Category Archives: Running

Spectating at the 2010 NYC Marathon!

Posted on November 7, 2010 | 9 comments

Good evening blog world! Hope you all had great weekends. Mine was low-key and then today I jumped on board the marathon mania.  I honestly get so pumped up when I see other people running a marathon. Does anyone else out there experience this? When I first woke up, after a blissful extra hour of sleep, I headed out for a short 3 mile recovery run after Saturday’s longish run. I felt that if people could run 26.2 miles, I could certainly get my butt out of bed to run 3 miles. I also wanted to hit my goal of running five times this week. Done and done! Total mileage for this week was 27.5 miles. I am getting back into training mode!! And I love it. Boston, I will crush you!!

After my run and breakfast, I joined a few friends up on 94/95th street to cheer on the runners. It was such a great day for a marathon! First we spotted the women leaders as we headed north… (how exciting that an American woman runner came in second!! Wahoo!)


Then came the men and I got a shot of Meb fighting it out…


Next “celebrity” I actually noticed was the Chilean miner…


We attempted a photo of myself and Katie, but it did not come out so well…


And lastly, I found this bride particularly amusing…


I tried to head home around 1:30 p.m. and quickly found that I could not cross the street. I didn’t want to walk all the way down to 59th and then back up. So I waited a little bit and then found a way to sneak back over further east. Eek. I’m such a rebel. In all fairness, I did almost land on my head as I climbed over the barrier. Serves me right I guess.

It was such a great race day. And all the bloggers that I knew running it did sooo awesome!! Congrats to all! I even managed to see a few of them. I hope that if I run it next year, it’s a great day just like today. 🙂

After I left the race, the rest of my afternoon was spent cleaning the apartment. I’m going to attempt to run tomorrow morning before work, so I made some nice refreshing pasta for dinner.


Whole wheat penna pasta with plum tomatoes, carrots, cheddar cheese, peas, corn and walnuts with light Italian dressing drizzled over top.  (P.S. – We might have our gas back soon, which means I could be reunited with my dearest oven soon. Knock on wood, crossing my fingers, etc.)

Here’s to hoping I can get my butt out of bed tomorrow. And congrats again to all the NYC Marathon runners!

9 Comments

Posted in Bloggers, Running, Uncategorized

Tagged , ,

Credit Card Theft, 9+ Mile Run and Foodbuzz Envy

Posted on November 6, 2010 | 4 comments

How’s everyone’s Saturday going? Mine has had some ups and downs so far. My first down: I woke up this morning and received a strange call with a message about my credit card having fraudulent charges. I made sure to call the number on the credit card website back, rather than the number left on the voicemail. You never know if a phone call like that could be a scam. But as I was calling, I also received an email about it.

So a short 5 minutes later, the credit card rep and I had deduced that yes, someone was using my card fraudulently. Only one of the 4-5 charges had actually gone through so far, but a few were pending for a total of more than $6oo. So needless to say, that credit card has been canceled. The phone rep also said that it looks like they got my number through an internet transaction. I immediately thought back to the MegaBus ticket I purchased on Thursday. There were several issues when I put my card number into the online form to purchase the ticket. It kept denying my number and requesting my details again. SKETCHY! So my gut tells me that’s when it happened.

While I give my credit card company soo much credit for catching it early, I also thought something was fishy on Friday afternoon when I checked my pending charges and saw two minor things on there that didn’t look like mine. In fact, I called my card company right then and asked if I could block the charges. The rep told me that day that I needed to wait to see if anything actually went through. So my word of advice is to: CHECK YOUR CREDIT CARD ACCOUNT AND BANK ACCOUNT BALANCES FREQUENTLY.

And be wary of any website where things seem a little off when you’re trying to make a purchase. Warning signals were blaring while I was buying that ticket, but I brushed them away.

Anyway – all is better now. My card is canceled and I won’t actually be charged for anything they bought.

