Follow her blog, win a prize!

I thoroughly enjoy this blog, check her out! (And she's a Green Bay fan!!!)

http://jerbear8.blogspot.com/

New Years plans coming soon.

Not a lot of running going on. Traveling. Cookie baking. Parties. Ugh. Trying to be good. Trying...

Marathon Hopes and dreams are on the horizon. Thinking about a lot of things and weighing possibilities...

2011 is going to be the best year. Ever.

Sweet Caroline....

Oh oh oh...Good times never seemed so good...

so good So Good SO GOOD!

Manchester Road Race and Thanksgiving SUCCESS! I'm so thankful for my family, we had 27 people together to eat, drink, and be merry! Everything was a little too yummy, but we all had a great time. Now, the Manchester Road Race Review!

Time: 48:19/10:11 pace

Highlights: 15,000 person cap, live bands playing "Sweet Caroline", bagpipers, and full on sound systems blaring the Rocky Theme. Crowd support is UNREAL. THOUSANDS of people line the streets. There is never quiet during this race!!! Also, running it with the love of my life was fun beyond fun! GOOD JOB HONEY!

Lowlights: The runners were SLOW. I'm going to try to qualify for seeding next year. 11:00/miles at the beginning because of the congestion combined with slow runners!!! However, that's what comes with the territory of a HUGE race in two lanes of road!!!

Verdict: LOVED IT as always, will totally do it again, and my next goal is to qualify for a pass into the "faster runners" corral! Congrats to all my friends and family who ran!!! Great job to all!!!

Thanksgiving was nice and smooth. Nothing crazy. This cold is hanging on for dear life, so lots of moping.

Thanksgiving Weekend Workout Review:

Thursday: 4.8 mile race, 20 minute walk (uphill) after Thanksgiving dinner!

Friday: Raining, cold, and no gym = shopping to burn calories ;-)

Saturday: 3.25 mies of STRAIGHT UP HILLS.

Sunday: 4 miles on the elliptical at levels 3, 4, and 5.

Little disappointed that I didn't do more today, but it's all I could stand. Still can't breath well. Looks like this week will be weights focused rather than cardio since coughing up a lung in the gym just isn't cool.

December, here I come.

On to the next one. On to the next one.

I started this week off strong

Can't. Wait. Despite. Rain. In. The. Forecast! Haha well that's not optimal racing conditions but I'll take it.

Week in Retrospect:

Sunday: 5.5 miles

Monday: 4 miles on the elliptical

Tuesday: Weight training

Wednesday: 3 miles on the treadmill that felt like CRAP

Thursday: scratchy throat/feeling nauseous from said scratchy throat. Double up on nasal spray.

Friday: Yoga at Yoga Club. Scratchy throat still present, but not gone :-(

Saturday: Rest day (supposedly)

So the first half of the week started out wicked strong, but now it's not looking so hot. I'm not feeling 100% which is unfortunate, and any sort of exercise that requires aerobic breathing is really uncomfortable. I feel the nasal spray is working but I don't want to push myself. Plus we had a fabulous fall festive party last night with some friends and I feel like chilling out today.

Tomorrow will be another story.

It's Thanksgiving week so I'm going to be on my A-game workout wise, no matter how I feel. It's not a week to complain about how much I ate or how I feel "fat", but rather to give thanks. I read this article about eating and exercising around the holidays, and it was a great reminder of a few things I already have put in to practice throughout the years:

• Eat breakfast on Thanksgiving - starvation leads to overeating, I go with cheerios and a banana.
• Walk after eating a big meal - I do this every year, rain or shine, after the turkey!
• Cross train/speed work - burns more calories (I usually torture myself with 2+ miles of hills!)

In my Yoga Club (with 4th and 5th graders), we talked about doing three things this next week to show that we are thankful for good health. We decided on:

1. Walk for 20 minutes Thanksgiving Day, or play at the park in the morning or afternoon.
2. Take food in little portions, go back for more if you're still hungry.
3. Practice some Yoga everyday.

What are you going to do this week of Thanksgiving?

I'm getting excited for the Manchester Road Race...

This is us last year. I am the crazy person waving in the pink shorts. The husband is slightly blocked by my said crazy hands in a Green Bay Packers shirt. It was his first year running it EVER, in fact, he claims it's further than he had ever run before...and has not surpassed it since ;-) And guess who hasn't trained at all for this year's race, for which the bib/packet has been on our table haunting us for a few weeks now?! Yup. And I guarantee he'll do better than me. That's just how this goes.
This is my dad and Annie Dog. He hasn't missed one of my races. I think he missed seeing me one time because he was on the wrong side of the street, therefore I was looking at the wrong side of the street for him ;-) 15,000 people is a lot to mill through for one 5'2" girl!!!

So I have run in SIX Manchester Road Races, measured at 4.78 miles, results featured below (And I had to go through some major archives for this junk!)

My years in numbers:

2009: 49:47

2008: 49:52

2007: 52:54

2006: Don't think I raced and I'm not sure why

2005: Broken toe = no Manchester Road Race that year :-(

2004: 54:26

2003: 51:47

2002: 62:49

Because there is 12,000+ signed up already, and the race caps at 15,000, there's not a lot of breathing room. There are also a lot of "non runners" that do the race, and crap out after the first mile where "Killer Hill" begins and goes on for one full mile (That hill is seriously a killer). So, I don't really run it for time. So, as for racing goals, there's only one you can have: ENJOY IT AND HAVE FUN!

My costume is tentatively a tshirt featuring "double rainbows", which will include "Double rainbow all the way" on the front, then "what does this mean?!" on the back. Haha. I think it's funny.

Please note that 2002 was gun time only, no chips. ;-) And my first race. Ever.

A race a day keeps the Dr. away...

So apparently this is my racing month! Below is a picture of my sisters and I at the JK5K, to support the cancer care and research wing at Connecticut Children's Hospital.

