Running Slow

This last weekend was a wash. In more ways than one!

I didn’t realize until the alarm went off Monday morning how exhausted I was from the anxiety, prep and clean-up from Hurricane Irene. The alarm went off and I mumbled something to Woody like “I just want to sleep longer” to which he mumbled back something to the likes of “you do? okay.” We realized we’d both rather sleep than go to the gym, so that’s what we did! I know, I know…I should have gone to the gym, but the thought of waking up at 5am for four days this week was exhausting. I’m really glad we slept in, it would have been a bad way to start the week. You’re pretty much 99% assured to have a lame workout when you’re tired, and if you start the week off that way, it’s only going to get worse as the days go by. I did run this morning – I’m not a fan of the fact that it’s staying dark later into the morning, I much prefer waking up and having the sun rise as I’m getting out there. There were quite a few people out this morning. What a relief it is that Battery Park isn’t still flooded, we’re really lucky down here.

I’m trying to figure out the best/smartest way to get back on track for my training since I took a week off from running because of the ache in my right leg. Thankfully I haven’t felt that since I ran Thursday, Saturday and Sunday, so it’s a good thing I took the break, but how do I pick back up? I’m also having trouble getting my legs to move faster. I don’t know what’s up with that. My times are super slow but I just can’t get going faster. It’s frustrating, no doubt. Given all my injuries, my main goal right now is to run the Detroit Half Marathon. After that, I’m going to focus on getting faster. Maybe I’ll sign up for the NYRR running classes again. I was raking in PRs like nobody’s business when I took the classes a few years ago.

I realized I didn’t tell you about some races I signed up for. I’m looking forward to these as I haven’t run a NYRR race since the Mini 10K. It’s really odd because for years I’d run a race just about every weekend (no joke).

• Sept 24: Fifth Avenue Mile – The course goes down 5th Ave from 80th to 60th. I’ve heard of people getting injured in this race cause they race it out as fast as they can then pull muscles; this will not be my strategy. The race is run in heats according to gender and age and professional men and women compete in the last heat. I’ve never run this one before, but it’s supposed to be a lot of fun.
• Oct 30: Poland Spring Marathon Kick-off – 5 mile race that kicks off Marathon week. What could be better? I won’t be running in the Marathon but at least I’ll get to enjoy some of the excitement! I also signed up to volunteer at the Marathon Expo, which I’m really looking forward to.
• Nov 20: Race to Deliver – 4 mile race that supports Gods Love We Deliver, a non-profit organization here in the city that provides thousands of meals every day to people in need. Grace and I volunteered in their kitchen earlier this year. It’s a fun race the weekend before Thanksgiving.

The Detroit Half is October 16th and I might add in one or two others. We’ll see how things go…

• How do you get back on track with your training when you take a break for injury or sickness?
• What races do you have coming up?
• Have you ever volunteered for a race?

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Sunday’s workout -

• 5mile run
• 2x16 upright row
• 2x18 bicep curl
• stretching

Monday’s workout -

• stretching

Tuesday’s workout -

• 4mile run
• stretching
• ab exercises

Bye-Bye Irene!

So, we ended up staying in the city to ride out the storm. We realized Friday night that it was very possible that it could be nearly impossible for us to get back into the city for days after the storm if the worst came true. So, Friday night we picked up a few last things and stopped by Red Mango, of course!

After a trip to the gym Saturday we spent the day preparing our apartment by packing things up and covering almost everything with plastic sheets my parents had sent us. We live on the 24th floor and all the experts were saying the winds would be much worse up here.

It's a good thing we did stay. While we got some sleep, we were awoken twice by dripping water. Our ceilings in the living room and bedroom are leaking pretty badly as there’s a balcony straight above us. Hopefully the sunny days ahead will allow it all to be fixed quickly.

Two things I’m annoyed with: 1) the stupid idiots who got in boats yesterday and last night and went out into the storm requiring first responders to risk their lives to save them. Just about the most selfish and thoughtless things I have ever heard of. I know they all received summons but I hope they end up in jail and have to spend a lot of time doing community service 2) People who are complaining that there was a lot of hype for nothing. All signs pointed to this being a huge storm with lots of damage and even though it turned out better than expected in NYC and other areas, there are a lot of places that have a lot of damage and flooding. People also died in this storm. Mother Nature and hurricanes are nothing to take lightly. Isn’t it better to be over prepared than to end up not prepared enough and experience major damage? People need to learn from Katrina and other natural disasters.

Two things I’m really thankful for: 1) All of the first responders, red cross volunteers, utility personnel who have come in from out of state, city employees on call and building employees who worked through the storm and are still working to keep us safe and the city and other areas going, 2) the fact that by the grace of God we still have power (knock on wood).

Well, once the rain stops we’re going to take a little walk and see what the neighborhood looks like. I know Battery Park is flooded from the New York Harbor so I’m not sure when I’ll be running my regular route again.

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Take care everyone! Let me know how you’re doing if you’ve been riding this out too!

Five for Friday–Hurricane Edition

1. First, some good news. I ran yesterday for the first time in a week and I felt good! No pain in my right leg like before and overall the run was pretty good. Kept a good pace and felt great to get out for a run!

