Life (intsa'd) lately 7.15.12

Things that have made me happy lately Edition:

My, Meatpacking District. How much you've changed!

I love presents! Especially when my boss goes to Brazil!

Baby Showers at Dim Sum Restaurants where people know how to order: Amazing!

When Street Art can live up to it's name always makes me happy.

My new Threadless Tee!

What's been making you happy lately?

Run for CP 4M

Saturday morning I really didn't want to get up. I know I say that every time, but I really mean it this time. This whole working and training for a full is so hard (said in a very whiny voice) and I'm only at the beginning. Ugh!

So as much as I hated waking up, I think I finally got back into my running groove. It only happened for a mile or 2 of the race (it was only 4 miles all together) but it was enough to give me hope for the future of training! YaY! I need to stop projecting myself forward and just be in the moment. I don't know if it makes sense to you, but it does to me. I'm so discouraged about being so slow, I think I've been trying to push myself too much. But I will try my hardest not to. It's super discouraging.

I also decided to run to the start and back to get in my 6+ miles instead of taking the subway. I am now a super fan of this. It took roughly the same amount of time since the trains are super slow on the weekends anyway. I got to the start with just enough time to wait in the portapotty line, then get to the corrals. As soon as I finished, I turned around and walked home. It was fun, even if I cheated a little and walked on the outside sidewalk of the park instead of through it (I could not run up and down the 3 bitches again. Twice is enough, thankyou). This also got me to thinking it would be a good way to add mileage when I get to my really long runs. But that sidewalk is seriously messed up for walking.

On my way out of the park, Icebreaker reps were giving out coupons for a free shirt. Score! Can't wait to try mine out. A big plus of the Merino wool (besides it being naturally wicking) is it doesn't smell as fast as synthetic. We are definitely happy about this. The Bathroom will thank them, too. It won't smell as bad when I hang my clothes to dry. 

Once I got home, I decided the best plan of action was to shower and get back in bed. This turned out to not be a bright idea at all. The golden rule is to always get food in me ASAP, roll, shower then nap. I woke up extremely sore with an extra large headache and stomach pains. Not cool. But I was being selfish. I wanted more snuggle time! This also presented a huge problem b/c I couldn't go back to bed for the life of me when it was actual nap time. Note for next week: Don't do that.

How's summer running working for you?

5 minutes of your time, please?

I know it hasn't been that long since I've asked you for a favor, but it's not my fault! This contest came up right after the last one and I had to do it. It's VILLAINS!!

So, through the trials and errors of the last contest, I think I came up with an awesome way to do it.
Sign in (because you all have an account still, right?) If no, you can sign up for one here.

Then click on EACH of the below links to each design. (I couldn't chose one and Fred designed, too!)

Hooked.

Now, you'll deal with me!

Bad Eggs.

Comment your thoughts on the design.


Then click "5" to rank it.

Hope that was clear!

I totally appreciate you taking the time to do this and again, if I win- giveaways!

Here are a few pictures from the process, I had a lot of fun doing them:

You always need a creative outlet.
What's yours?

(Thank you again!)

Bling bling!

Yesterday, Heather (Running with Sass) featured my (and a bunch of awesome blogger's) favoritest medal and why on her blog! Thanks, Heather! and hello if you're new around here! 

This opportunity made me think about all the bling I have acquired in the past year. Which ones are my favorites and why; there are so many reasons why I like (or dislike) each one. They all hold amazing memories, no matter what they look like, but there are a few that stand out the most. So, without further ado, here are my 3 favorite (besides the one on Heather's blog):

WDW Half

This is the medal I started running for and hot damn! What an amazingly designed medal, it is! There are slim pickins when it comes to cleverly designed medals (IMHO) and this one tops the charts. To be honest, I haven't really been that impressed with runDisney medals before this one. The Disneyland Half and The Wine and Dine were both awesome, but nothing like this. Even if it was a terrible run, this totally makes up for it. If I could get away with wearing it every day, I totally would. 

RnR Country Music Half

It was serious love at first sight (granted, the picture showed the glitter more of a yellow and less of a gold, which totally looks better but oh well). As soon as I saw this medal, I had to have it. So, I signed up for a random race in Nashville; even though I hadn't finished training or even run my first half. This is also the medal that started the insane year of race-cations, which lead to: 

The Rockstar

I know this isn't a "race" medal, per se, but I had to get a lot of crappy medals to get this one! When I started running, 5 half marathons in a year was an insane thought. 12 later; not so much. Now I'm an official Rockstar and I can say it and mean it with proof! And it doesn't hurt, that I got to share my Rockstarness with my better half (who also happened to get both medals engraved for me :-)

What's your favorite medal? 

Running clothes

I have decided, after finally completely switching out my closet from winter to summer, that I have a lot of running clothes I do not like running in.

Does this happen to you? What do you do about it? I feel bad throwing out clothes I've only worn once or so but I live in NYC! Space is hot commodity and I need it for the running clothes I actually do like to wear.

