can't never could because can't never would

2009-10-24T08:13:00.000-07:00

im back!

thank you so much to everyone who donated this season to my event. the nyc nike team in training team (130 of us) raised $525.085 for the leukemia & lymphoma society! amazing!

so, now, dont you want to know how it was?!!

leading up to my flight to california my nerves were a wreck. with lindsay no longer coming along i was terrified. yes i was traveling with my team but it i didnt really know anyone including my roommate and fear of the unknown was making me crazy. i didnt know what to pack, i had no idea how to get to newark airport and even though i had a packet with outlined details of my adventure ahead it might as well have been written in japanese.

i left my apartment at the butt crack of dawn on friday morning. (our flight wasnt until 11:30 but what if i got lost in new jersey and missed the flight?!) to my great surprise getting to newark from penn station is easy as pie and i made it safely to the continental group check-in 3 hours before departure. i met an equally neurotic traveler and fellow teammate and the check-in area and began to calm down- a little.

our flight was long but smooth and continental made those 5 hours less brutal by serving a real meal and having tv's in each seat with direct tv and on demand movies! we finally arrived around 3 in the afternoon in sunny san francisco. we all refreshed and regrouped then headed to the Nike Women's Marathon expo in Union Square to pick up our official race packets.

we spent a few hours exploring the marathon expo and got to test drive some pretty cool things like spin bikes that made smoothies and flavored air. there were stations to make signs and stickers for race day and lots of food samples. to my surprise nike flew my friend paul to sanfran for the weekend to work the event. i ran into him at the lunar glide shoe trials!

once we left the expo, the girls and i headed over to the niketown store to buy some race souveniers and to find our names on the wall. the store transforms its exterior during marathon weekend and lists every participants name. lucky for me, my name was closer to the bottom and easy to find!

2009-10-13T15:47:00.000-07:00

T-5 days!
http://pages.teamintraining.org/nyc/nikesf09/aolear

2009-10-10T07:42:00.000-07:00

1 week and 1 day until marathon day and still no running for this girl. im trying to keep my attitude positive and rerouting my energy into other activities.

throughout my training i always felt that my upper body and abdominals could use a little more attention but never gave them the time they deserved. keeping off my feet doesnt mean keeping out of the gym entirely. and my apartment building has been sans hot water for a few days now so i had to go there anyway, might as well workout! ive been concentrating on my arms, chest, and abdominals and hitting the female friendly weight room at my new york sports club.

core strength is important in athletes, it involves your supportive muscles in your trunk and hips. it provides a solid base which is key to supporting a strong stride... aka running faster with less effort. sweet. maybe this time off will benefit my running once im back on my feet.

in other news, my roommate for san fransico might not be able to go at all! she had an MRI on thursday evening and received the results this morning, stress fracture! that means absolutely no running for miss lindsey. 2 weeks on crutches and 2-4 weeks after that in a boot. im thankful that my injury is less serious than what shes going through. fingers crossed for speedy recoveries for the both of us.

2009-10-03T07:19:00.000-07:00

bad new bears my friends. i made it to Queens for the half marathon 2 weeks ago. but i only saw mile 13 from the side lines. after my run on tuesday, i woke up wednesday morning barely being able to walk. i figured i had just done something funky the previous night and id have to walk it off and then id be fine. well- ive been hobbling it off for over two weeks now and, finally, today (18 days later) has been the first day im walking like a human and not a neanderthal.

ive been seeing a chiropractor since last monday. so ive only been in active treatment for about a week. i guess im healing quickly...? either way its frustrating. the marathon is 15 days short days away and my training has come to a complete hault. im trying to keep as positive as i can but as you can imagine i just want to run!

prayers and positive energy are greatly appreciated ( as are donations!) whether ill be running or dragging myself 26.2 miles in san fran, im crossing the finish line.

