Spectating a Marathon from The Living Room

If you didn’t know it, today was the 43rd running of the NYC Marathon! It’s a pretty spectacular day throughout the five boroughs – the inspiring runners, from the elite athletes to those struggling to finish (of which I was one back in 2009), to the throngs of crowds that line the streets. Marathon week was always my favorite week of the year in NYC and Marathon day was far and beyond any other!

^{Watching the start with my 2009 NYCM mug!}

Even though I couldn’t be in NYC for marathon day this year, I was watching (just about) every minute of the ESPN2 broadcast and tracking a bunch of runners, including Oiselle birds and Grace and reading hundreds of tweets from those in NYC! I’m seriously inspired by everyone who got out there today and gave it their all!

^{Inspired, I hit the gym for a treadmill run/walk so I could watch the marathon while working out. I stayed on that thing for over an hour to see Tatyana McFadden win the wheelchair race & catch Priscah Jeptoo speed ahead and capture first in the women’s race.}

Congrats to everyone who raced today in NYC and everyone who raced this weekend!

As some of you might know, Oiselle is the apparel partner for Every Mother Counts (EMC), an amazing nonprofit started by Christy Turlington Burns to end preventable deaths caused by pregnancy and death around the world. This isn’t something we think of much here in the US, but many women don’t have access to good healthcare and often, distance is one of the biggest hurdles they face.

A team of 50 ran the ING NYC Marathon today in support of, and to raise money for, Every Mother Counts, including Christy and Oiselle founder, Sally Bergesen. What’s even more cool is that they’re letting everyone else get in on the action and help Every Mother Counts by doing something we love. Running.

How exactly does this work? Well, EMC has created a Marathon Month Challenge for November (I know, this post is a little late, sorry). All you have to do is download the CharityMiles app, register, and track all your runs and walks for through the end of the month. For each 1 mile logged, EMC will get 25 cents from CharityMiles (15 cents for miles biked). This costs you nothing, except some of your time and a few calories. The goal is to run 26 miles through the month.

At the end of the month, they’re giving away prizes for top participants in categories like the most days run in a row, most miles run, fastest pace, etc. 100% of the funds raised from us running and walking – things we do every day – will go directly to support the programs of Every Mother Counts.

I started logging miles yesterday on my run but because I did a treadmill run today I was sure to walk a couple miles this afternoon when the ESPN2 marathon coverage was over.

Go HERE for more details on the challenge and share your progress on social media with #RunEMC and #EveryMileCounts

On a related, but slightly different topic, I finally signed up for my first races in Colorado! Woody and I are running the Pumpkin Pie 5k on November 16th – with pumpkin pie at the finish line! – and the United Way Turkey Trot on Thanksgiving Day! My last race was June 8th, so I’m excited to get back at it!

And completely unrelated, the Michigan State football team remains unbeaten in the Big Ten after a convincing win over instate rival, Michigan on Saturday and bring the Paul Bunyun Trophy back to East Lansing! It was an awesome game and I have to say it was great to be in the company of hundreds of Spartans right here in Denver to watch it all happen! My Spartan Pride runs high today! Overall, this has been a pretty spectacular weekend.

How happy does it make you to see running on a major sports network? * Are you going to join the #RunEMC Marathon Month challenge? *Do you start Thanksgiving with a Turkey Trot? * What was the highlight of your weekend?

How We Spent Labor Day

First, I think we should all take a quick second to thank the US Congress of 1894 who actually did something productive and that all Americans can agree on by declaring Labor Day, on the first Monday in September of each year, a legal holiday.

As usual, the weekend has gone by really quickly, but it’s been a good one. Friday was the first MSU football game of the season. It wasn’t a pretty game by any means, but the Spartans were able to squeak out a win against Boise State!

Saturday, Woody picked up a rental car to go golfing Sunday morning in Connecticut with a few co-workers so we decided to take advantage of the car and drove to dinner. We have never driven to dinner in the 8 years we’ve lived in NYC! We headed uptown to JG Melon and apparently most of the UES was in the Hamptons for one last Summer weekend so we didn’t even have to wait for a sidewalk table! Definitely not our usual Saturday evening.

