Our Friday night adventure.

Staying up way past my bedtime to see the late showing.
Guess who's not running in the morning?

#EEC12 is almost here!

Monday night, we rocked a 4 mile walk in less than an hour! That includes our .5 warmup and .5 cooldown. Now, I'm totally confident about our 5k adventure in 2 weeks!

I know it was silly to be concerned, but newsflash, I am not a fast walker. During my 1 minute walk interval, it takes me a second to get into a groove and by then it's time to run again. So, I've never worried about it until I started training to walk. Sunday's race with the calf pain gave me more concern. Then, the genius that is my love mentioned if worse came to worst, I should just run. Which is what I did! Not fast and towards the end we were at the same pace. It was easier for me to run slow instead of trying to speed walk. Done and done. I'm totally confident we are going to rock this! Even though my genius is concerned about the scavenger hunt, I am not (and I promise not to accuse runDisney of being wrong, when in fact I am).


Fruit Fly, being the awesome chick that she is, snapped a few pics of the medal for me while she was in Boston on her epic adventure. Spoiler alert: Don't scroll if you don't want to see the medal!

A working compass for when I get lost in DAK at night.

This weekend we will still train, but more of a "taper". What else is there really to do at this point in the game? You either got it or you don't. And we definitely have it :-)

 Waivers are printed and we are ready to go!

I'm not sure if I informed the blogosphere of our costumes, but we will be sporting them. Just a few finishing touches need to be made.

Can you guess what was made out of these?

Give me an excuse to dress up and I'm there!

What's the next race you're looking forward to?

NYRR Run for the Parks 4M

Look! A new statute I never looked up long enough to notice.

 Even though my race morning inspirational text said not to underestimate this race even if it is only 4 miles, I did. Well. I don't know if underestimate it is the right word. I couldn't get my head in the game. I tried to warm up a little, but when I didn't even feel better after that, I knew I was in trouble. I don't normally get into my groove until mile 3ish, so by then the race was pretty much over. I have absolutely no idea how to race shorter races. Maybe, if I paid more attention to really training and doing things like speed work, I would (slacker!), but I don't. And it sucked. Oh well. I got what I deserved. Boo. And not only for that reason, but a few more:

At least I looked cute!

For the first time since moving to NYC, my allergies were acting up. It started the night before and I got terrible sleep. Then during the race, it almost felt like an asthma attack at some points. I could not catch my breath or get rid of the awful tickle in the back of my throat. Now I know what everyone is talking about during allergy season, but seriously; this has nothing on NOLA's allergies.

My PureFlows killed my calves. I've been trying to break them in for the past month or so. They've been working out pretty well, my feet love love love them, even if I am still a heel striker. I haven't gone over 4 miles in them yet and I thought this would be perfect. Apparently, my calves didn't. They were on fire up until mile 3 and then they felt awesome (of course).

My running skirt. This was my first time trying it out (I know, nothing new on race day. . . blah, blah, blah) AND without a separate pair of compression shorts underneath. I've had a long history trying to wear the running skirts skirt with no luck. This time did not change anything. I know that the creators are hardcore runners/triathletes and whatnot, and they advertise that and that's why their designs are awesome, but can a tall girl with curves catch a break please? Somehow, even with the "longer than normal" shorts and largest size they make, this skirt still becomes a belt on me. Even with the vaseline, the shorts rode up. Luckily, it was a cold morning and a short race; otherwise, this would have been a disaster. I'm seriously not impressed with running skirts (those things aren't cheap!) and still super disappointed, because they do have cute designs. Maybe in my next lifetime, god won't give me hips? We can only hope.

But I will say, I was super impressed with the tshirt design. What, what! By far my favorite of my NYRR tshirt collection, which is also why I already have a ketchup stain on it (and why I can't have nice things). Whoever they hired, they need to keep and make sure their next design is on something tech (and preferably not white).

If only it weren't cotton :-(

So, I'm just going to shake this disaster of a race off and focus on the next because that one has a Disney vacation attached to it! 

What do you do to feel better after a sucky race?

My triumphant return!

To the gym. One week with nothing more active than walking to and from the subway will do wonders for you. Mentally, I needed to run off serious stress. Physically, I was struggling.
And today my abs are sore. Let's hope from all the core engaging I was doing in proper running form ;)
How long can you go without working out in some form before it gets to you?

Friday the 13th rest weekend.

Appropriate I'm not running this weekend, no?

