Friday, July 31, 2009
Thursday, July 30, 2009
where the wild things are
central park transformed into the jungle last night! as i started my run i could see the storm lingering over the west side of the island. i figured id do a quick 4 mile loop and be back home before the clouds cut loose.
id never seen the park look they way it did last night. the roads i know so well felt foreign and a little eerie. its was damp, dark and humid, almost like those reptile caves at the zoo. on my way across the 102nd street transverse i noticed hundreds of flickering little lightening bugs, something ive only ever seen in connecticut. it was beautiful to see the park in this new way.
as i turned onto the final mile of my run there was chaos in the sky and then down came the rain. buckets and buckets of rain. there was nothing i could do about it so i just kept running. i had to get home anyway!
the rain came down harder, the wind blew stronger, and then there was the thunder. the part that i was most awed by was that no one running seemed fazed by the weather around us. it was awesome.
i finally made it home, soaked to the bone and smiling.
feet felt great this morning a little tight, but as far as the training goes, we're back in business!
id never seen the park look they way it did last night. the roads i know so well felt foreign and a little eerie. its was damp, dark and humid, almost like those reptile caves at the zoo. on my way across the 102nd street transverse i noticed hundreds of flickering little lightening bugs, something ive only ever seen in connecticut. it was beautiful to see the park in this new way.
as i turned onto the final mile of my run there was chaos in the sky and then down came the rain. buckets and buckets of rain. there was nothing i could do about it so i just kept running. i had to get home anyway!
the rain came down harder, the wind blew stronger, and then there was the thunder. the part that i was most awed by was that no one running seemed fazed by the weather around us. it was awesome.
i finally made it home, soaked to the bone and smiling.
feet felt great this morning a little tight, but as far as the training goes, we're back in business!
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
current money raised $460.00!
woohoo! thank you so much to everyone that donated last month!
mimi & jimmy
gram & gramps
the antonio family
the brzozowy family
$515.oo to go until recommitment on august 12th. if you havent already please donate! every penny counts and %75 of your donation goes directly to cancer research!
im starting to put plans in the works for my first fundraising event. ive never set one up before so im nervous on how everything will go down. ill keep everyone posted on all the nitty gritty details and of course the date of the event!!
last night i stayed off my feet again, kept them elevated and well iced. the ice served two purposes, nursing my sad little achy arches and keeping me cool in my hot box of an apartment! note to self: BUY AN AIR CONDITIONER!
this morning when i woke up and took my first few steps i was surprised and delighted to be pain free! i dont want to jump the gun on recovery and do more damage to what is healing so im giving myself one more day off from training.
running to resume wednesday!
woohoo! thank you so much to everyone that donated last month!
mimi & jimmy
gram & gramps
the antonio family
the brzozowy family
$515.oo to go until recommitment on august 12th. if you havent already please donate! every penny counts and %75 of your donation goes directly to cancer research!
im starting to put plans in the works for my first fundraising event. ive never set one up before so im nervous on how everything will go down. ill keep everyone posted on all the nitty gritty details and of course the date of the event!!
last night i stayed off my feet again, kept them elevated and well iced. the ice served two purposes, nursing my sad little achy arches and keeping me cool in my hot box of an apartment! note to self: BUY AN AIR CONDITIONER!
this morning when i woke up and took my first few steps i was surprised and delighted to be pain free! i dont want to jump the gun on recovery and do more damage to what is healing so im giving myself one more day off from training.
running to resume wednesday!
Monday, July 27, 2009
my saturday morning long run was a breeze. no, really! i felt like a runner. i ran a strong and confident 9 miles. yikes!
after i finished though i didnt feel too great. i was crippled. the bottom of my right foot ached with pain. i couldnt understand what was going on because my run had felt so great. the pain is mostly in my arch so i figured its probably a support issue with my shoes, a problem that could easily be fixed.
so yesterday i returned my nikes and headed to the new york running company at the time warner center to be properly fitted for a new pair of shoes. the employees there were super helpful and made sure that i got the shoe with the best fit, support, and comfort. my feet felt instantly better.
ramon always tells us "dont buy the pretty shoes" but its hard to be a girl and not want cute shoes! the new kicks arent necessarily ugly but they definitely arent cute. they look a bit like rocket ships (maybe thats a good thing, zoom!)