While dealing with the card drama, I was eating breakfast in preparation for a longish run. On the up side, I brought back a breakfast I haven’t had in a while…

Mmmm oatmeal with banana and peanut butter. Soo delish and just the right fuel for a longish run. I headed out to Central Park and ran the full loop and reservoir Loop. Another up for the day, passing by the NYC Marathon finish and feeling a hint of the exhilaration that all those runners will feel tomorrow! Here are my stats from the run:

Mile 1 – 9:09
Mile 2 – 8:46
Mile 3 – 8:41
Mile 4 – 8:42
Mile 5 –  8:27
Mile 6 – 8:37
Mile 7 – 8:55
Mile 8 – 8:49
Mile 9 – 9:03
.79 – 7:18

Total mileage – 9.79 in 1:26:30. Average page 8:50 minute miles.

I felt pretty good on this run. This is my longest run since the Bay State Half Marathon on October 17. I didn’t check my Garmin at all while I was running, I just ran the pace that felt right.

Big shout out to all the local bloggers I know running the NYC Marathon tomorrow: Megan, Kelly, Ashley and Jocelyn. You guys are going to rock tomorrow!!

When I got back from my run, I downed a G2 Gatorade and some water and then snacked on some peanuts and Chobani yogurt with Kashi cereal.


I got into the habit of eating Chobani after my long runs during my last round of training. It’s packed with protein and isn’t too heavy, which makes it easier to eat right after a run. Sometimes I’m ravenous after a run, but sometimes I’m not.

Another little down, I’m so jealous of all the bloggers at the Foodbuzz Festival right now. I think that next year, I need to be a part of one of these events, either Foodbuzz, Healthy Living Summit, FitBloggin or BlogHer. Any recommendations?!

The rest of my weekend will be pretty low-key. But I am soo pumped to watch the runners tackle the marathon tomorrow! That might just be me next year, since I have two races left to run to complete the NYRR 9+1 program for guaranteed entry to the NYC Marathon in 2011!

So who’s running NYC next year? 🙂 Have a great rest of the weekend!

4 Comments

Posted in Bloggers, NYRR, Running, Uncategorized

Tagged , ,

A Running Start to the Week

Posted on November 2, 2010 | 13 comments

So last week I did okay with my pre Boston marathon training running. I ran 4 days last week. This week, I am shooting for five days and I started things off right on Monday. Well…right and wrong.

I decided to try something new: running halfway home from work. I work way downtown by “The Bull” and live way up on the UES. It’s getting dark so early these days, that I thought running right at 5 pm would be awesome. I decided to run from my office, up the West Side Highway bike path to about 29th street and then cut over to the east side and take the subway the rest of the way up.

A couple of things made this run sort of tougher than expected:

1. I brought shorts to wear (obviously not accepting the fall weather) and so my legs were a bit chilly on the run.
2. There weren’t as many runners as I thought there would be, so things felt a little lonely.
3. Cutting over at 29th street was not the best choice. The area felt a kind of unsafe and sketchy. I also didn’t like some of the neighborhoods I ran through to get to the east side.

All in all, I got in a pretty speedy 5.5 mile run, but I wasn’t a big fan of that route. I think there is a bike path on the east side starting downtown, so maybe I’ll give that one a shot next week. Here are my stats from the run:

Mile 1 – 8:35
Mile 2 – 8:27
Mile 3 – 8:26
Mile 4 – 8:18
Mile 5 – 10:23
.49 – 5:12

Total mileage – 5.49 in 49:24. Average pace – 8:59 minute miles.

After mile 4, as I moved into the city streets, there was a lot of stopping and starting. Here’s the map of my run.

Then just when I thought the awfulness of the run was over, I had to get on the subway filled with people staring at me. Like they’d never seen someone in running clothes before. And because I hopped on almost immediately after I stopped, my knees and legs got tight very quickly. Once I made it home, I was so eager to hop in the shower, I totally forgot about stretching.

And that leads me to this morning and the residual tightness I felt as I set off for a run with Kelly. She is nearing the end of her taper for the NYC Marathon and thank goodness I was running with her on a lower mileage day because my legs were beat. We ran a 4.5 mile loop in Central Park and with the mileage from my apt to hers, it ended up being a little over 5 miles for me. Here are the run stats:

Mile 1 – 9:34
Mile 2 – 9:22
Mile 3 – 8:39
Mile 4 – 8:46
Mile 5 – 9:39
.23 – 2:02

Total mileage – 5.23 miles in 46:35 (moving time). Average pace – 8:54 min miles (moving time). There was some definitely some stopping and waiting for traffic.  

