7O4RLE_mjk7okVdbtjrGsT0g7P_yJZNi2ueb4i_zeS321Zjt0Cvkp_NK2s9jNSF0gW0wrlmj9Ech6j3r5qr31mCDIF0I0KCCN1MhZE9H96JZ3NFqvAUnKROG/s400/fuel+belt.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">We got off
our bikes after an hour and a half, and started the run. The reason why they call these sessions "BRick"s: B is for Bike, R is for Run, and Brick is for the way your legs feel when you get off the bike and start running. They feel like lead. But after a minute or two, I was moving and grooving.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">At the end of the session, they had a How-To session on how to fix a flat tire. I wanted to just sit and watch, but at the end of the session I felt like I should at least try part of it. I asked my awesome TNT mentor, Andy, to help me. He said we should just do the whole thing. And I did!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">Fixing a flat tire is not easy. I employed the help of Andy and another mentor to get me through it. I did almost every single thing wrong, twice, before I did it right. But it was something that TNT really encouraged all of us to learn, so if I get stranded on the side of the road somewhere with a flat, I will feel slightly more confident about being able to fix it.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj27tvtvK4bv-ksjrZ1WDjbIIvf0NsniSEtmtMBIkJ6c2YgOc7Z7TWQDrdmrnprSc3dNxL4K5qozXouXwHfiWma-ZlGPnJtTHtvTx02g04ObWxXKtSzJZx2JY1DVo7luszuX6Mja6BqDmcB/s1600/Screen+Shot+2013-06-06+at+8.00.12+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj27tvtvK4bv-ksjrZ1WDjbIIvf0NsniSEtmtMBIkJ6c2YgOc7Z7TWQDrdmrnprSc3dNxL4K5qozXouXwHfiWma-ZlGPnJtTHtvTx02g04ObWxXKtSzJZx2JY1DVo7luszuX6Mja6BqDmcB/s320/Screen+Shot+2013-06-06+at+8.00.12+PM.png" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Post BRick- Sweaty, dirty, and happy<br />(And it was laundry day)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">We also had our first wetsuit swim on Monday night (WAAAHH). I have been reading about and hearing that everyone freaks out in wetsuits, especially when in open water. Aside from the fact that it can get really tight on your neck, and really hot by your belly and legs, it was actually super fun to swim in. Wetsuits make you more buoyant (I'll be needing that), and I felt faster. We practiced things like sighting, which is important on race day when you're in open water and you don't have lane lines guiding you to the finish.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">It was probably the first swim practiced I've really <b>enjoyed </b>in a long time. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">After a successful BRick and swim, I'm feeling confident and reflective. I read this awesome blog today about "<a href="http://www.themiddlefingerproject.org/10-uncommon-truths-every-business-owner-should-know/?inf_contact_key=9babcd53672f16282ca4a24c2fcc933ac7aad612df369420f966f51655ceb863">10 Uncommon Truths Every Business Owner Should Know.</a>" While it sounds a bit businessy, I assure you the gal who writes on this blog is a hysterical GENIUS. She writes a lot about how to start/run your own business, but a lot of it relates to working and life in general. In her blog, she writes about 10 thing she learned from being a manager at an ice cream shop. It made me think back to some of the things I've learned in my past jobs, and more relevantly, to my past two years as a runner. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">So here's my own list of 5 Uncommon/Probably Pretty Common Truths Every Runner/Triathlete Should Know:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><b>1. Training is Called Training for a Reason - You Have to Do it (aka It's Not Called Sleeping in/Sitting on Your Couch and Watching Game of Thrones)</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">This is sort of advice to anyone who is on the fence about training for something big. There are a lot of mornings when I don't feel like getting up early to get in my training, or want to finish the full length of what I have on my training schedule. At times like this, I say to myself, you just have to do it. You can come up with all of the excuses in the world for why you can't fit a training session in (and from time to time, that happens). But if you signed up for a race, it's your commitment to put in the time. Suck it up, lace up your sneakers, and get on with it. You'll be happy once you did. And don't forget to treat yourself to an iced coffee afterwards.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><b>2. Trying Stuff that Scares You Makes You a Better Athlete</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">Last year, when I was trying to complete all of my 9+1 races, I had about 3 or 4 weekends in a row when I had to get to Central Park for a race. (I'm starting to realize more and more that I live in one of the most inconvenient neighborhoods to get to races in NYC, and getting to Central Park by 8AM on a Saturday is about as easy to get to as Toledo.) So instead of wasting my energies on a slow subway for an hour, I decided to run there. It was much quicker, and I'm convinced squeezing in a casual run over the Queensboro Bridge every other weekend built up my stamina for my Brooklyn Half PR. It SCARED the crap out of me to run in Brooklyn and Queens before most bodegas were even open, but now I don't think twice about getting to Central Park or trying a brand new route. My legs thanked me for that.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><b>3. Forget Nutrition and Forget your Race</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">I think the editors of Runner's World say to themselves PREACH! every time they hear someone talk about how important nutrition is during a race. It comes up in every issue of their mag, and I couldn't agree more. I had a few unpleasant run-ins when I was a newbie at running, because I didn't take nutrition seriously enough. I also experienced it last Saturday at my BRick (but in a non-bathroom run sort of way). I didn't eat enough breakfast, and I realized halfway through my bike that I was starving and didn't know how to re-fuel without getting off my bike and taking a 5 minute break. It reminded me that I am a big breakfast kinda gal. I need it or I'm going to get fatigued, and I need easy access to gus during my training to keep going. Plain and simple, it's one of the easiest things to prepare for, and once of the easiest things to mess up.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><b>4. Other Runners/Athletes aren't trying to Intimidate you (but They Probably Think They're Better Than You)</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">There are a group of runners in my neighborhood who think they are the bees knees of running. I tried a few runs with them awhile ago, and realized they weren't my cup of tea. I see them a lot when I do speedwork at the track, in their fancy gear, and with their six pack abs. I also see a lot of runners at the beginning of races, when we're all piled into corrals like cattle, who have fancy arm sleeves, calf sleeves, and other neon-colored accessories. I used to be intimidated by both groups. But then I realized they are not paying the least bit of attention to me. Runners are in their own heads 90% of the time. I realized it would be a shame to put in all this time into training only to be intimidated by people who wear fancier stuff than I do. The best way to prove to yourself that your training and clothing works for you? Run past them on the course or track (I mean, if you can. I usually can't).</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><b>5. Smiling is a Good Way to Get What you Want</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">I try to use this in most areas of my life. People like people who smile. People don't like people who are grumpy and seem mean. There have been plenty of times when I've been at a race confused about how to drop off my bag or not followed directions correctly. I smile, ask a volunteer for help, and I always get what I want. This is also true when at a running store or in a group of people who know more about the sport than you do. Smile, ask a question, and get the answer you need right away. It also doesn't hurt to smile at fellow runners while out on the dusty trail. It just makes for a better run.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">So those are my thoughts about running truths! I just love reflecting and stuff.</span></div>
Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04661183268241421312noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-703599524187323971.post-26646450660369401662013-05-31T12:41:00.000-04:002013-05-31T12:41:44.292-04:00Week 13 - Tri Training<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 10pt;">It’s hot today.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwoXAlicZRWv0DS8l1KLuAJYYPLG4TP-yP0xCbmQdIZB5QQREVtZo3uTn_RUQE2KlId_WWJAyWI4FxIcxozsEr4MMFDM-azM_fjfU78pCmkzK-Dzlcc1zvskxXWKXXAc81kuCEB9Jk-Xwv/s1600/weather.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwoXAlicZRWv0DS8l1KLuAJYYPLG4TP-yP0xCbmQdIZB5QQREVtZo3uTn_RUQE2KlId_WWJAyWI4FxIcxozsEr4MMFDM-azM_fjfU78pCmkzK-Dzlcc1zvskxXWKXXAc81kuCEB9Jk-Xwv/s400/weather.JPG" width="225" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">It seems like spring just passed us by, and we
arrived in summer. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">It was only this past Saturday that I left the
house in running pants, a t-shirt, a running jacket AND a rain jacket. I left
my house this morning in shorts and a tank top.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">I did 5x500s and totaled 5 miles, and I wished
after about 1 mile that I didn’t have an anti-sports-bra-only policy. I’m just not
a fan of runners who choose to leave the house half-dressed. Put on a tank top like
the rest of us, people. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">But this morning, I seriously considered taking off my
sweaty tank top. I didn’t, but for the last mile of my run I rolled up my shirt
so that my tummy could get a little wind. It felt really good. I think it was a good look too.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWG1bhBUgU9r1wHHL49v5oJmqioOkxaSQx0hc1Wu_TERNCoWxpP5yA8pSX6zgV3NB-ntRmeffS5jZ8M31GvL0jMm5Wa5mKIT2ZnPVeK6a6CYuXGZkuhfgtEinH72-axOZBah1j53VY8Af8/s1600/splits.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWG1bhBUgU9r1wHHL49v5oJmqioOkxaSQx0hc1Wu_TERNCoWxpP5yA8pSX6zgV3NB-ntRmeffS5jZ8M31GvL0jMm5Wa5mKIT2ZnPVeK6a6CYuXGZkuhfgtEinH72-axOZBah1j53VY8Af8/s320/splits.jpg" width="270" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">OK you caught me - I did 4.96 miles. But my last<br />
400 was at a 7:17 pace! Gimme some love.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I put in some good training hours this week:</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Saturday: 5 Mile run, mini bike ride in the rain<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Sunday: 2 hour bike to Central Park</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Monday: 15 minute swim<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Tuesday: 1. 5 mile run, 45 minute spin class<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Wednesday: 35 minute swim<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Thursday: 5 mile run<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">My bike ride on Sunday was perhaps one of the
best ones I’ve had all season. </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeSAOXuJDVuPvwVAaat1eqJXy5Gm3YhtYDntyU5yuuKb7j2JqoQTzSizMbdGq-RtWAOQDrEpw2JUZmIQs_pMuAVeD9Xi27zgRVVdBJ6vWGYx4w6xBpnx5WjAgJpq6PlocsskZMaxwZh71-/s1600/bike.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeSAOXuJDVuPvwVAaat1eqJXy5Gm3YhtYDntyU5yuuKb7j2JqoQTzSizMbdGq-RtWAOQDrEpw2JUZmIQs_pMuAVeD9Xi27zgRVVdBJ6vWGYx4w6xBpnx5WjAgJpq6PlocsskZMaxwZh71-/s320/bike.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Love my new Raleigh!<!--3--><!--3--></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">I usually bike to Prospect Park, but I wanted to
shake things up. It was a perfect high-60s afternoon, and I got some serious
hills in. The Queensboro Bridge is one long uphill, and I have not forgotten
the rolling hills of the Park from my 9+1 race last year. But it felt really
good to reach the top of those hills, and I feel like my bike legs have
seriously improved in fitness.</span><br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">I went to the same insane spin class I went to
last week. It’s called “PX3” (why are Xs always in the middle of insane
classes?), and it’s a really intense class with a bit of weight training throughout. I love this teacher because she turns off the lights and says little "woo!"s in the middle of songs to keep us going. I feel like people are secretly/not so secretly constantly looking at themselves in the mirror at spin. I love that she turns of the lights so you can just focus on your biking and the music, not what your hair looks like.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">My swim this week was better than last week. I once again was dreading it, but my sprints were easier than they usually feel. I'm trying to be a bit more positive about swimming because next weekend is our first OPEN WATER SWIM. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIpeWVAZ59WiMSENyamISxw1GQGfSOr4Z8fE7daB02BGUHBx8HDgBCV37-Si6NCWT6GExrDcQQInA2JOV0gD4J6nuQk1muMbP0v32uUZvjDpiAknz0wnHSF3A5AKObzETXHgqOcMy1VAhj/s1600/swimmers.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIpeWVAZ59WiMSENyamISxw1GQGfSOr4Z8fE7daB02BGUHBx8HDgBCV37-Si6NCWT6GExrDcQQInA2JOV0gD4J6nuQk1muMbP0v32uUZvjDpiAknz0wnHSF3A5AKObzETXHgqOcMy1VAhj/s400/swimmers.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I really can't wait for this.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">The more I think about it, the more I freak out a little. Tight wetsuit, open water, lots of people around me kicking and stuff. I need to do some serious meditation before this swim. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">I'm also trying to decide whether to do a sprint triathlon before the Olympic one in July. I'm a gal who likes to do practice races, and since I've never done a transition between swimming/biking/running before, it could be helpful. There's a race in NJ that I'm eyeing; it's not too far from my parents house, and it's so lowkey that they don't even give you your splits. Could be right up my alley.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">And this finally happened!(!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvTCQu4nAQLC0-dND7nb5VrYeTfD4A0At-rYb0V0FZSY3rVqOLJqkLNbyznXmnlXuai8siC4SA-8Mag8F9kYmtoMmRZKXDu6FIX-cGgWpCXsIK_8afbUzM0cJs21tmTMbdkdrSbANyniQl/s1600/welcome+ing+marathon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="221" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvTCQu4nAQLC0-dND7nb5VrYeTfD4A0At-rYb0V0FZSY3rVqOLJqkLNbyznXmnlXuai8siC4SA-8Mag8F9kYmtoMmRZKXDu6FIX-cGgWpCXsIK_8afbUzM0cJs21tmTMbdkdrSbANyniQl/s400/welcome+ing+marathon.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">I am so FREAKING excited!!!!!!!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">Training plans! New sneakers! Long runs!!!! It cannot come any sooner.</span></div>
Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04661183268241421312noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-703599524187323971.post-10827122257750601072013-05-24T12:27:00.000-04:002013-05-24T12:27:32.215-04:00Weird Sh*t on a Run<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 10pt;">I’m
in week 12 of Tri training, with a little over 7 weeks left before race day.