2009-09-16T09:09:00.000-07:00

at practice last night we had a little race and ran the 5mi loop of central park. we approached the "race" in thirds using the 3 p's... patience, pacing, and pride. the 3 p's is a type of progression run and the idea behind it is simple - start slower, finish faster.

because everyone runs at a different pace we had to do our own calculations on how to conquer each third, but it was simple math and i figured it out (without a calculator thankyouverymuch.) here's the breakdown...

i wanted to run a 9 minute mile for 5 miles. so,
9 x 5 = 45, the number of minutes it should take me to finish the loop
45/3 = 15 minutes per third of my run

easy peasy right? now how to run it...

the 1st third, patience.
start off slow, run conservatinvely and hold back a little.

2nd third, pacing.
pick up the pace. run strong and comfortably. know youre working but remain in control of everything, especially your breathing.

final third, pride.
time to show off. at this point you should be able to run your fastest and really push yourself. i like to play a little fishing game. i find something (a horse and carraige, someone wearing a bright color, traffic light, etc.) in the distance and go after it.

using the 3 p's i PR'ed (made a personal record) last night for the 5mi loop and felt the best i ever have after finishing it.

sunday is the queen's half marathon where ill be putting my 3 p's to the ultimate test, a timed race!

2009-09-14T10:58:00.000-07:00

bright and early sunday morning i met ashley and kristin in the middle of central park west and we joined 25,000 of other participants for the komen 5k race for the cure in central park. this race kicked off the 2009 race which will be held on october 31st.

Cynthia Nixon, Uma Thurman, Gabrielle Union, Stephen Colbert, Donna Hanover, Judge Judy Sheindlin, Senator Charles Schumer, Governor David Paterson and Mayor Michael Bloomberg were all there. oh! and Cindy Lauper sang the national anthem!

the brightroom photos havent been put up yet on their website but below are a few of my own from race day

[kristin, ashley, me]

the finish line

cute kiddies

2009-09-07T07:42:00.000-07:00

i am officially physically ready for the 26.2 that awaits me in 5 short weeks!

last saturday i sort of slept through practice. it was rainy and gross outside, who doesnt love to sleep in a little on a rainy saturday morning? however i didnt sleep in too late and got my butt on the road by 8. ive been gradually increasing my mileage every week by 1 or 2 miles. my longest workout had been 17miles so last week i tapered my workout to 12.21.

tapering is an important part of training. but in a world with a "just do it" philosophy, sometimes it is over looked. tapering means to cut back on training which allows our bodies to repair muscles and build back up to peak strength. over training can lead to 1.) hitting a "wall" towards the end of your race or 2.) complete burnout. no fun!

so last week i tapered and this week i ran 20 miles like a champ.

our team took another field trip on saturday and headed way uptown to nose bleed new york city (178th street) to run the george washington bridge. we ran over the mile long bridge and into new jersey where we ran the shaded, and very hilly, paths of palisades park.

i hit my "wall" around mile 18 but with help from my running partner, assistant coach mike, i pushed through and finished the 20 strong and feeling great. i think running on brandy new shoes played a role in my discomfort during those 2 miles and maybe not the smartest thing to do during a long run but whats done is done and i had no pain in my feet after the run or the next day. 1 blister, but i think ill live.

we are returning to the GW bridge again next saturday and on sunday a few of my girlfriends and i are participating in the komen race for the cure 5k in central park.

the following sunday is the queens half marathon. running a timed half marathon before a full marathon gives you a good idea how youll run the full race. i havent set a goal pace/time for the race yet and im not sure if i will. i might just run it how my body wants to and see what happens!

2009-09-04T12:23:00.001-07:00

ive been awful about updating but thats only because the real world and the running world have been keeping me either in the office or on the road. its a fun busy but still very busy!

okay back track...

Nike + human race kick off - August 17th 2009

The LLS partnered with Nike as the official charity sponsor for this years Human Race event. On October 24th, or better known as the day the world runs, runners from across the globe will compete in a 10k. Its a virtual run meaning anyone with Nike+ technology can compete and upload their results to the web but there are also host cities where an actual head to head competition will take place. New York City is the official US city.