Yesterday I got up and headed to Central Park for a run while Woody was off golfing. It was cloudy and not too hot, but definitely humid. I decided to take the bridle path and did two loops of the reservoir. Since moving downtown I hardly spend time running in Central Park which isn’t a good thing; for more than one reason. I’m not used to hills anymore and I do need the practice. I just wish I could figure out a way to get up there for a run before work – it’s too bad my office doesn’t have a locker room. There were tons of people out, as usual. After I finished my run I decided to take a little walk and took this picture from the top of Sheep’s Meadow.

This morning we did not sleep in. Instead we were up before 6:30am and headed to Flushing Meadow’s for a day at the US Open. We wanted to get there early enough so that we could get into Louis Armstrong Stadium and grab good seats for the first match. They weren’t too bad.

We watched Tomas Berdych (CZE) defeat Nicolas Almagro (ESP) in a pretty long match. I’m not so sure about Almagro’s bright orange shirt and shoes, but it was a good match for sure.

We also caught the first set of the match between Sara Errani (ITA) vs Angelique Kerber (GER). Also a hard fought match; those two ladies were playing with tons of emotion. The rallies just kept going forever! In the end, Errani came out ahead.

We explored the grounds some, watched a little tennis on the side courts and then headed back to Louis Armstrong to take in a little of the Roberta Vinci (ITA)/Agnieszka Radwanska (POL) match. We were looking forward to seeing Radwanska after her amazing game against Serena in the Wimbledon final, but unfortunately it just wasn’t her day.

I found it a little odd that Errani and Vinci, two Italians who played in Louis Armstrong Stadium, one match right after the other, were wearing the same outfit. Seems to me that either someone at Nike didn’t do their job today or they planned it. They are doubles partners, so maybe they did plan it. Okay, maybe I’m the only one who finds this interesting. Anyway…

We left just as it was starting to drizzle and made it home a little before 6:30pm. We are exhausted. Thankfully, I planned ahead well yesterday and prepared a quinoa salad that we had for dinner.

Now it’s time to close down the computer and relax a bit before heading to work tomorrow morning. It’s going to be a long week as I’m flying overnight Wednesday to Vancouver for two days of work and then sightseeing on Saturday before taking the redeye back. Definitely making sure to get in a run or two in Stanley Park – I’ve heard that’s the place to go! Hope you all had a great holiday weekend!

• How excited are you about college football season?

Crazy excited! I have a feeling this will be a good year!

• What was the highlight of your weekend?

US Open!

• What’s one goal you have for the upcoming week?

Get enough sleep, get my work done and not miss too many workouts.

• Have any suggestions on what I should see during my one day in Vancouver?

************

Today’s workout -

• Stretching. That was all.

Excuse Me, I Seemed to have Lost My Voice

After this weekend, I’m ready for another day off to recover!

Lots of errands, workouts, walking, cheering, cooking, chores, and more cheering. It seems that along the way I’ve lost my voice. And I’m so glad I did, cause it was fun!

The weather over the weekend was crazy – cool and foggy each morning and sunny and warm in the afternoon. Really, each day ended up perfectly. Saturday evening Woody and I went for a walk along the river through Battery Park and Battery Park City. By the way, did you know that before BPC was there, it was part of the Hudson River and then became a 92 acre beach? Yep, I’m serious. Seems crazy! Anyway, the walk was great and I wish the weather would be like that every single day.

Sunday morning I met up with Grace and her friend B on Water Street near the finish line of the NYC Half! I watched the start of the race on TV and was so anxious to get to the finish, even though I had a good bit of time.

All my pictures of the winners turned out blurry cause they were way too fast! Peter Kirui of Kenya (below), won the men’s race in a brisk 59:39 and Firehiwot Dado, who won the 2011 NYC Marathon, won the women’s race by passing Kim Smith not far before the finish in just 1:08:35! Both Dado and Smith (1:08:43) broke the course record of 1:08:52!

The three of us literally stayed there on Water St for almost 3 hours, cheering the whole time. As all three of us are runners, we know how important support along the course, even from complete strangers, can be. It was great to be so close to the end because we were really able to cheer them on the runners to the finish! The smiles of appreciation, hi-fives and fist pumps made us cheer even harder. As all races are, watching the NYC Half was incredibly inspiring! I WILL run a race this year and I’ve already started looking to see what to sign up for.

Some pictures from the morning: some of the 15,336 runners (7,456 men & 7,880 women); an incredibly cute sleeping baby waiting for her Dad to run by; the crowd along Water St.

