Saturday, October 9, 2010

Redonk

This Video Blew My Mind!



The band is named Hollerado and I am totally going to check them out!

Friday, October 8, 2010

Friday Five

1. Sleeping in: After a crazy weekof work last week and a long travel day last Thursday it was glorious getting to sleep in on Friday and Saturday. I used to not really like my bed at my mom's house, but my sister put a foam pad from heaven on it when she was living at home and took over my room. For whatever reason she left the pad and it's glorious.

2. NYC Dinner: Friday night I met up with Colleen, one of my best friends, in NYC for dinner. Colleen now lives in Connecticut so she was able to jump on the Metro North Train and I jumped on the LIRR train and we got up. Colleen and I have barely seen eachother the this year. I saw her for 1 night when I roadtripped home and surprised her in Delaware. Other than that it was actually the first weekend of October the last time I saw her. Even though we talk om the phone multiple times a week it was great to SEE her. We ate at a resturant called Josie's West - it was yummy and healthy and mostly organic. It was reasonably priced for NYC and felt very chic. I highly recommend it. Good times!

3. Boardwalk and Beach: Saturday I was hell bent on going to run on the boardwalk since I didn't get to do that. It was a BEAUTIFUL day like mid-70s. I took the train to Long Beach and was pleased to see so many people out and about. I did a quick 2 mile run on the boardwalk since it was the day before my half. After my run I went down to the beach and stretched/did some yoga on the sane with the salt water licking at my feet. Wow I wish I had the beach this close here - I'd be there all the time. I loved running on the boardwalk with the salty breeze in my lungs and watching the waves crash. It was pure bliss.

4. Dunkin Donuts: Whilst home I got my fair share of Dunkin Donuts Iced Coffee. My first DD stop was in Georgia on the way to the airport and I wanted to try their Pumpkin Iced Coffee. FAIL. IT WAS GROSS. I was mad that I "wasted" that trip on Pumpkin coffee. Lesson learned - stick with my toasted almond iced coffee. Don't worry I drank a BUNCH while I was home. I even stopped on my drive back to Auburn for DD in Georgia and got 2. One for the drive and one for Monday at work. I get so mad when I'm out and about on Long Island and how DDs are EVERYWHERE! Why are they not here, it kills me.

5. Soreness: I was SORE after my race. As soon as I stopped running I was sore. As soon as I got up from sitting down I was sore. As soon as I got up from my nap I was sore. Walking I was sore. Sitting smushed in my seat for my flight home I was sore. Monday I was straight up walking like an old man. I still felt a little sore on Tuesday. Wednesday I went for a 3 mile run. Yesterday I skipped a work out because I was so tired, but I will run after work today. I need this weekend to catch up on sleep and relax.

Wednesday, October 6, 2010

Race Day in Review




*Despite not getting as much sleep as I would have liked on Saturday night I was up and ready to go Sunday.
*It was COLD on Sunday morning and I debated wearing compression tights instead of compression shorts - but I had never run in the tights before and I didn’t want to try anything new.
*Get to the park and use the potty before there is a line.
Texting with my friend Jess who is also running to find out her whereabouts.
*Drink like a bottle of water because of nerves.
Meet up with my friend Jess and her friend. I loved their cute outfits for the race. *We drop our stuff at gear check, take our pre race energy gels and make our way to the start.
*We go to the 11 minute corral - the race starts with the seeded runners who got to wear black bibs, I kinda had to pee, but I ignore it because I know I will sweat it out and the lines are long.
*The race starts with silver confetti and we pretty much stand still for 2 minutes until out group gets to the front.
*Right out the gate I feel good, cold, but good. I am a concerns about having to pee already since it’s COLD out. However I really don’t want to lose time stopping so I vow to push through and hope to sweat.
*After my first mile I see I’m running a sub-10 pace which is exciting, but I also don’t want to over do it so I try to keep myself around the 10 min pace as much as possible.
*While running I see 2 ladies with homemade shirts that say “a DIVA is a female version of a hustler” - I am immediately mad that I didn’t think download that song and put it on my playlist.
*I spent a lot of the run looking at what everyone was wearing (I’m such a girl). LOTS of pink and black. I see a number of women with iRUNLIKEAGIRL gear on.
*I was in awe of all the women themselves and how different every single one of us were.
*Around mile 4 I see ladies in line for port-o-pottys, but I decide not to stop despite the fact that I have to go and I’m still not sweating. Plus I just drank a bunch of water with my 2nd energy gel.
*By mile 6 all I can think about is having to see and decide I MUST stop. I know my pace will pick up if I pee so I try not to stress out about losing time.
*Finally right before mile 7 I see pottys and only 2 people in line. I pause my Nike+ sensor so I can track my time minus the bathroom break.
*Get in and out pretty quickly and feel MUCH better, unpause Nike+ sensor.
*I pick up my pace quite a bit to try and make up for some time and believe it or not after a mile or so I catch up with a few ladies I recognized from the pack I was running with (one girl was running with just a sports bra and had quite an ample bossum [I should have just worn a sports bra - I mean it was all women, who cares] and one girl had a camel back and awesome tights on)
*Next thing I know it’s mile 10 and I still feel good. Still around a 10 minute pace.
*Finally like mile 11 I start to sweat - it had been so grey and cloudy all morning. I’m starting to get really tired and notice people starting to pick me off.
*Mile 12 we get feather boas and tiaras (I opt out of the tiara). I keep telling myself to push through and keep up my “suicide pace.” I muster the strength to run full force and pick off a bunch of people
*The last mile of the race was not scenic - we ran through like a truck depot/parking lot which was hella awkward.
*I finally see the finish line in sight. Sadly the crowds were as loud and crazy as I hoped (however throughout the race I enjoyed seeing dad and kids cheering and holding signs for moms).
*Crossing that finish line was a beautiful thing.
*I RAN THE WHOLE DAMN THING. I only stopped to pee. No walking, no jogging, all running. I’m pretty much I ran in the 9:15-11:55 min/miles range the whole time.
*My legs felt STRONG - I remember looking down at my quads as I ran and being impressed with myself - my ankles were a bit mad at me for running the whole time, but they got over it.
*After the race it was time for medals, champagne, roses, food, pictures, and stretching.
*Met back up with Jess to recap the race, chat, celebrate and then say our goodbyes.
*Try to keep moving and walking because once I sit I know it’s going to be hard to get moving.
*Meet up with my aunt for brunch, head home for a shower and 2 hour nap before my flight back where I slept most of it.

