trampled under foot.

a quick race update.

Sat, 12 Jan 2013 17:04:00 -0500

As the title says, a quick update. My family from Texas is visiting, and I am taking them out on the town in a few minutes, so while this is fresh in my head…

I ran a race today, and it did not go great. I felt awful. I went out too fast. I was 1 and a half minutes off from my goal time, which I have been working hard for. I puked half way through, which is a first for me in a race. I am embarassed. My mom thinks I am pregnant now (I’m not).

Anyway, I was upset earlier. But I am getting over it. How could I not? My family is here, and I am so happy to be with them. Sometimes, we have bad races. Bad days, fail a test, lose money, lose a job, make someone mad at us, get bad news. But you know what? There is still good in this life. I know there is so much worse that can happen than a bad race, which is why I am thinking now how silly I was to be upset at all. Life is too short to gt upset over something so trivial, especially if you are someone surrounded by so much love, like I am feeling today.

So don’t sweat the small stuff…and like the book says, “it’s all small stuff.” Well, most of it anyway.

The Annual Winter Wimp 4.4 miler in Hagaman, NY.

Time: 31:46

4th place female

new year at the gym.

Thu, 10 Jan 2013 17:56:00 -0500

In addition to running, I like to lift weights. Nothing crazy…about 3 times a week. I also love doing core workouts. And sometimes I need to run on the treadmill, due to weather, time restrictions, etc. So, I go to the gym.

This time of year, as you can imagine, the gym gets little bit crazy with resolution driven folks looking to get into shape for reasons ranging from long-term weight loss, to getting in shape for their first half marathon, to fitting into that bikini for spring break. I hear MANY of the “regulars” grumbling over the presence of the newbies; how they hate that they need to wait to use machines and that their coveted space in front of the mirrors is crowded. They also say things like “ugh…I can’t wait until things die down and all these people give up on their resolutions.” WHAT!!!?? Okay, I can’t say that I LOVE waiting to use a treadmill, but c’mon! I am so proud of these people, especially for the ones who are BRAVE enough to even come to the gym full of “regulars” scrutinizing them. Brave enough to show up, especially when they have a significant amount of weight to lose. Brave enough to take the first step. Brave enough to admit they need to do it for themselves.

I don’t want them to give up. I hope the gym stays this busy year round.

counting the years.

Fri, 28 Dec 2012 20:02:00 -0500

The days following Christmas always feel strange. The month of December is filled with so much excitement and cheer that when it’s all over, and then we reach that lull when it’s time to go back to work and time to just face the rest of winter…the only word I can describe it with is “blah.” The post-Christmas blahs. I did have a wonderful holiday filled with lots of love, giving and holiness, but now that it’s over I don’t know what to do with myself. However, this time of blahs just before the new year is a great time to reflect. Some people make resolutions, some don’t; but I think everyone hopes for the best in the year to come and thinks of things they would like to do differently for themselves. Like the Counting Crows said…”maybe this year will be better than the last.” I think we all sing that in our heads this time of year.

So I went for a run. It snowed like crazy the other night, so I am keeping to the road since the sidewalks are pretty haphazard. Many people seem to have had enough Christmas already; their trees rest like holiday corpses on top of the new snowbanks. It is one of those days where the snow seems to eat up all the sound. It makes me feel like I’m the only person left. The sound of my feet and breath are all I can hear, and then there are my thoughts..

Just before I left the house, I calculated my mileage for the year. With this run, the year 2012 - 1,755 miles. That is from my house in NY to Denver, CO. I know there are so many people who have gone much further in a year, but I’m pretty happy with that, especially since I managed them around a hernia surgery, wisdom tooth extraction, and a couple of vacations. In any event, while trotting through the salty streets, I got thinking that maybe I am silly for measuring my year in miles….but then again, maybe I’m not. Many people worry about how old they are or how much time they have left, but I think the best life lived is to count life in other ways. I have a sign in my house that has a quote that I love. It reads: “Count your blessings by smiles not tears, count your age by friends not years.” I’d like to add to that. My year in numbers.

This year I ran 1,755 miles. I ran in 8 races. I saw 7 friends that live too far away, but they are some of my very best friends. I celebrated 1 year of marriage to the love of my life. I had 2 wisdom teeth out. I spent 9 days in Maine. I finished my 3rd year of teaching and started my 4th. I also started my 2nd year of teaching physics. I was given my first niece. I could not run for 14 days recovering from hernia repair surgery. My mom has been 3 years cancer free. I took her to Cape Cod for 3 days. I put ~18,000 miles on my car, mostly commuting to a job I love. I took 3 classes. I could go on and on.

Now, I normally don’t make resolutions. But I am going to make this year better than the last, in numbers. Here goes.