Time: 27:19/8:43 pace...A PR!!!
Highlights: Flat course, live band, Tim Hortons AND Starbucks coffee, Dunkin Donuts bagels/donuts, plenty of water, and a VERY scenic course.

Lowlights: Water was not at the finish line. But hey, at least there was water somewhere!

Verdict: GREAT RACE, amazing for a first time race, and the cause is worth running for.

Below is the picture of the 5k from this weekend, the Betel Run for Recovery 5k. This race benefits a charity that helps people who are recovering addicts. GREAT program that provides housing, jobs, and counseling.
Time: 29:06/9:23 pace...there were lots of hills ;-)

Highlights: The bottles pictured were included in the registration, the course was scenic and IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD, plenty of water and post race snacks. Especially the yummy oranges.

Lowlights: Although the course was confusing (for people who had never run in Astoria Park), this race effectively positioned people and markers to help this potentionally confusing course.

Verdict: GREAT RACE, crowds were low because it was the first run for this race, but next year I'm sure more people will join!!!

And can I please just say this weather is SUPREME!? 60 degrees and sunny = my dream running weather!

Next race: Manchester Road Race Thanksgiving Day!

For all you mommies out there....

Here's another cute cute cute giveaway!!! Check it out!!!

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In other news, I turn 26 tomorrow. Hmmm.

Running thoughts

So, this is the GORGEOUS wedding we attended this weekend! Out of control BEAUTIFUL!!! I shed some tears as my wonderful friend A and my new friend R tied the knot. Yahoo!

Only sad note: NO HOTEL GYM. Brian prefers I rest and relax when away, even though I prefer to cozy up to the roads or the treadmill ;-)

So, today was my return run. 5.5 miles, same run I did two weeks ago. My Garmin was running on empty, so I ran "Naked". In the words of Brian, "People have been running for centuries without that. You'll survive."

Thoughts on a Tuesday afternoon run:

- I get really competitive while running. Why am I so competitive when I'm so slow?!

- I like the smell of leaves. Why don't the leaves smell like this all year round?!

- I don't like the extra weight around my mid section. Why don't I run more?!

- Am I satisfied with the progress these past few weeks? YES.

I'm trying to do it all; wife, teacher, runner.

Oh yea, and I begin teaching a yoga club at my school this week. Attach: wife, teacher, runner, YOGA GURU. HA!

Something old, something new

Due to a busy schedule (teaching + tutoring), Thursday and Friday turned into rest days. But I have a big event this weekend....

Amie and Ryan are getting MARRIED!!! YAHOO! This picture is two of my BEST friends from college ever, dare I say BFF's. Amie, to the right, is marrying the wonderful Ryan this weekend.

A&R, you are literally PB&J and I love you both. Getting my vocal chords ready for a reading. Huh hmmm.

Two other thoughts:

1. Let's go Yankees (Due to my New England roots, this is odd, but I've loved them since age 14. I love that I live in NYC and can legitimately cheer for them. Hey Boston, where you at?Oh yea, not in thee post season.)

2. Let's go Packers. I'll be FL, let's SQUISH THE FISH! (Lambeau, I'll love you and miss you.) Watching it from a reputable Packer's bar Bri the husby found online. Let's hope it's legit.

Hopefully the hotel gym and I will be BFF.

Off to a weekend adventure....

New Leaf for fall

First things first: Packers family photo. Packers, step up your game. For goodness sake, STEP. UP. YOUR. GAME. (I hope everyone can see Lambeau has a fab jersey!!!)

So I wrote my "comeback from runner's depression" post, and I've acted on it.

Saturday: 3 mile run

Sunday: 5.5 mile run

Monday: Rest

Tuesday: 3 mile treadmill run (Incline variation)

Wednesday: (Morning) 1 mile elliptical 40 minutes weight training / (Afternoon) 3 mile run

...I'd say that's pretty darn good! Some personal growth that I've seen this week that has made a difference:

I finally feel good about getting up at 5am (eek). I'm ok with that.

I finally feel like when the over 10:00/mile signal beeps on my Garmin (S-L-O-W), I'm ok with that too.

I finally feel that at 5am, 3 miles will settle for an attempted 4 mile run. I'm ok with that also.

This is a step in the right direction. This is a step back to "I love working out", rather than "I have to work out". With a positive attitude, results are sure to follow (Evidence: Danny, winner of Biggest Loser two seasons ago, had the best attitude EVERRRRRR).

Second half of the week is going to be killer.

Let's do this.

Not So Cli-Shéa: My First GIVEAWAY!!!

Found this super cute site with a super cute giveaway! Mommies, follow and comment!!!

Not So Cli-Shéa: My First GIVEAWAY!!!

I've wanted to write about a lot of things...

So much has gone on in the past month and a half, and there were many events to document. Some of them included:

Vacation with my family...

Kayaking with Brian in VA Beach and experiencing a dolphin playing with us for 10 minutes:

Disney with teacher friends:

Epcot:

My battle with Minnie:

Sister and family visiting us for lunch in Little Italy:

Hanging out with my niece and nephew in Times Square:

But what is absent from this list of pictures is any race pictures.

Not one.

Fooey.

While on vacation at the end of August, I realized how far behind in training I really was due to knee and foot injuries. This was a hard pill to swallow. My "trainer", childhood friend and accomplished marathon runner, advised that a marathon would not be fun for the untrained.

Duh.

I had to take the wisdom and accept that I would not be running the Hartford Marathon. It was very disappointing to say the least.

Then the running ceased.

I couldn't get the energy to run. I tried and tried. I started teaching again. I went to Disney. I got sick with a cold. Stayed sick for a couple of weeks. I am tutoring two days a week. I. Am. BUSY.

Too busy?

No.

That's why, for the past two weeks, I have been slowly getting back into a work out routine. 3 days a week I have done SOMETHING to exercise, not just run.

Yesterday was my potential marathon day. I felt bad for myself, sad, upset. And then my husband told me to "suck it up you'll do another one, stop wallowing!" (This was after all the niceties that didn't do any good with my complaining...). So I sucked it up. I stopped wallowing. I Ran. I signed up for my Thanksgiving race. It felt good to get something concrete to aim for.

