Race Recap: Rutgers Big Chill 5k

Sometimes when you set out to have a “fun easy run,” you wind up setting PR… right?

Oh, you mean that doesn’t happen to you? Yeah, it doesn’t really ever happen to me either. Yet I was that jerk on Sunday morning when my friends asked me what my race plan was, and I replied nonchalantly with “Eh, no plans. It’s cold, I ran 9 miles yesterday. I’m just going to go out there and do whatever, not trying to PR or really race.”

I truly didn’t believe I had any fast-ish legs in me on Sunday morning. I’ve been slowly increasing my mileage since the Richmond Half, and this week was to top out at 33 miles (which isn’t a lot, but relative to what I was running a month ago, is). I ran a hard 7 miler on Wednesday with 3 of those miles at tempo/progression, and on Saturday I ran 9 miles as my “long run.” So based on that (and the fact that it was going to be pretty cold) I hoped to just finish within 23 minutes or so on race day. I had no intentions of really “racing” and the two beers I had on Saturday night I think helped solidify those intentions.

I woke up Sunday morning, threw on two lux layers and my long tights, and headed over to Rutgers University’s College Avenue campus where the race was being held. I got there with enough time to park, meet up with some friends in the gym, and then head over to the race start where I proceeded to shiver for about 5 minutes. This particular race is a fundraiser, and the fee for the 5k is an unused, unwrapped children’s toy worth at least $10 (some lucky kiddo is going to love my Merida doll). You have the option of having your bib chipped or not, and I figured if I was going to run, I might as well make it official (and I’m glad I did)!

Trying to keep my face warm before the race

After about 5 minutes of shivering it was go time. I should mention here that I forgot my Garmin watch at home, so I had absolutely no idea what pace I was running during the race. Last time I forgot my watch I was running my very first 10k on an extremely hilly course, which was definitely a negative (I ran the first half way too fast and crawled through the second 5k), so I always get nervous when I forget it now. I’d like to think I’m a smarter runner than I was a year ago, and since it was “only” a 5k I knew that if I did go out too fast, I wouldn’t have to try to hold on for too long. Plus, I always hear about people leaving their watches at home, running on feel, and doing really well. So I decided to go with that approach! As I came up to the first mile I saw 7:06 on the clock, and thought to myself, “Well, I guess this isn’t going to be an easy run.” I decided to try and keep the current pace so long as it wasn’t too much of a struggle, which it wasn’t. The second and third miles were about the same (I’m impressed by such even pacing), and I managed to squeeze in just under 22, in 21:57 (5th in my age group, and 14th woman overall out of 512)!

This winds up being a 45 second PR, which isn’t huge, but is something! I’ve really wanted to get under 22 minutes for a 5k – for some reason I had in my head that was a “competitive” and “relatively fast” time – so it’s been my goal. Obviously now that I’m (barely) in the 21 club, I’d love to get to the 20 club, but that’s going to take a lot of work! Since I ran 9 miles the day before, wasn’t planning on racing, and pushed it only to about 90% effort, I’m excited to see what I can do when I truly race a 5k and push it to puke pace (how I judge my race efforts). This is the second weekend in a row I’ve finished a race and been pleasantly surprised with myself. I finish and think, “wow, did I really just run a race at that pace?” I really didn’t think low 7’s would be coming to me so easily. I hope I can keep it up!

I don’t have any other races on my calendar in the immediate future, though I will likely run the Westfield Hangover 5k on January 1st to kick off the year on the right foot, and hopefully I can find a few other local races to run between now and the Shamrock Half in March (goal race). I couldn’t be happier with my 2013 racing performance despite my injury setbacks and lack of a big marathon PR, which was my main running goal for the year. I’m excited for (faster) racing in 2014.

Tell me…
Are you done racing for 2013?
What’s on your racing schedule for 2014?

Shoe Review: Mizuno Wave Rider 17

Disclaimer: The following post is sponsored by FitFluential LLC on behalf of Mizuno.

In 2013, I’ve run 13 races (with another one or two on the schedule before the year ends), and I’ve PR’d in almost every distance I’ve raced (5k, 5 mile, 10k, half marathon) all wearing the same sneakers – my Mizuno Wave Rider 15’s. I got my first pair of Mizunos in July 2012 when I was in the middle of training for the Chicago Marathon (which I also PR’d). I fell in love with them, and immediately ordered 2 additional pairs to have available for when I ran through the others. I always hear horror stories about re-designs to a runner’s beloved shoe that makes them unwearable, and I was afraid of that. By the time I got through my three pairs of Mizuno Wave Rider 15’s, it was almost time for the 17’s, which I had only heard wonderful things about. Still, I was skeptical. So when the opportunity to give them a try presented itself, I knew I had to. I’ve run in the Wave Rider 17’s three times now (4 milers each time), and while I’m sure my thoughts on them will continue to evolve over time, I do have some initial thoughts and opinions about them.

