BRB - Going Back to School

I often start blog posts start with "I can't believe it's already [insert day/month]."  Well, it's September, and I can't believe it.  (Surprised?)

I've been absent from the blogging scene -- partially because I've been absent from the running scene. One of the challenges of writing a blog about running is that you need to be racing (or engaged in some related activity) to have content beyond "I went for a run today."  To be honest, I've enjoyed the break from race training because it gave me time to enjoy that my best friend was here for an entire summer.  I had time to get settled into my new apartment, go to my five-year college reunion, see Beyoncé live, get my canning on, get to know some new friends, and explore some new hobbies.  

This isn't to say that I haven't been running.  It's just been less pressured; that is, I don't feel like I have to run and don't feel the guilt of missing a workout.  Since the marathon, I've averaged about 52 miles a month -- which is probably a normal amount of running if I think like a rational person and not like an obsessive marathoner.  I ran the Crystal City Twilighter in July and made it more about having a consistent race than trying to hit a PR.  Later this month, I'm running the Navy 5-miler; and, while it'll be nice to PR, I'm really just going to enjoy it. 

With school starting this week (eeep!), I don't know how much I'll have time to train for longer distances. I'd like to say that I'm going to have time to train for a half marathon, but I don't know if that's going to be the case (hopefully, by spring, I'll be able to figure that out).  But, I'd be just as happy trading running crazy distances for other pursuits and building relationships.  Besides, there's nothing like training for a long distance race in the heat of summer, which is when I'll have a little more breathing room (at least until I get to the dissertating phase).

Things will probably be quiet here for a while, but I'll try to keep this updated with tales of my journey to becoming Dr. B.  (New blog title! Called it!)

A Life Update

Oh, hey! It's been about a month since my last update.

I haven't been running as often in the months after my marathon.  This always happens, and I always appreciate the break.  I'm slightly worried about my upcoming 10K.  I wanted to race it, but I don't think that'll happen.  My plan is to have fun (I always say this) and enjoy having my dad here for the weekend.

I don't do life updates often, but I think this is a good time to give a quick run-down of my next few moves.

I'm starting a PhD program! 
Grad school has always been on my radar.  I'd envisioned that I'd move to DC, work for one or two years, and then head off to graduate school.  I love my job and wanted to stay on longer than I'd anticipated.  Honestly, going that route confirmed that getting a PhD was something that I actually wanted to do.  So, this fall, I'll start as a doctoral student.  I'm not leaving DC but...

I'm moving! 
I'm having ALL of the feels now that I've started to pack up my place.  I'm kind of in denial about it and I'm making excuses about things that I don't want to pack because I "need" them between now and the time I move in two weeks. This was where I landed after graduation (holy cow, my fifth year reunion is so soon!) and these four walls have seen almost five years of personal growth.  I'm so much more of an adult than I was when I moved in at 22.  Still, I'm excited to one of my favorite neighborhoods.  It'll be nice to be closer to all of the metro/bus lines that I need to get to work and class.  And, I swear, the new place is adorable! 

Knowing that I'm going to have a lot less free time starting this fall, I'm starting to give some thought into how I can work racing into my schedule.  It'll probably be a while until I run my next marathon, but I'm confident that I'll be able to work in training for early fall half-marathons. Hooray spending summer break to train!

Once I figure out my summer training schedule (there's still time for one more PR until I start school), I promise to blog more often

Finding Inspiration in Unexpected Places

I spotted this image on the sidewalk on my walk home from work.  It brought a smile to my face, and I couldn't wait to get home and change into my gear.

Inspiration is everywhere.

Fall Four: Weekly Round-Up (4)

Over the last seven days, I spent just three at home in D.C. On Tuesday and Wednesday, my coworker and I traveled to Nottoway, Virginia to complete site observations for one of our projects. Then, on Saturday, I took a train to Boston to spend the weekend with my senior year housemates and people who probably should have lived in our house. It was so good to see everyone and spend some time catching up, reminding ourselves of the excellent time we had in college, and creating a new batch of stories to tell the next time we get together. (Seriously, guys, why don’t we do this more often? Like, all of the time.)

I plan to spend this week getting myself back into my usual routine. I love traveling, but it always does a number of my eating, running, and sleeping patterns. (It's been at least a week since I've cooked a meal for myself. I should really get back into doing that.) The good news is that I proved to myself that I am capable of getting out of bed super early to get my workouts in. Clearly, I should be able to do this more often – especially now that the temperature is D.C. threatens any attempts to safely run outside.

