My goal is to run 1,000 miles in 2010. See how far along I am:

Sunday, December 27, 2009

Merry Beleated Christmas!

10 days until Disney!!!
It's been quite a crazy holiday season! Between the end of school, papers, running, and getting ready for the holiday it has come and gone faster than ever before. Matt and I decided not to go crazy with gifts this year. Santa brought some nice running gifts for me!

I was wanting a pair of Race Ready shorts to wear in Disney. They are not super attractive in this photo (and they are black, but look blue). These suckers have five great mesh pockets on the back for keeping everything you possibly need on race day or on a long run with you. The pocket in the middle is larger than the others. Inside there is a credit card sized pocket on the inside for super safe keeping.
I had heard about them in the beginning of the season, but I wasn't sure about them. They can only be ordered online from Race Ready. I really do not like ordering clothes online unless I can try them on somewhere first, but one of the mentors on the team, Vicky, wears them all the time to practice and *swears* by them. So I trusted her and got them, and they fit perfect. I wish they were a tad longer, but they will be perfect for running in some nice Florida winter weather! Trust me when I tell you they look much better on you than in the photos on their website.

While we were Christmas shopping I got this Under Armor winter hat and kinda used it a few times before Christmas. It's great! The ear flap come down nice and low and the back also comes down low to keep my neck covered. It also fits my big head and hair nicely. Something that many hats I tried on do not do. And of course it has nice UA wicking fabric in side, so no longer will sweat be dripping down my face.

Also got a training diary to use for the next year. It has some nice calender pages for planning your training. It's nice too because it you get to fill in the dates. Good for taking some time off for recovery.





My mom got Matt and I the entire Curb Your Enthusiasm box set! And the first season of The Office on the BBC! I'm so excited to start watching them, especially since I have no school and now am tapering!!










My Dad's whole family came over for Christmas day. There were 30 of us all together! The house was so crowded, but it was so nice to everyone over. We do a Yankee Swap grab bag every year. I bought a NY Giants snuggie, and my Dallas loving cousin picked. Look at the fake smile. It's great! I got this very cool electric griddle in the swap. Now I can make some breakfast in bed. All I could think of was the episode of the office where Michael grills his foot on the George Forman grill trying to make breakfast in bed! So how was Santa to you?



Sunday, December 20, 2009

Snowy Saturday

Saturday was supposed to be my biggest run before Disney(17 days!) however, it became my shortest. All week I was having shin and foot pain. (I know it was from wearing those damn
Ugg boots!) Friday night I questioned running or not the next day, and Saturday when I woke up I questioned it again. But I shook it off and went to practice. I didn't tape or wrap anythi
ng either.

We had a merged practice in Nassau with the whole team and it was amazing, I was so pumped even though it was freezing and about to snow any minute.

Then I started running. With every strike of my left foot on the ground the pain shot from my sole all the way up my shin. I held strong for almost 2 miles out. At the first water stop I told the rest of my pack I had to turn back.

I gimped back with my tail between my legs. It was the longest two miles ever. I kept passing people from the new team, other runners. I was so bummed. Finally I saw coach Carmen and she new something was up. She stopped and I started crying on her. She walked back with me and made me feel a bit better but still it's such a bummer of a feeling so close to race day.

I made it back and left for home, stopping at the grocery store on the way. What a zoo! People freak out with snow around here. I just wanted to make a roast beast for dinner.

It started snowing and this morning when all was said and done we had two feet dumped on us. Matt wished for a white Christmas and he's getting it! We're buried.

Friday, December 18, 2009

Blizzard!

Tomorrow we are supposed to have a minor blizzard. It's also going to be my last long run before the race. Let's home that the blizzard waits 'till we're done running. If I were still doing the full I'd be doing 20 tomorrow. At least it's *only* 11!

Wednesday, December 16, 2009

Winter gelatos

I'd like a nice gelato right now. I think this may be a good week to put the kitchen aid ice cream attachment to good use. Something seasonal. Mascarpone gelato with cranberry sauce, liquified sauce not that dread-full canned sauce. A nice blood orange gelato would be great too. Wow that just reminded me that it is blood orange season. I need to get some while the getting is good for the year. YUMM! I'll have to work on that this week, plus gelato is on the cook's 100 list.

Another another cooking note, I made sloppy joes today using this recipe from Simply recipes. Absolutely amazing flavor. Joe mix from an envelope does not even compare. Nice sweet and tangy flavor. However I would add additional cayenne powder for more heat next time.

Monday, December 14, 2009

A year of Races

I decided I am going to try and run a race every month for the next year. Early New Year's resolution? I suppose. The past two weeks I have been obsessively looking and picking out races.

I'm also thinking about joining the New York Road Runners this year, and doing their 9+1 program so I can be assured of entry to the 2011 NYC marathon.