2. Irene is getting on my nerves. As you know, Woody and I live downtown, only a few short blocks from the East River and not all that far from Battery Park, which is at the southern tip of the island. Our actual building precariously sits in evacuation Zone C but is surrounded on three sides by Zone A (the first area to be evacuated). We also live on the 24th floor of our building (lots of stairs). We have rented a car and reserved a hotel room in the Finger Lakes district of New York. Chances are pretty high we’ll be skipping town (aka sitting in traffic) Saturday morning. I noticed big generators a few blocks away from our building last night when we were getting back after grocery shopping. I hope our beautiful new East River Esplanade doesn’t wash away over the weekend.

3. The NYRR Bronx Half Marathon, which was to be run Sunday morning, has been cancelled. The race will still count as a qualifier for the NYC Marathon and Half Marathon, for those who were signed up to run. I feel they waited a little long to cancel, but I’m sure they had their reasons. I wonder if the final straw was when the MTA announced they are likely to shut down the system Saturday afternoon (at least partially). [Check out their site for updates HERE] Whatever it was, it’s the safest and smartest thing to do.

4. Another big race that is happening this weekend is Hood to Coast relay out in Oregon. Most likely you’ve heard about this from all the bloggers on Team Nuun. [For a great team roster, check out THIS post from Tall Mom] Definitely a great group of women! My friend, April, is also out there with several others from NYC. Good luck to all the runners! Can’t wait to follow on twitter and read all the stories once they’ve showered and slept!

5. I’ve never quite understood the concept of non-alcoholic beer. Seems to me like that defeats the whole purpose, right? Woody says it’s because of the taste. I dunno. I can’t drink it anymore anyway. Nevertheless, turns out there might be a(nother) really good reason for runners to drink beer after long runs and races. 277 men training for the Munich Marathon agreed to participate in a study on the effect of non-alcoholic beer in training. Turns out the comparisons between the beer drinkers and placebo drinkers showed that the non-alcoholic beer actually seemed to make a difference and the researchers believe it’s due to the high number of polyphenols in the beverage. [check out THIS NY Times article about the study for all the info]

• Are you in the path of Irene? What are your plans?
• What are your thoughts on running races during rain storms (not hurricanes or tropical storms)?
• Have you ever run a relay like Hood to Coast or is that on your list? What do you think is the best part about relays?
• Are you a beer drinker? What do you think of drinking it as a recovery drink? Non-alcoholic beer – genius or just weird?

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Yesterday’s Workout -

• 4m run
• stretching
• 125 ab exercises

Today’s Workout -

• Stretching & ab exercises – rest day

Book Review: Mile Markers

You’ve been looking at the cover art for this book on my blog for quite some time now. I know. I actually finished it a few weekends ago but I haven’t gotten around to posting about it until now. And, truthfully, it took me a while to get through. After coming off the amazingly beautiful The Help, this one didn’t keep my attention like that one did.

I was excited to read this book because I know Kristin Armstrong writes a blog for RunnersWorld.com, is an author several times over and a runner herself. I also knew this book was to be stories about the ups and downs of running. I had been warned that the book could get a little “church-y” so I went cautiously into this one. I’m not big on Church, I’m sure to the disappointment of many of my family members, and I do not make it a habit to read religious themed books. But, this book is about running. But it is not a running “how-to” book.

I found many of the stories to be relatable and was often in awe of her training schedule, running adventures, and close knit group of running friends. There were points in the book when I got a little tired of her talking about what a great mom and friend she is, but at the same time I realized that if I were be a mom, I would want to be a mom like her. I love seeing families being active together, so this passage spoke to me right away “When we run we are showing our children, teaching without words, that we value ourselves, our hearts, our fitness, our health, our friendships, our clarity, and our balance.”

I tend to gravitate and appreciate books, movies, stories that follow a clear timeline. Unless it’s fully explained that there are going to be huge time shifts, moving from winter to summer and one state to another as quickly as a paragraph break, I have this problem with getting confused about what’s going on and putting the puzzle together. It took me a while to figure out what was going on in this book when one minute Armstrong was talking about Mother’s Day and then the next thing I knew it was the start of a school year. Or she’d be running in a cold winter rain of Austin and then enjoying the ocean with her kids. I finally figured out she spends the school year in Austin and summers in California (granted, I would have known this if I had read the “About the Author” section before I read the book, but I was reading on my kindle). I also found it somewhat laughable that she refers to herself as a slow runner. I would be elated to have her speed. However, that’s a personal issue and compared to some runners, including apparently, her training partners, she is slower.

Now, I don’t want to be a downer on this book. It was definitely interesting to read about her life as a runner, mother, author and speaker. (This may be connected to my love for people watching and wondering what the lives are like of other people). Sometimes we forget that people who seem to be totally pulled together and confident, also have insecurities like us. A few quotes have stuck with me that might also resonate with you -

We want to be able to endure. When life throws us some difficult miles, we want to know that we can suck it up and prevail.

It doesn’t always feel good in the moment, but ultimately you are a better person for it.

No, I don’t have to. I want to. I get to. I get to charge up this hill. I get to wake up early and run. I get to hit the gym after work.

I train because I want to be someone better than I would be if I didn’t train.

Mile Markers by Kristin Armstrong

• Have you read this book? What were your thoughts?
• How do you feel about books that don’t follow a clear timeline?
• What is one of the best lessons you’ve learned from being a runner?

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Today’s workout -

• 45min elliptical
• 100 ab exercises
• 2x20 seated row
• 2x15 squats
• 2x20 back extensions
• stretching

What Do You Do With A Perfect Evening?

