Mrs. Miller's Miles

Fit Bottoms Barre Class

2012-02-01T20:48:00.006-05:00

Hello, 60 degree weather!!! I haven't seen you since...YESTERDAY! Two days in a row with beautifully gorgeous weather? What a nice way to end January/begin February! Lambeau puppy agrees. He was smiling ear to ear because I took him for an extra long (30 minute) walk, instead of our usual 15 to 20 minutes:Then, I told him I was going to Fit Bottoms Barre Class. Lambeau puppy took on a very regal, stoic outlook:
Yes, it's true, I tried a "barre" class. It could be called "The Bar Method", it is similar to the infomercially popular "Physique 57", and it. is. hard. Lambeau puppy was right to get all serious on me!!! The instructor, from Fit Body Pilates, encouraged me to join a couple of weeks ago and added, "It's really a challenge but you see quick results." Ugh. I'm not one to back down from a challenge like that! Since my groupon only covered Pilates classes, I didn't go. Until I received an email with a LARGELY discounted (50% off) monthly fee for an unlimited pass to every class...well, I jumped on that ship. So tonight, I tried to infamously "challenging" class.

Guess what? I was humbled. I could barely keep up 10 minutes in. I had to take breaks. Thank GOD the girl next to me was a first timer too. The instructor is GREAT. She knows I'm trying but STINK at Pilates etc, so she is super helpful. However, my hip really reacted negatively. Now, during other Pilates classes, I've noticed my hip has been sensitive (Note: Since May, I've had to crack my hip consistently. No clue why.). Today? It hurt. The said great instructor tried to help my leg extend a little higher and a little straighter, and I had to desperately beg her off because my hip HURT. Like A LOT. Walking home it was sensitive to touch. Now, my nursing friends think it's just a weak muscle in my hip, which my chiropractor said as well. Maybe I worked the right (weak) muscles? Who knows. I have a real doctor appointment next week, with a list of ailments, and I hope she has an answer for each one :-) I will be back to this class. Unlimited classes mean, as Mr. Miller said, "You better be going to every single class you can." No need to tell me twice!!! He's so practical. Little does he realize, I will go to every. single. class. I. CAN!

January Review. Nothing crazy here folks: 62 miles run. I am proud. This was an amazing increase from my dismal December showing of 15.5 miles. December was ROUGH. I was sick at the end of November, forbidden from activity by my doctor for over 2 weeks, and the death of my grandfather really messed me up. In addition to all this, I had the holiday distractions of parties, shopping, and baking! Thankfully, January went well. I ran my miles. Injury free. Just the way I like it!!! I can't wait for February when the mileage amps up just a bit. I'm also excited for my first time half marathoners! Ms. Bailey and Mrs. Gray, KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK!!! That finish line is going to make you say, "Let's do this again!!!", I just know it.

How was your January? TELL ME ABOUT IT! We often start out strong and end, well, with a lackluster effort. Thankfully, polka dot bikini, I did not. I may have to get it out of the drawer as a reminder for February...

Coming soon: Polka dot bikini picture.

Running and Cross training my way because it's...

20 days until Cancun and Winter Polka Dot Bikini!!!

51 Days until the 13.1 NYC half marathon!!!

Two a Day Tuesday II

2012-01-31T21:08:00.004-05:00

It's easy to do a two a day when it's, oh, 65 degrees out! I have spring fever...shoot, it's January. I was having season confusion sensory overload today! Is season confusion such a thing? Well, if it is, I have it. Since I knew it was going to be a beautiful afternoon, I decided to get some extra rest this morning and revel in the warmth for an afternoon run. I couldn't contain my excitement when I "ran" into Mr. Miller as I started out:I did an E-A-S-Y 3.1 miles. A 20 degree increase is an adjustment for your body temperature, no matter how wonderful. I didn't want to use all my 8 ounces of water in the first mile, so I took it easy. I didn't bring music, I wanted to enjoy the weather. There were birds singing everywhere! The running stars aligned. I kept flashing to early morning OUTDOOR runs in May and June, when it's not dark and safe to play on the sidewalk in the early morning hours.

I've noticed something so funny about my pace. It's a minute+ better than my marathon training pace. I got S-L-O-W during training. Like there were a lot of 11's in my pace...at the beginning of the number. Now I'm totally in the 10's, and flirting with the 9's. So glad that I'm not crazy. I knew 11 was slow for me, and I feel like I'm building back to my half marathon self.

The second workout of the day: Fit Body Pilates. The instructor is SO good. Meaning bad. But GREAT! But painful. Yes, she knows how to make it burn. I took a quick shot of the torture chamber, er I mean studio:
It could be yoga mat art! Mine is Green Bay Green. Go Pack Go. It still hurts...

So, there you have it. Tomorrow is strength and no running. However, it's going to be 62 again...maybe I'll save strength training for Thursday?!

I'm going nuts in this glorious warmth of weather. Are you experiencing some fabulous fun in the sun yourself?! TELL ME ABOUT IT! Makes Cancun feel all the more real!!!

Running and Cross training my way because it's...

21 days until Cancun and Winter Polka Dot Bikini!!!...3 weeks from today!!!

52 Days until the 13.1 NYC half marathon!!!

Glad Game Monday III

2012-01-30T21:10:00.003-05:00

Why is it that the past few Mondays have been so rough?! Oh, probably because I'm supposed to play the Glad Game, that's why! In case you didn't see the first two, Glad Game Monday is choosing to be glad on a day that often highlights the, well, downright awful return to working, recovering from the weekend, and lack of fun things to look forward to...until Friday.

I haven't blogged. I hit a bit of a downer this week. I was really busy, and then kind of slipped into a funk. Do you ever get those? I was getting in my runs, working out (Pilates TWICE!), but this month has not been the best. You see, back in the summer, I needed to shed some pounds because I wasn't feeling 100% ready for marathon training. So, I dieted, exercised (Obviously, marathon training!) and was relaxed in summer bliss. I lost 7.7lbs (Ounces COUNT!) and felt much better, fitter, and ready to train hard. Toward the end of summer, I began phasing out of this and eating more because my mileage was increasing significantly. I maintained my weight loss throughout my training, and come January I weighed the same! Score. Even after Christmas cookies. Well, I've weighed myself every Friday and it has been a horror fest. Week 1: up 1lb. Week 2: up 1lb (2lbs total gain) Week 3: Down 1lb (1lb total gain) Week 4: Up 3 lbs (4lbs total gain in January.) This really upset me. I'm not a slave to the scale, but I'm doing most of the things I did in the summer, just running a little less, and ugh. It's so disheartening! I can't imagine the people on the Biggest Loser, and how they feel with only a 1 or 2lb loss, and they put in 10x's the amount that I do. So, BL peeps, I'm sorry. I have new found empathy for your hard work and dedication. So, I was blue. The Blue Day Book didn't help (I FINALLY FOUND IT), a great 5 mile run Saturday didn't help, and the french fries I've been depriving myself of and finally ate Saturday night didn't help either. I think it was "just one of those days". I don't know what's happening, but I'm frustrated, mad, and feisty.

So, how do I turn this Glad Game Monday around? By being glad, that's how.

I'm glad I ran in shorts Saturday. 55 and sunny?! Yes. Tomorrow? 54 and sunny. Re Re Re REPEAT!

I'm glad that my 4 mile run today turned into 4.5 miles, and it felt great.

I'm glad I made it to cardio blast pilates tonight. Note to self: No eating before cardio blast pilates again. There's dancing. Not good post dinner.

I'm glad my auto body shop is organized. They sent me a letter reminding me that my emissions was up this month...aka tomorrow. I didn't open it until this Sunday (Three weeks later), and I'm glad I did! NYC tickets you at the stroke of midnight on those things!!!

I'm glad that my 13.1 newbie Mrs. Gray is training like a champ! I'm so proud of her! I guess I'm "coaching" her, and she's doing great.

I'm glad my sister can send me text message pictures from CA often. I love getting them.

I'm glad my training is going well. My knee is a little sore, and I'm getting my hips checked out Thursday, but I'm still running on!

I'm glad that in three short weeks:
What are YOU glad for today? TELL ME ABOUT IT!

Running and Cross training my way because it's...

22 days until Cancun and Winter Polka Dot Bikini!!!...we're in the weeks section!!!

53 Days until the 13.1 NYC half marathon!!!.

Two a Day Tuesday

2012-01-24T21:25:00.004-05:00

Sometimes I feel like this: What sort of post would this be without a Lambeau Puppy picture?!

Today was not that day. I woke up at 5am for my 3.5 mile run, and felt dizzy. It passed, so I proceeded to complete my run. As I said on Twitter (@Mrsmillersmiles), "I only regret when I don't get my 5am run in. Today was not that day. NO REGRETS!" I did a decent 3.5 mile run and headed home.

After showering I got a serious dizzy spell; like I fell to the floor dizzy. It was really scary and took me about ten minutes to get back together and not have a spinning room. I called my mom and she diagnosed me (She's a nurse you know) with vertigo. She has it, all my sisters have dealt with it, so here I am. I hated it. My sisters have only had it a time or two, so that's good. I was a little off all day but pressed through work. Smart? Eh, well, if it was really an issue I would know when to throw in the towel...I think.

I went to Fit Body Pilates tonight. UH. Pain. I do NOT like backing down during a class or workout, and I had to back down a few times. My core is a bit of a stinker, and working it too hard makes me throw up nauseous. The instructor, oh, she's pregnant and kicked my rear end. Thanks. I have to make up a few classes before my Groupon expires Monday so I'll be tortured a bit more this week. I liked it. It made me feel #OpHardcoreFit!

Was today a good workout day? TELL ME ABOUT IT! Let's be honest, not every day is a two a day Tuesday. Did you fight through and do something good for your body today? Did you listen to your body and rest?

Running and Cross training my way because it's...

28 days until Cancun and Winter Polka Dot Bikini!!!...ONE MONTH!!!

59 Days until the 13.1 NYC half marathon!!!.

Glad Game Monday II

2012-01-23T21:35:00.002-05:00

Do I look glad?No. I do not.

Let's just say, today's run was painful. Also, I posted the WORST. POSSIBLE. PHOTO. OF. MYSELF. Yup, it's all glad here! I had to run 5 miles. Skipped it Saturday: was feeling lazy and tired with all the snow. Skipped it Sunday: got a massive headache that lasted until early evening. Today was the day. No excuses. So what went wrong?

Everything tried to keep me from running today. I opted to sleep in this morning because of my Sunday headache. Extra rest can only help. I got home in record time; 3:30! Now, getting "home" means I drive by my house. Walking into my door means I found parking. This often takes 5 minutes, 10 minutes on a bad day. Today? 25 minutes. Something was wrong with the lights around my block, and I was waiting through 2-3 turns of each light as I tried to find parking. Frustrated? UNDERSTATEMENT. I also wanted to run outside in the 45 degree weather. However, it was raining, so since my classroom was, oh, 35 degrees all day and I couldn't feel my feet, I figured the gym was a smarter choice.

The gym was NOT a smarter choice. I waited 10 minutes for a treadmill. I think I actually had a slight panic attack. People walking at a 3.0 or less...no incline...talking on the phone. TRIPLE UGH. A girl walked by me, and seeing my panicky look said, "I wish these January people would go home! Where were they in June?!" Say it girl. Loud and proud.

I made it 4 miles on the treadmill. Remember how I said it was 35 degrees in my classroom, and 45 degrees outside? Oh, well, thank goodness the gym was 85 degrees. I almost fainted, drank an insane amount of water, and still felt light headed. I finally gave up and ran the last mile outside; hence the horrible "I ran in a stinky hot gym and reverted back to outdoor rain running in the end" picture.

SO. It's GLAD GAME MONDAY! I don't want it to be, but that's the point of it. Here. we. GO!

I'm glad that iPod knows best. When "Now that that that that don't kill me, can only make me stronger..." comes on when you begin running in the rain after a disaster gym run, you go with it. When "Don't Stop believing..." comes on toward the end of your rainy run, you feel like you're being filmed in an underdog running movie. Hold on to that feeling...

I'm glad it finally SNOWED! I love snow. And all the chaos it causes.

I'm glad that we give to charity. I've loved getting our tax information in from all sorts of charity outlets. Mr. Miller and I make that a priority in our finances. This makes me very glad.

I'm glad my dad knows how to use a cell phone. We pretty much talk everyday, and it's hilarious. On another note, he can also text. This is THOROUGHLY entertaining, and always read out loud during Packers games.

I'm glad the Giants won. Being gracious. It still hurts. A lot. GO PACK GO!

I'm glad for Sharpies. Teacher here. They're awesome. And permanent. And multi colored!

I'm glad I ran today. It was incredibly difficult, but Operation Hardcore Fit has definitely pushed me to be, well, more hardcore! Join if you're searching for motivation to get past the January glitz and glam and kick some serious exercise rear end in February and beyond

WHAT ARE YOU GLAD ABOUT?! Tell me about it! The good, the glad, and maybe a little Monday ugly too ;-)

Running and Cross training my way because it's...

29 days until Cancun and Winter Polka Dot Bikini!!!...ONE MONTH!!!

60 Days until the 13.1 NYC half marathon!!!.

The Snowy Day Part I

2012-01-21T16:33:00.005-05:00

I've decided that, in faith, each snowy day post will be titled "The Snowy Day Part X". I need. more. SNOW! specifically A real SNOW DAY from school. 3 out of 4 years we have had at least one, and up to three, since I have been a teacher. Lord, we need more snow.

Today, I had to work Saturday school...but not before Mr. Miller and Lambeau puppy walked me to my car!!! Here is snow beard puppy:
Mr. Miller and Lambeau puppy. Lambeau couldn't focus because he was so excited about the snow!
Lambeau puppy was mesmerized by something completely wonderful...
Mr. Miller clearing the snow off my car! I was so happy for this small gesture. I have short arms and it takes me forever. Like really short arms. Really.
Saturday school wasn't so bad today. Honestly, it wasn't! We read the Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats, and the kids wrote their own stories about a snowy day that they've had, or would like to have. These kids have such personality! Listening to each story was so nice.

The view from my classroom. If you look close enough you can see the Unisphere from the World's Fair, the spaceships from Men in Black, and Citi Field (The Mets) is not pictured, but nearby:

It was foggy, snowy and wonderful. Mr. Miller, Lambeau puppy and I, are having a snowy day of our own. Relaxing. Napping. Cooking. Movie/DVR Watching. I need it. My legs are tired, my body is exhausted, and I need to rest for a nice run tomorrow. So far we've loved Money Ball and Alcatraz.

How was your Saturday? I'm looking forward to a snowy run tomorrow; did you run? Did you have to brave elements? Any good movies lately? TELL ME ABOUT IT!

Running and Cross training my way because it's...

31 days until Cancun and Winter Polka Dot Bikini!!!...ONE MONTH!!!

62 Days until the 13.1 NYC half marathon!!!

Working out Wednesday...twice

2012-01-18T21:52:00.002-05:00

Yesterday I got to run with my old running partner! She is dearly missed. She stopped in to my area to run with me! YIPPEE! Really though, the main purpose was for us to go to orientation for a cool charity group we're joining. So, we ran 3 miles, ate a quick healthy Chicken Pot Pie that was delicious, and got oriented with this charity org. It was an all around decent day. Sadly, no photo taken. We were rushing around!!!

Today, I finally got a two-a-day. YESSSSSS. 3.5 mile run at the gym this morning. It was almost 50 degrees on my way to the gym, so warm that I didn't need a hat! When I left for work two hours later, FREEZING. This weather has been so odd.

This afternoon, I did the Nike Training Club Circuit Challenge this afternoon. Hmmm. What's that I wonder?! Well, in case you didn't see my blog shouting from the rooftops that this is the best. app. ever, let me recap. Even if you don't have an iPhone, download it on iTunes. It's a FREE app that's as good as a personal trainer. Still not sold? Here's a sample of the workout I did, timed, with a voice counting me down, encouraging me etc:

So then I ate pizza. I really REALLY wanted pizza. Ugh. Not the best thing, even if I did a two a day. Then I remembered on the Biggest Loser how they made "pizza" the healthy way: using a tortilla instead of dough, lots of pizza sauce, oregano, garlic salt and crushed read pepper, measured out cheese...ok, maybe *I* added the pepperoni. Hey, a girls got to live a little. Anyway, it was delicious. Quick and easy dinner for a busy night:

Have you been cooking anything healthy and fabulous lately? TELL ME ABOUT IT! I love new recipes.

Running and Cross training my way because it's...

34 days until Cancun and Winter Polka Dot Bikini!!!

65 Days until the 13.1 NYC half marathon!!!

The good, the bad, and the ugly of the weekend.

2012-01-17T20:58:00.006-05:00

The good: Brunch Saturday afternoon was fabulous. I went with some teacher friends. Let's just say, there was a dj, some serious dancing, and I worked off my yummy brunch. I work with some pretty great dancers, er uh I mean teachers. (Shout out Ms. T, I know you're reading)

The good: Our friends invited us to be part of their wedding ceremony! Our other friend, Mr. A, is trying to become a minister to perform the ceremony. We'll see if it happens, but if it does...watch out married couples everywhere. Congrats Ms. K and Mr. S!

The good: I ran a fabulous 4 miles Sunday. It was fast and COLD (21 degrees). I think I'm a cold weather runner to the core.

The good: My playoffs outfit was CUTE! Football arm warmers, Lambeau Puppy Packer jersey'd up...gosh it was great. His friend Benji Puppy came to play in HIS Packer jersey too! I loved the texts etc exclaiming, "Oh, THAT'S why your dog is named Lambeau!" If you haven't heard, it's the Packers stadium name.

The good: Green and yellow football food! It was seriously a great spread. Love football food. LOVE. IT.
The bad: We lost. To the Giants. I live in NYC. However, you'll be proud to know that I purposely shake Giants fan's hands, congratulate them, and move on. No use in being a baby; they beat us like we stole something.

The ugly: I put all our Packers party gear in storage. Sigh. So sad.
There is a mixed label for what comes next.

The happy: Having breakfast with my nephew E1 (3 1/2) and niece E2 (1 1/2). Yes, they both have names with E. Challenging for blogging initials...
The yummy: Chocolate milk and chocolate chip pancakes!
The funny: Chocolate chip pancakes FACE!
The cute: "Yambo, kisses!" E2 loves to get kisses. Lambeau puppy gives them...willingly. He doesn't like being chased, but he sure does love a taste of E2 babe.

The sad, yet not so sad. My sister, her husband, and two of the cutest kids beginning with the letter E whom I refer to as "my babalas", moved to California today. Yes, that's far away. Yes, my kiddos are far away. Yes I have Skype. Yes I am excited for their new opportunities. No, I'm not happy that CA is far away. No, I'm not happy my kiddos are far away. However, I have to focus on the positives (Skype and new opportunities of course). I love them so much. I miss them already. I won't see them until JUNE...a great month for me anyway. It will become anexceptional month with their visit.

Mr. & Mrs. Waite, E1 and E2: We pray that you will have a smooth transitions, lots of new friends, and a great community to surround you as you settle! But Remember: No one replaces Aunty Kristin.

Did I mention a certain RYAN HALL goes to the church they'll be going to? Jealous.

Running and Cross training my way because it's...

35 days until Cancun and Winter Polka Dot Bikini!!!

66 Days until the 13.1 NYC half marathon!!!

Wind and cold, oh my!

2012-01-13T17:15:00.002-05:00

It's like Green Bay up in here! 32 degrees with wind gusts and extreme wind warnings.

I saved Lambeau from being blown away. Yup. He's a little pup. All 7.5lbs of him!!!

It's the playoffs this weekend. Sunday is a big game for the Packers, Giants are going DOWN!

It's a long weekend thanks to Dr. Martin Luther King. Seriously though, I was so thankful for his work today. As we were explaining to our students how things were between races back when MLK was a kid, the students were appalled! "Why did they care if they looked different?" "Why could black and white kids be friends?" It warms my heart that there are generations of children so far removed from the hatred that poisoned our country, and unfortunately can still poison it, for so long.

Today was a rest day. Yoga is SO not happening, it's FREEZING! I'm planted firmly on the couch with Lambeau Puppy, People magazine, a glass of wine and Water for Elephants. Mr. Miller is working late, so it's girly movie night!!! I'm gearing up for a 4-? mile run tomorrow. I don't think I can brave the cold in the early morning, and I want to hit up hot yoga at 10am, so I'm feeling a 6 mile treadmill run. My training plan calls for 4 miles, but I want to add a few extra miles where I can. I miss those guilt free brunches after high double digit runs!!!

Looking for something cool to watch Sunday night? Oh wait, besides the Packers game! Chicrunner was on My Fair Wedding!!! Her episode is this Sunday! I watched a preview and, my goodness, it's weird to see a blogger in real life TALKING!

Any big weekend plans? TELL ME ABOUT IT! Get out there and run! ...or to the gym.

Running and Cross training my way because it's...

39 days until Cancun and Winter Polka Dot Bikini!!!

