My Little Running Adventures

Back in the saddle!

2011-07-31T16:39:00.000-04:00

Had a nice 5 mile jog/walk yesterday! It pretty much rocked because it was on one of my favorite trails in Rochester. It was a gorgeous day, not quite as hot and steamy as it's been lately!

Turning Point Park, Trail, & Rain Garden

I felt pretty good for a few miles and took it easy for a mile or so. Don't want to kill my recovery process....finally taking deep breaths without pain! :)

I'm still fairly far behind in my marathon training, but I feel that this is a step in the right direction!

Happy Summer Running!

Injury rundown

2011-07-30T09:37:00.000-04:00

# 1 Injury:

Who knew tubing would take a month off of my running/workout schedule?? Ugh!

I spent 4th of July weekend at my friend's lakehouse in Canandaigua, which was an absolute blast! We went tubing and I flew from the tube once....so, clearly I had to redeem myself and got on again. The second time I held on for dear life, but after a few hard hitting waves and some quick turns by Terry, I once again flew from the tube. Unfortunately, this time hitting the water felt like hitting a rock! I felt my entire rib cage crush and then my body went into shock. My lifejacket was my savior that day! I floated for a minute b/c I couldn't move right away, and then they pulled me back into the boat. I was sore for the rest of the day, and was just hoping I didn't do any serious damage!

Over the next few days, I was REALLY sore and was having a hard time moving around, breathing, laughing, coughing, and pretty much anything that required my rib's. In fact, one sneeze brought me to tears! With Boilermaker only a few days away, I decided to visit my doctor (who is also a runner) and have her take a look. Initially she thought I cracked a few ribs...SERIOUSLY?!?! After x-rays she called me and said no cracks massive bruising. Cool, I can still run Boilermaker and go from there. Little did I know, this injury takes forever to heal!!!! I'm still feeling some soreness and it's been a month since it happened. At least now I can take deep breaths and run and get back into the gym. In fact, this is my first week back at the gym in a month. Hopefully this is the end of it!

# 2 Injury

Foot/Calf Cramps!!! I've talked about this a few times and have learned that I never really recovered from when I first had Plantar Fasciitis. While the pain decreased, it never really went away. I've just been running through it, but recently, I can't get up over 9 miles without the massive foot/arch cramps that ultimately make it difficult to continue running. I'm also waking up with the heel pain and end up hobbling around for a while until it loosens up. So, in order to continue running and get through this the right way, I'm increasing my stretching exercises, adding Yoga to my training, and working to strengthen my feet, ankles, and calves. In a little over a month I'll run the Rochester half and will hopefully see a difference in the cramping and pain!

I have 3 months to Marine Corps and with a lot of focus and hard work, I should be able to get myself into acceptable marathon condition!

Updates to come

2011-07-29T15:18:00.000-04:00

I've been struggling with my running as well as injuries, so as I'm easing back into the swing of training, I'm hoping to get back on top of blogging!

13 weeks to Marine Corps Marathon! Let's see if I can pull it together and get back on track!

Unintended Running Break....

2011-06-03T00:30:00.002-04:00

Apparently my body would like to take a running time out....I rolled both ankles at my softball game Tuesday night, followed by slamming my foot into the brick fireplace hearth Wednesday night, ripping my pinkie toenail mostly off and turning 2 toes into black and blue messes. Pretty sure there are some broken toes in there somewhere that have yet to be discovered. Seriously?!?

Prior to my softball game, I had a great 4 mile run with Sara, so I thought my body was starting to get back into running mode.....clearly, that wasn't the case. My plan was to run Temple Beth El this coming Sunday, but I'm thinking I will go and cheer my fellow runners. The next race is supposed to be the Fast & Furriest 10k, but I will have to see where I'm at and possibly will have to switch to the 5k. Boo!!!!!!!!!!!!!! With Boilermaker coming up on July 10th, I can't afford anymore ridiculous, accident prone, clumsy, injuries!!

Happy Running!!

Updates.....

2011-05-22T15:08:00.002-04:00

It's been a few months and I have a few races to discuss! I've not really been on top of this thing lately, kind of a lot going on most of the time. I need to learn to just sit still sometimes!!

Anyway, I didn't end up running Johnny's Running of the Green! First time I haven't run that one in years....just wasn't feeling it that morning. Oh well, on to the next run.

After a few training runs, I ran the Flower City Half Marathon on May 1. I was nervous b/c I hadn't really trained for it and wasn't sure I should have been running it. I had been in the gym alot working core and weights, but not really running. Fortunately, I had an awesome run right up until about 8/9 miles. I was actually running at a pace that kept me in front of the 2:30 finish pace group! That is crazy for me considering my best finish was 2:37. Unfortunately, my lack of training came through at that point and I struggled with the last few miles. My foot cramp started up again and I had to keep stopping and stretching it every half mile or so. Then, just before the 12 mile marker (I could see it up ahead, I was that close!) my foot cramp was so bad that it collapsed my Achilles and lower calf and I couldn't get my foot or leg straight again. Not good! And all of this with only a mile left. I had actually been on track to have my best finish time ever. Booooo!! Luckily, a very nice runner stopped, laid me down, and stretched my calf to work out the knot. I checked my Garmin later and it noted that I was on the ground for 7 min. Sucks with 1 mile left!! At least I was able to finish and I still beat last years finish time for this run. Not too shabby.

The week after the half, I decided to run a 5k with a friend from the gym. It was her first 5k and she really wanted me to do it with her. I haven't run a 5k in ages!! It was great, I felt alright through most of it. I had the massage people work on my leg before and after the run, and that definitely helped, but it was still bugging me. I ended up having my best ever 5K finish time at this run, so that was exciting! I think I'm going to add a few more 5k's in this year, I'd like to keep getting faster.

Overall, it's been a good start to my 2011 running. Next up will be Temple Beth El 5K on June 5th. I haven't done this one in a few years so it will be fun to get out there again. Also, getting ready for Boilermaker in July, that is sneaking up really quickly!

Happy Running!

Super Excited!!

2011-02-27T14:45:00.003-05:00

I'm so excited because 2 of my running friends (Diane & Patti) signed up for Marine Corps! This will be their 1st marathon and I'm so excited that we get to do it all together!!

We've spent the past few days creating training schedules because we also have a half marathon in 9 weeks! Yikes! Better get moving!

Now if only the snow gods would stop raining down on us......

MCM 2011.....

2011-02-23T12:39:00.002-05:00

Here I come! Registered this morning! All set to run my 2nd marathon on Oct. 30, 2011.

Let the training begin! :)

Tofu Fried Rice (w/Brown Rice)

2011-01-31T21:53:00.007-05:00

Yum!! I had tofu and was planning my tofu and bean threads dish.....except I'm in the process of moving and almost all of my stuff is packed and now at my parents house! So, when I tried to make the dish, I realized I didn't have what I needed for the recipe. This is where I began to improvise! Yes, that's right, me.....potentially the worst cook around! :)

My improvising, included tofu, low sodium soy sauce, brown rice, mixed veggies, and eggs. What does that make?? Tofu Fried Rice! I'm soooo proud of myself!! I didn't even measure anything (except the rice). This is a first for me. But, I need to start learning to cook for myself! No husband to do that anymore! I enjoyed a delicious and super healthy dish that I totally created myself..... and sadly, may not be able to recreate!

Decision Made!!

2011-01-30T19:32:00.003-05:00

OK, I made a decision for my 2011 marathon.....Marine Corps Marathon 2011!!

My brother lives in northern Virginia and just bought a house, so I could turn the trip into a visit and a marathon! I'm glad the decision is made....now I just wait for the Feb. 23 registration date.

On another note, I registered for Flower City Half Marathon and Boilermaker last week, so I have 2 definites on my running schedule.....better get training, May 1 will come fast!!

Which Marathon to choose.....Oh my!

2011-01-18T21:49:00.003-05:00

Chicago Marathon registration opens Feb. 1, 2011! I really need to make a decision soon!

I am also interested in Marine Corps Marathon and that registration opens Feb. 23, 2011.

A decision will be made soon!! Which one will it be????

I booked a hotel in Chicago, just to make sure I'm covered if that's the one I choose.

Should I book one in D.C. as well......just in case???

Oh decisions decision decisions!

My toes!!!!!

2011-01-10T19:26:00.007-05:00

Hey there blog world! It's been a while!!

So, just wanted to check in now that I'm starting to think about my 2011 running schedule........and, vent about my toenails still being bruised from the marathon!! Seriously??

Sorry if this is totally gross, but seriously...it's been over 2 months!?! How long do I need to wait for all my marathon wounds to be healed??

On to 2011! Yay! This will be a great year, it HAS to be a great year!

My 2011 running schedule is just starting to come together and I'm about to register for my first run this week. It's been a rough 2 months and I've not been very active and kind of put on a bunch of weight. So, I have ALOT of work to do before my first run.

March will mark my first run of 2011 with the St. Patrick's day 5 mile run. I'll follow that up with the Flower City Half Marathon on May 1st, and I'm contemplating adding a very challenging 15K in early April. I've chickened out of that run for the past few years and I really think I need to do it this year! No fear this year!

Also, registration just opened for Boilermaker 2011 in July and I'll be registering this week. Our hotel has been booked since this summer, so that one is ready to go! I'd love to do the Lake Placid half, but not sure if I will add that one in this year. And, thinking about what marathon I want to run in the fall! :) Yep, I'm ready to do it again and do it much better. Thinking of Chicago, but also might put my name in the lottery for NYC again b/c my friend Diane is also in the lottery this year. Fingers crossed that we could both get in!

That's it for now. Starting the Gold's Gym Body Transformation Challenge 2011 next week and I can't wait!

Happy Running!

NYC Marathon Weekend 2010 Recap #2

2010-11-14T19:53:00.018-05:00

Sunday Nov. 7, 2010 ** Race Day**

I woke up at 4:30am nervous because I wasn't sure if my phone had actually registered the time change (I knew it did, but I was still nervous). I laid around for about 45 min and then got up for my pre run shower. Diane and Alex stayed asleep until about 6:15 am, which was perfect because I really needed to be with my own thoughts. This was a big thing I was about to do and I had no idea how the day would play out. I just wanted to think and find peace and quiet.

Alex got up and drove me to the subway (only 5 blocks, but it was dark and he didn't want me walking alone) at 6:30 and I headed down to the platform, fully ready to see other runners......but I didn't! Still nervous that I had my times messed up! Then another runner showed up and another one, so I felt more at ease. We all stood around in silence, mentally preparing for the day. The R train pulled up and we were greeted by many more runners on their way to the South Ferry station.

When we got off the train, there were mobs of runners, all headed up the stairs, up the escalator, and into the ferry terminal. I then stood shoulder to shoulder with hundreds or more runners waiting for a ferry to pull in and take us to Staten Island. I was able to get on the 3rd ferry to pull in and was on my way to Staten Island by 7:50am.

I could just feel the excitement building!! I met a woman named Regan, who was born and raised in NYC and had run the marathon 11 years ago. We met in the terminal and stayed together until we headed into our separate start villages. I also met a man from S. Carolina who had run 10 years ago and a woman from N. Carolina who was a first timer like me! I took pictures as we went by the Statue of Liberty and I was reveling in the fact that it was the most beautiful day I have ever experienced!! Not a cloud in the sky, perfect sun, and 40 degrees. I couldn't ask for a better day to run!

We arrived in Staten Island and waited to get on a shuttle bus to Fort Wadsworth and our start village. When we got off the buses, we passes numerous cops making sure only runners entered the start area and were asked many times to show our race bib. Regan and I parted and I headed to the Orange start village to drop my bag and get some coffee and a bagel and just relax before my start time. I made it in time to hear the canon for Wave 1 and watch them start over the bridge....how freaking cool!!! I stood in awe when I first arrived, just looking at the Verrazano Narrows bridge and thinking about running over it....amazing.

After quite a bit of a wait, they called Wave 3 to the corral staging area. As we were walking, the Wave 2 cannons went signaled the 10:10 start. We lined up, waiting to be let into our corral and I met a few more people who would be starting the race with me at 10:40. We were in corral 53 in the Orange group. At this point, I was just getting more and more excited and started thinking that I could actually do this!

We entered our corral, walked to the start, met some more people, and then the cannon sounded our 10:40 start!! Frank Sinatra's New York, New York was blaring over the loudspeaker and everyone started singing. So awesome!! We were off and running!

As we crossed the bridge, I couldn't help but feel like I was having an out of body experience. I felt suspended in time and space and totally free as I ran along. Reality set in just before the 2 mile mark when I realized I was running at a pace 2 min faster than my planned and practiced marathon pace! Yikes!!! I just felt so good!! I checked back into reality as I came off the bridge and headed for 4th ave in Brooklyn. I slowed my pace for fear that I wouldn't be able to finish if I kept it up!