On Monday night, August 17th, a few TNT'ers joined the Nike team to kick off the event at the South Street Seaport beach. Yes, beach. Our 5mi run concluded with a trip over the Brooklyn Bridge. We ran single file all wearing red glow sticks. It must've looked awesome. Luckily there was photographer and the pictures are to be used in the national campaign for the race!

You can join the race by registering on the Nike website.

Ryan Hall, 3rd from left, came for a Q&A. He's kind of a big deal in the running world.

Erin & Lindsay's Fundraiser at the Mean Fiddler - August 27th, 2009

My girlfriends had a joint fundraiser at a bar in Midtown West on Thursday night. The raised over $800 for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society!

[lindsay, erin, me]

Sunset & Suds 5k - August 27th, 2009

Urban Athletics & the New York Harriers hosted a 5k that started and ended at the Hudson Beach Cafe (yes, beach again!) It was a quick fun race that ended with free beer. The event technically ended around 10p but the party didnt stop then. Thursday night is karaoke night and so we moved our party to Brother Jimmy's and sang into the wee hours of the morning!

TNT ladies [ dani, tracey, leanna, erin, me ]

it was robs birthday!

2009-08-27T11:25:00.000-07:00

Tuesday night I graduated from hills! Below is my official TNT Hill Certificate!

2009-08-22T14:04:00.000-07:00

ive been reading a lot about how cycling for cross training and recovery is very beneficial to runners and has even been proven to help you run faster. ive tried spinning once before at my gym. it was awful, so naturally i was hesitant to try again despite all the good things ive been reading.

my girlfriend leigh is an avid spinner and raves about her spinning studio. on friday morning i decided to put all her good talk to the test and join her for a class. the experience i had at soul-cycle was amazing! it completely changed my strong feelings of hate towards the sport.

as apposed to my last spinning experience the instructors at soul-cycle understood i was a first timer and really took the time to make sure everything was just right before class. they made sure my shoes were the right fit and i was comfortable on the bike. proper seat and handle bar adjustments were made for my body. there was no guess work on my part.

the studio was kept dark and the music loud. it was sweaty and motivating.

i usually rest on fridays in order to give my body a break before saturdays long run. the class was challengeing enough to make me feel like i had a good workout but didnt exhaust me either. i would love to be able to spin every friday morning from now on but its a little on the pricey side so its not really an option. however, im now armed with new knowledge of how i should feel on the bike and i am open to trying another class at the gym.

my long run this morning felt really good! im not sure if it had to do with the weather, all the yummy food i ate for dinner last night at landmarc, the spinning, or a combination of it all. all i do know is that i ran 17 strong miles today and it felt awesome!!

there was no picture taking during our last week of summer streets because it was raining and my camera is already crappy enough, no need to add water. we started at bethesda and ran south to chambers street where we crossed over to the west side highway. normally running the highway on a sunny day is brutal, theres little shade and water fountains are sparse. but because of thunderstorms lingering in the area it was cool and pleasant. we headed back to the park at 72nd street and finished our workout with the 6mi loop. my running buddies for the day, stephanie and natalie, kept conversation and encouragment flowing and we all survived the 17 together strong.

2009-08-18T07:16:00.000-07:00

i sleep in later on weekday mornings than on the weekends due to the early start times of all our running events!

sunday morning i was up at the crack off dawn to go cheer on my fellow teammates who were running the nyc half marathon! the race started at 7am at the engineers gate in central park (90th & 5th ave) so i knew i needed to make it to times square before 7:30 to see the front runner come through.

the nyc half starts in central park and completes 1 and half full loops before sending runners through the heart of times square and over to the west side highway. the race continues down the west highway finishing at battery park city.

by attending other races you pick up pointers for when your own race day approaches. things like where to put your name on your singlet so people can see it clearly and cheer your name. big black letters on a white background stand out or big white letters against the purple of the TNT singlet look great too!

as people run by and see the race photographs they throw out different poses like two thumbs up or victory arms. i think that peace signs are way over done and making a sad face just sends the wrong message.

the last important thing i learned is to always make sure you look like your enjoying yourself. you never know where your teamates are going to pop up and be cheering you on!

here are a few of my photos from sundays race...

team in training on the reuters big screen in times square!

the front runner & winner of the 1/2 marathon

here they come!