My running skirts are also being retired for the summer. To be honest, they're not as comfortable as I once thought. Why put on those extra layers in the summer? It's too hot for all that. Even the skirts with the shorts underneath, I still have to wear another pair because my legs are so long. So, no. I did, however, keep my sparkle skirts extremely accessible. You never know when you'll need to sparkle ;)


Just as I was about to click "publish" to this post, I got my order from Bskinz of the most awesomest of awesome pairs of running shorts. What?! I know. Don't be jelly of my pantelones.
I'm super stoked. I haven't tested them, but from putting them on, I can tell they're going to be long enough not to crawl up.

I smell a new trend for summer running! 

What do you like to run in? Shorts? Capris? Skirts? Awesome spandex?

Chasing Shade

I should probably start consulting my weather app on running mornings. It's always fun to be out the door and see a tweet that says "Another scorcher. Be careful!" Yet somehow other things just seem more important- mainly the fight between my bed and my shoes. When B is there, I feel bad and get ready quickly (I use that term loosely) so at least one of us can get back to bed. I'm the runner. I shouldn't be torturing anyone else with this insanity but me. But when it's just me, the morning process stretches twice as long.

This morning was no exception. It took me close to an hour to put my clothes on. Once that happened, I had to keep convincing myself "might as well". Might as well go; You're out of bed at 6am, so what that you can just crawl back into bed. Might as well go; you made the coffee. Might as well go; you're in that contraption people call a sportsbra. Might as well go; you vaselined your feet and put your shoes on. Might as well go; you can't get back in bed with sunscreen on. Yea. This morning was rough and the run didn't get much better.

I decided since my last route was a disaster, running along the water would be fun. If Anyone knows if and where I can, please let me know. I cannot run over the WillyB on sunny hot days anymore. That's cruel and unusual punishment (even though it is my fav. part. Maybe in Sept.) The closest I could tell I could get was Kent Ave. After I got over the fact that it felt deserted (but wasn't; just quiet) and no one was going to kill me and throw me in the East River (which was oh so conveniently a block away), it was nice.   Breezy, even if it was almost 90 degrees.

So, around Williamsburg I went this morning. Chasing shade the entire time. Had no clue the area by the water was so built up. There was a CVS and another Duane Reade. What?! I went into the CVS to refuel with water and gatorade (Thank you for being open at 8am. I will admit I was concerned you were on Hipster time). Damn you, Brooklyn Hipster CVS and having sparkling water instead of regular and after 3 miles, me not being able to tell the difference. Is it even safe for runners to drink that on a run? Speaking of safe, my handheld nearly blew up. Literally. But that's my fault. I thought if I shook it, it would speed up the carbonation releasing and become flat. Right? No? Fuck it. I'm a designer. I poured it out and just went with Gatorade for the rest of the run. And Damn you, Gatorade for making it as hard as possible to open with sweaty hands. Are you owned by Mattel? Your packaging is worse than trying to get into a Barbie doll box. (You like that? I promise I just came up with it and did not spend the rest of my run trying to be clever. It totally comes natural.)

But after that, I felt better. It was still really hot and I walked a ton, but at least I got it done. I couldn't have put it off until tomorrow if I wanted to. Mentally, I couldn't have handled it.

After lapping a half a mile on the McCarren Park track, I decided I really need to add speed work into my training. How do I expect to get faster if I'm not doing anything about it? I've also decided I'm going to try out some classes. Strength training. I know. Crazy talk. But I have to do more than just run during this training time, or I'm going to burn out. So we shall see.

How was your run this morning?

Running in BK; is it really that rare to see?

Yesterday, I did my long run through my neighborhood.

I'm not sure if it's because it's been awhile since I ran in a place where there weren't a ton of people also running or if I was just being overly sensitive, but I really need to change my route. Being stared at and cat called  (this coming from someone who never notices things like that) at 7 am (seriously?! Isn't it too early to be thinking like that?) made me physically ill and even more disgusted with humanity (mainly the Y chromosome portion). No woman deserves to be treated like that and you are revolting. Once, ok. Thanks for the ego boost. Twice, really? Awesome. You're a pig. Over and Over again? Have you just gotten out of prison and never seen a woman before? Are there no women on this side of Brooklyn?! What the hell is wrong with you and who the hell raised you?! It was ridiculous and I was extremely uncomfortable.

And no, I am not the most physically fit person on the planet (just in case they were staring b/c of the spandex ;), but at least I'm doing something about it, instead of loitering in front of a store on the verge of a Type 2 diabetes diagnosis (again, at 7AM!! Shouldn't you be sleeping off a hangover or something?!). That bloated pot belly will never be sexy and I really hope there is never a woman so desperate to ever lead you to believe otherwise.

End Rant.

It also didn't help that it was SUPER hot. I didn't realize how unshaded the Williamsburg Bridge is until I had to run over it twice. I got to about mile 5 and couldn't do it anymore. Too bad I was still a mile away from home. I stopped at a bodega, got some gatorade and took back streets home so I wouldn't have to listen to the disgusting men again. While I was in said bodega, I heard on the radio we were in a heatwave. Awesome to know.

But to end on a positive, I'm breaking in new shoes and they are really purty.

Did you run this weekend? How did it go?