i explained my pain to the guy fitting me for my shoes and he said that i was experiencing classic symptoms of plantar fasciitus. basically what that is is inflamation of the ligament that supports the arch of the foot. its often called the "flip flop disease" by podiatrists because one of the main causes is lack of shoe support. he recommended some stretching, ice and rest. lets see how it goes...
after i finished though i didnt feel too great. i was crippled. the bottom of my right foot ached with pain. i couldnt understand what was going on because my run had felt so great. the pain is mostly in my arch so i figured its probably a support issue with my shoes, a problem that could easily be fixed.
so yesterday i returned my nikes and headed to the new york running company at the time warner center to be properly fitted for a new pair of shoes. the employees there were super helpful and made sure that i got the shoe with the best fit, support, and comfort. my feet felt instantly better.
ramon always tells us "dont buy the pretty shoes" but its hard to be a girl and not want cute shoes! the new kicks arent necessarily ugly but they definitely arent cute. they look a bit like rocket ships (maybe thats a good thing, zoom!)
i explained my pain to the guy fitting me for my shoes and he said that i was experiencing classic symptoms of plantar fasciitus. basically what that is is inflamation of the ligament that supports the arch of the foot. its often called the "flip flop disease" by podiatrists because one of the main causes is lack of shoe support. he recommended some stretching, ice and rest. lets see how it goes...
Friday, July 24, 2009
what goes up, must come down, right?!
ive been so busy all week running around (literally & figuratively) that i haven't had time to sit down, relax and update!
at tuesdays practice we began our hill training. and if that doesnt sound like enough fun, we also started it in the pouring rain!
when you tackle a hill the right way, believe it or not, they arent that bad. its important to maintain your pace and form while on the incline. arms should swing low and be parallel with your hips, stride should be short and quick and NEVER lean forward from the hips (ie. head down and charging full speed ahead) always lean from the ankles! a good friend by your side to whine with also helps on the way up!
we ran harlem hill 6 times! we were drenched and tired but i left practice feeling a bit more confident about the hilly terrain of san fransisco that awaits me in 2 months, 3 weeks, and 1 day. not that im counting or anything...
i squeezed in a hilly workout wednesday afternoon before brother jimmy's 20th birthday bash! i wanted to test my new skills and see how my running had improved since the day before. i did a 40 minute run and felt great afterwards!
below are some party pictures from the party!
rhode island loves! [ abby, me, courtney ]
office girls! [ carly, leigh, me ]
just like christmas! [ ashley, lance, me ]
there was no running last night because i was too busy celebrating the engagment of my very good friends gretchen and travis! trav popped the question on the 4th of july! we gathered at the ava lounge in the dream hotel to congratulate and wish the happy couple well!
there were cupcakes! crumbs of course- yum!
the happy couple [ gretchen, travis, me ]
BJ's crew! [ kel, JR, me ]
tonight im conquering cat hill. it almost killed me on monday but im armed with new knowledge and ready to take it on with avengeance !
tomorrow morning is our long run, 9 MILES WHOA!
at tuesdays practice we began our hill training. and if that doesnt sound like enough fun, we also started it in the pouring rain!
when you tackle a hill the right way, believe it or not, they arent that bad. its important to maintain your pace and form while on the incline. arms should swing low and be parallel with your hips, stride should be short and quick and NEVER lean forward from the hips (ie. head down and charging full speed ahead) always lean from the ankles! a good friend by your side to whine with also helps on the way up!
we ran harlem hill 6 times! we were drenched and tired but i left practice feeling a bit more confident about the hilly terrain of san fransisco that awaits me in 2 months, 3 weeks, and 1 day. not that im counting or anything...
i squeezed in a hilly workout wednesday afternoon before brother jimmy's 20th birthday bash! i wanted to test my new skills and see how my running had improved since the day before. i did a 40 minute run and felt great afterwards!
below are some party pictures from the party!
rhode island loves! [ abby, me, courtney ]
office girls! [ carly, leigh, me ]
just like christmas! [ ashley, lance, me ]
there was no running last night because i was too busy celebrating the engagment of my very good friends gretchen and travis! trav popped the question on the 4th of july! we gathered at the ava lounge in the dream hotel to congratulate and wish the happy couple well!
there were cupcakes! crumbs of course- yum!
the happy couple [ gretchen, travis, me ]
BJ's crew! [ kel, JR, me ]
tonight im conquering cat hill. it almost killed me on monday but im armed with new knowledge and ready to take it on with avengeance !
tomorrow morning is our long run, 9 MILES WHOA!