So, here I am. My miles have been depleted. My aerobic breathing is crappy.

But I will run. And run. And run. Past defeat and disappointment. I will run because I love it.

I run to run.

Blog from vacation land...

So far on vacation we....

- traveled to Annapolis MD and had the best time!

- Celebrated Lambeau's birthday

- Arrived in Virginia Beach

- Played with my nephews!

- Let Lambeau run free as a bird on the beach for the first time

- Ate a donut from the market :-) / :-(

So far on vacation I...

- Ran 3 miles, 4 miles, 7 miles.

- Biked 7.25 miles then did a mile with my sister Jennifer

- Rest day for a long run.

What I will do on vacation...

- Two a days

- Long runs

- READ

- Relax

- Run with my dog on the beach

- Grill

- Pray

- Enjoy nature

Long run tomorrow pretty much will make or break my marathon hopes and dreams.

Distance is undetermined. I have one distance that is satisfactory, one distance that is preferable and one distance that is exemplary. We'll see what kind of day it is tomorrow.

Through it all....

cool as a cucumber.

Deliberations...

We went to a FABULOUS event last night called East Village Food Day! Well, we created it ourselves. When a bunch of friends were at brunch a month ago (Pictured above) the subject turned to all these fabulous places to eat in the EV, such as an authentic Maine lobster roll place, amazing dumplings, beer brewed on location, scrumptious mac n cheese, tasty tapas called arepas, out of this world french fries, and we ended the night with DELICIOSO frozen yogurt! So we organized ourselves to do a "progressive dinner", stopping at each one of these places for a little sampler at each stop. The best part: each place was some sort of hole in the wall that barely had any seating, if any at all. So fun!

Now, the heavy stuff.

Running. Oh running. I may not be in marathon contention any longer. I've realized some things about myself. Training for half marathons in the spring is no problem for me. Training for any form of a marathon in the fall, however, requires training in the summer, which I seem to struggle with. Even in everyday walking in heat, I drink a ton of water, more than most people. I don't like heat. After the episode in the previous post, I experienced ZERO soreness. Therefore, my body was recovering well and I continued with my training throughout the week. However, when I attempted to execute my long run last Saturday, I ignored how I was feeling. I had a headache, felt extremely tired, and cranky. Hmmm. I figured I needed sleep so I went to bed at 8:30pm for a 6am wake up. Still felt the same. I figured I could run it out; maybe it was sleeping on a new bed or pillow. 1.5 miles into the run I had to turn around. Horrible. Felt nauseous, bad headache, terrible. Had turn turn around.

Tears.

Lots of them.

Ugh.

I felt this way throughout the weekend. I believe I had some sort of bug. I was under the weather for 4 days. And I took a couple of days to relax and make sure I was ok (Still was really tired from going back to work vs. sleeping all day.)

So here I am.

Unsure.

Deliberating.

October 9, 2010 is not coming any slower.

I want a 26.2 bumper sticker.

I want that swagger. That confidence.

Deliberating.

Can I do this?

Will I do this?

Longest run is 12.5 miles.

A lot of work for 7 weeks.

Is it safe?

Is it possible?

Cool as a cucumber? Uh. Hmmm. Not sure.

12 mile run in pictures

The 59th Street Bridge which takes me to Manhattan from Queens

Crate and Barrel, my favorite store to run by and look in the windows!

Infamous underground Apple store

6 mile loop around Central Park

The running path whose roadway stays closed to traffic till 8am and is always packed with bikers and runners.

Some of the GORGEOUS scenery along the way.

My run went well till the end, since it was 9ish and I was HOT, I got a bit dehydrated which resulted in some unwanted stomach cramps, nausea and a trip to a hotel's bathroom 1.5 miles from my house :-( Never had that problem before, but apparently it happens to people most when they're dehydrated. I basically need electrolytes when running long runs in the heat, even if I start at 6:15am! I guess I never really ran long runs in the heat much since my half marathons were in the spring except for one, which for that one I did 10milers for and that was it.

I got so frustrated after feeling so good during the run (Even though my Garmin was out of battery so I was running BLIND! The horror!), the end of it was pretty pathetic. When Brian picked me up (Yes I had to call him to pick me up), I was so distraught saying, "I can't do this I'm horrible I'm never going to be able to do this." And he told me, "Wait till you're clear minded to say that." He's the best. Now in retrospect I should have at least had Gatorade or SOMETHING other than water. (I refilled my fuel belt 3 times, meaning I drank 96 ounces of water, but my body was saying "Uh uh oh no you didn't.")

So. This week is 13 miles. We'll see how I respond. My sister Jennifer suggested I take electrolyte pills, so I'm going to try that.

In other news, Bri and I have been busy this weekend: Birthday party Friday night, parents came to visit Saturday, White Party Saturday night (Pictures coming), Sunday went to morning and night church services, Monday long run and Empire of the Sun concert.

I'm TIRED! Cool as a cucumber.

I run Astoria

I want this shirt so badly. But it's a touristy shirt maybe. Hmmm. Not sure if I can go with the fad or succumb to its self imposed "coolness". This shirt says, "I run NY". Maybe I can make one that says "I run Astoria".

Yes, this is my view from my 5 mile run this morning. Manhattan. In a city that is supposed to be fast paced, I find this view so calming. Probably because it involves water. Actually, it involves DECENT smelling water, which doesn't happen in the metropolitan area too often. My foot held up for 3 miles, then was a bit sore for the last 2, so I cut my workout from 7 to 5 miles :-( Wisdom with injuries always wins. I run to run.

