Category Archives: Uncategorized

Back from Break & A Book Review

Posted on July 6, 2010 | 6 comments

Hi all – welcome back to the work week. It was so nice to have a little break, but Tuesday really felt like it came fast. At least we’ve got a short week right?

How was your 4th of July? What was the most exciting part of your weekend?

My 4th was filled with family, friends, fun…and lots of driving. Ugh! I am really getting sick of the car. I didn’t take many photos this weekend. I wanted to just spend some quality time with family and friends. So I don’t have any exciting pics to share.

I did eat a lot of good and bad food this weekend, and squeezed in a 6.5 mile run with my friend Lauren on Friday. I’m not sure if I’m completely ready for the Boilermaker this Sunday, but it’s too late to squeeze in much more training now. I have a feeling that most of my running during this week will be done in the gym on the treadmill anyway. The brutal heat is just not conducive to a good run for me. So I’ll be playing it safe inside.

But, I do have one thing to offer you all! Another book review. I know – just call me speed reader. 🙂 I can’t remember the last time I finished a book this long so quickly. It was really good. So, here it goes:

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

By: Stieg Larsson

I picked this book up because I had literally seen about a dozen people reading it on the subway or elsewhere in NYC. I figured there had to be something to it. And there was. I started reading this book on a Tuesday and finished it the following Monday. This book is 500+ pages, so that is superfast for me. It was a total page-turning thriller.

So what’s it all about? A Swedish financial journalist, named Mikael Blomkvist, is convicted of libel because of a story he wrote about a successful (but shady) businessman. But that’s just the intro to the story. After his conviction, he is offered a freelance job by on old industry titan. The first part of the job is to write a family history, but the real objective is for him to research the mysterious disappearance of the titan’s niece over four decades ago, and try to figure out what happened to her. The “girl with the dragon tattoo” ends up being investigator Lisbeth Salander, who Blomkvist brings on as his assistant.

There were definitely some disturbing scenes and themes in this book, but in understanding it’s a thriller, you’ve got to accept that there will be some drama and disconcerting episodes. The plot of the book and investigation completely drew me in and kept me intrigued and curious. I could not wait to find out what happened next and who was behind it all.

Throughout the novel, there are a few storylines going on—which means just when one mystery is solved, you remember that there are others that are still floating around. Beyond that, the characters are unique and interesting in their own right. I ended up wanting to find out more about them and what would happen—especially to Lisbeth.     

I was satisfied with how Larsson tied it all together and wrapped up the different stories and mysteries. I was not entirely thrilled with how Lisbeth’s story ended, but then realized that she appears in his second book, which made her conclusion understandable. I highly recommend this book to anyone who likes thrillers or mysteries – or to anyone who is simply looking for an entertaining read. Just remember that it’s not all flowers and butterflies. It contains explicit material which might make some people cringe. I will definitely be reading the rest of the trilogy as well: The Girl Who Play with Fire and The Girl Who Kicked the Hornets’ Nest.

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Posted in Books, Holidays, Reviews, Travel, Uncategorized

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Book Review: Olive Kitteridge

Posted on July 1, 2010 | 6 comments

Good morning all! As promised, here is my book review of Olive Kitteridge. And I am flying through The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. That one shouldn’t be too far behind! Have a great weekend. Today is technically my Friday and I am pumped. 🙂

Olive Kitteridge

By: Elizabeth Strout

This Pulitzer Prize winning book has a different narrative style than most of the novels I typically read. It is broken up into several separate stories, told by different narrators. The only commonality between all the stories is Olive Kitteridge.

So, who is Olive? Well, she is a large woman, who is a wife and a mother, and tends to present a hard demeanor with resolute ideas and principles. I found her to have many characteristics as I learned about her throughout the stories. She was a bit judgmental at times, strong-willed and powerful in some stories, very vulnerable in others, a voice of reassurance and strength in a few, and even somewhat annoying here and there.

Each story is told by a different author and although at first I thought I’d need to remember all these people because they would show up later in the book and everything would tie together – that is not so. These characters do not serve as a plot device, they serve as the lense through which we gain a better view and understanding of Olive. She is the only person that is the constant and returning idea throughout the book.