Today was my first day of sleeping in since February. My #1 supporter's comment on this? "5am on a Saturday morning, it's really hard to love you. Just sayin." (Sorry, if that's is a repeat for those on Twitter. It made me laugh. I have the best non-running significant other ever, including waking up to make me coffee, sending me- without fail- race day motivation text messages and being at the finish line whenever possible. I'm incredibly lucky.) So, of course, my body woke me up at 8:30. Seriously?! Ugh. I went back to bed for a bit then we went to brunch, like normal New Yorkers. Now, I'm back in bed where I plan to stay all day reading.

Is it weird I'm  having race envy, even though I just got off of a 6 week bender?
Something is seriously wrong with me.
So. Addicted.

Scotland 10K

From last weekend: Proof I can blend in as a normal runner.

And Happy late Friday the 13th! My favorite day besides my 2 birthdays!
Speaking of:

(source)

A glow-in-the-dark medal with a working elevator?

I need this in my life, yall! Please please please universe allow this race to stay open until I can register or win the lottery tonight. I will be very sad not to go. I've been working my ass off lately (hence very little presence in the social media world all week) and it would be a shame if it doesn't work out. 

What are your weekend plans? Does it involve sponsoring me for this race?! ;-)

NYRR 2012 Scotland 10k

Now that this is my second year running NYRR's race, it all seems a little redundant. The races are the same every year, even down the to the time of swag that's given out. Please forgive me, I know it's normal, I just thought something would change a little? Well, at least the good news is I know which races give out the good swag ;)

This past weekend, I woke up way too early on a Saturday, again, for the Scotland 10k. This year, I was prepared for the hills. Well, I knew about them, that counts, right? This is what NYRR's site says (that I clearly missed last year):

This morning the 6:30 train came on time and I get to the park super early. I decided I needed to stay in the subway station for at least 15 minutes, because my previous decision of shorts with no extra pants was an awesome plan on a 40 degree day. So I fell asleep on a bench for a second, then made my way into the park. It wasn't too crowded or crazy (I was literally the first person to use the port-a-potty I went in. That's never happened!) even though there were supposed to be 11,000 people there.

Same bagpipe players at every mile, again.

To be honest, I don't remember much of the run. I was ready for it to be over before it even started. 4th weekend in a row of racing and I was tired. Every mile felt like it was forever (even though I was going pretty fast for me). Is it just me or the shorter the races the longer they feel? This 10k definitely felt longer than the half marathons. I did get through it, though. 

One of my pet peeves in races is when I pass someone and they start running, just enough so I don't pass them and then start walking again. WTF is that all about? Run your own race, asshat, and quit messing with my energy! It drives me batty b/c I either have to speed up so much they can't pass me or slow down so they feel better about themselves. I hate those people. Please don't be one of those people. Anyway, there was a chick who did this and ended up getting pretty far ahead of me. Whatever. Randomly, right before the last mile I noticed I had caught back up with her. I started pushing myself so I could blow past her right before the finish (haha! Don't mess with me!) but right as I was about it, I decided not to throw that negative energy into the universe. Even though, she thoroughly pissed me off, I hope she enjoyed her race. . . the karma :-) Next time, I might not be so nice.

I grabbed a bagel and headed out of Central Park and back into bed for a much needed nap. Can't wait for this Saturday. I am sleeping the day away! 

When was the last time you got to sleep in?

Cherry Blossom 10M Race

 

How in the world did I luck out and get entry into 2 of the hardest lotteries (well, besides the NYCM)? I already had a busy month with the NOLA RnR and 13.1: NYC but with the extra races, it was way cray cray even for me. The fact that I got in shocks me, the fact that I'm still walking shocks me even more. Nonetheless, I did and I accomplished the insane month of races; and won't be doing anything like that again.

Shout out for a pretty decent expo for a 10 miler.

I had a few issues with the way the race handled a things.  I'm ok with paying extra for medals and a tshirt upgrade (really? Ok. whatever. Who doesn't want a tech shirt and a medal? Weirdo) but not being able to upgrade the shirt at the expo was kind of annoying. Yes, it was my own fault I didn't upgrade in the 1st place, but at the time the extra money wasn't worth it. I know they ordered extra. I was ready to pay but whatever. It wasn't that awesome a design anyway.

Another HUGE gripe: Previously mentioned shitty volunteer would not allow me to switch corrals and struck the fear of God into making sure we knew we couldn't change no matter what. Then the morning of the race, the volunteers let any and everyone in any corral. Not cool, CUCB. Megan and I played by the rules and because of it didn't get to run the race together.


Alright. On to the race!

Start/ Finish Line

Megan, the awesome race travel partner!