70 Days until the 13.1 NYC half marathon!!!

Happy Rainy Thursday

2012-01-12T19:52:00.003-05:00

Guess what brightened my day?! My official ING NYC Marathon Finisher certificate! It brought back some good memories.
Thanks Mary Wittenburg for adding a personal note. She's so sweet. We're best friends really. Please note the "DO NOT BEND" advice at the bottom of my envelope...it was basically folded in half in my mailbox. I do believe I will be writing our mail carrier a note tomorrow. This was a nice reminder to come home to. I didn't feel like running today. I finally got 3 miles in this afternoon. I felt sluggish, lazy, and tired. I kept thinking, even before I got this gift in the mail, "How did I do marathon training during the school year?!" or "I used to do 8, 9, or 10 miles mid week after school! How did that happen successfully?!" Being a Finisher is what drove me. Finishing my fundraising. Finishing my training. Finishing my marathon. I miss it. Hope to go back to it soon.

It was a RAINY day. I woke up at 5am to COLD temps, wind and cold rain. I opted to stay in bed for an extra hour. My throat has been obnoxiously scratchy, and I'm venturing to say it's allergies. Regardless, going into the cold and being wet does not bode well when I'm coughing and feeling nauseous from post nasal drip (TMI? Nah. Real life.). Then, the unthinkable happened: Mr. Miller's alarm was on SILENT, so I woke up, startled and flustered, at 6:42am....42 minutes past my normal wake up! Thankfully, after a series of crazy events, my carpool buddy and I showed up to work with 20 minutes to spare. God is good.
I found my running jacket Christmas gift! Mr. Miller had a mysterious half a bag of clean laundry hidden on his side of the bed. It held so many treasures! My favorite sweatshirt, my favorite long sweater, and this beauty from my Miller-In-Laws! The pockets zip shut...hands down the best feature! Keys! Gu! Even my fuel belt water bottle! Win win all around. I also HAD to wear my Finisher hat today a) because it was drizzling and b) OBVIOUSLY because I got that fabulous piece of mail today. I really don't like this picture. Mr. Miller needs to stand up for photo taking from now on!!!

How's your running weather? TELL ME ABOUT IT! We went from 60 degrees last Saturday to nasty 45, cold and raining today. 30's are the high this weekend. Bring it on winter running, bring it on.

Running and Cross training my way because it's...

40 days until Cancun and Winter Polka Dot Bikini!!!

71 Days until the 13.1 NYC half marathon!!!

Airing dirty (running) laundry

2012-01-10T21:18:00.003-05:00

First of all, Lambeau Puppy does this thing where he has one ear down and one ear up:My dad finds it endearing (In a Connecticutly sarcastic he's "my baby" kind of way). His ears never got clipped or pinned, and I love him for it. My name is Lambeau puppy, and the only thing clipped on me is my wee tail.

I was working with a student and found some hysterical #run inspiration. My student had to sort and match words and pictures with the same endings...check out the "run" photo. Holy '80's. Are those retro Keds?! But nice hair. Seriously.

Note: Photo was taken on my prep. Actual sorting was recreated. No phone usage during instructional time. EVER.

Today was laundry day. Hence my resorting to my "cut off" g to the hetto "crappy" running pants from Target:
Yes, I tried to cut my pants to hem them. I'm 5'2". These pants are clearly made for 5'6" and above. Did I mention my height is in my torso?! I ran 2 miles. Maybe it was the clothes, maybe it was because I was convinced by Mr. Miller, yet again, to sleep. Either way, it was the longest 2 miles of my life. Between doing laundry, walking Lambeau puppy, grocery shopping, folding said laundry and cooking dinner. Sigh. I skipped hot yoga. I'll live to downward dog another day...

My laundry is detailed below:
Why yes, that's all running clothes! Although several unmeantionables are not pictured, this is really all the laundry I needed to wash. My husbands was more basic and fundamental. Mine? Four long sleeve moisture wicking t's, three short sleeve moisture wicking t's, two moisture wicking pairs of running tights, one pair of moisture wicking short shorts, four pairs of moisture wicking socks, and a moisture wicking sports bra in a pear tree. Of course, that's not all of it, but I only had time for one load.

Inquiring minds are wondering: what is that Green Bay paper thing in a frame!? OH, right. We're shareholder owners now. go. PACK. Go! Can't wait for Sunday. PLAYOFFS.

Do you have any dirty laundry to air today? I hope you didn't need to resort to your "emergency only" running clothes. TELL ME ABOUT IT!

Running and Cross training my way because it's...

42 days until Cancun and Winter Polka Dot Bikini!!!

73 Days until the 13.1 NYC half marathon!!!

Glad Game Monday

2012-01-09T20:17:00.004-05:00

I was thinking of Pollyanna today. I was thinking about how I like "Thankful Thursdays", but I'm always extra thankful on Thursdays because it's one day until the weekend! Mondays, well, not to be a cliche, but they are my least favorite day. I did not wake up for a 5am gym date this morning, Mr. Miller STRONGLY advised I get extra sleep to fight the bug I'm praying I don't get. I also lost/misplaced an important collection of papers, which are probably in my cabinet at work in the main building; however, I won't find out until Tuesday afternoon and I'm slightly stressed about that. So, I got to thinking: Pollyanna never cared like this. She never stressed. So I googled the Glad Game she played. We could learn a lot from Pollyanna:

"Pollyanna's philosophy of life centers on what she calls "The Glad Game", an optimistic attitude she learned from her father. The game consists of finding something to be glad about in every situation." - Wikipedia

So, let's commence: Glad Game Mondays!

I'm glad that the PACKERS ARE IN THE PLAYOFFS! Oh yes, we're going really deep here. They are awesome and I hope they go to the Super Bowl again this year. They're playing my home city's G-Men, so I'm a tad nervous...
I'm glad that my husband is the bestest. Sometimes I can be a bit, well, cranky. Sometimes I can be tired and sick like yesterday. Even when I lose my temper or just don't feel like doing things, he's encouraging and helpful...unless he's sick too. Then it's a messy house and soup from the can :-)

I'm glad that my blue eyes look extra blue sometimes. On random days, specifically cloudy days, my eyes look really nice. Mr. Miller has been encouraging me to be more positive and confident, so: I'm glad I have nice blue eyes.
I'm glad Tim Tebow won!!! HATERRRRSSSSS! I'm so glad he won. An underdog in sports is a winner to me, and he's proven how hard work and dedication are real tools toward achieving the impossible. Tebow is a FINISHER!

I'm thankful for good friends. I've made some good ones here in NYC, I wouldn't trade them for the world.

I'm glad that my friend has received two AMAZING blessings at once. Although I can't link you up to her blog just yet, I'll give you the brief recap. A very good friend, wife and mother of two shared some awesome news. After having three miscarriages, she finally was able to have two children. There were lots of prayers and tears for my friend. After baby number two, they decided their next addition would come through adoption. Long story short, they're in the process of adopting THREE SIBLINGS! All the kids are older than their oldest daughter, which is meaningful after losing three babies. Then, miraculously they qualified for a the most perfect house they could imagine!!! I'm so glad for my friend. She is blessed. God is good.

I'm glad that I ran 3 miles today. They weren't my best, they weren't my worst, and there was a heck of a lot of things that could have kept me from it: forgot we had to stay an extra 45 minutes at work for a meeting today, got stuck in Trader Joe's parking lot, at a stand still, for 15 FULL minutes (This is no exaggeration, there were people getting out and fighting), I needed to do laundry but got back so late I had to wear my least favorite running clothes...despite it all, I ran.

I'm glad I did.

What are you glad about today?! TELL ME ABOUT IT!

Running and Cross training my way because it's...

43 days until Cancun and Winter Polka Dot Bikini!!!

74 Days until the 13.1 NYC half marathon!!!

Puppies, Pillows, Pancakes, and Pinterest.

2012-01-08T21:05:00.003-05:00

Lambeau Puppy when he first arrived:He would lay like this and fall asleep on me:
Look at the big puppy now! He has perfected puppy eyes. As I blog, he's currently climbing on my lap, whining and trying to get me to chase him and his bone. Nope. Don't worry, I just distracted him with my left hand, then swiped the bone with my right and sent him fetching. Phew.
Today was a lazy Sunday. We went to church, had a yummy grilled brie sandwich and soup for lunch, and I got a little too cozy with my pillow. Yup. Napped the afternoon away. Lambeau Puppy joined me. I wasn't feeling 100% this morning, and my nap, post nasal drip and nausea are confirming that my body needed rest and is fighting something...again. Good thing I opted to stay in last night.

No running today. I missed out on a fun running date. I broke my streak, 8 days in. Oh well. It would not have been safe for me to go for a run, especially when I get super dizzy when I feel like this and trip. I really wanted to, but I literally couldn't step out the door.

Mr. Miller requested chocolate chip pancakes, so I made them. Smartest meal choice? Nope. Delicious? Yes. Regretting it? NOT. AT. ALL!

Pinterest is fun! My Nike Town Running Quote has been getting all sorts of pins. However, my number one followed board? "Puppies". HA. Love it. Find me on Pinterest, it's good clean fun.

Hopefully I will avoid a full blown cold or flu!!! God, please let this be the case.

Running and Cross training my way because it's...

44 days until Cancun and Winter Polka Dot Bikini!!!

75 Days until the 13.1 NYC half marathon!!!

No hat, no gloves, NO PROBLEM!

2012-01-07T17:45:00.000-05:00

...and no running tights too! Because, in case you hadn't heard from the entire tri-state area:January short shorts. Never thought I'd say that! I wore some of my favorite warm weather clothing and headed out. It was PERFECTION in weather form! I was almost too warm in a short sleeve tee. HUH?! I'm still baffled. I ended up doing 4 miles at a 9:30/mile pace, which is really good for me since I was stopped a bit at cross walks and crowded sidewalks.
January sensory oddities were messing with my head. I kept seeing people in winter jackets and scarves. HELLO!? It's 60 degrees! It made me hotter just looking at them! When I arrived to the park, it was Christmas tree recycling day. I was oddly greeted by the strongest smell of Christmas trees...so this must be what it's like to have a warm weather Christmas! Then, there were the seagulls. Hello, it's JANUARY! Not beachy time birdies!
January Al fresco lunch. It was technically too late for brunch, so we'll call it lunch! Lambeau Puppy got to come!!! We had the best time with my work wife Ms. S and her sissy. Lambeau Puppy was on sensory overload and met a few nice puppies along the way!!!
January puppy people watching. Lambeau puppy was thrilled to sit outside and people watch. Just look at that watchful eye...

So pretty much, no hat, no gloves, no problem! PLUS the forecast looks mighty fine this week. I may be in for some two a days...or simply bringing Lambeau puppy to the park a few times. Tomorrow I may have a running date with a certain blogger, CT4LIFE!

What did you do today?! Was the weather picture perfect for you as well? TELL ME ABOUT IT!

Running and Cross training my way because it's...

48 days until Cancun and Winter Polka Dot Bikini!!!

79 Days until the 13.1 NYC half marathon!!!

I tried Hot Yoga

2012-01-05T20:41:00.000-05:00

...and all I got was a sweaty tank top.

This is me before hot yoga:
I was full of anxiety and curiosity. I do NOT do well in heat. Ever. Just walking ten minutes to the train in 85 degree weather dehydrates me! I always carry a huge nalgene during the warmer months, but always end up buying another bottle of water if I'm out for a few hours. So, obviously hot yoga wouldn't be my first choice. However, the Yogi I spoke with a couple of weeks ago claimed it's not like "hot and humid NYC in the summer", and that the yoga moves are actually easier to do because you're warmer. Hmmm. Figured I'd give it a whirl. I took my edurolyte pills just in case, brought a nalgene filled with a lot of ice and a little water. Okay, I'm dry in a tank and shorts in January. Let's do this.

This is me after hot yoga:
SOAKED TO THE BONE. I was soaked in sweat ten minutes in. At first the heat felt nice, then it felt strong, then it felt overwhelming as we did a never ending series of stand then butt to the floor squats. I had to step out of the room for a 30 second breather. I get dizzy just from standing up too quickly sometimes, so that was a bit much for me to handle. We did a lot of balancing, lunges and warriors, and of course, downward dogs!

The verdict is in: I think I liked it. It was a huge challenge for me. It really pushed me to focus and evaluate if I was being a sissy or dizzy ;-) Really though, it's significantly faster paced than the normal yoga (cold yoga?!), with upbeat music. It felt like a normal fitness class with dimmer lights and higher temps. Also, it worked out the kinks from the Pilates class yesterday...I was definitely sore today! I googled how many calories you burn in hot yoga, and they say an hour burns 575! I will go again. Next up: Hot Pilates Saturday!

Why all the new classes? I got Groupons for after the marathon, and they expire in February. I got the flu after the marathon, then a kidney infection, then a two week cold, then a death in the family. Really, these Groupons were burning a hole in my pocket and I'm so glad to be using them!

I ran 3.5 miles this morning too. The streak continues of at least one mile a day! I didn't want to wake up, but I knew I would be going to yoga this afternoon and would not want to put miles in. I went to the gym and pounded out some good ones.

Dinner was great tonight, too. Whole wheat pasta, spinach, sauteed chicken with garlic and red pepper, and marinara sauce. I figured since I did my second consecutive two-a-day, I could have a nicely measured cup of pasta with the yummy goodness of spinach and chicken! Mmmm.

Tomorrow is a rest day, and I'm excited for it.

Have you tried anything new lately? TELL ME ABOUT IT! Is there anything you would like to try? What are your thoughts on hot yoga???

Running and Cross training my way because it's...

48 days until Cancun and Winter Polka Dot Bikini!!!

79 Days until the 13.1 NYC half marathon!!!

Healthy morning, noon, and night

2012-01-04T20:40:00.000-05:00

I believe in early to bed early to rise...or maybe snooze anyway. However, these last few days I've been slow to adjust to being back to work. Over Christmas vacation I tended to stay up until 11pm-12am (Oh the horror!) as opposed to my usual 9-10pm bed time. I also woke up SIGNIFICANTLY later, between 8-10am instead of 6am...and 6:30am if it was a snooze day! So, the oddest things has happened: I've still been going to bed later (between 10:30pm and 11:00pm), but I've been getting up earlier. Usually I would feel gross and exhausted, but I've still felt energized! Must be going to the gym at 5am...and my delicious food I've been creating. Want to lead a healthy energized life? Do what you can to be healthy morning, noon, and night.

Morning: 5am workout. I headed to the gym and immediately completed my one mile on the treadmill...January Challenge of running at least 1 mile a day still going strong. I then had my workout/gym life revolutionized. Immediately following reading this post, commenting, following my blog and finding me on Twitter, you must download the new Nike Training Club app. I told 15 people about it today just because I loved it and felt like it NEEDED to be shared. It has 85 different workouts, different goals such as getting lean, toned, bulked, and levels such as beginner, intermediate, and advanced. In addition to this, you can choose from MANY different workouts, get picture how to's for each move, the trainer speaks to you, times you and encourages you, AND it syncs to your music to pump you up! Best part? IT'S FREE. NO CROWDED GYM FULL OF GEMS REQUIRED. You'll only need a couple of free weights and maybe a medicine ball. Get this app. I act like I make a commission on it, but I seriously felt like I had a personal trainer kicking my rear end.

Morning: Breakfast of fitness-ers. I go with the Bob Harper motto: oatmeal every day. I make three servings of Trader Joe's instant steel cut oats at once, keep them in the fridge and measure out breakfast every morning. Since New Years prompted "healthy lifestyle changes" and a shortage of ripe bananas at my grocery store, I replaced them with apples and cinnamon. I usually add a teaspoon of peanut butter as well:

Noon: It's lunch time, yahoo! (Note: Mid-Morning Snack, usually a piece of fruit is not pictured.) I always bring two Nalgene bottles (32 ounces each) to work and drink them throughout the day. I pretty much have the same salad for lunch every day as well (Remember, I don't like change). This salad usually includes 1/4lb chicken breast deli meat rolled and sliced, chopped carrots, celery, red peppers, and any other veggie I have on hand with spring mix organic lettuce. I also found a GREAT use for my Hammer Gel dispenser...put salad dressing in them! I have so many, you get two with every order of a bulk size, so I have oh four of them. I figured out that they don't leak salad dressing (especially balsamic based dressings) like most containers do. Plus, they measure out the serving size for accurate measuring. Last, I take my GNC BeHot vitapak. This has tons of great stuff for active people and gives me a little boost to beat the 2pm slump. Sorry 5 hour energy, you're gross.
Night: 4pm fearfully anticipated Pilates class. Now, I got there 10 minutes late because I had to take care of Lambeau puppy...he's been sick since last night and having "accidents". When I deemed that he was sufficiently on the mend I raced over. Yup, it was scary. Especially since I had done a kickin' strength routine this morning. I survived, and I am gladly sore right now. I am excited to go back and push myself. Lesson learned: it was something to be feared, but a fear that I can conquer.

Night: Come and get some din din! Tonight we had a great dinner. I sauteed chicken in EVOO and cajun seasoning. I then made a great quinoa recipe, but sadly forgot the avocado (THAT I ALREADY PURCHASED!). Fail. I'll just have it in my salad tomorrow. Yummy.
Healthy all the time: Looking to keep yourself accountable? Yea, I should be getting commission on all the free apps I'm promoting. This here is MyFitnessPal. I've mentioned it before, but it is a fabulous way to keep yourself accountable with your intake. It is so easy (ESPECIALLY as a teacher with females who love chocolate) to indulge over. and over. and over. I indulge, trust me. The weekend is a non recording time, but I am mindful. I enjoy a glass of wine while cooking weeknights. If you're looking to keep a record of what you eat and know how many calories you should eat, check this one out. It also has a cool bar code feature for smart phones that allows you to scan a bar code and it automatically details the calories and serving size! This app is ALSO FREE!
Healthy clean clothes. Yea, this really has nothing to do with health, but isn't this the cutest laundry bag Mr. Miller got for us from Urban Outfitters!? The irony is that I do indeed drag a huge stockpile of clothes to Connecticut when we visit. Yup. I'm 27. It's all good.
Let's talk healthy! Do you find it hard?! It's taken me years of trial and error to figure out what works best for me. Have you used any of these apps? Tell me when you fall in love with Nike Training Club so we can proclaim it together.

Follow me on Twitter! @MrsMillersMiles

48 days until Cancun and Winter Polka Dot Bikini!!!

79 Days until the 13.1 NYC half marathon!!!

What day is it?

2012-01-03T16:41:00.001-05:00

It's a day to #makeitcount! Funny, when you're pepped up for a good day of working out, things often go awry! Oh wait, what is this? Another New Years Eve photo. I couldn't stand on the roof laden with rocks in my heels, so I rang in 2012 overlooking the beautiful Manhattan skyline in my marathon Nike mandarins. Love these shoes. Lunarglides rock my socks off! (Note: I'm in tights and shorts, totally not being an inappropriate over sharer here.)It was a 5am day. Hello old friend. January means the gym is packed, so I went in at 5am. Literally 8 of us there. LOVED. IT. I ran my 2 miles on my training plan, plus the .25 each way to and from the gymnasio. I then scooted over to do a quick strength routine. I have a hip that started cracking...a lot...back in May. When I visited a chiropractor he told me my hip muscles needed strengthening, so here are the machines I worked on:

(Not Pictured) Seated Leg Press: 5 sets of 10 reps on 70lbs.

Outer Hip Abductor: 5 sets of 10 reps on 40lbs.
Inner hip abductor: 5 sets of 10 reps on 30lbs.

Wrong day for Pilates. I was so excited to go use my Groupon and experience my first Pilates class. Okay, so I wasn't excited; I was scared. My core is horrible weak and I'm not in the mood to be sore, but as I said so wisely as a 13 year old: "Pain means beauty." I show up and boldly proclaimed, "I'm here for the 4:00 class." The nice receptionist said, "Wow you're really early, because it's tomorrow." (In all seriousness she really was nice.) Oops. She took all my info and I filled out my stuff, so tomorrow when I go to the 4:00 class I can swipe and go right in. Win? Jury is still out.

It was a 7.5 minute day. As I got home and felt defeated since I had the excited nervous energy for Pilates, I realized I had plenty of workout stuff in my house to do SOMETHING. So,I started using the resistance bands and did two sets of three different moves (Both feet on resistance band, pulling up from behind, to the side, and to the front) with 10 reps. I got bored (I was in my own apartment!) so I did a quick 7.5 minutes worth of circuits:

Three stations:

1. Plank - 5 sets of 30 second reps

2. Push-Ups - 5 sets, 5 REAL push-ups

3. Squat with arms straight in the air - 5 sets of 30 second reps

What's this, a day where I actually liked working out at home?! I decided that I would try to do this little circuit everyday, trying to build up to full minute reps and 10 push-ups per rep. If I'm alone, I'll add (nauseatingly hardcore) jumping squats, but today my third shift nurse neighbor and husband are napping, so I didn't want to disturb the peace. I ended my little 10 minutes of toning (Hmm, trademark it?) with rolling. My shin has been hurting, and my crazy self was avoiding thinking, yet constantly harping, "DO I HAVE SHIN SPLINTS?!" Well, smart me pulled up my pant leg, which we all know is scary in the winter time, and saw a big fat bruise. Do I care that I don't remember where I got it? No. That's common for me. Am I glad it's not shin splints? HECK. YES.

It's a day for a reader shout out! Mrs. C from my school is a crazy avid reader! She's an amazing wife, mother, grandmother, friend and coworker. Love you Mrs. C!

What day is it for you today? TELL ME! I've been getting tons of page views on here recently, and I want to know who you are!!! Also, follow me on Twitter! @MrsMillersMiles!

49 days until Cancun and Winter Polka Dot Bikini!!!

80 Days until the 13.1 NYC half marathon!!!

Confession: I love winter running, and other stuff.