We have a fabulous speaker at our church named J. John. He spoke on resting this weekend; and resting to me is very hard to do. Like, I need to be completely removed from my life in order to rest. He talked about keeping the sabbath holy. I'll write more on that Friday in preparation for the upcoming sabbath next weekend ;-) Suffice it to say, I will not be doing any long runs on Sundays anymore. I get too anxious and worked up about it, and I'm completely distracted at church thinking about it. Friday or Saturday is my designated long run day. But the interesting thing about the sabbath is that it's meant to help you relax. And this past year, I used it as my homework day for grad school and my long run day. It wasn't a rest, it was work according to keep my life going; maybe not work for a livelihood, but work nonetheless. So, every Sunday I will attempt to be calm, relax, and catch my breath.

In other news: It's Shark Week. Enough Said.

Gait analysis...disclaimer picture is not me!

Following some painful foot issues, I decided to get a gait analysis done before I go to a doctor. So, I went to Quantum Feet, the only running shop in Queens REMOTELY close to me. They set me up with the treadmill and camera and everything and had me walk barefoot. Well, the results came quickly and made sense:

1. I walk/run on the outside of my foot like most people. My shoes are too small, most likely causing the pain.

2. I have a regular-high arch. I was wearing a shoe for someone with no arch, providing TOO MUCH stability. I need a "no support" shoe.

3. My shoes were too heavy for my feet.

4. Because my shoes were too small, my consistent blisters now made sense.

I then tried on a couple of different shoes, and these were the winners:

The Nike+ Pegasus 27's. I ran around the block and they felt great; however, my foot still didn't feel right. The owner suggested I rest for 3 days (YET AGAIN UGHHH) and then come back and try them out again. Nice. She could have taken the, "Get these shoes now to fix your feet" route, but she took the "wait and see" route, the road less traveled for sales people.

My thoughts: I agree. After my knee soreness, I was light on my right leg while running, most likely resulting in a heavier load on my left foot/leg, and the foot pain definitely could've been the result. Also, those shoes were REALLY comfy and felt right. I've always thought my shoes were heavy but stable; these shoes showed me they don't have to be heavy. I'm hoping by Sunday I will be able to run again with some new shoes!

Plus side: They're only $90. That's significantly lower than I thought they would be. There's only one problem with the shoe: It's UNC Blue. The color is even called, "University Blue". This Uconn girl is going to have to swallow some serious pride.

Now, as for relaxing and not freaking out about training for a marathon...I'm going to have to avoid some serious not-running depression...

Cool as a cucumber.

Cool as a cucumber

So I've been a little anxious. Ok Like A LOT anxious. It's about this little marathon hope and dream I have. October 9, 2010 isn't coming any slower, and I'm facing another hurdle to jump over. My knee is pretty much back to normal. No real pain, maybe SLIGHTLY sore after a run but I've continued to ice it. My latest anxiety-inducing situation? A sore foot. And now, I'm not talking sore like my knee, I'm talking slicing a knife through the middle of my foot sore. According to Runners World, I've narrowed it down to either tendinitis or planters fasciitis. Either way, I'm not happy. I've never, repeat NEVER, had an injury in my 7+ years of running. Now two within two weeks. Here are the answers to what you may be thinking...

1. No, I'm not training EXTRA hard. (I've run way more than this consistently)

2. No, my shoes have never been a problem. Ran a 1/2 marathon in them in April and I think they still have some miles in them.

3. Nothing happened that I can think of to cause my sudden foot handicap.

4. It hurts more when I walk then when I run.

5. I've been icing it since the pain started and taking aleve.

So, I have decided I need to be cool as a cucumber. Take the Lambeau approach to life. Instead of laying awake at night wondering if I can run a marathon, I need to believe I can do it. Instead of being sad and wanting to give up completely, I need to be proactive.

So, today I will go and get my gate analyzed at a running store. I've never done this, but it's the most positive and proactive thing I can think of to do.

Cool as a cucumber. Let's give this a try.

go go go!

After my 8 miler yesterday, I've actually felt pretty good knee wise. So, as a recovery, I was going to do another lake swim, but was sadly too tired to get there by 7:30am. Instead, I did my laps in my parent's pool. Cool, right? Well, it's 5 laps for every 1 lap in a 50m pool, there's a lot of turning and stopping, turning and stopping. And I don't push off the ends so I don't cheat myself out of any strokes etc. Well, I did 150 laps today! aka, 32 laps in a 50m pool...aka 1 mile! Eek! I wasn't tired till about lap 20, which I usually only do 20-24 laps, but I decided to try it out today. Oddly enough, it was wicked hot today so the pool was a logical recovery tool...but I didn't get thirst swimming! I actually had to use the bathroom because I was drinking water as a precaution! This NEVER happens to me, especially in the heat!

And, as the picture shows, I had my nephew Evan in the pool while I was swimming trying to distract me, play with me, and cheer me on saying "Go! Go! Go!" Gosh he's cute. (My sister was in the pool with him, I did not leave a toddler in the pool unsupervised!!!) Isn't my swimsuit funny though? Yea, that's my "tanning" bikini. My lovely husband told me he packed my lap swimming suit, and it's no where to be found in our belongings. He's camping for the weekend with a friend, out of cell phone range and everything. So I was left to swim in a "fashionable" suit. Not recommended. Can be done, but still not recommended!

But hey, it matched my cap and goggles.

Good luck to all you long runners this weekend! And a special shout out to my friend Heather who is doing her FIRST EVER Ironman Triathalon in Lake Placid tomorrow! GOOD LUCK!

Running with an old friend

I ran with an old friend today. Her name is Missy (Far Right). This is us the day before my wedding going to get spray tanned...when she gave me wrong directions and I ended up driving 15 minutes out of the way only to drive 15 minutes back and then 10 minutes further with the CORRECT directions ;-) No stress no stress. Missy has been my neighbor and friend, for well, forever, and she is a barrell of laughs. Her brother is my age so we were friends, and she is my sister Kate's age so they were friends (Kate is next to Missy above), but over the years we've all become friends! Missy has run a few half marathons and endless 10 and 5k's, she was my first running friend. So when I told her I wanted to partner up for a long run today, she said "Yes, but I'm slow." I'M ALWAYS THAT PERSON! She kept saying I could run ahead because she was running a bit slower, but hey, I didn't mind, it was my first run in a week! And what a day to run, I'll tell ya. 72 degrees, a bit humid, but overcast and no sun. I haven't sweat that little since March! We talked about family, school, work, life, it was fabulous. Running with friends is so satisfying, I forgot about my college years when I would catch up with friends like Joy, Katie, Ruth and Amanda. Thanks for the run Little Missy! 8 miles was never so much fun!!! ;-D

Today, running was FUN. Running was RELAXED. Running was RUNNING. I think that week off did some good attitude adjustments...it's not got to, it's get to. My knee is ok, a little sore, but I describe as an "annoying pain" rather than a "painful pain". My Marathon friend thinks it could be tendanitis, but we'll see.