Because I was scared shitless of getting swept, on the for real yo, I told myself no pictures, no lollygagging (it's my specialty). I had to get my poor little legs to run under a 14 minute mile (the course has a strict time limit- you thought NYCHalf was bad); I can't remember the last time I did that. Sadly, my recap only involves 2 pictures on the course:

 Lincoln Monument

 A very far away Washington Monument.

And to be honest, those were the only two times I looked up the whole time.

I did figure out how to stay on pace, though. This was the first race I had ever paced off of someone before. I had heard of this from other runners, but being a run/ walker, I didn't think it was possible. I figured it out by accident really. I was about to pass this woman, but I told myself to slow down and run behind her for a minute b/c I was letting the adrenaline get to me. So I did and figured out she was running a 13 minute mile. After every walk break, I would try to catch back up to her and it totally worked! I was worried she would figure it out, so I stayed a little back from her, but she never turned around. She totally helped me get to mile 5, but then she veered off for a bathroom break. Waiting for her was a little too stalker for me, so I had to rock it out myself the rest of the way. 

 No worries! I did it.

(trust me, I was worried)

 I'm still amazed that my body allowed me to do that. I had to keep telling myself it's ok to be uncomfortable. Running harder than I would normally push myself was a challenge but it made me hopeful for running faster in the future. . . as in the distant future after I get to take a break from races for a moment.

I went to DC for the Cherry Blossom 10 mile race and didn't take one picture of a Cherry Blossom.
In my defense, those suckers bloomed weeks ago due to the insane weather we have been having. The closest I have is this:

DC, you're so festive!

The End.

What do you think of the 10 mile distance? I read somewhere it's the new "it" distance. Are you a fan?

TJ's Couscous Feta Salad.

We interrupt the regularly scheduled blogging to talk about food.

No I'm not turning into a food blogger (that would be weird and I'm embarrassed about what I eat. It's not pretty or what a person who runs multiple half marathons in a month should be fueling with). I am definitely not a foodie, but I did discover this amazing recipe and I need to share it.

The Couscous Feta Salad.

No, mine does not look like theirs. I don't like olives.

Yall, this is de-lish. I almost ate that entire bowl (It's easily over 4 servings. It makes a ton!). I'm not normally a couscous fan (I'd rather taboule's cracked wheat) and I usually prefer my chickpeas mashed up in hummus, but something about this recipe told me I had to try it. 

I'm not really a cook (not that this required much cooking) but I was browsing the Trader Joe's website and I stumbled upon their recipe section. I will admit I'm also going to try the Pork tacos and the chicken glaze. It's my favorite store; even if it gets so crowded the line wraps around the store and my anxiety shoots through the roof. And of course, it doesn't hurt that their branding rocks my socks! 

Anyway. This made my day and I thought yall should know.

Hope your Easter weekend is hoppin'.

(Oh yea. I said it.)

Another one.

It's only a 10k but I'm already dreaming of the nap I can turn Saturday afternoon into. I haven't slept in since February.
Seriously need to start consulting a calendar before scheduling.
What are your plans this weekend?

Weekend wisdom.

I did it (obviously if you saw the last post). And until I get around to recapping, I will leave you with the things I learned this weekend:

1. Do not, under any circumstance, underestimate a 10mi race; especially after forcing yourself to run faster than you have in months for the entire 10 miles. Because of this blunder, I am paying for it (lots and lots of pain. Didn't ice bathe then got on a bus to sit for 5 hours), along with anyone who comes in contact with me (I thought I was cranky last week, which I think I've figured out the source of all the crankiness; with all these 13 mile weekends, my poor body is going back into training mode). It seriously deserves the respect you would give a half marathon.

2. DC and I might have allowed our iron curtain to fall. I'm not saying we are besties or anything, I just might keep my bitching about the place to a minimum. As I've said many many many times before, I despise the District of Columbia. I truly believe all evil things are spawned there due to the residence of Satan, which may or may not have anything to do with the fact that it is also the capital of this fair nation. This trip, I was shocked by how much a pleasantry it was. Even though there were shitty volunteers at the expo (seriously. I thank you for volunteering your free time, but next time? Stay home, asshole) the things that erked me were tiny pin pricks in comparison as to usual. There wasn't a huge issue I can truly get angry enough about to really bitch about it. What?! I know.

But I will say this:

What is up with all the construction?

Seriously, DC? You couldn't wait until you big tourist festival was over.

Have you ever underestimated a race before?
Do you have a city that you'd rather not visit ever?

March madness:

Done.