Where has the time gone.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Here’s
what this past week looked like:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Sunday:
1 hour BRick at the gym<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Monday:
40 min Swim <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Tuesday:
Insane Spin class<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Wednesday:
4.2 mile Run<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Thursday:
30 min Swim<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">I
think my body is finally getting used to 6 workouts per week. And my tummy is
happy because now I’m eating extra rice crispy treats in the process.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Last
week, I expressed some feelings of doubt about whether I will be ready for race
day. I realize now that by continuing to fit in my workouts, I will be ready. But after
reflecting on my doubt, I think I realized something.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">I’m
not a huge fan of swimming. (!!!)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEYMk9hBTlomxrTKe-pFoeD5UfTxc2GOgA4ojy2NhrzpjAKpya4GlkGSY5OqhhWu4HuncWXkiyNygGHf7-LxWVyVa5pzPccEIAeFKRT5rq9Gle7ylUn0KSCkkLTM_AAWwJtD5mKkxINUMu/s1600/missy+franklin.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEYMk9hBTlomxrTKe-pFoeD5UfTxc2GOgA4ojy2NhrzpjAKpya4GlkGSY5OqhhWu4HuncWXkiyNygGHf7-LxWVyVa5pzPccEIAeFKRT5rq9Gle7ylUn0KSCkkLTM_AAWwJtD5mKkxINUMu/s320/missy+franklin.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Expectation</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIraxN1d8JUFYALxzo-p2JAMxqgrIrKbhny1YUlrPdak8d_tn9l4DwjNRE7jdb9b64kPcJf7EqBgofdA5ooLvDcuujErCpVEh-KMGZcgdSupdtNFo-XBNSMjR28S7ru93lvAutahm0jZbf/s1600/bad+swimmer.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIraxN1d8JUFYALxzo-p2JAMxqgrIrKbhny1YUlrPdak8d_tn9l4DwjNRE7jdb9b64kPcJf7EqBgofdA5ooLvDcuujErCpVEh-KMGZcgdSupdtNFo-XBNSMjR28S7ru93lvAutahm0jZbf/s1600/bad+swimmer.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Reality.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">I’m
an optimist. I see the glass half-full. I go into most experiences believing that
I will enjoy them, and come out the other side with more knowledge or passion
for something. I believed wholeheartedly when I signed up for the tri that I
would grow to love biking and swimming. I like to exercise, I like to learn new
things… makes sense. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">But
I forgot about the human condition that we don’t like things we’re not good at. I
forgot that I quit basketball in 8<sup>th</sup> grade because I was terrible,
and I stopped trying out for the school musicals because I didn’t want to be
stuck in the chorus anymore. I am guilty of stopping things that I’m not good at.
It’s just not fun. Who’s with me?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">I
don’t think that I’m a great runner, but at least I have seen myself improve
and accomplish things over the past two years. I put in the hours and practiced
and trained, and I like to think that I am at least a <i>good</i> runner. I also have seen my endurance improve in biking – I
love going to spin classes and riding through Prospect Park with my shiny new
bike. It’s fun. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Convincing
myself that I have improved in my swimming is harder. I know my endurance has
increased, but I kind of dread going to the pool on my own. I go to every group
training session I can, because it's slightly less painful doing lap
sprints with my fellow TNTers. When I go to the pool on my own, I get it done
because I know I have to. And the consequence of not being prepared in swimming
(ahem, drowning) is slightly scarier than being undertrained in biking or
running. I get in the pool and say to myself “okay, let’s get this over with.
And then you can treat yourself to a yummy breakfast or something.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Am
I being a negative Nancy? Perhaps. But I am also being honest with myself. If
I’m going to finish the next 7 weeks of training, I have to come to terms with
the fact that I’m not going to become an amazing swimmer overnight. It’s going
to be hard and not that fun for me, but I’m going to stick with it, and know
that by race day I accomplished something awesome.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">On an upbeat note, I
am really excited about my new Up band by Jawbone!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq6Q8prM0W4lY15xHr2FJKBJAlxT82AEoI5kS5RyYGUgI2XhP-L9s0cMylbltgXLzxtJgpy3a_LTERPNZoR7CL0g98MfofJ6uX9095RcTa8sR4mcdsgEaBemEXbdk2uJwNU1IL7OwhWVrX/s1600/up+band.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq6Q8prM0W4lY15xHr2FJKBJAlxT82AEoI5kS5RyYGUgI2XhP-L9s0cMylbltgXLzxtJgpy3a_LTERPNZoR7CL0g98MfofJ6uX9095RcTa8sR4mcdsgEaBemEXbdk2uJwNU1IL7OwhWVrX/s320/up+band.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Compliments my gold watch, no?</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">I
received it as a gift from my boss for putting on our sales meeting back in
April. With high-tech motion sensors (or something), it can track how many
steps you take, your workouts, and how well you sleep. Just wear it on your
wrist day and night, plug it into your phone so it syncs up with an app,
and get immediate feedback on your activity right away. So awesome.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBJa6JvJGR9w29s47ANHzOKHJUFJjsMPrr72Q9EQ6yuvnHca9T-mkQGPSc88Txvbjm1_1oyvLTA0Mpn2S1ZnmrOLUYHedAIHp3ed0hIsV_TiKi6AKYoIByL5XcU1vpUJnqv9e0Jo67VwK1/s1600/up+band+stats.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBJa6JvJGR9w29s47ANHzOKHJUFJjsMPrr72Q9EQ6yuvnHca9T-mkQGPSc88Txvbjm1_1oyvLTA0Mpn2S1ZnmrOLUYHedAIHp3ed0hIsV_TiKi6AKYoIByL5XcU1vpUJnqv9e0Jo67VwK1/s320/up+band+stats.JPG" width="180" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I walked over 5 miles yesterday! One good thing<br />that comes from my commute.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 10pt;">I
also wore it on my crazy a** run the other night. I will now elaborate.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Per
my description of how I’m not the biggest fan of swimming, I am like a kid in a
candy store when it’s a run day. It all started out great. The weather was warm,
it was the first time I was wearing shorts this season, and I was
ready for some speedwork at the track. But apparently the entire community of
north Brooklyn also thought it was a nice night for the track.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">I
would very much like to give a seminar on proper track etiquette to my
neighbors. I had to dodge slow people walking while talking on cell phones,
little kids zigzagging, and one guy pushing a shopping cart. ON THE TRACK. The
outside is for slow walkers, the park and the green space is for kids, and the
grocery store is where you can take your shopping cart. Mkay? I am trying to
complete some 400s here people.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Then
on my way home, a girl sitting on her fire escape dumped some kind of liquid
(I’m hoping it was water) over the edge, about 2 ft from me. I looked up with a
nasty stare, and she said “Oops.” Then, as I was walking the last block back to
my apartment for a cool down, I saw a guy, who was stopped and resting on his
bike, start PEEING NEXT TO HIS BIKE. WTF. It’s not like I live in some
downtrodden neighborhood where public urination is a common thing. It wasn’t
even dark out. If you must pee in public, do it when it’s dark, next to an
alley or a wall or something. And for the love of Lance Armstrong, don't do it while on your bike.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Needless
to say, I got back to my apartment, wondering what was wrong with this world.
But it was a great run otherwise, so I can’t really complain.</span></div>
Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04661183268241421312noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-703599524187323971.post-29251779071274567082013-05-16T15:37:00.000-04:002013-05-16T15:37:40.735-04:00Highs and Lows<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;">It’s been a busy couple of weeks at casa Kate. Cue
lots of pictures of me!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Two weeks ago, I left for a work trip in Sedona,
AZ. I don’t know if I’ve ever officially said what I do on this blog (I like to keep work and play separate),
but I work for La Mer and Jo Malone (part of the Estee Lauder companies). This
work trip was to celebrate our sales team’s hard work, and to present the fall
collections for both brands.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">I prepared myself with the fact that I would have
little free time and little time for sleep. I tried to fit in a few workouts
when I could, which started out with a hike the morning after we arrived.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhodWup2wGXpQBSSrS7HPvKJSgbpOOSUFLy6aBiu-f4TT8aKSAMsySJh-uKNap1jWO32_TwQotTdE8SbHgb8FoG3Eq58PXRGw-sK8gC2Ia77rPzZeGmmG01Xvry54e9WPXZrZ5wz_BdRUaL/s1600/hike+1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhodWup2wGXpQBSSrS7HPvKJSgbpOOSUFLy6aBiu-f4TT8aKSAMsySJh-uKNap1jWO32_TwQotTdE8SbHgb8FoG3Eq58PXRGw-sK8gC2Ia77rPzZeGmmG01Xvry54e9WPXZrZ5wz_BdRUaL/s400/hike+1.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcDGo04EkJpZZX6s74OTjh5cJPqkzUfkZ3jJ4uAjUQ8uIahUWwhIYBnRrSDuyngQLBD76ACFJ_ulRTMFZK6DBaKBHauX7TsAbXKJWsb6SirJ7wIRWekgquZpJ0tym7vvofKgJ7OA9aodmK/s1600/hike+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcDGo04EkJpZZX6s74OTjh5cJPqkzUfkZ3jJ4uAjUQ8uIahUWwhIYBnRrSDuyngQLBD76ACFJ_ulRTMFZK6DBaKBHauX7TsAbXKJWsb6SirJ7wIRWekgquZpJ0tym7vvofKgJ7OA9aodmK/s400/hike+2.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tiny next to the red rocks.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;">On Monday, I fit in a “Brick” (in triathlon
lingo, a bike ride followed by a run… it’s very much encouraged to do these during
training so you learn how to deal with jelly legs before the race). I have been
told that Arizona is dry, but I really didn’t grasp how that might affect my
breathing until I got there. I was WINDED at the end of my bike workout, and
ran much slower than I usually do. I am blaming it on dry air because the rest
of my co-workers claimed the same thing. So there.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">I also got the chance to run outside one
morning, which was a highlight of the trip.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJWVVysgJJgBCorBTeD0P_VAfJ3MiaRhosvYmDHFpMMeI-7TG6J9KLfIfJA5YimYIyrV7Uay-MX6CpLuK-vz0pYqTXo4xuVO2ucuqk9NkQOKouiZdOumjIgPXCLhW2pxB_Gyp2ZYPoSObS/s1600/run.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJWVVysgJJgBCorBTeD0P_VAfJ3MiaRhosvYmDHFpMMeI-7TG6J9KLfIfJA5YimYIyrV7Uay-MX6CpLuK-vz0pYqTXo4xuVO2ucuqk9NkQOKouiZdOumjIgPXCLhW2pxB_Gyp2ZYPoSObS/s400/run.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">I went nice and slow, took in the scenery
and the MULE DEER.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmuxOiXcG7inJfMUqty-hW0D3i6aAdL3ZrqV1xB6qVmlc0AnQkOhE5GSkh_cGlafddsR8ZDRBAk-dm5xSH-rQXWAWUeRE0q_C0tEWVae4sdF_0gmgtFfo7n1x1rrCtA636kI-NnsEAENSQ/s1600/mule+deer.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmuxOiXcG7inJfMUqty-hW0D3i6aAdL3ZrqV1xB6qVmlc0AnQkOhE5GSkh_cGlafddsR8ZDRBAk-dm5xSH-rQXWAWUeRE0q_C0tEWVae4sdF_0gmgtFfo7n1x1rrCtA636kI-NnsEAENSQ/s400/mule+deer.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">You can't exactly see them, but they have these<br />adorably large ears. Hence, their first names.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Aside from these workouts, my trip consisted of
running around between meetings and eating lots of Mexican food. I was ready to
come back and get on a regular schedule.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK8-lZ9cEvTxQtKiDr5vcDgLG4yB-oVwRckyWr1L_Rzvcy6riWtfc6b_EskNpCC-ucFPVrcOsrek4LhVmW9mprpUMqZou_jkA5vOpCuNi24hwBV3Tnf25cuYgEDay6OoYURoaR4leErUtz/s1600/yoga.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK8-lZ9cEvTxQtKiDr5vcDgLG4yB-oVwRckyWr1L_Rzvcy6riWtfc6b_EskNpCC-ucFPVrcOsrek4LhVmW9mprpUMqZou_jkA5vOpCuNi24hwBV3Tnf25cuYgEDay6OoYURoaR4leErUtz/s400/yoga.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One more pic! I just like this one.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">After eating, imbibing, and networking for a
week, I felt a bit guilty about my triathlon training schedule. So the
dedicated athlete in me went to the Monday night swim as soon as I returned,
and the training session ended with a 30 MINUTE CONTINUOUS SWIM. Ouch. That was
hard. But I did it, minus what I think was a minor asthma attack towards the
end of the swim. NBD. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">I also did the first run in probably 7 months
that I was actually proud of. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhczw1QK9DkzMEUBHh9ovj9XYKZ3KhUi3SKRkcLqdAsHIogWtBIh6QTE2ys4raEa05XsGNTSyO5HkELgV_CK9WiG48VZbzj1p85LV5kMSyASmuRElLvgmy1IgqEAc9lgWc3_KO3ylG-WTsF/s1600/4m+run.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhczw1QK9DkzMEUBHh9ovj9XYKZ3KhUi3SKRkcLqdAsHIogWtBIh6QTE2ys4raEa05XsGNTSyO5HkELgV_CK9WiG48VZbzj1p85LV5kMSyASmuRElLvgmy1IgqEAc9lgWc3_KO3ylG-WTsF/s320/4m+run.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">I did speedwork! It felt so good to actually be
able to run fast, and test myself. I’ve been glancing at the weekly training
schedules for TNT and hiding in shame from where I should be in terms of
running. I know I shouldn’t beat myself up because I’ve been diligent about
going to PT and icing/foam rolling, but I can’t help but think that when I finally
go to a group run, I will be at the back of the pack.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">On that note, I’ve been feeling a bit
overwhelmed in GENERAL about tri training. I suppose I should have anticipated
that, but I really didn’t. I thought all of my worries would come from
fundraising, which has been surprisingly easy. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">(Pretend I’m not being a jerk in the next
sentence, because I’m really not trying to be.) I really enjoy training for
marathons/half marathons. I really enjoy running and spending my Saturday
mornings running for hours at a time. This is NOT normal and I realize that. I
thought tri training would be similar, but it’s much, much harder.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">The actually workouts themselves aren’t crazy
difficult. It’s important to start training early for a tri, because the
endurance takes awhile to build up. For example, we did a few 6x100 sprints on
Monday night’s group swim. This is <b>12 </b>laps
with only 10 second rests between every 2 laps.