I am going to make at least 1 phonecall, once a month, to a few of those friends that live far away. To a couple of them, I am going to try for once a week. I am going to celebrate a 2nd full year of happy marriage to my awesome husband, and begin a 3rd wonderful year. We are going to attempt to have our 1st child together, which may affect this next number…I am going to attempt to run 2,000 miles, unless a little bundle of joy comes along..then this number I will happily adjust. I going to try to be more kind and patient for 365 days…unless it’s a leap year…is it? I don’t know. I am going to try spinning twice a month. I am going to spend as many hours as possible with my adorable grandfather and my Saint of a mother. I am going to put good in every day, but do something extra charitable at least 2 times a month.

I am going to realize that every day may not be 100% good, but I can put good into every day.

Here’s to 2013! Make it COUNT :)

the holiday season...so much to talk about.

Sun, 02 Dec 2012 18:44:00 -0500

It’s a good thing I don’t do any Internet shopping for the holidays…my computer has been dysfunctional for about a month, and I wasn’t in much of a hurry to fix it; I’ll be honest. I do love certain things about the computer…the Internet for research, blogging as an outlet for ideas and feelings (I always tried keeping a diary, but my handwriting leaves something to be desired [I couldn’t read my own past writing..]), social networking for keeping in touch and sharing pictures of cute animals..But I can live without it! Thank God. Being a teacher I see how addicted so many kids are to the internet and social networks and their smart phones. It makes me a little sad. I feel lucky to have been a kid before all of this..to have played outside, rode my bike, built forts, played hide-and-seek, etc. When I talk about these things, my 11th graders look at me like I have 2 heads. They say they are “too old.” I specifically remember playing outside at 16! For goodness sake I still play outside! I love it! Sometimes I think I love running so much because it gives me a reason to do so. I feel like a little kid when I run in the rain, seeking out puddles, and returning home with mud splashed up my calves. But like I was saying, I did finally get it fixed obviously, and so here I am…back to contributing my little ramblings into the interwebs.

This time of year is just so busy, isn’t it?

Thanksgiving and Christmas make me a crazy woman. But in a good way. I go crazy putting together ways to make those I love happy during this wonderful season. On top of the holidays, November becomes particularly nutty for me because I swear, 80% of the people I love were born in this month. LOTS of birthdays….cakes, parties, gifts..I love celebrating these people, but before I know it, December is knocking saying..”only 25 days left to prepare, Jen! Get busy!”

I really enjoy Thanksgiving, yes for the food, but more for the way it makes people take a step back, and really think of what it is they are truly thankful for. I try to be this way all year, but there is something about the holiday that makes you want to share how grateful you are for whatever it is you are grateful for. I am so insanely thankful for the fact that my mom is still here with me, after having survived and beaten cancer, and after her major surgery this past September. I am also just as grateful that my father is here after surviving a heart attack in that very same month. And probably just as grateful still, that my grandfather is still here to celebrate another holiday with our family. I am grateful for my amazing husband, and for the strong bond we share and the memories we are making. I am thankful for my wonderful family and friends, and thankful to have a job that I love, and a set of legs and lungs that allow me to follow one of my greatest passions, running.

Speaking of running, since the marathon I have run 2 races. They went pretty well, but I have been working so hard, that I was hoping to be just a little bit faster. Here are the results.

The Great Sacandaga 10k road race: October 27th 2012. This race was COLD and windy. My first half of the race went very well, but the second half my splits were not great. I was well hydrated, so I did not take water. I was hoping to get sub-43 minutes, so I guess I can not complain. Also, my time wasn’t terrible considering I ran a marathon the week before. I think I was expecting more from myself than I could give here. The food after was so good! Kudos to Sport Island Pub on that. It was also great to see so many running friends at this race.

Time: 43:32, 7:00 pace

3rd place female of 42

1st place in females 20-29

The Cardiac Classic Thanksgiving 5k: Thanksgiving 2012. I have been training S hard for this race because I really wanted a sub-30 minute race. I was so close. I just didn’t have it left at the end for the decent kick that I needed. That is something I need to work on. I am going to try doing more 800 tempo runs.

Time 20:29, 6:37 pace.

11th place female of 867

5th place female 20 to 29 out of 229

I think my speed work is making a difference, but I’d like to see how much more I can push myself. I think I will be doing a lot of fast workouts this month around the shopping, baking, cooking, wrapping, decorating, attending church and visiting. Which is fine by me. I think I need a little break from the really long runs anyway. I am also okay with this, because as I am getting older, I am getting better at not overdoing it with holiday foods, and saying no to huge portions and seconds, and trying every kind of dessert.

I don’t have any road races planned, but hopefully I can manage the “race” of getting everything done in time for the holiday! :)

Here is a photo from the Empire State Marathon. #214

Wed, 24 Oct 2012 18:52:00 -0400

Here is a photo from the Empire State Marathon.

#214

Marathon.

Tue, 23 Oct 2012 07:37:00 -0400

Yesterday I ran the Empire State Marathon in Syracuse, NY…and just like most races I run, at the end I was just wishing I had trusted myself to push harder. I really wanted to BQ, and at the end I had so much left..I wish I had jut distributed that energy during the race. Oh well; live and learn.

