The highs and lows of NOT training for a marathon

This is the first summer in two years that I am not training for the NYC Marathon. My first year was all roses and birds chirping, and my second year was determination to better my time with a more intense training cycle. This summer? NADA. I am running when I want to, doing fun things, and not caring if I miss a run. Insert SHOCK and AWE! This has been a huge mental shift, and I have noticed the differences already.

Here are a list of highs and lows of NOT training for a marathon when:

Instead of long running on Saturdays, I can bring Lambeau Puppy to the park with his puppy friend Brady during the off the leash hours, which end at 9am! 

High: He is so happy to roam the park and make puppy friends!
Low: Seeing my running club running laps around the park...at amazing paces...in the heat. Sigh.

People are posting on Twitter or blogs about how their training cycle is going.

High: I'm not committed to ANYTHING!
Low: Hard working runners will get a pretty medal soon.

 NYRR Had a time sensitive flash sale on marathon training gear.

Via

High: I don't have to spend money on overpriced Asics clothes, despite the sale!
Low: I really like that hat. A LOT.

My weekend plans are WIDE open! I'm not committed to a 10+ mile long run!

High: We can do fun things like weekend trips, events, or hiking!
Low: I can't justify eating special treats from Queen's Comfort.

I'm cross training more! Check out my guest blog on Running Bun!

Highs: I feel more fit and toned!
Lows: Cross training more is hard. Like nausea inducing hard!

I get to sleep in if I want. And by sleep in, I mean 7am.

Via This is my friend's baby. I'm still in love with these photos. Clearly Lambeau and I look like this!

I get to work out with Mr. Miller more. Since I'm not determined to get my workout done ASAP in the early morning, we try to coordinate a couple of workouts a week to do together.

Highs: We get to spend more time together!
Lows: I feel lazy until the evening workout!

Verdict: I'm okay with not being in official marathon training, I just need to do some long runs to get back to Queens Comfort!

How about you? What are you training for? Are you "on a break" from training? TELL ME ABOUT IT!

Sometimes, I just love New York

Confession: I've been watching SATC on HBO Go. It all started with episodes in the afternoon on E!, which I figured out to be season 6. I ended up finishing out the season during my week off while avoiding the hot and humid afternoons. Then I got to thinking, "I need to see this from the beginning!" So I've been watching it from the beginning, and it's been reminding me over and over again of the infinite possibility of New York.

Now, I'm obviously not in the city looking for love. I've found my real, ridiculous, inconvenient, consuming, can't-live-without-each-other love. However, sharing this city with the one I love and those friends I love has become more and more fun lately. It's like I'm falling in love with NYC all over again. So, here's a little Bradshaw inspired caption work from a fabulous holiday weekend in New York: 

On July 4th, it's not what you know, it's who you know. And by who you know, I mean who has rooftop access with a grill.

In a city of over 8 million people, finding good friends is priceless.

Even though its common retail, Macy's was brilliant.

Just when you think you've found all the cute spots, a new one comes along to surprise you.

Sometimes the best museums are closer than you think.

Just when you think you've seen it all, love for New York is in the air.

How about you? Is there one place that you feel enamored with? Did you have a fun 4th of July? Has it been as HOT by you as it has been in NYC? TELL ME ABOUT IT!

Why I'm not in Marathon Training

Well, it's no secret to those who know me. I didn't even plan on running a marathon last year, and I MYSTERIOUSLY won an entry into the NYC Marathon through the lottery. Everything was amazing in the training cycle, and I'm glad I ended up running the Philly Marathon. However, I was tired. SO tired. Between life and work, I was happy to officially retire from marathoning for a while back in November.

My marathon retirement / birthday party...but it happened the Friday after the NYC Marathon was supposed to happen...a bit premature, but we couldn't change the plans!

As a teacher, training for a fall marathon is difficult. September/October is the most stressful time for me as a teacher, and it's also peak time in training. I don't talk about it much on here because, well, we have social media guidelines that are pretty air tight. It's no secret that teachers are going to be receiving a new evaluation system thanks to the insane amount of media coverage in recent months. This new system will require even more work from me now, aka useless paperwork to prove that I am, in fact, a good teacher. Hey, better safe than sorry.

This is one of my only pictures from work...I had to buy shorts because I forgot mine for a runmute! Also pictured, my pink water bottle that I carelessly lost this week. RIP Pink Nalgene.

My school is also beginning to use two new forms of curriculum. This will require endless reading, even more planning, and inevitable stress levels rising. I know my training would suffer.

I want to spend time with my husband and family. I know Mr. Miller has had to sacrifice time with me when I obsessively go to sleep at 8pm on a Friday night (Heck let's be honest, I do that training or not!), and 5am wake ups on Saturday mornings for long runs. Also, we missed out on fall in Connecticut last year because I was obsessively training; I'd rather enjoy CT runs and spend time with family versus ensuring I hit my pace on a certain route. *I* want to run my life, not let the *run* run my life. Check out Lora's post for more thoughts on that.

