It's been a while....

Are you sure you want to do this?!


Hi! Ha yes I haven't written between father's day, my class at night, craziness at work, a Beyonce concert (Yea, you read right!), I've been in a whirlwind that's TECHNICALLY coming to the end....and in comes SUMMER! Welcome summer! I've missed you. I hope you enjoy my pics from my race...from June 7...whoops! Backed up major! Also, when I post them into my blog, it comes out as script and not the actual pic, so I never know what order there in! Am I the only one this happens to?! Help!

Running has been ok. I'm signing up for a half marathon in the Hamptons in September which is exciting. I can't wait to have a training program again! I feel listless without it...not a good feeling. But I have been more effective on the treadmill lately. The weather has been SO bad that I've had to workout indoors more often than not, and I've come to terms with the treadmill and we're getting along again. Now, you have to understand, I'm the chic who will run outside even if there's snow on the ground. There's nothing running gloves, a hat and a sweatshirt with moisture wicking clothes can't solve! So I only run inside when it's REALLY cold out, like you breath in and your lungs collapse cold (aka below 32 degrees). Therefore, running in the rain is also a fun thing for me! But alas, my husband kinda wants me to stick around, and he regularly forbids me from running in the rain...when thunder and lightening are joinng into the fun...which is EVERYDAY right now in NYC. UGH. I want to soak up the sun!

Speaking of the sun...well, school is out! YEA! It's been a busy couple of days but so fun. Friday night we hung out with friends at a couple of different parties, and Saturday we went to Jones beach! I rememberd to apply sunblock to everywhere except my chest, but I'm still not even in that much pain ;-) I love the sun and don't mind burns. But don't worry, I always apply block, ESPECIALLY to my face!

I will be posting about my running plan soon. My childhood neighbor Mark is an amazing runner, he's done 4 marathons (Including Disney and Boston!), and is training for the NYC marathon this fall. He said I will be his protege to try out some different training styles, so I'll keep you posted when he keeps ME posted! Ha.

Summer plans:
- DISNEY ON TUESDAY! YEAAAAAAAA! We're there for a whole week, oh boy!
- Kings of Leon concert on the today show soon!
- Dave Matthews Concert at Jones Beach July 20
- Jodi and Alex's wedding in PA on July 24!
- VA Beach with my family mid August
- LOTS OF RUNNING and working at the restaurant!

Ah. Well, now I'm off to run, then a pedi, and brunch with my girl Sandy!

It's hump day....

First of all, let's attend to information about my class. It's grammar. But not your mother's grammar. NO, this is CRAZY grammar, and I hate it. I got a 73 on a quiz that I got to take with someone else too. No one really did well, because it's too much info and SO confusing and fast! I have 3 classes left and can't wait to be done. Ugh. I want my summer to begin! Plus we have a paper due tomorrow, and she surprised us with announcing ANOTHER QUIZ tomorrow! She's NUTS! I'm trying so hard and feel so overwhelmed...that's why I'm going to study tonight...while getting a pedicure... ;-D

Speaking of summer...7 days of school left! (As of 3:07 today!....I really consider this school day done as of 12:55 though, I'm on my break and only have 1 more class to teach!) And the last day is a half day, so let's say 6 1/2 to be the glass half ful kind of people! Next week I have two coverages too; on monday I'm helping with graduation, and Thursday I'm helping with field day; therefore I have 4 1/2 INSTRUCTIONAL DAYS left! Can I just say, all my charts are done, and I will not be planning for the rest of the SCHOOL YEAR! What a freeing feeling. I love it.

Running. UGH. I've been trying so hard, but I've been getting horrible heartburn during runs! I pounded out a 6 mile run Sunday, a 4 mile treadmill run Monay, skipped Tuesday for class, and now I'm hoping for 6-8 miles today. I got heartburn from eating vegatables before running. I know I know. Strange. Carrots specifically. And then I also ate too close to the time of running...I seriously need 3+ hrs to digest before running. That's why for lunch I only eat a fiber one bar and a banana, because when I work out I can't be full! Sometimes when I get home I'll snag a saltine or two or a piece of bread. I've learned carrots are not my friends anymore. Oh, congrats are in order...