So far, my focus on running has been very good this week. I also started tracking my pre-training mileage. Writing it down helps me stay motivated. Plus, the NYC Marathon buzz could have something to do with my increased motivation as well. I’m feeding off the energy. 🙂 Soo exciting!

The best news – now that my run is out of the way, I can meet up with a friend for dinner! Hurray! Yet another reason that I’m desperate to become that early-morning runner. Baby steps. 🙂

I also have a great restaurant review coming your way tomorrow. I found a healthy hidden gem on the UES that might just become my regular hangout. It’s affordable, offers tons of vegetarian dishes, some meat and an AMAZING brunch. Check back tomorrow – and have a great Tuesday!

13 Comments

Posted in Bloggers, Running, Uncategorized

Tagged , ,

Racing Photo Fun

Posted on October 31, 2010 | 6 comments

I always love looking at the professional photos taken of me during races. Sometimes I just look so awful or in such pain, that it kind of makes me laugh. Any why not share some of that fun with you all – spread the laughter. Because if you can’t laugh at yourself, then what’s the point, right?

So without further ado, I share with you just a few of the photos taken of me during the Sun Half Marathon in Lowell, Ma. There were a TON of them. Obviously the photographers must have been enjoying my ridiculous faces. So here we go. (source for all)

Things start off pretty well. I actually remember this shot because it was during the first mile of the race.


A photographer’s dream right? Smiling, happy, waving – couldn’t have asked for better. But that will be the last time you see any of that happiness. Moving along… this next one is my favorite.


I think what’s happening here is that my nose is running and I’m trying to suck it up and stop it from dripping. I think this one is hysterical. I look like an angry bull or an Elvis impersonator.

Next up, we see some real honest to goodness struggle…


I’m saying to myself “ugghh are we almost there?!” This was during the last mile of the run , I think. I’m probably telling myself to either stay with this woman or pass her. Given my pained expression, I’m thinking I was just trying to stay with her.

And then finally, the end is in sight…


Determination is just emanating from me, here right? I’m in the zone. Let’s get down to business. I see the finish and I’m working it out.

That’s my post for today folks. I am cracking myself up looking at these photos. They probably aren’t as funny to other people because you didn’t live through it, but I think they are a hoot.

Do you have any really horrendous or great race shots?

I know some people hate seeing their race photos, but I always get a kick out of them. Maybe I’m just narcissistic. 🙂 Have a great Sunday all!

6 Comments

Posted in Races, Running, Uncategorized

Tagged , ,

Allergies Are Annoying

Posted on October 30, 2010 | 3 comments

Happy weekend all! Hope you are enjoying it. Are you dressing up for Halloween? I haven’t decided yet. Nothing like some last-minute decision-making. If it comes down to it, I’m sure I can throw together a black cat costume and pick up some ears and a tail at Ricky’s. We shall see…

How was everyone’s Friday? Mine was crazy busy. I attended a work event in New Jersey in the morning, then caught a ride back to NYC and attempted to finish up all of my regular work in the afternoon.

However, what made things seem even a bit more stressful was that with all of this craziness going on, I was also coping with a very bad allergic reaction to the mosquito bites on my arm. I have NEVER in my life had an allergic reaction like this. The mosquito attack took place on Wednesday night, when I was bit five times. On Thursday, the bites looked pretty bad, but by Thursday night they were out of control. Here’s a picture that kind of shows it.

See all the redness up and down my arm? Those are huge bug bites alright. Determined to get in a run, I headed out to the East River Esplanade right after this picture was taken for a quick run. Not only are these bug bites bright red, but my entire arm is about twice its normal size. I think of my left arm as appearing like a Popeye arm. The bites are so swollen and itchy it’s ridiculous.

So running with a giant, red, throbbing, swollen, itchy arm was not very much fun. I managed to get in a good 4 miles before it got too dark. Here are my stats:

Mile 1 – 8:54
Mile 2 – 8:45
Mile 3 – 8:43
Mile 4 – 8:29
.26 – 2:36

Total mileage – 4.26 miles in 37:28. Average pace – 8:47 minute miles

I thought maybe things with my arm would start to get better on Friday. And I know this will sound impossible, but it got worse. Now my arm was throbbing and painful to touch. I made it through the day okay, but when I got home last night (Friday), I popped two extra strength Benadryl and prayed for some relief. I didn’t want to take the Benadryl during the day because it makes me so drowsy. And indeed, by 8:30 p.m. it had kicked in and I was feeling loopy and tired. My arm was feeling a little less huge and throbbing though. I vaguely remember moving into the bedroom around 10 p.m. after realizing I had fallen asleep on the couch.

