Area 13.1 2016

I ran the Area 13.1 Half Marathon on Saturday. I did this race back in 2014, but it was in November that year. In case you were wondering, the same course in August is a heck of a lot harder.

The Area 13.1 is a night race in Roswell, GA. It's alien-themed. Get it? Like Roswell, New Mexico? 

The race starts and ends at Riverside Park. There's free parking but you have to find it an available spot in one of the three parking lots. I had to pick up my race packet the day of so I arrived pretty early and had an hour to wait. After many trips to the porta-potties, we lined up and got ready to roll.

Throwback Thursday: Rite of Passage for NYC Runners

I found this draft from April 2012. I went running in Central Park with the Professor. We were running the east side of the loop up from Columbus Circle when someone's obnoxious and poorly behaved child ran out in the road and a horse carriage moved to get out of the way and then a cyclist cut into the running lane and another cyclist cut in around him. That cyclist proceeded to ride his bike right up my leg and over my body. He ended up crying, the Professor threatened him, the cyclist's friend tried to say something about peace, love, and happiness, and I was laughing on the ground saying that they all needed to shut the fuck up.

On Saturday I, as many NYC runners before me, was hit by a cyclist while running the Central Park loop. Straight up run over. Before you start crying, I'm fine.

I came home Saturday morning (I slept over the new boyfriend's place and went to bed at a very reasonable 11PM - I am so lame now) and ate a bagel while watching tv. The Professor asked to move our run up by a few hours, which was fine until I realized I hid my Garmin while I was drunkenly cleaning and I still don't know where it is. How I managed to lose something in my studio apartment is beyond me. Then I couldn't find my other Balega sock and was forced to wear regular socks for a long run. Eff.

I told myself that these were not bad omens and to suck it up. I ran to our meeting point and was super excited to see Mrs. Professor ready to run outside.

That boyfriend and I broke up soon after this when he started ignoring me. Then I woke up next to a coworker after the big gala and insisted that the sort of ex-boyfriend come and collect the things he left at my apartment. I found my Garmin in my gym bag. I still use it today.

Sunday Funday: Let's Pack as Much Fun Into Today as Possible

This morning I was in my car by 7:45 AM on my way to the Greenbelt Trail to meet my running friend Michael for a quick run. We were supposed to do the full 15ish mile loop yesterday but there was a bit of a miscommunication. Since I absolutely refuse to miss Oly Sunday if I am on Long Island, I had exactly one hour to run and not a minute more.

It was a warm 36 degrees this morning so I wore compression calves sleeves and compression arm sleeves underneath leggings, a tech long-sleeved shirt, and my winter running jacket. I also wore gloves and a hat.

As you can see, I am thrilled to be freezing my ass off in my car. 

Sniffles and a Shake Out Run

My allergies flared up like crazy after yesterday's WOD. Feeling like garbage, I struggled to fall asleep and I had a 6:20 AM run scheduled with the Professor.

2 AM. Wide awake. Don't I look sexy?

Some Runs I've Done

This morning I met the Professor for a run in Central Park. Today might be the first time he and I have ever done a weekday morning run come to think of it. It was a casual combination of road and the reservoir and we cut out onto the pavement at Columbus Circle.

Since I haven't posted a lot of my recent running photos and I just upgraded my picmonkey account, I made you some collages.

National Running Day

National Running Day is June 5th this year. Since I haven't been so great about running on National Running Day in previous years, I was adamant about running on this very special day in 2013.

And then this happened.

Guess who dragged her still drunk ass out of bed to go running and was out pounding the pavement by 5:38 AM? The drunk girl below making (what she thinks are) sexy faces at herself in the mirror.

Please take a moment to acknowledge how a diet of
Adderall chased by Ritalin has been really paying off.

I also found it appropriate to photograph my bruise. I think it might be time to reconsider spanking now that it's bikini season.

So I'm having the time of my life running over to Central Park and I see an apartment building where I used to wake up a lot. At least I think it's the apartment building I used to wake up in. I thought you all needed to know this so I took a photo.

For the second time ever, I beat T to the park! So I sat on a bench, checked in on foursquare, and took awkward selfies.

It's a little under 1.5 miles from my place to the park and then T and I ran the smaller loop which Garmin tells me is 5.6 miles. I headed over to Juice Generation for a Peanut Butter Split on the way back so I didn't really run much as I was busy enjoying a delicious breakfast treat. The beauty of running 7 miles in the morning is that you can pretty much sweat out all the alcohol and then feel awesome for a full day of work.

And I hope you appreciate that I wrote this post EXACTLY the way my drunk self intended.

Athletic Supporters

"If you can't be an athlete, be an athletic supporter." - Principal McGee, Grease

The best part of Rock The Ridge was my wonderful friends coming to see me. Fifty miles was a very daunting distance for me (and still is to be honest) and knowing that people I care about bothered to come to New Paltz was incredibly motivating.