I am so proud of myself. I had a great race. I’m looking forward to my next half on halloween weekend, then after that Triathlon training I’m coming for you!

PS - my unofficial time not counting the potty break was 2:11:54

Monday, October 4, 2010

Half Marathoner

Yesterday was great. Finished in 2:13:23 which is WAY faster than I would have hoped! I promise a full recap this week. In the meantime this video illustrates how I'm feeling today.

Friday, October 1, 2010

October 1st Friday Five

1. Weather Woes. I’m currently writing this on my flight home to New York. We have about 20 more minutes until we land and we should get in just about on time THANK GOD. Yesterday I get a call from my mom alerting me to Tropical Storm Nicole. What? I know that the weather channel always prepares people for the worst, but I was STRESSED. I didn’t want my flight cancelled or to spend hours at the airport. I monitored the weather all day today and made back up plans incase I had to stay in Atlanta for the night, but I mostly prayed that I got to New York. Seriously last night and today was so stressful. I’m just happy to be on my way and get my full weekend.

2. 100 mile month. My half marathon is on Sunday and I have been training with a regimented training schedule since June. After falling off the wagon in only slightly in July/August with my trip to New York for my birthday I missed hitting triple digits for my monthly totals. Well I conquered September. 103 miles for the month of September. Between my half marathon on Sunday and the one I signed up for in New Orleans Halloween weekend I feel good about hitting triple digits again. Have I mentioned that I’m running a second half marathon at the end of the month. I’m in the best shape of my life, I want to go to New Orleans and I figure a half marathon in New Orleans on Halloween weekend was meant to be. So does this mean I can tell people I ran a marathon in October?

3. President’s Party Barn. Tuesday was a student leader reception at the President’s house. This was the second year in a row that I’ve attended this event. I should also be clear that the event doesn’t happen IN his out, but rather NEXT to his house in his party barn. Party barn is a term for like shed’s outside fraternity houses where they host their band parties. Last year the President built himself a fancy party barn. There was yummy food and I got to see a lot of awesome students I know as well as celebrate the 10 fabulous students that are directing out orientation programs this year.

4. Chill. After MONTHS of staring at a new frozen yogurt place in town called Chill I had some this week. It was actually then evening of the President’s reception and I turned down dessert there knowing that there was an opportunity to go to Chill with students. I got a Pumpkin/Snickerdoodle cookie twist that was law fat/fat free. I only got a little bit, but it was DDDDDDDDDDDD-LICIOUS. I will need to get more since it is only a seasonal flavor. It reminded me of UConn’s Dairy Bar pumpkin ice cream which was the yummiest ice cream I think I’ve ever had.


5. Bad Pumpkin. Chill was a good Pumpkin experience, however Dunkin Donuts was not. On my drive to the airport I stopped in Georgia for my first DD Iced Coffee in nearly a month (and the first of many of this trip). Well I had heard the DD had a new pumpkin flavor and a lot of people were talking about it. So when I stopped I really wanted to try it, but in the back of my head I was worried if I didn’t like it than I would get my first DD fix off of a gross coffee. Seeing all the pumpkin stuff in the store I had to try it. After I ordered it I noticed it was “pre-sweetened.” FAIL. I don’t like sweetened drinks. I was still open to it. Umm it was HORRID. It tastes like a candle (not that I know what a candle tastes like), but it tasted like a fragrant pumpkin candle. I couldn’t put my finger on it, but I DID NOT LIKE IT. Luckily I ONLY got a medium instead of my standard large. I drank it anyway because I was thirsty and it was a DD Iced Coffee. However the rest of my trip will be filled with my beloved Toasted Almond.


This weekend is shaping up to be quite awesome. Can’t wait!