Okay, so, the list is probably endless. I know. Yesterday was absolutely gorgeous, so last night I had a plan when I left work to get home, drop my stuff and go for a walk.

This is something I don’t do often, even though I should. When we were living in our old apartment and I was working my old job, I would walk home from work every night, so that was my walk, my time to unwind. As we now live downtown but work in midtown, the only way I can walk home is if I have two hours to kill. We live in a great part of the city with water only minutes away, as perfect for an evening walk as it is for a morning run.

Woody wasn’t home yet so I had some time to kill before we’d eat dinner, so by 7:15 I was out the front door of our building. I came upon a wedding reception in high gear, kids running through a fountain, men fishing, ferries speeding through the harbor, tourists taking pictures, commuters on their way home, couples enjoying a beautiful night together, the sun setting, and unfortunately, a few people finding their spot to spend the night. This walk made me thankful for the beautiful evening, and reminded me how lucky I am to live in this historic neighborhood and to have all that I have. It was a refreshing way to start the week.

• Do you take walks or go for leisurely bike rides in the evening?
• What’s your favorite way to unwind after work?

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Today’s workout -

• 45min elliptical
• 2x40sec plank
• 100 ab exercises
• 2x20 overhead tricep extensions
• 2x15 leg extensions
• 2x17 weighted side bends
• 2x20 front arm raise
• stretching

Quinoa for Breakfast, Two Ways & No Running

Last week a tweet between nutritionist Joy Bauer and Bob Harper gave me an idea..

My breakfast playlist consists of three songs – yogurt mess w/ banana and granola, smoothie plus corncakes with peanut butter or avocado and eggs w/ veggies and fruit. While I like not having to think very much about breakfast, it’s getting a little boring.

I love quinoa and have heard of people eating it for breakfast, but I’ve never done it myself and wasn’t sure if I’d like it for breakfast. Friday after I returned home from my day of wondering the city (I had the day off!) I made a pot of quinoa so we could have some with dinner and also for breakfast Saturday. The pot turned out perfectly, so I was thrilled and was looking forward to breakfast.

This is what I came up with on my first try -

1. 3/4c quinoa
2. 3 spoonful's of Greek yogurt
3. 1/3c blueberries
4. 1tsp chia seeds
5. 1tsp peanut butter

Looking pretty

All mixed up

It was really tasty but it didn’t keep me feeling full as long as my usual breakfasts. So, Sunday morning I added half a banana to the mix and it stuck with me longer.  Obviously, you can add any fruit to the mix and sub almonds or walnuts for the PB if you want a little crunch. This breakfast takes a bit more advance planning, but it’s a great new option to add to the mix. I’ll be having this again soon!

Now, about not running

The truth is after my run last Sunday I noticed my right leg, between my hip and knee, was hurting a bit. It didn’t feel like a muscle pull, it felt different. More like how my left leg felt in April when I was diagnosed with a stress reaction. This freaked me out a bit. I can’t have another injury ruin another half marathon dream of mine. Monday and Tuesday came and went and it still didn’t feel right. Wednesday morning I went for a slow run, it didn’t hurt during or after, but it did in the evening. Woody and I talked about it Wednesday night when I kind of broke down (poor guy). The thought of having another injury frightens me on many levels and things had been going well. While it wasn’t what I wanted to hear, it was the truth, Woody said that if I was injured again I would have to stop running. For a good amount of time. I decided then that I wouldn’t run for a week and see what happens. So, while I’ve been going to the gym I’ve been keeping to the elliptical and stationary bike and my workouts have been really good (ie lots of sweat)! As hard as it was, while Woody banged out 8 miles running Summer Streets Saturday, I had to skip it. But I knew it was the smart thing to do. I haven’t felt any pain (or more than a twinge) since Friday morning, but I'm still being cautious and waiting a bit longer. If there’s no pain through Wednesday I’ll run on Thursday morning, only missing one more run. I hate messing with my training schedule like this, but if it keeps me healthy, then that’s what I need to do.

On a better note, I got to the post office on Friday to send in my passport to change my name so I can cross the border finish the race.

• What was the highlight of your weekend?
• What’s your favorite thing to have for breakfast?
• Have you ever thought of eating quinoa at breakfast?

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Saturday’s workout -

• 45min elliptical
• 10min stationary bike
• 2x20 squat
• 2x20 weighted side bends
• 2x15 back extensions
• 100 ab exercises
• stretching

Sunday’s workout -

• 50min elliptical
• 15min stationary bike
• 4x10 monsterwalk
• 2x20 lat pulldown
• 1x40sec plank
• 2x18 overhead tricep extension
• 100 ab exercises
• stretching

Today’s workout -

• 45min elliptical
• 100 ab exercises
• 2x20 cable pull push-down
• 2x15 lat arm raise
• 2x18 seated row
• 2x22 bicep curl
• stretching

Five for Friday

1. Thursday was my Friday this week, I have today off!! Even better, we’re not traveling, so I have the day to enjoy right here in town. That doesn’t meant I don’t have things to do though. On my list: post office to renew my passport so I can run the Detroit Half Marathon, a little SoHo shopping (I try to avoid the area on the weekend), lunch with April at Tu-Lu’s, maybe a stop at the Farmer’s Market, hopefully a little reading and who knows, maybe even a visit to Red Mango! I am very much looking forward to today, and hoping it won’t rain much. I truly think it’s essential that we all have a mental health day every once in a while to recharge. So important.