This is my month by month list. Any suggestions, are you doing one of these? Let me know!

This is just the start

January:
1/9-Disney Half Marathon- Registered!

February:
2/28- Runner's Edge Fun Run, 3, 6, 9 miles, Farmingdale

March:


April:
4/3- 13.1 NYC half Marathon, Queens
4/25- More half marathon, NYC

May:
5/2- Long Island 10K, Long Island
June:

July:

August:

September:
9/19- Rock N Roll half marathon, Philladelphia

October:
10/3- Smuttynose Rockfest half marathon, New Hampshire

November:

December:

3 mile Monday

Three miles today. The intent was four, but just at the start of mile 4 my stomach protested :(
Nice though overall, I did a 4:1 interval and it was not too cold out and not windy at all.

Mile 1: 11:07
Awesome, nice and strong felt great, however right at the end I was almost taken down by a pine cone in the road. I felt my ankle go under as I started to fall down. Luckily I caught my balance and kept going.

Mile 2: 11:40
I slowed down and got into a rhythm for mile 2. I called Matt half way and asked him to meet me at the corner with some water :) Cursed at the pine cone as I passed it again.

Mile 3: 13:36
Started okay, 3/4 of the way through I got a side stitch, and walked it off for a 1/4 of a mile (boo!) I went back to the house for my water but my stomach wasn't feeling so hot. Went back out for mile 4

Mile 4:
After the side stitch started so did my belly. I wasn't feeling so hot this morning, and now it was back again. I was only out about .10 I turned around and ran home, fast.

Time: 35:23
Pace: 12:14

Saturday, December 12, 2009

Super 8 Saturday

"Now if you are going to win any battle you have to do one thing. You have to make the mind run the body. Never let the body tell the mind what to do. The body will always give up. It is always tired in the morning, noon, and night. But the body is never tired if the mind is not tired.
- George S. Patton, U.S. Army General, 1912 Olympian

Saturday morning: 29 degrees with a wind chill making it feel about 19 degrees. Not exactly the conditions you expect to have the best run ever in!

I've been hurting, my feet, my legs, my back. Last night I came across an article on Runner's World about how after an injury, pain can present it self mentally even you've healed. You can become hyper-vigilant to injuring yourself again. I'm pretty sure that's what's been going on with me. Every little ache or pain has become a reason not to run.

Last night I said screw this, I am running strong and having an awesome run tomorrow I don't care- and I did!

I met up with the other half of the team today at a place know as "the dump", which used to be- a garbage dump. Now it's a secluded park preserve with some amazing views. There is a two mile loop around the base and about two and half up the big hill and down.

This morning I saw cute little guinea fowl, the sunrise over the beach, ran on a boardwalk, saw a windmill, had an awesome view of Manhattan from the top of the hill, and saw goats on the way out. It was quite a day. I did a 3:1 interval and while I was tired during the run it was a great eight!

The cold doesn't even matter anymore. Okay, yes I did wear two of everything today. But after the first two miles I was sweating.

After the run I stopped at Starbucks and had myself a well derserved chai latte.

This afternoon, after my post run siesta, Matt and I went Christmas shopping. I picked out some nice running goods for Christmas.

I also ordered my Race Ready shorts. These shorts have about four pocket sewn into the back of the shorts to carry you're things on race day. More about those when they arrive.

25 days until I leave for Disney!!

Thursday, December 10, 2009

Dread-mill and future races.

I ran 2.5 miles today on the dread-mill. It's been so cold the past few days and windy to boot. Enough to make me not want to run outside. So it was dread-mill day. I was supposed to do 5, however It was a good 2.5, I ran hard.

I picked out two races last night to register for after Disney. I'm going to do the Long Island half in May and the Smuttynose Rockfest in October in New Hampshire. The LI half will be great because I know friends will run it and more friends will be there to cheer me on!
Smutty is going to be great because it's a weekend away and sponsored by the Smuttynose Brewery. I'll need a shirt that says I'm here for the beer. So lame people love that stuff at races as I learned at Cow Harbor with my "Udder Choas" shirt. (I cannot take credit for that one though.) Both races are under $50, cheap for half marathons.

I'm pretty sure after Disney and the cold winter starts to warm even slightly I will be more motivated to run more.

However in order to train for the LI half I will pretty much need to start the week after Disney. Meaning I will need to be running in the really cold parts of the winter. :(
Maybe I will get some new toasty clothes.

And thinking about it It would be really nice to run in the preserve parks covered in frost and a little snow. It's like a wonderland.


Wednesday, December 9, 2009

One more thing

Today at work I ran into one of my professors from the summer. She's one of my favorites. I asked what brought her to the hospital and she told me about her brother who is there, with lymphoma. Just hearing this was another one of those moments where I was reminded of how important of what we are all doing with TNT is!
28 days till Disney!!