Brooklyn was amazing! The crowds and cheers were amazingly helpful! I had my name where I was from on my shirt, so people were calling me by name and yelling encouragement. Loved it!! Totally kept me going!! I saw my family at 7.5 miles and gave them my baselayer. I had already shed one layer b/c I was starting to feel overheated already. After some quick hugs and kisses, I continued on to complete my journey. It's funny, I remember the whole day, but the memories are fragmented and fade in and out. I think I really spent a lot of time in my own head and while I was taking in all that was around me, I wasn't fully present for that part of the day. Strange....

Anyway, Brooklyn pretty much rocked and the people were incredible! I saw the Bishop Loughlin HS band performing the Rocky theme, the hasidic jews going about their day (pretty much the quietest part of the day), and all the people of Brooklyn lining the streets for 13 miles to cheer, support, and help us on our journey. Lots of high 5's and lots of cheers!

The bridge to Queens was not too bad, sharp incline but otherwise not a bad trip over the bridge. Amazing view of Manhattan as we crossed the halfway point of the marathon! Clearly I wasn't in a competetive section because we all were stopping to take pictures! We were in Queens for a short 2 miles and then up and over the Queensboro Bridge. Seriously, this was by far the most difficult part of the run.

Queensboro Bridge was a 1 mile gradual uphill between 15-16 miles and was insanely tough! Everyone around me, including myself, dropped to a speedwalk. I started feeling a calf cramp and pulled off to the side to stretch and try to head it off. I knew if I didn't deal with it, there was no way I would finish. I did have 1 fleeting moment on the bridge where I felt I was done and over it......pretty sure I could have just stopped at that exact moment, but, I pushed that through out of my head and reminded myself what was waiting on 1st ave in Manhattan!

1st ave was incredible...although I was insanely jealous of all the people cheering with beers in hand! :) It was a tough go at this point for me, gradual uphill AGAIN!!! Ugh, I swear, NYC is the town of gradual uphills! One foot in front of the other all the way up 1st ave. Headed for the Willis Ave Bridge, I speed walked the sharp incline onto the bridge and ran again once I crested the top. Trotted right into the Bronx to loud cheering crouds and a jumbo screen where we could see ourselves running. Through the Bronx for a hot second and some seriously soulful cheering, then up and over the Madison Ave Bridge back into Manhattan for the final stretch of our journey. At this point, every step is further than I've ever run....WOW! I think that though re-energized me! Insane.....

On our way down the bridge into Manhattan, a large crowd was waiting, cheering, and blasting Empire State of Mind by Jay-Z. It was the perfect way to start the last leg of the trip. I ended up with a group of people that were just having fun running.....and one asked "is it possible for your hair to hurt right now?" Which we all answer a resounding YES! So we continue......Just keep running, just keep running....don't remember much of this part, except that the miles seemed to start ticking off a bit faster and I was still in disbelief that I had actually made it 22+ miles. I saw my family at this point, they surprised me with big hugs and big cheers! Just what I needed to finish this thing!

The last 4 miles were kind of a blur.....of gradual uphills!!!!!! Seriously!?!? I mean, I knew it was coming, I had read all the books, studied the course, I knew right where it was.....but still, it was tough. I'm pretty sure I started focusing on what I was going to eat b/c my stomach started growling and how yummy that beer was going to taste!

I remember lots of cheering as I came down 5th ave, but that's about it. Lots of people calling my name, which helped, but I don't remember smiling too much b/c it took too much energy! My thumbs up even became half hearted b/c lifting my arms was becoming challenging. As I entered Central Park, we were greeted with more crowds and encouraging onlookers, again, helpful because we were all pretty beat at this point. We had been running for well over 5 hours!

We exited Central Park, wrapped around the street for a minute and then re-entered for our final trek to the finish line. At this point the sun was just about down, and I swore I would hit that finish line before it was completely gone! As we re-entered the park this last time, we were greeted by a large screen that showed us running and a fantastic band. As we turned the corner, we could see the 26 mile sign and knew that just feet beyond that was the finish.....although, you couldn't actually see the finish until you were on top of it!

When I finally saw the finish and realized I would be making it in barely under 6hrs, I pushed my legs to the finish to make sure I made it! I can't even describe the feelings that were whipping through me as I approached the finish line. Pure elation, relief, disbelief, shock, joy......and on and on......

It was an absolutely incredible moment. I crossed the finish line in daized disbelief, and was becond by the woman holding the medal to come over and get my bling. My eyes started welling up with tears as she said "congratulations!! You did it!!" YES I DID!! I stopped to take my finish picture with my medal and then headed over to get wrapped in the heat sheet. I was then handed a bag with food/water/recovery drink and then started walking to get my bag with a change of clothes. Once I retrieved my stuff, I stepped to the side to try and slip my clothes on and warm up.....and just stop moving for a minute.

Official Finish Time ~ 5:59:02

All I wanted to do was stop moving at this point! I called my husband to let him know I'd crossed and figure out where to meet. It was after dark, so I didn't want to have to go far by myself. I then sat on a stone wall at the corner of 77th and Central Park West and dug into my bag of goodies to begin my recovery and reflect on the day. What an amazing day!!

I met up with my husband and friend Diane and began the quest to find food and beer! What a day, what a day......as I ate and drank and talked with my family, I just couldn't stop thinking.....I actually finished a marathon today! AND....I would do it again! :)

What could be next.........

NYC Marathon Weekend 2010 Recap #1

2010-11-14T18:55:00.012-05:00

Well, this time last sunday I had finished my first 26.2 miles, reunited with my husband and friend Diane, and found the closest pub to down a beer and some yummy food! I can't believe it was just a week ago that I finished my first marathon! Now, time to reflect about the weekend!!

Friday Nov. 5, 2010

Up bright and early (5am) to load my car, pick up Diane, and hit the road to NYC by 7am!

I was rather frantically running around the house trying to make sure I had exactly everything I needed for the big weekend, and still felt I was forgetting something! In fact, I made a list of what I needed to bring, packed my bags the night before, unpacked my bags, repacked my bags, and so on.....a little OCD?? :) I picked up Diane and we were on the road by 7:30.

The drive there was absolutely uneventful, we chatted and she continually tried to calm me down because I was speed talking. So much anxiety, self doubt, aches/pains, fear, you name it, I was feeling it! In fact, I had multiple sleepless nights the week before the marathon. I just couldn't bring myself down to a calm state to sleep. Seriously, it was ridiculous!!

We arrived in NYC around 2pm, checked into Holiday Inn Express in Brooklyn (2 blocks from the marathon course, perfectly convenient for marathon viewing)! We immediatly got directions to the Javits Center for the expo and headed to the subway. As we exited the subway, I fell UP the subway steps...yep, that's me, grace! What a way to start my marathon weekend!

The expo was good, we found our way to check in, picked up my race number, took lots of pictures, and then rummaged through the vendors and purchasing items here and there. I picked up a NYC marathon half zip tech hoodie, love it! We also bought some powergels & bars, and I found a pair of sport sunglasses I love!!

After the expo, we headed back to Brooklyn to visit with my friends Stacy, Scott, and their kids. It was wonderful to see them and catch up, it's been a very long time!

Through this entire day of travel and getting into NYC, I missed a meal and did a lot of walking. By the end of friday, I was absolutely spent, hungry, and thankful I came a day early to get situated!

Saturday Nov. 6, 2010

I woke up a bit early for my liking on saturday morning. First, I woke up in total panic because I had absolutely no idea where I was, what was going on, what day it was, or anything! Talk about freak out!! Then, as I woke a bit more, I realized I was also on my way to a migraine. Seriously! All I wanted to do saturday morning was get up, head into Central Park and go for a jog, not deal with a massive headache. Diane and I headed down to breakfast in the hopes thatI could eat a large number of calories and kill the headache. I added in some mild drugs as well!

After a bit, we got ourselves together and hopped the subway into the city to check out the marathon course in Central Park. It was awesome to jog part of the course and check out the finish line. After checking out the finish line, we jogged around the park a bit more and then headed back to Brooklyn to meet up with my husband who had just driven down from Boston.

The rest of the day was spent relaxing, checking out a pub in lower Manhattan, and deciding where to go for my pre run pasta dinner. We picked a little place called Sophia's of Little Italy in....you guessed in...Little Italy. We also met up with 3 of my cousins who had made the trip to NYC to cheer for me during the marathon. Dinner was fantastic!! I had Gnocchi with red sauce and it was incredible!! Diane made me eat the entire plate of Gnocchi because she knew I was still in need of more calories!! After dinner, I was still having some anxiety about the run and was pretty tired, so we headed back to Brooklyn to get my stuff ready for the morning and get a good nights sleep!

Take that NYC!!

2010-11-10T07:18:00.000-05:00

I did it!! I finished the NYC marathon this past sunday....I'm still sitting in amazement that I actually did it AND felt OK!!

I came back late monday night and was back to work yesterday, so I haven't had time to post a full weekend report. I will chronicle all my experiences during the 4 day trip in the next few days. Until then........ Veni, vidi, vici !!

Track me on Nov. 7th!

2010-11-02T10:04:00.004-04:00

It's almost here! Just a few more days before I leave for 4 glorious days in NYC!

If you want to track or check in on my progress, click here.
Tracking opens the morning of Nov. 7th.

Here is my runner info:

Runner Registration #528147
Bib #53332
Color: Orange
Wave #3
Corral #53

Start time: 10:40 a.m.

If you want to send a message to play on the course, click here.

Thank you so much for all the support over the past few months!!! I can't wait to get to NYC on Friday and take the final step in the journey!!

Hugs!
Melissa

I'm as ready as I'll be.....

2010-10-29T21:53:00.004-04:00

Now I just need to relax and enjoy the ride! Easier said than done!

I'm totally in my head now and I need to stop freaking out!! Everytime I think about it I either tear up or start to feel ill. Seriously, I need to let it go and have faith that I will finish just fine and I'll probably make a lot of friends out there on the course! I can't wait to meet my fellow 5hr+ marathoners!

I'm still doing my 5am workouts and some after work classes at the gym, but running has been minimal. I'll go out tomorrow for about 13 and then a few short runs this week before I head to NYC.

I can't believe that at this time next week I'll be tucked away in my hotel in Brooklyn working on that best night of sleep before the big event. Just wild....

Thank You!!

2010-10-28T22:46:00.001-04:00

I am just so excited that 3 of my cousins are joining me in NYC! It was such a surprise when they told me they'd be there. And, my cousin Jeniene sent me a surprise treat that arrived on my front steps yesterday....a super fun and helpful new sport watch called a TECH 4O Accelerator watch. Love it!!

Thank you so much! I can't wait to wear it! Watch out NYC....here I come!

Love ya!

A Race Like No Other

2010-10-22T22:46:00.006-04:00

I'm getting ready for my final long long run of training and ramping up my excitement by reading "A Race Like No Other" by Liz Robbins. What a brilliant book! I love being able to visualize all the excitement of the NYC Marathon! It gives such a detailed account of the day and the sights along every mile of the course.

I'm still finding it hard to believe that I am only 14 days and a wake up away from running in NYC! It feels a bit like a dream that I am actually going to do this!

YIKES....

2010-10-19T19:29:00.002-04:00

I'm starting to feel a chest cold brewing!! NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!! Took today off from all exercise and I'm heading to bed soon after loading up on Vitamin C and some healthy eats. Ugh.....really, a chest cold after all this work! That is absolutely not happening! I'm making sure I'm bundled at all times for now and cutting down on my dairy intake.

Any thoughts on how to stay absolutely healthy for the next 18 days??

If you're slow, are you still considered a runner?

2010-10-17T17:42:00.004-04:00

YES!! In my books, if you go out there and do it, no matter your speed, you are a runner. I might have a biased opinion because I'm a slow runner, but seriously, if you put in the energy and the training, shouldn't you get the same label as someone who is faster?

I started thinking about this when I learned that the Today Show's Al Roker will be running the NYC Marathon. Fantastic!! Kudos to you Al for taking on the challenge of a marathon after all you've been through with your weight. My mom had the same surgery as Mr. Roker, so I have first hand knowledge of what he experienced and the work he had to put in to make a permanent life change. I applaud him!!

I'm super duper excited because he is listed as running at a 13:00 min/mile pace. I have been averaging between 11:30-12:30 (depending on the hills) so maybe we'll run into each other on the course! How cool would that be....running in NYC with Al Roker! I'm planning to have my camera with me so if I do see Al, you better believe I'll be taking a picture!

Now, after reading the article announcing his entrance into the marathon, I read the comments and found some that said in no uncertain terms that he was not a runner and should consider himself a fast walker at best. Really? I'm pretty sure he has been training just as hard as the next guy to assure a finish on Nov. 7th. I have friends who are far faster than me and I joke with them about saving me some water at the end or maybe a banana so I don't miss out on post race food/drink! These people have never acted as if I was a poser because I call myself a runner.