2012-01-02T17:09:00.000-05:00

I may look like a boy, but I love winter running! My winter gear is very specific. I usually opt for a short sleeve and long sleeve shirt combo, always moisture wicking. (Location of short sleeve shirt depends on the fit of it!) I got a nice running jacket from my Miller-in-Laws for Christmas, so I'm stoked to try that out in sub 30 degrees conditions. In order to get my TREND SETTING boy look, I wear my favorite Eddie Bauer beanie with a scratchy wool hat over it. I tuck my ponytail in between the two hats, and it so freeing and comfy, a la boyish. Add in some running pants and running gloves (Biker gloves for 30-40 degrees, adidas performance gloves for under 30 degrees), and there you have it. Today, since it's VICTORY MONDAY, AKA the Packers won (15-1, playoffs!) I wanted to wear my red shirt and Packers beanie, but alas, Mr. Miller has misplaced it. I opted for the home town rep instead. So, here is Mrs. Miller on a 3.4 mile Monday COLD run: (34 degrees)

January one mile or more streak going strong.

Despite popular belief, I love winter scenery. I stopped stretch out my hip for a brief second, and when I looked up this is what I saw:

A little barren, but full of potential. I hadn't run in the park since the beginning of December, so it was nice to return to my running grounds. There were plenty of runners out there pounding the pavement. I liked it.

Something not to love: the gym in January. I'm considering a January Gym Gem photo of the week, displaying the ridiculously crowded gym. If you want to make a change, I'm proud of you and encourage you to stick with it! If you're just taking up space and doing a half baked workout, that's what bugs me. Worst January Gym Gem memory from last year: All treadmills taken up...more than two people sipping Arizona iced teas to hydrate while walking at a 2.5 speed. Maybe I'll just avoid going to the gym in the afternoons in January. 5am-ers are pretty much the same folks I've been seeing for a year.

I love this cute puppy photo!!! I forgot about this one from New Years Eve. Isn't Lambeau Puppy a looker in his tuxedo?! Love him to pieces. He's a refined pup who enjoys cityscape views of the Empire State Building and New Yorker building. Classy Lamby. Classy.

This is what I'm currently excited about:

I. LOVE. THE. OLYMPICS!!! I'm an Olympic nut. The summer Olympics far outweigh the winter Olympics in my humble opinion. Swimming is my favorite event, followed by gymnastics, track and field, beach volleyball, and basically I'll watch anything else that's on. Does anyone else remember this photo? Men's 400m freestyle relay? Oh yea, Australia was ready to wipe the floor with us. Not on that day. The US KILLED it! I was jumping up and down screaming, I'll never forget it. Statistically the US was not favored, but their perseverance won them a huge gold medal. What spurned this addition to the post? NBC Sports just showed a commercial for the London 2012 games. Did I mention I teared up? I know I know. There's just something about sports and achieving a dream that gets me all welled up...

NEW COUNTDOWNS! We'll have two. Two things to look forward to. One running related, one fun related. Both are going to require a ton of working out, discipline, and healthy living!

50 days until Cancun and Winter Polka Dot Bikini!!!

81 Days until the 13.1 NYC half marathon!!!

2012 Goals: #makeitcount

2012-01-01T17:30:00.001-05:00

Big announcement! I got twitter! @mrsmillersmiles. We'll see how this goes!

2012 Goals will be ever changing. Just as life throws new obstacles and plans change, I plan on adapting and reexamining my goals monthly. I'll have big goals, as listed here. Then I'll have monthly goals, which will be recapped on the first of each month. I believe in attainable goals; not easy goals. Attainable goals are ones which are in your power to accomplish, yet require sacrifice and hard work.

I want 2012 to be The Year of Giving. I want to be more generous in life; generous with time, talents, and resources. This week I thought long and hard about a theme for the year, and I kept thinking of the NYC marathon (obviously, when do I not think if my marathon glory days?!), and I love that running meant something to more than just me; I gave, others gave, and impoverished children received. I want to continue using whatever I have to be more giving in every aspect of my life. As the Nike running campaign states, #makeitcount. I want this year to really count.

So, duh duh duh dun! The 2012 Attainable Big Goals:

Personal:
1. Stay organized. I'm not, Mr. Miller is, so I want to make an effort to give my time toward keeping a clutter free home.
2. Put in more thoughtfulness into relationships. My good friend AD in Florida sent me a a sympathy card when my grampy passed, an anniversary card, and a Christmas card. She always remembers things, and I want to be more giving in my relationships.
3. Read three books that will help me this year. I hate motivational books, but I know they help change you for the better, so I will try to read three this year! (up from half a book this year!)
4. Complain less.

Running/Fitness:
1. Help new runners complete challenging races. My next half marathon is in March, and I have one but possibly three friends who want to run their first half. I would rather help others cross the finish line than get a PR for me. If I get a sub 2 hour half this year, awesome. If not? Who did I help cross the finish line?
2. Cross train regularly. I've been having hip cracking issues, and weight training etc will help solve it.
3. Try workouts from Shape magazine at least once. I love this magazine and always intend on trying the workouts, but I usually flake. Not in 2012!!!
4. Run races that benefit causes close to my heart. I don't do a ton of races, because quite frankly they can be expensive. However, when I do run races, I want it to be about more than the run. #makeitcount
5. Get 100 followers on the ol bloggy blog! Somewhat running related :-)

January Goals:
1. Run at least one mile every day in January.
2. Send five cards to five friends.
3. Finish all yoga and Pilates groupons that expire at the end of January.
4. Do something completely selfless for a stranger.

If you made it this far, wow. Maybe you should follow the blog if you haven't already seeing as you committed to reading a really long post, why not follow and see how it turns out?!

Happy commencement of The Year Of Giving. #makeitcount

In 2012, no matter what: I'd still run!

Happy New Year Miller Style!

2012-01-01T16:08:00.001-05:00

This is my New year in a nutshell! I'm blogging from the new (at least to me) blogger app on the iPhone so this is not a typically formatted post. Oh the horror. Its really plain and I can think of 29 ways to make it better....alas something is better than nothing.

Suffice it to say, we had a fun 3rd Annual Miller/Gray +? New Years Eve. Lambeau puppy was especially excited to break out his formal wear...doggy tuxedo!

I successfully executed the Nike+ Hangover Challenge: running one mile today :-) Spolier alert: a goal for January is to run at least 1 mile a day for the whole month! Join the January jogathon! (name pending trademark...) there's still time to join me! Do it! All the cool kids are.

Happy New Year to you all! Enjoy some pictures. 2012 Goals coming soon!!!

Central Park Running Date

2011-12-30T17:56:00.000-05:00

Running is easier, with a little help from my friends! R CAME RUNNING WITH ME! She's awesome. She's a new runner, wife, works in finance, and a fabulously amazingly wonderful friend. She has been doing so well and building up her endurance the smart and proper way! (10% increases). We had a grand time running. We started with a mile and a half on the 6 mile loop, then opted for the less hilly reservoir for a couple of loops to finish out a 5 mile run. 5 miles? Well, I actually ran to the train because I was running late, then decided to jog it out and clock it on my way home because I was feeling extra stellar, so that ended up being an extra mile! (.5 each way). That's the longest I've done since the marathon. I ran 4.5 at the beginning of December and felt confident to start building a long run on the weekends again, but I got sick for almost two weeks. Then, you know, Christmas happened.

Needless to say, I'm feeling better and more excited about running. I was getting a little down there for a while. The holidays were a tough season for my family, and after the marathon it appeared that my body was rebelling against me (Kidney infection, massive cold...). Now, I'm feeling the "get to" rather than the "have to" urge to get out and pound the pavement. By the way, R and I seemed to have planned our poses. Outside knee bent and turned in, arm on the hip, what?! Twinsies. Hey R, running a half marathon in March would ALSO make us twinsies. (I may or may not have sent her the training plan last night and infomercialed her today to convince her to join me...)

We met some really nice tourists! Kind people took our pictures...even though we live here...but we had to document our first run together! Even more exciting, it was R's first run in Central Park! Those are my marathon tops inside out...I love these two shirts, but felt weird wearing my World Vision tee with my name written loud and proud on the front. I didn't want every day New Yorkers shouting out my name in the street...just crazy Marathon supporters on 11/6/11.

What better way to celebrate a great run and the beginning of New Years weekend?! Thai. Mr. Miller and I went to our favorite Thai restaurant in NYC. Below are our entrees of choice; sadly, we don't really deviate because they're that. stinking. good. Seriously.

Thai beef salad. YUMMY.
Pad Thai. Hello old friend.

However, there was a show stealer from the excellent run. On the way home I stumbled upon some construction work. Look what they were constructing:

4. Blocks. From. My. House. Oh my. It's about to get real. I mean really real.

Any big New Years Eve plans?! Mr. Miller and I are going to R and her Mr.'s apartment for our third annual celebrating of New Years! So far on the menu: MANY RIDICULOUSLY YUMMY THINGS.

Tomorrow is New Year Goal time!

2011: The Year of the Marathon

2011-12-29T20:35:00.000-05:00

First order of business: Cute Christmas photo!

Christmas Jammies are the BEST! Ella Bella was feeling sickies, but thankfully she perked up to open some gifts. Evan was so excited for everything. They are such sweeties. My youngest niece and nephew. Disclaimer to my fellow McAuliffe siblings: I love all my nieces and nephews equally.

2011 Goals Recap: I was the 1%. They say about 1% of Americans will run a marathon in their lifetime. I saw some calculations via googling, but really, we're all just estimating here. Let's go with 1%, it's more ironic that way! Anyway, I listed one main goal: running a marathon. CHECK YEA! It happened. I completed my "New Years Resolution", "2011 Goals" etc! Now, mind you, I only set one goal, because a marathon often takes up that much energy (As I've learned...). I had started setting up monthly goals but somehow tapered off (Who would taper off from goals???), so I think I will reinstate that for 2012. So, here goes the 2011 reflections that you've all been waiting for!

In August 2010 I purchased this bumper magnet:

I thought 2010 was my year. I was 26. I was going to run 26.2 miles in the Hartford Marathon. However, it just wasn't in me then. I got a slight injury, a set back here and there, and suddenly I was out of contention to successfully and safely complete a marathon, my first at that.

Insert charity entry. After not getting in to the NYC Marathon through the lottery, I harassed Juan at Team World Vision until I received that AWESOME call: "You're IN!" Amazing. Thrilling. Holy schnikies. This was really happening!

Training began. Countless runs into Central Park. Up at 5am to run before the heat. I got to know the pavement. Running home from school to get longer miles in midweek before dark. Things got serious. I even tried yoga! It was an amazing summer and an amazing fall. Successfully running 20 miles for the first time was the most exhilarating and exciting accomplishment of my training. Proud face below:

Speaking of fall 2011: I ran a marathon on 11/6/11. It was a truly amazing day. Everything worked perfectly. Weather, gear, fueling, fans, family and friends support: PERFECTION.

On November 6, 2011, I became a marathon FINISHER. And I got the medal to PROVE IT!

2011 was just the beginning. Just as the sign below said, I'm only at the start. 2012 looks to be amazing. 2011 was the year of Finishing. Finishing training. Finishing the long runs. Finishing fundraising. Finishing.a.marathon.

When I run, I run to finish. I wonder what I will finish in 2012? Prospective goals coming soon. Until then, if you don't think you're the best, you're not the best.

You're the best if you give your all to something, succeed or fail. In 2011, I was the best I could be.

I will be my best in 2012.

All of the lights

2011-12-28T18:25:00.000-05:00

Christmas was great! I got this AWESOME marathon ornament from Coach Jen from Gone For a Run! We went to Connecticut for a McAuliffe Christmas Extravaganza (I'll post photos tomorrow!), including 5 siblings, spouses, 12 nieces and nephews...needless to say, it was a full house! Christmas morning we drove to Rochester, NY for a Miller Christmas Extravaganza! Clearly we were traveled out. I took naps, was lazy, and all around sloth. I loved it. Poor running me felt guilty. So, my first day back in NYC I took to the streets:
I got new pants! What better way to motivate a run? I have one pair of running tights from last winter that are my tried and trues, but alas, they won't stay that way if I can't rotate wearing them with other pants! Spoiler alert: They. Were. AWESOME! I really liked them. Helpful running tip: buy running pants with a drawstring. If do not, you'll have slouchy pants and a plumber's crack that is not so attractive, even if you are passing people. Tonight's run was interesting. I almost got hit by two cars (Actually tapped by one), the wind was pushing my feet to the right or left when they were mid stride, and I only tripped once (Insert heart attack).

The best part of my run: All of the lights. (Insert Kanye song...) I loved running through my neighborhood. I set up a scavenger hunt to make this run more entertaining: I weaved in and out of streets to find some notable light displays! So, below are some of Astoria's brightest and finest!

MY FAVORITE: Charlie Brown's Christmas.
It felt like the Nutcracker here!

Best in show: These two yards! They're next door neighbors. Same owners? Competing neighbors?! It was a light spectacular!

This was the classier of the two.

Poor blow up displays blown over by the wind!

Poor Frosty. Santa is holding his ground against some fierce wind!

The Happy Holidays LED sign took things to the next level. What's next?! This yard had EVERYTHING going on!

So, there you have it: a run with all of the lights! Tomorrow I will be reviewing my 2011 goals (Typical), and give the tentative 2012 goals (Even more typical). It's simply that time of year! Out with the old and in with the new!

Confession: I still love Party Rock Anthem.

Every day I'm shuffling...

A time to Believe!

2011-12-22T21:36:00.000-05:00

Definition of BELIEVE

intransitive verb

a : to have a firm religious faith
b : to accept something as true, genuine, or real

- Merriam Webster Online Dictionary

What do you believe? I believe in Jesus. I believe in God. I believe in Christmas. I'm so excited for this season of hope. I'm excited for family. I'm excited for my impromptu work get together tomorrow afternoon to celebrate the Holiday Break! Three cheers for being a teacher!

Can you believe this line?! Well, it was twenty people deep. However, I DID choose to go to the Ann Taylor Loft in Times Square. Not smart. You know it's last minute when you determine store locations by their closeness to the subway! However, I had a successful last minute Manhattan shopping expedition after work that went fairly well; no fights, no anxiety attacks in an overheated store, I even had a snack when my blood sugar ran low! Overall, completely productive.

I believe in pajama days!!! Tomorrow is PAJAMA day in kindergarten! I don't mention it TOO often, but I am an elementary school teacher. I can't wait to wear comfy cozies to work tomorrow and watch some Christmas movies!!!

I believe it's time for the Christmas card reveal. My VERY good friend M makes these amazing one of a kind cards for me every year. I show her a design and BOOM she's got it! This year we went with three different colors to add some variety. ENJOY!

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!!

Holiday Cheer

2011-12-21T21:07:00.000-05:00

Definition of CHEER

transitive verb

a : to instill with hope or courage : comfort —usually used with upb : to make glad or happy —usually used with up

-Merriam Webster Dictionary Online

Lambeau is filled with holiday cheer! He's got his snowflake jammies and a candy cane bone. He really loves this time of year. Full of snuggles and droppings of cookie making ingredients on the floor...

Our friends are filled with holiday cheer! We had a Christmas luncheon at Rolf's, a German restaurant in NYC which is FAMOUS for its Christmas decor. It can be best described as being inside of a Christmas tree. I've been wanting to go for over two years, it was beautiful AND delicious!

Our anniversary is filled with holiday cheer! 12/20/11 marked three whole years since we said "I do"! It was a holiday filled ceremony, filled with ornaments as favors and Christmas photo cards as place cards. Everything about it was magical and fabulous.

Lobsters are filled with cheer! I got Mr. Miller TWO lobster dinners for our anniversary last night! No really, I did. I got a Groupon for two lobster dinners and I hate seafood. So, Mr. Miller had a lobster roll tonight! The gift that keeps on giving.

Cookies are filled with cheer! If you're looking for any last minute recipes, here are a few of my favorites. The first one, Chocolate peppermint cookies, are my personal favorite. Several friends request the recipe annually. Everyone always loves them!

Kisses with cheer:

Peanut butter balls of cheer:

My body is full of cheer. I'm finally on the upswing. It's been almost two weeks since my cold symptoms started to take over my life. I'm finally feeling like a human again. I plan to take the time off over the holidays to throw in some two a days and get myself back in a running groove. I miss it. I want some running cheer.

Did I mention Friday is pajama party day at school? Yup. Packers jammies cheer here I come!

What brings you cheer?

What is courage?

2011-12-17T21:37:00.000-05:00

cour·age/ˈkərij/

Noun:

The ability to do something that frightens one.
Strength in the face of pain or grief.

-Taken from Google

Courage can be great, courage can be small. During my grandfather's eulogy, my brother spoke of the courage he showed in everything he did. He was a paratrooper in World War II, he fought in the Battle of the Bulge which took 80,000 American lives but turned the tables on the Nazis, he was a firefighter, and he was a provider for his family. So, what can I have the courage to do in the future? What small steps of courage, such as donating to a cause, running a race, or doing a kind deed for a stranger, will I take? Well, so far, I've decided to run the 13.1 NYC half marathon in March. I will be running as a fundraiser, not just as a runner. This is a race that gives all its proceeds to World Vision in order to provide Deep Water Wells with clean drinking water. If you are interested LET ME KNOW!

Charity takes courage. It takes a sacrifice, and sacrifice often scares people. Mr. Miller and I have been looking for opportunities to be charitable. He donated a coat at our church clothing drive. He's purchased bagels for a few homeless men, and given away his subway pass when we're going away but it has a few days until it expires. However, charity can come in all sorts of shapes and sizes. It can be listening to someone who needs a friend, helping someone with a heavy load, or simply a smile at a neighbor. I decided to send five Christmas cards to wounded soldiers at Walter Reed Hospital in hopes that their courage would be recognized with a card full of gratefulness and holiday cheer:If you are interested in doing this, there's still time! In case you can't see the address, send Christmas cards to:

A Recovering American Soldier

C/O Walter Reed Hospital

7519 Hospital Dr.

Gloucester, VA 23061

Whew, that was a heavy beginning! However, I felt it was important to share. In other news in the amazingly exciting life of Mrs. Miller & Co.:
There is a new countdown!!! We are going to Cancun for February break! Mr. Miller and I, along with two other couples, are venturing on a tropical winter escape. We've never been on a true friends vacation like this, and we are so stoked to live it up! (Yes, this is the hot tub at the hotel. Yes, that's a fire pit in the middle of it. Yes please.) So yea, Operation Christmas Cookie, aka eating healthily and exercising, is going to turn into Operation Winter Polka Dot Bikini.

So, about that exercise...I'm trying! As mentioned in the previous post, I've needed a bit of inspiration to get motivated. I found my inspiration, had three great runs last week and my first yoga class since August...then BAM: Cold. Or post nasal drip. Or allergies. The jury is still out. Either way, I'm coughing up a lung. I was trying to exercise through it, but tripped on my run Tuesday night and realized my head isn't really with it currently. I've been taking the route of hydrate, rest, hydrate, and don't eat too many Christmas cookies. (Ok, well, what am I supposed to do when I make chocolate peppermint cookies!?) So, next week is a new week. My goal is to run four times. I'm also attending a pilates class for the first time with a Groupon. This is taking a lot of courage on my part. I'll let you know the damage afterwards.

What is something courageous or charitable that you can do this month? Let me know!

Back for Some Inspiration

2011-12-16T16:13:00.001-05:00

Definition of INSPIRATION

a : a divine influence or action on a person believed to qualify him or her to receive and communicate sacred revelation

- Merriam Webster Online

Inspiration. I've need a little these days. Remember my NYC Marathon glory days? Oh, you don't? Let me refresh your memory:I was inspired to run my first marathon. I was further inspired as I became a charity entry for World Vision. I was pushed to even further inspiration when I completed the marathon. It all happened. For real. After the marathon, I needed some downtime. In case you couldn't tell, I was a bit intense with preparing for the marathon. I was on training overload for over six months. After the marathon I was told over and over again "You inspire me." "You're so inspirational." "I'm going to start running because you inspired me!" Me? Seriously? Mini legged me? 5:08:35 marathoner me? I didn't even make it in to the NY Times! (I'm a Finisher, that's what counts, I know...) After my bout with a kidney infection over Thanksgiving, my grandfather's passing, I've been lacking in inspiration. EVEN YET, people are still coming to me for running advice, telling me to rest my legs, telling me that I'm an inspiration. I feel so humbled. So unworthy. As Mr. Miller said the other day, "No one who inspires feels like they're truly an inspirer. They often just are." So, I will list some people who are currently inspiring me:

My Dad inspires me. My dad was the go to guy for my grandparents, and especially during the final months of my grandfather's life. It was stressful. He balanced work and family and still found time to call me and ask how my day was. Dad, you're an inspiration of dedication.

My friend R inspires me. R is an aspiring runner who considers herself so slow it's not worth mentioning (Hmmm sounds familiar!). Funny though, her times are my times, and it's something to be PROUD OF! She texted me the other day to inform me about a great 4.5 mile run with a 9:xx/mile average. R, you are an inspiration of hard work.

My friend C inspires me. C completed her first 5k in September. I told her that she was going to do it in under 30 minutes; she laughed at me. Guess what? She did it. Now she's eyeing a half marathon with me in March. She's tackling new challenges with excitement. C, you are an inspiration of tenacity!