Race morning was chilly, but nothing unbearable. It was supposed to be a lot colder and rainy, but it warmed up and the sun was out the whole race! The weather men couldn’t have been any further off, unless they had predicted a major storm.

I actually hit my goal time of 3 hours and 40 minutes (3:40:39), and was either at pace or faster for every mile marker. I actually write my goal time for every 3 mile mark on my arm, and like I said I was at or below the goal time almost every time. At one point, I was about 8 minutes ahead of pace- and this is where I could kick myself- I SLOWED DOWN because I was afraid that if I kept that pace I would get worn down. I guess this is something you can’t predict until you’ve run lots of marathons. I wish I had kept that pace though, because like I mentioned, I felt I had quite a bit left at the end.

I took water and electrolyte every 3 miles, even after the first 3. I took gel at miles 9, 14, and 22 (CHOCOLATE…YUM). I actually felt great the whole race, when normally my stomach acts a little funny here and there. After the race, I still felt pretty good, my stomach just finally started to feel a little bit unhappy and so I wasn’t really in the mood to eat. So before leaving, I check out my results, which weren’t too shabby! And gave me somthing to shoot for, for next time.

17th female (of 228)

6th in my age group (of 27)

and 83rd overall (of 542…a lot of fast men ran, I guess!)

When all is said and done, I still can’t believe I can run a marathon, and still want to run another one in the future, and another after that. I feel so blessed for my lungs, heart and legs, and will to do it.

There’s the compression socks! And the pink bandana. Post...

Sun, 14 Oct 2012 17:13:00 -0400

There’s the compression socks! And the pink bandana. Post race. Wiped.

hard work is paying off.

Sun, 14 Oct 2012 17:05:00 -0400

Yesterday I ran in the Octoberfest half marathon in Peru, NY, and ran one of the best races of my life. It’s also nice to see some hard work pay off. In an earlier post, I mentioned how, for the sake of time, I tried running a little faster while on vacation, to get my miles in…well, I kept that up and..hello! It is paying off. I have been keeping speed in my weekly workouts and this race proves it!

My time was 1:41:10, on a pretty hilly course on an unusually cold day for October. Well, we were almost to Canada, but still; at 12 degree start time seems a bit unreasonable to me. Anyway, the first thing I was stoked about was the fact that I took quite a bit of time off of my time from the same race, last year. Last year, I ran a 1:47:45. The second thing I was excited about at the finish was my place! I was the second place female overall. Last year, I was the 13th place female overall. Finally, I won a Kindle Fire HD! How cool! I never win anything and I not great with technology, BUT I am excited to use it. I love to read so I am excited to try books on there. I am definitely more excited about my finish, though. Like I said, I love seeing my hard work pay off. I hope I can take even more time off next year.

The first couple of miles were, like I said, cold. I couldn’t feel my feet until maybe mile 3, but the adrenaline pushed me through that pretty easily. I kept a great pace most of the race, but slowed down a little bit at around mile 11 with a little crampy stomach, but managed to pushed through it. I did not take gel at all during the race, but took electrolyte drink at water stations 6, 8 and 10, and water at mile 9. I am happy with my hydration throughout the race. The hills actually were not that bad; that happens to be one of my strengths, since everywhere I have ever lived has been very hilly.

I tried something new this race; compression socks. I have to say, I love them. A friend of mine laughed at me for getting them (I splurged because after buying my new running shoes, I had a 30 dollar coupon at fleet feet, plus a 10 dollar coupon from a race I ran last year, so they were actually pretty cheap after that), but I think they really do work! My legs are not nearly as sore after racing when I wear them. The idea is that they help with circulation during and after running. I also feel less tired during long runs. I think the socks help, but maybe the speed is paying off even more than I thought?

Finally, when I run long distances, I run with a hanky. It’s pink, and I tuck it under the strap of my sports bra and it hangs out over my shoulder. It’s for wiping my nose/sweat, etc. During the race, a little girl in the crowd said “look daddy! Supergirl!” It was so cute, and then the other people near her, as well as the little girl, kept cheering for me as “super girl” whenever they saw me for the rest of the race. It made it even more of a wonderful experience for me.

All in all, a great race and a great day. My sister also came along to watch, and it was great spending some time with her.

Now, let’s just hope I can run just as well next week for the Empire State Marathon!

food.

Thu, 04 Oct 2012 20:43:00 -0400

OMGoodness, I can’t stop eating cider doughnuts. I have been dreaming about them, on runs, at work, probably in my sleep. I am salivating as we speak, like one of Pavlov’s pups.