After watching the race for a few hours, I rushed home to take care of some chores then headed to one of the MSU bars to watch the MSU/St. Louis game. It was a bit of a nail biter, but MSU pulled it out in the end and is moving on to the Sweet 16! And, I have to say that for a while yesterday I lead our company March Madness pool!! This morning I’m sitting at #2 but I still have the most possible points remaining, so I’m pretty happy about that. People should not doubt the Spartans when it comes to March.

Now, I’m off to work where I will sound like a duck the rest of the day as I try to talk. Good thing I don’t have any conference calls scheduled for today!

• Did you run, or cheer at, a race this weekend?
• What’s your favorite thing about Spring?
• What are you looking forward to this week?
• How is your March Madness bracket doing?

************

Today’s workout -

• 38min elliptical
• 2x15 (ea. side) weighted side bends
• 3x10 leg press
• 2x15 lat pull down
• 2x15 upright row
• 100 ab exercises
• stretching

It’s Good to Go Home

I’ve been away for the last few days. I took a trip, sans husband, home to visit my parents for the long weekend. It was a great few days and I’m glad I had the chance to do it. Not only did I spend time with my parents, but I also got to see my 91 year old Grandma, my great aunt and uncle, and friends. We had ice cream from the Dairy Store, a tour of the changes around campus, a trip to Target and watched the Spartan Men’s and Women’s basketball teams both beat Purdue!

The trip was actually my Christmas gift to my parents, along with a dinner cooked by me. Sweet potato burritos and quinoa. Apparently the meal was a hit. I think my Dad would have eaten another burrito if I had made one!

Of course, when in Okemos, I must stop by Playmakers, one of the very best independent running shops in the country. Since I’m not running I didn’t really have any reason to buy anything, but they do have a lot of super cute things including Oiselle tees!

While I’m at home, if I’m not able to run (like now), I don’t have many options for getting my sweat on. This time I decided to try something new. I took a yoga mat home with me and found a yoga studio in town to try out. Yoga State just opened a new studio a few miles from my parents house so I made my way there Monday morning for the 8:15am class. Christopher was the instructor and there were only two other people in the class! I have a feeling it was partly due to the fact that it was a holiday and the first class of the day as there were quite a few people arriving for the 2nd class as I was leaving. This was my first class in close to 6 months. I pushed myself, but not too far. I wanted a stretch and a sweat at that’s what I got. Christopher was a good instructor and helped me into a few poses I was struggling with after such a long break, and he didn’t blink when I had to bail on a pose or two, but I felt like it was all a bit rehearsed and found myself wondering if all of his classes are exactly the same. Nonetheless, I’m glad I went and feel good about going to another class. I tried taking pictures but they just turned out way too dark.

My plane Monday night took off from Detroit 15 minutes after it was supposed to land at LaGuardia. This meant I had about two hours to fill in the Delta terminal. If you didn’t know, from one end of the terminal to the other is 1 mile. Since I had time on my hands I walked from one end to the other. Along the way I saw Flavor Flav, clock necklace and all, and stopped for a 10 minute chair massage. If I’m going to get stuck in an airport, I’d rather it be Detroit than LaGuardia.

Even though I had so much fun at the airport, I would have much rather had an extra hour with my parents. Too bad we didn’t know about the delay earlier. Oh well, I still had a great time. I’ve been in NYC for almost 8 years now, but my parents home will always feel like home to me.

• When you visit home, what are some things that you always like to do?
• What did you do over the holiday weekend?
• How do you like to fill time when delayed at an airport?

************

Today’s workout -

• 35min elliptical
• 2x15 (ea. side) cable twists
• 100 ab exercises
• 2x15 upright row
• 2x15 overhead tricep extension
• 2x15 leg press
• 1x50sec plank
• stretching

Running Through The Pain

As you’d probably suspect, the first thing people ask when they see me on crutches is “what happened?” Those who know I run assume it’s from running, which even though it’s right, it’s also annoying because non-runners often assume running is bound to injure anyone who attempts it. Once I tell them I got a stress fracture while running a half marathon, they’re stunned to also learn that I actually finished the race. I often got the same reaction after I ran the NYCM and finished with a broken foot.

There are two sides to this. 1) I’m stupid for not stopping as soon as I realize the pain is not normal, and 2) it takes a lot of perseverance, strength and focus to run miles with broken bones.

I thought about this the other night as I rode home from work on the bus. It was a particularly trying bus ride home for several reasons and my leg was hurting quite a bit. It was really bothering me and I was dying to get off the bus and to the safety of our apartment. How could this bus ride be bothering me so much while I could run 3 miles on a stress fracture?

