METCON3

Today I went to METCON3 at the Woodbury Equinox. This is my second METCON3 class, and I'm becoming kind of obsessed with it. The 9 AM Sunday class at Woodbury is taught by John Kocaj. I have also attended the 10 AM Saturday class at Roslyn with Steve Ramirez. I really liked both, but I've been told that every instructor's class differs.

METCON3 is a "high-intensity metabolic conditioning workout [that] taxes all 3 energy systems and acts like a fat-incinerator to ensure results that leave you fit and motivated for the demands of your life," according to Equinox's class description. I have found that it is an hour of awesome.

We performed three sets of ten exercises with no very little rest in between exercises. I needed to rest and readjust my shrunken Champion C9 razor back top (okay, maybe it's just too small.) There are thirty seconds of rest in between each set.

Today John had us using a set of heavy weights, a VIPR, and a mat. We did squats, curtsies, deadlifts, a lot of plank work, and rows. I haven't used a VIPR in forever, and I forgot how much I enjoy using this piece of equipment. I also enjoyed when John brought me over the heavier red VIPR because the purple one was too easy for me. Booyah!

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Steves class used a body bar in place of the VIPR and we used a small step. My first METCON3 class was Steve's, and I had just attended a spin class. I thought I was going to die. And throw up. And die while throwing up. This is actually what I look for in a workout, so I was thrilled.

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I like that this class is broken into three sets because the first set is just hard, the second set you get your shit together, and the third set is balls to the wall because you can pass out on the mats in the stretching section of the gym when you're done with a sense of accomplishment.

I was a sweaty mess by 10 AM, showered and dressed by 10:30 AM, and off running errands in a car with no gas by 10:35 AM. If I'm going to be out of bed at all on a Sunday, I want to feel like I conquered the world. That's why I can't do Sunday morning yoga.

Although I didn't do yoga today, John had us to a lot of side planks, including that threading the needle business that really targets my obliques. I should remember to do those when I'm drunkenly doing push-ups in my kitchen. (Sometimes I feel really guilty for skipping the gym to go the bar and then I do push-ups when I get home to justify my behavior. No joke.)

I came home from the gas station (yes, I finally went) committed to not eating crap (I ate Cheeze Doodles yesterday and then worried about my insides turning orange permanently), so I busted out the blender and made a smoothie. This is a smoothie and not a shake because there is no protein powder at my parents' house. What kind of kitchen these people are running is beyond me. Anyway, I put frozen peaches, frozen raspberries, dried rolled oats, coconut milk, and a little honey into the blender and had this tasty snack. Then I ate left over swordfish and spaghetti twenty minutes later.

Forty-five, fifty, and sixty-minute METCON3 classes are offered all over this great city of ours. If you'd like to start going with me, I'm thinking about hitting up 85th and Lex and 50th and Broadway. Comment below or send me a text if we are FIRL (friends in real life, duh.)

AHA Wall Street Run 2012

On Thursday, May 31 I ran the American Heart Association Wall Street Run. It's a 3 mile race around the Financial District. I ran it last year and was excited to try it again but with an actual time. (Stupid bib and website issues screwed me last year. My watch said my time was 22:00 even in 2011.)

So this year I didn't have the luxury of dicking around my apartment for an hour before the race. I was having the day from hell at work, left to run this thing, and then had to head back to the office. God bless 16 hour days!

T and I met at the Tribeca Equinox to get changed for the race. Conveniently, it is located right near the starting line. We got dressed and met up with the Professor. Then we waited for the race to start.

And we waited some more.

And some more.

The race started 7 minutes late. The announcements were lame and no one could hear. There are also no corrals for this race. I love watching people figure out where they think they should line up.

I finished my itsy bitsy bottle of water waiting for the race. I tried to lighten my load for this 3 mile race (I even ditched the Garmin!) and brought much less water than I normally carry. It was so humid though that I guzzled it while listen to Valerie Bertinelli run her mouth about Weight Watchers.

Finally they shot the gun and we all took off. Five hundred yards in and I had an awful case of dry mouth and was gasping for water. No time to stop though and I just keep trucking. T swears that there was a water station after the first mile, but I don't believe her.

I saw my friend S, who was volunteering for her 9+1. I waved and gave her a holler. Soon after, I decided that that IT band strap was driving me crazy (I forgot how sweaty it can get) and went to pull it off. Oh wait, I forgot how secure the velcro on that bad boy is and actually had to stop (try finding space in a sea of runners to stop) to get the thing off me.

The nice thing about running the same course is having a general idea of where the finish line should be. It couldn't come soon enough though. Something about the heat, the dust, the pollen, and the fact that I had to go back to work, and I felt like complete crap. And I had wicked blisters from my Nike Frees.

Next time I run this race I am going out drinking. Who's with me?

ASR9s Drop Just in Time for August Trail Running*

On Friday, Olivia from Lovely At Your Side asked, "Allie, which brand of sneakers (in a moderate price range) do you recommend for running? My New Balance's broke (for the second time in my life!), and I'd like to not have that happen again! Thanks, girl!"

I wear Brooks running shoes and I am currently wearing Adrenaline 11s and Ghosts 4s for road. There's a sale going on right now so if you have the right sized feet, go snap up some discount sneakers!