2. We’ve been hearing a lot over the past few years about the risk of concussions in sports and the high numbers of concussions that go undiagnosed, in both professional and school sports. There are a lot of people and organizations are trying to protect athletes from concussions in many ways, more recently Dick’s Sporting Goods. Earlier this week they announced a new CSR campaign called Protecting Athletes through Concussion Education (PACE) that will fund testing of athletes in over 3,300 schools nationwide. The program will test athletes at the start of a season to create a baseline picture of their neurological functioning so that if the student is diagnosed with a concussion (or one is suspected), they can perform the test again and compare the results to see if there is any damage. You can read more about it HERE. The takeaway is that for every pair of shoes bought at a Dick’s store or online, every check-in on Foursquare, or whenever someone shares info on the program on Facebook or uses the hashtag #DSPACE on Twitter, the company will pledge $1 to the program. So, start tweeting!

3. Do you know about GOOD Magazine? They have really thought provoking and interesting stories on topics like health, food, design, technology and more. Recently, they’ve held two design competitions that look at how we buy food – a new food label and the SUPERMARKET of the future. I find it really interesting to see what people come up with and wonder if we’ll ever see these ideas put into play.

• Supermarket WINNER and SUBMISSIONS
• Food label WINNER and SUBMISSIONS

4. Now, I haven’t checked this out yet, but New Balance has opened an “experience” store in the Flatiron district. The website doesn’t say much about what the experience is, and they talk a lot (exclusively) about dropping batons around the city on their FB page (I have no idea what this means), but I think I’ll check out the store soon and see what it’s all about.

5. Speaking of stores, have any of you New Yorkers reading this been to either of the Athleta stores that opened uptown? I wish they had opened one below 57th St, but from Fit Chick In The City’s review, I know I need to visit one of them soon. I mean, have any of you heard of in-store alterations at a fitness wear store before?

• What are you up to this weekend?
• If you had a free day to do whatever you want, what would you do?
• What does your dream supermarket look like?
• Have you been to the New Balance Experience Store or either of the Athleta stores? What do you think?

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Wednesday’s workout -

• 3 mile run
• 125 ab exercises
• 2x15 squats
• 2x20 lateral arm raise
• stretching

Thursday’s workout -

• 4 mile run
• 100 ab exercises
• 2x20 resistance band woodchops
• 4x10 monster walks
• stretching

Today’s workout -

• Stretching. Rest day.

My Visit To The Oiselle Headquarters

Back in July when Woody and I were in Seattle, which seems ages ago now, I had the incredible opportunity to meet Sally Bergesen, founder and CEO (plus designer) of Oiselle, and her marketing guru, Sarah MacKay. As you might remember, just prior to this trip I held a giveaway for an Oiselle Bird Tee. After a few e-mail exchanges with Sarah, I mentioned our vacation to Seattle was fast approaching and asked if I could stop by while we were in town. She quickly and graciously agreed. To say I was thrilled would be an understatement. I was turning our vacation into a runners dream! A blogger meet-up dinner, a race, running along the waterfront, a run with the Greenlake Running Group and the chance to meet the women behind a great running apparel company!

I showed up at their office, which is in a low-slung building that is also home to a country music bar, just blocks from the uber-popular Green Lake, Wednesday afternoon. The area is somewhat of an outdoor sports mecca, at least for non-Seattleites like me. Not only are the trails around the lake perfect for running, countless sports fields, and water sports, but there are numerous running shops in the area including Super Jock & Jill, Road Runners Sports, Title Nine, and I know I’m missing another one.

I buzzed up and moments later Sarah was greeting me. I followed her upstairs and to their open plan office where she introduced me to Sally. I have to admit, I was a little surprised by how small their office is at first but I was also slightly relieved because there is not one ounce of intimidation floating around in there. These women are nothing if not low-key and fun. They showed me around by standing in the middle of the room and pointing around. Everyone works in one room (and by ‘everyone’ I mean the small staff of four). Their desks are close to one another along one wall, there’s a conference table butting up against another wall, a fridge, plenty of runners snacks, a foam roller, exercise ball and clothes racks. Sally’s inspiration board also doubles as a room divider. This is where the genius happens and the happiness comes from! All from this one room!

Sally began running in high school and after a stint in France during college she found running again. After moving to Seattle, she joined Club Northwest and made their cross country nationals team seven times. Fast forward a few years and two kids later, she got back into racing in 2003 and went shopping for new running shorts and her life changed.

She started Oiselle so women (including herself) would have an alternative to the running apparel made by big-name running shoe companies that typically think of apparel as an afterthought. No more poufy, bagging shorts that are less than flattering. No more ugly colors and ineffective fabrics. She wanted to design running apparel that any woman would love to wear, whether racing to win or running to stay (or get) in shape. With a background in branding and marketing, Sally has an eye for color and design. This, coupled with her passion for running made her the perfect person to start a running apparel company.

When it comes to color and fabric, Sally has strong opinions. In her own words:

“I’m a huge believer in only choosing beautiful fabrics. But finding “the right fabric” and a manufacturer that can still make it affordable is the hardest part of what we do. I choose our fabrics based on how well they perform and the “seduction factor.” When you touch it, does it draw you in and make you want to wear it?”

“Color is very emotional and powerful. Nowhere do we experience that more than here in Seattle! With months of gray days, we often need bright, fun color just to lift us up. But I also think sports are just a natural fit for bright. Having said that, I take issue with too many stereotypically girlish colors. While we’re not afraid to play around with pink, it’s not what drives our brand. We’re making apparel for women who are past the pink, tutu phase of life, nor do they want to regress there.”