Well, it took a few days but I figured out why I can do it. And I bet you wouldn’t guess this.

Marching Band. To be exact, the Michigan State University Spartan Marching Band.

As a freshman each member of the SMB is introduced to the band through 8 days of pre-season drills. The first few days are just freshman and squad leaders – then the rest of the band shows up. The days are long. Usually 8am until 10pm or after. Hours of drills, running, music rehearsal, more drills and then a few hours after everyone else has gone home to learn Series. A grueling and intense series of horn moves choreographed to the drumline Series, performed while marching to and from the Stadium on game day (and any parades throughout the season) with breaks to play the fight song. Band members and fans of the band take this insanely seriously. It’s part of game day tradition in East Lansing. Crowds line the street every game day Saturday to watch the band march to the stadium. If you miss a horn move, fall out of line, or yell the wrong thing at the wrong time, you know you’ll hear about it for days to come from your squad leader and probably others as well. As a freshman, you spend hours each night during pre-season drills after everyone else has left, being drilled by the Section and Squad leaders in a stuffy hot room until you’re doing the series in your sleep. I still remember every element to this day.

At the end of the week, while our fellow freshman were getting to meet other students and hopping between house parties, we were being marched around campus for hours by the veterans to make sure we could do the Series up to their standards before you earned our band jackets and were allowed to march along side them on game day. It was a particularly hot and nasty night when I went through Freshman Dress. My arms, like those of my fellow alto freshmen, were covered in bruises, my legs were heavy and tired; I was busted before it even began. But I was more excited (and scared) about what was to come. After being yelled at for hours, the feeling we felt at the end of that night was the closest thing I can think of to the feeling I got when I finished the Detroit Half Marathon last weekend.

As a member of the SMB we learn to push through. We march through 3 months (hopefully 4) of 90 degree heat, rain, sleet, and then snow. All in heavy wool uniforms. We march 5 days a week, plus game days which start off with 8am rehearsals. We’re part of a team that becomes our family. You can’t let them down. So even if you have an injured wrist, food poisoning, whatever it might be, you suck it up and get through it.

I’m convinced that’s why all these years later, I can suck it up and finish a marathon with a broken foot and a half marathon with a stress fracture. I suck it up and keep heading to the finish line. It’s definitely not the smartest decision to keep running, I’m sure it makes things worse, but that’s just who I am. Once I start, I don’t give up*.

And some people think there’s no value in having band in schools.

*If I had been running the full marathon in Detroit, things would have turned out different. No way I could have made it through 26.2 miles.

• If you’re not feeling right in a race, do you push on? What would make you stop?
• Do you have a SMB in your past? Some experience that taught you to push past your (perceived) limits?
• How was your weekend? What was the highlight?

***********

Today’s workout -

none. still on the injury list.

First Saturday of Fall

Last week was really crazy at work. Most everyone was feeling exhausted only half way through and I was not alone when I was still at my desk at 7pm last night. I’m SO glad it’s the weekend! How about you?

I didn’t get my weekly Five for Friday post up but I have a few minutes before I head out to watch some Spartan Football. This is what Fall Saturday’s are about, right? College football!

Oh yeah, and running and farmers markets!

After my run this morning I had my first bowl of oatmeal for the season – simple with just flax, chia, and 1tsp each of PB and maple syrup – and coffee.

Then I headed out to the Union Square Greenmarket for some Fall deliciousness. I came home with a butternut squash, pears, apples, kale, green pepper, purple potatoes, green beans, and an eggplant! Great stuff, right?

Woody left a bit ago for the bar where tons of MSU alumni get together to watch the football games. As an alumni club board member it’s his ‘job’ to represent the club there and recruit new members, sell shirts to raise money for our scholarship fund and coordinate with the bar. He loves it, but he has to get there two hours before game time. I’m leaving in a little bit and will get there about an hour before (thank goodness for the reserved Board table!) Check him out – all decked out in State gear! Doesn’t he look like he could be an assistant coach?

Have a great weekend and enjoy some college football!

• What are you up to this weekend?

I’m running (4miles today, 7 tomorrow), enjoying the first weekend of Fall, and watching Football!

• Are you racing this weekend?

I’m not, but will be next weekend! (and I have an awesome announcement coming up next week!)

• What’s your favorite Fall treat?