The following are some of the things that have gotten me out of my uninspired funk recently:
The Green Bay Packers inspire me! (Mr. Miller and I at the Giants game!) 13-0. Perfection. As they said in Remember the Titans, "Up until now, we've been perfect. And I'd like to keep it that way." The Packers show hard work and dedication really do pay off.
The Rockefeller Christmas Tree inspires me. Cheesy? Maybe. I've been watching the tree lighting since I was a little 8 year old Connecticut resident. Every year I still watch it, and get the privilege of seeing it in person. It gets me excited for the season and lights up the city that I love.
Eating healthy inspires me. As I said on Facebook, I'm on "Operation Christmas Cookie". AKA, eating super healthy throughout the day and exercising so I can eat Christmas cookies!!! Hey, tis the season! It is yummy indeed.
The season of joy inspires me. All aspects of Christmas lift my spirits. Christmas carols, generosity, friends, family, lights, cookies (mmm), santa costumed Lambeau puppies, all inspire me toward joy. During this lack of inspiration I almost let it get away.
My family inspires me. Every single one of them. This weekend we celebrate the life of my Grampy; paratrooper, purple heart medal owner, retired firefighter, is there anything uninspiring about him? He did the most dangerous jobs and never thought recognition was necessary.

What inspires you? Leave a little for me!

I am thankful for my Grampy

2011-11-29T20:32:00.000-05:00

"I'm especially thankful for all my grandchildren. And for each one of my great-grandchildren."

- Grampy Thanksgiving 2010

James F. McAuliffe was my Grampy. Don't let the the stubborn persona fool you, he was a tender hearted Irish fellow. My Grampy lived 87 years. He was married to my Grammy for 65 years. He had 3 children. He had 8 grandchildren. He had 12 great-grandchildren. My Grampy was a hero to this country and to me. He went into the army as a paratrooper because, in his words, "They paid you more money to do the dangerous job." That's how he met my Great Uncle Buster, who died in combat. My Grampy received many awards, including the Purple Heart. After the war, he visited Buster's family, and met my Grammy. They have lived in the same town all their lives. My Grampy was a hard worker, a retired fireman and a chauffeur during his retirement. He taught me the value of hard work and dedication. "If you can work, you better work." He'd say.

I have fond memories with my Grampy. He may have been a bit gruff sometimes, but he was really a swell guy. He'd always talk with me, come out to say hello, and drive me whenever I asked. I have many fond memories including:

Walking to get the newspaper when I was REALLY young and slept over.
Going to mass with him when I was REALLY young.
Riding my bike over and swimming in their ultra clean pool.
Grampy drove me to Disney when I visited them in Fort Lauderdale.
Grampy helped me wash my car because "I needed help to do it right."
Grampy at Christmas. It was his favorite time of year.
Grampy sat Mr. Miller and I down when we decided to go Puerto Rico for our honeymoon to show us all his pictures from Rincon. He told us great stories about his vacations there.
In more recent years, we spent Thanksgiving with Gram and Gramp. It was the best time.
Seeing my Grampy with the great grandchildren. It pains me that he will never meet my own children.
One day this summer, when he was having a "bad day", I didn't go into the den to give him our usual hello and kiss on the cheek. He came outside, found me, and immediately gave me a kiss and said, "Hello Kristin." That was a good day.
All the good days we had this summer. My dad said he put on his "best face" when we came to visit.

I said good-bye on Sunday. I visited Grampy in the hospital, and he didn't know I was there. I gave him our usual kiss on the cheek and said good bye.

I'll miss you Grampy. You were loving, caring, and tender in your own way and in your own time. I'm so blessed that you got to see me graduate college, get married, earn my masters degree, and run a marathon. I will be forever grateful for your support and love.

No Thanksgiving Day Race Recap here folks....

2011-11-26T12:36:00.000-05:00

So, in case you missed it, I was sick. It all started Tuesday night, as stated in my previous post. I was apparently sick for a while, but because I ignored a lot of little things as "I'm just not feeling well today" type of symptoms. Nothing was severe, nothing said "Go to the doctor and get a prescription!" If I had done that, things would have turned out way differently. Instead, I spent our 3 hour traffic ridden drive to Connecticut (Thanks Mr. Miller for being a traffic trooper!) Wednesday shivering in fleece pants, wool socks, Uggs, a sweatshirt and down vest. Oh yea, and a Lambeau Lap Puppy. He's warm and toasty. When I got to my parent's house, mommy took over and immediately put me in her bed and ran the show. My fever finally somewhat broke around 9pm. I am thankful for my mommy. Thanksgiving morning I had a slight fever, but a steady flow of Tylenol kept it at bay most of the time. I am thankful for Tylenol. The worst part was that it apparently spread to my kidneys. I had extreme lower back pain since the end of last week, and I thought it was because of my realignment/massage/lack of running. I was constantly stretching, doing yoga, using the roller, hot showers, and bribing Mr. Miller for a massage (He always did it willingly, what a guy.) However, these interventions weren't doing any good and that should have tipped me off as well. It turned into stabbing pain Tuesday night whenever I moved, coughed, yawned, laughed, anything. Thankfully, Thursday morning the antibiotics showed signs of finally working after three doses, and I was coherent and able to talk and make sense!I am thankful for antibiotics. I'm still recovering from the back pain and moving around carefully, but I didn't want to let it ruin my weekend with family. I am thankful for my family. Below are some pictures of me putting on a big girl face to celebrate! Warning: I will be referencing Friends Thanksgiving Episode quotes! And yes, I'm thankful for Friends Thanksgiving Episodes.What, are you afraid you're gonna run out of pie?! My mom always makes amazing homemade pies! We waited a while for these. Oh my they were good. Challenge update: I did get the walk in after the meal, but it was a very short walk (1/4 of a mile). It's all I could take. Probably even a bit much! I didn't eat too much at dinner, simply because I couldn't. Also, not pictured: Mr. Miller's parents came! We had a great time. I didn't really have my phone, but my mom took some good pictures with her camera. More to come!
We all really missed Grampy. He was diagnosed with Alzheimer's about a year ago. Three weeks ago he had to go into the hospital. He's not doing very well, and everyone missed him. Needless to say, we had a steady flow of tears while everyone went around the table to say what they were thankful for. Grampy was included in a lot of them. I am thankful that this summer we had several good visits where I learned even more about him, about history, and his experiences in the war. Praying for peace and health for your Grampy!

Challenge update number 2: Yes, I ate this. It should be noted that it was sort of a brunch. I ate fruit for breakfast and this for brunch. YUM. Ross Geller would be proud. Don't worry, I had on my "eatin' pants". I did make sure to have the thinnest layer of each item, but more turkey. Hey, it's a protein right?! Well Jim, you did it. She's finally full.

We dog-sat Lambeau's sister! This is Kerri. She's Lambeau's actual litter mate. My lifetime neighbors here in Connecticut bought Lambeau Puppy's sister because they saw how darn cute he was! They were getting ready for a wedding and needed peace, quiet, and no doggy/dress accidents! So Kerri came to play. They had fun. Truth be told, Urban dweller Lambeau was a little put off that we banished him outside! Crying and scratching at the door. Pansy. MAN UP! Play outdoors.
This is the wedding! Mark and Sandy had a beautiful wedding set in a historic barn. Mark and I grew up building forts in the woods, playing basketball together, and when it rained, pool and air hockey tournaments! They're a fabulous couple, we are so thrilled for them! Thankfully I was feeling good, but towards the end it was too much activity for me. I even tried to dance, but the Twist really didn't agree with my back.

Today, I'm determined to be productive. I'm going to arrange our Christmas Card list and Gift List. If I'm going to have a quiet weekend, might as well do something productive.

What are you doing to be productive this weekend? How is the running? I will try not to be jealous, I promise.

Prepare yourself for something truly dreadful...

2011-11-23T12:02:00.000-05:00

Lambeau Puppy is excited to go to Connecticut, the land of fenced in back yards and rocking horses. Me? Well, this Thanksgiving just took a nasty turn. Last night I woke up around 1:30am with a fever, chills that woke up Mr. Miller, and delirium. Turns out I have a virus and antibiotics will be entering me shortly. Doctor's orders? NO. Running. TOMORROW. Yup. My Beloved Manchester Road Race streak will be ending today. In the caption explaining my absence next year? "ANTIBIOTICS." So, I'm trying to not be a pouter, and focus on spending time with family. Alright, so I did cry with my mommy over the phone and now I'm over it. Kind of. Sort of. So, will run vicariously through all of you Turkey Trotters! Get out there and support your community!

So, this will not be Mr. Miller and I tomorrow. I had a Packers-ish outfit picked out, so that will have to wait until next year I guess. I am unsure if Mr. Miller will brave the race! We'll see how driving to Connecticut in the car sick goes, praying it's a lot of Zzzz's!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

I am thankful for health!

2011-11-21T20:41:00.001-05:00

This was our Christmas Card photo last year, taken on Thanksgiving 2010. I love CONNECTICUT! Red barns and evergreens! BRING. IT. ON!

I'm so excited for Thanksgiving!!! It is a strong rival with Christmas in my favorite holidays category. I love Christmas because it celebrates God's amazing gift to us. The joy and love in the season is wonderful. However, Thanksgiving is very selfless, it's not about presents, but rather time spent with family and friends. This year my Miller-in-Laws are joining the McAuliffes! Watch out Connecticut! It will be so great to have Mr. Miller's parents joining us for Thanksgiving. This is also their first experience with the Manchester Road Race, I'm so excited for them to see my CRAZY community celebration! I seriously can't wait for mashed potatoes. Also, my mom's homemade pies (Baked fresh this Wednesday afternoon!) are to.die.for. Speaking of food...

Every year, I try to make Thanksgiving as healthy as possible. Easier said than done, yes?! Well, I try. And that's what matters. For the past three years, my Yoga Club at school has taken the "Thanksgiving Challenge". This entails 4 Levels:

Level 1: Do yoga everyday over break.

Level 2: Take a 15 minute walk after a big meal instead of video games or a nap.

Level 3: Bring someone on the walk!

Level 4: Teach someone yoga.

Level 5: Take one serving of everything, and wait 10 minutes after you're done before you decide to get seconds; chances are you'll be stuffed! I take this challenge seriously, as do my 4th and 5th graders. I also add in my own challenges. First up: The Manchester Road Race:Race Goals:

1. Have fun.

2. Get some decent pictures. This is like a Where's Waldo photo! That's me in the Green Bay hat (10-0...WHAT WHAT!!!). Brian is in the guy in the grey shorts saying hi to Lambeau Puppy. My dad is in the red jacket holding Lambeau Puppy. Lambeau Puppy is the cute dog being held by my red jacket dad. Coach Jen is in the NC Blue fleece. There's a little one in a red jacket next to my red jacket dad, that's my nephew Coach Jen's Number 3. Ok, seriously? The photo needs too much of an explanation! So yea. We'll stop. We'll smile. We'll hug.

3. PR? Eh, I've done it every year except 2004, so I might as well try. So 48:18 is the goal :-D

4. Wear a costume. I usually just wear something average or Packers-ish. Mr. Miller has a little something picked out. We'll see what I come up with!

My years in numbers:

2010: 48:19

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

I have other fitness goals too, you know! In addition to doing my club's yoga challenge, I will also be adding in some at home and gym activity that I'll try to keep up regularly. Goals include:

- Doing 100 crunch style moves without wanting to puke. (I do a blend of pilates moves, keep my abs guessing!) BTW, my core is W-E-A-K. I want to remedy that STAT.

- 25 push ups. Let's start small and see how it goes. I currently can do, oh, 5-8.

- Strength train at least once a week. When I got checked out at my chiropractor, he highly recommended I take up my strength training that I did over the summer, because shoot girl, your lower back is weak! (My words, not his.)

So, healthy Thanksgiving weekend it will be. I'm hoping to get a run in with coach Jen, although she is a tad faster and better trained currently. I also plan on continuing this routine in December because, let's be honest, my cookie swap is December 3 and I tend to have a morning cookie with my coffee every day in December. They may be small, but an extra 80-100 calories adds up quick (560-700 a week!)! So calorie BURN will be a huge goal in December.

Per Usual, Runnersworld.com read my mind. To continue the runner's depression study, check out the article "Now What" which appeared in my inbox today!

Are YOU running in a Thanksgiving Day race?! Say it loud, say it proud! Gobble gobble!

1 Day until the Manchester Road Race!

....and THANKSGIVING!!!

Post-NYC Marathon days of Glory Part 3: Runner's Depression and back

2011-11-21T19:43:00.000-05:00

How could I have Runner's Depression when I have a birthday/I-ran-a-marathon southern themed bonanza:

The girls in their plaids.

Pumpkin cream pies with imaginary candles!

I haven't run in two weeks. It's been two weeks since I became a Finisher of the ING NYC Marathon. Things got in the way. Birthday parties happened. Days of sleeping and lounging around happened. Visitors came to town. Concerts had to be attended. Parent Teacher Conferences messed with my schedule. And then there's the weather. The good 'ol weather. It's pretty much dark at 4:30pm, so right now at 7:51pm I feel like it's 10:00pm. Therefore, I'm not only in the midst of Runner's Depression, but I'm also fighting bear syndrome, aka hibernation. Now, you may be wondering, what is Runner's Depression? I found two blogs that detailed it well. Basically, the extreme version is like true depression. This is not me. I'm more like an injured runner, "I'm goal-less, I accomplished what I set out to do, now I feel like I'm in limbo." So you know what I thought today? I'm not injured. I am able bodied. I have two feet...granted, sometimes they are both lefts. So, in the words of Mr. Miller:

Don't be dramatic. Just run.

I dusted of the Garmin from the Marathon. Yes, ladies and gentlemen, that's 26.51...so much for trying to avoid bobbing and weaving. I reset it. Time to move on. Time to reset toward a new run. (And yes, Lambeau Puppy did get his walk first.)
I wore inspirational gear. I rocked my Marathon Finisher's running hat for the first time, and my Manchester Road Race shirt in honor of my 8th running of the Thanksgiving Day Race this Thursday!!! (See posts about the race here and here)

So the running began. I went 3.6 miles, just to the park and back. I took the scenic route for once. The scenic route means about 2/10 of a mile shorter than running the non-scenic route. Today was a scenic day. I didn't bring my phone or iPod, I ran with a watch simply to keep track of time...obviously the sun did a good job of that by itself. By the time I reached the park the lights were already on and dusk was fast approaching. I did one nice loop and headed home. I had soreness behind both of my knees, I assume that's just from wearing flats, not sneakers, and not running for two weeks. My aerobic breathing was very good. I took it easy and thoroughly enjoyed it. There. I did it. Just run. Easy enough.

Tomorrow I will detail race goals for the Thanksgiving day race/a healthy Thanksgiving weekend. Hint: having fun is number one.

Don't be dramatic. Just run.

2 days until the Manchester Road Race!!!

Post-NYC Marathon days of Glory Part 2

2011-11-15T21:39:00.000-05:00

In this edition of Mrs. Miller's Week in Pictures, get ready for puppies, concerts, and sight seeing! *Watch out for the birthday picture cliff hanger at the end of this blog for the next edition coming soon!*

Puppy time is time well spent. After the marathon, I spent a lot of time with this little guy and Mr. Miller. He is such a little spit fire, but bring him to the park and FORGET. IT. He freaks out! He loves the open space. He also enjoys sunsets and puppy walks on the beach.

These are my boys. They're the best things for me. My man boy and my puppy boy. I thoroughly enjoyed relaxing with them and relishing in marathon victory.

Hello, Foo Fighters! Yup, we saw them in concert at Madison Square Garden. This is where we got engaged during a Coldplay concert. The Foo Fighters were ELECTRIC.

Confession: We're old and left early. Foo Fighters, I'm SO glad you're cool and wanted to play for over three hours. Not so cool? Going on at 9:30. AKA my bedtime. I made it until a little before 12am and called it quits!

Top of the Rock to ya! I love this view. Skyscrapers fascinate me. We had a FABULOUS friend in town and we saw the sights. It was nice playing tour guide. I forgot how tiring it can be!

It's the most wonderful time: ROCKEFELLER TREE TIME! This is one of my favorite traditions. I will be writing more about this soon. Even though the PA born tree was surrounded by scaffolding, I felt a bit giddy at the sight of it.

JUST BELIEVE! Thanks Macy's for reminding me that, with God, anything is possible. Completing my first marathon is possible. Running a sub 2:00 1/2 marathon is possible!!! Exciting things to come!

Picture preview for the next blog: My Southern Themed birthday party. Yes, those are some marines. Yes, we bought them dinner and drinks. Yes, their birthday was on the day of my party. Prepare yourself for the next Mrs. Miller's Miles Week of Pictures! It's going to be a funny one!

9 days until the Manchester Road Race!!!

Post-NYC Marathon days of Glory

2011-11-14T21:08:00.001-05:00

Medaling. First day back at work.

I have been so busy. Seriously. Between the NYC Marathon, recovering from the marathon, going back to work, receiving so many amazing compliments, my southern themed birthday party, a weekend guest, and a Foo Fighters concert, I'm exhausted. Oh, did I mention tonight is Monday Night Football featuring the PACKERS?! Needless to say, I will not be staying up for the whole thing, because it is against Minnesota. Mr. Miller is out watching it with friends because he knows I am wiped. So, since I'm so wiped, I figured I'd recap the days following the epic Marathon of my life. Honestly, there's not a lot of running going on. I know a lot of runners and bloggers get right back on the horse, but this girl needs some rest. Wednesday is my comeback day. I've recovered, done an insane amount of walking, got a massage and scolded my a chiropractor (Another time, another blog...), and have to get through Parent Teacher Conferences tomorrow (8:10am-7:30pm workday. Blech.)

So, prepare yourself for Mrs. Miller's Miles Week of Pictures!...a week later!!! As I'm playing catch up on life, I'll let you catch up with amazing visual images that made this past week exceptionally great.

I finally met up with my childhood neighbor, Melissa! We couldn't connect to run the marathon together, but we met up in Manhattan to be like kids in a candy shop giddy. Marathon LOVE was in the air! We wore our marathon medals loud and proud. Let's call it medaling.
A medaling hanging. We had to wait in line just to get into the NYRR Finisher's store! WHAT?! Semi sore runners here, easy in easy out?! Not so much. 15 minutes of waiting in line is just too darn long.
Mary Wittenberg sent me a personal email congratulating me. Thanks Mary, we'll do lunch soon.
My parents had given me orange flowers. I forgot!!! In the tissy of getting home, showering etc, my parents left to drive back to Connecticut. I forgot their cute gesture of naranja flores!
Nike Town, Thank YOU! Yes, this is awesome. In case you can't see the sign, it details finisher tee's, (FREE) medal engraving, (FREE) refreshments, and a (FREE) massage! Yes please. I took full advantage!!!
Jamba Juice Jubilee. Okay, so maybe I had two. My new marathon friend (Didn't catch his name...) and I swapped Jamba Juice retrieval duties while we waited for our massages.

Even after the marathon, ads still get me. I see this and think, "Heck yea 59th street bridge repeats. Yea Bronx rising, I rocked you." It's swell. Just swell.
How can you read this and NOT get chills!? I'm a sucker for strong sayings/statements.

"Victory is declared by us. But it's not easy to earn it. But then, nothing worthwhile was ever easy. After all, If you don't think you're the best, you're not the best."

-Nike Town NYC Ad

10 days until the Manchester Road Race!!!

...had to change the countdown! On to the next one/on to the next one...

ING NYC Marathon in Pictures

2011-11-09T19:50:00.000-05:00

I'm recovering well! Post race I've been feeling really good. I've had some tightness in my right IT band, which had already been agitated. My left leg thinks we're running a marathon tomorrow. Silly left leg. Mr. Miller is still in shock that I didn't have an injury, throw up at the end, or rendered inadequate in the walking department. I may have tripped three times in five minutes at work, but my legs are working; at least most of the time!

My family, friends, and coworkers have been EXTREMELY excited and celebratory! I've never felt so much love. Seriously. Every time I turn a corner at work I hear, "How was the race!" I'm still getting emails and texts congratulating me. It's the most amazing experience to know people around you are proud of you. I love each and every one of them. I even had a conversation with my principal about peeing during marathons, which turned into her telling me that Fergie pees on stage!? Needless to say, there has been no end to their jolly interest in my marathon adventure. Their encouragement only fuels to the fire toward new goals! (Already thinking of them...)

Did I mention I got tenured?! Yes, I was granted tenure. My binder worked. Pressure off. This week is great.

And now, the NYC Marathon in pictures. Thank you Brightroom. Thank you Paint. (Follow link to watch me finish on video!)

Holy ponytail! Sparkly Soul held it all together.

All business.

Focused.

Thumbs up! FUN! Finally!

I join the elderly in being peppy (He probably schooled me with those legs!).

My glorious finish.

Aw shoot, here comes the emotional breakdown. It's hitting me.
It's all hitting me...

Tears. Glory to God.

MEDAL PHOTO PERFECTION! It turned out better than I could hope for!

It still makes me cry. I was telling a coworker about a couple I encountered during mile 24. They had pictures of their son on their shirt. The woman's shirt said "Mom" and the man's said "Dad". They were running for autism. I pulled up next to them and said "Your shirts are beautiful, your son is beautiful. Congratulations." They were so appreciative. As I retold the story today I got choked up and had tears. People are truly amazing. NYC Marathoners are amazing. Charity runners are amazing.