So, workouts:

I did all three of my running workouts on the treadmill last week, and all three focused on speed. On Wednesday and Thursday, I went for this:

Warm-Up – 5 Minutes

Intervals x 3
2 minutes at 5.0 MPH
2 minutes at 6.0 MPH
1 minute at 7.0 MPH
1 minute at 8.0 MPH
2 minutes at 7.0 MPH
2 minutes at 6.0 MPH

After Thursday’s workout, I decided that I was ready to increase each interval by 0.5 MPH – which is exactly what I did on Saturday (8 miles was not going to happen on the treadmill). I felt good after Saturday’s workout, which also included time on the stationary bike and strength work.

Also -- I took a look at my training schedule and made a few changes to allow for more speed work and more strength training.

Hopefully, things will cool down in D.C. If not, I’m going to start training myself to get out of bed early so that I can run before it becomes unbearable to do so.

Week 5:

Monday: X-Training and Strength Training
Tuesday: 4 Miles
Wednesday: 5 Miles
Thursday: Tempo Run 45 Minutes
Friday: Off
Saturday: 15 Miles
Sunday: X-Training and Strength Training

Lady Business

Hey folks!

I'm unwinding from a business trip to Nottoway, Virginia and attempting to get my training schedule/life back in order.

Okay, so my life is never as out of order as I sometimes make it sound; more than anything, I just need to feel like things are progressing at a decent pace.

In the meantime:

Just in case you missed it, the NYT posted an article about the relationship between that oh-so special time of the month and athletic performance.  Check it out.

Happy Anniversary, Dear Blog! Let's Run Another Marathon!

It’s hard to believe that it was a year ago that I committed to running my first marathon. And, unlike my previous attempts to run 26.2 miles just to prove that I can, I actually went through with it.

I have you- my friends and lovely readers - to thank for helping me cross the finish line.

Writing about my experience and sharing this journey with you has been a motivating force that encouraged me to put on my running shoes and hit the asphalt. Thank you for taking the time to read my tl;dr posts and, for those of who talk to me regularly, listen to me blab on about my training and races. (Honestly, I still don’t know how some of you put up with me. Seriously.) Thank you for all of your page clicks and your comments. Thank you all for your words of encouragement.

Thank you for helping me to get through it all. And, for many of you, that goes beyond running.

It really does mean a lot to me to know that you're in my corner.

I think it’s appropriate that one year after starting this blog and my first journey to 26.2 miles I’m making my final preparations to start training for the four races that I’ll be running this fall. Over the weekend, I finalized my training schedule – all 21 weeks between now and the Philadelphia Marathon on November 20th. Knowing that I’m capable of making it across the finish line – even if it did take me five and a half hours the first time – my goal for Philadelphia is to finish (of course) and to shave an hour off of my time. I’ve also joked that it would be amazing if I could shave two hours off my time and Boston Qualify.

(To be honest, I’ve half-joked about this. There’s a part of me that wonders if I’m capable of a BQ. I mean, what else am I going to do this summer? Have a social life?)

When I trained for Baltimore last year, I did zero speed work and focused more on putting in the miles. My goal was to finish. That was it.  Strength training was also a rarity. (I some insecurities about using the free weights and strength equipment in my apartment’s fitness center around all of the large men. Happily, I’ve gotten over that and lift heavy objects with the best of them.) Omitting those things from my training last year definitely hurt me in the end, so this year, weekly tempo runs, speed workouts, and strength training sessions will be a huge part of my training.

I also made a mistake not running the second 20-miler that I scheduled. Maybe, just maybe it would have helped me get over that oh-so-special wall in Baltimore. It's completely my fault, though, between the poor planning and sheer ignorance that one should taper before a huge race. This time around – one of the perks of starting so early – I have two 20-milers planned with more than enough time to recover from my shorter races and taper before Philadelphia.

So, what does the race calendar look like?

As it stands, I'm committed to four races. I'm looking forward to all of these and the chance to run with friends and coworkers at each.

September 4 – Rock and Roll Half-Marathon, Virginia Beach
October 9 – Army 10-Miler, Washington DC
October 15 – Baltimore Half-Marathon
November 20 – Philadelphia Marathon

(Yalies, it just hit me that I probably won’t make it to The Game this year. We’ll see though, since I have a knack for making awesomely terrible decisions that backfire very quickly.)

Believe it or not, the first week of training kicks off on Monday. Once I start, I'll be posting more regularly than I have these last few weeks. And you know what that means? More inspiring people, more carb night recipes, more running misadventures, and - if all goes according to plan - more race recaps.

Ladies and gentleman, in the timeless words of Kel Kimble: "Aw, here it goes!"

Tuesday Inspiration: Falling in Love Is Like Owning a Dog

This is incredibly beautiful and needs to be shared. I'll just file this under "Non-Running Commentary."

Love and I have a very strained relationship. Very strained. The details are irrelevant, but I sometimes find myself wondering why I even bother. Thankfully, there are plenty of things all around to remind me that when Love and I settle our differences, it'll be worth every second.