A friend came over to the house the other day, and during our visit, after first offering her some doughnuts of course (she declined), I proceeded to house maybe 3 of them. She said “pfftt. Must be nice to eat whatever you want, running all the time,” and as usual when I get comments like these, I just kind of said..”yeah I dunno; maybe,” and went on with the previous conversation. *I should note I probably would have eaten another doughnut, had she withheld her comment.* I wasn’t mad or anything, but I think people sometimes really believe that runners can just eat TONS of whatever kind of food they want, and that’s ok. I think this is also a big misconception for people beginning a running, or any time of fitness, regimen. Do I eat a lot? Kind of. But I almost never eat doughnuts. They are a fall treat. I eat a lot of fruits and veggies, mostly. Even people who log a lot of miles have to watch what they eat. It is okay to treat yourself once in a while. (My friend happened to catch me at a ‘treating myself’ moment. I hope she doesn’t think I eat like that all the time! Maybe I should have made that clear.) If you don’t treat yourself sometimes, I think all that denial makes you crazy and you end up thinking about food all of the time. And that will make you not happy. Treats also make it easier to be good most of the time! I will share with you my food philosophy. (I should also note, I am SO proud of my food philosophy; as someone who has had some food issues in the past. A talk for another day).

1. EAT BREAKFAST! I swear, some days B-fast is what gets me out of bed. My fave things to eat for breakfast are: cinnamon raisin toast, with peanut butter and a banana (by the way, I consider myself a cin/raisin bread connoisseur; more on this another day), omelets, or oatmeal with some kind of fruit ad nuts in it. If I am *treating myself* I LOVE French toast or a Belgian waffle with real maple syrup. And of course, coffee, with all of the above.

2. Snack #1: I usually have a snack mid-morning (this works for me, because I have breakfast usually between 4 and 5 am, and this snack gets me to lunch), and it usually consists of some plain yogurt, with some raw almonds and some thawed frozen or fresh berries.

3. Lunch: Lunch depends on how much I am running, and the time of year. In the spring, fall and summer, when I am running a lot, I usually have a turkey or tuna sandwich with a small salad, a few pieces of fruit, and/or veggies with hummus. Sometimes I will just have a magnificent salad with all kinds of things in it…beans, meat, cheese, etc. But over the winter, I will usually do a half sandwich and a cup of soup. I love to make a big pot of soup and use it for lunches during the week.

4. Snack #2: I usually have a piece of fruit before I leave work, a banana or a couple of clementines or an apple. This gets me through my commute and keeps me energized for a work out right after work.

5. Snack #3: This isn’t something I always do. It is usually after a workout. But sometimes I will have maybe an apple with some almond butter, or some apple sauce or some grapes or something once I get home, before cooking dinner. This helps me not to pick at what I am making for dinner!

6. Dinner: This varies. But I do try to have a dinner that consists mostly of lean meat and veggies. If we do have pasta or something starchy, I just make sure to have a pretty small portion. This isn’t because I am watching carbs or anything. I jus don’t feel great by bed time if I eat a ton of starch. Could I eat my body weight in macaroni? Yes. But I know I will regret it later. However, if you are striving for weight loss, then watching your carbs might be something worth looking into.

…..7. Snack #4????: Sometimes, yes. I will do another small snack after dinner, usually in the summer when I am running a lot. I like Popsicles, a handful of caramel rice cakes, more fruit, a handful of cheerios, etc.

I feel good when I eat like this, and as I said, I do eat more during the months when I am running more. For the most part, it’s healthy stuff. I do treat myself sometimes, like I mentioned with my cider doughnuts. I also like a piece of cake now and then, or a warm chocolate chip cookie with milk. I also love dark chocolate in any form, and ice cream! BUT, here is my absolute rule for treats: I never eat packaged crap. The truth is, I don’t even like it that much! Chips, packaged cookies, crackers, fruit snacks, etc. are all things I avoid. My thinking is “what if I eat these 10 oreos, and then someone invites me over for fresh baked cookies?” I would feel wayyyyyy too guilty afterward if I did oreos and fresh baked cookies. So, in my mind, I am always in a state of saving myself for something homemade or from someplace I really like to eat (mmmmm Panera bread.) Once you do this for a while, those foods aren’t even appetizing anymore. I used to love Chips Ahoy! soft choc. chip cookies…the ones in the red package, but now when I see them I’m like “meh.” They are full of yucky preservatives anyway. But hey, if oreos are your version of the cider doughnut, then by all means, save yourself for those! Like I said, treats make being good easier.

I’m hungry now. I am thinking it’s time for a snack. :)

Auntie Jen and Maddie

Sat, 22 Sep 2012 20:01:00 -0400

Auntie Jen and Maddie

running around life.

Thu, 20 Sep 2012 18:45:00 -0400

If anything, this month has taught me that it really is possible to make time for running, or any kind of exercise for that matter, even when life gets “crazy busy.” I have always done my best to make time for exercise, and I know that it gets harder when other obligations come along, like kids, aging parents, demanding jobs, house work, etc., but it really is important to take care of yourself. And to me, feeling healthy makes the most important parts of my life more enjoyable.