MY HUSBY BRIAN RAN 4 MILES!!! He's been building up his mileage recently, and he was inspired the other day to do 4 miles! I'm so proud of him. I love how he's athletic; he plays basketball a lot, and goes to the gym with me, and even more than me at times. Now if only I could get him to take me for a stroll after dinner sometimes...

Weather. It has been AWFUL! Raining right when I get out of work. This weekend is calling for rain. UGH I can't take it anymore! We have a deluge of weather in the northeast that I can't stand any long! MAKE IT GO AWAY! COME AGAIN NO OTHER DAY!

Shoutout to Anna and Sarah, keep up the great work ladies! You're going to do great in your upcoming races. (I'm not fancy, I don't know how to do the links to their blogspots!) My 4 sisters want me to do a 5k in Hartford in July...I said only if we have matching shirts!!!

I will attempt to post race pics from a couple of weeks ago...sorry Laurie, I've been swamped!

Quick run...

So I was so tired when I got home from work yesterday I FELL ASLEEP! Now I get tired, but this was CRAZY BUSINESS tired! I think with the race on Sunday, not really relaxing, and doing way too much cooking and cleaning ALL WEEKEND, I wore myself out. I was so sad that I didn't get a run in. But today between work and school (It's so awkward saying that; I work at a school and I go to school. Let's try that again...) Uh hmmm between school and college classes tonight, I did a quick 25 minute run. It was small but it was something. I think it matters most to get in those small runs vs. nothing!!!

I've also been so sad with the weather! Weekdays have been so shotty with rain and thunder, and it's been difficult to run! But I found a pocket of sunshine today, and I'm trusting for the same tomorrow. Otherwise it's to the dreaded gym, and I'm also hoping to get a spin class in.

Off to my Grammar class. You think you know grammar? You think you speak the right way? Then tell me what a transitive and intransitive copula is. Yea. I thought so.

10k was CRAZY!

Today I ran the oldest all women's race in NYC history....the All Women's mini10k! I ran with my college roommate Haeme (GREAT JOB HAEMSTER!) and my church friend Laurie (Seriously, you're a beast!) Haeme ran in 1:01, Laurie ran it it in 51:00, and as for me...

WELLLLLLLL I had a PERSONAL BEST in my 10k! For those of you who are my facebook friends, you know full well (My status says it all!). For those of you who don't know, a 10k is about 6.2 miles.The races I have run are usually 5 miles or 4.75 miles (My hometown Thanksgiving race that I've run for years!), and I was hoping to run a quick race to see if all my training had paid off....well, it did! I was aiming for under 60 minutes, which is pretty fast for me, and I accomplished this goal! My official time was 59:27!!! I did a 29:28 split, and averaged a 9:35 mile! I'm not TOO into time/miles etc, but I really worked hard on this one! Midway I got an upset stomach becuase I drank gatorade on an almost empty stomach (1 piece of toast, big mistake!), but I powered through! I'm totally not sore which is awesome, because I struggled with a sore knee/ankles for a few weeks after my half in April.

As for my strategy for this race, I wanted to see how fast I could go! I really didn't know what my limits were. I sprinted in the beginning, because the crowd was pissing me off and I had all this pent up excitement. Once I got into my rythm, I realized how distracted I get in races! I just go with the flow because the "crowd" is moving along, so I started weaving again in mile 5. And it was HOT, SOOOOOOOO hot! Thank God for spray stations...I call them wet tshirt contests! I hope no ladies were offended...and there were some good contestants!

The difference in this race was focus. I REALLY wanted to do well. I broke my best time this year at the Thanksgiving Day race...the crowds (13,000+) make it hard to get a good start, but I wanted to do it in under 50 minutes, and I beat it by just a few seconds thankfully. For this race, I wanted to average 10 minute miles, and totally NAILED it with 9:35 miles! I'm so stoked really. 10k is an amazing race, I want more! But it was REALLY hot. Even at 9am. I'm looking forward to my half in September...