On another note: I'll be changing my commenting options. Please look at the previous post and the comment left. It's some Asian blog, and they leave 2-3 comments on each of my posts, most likely links that lead to porn or Asian dating services (From the first one I did follow the links of). I report them every time and delete them, but how stinkin ANNOYING!? So, if you're not a follower, become one, because I'm going "Spam Commenting Free"! ;-)

Lack of running = sadness.

But isn't this sign cute?! Bri and I went to the Hamptons this weekend to see my friend Lyss. It was fabulous. The day started out with going around town, getting coffee at "The Golden Pear" (Apparently celebs frequent this adorable little cafe) and a garden store. Hence the sign above! I really want to make one like this for myself...the $110 price tag kept me from making the purchase that day ;-) We went to the beautiful beach, and ended with delicious food at their house on the bay...and a sunburn!

Running Recap: On Thursday I went on a 5 mile run, and it felt great. It was barely 75 degrees and low humidity. Like WOOHOO I'm running in the 8 minute mile range and not feeling like I'm going to die from heat exhaustion! I keep going...and going...and then mile 3 my knee felt bad. Again. UGH. (Time was 50:13 with walking every mile and getting stuck at a few crosswalks, so I still was in 9:00+ish minute miles, a pleasant surprise despite soreness :-(

My knee is just not doing well, and I haven't run since Thursday. Four days. Yup. Like a caged animal. DOUBLE ugh. I was feeling so good in training, that this comes as a huge letdown. I've been swimming a bit, but mainly I've been icing and resting. I. Don't. Like. It. But I'm on husband's orders to rest and relax because if I'm going to do a marathon, I have to be 100% healthy. I may try it out tomorrow but I've definitely been keeping up with my swimming. I've never been injured minus soreness here and there, so this scares and depresses me.

In the words of my runner landlord:

"You run to run. If you end early one day because it hurts or you're tired, you get to run another day. Run till you're 90." - A Wise Greek Dentist who runs

Long run weekend with an added bonus!

So yesterday was my long run of 7 miles. (I'm doing the Novice I training program by Hal Higdon.) Although I was really excited to get those miles under my feet (Because I said if I didn't run 7 miles within the next two weeks I was DONE-ZO!), it was REALLY humid. Like taste in your mouth humid. No. Bueno. BLECH. But my sister the triathlete invited me to swim at Crystal lake (pictured above) with some ladies Saturday morning. Hmmm. Long run....lake swim...could be interesting...

So I did the swim. 7:30am arrival, swam for a 1/2 mile. I didn't really feel winded; I gave it about 75% because I was scared of getting tired and not being able to finish! I could tell swimming this whole week REALLY helped. I've swam everyday since Tuesday, and I've been keeping up with my running schedule. Sweet. There's a first time for everything...and it's called SUMMER TIME!

The run, well, that's another story. About 1.5 miles in my knee felt funky, and so I felt like I had to "pop it" (Crack it) like I have in the past. But it wouldn't crack. So I kept going. My husband decided to bike my run with me. This was interesting. Talking to someone the whole time was distracting and difficult all at the same time. Also, I realized how I like to be by myself, because I don't have to tell anyone right, left, straight etc, or explain why I stopped to drink water ;-) Apparently I'm at my crankiest when I'm running! But in the end we both came out smiling thank goodness. 7 miles done. Slowly. Humidity was way intense and I didn't start until 9:30, which meant the sun was pretty stinkin strong! Thankfully we finished 15 minutes before a CRAZY wind/rain storm. What are your thoughts? I tried my hardest to run it out, but I couldn't seem to get my pace up in the heat. I figure 7 miles is 7 miles, distance and endurance are what matter most, right?

Question: Do you take protein? We've started making smoothies with protein. Apparently they're good for recovery. Thoughts?

Swimming and running!

I hope this picture is big enough. But this is the pool I swim in! (OF course I chose the best looking picture!) Anyway, I love swimming in this park! LOVE IT! It's right next to a bridge which is so funny to swim next to. It's like you forget you're in a city, take a breath while swimming freestyle, and bam there's a reminder!

I've also been running thankfully. I finally feel like I'm in motion again. Getting it all done in the morning also helps! But my oh my was it HOT! My car read 107 degrees two days ago, and in this concrete jungle, soooooey that's hot!

How have you been coping with the heat? I've only been doing major activity in the morning, and nothing big in the afternoon. And drinking a TON of water. TONS I tell you tons!

This is short and sweet. Have to go get ready for my tutoring job!!! I'm loving it, the kids are fun and it's encouraged that we have fun, so fun we shall have!

Marathon hopes and dreams and birthday parties galore!

UPDATED: I added the most recent sister picture! ;-)

(Note: Picture is from one year ago) HAPPY 40th BIRTHDAY MELISSA! (Far left) This weekend we threw her a SURPRISE 40th birthday party and it was FABULOUS! Meliss is a great sissy and doesn't look a day over 30. An updated picture will be uploaded soon enough from the party. (A bad case of food poisoning has prevented uploading thus far!)

