In case you've found this blog via Twitter, you know that I'm obsessed with it. I love following new people and hearing about new things, so it should be no surprised that my next "project" came about courtesy of a tweet I read.
First, check this out: http://www.thefitbee.com/2011/11/getting-back-to-basics.html?spref=tw
Got it? The gist of this is to spend December, a month when most of us go "Well my New Years Resolution is starting soon, so I can splurge now and just change on January 1st." Well, there's no time quite like the present, so why wait till January 1st to make a change?
I've been a runner (a label I wear with pride) for what will be 3 years come January 5th. My times have improved greatly, but with all the working out I do, I really don't have the body that I should have. I work hard every day, but I sabotage myself by eating junk. It's not that I'm letting myself have a treat every now and then - I literally live on junk food.
So I'll be getting back to basics, working hard and eating right (or as right as I can). It can't be that hard, and it will be SO worth it.
Go back to basics with me. How hard could it be?
Medals
Tuesday, November 29, 2011
Sunday, November 27, 2011
A Different Kind of Flag Football Game
I'm back in New York for Thanksgiving, and one thing that my community has done for the past few years is hold an annual flag football game. It's a pretty tight knit community here, which is amazing considering there are thousands of people who are considered part of the community. You don't usually think about how close we all are until something tragic happens.
In 2008, Rick Bailey was murdered in Albany, New York, in a completely random and senseless act of violence. He was walking home when he was gunned down. The killers were found and are all serving lengthy sentences in prison, but that has done little to comfort those who knew him. No amount of punishment will bring back their son, brother, and friend.
In the few years that the tournament has been around, it has transformed into a second Homecoming of sorts. Thousands of dollars have been raised for the Rick Bailey Memorial Scholarship, and every year there is a donation given in Rick's name to a different charity. What started as a small way to honor a friend has turned into a way to help the community heal. For one day at least, it's like Bailey is back with us, celebrating the Thanksgiving break with a game of flag football and way more than a few friends.
Thursday, November 24, 2011
Thankful to be a runner
A happy Thanksgiving to all! And if you live outside of the United States, then happy November 24th!
I've been reading a lot of posts on Facebook/Twitter about how people are thankful for their family/friends/health/job/etc. but I wanted to put a running spin on the day. I'm thankful for running, and I wanted to post why.
So here you go...the top 10 reasons I'm thankful to be a runner!
1. Hearing "oh you have low blood pressure!" at the doctor's is the norm.
2. My medals/race medals make nicer wall decorations than most posters.
3. You're a part of a select community that can call itself "Runners."
4. Destination races = better than your typical vacation.
5. Ever run at night? Fluorescent colors look safe - not like you're channeling Lady Gaga.
6. Runner's. High.
7. Racing t-shirts are to runners as vintage concert t-shirts are to concert lovers.
8. When the big marathons are on TV (New York, Boston, etc.), you actually understand what the announcers are talking about.
9. Need to unwind after a long day? Just lace up your shoes.
And last but not least...
10. Thanksgiving means you can fill up your plate. Twice. With very limited guilt.
So what did I forget? There's an infinite number of things I'm thankful for that are running related, but I wanted to keep the list brief. What are all of you thankful for this Thanksgiving?
I've been reading a lot of posts on Facebook/Twitter about how people are thankful for their family/friends/health/job/etc. but I wanted to put a running spin on the day. I'm thankful for running, and I wanted to post why.
So here you go...the top 10 reasons I'm thankful to be a runner!
1. Hearing "oh you have low blood pressure!" at the doctor's is the norm.
2. My medals/race medals make nicer wall decorations than most posters.
3. You're a part of a select community that can call itself "Runners."
4. Destination races = better than your typical vacation.
5. Ever run at night? Fluorescent colors look safe - not like you're channeling Lady Gaga.
6. Runner's. High.
7. Racing t-shirts are to runners as vintage concert t-shirts are to concert lovers.
8. When the big marathons are on TV (New York, Boston, etc.), you actually understand what the announcers are talking about.
9. Need to unwind after a long day? Just lace up your shoes.
And last but not least...
10. Thanksgiving means you can fill up your plate. Twice. With very limited guilt.
So what did I forget? There's an infinite number of things I'm thankful for that are running related, but I wanted to keep the list brief. What are all of you thankful for this Thanksgiving?
Friday, November 18, 2011
Where did all the girls go?