Who are all you people reading my blog? I'm getting tons of page views. Let me know who you are! Share your blogs! Don't be a stranger!

How's running going this week? I did some sprints at the park today. SHORT sprints. I picked up Mr. Miller with Lambeau puppy in the car. We went to the park, as we have tried to do once a week since Mr. Miller's hours changed this fall. Today, it was basically dark when we got there at 4:45. I saw a mom pushing her jogging stroller. The street lights were on. It was dusk.

She inspired me. Press on. Go till the lights turn out. Then keep going some more.

ING NYC Marathon Race Report: Mrs. Miller Runs New York

2011-11-07T19:35:00.001-05:00

11/6/11 will forever live in infamy. This is not going to be a mile by mile race report, because, quite frankly, I don't remember things mile by mile! So, in orderly fashion, let's go borough by painstaking borough, NYC STYLE! Let me ruin the end of the story, proverbially turning to the last page of the book early: I FINISHED THE ING NYC MARATHON!

Staten Island: Getting to the race was L-O-N-G. I didn't anticipate 30 minutes on the ferry THEN 30 minutes on the bus! I didn't arrive to the start until after 8:30. Thank God Mr. Miller convinced me we didn't need to leave our house until 7am! Unfortunately, I couldn't find my childhood neighbors, a brother and sister, who were running it together :-(. I had throw away clothes and barely needed them. The weather was crisp, warm, and barely breezy. This was going to be a good race day. As time wound down, I watched the Wave 1 and Wave 2 run across the Verrazzano Bridge.

(Sidenote story: As I slowly moved toward the start, I really appreciated the overweight working smoking a cigar and blowing it in our faces. Stay classy S.I.)

Suddenly, it was my turn. My turn to begin my 26.2 mile journey. I got to the start and had to pee. Really pee. Like going 20 minutes before the had never happened pee. Decision time: go back or stay put. I stay put. I began the start. I promptly tripped less than a mile into the bridge; apparently the paint on highways is somewhat raised. Not good for this runner who is known for tripping less than gracefully! I made it over the bridge, and into Brooklyn.

Brooklyn: Brooklyn take me in. I got into Brooklyn and it was somewhat quiet. It was completely unfamiliar to me. A few miles in and the crowds got louder and prouder; I liked that. I got a ton of "Go Kristin!"'s and high fives from little kids (You know, because you can't leave anyone under 10 years old hanging!). Surprisingly, I got a little bored. Brooklyn is the longest stretch of the marathon in one borough, and the unfamiliarity and endlessness got to be a bit much. I named it: Brooklyn A.D.D. This is where I've seen too much of the same borough and want OUT. It didn't help that I knew my cheer squad was in the next borough waiting for me. Okay that's probably the real reason I was plagued with Brooklyn A.D.D., but still, B-r-o-o-k-l-y-n come again cheered their hearts out, and I am forever grateful! Adios BK!

Queens: Hello Home Borough!!! As I entered Queens I was INSTANTLY familiar and excited. This is my town to run tonight Rihanna, recognize. As I ran through each water station, it was becoming increasingly treacherous. Runners weren't adhering to etiquette and discarding cups from to the side, but rather, right in the middle of the course. Slid a few times. Again, clumsy runner here. I took people's advice and waited until the end, and you'll find the peppiest volunteers because no one takes water from them! I used my iPhone to call Mr. Miller and let him know I was approaching, and he let me know where to look. Suddenly, there they were:
My light at the end of 14 miles thus far. My work wife Alyssa was with them, she's not pictured. I'll try to find one because she's a good friend, great supporter, and child sponsor!
My dad holding my family's sign!
My mommy hugging her smelly little girl.
Mr. Miller smiling after a sweaty kiss (Not sure if we got it on camera...)

Needless to say, this was an amazing cheer squad. They were inspiring and loud and proud! I got choked up leaving them. I knew I had only 12 miles left. I could do this. I felt good. I entered the Queensboro Bridge and was immediately frustrated. Again, runners etiquette: If you're going to walk, move to the side. Nope. I'd say 75% of the people were walking, and they were ALL. OVER. THE. BRIDGE. I had to bob and weave and it was frustrating. I could run this bridge. I may run slow, but I wasn't walking. I didn't want to be the jerk to say "Run or get out of the way!" but I sure felt like it. Thankfully I used my manners and quietly channeled that into running a tough hill. Enter 1st Avenue.

Manhattan: Now mind you, I still had to pee. We're now 15 miles in and every port-a-potty is a game time decision. I chose no every time. I figured if I ran I'd sweat it out. It technically worked! Manhattan was awesome. Cheers, noise makers, signs, it didn't matter who they were cheering for specifically, they rooted for anyone and everyone! As we approached the Bronx, I braced myself for the wall at mile 20 and the bridge shortly thereafter. (Sidenote: I had a dream last week that I didn't hit the wall and entered Central Park perfectly fine...my only good marathon dream!) Mile 20. No wall.

Bronx: Bridge. No wall. Mile 21. Moving strong. The Bronx was OUT AND ABOUT! Rappers screaming my name, church goers singing and encouraging, it was AWESOME. It was not as nearly as quiet as I had envisioned. Bronx, thanks for giving me a fantastic push back into Manhattan! Spoiler alert: Dream came true. I never hit the wall. I may have been slow, but I did this, unlike most things, gracefully!

Manhattan: Mile 22 got me big time. Not in the way you're thinking. There was a really cool feature for the race called "Support Your Marathoner", where family and friends could record a video or a digital message to be shown on a screen when you ran over a sensor. Well, it happened for me. As I rounded Mile 22, the screen above me flashed a video of Mr. Miller and Lambeau Puppy waving and smiling. Tears. I got all sorts of choked up and it pushed me to meet them on 95th Street and 5th Avenue. This was the home stretch. Of my very first marathon. No wall. No peeing.

I ran right up to them! (My legs look good here!) My friends Nick, Rebecca, and Nadia joined in the cheer squad to get me to the home stretch. They were amazingly louder than Queens and excited!!!

Rebecca jumped in to run! Rebecca would be the girl to my left in fierce heeled boots, an adorable jacket, a flashy white purse, and running with me!!! She kept up for a 1/4 of a mile. R, you're the bestest. I love you too much!!! After this I ran by the Team World Vision cheer section and they were STOKED! I loved their energy and support. THANKS AGAIN TO ALL MY CHEER SQUADS!

Central Park: (It's not a borough, but it is epic in its own right!) As I entered the park, the crowd was definitely still alive and well. I even got a slow clap chant! However, it wasn't enough. I needed an extra boost. So I put on my ipod and let the music take control/let the music move you. That selection of music is as follows:

The Time (Dirty Bit) - Black Eyed Peas

Any Way You Want it - Journey

Otis - Jay-Z and Kanye West

All I Do is Win - DJ Kalle

We Found Love - Rihanna

Then, it was time to become a finisher.

The final .1 of the marathon. My childhood neighbors' parents were there, siblings, fiances, all in the grand stands waiting for their family members who were about 10 minutes behind me. All of a sudden I hear "KRISSSSSTTTTTINNNN!" and my girl Stephanie is screaming her heart out! Then I see Carl and Vicki and I start BAWLING. Down to the very end, I was supported. I was cheered for. I was pushed forward.

The finish. I crossed the finish line, tried to hold it together for a good finish line photo, and then sob/heaved/sobbed. It was the most fulfilling moment to complete a project that has taken not only running, but the sponsoring of children. It all hit me there. It wasn't just about the run. It was about making a difference in the world THROUGH THE RUN. I got my medal picture taken, and then things turned ugly. I don't want to ruin a great post about a life changing experience, but dearest NYRR, that finish line walk to exit the park is unacceptable. I am slightly claustrophobic, and I almost went into panic mode. From the finish to finding the exit, it took 20 minutes of muscle tightening standing and moving an inch, standing and moving an inch. Thankfully, I found the exit, and my loves with my warm clothes!!! I finally peed, well over 5 hours after I had initially had to go. It was sweet, glorious, and a lot! Thankfully I found these cool people with my belongings. They helped dress me, change my socks and shoes, etc:
My cheer squad! NOTE: That's only HALF of my family in the photo! I'm one of six kids!
Proud mommy and daddy. They had an adventurous day running around the city with Mr. Miller!
Proud husband and trying to calm down his near panic attack ridden wife. So glad to be in his sweatshirt.
The whole gang together. After this, we had quite the taxi ride home, but it was worth it to simply be sitting.

Marathon finish time: 5:10:23

This is a really overwhelming thing to write about. I really didn't want to write a review yet. However, I wanted to remember things as vividly as I could. I'll end with a quote I saw in the Nike Town Store:

"The real purpose of running isn't to win a race, it's to test the limits of the human heart."

- Bill Bowerman

My heart has been tested. My body has been tested. My mind has been tested.

I am a finisher.

I Run New York.

1 day since the ING NYC MARATHON!!!

ING NYC Marathon Eve

2011-11-05T20:21:00.000-04:00

I am so stinking nervous. I think that's a good thing. This day included breakfast, a bright Team World Vision manicure, giving Lambeau a bath, carb loading, and water loading. A whole lot of slothing about if you ask me.
Carbs consumed? Check check.
Race Gear. Including but not limited to:

-Team shirt/race outfit

- iPhone holder

- Fuel Belt

- iFitness belt

- Fuel inside both belts

- Throw away gloves, earmuffs, and sweatshirt.

- Hand warmers (SMARTEST PURCHASE OF THE DAY)

- Race bib (This is the one thing I would forget)
Post Race Gear. Including but not limited to:

- Cold compresses

- Change of socks

- Pants and a sweatshirt

- Recoverite and a Nalgene bottle to pour it into

- Goldfish Saltine Crackers

- Aleve

- Recovery sneakers

Race Goals:

Goal D: 4:50 finish

Goal C: 4:40 finish

Goal B: 4:30 finish

Goal A: FINISH!!!

This is it. Tomorrow is my baptism by Boroughs. Tomorrow, I am a Finisher. This WSJ article got me all sorts of choked up at breakfast (Yes, it was in public). It details how marathons are one of the remaining sports where elites and amateurs can all compete. The end really touched me. I will leave you with this:

"You have to hang around for the Finishers, but they're worth it. If you stand on any avenue you can see Finishers having moments during the race with family and friends—struggling bodies energizing at the sight of recognizable faces and handwritten signs. The Finisher hobbles over—a mom, a dad, a pal. There's a quick, jubilant group hug, and high-fives all around. Nobody's watching the clock. Nobody cares that mom or dad smells like gym socks. You can't help but be moved. It's like watching 50 long-distance telephone commercials in a row.

They still have miles to run. But Finishers make New York." - Jason Gay, WSJ Reporter

See you on the other side. As a Finisher.

14 hours until the ING NYC MARATHON!!!

ING NYC Marathon Weekend

2011-11-04T22:24:00.000-04:00

It has been a whirlwind couple of days. I had a movie/veg out night Wednesday night with Mr. Miller watching Spirit of the Marathon, holy tears and chills! This got me geared up for the wave of emotions that are bound to take place this Sunday.Thursday night, we expo'd. I love the free signs for spectators!!!

There's my bib! Remember the number. Track me if you'd like.

Run for life. It's a promise.
Can you sense the excitement?
Even the low carb beers are getting in on the marathon action! Sorry Mich Ultra, I'll probably throw back a full carb Sam Adams something after the 26.2!
Team World Vision is amazing. Tonight we had a team dinner. Bart Yasso was supposed to be the guest speaker but had to drop out last minute. FYI, Bart Yasso is a World Vision supporter and he has a sponsored child. He met this sponsored child during an ultra race in Africa. Bart Yasso, you just went up a notch when there wasn't a notch to go up. Fundraising update: Almost 400 kids have been sponsored through this team of runners. Want to get us to our goal? Comment about sponsoring a child today.
Season 11 Biggest Loser WINNER Olivia Ward came out to support her husband who is running with Team world Vision. FYI, she is a FABULOUS person, and a great photographer (See Team picture above!!!). Olivia and Hannah will be in the Nissan Leaf leading the women's Elite runners at the race! Go Team Purple! See you next year in the marathon???

My coworkers are the best of the best. Every single person I saw today was full of "Good Lucks" and "I'm so excited for you!" and other wonderfully encouraging words. This card was given to me by a friend who has been fundraising and running 1/2 marathons for Crohns and Colitis. Ms. Coombs, your marathon is going to happen...I just know it!!!
Happy 30th birthday to Kate. My sister (Center) had a milestone birthday today! She came into the city, and the McAuliffe girls took over Manhattan. They were also full of encouragement. It's a huge boost to see my family so close to the race.

My mind is on overdrive. I'm trying to wrap my mind around what is going to happen this Sunday. It seems impossibly close. Months of waiting. Months of training. Months of worrying. Months of preparing. Months of doubts. Months of firsts. Months of struggles. Months of accomplishment. All wrapped into one day. 10:40am 11/6/11 can't come any faster.

1 day until the ING NYC MARATHON!!!

Baptism by Boroughs

2011-11-01T19:46:00.001-04:00

Baptize Me. I had my spiritual baptism when I was about 7, now, at 27, I will receive my running baptism. In 4 short days, I will be completing my marathon. The marathon I've been obsessing over. The marathon I've been dreaming about. The marathon I have talked incessantly about. The marathon that I've trained for. Boroughs, Baptize me. I can't wait to run the greatest city in the world. I can't wait to enter the group of people who can say, "Yea, I did New York." And everyone knows you mean the marathon...okay, at least most people, especially runners. I can't wait to be baptized by:

Staten Island: Baptize me, Verrazano Bridge.

Brooklyn: Baptize me Gatorade Man on 4th Avenue.

Queens: Baptize me Queensboro Bridge, in my borough, where I will see my family.

Manhattan: Baptize me 1st Avenue roar.

Bronx: Baptize me Andre Correa d'Almeida, personal friend and musician, as I enter the Bronx.

Manhattan: Baptize me Central Park, you and I go way back.

Is 26.2 miles just the start? We'll see how I feel after the race. I know I've got the taper crazies. I feel so lazy. I think to myself, wait, I'm running 26.2 this Sunday?! WHAT?! I'm not prepared! Oh wait, I trained. For months. And months. And MONTHS. I hope this will not be my last marathon. I hope it is, in fact, just the start.
I visited the finish. Orange bleachers, I'm so ready to be welcomed by you with open arms! You're a sight to behold. These sore legs will be thrilled to run through your orange carpet to the end. I am a finisher.
My family made a last minute trip to NYC! In case you haven't heard, Connecticut has massive power outages. My sister, Coach Jen, and her lovely family decided to hightail it out of outage land and visit the city. It was my nephews first time visiting the city, and they loved it. They saw where I would run my marathon. This makes me proud. (Coach Jon ran the Hartford Marathon last year. Coach Jen is an accomplished sprint triathlete and 1/2 marathon runner. I foresee a couples marathon on the horizon!)

I've been obsessing and fretting. I needed my family's visit to distract and entertain me. I need my husband to talk me through my crazy moments. Mr. Miller shared this quote with me, and I think it goes well with the feeling of this picture, and with the impending marathon:

"Thinking too much about what happened, and what is about to happen, will wear you down. Live in the moment and take it one step at a time."

- Seal Team Six Howard E Wasdin and Stephen Templin

Here's to not thinking too much about the past, living in the moment, and taking the next four days one step at a time. Cheers to finishing.

4 Days until the ING NYC MARATHON!!!

ONE. WEEK. FROM. NOW...

2011-10-30T15:55:00.000-04:00

I will be a marathon finisher. Well, at least I better be a marathon finisher!!! I'm all sorts of nervous. I thought I'd enjoy the taper, which I have, but I think I'm getting some taper crazies. It doesn't feel like I'm running a marathon in 6 days. (BTW, the marathon countdown has the days left plus the hours; so, it's really 7 days away. I like saying 6 days better, because in countdowns, the actual day never really counts!) Mentally, I'm in constant battle to think about the fact that I'm running 26.2 miles next Sunday, and my runs are similar to when I first started the training! Taper crazies!Speaking of taper crazies: How about that Nor'easter?! We got hammered, and not even close to what my family in Connecticut got! We spent the entire day indoors yesterday. I don't even know where my winter coat is...still ;-) We cooked, worked on my carb levels, watched movies (Transformers and Something Borrowed), cleaned, cooked more, worked on carb levels more...it was a great day! It had the feeling of a school snow day. Mr. Miller, Lambeau and I definitely enjoyed a very lazy day filled with fleece blankets and sweat-style clothing.
SNOW BALL FIGHT! I almost got out and joined in the fun. Then I realized that would probably be stranger danger to these city kids.
Fall foliage??? Yea, I love foliage, but this is definitely a new twist on the idea. Seriously, heavy snow, slushy snow, it was a mess. Thankfully I got out of Saturday school right when the worst started, so I got home as everything was starting to accumulate.
Hello ING NYC Marathon ad taped onto a fabulous Sports Authority window display! When I began to plan my 8 mile run on our drive home from church today, I realized I needed my cold weather gear! Whaaaat? I'm so not ready for this white stuff and 40 degree temperatures! I picked up some toe socks from a running store in midtown to see if that would help the nasty blister/crater on the inside of my big toe. I had to gear up. Head band, gloves, long sleeves, pants (Ah pants, I love you but miss my shorts), it took me about 20 minutes just to locate my cold weather accessories.
How about a ridiculously good 8 mile run??? Yea, that's me, post run, ready for more. Remember when I said I hadn't seen 10's on my mile averages since my mileage got upped? Well, how about seeing 9's in my average?! My 8 mile average was 9:49, incredible for me. Especially since mile 8 was 8:59! This was a great confidence booster in the midst of my marathon crazies. I will definitely be taking it easy during the rest of my runs this week. I don't want to over do it and have tired legs.

Marathon plan. I'm drafting. Thinking and drafting. Any advice on pace? I feel like I'm going to have to hold back because of excitement; I don't want to over do it in the first part and have no gas left to bring it home. My tentative plan is getting to 20 miles, seeing how I feel, and pushing hard to the finish. Now, I know I may feel great, then at 24 want to chop off my own legs. So should I hold back until miles 23/24? Advice is VERY welcome.

6 days until the ING NYC Marathon!!!

...I can't wait to drink some WINE in a week! I MISS IT!

Versatile blogger

2011-10-28T17:45:00.000-04:00

Meg at Watch MeGo Run tagged me as a versatile blogger! The rules are as follows:

1) Thank the person who gave you the award and link to their post.

2) Share seven things about yourself.

3) Tag some recently discovered blogs - 15, to be exact - and pass the award a long

Meg, thank you so much! I have loved reading your blog! You're a speedy inspiration, I can not wait for you to tackle the big *M* soon!!!

So, prepare yourself...for when people stop being polite, and start getting real. Real World: Versatile Bloggers.

1. My first car was a nasty beat up passed down Toyota Celica with this bumper sticker. It became a running joke between a friend and I, and we kept track of how many we have seen for the past 11 years. We lost count at around 40, but now we picture message each other to keep the dream alive.

2. So this one time, John Mayer and I had a thing. More like, my husband got us front row seats at an underground concert. He played a song I repeatedly screamed er uh I mean asked to play (Comfortable, best. song. ever.), placed his guitar pick inside my purse which was on the stage he was playing on (Front row purse storage, you know...), and used my husband's camera as a capo for an extended jam session. This resulted in over 57,000 hits thus far.
3. I worked full time as a teacher, one day a week as a server, went to grad school, and completed my Masters of Science in May 2010. I became an NYC teaching fellow, a program that pays for your masters while you work as a teacher. I also couldn't give up my cash on the side gig, so basically I was running at any waking moment where I wasn't working, studying, or sleeping. I trained for and ran three half marathons during this two year period.
4. I worked as a server for 4 years in Times Square. I arrived in NYC to finish my undergrad degree, and got hired at the ESPN Zone in Times Square. I worked there until it was abruptly shut down in June 2010. I actually received a sweet severance from it. I miss serving, you meet the most interesting people and experience the good, bad, and ugly of the public. Makes for a great dinner punch line! Famous people I met/served: Andy Pettitte, Josh Beckett, David Wright, Spike Lee, Elizabeth from the View, Vanessa Minillo, Rafael Nadal, and some more that I can't think of. I really loved it, and I was really good at it. Best tip I ever got: $350 from a private event! Very generous people out there.
5. Lambeau was a naughty puppy. We had to go through TWO cycles of puppy school. I would take the train 30 minutes each way to get him, and myself, educated on training. It was time consuming, but totally worth it. He got voted "Most Sarcastic" because he would talk back when I would say a command by barking, then doing the command. FRESH! And he really needed a haircut there.
6. I *LOVE* Ann Curry! I have loved her for a long time. I have been an avid Today Show fan since I was, oh, 11. I finally met her last year and gushed unashamedly about how big of a fan I am. She was GRACIOUS, beautiful, and funny. Ann, you're the Queen Supreme!

7. I swam with dolphins in the Bahamas. AWKWARD KISS MUCH!? Yes, this was an amazing experience. Mr. Miller set it all up and made this bucket list item get checked off. He really knows how to make a girl smile!!! They felt softer than I had anticipated. Ah, dreams come true, really they do!

Ok, I can't tag 15 blogs because I don't think I read 15 blogs! My blog discoveries have been stalled since I've been training for the marathon. Here are a few tags:

Stephanie - A mom who is a work out inspiration!