It was hard, but I DID IT. 8 weeks ago I couldn’t do two laps without
feeling like I was going to <i>drown</i>. As
long as you’re diligent and consistent, the endurance comes.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">I have been trying to get 5-6 workouts in a
week, but for some reason, I am overwhelmed by the idea that I won’t be ready
for race day. “Trust the training,” I keep hearing. Yes, yes. I know. But I’m
still worried. My training feels disjointed, and my focus changes daily. Even when
I’ve finished an awesome workout, I have to start thinking about my next one,
in a completely different sport. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">I know I shouldn’t be complaining. I am learning
new skills, hanging out with nice people, and building endurance for two sports
I’ve never spent much time on. Every week is a new challenge! But every week is
also tiring. And as with most training schedules, there will be highs and lows,
and I think I was experiencing a bit of a low. The key to fighting a low? Do
something different!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">I found an AWESOME spin class last week at
NYHRC. The instructor’s legs moved faster than I’ve ever seen legs move, she
played upbeat, fun music, and it was freaking hard. I also found out that her
regular class is at 7AM on Wednesdays in Union Square, which I went to this
week. Getting up at 6AM for an awesome class is worth it to me. I was lacking
enthusiasm for my weekday bike workout, and I’ve found an exciting way to do
it. I can feel myself going into a training high already! I’m getting my mojo
back.</span></div>
Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04661183268241421312noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-703599524187323971.post-84112768532063242242013-04-18T21:15:00.001-04:002013-04-19T09:08:38.698-04:00BlessedI feel really blessed.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4cDdRAtziIFadSUOrkDe3mVlGsPcbXH1Zd7k8R4d7ZpZ_vIbqrnVieW8VcVgs5x3JY0O6ZKESyHtKp5Q5geeKIyuVyfAKvf3UIsZFP8JLOMxTEtL_L3DZJBBV9AcT8Sf-HONJNQoW8brd/s1600/Screen+Shot+2013-04-17+at+8.59.46+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4cDdRAtziIFadSUOrkDe3mVlGsPcbXH1Zd7k8R4d7ZpZ_vIbqrnVieW8VcVgs5x3JY0O6ZKESyHtKp5Q5geeKIyuVyfAKvf3UIsZFP8JLOMxTEtL_L3DZJBBV9AcT8Sf-HONJNQoW8brd/s1600/Screen+Shot+2013-04-17+at+8.59.46+PM.png" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMAXebdKGcsv1ol2zxespggMIWlIRbz49MxyAYbolUAyIlbqapnwViPqgdeOE29_9OaqzzWPhkzLsLy98ceyOR70YNE349mXEId_OJK3GWQksByZh3AxfjAyTQkXYRfZ8-4nGYR0T1EwWt/s1600/Screen+Shot+2013-04-17+at+9.00.00+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMAXebdKGcsv1ol2zxespggMIWlIRbz49MxyAYbolUAyIlbqapnwViPqgdeOE29_9OaqzzWPhkzLsLy98ceyOR70YNE349mXEId_OJK3GWQksByZh3AxfjAyTQkXYRfZ8-4nGYR0T1EwWt/s400/Screen+Shot+2013-04-17+at+9.00.00+PM.png" width="243" /></a></div>
<br />
When I started this triathlon, I had lots of thoughts. I was mostly excited - about helping a great cause, about becoming a triathlete, about meeting new friends. But I was also pretty scared. My fundraising minimum was daunting - $2,900 is a lot of money. My mind works in logical terms, so I started subtracting what I though my close friends and family would donate. After a conservative few calculations, I realized I would be quite short of my goal.<br />
<br />
I figured I would make it there somehow. With some creative fundraising tactics and social media efforts, I would get there. Even if it meant fronting a fair amount of the money myself.<br />
<br />
Then I sent out my first email to close friends and family. I tried to be as real and honest as I could, and hope for the best. And the donations started rolling in. And in. My fave people were so much more generous than I expected, and they started forwarding it to their friends. <b><i>People I have never met donated</i></b>. I was astonished, delighted and humbled.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQOi1q3F0Q_FIRuLGE-QRVCpf5seIm2ZyxjWoS9m6FC3mprDzz4W4_VHSAqjeussDCfk88lr-DLbmkESdOS_QuHzll7TpSpwzTEyFABNsTwrMsrY8Mo0m5AEX_bRPS84dfJ0BXCVlieFFQ/s1600/card.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQOi1q3F0Q_FIRuLGE-QRVCpf5seIm2ZyxjWoS9m6FC3mprDzz4W4_VHSAqjeussDCfk88lr-DLbmkESdOS_QuHzll7TpSpwzTEyFABNsTwrMsrY8Mo0m5AEX_bRPS84dfJ0BXCVlieFFQ/s320/card.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">MANY THANKS! Amazing card I found at Paper Source<br />
I'm using to write my thank you notes on.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I'm now only $800 away from my fundraising minimum, and I have every intention of exceeding it.<br />
<br />
The physical part of my training is going really well. I think I'm finally healed from my ridiculous IT band injury, thanks in major part to Dr. Levine. I've been foam rolling, icing and stretching like it's going out of style.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG6tAa1rOqcRHqJEJTZtMCAlXlvZ9T7-cGCy4fq1j4F3IQwTeqlIpN9cThflJWh92xKT98Yy6Ebp7IsfH7nIUuSLlfVKHAe3ifviTCIjPB86Eixoy6qoSzqFRqYjdwBr6UsmjQAvAiBOl4/s1600/easter+run.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG6tAa1rOqcRHqJEJTZtMCAlXlvZ9T7-cGCy4fq1j4F3IQwTeqlIpN9cThflJWh92xKT98Yy6Ebp7IsfH7nIUuSLlfVKHAe3ifviTCIjPB86Eixoy6qoSzqFRqYjdwBr6UsmjQAvAiBOl4/s320/easter+run.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Oh beautiful sidewalk, how I missed you.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
I've also been very diligent about going to swim practice. Every Monday night I make my way to our group training session in downtown Brooklyn, trying to think of all the things NOT to screw up in my stroke. This includes keeping my head low, staring straight down at the pool, breathing in the right part of my stroke, not lifting my head up too much when I breathe, kicking without flailing my legs too much... the list actually goes on.<br />
<br />
But at least I feel myself improving. While I go to the intermediate/advanced session, I firmly plant myself in the "slow" lane. We had our first "continuous swim" last week, where we snaked around the pool for twenty minutes without stopping... TWENTY MINUTES IS A LONG TIME TO SWIM. Not to mention that it was meant to simulate race day, so we were mixed in with all the advanced swimmers who were trying to pass me. I like my slow lane. The people in the fast lane are really fast, and they're really excited about being fast. I am slow, and I am perfectly okay with that.<br />
<br />
The continuous swim was a bit of a wake-up call. I realized that while I've been diligent about going to the group training, I haven't been that diligent about doing a swim training on my own. So I'm making it my mission to fit in an extra swim session every week so that by the time July hits, I'll be ready for the Hudson.<br />
<br />
On the topic of this week's post, I just want to say how blessed I feel that all of my friends in Boston are O.K. Keith and I were in Boston last weekend, visiting our friends, and headed home to NYC on Sunday night. I stayed with my friend Jaime, who's apartment is a block from where one of the bombs went off (luckily, she left for home Sunday as well, and wasn't in the city on Monday). While all my loved ones weren't near the bombs, if different decisions were made, one of them could have been.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBvA7M7yi2duFMDGYWWkANriQJIR7F6alVLF7e4tIcIOEeO16iW6ezYCZehIjK0dVxIiuHtc7bnxIE5PgU8o6d36KL4L4BO2ZUM8CrdGuENL2byBtkKYj2-APutoNqO-I3F9TyLTgT1k2Z/s1600/anna+and+me.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBvA7M7yi2duFMDGYWWkANriQJIR7F6alVLF7e4tIcIOEeO16iW6ezYCZehIjK0dVxIiuHtc7bnxIE5PgU8o6d36KL4L4BO2ZUM8CrdGuENL2byBtkKYj2-APutoNqO-I3F9TyLTgT1k2Z/s400/anna+and+me.jpg" width="238" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My friend Anna and me last summer, ready for a run in Boston.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
I have such a big place in my heart for Boston. It's where I went to college, it's where I met so many great friends, it's where I met Keith, and it's where I have some of my best memories from days like Marathon Monday.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho6wb5QJo44r6aGlVK8NWZnzjrsz7f0aFOzEc2_IL9pDHz0OF25HYP2cB1oXcq1YTm1eUjhJRz51gFJCZOsduA3Yvfs0z6zlTiGj7ndgd87JgzPCXB_hlQFKIjBFUlgn4LVflSf94dPD6W/s1600/marathon+monday.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho6wb5QJo44r6aGlVK8NWZnzjrsz7f0aFOzEc2_IL9pDHz0OF25HYP2cB1oXcq1YTm1eUjhJRz51gFJCZOsduA3Yvfs0z6zlTiGj7ndgd87JgzPCXB_hlQFKIjBFUlgn4LVflSf94dPD6W/s320/marathon+monday.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Marathon Monday Senior Year.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I'm sending my prayers and thoughts to everyone in Boston, especially those who were affected by Monday's horrific events. Boston and runners, you are two resilient communities, and I know that with some time, the wounds will heal. We just have to take it one day at a time.<br />
<br />
**<i>Edit on 4/19: Sending my hugs to Boston this morning - everyone be safe!</i>Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04661183268241421312noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-703599524187323971.post-59743320691201026222013-03-12T16:11:00.000-04:002013-03-12T16:11:44.993-04:00I swam... and it wasn’t scary<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">I had a
great, productive, fun weekend. The nice weather didn’t hurt either.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">Friday night,
I saw this guy riding the subway.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj62OLCxpKHnCY0LPX3C5KDrzUgSBmY-1BIYGwtJc5xaVUKsJ83OyJQ8uwDVAAAAgvHrVNa9nmVPGYVKWnlqizzdmu2IYaRIXi_SssWO4uYqtbk_GVebuiEpyK4VW5N1V3Mj5ujefqLP9AO/s1600/pandahead.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj62OLCxpKHnCY0LPX3C5KDrzUgSBmY-1BIYGwtJc5xaVUKsJ83OyJQ8uwDVAAAAgvHrVNa9nmVPGYVKWnlqizzdmu2IYaRIXi_SssWO4uYqtbk_GVebuiEpyK4VW5N1V3Mj5ujefqLP9AO/s320/pandahead.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">As my dad pointed out, no one could be bothered that a guy<br />with a panda head was riding the NYC subway. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">I got dinner
and beers with Keith and the gang, but headed home early to chug water in
preparation for an early Saturday morning. I went to the gym early Friday
morning, so once 10:30PM rolled around, I was ready to drift off to sleep. I
love how training excuses my toddler-like sleep habits.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">At 7AM my
alarm went off, and I got ready to go to the gym. There was a TNT running
session in Central Park, followed by an event called “Connection 2 the Cause”
on the Upper West Side. Since I haven’t been cleared by my PT to run just yet,
I did the gazelle-like elliptical and the stairmaster at the gym instead.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">On that note,
I really like my new PT. Dr. Levine, who has a lot of patients who are
marathoners and triathletes, came highly recommended on my insurance website. Beyond that, I found out that he has an office literally across
the street from my office. I wanted to get a second opinion on my IT band, and he
says that about 80% of his athlete-patients have the same injury. I am not
alone in my frustration.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvVmO11_pVH0ZnP5oLSgPuyIg2yBnCeyoUw81gDpXts7WRbxtXm8-SQjwkQ_fAQGiSHyNU5OUZld0RZzfaFRED5CVb8JxLqtJiljxmJBZpdH10cDYnj1PS-M4fnbVDKi8QkVtniPOIYBtk/s1600/dr+levines.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvVmO11_pVH0ZnP5oLSgPuyIg2yBnCeyoUw81gDpXts7WRbxtXm8-SQjwkQ_fAQGiSHyNU5OUZld0RZzfaFRED5CVb8JxLqtJiljxmJBZpdH10cDYnj1PS-M4fnbVDKi8QkVtniPOIYBtk/s320/dr+levines.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Please get rid of the knots in my leg.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">I left the
gym (where scary-skinny older women intimidated me with their six-pack abs), and was excited
for the C2C event. The goal of the event is to inspire and remember the reason
why we are training with TNT. A few people talked about their experience with
LLS, and then they opened the floor up for anyone who wanted to share
their story about why they’re training. I was blown away not only by everyone’s
bravery to stand in front of a group of 200 strangers and speak, but by all of the
experiences that my fellow teammates have been through. We cheered on the
participants who are now cancer-free, and applauded those who are participating
in a friend’s memory. I left with a lump in my throat, and feeling even more
excited about training for the triathlon.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">After a
morning of TNT, I went home to tackle my closet. My shelves and bureau have
been a hot mess the last few weeks.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0-kixn-LoeOvKQ9nCsWPEeJDvoIV_UnRGxw6zltqqw3en0xMGO1CLnWJyc2iPgxPnRGodQuWKf2YOzyfuc95tyiMoJS0Go156j4_SjPUucOExE5UzftuRooiI3nG-cFCkfMgZxotz16H5/s1600/socks.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0-kixn-LoeOvKQ9nCsWPEeJDvoIV_UnRGxw6zltqqw3en0xMGO1CLnWJyc2iPgxPnRGodQuWKf2YOzyfuc95tyiMoJS0Go156j4_SjPUucOExE5UzftuRooiI3nG-cFCkfMgZxotz16H5/s320/socks.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I have a lot of socks.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">I sorted through all my clothes, and anything I haven't worn in the last six months went in a donation pile. I ended up getting rid of two big bags of clothes (including mostly Forever 21 clothes I
bought in college. Their clothes look so much better at time of purchase). I refolded everything into neat little
piles back in my closet, that will likely stay that way for less than a week. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">After all my clothes sorting, I was
inspired by my friend Meggie’s recent success at a thrift shop called Beacon’s Closet in Brooklyn. She said that they bought $320 worth of her clothes.