On to marathon thoughts. I know I seem melancholy and forlorn concerning this HUGE step in my running life, but seriously, I've been a crank pot for a couple of weeks! Attitude is EVERYTHING! I think the change in summer job schedule and my reduced workload (Inevitably less money), and being there for my hubby while he goes on interviews has really drained me. I want to be the girl in this picture who was having fun and looked forward to daily runs!!! After talking with some people at the party, I think I'm finally there (My brother-in-law is training for the same marathon as myself, and the other person is an experienced marathoner and cyclist). Here are my proactive steps I plan to take to kick my butt into gear. I'll call this my "July Jump Start".

July Jump Start Plan:

- Join a running group. There's one that meets in the park a mile away from me. I plan on joining this week. They meet 4 times a week including a long run. PERFECT for my training schedule!

- The public pool is opening. I'm going to try to swim.

- I'm going to know my limits, but take advantage of my time off and really focus on consistency and quality.

- BE POSITIVE!

Well, we'll see how this goes! Someone said something to me at the party that stuck with me,

"Well Kristin, looks like you've done everything you set out to do!" (Referring to my life plans at age 16!) And, well, I have! It was a funny thought; I got married at 24 like I wanted, I became a teacher, got my master's, it's fabulous! I need to refocus on the positives instead of majoring on the negatives.

Dog days of summer

So, Lambeau has decided that between 7-7:30am, when the sun hits his favorite perch on the back of our couch, it's time to get a tan! He sits in the intense sun and lays out as long as he can stretch. If you touch him, he's incredibly warm...and loves it! My breakfast time is a lot more relaxing without him crying/barking at me to throw his ball for him. He's such a teenager.

I can't wait to have the "Lambeau way of life" in 3 1/2 days!!! (School days that is!) Seriously, this last week is completely unnecessary and tedious and needs to end like NOW. Had a (beautiful) wedding Sunday, work end of year party Monday, and I'm TIRED!

In second job news, I got a SAT tutoring job with a company called Chyten. They are really high caliber, specializing in one on one tutoring. Largest groups they ever have are 3-5 students, and you get paid a lot more for that (Unlike Kaplan or Sylvan which are all group based). We'll see how this goes!

Running. Oh running. If I don't run 7 miles at one time within the next week and a half I'm throwing in the marathon towel. I'm sucking wind (Literally) right now. I was going well with 5am days, but I'm just DRAINED again! The heat shot up and we've been 85+ for well over a week, and it's 75 by 6am, which is NASTY and HUMID! EW!

Oh to be Lambeau...sleeping the morning away while basking in the sun...

Good bye to an old friend

Ok I haven't blogged in a hot minute...my apologies to you adoring fans! But I've committed to a cleanse and it's REALLY unfortunate and I hate it...I've gotten used to it, but I still don't like it. I've also faced some personal setbacks, so this is also a sad blog.

Ok. So I've been having some issues with food and digestion lately, and a friend suggested the candida diet to do a "natural health cleanse". So far, I think it's helped. I don't want to list all the do's and don't's, look it up if you wish. But basically, it's no carbs, no sugar, NO COFFEE, no nothin' that isn't natural! I've enjoyed being more "natural", but my energy level, YET AGAIN, has been low. This has taught me (Minus any workout) to be more conscious of what I'm eating; aka white flour vs wheat flour, etc etc. But boy oh boy, have I found a love for organic buckwheat pancakes!!!

On a sad note....

4 years ago, a man named Kevin Greene hired me at ESPN Zone in Times Square. I only had hostess experience with the Olive Garden in CT. I sold myself by saying, "I was supposed to work as a server in CT. If you hire me here as a server, I guarantee you I won't disappoint you." 4 years later, the doors of ESPN Zone closed unexpectedly. It's pretty sad. For one full year, I worked there full time; Monday & Wednesday lunch, Friday night Saturday double. When I graduated (After paying my Nyack bill in CASH and debt free - thanks ESPN) I got accepted into the Teaching Fellows, an amazing program that, by God's amazing blessing, I got in to. After that, the lovely Dave Bryson, GM of "The Zone", let me stay ESPN on Saturdays during the school year while I taught, and allowed me to work during the summer 3-4 shifts a week. It was a great job. I loved the people. They became my NYC family. But, last Wednesday, we found out they were closing. Now it's all over. I've cried my tears, hugged my friends, and gotten my severance check (!). I got hired at a tutoring institute. Wow. No more restaurant work for me? We'll see. This summer seems like a big mystery. I'm really nostalgic concerning my Zone friends, and how my summer doesn't include me there a few times a week. I'll miss the "dead" cookie sundae, seeing random celebrities (especially visiting MLB players), and most of all, the people.

Kevin Greene, you gave me a job when I didn't have any experience but a lot of enthusiasm to learn. Johnny Brasco, you showed me the rules of the Zone and how to get things done and "manage" each table...especially world cup tables...Katie Xanthis, now married with a a beautiful baby, you gave me the in's and out's of having an overloaded section and how to handle Europeans. I'll never forget the Monday "Get Fresh Crew", as well as confusing Ryan Matthews for my (now) husband.

Thanks ESPN Zone, for 4 years of being a server, and making incredible friends and meeting/seeing some pretty cool guests (Mark Wahlburg, Andy Pettitte, TI, the dad from the OC, POD, all 3 top NBa drafts two years ago, Nadal, Elizabeth from the View, Vanessa Manillo, Pixie Lott, and many many more...)

Ode to ESPN Zone: I'll miss you; no, people of ESPN Zone, I'll miss you most.

Eating out...kid style!

SO this morning I did some cross training at the gym because, well, my joints were a bit sore. P90X is kicking my butt! Anyway, so I did the elliptical. My relationship with the elliptical is bittersweet: I forget to look at my pace, so I'm really lazy, and then I suddenly realize that I'm taking FOREVER! Shockingly, I find the elliptical pretty challenging. So this morning, my workout went like this:

Mile 1: 10:10. Thought to myself, "What the heck?! I didn't get up at 5:10am for THIS!"

Mile 2: 9:00. Thought to myself, "This is better. Could throw up. Might not. Wait and find out."

Mile 3: 8:00. Thought to myself, "Why didn't I do this from the beginning!"