Lyndsey - A newlywed who is living life and loving it!

Heather - A triathlete who relocated to Alaska!

Drea - A newlywed who is ALSO living life and loving it!

8 days until the ING NYC Marathon!!!

26.2 at 27

2011-10-27T20:11:00.000-04:00

I had a birthday! Yes, it's true. October 25 I turned the big 2-7. Honestly, I don't care about telling people how old I am, because I'm always "the youngest" or "the baby". Whateves. Eventually someone else will be the youngest and the baby! The day was awesome. Because of my impending blister on the inside of my big toe (Which I still can't reveal because it's still THAT disturbing), I didn't run on my birthday for the first time in a long time. I usually do it as a "Yup, another year older and I still got it!" but wisdom spoke better of it. Mr. Miller woke me up and took me for yummy bagels and coffee for breakfast! Great way to start my day. I went to work and was greeted by 5th graders screaming out of their window "Happy birthday Mrs. Miller!" I received some cute gifts, best of all was a HOUSE PLANT! The gift that keeps on giving. These kids are sweet. My work wife Ms. S brought me yummy homemade soup for lunch and a naughty oreo white chocolate / milk chocolate brownie. Let's just say, 5 people shared it, and half was left over for Mr. Miller and I! So good.

I received a special delivery from Villan. Yup. I work in a predominantly Spanish speaking area, so the florist had some language barriers to deal with when Mr. Miller placed his order. Back story: Mr. Miller ordered from this florist for Valentines day and the card read "For the love of my wife" instead of "For the love of my life", this has been a running joke since then. So, big reveal (And I think I wrote his name on older posts) Mr. Miller's name is Brian. So. Brian. Villan. Brian. Villan. Makes sense! Mr. Miller has a new nickname. Don't let the hilarious circumstances distract you: those flowers were GORGEOUS, and they sit loud and proud on my kitchen table. Surprises weren't over.
HE GOT ME *THE* MARATHON NECKLACE! He does read the blog! Or got the hint when I emailed the page or left the screen open on the computer. several. times. After we parked at the park (Weird words to use but only ones that work) he dropped a cute teal blue box on my lap. EEK! I said "WHAT?!" I opened it and had tears. So sweet. He actually had to special order it; apparently they don't carry them in the store. I will be able to get it engraved after the marathon with my year, bib, and time. Mr. Miller, you done good.
Lambeau made my birthday fun. We threw the ball for him and he used up his endless energy; then somehow found reserves to chase squirrels! They were crafty squirrels. They would only go half way up the trunk to tease him. He actually was half a second from catching one. He's a Miller.

It was a beautiful day for a birthday! We sat on the bench for a while and enjoyed the sights; the Triboro Bridge, the Hellsgate Bridge, Manhattan....I love where we live. It is always nice to go and simply enjoy the park instead of running the park. What's a birthday without dinner? Mr. Miller, you've done it again. We went to a FABULOUS Italian restaurant. The food was outstanding. I had penne with fresh tomato sauce, fried eggplant and fresh mozzarella cheese. WOW. Taste explosion. It was so light and simple, I wish I could make sauce like that. I'm not on a mission. Light tomato sauce here I come!

4 miles yesterday, 3 miles today. I put mole skin on my blister and it was irritated the whole time, aka major freak out by me. Today I tried no mole skin, and minimal irritation. Hopefully it will continue toward no irritation. I talked with my mom tonight about the run down of marathon day, and I'm getting more and more anxious. I'll write about my thoughts tomorrow, this birthday post is long enough!

9 days until the ING NYC Marathon!!!

All the single ladies, all the single ladies...SINGLE. DIGITS. PEOPLE!

I heart football Sundays

2011-10-23T20:30:00.001-04:00

I heart 10 mile runs. It's my favorite distance. It's a nice even number, a double digit, and I always feel great after it. Today my schedule said 12 miles. I set out with strong intentions to try to complete the full 12 miles. I packed enough fuel, I set out enough time, but I just didn't have it in me. Since battling a cold or allergies for the past 6 days, I've been EXHAUSTED (Which makes me lean towards a cold). My 4 mile run Thursday was cut short to 2 miles because I was so fuzzy in the head I had a major tripping incident. AKA, it's way to close to the marathon to be stupid and get hurt. I got 11 hours of sleep Thursday and Friday nights, and laid low all day Saturday. Magically, Saturday night, I felt a little better. I woke up this morning feeling less congested and less sluggish. We went to church and I felt significantly better than I have all week. So, I set out on my 12 miles. It was a PERFECT fall day. However, I just didn't have the 12 in me. Because of my sleepy ways this week, my posture was all off, therefore my form was off, and my body was quickly fatigued from the sudden influx of physical activity and aerobic breathing. I just can't snot rocket. Number one, it's gross. Number two, my nose is runny, so it's not something I can really shoot out...it would just look nasty and awkward. So, I settled for 10 miles and call it a day. Let the football Sunday commence!I heart macaroni and cheese. I have seen Meg O baking some fabulous looking from scratch mac and cheese, so I decided today would be a good day. (Secretly, I pushed myself to 10 miles because I knew I was going to INHALE some of this deliciousness!) I found this recipe on my favorite recipe site (Click here for full details), and tweaked it to perfection. I followed the suggestions to only cook it for 20 minutes at 350, and substituted shredded cheese for STRAIGHT FROM WISCONSIN cheese curds! It made amazingly sharp and flavorful macaroni and cheese, and I ate far too much of it. I'm feeling so fly like a cheese head!
I heart Lambeau. I also heart the Packers. Apparently when you name your dog after a football stadium, there are perks in the form of souvenirs! Mr. Miller picked this up during his trip to see the game last weekend. Although the Packers weren't playing in Lambeau this week, they won! 7-0! GO PACK GO!
Lambeau hearts football. He sits with us the whole game. He's totally into it. He thinks he's Clay Matthews.
I heart anything that will take my blister away. I have a new blister. It's inside my big toe. ??? This leads me to think that my shoes are too narrow; however, I've been fitted and my feet measure regular width. ??? I put moleskin on it today for my 10 mile run, and it still filled with liquid again. SO GROSS. And painful. Hopefully this little beauty will protect, disinfect and help heal it...like it claims. I am tempted to post a picture of it, but I believe this will cause nightmares.

I heart the taper. As I spoke with my intense cyclist friend last night about my cold creeping up during my taper, he said "The body knows, it knows!" So smart body. Really, not smart, but better than during the marathon! I feel like I turned a corner, but I need to be careful not to overdo it and rest a ton. I'm toeing the start line strong and healthy.

My birthday is Tuesday. Eek.

13 days until the ING NYC Marathon!!!

Fall Cold

2011-10-22T14:01:00.000-04:00

I have a cold. Lambeau does not, so he enjoyed our walk today. Lambeau is a puppy with infinite possibilities in his day; treats, walks with myself or Mr. Miller, bones, naps, visitors...he's ready for anything. Me? I'm stuffy, fuzzy, and worse than I was Thursday when I tripped and scared myself. So here are the positives about getting a cold now, two weeks away from my first marathon:

- I have time to rest. I'm running less in the blessed taper.

- I won't be blowing my nose on my sleeve race day. Ew. That's almost as gross as peeing on yourself.

- If needed, I'll have time for antibiotics to take effect AND get out of my system. I usually end up with an infection (Please God, save me!) and the meds usually mess with my stomach. Big time.

- It's the weekend. Granted I did work Saturday school today, but the rest of the day is strictly rest/sleep related. I went to sleep by 8:30 Thursday night and Friday night, not waking up once either night. That means I was REALLY tired, because I drink a LOT of water and tea before bed.

How do you bounce back from having a cold? I feel like I bounce back strong from mini breaks. I'm going to *attempt* my 12 mile long run tomorrow. Not sure how much of an attempt it's going to be. Ugh. Let's just say it: this is making me nervous.

14 days until the ING NYC Marathon!!!

Everything is coming up...orange?

2011-10-20T18:43:00.000-04:00

Today, I didn't complete me run. Let's just say, I'm seeing orange? Well no, not really. I am very allergy ridden or cold ridden, I can't decide which one. I'm leaning toward allergy ridden, and I'm praying this will go away. When I got home I decided that a 4 mile run for me may not be what my body needs. However, Mr. Miller called to say he picked up some new kicks and wanted to break them in! Mr. Miller is pushing me to run? DREAM COME TRUE! I made it about 1.8 miles, and proceeded to TRIP (Which I do when I'm tired...a lot...) and got so scared I only completed 2 out of 4 miles. It goes against my 3 mile minimum rule, but hey, it's better than nothing. PLUS I received a fabulous product today...I got my GO Sport ID! Yahoo! Now I can run safely with the assurance that, if I do trip and get knocked out, Mr. Miller's number is readily available. My GO Sport ID says

Kristin Miller

Philippians 4:13

Finisher

Mr. Miller's digits
Even the envelope was orange!!! The band is hook in one. I got the small and it is loose, but not uncomfortable loose.
I went to Trader Joe's...aka BLISS. I purchased the pumpkin bread mix. I purchased the pumpkin butter. I purchased the PUMPKIN ICE CREAM!!! They were SOLD OUT of the pumpkin pancake mix. EPIC. FAIL. I will be returning next week to pick some up.
Lambeau's red/blond hair looks orange, right??? He is the cutest. He loves the fall because he LOVES the leaves. More often than not, he walks around with leaves hanging from his fur around his nose and mouth from sniffing. I think because of the cooler weather, he has been EXTRA cuddly, and I just love it.

My birthday is in 5 days! 27 here I come!!! Best present you could give me? (Or someone else you know better than me!!!) Sponsor a child in their name through World Vision! I'm running this marathon for a cause. Make a difference. Comment to find out more!

16 days until the ING NYC Marathon!!!

16 candles...

Merci Beaucoup

2011-10-18T21:19:00.000-04:00

Thank you to my husband Mr. Miller. He joined me for the last 1.5 of my 8 mile run today. We both feel like we're getting a bit under the weather, so I assumed he wouldn't want to go. He called me while I was running and said, "When are we meeting?" LOVE LOVE LOVE HIM! He's trying!!! So I finished my miles at the park and skeedaddled back to our apartment to finish the last 1.5 miles. Mr. Miller is building up for our 5 mile Thanksgiving Day Race, and I think he's doing FANTASTICALLY! Did I mention that I arrived at our apartment with precisely 1.5 miles left? I'm literally a human GPS. It's getting ridiculous. For any of you who don't know, I'm 5'2" and he is 6'2", so yes, I am that short!!!

Thank you to my coworkers/best teachers in the world. Yesterday and today I had SEVERAL congratulations and pats on the back for my 20 mile effort (Thank you Facebook!). Today my kindergarten co-teacher said "You inspire me, I'm going to try to run." An AWESOME 4th grade teacher stopped her entire class and said, "See, this is Mrs. Miller, the one I told you inspires me on Monday!" She detailed her story of telling her class that she did the breast cancer awareness walk (GO MRS. A!!! SO PROUD OF YOU!), and compared it to 20 miles. Pounding the pavement is pounding the pavement, and I'm glad to hear and see people making a change and pushing themselves to wellness AND to making a difference! I'm often modest and downplay my running efforts, but this is the first time where I'm boldly proud. God help them when I've run a marathon ;-)

Thank you French restaurant in my neighborhood. What's that messy looking dish? Oh, it's open faced truffle mushroom ravioli. AH-MAHZING (If you watch Happy Endings, you know that line). They had a Groupon AND a Living Social within a couple of months, so we've got two more visits after this one to take advantage of at a steal of a deal!

Thank you French Restaurant for having delicious desserts. This is French Coffee Panna Cotta. Um. Yum. We shared this yummy yummy yummy dessert and it was so good. I've had a sweet tooth lately, and I'm glad something was rich enough to satisfy the sweet tooth without being heavy. Just the right amount of everything!

Thank you God for beautiful weather. It has literally been the nicest fall that I can remember in my 5 years living in New York. I fully intend to enjoy the city this weekend.

Dear God, please continue this awesome display of your creation by granting us NYC Marathoners with a beautiful running day. Preferably 60 degrees and sunny. Thank you.

Thank you God that I'm going to run and finish a marathon.

18 days until the ING NYC Marathon!!!

Rollin' with my homies...

2011-10-17T21:22:00.000-04:00

My jolly green foam roller. First, I must say, this picture is a little girlier than most of my long run posts; pink headband, vneck tank, a necklace...??? Well, it's a start. I used this bad boy all weekend, and I *KNOW* that it has made a difference. Now, the tears while using it are embarrassing, but alas, it works. My right quad is a little tight, so I'm rolling twice a day and it's definitely loosening.

Today, I ran my best 5 miler in a long. long. long. time. I had positive-negative splits. I started off in the 10's in mile 1, then hit some 11's in mile 2 and 3 (Stop lights, attempting to chew and swallow shot bloks without walking...). Enter miles 4 and 5: AWESOME. Mile 4 was in the 10's, and mile 5 was a 9:19! I barely felt winded! And is that a sunburn I feel? Probably. What a great day for a run. It was 70 and beautiful. The park was FULL of runners.

Weekend update: I ran 20 miles. I had a great dinner with great ladies on Saturday night. I called it a wife play date. All of our husbands were away (Two, including Mr. Miller, were in Green Bay for a Packers game, and one was away for a bachelor party), so we needed to get our sushi on! Now, I'm NOT a fan of seafood but LOVE sushi with cucumber, avocado, sweet potato tempura...but I opted for chicken terriyaki and mashed potatoes. AH-MAHZING. A husband sent us shots over the phone and claimed they were from Aaron Rodgers...message RECEIVED! :-D I still didn't have a full on appetite, but called it a night and excused myself from further fun because I was getting tired. Sunday I ate. And I ate. And I ate. I really think I gained 3 full pounds. First up? Nutella stack pancakes, which I ate in its entirety, pictured above. Followed by a cheeseburger and french fries, which I ate 3/4 of, and a box of Annie's Mac and Cheese, which I ate all of. Yup. Lots of calories. I couldn't keep my stomach satisfied! Today I ate less and felt better. I'm more of a small meals multiple times a day vs. three square meals. It was a GOOD eating day! Um Packers? UNDEFEATED!

Time spent running. After my 20 miles on Saturday, I was so happy with my time, effort, and how I felt. I'm excited for the marathon because I know I'm going to finish. My confidence is pushing me forward. My training has worked. However, I don't plan on running for a certain time. Of course I have goals and hopes and dreams, but I'm a finisher. This race is all about completion, not about numbers. I see people who obsess about numbers, and they are good, REALLY good at running fast and enduring the miles at break neck speeds. This week I got stuck in a bit of jealousy of these speedy superstars. I never post my times because I am slow, hence my Garmin's name being Poco Loco. After my 20 miles, I feel confident that I'm not suffering while running in the 10's or (GASP) the 11's. I'm running. I'm doing what I love. Who cares about my time? Who cares that when I'm at mile 5 after my 10:40 start, the leaders of the marathon will be DONE?! I'm running this race to finish. If I do another marathon, I'm sure there will be talk of numbers and pr's and what I will do differently. For now, I'm finishing. I'm taking my final training weeks and completing them to the best of my abilities. I'm enjoying it. I'm smiling. I'm finishing.

19 days until the ING NYC Marathon!!!

...I'm a get your heart racing in my skin tight jeans be your teenage dream tonight...THE TEENS!

20 mile DOMINATION

2011-10-15T14:25:00.000-04:00

I wasn't sure how this would go. My 18 miles run didn't go as well as I had hoped. That day, there were tears. That day, there was more walking than anticipated. That day, those hills kicked my butt. Today was a new day. Today was my first 20 mile run. Today, it was time for 20 mile domination!
I ran over the Queensboro Bridge to meet my team in Central Park. There were so many runners on the bridge...passing me. Ugh. I knew I had to take it easy today, but I couldn't break my 11:30 pace. I got passed by groups of runners. This picture is a group of super speeders that breezed by like it was a leisurely jaunt. Hello 7 minute pacers. Then, sent by God I'm sure, this fabulous lady ran by, tapped me on the shoulder and said, "New York?" I answered "YEA!" She added, "20 miles?" I replied "YES!" She encouraged, "You look great! Enjoy it!" Wow. Complete stranger compliment. That's RARE in these parts. She pushed me mentally to know this was going to be a different run. 18 was then, 20 was today.

The 14 miles in Central Park were great. I got acquainted with some old friends: The hills. Although I didn't pound it out like I hoped, I did run them...ok I walked for 30 seconds on a GIGANTOR hill on the West Side...but I really did keep my consistency. Big uh oh? I stopped to stretch out my hip for 1 minute, and I forgot to turn my watch back on. NOOOO! That took up my attention for quite a while trying to figure out how far I had run without measuring it. I finally figured out that after I passed my starting point which should have been 12 miles, that my watch was .40 behind. MENTAL BLOCK. I had to keep doing the math "Plus .40", which is hard to do when you're focused on running! (Okay maybe it's just too hard for me...a teacher...give me a pen and paper and I'm set!) My coach encouraged us to keep it slow and steady, and suddenly, after mile 15, I was seeing a lot of 10's on my watch. 10's haven't been happening for me. I felt great. Then, as I passed 17.60 miles on my watch (18 miles in real life) I went onto the Reservoir to finish my final 2 miles.

I ran into my teammate Ben! We've never met, but we live less than a mile apart. Ben was setting a 9:30-10:00 pace, so I joined him. I felt like I could keep it up forever. Running with someone for two miles after running alone for 18 miles is a breath of fresh air! We kept up conversation, which was amazing since I felt like we were running pretty fast. 2 miles flew by. I was going to make my exit, but my watch said 19.60...and I needed it to say 20. So I ran the extra .40! Never thought I would volunteer to run extra on a 20 mile run!!!

FINALLY: Today, I finished my 20 mile run. I felt great. No nausea, not overly sore, ready to run another 6.2. I'm not kidding. This shocked me. Training works? Yes it does. Now, the marathon will be a whole other story of course, but I'm ready. This was an amazing confidence booster. THANK GOD FOR THAT! I prayed a lot to keep me from stressing. My knee hurt, so I called Coach Jen who corrected my form...over the phone. Praying for the children sponsored by my amazing friends and family pushed me.

Today, I ran for Prisko. She is my sponsored child in Africa. I need child sponsors still. I'm not running for me; I'm running to change lives. As the slogan on my team shirt goes: I care. And so I run. BE the life changing person in a child's life. Give it to someone as a gift; sponsor in the name of your own child to teach them charity; make the step with a spouse; get your whole family involved. I need you, they need us. Message me to become a child sponsor. Plus, you don't have to run 20 miles!

Today I was a 20 mile finisher. When the following countdown is done, I will be a marathon finisher.

21 days until the ING NYC Marathon!!!

PS. I hate my post-run pictures I look like a BOY! But I'm comfortable and want to record the memory. Ugh. I need a sparkle band or SOMETHING to girlify myself!

20 miles tomorrow

2011-10-14T20:42:00.001-04:00

It's going to be a double rainbow kind of run. I left work today after teaching my first in a series of Yoga clubs for 4th and 5th grade students. This is what I was greeted with as I sprinted to my car in a big drop rain! I can't remember the last time I saw a double rainbow. What does this mean? What does this mean?! It means I will run 20 miles tomorrow, that's what. (If you haven't seen the YouTube Double Rainbow video, join the 30 million+ who have!)

Mr. Miller joined me for a run! Albeit a short run, with some walking breaks! He finally said yes yesterday when I asked for the hundredth time, "Wanna go running with me?" It was nice running with my main squeeze, chit chatting while running instead of on the couch. Hopefully with his new schedule we'll be able to try this more often! Caution: Millers running! (I secretly think he's trying to get in shape for the Thanksgiving race, a month and a half away!)
Check out Lambeau's new jacket! It's a fall inspired quilted cover in Green Bay green with corduroy trim. The corduroy collar isn't as visible in the picture, but it gives him a very Connecticut/J Crew feel. I. Love. IT! Lambeau loves it too.

I need to rest. I have 20 miles to do tomorrow, with 30 MPH winds in the forecast. I have nothing laid out. I'm exhausted. I have to bring Mr. Miller to the airport tomorrow so he can go to Green Bay with his boys for a Packers weekend. So I'm going it alone. A girls night is planned for tomorrow night, with no promises from me on how much fun I will be. This is literally 2 miles more than I've ever run, and yet it seems like a lot more than that. I'm anxious. I want to do this strong. I fell apart at the end of my 18 miles, so I made sure to more effectively carb load the past few days (Sandwiches instead of salads for lunch, a pasta or rice with dinner vs. just vegetables...). So the plan is: Wake up at 6am, drive Mr. Miller to the airport, come back home (15 minutes round trip), get all my awesome running stuff on and situated, throw on Poco Loco (Garmin) and iPod, run to Central Park and meet my team to complete the 20 miles.

Let's do this.

22 days until the ING NYC Marathon!!!

Good night to all, and to all a good night.

10 miles of free FALLing....

2011-10-11T20:52:00.001-04:00

I ran 10 miles today. I felt pretty good. I thought I was going to take it down to 8 or (gasp!) 6. Taking aleve last night and today plus my regular vitamins today made me feel a bit better. Still a little sore but loosening up. I had to shut off my pacing alert. My Garmin (Who I think I'll call Poco Loco...2 years later he gets a name!) keeps going on the fritz and frustratingly alerting me that I'm out of my pace range oh every FIVE MINUTES. BEEP BEEP SPEED UP! NO! I run faster, and the pace gets slower! Like 14 minutes! I need to re-calibrate it or SOMETHING! Anyone out there read the manual or had similar issues? Can you shed some light so I don't waste time reading a manual?! Thanks. However, my run did go very well. I felt less frustrated and more free to enjoy a beautiful fall day.