While Meggie’s clothes have a lot more whimsy and artsy-ness to them, I figured
I could bring the highlights of my garbage bags and give it a go (I took the DVF
pants, but left the Hanes t-shirts at home).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6GJmLeIWSJxtM1D2sKzdN22fyKD9C4yK_FDacybOoUBRs5scCMGd_Ptla13PWzNOM7uHR3G6cYDy80BtXwIoLksMiZ9qAxgt_8D4hHrwYeUpN-Tfa1QbUX_aCcI4sZ-mNHA24MW8YR4vz/s1600/beacons+closet.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6GJmLeIWSJxtM1D2sKzdN22fyKD9C4yK_FDacybOoUBRs5scCMGd_Ptla13PWzNOM7uHR3G6cYDy80BtXwIoLksMiZ9qAxgt_8D4hHrwYeUpN-Tfa1QbUX_aCcI4sZ-mNHA24MW8YR4vz/s320/beacons+closet.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">While I
waited for "buyers" to get to my bag o’ fun, I shopped around a bit. I looked
around for some funky stuff that I might be able to wear to work… but I found absolutely nothing. It was a little
disappointing, and I think I gave myself a headache from searching through all the racks of clothes. My shopping stamina just isn’t what it used to be.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfvcZlFmIyzx6P4FLDDGlhyDugaDX6MT1J_ojWUna4mf0EEKa5tvrWYhhnVq9StO60HrRmOS_Fb5O3Ozb_BBIf5w4eyyVasILTWX5hi2IIow3sw-A8B4Q9AsQR3orq0h4rOldsHTdOtV91/s1600/shoes.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfvcZlFmIyzx6P4FLDDGlhyDugaDX6MT1J_ojWUna4mf0EEKa5tvrWYhhnVq9StO60HrRmOS_Fb5O3Ozb_BBIf5w4eyyVasILTWX5hi2IIow3sw-A8B4Q9AsQR3orq0h4rOldsHTdOtV91/s320/shoes.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">As much as I would like to, I can't wear these to work.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">I checked
back at the sell station, and they went through my clothes in front of me. It
was humbling to watch someone judge my clothes. While they passed on most of my items, they did buy two pieces from me; a green dress with pink buttons from
Urban Outfitters, and a pair of DVF pants I got at a sample sale.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaN4_GLbS8GNNbr8LEH8xFHizqMAwOn-Ur-WTBRpgn15dwCFdXVIiqML7vcixqj5IjYQPxjjxo4UOtHkQhMOTcMniIrP7nhGU_t24wjS4orULaBLLoeMtvV8wn8Dj_pvhaFQ4XNhEzYRCD/s1600/keith+and+me+-+formal.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaN4_GLbS8GNNbr8LEH8xFHizqMAwOn-Ur-WTBRpgn15dwCFdXVIiqML7vcixqj5IjYQPxjjxo4UOtHkQhMOTcMniIrP7nhGU_t24wjS4orULaBLLoeMtvV8wn8Dj_pvhaFQ4XNhEzYRCD/s1600/keith+and+me+-+formal.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I wore the green dress to a sorority formal with Keith.<br />Goodbye dress. Go make new memories with hipsters.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">I tried to
tell myself that the reason Beacon's Closet only took two items was because they were really looking for spring items, and most of my
clothes were wintry. But I guess I’m also okay with the fact my clothes aren’t thrift
shop-worthy. I’ll leave that up to Macklemore.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/QK8mJJJvaes?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">Last night,
we had our second TNT swim practice. I was really, really anxious before getting in the
water. Last Monday’s practice went well, but I felt really tired afterwards and
swallowed about a half gallon of water. Mostly I was nervous I would feel completely uncoordinated like I did last week. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">But as soon
as I jumped in the water and started swimming, I felt GREAT. I was shocked at
how much easier it felt to swim compared to last week. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">We did a lot
of the same drills we did last week, and I took my time with each to practice
form as best I could. I felt really good about it, and while I still swallowed
copious amounts of water, I can already feel myself improving.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><b>You're up! </b><i>What are your thoughts on thrift shopping? Was selling two items worth the $12.22 I got back?</i></span></div>
Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04661183268241421312noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-703599524187323971.post-40379345577170775322013-03-04T17:18:00.001-05:002013-03-04T17:19:06.180-05:00Running and Drinking in Brooklyn<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">I had my very
first training session with Team in Training (TNT) this past Saturday!!!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">(No
accompanying pictures for this section since I completely forgot. You will have
to do your best to imagine this crazy Saturday morning).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">My good friend
Melyssa came up for the weekend from DC. She was a doll and couldn’t care
less that I wanted to go to the first practice while she was here. So we had a
couple of Modelos when she got in on Friday night, and went to bed at midnight.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">In my
exhaustion, I set my alarm for 6:40AM on the <i>weekdays </i>setting. But my internal alarm clock is so awesome that I
woke up at 6:51AM on my own. *<i>Pats back.</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">I picked up
Meggie, and we headed to Prospect Park chatting like little girls despite the
early hour. We met our fellow Brooklyn TNT-ers, and they all seem incredibly nice
and funny. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">We did two
short Out-and-Backs, and some strength-training that reminded me of gym class
(think grapevine and skipping). My knee was feeling O.K., so I was hopeful that
I finally kicked my stupid injury.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">Most of the group gathered at Park Café after the training session for a hot, greasy breakfast. Meggie and I sat at a table with three “mentors” who are AMAZING!!!
Team Brooklyn has about 8 mentors that have been through TNT before, and help
answer questions and offer general awesomeness. I sat next to my mentor, Andy,
as well as mentors named Brooke and Rose. The three of them did it together last year
for the first time, and they had fun pearls of wisdom for us (“Don’t get a
wetsuit with sleeves”; “We always gorge on pancakes and other yummy brunch things after
Saturday morning practices”). <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">They also
mentioned a sprint triathlon that is in Staten Island about 5 weeks before the
NYC Tri. It’s called “Flat as a Pancake” because the course is flat and they
serve pancakes at the end of the race. I’m eyeing it as a possible practice race.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD2TuEjrT7OF1cFltUi7wbP-65BGV2xnOMC3r9JblPTshtnPzp2ZhaRdIFfev_UwlRKtcleqjfy8gzDs2jzf6Bt7ACFNm36EoTUrFbD1HLC9VRuG36zbgp4lYuHVwK4Tqt4zF8hM-W9cHM/s1600/flat+as+a+pancake+tri.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="216" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD2TuEjrT7OF1cFltUi7wbP-65BGV2xnOMC3r9JblPTshtnPzp2ZhaRdIFfev_UwlRKtcleqjfy8gzDs2jzf6Bt7ACFNm36EoTUrFbD1HLC9VRuG36zbgp4lYuHVwK4Tqt4zF8hM-W9cHM/s400/flat+as+a+pancake+tri.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">High-tech website.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">I was on a
high after a fun practice, and an even better breakfast. But once I parked
Keith’s car, and was walking back to my apartment, MY STUPID IT BAND BEGAN TO
ACHE. I’m honestly so fed up. I took a full four weeks off from running, we
did a measly 20 minute jog at practice, and yet my IT band continues to hurt.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">I emailed
TNT’s Brooklyn Coach, to see if he had any advice. He said that IT band
injuries can be persistent, and recommended getting a second opinion. While I
LOVE my PT Dr. Ngo, I booked an appointment for tomorrow with another PT, Dr.
Levine. I’m hoping he will have some nuggets of wisdom that will cure me so I
can start training.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">I was SUPER
annoyed after hobbling home, but changed my mood because my friend Melyssa was
awaiting a fun weekend in Brooklyn. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";"><br /></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0GbxthCjS1gx5qNZ7Cr_AiaB-bO6F2KwsLP-2Nn7N5B-3t1IPs0DqM5l_YRC8SghBW4ZN1-GXGn5nIwBNcaTCLcdMCfIhMV2SKCLiMqAkzHD7nLmPYBx6Y9kn9BuLapqwu7zxwq8LDNsR/s1600/melyss+and+me.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0GbxthCjS1gx5qNZ7Cr_AiaB-bO6F2KwsLP-2Nn7N5B-3t1IPs0DqM5l_YRC8SghBW4ZN1-GXGn5nIwBNcaTCLcdMCfIhMV2SKCLiMqAkzHD7nLmPYBx6Y9kn9BuLapqwu7zxwq8LDNsR/s320/melyss+and+me.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Doing what we do best.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">We made our
way to Brooklyn Brewery, but like the dodo I am, I forgot my ID in my running
pants back at the apartment (#firstworldproblems). Brooklyn Brewery is perhaps
the ONLY bar in Brooklyn that cards, so we were turned away. We hopped in a cab
back to my apartment so I could get my ID, and came back 10 minutes later, only
to find a newly form line of 50 people. It was just not meant to be.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">So we ditched
the Brewery, and headed to Spritzenhaus, where we had us some delicious German
beer and bratwurst.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyMmuwOoJrBpGsglPilPZeS375QYEpA3RDkYZAFFuxDGj2pHwMA6TbVUhXZJpYkPEx_tJZ9qN0DcJAhA7WXXPsMChJ3j644q2EeC6s1k0PfICYl4AqqskTqvoNtNqy5sjWQ26YUI1C1CFb/s1600/bratwurst.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyMmuwOoJrBpGsglPilPZeS375QYEpA3RDkYZAFFuxDGj2pHwMA6TbVUhXZJpYkPEx_tJZ9qN0DcJAhA7WXXPsMChJ3j644q2EeC6s1k0PfICYl4AqqskTqvoNtNqy5sjWQ26YUI1C1CFb/s320/bratwurst.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">Keith and some of our friends came to
meet us for some good, old-fashioned day drinking. Let’s just say that Melyssa
and I do not have the stamina that we did in college. We were in bed at about
11:30.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">After a
delightful Sunday of resting and watching You’ve Got Mail, I am ready to take
on Week 1 of TNT Training!!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhteMFjxX1HRxydo_-pzyvZShmTg2RPYn0FQMx00pBrEtt7thdhU3cewiiaEpkAiuEMP6r778qw9FvtWY3tBhyphenhyphenrAhyphenhyphen09zmHSqBd91dvNzBcHchLbRNEXPTu37l0cRfyn8wMTIJYDGs3egX9/s1600/week+1+email.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhteMFjxX1HRxydo_-pzyvZShmTg2RPYn0FQMx00pBrEtt7thdhU3cewiiaEpkAiuEMP6r778qw9FvtWY3tBhyphenhyphenrAhyphenhyphen09zmHSqBd91dvNzBcHchLbRNEXPTu37l0cRfyn8wMTIJYDGs3egX9/s640/week+1+email.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Already loving our witty coaching staff.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">FAQ: Where do
you swim in the NYC Tri?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">Me: The
Hudson River...<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";"><i>Every
</i>person’s response: uuuhhh ewwww (judging judging)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">Yes it will
be gross, but that’s part of the experience. I promise to share my river germs
with you.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">In
preparation for our date with the Hudson River in 19 weeks, tonight is the
first swim group practice. I am so excited! I will finally re-learn how to
swim, after years of neglecting what I learned in summer camp and the
swim lessons my parents sent me to. Learning how to swim “efficiently” (I know
how to swim, people) is something I’ve always wanted to do. It’s been on my
bucket list, along with jumping out of a plane and meeting Sarah Jessica Parker.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifwe56UXybS6XTE6ITRJuyhA4vAp2s6KBcGXVn-i4AGGFyDF-XNmQ6LiOuxAlAKaM3diXz2U6ejfxvpa1NQoCAaaFg1T9GY0DhTvs65cDawzVo7NfUgacjwg7xq4kLbQuBsWYyjOgdzmOo/s1600/bathing+suit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="277" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifwe56UXybS6XTE6ITRJuyhA4vAp2s6KBcGXVn-i4AGGFyDF-XNmQ6LiOuxAlAKaM3diXz2U6ejfxvpa1NQoCAaaFg1T9GY0DhTvs65cDawzVo7NfUgacjwg7xq4kLbQuBsWYyjOgdzmOo/s400/bathing+suit.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It's likely I was a better swimmer at age 3 than I am now.<br />
Now I want an ice pop.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">I’m going to try something new that most official “bloggers” do and see how it goes. I’ll
leave each post with a question, because I am usually at a loss at how to
finish these things up.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<i><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">What’s the one bucket list-skill you
wish you could learn? Would it involve swimming in the Hudson River?<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04661183268241421312noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-703599524187323971.post-28703582965228468852013-02-27T17:40:00.000-05:002013-02-27T17:40:54.089-05:00Puerto Rico Livin'<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">I was gone
kids!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjixbhRzWhICXuYJnmqQ5ZPdn56mQWO6ehB5dC05NbVgHzUlCL9mDWR1tWPFXscznlsjm4DGtemHe3cG8FEgP8_J8bnihI0Ov5iZFnA7ra6Rw7iOQy35SCTKTmr-kt_oeIm22DGQaTWeDNi/s1600/18.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjixbhRzWhICXuYJnmqQ5ZPdn56mQWO6ehB5dC05NbVgHzUlCL9mDWR1tWPFXscznlsjm4DGtemHe3cG8FEgP8_J8bnihI0Ov5iZFnA7ra6Rw7iOQy35SCTKTmr-kt_oeIm22DGQaTWeDNi/s320/18.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">Keith and I