This is one of those things.

Falling in love is like owning a dog

an epithalamion by Taylor Mali

First of all, it's a big responsibility,

especially in a city like New York.

So think long and hard before deciding on love.

On the other hand, love gives you a sense of security:

when you're walking down the street late at night

and you have a leash on love

ain't no one going to mess with you.

Because crooks and muggers think love is unpredictable.

Who knows what love could do in its own defense?

On cold winter nights, love is warm.

It lies between you and lives and breathes

and makes funny noises.

Love wakes you up all hours of the night with its needs.

It needs to be fed so it will grow and stay healthy.

Love doesn't like being left alone for long.

But come home and love is always happy to see you.

It may break a few things accidentally in its passion for life,

but you can never be mad at love for long.

Is love good all the time? No! No!

Love can be bad. Bad, love, bad! Very bad love.

Love makes messes.

Love leaves you little surprises here and there.

Love needs lots of cleaning up after.

Sometimes you just want to get love fixed.

Sometimes you want to roll up a piece of newspaper

and swat love on the nose,

not so much to cause pain,

just to let love know Don't you ever do that again!

Sometimes love just wants to go for a nice long walk.

Because love loves exercise.

It runs you around the block and leaves you panting.

It pulls you in several different directions at once,

or winds around and around you

until you're all wound up and can't move.

But love makes you meet people wherever you go.

People who have nothing in common but love

stop and talk to each other on the street.

Throw things away and love will bring them back,

again, and again, and again.

But most of all, love needs love, lots of it.

And in return, love loves you and never stops.

Happy National Running Day

Happy National Running Day, everyone!

Alright, so I’m technically a little under two hours until the end of the celebration of the joys of running but – as our quiz mistress says – “Better late than pregnant.”

My workout today didn’t go entirely as planned. With gross weather (It's so hot; milk was a bad choice) and plans for the early evening, I decided to hit the treadmill for a speed workout instead of going to the Ladies Night run. I started with a warm-up at 6.0 MPH and then increased the speed to 7.3 MPH, which has become my hard-but-doable pace. The first 800 meters were okay, but I started to feel tired and reduced the speed to 6.5 before taking a walk break, completely stopping at 2.5 miles. My guess is that diving head first into a speed workout after a five-day adventure to Connecticut – during which I really only ran once – wasn’t the greatest idea.

I’m not at all worried though, even with a race this weekend and the Run with Dad 5K in a few weeks.  (By the way, I'm super excited for June 19th.  Not only will I get to run with my dad during his first 5K, but I'll get to go to CONCACAF Gold Cup matches at RFK!)  It’s been really nice to take a break from heavy training, and I’m confident that I’ll be able to get back into my groove very soon.

Non-Running Commentary: Twenty-Four

I spent my 24th birthday weekend at my parents’ house in Connecticut. There was something nice about waking up in my bedroom at home – away everything in DC – a year older and, with any luck, a year wiser.

In the weeks leading up to my birthday, I started to feel like I'm starting to get “it.” Broadly, “it” is what it means to be a twenty-something and how these years will affect the next phase of my life. “It” is knowing that it’s okay that I’m not reaching certain milestones in the exact order that I planned as a child dreaming about what life would be like in my twenties. “It” is understanding that I don’t have to be on the exact timeline as others in my peer group. “It” is finally starting to accept the person that I've become – personality quirks and all -- and understanding how I can continue to grow.

There were moments of 23 that felt like absolute train wrecks. (Then again, doesn’t everything feel like a train wreck after a night of debauchery? Or maybe those were just the little construction workers in my head.) There were also so many joyful moments and so many moments of which to be proud. (It may have taken me longer than I planned, but I did manage to get myself across the finish line of my first marathon.) There were moments of confusion and moments of wondering if I’m on the right path. And, there were moments of confidence and knowing that things will be okay if I’m willing to put in the work and keep the big picture in sight.

I discovered new interests and passions. I figured out what I need from my relationships (platonic and otherwise), and I learned what I can offer in my relationships with others. I met incredible people, formed new friendships, and strengthened existing friendships. I saw that I could push myself physically in the same ways that I pushed myself mentally and artistically at various points in my life.

So, for Age 24, I only hope that I am able to experience greater personal and professional growth, become a more efficient runner, enjoy the many friendships that I'm so blessed to have, become closer to my family, enjoy new experiences, continue to to do the things that I love, and make the most of every moment.

Training Update

Mmm, Thursday: Over the hump and marching valiantly toward the weekend!

Okay, so I technically can’t really complain about this week. I had a good race on Sunday, went to a Nationals game on Monday for a dollar (yep, a dollar!), and had a really great run during Fleet Feet Ladies Night. And, after? I plopped on my couch with a black bean burger and a beer to watch the second half of the Women’s National Soccer Team friendly against Japan. And, it was good.