It took me a while to understand the flow of the book and what I needed to retain and focus on. About one-third of the way through, I finally got it and began to enjoy the book more. It was hard for me to really like or dislike Olive, I think because she was crafted to feel like a real person. And real people have both positives and negatives to them. In one story, I would find myself siding with Olive and then in the next I would wonder what the heck she was doing and become annoyed or angry with her.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book. I wouldn’t say it’s the most exciting in terms of plot or intricate story lines—it is definitely more about character development and understanding. I came to feel that I understood Olive on so many different levels and watched as she passed through various phases of her life. It was also a nice change of pace, as far as the way the book was set up. I enjoyed each unique slice of life in every chapter once I realized that was how it was set up.

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Bookworm & A Break in the Heat

Posted on June 30, 2010 | 2 comments

Hello all – happy hump day! Except today really isn’t my hump day because I have Friday off! Yay! So today is really like my Thursday.

How was everyone’s Tuesday? Mine was pretty decent. It wasn’t as hot as I expected it to be – thank goodness. I started off my day with some oatmeal – no pic.

Lunch turned out to be kind of a mish-mash of things. Triscuits with Laughing Cow Garlic and Herb cheese with a side of carrots.

It’s a little random, but it worked. Sometimes I crave a bunch of little things for lunch, rather than a sandwich or other typical lunch items.

What is your strangest or most interesting lunch choice?

In the afternoon I snacked on a Chobani, an apple and a few of these bad boys.

After work, although it wasn’t sweltering, I decided I still preferred to hit the gym for an “easier” run. I ran 4 miles on the treadmill in 33:55. After my run, I did some ab work and arm work and then headed home.

I had some remaining few grape tomatoes in the fridge that were about to reach their peak, so I used them up in our dinner. Use them or lose them – right?!

Chicken with brown rice, grape tomatoes and corn. For flavoring, I used some chicken stock, lemon and a sprinkle of shredded cheese. It was a very enjoyable meal. 🙂

After dinner I literally buried my nose in my new book: The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. I am not a fast reader at all. I think I take longer than most people, but I seem to be flying through this one. The book is almost 600 pages and I’m about 150 pages in at this point. I have a feeling that I’m going to be really happy that there are follow-ups to this book.

So when I left this house this morning, it was a brisk  and beautiful 68 degrees outside. Woohoo! It was lovely. I’m going to try to do a 6+ mile run tonight to take advantage of the weather and feel a bit more prepared for the 15k next weekend. Eeks – I can’t believe how fast it snuck up on me!

Have a great Wednesday all!

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Heading Back to the Mill

Posted on June 29, 2010 | 9 comments

Good morning all – happy Tuesday. I’m super excited because I have a short week this week and next week! I am looking forward to a nice long weekend.

So we made it through Monday. I started off my day yesterday with some plan old Kashi Heart to Heart cereal for breakfast (no pics).

The morning was busy and flew by and then I grabbed a nice big salad for lunch.

Romaine lettuce, carrots, cheddar cheese, dried cranberries, almonds and chick peas with balsamic vinaigrette. My afternoon snack was a Chobani yogurt with Kashi Go Lean cereal mixed in.

So yesterday I had planned to get up early and run outside. Well, as past efforts have shown, I just don’t do well with getting up early to run. So yesterday I didn’t end up running. 😦 And then today I didn’t get up either. However, then I remembered my other option – the gym! So tonight I plan to run 4-5 miles on the good old treadmill. I get so into the groove of running outside, that I think I totally forget that the treadmill is still an option. So off to the mill I go tonight.

Do you ever choose the treadmill option in the summer when temperatures spike?

I love running outside and will usually always choose that option, but I think I need a change of pace as well. It might be good to switch it up a bit.

After work yesterday, I headed home, started a new book and then made some dinner.

That would be some baked tilapia with butter, lemon, seasoning, crushed garlic and a sprinkle of parmesan cheese, topped with grape tomatoes. I actually really liked the tomatoes baked on top. I am starting to like our tilapia and fish dinners more and more. We also had a side of broccoli with a sprinkle of cheese.

As an FYI, the newest book I’m reading is The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. I finished Olive Kitteridge this past weekend and will have a review posted before this next weekend.

Health & Interesting Stuff in the News

In Summer’s Heat, Watch What You Drink: I like this tip: “To calculate how much water you need each day, multiply your weight in pounds by 0.08; the result is your requirement in eight-ounce cups.”

Teens who snack may weigh less – This is another study that really doesn’t say much in my opinion. It’s a broad statement to say that teens who snack weigh less because there are so many factors to consider: what they snack on (healthy vs. junk food); activity level; snack size, etc.

Exercise: Bicycling to Keep Off Extra Pounds – I wish I was a bike rider, but it’s just never been my thing. Kudos to those who bike though – it’s obviously good for you!

