Running with emotions

16. June 2015 · 2 comments · Categories: running, Uncategorized · Tags: , , , , ,

Hi there!

How goes it? My weekend included back to back runs on Saturday and Sunday and let me say so many of my emotions were running along with me.

Saturday I woke up at 4am.

The 4am look

The 4am look

I haven’t had the chance to actually run with my friends in so long (I did get to spectate and see them at the Brooklyn half) that I made it my business to partake when I saw Lisa post on our running group page that they planned to do a long run from Brooklyn to Manhattan. So I set out from Staten Island to Brooklyn and met them at 5:30am (we were trying to beat the heat)

Can't wait to run over this bridge in a few months

Can’t wait to run over this bridge in a few months

We ran over the Manhattan bridge and up the east side and then cut across 34th Street.

Brooklyn and Manhattan bridges

Brooklyn and Manhattan bridges

Mike and Lisa

Mike and Lisa

I only covered 7.75 miles with them but it was plenty of time to catch up. I had some work stuff to share. Mike was excited about his new cushioned running shoes. Lisa’s been dealing with eliminating different foods to see if they can pinpoint some sensitivity issues. She’s also already planning out NYC Marathon long runs. I love that she is so good at mapping out routes for us. We chatted about our friends who will be running an ultra this coming weekend. Just a little 100 miler. You know NBD!

all done by 7am!

all done by 7am!

Iced tea lemonade combo was my reward after those sticky hot miles.

Iced tea lemonade combo was my reward after those sticky hot miles.

It felt SO good to spend time with Mike and Lisa and get in the longest run I’ve had since completing the NJ Marathon on April 26th. My ankle and knee are both really doing well and I’m ready to start increasing my mileage slowly again while foam rolling and stretching DAILY to prevent future issues hopefully.

I hopped on the subway back to Brooklyn and then got in my car and drove back to Staten Island. Quite a trek but since we started out so early I was home before 9am and had a huge smile on my face. Total runner’s high!

Sunday morning Mr. SOTSS and I each went for a run. He passed me in the first 1/2 mile and then took a left while I took a right. I was only planning on running 3 miles but I had a lot on my mind. I was feeling a lot of angst and super emotional and got lost with my head movies. I ended up running 4.69 miles and really wanted to run longer but i was worried Mr. SOTSS would be worried that I was gone so long.

I sweat out the small stuff and the big stuff

I sweat out the small stuff and the big stuff

Did I mention Mr. SOTSS has some running overuse injuries too? He’s been doing his PT exercises and strength too. Very proud of him.

Duncan supervising while Mr. SOTSS strengthens his glutes

Duncan supervising while Mr. SOTSS strengthens his glutes

I took yesterday off although I did do some hip and glute strengthening and Duncan did too.

floor work!

floor work!

Today I’m just going to get a few quick easy miles in and tomorrow I’m going to meet up with a friend of mine for a morning run at the boardwalk.

So grateful that I have running to help me deal with all my highs and lows. And so grateful that I have running friends to share some of those highs and lows with. 

I’m also grateful for chocolate chip ice cream.

2 scoops!

2 scoops!

And of course Mr. SOTSS =)

What are you grateful for?

What’s your mood like these days? Are you feeling great or not so great?

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NYC Summer Streets Week 2 and CONS excitement—I’ll explain

11. August 2013 · Write a comment · Categories: running · Tags: , , , , ,

Hi everyone,

After a more serious post the other day I wanted to share a happy day yesterday. I met my running peeps (Jorge, Cinde, Elvia, Mike, Lisa and Shishaldin) for a long run in NYC to take advantage of the NYC Summer Streets event again. I ended up running about 14.5 while most everyone else went on to do 21.5. We got to experience this interactive light and sound exhibition in the Park Avenue tunnel which is right below Grand Central. This was the first time this tunnel has ever been open to pedestrians!

photo 5

i’m usually freaked out in tunnels. but this was fun.

 

photo courtesy of Jorge Lee

Running peeps! -photo courtesy of Jorge Lee

The we ran along Pershing Square and through Grand Central, heading up Park Avenue…

photo 3-1

It’s nice to be where pedestrians are usually not allowed.

