now is about the time i usually break out my afternoon snack. but, i had a lunch and am going out for sushi tonight, so i think i'll skip it!
you, however, should check out shawna's prana bar giveaway. they look delish!
Thursday, April 30, 2009
yogi bear
since my race on sunday, i've pretty much been taking it easy in terms of workouts. i took off on monday and tuesday. on wednesday, my day for strength training, i decided to try and do some yoga.
i am NOT a huge fan of yoga- although prior to yesterday, i've only tried it once. and that was horrible. i hated the class i took because it was really long, i didn't know any of the poses and i felt like i really wasn't getting a workout.
i decided to give it a whirl again because i want to take it easy this week, and i still felt very stiff and sore from sunday. this time, i went to modell's and bought a yoga mat, which came with a Savasa yoga dvd, which i tried at home. the result: i think i'm in love!
the dvd was short, only 15 minutes, and focused on only 3 main poses: downward dog, tree, and warrior. i felt like i could catch on easily to those poses, and didn't feel overwhelmed. since it was so short, i decided to do the dvd twice, for a 30 minute workout.
afterwards, i honestly felt really stretched out, and i wasn't sore anymore! i'm not saying i'm a total convert, but i would definitely try it again, especially to stretch out after a race. maybe one day i'll even try another class- one day...
i am NOT a huge fan of yoga- although prior to yesterday, i've only tried it once. and that was horrible. i hated the class i took because it was really long, i didn't know any of the poses and i felt like i really wasn't getting a workout.
i decided to give it a whirl again because i want to take it easy this week, and i still felt very stiff and sore from sunday. this time, i went to modell's and bought a yoga mat, which came with a Savasa yoga dvd, which i tried at home. the result: i think i'm in love!
the dvd was short, only 15 minutes, and focused on only 3 main poses: downward dog, tree, and warrior. i felt like i could catch on easily to those poses, and didn't feel overwhelmed. since it was so short, i decided to do the dvd twice, for a 30 minute workout.
afterwards, i honestly felt really stretched out, and i wasn't sore anymore! i'm not saying i'm a total convert, but i would definitely try it again, especially to stretch out after a race. maybe one day i'll even try another class- one day...
speed racer
here's my schedule of upcoming races for spring:
5/10 - R Baby 4 miler (+ 6 miles = 10 mile long run)
5/16 - Healthy Kidney 10k (+5 miles = 11 mile long run)
5/19 - Wall Street 5k
5/30 - Brooklyn Half Marathon
6/7 - Women's Mini 10k
i also start nyrr's spring running class on 5/26, and marathon training officially begins on 6/6!
5/10 - R Baby 4 miler (+ 6 miles = 10 mile long run)
5/16 - Healthy Kidney 10k (+5 miles = 11 mile long run)
5/19 - Wall Street 5k
5/30 - Brooklyn Half Marathon
6/7 - Women's Mini 10k
i also start nyrr's spring running class on 5/26, and marathon training officially begins on 6/6!
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
shoe-in
so, as i mentioned in an earlier post, i hurt my foot in march and i had to take some time off from running. i'm back in the game (yay!) but i do still have tendinits :(
on the downside, this is something that i will probably have to deal with on a regular basis throughout my running 'career.' on the upside, the pain is no longer bad, and there are lots of things i can do to minimize discomfort- including resting my foot, adding more cross training, not walking as much (which let me tell you, is no easy feet- pun intended- living in nyc!).
but, as i realized this weekend when the temps soared and i put on my havianas, the best thing i can do for my foot is to get more supportive shoes. after walking around in those stupid flip flops all day on saturday- my foot was killing me! but after scouring my closet, i realized i have a huge dilema- all of my shoes, especially for summer, are total crap! all of my sandals have NO support whatsoever, are totally flat, and probably damaging my feet beyond belief. besides my running shoes and my cross trainers, ALL of my shoes, every single pair, are terrible.
so, yesterday i set out on a mission to overhaul my shoe wardrobe, and went on a search for non-geriatric looking, comfortable/supportive, and hopefully even somewhat cute shoes and sandals.
i'm not that old, so the thought of purchasing a pair of easy spirits, or even naturalizers, makes my stomach turn a bit, but for the sake of my feet, i know i need to do something. my friend recommended clarks, which she said were comfortable, and even cute.
so, off i went during my lunch hour. i think i may have tried on every single pair of shoes in the store to find the most comfortable, non-geriatric looking pair! and alas, i found not one, but three!