Today, Oiselle can be found in over 200 running shops nationwide. Sally was quite clear that they are very selective about where they will sell Oiselle apparel. The stores must be well merchandised, understand running and runners, and offer quality products and customer service. In other words, you won’t find Oiselle stocked on the racks at your local Sports Authority or Dick’s Sporting Goods.

Their shipping ‘warehouse’ is down the hall from their office. It’s a large room with boxes neatly stacked on shelving around the room, each with a sheet of paper taped to the front to keep track of inventory and tables for packing. This is where all the shipping is done, whether it is to you at home after ordering from their online store, or to a running shop in Texas. (Remember how I mentioned there is no elevator in this building?)

While in the warehouse, they picked a few things out of the boxes for me, including a pair of Lori Shorts, which are the shortest running shorts I’ve ever worn, and a Ravenna tank (there is a street by the same name near the office), which has become my favorite running top and I’ve worn more than once in a week. Don’t worry, I wash it! The top incredibly lightweight, I’ve never had an issue with it riding up and most importantly during these hot days, it doesn’t show sweat!! It’s a miracle fabric. This is me sporting it last Saturday for Summer Streets!

I had an absolutely great time meeting Sally (below right) and Sarah; it was one of the highlights of the trip for me. Their passion for running, Oiselle and the runners who love Oiselle, is immediately apparent. If you follow them on Twitter or Facebook, you know they love talking with runners and supporting running addictions everywhere! (You’re also likely to often see some whacky pictures along the way, too!) And if you order from their online store, don’t expect to just get a pair of shorts in a mailer, they take the time to include a handwritten note!

When I left their office, I knew I found a company I wanted to support. Not only is Oiselle running apparel beautiful and functional, but the company is run by passionate, intelligent, and dedicated women who are having fun doing what they love and supporting women runners along the way.

Just a quick note, Oiselle started to roll out the Fall line, so hurry to their online store to check it out. They fly out quickly! (use code RUNTODAY to get 10% off your first order!)

• What do you love most about running clothes?
• Do you see running/workout gear as just a necessity or more than that?
• Would you rather spend your day in formal business attire or running gear?

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Today’s workout - Not what I was going for today, but I’ll move on.

• 30min elliptical
• 125 ab exercises
• 1x45sec plank
• 2x20 squats
• 15min stretching/yoga

Detroit Half-Marathon Training Recap: Week 1

Last week was the official first week of my half-marathon training. In an earlier post I wrote about the pretty conservative training plan I’m following this round, hoping it will help me stave off injury and get to the start (and finish) line on October 16.

This week was a little unconventional for me because my parents had been visiting over the weekend and I had a higher than usual (albiet interesting) workload. Thankfully the first few weeks are pretty low on running mileage, so I had no trouble getting it done.

Monday

40 minutes on the elliptical plus strength training.

Tuesday

Unplanned, but much needed rest day. Sometimes sleeping an extra hour is more important than following a plan to the T.

Wednesday

3 mile run plus a long stretching session and ab work

Thursday

3 mile run plus a long stretching session and ab work, and an abbreviated strength training session

Friday

Scheduled rest day.

Saturday

Switched the long run due to Summer Streets. Ran to 25th St and back which turned out to be about 5.75 miles. Lots of stretching throughout the day.

Sunday

3.25 mile run plus strength and stretching

Random non-training related note – yesterday turned out to be a perfect day for a movie, so I decided last minute to go see The Help. You might remember I reviewed the book a while back (which I absolutely loved). While I had high expectations for the movie and I often compared the film to the book, it was a great movie and I highly recommend it. Even if you haven’t read the book yet. What an outstanding story and cast.

• What was the highlight of your weekend?
• What are you training for? How is it going?

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Today’s workout -

• 40min stationary bike
• 2x20 seated row
• 2x20 lat pull down
• 4x10 monster walk
• 2x15 squats
• 100 ab exercises
• stretching

Sweet Corn

Like just about every week, Woody and I went to the Greenmarket at Union Square yesterday and loaded up on fresh veggies for the week. We came home with kale, zucchini, the cutest little eggplants, purple potatoes, green and purple peppers and 5 beautiful ears of sweet corn.

I love corn on the cob and it always makes me think of the time I spent at our family cottage in Northern Michigan when I was young. I’d sit on the front steps with my mom, newspaper spread out in front of us, a brown paper bag and a big bag of corn to husk. I actually enjoy husking corn, for some reason or another, although I probably didn’t like it as much when I was younger.

Now, I’m using corn in more ways than just boiling for corn on the cob. I use a sharp knife to take the corn off and add other veggies like onion, peppers, tomatoes, black pepper and olive oil to make corn salads, or add it to green salads, or omelets. One popular misconception is that you have to cook corn to eat it. You don’t! It’s an easy and delicious addition to meals of all sorts! The corn we got yesterday is sweet and crunchy. It tastes like summer!

• Do you like corn on the cob? What’s your favorite way to eat it?
• What’s your favorite summer veggie?