And so how’s it looking this morning? Still swollen and painful, but it seems like maybe the swelling is coming down a bit.

I have also instituted a “no opening the window” policy for the rest of the early fall season. It stinks that I can’t let the fresh air in right now – since it’s sooo gorgeous out. But I just can’t risk another attack.

So my question to you all – what are you allergic to?

Obviously, I now know that I was allergic to this particularly mosquito. I have never had a reaction like this before though. I’m also highly allergic to dogs. I know so sad. I get the usual sneezing and chest congestion, but then if the dog happens to lick me, I break out in hives. I’m also allergic to cats. Yes, I know – what about Murph? I take a daily generic antihistamine that I get from Wal-Mart called Equate.

source

I don’t actually take this everyday though because after living with Murphy for 4+ years, I’ve sort of become immune to him. Funny how that works. But when I’m around other cats for an extended timeframe, I do have to take one of these pills.

How do I know what I’m allergic to, you might ask, other than the terrible reactions? I went to an allergist a few years ago and he gave me the allergy prick test on my arm and then watched as the allergic bumps popped up. Unfortunately, mosquitos were not part of the allergy test, although maybe I should recommend to the doc that they should be.

Regardless, I am going to continue taking Benadryl until the itching and swelling subsides. Hopefully I can get in a run today and then tomorrow as well…possibly with my Popeye arm.

Have a great weekend all!

3 Comments

Posted in Running, Uncategorized

Tagged , , ,

Running Sans iPod and Boston Registrant

Posted on October 27, 2010 | 11 comments

Good morning all – Happy Hump Day! What a dreary day out in NYC. Blah. I planned to head to the gym this morning and run, but that definitely did not happen, so the gym it is tonight after work.

Good news of the day: Guess what email I received yesterday?!! My official registration for the Boston Marathon!! They confirmed my qualifying time and then I checked myself out on their Registrant Page.

Sorry – I blocked out my last name, in case there are any crazy stalkers out there.

After receiving my Boston confirmation, yesterday turned into a pretty busy day, as it seems all days are now. But I managed to get out of work at 5 p.m. and get home early enough to go for a quick run outside before the rain started and it got too dark. I ran with my worn out and broken Garmy (his replacement band should be coming soon). Here are my stats:

Mile 1 – 8:17
Mile 2 – 8:25
Mile 3 – 8:38
Mile 4 – 8:35
.29 – 2:47

Total mileage – 4.29 in 36:44. Average page – 8:33 minute miles.

I felt pretty good on this run, like I was working hard, but not exhausted.

Sounds of Silence
I have a strange confession. I haven’t run with my iPod since before the Pocono Marathon in May. It started out that I just forgot it once or twice and then suddenly, I was just never bringing it. And to be quite honest – I don’t really miss it. I know – it’s totally weird. But when I start getting back into longer weekend runs, I will probably grab it again. For these short 3 – 6 miles runs over the past few months, I haven’t felt the need. I feel like without it, I’m more in tune to what’s happening around me. More aware of the people and the scenery.

Do you ever ditch you iPod once in a while when you run?

I think it’s a great thing to try every now and then. I also feel like I’m more aware of my breathing and exertion in general. It just seems to make for a more cognizant run overall. But – that is just my opinion. I know lots of people who would never dream of running sans iPod.

After my run, I stretched a bit and then headed inside to make some dinner. I wanted to use up a can of beans that had been lingering in the cupboard, and with us still being ovenless, the choices were limited. Hence, I had what appears to be a taco, without the taco shell.

Brown rice with beans and corn, topped with lettuce and salsa. My shell-less taco was pretty decent, albeit probably a bit strange to most people.  

I then managed to watch a bit of Glee and The Biggest Loser before passing out quite early. That’s my MO as of late. I think the change of the season is draining me, along with the weird weather. It’s super warm here right now and I switch between sweating and feeling chilly. It’s pretty frustrating.

Have a great day all!