vacationed for four days in the beautiful island of Puerto Rico. We took the
trip to get away from the cold and snow, and have sunny complexions to show for
it (Keith has a tan, I have freckles).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">We spent our days
eating, drinking, tanning and laughing. I was surprised at how amazing the food
was, and we munched on everything from fresh seafood to mofongo (the
signature dish on every menu, made with fried plantains, your choice of meat or
seafood, served in a broth. Amazing). <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXi9h1ZplQVNkKekxrV7gUE9a19G9ttIahpiJU_o98FT4n7CEw9siG9rqRMEtQRGxcKMcl-JB0Z2YYl1QO8DksQjxJG8xFfygVXtRVupTio2XZRB5E8wDyrS0DuqeCaZzLo420Gv5q0BTP/s1600/39.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXi9h1ZplQVNkKekxrV7gUE9a19G9ttIahpiJU_o98FT4n7CEw9siG9rqRMEtQRGxcKMcl-JB0Z2YYl1QO8DksQjxJG8xFfygVXtRVupTio2XZRB5E8wDyrS0DuqeCaZzLo420Gv5q0BTP/s320/39.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fried plantains stuffed with beef. Yep.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOpnwEFoWKp3AfjvQdgZ5OZvvW6pTcI32mSVRuKUGKy2IaIhyU-GDC4UMSM3AakqFdvS_vJFOx_3ZVVT-OCPu8IOBnDWG-PcGH9XeH66uvLuqv2pPY863PAa8HVEeWoRUJ1RhJEM5V1A12/s1600/25.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOpnwEFoWKp3AfjvQdgZ5OZvvW6pTcI32mSVRuKUGKy2IaIhyU-GDC4UMSM3AakqFdvS_vJFOx_3ZVVT-OCPu8IOBnDWG-PcGH9XeH66uvLuqv2pPY863PAa8HVEeWoRUJ1RhJEM5V1A12/s320/25.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I got iced by Keith. I wasn't really upset by it. It was quite refreshing.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">There were a
ton of highlights, and a few lowlights - The biggest issue was showing up to
the hotel, and the front desk did not have our reservation. Shifty Expedia was
to blame, but after a 2-hour debacle, we were upgraded to an OCEAN VIEW ROOM. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiALdqiLBWFs8yuXmncooqgJBkqrvvuQKDspQhpzRzfQODeAugBIqyVt7SiD_tNZLRgEz2dQAqOG4dA2P4GAX4rzftWg1G6tH5AB1csQbz2GcMqbINtRnfckMSTibVEPdGujsoi_fB4gewI/s1600/07.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiALdqiLBWFs8yuXmncooqgJBkqrvvuQKDspQhpzRzfQODeAugBIqyVt7SiD_tNZLRgEz2dQAqOG4dA2P4GAX4rzftWg1G6tH5AB1csQbz2GcMqbINtRnfckMSTibVEPdGujsoi_fB4gewI/s320/07.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sunrise.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi31QGRs13221YBTyqkWJc5qT3MF6yqXLCetR4wakXjj0fPjGh-ZHacjxE5ZpTyQ2hGSPtXexUx9MFaS86CJ_wIPMUnnhD2g9Y50U3TECVYznnTiIqOq1tYwAtpwUUJH67e67rKZgzZTlrw/s1600/28.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi31QGRs13221YBTyqkWJc5qT3MF6yqXLCetR4wakXjj0fPjGh-ZHacjxE5ZpTyQ2hGSPtXexUx9MFaS86CJ_wIPMUnnhD2g9Y50U3TECVYznnTiIqOq1tYwAtpwUUJH67e67rKZgzZTlrw/s320/28.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sunset.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">One of the
biggest highlights was the fact that our resort had a </span><i style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">private island </i><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">a short ferry ride away. And </span><i style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">that island </i><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">also had a little island off it. So we kayaked out
there two days in a row because it was so darn cool.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFVWvSfYH9zEKwAEIQwbJrKpNneHVlz1DVER_Fr58XPaLt8p-QuGmIsXss4gP0A5I2yBAJSvLrTm_1MErdCr_eTFAJNGSkbwxXiBl0gQMxtLNusPBWsm6uuSEl7wxVp9ghlVQ7avv2-9m3/s1600/34.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFVWvSfYH9zEKwAEIQwbJrKpNneHVlz1DVER_Fr58XPaLt8p-QuGmIsXss4gP0A5I2yBAJSvLrTm_1MErdCr_eTFAJNGSkbwxXiBl0gQMxtLNusPBWsm6uuSEl7wxVp9ghlVQ7avv2-9m3/s320/34.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT2MH7bbV5tPDJEvmSiHGDcnuFCasCQtLnhZnOijFXj8SVnRBm8taP4n_ob4ZE3mt2wa8TleANooZbaMaiBDrXqCkhnM9uaTz11K3BJ1swtadJlOPNQsbXlm8uDo5yx9RmsPYoWOYOix9n/s1600/kayaks.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT2MH7bbV5tPDJEvmSiHGDcnuFCasCQtLnhZnOijFXj8SVnRBm8taP4n_ob4ZE3mt2wa8TleANooZbaMaiBDrXqCkhnM9uaTz11K3BJ1swtadJlOPNQsbXlm8uDo5yx9RmsPYoWOYOix9n/s320/kayaks.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">Keith and I
attempted to work out the second day we were there in the resort’s “fitness
center.” Unfortunately the stationary bikes were pretty old, only one
elliptical worked, and there was only one flimsy mat that was so thin I might as well
have been laying on the hard, concrete floor. There were also a father-son duo using 75%
of the dumbbells and attempting to have a cross-fit session, so it was
difficult to get hold of any of the equipment. We were in and out pretty quick.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";"><br /></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy_BBu33qqRJWKUc_n-eyIX__wn4qJue74_skzUvu3qT7QvVHu8qsVH_N_nsyygzcriJCrPZInaP0FrDbd9TyEdtKUdMCfRQePTyAOS1PxAC8QimWVRKUwtRkHwiqmjtJU368hrqF9xhfn/s1600/13.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy_BBu33qqRJWKUc_n-eyIX__wn4qJue74_skzUvu3qT7QvVHu8qsVH_N_nsyygzcriJCrPZInaP0FrDbd9TyEdtKUdMCfRQePTyAOS1PxAC8QimWVRKUwtRkHwiqmjtJU368hrqF9xhfn/s320/13.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Unrelated photobomb.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis0pzQxtgN2Ybofqd5ST9X3Dcirtw-mdJyMNIMVS-wnN1Y0FmbzNqZVw0D4GdCBXWi0C-Axv8K-2BfPQ0ny-u7fdHQ4dfOeQH8nJzOjPRTmlLaoTBdqg8TbqJ0MYGTK3dmtqSPW-30BOST/s1600/17.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis0pzQxtgN2Ybofqd5ST9X3Dcirtw-mdJyMNIMVS-wnN1Y0FmbzNqZVw0D4GdCBXWi0C-Axv8K-2BfPQ0ny-u7fdHQ4dfOeQH8nJzOjPRTmlLaoTBdqg8TbqJ0MYGTK3dmtqSPW-30BOST/s320/17.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">It was
amazing to get away, and my skin was SO HAPPY to get some serious sun. It took
every fiber of my being to go to work on Monday.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";"><br /></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid1Kt2khDTbD9ThwqiF7xREDoM03cKtltQq9lwXHXcntYrS9a52bZzP9ikF0rlS1BuJcj5-9G9RcC3dryhtXDKwF6FHMgDunZWGOEI7r1R6pC6gdhfL_dDK3Mg-z79WINqYnuBb2MPnDs6/s1600/23.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid1Kt2khDTbD9ThwqiF7xREDoM03cKtltQq9lwXHXcntYrS9a52bZzP9ikF0rlS1BuJcj5-9G9RcC3dryhtXDKwF6FHMgDunZWGOEI7r1R6pC6gdhfL_dDK3Mg-z79WINqYnuBb2MPnDs6/s320/23.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">SO RELAXED AND TAN.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">In other
news, the official kick-off for the NYC Tri through Team-in-Training (TNT) is
today! I am so pumped to get started, meet my coaches and teammates, and
figure out what the heck I got myself into. Tonight is the kick-off meeting
with lots of information and some swag, and our first official training session
is on Saturday.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">The first
session is a run, which I’ve been told will only be about 30 minutes long. I
haven’t run in almost a month. It’s taken a lot of self-discipline not to hop
on the treadmill at the gym, which other runners seem to be really enjoying
themselves on. But I wanted to take as much time off to make sure I was
injury-free for training. Saturday will be the first day back, and I can hardly
wait!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">I also am
officially leaving NYSC and joining New York Health and Racquet. This might not
sound like a depressing item, but I’ve become really comfortable with my gyms. I like my man-boy spinning instructor on Monday nights, my European
techno-loving spinning instructor named Yarl on Tuesday nights, and their locations are so freaking convenient. But alas, NYSC does not
have this:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-AtgvaHZqkPiQI2SFYRUvkTDrP7ESPkTpA-N00PQC1bM6i0vzbwR3KSYTscxC6BKVFJz4HCZ7IJnmWb9y8_tKGiiFyZdbqqT_Q8vifE5d4uGRCwcDLp6SNuhEKjcrO_szwiCCnZC2au-M/s1600/pool.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-AtgvaHZqkPiQI2SFYRUvkTDrP7ESPkTpA-N00PQC1bM6i0vzbwR3KSYTscxC6BKVFJz4HCZ7IJnmWb9y8_tKGiiFyZdbqqT_Q8vifE5d4uGRCwcDLp6SNuhEKjcrO_szwiCCnZC2au-M/s320/pool.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">I did a
one-week trial of NYHR, and I really liked it. It seems like more of a
community, and a lot of people seem to know each other. They’re a bit smaller,
so finding an area to do strength training can get a bit cozy. But the pools
and facilities are really nice, so it will have to do for now.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">I also plan
to do the majority of my training outdoors once it gets warm out, since that
seems to have worked well for me in running in the past. It’s been 3 ½ months
since I’ve been on any kind of training schedule, so I was literally GIDDY when
I opened up an email from my coach earlier to find March’s training plan:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDhW6ymQ1bWPmczd-zYigPi0qNsX3WTWLNHZ4GJVQT3UTTvUqRDuUaI0uRfr2C8TssiH3TqqO5De41MltyxFqz1xWlU3UhX9zZ2WifFutzb9bJmfjFDcykE69gPllJvJ9MYV9GIjrQ9-7y/s1600/tnt+training.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="261" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDhW6ymQ1bWPmczd-zYigPi0qNsX3WTWLNHZ4GJVQT3UTTvUqRDuUaI0uRfr2C8TssiH3TqqO5De41MltyxFqz1xWlU3UhX9zZ2WifFutzb9bJmfjFDcykE69gPllJvJ9MYV9GIjrQ9-7y/s400/tnt+training.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">I don’t
really know what most of it means yet, but I’m SUPER PUMPED. And scared. But
mostly pumped.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04661183268241421312noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-703599524187323971.post-80079834967518142812013-02-11T17:25:00.000-05:002013-02-11T17:25:21.026-05:00Excite & Fright<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">There has
been some crazy weather up in the NYC.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAGf9qn9l2jnY0slsBdbL-EHn6O1-Dao6vytIUJVoNI8z8kwIPRIxC5bi72QqtrnjprZZl7KwnRWlRBgfitX5Q-1B4tH5cg4KVtITiLymxE2fvwy95SSeHAUKUBs_yVJto0P0xglFk5LOe/s1600/big+snow.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAGf9qn9l2jnY0slsBdbL-EHn6O1-Dao6vytIUJVoNI8z8kwIPRIxC5bi72QqtrnjprZZl7KwnRWlRBgfitX5Q-1B4tH5cg4KVtITiLymxE2fvwy95SSeHAUKUBs_yVJto0P0xglFk5LOe/s320/big+snow.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Biggest snowflakes EVER.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">Not that I’m
complaining – I love snow. I love early dismissals from work, and I love having
an excuse to wear my Bean Boots. And it has been keeping me from running
outside, which is probably a good thing.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7HdNDjRrbcTBakFnr7rhF9sR_-aNo0GDjMepCLsIrJ5K-dm11F2thZq3yqq8qANPF1E0Bn0J1jhBIDhTmzhUmOO8fwYeweR5uL8PZ7GiwKZ2N7qcBxKqhzNpQC7S_r0gjPZxnCcjHdRGf/s1600/beer.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7HdNDjRrbcTBakFnr7rhF9sR_-aNo0GDjMepCLsIrJ5K-dm11F2thZq3yqq8qANPF1E0Bn0J1jhBIDhTmzhUmOO8fwYeweR5uL8PZ7GiwKZ2N7qcBxKqhzNpQC7S_r0gjPZxnCcjHdRGf/s320/beer.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Me and my beer at 4PM on Friday.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">The last time
I ran was last Sunday before the Superbowl, and I did just about 3 miles. I did
some walk/running that my physical therapist recommends when I’m coming back
from an injury, but I knew that I was going to be hurting when I got back to my
apartment. I did some icing, but I could feel my knee pain coming through
again. SO ANNOYING.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">I think I’ve
been a good patient, and very good to my knee. I’ve been doing a lot of
strength training and cross-training, and not going very fast when I
occasionally run. But my IT band is being as stubborn as a mule. So I am taking
yet another hiatus from running. I’m not happy about it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">Plus, it
doesn’t help that I got a semi-scary email from one of my future coaches in
Team in Training (EEP!!!). He had some general beginner’s tips about what we
should be doing before actual training starts in March. One of them being “DO
NOT SHOW UP INJURED TO THE FIRST PRACTICE OR ELSE WE WILL MOCK YOU.” Not quite
that scary, but that’s how I read it. It makes sense – now is the time that we
should just be preparing our bodies for the next five months of training, which
includes both work and rest. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-GoY0cOMZG1AS9LD6gvv9nSbHr_2q9a55vh0ZGhUHH2s7nWxJ1LQ6euS2h7gF1Zgt1WqrDPT7FP1Vr3sy9XTiur-FP7Oxo056CZkUI1ReljforkS3q_YPseOwgnP0FjjsCixOPOP5myr3/s1600/tnt+header.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="85" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-GoY0cOMZG1AS9LD6gvv9nSbHr_2q9a55vh0ZGhUHH2s7nWxJ1LQ6euS2h7gF1Zgt1WqrDPT7FP1Vr3sy9XTiur-FP7Oxo056CZkUI1ReljforkS3q_YPseOwgnP0FjjsCixOPOP5myr3/s400/tnt+header.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The header to one of my training emails! EXCITING!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">So I’m taking
a full two weeks off from running, and trying to get in as much cross-training
as I can. I also went to see my favorite Physical Therapist today (Dr. Ngo is
back from maternity leave! Please don’t have any more babies, I missed you too
much).</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">The other
semi-scary part of the training e-mail told us to get in some biking and
swimming before the kick-off. I’m not all that concerned about the biking part.