Even though I have been doing early morning workouts, I've been finding it difficult to push myself because I get the sudden urge to throw up. So I have to be especially careful in the gym. Like, literally, I have gagged frequently while running outside. Don't know why, it just sucks. But I suck it up (literally, figuratively, whatever!) and run it out.

So, this evening, Bri went to a Yankee game, so I had the evening free. My friend Lyss came and worked out with me, and then we ordered take out. The best. Take out. EVER. BAREBURGER! Picture below:

Now, everything is all organic, even their wood for the booths is recycled wood. Amazing. So I went on the menu online to pick what I wanted. When I looked at the options, I stumbled upon the kid's menu called the "cubby menu". I had three choices, the Grizzly meal, a burger (Beef, turkey, or veggie burger option!), the Panda meal, aka chicken fingers, or the Polar meal, a chicken wrap. But these meals came with an amazing salad and fries...for $5.99! That's a complete meal for me, and I jumped on it; SO glad I did! I got the Cubby meal with a beef burger. It was so good. .....I also got a vanilla shake... but that's besides the point... Lambeau and I walked the 12 min walk to pick up our food. It was lovely. The air was finally cooling down and getting less humid. It was seriously a great meal and the cost was wicked great. Mmmmm. Tomorrow again perhaps?!

Did you run on "National Running Day"? I did the elliptical shamefully...

Welcome baby Ella Ann! June: You're not so welcome

This is my new niece!!! Isn't she BEAUTIFUL!? (And *I* bought her that cute little outfit!) She was born on Saturday, May 29, and I was THRILLED to be home for it!!! She arrived ON her due date, which happens 7% of the time...Ella, you're going to be EXTRAORDINARY!

So, June is here. Did my weigh in at home. Not. So. Good. ZERO change. ZILCH. None. Um, hello, *may*keover, I'm supposed to lose weight! However, I did not exercise as much as in the past two years. My fatigue surrounding working overtime and completing my thesis gave me plenty of excuses to throw in the towel. This is a new month.

June is continuing with healthy living, and my husband is on board! We started P90X together, which I'm doing slowly but surely (I'm completely sore but not crazy sore!). And I know I have to go at my own pace, so if I rest for a minute, I rest. But I had to do SOMETHING different. It's all about muscle confusion, which I think is just what my body needs!

Also, I've officially decided to aim for the Hartford Marathon, as my NYC Marathon connection couldn't pull through and sneak me in! ;-( But hey, Hartford, "New England's Rising Star", HERE I COME! My childhood neighbor, and still close friend Mark, is helping me train. Mark has run 5 (or more) marathons, including Boston, NYC, and Disney. He's also running the Hartford Marathon, and depending on his status come race time, might run with me. So, this week I'm doing 3-4 miles 5 days, and then 6 miles for a long run. I'll be building up my mileage every week. I'm switching it up with elliptical and biking, because I'm not in great shape and need to pace my progress.

Another addition: protein shakes. I did a bit of research, and it looks pretty legit. I was scared it would somehow make me bulk up, but it is supposed to help with recovery from distance training, injury avoidance, and energy level. I've been doing some morning workouts (yes, more on that later) and it's been a great way to finish my workout: 1 scoop of Whey Protein, 3/4 cup of skim milk, and a quick pour of coffee...mmmm....

Yet another addition: 5am. Yes, ladies (And I doubt gents), 5am. My new wake up time. This morning's run was almost too hot. Scary! But I did an 8:39 first mile this morning, and that's definite growth for this NON morning runner. (Huh hmmm the other miles were just par for the course and not worth mentioning!)

What do you do to switch it up? I know it seems drastic, but I feel at the ripe old age of 25, I've plateaued, and that SCARES me! :-D

And my last day of teaching the kiddos is June 28! CAN'T. GET. HERE. ANY. FASTER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Maykeover...not so much

I HAVE ZERO ENERGY! GAH! I seriously have not exercised for a few days now, and I feel even MORE sluggish! Plus we were puppy sitting, and these doggies had me up EARLY because they needed time to adjust to each other, and were therefore up at 5:30am Friday, 6:10am Saturday (My sleep in till 7:30 day) and 6:30am on Sunday (My REALLY sleep in till 9am day!), so yea, I'm TIRED! (But the pictures and snuggle naps were precious!)

*May*keover advice: Eating out.

- It's really hard to eat out and stay healthy. Many factors render this a lofty task (Can you TELL I just handed in my thesis!?). One factor, which I think is the most important factor, is the unknown. Do you KNOW your chicken was grilled and not basted in butter/fattening oil? Do you know if that dressing is low calorie/fat? Do you know how much cheese they really put on the salad? When you read the book "Eat This Not That", it really opens your eyes. Did you know Panera Bread is one of the most unhealthy places to eat...EVER! I went there about a month ago, and was taking a while to order. This is how the conversation went:

Employee: "Can I help you pick something out?"

Me: "I'm trying to find the healthiest thing on the menu." (Thanks NYC for posting calories on EVER MENU!)

Employee: "Ha ha, you'll find good food but you won't find healthy food here."

I got a sandwich and ate half of it. I mean REALLY?! A place that boasts whole grains and natural ingredients should at LEAST TRY to be healthy! It's a miserable story, because I really love Panera...and the muffie is over 250 calories! SAD DAY! And Starbucks, well, don't even get me started. SKIM MILK is the way to go; if you complain that you don't like it, get used to it, or get a coffee based drink like an americano.