The first thing I did when I received the sneakers was to compare them side by side with my Wave Rider 15’s. The first thing I noticed: the weight. They feel significantly lighter than my 15’s! A big contributing factor is the updated and seam-free forefoot, similar to the Wave Sayonara that launched this past summer. Other than that, they seemed to be similar to the 15’s in that they didn’t feel wildly different when I put them on. I did notice that I had more room in them than with my 15’s. I’m typically a size 8-8.5 in regular shoes and generally size up a half size to a full size in running sneakers depending on the brand and their fit. I’ve worn a 9.5 in all other Mizuno shoes I have, but I think I would be better with a 9 in these (my feet seem to kind of slip around a bit).

Wave Rider 15's on the left, Wave Rider 17's on the right — Wave Rider 15’s on the left, Wave Rider 17’s on the right

So how do they feel on the run? Great! All of the things that I loved about the Wave Rider 15’s are still there, but in a lighter version. I noticed that I felt closer to the ground when I was running, which is something I like, as my main gripe with the 15’s (aside from their weight) was that I sometimes felt a little disconnected from the ground. I’ll admit that I wasn’t really a fan on my first run – they felt stiff, I didn’t tie them right, and I just had that “but I want my old sneakers!” feeling. But now that I’ve worn them three times, they’re growing on me. I’m looking forward to logging some serious miles with them!

Bottom line (for those of you tl;dr):
– Lighter than the previous Wave Rider versions
– Runs a little bigger, so you likely will only need to go up half a size from your regular shoe size
– Awesome color options
– Great light neutral running shoe (you can do everything from a speed workout to a long run in them)
– They’re available as of December 5th, so get to your local running store to check them out!

Tell me…
What’s your favorite brand of running shoe?
Are you wary of model updates like I am?

Race Recap: Westfield 5 Mile Turkey Trot

On Saturday, I ran the Westfield Turkey Trot 5-miler for the third time, managed to not freeze, and scored a PR!

Since I wasn’t a runner growing up, even though my hometown puts on quite a few road races, I didn’t start participating in them until I was 23. I remember being envious of the people that did run, but I was busy doing lap after lap in a pool with a coach who could somehow build you up, knock you down, make you laugh, and make you cry all in one fell swoop. But I digress…

Even though this is a “turkey trot” it doesn’t take place until the Saturday after Thanksgiving. Thankfully the weather was slightly warmer than it was on Thursday, and with a start time of 11:15am I was in much better shape than anyone who ran a turkey trot on Thanksgiving. But don’t be fooled – I was still freezing before the race. I left my parent’s house about an hour before the start, and stayed in the car until 15 minutes before gun time. My mom was kind enough to walk with me to the starting line, so I was able to shed my extra layers (a pair of pants, a track jacket, and my dad’s fleece) right before starting.

While there aren’t any corrals or pace groups, they did have signs for approximate paces by the start line, so people could (in theory) line up accordingly. I happened to be standing right where they marked 7 minute miles, and decided not to move. An older gentleman jokingly said, “I don’t think all of these people in front of us are going to run 6 minute miles…” to which I replied, “they won’t.” I used to get annoyed at the people who just wanted to be up front, but I’ve learned to just not care. Most people that don’t belong up front are out of the way quickly enough, and 5 miles is plenty of time to not have to worry about weaving much. The race starts with a loop in the park to get you just over a mile before heading out onto residential roads (that I know like the back of my hand) for 3-ish miles before coming back into the park for the last half mile. It’s a pretty flat course (except for a slight incline in the park), and the roads are wide enough that it never really feels crowded. Basically, it’s a very PR friendly course.

I'm always the one calling out to people cheering for me. Am I that hard to spot? — I’m always the one calling out to people cheering for me. Am I that hard to spot?