This month has been filled with trips, weddings, birthdays, the arrival of my baby niece (I am a first time auntie!!!), wisdom tooth extraction, back to work, and my mom had a really big surgery. She is a breast cancer survivor, and had reconstructive surgery at the site of her mastectomy. I have been running at very odd times, and sometimes even breaking some runs into two parters, where I have something to do and go back out and finish later (sometimes it means a lot of extra and fast showers). But you know what? Running is when I sort things out. It’s where I deal with emotion. Some people go to therapy, or talk to a friend…I spend time with the road. I can remember when my grandmother passed away, all I wanted to do was run. I didn’t want to sit around and be sad. I wanted to go get high on endorphins and pay tribute to her by playing back years of memories of her over a few miles of pavement. That is how I deal. But I think also, when we give a lot of ourselves to other people, which is an AMAZING thing and an awesome feeling, it is still important to take time to take care of ourselves. We can better care for the people we love if we feel good! It takes a huge toll on a person to let themselves get to a place they are not happy in, but then to put on a happy face while going around giving all of yourself to other people. How can we expect to care for those we love in the long run if we are not healthy? Take care of YOURself too, to make it to the long run with them!

Taking care of myself make me a better daughter, sister, wife, dog mommy, (future human child mommy?), friend, and teacher, I think.

best friends, hotels, romance, and losing wisdom

Tue, 04 Sep 2012 21:19:00 -0400

August was a busy month and September is being the same way, so far. We have also been having computer issues, so posting has been tricky. I love to write and talk running, but I will be honest. I do not miss the internet when I don’t have it. I use it mostly for research and writing, and keeping in touch/joking around/sharing pictures of animals on Facebook. I have been networking a little bit more lately, and checking out more of other peoples blogs. I like learning from people as often as I can, instead of books and articles. I don’t think you need to be an expert to have something important to say or share.

At the end of August, Jeff (husband) and I took a trip to Virginia to visit 2 of our very best friends, Amy and Dan (they are married, too). Dan, the Lord of Computers, fixed my laptop, and so here I sit, typing to you. I love seeing them. They are such good people and I hate how they live so far away. I want to take a moment and say how much they mean to me…LOTS, and how blessed I feel to have such great friends. They are quality friends…something I think is hard to come by! And it’s crucial to go the extra mile in staying in touch with a good friend when you have it. I send them goodies and cards in the mail, call when I can, and we are going to try to see them twice a year if we are able to afford it.

While there, we did a lot of walking. I love walking and exploring the DC area. I did NOT neglect my running though! They live in a super traffic-y area, and so to my displeasure, I did run on the awful hotel treadmills. They always seem so foreign, don’t they? Time is as slow as molasses on a hotel treadmill. I forced myself through my 30 minute speedy thing 4 of the 5 days we were there, with a long run before we left and one upon returning home. The thought of the second long run kept me sane while in VA.

On our way back, we stopped at the old Woodstock in NY for a Jason Aldean/Luke Bryan concert at Bethel Woods. I booked the nicest, rustic, and romantic B and B for our stay (Stonewall Acres B and B…a little name drop!) and it was SO nice. Comfy, with THEE most delish breakfast you could imagine, prepped by the owner, Glenn. I did not run either day, and felt good about that. Sometimes you need to take a break. Plus the area around the place was very wooded, and in my opinion, very kid-nappy.

And so, with that long run upon my arrival back home…I also had to say goodbye to running for a few days as I said goodbye to a couple of my wisdom teeth. I am on day 3 of not running, and what a miserable business getting those things yanked out is. I’m sore, hungry, and feeling weak. But I needed them out; they were bothering me something awful. I am doing my best to, I guess you could say cope, with not being able to run…but I need to be realistic. Sometimes you just. Can’t. Run. Because you need to rest or heal. (Like when I had a hernia repair the day after Christmas last year….2 weeks of no running and misery). AND it could always be worse, right? Trying to keep in mind how blessed I am to have my health whenI am not having teeth extracted.

I don’t feel any dumber, either. And that is a good thing.

getting faster...and wiser?

Tue, 07 Aug 2012 20:45:00 -0400

So to update from my last post, I have been keeping up the speed work; although I will be honest, most of it has been done in the form of fartleks, and treadmilling. (to those of you who may not be familiar with the one Swedish word I know, “fartlek” is the Swedish word for “speed play,” which means incorporating short bursts of speed into a medium to long run. The way I do this is find a landmark, like a fire hydrant, in the distance, and stride or sprint to it, before returning to my original pace.) I have been running fast on the treadmill maybe twice a week. I’ll go to the gym early, and do 30 minutes. Every 5 minutes, I will take 5 seconds off of the pace, starting at 7:00 and ending at 6:25 pace. It’s challenging, and is so much easier for me to do than hit the track. I will continue to work on this weakness.

In other news, I got a haircut recently, to get spiffy for my sister-in-laws baby shower. This new do has revealed to me that I have a big patch of gray hair coming in under my new side-swept bangs. I always thought I would embrace the grays, but when I noticed it, I think I may have even gasped. I mean, I’m only27!! I am still young enough to openly state my age, so how can I be getting gray hair? Well, I am happy to report that this was just an initial mini-panic, and I managed to sort out the concern on an 18-miler.