Today's exciting news – well, exciting to me because I think that spreadsheets are fun – is that I started drafting my training plan for my fall races. Honestly, it was time to start planning. Since I signed up for the Philadelphia Marathon, I've been thinking about my training a lot -- my goals for my fall races, my strategies to avoid burnout, deciding between a July or August start -- and I needed to get my thoughts on paper. So, last night, I fired up Excel and created a shell for my training plan. Then, I start to figure out my plans for my long runs -- starting at 10 miles and hitting 22 miles three weeks before the marathon. (As with my Baltimore training, I'll be increasing my long runs by two miles every two weeks.)

I need to decide how many times during the week I should/want to run. Last year, I ran five days each week. It was a lot, but I wanted to make sure that I could finish the race. This year, I'm considering running three or four times per week and adding more strength training to my schedule. The goal for Philly is to finish and finish faster than my performance in Baltimore.

Thinking about my race and training schedule, I think I’ll be a much happier person if I drop down to three long races this fall instead of my planned four. October and November are booked, so I need to pick a race for September. I worked in the Parks Half-Marathon into my training schedule but Virginia Beach would also be a fantastic choice – and I’d get to lounge around on a beach during Labor Day weekend.

We'll see! For now, I'll focus on finishing my training plan.

Progress!

Apologies, for my lack of posts this week, folks -- especially my recent fails to post my scheduled “Tuesday Inspiration” and “TGI Carb Night” posts. I even cooked something new and delicious before my long run and totally intended to share it with you. But, then I was distracted by a glass of wine and Moulin Rouge...sorry.

Things have been going very well in the running department. Come to think of it, other aspects of my life seem to be coming together as well.  I’m starting to feel less like an extremely confused twenty-something and more like a slightly confused twenty-something!

But, anyway, running! Gorgeous weather has made the last few runs very enjoyable.  I feel lighter and faster on my runs. I feel stronger, thanks to Jillian and weight training tips that I picked up from a post over on Stuff Jewish Girls Like. (I can do multiple sets of push-ups without feeling like my arms are going to give out. Did I mention that I can also do them correctly? Progress!)

Other updates:

Speed Work
I did two speed workouts last week. You heard about last Tuesday’s workout, but since I couldn’t tell if rain was on the way on Saturday, I hit the treadmill for another tempo workout. This week, I managed to get myself out of bed early enough to run intervals before heading to the office on Tuesday (the reward of getting myself out of bed early was guilt-free beer consumption while watching my first baseball game at Nationals Park with a group of fantastic people). Running at an 8:30 pace is starting to feel more and more comfortable. I’m starting to feel really good about setting a goal time of 53 minutes (10 minutes faster than my current 10K PR) for May’s 10K.

Long Run – 7.1 miles on Sunday
Sunday’s weather made for a much more gorgeous run. I didn’t map out the route before and got to do a bit of exploring. I ran up to the National Presbyterian Church, which I haven’t done in months, and through Georgetown along R and Q Streets. Fact: When I am independently wealthy, I’m buying a home in that neighborhood. I spent that leg of the run paying more attention to picking out my dream house than my breathing/pace/making sure I didn’t face plant.

Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure 5K
There is a post that I’m struggling to finish about my decision to run this race. Whenever I try to discuss the reason I’m running, I lose all emotional composure and have to step away from the computer. Until I'm able to get it together, I'll keep this brief: I’m running the Race for the Cure 5K in June. If you feel so inspired to donate to my fundraising efforts, use the link below to visit my fundraising page.  (IRL Friends -- expect an e-mail from me soon.)

I'm participating in the 2011 Susan G. Komen Global Race for the Cure.

That fall race schedule of mine
The drawing for non-guaranteed entrants to the NYC marathon was held yesterday, and I am sad to report that I did not make the cut.  On the bright side, I saved $196 (plus travel to and from NYC and a hotel stay)!  The Marine Corps marathon apparently sold out in 28 hours (seriously!?), so that's out too. It's all good, though, because there are plenty of other awesome races to run this fall.  Barring catastrophe (or not being able to register for these), I've selected the following races:
-September 4, 2011: Rock and Roll Half Marathon - Virginia Beach
-October 9, 2011: Army Ten-Miler - Washington, DC (General registration opens on May 15th)
-October 15, 2011: ING Hartford Half Marathon - Hartford, CT
-November 20, 2011: Philadelphia Marathon (Registering tonight!)

It sounds like a lot, I know.  However, aside from the two October races, I think that there is enough recovery time between events.  And, I can pretend that I'm Rocky Balboa while I'm running through the streets of Philadelphia.  "Everyone needs a montage!"