Part of moving to a new state means that I had to find a new gym. I was a member of Bally's up in New York, but since there are no locations within about a 100 mile radius of where I moved to, I had to quit my membership. I never really loved Bally's - I loved their treadmills and ellipticals. My location was always crowded, unless I went an hour before close and had to rush my workout in. But it was cheap enough, so that was a huge positive.
I joined a gym down in Florida under the name "Bailey's." Going from Bally's to Bailey's meant more than just a slight name change. I love this gym. Everything about is in an upgrade, with the exception of it being $5 a month more expensive. Even the bathrooms are much nicer. And rather than being forced to use the gym an hour before it closes, I can go whenever I want. Literally. 24 hour access was something I could never get at Bally's, and it's a huge upgrade, especially since I'm still unemployed.
What's the point to all this? Well, since I can go to the gym literally whenever I want to, I've been going a lot. Last night when I went, I looked around and noticed that I was the only girl, with about 20 guys working out. I figured there would be a few girls on the treadmills or stairclimbers, but when I turned my head I realized I was still outnumbered 20-1.
What gives? Do girls just not go to the gym late or something? I've noticed that usually there are only a few other girls at the gym when I'm there, but I'm always outnumbered.
This wouldn't be an issue, but since I've been doing a lot of weight training, I usually feel a little awkward lifting 30 pound weights when there are guys around me lifting over 100 pounds and doing the typical grunting and groaning that you would expect from heavy lifters. I suppose I should feel a bit more empowered to be able to hold my own on some machines (I think I can out leg press most of the guys I work out with!) but it still feels a bit strange.
What do you guys think? When do you girls work out? Should I feel tougher by being the only girl in a gym full of guys?
I joined a gym down in Florida under the name "Bailey's." Going from Bally's to Bailey's meant more than just a slight name change. I love this gym. Everything about is in an upgrade, with the exception of it being $5 a month more expensive. Even the bathrooms are much nicer. And rather than being forced to use the gym an hour before it closes, I can go whenever I want. Literally. 24 hour access was something I could never get at Bally's, and it's a huge upgrade, especially since I'm still unemployed.
What's the point to all this? Well, since I can go to the gym literally whenever I want to, I've been going a lot. Last night when I went, I looked around and noticed that I was the only girl, with about 20 guys working out. I figured there would be a few girls on the treadmills or stairclimbers, but when I turned my head I realized I was still outnumbered 20-1.
What gives? Do girls just not go to the gym late or something? I've noticed that usually there are only a few other girls at the gym when I'm there, but I'm always outnumbered.
This wouldn't be an issue, but since I've been doing a lot of weight training, I usually feel a little awkward lifting 30 pound weights when there are guys around me lifting over 100 pounds and doing the typical grunting and groaning that you would expect from heavy lifters. I suppose I should feel a bit more empowered to be able to hold my own on some machines (I think I can out leg press most of the guys I work out with!) but it still feels a bit strange.
What do you guys think? When do you girls work out? Should I feel tougher by being the only girl in a gym full of guys?
Tuesday, November 15, 2011
RE: The 8 People Who Will Ruin Your Attempt to Lose Weight
I love Cracked.com. Obsessed is more like it. Ever since my best friend sent me a link to a random article, I've spent many nights wasting time reading through as many articles as I can. It's probably my favorite way to spend the time on the internet (and by spend the time, I mean waste time).
So today I read an article called "The 8 People Who Will Ruin Your Attempt To Lose Weight," and it really had me thinking about running, and how everything written there (save #1) can apply to people who are just starting to pick up running, or who have been runners for a long time. Go check out the article (but I warn you, you WILL get addicted to the website) and then read what I think about each point. Number one was kind of a joke post on Cracked, so I'll leave that off of here (which explains why the numbering is off.) Consider these "The 7 People Who Will Make Your Running Life Hell."
#8 - People who think they are doctors
This one absolutely applies to me, especially since I've been dealing with a knee injury for the past few months. My parents, bless their hearts, are kind of paranoid that I'm going to blow out my knee if I keep running on it. So now every time I go for a run, it's "you know, running causes knee damage. Stay in." Or as my dad said when I told him I had developed tendinitis, "My buddy at work says that you should only do 10% more a week. Did you know that?" Only a handful of times have I heard them ask, "Well what did your physical therapist say to do?" People who think they are doctors will tell you any kind of running advice they can remember, even if they haven't run a mile since High School.