Mine used to be fresh apple cider and a donut, but now since I can’t eat gluten, I guess it’s just the apple cider. Still, not bad!

************

Yesterday’s workout -

• Stretching, rest day

Today’s workout -

• 4mile run
• 2x16 bicep curl
• 2x18 upright row
• 2x20 lat pull down
• 2x16 back extension
• 2x14 cable pull push-down
• stretching
• ab exercises

So Tired I Don't Have A Title!

I don't actually have much to talk about today. The last few days have been quite busy and long. My team at work has a meeting with our client this afternoon to present a rather large and important pitch, so many, many hours have been spent on it this week and I'm quite exhausted, to tell you the truth. Yesterday around mid-day our boss scheduled a meeting for 5pm that was expected to last six hours. Thankfully it didn't last that long and I left around 9:30pm but a few people were still working. I've done my part, I'm prepared, and the presentation is going to be great, but we've really put everything else on hold for the most part the last few days. I will be very happy when 4pm rolls along and we'll be done! While late nights at the office aren't usually fun, I did have a good time working with this group, collaborating and being creative. This was the first time I've had the opportunity to work on a project like this since I started my new job and I feel the experience has been one that has given me better insight into this industry and also strengthened my relationships with some of my co-workers. So, even though I'm exhausted and am pretty surprised I'm even putting sentences together right now (at least I think that I am!), I'm grateful for the experience.

I didn't get to the gym yesterday morning because Woody and I got home pretty late Tuesday night from the MSU basketball game at The Garden. Unfortunately the game didn't end how we had hoped it would, but I still had a good time seeing so many other Spartans in one place and cheering for our team. I just really hope they can fix what's not working right now and be the amazing team that they are.

This morning I did head to the gym but I'm kind of thinking now I should have slept. I'm exhausted. I did want to go running but since it was 24' with a 16' wind chill when I woke up, I decided against it. I know, that's nothing for some of you, but for me, when I'm tired, that's tough! My workout was pretty good actually, but short, like most days now. I'm glad I went to move, sweat a bit and get my heart rate up, but I need more caffeine than just this cup of green tea!

Okay, enough of me babbling, I'm finishing breakfast and heading back to the office. I hope you're all having a great week and enjoying the season!

After four years, we're going to get a new point & shoot camera! It can't be too big and must shoot really well in low light. I'm leaning towards the Canon S95. If you have this, or the S90, what do you think? What kind of camera do you use? Would you recommend it? I'm looking for suggestions!
************
yesterday's workout -
none. rest day.

today's workout -
47min/5.15mile elliptical
100 crunches
stretching

Exploring Brooklyn

Yesterday afternoon Woody and I met up with some other members of the MSU Alumni Club of Greater New York to go on a tour of the Brooklyn Bridge and Brooklyn Heights. One of our members used to be a licensed tour guide and the only reason why he isn't any longer is because he doesn't get paid to give tours now so he doesn't take the test. It's cool because he does spend quite a lot of time preparing and because his family is from Brooklyn originally, this one seemed to be a bit more special for him.

We started in City Hall Park and joined the throngs of people crossing the bridge in 93 degree heat. Needless to say, we all had water with us!

We stopped twice along the bridge for Larry to tell us a bit about the construction and history. It's amazing that this was all built before phones, electricity and even 40 years before cars were invented! I had no idea that Brooklyn was it's own city at the time, either.

Once we were off the bridge and in Brooklyn (and some shade) we explored parts of Brooklyn Heights which is very close to the bridge and one of the oldest parts of Brooklyn. This area was actually farm land to begin with and then the families, after realizing the value of their land, created streets named after themselves and started selling plots of land.

Many very influential people lived (and do live) in Brooklyn. The Plymouth Church of the Pilgrims has been an important part of the community for over 160 years. It is a National Historic Landmark and a stop of the Underground Railroad Freedom Trail. The original pastor, Henry Ward Beecher was an adamant opponent of slavery and spoke against it often with vigor.

We also spent a bit of time on the beautiful promenade enjoying the view!

After the three hour tour, Woody and I stopped for a bit of refueling at the newly opened Brooklyn Bridge Park (which will be expanding over the next several years). We each enjoyed a taco from the Calexico cart (I had a delicious bean taco) and amazing ice cream (the strawberry has actual real strawberries in it - yum) from the Brooklyn Bridge Ice Cream Factory (celebrating National Ice Cream Day a day early)!