I'll resume regular updates and posts next week, including my epic training plan for these races!

Dinner Tonight -- Eggplant Parmesan Lasagna

Tonight was my night to host our (bi-)weekly rotating dinner party: French Night.

French Night started as a way to learn and/or brush up on French conversation skills. (After nearly ten years of studying the language, I can proudly say, “Je parle français comme une vache.” Madame would be very proud if she knew.)  In all honesty, I can't remember the last time we spoke French at French Night, but I'm okay with that since it has evolved into an intimate group of young women who enjoy good company, good conversation, good food, and -- most importantly -- good wine.  

It is French night after all.

 This evening's wines included a 2003 red from Spain and a 2009 white from France.  There was also brie, gouda, and apples.  Cat brought a 2009 red made from montepulciano grapes (grown in Italy's Abruzzo region) that we'll likely enjoy later. Side note: I am no where near being an oenophile. But, I did just order $75 worth of wine from Wine Insiders thanks to a sweet Groupon.

One of the joys of French Night is that I get to cook dishes that I could never finish on my own.  (You should see my freezer.)  For tonight's dinner, I served eggplant parmesan lasagna with a very simple simple salad.

 I'm starting to become a huge fan of lighter lasagnas. This recipe is 432 calories and has 28.3 grams of protein per serving.

And, for dessert, chocolate-dipped fruit.

I swear, this is healthy.  See -- there's fruit! The chocolate sauce is very simple -- Stirring constantly, melt a bag of quality, milk chocolate chips over simmering water and mix in two tablespoons of evaporated skim milk. 

Bon soir, mes amis! 

Going for Speed: Weekly Round-Up (8)

Time flying when you’re having fun has come up a lot on this blog. I’m still not entirely sure when it became the end of February, but here we are.

I'll be traveling for work this week, but I should be able to complete my workouts as planned in the hotel's fitness center.

Week 9:

Monday: X-Training and Strength
Tuesday: Tempo Run – 45 minutes
Wednesday: 5 miles
Thursday: 3 miles and Strength
Friday: Off
Saturday: 12 miles
Sunday: 3 miles and Strength

Saturday will be the the longest run of this training cycle before I begin my taper. Depending on how I feel after, there's a chance that I'll run the ¡VAMOS! 5K. I haven't registered yet, but my participation looks very likely.

Since it is the end of the month and training for the half marathon is winding down, I've been thinking about setting a few goals for the month of March. They're fairly simple and a way to make sure that I do more of the things that I like and accomplish a few things that I've been putting off for a while. In addition to owning all of my workouts planned for March and meeting my time goal for the race (which I'm rethinking -- more on this later), my non-running goals for the month are:

• Meditate three times per week: I don't consider myself a new-agey type.  However, I committed to meditating once per week in February found that those 30 minutes did wonders for my mental health. I would love to get in that time daily, but three days per week is a great start for now.
• Read four books: Simple enough -- and, I need to balance the time spent reading blogs and news sources online with reading print material.
• Map academic future: Since last summer's GRE push, I've been putting this off and the sense of urgency might be starting to grow a little.  I love my job and can't imagine leaving, but graduate work has always been on the radar so I should get on working out the details.
• Try something new: I'm leaving this one open. 
• Swim!: Or, learn to do more than tread water.
• Find an opportunity to become more involved in the community.  

I'm looking forward to the extra challenge. Now, off to enjoy this weekend's glorious weather!

Going for Speed: Weekly Round-Up (7)

This weekend, so far, has turned out to be exactly the kind of weekend that I’ve needed: two excellent runs, soccer on the Mall, fro-yo on the steps of the portrait gallery, time to catch up on my reading (I’m currently working my way through The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness and The Bee Eater), movie-watching, shopping success, and lots of sleep.

Glorious, restorative sleep.

I had a long talk with my dad last weekend about my training – how great it feels to run and to see my hard work pay off, but also how tired I’ve felt recently. I do make an effort to get at least seven hours of sleep every night, but sometimes that isn’t enough to keep me going at the office, during workouts, and during any attempts to be a social butterfly. 

I worried that I might be over training, but I feel very comfortable with my workouts.  After mulling over what could be going on, I decided that my body was just tired and needed a solid night of sleep.  So, last Sunday, I gave it a try. I felt incredibly lame, but I forced myself to go to bed at 10:30.  

The result: leaping (quite literally) out of bed at 6:20 the next morning for a workout.

I would love to say that I’m going to get eight hours of sleep every night, but I know that life happens and sometimes you have to settle for fewer hours of sleep than you’d like.  I will, though, promise to make an effort to take better care of myself during training and rest when I need to – even if it means sacrificing a workout every now and then.