I am in the best shape of my life. I wish I could go back in time, teach my 13-year-old self a thing or two. And my 16-year old self….maybe 18, too….but anyway, age hasn’t necessarily been that bad to me, thus far. I understand that things that have gotten better for me will eventually fade with time…my hair will gray, all the sunshine I get on my face from my glorious long runs will fade to wrinkles and spots, my knees and hips may not be as forgiving, and my skin and boobs and rear will give in to gravity. Lines and veins and marks and splotches will show up, and muscles may disappear. But why do so many of us (and I will go ahead and say that this is definitely more common in women than in men) worry worry worry about physically getting older? Why do we live in a society and age where we just hate aging physically SO MUCH that we totally ignore how wonderful wisdom is? There are so many cultures that value aging for its wisdom and what life can teach us and how we can pass on our knowledge. But we are so concerned with what we have and how young we look (botox, implants, hair dye, lipo) that we miss so much in this life. My wish to women everywhere is to not hate yourself for getting older. Embrace everything you know and have been through. Don’t worry about being able to hang onto things and people because of how you look. If someone stops loving you over a few wrinkles or pounds, then they never truly loved you to begin with. Stop competing with each other. Imagine if all women just swore off cosmetic surgery for good? The image of the ideal woman would change almost overnight, and maybe her mind and heart and soul and WISDOM would become more valuable than her smooth skin and small waist. If women saw the value in each other we would become more valuable to ourselves, and focus more on becoming who we are instead of what we look like, especially as the years pass.

Maybe I am not so scared of those gray hairs after all.

speed.

Fri, 20 Jul 2012 18:49:00 -0400

Last week, I spent a few days in Maine wth my in-laws. It was HOT, and the days were very full of stuff-to-do, which didn’t leave much ideal time for running. So I did the usual, get up before everyone else, and run….get back and everyone is awake and thinks you are a crazy person. But I found I just was not able to get myself up as early as I would have liked…these days DO exist, and so needed to somehow get my mileage done in a shorter amount of time……hmmm….what to do what to do??? I could try…running faster? Sometimes, you can really surprise yourself when you just push a little harder! While there, I completed a 6 miler at 7:30 pace, then a 6 miler at 7:05 pace, and two 4.5 milers at 6:52ish pace. I did a long run the day before I left, and took the last day off. Now, I know this may not seem that fast to MANY runners out there, but for me, these runs were so much faster than what I had been previously running! I have never been too awful fast, and being strict about track and speed workouts has always been a weakness of mine. BUT, now I feel like getting a little bit faster is something I really might be capable of. I know I have some PR goals I would really like to hit this year, and after this trip, I am feeling a little bit more confident.

So, the moral of this story is, don’t be afraid to try something out of your comfort zone. You may surprise yourself, and find that you had something in you that you didn’t even know was there!

happy 10 year anniversary, running!

Fri, 06 Jul 2012 15:04:00 -0400

My goodness! I was looking at the calendar today, and realized that I am a little bit over a week late in celebrating my 10 year love affair with running! I Love you, running! Here’s to many more miles and decades. Dear hips and knees, please do not get in the way of this romance by giving out on me. I Love you both too, and need you just as much as running.

I remember the day I took my first run. It was the day of graduation for the grade above me; so I was an 11th grader. I happened to be present because the band played at graduation and so there I was, trumpet in hand, sitting through my 3rd year of playing pomp and circumstance on repeat, sweating away. I wish I could remember what brought it on, but something in me decided that since I was no good at soccer (even though I had been playing for like 5 years or something) that instead, this year, I was going to join the cross county team. The kids who ran seemed cool, and I really admired the companionship they seemed to have. So that evening, I put on some mesh shorts that were probably too big for me, and whatever sneakers I had laying around, and decided to try to go for a run. I made it about a block away, and then had to walk a bit, but I decided that it was something I really wanted to be able to do. By the time cross country rolled around, I could do about 2 miles at a pace I thought to be pretty good, but when the practices rolled around, I realized I was way out of my league. These kids could go longer than me, were good at running on grass, and were fast. They also weren’t huffing and puffing like me. Growing up, literally every adult in my life was a smoker, and I guess I didn’t realize how much that affected me until I tried to run XC.

For the rest of that year, I would run periodically around my neighborhood, and got a gym membership and would feebly attempt to lift weights during times when the gym was not busy, but it was once I went to college that I really was able to take running a bit more seriously.

Even though our first year together was rocky, I still count that as part of our relationship though, running! Even though you weren’t so good to me, and even though I got mad at you a lot!