(I was so hungry I didn't think of taking pics before I started to dig in! oops!)

We love doing these little neighborhood tours because there is so much about this city that we don't know! It is a city filled with history and amazing stories. We don't want to live here for years and not know anything about it! It is okay for locals to be 'tourists' once in a while!

Have you ever taken a tour of your city?

************

workout stats -

7/17

15miles bike

1.5miles walk/jog intervals

3x10 front arm raise

3x10 tricep extension

3x10 weighted side bends

3x10 tricep kickbacks

Stretching

Today

I'm heading out to Astoria shortly for a yoga class with Gracela!

A Lazy Saturday

I made a tough, but necessary decision yesterday. It takes a lot for me to stay home from the gym, especially on a Saturday, but that's exactly what I'm doing this weekend. I need to get rid of the pain in my heel as quickly as possible, so I've decided the best thing for me to do is to stay off it as much as possible, and definitely not put the extra pressure on it at the gym. I definitely feel incredibly lazy, but it's better to take two days off now than to exacerbate the problem. I want to run!! So, while Woody went off to the gym this morning, I'm hanging out hear, drinking green tea, blogging, and icing and massaging my heel! We are going to brave the cold weather today though and go to the Farmer's Market at Union Square! I can't spend all day in this place!

So, did you all see Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution last night? I know you stayed home from the bar, or Sweet 16 watch party, or movies, to watch this new show!! Right?! Well, when I wasn't watching basketball, I did catch the show. The first of the two hours was a replay of what the 'sneak preview' from Sunday. The second hour was just as good and just as disturbing. He took the family he worked with during the first episode to the hospital to get check-ups only to find that their 6th grade son is morbidly obese. He tried to shock parents and students by physically showing them all the nasty food the children eat at school in a week and the fat they eat in a year (I think he got this tactic from Gillian McKeith and her show You Are What You Eat). The thing that made me the most sad, I think, is when he went into the classroom and learned that the children couldn't name vegetables by sight. They couldn't recognize the tomatoes that make ketchup or the potatoes that fries come from. The teacher did work with the students to teach them, but isn't that one of the basic things parents should be teaching their kids? Overall, it was another eye opening episode and I'm a bit disappointed there are only going to be 6 in all. Perhaps ABC was hedging their bets and didn't want to stick their neck out too far if this turned too controversial.

And speaking of food....
I had two great meals yesterday. Nothing extraordinary, but definitely satisfying. I've had a can of tuna I wanted to make a sandwich with but we don't buy mayo anymore and I didn't have another idea of how to make tuna salad...until I read that you can mix the tuna with hummus! I had never thought about that. Am I alone here? Turns out, it works deliciously!

As I continue to expand the types of grains we use, I cooked barley for the first time the other night. Last night I used some of the leftovers (grains can be used for several days after cooking, so it's fine to cook a big pot and use them in multiple ways for different meals) last night and combined with fresh and frozen veggies (fresh: red & yellow peppers, frozen: broccoli and french peas) and also threw in a vegan burger and topped it off with a little soy sauce. It was nutritious and filling. Loved it! My big bowl of barley & goodness!

And the BIG news:
The Spartans beat Northern Iowa last night and is playing Tenessee in the Elite 8 tomorrow! This is the seventh time Tom Izzo will be taking the Spartans to the Elite 8 and it will be the first time in school history for Tenessee. I am not one to take things for granted, especially when it comes to Michigan State athletic teams (we are also know for spectacular losses), but I have faith in the team and can't wait to see this game tomorrow! After the game last night, Izzo put it simply to ESPN "I love March!" We love you Tom Izzo!

(source)

Have a great Saturday!!

Feeling Good!

I had a stellar workout this morning at the gym. So good that I'm still feeling it a few hours later!

After an hour on the elliptical with a few extra minutes to cool down (thank goodness the wait lines at our gym are usually for the treadmills), I headed to to the weight area to put in a strength session. My intension was to get on a bike for the last 15 minutes (we usually spend about 2 hrs at the gym on Saturday mornings - yes, we are lucky to have the luxury to do that) but after a few minutes being sidetracked by a conversation with a 'gym friend' I hadn't seen for a while, I decided to supersize my strength session!

I have never had a set schedule for strength work - working specific muscle areas or doing specific moves on certain days or in a particular pattern - but I have decided today that I am going to change that. Now that I have more time to devote to the gym, I can emphasis strength training more! This weekend I am going to put together a weekly schedule, that I will share with you on Monday. I may need to tweak it a bit during the first week or two, but I want to stick with it and like every other goal, writing it down is the first step towards to making it happen!