Sunday, July 19, 2009
Run For Central Park
Yesterday morning TNT participated in NYRR, Run For Central Park. The 4mile race around Central Park kicked off at 9am with over 5,000 road runners participating. Everyone was so thankful that it rained the night before. The humidity levels were down and there was a refreshing breeze in the air, perfect for running!
Because of the race all those who took part got a break from our usual 7am long run. Coach Ramon on the other hand wasnt summer slacking. He was approching about mile 37 or so, in the Vermont 100 Mile Endurance Race! Crazy man!
i finished at 37:14 and paced an average 9:18mile
runners refresh and refuel with pretzels, plums, and live music in "the mall" at central park. the race was capped at 5,000 runners
lots of runners, lots of port-o-pottys!
Thursday, July 16, 2009
last night TNT had an injury prevention clinic at the hospital for special surgery on the upper east side. i honestly only absorbed about half the information from the presentations because i was too busy staring at the handsomeness that is dr. metzl. im contemplating faking injury just to go to his office!
when i was fully paying attention i learned a lot about rookie mistakes, common running injuries and how to treat them. coach ramon, as always, was highly entertaining. i comprehend only about 2/3 of what he's saying because his ricky ricardo accent is so thick. thankfully his over-animated personality aides in translation!
the debate of stretching vs. not stretching came up, an issue that has lately become more controversial among runners. when you break it down, its really all about preference and what works the best in each individuals routine. personally, i like to do a little stretching post run to relieve muscle tension and work on my flexibility. one of my new years resolution is still to be able to touch my toes and i intend on keeping it! stretching is also good when it comes to preventing and treating injury, think, physical therapy.
some stretching do's and don'ts from running.about.com
when i was fully paying attention i learned a lot about rookie mistakes, common running injuries and how to treat them. coach ramon, as always, was highly entertaining. i comprehend only about 2/3 of what he's saying because his ricky ricardo accent is so thick. thankfully his over-animated personality aides in translation!
the debate of stretching vs. not stretching came up, an issue that has lately become more controversial among runners. when you break it down, its really all about preference and what works the best in each individuals routine. personally, i like to do a little stretching post run to relieve muscle tension and work on my flexibility. one of my new years resolution is still to be able to touch my toes and i intend on keeping it! stretching is also good when it comes to preventing and treating injury, think, physical therapy.
some stretching do's and don'ts from running.about.com
Do...
- warm up thoroughly first
- ease into a stretching routine
- only static stretches (slow, rhythmic movement)
- pay attention to your breathing (take deep belly breaths)
- make stretching a habit
- relax
- listen to your body
Don't...
- hold your breath
- bounce
- force a stretch
- hold painful stretches
- hurry through your routine
- compete
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
"now you wouldn't believe me if I told you,
but i could run like the wind blows"
practice last night was fab! we had our first mile "test".
at the start we broke into small groups based on pace. my girlfriend kristen and i decided that we would challenge ourselves and run with the 8-9min milers. practice is the best time to push your norms. and with the support of your teammates and coaches its hard not to break personal bests and set new goals. which is the whole point of the mile test!
at half a mile i hit a good pace for myself and carried to the end. my watch isn't exactly the most accurate thing in the world so i turned to the girl who finished just a few steps behind me and asked her what she ran... a 7:56 which meant i ran about a 7:54!
my 2nd time around the lower loop mile i ran a bit slower finishing at a 8:15.
TNT is participating in a four-mile run/walk, presented in partnership with the Central Park Conservancy this weekend. CPC works to restore, manage and enhance Central Park. NYRR and CPC are joining forces to make this the greenest race of 2009. All the awards, including for the kids' races, will be earth-friendly, and CPC will also plant flowers throughout the Park in honor of each race winner. Thus the race will have a lasting, healthy effect on the environment.
practice last night was fab! we had our first mile "test".
at the start we broke into small groups based on pace. my girlfriend kristen and i decided that we would challenge ourselves and run with the 8-9min milers. practice is the best time to push your norms. and with the support of your teammates and coaches its hard not to break personal bests and set new goals. which is the whole point of the mile test!
at half a mile i hit a good pace for myself and carried to the end. my watch isn't exactly the most accurate thing in the world so i turned to the girl who finished just a few steps behind me and asked her what she ran... a 7:56 which meant i ran about a 7:54!
my 2nd time around the lower loop mile i ran a bit slower finishing at a 8:15.