So the moral of this story is: WATCH OUT WHEN YOU EAT OUT! Don't be afraid to order things on the side. I serve tables on the weekends, and trust me, people are specific for STUPID reasons. Why not be specific for a GREAT reason! Be careful about the following:

1. Dressings. Any dressing can range from 10 calories (unlikely in a restaurant) to 150 calories per serving (Usually 2 tablespoons!) And the creamier it is, the worse off you are! Balsamic balsamic balsamic! Go for straight balsamic, it's tasty!
2. Get GRILLED....I know that breaded chicken avocado wrap looks AMAZING, but it's not worth the calories. Once in a while? Sure. But keep it to once in a very long while ;-)
3. Go for the skim latte...better yet, an americano with a fancy syrup.
4. If you go out, eat half then bring the rest home! Or, do what I do, and share a meal with someone!!! (Just tip a little extra....I hate people who under order because they're cheap!)
5. Most of all, EAT IN! Cook for yourself. We try to cook for ourselves even though we love eating out. I always feel better after eating the food *I* make vs. a restaurant. You always end up eating too much.

And finally: I HANDED IN MY THESIS!!! I graduate on May 28, it's going to be legend...wait for it...dary!

*May*keover 3!

For those of you who don't know the origin of my blogging, here it is: The *May*keover! It has begun again. I'm sorry for not posting in April/the beginning of May, but it's not too late to start! Look at the link for some of the rules. I have adjusted some of them:

- If you need to eat something like sweets or drink alcohol etc, try doing it one-two times a week!

- Once a week, try a two a day! (Workout morning and night)

- Take vitamins!

I also have been using this to become a better "housewife", or home caretaker! My big *may*keover step: Washing dishes as I cook! I don't sit down to eat until MOST of them are done! It's been working out well, and I think, SHOCK, I like it!

Sorry it's so late, still don't know if people read this...let's see how it goes!

The half marathon - that was not :-(

First of all, I met me idol Ann Curry. She's one heck of a lady and nicest person. That lessens the sad story about to be told...

DISAPPOINTMENT does not begin to describe this day. All this week we had BEAUTIFUL weather, 60-70's and sunny. And today? Raining. A LOT. And cold, like 47 feels like 44. And it's 11am. Therefore, my 8am start time temperature was 44 degrees feels like 41. And raining. I'm extreme, but I'm not that extreme. And I'm SO disappointed. Ugh. Can't fight it, I just have to accept it. (I write this as I stare at my race outfit hung over my kitchen chair and my gu packets sitting my table...AGH)

At least I got a great goody bag out of the wasted $55.

On to better and greater things. What should I do when despondent and sad? Look for other races! So, I'm doing a tristate search, because NYC is anti race in the summer, and for good reason. (It's gross and hot and pavement simmers and sizzles at 9am!) So, here are a few I'm looking at:

Amica Half Marathon June 6

X-treme Scramble Series in Hartford (I'd only go to 2 out of 3, I'm not out of school until June 28!)

New York Dash and Splash July 10 (10k)

ING NYC Marathon (11.7.10) or ING Hartford Marathon (10.9.10)

Yes, folks, it's true. MARATHON without the world "half" is at the end of that list. No jokes about this one. The husband gave the ok, I'm going to get the ok from a Dr. (Which shouldn't be hard because I'm healthy as a horse), and it's ON! Here's the reason there's two options for the big "M":

- I have a family friend who works for ING in their marathon foundation department. Last year she got my good friend in to the NYC marathon. When she heard I was a runner too, she said she would've gotten me in as well! I asked if I could do it this next year, and she said yes. Well, we've contacted her to no avail, she keeps saying she doesn't know yet. If it's a no, just tell me no! If she can't do it, I'll be totally fine, but hey, I would KILL to be in the NYC marathon! It's a dream. Unless all my bloggers want to pay my $2500 charity entry fee, it's only going to happen through this contact.

- IF I am unable to do the NYC big "M", I will go with the close second Hartford big "M". This would also be a big deal because it's in my hometown and I would have a great support system (5 brothers and sisters and 12 nieces and nephews BETTER represent! ;-) ) So, I won't be disappointed if I do the Hartford Marathon, I would just still have the illustrious ING NYC Marathon hanging over my goals in life still ;-)

Ok, that's enough contemplation for now. So, final thought: I am running a marathon in the fall.

AND SO IS MY FRIEND LAURIE! Congrats girl!

3rd half marathon....4th is 3 weeks away!

It's done!!! Here are the specks:

2:06.17 PR

THAT'S RIGHT! This girl got a GARMIN!

I ran it with my sister, as well as my friend Tristan! We had a great time. My cheer crew, Drew, Sarah, Melissa, and Bella were AMAZING! It was a lot of loops through Flushing Meadow Park, ironically the park next to where I TEACH! So, our cheer crew saw us 6 times I think, it was amazing!

What a struggle. I had bad allergies for 2 weeks beforehand, and wasn't training well with Claritan. UGH I was so dizzy! But God is good - I shaved 9 minutes off of my first one! (My Garmin had us at 13.1 2/10-3/10 before the finish! UGH!) So I have two finishing times...I like my Garmin's time better ;-)

I lost my sister Jen just before the race, because she decided to warm up, then go to the bathroom - it was like *I* was the older sister! I was so stressed! Thankfully, when I left my waiting spot to use the bathroom, some nice lady in line showed me how to set my goal pace on my Garmin! 9 min miles for me...it basically happened! I didn't find Jen till 2 miles in...of course the passed me (Her amazing time was 1:55!). She jokingly told me afterwards that I didn't hear her calling me for a minute or so, she tried all my nicknames and everything! (Trust me, I can hear the McAuliffe voice a MILE away!) But she finally found me, as did Tristan a mile later.

The race was great, 65 degrees and sunny! Got a bit of color. It's all a blur! Crowd support wasn't great, but my cheer squad was AMAZING! Thanks again guys!

My next half is 3 weeks away. Contemplating the NYC half marathon if I can get in through a connection who works for ING...unless someone wants to donate the $2,600 for me so I can go in on a charity bid! ;-)

More Magazine Fitness Women's half marathon is coming...watch out world, goal is 2:00! There were tears during this one and there will be tears through this one as well! 4 Half Marathons in 1 year is pretty darn good in my opinion.

Thanks again for all your thoughts and well wishes!

Ps. My hubby has been in LA for a week and a half and won't be back till Saturday night = I MISS HIM MORE THAN ANYTHING IN THE WORLD!