I didn’t really have a plan going into the race, and my only goal was to beat last years’ time (37:34). I figured if I was able to throw down a 7:20 for my first mile and hang on, that would be good enough. My first mile was a 7:20 (by miracle more than by perfect execution), but it felt too easy. I didn’t want to push the pace too much, but knew I was capable of a lot more. So the next mile, I clocked a 7:16. During the third mile I saw my good friend’s boyfriend who was running, and we chatted and ran together for about a quarter mile before I decided it was time to try and pick up the pace a little more. I ran the third mile in 7:13, and in the process, beat my current 5k PR. I couldn’t help but laugh, since the exact same thing happened to me when I ran the race last year. I know I’m capable of a lot more as a runner, but seem to never be able to get my shit together long enough to actually make it happen. By this point I knew unless I had an accident, a PR was likely; I just had to fight through the last 2 miles. Mile 4 came quickly in 7:07, and I passed a few high school girls who looked like they were moments from tripping one another in an effort to make it to the finish first. The last quarter mile of the race is downhill, so I knew to push it enough the first three quarters and the hill would carry me home. I don’t know how, but I managed to clock a 6:56 for the last mile, and get passed by those two high school girls throwing elbows in the process. My official finish time was 35:58, a 7:11 average. Miraculously my watch had me only one second slower and one tenth of a mile further – talk about exceptional tangent work!

With all this Vitamin C I better not get sick.

As it turns out, my time was good enough for second place in my age group (22nd female overall). This was by far the highest I’ve ever finished at this particular race (Westfield seems to have a lot of graduates that come back to race that are speedy), and I got a cute little scarecrow and a box of Emergen-C (?!) for my efforts. My cat has already tried to eat the scarecrow multiple times.

Buds since '98 (at least) — Buds since ’97 (with my dad creeping in the background)

After I finished I met up with my good friend Kir, who is so speedy she could run laps around me. She doesn’t like to brag, but let’s just say that her marathon pace is significantly faster than the pace I ran the 5 miler. We’ve known each other since middle school when we were both avid swimmers. It never ceases to amaze me that I somehow went from being a swimmer (a sprinter, no less) to a distance runner. The thought of racing for more than a minute in the pool used to elicit whines and eye rolls from me; yet here I am running for hours at a time. Go figure.

This was an awesome way to finish up 2013 in terms of running – I managed to somehow PR every distance I raced except for the 4 mile and marathon distances… But I’ll be coming for them (big time) in 2014!

Did you Turkey Trot this past week/weekend?
Do you like Holiday-themed races?

Race Recap: Richmond Half Marathon

Another half marathon is in the books!

My weekend at the Richmond Marathon wasn’t exactly what I had planned it to be when I signed up for the race back in June. My intentions were to run the full marathon, and PR the heck out of it, but unfortunately I wound up with some annoying ankle and foot pain that caused my training to be really inconsistent all summer. So rather than wallow in my inability to run the full marathon, I switched to the half and decided I’d use it as a long tempo run, and a point to assess my fitness level.

The race was on Saturday, so we drove to Virginia early on Friday morning and stopped at the expo first. We had dinner plans with Dori and Andy, and actually wound up getting to the expo at the same time as them, so we wandered around a bit before heading to the hotel. I don’t usually buy things from expos, but I saw these cute little Richmond running socks and had to have them. Most of my socks fall just below the ankle, and with the temperatures slowly but surely dropping, I figured my ankles would appreciate some coverage for those bone chilling winter runs that will be here before I know it.

We had dinner at Edo’s Squid which served it’s purpose for carb loading, and made it an early night. The forecast for the weekend had looked great in the days prior, but on Friday we noticed that there was supposed to be some overnight rain, that would likely stop in the early morning hours. I didn’t even think to pack a hat, extra socks, or anything to help shield me from the rain. So you can imagine my disappointment when I woke up to rain at 5am on Saturday morning. I figured it would taper off as I made my way to the starting area, but unfortunately just the opposite happened. The hotel was only a 5 minute walk from the start, but by the time I got there I was soaking wet. I knew my race day outfit would hold up wet in the rain, but I was a little nervous about my socks and the ankle brace I was wearing – the last thing you want is rain induced blisters! I saw Oiselle teammate Ellen right before the start, who rocked a serious PR! The rain stopped long enough for me to shed my throwaway sweatshirt in the starting corral, and after a less than enthusiastic start (the announcer was so not excited), we were off promptly at 7:30am.

The first few miles were rather uneventful. I did see Oiselle teammate and super speedy #fasterasamaster Allie cheering within the first mile which was a nice way to start the race! I had some pain in what I can only describe as my big toe joint, but prior to the race when I was poking and prodding around, I realized it was actually the tendon in my foot that was tight (the one that controls the up/down motion of your toes). It was rather uncomfortable in those first few miles, and at a few points I thought to myself “do I really have to run 13.1 miles feeling like this? Is this a bad idea?” Thankfully as the miles went on, the pain lessened. My goal wasn’t to all out race, but rather to push it to about a 90% effort level to get a good workout, and enjoy the morning. The first few miles were impressively conservative, which is rare for me. I usually feel awesome and ignore logic, which I pay for later. Dare I say I’m finally learning?!