Running is one of those sports that simply amazes me. I mean, think about it.....in what other sport can a world record holding marathoner and a 13 min miler share the same stage? It is truly special. In what other sport do you find the stories of life and survival and the shear will to cross a finish line that is 26.2 miles away? I'm a lover of all kinds of sports, so don't take this as me saying that running is superior to other sporting events. I'm just saying, not every Joe who tosses a football in the backyard is going to be in the NFL, but anyone who has the determination and desire, can run....no matter what distance.

20 miles!!!

2010-10-16T18:23:00.006-04:00

It took me a while, but I have my 20! It was tough at times, but not that bad. My feet are hurting a bit still, but not too bad. I did LOTS of hills....to the point where I thought I might cry if I had to go up another hill!! Seriously, what was I thinking? I think I did about 10 miles of hills. Ugh! Surprisingly, my legs don't feel too bad right now. Just my feet are bugging me.

I used 1 gu pack and 1 powergel during my run. I've made a plan that every 7 miles during the marathon I'll down a gu/powergel. So today, I took a gu at 7 and the powergel at 14. I also used chomps and had my water pack with water and a container of gatorade. Before I headed out this morning, I had a bowl of cereal and a banana....clearly not enough before a 20 mile run. I definitely felt myself get to the hunger point during the run.

When I got home, I had another banana, a tuna sandwich, and a protein shake. I'm now getting hungry again, so I'm thinking about what I want for dinner! Wegman's has these fantastic $6 dinners where you get to pick an entree and 2 sides. It's healthy fresh food and delish!! Love my Wegman's! My fav dinner is coconut crusted tilapia w/mango salsa. Holy yum!!

I'm pretty tired right now, but just started feeling that way. I can't believe I did the longest run of my life today! Kinda excited for NYC now! It's gonna hurt, but I know I can do it!!

Official Handbook has arrived!!

2010-10-12T21:00:00.012-04:00

Yay!! It arrived in the mail today and made my stomach flip flop!

25 days!!!

NYC....Here I Come!

I'm super excited ...... I just found out 3 of my cousins are making the trip to NYC to see me run AND one of them is volunteering! How awesome!! They totally rock!

Lorna, I look forward to seeing your smiling face at mile 17! Love ya!

Perfect Running Weather!

2010-10-10T19:35:00.002-04:00

I had a fantastic 10.2 mile run yesterday! The weather couldn't be more perfect for running! I'm getting there, still can't believe NYC is coming up so fast. It just seems unbelievable....it seems like just yesterday I registered for the lottery in the hopes of running! Now, i'm 27 days away from my first marathon!

I did a super duper easy 2 today and I'm gearing up for my first 20 miler tomorrow! Love 3 day weekends! I've got my GU ready to go, my course mapped out, the Garmin charged, and my ipod loaded. I'm as ready as can be!

OMG.....

2010-10-09T10:01:00.003-04:00

28 DAYS!!!! Yikes!!

Better head out for my 10 miles! :)

Yep, starting to freak out now.......

Holy Hills....

2010-10-03T20:16:00.000-04:00

Well, I didn't do a particularly long run today....around 7 miles.....but it was ALL HILLS!!! Seriously....I had planned a longer run, but decided to turn to the left instead of right after a mile and ended up doing non stop up and down hills for the next 4 miles. Right would have taken me on my normal pretty flat run. I'm glad I turned left because WOW did it feel good to push up those hills and cruise the downs!

Start Info is set!!

2010-09-30T20:05:00.002-04:00

Our start information was posted to our NYC Marathon profiles this week! Whoo Hoo!!

I can't believe it's coming up so fast.....and the start info makes it feel so much more real.

Bib #53332
Color: Orange
Wave #3
Corral #53

Start time: 10:40 a.m.

I'm super excited b/c my orange start color puts me on top of the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge (I was nervous about possibly running on the bottom).

Now, back to work getting ready!!

It's 10 Mile Tuesday!!

2010-09-28T22:29:00.002-04:00

Whooo Hooo! 10 miles tonight on the canal path. Loved having the garmin as my assistant....and my friend Diane as my "coach"! Thanks lady.....Sorry I was Casey Complainer.....but I'm glad I made you laugh with my totally random comments! HA! Promise I won't be so complainy next time!

I also was up at 4:30 this morning and did a short elliptical and then upper body weight workout before I headed into school. It's been a full day of exercise and work. Now it's bedtime.....my favorite part!

Happy Running!

In Love...

2010-09-26T20:43:00.005-04:00

Thanks for all the comments!! I'm so in love with my Garmin! How did I ever run without it? It's fantastic to see my pace and when I'm slowing or when I'm going out too fast. Awesome!

Running is going alright. I'm just having a good time doing it, I can't continue to put pressure on myself. The goal is to finish. It's that simple. I'm not competitive, I just want to be able to do it and finish what I started. I'm totally psyching myself out and it's got to stop!! It will be a good day, no doubt about it!

Finally.....My GARMIN!!!

2010-09-21T21:56:00.006-04:00

Yes, I finally sprung for the Garmin Forerunner 205! I'm so excited, I can't wait to run with it tomorrow! I had to charge it tonight, so I couldn't use it, but I'm ready for tomorrow. It's all programmed, uploaded, and personalized. Whoo Hoo!

NYC Marathon Course Video!!!

2010-09-19T16:43:00.002-04:00

ING NYC Marathon Course Video

This is fantastic!! I am using it to get remotivated!

I got into the marathon so many months ago and the training is so long, now my motivation has been waning. Watching this video and visualizing myself crossing that finish line is giving me that super duper final push. I can't believe it's 7 weeks away! WOW!

Good running this weekend! Still working on the foot pain, but continued icing and ice foot baths, along with advil seem to keep me moving. Thinking I might get my feet looked at.....after Nov. 7th of course! :)

Rochester 1/2 Marathon 2010

2010-09-12T19:35:00.015-04:00

My 5th half is in the books and it wasn't too bad! With my last half being one of the worst running experiences of my life, I was a bit concerned about doing this one. However, it turned out to be a pretty good experience. It was most certainly a great gauge for what I need to do in the next 8 weeks to finish prep for NYC!

I got up around 5 this morning and immediatly wasn't thrilled because it was POURING rain. I have a skylight in my kitchen and I could just hear it pouring down. Ugh! I took the dog out, got soaked, and started praying it would pass before the 7:45 start time! I hopped in the shower (I always need the wakeup shower!) and then got into my running gear. My friend Diane sent me a text about the rain and after checking the weather channel and watching the local news, I assured her the rain would pass by 8ish. Again, praying the weather people were right for once in their lives!! :)

Thankfully the rain turned to a light mist as I drove into Rochester to meet my friends Diane and Renee. It was actually pretty perfect for running, 50/60 and misting. We headed over to Frontier Field to pick up our chips and then walk to the start line. We actually used the drop bags today b/c it was so chilly at the start that we wanted to wear our jackets and layers as long as possible! All was going well, still light misting, and I was feeling pretty darn good!

The start gun sounded and we were off! Diane went ahead (she's a bit faster) and Renee and I stuck together until we were 3 miles into the run. She was having some hip problems, so I went ahead when she took a walk break. I was still feeling good as we headed to the long drawn out Highland hill and I made it up and over without issue. Sweet! At that point I decided I would allow myself a walk break at the Clinton/Westfall hill.....but low and behold, I made it up and over with no problems! Double sweet! I turned onto Westfall and made my way to Brighton town park to connect with the Erie Canal path. We passed the 7 mile mark headed toward the path and I used my GU b/c I started to feel hunger pains and didn't want to keep running on a total empty tank. I started taking water/gatorade around mile 5, so I was still replenishing the lost fluids.

I kept it moving on the canal path, still feeling pretty good. Once the GU set in, my legs felt better and I kept up my pace. All was going well until I hit 11 miles. Out of nowhere I had a massive foot cramp that curled my toes and made my lower calf/ankle spasm repeatedly. Awesome!! The first cramp nearly made me wipe out on the course! It took my leg right out from under me! I kept running and every few steps I would get another cramp and spasm....to which I started swearing! I'm sure the people around me were thrilled! Understandably, I was pissed! So close to the finish and now this after a seemingly good run! Ugh!!!

So, I kept it moving and just worked on keeping my toes firmly in position and taking long strides to keep the calf stretched. It was the best I could do and yet, the cramp kept coming back. When I exited the canal path and headed over the Ford St. bridge (picture is me on Ford St. bridge), I stopped and stretched on a bridge pillar. That seemed to help for a bit, but once I got to the other side of the bridge, rounded the corner and started down Exchange St, I was hit with another cramp. I chose to walk the hill on Plymouth because the extra use of my calf caused more severe cramping. I knew that once I got over that hill, it was all downhill or flat to the finish. I started running again, and ran the rest of the way to the finish line. I was so close, I just wanted to finish and get my leg worked on, so I pushed through and gimped it when it started cramping.

I rounded the final turn onto Morrie Silver Way and headed for the finishline which was just a few hundred yards away. The crowds were fantastic, but I didn't have my usual finishing smile today. I was struggling so much to just get there, some friends told me they could see the pain on my face. Sad...I love finishing with a smile! I crossed and my friend Nancy was a volunteer and put my medal on....and then helped me to the medical staff. I made my way over with some help, got a banana, chocolate milk, and some water and began my recovery. I ended up laying on a massage table and had this women do an amazing job releasing my foot and calf muscle on my right leg! When I got off the table, I felt like I had a new leg! She was brilliant.

All in all, it was a great day to run in Rochester! I had a fabulous time aside from the cramp, and shared it with good friends! And, it gave me confidence that I will be OK in NYC!! That's really what I was looking for in this run! 16 next weekend! Yikes!

Happy Running!

So..............

2010-09-09T21:13:00.002-04:00

I might update this someday! :)

Seriously, I have been busy....beginning mid Aug......getting ready for back to school and getting on top of my counseling stuff. Reading, creating documents, procedures, etc, all in preparation for this week when all their shiny little faces walk through the door.

I love it!! It has been a fantastic first 2 days of school....some bumps, but I work in middle school, so that is to be expected! Once they realize they don't have to "front" at my school, the bumps should start to iron themselves out.

I'm still running, although, I've strayed from my marathon training. YIKES!! Panic button isn't fully pushed yet. I think I'm in the "mid way of a long a$% training program" slump. I'm doing the Rochester 1/2 Marathon this coming sunday and that will put me right back on track. I think I need to be part of the organized race to get my drive back.

I've been in the gym alot, so I'm still in decent physical shape, but I have to step up the running to finish getting ready for NYC. It's a must!

I'm thinking I'll check back in with a post Rochester 1/2 report. while I'm watching my Buffalo Bills home opener! Man this will be a good sunday!! Running and Football!!

More on Sunday!

New Shoes!!

2010-08-24T14:54:00.009-04:00

I can't believe I forgot to mention my new running sneakers!! Love them so much!!

Of course, they are still my Brooks Adrenaline's, but they are new and comfy and I just love them.

I took them out for a few spins last week during my 4/7/4 mile weekday runs. They felt fantastic.

Yay for new running sneakers!!

Getting back on track & nasty little bugs!!

2010-08-23T14:27:00.005-04:00

Taking a injury prevention time out is where I've been! I'm having some problems with my feet again (heel pain mostly, some pain on outside of rt foot as well). So, in light of that....and not wanting to be in the same predicament as last summer (plantar stuff), I took some time from running and dedicated it to gym work. I spent a little over a week just spinning and doing boot camp at Gold's. I did some short runs, 3 miles max, but that was about it. I figured if I could nip this now, then I could still jump right back into marathon training.

I got back to the running this past week doing my 4m, 7m, 4m weekday runs. I also did 2 spinning classes and 2 boot camp classes. Awesome jump back into it and I felt good on the runs. I was especially looking forward to the 12 mile run for this past weekend. On Friday, I had to mow the backyard and while mowing, something (A bug of some sort) jumped out of the ground and zapped me! Wouldn't have been a big deal except the searing pain I felt wasn't like a regular bee sting or bug bite. I did a few more passes around the lawn before I decided to go in and ice it. I was in that much pain!! WTF?? It felt like someone put a hot poker to the back of my calf and the pain just radiated throughout my lower leg. Awesome! I iced, finished the yard, and went about the rest of my day. Still had some pain, but I was trying to ignore.

I got up Saturday morning and the red area had tripled in size and it was extraordinarily painful!! Seriously?? It was a bug bite! On my husband's suggestion, I took some Advil and put some Benadryl lotion over the area. Neither of these things helped. We went out with some friends and had dinner/movie/drinks, and by the time we got to drinks, my leg was swollen, my ankle was starting to disappear and it was bright red and hot to the touch. Not a good sign.