I'm also a Brooks wear tester. The ASR 9s finally hit the website almost a year after I got my first pair in the mail. I'll let you in on a secret. They're already designing the 10s. I have wear tested two pairs of ASR 9s and I like them. I've run a trail race in them, completed a 20 mile road and trail long run in them, and sometimes wear them for road runs if it's raining. The pairs I tested were a lot more blue than black, but I am a fan of the finished product. If you wear Adrenalines for road and you are looking for a hybrid shoe, I definitely recommend these.

If you own the new ASR 9s or if you are an ASR 8 wearer, I'd love to pick your brain on how they handle technical trail.

*Not as exciting as the Air Jordan 7 Olympic that dropped last Saturday. There was a line around the block at Foot Locker in Herald Square.

Crescent Kicks and Camel Toe

I'm not even going to lie and pretend that I've been making it to the gym lately (I do have a few posts from last month that I will eventually publish, I promise). Today, in celebration of my new job offer and because I fucking felt like it, I went for a lunch time workout at 50th and Broadway.

Powerstrike is offered at 1:15 p.m. on Tuesdays and Omar Sandoval is the instructor. I love Omar. I love Omar's tight pants. And I absolutely loved that Omar remembered me and told me it was good to know that I was alive. I don't think I've seen him since March of 2011. Oops.

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The Powerstrike website says, "When you hear OMAR, students know they are going to get a workout. "The Titan" holds all five Powerstrike certifications is a Senior Instructor/Trainer for Powerstrike and has represented the company at ECA and Nike conventions, along with starring in all the recent DVDs. Omar's unique energy, Latin sense of rhythm and flamboyant personality contrast dynamically with his large, often intimidating, figure to create a dynamic class environment unlike any. As Omar says, 'Simple. Easy.'"

So I've been to Powerstrike before and it was never easy. Today I was pretty much able to follow the choreography. Probably because I had no muscle memory and was actually paying attention. Powerstrike kickboxing mixes martial arts and aerobics (so basically it's just better cardio kickboxing, with the exception of Yves' classes because those are pure magic!) so you're getting toned and sweating your ass off. I didn't really sweat that much today, but I think it's because my body is doing weird things and not because the workout wasn't hard. (Or maybe I didn't take enough Ritalin today? I hate when I forget if I've taken it or not.)

I have these grey Nike spandex shorts that are no joke ten years old. Bought them when I was 15 at Choate running cross country, so they are actually closer to eleven years old. Super comfortable, but today they kept riding up with every crescent kick. Hello camel toe. If anyone wants to buy me (or even recommend) spandex shorts, I'm always open to presents (and suggestions.)

I promise to actually start blogging again. Lately I've been in a super funk. It's not related to being dumped or even worried about not having a job. I definitely blame my inability to get out of bed on this stupid Depo Provera shot I got on May 31. My doctor said it might be the cause, but now I have to get my thyroid checked on Thursday to make sure that I am not a lethargic mess because my thyroid is out of whack.

And for everyone who was worried that I'd be homeless and unemployed, I was offered the job I desperately wanted yesterday. And by desperately, I mean I would have given my future unborn children and my left foot. Booyah - guess who's a manager now?

Marathon Training?

Last Monday I finally went for a long run. It occurred to me that I have a few marathons this fall and that I should I probably train for them.

Knowing that I had an important job interview the next day (still waiting to see if I made the second round), I took off for Central Park. I even gave my Garmin enough time to locate its satellites before leaving.

It was really hot out and I haven't been for a run in a long time. I brought a bottle of water but also realized I hadn't really eaten all day. I just don't feel that hungry anymore and then I eat a bunch of junk at night. I decided to focus less on my performance and use the run to get outside of my head for a while.

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My face after getting up the first Harlem Hill and seeing this piece of work.

You've got to be kidding me...

Yeah, I scored these Zog Sports shades at Governors Ball.

It didn't really work that way. Instead I was entirely in my head, planning the many different ways I might one day run into the most recent ex. I've put a lot of thought into this (hello 9 miles!) and I still can't decide if I actually miss him, or if I'm struggling to comprehend how someone could dump me and then not drunk dial me for an entire month. Yes. An entire month. This guy either has the greatest restraint of all time, or he hates me. As more time passes, I think it's the latter. And that's what bothers me so much. What did I do to him? For years I have been able to take responsibility for the failure of my relationships. I'd have broken up with myself to be honest. But this is eating at me. I've never believed it when people claim, "It's not you, it's me," but maybe this time it was him?

The benefit of obsessively plotting out future encounters (which will never happen because I can't imagine ever having a reason to visit the areas he frequents) is that I added distance to my run. I had entered the park at 84th near the Met and made a counterclockwise loop. When I got to the east side of the 79th traverse, I made a left for an additional Columbus Circle loop. I hit 9 miles after exiting the park and running back down 5th towards 82nd Street.

9 miles.

It was a good run, made better by my newer pair of Adrenaline 11s. Long runs suck in shoes with no cushioning. I'm over the barefoot running movement. I just wish I had remembered to get dinner before leaving for the run because I definitely bonked while figuring out what to eat.

Just a little delirious.