Today I hit all areas really, but focused on my core. I did weighted lunges using the bosu ball, forward and side arm extensions, also on the bosu ball, overhead tricep extensions, tricep kickbacks and lateral row using the bench, crunches galore, held the plank for three times, 30 seconds each, and a lot more.

I really feel great after this workout and know that I've focused too much on cardio and must incorporate strength training into my workouts. Check back on Monday when I lay out my plan!

On a personal note, our new couch arrived this morning! This is HUGE for us because we had been using an IKEA couch I purchased when I first moved out here almost 6 years ago! Don't get me wrong, I love IKEA, but the couch was one of the compact ones that are more appropriate for a college dorm room than the apartment of a married couple. We purchased it from Pottery Barn in November and have been anxiously awaiting its arrival! To our delight, the delivery men came early so we've been enjoying it for a few hours now! It's amazing how much joy a couch can bring to ones life!

On top of a great workout and our couch arriving, the Spartans just miraculously pulled out a win over Minnesota in basketball and the sun is shining! This is a pretty good Saturday! Hope you're having a great day too!

Hello From San Antonio!

Woody and I are catching up on a few emails on the computers in our hotel lobby before we pack our stuff and get ready for the game tonight!! Unfortunately, since I'm squatting on a public computer, you'll have to wait until tomorrow to see pictures.

We've had a great time down here and it's awesome seeing so many other Spartans walking around the city. Seriously, they are everywhere and have been wearing green & white for days! Isn't school spirit great?! Even YEARS after graduating?! Do you still have a strong alliance to your college (if you're out of school, of course)?

Thanks for all the kind comments the past few days. It's been pretty incredible the last few months to see that people are actually reading my blog and posting comments. You have all been an inspiration to me in different ways and I'm looking forward to another great year of learning from all of you!

I hope your year has gotten off to a great start and I can't wait to get back home tomorrow to catch up on all your posts.

Now, time to go get ready for the game!!

GO SPARTANS!!

The Start of College Basketball Season

College basketball season has begun.

Let me begin by saying that I do not play basketball. I only played the game when I was in gym class and was never particularly good at it. But, College Basketball season has begun and I am PSYCHED! I will cheer for any MSU team, but in order of my enthusiasm, Basketball tops the list, followed by Hockey and Football. Unfortunately, Hockey is not covered as much as it should be and our team is not doing as well as they were back when I was in school and Ryan Miller was between the pipes. Football, well, if you're a Spartan Football fan, you have to be ready for a rocky road when the end of August comes each year. It is not an easy few months, but we stick it out and support the team through it all. I have faith that the program is on the right track, but its still going to be a tough one. (Like the game I'm watching right now)

Basketball is a different story. Coach Izzo is a local (as in the state of Michigan) hero and I suppose, a national sports celebrity. He has built a program that is steeped in tradition, hard work, strength (mental and physical), brute force, and championships. His enthusiasm and dedication to not only the game, but also the school and the players, is incredible and awe inspiring. I think that has a lot to do with the way the team pulls through and succeeds more often than not. Many will probably agree with me when I say that one of his trademarks is that by mid-December, early January, he has very little voice left and I hope reserves it mostly for practices, games, ESPN interviews and hanging out with his family. The faces on the team have changed but the mentality and spirit seems to stay the same.

I was lucky enough to start my college career the same year MSU won the National Championship! It was simply incredible. The excitement and pride that exuded from every inch of the East Lansing area. It was 9 years ago, but sometimes seems like just yesterday.

Last night, the Spartans won their opener 97-58 against Florida Gulf Coast. Yes, they should have won by this much, if not more, but they face a much tougher opponent this Tuesday for their second game - Gonzaga. Izzo does not like easy schedules.

I think the easiest way to tell you how AWESOME the Spartans are with a few select bullet points (there are way too many to list them all):

• Every four year player recruited by Tom Izzo has played in at least 1 Final Four
• MSU has appeared in 12 straight NCAA tournaments - the longest current running streak in the Big Ten and 4th in the nation
• In the 2009 National Championship game, MSU faced their third no. 1 seed opponent of the tournament
• The team graduates 87% of players who are eligible
• Izzo has been named National Coach of the year four times
• This is Izzo's 26th year as a member of the MSU coaching staff (having been an assistant coach before taking over as Head Coach)
• The Izzone has more than 3000 members
• Between 1998 and 2002, MSU won 53 straight games in Breslin Center, setting a Big 10 record
• MSU has the BEST mascot of all cheering for them from the sideline of all games, Sparty!
  