#7 - People who are cartoonlishly supportive about body image
This point typically comes about when you announce to your family that you are starting a running regimen. I told my parents that I was going to start running, and I was immediately met with, "Why? You aren't fat." I've never been fat, and the decision to start running had more to do with the fact that I wanted to improve my overall health (and get a shiny finisher's medal!) than anything else.
#6 - People who take food too personally
This is exactly as it's posted on the Cracked site. Runners tend to try to eat healthy, since nothing could sabotage your race time like fuel of pizza and ice cream. At my previous job, the section next to mine would have ice cream cake for every birthday/anniversary in the section. In 3 months, I had more than 7 cake offers. I was half marathon training at the time, but all that food didn't help.
#5 - People who never think it's good enough
This point is the number one point that I think any runner experiences when it comes to other people. Case in point: When I started running, I went to my college gym, got on the treadmill, and ran for as long as I could. I was logging anywhere from 15-25 miles a week, and ran a half marathon a few months later. My time was slow, but it was as fast as I could go. In the 3 half marathons since, I've always gone as fast as I could go. When I told my friends and dad the time, their reaction was the same. "That's a long time to be out running. Don't you need to run under an hour and a half to be competitive?" I'm not running to win the NYC Marathon - breaking 2 hours in a half marathon would be a dream come true. When people judge you solely on your times, not your effort, all the fun gets sucked out of running.
#4 - Overly spontaneous people
When you're training for a race, especially something like a half marathon or a marathon, these people will ruin you. I know you shouldn't make training your entire life, but there is a certain amount of discipline you should have to complete all your long training runs. My friend decided to throw a party at the spur of the moment....the night before my half marathon.
#3 - Family members who are not on a diet
Race training is a team effort, especially if you live with someone. It's difficult to devote so much of your time and effort to train for something if you don't have the full support of the people you live with. Replace "diet" in this sentence with "training program" and you see where the issues can lie. Family members who hassle you about spending a long time out on runs can completely derail all your effort.
#2 - People who make fun of your stupid exercise routine
Running makes you look awesome. For all the mental and physical benefit running gives you, weight loss and toned muscles are just another benefit. Of course, getting to that point makes you look a little...stupid. Don't believe me? Check out some of the things that are for sale in your local running store. On a trip to Boston, I packed my fuel belt, hat and leggings, since we were going in the dead of winter. My friends saw me dressed up to go running and nearly died laughing.
So there you have it. The 7 People Who Will Make Your Running Life Hell. What do you think? Is there another kind of person who could dash your running hopes?
So today I read an article called "The 8 People Who Will Ruin Your Attempt To Lose Weight," and it really had me thinking about running, and how everything written there (save #1) can apply to people who are just starting to pick up running, or who have been runners for a long time. Go check out the article (but I warn you, you WILL get addicted to the website) and then read what I think about each point. Number one was kind of a joke post on Cracked, so I'll leave that off of here (which explains why the numbering is off.) Consider these "The 7 People Who Will Make Your Running Life Hell."
#8 - People who think they are doctors
This one absolutely applies to me, especially since I've been dealing with a knee injury for the past few months. My parents, bless their hearts, are kind of paranoid that I'm going to blow out my knee if I keep running on it. So now every time I go for a run, it's "you know, running causes knee damage. Stay in." Or as my dad said when I told him I had developed tendinitis, "My buddy at work says that you should only do 10% more a week. Did you know that?" Only a handful of times have I heard them ask, "Well what did your physical therapist say to do?" People who think they are doctors will tell you any kind of running advice they can remember, even if they haven't run a mile since High School.
#7 - People who are cartoonlishly supportive about body image
This point typically comes about when you announce to your family that you are starting a running regimen. I told my parents that I was going to start running, and I was immediately met with, "Why? You aren't fat." I've never been fat, and the decision to start running had more to do with the fact that I wanted to improve my overall health (and get a shiny finisher's medal!) than anything else.
#6 - People who take food too personally
This is exactly as it's posted on the Cracked site. Runners tend to try to eat healthy, since nothing could sabotage your race time like fuel of pizza and ice cream. At my previous job, the section next to mine would have ice cream cake for every birthday/anniversary in the section. In 3 months, I had more than 7 cake offers. I was half marathon training at the time, but all that food didn't help.