I figured I'd see how it looked by Monday morning and call my doctor if it was worse, however, I didn't make it to today. I got up yesterday morning, again in terrible pain and I totally had a cankle at this point. In fact, the swelling was well into my foot. So, once the house was ready for the Open House, I decided to head over to Urgent Care and have them take a look at my leg. Turns out it was an infection (Cellulitis) and it started from whatever bit me. I even had a fever when I got there! I had no idea.

So now, I sit here, not discussing my 12 mile run, but discussing the fact that I'm couch bound with my leg propped and heavily medicated. While I'm feeling groggy today, I feel that my leg already looks a bit better.....well it's at least not as warm and red as it was yesterday. If I wake up tomorrow and the swelling it all gone and it looks a lot better, I will try for my 12 miler.

In fact, if I'm feeling better later today, I may try to head over to the gym for a mini workout. I hate just sitting on the couch!! Although it's raining and in the 60's, so it a perfect day to have to be immobile!!

My New Little Friend

2010-08-06T13:03:00.001-04:00

The SPIbelt! You make me so happy! Your little polka dotted self carrying around all my junk while I run. You are a true runner's companion that doesn't add lots of baggage. Thank you!!

Sports Bras-R-Us

2010-08-03T14:40:00.004-04:00

Those of you who know me, know I'm not what you would call small chested.....or even medium chested. Therefore, running has been somewhat of a challenge at times. Working to keep the girls in order while pounding out the miles is no small task! I've not been above multiple sports bras to keep them in line! It's almost become a science with extensive research, trying, jumping up an down in dressing rooms, well, you get the picture.

About a year ago I was turned onto the Moving Comfort Fiona Sports Bra which I totally love! It does the trick and is designed for women like me. However, I am in search of a racer back sports bra and thinking I might try the Moving Comfort Juno Sports Bra. Has anyone tried this one or another racer-back bra that would work for the not-so-small-chested??

Well, that's enough about that for today! Happy Running!

Next time.....

2010-08-03T12:35:00.002-04:00

I try to shorten a long run I will just tell myself NO! It's Tuesday and guess what gang....no 11 miles yet! I fell victim. Not to say I haven't run or exercised (60 min of spinning yesterday was fantastic). So, my goal is to do the 11 first thing tomorrow morning. This works well this week b/c I won't get to my next long run until Tuesday next week. I'll just have to get back on track after that, meaning, long runs on sat/sun. Alright....off to mow the lawn!

Might have changed it up a bit.....

2010-08-01T14:30:00.002-04:00

So my long run should have been 11 today....but I did 6. Just wasn't feeling the other 5 this morning. I think I started too late in the morning and just didn't have it in me. It's alright, I'll do it tomorrow. It's nice being off all summer, makes the training schedule must easier to manage! Now, what do I do when school starts again?? I'm thinking 5am pre schooltime runs may be in my future!

It was such a fantastic run this morning! Lots of people out running, walking, and biking...all saying hi and smiling. Love it! The sun was shining with a perfect summer breeze....does it get better than that?

AND....I love days like today where I can get my run on and my tan on! Sweet! Nothing like multitasking!

Week 4 is in the books.....14 more weeks to go before I'll be standing at the start line in NYC (or Staten Island to be exact!)

Incredibly sad and shocked...

2010-07-20T23:53:00.004-04:00

I simply have no words to describe this feeling. I just learned that a running friend passed suddently the other day. Mark Barry was 57 yrs old and a truly inspiring runner. I first met Mark through Athlinks. The website matched us up because we had done so many of the same races (it actually matched us as rivals....even though he runs a 6/7 m mile to my 11-12!). Right from the start, I could tell Mark was a great guy who loved life and loved running! We began crossing paths at many Rochester area races and would discuss where we were at with training and what was up next. He competed in everything from 5k's to marathons and found success across the board.

Mark was always offering supportive and encouraging words and would commend all who simply got out there and ran, no matter how fast. I enjoyed this about him. He was never condescending just because I was a slower runner, he just offered encouragement and congrats on any running accomplishment.

As I train for the 2010 NYC Marathon, an event Mark ran in 2008, I will think of him and all the joy and dedication he ran with over the years. Mark, my NYC marathon is dedicated to you friend. I know you will be there in spirit.

Marathon Training...Week 3!

2010-07-19T23:47:00.002-04:00

Today began week 3 of training! Whoo Hoo! I can't believe it's here....it seems like just yesterday that I checked my status and found out I was accepted!

Things are good so far, I am mixing my running with lots of cross training and athletic conditioning classes. Cycling and Body Attack are my new best friends! I want to train as smart as possible this time around! My feet are still bugging me, but I'm working through it and treating them well when they aren't running me around! Lots of heel pain, but I keep stretching and working it in the hopes that one morning I won't wake up feeling like I'm walking on stumps!

Mileage this past week: 17 mi
Long run: 6 mi

This week brings two 3 mile runs, one 5 mile run, a 5K on saturday, and an 8 mile long run on sunday. Sweet!!

Happy Running!

Boilermaker 2010 is in the books!

2010-07-12T09:03:00.010-04:00

What a fantastic weekend for running! Boilermaker 2010 was a great time with great friends! This year boasted a record number of registrations (13,086), finishers (11,600), and multiple broken course records (men & women)! My 4th Boilermaker was certainly not a PR, but was still a rockin time! The run was yesterday morning and it was a nice, comfortable 60 degree morning, no real humidity at the start....which was a nice change from the 95+ with heavy humidity from the previous week! Unfortunately it didn't stay that way!

We headed to Utica on saturday, hit up the expo for our race stuff, and then checked into our hotel. The weekend began as a comedy of errors as we took every wrong turn and scenic route we could find....not purposely of course! After checking in, we picked a place to get pasta and headed out to dinner. After a very eventful dinner (Utica residents are VERY interesting....) we headed back to the hotel to get in some pool time then off to bed!

After turning the wrong way down 2 one-way streets, and really upsetting a cop, we arrived at the pre race shuttle and headed to the start line very early (6:15 a.m.) and had about an hour and 45 min before the start. It was nice and relaxing to be there early and have easy access to the bathrooms and the starting area. It was great to watch the people just pouring in throughout the morning (nearly 12,000).

The wheelchair gun went off at 7:45 and our gun went off at 8am. It only took 4:30 min to cross the start this year....last year it took us 10:00 min to cross. I felt ok starting, was moving well until about 2-3 miles. The humidity just crept right in and I felt myself begin to overheat. It was way too soon for me to start having issues! Fortunately, there are 25....yes, you heard it, 25 water/ice stations along the course and with the help of cold water on the back of my neck and ice in my hands, I was able to bring my temp right back down and keep moving. I ended up walking a bit in the section through the golf course because it's a very long, winding uphill and I just didn't have it in my yesterday. I had a minor issue halfway up the hill around 4 miles because I took my GU shot at a water stop and nearly hurled it right back up! They totally would have taken me off the course! :) Ooops! I also started getting chills around 7-8 miles, but I knew I was close, so I pushed it through to the finish.

I went through the finish line and there was an older gentleman in a suite standing there who shook my hand and said congratulations, great run. I figured he was a race official....later on, I found out it was Senator Chuck Schumer. Ha, I thought he looked familiar, but I was a bit delirious when I crossed!

After making my way through the finish area and over to the post race party, I grabbed my lunch courtesy of Price Chopper, and went to find my friends. I love my friends, they had beers in hand and ready for me! Nothing like partying with 40,000 of my closest friends after running 9.3 miles! I will say that the sun was high yesterday and after running for 2 hours and then drinking beer, we were starting to feel a bit ill! So, we left the party around 11:30 and headed back to the hotel to jump in the pool. Just what we needed after a long run! Awesome!

All in all, it was a great weekend with friends and runners and I can't wait for next year! Already checking on hotel reservations! :)

Next up....Marathon training! That will be the rest of my summer!

Keeping Up!

2010-07-07T22:13:00.001-04:00

OK, I keep putting this blog on the backseat because of all the craziness right now. Unfortunately, my running has been on the backseat as well....not so great!

NYC Marathon training officially began this week, 17 weeks to go! I can't believe it! Yikes!

Boilermaker is this weekend, this will be a SLOW training run. No PR's this weekend! I'm not nearly in the shape I need to be in for this run, but oh well, here goes nothin!

School is over and our house if officially on the market (yes, we are moving....not sure where as of yet), I can refocus on getting myself back together. Get back to the gym, get back on top of my work, and figure stuff out. Running is certainly going to help me find some clarity in life!

Now, if only we could get out of the 90's.....I'd like to run without getting heat stroke!

Yum Yum Yum!!!

2010-06-20T22:49:00.005-04:00

I tried a new recipe today and fell in love!!

Turkey & Black Bean Sloppy Joe's

I found this recipe while randomly looking for new, fun, and healthy meals. I haven't had sloppy joe's in so long, it was a wonderful treat! It's a bit spicy, but not bad at all. I'm not a huge fan of spicy and I had no problem eating these. I put this on a lite whole grain wheat hamburger roll and added some celery as a side snack. It was the perfect lunch!

Here's the recipe:

Ingredients
19 ounces turkey (93% lean)
black beans 1 can - drained and rinsed
one medium onion sliced
1 tsp minced garlic
1 can - 6oz tomato paste
12 oz low sodium tomato juice
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp paprika
2 tsp chili powder
1 can tomatoes and green chiles
0.25 tsp salt
1 tsp Onion & Herb Ms Dash

Directions
Brown ground turkey and drain fat. Combine remaining ingredients and heat till hot and desired thickness. Server on whole wheat hamburger buns or whole wheat bread. (bun/bread in not in calorie count).

Number of Servings: 8

Nutritional Info
Servings Per Recipe: 8
Amount Per Serving
Calories: 199.2
Total Fat: 7.1 g
Cholesterol: 0.0 mg
Sodium: 702.7 mg
Total Carbs: 20.0 g
Dietary Fiber: 5.6 g
Protein: 17.7 g

ENJOY!!

Solid Run

2010-06-19T14:02:00.002-04:00

I did a solid 5 miles this morning....although I was way under hydrated for the heat! I felt good, didn't struggle at all, and loved it! However, it was a super hot morning with the sun beating down and I didn't pick a particularly shady route. Awesome! I got a little dizzy and thought I might be sick when I walked in the house, but I quickly refueled with an eloctrolyte replacement drink and started to feel a bit better. I need to be careful of that!!

Headed out for 6 tomorrow, Happy Running!

Today's program

2010-06-17T22:15:00.002-04:00

Did a 5am workout today....some crosstraining and focus on lower body. Legs/calves/glutes got the brunt of it this morning. All good! Run scheduled for tomorrow. Can't wait!

Short One!

2010-06-15T23:46:00.002-04:00

Quickie run tonight! Maybe 2+ miles? I wasn't tracking, just running and it felt good! :) I was down by the lake with Alex and Guinness walking the trails and the lake path to the peer....which was soooo beautiful. It was the perfect evening. Instead of walking back the way we came, I decided to take to the streets and jog around the outskirts of the park to get back to the parking lot. If I had my cell I would have told Alex to meet me at home and I would've kept on running! Love it!

And life goes on.....

2010-06-13T19:48:00.005-04:00

I've been struggling with a bunch of major decisions lately and have ultimately been rather blocked. Blocked from thinking about anything other than what needs to be done to get past these decisions. It's been a challenging few months and time is of the essence right now.

Not that long ago, I could go for a run and it would bring clarity of mind, body, and soul. I can't even manage to get out the door lately and when I do, the runs are a struggle. When I do run, it seems to be with someone or a group....maybe I need to focus on some solo runs for a while. I need to have that 'me' time again. That time with me and the outdoors to bring clarity to life again. When I put it like that, it seems so simple....just go for a run and the world will be right again! I wish it were that easy!

So, I'm getting back in the saddle and focusing on me this week. Or, more specifically, my running, that seems to be the key! I miss that feeling of freedom!! And of course, Boilermaker is only 27 DAYS AWAY!! Yikes!! I most certainly better get back out there! I can't wait! We aren't at our same hotel this year....shockingly, they were full when I tried to book our rooms back in December! I think we may like the new hotel better....more centrally located. Our group is smaller this year, but we are welcoming a Boilermaker virgin, my friend Nancy. She will do awesome I'm sure, she is a kick ass runner! Unfortunately, Derek, who normally does this run, will be a spectator (and our stuff holder) b/c he is injured. What a good sport, he's still going to come and root us on! Love ya D!

Over the past week and a half, I've run 3 times, which is way low, but 3 times more than I've run the previous month! It felt good. I did the Corporate Challenge (3.5), a run with Guinness (~3), and the Remington's Run (3.5). All good, no soreness, so my plan is to continue with anywhere from 3-5 miles 3 days this week and I'm toying with a 6 mile long run on Saturday. That should get me right where I'm supposed to be!