That’s all for today folks! Hope you have a great Tuesday – stay cool!

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Too Hot to Trot, Soccer and a Royal Run

Posted on June 28, 2010 | 3 comments

Oh gosh – is it really Monday already? How was everyone’s weekend? Mine was good. We had one last weekend in the city before we spend almost the next full month traveling every weekend.

When I posted last, I had just finished up the American Heart Association Wall Street Run & Heart Walk and here is a group shot of my work team:

On Friday I was busy, but not overwhelmed at work and then Hubby and I  just hung out on Friday night – very low-key. I wanted to get up super early on Saturday for a long run. However, I could not seem to get myself out of bed until about 8:30 and then I didn’t make it out for a run until 9:30 a.m. and that was just way too late given the heat and humidity. I had planned to do a 7-9 mile run, but ended up calling it quits after only 5 miles at a very slow pace. 😦

On Saturday afternoon we headed to a local dive bar to watch The World Cup game and were so saddened when they lost. Hubby really loves soccer and was super bummed. So we got some late-afternoon ice-cream to help cheer us both up.

Then on Sunday, it was time for me to volunteer. I had signed up to volunteer at the Achilles Run for Hope & Possibility a while back. I was assigned to be a Course Marshal on the UES. I was a little bit nervous because I didn’t really know what to expect. I had no reason to worry though, the NYRR organizers were really great and explained exactly what I needed to do. I also have a new respect and understanding for the marshals who try to get people to stay within the coned area. I wasn’t one of the really stringent marshals though. I understood when people were trying to work their way up a bit and needed to go around to the outside to do that.

What was amazing though, was seeing so many disabled runners and walkers competing in this event. They were absolutely inspirational and so many of them thanked me for volunteering, when really I felt like I needed to thank them! I just kept watching as more and more amazing people came by. I guess I was so in awe of these runners and walkers, that I totally overlooked when Prince Harry either ran or walked by! At one point early on, I saw some cameras out in front of someone and another camera man running to catch up, but I really didn’t think too much about it because there were so many amazing runners out there. I just figured a news crew had the smarts to capture this race and one of the exceptional runners on camera. But most likely, that was probably good old Harry going by me.

source

Anyway – it was a great experience and I’m glad I chose that race to volunteer at. I know that most people do the volunteering thing so they can qualify for the NYC Marathon as part of the NYRR 9+1 program, and I might be going that route as well, but I think even if you aren’t trying to run the marathon, you should consider volunteering once or twice a year. It really did give me a new appreciation of all the volunteers and the work that goes into coordinating a race.

So that’s all for today folks – have a great Monday!!

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America Heart Association Wall Street 3 Mile Run

Posted on June 25, 2010 | 7 comments

It’s Friday!!! Yippee! This week went by pretty fast for me, but I am still thrilled that the weekend is finally here. I am soo far behind on all my favorite blogs – I have some major catching up to do.

So last night after a busy day in the office, filled with about 4 hours of meetings and more fun, I decided it was a good idea to run a race in the near 90 degree weather. Yeah it was really gross out.

About eight of us from the office signed up for the American Heart Association Wall Street 3 mile run/walk, which started at 6:45 p.m. We took a team photo and then the walkers and runners were split up. We lined up at the Start, well actually quite a ways from the start, but we could see it.

When the race started, as usual, it took a while to get to the actual start. Then the weaving and avoiding people began. There were soo many people and so many people who started walking within the first mile of the race. I had to run up on the edges on the sidewalks for a while and try to avoid people walk or stopping abruptly – all within the tight confines of the downtown streets. By mile two things started to get a little clearer, but it was still pretty frustrating.

Between the heat/humidity and the crowd, I can say that it was not a great run. It was different to run downtown instead of Central Park, but not the most conducive for running.

My overall finishing time was 24:23. Blah!

After the race, I walked with two of my co-workers from the downtown finish up to 14th Street and then crossed over to the east side and hopped on the 4/5 at Union Square. I got home around 9 p.m. and was starving! After eating some leftover pasta and showering I headed straight to bed.

I hope you all have a great weekend! I think the NYC heat and humidity is finally supposed to break a bit!

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Who’s Staying in a Castle – We Are!!

Posted on June 24, 2010 | 5 comments

Hi all – Happy Thursday – how is your week going? The forecast in NYC says it’s going to be around 90-93 degrees today! Craziness. Does anyone remember last June and how totally different it was from this year? Last June it rained almost every day of the month! What a difference a year makes, right?