Week 8’s training schedule:

Monday: Cycling, strength training, and extra stretching

Tuesday: 5 miles

Wednesday: 8 x 400 m at 5K Pace (8:57 per mile)

Thursday: 30-minute easy run

Friday: Rest

Saturday: 9 miles

Sunday: 3 miles at race pace

With about a month to go before the half-marathon and the Cherry Blossom 10-miler a weeks after, I’m starting to narrow my options for fall marathons.  I’m down to Hartford, Philadelphia, Newport (RI), or the Marine Corps Marathon in DC. Something inside me is hinting at picking two of the above – one half-marathon and one full.

Could it be time to check into Runner's Anonymous?

.....Absolutely not! 

Going for Speed: Weekly Round-Up (2)

I can’t quite put my finger on why elements of my life felt out of sync this week. To be completely fair, I have very little to actually complain about. Still, I sometimes find myself with this feeling that something isn’t quite right, and I need to make changes – any changes – to my daily routine.

Thinking about this within the context of running, I learned that it’s important to add variety to training – if only to change the time at which you work out, the type of workout, or with whom you exercise. On Tuesday, for example, I decided to go to a work happy hour (and had a great time socializing) and was still able to get in a really great workout at the gym. On Wednesday, I ran with two of my coworkers, which was incredibly fun and helped me get to know them a bit more outside of the office.

So, new rule: Spice up your life (and your routine)!

Week 3 Workout Plan:

Monday: Cardio
Tuesday: 3 miles/Strength Training
Wednesday: Tempo Run (35 minutes)
Thursday: 3 miles
Friday: Off
Saturday: 6 miles
Sunday: 3 miles/Strength Training

Oh, and I almost forgot. I found a February race: Love the Run You’re With – 5K!

The great thing about running this race -- other than it being the day before Valentine’s Day and the color-coded t-shirts identifying racers as being in one of three relationship categories -- is that I will hopefully be able to see if all of the speed work completed up until the race is working. The event’s website boasts a great post-party – complete with karaoke. Sounds like a smashing good time to me!

Hey there, 2011!

New Year's Day 2010 doesn't seem all that long ago, and now I am very happy to welcome a new year and a new race calendar. For the record, I probably should not be allowed to read other runners' blogs; it only serves to fill my head with crazy ideas and wagers about the maximum number of races that I can run in one year before my body decides that it hates me.

It's only now that I'm starting understand exactly why I like running in races -- besides the sweet t-shirts, finisher's medals, and competition. To be completely honest, I enjoy the goal-setting (and goal-accomplishing) that comes with running races. Don't get me wrong, I have plenty of goals to work toward (including that whole doctorate thing -- by the way, folks, I've decided that it's GWU School of Education or bust), but the prospect of crossing a finish line and the glory that comes with it are great motivators to keep this crazy train moving.

In 2011, I hope to run at least one marathon (two maximum), one half-marathon, and several local races. The problem is deciding which races to run:

March 20, 2011 - Shamrock Marathon: Virginia Beach, VA: I'm seriously considering running this race. However, one potential challenge is that I'm committed to running the Cherry Blossom 10-Miler in DC on April 3, 2011 (two weeks after the marathon). Then again, I can always run the half-marathon for a great weekend getaway in March.

May 1, 2011 - Gettysburg North-South Marathon: Gettysburg, PA: Combines my love of American history and running. One of the cool things about this race is that, although it’s a single event, there are two courses: "North" and "South." Plus, there's something wonderfully awkward about running a course based on the side your state fought in during the Civil War.

May 1, 2011 - Cox Road Races Providence Marathon: Providence, RI: One of my good friends from college mentioned this race to me a while back, and -- according to Facebook -- he's already registered. I took a quick look at the course map and elevation, and I imagine this would be a great place to shoot for a personal record. (The elevation peaks near mile 7, and the rest of the course is relatively flat after that.)

October 15, 2011 - ING Marathon: Hartford, CT: This is one of the few marathons held in my home state, and it would be awesome to run a race so close to home. Like the Providence Marathon, the course is flat after Mile 5.

November 6, 2011 - ING New York City Marathon: New York, NY: I imagine that running a marathon through New York City would be an incredible experience, but I can't say with certainty that I'm going to run this race because there is a lottery for bib numbers. I think that I'll just enter and hope for the best. (P.S. I love that there are video checkpoints at this race. The stakes are pretty high for elite runners, but little old 9:13-minute mile me isn’t going to win any prize money or be named the top female runner in the world as a result of this race.)

I've spent some time clicking through the Washington Runner's Report Race Calendar to come up with a list of options for 5Ks and 10Ks to fill in gaps between the longer races, but there is also a chance that I'll find some awesome races on the Potomac River Running Race Calendar once it is updated for the new year.

Readers, I welcome your comments and suggestions if you have any experience with any of the above races or other favorites.