Oh yeah....new running shoes are in my very very near future....I don't know how much more mine can take! Happy Running!

53 Runner's Commandments

2010-05-19T21:31:00.002-04:00

What's your favorite Runner commandment? Mine is #14.....

1. Don't be a whiner. Nobody likes a whiner, not even other whiners.
2. Walking out the door is often the toughest part of a run.
3. Don't make running your life. Make it part of your life.
4. During group training runs, don't let anyone run alone.
5. Keep promises, especially ones made to yourself.
6. When doing group runs, start on time no matter who's missing.
7. The faster you are the less you should talk about your times.
8. Keep a quarter in your pocket. One day you'll need to call for a ride.
9. Don't compare yourself to other runners.
10. All runners are equal, some are just faster than others.
11. Keep in mind that the later in the day it gets, the more likely it is that you won't run.
12. For a change of pace, get driven out and then run back.
13. If it was easy, everybody would be a runner.
14. When standing in starting lines, remind yourself how fortunate you are to be there.
15. Getting out of shape is much easier than getting into shape.
16. A bad day of running still beats a good day at work.
17. Talk like a runner. "Singlets" are worn on warm days. "Tank tops" are worn to the beach.
18. Don't talk about your running injuries. People don't want to hear about your sore knee or black toe.
19. Don't always run alone.
20. Don't always run with people.
21. Approach running as if the quality of your life depended on it.
22. No matter how slow you run it is still faster than someone sitting on a couch.
23. Keep in mind that the harder you run during training, the luckier you'll get during racing.
24. Races aren't just for those who can run fast.
25. There are no shortcuts to running excellence.
26. The best runs sometimes come on days when you didn't feel like running.
27. Be modest after a race, especially if you have reason to brag.
28. If you say, "Let's run this race together," then you must stay with that person no matter how slow.
29. Think twice before agreeing to run with someone during a race.
30. There is nothing boring about running. There are, however, boring people who run.
31. Look at hills as opportunities to pass people.
32. Distance running is like cod liver oil. At first it makes you feel awful, then it makes you feel better.
33. Never throw away the instructions to your running watch.
34. Don't try to outrun dogs.
35. Don't trust runners who show up at races claiming to be tired, out of shape, or not feeling well.
36. Don't wait for perfect weather. If you do, you won't run very often.
37. When tempted to stop being a runner, make a list of the reasons you started.
38. Never run alongside very old or very young racers. They get all of the applause.
39. Without goals, training has no purpose.
40. During training runs, let the slowest runner in the group set the pace.
41. The first year in a new age group offers the best opportunity for trophies.
42. Go for broke, but be prepared to be broken.
43. Spend more time running on the roads than sitting on the couch.
44. Make progress in your training, but progress at your own rate.
45. "Winning" means different things to different people.
46. Unless you make your living as a runner, don't take running too seriously.
47. Runners who never fail are runners who never try anything great.
48. Never tell a runner that he or she doesn't look good in tights.
49. Never confuse the Ben-Gay tube with the toothpaste tube.
50. Never apologize for doing the best you can.
51. Preventing running injuries is easier than curing them.
52. Running is simple. Don't make it complicated.
53. Running is always enjoyable. Sometimes, though, the joy doesn't come until the end of the run.

Done!

2010-05-09T18:16:00.003-04:00

OK, bedroom is officially repainted and we are taking a time out for a few days before we begin the next house project. This project took forever....ok, it took a week, but when you are living in chaos and stuff is everywhere, it feels like forever!

Now, back to refocusing on my stuff.....still at the gym.....still haven't really run......still frustrated. Ugh! When does it end?? I'm guessing it will end when I finally suck it up and go for a run and realize it isn't that bad.....it's all in my head now. My trainer at the gym has extended our 5am workout group another 4 weeks...she rocks! At least I've been sticking with the workouts and I haven't completely thrown in the towel! I also started softball last week (team through work) and will play every Tuesday night until July. Good stuff! I'm pretty sure I couldn't move my arm the day after the game. Apparently my body wasn't used to the motion of throwing a ball! :)

I'm off to take enjoy some much needed down time! I officially won't have another day off until May 22 b/c I'm a chaperone for the Washington D.C. 8th grade trip next weekend. Whoo Hoo! I hope D.C. is ready for us!

Struggling....

2010-05-04T21:20:00.002-04:00

The half marathon really took a toll on me and not in a good way. I was definitely sick, so physically I wasn't 100% and didn't even realize! It took me so long to recover, and not from muscle pain. Surprisingly, I had virtually no muscle soreness, I was just run down and mentally burned from the run.

So, I decided to take last week off from all things running (including blogging) and gym related! OK, I did my 5am workout that monday morning, but that was it. I did stuff around the house and yard, but no workouts. I kind of felt like a slug, but I think I needed it! No, I know I needed it!

I was back to the gym yesterday morning for my 5am workout and I'm getting back into the swing of things. I'm still feeling run down.....this is kind of ridiculous.....not sure what is going on mentally/physically, but I'm trying to push through it and get some good workouts in with the hope that a kick butt workout pulls me out of this space!

Post Run Recovery

2010-04-27T22:32:00.003-04:00

Conveniently, I didn't even mention the fact that I had a very hard time recovering Sunday. My mind is probably choosing to forget that part of the day! My muscles were firing all day and I couldn't get my body to relax. I also had to force myself to eat because I felt nauseous. I tried to take a nap, but kept tossing and turning and my head started pounding. I had a bagel and water at the finish and then I forced down some pasta with bolonese sauce that Alex had made. Along with more water. I just couldn't get comfortable and didn't feel right at all. I have to say, this was the worst I've ever felt after a run. Seriously, I was miserable the rest of the day. I finally got to sleep sunday night and then made myself get up at 5am monday morning for my trainer workout. It was worth it because I worked out whatever junk was in my muscles and I actually haven't been sore very much at all.

So, who knows what was going on, but obviously I need to go back to the drawing board b/c my body was missing something on sunday between all my problems during the run and then my lack of recovery.

Unity Health Systems Flower City Challege 1/2 Marathon

2010-04-27T19:56:00.008-04:00

I had a lot of anxiety going into this event for a few reasons.....

1. I didn't train nearly as much as necessary to have a decent time.....
2. The forecast called for continuous rain/downpours beginning at 1am and not ending for days.....
3. My husband had been sick all week and I was not feeling 100%......
4. We watched a rather depressing movie the night before this run and I ended up in a very strange mental space...
5. I wasn't sure how I was feeling about my pre run banana, toast, and peanut butter...

This all turned into the perfect mix for a not so great run.

First, this was a wonderful event that was very well organized and easy to maneuver. Fleet Feet Rochester (Ellen and Boots) truly put on a top notch inaugural event! The entire event was a full weekend that included a Duathalon and Triathlon on Saturday and the 1/2 Marathon and a 5K on Sunday. All events toured the participants through all the beautiful treasures and historic neighborhoods that Rochester holds. We began at the Rochester War Memorial, wove through the Susan B. Anthony neighborhood (where we were cheered on by members in period attire!), and then headed past Frontier Field, where our Rochester Red Wings play. We then made our way down Main St. to East Ave. and passed the Little Theatre (best popcorn ever!), George Eastman House (Kodak), and headed to Park Ave neighborhood. We then made our way to Highland Park area and began our trek through Mt. Hope Cemetery where we spent about 2 miles. Once out of Mt. Hope, we ran through the University of Rochester campus, over the Ford St. Bridge, into the Corn Hill Neighborhood, and then could see the finish line back at the War Memorial. What an incredible course through our beautiful city!

Now....what I was really feeling that day! I chose to run with the 2:30 pace group and bumped into my friend Kelly (who was running her first half marathon) as well as some other friends I trained with last summer at Fleet Feet. Ellen from Fleet Feet was shouting encouragement from the microphone and then got us ready and yelled GO! It was invigorating; I was actually feeling really good! There was a ton of crowd support (actually the 5kers and family) cheering us on as we started our 13.1 mile journey. I did learn one thing about myself right out of the gate....I start way too fast! I was having a hard time getting into the groove with the pace group and kept getting ahead. Once I got the feeling of the 2:30 pace, I was feeling pretty good. Kelly and I were chatting and running, saw my friends Derek & Katie road marshalling at mile 1 and got in a good high five.

All was good up until the 3 mile mark and my stomach started cramping. Awesome. Way too early in the run to deal with this. I knew from the pre race newsletter that there would be a porta potty at the 5k point, so I figured I would stop before it got too bad. Little did I know, this would turn into my fatal error for the run. There was one porta potty and a 4 person long line. I lost about 4-5 minutes waiting, and I was trying to bounce around to keep my legs warm, but it wasn't working. At this point, the race participants were dwindling, and next thing we know (b/c there were still at least 4 people in line behind me), the ambulance goes by. Seriously...am I now at the end of the run!! I've been at the end of a run one time only and I swore that would never happen again. So, I did my business, and got back on the road with the goal of getting back in front of the ambulance, which was now a good 1/2 mile or more ahead of me. My legs felt like LEAD!!!! I started freaking out b/c I still had 10 miles to go! Ugh!! But, I pushed it hard, passed a bunch of people and caught up to the ambulance as we were turning to head up to Park Ave. Yay!! I was elated when I caught up and got ahead and then settled into a comfortable pace that would get me to the finish. At this point, I had already thrown the towel in on my hope of 2:30 b/c I had just lost too much time with the bathroom stop and now felt worse that I did before I stopped. My new goal was to just keep moving, and, with the course being nice and flat at this point, that wasn't too difficult.

Next up was the Highland area and Mt. Hope Cemetery. I knew there were hills coming, but I was truly unprepared for the continuous, repeating hills. Especially when I got to what wasn't just a hill, but was a cobblestone hill. Are you kidding me?? I was already feeling somewhat defeated, and the hills pushed me over the edge. Somewhere in the cemetery, I felt like I could possibly throw up or start crying, I wasn't sure...and I was feeling severely dehydrated. What the heck was happening?? I had hydrated for days, it was cool and misty weather, and I had been taking water, sport drinks, and GU from the aid stations. But, I started getting scared that I wasn't actually going to finish. My legs also started breaking down and I had to start taking walk breaks. Ugh! I hated it and just felt terrible....which didn't help my mental space.

Luckily, while in Mt. Hope Cemetary, I found my new friend Rene! Yay! She was also struggling and we decided to help each other to the finish. We started doing a run/walk rotation while chatting it up and found our way out of Mt. Hope, through UofR, over the Ford St. bridge, and past Corn Hill to the finish line! Whoo Hoo!! I had a few more break down moments in that time (calves cramping), but knew we were closing in on the finish, so I pushed through.

As I said in my last post, I matched an old Half time, and I'll take that with all the issues I had.

Lastly, I have to say, I have never seen volunteers who were more supportive and encouraging in any other run. Their incredible smiles and words of encouragement meant more than they will ever know.....they helped me through some tough moments. Thank you!

Alright, that was my day. Now I where I'm at and exactly how much work I have ahead of me to get read for NYC!!

Today......

2010-04-25T17:52:00.002-04:00

Kicked my behind. Seriously. I'm still recovering, not feeling that great right now. I had a hard time about midway through (around 7miles) and alot of my parts started breaking down. I'll give more of an update tomorrow and a better overview of what was a fantastic course. I finished, didn't have a PR, but matched the time from my very first half marathon in '07. I'll take that!

Looking for a special watch....

2010-04-23T10:20:00.000-04:00

I'm thinking I need something to help me better understand my runs and my pacing. I've been researching various wrist gps devices to help me with this so I can train smarter for NYC. After looking at what's out there, I'm most interested in the Garim Forerunner 205. I keep going back and forth about getting one that's also a heart rate monitor, but I'm reading that the monitor isn't that reliable and I'm most interested in knowing my distance and understanding what my goal marathon pace feels like.

Any thoughts on the Garmin's?

Let's try some new shoes....

2010-04-20T13:50:00.001-04:00

I'm in need of new running sneakers. The pair I'm in are far past their prime (I know, bad!) and with my training continuing to ramp up, I'm looking for a new pair. I've been running in Brooks Adrenaline for a long time and love them. I tried Saucony's at one point and immediately went back to Brooks. Hated the Saucony's after about a month. My running friend Diane has always worn Brooks as well and just switched to Mizuno's and loves them, so I thought....why not? WRONG!!! I picked up these lovely new Mizuno Wave Inspire 6's this past friday and took them out for a spin yesterday. Now, these are also a 1/2 size bigger than my Brooks. They felt good initially and when I stopped to wait for a traffic light and took off again, I felt a nice heel cushion and was almost bouncing. That was all during the first mile. Everything after that went downhill. Maybe I took them out for too long of a run, but wow, my feet were killing about 5 miles in and at the end (about 8.2) I had 2 blisters. I haven't had a blister in a very long time! Booo! So, I'm headed back to Fleet Feet to swap these out for my tried and true Brooks Adrenaline's!