Today after work I’m running the American Heart Associations Wall Street Run and Walk. It’s only three miles, but I thought it would be kind of cool to run a race down here where I work. Then a few co-workers and I might jog up the West side to about 14th Street. That is if the weather holds out and it doesn’t pour on us.

I started of yesterday with a breakfast of oatmeal with frozen fruit.

Then I got to work and my camera battery died, so no lunch or afternoon snack pictures.

After work I picked up my race packet at the NYRR’s on 89th Street and then headed home to get into the air conditioning. Yesterday was pretty brutal as well.

For dinner last night I made a boat load of pasta – so I have some leftovers for lunch today. I wanted to keep it light, so I just added some veggies and sprinkled with some Italian salad dressing.

Multi-grain pasta with grape tomatoes, corn, peas, walnuts, raisins and cheddar cheese.

However, the highlight of yesterday was definitely when I booked us a room in a castle in Ireland!! Our trip is at the end of August and our last night there will be in a castle. I may not want to leave!! I’m so excited. We’re really starting to get into planning now. I’m a huge planner and want to have our hotels and B&Bs booked in the near future. But other people have told me that we don’t need to book our B&Bs in advance and should really only worry about finding rooms in Dublin. I just don’t think  I can go that route – I’ve got to have it out planned out and set.

BTW – if anyone knows of any great B&Bs in the following cities in Ireland, let me know! Kilkenny, Kinsale, Killarney and Galway.

Have a great Thursday all – hurray for tomorrow being Friday!!

Finish

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Posted in NYRR, Running, Travel, Uncategorized

Toughening Up!

Posted on June 22, 2010 | 4 comments

Good morning all – we made it past Monday. Mine was a busy Monday – how about yours?

I started the day off with a lighter breakfast – whole wheat English muffin with cinnamon raisin PB and grape jelly.

My morning sort of flew by. For lunch, I had triscuits with laughing cow cheese and some carrots and grape tomatoes.

I’m loving the grape tomatoes right now, and the latest Cooking Light magazine has a bunch of great grape tomato recipes that I want to try.

Then my afternoon snack was Chobani with granola.

I ended up staying a little bit later at work than I expected and it was soo hot out after work, that I gave myself the night off from running. Plus, after my tough race day on Sunday, I think I needed the rest.

I came home and threw together a quick salad for dinner.

Field greens with apple, walnuts, cheddar cheese, grape tomatoes and beets with Sesame Ginger dressing. Yum!!

After dinner, I happily finished up some dessert that Hubby made on Sunday night.

A piece of pistachio pudding pie. I was iffy about the pistachio, but I actually really liked it. Thanks Hubs!

The rest of our night was low-key, we finished up some laundry and then I’ll confess that I watched The Bachelorette. There was nothing else on. Really. And sometimes it’s just funny to watch the crazies on there. 🙂

What is your guilty pleasure summer t.v. show? I’ve been watching The Bachelorette and So You Think You Can Dance. 🙂

I’m going to attempt a run tonight after work. I’d like for the predicted rain to hold off and for the temps to drop a little, but I’m not sure that is going to happen. I’m running the Wall Street American Heart Association 3-Mile Run on Thursday night, so I’d really like to get a run in today as well. This is me forcing myself to get back on track.   

I have to say that after reading Gracie’s comment on my blog post yesterday, I need to be thankful for the tolerable heat we have in NY. It’s nowhere near as bad as down south and I need to remember that, and quit being such a baby and toughen up!

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Running Up Against the Heat

Posted on June 21, 2010 | 4 comments

How is it Monday already? Seriously the weekends are non-existent lately. Our weekend was pretty busy with visiting friends and a race. I’ve been such a terrible picture-taker lately. I am going to make a concerted effort to be better about that this week.

So I have to just take a quick poll and ask how many people out there are True Blood fans?

I wasn’t all that excited about the first episode last week, but I thought this week’s was soo much better!! I wanted to watch it again right after.

I digress – I just really love that show. Anyway – as I mentioned in my last post, my race on Sunday was not very good. The humidity was ridiculous and people around me were even commenting as we were running that it was really difficult. I would have joined in the convo, but I was already working hard enough to just breathe. I suspect that I wasn’t the only one who had a less than spectacular race yesterday.

This led me to thinking about running this summer and what my biggest issues are, and what other people’s issues might be and how they cope.  Here is my list of summer running do’s and don’ts.