#5 - People who never think it's good enough
This point is the number one point that I think any runner experiences when it comes to other people. Case in point: When I started running, I went to my college gym, got on the treadmill, and ran for as long as I could. I was logging anywhere from 15-25 miles a week, and ran a half marathon a few months later. My time was slow, but it was as fast as I could go. In the 3 half marathons since, I've always gone as fast as I could go. When I told my friends and dad the time, their reaction was the same. "That's a long time to be out running. Don't you need to run under an hour and a half to be competitive?" I'm not running to win the NYC Marathon - breaking 2 hours in a half marathon would be a dream come true. When people judge you solely on your times, not your effort, all the fun gets sucked out of running.
#4 - Overly spontaneous people
When you're training for a race, especially something like a half marathon or a marathon, these people will ruin you. I know you shouldn't make training your entire life, but there is a certain amount of discipline you should have to complete all your long training runs. My friend decided to throw a party at the spur of the moment....the night before my half marathon.
#3 - Family members who are not on a diet
Race training is a team effort, especially if you live with someone. It's difficult to devote so much of your time and effort to train for something if you don't have the full support of the people you live with. Replace "diet" in this sentence with "training program" and you see where the issues can lie. Family members who hassle you about spending a long time out on runs can completely derail all your effort.
#2 - People who make fun of your stupid exercise routine
Running makes you look awesome. For all the mental and physical benefit running gives you, weight loss and toned muscles are just another benefit. Of course, getting to that point makes you look a little...stupid. Don't believe me? Check out some of the things that are for sale in your local running store. On a trip to Boston, I packed my fuel belt, hat and leggings, since we were going in the dead of winter. My friends saw me dressed up to go running and nearly died laughing.
So there you have it. The 7 People Who Will Make Your Running Life Hell. What do you think? Is there another kind of person who could dash your running hopes?
Friday, November 11, 2011
Looking for a race....but not just any race
I have to admit, I'm a bit of a hoarder. When I was packing up my room to move to Florida from New York, I was surprised at how many things I had collected over the years. Old cat toys, weird headbands, shirts that I thought were being kept for some important reason.
But the thing I seem to hoard the most are old issues of Runner's World. When I first started running in January of 2009, I went to the local CVS (1/2 mile away...I drove there. My how times have changed) and bought the February 2009 issue of Runner's World. I got on a treadmill at my college's rec center, and ran for as long as I could with the speed set at 4.6 MPH. I've read that issue over and over and over, and I still have it.
And it's that way with every issue since. I've been a Runner's World subscriber since that issue, and every month is the same. I read the issue from cover to cover while on the treadmill/elliptical/stationary bike/stairclimber. I've kept every issue, and it's a pretty large hoard of magazines at this point. Now I'll just grab a random issue and read it during my workouts.
How is all this relevant? Last night I went to the gym, and after doing a solid round of strength training, I got on the elliptical with a random issue that I grabbed from the pile. This issue happened to be from May '09, with RW cover girl Kara Goucher. In her article, she says something that had me thinking...
"I need a race every month or I go crazy..."
I ran my last half marathon a little over a month ago, and I haven't done a race since. No 5K, no 10K, not even a mile race. My workouts lately have been going fine, but I'm worried that I have no real motivation. What am I training for? At this point I've been going to the gym because it's something to do and because I don't want to lose my fitness. But I want more.
So I've been looking for a race to run. I've told myself that I refuse to start training for a marathon until I can run sub 2:00 in a half marathon. My PR is 2:23, so I'm still a little ways away. I'd like to run another half marathon in May or June, so that I have more than enough time to train smart since I tend to overwork myself in training.
Where do I go? If I'm shooting for May or June, I have the option to run either in the southeast or the northeast, since my mom will still be living in the New York house at that point. Do I stay local and run a potentially very warm Florida half? Do I run the LI Half Marathon...again? Do I make a trip out of it and just travel to a random part of the country?
Decisions decisions...
But the thing I seem to hoard the most are old issues of Runner's World. When I first started running in January of 2009, I went to the local CVS (1/2 mile away...I drove there. My how times have changed) and bought the February 2009 issue of Runner's World. I got on a treadmill at my college's rec center, and ran for as long as I could with the speed set at 4.6 MPH. I've read that issue over and over and over, and I still have it.
And it's that way with every issue since. I've been a Runner's World subscriber since that issue, and every month is the same. I read the issue from cover to cover while on the treadmill/elliptical/stationary bike/stairclimber. I've kept every issue, and it's a pretty large hoard of magazines at this point. Now I'll just grab a random issue and read it during my workouts.
How is all this relevant? Last night I went to the gym, and after doing a solid round of strength training, I got on the elliptical with a random issue that I grabbed from the pile. This issue happened to be from May '09, with RW cover girl Kara Goucher. In her article, she says something that had me thinking...