I usually get to one spin class per week, and do some biking on another day as
well. The swimming part, however, has been interesting.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">I checked out
the Greenpoint YMCA Pool last weekend, ready to doggy paddle with my swimcap,
goggles, and newly purchased one-piece swimsuit from Jack Rabbit Sports. I
don’t know what I was expecting. The building of the YMCA isn’t exactly huge,
but in my mind I thought they had an Olympic-sized clean, beautiful pool hidden
inside. Reality: It was about 40 feet long, with three lanes. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";"><br />
I’m also accustomed to relatively-nice locker rooms at NYSC. Sure, I can barely
wrap the towels they provide around one leg, but at least they have towels. Plus,
the single bottle in YMCA showers labeled “Hair and Body Wash” scares me a
little. Call me a snob, but I wash my hair and body with different suds. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">So I don’t
think I’m going to join that pool. I’ve been doing some extensive research on
other pools in the city, and I’m thinking of switching gyms and joining NY
Health & Racquet. Several of their locations have pools, and maybe I’ll
even dabble in some racquetball one day. I’m going to try a one-week
membership, and if I like it, it will be a sad goodbye to NYSC. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl1saVR965GZA01hrFIKSMOpk8NlaxEE7dik8pXgwGLwIZcFq7jFQdzL461dNYhr1yW9UQ0QY2vM18ekfWPMWczSyfRjwk4UMVvUb1Vb0dqp12V8KQXQ4RSddOBgewuQqqOkXMbHg4q1Hn/s1600/rip.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="295" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl1saVR965GZA01hrFIKSMOpk8NlaxEE7dik8pXgwGLwIZcFq7jFQdzL461dNYhr1yW9UQ0QY2vM18ekfWPMWczSyfRjwk4UMVvUb1Vb0dqp12V8KQXQ4RSddOBgewuQqqOkXMbHg4q1Hn/s320/rip.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sads.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">On the bike
front, I brought my “mountain bike” from home back to Brooklyn yesterday. It
definitely needs a tune-up, but I think it will do O.K. for a little while. I’m
preparing myself now for the looks I am sure to get at the hipster bike shop
when I bring it in.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">On a more fun note, I had an awesome weekend. Keith and I went out with our friends on Friday night and did the only thing you can do when there's a snowstorm: Play drinking games. We played Kings for two rounds, and I was supremely impressed with my ability to remember all of the rules. Highlight of the night was during the "Categories" round - Subject: Movies that the Rock wishes he were in. Endless possibilities!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">Keith and I also went home to my parents’ house for an amazing showing of
Casablanca at the New Jersey State Theater in New Brunswick. Casablanca is my 2<sup>nd</sup>
favorite movie, so when my dad told me he bought tickets to a viewing of the
movie, where an orchestra would be playing along to the music, I was stoked. I’m
pretty sure I was the youngest person there, and Keith the 2<sup>nd</sup>
youngest. But even though I didn’t have a wheelchair or a walker, I enjoyed my
favorite scenes and lines more than I ever have.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid54ijNfR-hhFIvSELwGeapU6LPzkSMLFDdNT4G5Jc7JjKXkGPk6vW78agdMao-aWm-UgbNIsQmUDf7MiB3qkrPUCFIItCq-aCrqFf9YTHoEFf8rC405xG_qbP7MhPKzbB9QKqdaA6aOWm/s1600/casablanca.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid54ijNfR-hhFIvSELwGeapU6LPzkSMLFDdNT4G5Jc7JjKXkGPk6vW78agdMao-aWm-UgbNIsQmUDf7MiB3qkrPUCFIItCq-aCrqFf9YTHoEFf8rC405xG_qbP7MhPKzbB9QKqdaA6aOWm/s320/casablanca.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">I’m looking
forward to doing some more biking, swimming, and watching of old movies this
week. Here’s looking at you kid.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04661183268241421312noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-703599524187323971.post-216232596777454332013-01-31T15:05:00.000-05:002013-01-31T15:14:24.037-05:00Never Say Never <br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;">Hi
friends! It’s been awhile (again). Let’s catch up.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: small;">Since
the </span><a href="http://brooklynrunning.blogspot.com/2012/12/finally-last-91-race-join-voices-5m.html" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;">Join the Voices 5M</a><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: small;"> that I ran in early December, my running </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">hasn't</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: small;"> exactly
been happening. Afterwards, I couldn't run for more than a minute without my IT band
hurting, so I laid off. It was frustrating at times, but I came to love
strength training instead. I can proudly say that I increased my push-up max
from 12 to 25 (maybe 30 if you had a prize for me), and I can do about 6
pull-ups (on that pull-up assistance machine, not by myself. Let’s be real). I
can feel myself getting stronger, and I’ve noticed small, but good changes in
my body as a result.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">I
also focused my attention on friends and family, and in attempt not to bore
you, I will recap you on the past two months as quickly as I can. A story in
photos, if you will.</span><br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJY4ilk1NE1y6YOawk7GXZVK4ErRpw9FyHnyotzDqnXFGNatfiXGDt6-IxqP_z4jhdK9-N87_RiZso4mfy2UZcbcp94-fEl-dQOWNXoOwq_OyrBQOoFy0OZC-SCg-Hsm6lSfIK2TAeFQ4_/s1600/flan.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJY4ilk1NE1y6YOawk7GXZVK4ErRpw9FyHnyotzDqnXFGNatfiXGDt6-IxqP_z4jhdK9-N87_RiZso4mfy2UZcbcp94-fEl-dQOWNXoOwq_OyrBQOoFy0OZC-SCg-Hsm6lSfIK2TAeFQ4_/s320/flan.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Failed attempt at cooking flan. It was one of my 2012 resolutions.<br />
Hence, the reason why I didn't make any in 2013.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_bs5v-b2iQbS8x3YYcE-HbhbvTWN0DJzmzEtxvWjV0Lq5rR2gZWm_8NF0Gp2i9tacBOEM2Oei2jNkAkCkESyOw0hiY0GLNwWTy8edYCcWH6nLJa5BGtrfsP5ECA_lTzMWOUSK7PGSc4xq/s1600/mustach+and+beard.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_bs5v-b2iQbS8x3YYcE-HbhbvTWN0DJzmzEtxvWjV0Lq5rR2gZWm_8NF0Gp2i9tacBOEM2Oei2jNkAkCkESyOw0hiY0GLNwWTy8edYCcWH6nLJa5BGtrfsP5ECA_lTzMWOUSK7PGSc4xq/s320/mustach+and+beard.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Meggie was competing in the 3rd Annual Mustache & Beard Competition in Brooklyn.<br />
She competed in the women's division with a marshmallow beard. Need I say more?</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8_ro7XBcskzy1jCJ4NGxRMTa0cJ-rTEGSB-bEXUtXcZ4H5g87jncQt9h2pFxnHAqmKAQPq084SeQK1iHFYPYIkP3hYBYzpN-zg4hBgKbBZKIobEvkyHpZZnz6uGIBSJR9FUVMxI4uKrR3/s1600/kel+and+me.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8_ro7XBcskzy1jCJ4NGxRMTa0cJ-rTEGSB-bEXUtXcZ4H5g87jncQt9h2pFxnHAqmKAQPq084SeQK1iHFYPYIkP3hYBYzpN-zg4hBgKbBZKIobEvkyHpZZnz6uGIBSJR9FUVMxI4uKrR3/s320/kel+and+me.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Christmas Eve with my sis! I will probably be just as excited about<br />
Christmas when I'm 65 as I was at 5.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTT0ETrSDTbgFo5g2MCX3wUgqsYisx7xbFbV8A_NE9k8WrXAdW3XEj-2S8G3O7GpsUJ6DNkr6_XU9T6KnyCNWEwjoc2Ab1hzRG5-0exdZAs_f4V45HkNNHr6yArrGaTEvWrYMfg1CVrzN-/s1600/nye.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTT0ETrSDTbgFo5g2MCX3wUgqsYisx7xbFbV8A_NE9k8WrXAdW3XEj-2S8G3O7GpsUJ6DNkr6_XU9T6KnyCNWEwjoc2Ab1hzRG5-0exdZAs_f4V45HkNNHr6yArrGaTEvWrYMfg1CVrzN-/s320/nye.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">New Year's Eve! Champagne and tequila in Brooklyn,<br />
par for the course.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhefehjCx1hRquj5h371W2pKZ9DRvpMgBcq4WRp5xPAA0RMz4DzPpPJgMbh3sB1x5STOruK3hUauwSdK-JBlY5Nsd_Dge0oyRPsyiUMFgX2x-n-t8mOMZgmQ_czAM2QUCTPP5zKoaJTBMRj/s1600/byob+painting.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhefehjCx1hRquj5h371W2pKZ9DRvpMgBcq4WRp5xPAA0RMz4DzPpPJgMbh3sB1x5STOruK3hUauwSdK-JBlY5Nsd_Dge0oyRPsyiUMFgX2x-n-t8mOMZgmQ_czAM2QUCTPP5zKoaJTBMRj/s320/byob+painting.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jillian put together an awesome BYOB Painting class!<br />
Pinot Grigio + Craftiness = Great afternoon</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6SSs9j0gKoKpEj2pBGHD1UcjLvM87iUOY1luXIlx34zuPsuGkr0lnxOmGaa5ZRDOi5fnKrIQYKwraMJoTXJv076xucoHQ9J26RjxV1gqZw8W9IF9WHYgUsMShXFNZfG1Fl7r94jmulORs/s1600/chili+cook+off.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6SSs9j0gKoKpEj2pBGHD1UcjLvM87iUOY1luXIlx34zuPsuGkr0lnxOmGaa5ZRDOi5fnKrIQYKwraMJoTXJv076xucoHQ9J26RjxV1gqZw8W9IF9WHYgUsMShXFNZfG1Fl7r94jmulORs/s320/chili+cook+off.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One of my favorite restaurants in Greenpoint hosts a Chili Cook-off every year. Keith<br />
and I were finally around this year to go, and it was awesome. Plus, I won a<br />
$25 gift certificate to the restaurant in a raffle! I was a happy gal.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;">To
put it simply, it’s been a good winter so far. I haven’t had a specific fitness goal in mind, but I've been really enjoying that.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;">But now that spring is a couple months away, I've recently been deciding between a few different races. This is
the short version of what my thought process has been:</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<b><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Spring Marathon: </span></b><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Um, no.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<b><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Spring Half-Marathon: </span></b><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Perhaps. But I have a
busy spring, with a wedding and my boyfriend’s scholarly law school graduation in the mix.
And I’m not sure I really want to start hardcore running just yet.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<b><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Triathlon: </span></b><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Why not?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">I
have definitely said to friends (and on this blog) before that I would <b>never </b>do a triathlon. I am not a strong
swimmer, and it sort of scares me. I like to swim <strike>doggy paddle</strike>, I like to bike,
and I love to run, but I’m not sure all three would go together that well. But here I am, taking it all back.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Meggie
signed up to do the NYC Triathlon in July with Team in Training, an
organization that supports the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society (LLS). She asked
if I wanted to join her, and my initial thought was <b>YES. </b>Don’t ask me why. But
it sounded so much more appealing to me to try something super scary like a
triathlon, raising money for a good cause with a group of great people, than to
train for a half-marathon by myself and for myself. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">I
know that running is a selfish sport, at least for me. I think the
positive-selfish part of it (getting fit, relieving stress, reaching a goal)
outweighs the negative (putting your training needs ahead of others’ schedules,
talking about it endlessly to anyone with two ears). But it is a solitary
sport, and the only person who really benefits from my crossing that finish
line at a random race is <b>me. </b>I
wanted to change that.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5n1_3dHZpWhb83CSDYRUfGUPiw1BvxPUhRPdsMjEVYs-mirUl8NUYzhfuLUeFe5x3TrvAzcH66k1dRpm_ydgQ4lJ3rOEv-o5utG8nJ8MDJgojuszmqjDlPhezkQLMouJaRGtV1woca0JA/s1600/me+-+mile+13.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5n1_3dHZpWhb83CSDYRUfGUPiw1BvxPUhRPdsMjEVYs-mirUl8NUYzhfuLUeFe5x3TrvAzcH66k1dRpm_ydgQ4lJ3rOEv-o5utG8nJ8MDJgojuszmqjDlPhezkQLMouJaRGtV1woca0JA/s1600/me+-+mile+13.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Me! Me! Look at me!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">There
were definitely a few things that made me hesitant about signing up, though.
For one, I have virtually no swimming or biking gear. Or a good race bike for that matter. I
have two bikes at home that I could use to train with, but one is heavy and has
few gears, and the other is my mountain bike from years ago that I may have
grown out of with my 5’7” build. I also had to think about bringing said bike
up my 4<sup>th</sup> floor walk-up. I’ve done it before, and it’s no fun. And beyond that, do I
need to buy a new bike? I know those things ain’t cheap.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">My
other big concern was the fundraising. To be a part of Team in Training, you
have to raise a minimum to pay for parts of your training and coaching, as well
as to give back to LLS. This
is New York people, and spreading your paycheck between rent, taxis, and
cocktails is about as far as most people can afford to do. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">So
while those two things are genuine concerns, I didn’t want to turn down what
could possibly be a life-changing experience because of them. I wanted to do something that scared
me, and would force me to go out of my comfort zone both physically and
personally.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTXst9qGNbCpcHHZYUZd76hP4YNXsBQGIU3fE0TwJD9nI1tlOoW4IHlH0Cmaz9gBrJSDw-oBh9T_iAIKHXdU_-h54M8GuTBr4JcqTIKO6oX2obsme843woFu5PfUqIV8ikIqlaatD8567F/s1600/conf+email.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTXst9qGNbCpcHHZYUZd76hP4YNXsBQGIU3fE0TwJD9nI1tlOoW4IHlH0Cmaz9gBrJSDw-oBh9T_iAIKHXdU_-h54M8GuTBr4JcqTIKO6oX2obsme843woFu5PfUqIV8ikIqlaatD8567F/s320/conf+email.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;">Here’s
to a scary, fun-filled six months.</span></div>
Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04661183268241421312noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-703599524187323971.post-53628896314919625562012-12-04T15:55:00.000-05:002012-12-04T15:56:14.832-05:00Finally, the last 9+1 Race: Join the Voices 5M Race Recap<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt;">The
day came. I am finally done with my NYRR 9+1 obligation.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Perhaps
I should be more grateful, more excited about racing and running with my fellow
New Yorkers. But I was dreading the race on Sunday, and I’m so happy I’m done
with racing for awhile. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Aside
from my psychological apathy, I have also been in pain since the marathon. This
also happened to me last year – my right IT band was killing me for a few
months. Now it’s my left IT band. I’m guessing it’s my body’s way of telling me
to take a break from running.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">I
tried to go running on Thursday morning, and made it about ¾ of a mile before
the outside of my knee began throbbing. I knew that Sunday’s race was going to
be unpleasant, but I didn’t want to delay the inevitable any longer.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">So
I woke up nice and early, and arrived at Central Park just in time to drop off
my stuff at baggage and make a quick porta-potty trip.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT-z9yDebg-JnSrLkNsZLN3mFTg27S3seXW70EBzD1GRnoSc7HkUeYXUASRZaX9PQTwqIxKhWOzFsMQGHMa2mzkvHsmrOSEG90r5iTI0RoDqU_6sNvzEYgeRQ29bM1vFZp_GviZrQNt-i-/s1600/new+sneaks.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT-z9yDebg-JnSrLkNsZLN3mFTg27S3seXW70EBzD1GRnoSc7HkUeYXUASRZaX9PQTwqIxKhWOzFsMQGHMa2mzkvHsmrOSEG90r5iTI0RoDqU_6sNvzEYgeRQ29bM1vFZp_GviZrQNt-i-/s1600/new+sneaks.JPG" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">New Mizunos at a flattering angle!<br />
Cyber Monday deal, nbd.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt;">I
forgot my Garmin watch at home, which I didn’t care about too much, because I
had no intentions of going fast. There were only 4,000 or so total runners, and
I was placed in the second fastest corral because of my fast yet possibly misleading time at a <a href="http://brooklynrunning.blogspot.com/2012/06/aha-wall-street-3m-race-recap.html">3Mile race</a> back in May. This meant I actually was able to hear the pre-race
speeches and announcements for once.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">The
<a href="http://jointhevoices.org/">Join the Voices</a> organization, for which this race was in honor of, supports
finding a cure for brain cancer. So in addition to the normal announcements, I
heard really touching stories about survivors and loved ones lost. One of my
favorite speakers was a guy who introduced himself, and asked “How many of you
are here for your last qualifying race for 9+1?” I felt like the shy girl in
class (which I never was) and didn’t raise my hand or yell “Whoop whoop!” in agreement
like my neighbors. He said that a year ago, he was in our place,
and received his last volunteer credit during the Jingle Bell Jog last December.