Do

  • Hydrate like crazy! I don’t think I hydrated nearly enough the day before Sunday’s race. I think the day-before hydration is almost as important as the day-of hydration.
  • Run early. I wondered why Sunday’s run was at 8:30 a.m., which is actually later than most NYRR races start. They typically start at 8:00 a.m. I would have been happy with a 7:00 a.m. start to be honest. I plan to do a longish run this coming Saturday and will be out there running by 7:00 a.m. or earlier.
  • Let it breathe. I wore a hat during the race. Probably not the best bet. I was primarily thinking about shading my face, but I think that hat kept a lot of my heat in. A visor would have been the better option. Along the same lines – breathable clothing with wicking technology is the smartest option for those summer runs.
  • Find some shade. This one is tough. My running routes in NYC are limited. But if I know the sun is going to be blazing – I’ll opt to run in Central Park where there is infinitely more shade than along the East River Promenade. So if you have a particularly shady route to run during those sunny summer days, I say choose that route.

Don’t

  • Underestimate your hydration needs. I’d say it’s better to carry more water than less during these hot summer days. Yes, carrying a water bottle or strapping on a water belt makes your run more cumbersome, but you’ll be happy when your mouth starts feeling like the Sahara and a water fountain is nowhere in sight. Plus, you can’t always count on water fountains to be working. Having control of your hydration will ultimately pay off in the end.
  • Force it. If you’re late, rethink running. So I know we’re all pretty adamant about getting a run in. But if you can’t get out the door in the early morning, I think it’s smart to rethink your run for that day. I can tell you first-hand that running from 11:00 a.m. to about 4:00 p.m. can be downright unbearable when the temps and humidity are high. I’ve cut runs shorts and felt miserable after runs done too late in the day. They take so much out of you and really end up frustrating you sometimes.
  • Forget the sunscreen! I’m bad at this one sometimes. For my marathon in May, I applied sunscreen diligently on my face, but then completely forgot about my arms and legs. The result was a pretty bad burn on my shoulders. Be liberal in your application and apply it early so it has time to sink into your skin.

So those are just some of the things I’ve been thinking about recently with the increasingly warm weather. What summer running tips do you have to offer?

I’m really going to try to go to bed earlier so I can get some early morning pre-work runs in throughout this summer. Today it’s supposed to be 88 degrees outside and the thought of a post-work run in that sounds just awful.

Have a good Monday all and stay cool!

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Father’s Day 5-Mile Prostate Cancer Race Recap

Posted on June 20, 2010 | 4 comments

Good afternoon all – happy Sunday and Happy Father’s Day! Love you Daddy!

How is your father’s day going? Mine started bright and early this morning with a race in Central Park – The Father’s Day Prostate Cancer 5-mile Run. The last time I ran a 5-mile race was in early January and the race conditioners were 100% different than today. The race started at 8:30 a.m. and in all honesty, I wish it had started a lot earlier. The heat and humidity were intolerable! Here was my race-day appearance.


It was already 80 degrees by the time I headed out of the house. I jogged to the start, hit the porta-potty and found my corral. As I stood in the corral waiting for the start, I began to think that this wasn’t going to be my best race. And I was right.

The race began and already I felt like I was struggling. We headed north along the West Drive and man did that first mile take forever. I kept checking my Garmin and being amazed by how little I had run. We hit the first mile marker and I managed to pick it up a bit from mile 1 to mile 2, but it hurt.

I struggled up all the hills and my breathing was a lot more labored than usual. Plus, choosing to wear a hat to shield my eyes also ended up making me hotter, I think. As we reached the third mile marker I hit up the fluid station for a much-needed guzzle of water.

From mile three to mile four I struggled again and watched the mileage slowly tick by on my watch. Finally we hit mile four and I knew there was only one to go, but man was I feeling it. The heat, the humidity, the crowd – it was all taking its toll.

Finally I spotted the finish area up ahead, but it was really a struggle to get to the end. I did not kick it in like usual – I basically threw myself over the finish in pure exhaustion. Here are my stats:

Mile 1 – 7:59
Mile 2 – 7:40
Mile 3 – 8:07
Mile 4 – 7:59
Mile 5 – 7:58

Total mileage: 5.06 miles in 40:12

So technically, this was a PR for me at this distance, but I ran the 10k in April much, much faster – so I’m not totally satisfied with these results. However, I have no one to blame by myself. Since the Pocono Marathon in May, I’ve enjoyed quite a running hiatus, so I am not in great shape right now. I’ve got some major work to do before the Boilermaker 15k in July.

Enjoy the rest of your weekend!!

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