Um, I had a RUN-IN COLLISION! I was sans iPod, and a super silent runner behind me had the same idea when I realized I was being boxed in by 4 slow walkers on the sidewalk. I went to go switch to the street and this SILENT guy rammed into my shoulder! WHOA! We both apologized, thankfully no one was hurt. By the way, we both rounded the corner and he was finishing the block as I finished half of the block...I estimate he was cruising, SILENTLY, at about 7 min mile pace. SO he was not only silent, he was speedy silent. Back to fall...

I. Love. FOLIAGE! Fall is fabulous. During our road trip to Rochester this weekend, I snapped a few highway photos. I love the new Instagram feature that you can create a fuzzy border to enhance focus! I like colors. I like leaves. We heard "Free FALLin" by John Mayer a few times on Pandora. Really, could be one of the best road trip songs. He's amazing, I don't care how much of a jerk he is/how he dissed Jen Aniston! He once sang a song for me...and gave me his guitar pick...in fact, he placed it into my bag. Yup. I'm kind of a celeb expert.

Maybe I'll be the next NYC Housewife? Sweet Mr. Miller didn't understand the signature holding the piece of fruit to show I'm a domestic goddess...or, in the housewive's case, a-cat-fighting-think-I'm-rich-botoxed goddess, but hey, who am I to judge?! (I really do love the housewives, I secretly hope once day I'll meet Bethenny under totally normal circumstances...)
I love apples. Yup, they're yummy. I have a couple of bags worth. One bag for eating, one bag for baking. I need to get on top of some apple crisp and apple oatmeal cookies...look into my sunglasses, it's actually a pretty cool picture!
I love my new bag! Thanks to my Miller sister-in-law, I received an early birthday present! A bag that will fit my plan book plus the other nonsense I accrue at school. Please note: my shirt is a Packers Super Bowl Champions shirt...GO PACK GO! We're 5-0 baby, 5-0!
I love my new shoes. I needed some new work flats, because mine feel a bit tight and are causing a bit of foot pain. The cowboy bootish shoes are super cute. Mr. Miller is throwing me a "Southern" themed birthday party. I envision plaid shirts and boots; he claims to envision overalls with no shirts underneath. This should be good.

25 days until the ING NYC Marathon!!!

...4 days until my first ever 20 mile run! Taper time, I'm waiting for you...

Taking the scenic route

2011-10-10T20:27:00.000-04:00

14 miles had to wait until Sunday. I don't think I've pushed a single long run to Sunday during marathon training, mainly because it throws off the week of training more than a push up to Friday etc. Well, as my previous post attested, I was NOT into the long run being pushed up to Friday. I was exhausted. With the travel day to Rochester Saturday to visit Mr. Miller's parents, I knew an afternoon run wouldn't be smart either. Good thinking Mrs. Miller: it was 85 DEGREES IN ROCHESTER NY! UNHEARD OF! I was very confused, but preferred it over wearing a jacket and shivering ;-) Therefore, after a great day of Miller in-laws lunching, apple picking, donut eating, and hanging out with some fabulous old friends, I called it a night with a long run on the horizon:

Side note Confession: I have passed this sign so many times during college and visiting Mr. Miller's family, and I've always thought, "How great would it be to be a marathoner and say you live in MARATHON!?" I wish this sign wasn't on a highway. I would have gotten out for a photo opp. Back to my long run: this is the scenery I enjoyed:

I love train tracks. I was SO stoked about these train tracks, I wish I had taken a picture without me in it. Because I kind of look like a boy in my running gear. Oh well. I actually got stuck for about 2 minutes at these tracks on my way back because there was an actual train passing! People still use trains??? ;-)
Bridges! There were tons! I ran along the Erie Canal. My father-in-law (Self proclaimed blog stalker! He asked questions about my training issues I've mentioned on the blog...POINTS TO MY BLOG STALKING FAMILY!) mapped out my route, and it was pretty swell. Funny story: I was stopped three separate times by people trying to get to a flea market. The first time the car's window wasn't working, so they slowed and opened the door in front of me...I thought I was going to have to go NYC Street K-Millz on some Rochesterians getting into my space, but thankfully, they just wanted directions. (Of course I had no idea where they needed to go...but wouldn't we all love to get a glimpse of NYC Street K-Millz?! It takes a very special situation for that to happen.)
Speaking of NYC Street K-Millz...I ended up in the Bronx?! No, but this sign brought a smile to my face. Mile 20 in the Bronx is apparently a lonely time while getting to know "the wall", so this is a good memory that will keep me running during the marathon.
Hello love affair. First of all, the Miller in-laws bath tub is a jacuzzi, so my ice cold recovery soak involved massaging jets! It was revolutionary! It was definitely more bearable to soak in frigid water, and my legs thoroughly enjoyed it. Then, when I was sore later on, there was an OUTDOOR hot tub to soak in! Runner's heaven! Yup. It was nice. I miss it already. Warm shower later on to soak away the stress maybe? No. It's just not the same.

Thoughts post run: I'm still a bit sore. Coach Jen recommended taking some extra B6 vitamins, which I will be picking up tomorrow. Because things were pushed back, I have a 10 mile run tomorrow. I don't think I'll injure myself, but I can't be too careful. I'm going to try for 5, see if my legs loosen, and go from there. (Of course this is killing me inside. Better safe than sorry this close to the race!)

I watched the Chicago Marathon live streaming. I had chills all over the place. A few tears because I saw people struggling at the finish. Wow. Inspirational! And guess what? 1,000 runners were running for Team World Vision!!! Even better: 4 people from Team World Vision completed a 100 mile run to see 100 children sponsored! That's 400 children altogether! Check out this awesome blog recapping this incredible journey. I still need PLENTY of sponsors for kids in need of food, clean drinking water, clothes, and education. Please consider being a life-changing child sponsor today.

CONGRATS TO SARA! My very good friend finished her first half marathon in Staten Island. Love you girl, SOOOOOOOO proud of you!

More pictures to come from the weekend. Until then...

26 days until the ING NYC Marathon!!!

...did I mention I'm running 20 miles this Saturday? I'm currently in hyperventilation/avoidance mode...

She's just not that into you: Long run edition

2011-10-07T21:05:00.001-04:00

This was the face I came home to today:

Mommy, are you really going to leave me for over two hours again? But it's Friday, we usually cuddle on Fridays...

He saw all the usual signs: I got my Garmin, put the mole skin on, running clothes, socks and sneakers, switched the iPhone covers, and was getting ready to fuel up when I realized this was not a smart run day. I mean, look at that Lambeau Puppy face! Seriously though: I wasn't feeling it. In fact, I wasn't feeling it ALL.DAY. Here are the reasons today was not to be my long run day:

I've been crazy tired the past two days. Like, I fell asleep at 7:30 last night tired, tried staying up till 9, and gave up and went back to sleep.
I was SO hungry when I got home. I inhaled some Goldfish, but that didn't take off the edge.
If I run when I'm tired, I tend to get lazy feet and fall not so gracefully.
My body is sore. My knee is okay, but could use a full rest day. My hip keeps cracking. I'm foam rolling like a champ. Ouchies.
I'm traveling tomorrow to Rochester. I don't know what's worse: Running then being cramped in the car, or being cramped in the car then running. I guess I'll find out.
I just wasn't that into it. Usually I'm all game face let's do this, but today was NOT my day. I usually run home straight from work, but my friend who usually transports my stuff couldn't do it today. I think that got me down mentally.

As a result, I will get to try a new running location! This always brings a certain level of anxiety, but I am excited to run in the "country". Mr. Miller's parents live in Rochester, NY, and it will be a very scenic foliage fall run. Yippee! I will have to scout it out Saturday for peace of mind. I've done runs there before, but the longest was only 8 miles. Hopefully I can find some flat(tish) areas because they live off of some MONSTER HILLS!

Need some new gear? Check out this tshirt giveaway and this headband giveaway!

Happy running and racing to all this Columbus Day weekend! I'm currently eating my post-long run treat: a cannoli. (What, it would have gone bad!)Insert distraction from the tragedy of eating a post-run treat when it's not really post run: GO SARA! She's running her first half marathon Sunday and I'm so proud of her!

29 days until the ING NYC Marathon

Well hello 20's, so nice to see you!

You've Got Mail!

2011-10-05T20:00:00.000-04:00

I LOVE that movie! However, today was not about those "powerful words" You've Got Mail AOL style. Today was all about good 'ol USPS snail mail! I got my ING NYC MARATHON HANDBOOK! Now, if you know anything about teachers, we love us a good 'ol handbook. We study, memorize and follow it to a t! Here are a few of the highlights:In case you were wondering: I'm in. Charity Style. Want to help out? Sponsor a child through World Vision today. It's $35 a month to literally change the course of an impoverished child's life. Just do it.
There will be a "Finisher's Collection" for sale the day after the race. Oh Mr. Miller...drive me into the city and carry me around to shop on November 7. Thanks.
Info about the Expo. Possibly the most valuable information, and right at my fingertips to memorize. AND the make important information bold, similar to my blog; smart people I working for the marathon foundation I see!
Starting line info that is color coded. I think I had a teacher sigh of relief. This is a setup I can get behind.
Genius advertising. (In case you didn't know, that's the marathon route from Staten Island through 5 boroughs and finishing in Manhattan) Prey tell, why don't they make a shoe with the marathon route on the sole in REAL LIFE? I would completely purchase this. Or a painting of it. Or both.
Tiffany, thank you. You just solidified that I will attempt a big fat jump on the finish line for a brill finish. Also, if a Tiffany rep decides to frost me at the finish line with fab jewels, I will be forced to be gracious and accept them. Insert wake up from dream.
Doesn't this look like a dream? The sun was SO bright my face disappeared! (Or I'm that white from the lack of sun tanning in my life until February.) Mr. Miller's work hours changed, so he gets home around 4:30 instead of 6:30, which means an oddly increased amount of free time to spend together! I picked him up from the train with Lambeau puppy and we hit up the park to tire out the pooch with a tennis ball. It worked. I didn't cross train today because my 9 mile run really tired me out last night, and I didn't want to over do it with a morning work out. So, I opted to walk around the block and the park and enjoy a somewhat reduced amount of stress in my life. I'm still thinking about the Tiffany jewels...

31 days until the ING NYC Marathon!!!

31 days until a brilliant finish.

Follow the bright light

2011-10-04T20:33:00.000-04:00

I thought today was going to be an overcast 9 mile run. I thought wrong. Around 5 miles, I was BLINDED by the light...and then pelting rain drops? Seriously, there is no weirder feeling than an exuberantly bright sun shining on you during a cold rain shower. I've said it once and I'll say it again: I.don't.like.post.work.runs. I feel slow and sluggish. I get passed by EVERYONE. I can't do 9 miles in the morning, I'd essentially have to wake up at 4am and become super friendly with tready at the gym. Not my idea of a good time either. Stuck between a rock and a hard place I guess! I almost cut my run down to 7 miles because I was feeling tired, but when the sun came out it put an extra pep in my step...not speed, just a willingness to finish.
Today, I wore a running skirt for the first time. This was a very interesting experience. First of all, I look like a dork. In case you're wondering, I'm 5'2" and I think running skirts are for taller ladies rather than little ladies. I also felt less, well, athletic? Dare I say, manly?! (Says the girl in the bright pink headband!) Oh, I felt so guilty for thinking this, but it's true! I was a tomboy growing up with all boy neighbors, and I didn't enjoy wearing girly clothes until I was 10/11. Nowadays, I love them! But for running? The jury is still out. It was comfortable, and it technically was an extra layer of clothing for these awkward temperature days; cold to begin with and super sweaty at the end. What do you think about running skirts? Love them or hate them?

Wednesday is almost here, with an approaching long weekend! Columbus Day, how I love you. We will be going to Rochester this weekend to visit Mr. Miller's parents and some of our very good friends. I can't wait! However, an early drive up Saturday morning (5am departure time drive!) means I will most likely succumb to yet another long run after work. Fiddlesticks. It's only 14 miles, but as mentioned before, these runs don't feel like the most quality endeavors. The frustration level is always an issue as well. Whatever shall I do? Run.

When will the insanity stop? Well, let's get right to the countdown:

32 Days until the ING NYC Marathon!!!

...here we come 20's here we come...

It's the little things in life

2011-10-03T21:02:00.001-04:00

A day can be great for the smallest reasons. One reason could be the new fro yo place 6 blocks away that is self serve and pay by the pound. Uh oh.
Simple things can bring giggles. They had his and hers spoons. And they're super-thick-high-quality-I'm-going-to-wash-and-keep-them spoons.
Reactions with different senses can make a day grand. I ran 5 miles this morning and felt revived; I am a morning workout girl through and through. My chai tea latte at lunch this afternoon warmed me on a brisk fall day. My pedicure this evening (My last before the marathon!) was out of this world relaxing, thank you Mangela. Since I know you're wondering, I chose an aptly named color: Sole Mate. The smell of chow mein coming from the neighbors right now makes me miss my Grammy in CT...maybe I'll go knock on their door for some.

Reasons why today should have gotten me down:

I hit EVERY red light.
I was behind the slowest drivers.
I had to drive to my other school building for a faculty meeting...that I forgot we had (Got out at 4 instead of 3:07! I know I know, I'm a baby.)
I had to give extra homework to a mouthy student...I never wanted to be that teacher.
The person in the express line in front of me had 25 items...and checked every single "sale price".
It's raining.

I am thankful for God! I started the day off right, praying and listing my thankfulness. As Joyce Meyers once said, "My mind is on vacation, I cannot be bothered." Obviously my day was set in order, and my patience and grace levels were raised to exponential levels ;-) I started reading The Runner's Devotional, and so far I've really enjoyed it. I'll get half way through and review it.

I'm really excited and expectant for my marathon. Last night I scoured Runners World for articles on ING NYC, and let me tell you, I found some good ones. I will post some of them eventually. Let's just say, excited tears? Ok maybe.

Is there anything you are excited about?!

33 days until the ING NYC Marathon!!!!

110% pure fun

2011-10-02T13:19:00.001-04:00

How should a runner celebrate running 110 miles in the month of September? Have way too much fun with your friends, that's how! In case you didn't catch it in the previous post, last night was my friend Amanda's birthday party, themed as "The A pArty". EVERYTHING had to begin with the letter A; there was Andes mint cupcakes, Applejack crispy treats, Apple cider donuts, Apricot mini pies, Andre Champagne, Amstel lite beer, Absolut galore, I mean, this place was A'd out! Not only that, every cup had a fabulous script A on it, so cute it looked like a party planner had arranged it! Below you'll see the glitter wall, the A carpet:

L-R: Antoine Dodson (ME!), Army Girl, Alice in Wonderland, Aerobic Instructor (AMANDA!), Angel, Athena, AA Batteries!
Close up of good friends. The Aerobic Instructor got a great arm workout all night. The best part of the costume aspect was that you didn't have to remember anyone's name, you just called them their character!
Yes, there were TWO ANTOINES! Aerobic Instructor's Husband was the same thing. We had a good laugh. And a dirty bit dance off. And a rap off.
Sunday morning breakfast: We have been craving FRESH HOME MADE donuts from a place down the street since they stopped making them in May. Now, they're BACK! Cinnamon sugar deliciousness. Next to it? Oh I'm glad you asked: a graham cracker biscuit with pumpkin butter. Yup. This has been a great weekend from beginning to end.

I'm going out for a recovery run on this BEAUTIFUL fall day! This week I have to step it up. My mileage may have been 110 miles this month (YEA!), but due to my portfolio purgatory, it was way lower than it should've been. I'm looking for short consistent runs, then attempting my mid week long run as best I can.

Looking for a good Sunday blog? Check out my friend's AWESOME fashion blog!

As always: GO PACK GO.

34 days until the ING NYC Marathon!!!

I've had the time of my life...

2011-10-01T11:05:00.000-04:00

Dirty bit.

Oh. My. Gosh. The Black Eyed Peas concert was a dancing dream come true.

We arrived early to secure our spot:

I had to box out like a champ to make sure we had enough space for four people to dance!

We waited patiently, ok not so patiently, for the concert to begin!

They played the same Chase and Calvin Klein commercials over. and over. and over. Then awkward people came up to talk about giving to charity. Let's be real, we suffered, but it was a FREE concert!

Where is the love with Fergie!
Pictures didn't really come out well because the lighting was so INTENSE! They even lit up the trees 1/4 mile behind us!!!

Dirty Bit: I had the time of my life.
This is a HORRIBLE picture of me with vampire eyes, but it summarizes my time at the concert. I danced ALL NIGHT LONG! It felt so good to relieve the stress of the week. The concert was somewhat mellow for the first half, but the encore was OUT. OF. CONTROL! A lot of people left due to PELTING death raindrops, but we stuck it out and had TONS of room to beat the beat! I seriously burned at least 400 calories at this concert. So much fun. Love the music. They're great performers.

My legs felt great! This morning they're a little beat the beat sore, but overall I'm doing pretty well. I was nervous about standing etc for three hours but I did it like a champ! Tonight is the "A Party", my very good friend Amanda's birthday party. Everything is "A Themed", food and drink has to begin with an A, and everyone is dressing up in a costume beginning with the letter A! My costume reveal will appear in a later post. I will say my husband will probably win the costume contest!

35 days until the ING NYC Marathon!!!

....the biggest party in the world!

Every teardrop is a waterfall during 18 miles

2011-09-30T15:14:00.000-04:00

Ok, let's just say it: I RAN 18 MILES!!! A distance PR!

And now, for the recap of a very difficult run...

I started out alone, running from Queens to Central Park. I continued to go around The Loop in Central Park until I ran into my former running buddy which the Upper West Side stole from me, Sara:
When I saw Sara, I knew I could finish the run! We finally had a day to do a long run together that matched! In case you don't remember, Sara is doing her first half marathon next weekend (!) and needed to complete a 12 mile run today. This was ALSO a personal distance PR for her! I've been getting antsy and bored as the miles get longer, and I'm SO thankful that my buddy was able to run her heart out with me!

The hills were alive with the sound of music. The music was Sara. Around my 12 mile mark I started to get really REALLY tired. Central Park's hills were getting the best of me. Like really bad getting the best of me. Like I started walking for a few seconds bad! Sara, being her PEPPY self, began chanting "You can do it yes you can" and other army-like chants. This rockin lady started cheering us on because Sara was cheering ME on! Go NYC spirit of community! I finally made it past the point of no return, and enter the worst of it: Mile 15.

Here is where the whimpering occurred. Serious whimpering. Ok crying and whimpering. More hills. Bad route but real life running; I can't alter my marathon route to avoid hills! I had to put on some music to keep me pushing forward. Up until then, Sara and I had been keeping up conversation (We had so much to catch up on, we hadn't seen each other in a MONTH!). At that point, I told her to go ahead because I was definitely holding her back. She stayed in my line of vision but was rocking out her last three miles. I, on the other hand, tried to hold it together because I would expend more energy sobbing in self pity. So insert some music to pump me up. Here are some songs and samples of lyrics:

1. Rise by Hillsong: All our hearts cry out / For the glory of Your Name / Our God You will never fail

2. With Us by Hillsong: There's no end to Your love / There's no end to Your love / You're with us / You're with us

3. Alive in Us by Hillsong: Death has been defeated by love / You overcome / You overcome

4. Dog Days by Florence and the Machines: Run fast for your mother / and fast for your father / run for your children for your sisters and brothers

5. Every Teardrop is a Waterfall: And all the kids they dance/ all the kids all night/ until Monday Morning feels another life / I turn the music up / I'm on a roll this time / And Heaven is in sight

These songs got me to my 18 mile mark. When we finished, we literally sat down (probably not good training etiquette) and semi-stretched as we caught our breath. Then, we ventured to Starbucks for a recovery chai. I felt a little icky, just really tired, and I think the walking to cool down helps me before I get on the train. After a long run once, I had gotten sick on the train and almost lost my lunch/fainted, so that's a big fear and I need to be certain that I'm feeling good enough to hop on board the subway express! I made it home just fine.

Recovering and reflections. HA! I sound like my portfolio! Mind you, when reading my previous post again, I realized it was insanely organized, the aftermath of portfolio purgatory. I took my Hammer Recoverite and an ICE COLD BATH for 10-15 minutes (No need to add the ice!) I tried to nap with Lambeau Puppy while icing my knees, which turned into an hour of dozing and 30 minutes of light sleep. I ordered chicken slouvaki MMMMMM and french fries MMMMMM because I really wasn't hungry until about 3pm. Are you hungry right after a run? I usually am, but the longer they are the longer I have to wait for my body to tell me it's hungry (It was almost 4 hours after the run, I had drank a grande skim chai and a Recoverite blended drink, aka powder mixed with water). 18 miles was hard. I'm scared of 20 miles in two weeks. SCARED. I need to finish it! I will finish it!

On a side note, not one bathroom stop today. My stomach was ok, partially because I took pepto bismal before I ran. I'll try this on my long runs until the race to see if it can hold me off from using a portapotty!