No matter what, I am looking forward to whatever this year brings. I hope you will forgive me for quoting Jack Dawson, but I think it is fitting considering my one resolution for this year: "I figure life's a gift and I don't intend on wasting it. You don't know what hand you're gonna get dealt next. You learn to take life as it comes at you...to make each day count. "

Happy New Year, folks. Here's to making 2011 count.

She's Going the Distance (Again)

Call me crazy.

It’s been four weeks since I crossed the finish line in Baltimore, and I’m ready to commit to a second marathon. I have a date (March 20, 2011), a race (Yuengling Shamrock Marathon), a goal (shave one hour off the Baltimore Marathon time), a new pair of running shoes, and a colorful training schedule that will carry me until the race in March

Race recovery went well, but not having a set running schedule after months of having running be such a huge part of my life prior to October 16th felt strange. I loved the extra time, but I definitely felt antsy on more than one occasion. But, the antsy-feeling meant that I had more time to think about how I could approach the next couple of months and set some fitness goals.

Daft Punk said it best: “Work it, make it, do it, makes us harder, better, faster, stronger.”

My newest training spreadsheet is divided into two phases. Phase One started earlier this month and will take me to the last week of December. The goal here is to lay the groundwork to build a better body and increase my speed. Mixing speed workouts with strength training and longs runs of seven or eight miles has worked out well so far. (I’m starting to find that a nine-minute mile pace is comfortable for more than a few minutes. Sweet.)

To add spice and make all of this work worth it in the end, I decided to run shorter races to keep me on the path to reaching my speed goals. I’m most excited about the Santa Shuffle 5K Race – but only because I’d get to dress up as a holiday character. There’s also Jingle All the Way, a 10K where I would get to wear bells while I run. Both races are in December, and I’m also looking into races in 2011. (Most importantly, I’m trying to justify flying to Orlando for the Disney Princess Half Marathon in February. It would be against my love for all things Disney Princess if I didn’t run this race. And, we wouldn’t want that.)

Around the last week of December, I'll start my official training with long runs starting at 13 miles. Winter training will bring its own set of challenges, I'm sure. In any case, it should be a rockin' good time.

There'll be more updates along the way -- more hilarious running stories, recipes, and kick ass playlists.

Are you ready for Round 2? I sure am.

On Mild Discomfort and Other Adventures

Week 11 has presented its share of challenges, but I am still in this.

This week's short runs were glorious. The crispness of fall is settling in, and I've actually needed to wear the cute little wind breaker that I picked up at Target a few weeks ago. Cooler temperatures mean great runs. On Wednesday, I ran from my place down to the Mall and back. No complaints there.

On Thursday, I followed the trails l to Georgetown and ran around the area for a bit before heading back to my apartment. I didn't stretch as thoroughly as I usually do. I'm not really sure why, but it doesn't have anything to do with the article that I posted about stretching a few days ago. I think I was just very excited. When I started to run downhill towards the trail, I started to feel discomfort in my right leg (around the lower end of the tibia). With each step, I felt it. I didn't really think about it and even thought that it was a great idea to push my limits a bit. When I got home, I felt the pain in my leg simply walking barefoot in my apartment. I iced it and went to bed. The minute that I stepped onto the floor the next morning, the pain was so much worse and I spent a while limping around my apartment. The choices were: 1. call the doctor and make the trip up or 2. suck it up and go to work. I chose two, and even walked the mile to the Rite Aid to pick up an ace bandages and athletic tape before heading into the office. During the day, the discomfort wore off but walking down flights of stairs was still a problem.

I made a decision to take the day off from training on Friday in hopes that things would be better for my long run on Saturday. I woke up, walked around a bit, felt some discomfort, but decided to take it slow and run anyway. Once I started to run, everything seemed okay okay. I ran 12 miles as slow as I possibly could without feeling like I was walking and made sure to stay on soft surfaces whenever I could. After the run, I felt okay. There was the usual feeling of exhaustion that comes after a long run, but it wasn't anything a warm bath and rest couldn't fix. When I woke up this morning for my last short run, I felt the pain again. More limping, applying ice, and deciding that running wouldn't be the best move. Instead, I tried the elliptical and strength training -- if only to feel like I was doing something other than sitting on the couch. It went pretty well, and I've tried my best to rest today. At the moment, everything feels okay but I'm still going to give myself some time to see what happens.

So, assuming that I wake up tomorrow and can move around my apartment without doing my best Charlie Bit My Figure impression, the schedule for this week looks like this:

Monday: Strength train/stationary bike
Tuesday: 4 miles
Wednesday: 4 miles
Thursday: 4 miles
Friday: Off, mental preparations and pasta party for one
Saturday: 20 miles
Sunday: 3 miles

As of tomorrow, there will be 33 days between me and race day. Bring it!