Not pictured: MY SISTER MRS. WAITE WHO IS PREGNANT with Lucky niece or nephew #13!

I'm excited to CHEER for friends! So many people are running the NYC Marathon and I hope to be, barring any restrictions to access, getting a PR in cheering on the Queensboro Bridge. I'm also excited to be cheering for Ashley at the Hartford Marathon, and hopefully getting to Philly for Kim's marathon debut!

So, there will be no fall marathon for this runner. I know that runner envy is bound to happen, and I will certainly feel the tinge of sorrow to not be crossing a finish line this fall. However, I believe that my excitement for my friends will outweigh those negative feelings!

How about you? Do you get runner's envy when you aren't racing/training? Do you feel burnt out after training cycles? Are you running a fall full or half marathon? TELL ME ABOUT IT!

How to Runmute!

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It's no secret that I love to run home from work. I often "runmute" after work. I've adjusted what I pack to make my runmute  more self-sufficient. Before, my coworker/carpool partner would bring my bag for me and I would pick it up afterwards. However, there were times when we couldn't connect to get my bag back. Plus, it's SUMMER now, so I'm running to fun get togethers instead of taking the train! So, I came up with a new plan.

Over sized water and holding my phone in my hand? NOT Runmute etiquette! 

What to bring: 

- WATER. I don't leave home without it. 
 HINT: I freeze my bottle so it stays cold throughout the run.

- Light shirt, dark shorts. 
HINT: Try to wear a light shirt to help block some of that heat, and dark bottoms to, well, hide that sweat!)

- Bring a credit card, ID, $5+ in cash, and a metrocard. 
 HINT: If in NYC! If you're going to work, bring a disposable bag with your things so you don't bring your whole bag to work, therefore you have nothing to leave!

- Something to hold your phone. 
HINT: Place your phone in a ziploc bag before storing to keep it dry!

- Ditch the Garmin. 
 HINT: Waiting for satelite is annoying, and having a huge watch on your wrist can be, well, weird. I use the Nike + app to estimate my runs because I have my phone with me anyway!

- If you're meeting someone, give them a towel and/or wet wipes/Showerpill to clean up a bit! 
HINT: You could also throw that into a Spibelt or any other storage belt!

What are your runmute possibilities? I enjoyed a great runmute day on Friday! On the agenda? FUN.

- Visit someone for lunch, dinner, or coffee! 

We had a delicious food truck lunch!

- Meet someone for a fitness class!

 This is a cucumber lime paleta. Holy amazing. Not pictured: Ashley and I went to a great hot yoga class!

- Run an errand by, well,  running there!

Whenever possible, I'll run into the Manhattan over the Queensboro Bridge to run my errands!

How about you? Do you ever runmute? Do you bike for errands? Do you prefer to just show up to things commuter sweaty vs. running sweaty? TELL ME ABOUT IT!

NYC RUNNING ROUTES: Take a ride, take a hike! Rockland County

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Sometimes, it's just too darn hot in the city! After spending time commuting to work in the humid concrete heat all week, Mr. Miller decided we need to get out of the city to check out some nature. He did a lot of research, taking into consideration distance from the city, distance of trails, and ease of navigating the trail. He found a lot of helpful information from this site that convinced him that this was the hike to take!

Trail: Hook Mountain at Nyack Beach State Park
Address: 698 N. Broadway / Upper Nyack, NY 10960
Distance from NYC: About a 30 minute drive
Trail Length: 6 Mile Loop (It took us just over three hours)
Difficulty: Moderate
Trail Markers: VERY clear
Views: EXCELLENT
Price: $$

Grab this map when you park! The park attendant was VERY helpful, take their advice!

This was an amazing trail! We got an early start and were hiking by 9am. It was a bit tricky to find the beginning of the trail because it was in the middle of a neighborhood, but the directions were perfect and we began our hike. Thankfully the Cicadas were dead or dying, so they weren't an issue! 

The trail was well kept, clearly marked, and beautiful. We were impressed with how clear the trail was despite its length. Even when there were fallen trees, they SOMEHOW separated them so the path was clear!

Follow the Green markers! Bring your #Nikefuelband and do a #fuelcheck!

The peak was beautiful! It didn't take long to get there, probably less than an hour. It was expansive with incredible views. The best part? You probably walk for another half an hour with continued peak views.

We made it! We also didn't wear sunglasses and it was BRIGHT!

We continued on our hike down the mountain, which eventually turned into the Hudson River Greenway Bike Path. The trail was very challenging to me; in fact, my rear end STILL hurts! The ascents and descents were continual, think rolling hills at high elevation, so it was a really challenging cross train workout. I was out of breath a lot of times, more so than while running! Thankfully the gorgeous scenery kept us going. The trail turns into a gravel bike path which is about two miles long. It's a nice cool down to end a great hike!