"I need a race every month or I go crazy..."
I ran my last half marathon a little over a month ago, and I haven't done a race since. No 5K, no 10K, not even a mile race. My workouts lately have been going fine, but I'm worried that I have no real motivation. What am I training for? At this point I've been going to the gym because it's something to do and because I don't want to lose my fitness. But I want more.
So I've been looking for a race to run. I've told myself that I refuse to start training for a marathon until I can run sub 2:00 in a half marathon. My PR is 2:23, so I'm still a little ways away. I'd like to run another half marathon in May or June, so that I have more than enough time to train smart since I tend to overwork myself in training.
Where do I go? If I'm shooting for May or June, I have the option to run either in the southeast or the northeast, since my mom will still be living in the New York house at that point. Do I stay local and run a potentially very warm Florida half? Do I run the LI Half Marathon...again? Do I make a trip out of it and just travel to a random part of the country?
Decisions decisions...
Thursday, November 10, 2011
No Place Like Home?
A few weeks ago I moved down to Florida from Long Island. I know - I went from an hour train ride from New York City to a 30 minute drive from a "city." I'm still young, and it's been kind of a culture shock so far.
So why did I move down here? Well for one, my dad came down here to work....3 years ago. He and my mom are still very happily married, but they left a thousand miles apart (some would say this is how they've been able to stay married!) and I saw my dad every few months. Within the next few months, they'll be selling the New York house and the whole family will be down here. I figured I might as well get a head start.
Why else? For lack of a better reason, and to quote Summer Finn from (500) Days of Summer, "boredom." I graduated college a year ago, did a semester of grad school, and have just been flat out bored with my life. Nothing improves that quite like a change of scenery, so here I am.
To be honest, things so far are no better down here than they were in New York. The few improvements have been the weather and the lower cost of living, but I've been kind of home sick. The job hunt has been going nowhere, mostly because I have no idea what I want to do. It's hard to even search for a job when you don't know what industry you want to work in.
Here's where my running comes in. My dad's boss is a season ticket holder for the Jacksonville Jaguars, and ticket holders get these coupon booklets for businesses around town. One coupon got me over $100 off my gym membership, and so far the gym is infinitely better than the gym I was using in New York - for just $5 a month more. I find myself going there way more than I went to the gym in New York. If I'm going to be bored, I'll at least be in shape.
But running has allowed me to figure out more about where I am. The local running store had a group run at the beach the other night. I only met 2 people, but it was a start. The New York me would never have gone out to run with people who I knew would be way faster than I am. I live in a pretty big neighborhood, with miles of road that I can use to run on. Last night I went almost 5 miles, and I didn't go anywhere near the main road.
I may not know anyone yet, but I have a familiar running route. For now at least, it's almost as much a home to me as New York.
Now to start that job hunt...
So why did I move down here? Well for one, my dad came down here to work....3 years ago. He and my mom are still very happily married, but they left a thousand miles apart (some would say this is how they've been able to stay married!) and I saw my dad every few months. Within the next few months, they'll be selling the New York house and the whole family will be down here. I figured I might as well get a head start.
Why else? For lack of a better reason, and to quote Summer Finn from (500) Days of Summer, "boredom." I graduated college a year ago, did a semester of grad school, and have just been flat out bored with my life. Nothing improves that quite like a change of scenery, so here I am.
To be honest, things so far are no better down here than they were in New York. The few improvements have been the weather and the lower cost of living, but I've been kind of home sick. The job hunt has been going nowhere, mostly because I have no idea what I want to do. It's hard to even search for a job when you don't know what industry you want to work in.
Here's where my running comes in. My dad's boss is a season ticket holder for the Jacksonville Jaguars, and ticket holders get these coupon booklets for businesses around town. One coupon got me over $100 off my gym membership, and so far the gym is infinitely better than the gym I was using in New York - for just $5 a month more. I find myself going there way more than I went to the gym in New York. If I'm going to be bored, I'll at least be in shape.
But running has allowed me to figure out more about where I am. The local running store had a group run at the beach the other night. I only met 2 people, but it was a start. The New York me would never have gone out to run with people who I knew would be way faster than I am. I live in a pretty big neighborhood, with miles of road that I can use to run on. Last night I went almost 5 miles, and I didn't go anywhere near the main road.
I may not know anyone yet, but I have a familiar running route. For now at least, it's almost as much a home to me as New York.
Now to start that job hunt...
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