TNT is participating in a four-mile run/walk, presented in partnership with the Central Park Conservancy this weekend. CPC works to restore, manage and enhance Central Park. NYRR and CPC are joining forces to make this the greenest race of 2009. All the awards, including for the kids' races, will be earth-friendly, and CPC will also plant flowers throughout the Park in honor of each race winner. Thus the race will have a lasting, healthy effect on the environment.
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
new kicks- please excuse pigeon-toed-retard stance
"Mama says they was magic shoes.
They could take me anywhere. "
Monday, July 13, 2009
i made it to my first saturday practice this weekend. well, physically i was there, the rest of me was still snuggled in bed. 7 am is early to function on a weekday basis but 7 am on the weekend is on an entirely new level. now factor in that saturdays are also our long runs and imagine what i looked like... bedheaded and sleepy eyed with untied sneaks dragging my butt to bethesda at 6:30.
once i arrived i perked up a bit and was ready to go. i joined forces with my coach and new friend tracey to lead the pack of us marathoning newbies on a 7.7 run around the park.
we conquered a full loop of the park, harlem hill without complaining, and a negative split of the lower loop! a negative split is fancy runner lingo for running the 2nd half of a race faster than the 1st. (in our case we ran the 2nd time around the lower loop faster.)
we completed our workout in an hour and 13minutes and didnt collapse afterwards. actually our spirits were high! that was the furthest distance any of us have ever ran. we accomplished more before 9am than most people do all weekend!
im looking forward to tomorrows practice even if we are starting hills (groan) we are testing how fast we can run a mile and im excited to see my new friends! yay for new friends!
even more exciting than practice tomorrow is testing out new sneakers tonight! woohoo! i worked very hard this weekend picking up extra shifts at the restaurant and i made enough money to invest in a new pair of training shoes. yay! finally!
once i arrived i perked up a bit and was ready to go. i joined forces with my coach and new friend tracey to lead the pack of us marathoning newbies on a 7.7 run around the park.
we conquered a full loop of the park, harlem hill without complaining, and a negative split of the lower loop! a negative split is fancy runner lingo for running the 2nd half of a race faster than the 1st. (in our case we ran the 2nd time around the lower loop faster.)
we completed our workout in an hour and 13minutes and didnt collapse afterwards. actually our spirits were high! that was the furthest distance any of us have ever ran. we accomplished more before 9am than most people do all weekend!
im looking forward to tomorrows practice even if we are starting hills (groan) we are testing how fast we can run a mile and im excited to see my new friends! yay for new friends!
even more exciting than practice tomorrow is testing out new sneakers tonight! woohoo! i worked very hard this weekend picking up extra shifts at the restaurant and i made enough money to invest in a new pair of training shoes. yay! finally!
Friday, July 10, 2009
who knew?!
Well I mean, EVERYONE knows that Diddy ran the NYC marathon back in 2003. MTV covered every step and drop of sweat. Diddy made a big publicity show (literally) leading up to the 26.2. Jeeze Dids we know how awesome you think you are but was the 24-7 coverage really necessary?
2 things I didnt know: The Queen of Talk Shows, Oprah Winfrey, has completed the distance (!) and get this, the artist formally known as Puff Daddy/Sean Puffy Combs/P.Diddy/Diddy/Sean John/whatever the heck he calls himself these days, main goal was just to beat the Queens record. psh i for one (although he did shave 15 mins off of harpo's time) am not impressed.
Oprah = inspirational Diddy = ANNOYING
thank you thank you thank you!
total funds raised so far $285.00!
thank you so much to everyone who has donated!
Anthony Pichette
Ashley Salvati
Aunt Nena & Uncle David
Kristen Poslusnzy
Seekonk Congregational Church
The Demick Family
my goal for july is to raise $1000.00. only $715.00 to go!
if youre reading this and thinking "wow, allison's awesome and so are all those people who have donated to her cause. id really like to help out too but i forget how to donate!" let me help you out!
the fastest, easiest and green-est :) way is to 1) visit my TNT website and make an electronic donation. select the amount you wish to contribute, click "donate now" and follow the rest of the steps from there.
if youre hesitant about using your credit card and personal info via the web, there is option 2a) email me, allison@diningentertainmentgroup.com and i will send you an offical TNT donor form that you can print and fill out at home. then snail mail that back to me with a check and youre good to go! orrr! option 2b) email me your home address and ill snail mail you all forms and include return postage!
also, FYI all donations are 100% TAX DEDUCTIBLE !!
thank you so much to everyone who has donated!