The only remotely attractive photo taken. Jazz hands!

There were a few points in the second half where I wasn’t sure if my initial pacing had been too fast. I originally assumed I’d run about a 1:50, but within the last few weeks of training realized I could probably run a little faster without needing to push too much. So even though I was sopping wet and starting to get tired, I decided to keep the pace going, knowing there were only a few miles left. As a distraction I spent the majority of the race thinking about everyone running the full marathon, excited to see their splits on my phone when I finished. I assumed my pace had been about the same the entire race, but I was consistently picking people off as I was making my way through the final miles, which was a confidence booster. I also think it’s what led me to speeding up that last 5k.

I remember hearing the finish line is no joke – that it’s a serious downhill. I was so excited for this downhill finish since it seems like most races I run end uphill (why?!). With just under a mile left, I could see the top of a giant hill which I assumed was what we’d be running down in a matter of minutes. And after two quick turns, it was time to make our way down; it was so steep, when I was at the top I couldn’t even see the bottom! Because of the rain, I made sure not to just let the hill carry me down, so I had to do a little work to hold myself back to make sure I didn’t wind up face-planting. Naturally the thirteenth mile was my fastest (7:29!), I didn’t fall, and I crossed the finish line with a time of 1:45:31! I grabbed a water, my sweet finisher fleece blanket (perfect for the rainy day), and made my way over to get my checked bag so I could change.

As soon as I finished I realized just how tough that last downhill was – my quads were suddenly SO tired. I quickly changed, grabbed a slice of pizza and a PowerBar, hung out in the finishers area for a bit, and then made my way up to get some Starbucks before snagging a spot right at mile 26 to cheer on the marathoners!

It was such a shame the weather was crappy – I could tell despite the gray and rainy day that the course was beautiful. We went through a few neighborhoods that had some beautiful homes, and a big park that probably would be great to run in on a sunny day. Despite the less than stellar weather, there were SO many spectators, and I was shocked! I assumed the course would have a few people here and there, but the likelihood of someone standing outside at 8am on a rainy Saturday morning was slim. Much to my surprise there were spectators everywhere, and in those moments where the rain picked up, so did the cheers from the crowds. It was really awesome!

All in all it was a great race, and I would absolutely do it again. I’d also love to be able to do the full marathon! The next “big” race I have on my calendar right now is the Shamrock Half Marathon, coincidentally back down in Virginia in March. I’m hoping to PR the 13.1 distance at the race, which I think is possible since Saturday’s run was only 2 minutes off my PR from this past spring, and it didn’t require a lot of effort. Can’t what to see what winter training has in store for me.

Anyone have any big races coming up?
What’s next on your schedule?

Friday Favorites

I’m currently on my way down to Richmond for the weekend to run the Richmond Half Marathon and spectate the full! While I was hammering away at work yesterday to make sure I had everything in order for the long weekend I was taking, I found myself also thinking about some things I’m currently loving. And obviously, that makes for an excellent blog post.

So without further ado, here’s what I’ve been loving lately!

Candy Crush
I’m kind of embarrassed about this one. But obviously not embarrassed enough to not share it. After months and months of resisting, I finally gave in and downloaded the app about two weeks ago. Well, it’s safe to say I’m obsessed with it. I’m currently stuck at level 35, battling my way through some extra “quests” to earn the right to carry on past Lemonade Lake.

The Cinnamon Snail
If you live in the New York/New Jersey area, you NEED to try Cinnamon Snail (known as @veganlunchtruck on Twitter). They are in NYC most week days at various locations, Jersey City on Thursday nights, and Red Bank, NJ on Sunday mornings. I am yet to have something from this delicious food truck that I haven’t been in love with. My favorites (if I had to pick) would be the Chipotle Breakfast Burrito, and any of their doughnuts.

I mean, just look at that! So far I’ve had the breakfast burrito, Korean BBQ Seitan, Blue Corn Hempseed Crusted Tempeh, and one of their specials, a Red Curry Tofu Bahn Mi. All magically delicious, vegan, and served up with a smile. Can’t beat that if you ask me!

RAC’s Chapter One
I suppose it isn’t really fair to include this on my list since I just discovered the album yesterday, but it’s been on repeat ever since. Thanks to Spotify and its ability to creep on what other people are listening to, I found the album by accident. I saw Sarah had listened to a track on it, and decided to see what it was all about. After listening to that track, and all subsequent tracks, I was hooked. Remixes of some of my favorite artists that are workday friendly? Yes please.