2009-08-16T08:03:00.000-07:00

saturday morning continued our out of the park running adventures! this weeks long run took us from battery park city, over the brooklyn bridge and into downtown brooklyn. we ran through fort green and williamsburg and then over the williamburg bridge back to manhattan. our route joined with a few blocks of summer streets before cutting cross town to the west side highway. we ran down the west side of the island finishing back at urban athletics in the downtown winter gardens of bpc.

i was resting and stretching with a few of my teammates after our run and i made a comment about feeling gritty and gross because i was covered with dirt from the road. turns out it wasnt dirt i was covered in, in fact it was salt that i had sweated out during the past 15miles!

generally when we sweat it contains salt (our pee too)- it's what allows us to excrete water and helps to cool us down. because we were running in extreme heat yesterday our sweat was evaporating and leaving the salt crystals behind. kind of cool, right?!

losing too much salt during a workout is a bad thing and can ultimately lead to a condition called hyponatremia, which means low sodium levels in the blood. sodium is required for our bodies to function properly so while working out its not only important to hydrate and replace the water that is lost but to also maintain sodium levels.

sports drinks are a good way to replenish the body of electrolytes and salt but they arent for everyone. personally, gatorade during a run upsets my stomach. instead i opt for "salt licks" or "salt shots."

licks and salts arent too glamours, they taste like the ocean, but desperate times call for desperate measures! we took a pit stop at a mcdonalds and grabbed a few of those mini salt packets from the condiment trays. all you do is pour the packet in your palm, lick it all up and chase with water. very simple and very necessary.

the red lines marks our route

Brooklyn Bridge

not all graffiti is ugly

approaching williamsberg hill... i mean bridge

mile 7 and still smiling [ erin & me ]

"oy vey!"

willys bridge

regroup at the end of willys bridge

hydrate! hydrate! hydrate!

crunch gym outdoor fitness class

2009-08-11T11:40:00.000-07:00

at the start

breaking the tape

go team!

2009-08-10T08:39:00.000-07:00

there's a rule in distance running that states "nothing new on race day" meaning dont wear a new pair of shoes, try a new brand of gels, change your stretching routine, etc, etc. you dont know where those new shoes might rub and cause blisters, what the gels might do to your tummy or accidently pull a muscle- you dont want or need any surprises on race day.

pretty much every week i add something new to my training and take it for a test drive. this weekend kicked off summer streets and i really wanted to bring my camera so i introduced the runners pak. now, this isnt your mothers "fanny" pack from those summer family vacation days, its sporty and chic!

it held my camera and 3 gels and wasnt a nuisance. it stayed snug around my hips the entire workout. the pak is definitely a keeper and will be with me on race day! (i recommend nathan sports 5k runners pak)

the first day of summer streets was great! tnt kicked off the event at 7:30am along with the commissioner of transportation, janette sadik-khan at foley square. i ran a half marathon distance (13 miles) in 2hrs and 15mins with bathroom and water breaks along the way. it was awesome to be able to run freely down the streets of nyc and not have to worry about being hit by a speedy taxi or tourist bus. im looking forward to this upcoming weekend when we run over the brooklyn and williamsburg bridges!

tnt booth at foley square

coach ramon giving us his pre-event kickoff pep talk

getting ready!

the girls who keep me going erin and tracey

thank you! thank you! thank you!