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Today’s workout –

• 3.25mile run
• 2x20 squats
• 2x18 weighted side bends
• 2x15 back extensions
• 2x18 cable pushdowns
• 2x10 lunges
• 2x18 hammer curls
• 125 ab exercises
• Stretching

Wednesday Night at the Races

This has been one crazy week and I really feel like I've been slacking on the blog front, but sometimes I just have to go to sleep! I've been working on a really cool new business pitch at work that's been taking up a lot of time and effort, we've been running our usual weekend errands after work since we didn't do them while my parents were in town, and Wednesday my company called it a day early and went on a scavenger hunt around the city (let me just say, the thousands of miles I've logged in Central Park really came in handy yesterday) and then I volunteered in the evening.


Have you heard about NYC Runs? It's a resource, and social community, for NYC area runners started by Steve Lastoe that provides local news and articles on running, a listing of area races (some of which you can register for, without fee, on the site), and opportunities to find clubs and running partners. I don't have any stats on the site, but I can tell you that I've used it to look for races, read articles and am on the mailing list.


Earlier this year, NYC Runs started a race series in Riverside Park on the Upper West Side, as well as a few other parks throughout the city. When I heard about this I definitely wanted to run one since I knew the field would be a little less massive than the usual NYRR race and I also decided to volunteer and help out for a race. Last night was my night to volunteer.


The weather was warm, but there was a nice breeze coming off the river and the shade helped keep the park cool. A perfect evening for running. I wasn't sure what to expect, but I got to the meet spot and there were a few people getting things set up. As of now, this is a pretty low-key operation with only a few 'staff' members and around ten volunteers. The course winds through the park in a loop, with a few cross overs that make good signage and volunteers necessary. I met David, Steve and a few volunteers and eventually headed out to my spot at the south end of the loop. David gave us the low-down on the race and what we needed to do. Pretty simple work, of course, but essential work. Not long after 7:15pm (race start time) Steve came around on his bike and moments later he was followed by a thundering herd of speedy runners including members of a cross country team.


I had been told the races usually field about 75 runners, but while I don't know for sure, this one didn't seem to have quite as many. They rushed by quickly and then my job was done. Everyone seemed pretty happy to have a volunteer reassure them they were going the right way and there to cheer for them. I waited around for about 10 minutes then decided no one else was coming and went to meet up with another volunteer to head back to the start/finish. 


Most of the runners had finished by the time we got back and were lounging around, drinking water, stretching and enjoying icepops. The winners were being calculated (overall men's and women's winners and AG winners) and then were announced. Gotta love prizes from Party City! There was a family of four from Germany (I think) that swept the awards! They each won in the AG! What a great way to spend an evening while visiting the NYC.


While this is was a very small race, it was definitely a great opportunity for the runners to see what they can really do in a 5k. Everyone also seemed to be having fun, which was cool to see. I mean, how often can you race a 5k on a Wednesday night? If you can make your way up to Riverside Park, I definitely recommend you give it a try! There's a 10k (two loops of the course) in two weeks. Click HERE to register for only $10!!

Post Race

• Have you ever run a race in the evening after work?
• Do you prefer small or large races?
• What's the best thing you've ever experienced at a race, that was organized by the race? (great bands on the course, cool race souvenirs, lots of water stations...)

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Yesterday's workout -

3mile run

150 ab exercises

2x45sec planks

3x18 squats
3x15sec one leg bridge

stretching

Today's workout -

3mile run
125 ab exercises
2x45sec planks
2x30sec side planks
4x15sec one leg bridge
2x20 upright row
stretching

Strong to the Bone

I would be remiss not to mention the fantastic weekend I had with my parents visiting from Michigan. We spent 3+ days together doing a lot and catching up. My Dad's bike ride was a huge success, my Mom and I perused neighborhoods, did a little shopping, did a lot of walking, and had a delicious lunch at Cafe Mogadaor (you must get the Greek salad and add a side of chicken)! We walked Summer Streets, The Highline, took a stroll through Central Park, saw Memphis! the musical, explored the New Amsterdam Market, the Skyscraper Museum, and the Battery Park City Promenade. It was a great visit and I look forward to seeing them in October when we go home to Michigan. Our apartment seems very quiet this morning.


Now, as I start training for the half marathon, I'm very cognizant of the fact that not only do I need to train smartly, but I also need to eat smartly. And with osteopenia, it's essential that I make sure I get enough calcium. My last bone scan, done in the Spring, showed improvement since last year, and I plan on continuing that trend, hopefully resulting in less (or no) injuries to get in the way of my running. While calcium keeps bones and teeth strong, it is also found in nerve cells, body tissues, blood, and other body fluids making it essential that we get enough. 


What is enough? For kids 9 - 18 years old, the RDA (recommended daily allowance) is 1,300mg. The RDA decreases for adults 19 - 50 years old to 1,000mg but for adults 50 - 70, it's 1,000mg for men and 1,200mg for women.


Like most vitamins and minerals (vitamin D being an exception), the best sources of calcium are from food. Rich sources include dairy products (milk, yogurt, cheese) but also sardines, dark leafy greens (kale, spinach, collard greens, swiss chard), soybeans, broccoli, almonds, flax seeds, oranges, and fortified foods like cereals, tofu and other processed items.


For some people, like me, taking a dietary supplement in addition to eating calcium rich foods is essential. I've taken the gigantic pills, which are okay, but I'm not always the best at taking pills which can get in the way. I've taken the calcium chews, but once I realized how many added ingredients there are in those, I decided to stop taking them. Recently though, I bought a bag of dark chocolate Adora calcium disks. Chocolate? Why not give it a try? 