I was running along mile twenty when I saw my friend and spinning instructor Tripp Doherty and his lady friend Janene. Tripp had told me that he would come up and ride the course on the day of the race, but to be honest, I didn't really believe it. It meant so, so much to me to see them both and I felt very loved. Tripp is a big inspiration in my life. Spending time with him has motivated me to push myself farther and harder than I had ever imagined. He also makes me want to be my best self. After one spin class where Tripp spoke about forgiveness, I ended a fight between my aunt and me that had become a major family argument. I don't know how many workout classes you have gone to that have changed the way you think and act, but I've been blessed to go to quite a few since Tripp started teaching at my local Equinox in 2007.

Tripp and me at the waterfall.
Photo courtesy of Janene

I met running friends at mile 19.4, named Kelly and Tommy. We stayed together for the rest of the race, but more about them later. Tripp and Janene rode their bikes along with us for much of the course. I really appreciated when they rode ahead and took awesome photographs for us.

photo courtesy of Janene

I cannot thank my friends Christina, Audrey, and Alyssa enough for coming up to watch me finish. Not only did I underestimate my finish time by over an hour and a half, forcing them to wait around, they missed the Kentucky Derby to watch me cross the line. They made me the beautiful banner you see below and came armed with yellow Gatorade and a sandwich. They also drove my car back to Westchester and set up the shower so I could wash the grime off my body. After so many hours on your feet, simple things like finding soap is a lot more difficult than you would imagine. These are real friends and I am so lucky to have them.

Running can be a pretty solitary sport but I have found trail running to be a community effort. Maybe it's the added distance, being surrounded by nature, or the type of people drawn to these kinds of events. I am so thankful for my wonderful friends traveling to share this special day with me.

Morning Run with T

After more than a week of taking it easy, I was itchy to get out and run. Yesterday I asked T if she'd be up for a 6 AM run in the park and because she's awesome, she said she was game.

I stayed up a little later than I wanted to because I had to see the Rangers school the Caps in a 5-0 shutout in Game 7. I'm not sure if I've ever shared my love of hockey on this blog, but it's my favorite sport to watch. And like many women, I want to have Lundqvist's babies. When my alarm went off at 5:30, I was surprisingly well-rested and got out of bed at 5:35.

It was really cold this morning. I wore pants and a long-sleeved tech shirt and I was still pretty chilled on my way to the park. This man, however, didn't seem phased by the frigid temperatures.

Our run was casual but not easy for me. My left knee feels a bit wonky, my right ankle is acting up, and my right hip feels a little geriatric. I feel pretty good though and I'm glad I managed 8.62 miles without collapsing on Cat Hill. The being said, I skipped Cat Hill the second time around and exited the park at 72nd.

My average pace was 9:35 but only because of my speedy first mile. I left my running keys (a specific set that only has the two keys I really need and no fobs, chains, or extras) with my super recently and I was concerned that my other set was going to leave me locked out of my apartment. The 3 minutes I spent testing  my door over and over made me a little late so I picked up the pace to meet T. I wish I had given myself enough time to get there on the front end and used that energy for the hills.

Trail Running with Friends

Peeing in the woods is less fun in 20 degree weather.

This morning I met up with some folks at the entrance to the Greenbelt Trail in Woodbury near the Stop and Shop. After I posted on Tripp's wall saying that I had signed up for the 50 mile race, Michael reached out to me to join the weekly trail run. It was so nice to be invited to make new friends. I'm not being facetious; I'm rarely invited to do something I really enjoy with people I don't know who also enjoy doing the same things. I tend to get invited to drink with people I already know and don't really like.

photo courtesy of Michael

The trail was beautiful today and the weather was great - sunny and in the 20s. Some of the group planned on doing a 5 mile loop. Michael was running to Cold Spring Harbor and Stacey said she wasn't sure if she'd run the whole thing. I told myself that I'd run as far as Stacey was going to run because my knee started to act up.

Everyone was really friendly and I really enjoyed running in the group before the 5 mile folks turned back. Stacey was much faster than me (and not stopping to take photos) so after she checked to make sure I knew the way, she went on ahead. She schooled me.

The trail was gorgeous with the snow. It was also slippery. I walked when it was particularly steep or icy. I managed to stay on my feet except for when I got a little lost and slipped on the ice. Every time I run the Greenbelt, I get confused at the same point. Today I also managed to run an extra part of the trail because I stopped looking for markers. In my defense, the trail markers for runners are white and snow is also white.

I ran 9.5 miles in 1:59:27 including my pit stops, photo ops, and walking up hills and over roots. Not too bad but I need to spend a lot more time on the trails to get ready for Rock The Ridge. My left big toe started to hurt around mile 6 and my knees feel a little old ladyish now. I wore my La Sportiva Wildcats (I have the orange pair) because I think they provide more cushioning than my Adrenaline ASRs.

When I got back to my car, Stacey was just returning with Dunkin Donuts hot chocolate. She is my absolute favorite person today.