I'm excited for the marathon. I'm excited every time I run over the Queensboro Bridge; I cry because I know that's where I'll see my family during the marathon, and it will mean a lot to have their support. I'm excited to feel a crowd that is known around the world as the best cheer section. I'm excited to slap my 26.2 sticker on my car when I get home. I'm excited that I only have FOUR MORE LONG RUNS! AH!

And now, I'm off to the FREE Black Eyed Peas concert in Central Park!

36 days until the ING NYC Marathon!!!

Mrs. Miller got her groove back

2011-09-28T20:57:00.000-04:00

I'm BAAAAACK from the running dead! YIPPEE! I never thought it would end, but it did. I worked endlessly on graphs, charts, color coding, boxes, bullets...if I never see microsoft word or excel again, I am a-o-k with THAT! Here are the (limited) running recaps that I have not addressed:

9/16 I ran 16 miles. Boy was that tough. I ran from my school to Central Park and did one round of the loop then a 1/2 loop. I had plans on Saturday so I had to do it Friday. Now, running a long run after work was new to me...and not recommended. I hated it. I had three bathroom stops. THREE. I got so tired. It was getting DARK when I was finishing. GAH! Morning runs forever. BUT I DID IT! 16 miles is my longest yet! After that, I had a running drought due to my portfolio. FAIL.

I ran 4.5 miles last Thursday. It felt good to stress relieve and listen to music other than classical (Can't concentrate otherwise!)

12 mile long run Saturday. It was tough with humidity like a WALL! Felt really good afterwards but had to continue working immediately when I came home. No nap for me...ok maybe I did take an hour nap because I fell asleep sitting up with my computer in my lap.

MY ORANGE MANDARINS ARE IN! They have now transitioned into being my official running shoe. Get ready mandarins, you are marathon bound!

This was my life for a week. Changing everything I had already worked hard on into the finished product that it became. When I presented it today, I was so nervous I was sweating a bit...ok a lot...but the AC wasn't on and it was 80 degrees and 150% humidity. My presentation went better than I expected. I was so nervous that I had worked so hard and it wasn't going to be good enough...running analogy? I'd say so. THANK YOU GOD for the strength to get through this without any, ok barely any, (major life altering) breakdowns. THANK YOU to my amazing husband for losing his wife for a week. THANK YOU to my coworkers who never ceased to come through for me. PS, is everyone enjoying seeing my handwriting?! I don't think that has ever happened on this typed out blog. Things I did in the past two days that had previously been ignored:

Cleaned!

Did laundry!

Made dinner!

Washed the dishes!

Vaccuumed!

Grocery Shopped!

Talked to my family!

I RAN 6 miles today! It was supposed to be 9, but I need to shave a few miles to get me going back in tip top shape! Trying not to freak out about this but I don't want to get injured!

This weekend is going to be FAN-TAS-TIC, just like my Lambeau puppy! He is seriously cute stuff. I have off Thursday and Friday due to Rosh Hashanah!!! So, the agenda is as follows:

Thursday: Lazy day. 3 mile slow run, trip to Target, maybe visit Mr. Miller at work for lunch, an all around lounge day.

Friday: 18 mile run! EEK! Another personal distance record!!! Thank God I have the day off. Why can't I do it Saturday? Because I will be ROCKING OUT to the Black Eyed Peas in Central Park, that's why!!! Friday night concert with tired running legs? SCORE. :-D

Saturday: This will be a lazy day with a possible 3-4 mile recovery run or elliptical workout in anticipation for...The A Party. My friend Amanda's birthday party is A themed; costumes must begin with an A, food must begin with an A, and drinks must begin with an A. I will be bringing Absolut Vanilla and A&W Rootbeer. Mmmm. Costume to be revealed at a later juncture.

Sunday: FOOTBALL. GO PACK GO. Need I say more?

What could be better than running a marathon? How about getting wicked cool stuff after running the marathon? Like, hey, guess what? TIFFANY'S MAKES ING NYC MARATHON NECKLACES! Er hmm uh Mr. Miller, heads up. This is on every wish list I could have. Or how about a shirt that brags for you? Yup. I want that too. Marathons are expensive because you need to buy all sorts of ways to show that you ran one!!! Speaking of marathons...

38 days until the ING NYC Marathon.

We're in the 30's. Holy Shnikies.

Where oh where has Mrs. Miller gone?!

2011-09-23T15:29:00.000-04:00

This is going to be short and sweet because I literally have no leisure time afforded to me. This week began the process of getting my teaching tenure portfolio reviewed. I presented it, and I was promptly told to change, well, EVERYTHING about it. So, running, for the first time in my training, has taken a back seat. This is currently my life:Excel graphs + 3 years of data = a headache ridden Mrs. Miller.

NYC has adopted a new criteria for tenure; you are no longer nominated and approved based on your observations by a principal that knows you. You have to prove with data, graphs, student work, and reflection how you've helped students grow. Then I have to combine it into a beautiful binder and ship it off to a superintendent who has never met me, and probably never will. I hope she likes it. Since this is the first year of this new method, I obviously didn't know I should keep 3-4 years of student work in a stock pile. Oops.

Insert stress here.

So, here is a list of things I haven't done this week:

I haven't looked at a marathon countdown. I will do that in two minutes at the conclusion of this blog entry and then promptly freak out.
I haven't run all my training runs; I've literally done one 4.5 mile run this week. I did 16 miles last Friday. A personal distance record. Am I proud? Well, the run sucked. But I finished.
I haven't cooked in 4 days.
I haven't done the dishes in 4 days.
I haven't blogged in for.ev.er.
I haven't talked to my family in a week.
I haven't thought about the vacation I've been planning for February break in a week.
I haven't read any runner's blog except Ali's because she is running the Hampton's Marathon this weekend! HER FIRST! Go Ali. She's an inspiration.
I haven't been a good wife with house work.
I haven't been a good friend with "Hey what's up" text and phone calls.
I haven't gotten more than 6 hours of sleep in the past week. A no-no in Mrs. Miller's world of 8 solid hours every. night.
I haven't been able to sleep well past 4am. I wake up intermittently with anxiety.
I haven't read my Bible. A friend posted a Bible verse on Facebook just as I was calling it a night last night (1am) and it was my FAVORITE verse of all time. Needed that. Thanks.
I haven't worked less than a 12 hour day this week.

Oh. My. Gosh.

43 days until the ING NYC Marathon.

We are the champions

2011-09-12T19:27:00.001-04:00

Did I mention I love the Green Bay Packers? I told you I'd brighten up your work week with some fabulous football fiesta fotos! (Had to keep the f theme alive...) Our awesome friends Shaun and Amanda threw a fiesta to rememba, including an authentic Mexican Packers poncho (Not pictured, darn it!), tacos, tacquitos, gauc, crack dip (buffalo chicken dip), no bake cookies, brownies...mmmm it was good eating. SO, in honor of the SUPERBOWL CHAMPION GREEN BAY PACKERS, I will act like a marathon champion...

I ate like a champion. (The remnants of the excellente comida is in the background)
I celebrated like a champion. (I'm taking the picture darn it!) Those would be blackberry brandy shots, taken with each touchdown. I abstained. Champion like, right?!
I dress my dog like a champion. (That is his bff Benji. They may be more than friends. The jury is still out. I have some incriminating video of them though...)
The Millers wear champion belts...maybe I'll wear this after the marathon??? (Lambeau wears this every day.)

I train like a champion: 3 miles this morning. 8 tomorrow. Training works.

I sleep like a champion: 7-8 hours every night.

I eat like a champion: high protein, veggie infused and carbs need met.

I will be a marathon champion.

54 days until the ING NYC Marathon!!!

A Run to Remember

2011-09-11T15:04:00.000-04:00

A hard day in the city that I love. During the Packers game Thursday night (Which we WON! YEA! Pictures to come this week to brighten your day...), Mayor Bloomberg announced that we had credible terrorist threats, and advised we don't use the subways etc, aka Hurricane Irene Part II. Thankfully, thus far, this day has gone on as it should; without any major attacks or events. I will never forgot that morning 10 years ago. I don't think the sky has ever been bluer. And I will never forget the September 11's in the past 5 years that I have lived in NYC, watching the people call out the names of the victims at Ground Zero and ending with "And my brother....." or "And my father....". I'm brought to tears every year. I will never forget the feeling of the city on this specific day. There is a palpable feeling of sadness, calm, and quiet. I pray for every person who was affected by this tragedy for strength, joy, and resilience.

A rough road to 15 miles. Saturday I had 15 miles on the agenda, my longest distance to date. My running had STUNK this week, work was stressful, and I was SO nervous about this distance. I had never run "more than half a marathon". I knew it would be a complete mental boost; or a complete mental killer. I was so tired Friday night, I didn't lay out my clothes, I didn't get my water situated, I just went to sleep...then I proceeded to wake up 5 times throughout the night. Ugh. When my alarm went off at 6:45am, I tried to find everything quietly so Mr. Miller wouldn't be disturbed. My favorite shorts? Grew legs and hid themselves SO WELL that I never found them. My lucky shamrock headband? No clue where it ran off to. So I was going with second rate gear. Then, my stomach started to hurt. Ugh. I went to the "bathroom" and felt better. I thought, "Maybe I won't have stomach aches while I run!?" I finally got myself ready and out the door by 7:30am. 1.5 miles in my feet were killing me in my Nike Limies; just like on my 4 mile run in my marathon Nike Mandarins Thursday. They felt tingly and sore. ?!? Finally the thought came to me; or, God gave me the thought: loosen your laces. I remembered that I had tied my laces SUPER TIGHT in light of my double blisters, thinking this would reduce the friction. It made my feet numb instead. So I sat down on a sidewalk, with gawkers eyeing this peculiar girl, and loosened the Nike Limies. Perfect. They felt like clouds. We were off. Again.

Central Park was like a race! It was like every team was running! When I got to the park, I couldn't believe the Saturday morning crowd! GO RUNNERS! It was awesome. It took me a while to loosen up, but my best miles were from mile 6-15! I was still getting a handle on my stomach, and once I get to the park, I feel like my competitive edge took over. (It's about 5 miles from my house, over a bridge, through the streets of Manhattan, until I reach Central Park.) I recognized several people who were doing more than one loop, and I know many were out in marathon training style. I felt so much better knowing that others were suffering with me! I got a little bored, so thank you to my sister Kate for talking to me on the phone during mile 7 and thank you to my friend Rebecca for talking to me during miles 11-12. I was a bit bored not talking to anyone, and these quick chats helped IMMENSELY! However, my worst fear came true.

I had to use the bathroom. Thankfully there are plenty of bathrooms in Central Park, and decently clean at that. However, I was hoping I would survive a marathon without a portapotty visit. Doesn't seem to be the case thus far. Now, thankfully, it wasn't "painful I'm going to die I have to go NOW", it was "It's just time to go". Therefore, I wasn't dehydrated thankfully. So, if this happens during the marathon, I'll loose a lot of time, which is a bummer. Oh well, at least I'll complete the marathon!!!
15 miles complete!* Just like that, I was done! I could have kept going for sure! I felt super strong. In fact, my best mile was MILE 15! I was definitely excited to have run a new distance. I stopped at Starbucks and grabbed a venti skim chai, figuring that milk would help start the recovery process. I took the subway home and walked to my apartment without any soreness. COOL! Showered, took my Recoverite, and off to brunch I went with Mr. Miller.

*Fuel used: Smart water for my first round of waters in my fuel belt, Hammer Gel during the run, and Recoverite afterwards. I will be experimenting with eating during the run actual food next week!
Breakfast Burrito. Need I say more? Ok I will. This is the best thing I've ever had. The eggs are SUPER moist, the sausage is so good (I don't eat sausage), the hash browns inside are a perfect compliment, and the cheese is melted to perfection. My body had other ideas. After we enjoyed an "appetizer" of a caramel bacon biscuit (SO GOOD, can you tell it's a comfort food place?!), I got my main course favorite breakfast burrito. I got nauseous. I tried to eat more thinking I was hungry, and I got more nauseous. I ended up taking a walk outside, eating what I could when I got back, and calling it a day. I came home and was perfectly fine the rest of the day. I think I tried to eat too many things too soon, so we will see if I can change that feeling this weekend for my 16 miles!
Recovering is sweet. Last night I went to a friend's house to watch some football, and we ate pizza, some french fries, hummus and veggies, queso dip...I finally found my appetite. Today Mr. Miller came to cross train at the gym (He refused a picture), and I was rewarded with my first pumpkin spice latte of the season!!! It was so good. I don't like sweet coffee (I take my coffee with a little skim milk no sugar), so I opted for a tall two pump nonfat no whip pumpkin spice latte. DE-LIC-OUS. I took a nap (Very tired today, because I could not nap yesterday!), and made brunch; tater tots, eggs, cheese and hot sauce...SO HEALTHY!

Injuries: These are hilarious. I did wrap my feet to avoid blisters, and I think it pretty much worked. The skin that was already blistered was a little irriated but doesn't hurt, and I don't think there was any new "liquid"...sorry tmi. Other injuries? Oh ha ha I got chaffing on my BACK from my fuel belt! WHAT?! This has never happened! Maybe I wore it too loose??? Either way, it hurt a lot when I got into the shower and had instant stinging on my back for reasons unknown to me. Because of my favorite shorts disappearing act, I wore shorter shorts which led to some leg chaffing. I'm not one of those girls who wears the swishy running short shorts...spandex is my best friend. Worst injury? A BLOODY NIPPLE ON A MAN IN CENTRAL PARK! Now, blood and I don't get along. At all. Ever. I gagged and almost projectile vomited on him and his bloody white shirt. Dude, do something about that. I can't handle it again.

Countdowns: I have 7 more long runs, then the its the marathon. I have four long runs, and then it's the big 20 miler. I will be a marathon finisher 8 weeks from today. Two months from today. Tomorrow is 1 month and 29 days (Or something like that). Whoa.

55 days until the ING NYC Marathon!!!

The Blue Day

2011-09-06T19:49:00.000-04:00

So this is the second time I writing this post; it got deleted the first time. Further confirming the title: The Blue Day.

Back to school to prove to dad that I'm to a fool. Today was the first day back to school, which is always filled with excitement, anticipation, and change. I don't like change. In fact, we're sworn enemies. We've tried to call a truce once or twice, but every time we do...something changes. Change can't be trusted ;-) I had some changes in my schedule today and I was stressed. I got heart burn. I had 7 miles to run. ON THE TREADY. It was pouring rain and there was no chance for an outdoor run, or going to the US Open, which Mr. Miller and I had tickets for. The Blue Day continued.
Rain rain go away. This is me soaking wet. I had a 7 mile run on the agenda, and being a 1/4 of a mile from the gym, I opted to get soaked and run there versus hiding under an umbrella, ella ella eh eh. Hey, round trip it's a 1/2 mile I don't have to be in Planet Fitness = yes please. When I got there, so many things continued The Blue Day:

- I had to wear my plan b headphones; Mr. Miller grabbed mine this morning. Change. What's up.

- I couldn't read my People Magazine because my treadmill was shaking too much.

- My foot cramped so I had to retie my shoes. I paused the tready, which decided to completely reset. Nice. 2 miles in.

- A nice gentlemen decided that, out of the 25 treadies available, the one right next to me seemed the best. SPACE. INVADER. Staring, unnatural arm pumping. Oh, and hey, there's his friend on the other side of me, and they're talking over me. I felt like I was on a hidden camera.

- Someone decided to wear some GREAT shoes to run on the treadmill, because they were squeaking nonstop. I mean, I had my iPod on full blast and all I could hear was "Squeak squeak squeak". Nails on a chalk board. Chills up my spine. I wanted to scream. Or cry.

- After another two miles, I decided to switch treadies because my gait was way off. I felt super uncomfortable. I know I haven't used a tready in a month, but come on feet. Get it together (They don't like change either, even if they've done it before).

- The stress from work should have affected my run in a good way; alas, it affected it in a negative way.

The Blue Day Book. Have you read it? I love it. I could not find an acceptable picture, but I'll write what these pages say:

"Maybe work is a pain in the butt. You're under Major pressure to fill someone else's shoes."

Moving on. The Blue Day can happen to anyone, anytime, anywhere. Today, it happened to me. I'm choosing to move on. The contradictions to The Blue Day are as follows:

- I ran 7 miles.

- I read The Blue Day Book.

- I love the people I work with.

- I love my husband and family.

- God is good no matter what. I'm healthy, happy, and blessed.

- I won a blog contest!

- My countdown to the NYC Marathon is approaching the 50's.

60 days until the ING NYC Marathon!!!

Country Strong...

2011-09-03T17:03:00.000-04:00

This is the face I woke up to at 5:45am. He looks like he got visited by the HAIR FAIRY! Getting out the door in the AM has been becoming a longer and longer process! During my 3 mile mornings with my former running buddy, stolen from me by the alluring upper west side, I used to get up at 5am, and be out the door between 5:11 or 5:15 at the LATEST. Now it seems I have a 20 minute prep period! Ugh! I had pretty much everything laid out and ready to go, but when I'm in Connecticut, I must let Lambeau Puppy out to use the facilities before I leave. When in NYC I let him out after I get home, but here he's extra antsy and more likely to have an accident. So I have to get myself ready, get my dog emptied, and then be on my way. I've learned to turn on my Garmin right when I wake up so it has PLENTY of time to find satellite! I was FINALLY on my way at 6:05am. 10 miles of country running. This is one of my favorite houses. They sell firewood year round, honor system style. See that weird shadow cutout in the corner? It's SO New England. I cross through three towns on my 10 mile run (5 miles out and back). This town, Glastonbury, is one of my favorites. It has a lot of old houses, old stone walls on the back roads, and is overall very picturesque. I also got married in Glastonbury, so my heart really does belong in it! 10 miles went well, but I still felt a little tired. I have gotten a few blisters, and then on this run, I got a painful blister under an already existing blister. OUCH. I know I should wrap my feet with gauze and tape, but I just haven't; and I've paid for it. I've gotten shoe fittings, anti blister socks, moisture wicking socks, you name it I've done it. I always get blisters at one point or another! I'm hoping this is it, they'll heal and we can move on. I'll have to keep them taped up well. We'll see :-D I'm excited to get through a regular training week, with cross training to break up the strain of running, and attempt my longest run to date: 15 miles. I spoke with my neighbor/childhood friend today, ALSO running NYC this year (!!! 3 of us from our neighborhood are doing it, how crazy is that!?) and she said 15 miles was "not hard, and a huge mental boost." SWEET. That's exactly what I need, especially with starting school this coming week.

My recovery meal ROCKED. Unfortunately, the iPhone stayed in the car, I was all over the place trying to get to the annual "Nana's Back to School Breakfast". I literally got home from my run at 8:00am, showered, grabbed my make up, recoverite drink, and an ice pack and was in the car by 8:11am to go to breakfast! My mommy brings out all the grandchildren with their moms to this place called Hotcakes, a country diner that specializes in the creative pancakes. I got the idea for apple pancakes from this place, and make them all the time!!! I ended up getting the pumpkin spice pancakes, while helping myself to some home fries and a veggie omelet from Coach Jen. I wouldn't have had time to use the iPhone with 4 nieces, 8 nephews, 3 sisters, 1 sister in law and a mother to entertain me! I was cutting food, passing water, stopping boys from the under the table kicking game...it was fantastic. We got several comments from other diners about how well the kids behaved, claiming we must have drugged them to make them so good. Nah. It was just a special day with a lot of yummy food ;-)

I love New England. This farm is 1/2 a mile from my house, and a lot of childhood memories belong to it. This was the place I would beg to "ride my bike to and pick up corn" or something like that. I love it. It opens July 4 weekend, sells produce and plants all summer, pumpkins, mums and gourds in the fall, and Christmas trees and wreaths in December. I picked up some peppers tonight, and it felt like the end of a New England summer. A sun setting that was trying to be strong, overcast yet blue skies with a beautiful breeze. No one beeping, no loud music coming from a car, and no children milling around on the sidewalk. Now, don't get me wrong, I love New York, but New England is my first love. We get together once a month, bond, and then agree to meet again soon. This trip is a nice end to the summer, a good fair well to a summer well spent. I wouldn't change anything about it...except maybe going to the beach more! ;-)

63 days until the ING NYC Marathon!!!

Serenity Now

2011-09-02T21:35:00.000-04:00

Doesn't this picture just calm you right down? I look at and it's like "woosah" or "Ohm" or whatever people do to find their serenity! (I personally pray to God; he works wonders. Try it.) This is my little Ella. I call her Ella Bella. She's my youngest niece and was obsessed with the ocean. She didn't want to be scared, she wanted to crawl after the waves and chase them down until she had every crevice filled with sand! I want to approach life like Ella. I want to approach running like Ella. Not afraid, not stressed, just enjoying each new moment with a care in the world. Easier said than done; school is starting in t-minus 3 days. I've had a nagging fear all this week that my training is going to be stinky once I start school. Now, I've taken solace in the fact that I taught summer school for six weeks and trained well...but that was less miles, less working hours, less stress. I will have to start praying for less stress and continued focus! Basically, be like Ella.
This is Ella's big brother Evan! Evan is such a funny kid. He loves dogs, Elmo, reading books, he's the best. Evan is also fearless. I had a nice pre 10 mile run carb loading pizza dinner with them tonight, and it was DELICIOUS! These kids are the best, they always bright my day.

What brightens your day?

64 days until the ING NYC Marathon!!!