We saw a deer! It was exciting. I had to run out some stiffness in my legs! They were a bit wobbly!

The only downside was the cost. Thankfully we have a car, but if you're renting a car, paying bridge tolls and gas, it can be a bit of an expensive half day trip. We avoided the Tapanzee Bridge on the way in, but on the way back the GPS took us across it, adding a third and fourth toll payment. Tolls (Triboro Bridge included) were about $20. Parking was $6 (Saturday and Sunday only), and it took a little more than 1/4 tank of gas.

Verdict: This is a GREAT trail! If we had time, we would have stayed in adorable Nyack for lunch, but we had evening commitments and needed to get cleaned up and rested. The endurance sport presence, whether runners or cyclists, was so strong! The scenery, small town feel, and active people all around us made this a VERY relaxing half day getaway.

How about you? Do you like to escape the concrete jungle? Do you have trail legs? Are you an anti-bug city runner? TELL ME ABOUT IT!

We Run NYC 2013: #Nike Event

How on earth do I keep getting into these amazing events? TWITTER! I follow +Nike NYC on Twitter, and they are fantastic at getting the word out about the cool stuff Nike has in store for the city this summer. Basically, the theme is "Your Fuel Band is Your Ticket", so get a Fuel Band if you're in NYC!  Jen also posted how to save on fitness classes, check out her post for tips on how to get yourself in position to try fitness classes for free or low cost!

 Here are the directions to a Nike good time, fitness style!

This event was a Run + NTC! We met at Nike Town on 5th Avenue and were told to sign in, get a shirt, check our bags and be ready to run! There were well over a hundred fifty people crammed into a small area of the store, but the staff was so upbeat and positive it didn't matter.

Life is a sport. Make it count.

We ran to just inside the park and enjoyed a brief NTC workout. It was fun, definitely not as tough as the Monday night workouts...but we were adding a run to this workout! I was glad to feel faster doing moves that just three weeks ago were dreadful for me. For example, I loathe high knees and was doing them double time yesterday despite battling a cold!

 Go Lucy (Left)! She's an awesome pacer for Nike! Check her out on Twitter.

After the workout we ran a four mile route through Central Park then down 5th Avenue. I ran at an easy pace due to the aforementioned cold that I've been slowly battling since last Friday. Sheesh. It was great to spend time with Mrs. Slafter and Ms. Bailey running the streets of New York. As our shirts said, We Run NYC!

Our run ended at the Flatiron Nike Running Store. They transferred our bags, had beer and water ready to be consumed, and a food truck to feed us! Nike, you are my Sole Mate. The line for food was really long so we went out later to Press for some incredible wraps. No pictures because  we were all so hungry we inhaled our food, but if you need a casual spot to grab a bite, this IS the place to do it!

I found some love to run, and some run to love! Mr. Miller made it as well. It is so much fun to go to workouts with friends,  but I really love when he and I can do it together!!!

Who wore it best?! Matching spouses.

How about you? Will you be at the NTC workout this Monday? Have you joined a group run lately? Do you follow a lot of fitness groups on Twitter? TELL ME ABOUT IT!

It's finally SUMMER!

School is over! As usual, the last week and a half before the school year ends is especially hectic and busy. In addition to the school insanity, I also found myself doing some really fun things to celebrate the Solstice arriving! 

We visited Connecticut! #CTforlife was amazing. We had an incredible weekend filled with sun, swimming, bonfires, hiking, and RELAXATION. Here are some of the highlights:

Best friends. It took a few years but now they are fairly tolerant of one another ;-)

We found an old bee hive while hiking! Or it was a growth on the tree. Either way, I was scared. 

 The hike was really well organized, but the waterfall was at the beginning! A nice way to begin and end a 4 mile hike. 

We've also been working out! We went back to Nike Training Club this week, and it was awesome! This week there was a DJ spinning and it was a great music selection.

Astoria had their fireworks! For some reason Astoria always does their fireworks early. It was tons of fun with some great people from our church.

School ended! I went to celebrate with some friends at Studio Square. They know how to treat teachers right!

 Some of my coworkers! We are very happy.

Summer school has started. Now, it may seem strange that I'm celebrating summer school, but I really do enjoy teaching it! I work four days a week, and half a day at that. There are smaller class sizes and more freedom with what we teach...hence my triathlete theme for the summer! We're going to learn all about the sport and log our exercise every day. I'm pretty excited to see how this turns out!

Swim bike run...these are the names of each table!

This summer is going to be great. It's already off to an amazing start, and I can't wait to let the good times roll!

How about you? Do you have summer Fridays? Have you been enjoying any outdoor fun? Do you know of any triathlon books for kids? TELL ME ABOUT IT!