Each disk supplies 500mg of calcium (only 500mg can be fully digested at one time), 250mg of vitamin D, 40mg of magnesium and natural antioxidants from the chocolate. What there isn't is gluten, artificial sweeteners and lactose (dark chocolate only). 


You always have to hope that you're actually getting from supplement companies what they say they're selling you, since you can't tell immediately by taste or sense if it's working or not. So, hopefully these don't just taste good, but are good for me. The FAQ section on the Adora website says the supplements are produced according to FDA standards and have been tested by a 3rd party which confirmed the disks contain the calcium and vitamin D they claim it does, so I'll take it.


I've only tried the dark chocolate (47% cocoa) and I like the taste and texture. I actually look at them as a little dessert after a meal. A treat. Who calls a supplement a treat? You definitely don't find that every day!

Give them a try and let me know what you think! (By the way, Adora has not supplied me with product to review or asked me to write this. They have no idea that I even take Adora calcium supplements)

• Do you take dietary supplements?
• How do you make sure you get all the vitamins and minerals you need each day?

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Saturday's workout -
3mile run
2x18 upright row
100 ab exercises
stretching


Sunday's workout -
40min elliptical
monster walks
2x20 weighted side bends
stretching


Monday's workout -
40min elliptical
2x20 bicep curl
2x18 lateral arm raise
125 ab exercises
2x40sec plank
stretching


Today's workout -

None. Last minute rest day.

Five for Friday

Happy Friday!! This is going to be a quick one because as I sit here, my parents are sitting on our couch watching TV! They're in town for the weekend. Last time they were here we had a blizzard, so the weather is a bit better this time around.


1. We have a busy weekend ahead. My Dad is renting a bike and biking up the West Side Highway tomorrow, exploring Riverside Park and Central Park. He's been wanting to do this for years, so I'm glad the weather will be nice enough for him to do so. We have three bike rental shops on our list, hopefully one will work out since none of them take reservations. I'll post a link to the one that does in  case you're interested in renting a bike. Sad fact: I haven't ridden a bike since middle school.


2. If you didn't see my post last week and are wondering what to do on Saturday, click HERE for info on Yoga Island and Summer Streets. 


3. Then, if you want to wake up really early Sunday morning to cheer for thousands of amazing athletes, head to the Upper West Side and Central Park for the Nautica New York City Triathlon! 


4. Here's an interesting article from The New York Times last week about the marketing of minimalist shoes. It talks about the fact that while the economy is tanking and people are saving more and spending less, running shoe sales are doing well (there are many possible reasons for that, but that's a whole other post) but the sales of minimalist shoes is doing even better.


5. And here's another interesting find. This running graphic designer from Spain is running the alphabet. He's mapping out routes in the shape of each letter then tracking with RunKeeper. He started a website tracking his progress and so far he's up to G (with the help of 'guest runners' covering both 'C' and 'G'). If you want to help him out, you can sign up for a letter!

Source

• What's on tap for your weekend?
• Do you, or have you, run in minimalist shoes? What's your take?
• If you could run any letter, which one would your run?

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Yesterday's workout -

36min elliptical

2x20 bicep curl

2x18 hammer curl

2x18 lateral arm raise

125 ab exercises

stretching

foam roller

Today's workout -

None. Rest Day!

Gearing Up

74 days until the Detroit Free Press Half Marathon!

The 10-week training plan I chose to use (from Runner's World) officially starts Monday, but I'm getting a head start. I have to be cautious with my training since things didn't go to well when I was training for the Broad Street 10 Miler, which I took a DNS for due to my stress fracture, and my heightened risk of injury due to osteopenia. While an injury can happen in the blink of an eye, I'm going to do my best to pay attention to aches and pains and push myself, but not to the extreme. I think this plan is conservative enough to get me to the start line but flexible enough that I can push myself. While I wish I could run every day, I've found out the hard way that if I want to run for many years to come, that's just not something I can do. I love having the structure of a training plan to keep me on track and focused, so it's exciting to get started ticking off the workouts.

I'm looking forward to this race for several reasons. 1) It's in Michigan and my parents will be there, 2) the route goes to Canada and back, 3) we also get to go to the Michigan State/U of M at Spartan Stadium the day before, 4) we get to celebrate my Dad's birthday with him, 5) I just found out a college friend is running the full! The fact that we'll be at a Big Ten Football game the day before is also somewhat nerve wracking, it's not really a restful way to spend the day before a half marathon that starts at 7am, but it'll be a great weekend.

• Do you prefer training plans or going with the flow?
• What was the most interesting race route you've run?

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Yesterday's workout -

3mile run

2x20 leg press

2x18 resistance band woodchop

2x18 seated row

2x15 weighted back extension

125 ab exercises

1mile stationary bike

stretching

Today's workout -

36min elliptical
125 ab exercises
2x40sec plank
2x18 cable push-down
2x18 squats
foam roller
stretching

Reboot Weekend

Since I was diagnosed with a stress fracture in April, I've been playing things safe, which means my workouts have been on the easy side. While we were really good about eating healthfully (most of the time) and getting regular workouts in (plus the occasional trek up a mountain) whenever vacations come in to play, regular schedules are thrown far out the window. All this leads to one major fitness funk and the need for a reboot!


Thursday on the way to work I had the grand idea of creating a weekend focused on fitness and health so I got to work and this is what I came up with.