Anthony Pichette
Ashley Salvati
Aunt Nena & Uncle David
Kristen Poslusnzy
Seekonk Congregational Church
The Demick Family
my goal for july is to raise $1000.00. only $715.00 to go!
if youre reading this and thinking "wow, allison's awesome and so are all those people who have donated to her cause. id really like to help out too but i forget how to donate!" let me help you out!
the fastest, easiest and green-est :) way is to 1) visit my TNT website and make an electronic donation. select the amount you wish to contribute, click "donate now" and follow the rest of the steps from there.
if youre hesitant about using your credit card and personal info via the web, there is option 2a) email me, allison@diningentertainmentgroup.com and i will send you an offical TNT donor form that you can print and fill out at home. then snail mail that back to me with a check and youre good to go! orrr! option 2b) email me your home address and ill snail mail you all forms and include return postage!
also, FYI all donations are 100% TAX DEDUCTIBLE !!
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
all systems are go!
im 92% recovered from my surgery and finally back to running!
my first time out was on sunday. i went for a 40min run in the park. about half way through i did have a little discomfort but it wasnt enough to stop me. since then i ran 40mins on monday evening and then went for a quick spin around the reservoir this morning.
if you noticed i have started to run by time and not focusing primarily on distance. our training schedule from coach ramon is set up this way and so ive adapted my workouts to try out the technique. here are a few benefits to doing so...
my first time out was on sunday. i went for a 40min run in the park. about half way through i did have a little discomfort but it wasnt enough to stop me. since then i ran 40mins on monday evening and then went for a quick spin around the reservoir this morning.
if you noticed i have started to run by time and not focusing primarily on distance. our training schedule from coach ramon is set up this way and so ive adapted my workouts to try out the technique. here are a few benefits to doing so...
- If you're not focused on pace, you'll run based on how you feel. So, on days when you're not feeling great or the conditions are lousy, you won't force yourself to go for your miles or feel guilty if you don't cover the distance. Instead, you'll run for your goal time at the right pace.
- It helps you prevent boredom and explore new routes more easily because you're not worried about the mileage.
- If you always run by distance, you might be tempted to push the pace and always hit a certain pace per mile during each run, rather than varying the intensity of your workouts.
Friday, July 3, 2009
still no running
Training has been delayed until further notice. Although my teeth are healing well, i learned that too much stress and anxiety make my mouth throb.
Cell phone was stolen and all the drama of rushing around to verizon in the pouring rain and feeling completely disconnected and vulnerable left me in pain.
ive decided im not yet ready to run. just a little activity left me drained. if i cant run errands i definitely cant run miles! hopefully ill be feeling 95% on saturday to join the team for our long run.
Cell phone was stolen and all the drama of rushing around to verizon in the pouring rain and feeling completely disconnected and vulnerable left me in pain.
ive decided im not yet ready to run. just a little activity left me drained. if i cant run errands i definitely cant run miles! hopefully ill be feeling 95% on saturday to join the team for our long run.
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
im alive!
after 5 days in bed im finally feeling better and unfortunately, back at work. well actually its not too unfortunate. 5 days during a small heatwave in my 6th floor un-airconditioned apartment wasnt all fun and games. im very happy and ever so thankful that my office is over airconditioned for once!
i dont think i will be up to running for another few days but in the meantime i am going to try and rebuild strength with different foods in my diet. as long as these foods can go in a blender, im golden!
on friday i did write a post about my thursday workout that i will put up later. the internet was acting wonky before i left for the dentist and after dentist i was in no shape to be blogging! my surgery and recovery went well. thankfully i have the best mama (who stayed 2 extra days!!) to take care of me.
i dont think i will be up to running for another few days but in the meantime i am going to try and rebuild strength with different foods in my diet. as long as these foods can go in a blender, im golden!
on friday i did write a post about my thursday workout that i will put up later. the internet was acting wonky before i left for the dentist and after dentist i was in no shape to be blogging! my surgery and recovery went well. thankfully i have the best mama (who stayed 2 extra days!!) to take care of me.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)