Banana Boat had an activity area and we were so excited when we saw they were giving out FREE chocolate covered frozen bananas…

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get your mind outta the gutter! they are bananas! =)

That really gave me some much needed energy because I was feeling super slow and wasn’t even sure if I’d make it through our 6 mile Central Park loop. Even with Cat Hill (I walked some of it), I made it through the loop and ran straight to the subway to get back to my car and get home.

this is why they call it Cat Hill...

this is why they call it Cat Hill…

Ok now for the CONS explanation. CONS (Center of the Nation Series), is coming up in about a month. I think I’ve mentioned it before. It’s 5 marathons in 5 days in 5 states (ND, SD, WY, MT, NB). They offer half marathons each day too which is what I’ll be doing =) My friends are MUCH crazier. Roger, Elvia, Lisa, Mike and I will be the 5 wild ones headed out in September for this event. Roger lives in Massachusetts which makes him always feel sad that he can’t train with us on the weekends. So today Lisa brought a paper doll version and we took him with us.

Roger took the subway from Boston?

Roger took the subway from Boston?

paper roger and the girls

paper roger and the girls

And then I came home and used my creativity to make this awesome graphic that we’re gonna use for t-shirts.

for a good time call 555-CONS

for a good time call 555-CONS

We fly into South Dakota two days before the races start so we’re headed to Mt. Rushmore to check off a bucket list item of mine=)

I realize that I don’t usually run consecutive days, let alone 5 days straight. I think I’d better get in a few more weekly runs even if they are only 5 miles a piece….just to get my legs used to running 5 days straight. The rest of the group is actually out right now running another 20 miler!

Question: Have you ever done consecutive or back-to-back races? How do you train for it?

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NYC Summer Streets and more bridge love

03. August 2013 · 3 comments · Categories: running, Uncategorized · Tags: , , , ,

Well hello there e’ryone!

It’s a little after 12pm and I’m resting comfortably after a busy morning.  I hadn’t planned on meeting my “peeps” this weekend to run but when I remembered that it’s the start of Summer Streets here in NYC I didn’t want to miss out. Basically there are 7 miles of streets in the city that are closed to traffic and lots of fun free stuff to do like rock climbing and zip lining. But best of all lots of runners and bikers come to just enjoy streets with no cars. Lisa’s friend Stacey was joining us for the first time. She’s running her first marathon this fall at the NYC Marathon. She asked me questions and I answered like a seasoned pro runner who also ran NYC as my first marathon. Her big question was how to handle inclines. Gee, after 7 years I still can’t handle them. LOL!

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Boys and Girls meet Stacey…Lisa’s coworker who ALSO expressed interest in running. =)

We started at 6:30am in Brooklyn and within 2 miles we had run across the Brooklyn Bridge. I went photo crazy. I love random beauty in the city. And I’m starting to realize I have an unhealthy obsession with bridges (read this post and this post).

Locks of Love.

Locks of Love.

If you Google: locks on bridges, you’ll learn all about what I learned today. This Wikipedia link sums it up.

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random owl sticker.

This one is my fave of the day

This one is my fave of the day

 

Once we crossed into Manhattan from Brooklyn, we met up with Cindy. We passed a really beautiful firehouse on the Lower East Side.Then we got to where the rock climbing wall was. And passing through Chinatown early in the morning is not exactly fragrant…

stunning!

Engine 39 lookin fine. actually it’s Engine 31 but that doesn’t rhyme with fine. LOL.

 

The run didn't stink....just the block we were on....

Cindy and I Holding our noses on a stinky street corner and NOT because of Lisa. She just didn’t hear my last minute request for the nose pinching pose. Want to go rock climbing wall in SoHo anyone?.

Summer Streets goes for 3 weekends. So we’ll be doing this again next week. Today’s run totaled 10 miles. We stopped a whole lot for pictures and pottie breaks and kept our pace slow but the miles were logged. After my nice hard effort tempo in the rain on Thursday I enjoyed this relaxed run.

The NYC Marathon is just 3 months away! Today was a reminder to myself how important it is to really take in the sights when you’re running. It’s part of the joy of running outside for me and the reason treadmills aren’t my thing. Whether it’s a race or a training run. Don’t come home thinking only about the miles. On November 3rd I’ll be really trying to take in all the sights of the crowds and the crazy signs that people hold up. Hmmm, maybe I need to get a GoPro camera to video the whole thing?!

Question: Do you take pictures when running in races? Do you remember the funniest sign held by a spectator at any of your running events?

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