Then, two months later, he had a seizure and doctors found a tumor in his
brain. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Luckily,
the doctors were able to take it out, and he is now undergoing treatment. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">So
naturally, I felt like a total jerk for being completely unaware of why I was
running this race.<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=703599524187323971" name="_GoBack"></a> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Almost all of the races I ran this
year supported a charitable organization, and for all but one of them, I didn’t
find out what their cause was until race day (the exception being that 3 Mile race I ran to support the American Heart Association. They have really persuasive ways of getting you to reach out to your family and
friends to donate. I received a free, XXXL t-shirt for raising $100 for their
race. Be jealous).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">I
tried, for once, to think about the charity during the race rather than my own selfish
goals. It may sound a little cheesy, but it actually helped me get through the
race. My IT band started to hurt at mile 1.5, so I spent 3.5 miles in varying
degrees of pain. Thinking of the people I heard about during the pre-race
speeches helped a lot.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMknHVX7dR-yYBBaGYTObCLoa5ShlqGxgTQ8TrXzjodkHlJ6FTK1gcysmktSnZDwNCTC0nozjPSxunvqySckPjLrFzOu9Rf8-LxthMgYdr5-piQGcsNJm1phFKmMJyAG4-feWaxo-IDxKo/s1600/pre+race.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMknHVX7dR-yYBBaGYTObCLoa5ShlqGxgTQ8TrXzjodkHlJ6FTK1gcysmktSnZDwNCTC0nozjPSxunvqySckPjLrFzOu9Rf8-LxthMgYdr5-piQGcsNJm1phFKmMJyAG4-feWaxo-IDxKo/s1600/pre+race.JPG" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">So,
I finished the race. I walked through all of the water stops, kept it at a
comfortable pace, and kindly asked my IT band to get me through the rolling
hills of Central Park. I finished the race in 45:20, which at a 9:04 pace, is
closer to a training run for me. But I am DONE with my stupid 9+1. Take that
New York Road Races! And all my money while you’re at it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU0Yjpm5oGXIPl4CtD6AZSqaOOAueMS4dYxmm0WtfadGRvSiy8zrRoDUM2UaAuSAl4-1s1lnN-hplW5AfY1IeiKJNBkGuTcqTKhOAqEBiwLQFZbglaXq2dE9RoG1EzmZWk3TQanOt_WTDh/s1600/confirmation.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="60" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU0Yjpm5oGXIPl4CtD6AZSqaOOAueMS4dYxmm0WtfadGRvSiy8zrRoDUM2UaAuSAl4-1s1lnN-hplW5AfY1IeiKJNBkGuTcqTKhOAqEBiwLQFZbglaXq2dE9RoG1EzmZWk3TQanOt_WTDh/s400/confirmation.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">I
iced my IT band when I got home, but it really hurt anyway (DISCLAIMER: Mom,
please stop reading. I don’t want you to worry). It hurt to walk by the end of
the day, and it hurt to walk yesterday too. I went to my favorite spin class
last night, and it felt loads better after the class. I think it just needed a
little cross-training and some Rihanna.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">I
also went to my physical therapist today, and he is a miracle worker. Dr. Rob
Destefano worked out the kinks in my tight hips, and by the end of our quick
session, I was able to do a lunge without an ounce of pain. Like I said,
miracle worker.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">I’ll
leave you with a creative endeavor I had this week. After 9 NYRR races, and one
marathon, I’ve accumulated a lot of race bibs, with nowhere to put them. Awhile
ago, I saw this cute sign on Etsy from <a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/runningonthewall?ref=seller_info">Running on the
Wall</a>:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrawfyIqPCyBy2jmMpAdoyGk12dl6iLLwTRUyb7b3I08lHJxc6UeXqLuDnIfz56ZqCxAyR4mxIOa4U6OqcoG_bxNqhXl_pnME7r2opvRxa17KEyr11bMU4Nn32OjQBtQTJk83BJD5FGR0Q/s1600/bibs+etsy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrawfyIqPCyBy2jmMpAdoyGk12dl6iLLwTRUyb7b3I08lHJxc6UeXqLuDnIfz56ZqCxAyR4mxIOa4U6OqcoG_bxNqhXl_pnME7r2opvRxa17KEyr11bMU4Nn32OjQBtQTJk83BJD5FGR0Q/s320/bibs+etsy.jpg" width="301" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cute!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">And
since I’m never without crafty paints or a random piece of wood to paint on, I
decided to re-create my Etsy favorite.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGtbCNF68VtICByK1jbkEeX2sIT577MvlSYCAhzg0xZUlH4qPksGR-G9NKjSpZq_mCNLbO4UXix71ThMZBxrd9ZkP5xeJbazR9eLVH-PxBkrMyLpnr8uNJZFWUWNG8LgQI5CgGkqp6tpw1/s1600/race+bibs+sign.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGtbCNF68VtICByK1jbkEeX2sIT577MvlSYCAhzg0xZUlH4qPksGR-G9NKjSpZq_mCNLbO4UXix71ThMZBxrd9ZkP5xeJbazR9eLVH-PxBkrMyLpnr8uNJZFWUWNG8LgQI5CgGkqp6tpw1/s1600/race+bibs+sign.JPG" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Thoughts?
Am I officially a running nerd, or was I already one?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04661183268241421312noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-703599524187323971.post-32837386639373110732012-11-27T14:05:00.000-05:002012-11-27T14:05:20.763-05:00Philadelphia Marathon Race Recap<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
<o:AllowPNG/>
</o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:TrackMoves>false</w:TrackMoves>
<w:TrackFormatting/>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>
<w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>
<w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>
<w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
<w:DontAutofitConstrainedTables/>
<w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/>
</w:Compatibility>
</w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" LatentStyleCount="276">
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]-->
<!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin:0in;
mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;
mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;}
</style>
<![endif]-->
<!--StartFragment-->
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia;">Last Sunday, I ran my second
marathon.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIQElBiaGty_eCYHQIdO2RSCd56Tro1PfIkUjp01cgtNGGYIqdupbBRgXezO_NKRte_eqdYKe6CMtLYIfymTbYXpTjQxBzGizs8qXKdNnKEnMqMWRxXeApbdsgYLgScsnPUm7xsgU_hOjg/s1600/me+-+finish.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIQElBiaGty_eCYHQIdO2RSCd56Tro1PfIkUjp01cgtNGGYIqdupbBRgXezO_NKRte_eqdYKe6CMtLYIfymTbYXpTjQxBzGizs8qXKdNnKEnMqMWRxXeApbdsgYLgScsnPUm7xsgU_hOjg/s320/me+-+finish.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia;">Keith and I headed down on
Friday afternoon to check out Philadelphia and the expo. We got the requisite
cheesesteaks, and I picked up my bib and t-shirt at the Philadelphia Convention
Center.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLB_ajH8mH68T0nohNOYrKV54LIBFeb0TOrhKOL6oz2Lzp-vtIJRGwdWzCQwbBJj4CAXSe-eSivHJfC_JHFFii5xl_vDLzwoQpDFSjAhNPVyzazbdS6Da9ZGbB-vskXOHr8grwYBl5lqm1/s1600/me+-+expo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLB_ajH8mH68T0nohNOYrKV54LIBFeb0TOrhKOL6oz2Lzp-vtIJRGwdWzCQwbBJj4CAXSe-eSivHJfC_JHFFii5xl_vDLzwoQpDFSjAhNPVyzazbdS6Da9ZGbB-vskXOHr8grwYBl5lqm1/s320/me+-+expo.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia;">The expo was a runner
nerd’s dream – lots of arm sleeves and tech tees for sale. The Convention
Center was right near the Liberty Bell, so we took a stroll and did a bit of
sightseeing.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia;"><br /></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJd0aX0TkiGfQUmLTC0LkPNRNcv35KCK5XM3KoKAzqFR4H5p_L2DTf3Mytw0qqq1crcftt0qMZrgrb-frv_uwUYYtRXiYrbid6G18rrGq3ejkuz_TPmxV5n8jr7UuedaDBRnsvRMZHqjws/s1600/keith+and+me+-+statue.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJd0aX0TkiGfQUmLTC0LkPNRNcv35KCK5XM3KoKAzqFR4H5p_L2DTf3Mytw0qqq1crcftt0qMZrgrb-frv_uwUYYtRXiYrbid6G18rrGq3ejkuz_TPmxV5n8jr7UuedaDBRnsvRMZHqjws/s1600/keith+and+me+-+statue.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sneaking a pic with our first prez.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnTpQxcqqxlB4PSPWJfrdWd5OrwQXzO5CuHX_hkT5ukkZIJ8sZdyqoZXl0JhPvSc3cLH98KCcw5ZA8vd800v6yhsKz73IiamTuk2lEz4QPstGlDYX7i_OwNzpeXcPCwRHihFPEL-0oR7FM/s1600/man+liberty+bell.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnTpQxcqqxlB4PSPWJfrdWd5OrwQXzO5CuHX_hkT5ukkZIJ8sZdyqoZXl0JhPvSc3cLH98KCcw5ZA8vd800v6yhsKz73IiamTuk2lEz4QPstGlDYX7i_OwNzpeXcPCwRHihFPEL-0oR7FM/s1600/man+liberty+bell.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A man we did not know. <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: small;"> </span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia;">On Saturday, we hung out
with my family and had an awesome carb-loading dinner, courtesy of Mama Wyman.
After some amazing chicken parm and cookies, Keith and I headed to the Aloft
Hotel by the Philadelphia Airport. We settled in for the night, and I tried my
hardest to go to bed early (with absolutely no luck). And what seemed like 20 minutes
later, my alarm went off at 4:30AM.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia;">Keith offered to
drive me to the start, along with my cousins Pat and Sean, who were also
running the race. We did some porta-pottying, and before we knew it, we
hopped in the corrals and started to run.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjySby5Z5NtP0LHJHHTn1yTXH-S15n1UTYjlTLvU7A3G0E-C4EaPGaA3Q5lcdLOajb4U-hp-3cvA8utPsjrxraZIPhyYvR7pQhfUBoftRToVxsDss3xB7qkrNXzg6Hv_FpjDG__bbBpmjvu/s1600/start+-+crowd.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjySby5Z5NtP0LHJHHTn1yTXH-S15n1UTYjlTLvU7A3G0E-C4EaPGaA3Q5lcdLOajb4U-hp-3cvA8utPsjrxraZIPhyYvR7pQhfUBoftRToVxsDss3xB7qkrNXzg6Hv_FpjDG__bbBpmjvu/s1600/start+-+crowd.jpg" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia;"><br /></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGjdXqmy5uX_1JSIhb0SdnB4P60GdTgc-KYP1NXo_GPMPi7oTRP8sDrK-8JIxu8a8Exvw69EXxJoetF_PwkMZ2Yc0gJetSJXxHwrxqRB6_1Nd1I30zIWn-oTrBmy_jrvyATHxxCfXgCk0z/s1600/start+-+pat+sean+and+me.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGjdXqmy5uX_1JSIhb0SdnB4P60GdTgc-KYP1NXo_GPMPi7oTRP8sDrK-8JIxu8a8Exvw69EXxJoetF_PwkMZ2Yc0gJetSJXxHwrxqRB6_1Nd1I30zIWn-oTrBmy_jrvyATHxxCfXgCk0z/s1600/start+-+pat+sean+and+me.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pat and Sean!<br />
Notice my beautiful Wal-mart throwaway hoodie.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia;">Sean and Pat were looking
to finish in under 4 hours, so I decided to start with them and see how I felt.
For the first 7 miles, I felt really good, and was able to hang with them. My legs
felt strong and I just took in the sights and sounds of the race.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia;"><br /></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-3XVhDxw44juTz_LNakAPP900iX4vr2TX0fjSPxbU-lOketQyyDbkBtyMC5zpjJpQ7o-lwmPbbBq_J1mMQOWPm-LIDjecnl7P9CEF5ApS3J-tll1Fdeiy8UDHrAKE4aBNvY7Tf_ujWVLJ/s1600/sean+and+pat+-+mile+6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-3XVhDxw44juTz_LNakAPP900iX4vr2TX0fjSPxbU-lOketQyyDbkBtyMC5zpjJpQ7o-lwmPbbBq_J1mMQOWPm-LIDjecnl7P9CEF5ApS3J-tll1Fdeiy8UDHrAKE4aBNvY7Tf_ujWVLJ/s1600/sean+and+pat+-+mile+6.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bros being bros.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia;">We started the race around
a 9:40/9:30 pace, and then the boys sped up closer to a 9:00 pace, which felt a
little fast for me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> D</span>eep
down I was hoping I might break 4:00 hours, I knew by mile 7 that this wasn’t
the race to do it in. I didn’t want to kill myself and not enjoy this race, so
I dialed it back, and let my cousins go ahead. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia;">At about mile 8, I noticed
a little bit of pain on the outside of my right knee. It was really foreign to
me – I haven’t had pain in that spot since last winter, and didn’t experience
pain in any of my recent long runs. I tried to shrug it off.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia;">Around mile 10, I heard some
house music in the distance. There were
some amazing spectators lined up on the side of the course, dressed up in costume, just dancing along to the music.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAr-2DxSmP3P1xwkJGFYZG8zDf29CpsRgkKICkiHLhYiXwTvxJ9okVsDfA_KVi1rIfNQAAWaBLWXMizW_fe0VXos86cejRqrVQbI1VdaNdLPV6uCaHIxSOP5biOHJutiCG30JSzbKR7nYr/s1600/eccentric+cheerers+-+mile+10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAr-2DxSmP3P1xwkJGFYZG8zDf29CpsRgkKICkiHLhYiXwTvxJ9okVsDfA_KVi1rIfNQAAWaBLWXMizW_fe0VXos86cejRqrVQbI1VdaNdLPV6uCaHIxSOP5biOHJutiCG30JSzbKR7nYr/s1600/eccentric+cheerers+-+mile+10.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A unicorn! And some neon guy!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia;">By mile 12, the pain in
the outside of my knee was getting worse. I tried saying a mantra to myself
with each step: “Go…away…” It didn’t really seem to be working, but I kept
trying anyway.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia;">At mile 13, we split from
the half-marathoners, which was not as terrible as I thought it would be. I
felt kind of awesome for being a full-marathoner, and the psychological part of
having to run another 13 miles didn’t really bother me. Plus I saw Keith right
after the split, which was a huge boost.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0zydJU6hGUTkJ8PhQhJo9hZ36gT5X92lRSdngYaGNyLErINCOYvE3dqmE8hIkvSO9DsnjlvV-aSvULT9J-5o9jwDK_uLn_Rim9ctiSuNlM8Q6eacv7YKefkLH9yDonoLMYijOQF0nXFxM/s1600/me+-+mile+13.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0zydJU6hGUTkJ8PhQhJo9hZ36gT5X92lRSdngYaGNyLErINCOYvE3dqmE8hIkvSO9DsnjlvV-aSvULT9J-5o9jwDK_uLn_Rim9ctiSuNlM8Q6eacv7YKefkLH9yDonoLMYijOQF0nXFxM/s320/me+-+mile+13.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia;">After a quick hug and
kiss, he told me my parents were waiting for me at mile 17. I ran off, and put
on my iPod. The pain in my knee was spreading up to my quads and hip, and by the 14<sup>th</sup>
mile, I was in a lot of pain. I had a short pity session for myself,
wondering how I was going to run another 12 miles with my right leg the way it
was feeling. I decided to text my family mid-run, asking if they could have Motrin ready for me when I saw them. I somehow got through the next three miles, which was a huge, painful blur.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia;">At the 17 marker, I took
out my earbuds and looked for my family. All of a sudden, I heard loud
screaming – “KAAATE!!!” Everyone - runners and spectators alike, turned their heads to see who was yelling. It was my amazing family.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiExEjDhgOgMVXucd8oqxWBHCJoM1dTQORekX6OUP5VdW3VTUnHTu2eRIa2nNLS5DQmD5VreDenMfgi7onQvQl3u2bItoQKb336DGTDaL69WsVAbl801D9gte2rl9kEA2NQpRleRx8YLVUD/s1600/teary-eyed+at+mile+17.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiExEjDhgOgMVXucd8oqxWBHCJoM1dTQORekX6OUP5VdW3VTUnHTu2eRIa2nNLS5DQmD5VreDenMfgi7onQvQl3u2bItoQKb336DGTDaL69WsVAbl801D9gte2rl9kEA2NQpRleRx8YLVUD/s400/teary-eyed+at+mile+17.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Teary-eyed at mile 17.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia;">I started to cry, seeing
my mom, dad and sister screaming and jumping for me. It couldn’t have come at a
better moment, because I was so down on myself, and my right leg felt useless.