Aside from the foot issue, I had a really nice run! It was a gorgeous day and I set out to get what I thought was a 6 mile run, but when I went back and checked, it was actually 8.2! Not too shabby! Of course, this is still in prep for this sunday's Unity Health System Flower City Challenge 1/2 Marathon. This is totally going to be a training run for me, I'll be lucky if I touch my PR from the fall. I'm going to run with a 2:30 pace group, but my best half is 2:37, so that will certainly be pushing it! I know I can do it, and I'm hoping that running with the pace group will push me to hit that 2:30 mark!

Hope everyone's training is going well!!

I'm enjoying Spring Break week and the beautiful weather in Upstate NY!

Thanks!

2010-04-19T08:34:00.002-04:00

I appreciate the comments Erin & AZ! I am experimenting with stuff right now and looking for what works best with my body before and after the workouts. I am drinking a Whey Protien shake right after my workouts and it is helping a great deal! I just started this about 2 weeks ago, but I feel better post workout. I think my biggest issue right now is pre-workout fueling including the meal I'm eating the night before a run.

AZ, yes, I do use supplements during events, I tried the GU and had a really hard time with it so I started carrying Jelly Belly Sport Beans and Chomps. I seem to be able to stomach those better. I may try GU again during this training just to see how I feel because it's been a while.

Running Nutrition Education 101

2010-04-18T10:16:00.004-04:00

I'm working on educating myself as best I can before my "official" marathon training begins. I want to be in the best shape possible before I begin this program because I've been plagued with injuries during past trainings (including a nasty stress fracture in my hip & lots of time on crutches). I realize I can't possibly know everything, but I'd like to know enough to keep me healthy!

Right now I'm working on Nutrition Education for endurance events. I've found a great deal of information and right now I'm reading through How to Fuel for a Marathon on Active.com. I'm going through this because I often suffer from (I apologize for TMI!!) runner's trots on most runs over 3 miles. Awesome....kind of hurts the training when I have to keep stopping to find a bathroom.....or side of the road.....or woods.....you get the picture.

Any thoughts on best nutrition before and after long runs will be greatly appreciated!

Happy Running!

Happiness is.....

2010-04-15T20:28:00.004-04:00

......an early spring motorcycle ride and experiencing the amazing smell of renewed spring life. Feeling the crisp April air on your face and letting it fill your nostrils with the scent of blooming flowers and trees. Until.......3 deer run out in front of you......snapped back to reality very quickly!!

Happy Spring!!

Awesome Sunday Run!!

2010-04-12T21:46:00.002-04:00

Fantastic run yesterday in fantastic weather! Yay for a beautiful April in upstate NY!

I ran with my friends Diane and Patty and I cut out around 6 miles to go to a baby shower and they went on to hit 11 (I'm actually jealous!). I felt great and wish I could have kept going!! Looking forward to the next 2 weeks! Spring break is coming up so I'll have some time to get in some nice spring runs. Love it!

The Unity Health Systems Flower City Challenge 1/2 Marathon (could it have a longer name??) is in just 2 weeks and I'm feeling good......although my mileage has been pretty low over the past few weeks. Yikes! So much for the much loved taper!

I've been working in a good deal of weight training and using that to supplement my running at this point. I know I have the endurance in my lungs, but I want to add more strength to my legs and overall body. It has been working as I posted a PR at the annual St. Patrick's Day 5 mile run. We will see how well it worked for the half marathon! My recent runs have all felt good, so I think I'll be OK.

Make Over....

2010-04-09T22:37:00.003-04:00

OK, so I'm going for a new look and a fresh start as I haven't been as diligent as I would have liked at updating my blog. Of course, I haven't had much to update because just about everything I do is related to work these days.

So, let me know what you think of the new layout. I wanted something that seemed more alive, and for me, nothing is more alive that nature. I may also be moving my whole site b/c I don't feel my web address is truly accurate anymore. I'm thinking I might actually be a runner now! It seems weird to say that, or type it, I feel a little phony. I mean, let's be real....I'm pretty slow! However, I came across some quotes the other day and they put some wind in my sail's and helped me view myself in a different way. So, I leave you with this:

"All runners are equal, some are just faster than others."

"No matter how slow you run, it is still faster than someone sitting on a couch."

I'M IN!!!!

2010-04-07T17:22:00.013-04:00

"Marathon Registration Status: Accepted"

OMG!!! This is the first lottery I've ever won! :)

It's official. I will be running in the 2010 NYC Marathon! This will be my first marathon.....what a way to start! I had heard last night that if there was a hold on your account, then you were in, so of course, I had to check my bank account. I nearly threw up when I saw there was a hold on my account! I waited very impatiently today to get the official word at 12:30, repeatedly clicking refresh until the log in screen finally showed up! I had some of my students in my office and they were hysterical at how nervous I was. They were awesome though.....totally high fiving me and stuff. Awesome! I can't believe I got in!! Whoo Hooo!!

I have to say it's bittersweet though....my good friend Diane did not get in. It would have been amazing to train and finish this together. :(

Now the real work begins.......

NYC Marathon Lottery!!

2010-04-06T21:11:00.003-04:00

OMG, the lottery is tomorrow! I'm freaking out!! I want to get in so bad, but I'm scared to death!! This will be my first full marathon and to be able to do it in NYC would be AMAZING!!!

I'll log back in tomorrow to share whatever news I receive!

I swear I'll get back to updating this blog at some point, work has been rather busy lately. Only 11 weeks left until summer break!! :)

Happy Running!

Gold's Gym Body Transformation

2010-03-28T20:07:00.003-04:00

The program is officially over and we had our final measurements this weekend. I did much better than I had expected losing a few pounds, but also losing 2% body fat, and 10 inches from my body. We also did our end of program fitness test and I made huge improvements going from 25 laps on the running beep test to 50 laps, from 5 push ups to 19, and from 20 situps to 30. I'm happy with my results considering I had made zero progress midway through the program, so basically all of this happened in the five weeks where I switched up my routine and learned to love the 5am workout! Thanks Paige! I'm looking forward to continuing in the 4 week small group training programs!!

Johnny's Runnin of the Green

2010-03-20T20:58:00.002-04:00

Oh happy day! Two years ago, this race marked my fastest 5 mile run. Last year, not so much as I ran with a massive chest cold. This year, I was back on track and ran my best 5 miles ever! Yay! I did all my training in the gym and maybe went for one outdoor run. Oh yeah, also had the BEST bagel EVER post race. They ran out and the hotel made more that came out piping hot and amazing! Love the post run bagel!

Next up: Flower City Challenge Half Marathon!

Out of Touch.....

2010-03-18T20:52:00.003-04:00

I've been very out of touch with my updates, but I will get back on it very soon! I'm hoping to update this weekend.....hoping being the key word!
Updates include: Johnny's Runnin' of the Green 5 miler, Half Marathon training, BTC final week, and waiting with anticipation for the NYC Marathon lottery draw on April 7th!! :0

Muscle Gain

2010-02-07T12:19:00.002-05:00

Yes AZ, it's the muscle thing! I think for this week I'm going to scale back slightly on the weigh training and heavy circuit training to get more cardio back into my schedule. I think I only ended up with 1 cardio day last week. Let's see what that change does for this week! Thanks for the thoughts!

Week Three

2010-02-04T21:16:00.003-05:00

It's been nearly 3 weeks since the start of the BTC and I've been killing it in the gym. In fact, my body is a bit sore and beat up right now, so I'm taking tomorrow off.....well, I say that now. I've been having some problems sleeping, so I've been getting up and heading to the gym at 4:50am. It's great for my system and has been an awesome way to start the day, so I'm thinking if I'm up tomorrow, I may just go in and run for 30 minutes. We shall see how I feel in the morning. I do like getting the workout in before my day starts b/c more times than not, I'm so drained from the day that the temptation to just go home and veg wins over a gym visit. Anyway, enough on that!

The point of my rambling is that I feel like I'm doing well, I feel changes in my body already, and I'm energized. Someone actually said to me at the group training last night "You've got to be doing well, you are here all the time!". Yay! It's truly a life change. I've been working out for years, but this time it's different. I'm incorporating proper nutrition with daily exercise, and I'm getting results.

I do have a question??? I'm doing great and feeling changes, but when I get on the scale, I'm not really seeing the results. I JUST DON'T GET IT!!! I can't put my finger on what I'm missing on this journey and I really need to figure it out in order to make the life change permanent, and not get discouraged along this 10 week BTC journey and beyond. We have mid program weigh in coming up around week 5. If anyone has any insight or suggestions to get the scale moving, I'm all ears! I've been working out (hardcore workouts), monitoring my diet, and working to get proper sleep and decrease stress. Over the 3 week period I've only seen about a 2lb change in the scale. I realize that isn't enough information to make a diagnosis, but any suggestions on jumpstarting would be fantastic!

SPARKPEOPLE.COM

2010-02-03T21:46:00.000-05:00

Love this website!! One of my BTC workout buddies from Gold's turned me onto this site for diet, nutrition, exercise advice along with some moral support. It's kind of like Facebook for people who want to live healthy! It's fabulous! Within the website, you can set up personal goals and the site will suggest weekly workouts and nutritional content. It can create meal plans and print out grocery lists for you. You can join different teams of people who have common interests and/or common goals who can offer suggestions and support along your journey.

Just head over to sparkpeople.com to check it out and sign up today. Enjoy!!

NYC Marathon

2010-01-26T22:48:00.003-05:00

I did it! I registered in the lottery for NYC Marathon! I know it's a long shot, but why not try! I've been thinking about it too much lately, and visualizing myself crossing the finishline, so I had to just do it and stop thinking. I find out in March if I'm chosen, which will still give me plenty of time to pick another full if I don't get into NYC. Wow....I can't believe I threw my hat in the ring!

Week Two....

2010-01-25T20:11:00.002-05:00

I've started off strong in week two of the BTC. I went to the 5am training session today and then went back after work for a 5:30 Body Pump class. Feeling great so far. Awesome meals today.....chicken florentine, haddock, baked potato......love it! Starting to get tired, but aiming for another 5am workout tomorrow, only this one won't be circuit training, this will actually be a run. I'm gunning for 3 miles on the treadmill b/c I need to start building my running base again. All is going well so far, my challenge will come later on when I start to slack. I'm hoping to miss that stage and continue making great progress!

I finally registered for the Flower City Half Marathon in April after having toyed with the idea of doing the duathalon on that saturday and the half on sunday, but I have realized just how out of shape I got over the past few months and decided it might not be the best idea at this point. I think I need to focus on getting back in shape, and building my running base. I'm going to add cycling to my spring/summer/fall training in the hopes of doing a duathalon someday, but, the full marathon is really my target for this year, and then I may think about other types of events. I need to stay focused on one event for now, I feel that is better for me.

Double Session Saturday!

2010-01-23T18:22:00.001-05:00

Today rocked! I went to the new release of Body Attack and then stayed for the BTC saturday circus workout. It was fantastic! I felt soooo good.....although I later fell asleep in the car as we were driving around looking at boats. Oops... I definitely had a throurough butt kicking this morning! Thank you Body Attack and BTC!

Now I'm headed to a much deserved girl's night at a friends house. Good times!

Day Two....

2010-01-18T20:28:00.002-05:00

Even though today was a holiday and I wonderfully had the day off, I still got up at 4:30a.m. to make it to the 5a.m. BTC workout with Paige. She is a pretty kickbutt trainer, so I dragged myself out of bed to make it to the gym. Great workout, only 30 min, but still a good early morning workout. I went home after that, showered and then went back to bed for about an hour or so. I then headed to the gym for round two because I was feeling guilty that the morning workout was only 30 mins. I went in for BodyFlow, which is a type of yoga/pilates and loved it!! This was my first time with this class, and I'm only bummed that I'm just starting it now. Good stuff! The eating is under control so far, and maybe I'll even throw in a run for later this week!

Body Transformation Challenge '10

2010-01-16T14:21:00.002-05:00

BTC '10 has begun! Today was picture, weigh in, & measurements day. Basically, today was reality check day! I knew things had gone down hill regarding my physical health and wellness, and I learned the hard facts on how far I've let myself go. I've got my work cut out for me, but I know that I'm ready to make a permanent change and get back on track. I know I can control this, I've just not made the choice to do so until now.

Welcome 2010!!

2010-01-14T21:43:00.005-05:00

I couldn't be happier for the beginning of a new year! After all the turmoil in our lives, Alex and I are finally gainfully employed IN THE SAME CITY!! What an incredible feeling to be back on our feet and enjoying life again! I'm looking forward to what this year holds in health and happiness for everyone! So 2010, I welcome you with open arms and an open heart!!