2009-08-07T09:13:00.000-07:00

a giant thank you to everyone who came out last night & helped me raise over $400 for the leukemia & lymphoma society!!

i cannot begin to describe how truly grateful i am to all my friends, coworkers and to all the strangers who came out, or rather in, to the bait shack last night and donated! i had surprise visitors from as "far" as rhode island to as close as my darling next door neighbors popping in to show their support :)

the turn out for my first fundraiser was bigger and better than i could have imagined. i feel blessed to have such a amazing group of cheerleaders that aren't afraid to risk brain freezes and upset stomachs for swamp water races and the embarrassment of belting out 80's ballads or disney classics during karaoke.

of course none of this could have been at all possible without the bottomless hospitality of my brother jimmy's team!... to jon who gave me the "go", melissa for supplying the bracelets, mike who oversaw the event, sammy who guarded all the funds and to the greatest bartenders a girl could have asked for, KATIE AND TROY! (that's them below!)

the infamous "swamp water"

anthony & bob doing "you've lost that lovin' feeling"
a little top gun is always a crowd pleaser!

2009-08-04T09:14:00.001-07:00

i am very much looking forward to this weekends practice! not only am i excited to increase my run and surpass another "mile"stone but this saturday also kicks off summer streets!

every year, for 3 weekends in august, the DOT closes down park avenue from 72nd street to the brooklyn bridge to car traffic and opens it up for bicyclists, walkers, and of course runners! crunch fitness holds exercise classes along the route turning the city into an outdoor gym.

TNT is venturing away from our beloved bethesda terrace and heading downtown to run over the brooklyn bridge. im pretty sure we can all run the 6 mile loop in the park with our eyes closed by now and a change of scenery will do us good!

i intend to bring my camera along which should make for an interesting run for me and a great treat for all of you later!

sweet saturdays

2009-08-01T08:50:00.000-07:00

its just past noon. ive already accomplished a great deal and have much to tell about it :)

first things first, this morning i ran 10 miles! woohoo! the park was crazy crowded with NYRR's long training run in progress but it made for great people watching and helped keep my mind off the miles. this is my longest run to date!

i had my first experience with energy gels during this mornings workout. energy gels are very beneficial to the distance runner by delivering a direct boost of carbohydrates to the body. theres no fat, protein or fiber giving them rapid onset and making them easy to digest. energy gels also promote recovery and enhance overall performance while on a long run.

gels are taken every 40-45mins with a water chaser. they come in a variety of tasty and not-so-tasty flavors. this morning i tried strawberry banana which was pretty good. but my second one was chocolate and oh! hello cake batter! delicious!

i noticed a difference in my pace, energy etc. compared to last weeks 9 mile workout. i will definitely be carrying gels with me on my long runs from now on. they're cheap too running about $1 each or $20 for a 24 pack.

^these guys are always in the mall playing as we finish up practice on saturday mornings.

on my way home from practice i grabbed 2 bags of ice at the grocery store and prepared for my first ice bath. "brrrr" is right!

long runs are essential when training for a marathon but they also increase risk of injury. seeing as ive already been nursing an injury and dont want to push it further, i sucked it up and braved the infamous "ice bath"

fancily termed cryrotherapy an ice bath constricts blood vessels and decreases metabolic activity in the muscles, reducing swelling and tissue breakdown. great idea based on the long term effects but no sugar coating here, its FREEZING!

best advice if youre thinking of diving into an ice bath of your own, be prepared... and i dont just mean mentally! if you just fill up the tub and sit, trust me, youre in for the longest 15 to 20 minutes of your life. think back to when being put in a 5 minute time-out felt like eternity. same deal!

wear a sweatshirt, hat, gloves, ski mask, whatever it takes to keep your top half warm. bring a book, make a playlist of all your favorite songs, do anything it takes to distract your mind from the fact that your sitting in freezing cold water voluntarily. i dont recommend talking on the phone. lets be real, its not smart and we all know, it probably wont end well. the first 5 minutes are torture but after a while you do get used to it. really! ha!

follow up with a nice warm shower (take off all your arctic gear first) this will help the return of blood flow quickly to the tissues and aide in getting the byproducts of cellular breakdown to your lymphatic system ( very important) and of course a warm shower will also help in thawing the rest of your body out!