For my first semester, I spent a lot of time at the gym. I didn’t have many friends, closer to none, actually. I have never been one to be classified as a partier, and honestly I can not drink heavily, even the handful of times I have tried to be like the other kids. Alcohol makes me feel sick WHILE I am drinking it. Maybe I have an allergy? I don’t know. But it makes me tired and I can not have a good time doing it. So of course, I was a college out cast. I did make some friends eventually (who I love!) but I’ll save that for another day. So during those first few months, I lost a LOT of weight. Some of that was from the gym, but some of that had to do with food (again, a convo for another day). The first time I did 3 miles on the treadmill was on a November afternoon, and was so proud! I celebrated by buyin a nice pair of my first official running shoes; a pair of Sauconys. They were blue and white.

I took my first run outside in March, and it was HARD. Running on hills???? PFFFFFT! It was tough. But I stuck it out and ran my first race that father’s day: an 8k, in 42:56. Not too shabby! (my PR in this race now is 35 minutes…that was a year ago. I am hoping to beat that this year).

In the past decade, I have run thousands of miles, run about a hundred races, learned a lot about myself and my body, witnessed my body transform, seen odd things on the side of the road, made friends at races, saved a number of critters from a fate of being squished in the road, run before the sun comes up, and after it’s gone down, drank out of hoses, pottied in the woods, run marathons, been hurt, recovered, had surgery, recovered, sweated gallons, had eyelash icicles, gotten sun and wind burns, run near the ocean, run through the mountains, and run in different states and countries. I have learned that I am tough and have an iron will. I wouldn’t change a single thing, and I can’t wait to see where else running will take me and what it will teach me.

summertime, and the runnin' is easy...or moderate...or really hard sometimes...

Tue, 26 Jun 2012 10:01:00 -0400

Summer is finally here for me, and I have been loving everything about it. I am not teaching summer school this year, and so I will be able to devote a little bit more time to running at times that I have been missing, and not having to squeeze in a run so often. I realize how blessed I am to be able to live this way in the summer, and give so many props to women (and men!) who devote time to running and staying fit while balancing a job and babies and helping parents and volunteering and I could go on and on. I know all during the school year I see running at 3:30 a.m. VERY often. Sometimes in under armour in the bitter cold, sometimes on a treadmill (ughhhh), and sometimes on a nice fall or spring day. But it is nice to be able to get up and not have to choke down breakfast and take my pups for a walk before heading out for a long run in the summer. It is also much easier to do the really hard work outs during the summer because after a long run at a challenging pace I love to have some time to just not have to think and take it easy on the ol’ legs.

Summer does come with some downfalls though. The heat, for one. Sometimes, running when it’s hot is just plain HARD. Especially when you live in a rural area and there isn’t anyplace you can just duck into for a moment to sip from a water fountain or get a blast of AC. On days like this, sometimes I will plant frozen water bottles ahead of time on the course and then go around again to pick them up after. I always hope people seeing me do this don’t think I am littering! I even end up drinking out of peoples hoses! On these days I try to run early or late, but there are days when it’s still hot during those times! So, something I am working on is, when it is unGodly hot out, is telling myself it is OK to just do a couple of miles or even scratch a workout if it just too hot. It won’t kill me. Just listen to your body.

Another pitfall to the summer months is the BUGS! Hopefully there is some nutritional benefit to them, because I eat them (involuntarily!) all the time. If I open my mouth to take a sip of water, it seems like one flies in. Also, the DEER FLIES are my worst enemy. You would think they would tell their people to fear me, because of how many of them I splat! And again, rurally, they attack in swarms. You run by a field of cows and they must think….”oh boy! blood not from a smelly cow! let’s go, guys!” I have found that they attack more if I have eaten fruit in the morning. So, food for thought, guys; if running through farm land, maybe skip the OJ in the a.m.

Finally, my tummy tends to get a littl bit more grumbly in the summer. And I mean this in two ways. One, I get hungry way more often, and I have found what works for me, are power bar gels (I love love love vanilla frosting flavored!!). When I get hungry on a long run, my body demands that I feed it or it will run no futher. And so I listen. But be sure to try these out when you have bathroom access the first couple of times you use them, because they can be a little laxative-y if you are not used to them. Which leads to the next stomach issue: the trots. Everything about running is NOT pretty, this being one of them. It has taken me years to figure out what I can and can not eat to avoid them. The heat seems to exascerbate the need to GO, and it can come on SUDDENLY. I will share what I do during these yucky moments. 1. As mentioned, log what you eat and how the run goes. I pretty much do not drink milk in the summer, and have to limit to one small cup of coffee before a morning long run. 2. Try to go before you head out. This my be TMI, but I have this down to clockwork. If you can train yourself to go in the morning, do it. It makes running so much easier to not have to worry about if you went or not. 3. If you DO have to go on a run, it is OK to use a public bathroom…just something you need to get over. I have visited gas stations (yuck) a port-o-potty outside of a rural volunteer fire department (yuck)…I once even asked an old woman if I could use her bathroom. And here comes the kicker. I HAVE gone in the woods. If I feel this could be an issue, I carry a little bit of biodegradeable t.p. with me, and apologize to mother Earth when I depart from the scene. When you gotta go, you gotta go!