Mid-Week Update

I learned in college that time passes fastest when you're happy, enjoy what you do, and have fun. It also flies when you're totally screwed for a paper you didn't start until the night before it's due date -- but that's another story.


At some point, it became the middle of Week 11 without me even noticing. After a relaxing Labor Day Weekend (with many hours spent in the company of friends, my parents and younger brother, watching 24, knitting, running errands, and starting yucky grad school applications), I started my Tuesday at 6 AM for a quick three-mile run. Now that it's dark at 6 AM, I decided to run on the treadmill and remembered it is the least exciting way to run. The actual work day was pretty chill, and I learned that I'm going to be traveling like it's my job (oh wait) over the next couple of months: definite trips to New York; at least one trip to Louisiana, California (Riverside), Washington, or Ohio (Columbus); and a teacher quality magical mystery tour. I'm excited and know that I'll learn a ton on various trips, but at the same time I still find myself sick at the very idea of flying (I'm better than I was years ago, by the way) and thinking about how this will affect my training (obvious solution: book hotels with fitness centers).

In terms of running, this is what I scheduled for the week:

Tuesday: 3 miles
Wednesday: 6 miles
Thursday: 5 miles (Strength train)
Friday: 5 miles
Saturday: 12 miles (one week until my first 20-mile run)
Sunday: 4 miles (Strength train)



Oh, and there's been a lot of talk about my knee recently. It doesn’t hurt, but I’m starting to worry that it’s going to give out on my next long run. I’m thinking about seeing my doctor. I probably shouldn’t even be thinking about it at this point and make the appointment. I’m just not sure what she’ll be able to tell me besides “Take it easy” or “Run on softer surfaces” or “Stretch” or “Try more strength training.” I just don’t want to hear “You need to give this up.” We'll see. It's probably nothing, but it would be nice to know that I'm going to be okay for the rest of this and be able to make it to the finish line.

Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger

Matt, a good friend of mine who is also going to be a fantastic doctor one day, informed me that there was a rumor going around that I would destroy the GRE and tow its mangled corpse behind me on my 15-mile run. I want to clear the air a bit and confirm that this rumor was, in fact, true.

Sort of.

Yesterday’s GRE went much better than expected. The problem with knowing that the test adjusts depending on how many questions you answer correctly can be a little demoralizing when you are faced with what looks to be an easy question. On the Quantitative section, this seemed to happen a lot but I guess I was actually okay. The Verbal Section, as predicted, was fine. Score wise, I’m close to or above the curve for most of the schools to which I plan to apply. The writing is the only section that I’m worried about (as it was the only section that I didn’t really practice) but we’ll see. I may surprise myself.

This is one of those things where I could be very happy with my score if I was not an overachiever or worried about being a competitive applicant in the Ivy League. I’m going to wait to get my writing score to decide if I want to be happy with my score or try the test again in late October or early November.

So anyway --

Steve and I ran 14 miles today…

Baller!

We started at Woodley Park and ran down to the Rock Creek Park Trails to the Capital Crescent Trail (or so we planned). Steve pointed out that we actually ended up on the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National History Park Trail, which is parallel to the Capital Crescent Trail except until when we went up a bridge to go up to the street. This only caused minor confusion and we just went back the way we came. All in all, it’s not a huge deal because as Steve pointed out “We didn’t die or drown…and still ran 14.”

Running with someone whose company you enjoy is awesome. First, there’s someone to listen to your rambling. (Not that I rambled, and I’m pretty sure my internal monologue made a lot more sense this time around.) Second, it helps a lot with pacing. Both of us decided that we wanted to run slower than our race pace, and both of us made adjustments throughout the run to keep steady. Third, I definitely felt a lot safer on the trails with someone else. (But, that’s probably because I watch way too much Law and Order.)

The other awesome thing that happened was the downpour that started somewhere around mile six or seven. While this confirms that weather.com is a bloody liar, running in the rain is great – except for all of the puddles and mud. Even then, once you get home and you realize that you’re filthy, soaked, and just ran a shit ton, you feel amazing and proud of your accomplishment. Then, you run a warm bath and all is right in the world.

With Week 7 in the bag, I'm moving into Week 8. Whoa, we’re (almost) halfway there. Whoa-oa, livin’ on a prayer.

The plan:

Monday: Stationary bike and weights
Tuesday: 4 miles
Wednesday: 4 miles (temperature pending with running group)
Thursday: 4 miles and weights
Friday: Off
Saturday: 10 miles (special goal: beat time of last 10-miler)
Sunday: 3 miles and weights

With no GRE in my immediate future, I’m going to cook delicious dinners, pleasure read, work on my plan to become more bold (details later), and sleep like it’s going out of style.

Until next time…