11 Comments

Posted in Recipes, Running, Uncategorized

Tagged , ,

An Early-Morning Running Revival

Posted on October 26, 2010 | 12 comments

I meant to write this post yesterday in the morning, but I ran out of time. Before I get into my Monday recap, here’s another look back at this past blog year from Feb-May 2010.

February
Went to a great Ballet and enjoyed some Greek Food!
I worked from home for the first time ever…and liked it!?
I officially deemed myself a “Winter Runner.”
My 14-Mile Training Left Me Feeling Nervous about BQing.

March
Went to a Blogger Dinner at Caravan of Dreams
My 15-Mile Training Run left me in better spirits.
Went to a Blogger Brunch at Candle Cafe.
Went to some bridal shower and bachelorette fun!
Experienced a SUPER SPEEDY run that left me hopeful!
17-Mile Training Run Success!
Enjoyed some well-deserved “Choice Eats.”
Ran an awful “Worst Case Scenario” Run.

April
Ran my first 10k Super FAST!
I ran my first 20-miler in upstate NY all alone.
Dealt with some major BQ Doubts
Ran my second 20-miler in the pouring rain, but survived!

May
Time to taper and enjoying some wedding fun!
Ran my last longish training run before the marathon.
Enjoyed my 28th Birthday!
Ran the Pocono Run for the Red Marathon and BQed!!
I took a look back at “How I got my BQ.”

It’s actually really good for me to look back at all this stuff to remember how much hard work I put into training for the Pocono Marathon. It will help me to get myself ready for this next round coming up in December.

Even though my “official training” for Boston doesn’t start until December 13, I need to get myself back into shape. So I started moving in the right direction with an early-morning run with Kelly on Monday morning. I managed to get myself to bed by about 10:00 p.m. on Sunday night. Kelly and I live about two avenues from each other, so I started heading her way around 5:30 a.m. and then we took off for Central Park from her area. Here are our stats:

Mile 1 – 9:27
Mile 2 – 8:19
Mile 3 – 8:46
Mile 4 – 8:39
Mile 5 – 9:06
.89 – 8:30

Total – 5.89 miles in 52:50. Average pace – 8:58 minute miles

The run went by really quickly and then it was time to dash around to get ready for work.

Monday was long and exhausting. I first had a pounding headache all day and then that turned into a dull headache. Plus, they are blasting the heat now and that was really getting to me. Our office is either freezing or sweltering.

When I came home last night, I ate dinner and watched some Dancing with the Stars, but then I went to bed at 9:15. I was just too tired. I hope I’m not getting sick.

But I slept great last night and woke up this morning feeling much better. I guess maybe I just needed the quality rest.  And after 8+ hours of sleep, I would hope I’m feeling better! I think I might try getting that again tonight.

What is your bedtime? If you don’t get enough sleep, do you ever feel sick or run-down?

Alright – have a great Tuesday all!

12 Comments

Posted in Bloggers, Running, Uncategorized

Tagged , ,

One Year Blog Anniversary!

Posted on October 24, 2010 | 5 comments

October was certainly a month of milestones for me. It seems that every year, a new anniversary pops up in October. In 2008, Hubby and I were married in upstate NY on October 18th – an unforgettable and amazing day! That anniversary certainly trumps them all.

Then on October 11, 2009, I ran my very first marathon with my friend Lauren in just under 3 hours and 55 minutes.

And then about a week and a half later, I started my blog and wrote my very first blog post on October 23, 2009! Can it really have been a year already?

So here is a brief look back at some of the highlights of my past year in the blogosphere.

First Blog Year Highlights
I started my blog and right away I had some exciting things to write about, I went to a reading/talk by John Irving in October and listened to the “Legends of the Marathon” talk about marathoning right before the NYC Marathon last year.

In November, I admitted to the blog world that I had been bitten by the marathon bug and had even started thinking about the Holy Grail – qualifying for Boston.

I also went to Jonathan Safran Foer’s Book Reading for Eating Animals and left wondering if I should become a vegetarian. More excitement came when I attended my first blogger dinner and met a bunch of great bloggers and blog readers!

And finally, I ran the Troy Turkey Trot and enjoyed Thanksgiving up at Bill’s parent’s house in Utica.