With the bad comes the good though, and I am looking forward to all the good things…the sunsets and sunrises, the feel of the sun on my face, jumping in my moms pool after a hard run, racing, and getting a lot of miles in. I am hoping to run a couple of longer races in the fall, so I am ready to start training.

Here is a link to the article mentioned below.

Mon, 04 Jun 2012 07:32:00 -0400

Here is a link to the article mentioned below.

who runs?

Sun, 03 Jun 2012 07:29:00 -0400

Summer is so close I can taste it. Some people are dreaming of being pool side and BBQs, but as I am wrapping up the final days of school, all I can think about are my summer work outs. The long runs, the speed work, the gym, the sweat; all the things I have either neglected to do or wasn’t able to do over the winter. Don’t get me wrong, I still dream about summer’s other joys; they are just mostly somehow related to running. Example: I can visualize myself eating a huge cup of gelato (chocolate and banana) from one of my favorite spots in Saratoga, BUT I am enjoying it feeling good about the miles I put in earlier that day. I run because I love it, but I won’t deny the perks (guilt-free gelato).

On a side note (or maybe my note on summer, above, was more of a side note since this is way more important), I read an article yesterday about one of the most amazing young female runners of this generation. Kellie Wells, a pro-hurdler, has overcome everything from a career-threatening hamstring snap to sexual assault, and has come out on top. She credits running, or rather “the track’” with being her safety net, her rock, through it all. I’m sure many of us feel like running has been there for us when we needed it, when no actual person has been there, or that running is always there for it when we need it most. I remember once on a run after a break-up (and this was like 20 miles in so perhaps I was a bit delirious), I actually THANKED running for always being there for me, keeping me strong, and for never hurting me (emotionally, anyway). But in this case, Kellie, you aren’t giving yourself enough credit, girl. Track or no track, it takes a true fighter to make it through some of the things you’ve seen. All runners who have been through the ringer typically credit running as their salvation. I’ve read and heard story after story about runners who have a disability, who have been abused, who have escaped apartheid, who have lost limbs, who have gone blind, who have been injured, who have been sick, who have lost someone, who have made it back from war, who have died but come back to life…….

So, let’s be real, here: running doesn’t make a person tough; TOUGH PEOPLE RUN.

“When she finishes, the agony and relief is etched all over her body. She falls to the track. It catches her, like it always does.

Like it always has.” RW

what is the matter with you?

Sun, 13 May 2012 15:22:00 -0400

Today was mother’s day, and since we were going out to breakfast, I decided to forgo sleeping in a little to run early for 2 reasons…ok maybe 3: first, I would be getting my run out of the way for the morning, so I could spend the rest of the day doing some work around the house (see quote from previous post); second, I have not been to run outside to see a full sun rise in a while, because if I run in the morning it is usually still way before the sun is up, in order to get to work on time; and lastly, we were planning on going to a maple farm for an all-you-can-eat pancake breakfast, which, I would never eat ALL that I could- but I would probably have eaten quite a few of them and the run before would make that a little more guilt-free.

So the run started out great. It was one of those runs that ignites all of the senses; the cacophony of bird songs to fill the ears, plenty of new flowers, leaves, and foraging critters to view, the sweet smell of a spring morning in the air, and the cool, damp air on my (FINALLY) exposed arms and legs (I really hate winter running clothes). The only sense missing was taste, but let’s just say I had the anticipatory taste of pancake in my mouth.

At about 5 miles in, I turned off of Main St. to coast down a nice hill in front of our post office, when a car coming toward me rolled down their window and proceeded to throw a Bud Lite beer bottle at me. The bottle smashed, and the glass pieces rained upward, all over my feet, legs and lower body. Luckily, I was not cut. I did catch the plate number as the car parked on Main St., and actually made a stop to the police station on my way home (which, by the way I was received there, nothing will happen to the 3 hooligans who I saw stumble out of the car). In any case, all I keep thinking to myself is, “what is the matter with people?”

What did I do to them? To deserve that? Nothing, that’s what. The thing that really gets me is that 2 of the hooligans were young girls. I know, as a woman, when I see another woman doing something that represents strength and will, my heart swells a little bit, with pride. I would never even throw a glass bottle at someone I did not like, let a lone a young woman, just trying to do something to better herself, at 6:15 in the morning.

In retrospect, I wish I had confronted them. At the time, I was scared, and more worried that they may have done something worse to me if I approached them. But screw that. They were harmless punks, and I wish I could have said what I said in the previous paragraph, at least to the young girls. Maybe something would have resonated with them.

"When you run in the morning, you gain time. It’s like stretching 24 hours into 25. You may..."

Sat, 12 May 2012 17:17:45 -0400

““When you run in the morning, you gain time. It’s like stretching 24 hours into 25. You may need to sleep less and get up earlier, but if you can get by that, running early seems to expand the day.” - Fred Lebow, founder of the New York City Marathon”