Bronze Colored Slingbacks
Black Sneaker Flats
Tan Casual Sneakers
both of the sneakers are actually a brand called privo, which they sell at clarks. in my opinion, all of the privo stuff is super cute and comfy, although some were more supportive than others.
the sandals above are not necessarily what may have been my first pick, but i was basing this mainly on comfort, with style coming in second. still, i wouldn't pick anything totally hideous, and these are still pretty cute. luckily, they were also having a sale! these comfy shoes can be a bit pricey, but i guess it's worth the investment to have good shoes and protect my feet.
other brands that were recommended to me were:
mephisto
birkenstocks
naot
if you have any other recommendations, let me know!
on the downside, this is something that i will probably have to deal with on a regular basis throughout my running 'career.' on the upside, the pain is no longer bad, and there are lots of things i can do to minimize discomfort- including resting my foot, adding more cross training, not walking as much (which let me tell you, is no easy feet- pun intended- living in nyc!).
but, as i realized this weekend when the temps soared and i put on my havianas, the best thing i can do for my foot is to get more supportive shoes. after walking around in those stupid flip flops all day on saturday- my foot was killing me! but after scouring my closet, i realized i have a huge dilema- all of my shoes, especially for summer, are total crap! all of my sandals have NO support whatsoever, are totally flat, and probably damaging my feet beyond belief. besides my running shoes and my cross trainers, ALL of my shoes, every single pair, are terrible.
so, yesterday i set out on a mission to overhaul my shoe wardrobe, and went on a search for non-geriatric looking, comfortable/supportive, and hopefully even somewhat cute shoes and sandals.
i'm not that old, so the thought of purchasing a pair of easy spirits, or even naturalizers, makes my stomach turn a bit, but for the sake of my feet, i know i need to do something. my friend recommended clarks, which she said were comfortable, and even cute.
so, off i went during my lunch hour. i think i may have tried on every single pair of shoes in the store to find the most comfortable, non-geriatric looking pair! and alas, i found not one, but three!
Bronze Colored Slingbacks
Black Sneaker Flats
Tan Casual Sneakers
both of the sneakers are actually a brand called privo, which they sell at clarks. in my opinion, all of the privo stuff is super cute and comfy, although some were more supportive than others.
the sandals above are not necessarily what may have been my first pick, but i was basing this mainly on comfort, with style coming in second. still, i wouldn't pick anything totally hideous, and these are still pretty cute. luckily, they were also having a sale! these comfy shoes can be a bit pricey, but i guess it's worth the investment to have good shoes and protect my feet.
other brands that were recommended to me were:
mephisto
birkenstocks
naot
if you have any other recommendations, let me know!
Monday, April 27, 2009
food, glorious food
after a shower and a three hour nap (i was super tired from the race!), i was really hungry for dinner. my fiance and i made a pizza with ingredients from trader joe's.
we're kind of obsessed with tj's, because they always have a lot of delicious, healthy foods. we bought a pre-made whole wheat pizza crust, and added fat-free sauce, a blend of cheeses, mushrooms, and cut-up turkey meatballs.
we also made a big salad.
yum!
we're kind of obsessed with tj's, because they always have a lot of delicious, healthy foods. we bought a pre-made whole wheat pizza crust, and added fat-free sauce, a blend of cheeses, mushrooms, and cut-up turkey meatballs.
we also made a big salad.
yum!
monday, monday
i can't believe it's monday again already! the weekend flew by way too fast.
yesterday i ran the MORE half marathon in central park. it was really hot out for this time of year, and because of the unexpected change in weather and extreme temps, they canceled the marathon portion of the event, and made the half marathon an un-timed "fun-run."
i started out the race VERY slow. i definitely felt the heat, and didn't want to over do it. also, because of my previous foot injury, i wanted to take this race slow anyway. i ran about 10 minute miles the entire way, and stopped at each water station to get gatorade and water, for about 25-30 seconds.
i think this strategy worked out pretty well. the start was definitely tough though, and i felt pretty sluggish because of the heat. but going out slow helped, and i was able to keep a pretty even pace throughout the whole race. i even felt like i had energy on the second loop around the park.