2009-07-31T09:59:00.000-07:00

my first fundraiser date has been set and the invitations sent! yay! fingers crossed for an unbelievable turnout and lots of money raised!

where the wild things are

2009-07-30T08:24:00.000-07:00

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!

2009-07-28T10:23:00.000-07:00

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!

2009-07-27T08:19:00.000-07:00

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...

what goes up, must come down, right?!

2009-07-24T08:58:00.001-07:00

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!

Run For Central Park

2009-07-19T08:06:00.000-07:00

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!

2009-07-16T08:35:00.000-07:00

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

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

"now you wouldn't believe me if I told you,

2009-07-15T07:26:00.000-07:00

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.

new kicks- please excuse pigeon-toed-retard stance

2009-07-14T09:20:00.000-07:00

"Mama says they was magic shoes.
They could take me anywhere. "

2009-07-13T12:35:00.000-07:00

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!

who knew?!

2009-07-10T11:32:00.001-07:00

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!

2009-07-10T06:52:00.000-07:00

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 !!

all systems are go!

2009-07-07T10:40:00.000-07:00

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...

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.

obviously measuring distance is very important when training to run 26.2 very long miles. but the longer you run for the longer distance youll go right!?

still no running

2009-07-03T08:37:00.000-07:00

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.

im alive!

2009-07-01T08:27:00.000-07:00

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.

no pain, no gain

2009-06-26T07:41:00.000-07:00

For temporary foot pain relief i made a small but valuable investment in some new sneaker insoles. They're priced anywhere between $11 and $24 and i picked mine up at the CVS near my apartment.

The inside of shoes (especially for people running 25, 30, 40, miles per week) can breakdown way before the outsides have seen any wear and tear at all. Your shoes might still look brand spanking new but the support and cushion are kaput. back, hip and foot pain are clear signs it's time to replace. New shoes are the best option, however, for this city girl on a budget i have to squeeze a few more miles out of my kicks before getting a new pair. i went with recessionista plan A and hit the foot care isle at the pharmacy.

I usually try to buy the store brand versions of products but when it comes to my face and my feet i stick with trusted name brands. Dr. Scholls makes replacement insoles specifically designed for athletes with their trademark "gellin" in all the right places as well as added arch and shock support. i swapped out the old for the new and hit the pavement.

Germaine was coming in for the weekend to play nurse and take care of me during wisdom teeth recovery. (she's the best) in the event i planned last nights workout around picking her up at the train station.

warming up from 92nd and 3rd avenue to 92nd and 5th i then headed to the 72nd street transverse to cut across the park to Central Park West. From there i did a quick loop around Columbus Circle and then continued south down 8th avenue to 31st street.

going down 8th avenue at midtown was a BAD IDEA. lesson learned, i shouldve taken 9th ave but i was worried about being on time. i probably wouldve saved time in the long run (ha ha) cutting out slowpoke tourist traffic but i was just so excited!

during my run i barely realized it was a thousand degrees because i felt like i was running on clouds! The new insoles make a big difference in my stride and comfort. new shoes to come soon but until then i wont be risking injury.

headed to the oral surgeon now, fingers crossed for an easy procedure and quick recovery!