The start of a new year, brings on the start of a new running season! Yay! I'm beginning to plan out my schedule for the year and a full marathon is on the agenda! Which one has yet to be determined. I'm filling out the lottery paperwork for the NYC marathon, but I figure that is a long shot and we will see if I get the luck of the draw. Rochester recently added an April 1/2 marathon (Flower City Challenge), so I'm planning to aim for that run in a few months. If NYC doesn't pan out this year, I'll still have time to register for Philly or Niagara Falls. I'd LOVE to run Chicago, but I don't want to register and then crazily get chosen in the NYC lottery. Maybe I'll register for Chicago and plan NYC for next year? Sorry, just thinking out loud......I have a few more weeks before Chicago opens registration, so I can figure it out.

This running season will once again begin with Johnny's Runnin' of the Green on St. Patrick's Day. Always a fun run with a huge turnout.....and of course a great way to begin a day of consumption!

On another note, the start of the new year, brings the beginning of the Body Transformation Program at Gold's Gym. I love this program and look forward to all the positive changes I will see with the support of the training team at Gold's. I couldn't have found a more positive and encouraging environment to work on my physical self. So, I have a lot of work to do over the next few months. I've allowed the stress of the past few months to negatively affect my eating and exercising habits. I desperately need to get back in touch with that side of myself.

Here I go, the start of a new year and the start of a new and improved ME!

Hello Again.....

2009-12-12T21:22:00.004-05:00

Once again, it's been a long time!! Since I last posted, I ran the first ever St. John Fisher College Run for Courage 5K to benefit Camp Good Days and Special Times. It was a fantastic run...I missed a PR by 10 seconds....around my alma mater (in fact, a double loop....hilly campus....not THAT enjoyable the second time around) which ended with the finish line in the middle of the football field. I had a great time with some great running friends and hope they plan it again for next year. The run was planned and carried out by the students in the Sport Mgmt program as a class project, so I hope future classes choose to continue the event.

I also ran the 37th annual Webster Turkey Trot on Thanksgiving morning, which has become somewhat of a tradition for me. The run is 4.4 miles...give or take .2....and begins a little less than a mile from my house. So, after we drop the turkey off at the neighbors for smoking, I head home, meet up with some friends and we trek down the road. This year was a banner year for the run as they had over 2200 people registered, which is close to a 50% increase from last year! Crazy! Parking is tight around the start, so people were parked beyond my house, well over a mile from the start line. We tried to drive to the start area, but didn't even get 1/4 mile from my house. Pure craziness, but such a fabulous way to start the Thanksgiving holiday! I had a good run, felt good, and was motivated by thinking about all the thanksgiving goodies that were waiting for me at home!

Now, I'm figuring out a new training schedule because Rochester has added a Du/Tri/Half marathon weekend in April. I would actually really love to train and complete the Duathalon, which is on that saturday, and then the Half Marathon on sunday. I think it's doable with the right training, but we shall see. I'm started back at the gym about a week and a half ago and my body seems to be responding well and getting back into the groove fairly easily. Gold's is holding their Body Transformation Challenge again this year, starting next month. I'm definitely going to register because you absolutely can't beat the price for access to trainers and special classes, along with nutritional advice. Good stuff!

Long Time!

2009-10-25T13:22:00.003-04:00

It's been a long time since I've updated this thing! The new job is kicking my butt and leaving little time for anything not related to work. Awesome! That also means my running has fallen to the wayside. Since I last posted, I have run maybe 5 times! Yikes! I did the Barktoberfest 5 mile run last month and had a good run. I also did Johnny's Run Like Hell 5K yesterday and it was not such a good run. It was one of the worst 5K times I've had since I started running! Time to kick up the training again......and monitor the nutrition. I had something I shouldn't have had about an hour and a half before the run, and it reaked havoc on my stomach, causing my stomach to cramp so bad I could barely breath. Awesome. I need to get it back together, I was doing so well going into the half!

I haven't even been to the gym in ages.....actually, I take that back, I went 3 times in the past 2 weeks. Seriously, not good! I did find a new class I now love! It's called Zumba and it's dancing but in an exercise class! Love Love Love it!!! So, I'm hoping between the horrible run yesterday and my new found love of Zumba, I will get back into the exercise swing of things. Not sure what's up next for running. Possibly a 5K at SJFC on Nov. 15. We shall see......

2009 MVP Healthcare Rochester Half/Full Marathon & Relay

2009-09-14T21:59:00.004-04:00

What an absolutely perfect day for Running in Rochester, NY!! I simply could not have asked for a better day to run a half marathon. It started off and stayed nice and cool throughout the entire race, there was a good amount of crowd support throughout the course (compared to the past 2 years), and plenty of water/gatorade/gel on the course. I felt fantastic for the entire run and actually ran the ENTIRE way!! That is absolutely a first for me. I may have been able to keep going.....but that will be for another day! It does give me hope that I will reach the goal of running a full marathon within the next year.

I also had a PR at the Rochester half, finishing 10 minutes faster than my fastest half marathon! I was going for a time of 2:40, which would be 7 min faster, and actually finished in 2:37! Whoo Hoo!! I was so absolutely excited when I turned the corner, could see the finish line, and the clock indicating that I would most certainly come in under 2:40. What an amazing feeling!! My legs did begin to cramp up as soon as I stopped running, but after some wonderful stretching from my friend Neil, I was feeling alright. The picture above is my friend Derek and I at the finish line with our medals. He also had a fantastic finish with a time of 2:05 for his first ever half marathon! Congrats! Our friend Nancy also ran and also had an amazing finish! A great run was had by all!

It's Marathon Weekend!!

2009-09-12T10:12:00.005-04:00

Yay!! The 2009 MVP Healthcare Rochester Marathon and Half Marathon is tomorrow morning and I'm so excited!! A group of us are heading to the expo today and then partaking in a carbo loading feast late afternoon/early evening. The weather looks like it will be perfect for running tomorrow, mid 60's and some sun. It's raining today, so hopefully that will eliminate any humidity that may have crept into the area this week. As long as we don't have the same conditions as last year (insanely hot weather), I'm golden tomorrow! Good luck to everyone who is running tomorrow!!

Less than a week!

2009-09-07T12:07:00.005-04:00

Our event is coming up in 6 days!! We are all ready at this point! This weekend we did a 12K in Mendon Ponds Park called Summerfest. It was hosted by Fleet Feet and was part of our package when we signed up for the Distance Training program. It was crazy crazy hilly, but we all made it to the end and I was personally quite happy with my time and how I felt. The only hitch with the run was the finish. We sprinted for the finish line downhill on gravel......after running 7.5 miles, tired legs don't work super well on loose gravel. One of the coaches ran with another runner and I around 7 miles and was cheering us on with wonderful motivational words.....and then warned us to be careful on the gravel. I was so focused and using all my leg/butt muscles to keep my legs/ankles safe that I ended up rolling my ankle anyway!! Isn't that always how it goes. Immediately upon crossing the finish, I asked for ice b/c I wanted to stop any damage from getting worse. I felt o.k. but still wanted to play it safe, especially with the half marathon only a week away. After icing and eating, I headed home (still feeing ok) and went to a pool party where the water served as great post race rehab!

Here I am 2 days after Summerfest and I am now icing my ankle a few times a day. I woke up yesterday morning with a bit of a stiff ankle which I stretched and worked on throughout the day and then iced. Today, I woke up with an even stiffer ankle that was a bit sore as well. So, I will continue icing and doing ankle exercises throughout the week in the hopes it will be fine for sunday. Worst case I wear an ankle support on sunday to make sure I don't do anymore damage.

Happy Running to all!! My week is filled with easy 3 miles runs and rest days before the Rochester Half Marathon on sunday! Whoo Hoo!!

Yay for 12 miles!

2009-08-25T09:14:00.005-04:00

OK, maybe I shouldn't be that excited because it was 12 miles and who gets truly excited about 12 miles of running at 8am on a Saturday morning?? I'm probably more excited about the running being over and that I finished it having not run since the week before! I was so worried because I had been in such a running slump and I felt I was really going to struggle with the 12......but, I actually felt great!! Well, I felt great right up until 10.5/11 miles and then I had some difficulties. My damned feet were hurting so bad it felt as though I was running on stumps. Not good.....

So, in talking with some people and doing some research on my symptoms, it turns out I have Plantar Faciitis. Awesome.....can I please get through a running season without an injury?? I met with Todd (my massage therapist) yesterday and he worked on my feet for a while to get them feeling better. This issue actually started at least a month and a half ago, but I'm really good at ignoring pain (with the idea that I push my body pretty hard, so of course there will be pain) until it never goes away.....then I take notice. The defining symptom is the foot pain when you first get out of bed in the morning. I have been experiencing excruciating pain first thing in the morning and it takes me about an hour to get my feet moving properly. Once I'm past the initial pain, I'm good, unless I stand or sit too long, then I have to start from square one again.

Now I have a whole schedule of remedies I'm following to ease the pain. I always ice when I come home from a run to ease the inflammation. I also froze a water bottle and I roll my foot over the bottle to ice and stretch at the same time. Todd, my massage therapist, is awesome and will work on my feet a few more times before the half marathon (and he is in the massage tent at the end, so I will certainly be seeking him out!). I think I should be able to move past this and maintain some running!

So now I'm headed into my taper!! Whoo Hoo!! This is my favorite part of the training because you know the event is right around the corner! I'm excited to have met some fabulous new running friends who actually run at my pace.....this means I'll have people to run with during the half! Love it!

Happy Running!

Slumpin....slumpin....slumpin....

2009-08-21T10:34:00.003-04:00

Wow, I'm in a wicked slump right now!! Seriously!! The half marathon is just 3 weeks out and I'm having a really difficult time getting out there and running. In fact, this week, I've only done some elliptical work and weight training. I think I'm a bit burned out on the running thing.....which is not good at this particular moment! We have a 12 mile run coming up tomorrow and I'm a bit nervous.

The same thing happened to me last year and the year before. I thought I had run through it this year, until I hit the wall last week. Ugh!! So, I'm planning on the 12 mile run tomorrow, I'm heading out right now to do about 4/5 miles and I'm hoping that gets my head back into the game heading into the home stretch toward the half marathon!

Athlete Performance Insole by Sof Sole

2009-08-20T12:52:00.002-04:00

I started running with these insoles about 2 weeks ago and have had some good runs. I was having problems with my feet becoming incredibly sore during a run and felt that my current insoles were pretty worn down. So, I replaced them with the Athlete Performance Insoles from Sof Sole and have been feeling less foot pain. It took me a few runs to get used to them being in my sneakers, but now I'm really enjoying the extra cushioning that these insoles provide. The forefoot cushioning is incredible as that is where I was having the most pain and now I'm not.

If you want some extra cushioning for that long run (or even the shorter one!), this is a great insole! It not only offers minor arch support, but incredible cushion support and moisture management. The insole paired with the Coolmax sock really works to keep my feet happy and dry during through all the miles I run.

Barktober Fest '09

2009-08-16T21:37:00.005-04:00

I just signed up for Barktober Fest '09 at Lollypop Farms. It's a day dedicated to the animals that Lollypop works tirelessly for day in and day out. The morning begins with a 5 mile road race (which is what I registered for) and then offers attendees a 1.5 mile nature walk where you can bring your dog. The past 2 years I've run as a member of Team S.O.S. (well, last year I signed up but ended up on crutches, so I road marshalled the race) and we have been the fundraising champs both years.

Once again I will be running with Team S.O.S. and have set up a donation page. If you love little furry friends and you want to support them, feel free to donate on my page at: http://lollypop.org/melash.

The many animals of Lollypop thank you immensely!!

Coolmax Liner Sock

2009-08-14T10:23:00.000-04:00

I have been running in these socks most of the summer and couldn't be happier with them! They are a nice and thin/light sock that keeps the air flowing in your feet while running. My feet stay very dry through all my runs as well as being super comfy! The sock itself is also lowcut, so it doesn't come up much higher than the top of my sneaker. I don't know about anyone else, but I really like that quality because I am not a fan of my socks showing! That's just me!

The socks are made by Sof Sole and if you check out their website, you can find a local retailer. I highly recommend checking them out, they are worth it for those long runs!!

One Month....

2009-08-13T08:31:00.000-04:00

Rochester Half Marathon is one month from today! Whoo Hoo!! I feel ready....although I'm having a little running slump this week....but I'm ready! Everyone has their weeks right? I've only fit in about 7 miles this week. Yikes! We have 11 on tap for saturday so that should be interesting.

What do you do when your in a training slump? When you are having a hard time getting out of the house and hitting the streets to pound out your miles? The gym is always an option to just maintain fitness......but how do you work past the running slump? Just curious if there are any thoughts.

Hydration Belt

2009-08-10T10:58:00.005-04:00

So I finally bit the bullet and bought a hydration belt for my longer runs. I've been struggling once I get around 8/9 miles so I had to find something that would help me push through. The belt I got has one larger waterbottle in an insulated sleeve, a smaller bottle for gatorade (or other sport drink), and a pocket to carry whatever I'd like.