In December, I met up with a fellow runner and blogger who happened to live right around the corner for a freezing cold run. Then Hubby and I headed to Utica for the Callahan Christmas Party – with lots of food and fun! Then on Christmas, we headed to my parent’s house and I was thrilled to unwrap a GARMIN!!! Wahhoo!

I started 2010 off right with an early January road race…and froze my butt off! A little while later, I made a big decision – to run a Spring 2010 Marathon. I signed up for the Pocono Run for the Red Marathon and created a training plan! And finally, I finished up January with a great half marathon race with my friend Lauren!

Phew – that took a while to go through all that. It’s really fun to look back, but can be a bit time-consuming. So I’ll wrap up the rest of my blog year in my next two posts.

For all the other bloggers out there, how long have you been blogging? Do you enjoy looking back at all the highlights? I love it! And am so happy that I have this catalogue of my life.

Have a great Sunday all!

5 Comments

Posted in Bloggers, Running, Uncategorized

Tagged , ,

Boston Marathon X 4?

Posted on October 22, 2010 | 5 comments

Busy busy day here. I’ve got a work event tomorrow, so I’m just posting quickly on lunch. I wanted to see if anyone else out there who registered for the 2011 Boston Marathon, and faced registration issues, is showing multiple charges from the BAA? Right now, it’s showing pending charges for FOUR Boston Marathon registration fees of $130 each!


Source

I have to say that I was immensely disappointed in the BAA’s system and process for registration. The page wouldn’t send my completed form, then the link went dead and I had to start over. Then each time I filled out the form and hit submit, it went back to a blank form page. They’ve been doing this HOW MANY YEARS NOW? You’d think they would have it down to a science.

So my thinking is that if they show me registering four times, lord only knows how many other people have the same thing going on. Perhaps that’s why registration filled up in 8 hours, when each person was taking about 4-10 registration slots each?!

Oh my – what a mess that would be. Can you imagine it? Maybe they will re-open registration if that is indeed the issue.

Any other Boston Marathon runners out there seeing multiple pending charges from BAA?

5 Comments

Posted in Running, Uncategorized

Tagged , ,

Ode to My Oven

Posted on October 19, 2010 | 6 comments

It’s Tuesday! I kind of wish it was Thursday though. Don’t you? I have a feeling this is going to be a pretty long and stressful week. I have two full days of training at work on Tues/Wed, but that doesn’t mean that I don’t have to get my other work done. I have to figure out some way to do it all. Awesome.

I am feeling 100% after my “half mary” as Katie called it. 🙂 I like that nickname. So I am planning to run at the gym tonight, since out of nowhere it is getting dark soo early. Darn it! I’m still pretty excited about the fact that I’m all signed up for Boston (pending confirmation from BAA of course). And I found out yesterday that my younger cousin is running it as well! What’s also great, is that people are volunteering left and right to come spectate and cheer me on! That’s the great thing about a fun race like Boston, everyone actually enjoys hanging around for 4 hours waiting for you because there’s a huge party going on all around them (at least that’s what I hear anyway).

Another thing that made my day yesterday was receiving these…

I’ve never gotten flowers at work before and it totally brightened my day(and made my cubicle look totally inviting). Thanks Hubby for these gorgeous anniversary roses. 🙂

Hubby had tickets to the Yankees game three of the playoffs, so our anniversary dinner is going to be on Wednesday night.

So instead, I came home and threw together the following dinner:

I know – it’s the most random thing ever. Here we’ve got some leftover chicken noodle soup, courtesy of my mama. Cucumbers and grape tomatoes with balsamic vinegar. A piece of brown bread and apple cider.

Besides just having strange cravings, our gas in the building is STILL not working, which means outroven and stove don’t work at all. Let me tell you, when it is back on, there is going to be a flurry of cooking going on in our apartment. I am seriously missing my oven/stove. I even started composing an “Ode to my Oven” in my head in the shower this morning. We bought a hot plate, so it’s kind of like I have  stove, but it cooks things really unevenly and takes forever to heat up. 😦 I think I’m going to break out the crock pot on Thursday for some minor salvation.

Anyone have some good crock pot recipes to share?

Ok – that’s it for today. Hope you have a great Tuesday all! And remember to never take your oven for granted. 🙂 Bake something on my behalf.

6 Comments

Posted in Running, Uncategorized

Tagged , ,