30% chance of rain

2009-06-25T07:09:00.000-07:00

im really glad that the 30% chance of rain waited until i went out for my run to prove itself. it literally poured from the minute i left my apartment until i got back home from my workout. at least i got to test out my new waterproof jacket. uhh... it works!

i did a quick easy and very wet 3 yesterday before heading to the TNT summer social at the park. the restaurant is beautiful! definitely a place i plan to hit up again for dinner or drinks.

thankfully the weather cleared up and the sun came out just as i arrived! i met up with my girlfriend jennie at the party. (shes run/walking the nike 1/2 marathon) we didnt do a very good job mingling with our other teammates. we just gossiped and caught up with eachothers lives for most of the evening. new friend kristin that i met at tuesdays practice did come later in the night with her roommate, [fill in the blank i cant remember her name]. the four of us sat and chatted for a while. i think that counts as getting to know your teammates, right?

the party was still going strong around 11 but by that time this old lady decided it was time to peace out.

working, lunching with erbear, long run scheduled later this afternoon and then picking up mama at the train station! woohoo! teeth out tomorrow morning. boo.

"todays practice is going to suck"

2009-06-24T07:35:00.000-07:00

and it did! not because it was a terribly long or hard workout but because it was humid as hell and a quarter of the way through i got my first major side splitting cramp of my running career.

i asked coach ramon for his best cramp advice and he gave me 2 options to try.

option 1; run with your arms in the air. i DO NOT recommend this. not only to you look retarded but it makes it so hard to keep running and it just doesnt work.

option 2; jab your fingers as hard as you can into the cramp and exhale with force until the cramp is relieved. winner! you can do this while maintaining your pace, you dont look as stupid and the best part, it works!

once the cramp was gone the rest of my workout was smooth sailing... er, running... it was nice to finally run with the team. i wish the wisdom teeth werent coming out on friday. i would have loved to participate in the clinic and two races scheduled for the weekend. oh well, next time!

all four wisdom teeth come out friday morning. germaine is coming into the city tomorrow night to take care of me for the weekend. fingers crossed everything will go well with the extractions and i dont die! ay, please keep me in your thoughts and prayers. im very nervous about the whole thing.

tonight is our all team summer social at the park. it will be nice to mingle with other teammates and start to get to know a brand new circle of city friends.

now hopefully the rain holds off again today at least until after the social. im soo tired of carrying my raincoat everywhere and having giant 80s hair! there's a 30% chance of rain, low, but still a chance, ugh!

"rain never hurt a runner... but lightening might!"

2009-06-23T07:22:00.001-07:00

fortunately there was no lightening last night and although my run was soggy id say it was refreshing!

last nights workout: run to park (approx .5 mi) 2 times around lower bridle loop (1.66m each/ 3.32mi total) run home. workout total 4.32mi! a nice easy run but my feet KILL today! time for new shoes!

team practice tonight. we're doing 2 lower loops of the park weather permitting. and according to weather.com's forecast, so far so good! starting this week we are working on our effort levels aka figuring out how much we can challenge and how much we should challenge ourselves during workouts. this week E2 and E3.

sending out more letters today. hopefully the donations will start coming in soon!

on your mark, get set...!

2009-06-19T16:29:00.000-07:00

ive never been much of a "blogger" but after setting marathon dreams and then getting the opportunity to run one, i figured "hey why not take my friends and family along for the ride?" with that being said, dont worry, you wont have take part in any of the actual running (unless of course you want too!)

this website was set up to let you track my training and fundraising progress, feel my pain and suffering and the highs and lows along the way and of course cheer me and my fellow teammates on to the finish line!

now about those teammates... if you havent received a letter from me in the mail or your inbox yet, expect one soon! i am running the nike women's marathon on october 18th in san fransicso as a team member of the leukemia and lymphoma society's team in training. this dedicated group of individuals is on a mission to raise money and find a cure of blood cancers. team in training has raised millions of dollars over the years to put up a tough fight against these diseases and its not over yet.

i hope that you will join in the fight and support our efforts. there are several ways to make a donation but the easiest way is online. you can visit my fundraising page and click on the "donate now" icon on the right hand side of the page to get started! there is no such thing as a small donation. every penny, nickel, dime at quarter are appreciated and pushes us one stride closer to a cure!

alright enough blabbing its time to start RUNNING! i hope you check back often!

xx, ao

2009-06-19T11:53:00.001-07:00