Oh did I mention the half in September?! Yes. I'm doing a Half Marathon with the aforementioned Laurie (Her blog will be noted when my picutres are posted!) in the Hamptons, yes the infamous HAMPTONS in Long Island. Thankfully my bestest coworker Alyssa is from there and her mom has agreed to house us in her incredible home for the race, instead of us spending $300+ per hotel room! The course is al along the beach and beautiful, I can't wait.

So maybe I'm toying with a marathon. I love running. I was thinking of the ING Hartford Marathon in October (That's my hometown...CT baby!), but really, Brian has expressed his HIGH intrest in the Green Bay marathon next May (If I knew how to post the link I would!). The draw for Brian, a DIE HARD Packers fan (*I* haven't missed a game in the past three seasons...) is the end of it runs through the player's tunnels and onto Lambeau Field; aka my husband's DREAM! So, we'll see. I decided I'm going to build up my miles like crazy, then see if I can do a 20 mile run. If I can do that, I can run a marathon.

BTW, did I ever mention ICY HOT?! Yea, the most amazing thing ever! It's really helped my feet/knees post longer-ish runs (6 miles +) It smells like pepto bismal, and my husby hates it; but really, it has helped me maintain and continue training. I'm 2lbs down and 6lbs from goal weight. I'm working out tomorrow and taking a spinning class with my college/teaching fellows BFF Meg. Burning those EXTRA calories.

How was your weekend? Stay active. Set a goal. Exceed it.

Running blues

So let's just say, I've been looking forward to working out all day. I mean ALL DAY. Since last night. I found out my college has a nice gym, and if I come straight from school I can get at least a 45 min workout in before my FIVE HOURS of sitting begins. So back to today. I knew I wanted to go running because today we had a special "potluck lunch". Now, this was no ordinary lunch. I'm talking TRUE ethnic foods; Jamaican jerk chicken, chili, rice and beans, chicken salad, lo mein, zuchinni and asparagus pie; all HOMEMADE. Plus for dessert we had a black russian cake AND flan. I know I know; need I say more?! Anyway, I ate a lot at lunch...now, let's be honest. I was good with the food, even though it was incredible, but I had a piece of flan AND two pieces of chocolate cake. My friend Alyssa said, "Wow Kristin, I've never seen you eat cake, let alone that much!" Yes ladies, I lost control for a minute. But it was gooooooooooooooooood! Anyway, so you can all understand my added insistence that I exercise before class.

I jumped through all their hoops; I got my form filled out, printed my current semester bill; EVERYTHING. but alas, I took out my student id last night and forgot to put it back in my wallet. They wouldn't let me near the gym. I'm SO angry. I was so pumped and then completely let down. On top of that, I tried to leave my bags with security so I could at least get a run outside done, but noooooooooooooo, can't do that either (honestly, I'd be stupid to leave my bags with a stranger, security or no security, but I was desperate). So here I am, in my running clothes, in the library, sad. SO sad. Ugh. I have runners blues.

Tomorrow it's going to rain. No running outside then either.

Saturday I work at the restaurant and I NEVER muster the energy to run in the morning...I usually make us a nice breakfast. Sunday is the race. At least there's going to be good weather for that.

I wish I had a pool...

Running 6 miles in the concrete jungle of NYC and running in the suburbs of CT is so different...yesterday, after 6 miles I jumped into the (freezing) pool with all my running clothes on...I reall felt like fainting I was so hot! Then today I had no relief but a shower. Ugh. Standing when tired is not fun! Thankfully I think my body is recovering; sore ankles aren't so sore and knee is holding up really well! icy/hot has been a lifesaver; it smells icky but is soooooooooo relieving and great! But yes, 6 miles today and yesterday felt amazing. I begin summer session classes for my master's tomorrow, which consists of 5hrs a night Tuesday and Thursday for 4 weeks. I can make it. I know I can. I think I can...we'll see.

By the way, did I mention I'm running a 10k on Sunday? Well, I am. My friend Haeme is coming from NJ and my friend Laurie from NYC are also running in it. It's the oldest "all women's race" in NYC, pretty cool to run in it. I get the goody bags Friday...I wonder what they'll hold?!?!

Question: What would be your ideal goody bag?Mine: Almonds, chapstick, astroglide, chocolate, a tshirt, bumper sticker, and a bottle of water (for the train ride back to my apartment after picking it up!)