I used the belt during our 10 mile run this past saturday and loved it!! I was always hesitant to use the belt because I was afraid of the extra weight and how it would feel while running. Running with it, I didn't feel any extra weight and the sloshing water sound didn't bother me b/c I had my headset on the entire time. I loved it!! I had water and G2 anytime I needed it, and I filled the pocket with Sport Beans by Jelly Belly for some added fuel.

Great Week!

2009-08-09T10:47:00.002-04:00

This week I covered all my training runs and felt incredible! Wednesday I did 8, Thursday was 7, and Friday 5. We then had our saturday long run (10 miles) starting at Fleet Feet and wandering through parts of the Rochester Half Marathon course and ending back at the store. After yesterday's run, I'm at 30 miles for the week.....which is a first for me!! I've never made it out of the 20's for miles run in a week. I have 4 on the schedule for today, so I will end with 34 for this week.

The half marathon is inching closer, just a little over a month to go. I'm hoping for a PR this year, and if I keep running the way I have been over the past few weeks, I just might be on target!

Happy Running!!

Yay t-roller!!

2009-08-04T10:26:00.003-04:00

I love this little guy!! After our 9.2 mile run on saturday, the t-roller came in very handy to work on my legs! The best feeling after a long run is to have your legs massaged and this gadget does the trick! I highly recommend checking it out and investing in the t-roller! Love it!

It's been soooo long!

2009-08-03T17:18:00.004-04:00

I have been bouncing around with a million and one things on my plate for most of the summer.....which ultimately kept me from blogging. Isn't it crazy how busy the summer becomes! I can't believe it's already August! I'll try to keep my update short and sweet to get the blog back on track.

First, Alex and I have spent most of the summer working on the kitchen remodel.....which has been such a long drawn out process. We gutted the entire kitchen the last weekend of June and we are finally getting to the last stages of the remodel. It's amazing how much we've learned about remodeling and how different the kitchen looks! Love it!! We just started cooking in it this week, even though there are a few things not quite done yet. Love all the new gadgets and appliances!

Second, I spent a large chunk of the summer job searching.....which is quite the task when looking for a job in education. My search paid off with a job offer in mid July at Urban Choice Charter School in Rochester. I will not only be a School Counselor, but also a Heath and Home & Careers teacher. The idea is to educate students on balanced living through nutritional, physical, and emotional health. What an incredible concept!! I am absolutely excited about the opportunity and looking forward to becoming part of the team at UCCS!

Third, I have been running pretty regularly, with little time outs here and there. I finished the Boilermaker in mid July and beat last year by only 15 seconds. I was on target to finish almost 5 minutes faster than last year until I hit my wall around 8.5 miles. Not good! My legs felt like cement and I had to talk myself into continuing to move toward the finish line. Thankfully the finish line is at the bottom of a downhill! Since then, I have been focusing on the Rochester 1/2 marathon in September and following my Fleet Feet training program and group runs. I'm feeling great and running better than ever before. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that I can make it injury free throughout the rest of my training!

OK, I think that does it for now. I'm contemplating adding a blog focusing on kids nutrition to coincide with my classes, so stay tuned!

Darn Computer....

2009-07-10T13:41:00.003-04:00

I'm having some computer malfunction difficulties right now, so blogging has been challenging. I will be back online and posting after this weekend b/c a few stressors will soon be lifted from my life!!

This weekend we are headed to the 32nd annual Boilermaker in Utica, NY, which is always a fantastically fun weekend! I'll post once I return and finish my product reviews.....I tried another fabulous pair of socks!! Can't wait to wear them for Boilermaker!

Anti-Friction Women's Performance Sock

2009-06-19T12:56:00.004-04:00

I tried the Anti-Friction sock on my coached tempo run last night and fell in love. Just to make sure I had a solid base of comparison, I decided to run with my regular old running socks this morning. Wow, what a difference!!

Last nights run was about 5 miles (1 mi warm up, 3 mi tempo run, 1 mi cool down). My feet felt absolutely fantastic!! It was rather damp out because it had been raining most of the day, but it was also crazy muggy and humid, so I was hoping the socks would at least keep my feet dry from all the moisture. I loved how soft the socks were when I got back to my car and yanked my sneakers off, my feet were bone dry and felt like a million bucks!! I can't say enough about these socks, they feel better than any other sock I have ever run in.....definitely check them out by clicking here!!!

Sof Sole Products Arrive!

2009-06-18T15:17:00.004-04:00

Yesterday afternoon the products I'm testing arrived from Sof Sole. They sent 2 different shoe inserts, 2 different packages of socks, and a sports clothing laundry detergent. I can't wait to test them out on my upcoming runs!

Currently, I'm wearing a pair of the socks and they are super duper soft and comfy. I'm heading out for our first coached tempo run with the Fleet Feet group in a little bit, so I'll report back on the actual type of sock and how well it performed after my workout.

Yay....Running Skirt!

2009-06-14T17:57:00.001-04:00

I wore my new running skirt for our Fleet Feet group run yesterday morning and I can't believe I didn't mention this in my last post!! I absolutely loved it!! It felt so good, so comfortable, and so workout friendly.

The skirt I have is by Champion and is available at places like Target. It has nice compression shorts underneath that kept me comfy the whole run. The only minor drawback with this particular skirt had to do with it not having a little pocket/hidden pouch to hold a key. I didn't notice until I got the the run and went to put my remote door opener in the hidden pouch.....and didn't find a pouch! Otherwise, the skirt was a hit and I can't wait to wear it again. In fact, I will need to get a few more skirts to get me through my summer of running!

First Fleet Feet group run

2009-06-13T11:04:00.001-04:00

This morning was the first group run at Fleet Feet since the distance training program began. I wasn't feeling 100% this morning so I opted for the 5mi run, which actually was a 5.5mi course. Felt good, ran the whole way. My legs started bothering me in the last mile, but, like I said, I wasn't feeling 100% to begin with, so I'm not worried about it.

I met some great people who were obviously so happy to be out running on a beautiful saturday morning. And it was, an absolutely beautiful morning to be running through Rochester, including Park Ave area and Cobbs Hill. Can't wait until next week....although the mileage will be about 8! Yikes!!

Another 4

2009-06-12T12:56:00.003-04:00

Guinness and I took on another 4miles today, same North Ponds park path. Nothing exciting to report, it felt good and I feel like I'm starting to get my running legs back.

Tomorrow is my first run with the Fleet Feet group. We are scheduled for 7mi, but we can cut off and do 5 if we choose. I'm on the fence right now, I'll probably see how I feel in the morning.

Nice 4 miler

2009-06-09T22:57:00.001-04:00

Today Guinness & I went for a nice 4 mile run starting in North Ponds Park and heading West to Five Mile Line Rd. The weather was beautiful!!! What a perfect afternoon for a run. I felt fantastic and Guinness wasn't doing too bad himself. We took a mid run bathroom break at my gym (Gold's Webster), but that was the only break in our romp. I didn't try my running skirt yet because I wanted to save it for our happy hour Social run on Thursday.

On another note, I'm excited because I will begin sampling the Sof Sole summer line of insoles and socks for runners! Yay!! I should be receiving my first samples next week and once I try them out, I'll share my thoughts. Stay tuned.....

Fleet Feet Distance Training Program

2009-06-08T22:14:00.001-04:00

Tonight, Derek and I decided we wouldn't try to get to the half marathon on our own. Instead, we will be joining Fleet Feet Rochester's Distance Training program.....beginning today! We went to a meeting at the store and met a great group of people who will be training along with us. Just about everyone is training for either the Rochester half or full Marathon in September, with a few exceptions. One women is training for Chicago and another for the Baltimore half marathon. I am very excited to begin this journey with a bunch of people who are running because they love it, want to have fun, and meet new people.......not to break any records.

I was so inspired after our meeting, that I stopped at the park on the way home and ran 2 miles. This Saturday will be our first group run of 5-6 miles and we will also benefit from 5 coached tempo workouts over the next 14 weeks.

I'm also hoping to try out some new running gear and equipment over the course of the program so I'm running safely and having fun! In fact, one of my running buddies, Diane, gave me a running skirt as a graduation present and I'm super duper excited to try it!! Nothing like running and looking sharp!

Fear....

2009-05-25T19:16:00.004-04:00

Fear is some crazy thing that sneaks up on you when you least expect it. I've been struggling with what I thought was motivation issues, when really, what I've discovered today, is that I was simply allowing fear to control my decision to get out and run. I think I've been dealing with this on and off since the hip injury and I've been allowing it to hold me back. It's interesting because this is exactly what I preach to those around me....yet, here I am allowing fear to take the wheel in my life.

So, I pushed through today and hit the road for an easy 2.25 mi run. Nothing crazy, just wanted to get out there because it had been a while......actually, many weeks have passed since my last run! I needed to start somewhere and this was a simple run I could use to get me started. Now, my road is rather hilly, so not only did I get my starter run in, I also made it over some hills. I felt pretty darn good when I got home and started thinking, what the heck was I so afraid of?!?

This week I'll probably keep to the 2.25 mi run, maybe move up to 3.5 depending on how I'm feeling. I'm planning a longer run, maybe 5 mi max, as my long weekend run. I'll still be keeping my gym workouts in check, so the running will be added exercise this week. Boilermaker is only 48 days away, so I need to be very diligent about getting my runs in and increasing my miles over the next few weeks.

Motivation.....

2009-05-22T11:36:00.005-04:00

Please, someone help me locate my motivation to run because I seem to have misplaced it!!

I'm really struggling to get out there and I can't pinpoint the issue. I had been doing an incredible job of hitting the gym almost daily, but I still wasn't running. Now, officially a solid week has gone by and I haven't even been to the gym. What is up?? Last weekend was incredibly high stress because my wonderful husband forgot he put something on the stove and a beautiful friday afternoon turned into grease fire insanity!! Firetrucks, cops, marshalls, and shutting down part of our street until everything was squared away. We then cleaned the kitchen, repainted the ceilings, and washed the walls until 3am because graduation was the very next day and about 30 people were slated to be coming over for a celebratory party. Awesome! Thank god for amazing friends (Derek, Alana, & Chris) who came over and helped us until the wee hours of the morning. Now, for some reason, this has thrown off my entire exercise regimen. The exhaustion from the weekend really hit me on monday & tuesday and I was blindly tired. I need to cut myself a little slack and know that I probably needed the rest and time off, but I'm really hard on myself and a week off is something I have a hard time excusing.

Anyway, I'm hoping to start fresh tomorrow morning. I'm planning to get up and go to my usual Body Pump and Body Attack classes and then go for a nice run on sunday morning. I need to snap out of it because the Boilermaker 15K is sneaking up on me as we are moving into June. Time is ticking and if I want to come close to beating my time from last year, I need to get on the ball!!

Back in Business...

2009-05-12T14:09:00.003-04:00

The Running & exercise business that is!

My thesis is done, classes are ancient history, & the poster session is over. In fact, at the poster session, I was completely shocked to be awarded an Exceptional Student award from the Faculty!! Seriously, me, a B/C student most of my life (straight A's in grad school though) who has had to bust my butt in every academic venture, received and exceptional student award! Now that grad school is officially over and my only remaining duty is to walk across the stage on Saturday, I can refocus on what is incredibly important to me, exercise!!!! Yay!!

The past 2 weeks I have been pushing myself to new places at the gym and feeling like a million bucks. I'm finally getting my energy back and my stress level is at an all time low. It has been a true struggle to fit my workouts into my crazy schedule over the past few months and I have definitely felt the difference. It's amazing how much your emotional well being is tied to your physical well being. I am acutely aware of how much I need exercise in my life and what an integral role it plays.

My gym began a program called Art of Strength that is focused around kettle bells, ropes, logs, etc. It started May 1 and I absolutely love it!! In a little over a week, I can already feel changes in how my muscles are working together as a team and strengthening my overall body. In addition to that, I tried a Body Attack class with has been supplementing some of my running. It is a high intensity, fast moving, cardio class that works well as a running alternative. While I'm not talking about actual running a great deal, I'm working on exercises that will help me run better and safer so I don't have a repeat of last years accident.

For now, this is where I'm at. I'm hitting the gym all but 1 day a week and running when I can. At this point, I've adjusted my running schedule a bit b/c of how hectic things have been. I just don't feel ready for the Buffalo 1/2 marathon, so I've axed that one. I also was a no show for the Pink Ribbon 5K, I had worked a 7 hour shift at Beale St the night before and Sunday morning my legs were shot. Right now I am really focusing on Boilermaker in July and the Rochester 1/2 marathon in Sept. Still haven't decided what fall marathon I want to do, but the ones I'm looking at still have a good deal of time before they will be full or registration closes. I need to see where my training goes over the next few weeks.