Saturday morning I started with a 3 mile run (per my half-marathon training schedule). I got up at 7:15 and was out a little before 8am. It was going to be a hot day; high 70's and a bit humid at that time. I felt good as I started off and didn't think it was too hot. There were a lot of people out and I was thinking of everyone over in Queens running the half-marathon hoping they were all doing well. My legs felt great until....they didn't. Out of nowhere I could hardly run another step. It was the strangest thing I've ever experienced and my run ended up being one of the worst I've ever experienced. It was absolutely demoralizing. When I got home I was hot, frustrated and confused. Not a great way to start my weekend. But, I had to put it behind me and move on because I had plans.


Next up was Yoga at Yoga to the People. The classes at the East Village location are supposed to be Power Vinyasa Flow, but Saturday morning it was more like a hot yoga class. The 2nd floor studio was full when I arrived but there was room in the bigger studio on the 3rd floor so I took a spot and laid down for a few minutes before class started trying to put my head back in the right space.

This was my first yoga class in since before my injury. The instructor was great, the music was great, the class was full of everyone from very experienced yogis to newbies. I fall somewhere in between. If you didn't know better, by the looks of the guy on the mat behind me you would have thought we were in a Bikram yoga class! Yes, it was pretty hot in there but it felt great to move and stretch. My head was falling back into place and I was getting centered.


After class I picked up a smoothie from Liquiteria (which I've been wanting to try for a while now) as I headed to Union Square to meet up with Woody for the farmer's market and our weekly trip to Trader Joe's.

cold deliciousness + protein!

By the time we got home I was still feeling a bit dejected and annoyed by my earlier disaster run, so after we unloaded everything I grabbed my headphones, keys and water and headed to the gym. The place was empty so I jumped on an elliptical to make amends. This workout was much better. Only 35minutes, but they were pretty solid and strong minutes alternating resistance and speed. I only found it slightly odd that the new hot dog vendor on the corner thought he could make a sale to my sweaty self only seconds after I left the gym by offering me a "sweet hot dog" in 89' heat!


After I showered and ate, we headed out to cross something off our 'summer to do list.' Even though I had a lock and we took very little with us, we weren't quite prepared as we should have been! The Downtown Boathouse on Pier 40 (Houston St) has kayaks that you can use for free and I've been wanting to check it out! When we were in Seattle we kayaked from West Seattle and now that the water was cleared by the DEP after the major sewage spill (yes, seriously. It was gross) we were going to kayak in the Hudson! 


So, it turns out these kayaks aren't very waterproof. They use sit-on-top kayaks, which I've never seen, and have holes in the bottom of them so water sloshes in and out the entire time! I'm pretty certain that the volunteers who work there know from 100 ft away who the newbies are, because they're wearing khaki shorts instead of bathing suits! Still, we had come all the way there, we were going to do it! Thankfully I had worn running shorts that dry quickly. Woody, on the other hand, was one of those khaki-short-wearing-newbies! Poor guy. You have to stay in the bay, so there's not a lot of exploring to do, but we stayed in for a little more than a half hour (when it's really busy there's a 20min time limit) paddling around the boats and contending with the big waves that seemingly came from nowhere! Even though it took a while for us to dry off, we had a great time!

I spent the next hour or so at home cooking up some of the great food we got at the market then called it a day. I had a big day ahead of me on Sunday.


Sunday morning my alarm went off at 6:35am. My training plan called for a 5mile run and I was going to get this done. I was not going to let Saturday's run get the better of me but since it was much more humid out, I opted to run on the treadmill in the gym in our building. It opens earlier than our usual gym and the a/c is better! I finished my five miles and felt better about my running. Must have been a weird fluke, right?

Run. Done.

I headed back to our apartment, put on some dry clothes and headed out for my first Physique 57 class. I've been interested in this since they opened several years ago but for one reason or another (mostly cost) I had always put it off. The 9:30am class was the perfect time and they're running a deal for newbies - buy one class, get a second free! I couldn't pass that up. My shoulders were already hurting a bit due to the downward dogs of Saturday's yoga class, but I was ready to tackle this with an unsuspecting eagerness. I had no idea what I was really in for. 

Alex, the instructor, introduced herself to me and asked if I had any injuries she needed to know about and tipped me off that I needed to set up with the weights in the middle of the room rather than at the bar. Less than 10 minutes into class my arm muscles were burning. Then my quads, calfs, and abs. There were only 6 people in the class, which was great because she was able to work with us and correct my posture and positions throughout the hour. (the class after seemed much bigger) I didn't do it all perfectly, but I worked hard, got a lot of it and my muscles are better for it. Definitely different than any other class I've taken and I hope to incorporate a few of the moves into my regular workouts. And I'll be better prepared next time!

A VitaCoco was very much needed on my walk home (about a mile and a half?) and the rest of the day was spent going to the New Amsterdam Market, cleaning, making granola and dinner, reading and blogging. My weekend was not just about running around and sweating, it also needed some relaxation, healthy eating and a mental boost as well.


Next weekend, my parents will be in town, so it'll be pretty active as well, but in other ways!

• What were you up to over the weekend?
• What are your goals for the week?
• How are you doing on checking off you 'summer to-do items'?

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Saturday's workout -

3mile run

35min elliptical

1hr yoga class

30min kayaking

stretching

Sunday's workout -

5mile run

1hr Physique 57class

stretching

Today's workout -

35min elliptical
2x15 upright row
2x16 leg curl
2x20 leg extension
stretching
100 ab exercises