the last few miles were tough, especially since my longest run before this one was 8 miles. but honestly, it wasn't as bad as i thought it would be, and the heat might have actually helped me by forcing me to go slow.
brooklyn half, here i come!
yesterday i ran the MORE half marathon in central park. it was really hot out for this time of year, and because of the unexpected change in weather and extreme temps, they canceled the marathon portion of the event, and made the half marathon an un-timed "fun-run."
i started out the race VERY slow. i definitely felt the heat, and didn't want to over do it. also, because of my previous foot injury, i wanted to take this race slow anyway. i ran about 10 minute miles the entire way, and stopped at each water station to get gatorade and water, for about 25-30 seconds.
i think this strategy worked out pretty well. the start was definitely tough though, and i felt pretty sluggish because of the heat. but going out slow helped, and i was able to keep a pretty even pace throughout the whole race. i even felt like i had energy on the second loop around the park.
the last few miles were tough, especially since my longest run before this one was 8 miles. but honestly, it wasn't as bad as i thought it would be, and the heat might have actually helped me by forcing me to go slow.
brooklyn half, here i come!
Saturday, April 25, 2009
happy weekend :)
today is saturday, and it's supposed to hit 80 today and be sunny all day! glorious.
i am doing a bit of cleaning, and preparing my race stuff for tomorrow's MORE half marathon.
i always set out my clothes and things the night before a race, but today i'm doing it extra early since i'll be out and about all day. sometimes if i have to wake up super early for a race, i'll even pin my race number on my shirt the night before, and put the chip on my shoe the night before too. i don't have my race number or chip yet, so i'll do that later.
it will be a scorcher tomorrow, so i'm trying to wear very light weight clothing, and of course, i can't forget my hat.
i also always wear my sports watch ($10 from target), and my special asics socks for races. if it's really hot and sunny, i'll wear a hat or visor. of course, i always have my ipod shuffle (it's purple- my fav color!), and for long races i bring my gu, and cliff shot blocks.
for my last half marathon, i had 3 cliff shot blocks around mile 6, 3 around mile 9, and my gu around mile 11. i find that the gu is honestly a tad, well, gross. the triple berry flavor is the one i can stomach most. but even though it's not the best-tasting, i have to say it really does get me through the end of the race. and, having the gummies and gu to look forward to at various points throughout the race really helps keep me going.
i usually end up pinning my shot blocks to my shorts in a plastic baggie, and keeping the gu in the little pocket of my running shorts.
what's your routine to prep for a race?? which gear are must wear for your races??
p.s. - i apologize for the not-so-great photo. i'm still figuring out the best way to use this site and to post photos.
i am doing a bit of cleaning, and preparing my race stuff for tomorrow's MORE half marathon.
i always set out my clothes and things the night before a race, but today i'm doing it extra early since i'll be out and about all day. sometimes if i have to wake up super early for a race, i'll even pin my race number on my shirt the night before, and put the chip on my shoe the night before too. i don't have my race number or chip yet, so i'll do that later.
it will be a scorcher tomorrow, so i'm trying to wear very light weight clothing, and of course, i can't forget my hat.
i also always wear my sports watch ($10 from target), and my special asics socks for races. if it's really hot and sunny, i'll wear a hat or visor. of course, i always have my ipod shuffle (it's purple- my fav color!), and for long races i bring my gu, and cliff shot blocks.
for my last half marathon, i had 3 cliff shot blocks around mile 6, 3 around mile 9, and my gu around mile 11. i find that the gu is honestly a tad, well, gross. the triple berry flavor is the one i can stomach most. but even though it's not the best-tasting, i have to say it really does get me through the end of the race. and, having the gummies and gu to look forward to at various points throughout the race really helps keep me going.
i usually end up pinning my shot blocks to my shorts in a plastic baggie, and keeping the gu in the little pocket of my running shorts.
what's your routine to prep for a race?? which gear are must wear for your races??
p.s. - i apologize for the not-so-great photo. i'm still figuring out the best way to use this site and to post photos.