These are just a few of the reasons why it is great to be a Spartan (especially during Basketball season)!

Fitness Class Review: Pilates at Kinespirit

I was going to wait until after the marathon to start this feature, but I have the perfect opportunity now, so why wait?

Here it goes: the first Fitness Class Review.

Studio/Gym: Kinespirit (www.kinespirit.com) 40 E 23rd St. NY, NY
Class: Pilates (and Gyrokinesis)
Date: 10/24/09
Teacher: Chantal (and Jen)

Class Description (from the Kinespirit website): Pilates is a training system that uses specially designed spring resistance-based equipment (pictured at right) or specialized mat exercises to develop core and full body strength. The first emphasis is on building a strong, supported, yet supple spine. Gradually the entire body is challenged to connect into this strength, and the whole body becomes more integrated and stronger as a result.

Review: First off when you enter the space, you leave your shoes at the door and can place your belongings in a locker. The space is one large room that runs the length of the building, separated with two cloth hangings that separate the space into three sections. The back is for Pilates and mat classes with the restroom, dressing room and lockers, the middle space is the reception area, and the front space contains the Gyrotonic® towers. Looking at the class schedule, it seems Kinespirit focuses on Gyrotonic® classes as there are several more of them than Pilates classes. However, they do offer one on one classes. The equipment appears to be in good condition and they have several towers, exercise bands, mats, and other complimentary pieces. Chantal and Jen, the co-owners, were inviting, friendly, and answered all our questions. They seem extremely knowledgeable and have a good deal of experience. Kinespirit opened about three years ago and they have a second studio uptown that is solely for the practice of Gyrotonic®.

For full disclosure, I took this class through Step Up Women’s Network. We offered it to our members as a Passport to Health event and Chantal and Jen volunteered their time and talent. We had two classes available – Pilates and Gyrokinesis (the mat based version of Gyrotonic).

Class began promptly as we all took a seat on our mats. Throughout the class we engaged our core, using our ab muscles to slowly raise or lower our upper body or to hold positions. Chantal would direct us to use our exercise band to help with resistance and allow us to lengthen our legs further for a variety of exercises, then she would have us do the same exercise without the band in order to engage more muscles and work harder. Her directions were clear and she demonstrated almost every move. She was conscious of the fact that we were all at different levels of proficiency with Pilates and often provided us with variations of specific moves in order to fit each person. I do so much running and other cardio for my usual workouts, so relate sweating and shortness of breath with a hard workout. This was definitely a change of pace for me. After class my core and legs felt like they had been through a workout but I didn’t quite feel as stretched as I thought I would. Perhaps that comes with classes using the Pilates reformer? I’ll see how I feel tomorrow, but I’m still not sure the workout was as fantastic as I thought it would be. I did learn a few new moves that I will integrate into my regular stretching routine though, and I’m definitely thankful for that. They will strengthen my back, which is an area I want to work on.

I didn’t take the Gyrokinesis class, but I did take a few pictures of it to share with you! I took the class last year to try it out before our first event with Kinespirit. I do remember that my lower back felt more loose and I felt a bit more limber than normal. Again though, this is not a sweat inducing class, so if you’re looking for a good sweat, you’ll need to hit a sauna or steam room after. Two things to note about Gyrotonic® - the movements are flowing and similar to swimming, it includes 360’ movement while Pilates is front and back, and the creator of the practice, Juliu Horvath, is still active and teaching. Unlike yoga and Pilates, Gyrotonic and Gyrokinesis is still evolving and expanding as its creator continues to develop the practice.

Overall, I really enjoyed my time at Kinespirit today and the other class members seemed to as well.

On another note, Penn State just beat U of M in the Big House 35 - 10. It's a good day. Now I just have to keep looking for updates on the MSU score! Neither team has put any points on the board yet.

Tomorrow is the start of Marathon week with the Poland Spring Marathon Kick-Off 5 Mile Race! I went to the NYRR office last night after work to pick up my number and t-shirt. The place is buzzing with excitement and overflowing with banners, posters, merchandise. It was great and definitely pumped me up!