They handed me some Motrin, I gave them hugs, and kept going. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia;">Slowly but surely, the
pain disappeared from my leg. Miles 17-20 felt really hard, but I had a feeling
that I would start to feel better. Also, as a side note on the race, I wasn’t a huge fan of the
out-and-back course. During Miles 13-20, you run out to a suburb in Philly called Manayunk, and on the opposite side of the course, you get to watch faster (and presumably more trained) runners already on their way to the finish line. It seemed like the final turnaround point would never come.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia;"><br /></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMRhK0cIyDm6IHv0en0dmgBs9eTKmIu0kEl7_wNmM8wLCQKXV0TtBOxVfccWZOqtTa0Z6oVj4wTQp_nfqOYHaHdM1LRZwBVmeTRIIFMvnj67kbrU1sUbOhEv5iH-XywenBQHQY89BsiRHC/s1600/me+-+mile+13+peace+signs.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMRhK0cIyDm6IHv0en0dmgBs9eTKmIu0kEl7_wNmM8wLCQKXV0TtBOxVfccWZOqtTa0Z6oVj4wTQp_nfqOYHaHdM1LRZwBVmeTRIIFMvnj67kbrU1sUbOhEv5iH-XywenBQHQY89BsiRHC/s320/me+-+mile+13+peace+signs.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Random shot of me at mile 13...</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia;">About 200 yards from the
final point of the race, I saw my two cousins come up behind me. I was SO HAPPY
to see them. I was really confused why they were there, and realized that I had
just passed them. They were the running angels I needed at that point, and
seeing them made all of the pain vanish from my leg.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia;">By mile 21, I was running a few
feet in front of them, and they waved me to keep going on without them. Shortly
after, I saw my family for the last time, and I felt like I was running a
completely different race.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia;"><br /></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrdNJi3qGFJii-tTOutbu1ZFJUJ1IbA8q8sqy-E2L_-crhGwHxZJxTcdyrI8yAywXq4du1B8OuOIVRiMTq7lnKB1Qr-QliDzL1e12SIe28HO1hbv3xd2w5Ivc8KTommxOiBdzkJ_xjOwng/s1600/Kelly+and+me+-+hugging.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrdNJi3qGFJii-tTOutbu1ZFJUJ1IbA8q8sqy-E2L_-crhGwHxZJxTcdyrI8yAywXq4du1B8OuOIVRiMTq7lnKB1Qr-QliDzL1e12SIe28HO1hbv3xd2w5Ivc8KTommxOiBdzkJ_xjOwng/s320/Kelly+and+me+-+hugging.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My amazing sister.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEin_6SbyPd9c_4JGDUyn5C8Xp3ZcTmrKoLBiEZUp6p-sxsZYsyx5c0jBFyHN9Z5WNkN6R19Cqe8cVwXdMZWmYfC5pql-lgXtzf9MJlEZDmUyY1OZBVjF_yOvSgIt5KSdoSglclR_BDEu8lc/s1600/papa+and+me+-+hugging.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEin_6SbyPd9c_4JGDUyn5C8Xp3ZcTmrKoLBiEZUp6p-sxsZYsyx5c0jBFyHN9Z5WNkN6R19Cqe8cVwXdMZWmYfC5pql-lgXtzf9MJlEZDmUyY1OZBVjF_yOvSgIt5KSdoSglclR_BDEu8lc/s320/papa+and+me+-+hugging.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Papa Wyman.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia;">I realized at this point,
that I would be in pain no matter what, and I might as well finish strong. I
started to dedicate songs on my playlist in the last few miles to my favorite
people in the world. During Melissa Ethridge’s “I’m the only one,” I pictured
Kelly and me belting out the words together as kids, and silently thanked her for all of her
amazing cheer-leading during the race. “Uptown Girl” reminded me of car rides
with my parents, and I thought of all the support and love they give me when I
need it most. During the Black Keys’ “Lonely Boy,” I thought of Keith and his
unending words of kindness when I’m super stressed or nervous about running (and
life).</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia;">I ripped out my headphones
at mile 25, and I wanted to remember and enjoy the last mile of my race. The
spectators lining the course became more crowded, and I heard perfect strangers
cheering me on, whether they were calling me a runner, by my name, or by the
animal print I was wearing.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia;">My last fan was close to
mile 26, where Keith was ready with a Gatorade in case I needed it. I gave him
a quick hug, and ran off towards the finish.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia;"><br /></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIuyZZ84oZ1glxlj_eMin1O3ojaglsK0TsrZS4RAN1vqmQo0wlMK1eAx0cjV4aPuBUPtw68DLqunoEymw4ONlj8_P0L9c1EdI_0wmydU4OURE2slTJLRLGaR0Pz-jf6rVYa__puJwmrECX/s1600/running+-+mile+19.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIuyZZ84oZ1glxlj_eMin1O3ojaglsK0TsrZS4RAN1vqmQo0wlMK1eAx0cjV4aPuBUPtw68DLqunoEymw4ONlj8_P0L9c1EdI_0wmydU4OURE2slTJLRLGaR0Pz-jf6rVYa__puJwmrECX/s320/running+-+mile+19.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Feeling groovy.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia;">Judging by the pace
bracelet I got at the expo, I knew by the last few miles that I could make it
in under 4:15. I was feeling really strong the last few miles, and I wondered
if I could even get in under 4:10. I knew it would be close, but I wanted to
give it my all. I hit mile 26 at a 9:09 pace, which was the fastest pace I saw since
Mile 12. I broke off at a sprint with .2 miles left, and I wanted to give the
spectators what they came to see – nutjob marathoners giving it their all when they had
nothing left to give.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia;">And after a roller coaster
of a race, I finally crossed that finish line in <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">4:09:38. </b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVRtuOQXtz77sIjJTBKIA1i8Zv-hZWUqcpMdtsik8j70CATn7wPR5IefwryNxP-MIGlpGHImTlju_fQhQCMPcgqaFJ4SokdsEr4w4Oxi8F5OuJu68GZRQgooIWTSFH8Ch8tdYgw6d__KRy/s1600/kelly+and+me+-+finish.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVRtuOQXtz77sIjJTBKIA1i8Zv-hZWUqcpMdtsik8j70CATn7wPR5IefwryNxP-MIGlpGHImTlju_fQhQCMPcgqaFJ4SokdsEr4w4Oxi8F5OuJu68GZRQgooIWTSFH8Ch8tdYgw6d__KRy/s1600/kelly+and+me+-+finish.jpg" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia;">I was beaming, so happy
that I finished well. One of my favorite things about this race was the
post-finish treats – I became cold really quickly, and they had hot, salty
chicken broth ready for the finishers. They also had a short line for the
post-race massages, which I gladly waited in to have a brave girl work out the
kinks in my legs. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia;"><br /></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEq7HsOZNdg-XCneq_V482rxz93xlovaRvPowbjIHakztNNrz9aP4tq5U7BjOlXtC4bnkQHyaFmtz8iY9SnL1sdDVu7bPQz0x1ufeZ6SOaK6jKDLC-1awNQwt6EfSuIi_ttvCd2-YmsjMu/s1600/sean+pat+and+me+-+finish.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEq7HsOZNdg-XCneq_V482rxz93xlovaRvPowbjIHakztNNrz9aP4tq5U7BjOlXtC4bnkQHyaFmtz8iY9SnL1sdDVu7bPQz0x1ufeZ6SOaK6jKDLC-1awNQwt6EfSuIi_ttvCd2-YmsjMu/s1600/sean+pat+and+me+-+finish.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One happy, sweaty family!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1eu7cSRwE0fDcJkrmggE-XmVjv1B0PEVkRjO90LrUY40nOn0RKaGYAlcSbDvTzpqG3QrSMAOTI5jDJ_ePiTPsyfYAMRStvw8625fp6Bi_8U2auuAtirFkfHTTYc5Tts1Yltv2FfyQiyiF/s1600/keith+and+me+-+finish.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1eu7cSRwE0fDcJkrmggE-XmVjv1B0PEVkRjO90LrUY40nOn0RKaGYAlcSbDvTzpqG3QrSMAOTI5jDJ_ePiTPsyfYAMRStvw8625fp6Bi_8U2auuAtirFkfHTTYc5Tts1Yltv2FfyQiyiF/s1600/keith+and+me+-+finish.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My Keith!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Georgia;">I met up with my family,
and gabbed about the race. Then Kelly, Keith and I went to a restaurant called The Pub that my friend Meggie
recommended. It was a crazy German beer
hall-type place, that made us all feel like we were in the Twilight Zone. We
clearly got burgers and beer.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia;"><br /></span>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRxO247CDNk_B7OnvzrIkTpqU8cF_2M0OOUEj9McuV14umIK8TSOQeSoo5MCQS7CTMYlZzICmqMTn8X-0XLGzAHfZ0hn4wAfNKn93D9eYHqnbATsMoPuOLGjadIaqGZgbkiubQqqXiFPq-/s1600/the+pub.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRxO247CDNk_B7OnvzrIkTpqU8cF_2M0OOUEj9McuV14umIK8TSOQeSoo5MCQS7CTMYlZzICmqMTn8X-0XLGzAHfZ0hn4wAfNKn93D9eYHqnbATsMoPuOLGjadIaqGZgbkiubQqqXiFPq-/s320/the+pub.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Pub's beautiful decorations.<br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQwZVr8w4Cu-aPe-DIgynUTyodujh1rz85c-LiGcVe-CCoT-3j0sR0-b7DxOLL2orK8gl6VOD7j2yW24P9WJgolEgFzBV76t80M7CUeIF0LbauKSGkcamOEQTLSMEYObUMOsTTrjWajAIN/s1600/ralph.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQwZVr8w4Cu-aPe-DIgynUTyodujh1rz85c-LiGcVe-CCoT-3j0sR0-b7DxOLL2orK8gl6VOD7j2yW24P9WJgolEgFzBV76t80M7CUeIF0LbauKSGkcamOEQTLSMEYObUMOsTTrjWajAIN/s1600/ralph.JPG" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ralph the Reindeer - Keith's win from the claw<br />machine at the Pub.<br />Still out for debate whether he's a reindeer or a moose.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Georgia;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia;">Final thoughts on the Philly Marathon - It was an awesome race. Doing a really big race was a nice change from last year, because I was always surrounded by other runners and endearing spectators (fan fave was a guy dressed up as a sumo wrestler, holding a sign that said "If you stop running, I will eat you.") The course itself was pretty flat, except for a few hills in the beginning of the race that I didn't really notice. As I said earlier, I didn't love the out-and-back setup. The first 13 miles were really scenic and fun, but the last 13 added on a psychological element of seeing people much faster than you about to finish. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia;">I am really happy with my time - I tried not to think about it too much during training, since my knee injury in the summer definitely set me back a bit. But when it comes down to it, I set a PR by <b>23 minutes </b>and I couldn't be more proud of that. I have my whole life to beat that dreaded 4:00 mark.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia;">Lastly, I felt so blessed to have been surrounded by my family for this marathon. They were the ones that kept me going when I wanted to give up. I'll be the first to admit that standing in the cold for four hours on a Sunday morning is the opposite of fun, yet the fact that they were so enthusiastic and had so many good things to say about the race made me so happy. What an amazing day.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia;"><br /></span>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpo8M6-nwzzfqiqOi69HOupjOHF-kmLAiJnYI4heTYVQ9tVLHy2mACZwQwmqDr8Rc9c3kjoHu62r7UKQ8r8KAJNGkL51gpndP4-9v9zvbLZ_tPn0w54YsVisICobFBadjCtahD2KsrwQnr/s1600/insta.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpo8M6-nwzzfqiqOi69HOupjOHF-kmLAiJnYI4heTYVQ9tVLHy2mACZwQwmqDr8Rc9c3kjoHu62r7UKQ8r8KAJNGkL51gpndP4-9v9zvbLZ_tPn0w54YsVisICobFBadjCtahD2KsrwQnr/s1600/insta.JPG" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia;"><br /></span></div>
<!--EndFragment-->Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04661183268241421312noreply@blogger.com2