Friday, April 24, 2009
good morning!
i'm off to work, and it's supposed to be in the 70s today, which is such a nice change. it's sunny, i'm wearing a skirt (without stockings!), and i am getting a bagel for breakfast- all things that make me happy! oh, and it's friday :)
i usually don't eat bagels during the week- i love love love them, and could probably eat one for every single meal, but i try to save them for the weekends as a special treat- or sometimes i get them on fridays.
i always get a whole wheat bagel, with some variation of tofu cream cheese. tofu does have more fat than light cream cheese, but i find it's more filling.
sometimes i get my bagels scooped, but then i usually get hungry again quickly after eating them. so if i'm having a bagel with eggs, or egg whites, i'll get it scooped, but otherwise i just eat it as is.
today i'm getting my bagel from ess a bagel, which is the BEST!
i usually don't eat bagels during the week- i love love love them, and could probably eat one for every single meal, but i try to save them for the weekends as a special treat- or sometimes i get them on fridays.
i always get a whole wheat bagel, with some variation of tofu cream cheese. tofu does have more fat than light cream cheese, but i find it's more filling.
sometimes i get my bagels scooped, but then i usually get hungry again quickly after eating them. so if i'm having a bagel with eggs, or egg whites, i'll get it scooped, but otherwise i just eat it as is.
today i'm getting my bagel from ess a bagel, which is the BEST!
Thursday, April 23, 2009
foot loose
unfortunately, a little over a month ago, i hurt my foot. i went to my dr. and then to a podiatrist who diagnosed me with tendinitis (probably an injury resulting from overuse) and told me to take some time off.
so, i stopped running for a whole month, which was tough. actually, it was REALLY HARD!
this happened in march, just as i was really revving up my training and right before i was about to start doing some races. i definitely took it pretty easy this winter, mostly doing a few short runs a week on the treadmill, and some other easy classes at the gym, and working out about 4 times a week, sometimes 5. i was excited to get back in the game with more running and some more intense workouts, so this was a disappointing set back.
i had to skip a 15k i had planned for march, but after taking a month off, my foot felt much better! i started running again a few weeks ago, and now i'm training for a half marathon on may 30th.
i was going to skip the half marathon i had signed up for, which is this weekend, but decided to try and run it as a long training run.
i ran a long run of 8 miles last weekend, and was planning on doing 10 this weekend. i figured why not just do my long run as the race? if i have to stop and walk, i will, and i'm planning on going reeeallly slow.
luckily, this half marathon allows walkers, and you have 6.5 hours to finish, so i think i'll be ok, even if i have to walk a few miles. plus, it will count as one of the 9 new york road runners races i need to get guaranteed entry in the new york city marathon in 2010!
on the downside, my foot is starting to bother me a tad since i've been running more in the past few weeks AND it's supposed to be really hot- 88 degrees! on the upside, it will be warm and sunny this weekend :)
so, i stopped running for a whole month, which was tough. actually, it was REALLY HARD!
this happened in march, just as i was really revving up my training and right before i was about to start doing some races. i definitely took it pretty easy this winter, mostly doing a few short runs a week on the treadmill, and some other easy classes at the gym, and working out about 4 times a week, sometimes 5. i was excited to get back in the game with more running and some more intense workouts, so this was a disappointing set back.
i had to skip a 15k i had planned for march, but after taking a month off, my foot felt much better! i started running again a few weeks ago, and now i'm training for a half marathon on may 30th.
i was going to skip the half marathon i had signed up for, which is this weekend, but decided to try and run it as a long training run.
i ran a long run of 8 miles last weekend, and was planning on doing 10 this weekend. i figured why not just do my long run as the race? if i have to stop and walk, i will, and i'm planning on going reeeallly slow.
luckily, this half marathon allows walkers, and you have 6.5 hours to finish, so i think i'll be ok, even if i have to walk a few miles. plus, it will count as one of the 9 new york road runners races i need to get guaranteed entry in the new york city marathon in 2010!
on the downside, my foot is starting to bother me a tad since i've been running more in the past few weeks AND it's supposed to be really hot- 88 degrees! on the upside, it will be warm and sunny this weekend :)
welcome to my blog!
i've been toying around with the idea of starting a blog for quite some time, and i finally decided to just bite the bullet and go for it!
what better to blog about than my journey training to run the new york city marathon on november 1, 2009.
oh, i might also throw in some stuff about food too!
what better to blog about than my journey training to run the new york city marathon on november 1, 2009.
oh, i might also throw in some stuff about food too!
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