Oiselle Runfinity French Fleece Scarf
I love a good infinity scarf (or any scarf for that matter) and seem to hold the mindset of “bigger is better” when it comes to them. So, when I saw this scarf on Oiselle’s website, I knew I had to have it. Not only it is big and cozy, but I’m obsessed with anything French fleece.

I got bold and ordered it in ghost, so it’s only a matter of time before it’s covered in food and coffee (that’ll add character?). I found myself wishing it was cooler so I could wear it in the early days of November, but then when it dipped below freezing this past week, I was singing another tune. But at least I had this big and cozy scarf!

Erica Sara Designs “Run” Ring
I had been eyeing this particular ring since it was introduced, and had it on my “Giftables” Pinterest page for ages. For whatever reason, I never bought it for myself, and no one else seemed to be interested in getting it for me either. About a month ago, I finally decided it was time to treat myself, and I ordered one. And now I’m kicking myself for waiting so long.

This is the second Erica Sara Designs piece I own (the first is a Say It Do It bracelet I got earlier this year) and I absolutely love it. It’s small and delicate, yet represents something that is far from small and delicate. The best part is that her ring sizing starts small, and as a 4.5, I always have trouble finding fashionable rings that fit my fingers. I’m already thinking about ordering some stackables to add to the collection, and I’m looking forward to her small wrist friendly bangles that will be coming out in the spring!

So there you have it, the things I’ve been loving lately. I’ll be in Richmond this weekend running the half marathon and then cheering for the full with some Oiselle teammates, and enjoying delicious food (mac ‘n cheese specifically) with Dori! I’m not planning on all-out racing the half marathon, but running it at about 90% so I can use it as a starting point for potential spring marathon training. It should be a great running, friends, and food filled weekend.

Running in the Dark: PSA

There are tons of posts you can find online about “runner safety” and “nighttime running.” So while I don’t want to simply add to what’s already been said by many time and time again, after the events that transpired during my run last night, I felt as though it was necessary. Even if just one new person reads this and realizes they need to up their safety game (runner or driver), I’ll be happy.

Last night’s run started out like they always do – I was bemoaning the fact that it was already so dark, but thankful it wasn’t also cold. I get home from work around 6 (give or take, depending on traffic), and do my best to change and get out the door as quickly as possible. I have to admit that when I first started running, I didn’t necessarily dress any different for running during the day or night. My neighborhood does have street lights and sidewalks, but some parts are much darker than others. Since then I’ve wised up, and on every run that’s in the dark, I dress in lighter clothes, wear a reflective vest, a little reflective cuff that I put on my ankle, and I also bring along a pair of Knuckle Lights. Sometimes I use a headlamp instead of the Knuckle Lights, but I usually prefer the lights as they allow me to move them as needed (i.e. down a side street I’m crossing over, to make sure if there is a car coming, they see me).

I may look like a doof, but at least I'm a doof you can see in the dark! — I may look like a doof, but at least I’m a doof you can see in the dark!

So on Wednesday night I strapped on all my reflective gear and headed out with my running partner (who has the same reflective get-up as I do) for an easy 6 miles. The run was going really well – I was chatting all about Oiselle bird brunch, and not paying attention to the miles. About 3 miles into the run, as we were about to cross a side street (we were running parallel to a main road, on the sidewalk), all of a sudden we hear a screech, and then a honk. I pride myself in “looking both ways before I cross,” and there was no way I could have seen a car coming up from behind that wanted to turn off of the main street and onto the side street I was just about to cross. Naturally, I was furious that 1. the driver didn’t see us, and 2. she had the nerve to honk at us, as though it was our fault! After she honked, she rolled down her window and started shouting expletives at us. We both turned and yelled that we had the right of way (as pedestrians in a crosswalk!), to which she replied, “Whatever. I’ll kick your ass!” as she sped off down the street.

I had so many thoughts swimming in my head. How was I, as a pedestrian, supposed to know a car was flying up from behind me, and was going to try to rip around a corner before I began to cross it? And if she hadn’t seen us, what was she doing that distracted her? It took a few minutes for the gravity of the situation to sink in. I couldn’t believe that she had the nerve to yell at us – as though we had just decided to cross the road right in front of a car. I spent a few minutes of thinking about how we could have just been hit by a car, and since she was obviously a very angry person, she may have been following us or waiting for us around a corner to “kick our asses” when we ran back. Eventually I couldn’t help but laugh. I mean, this woman nearly ran over two pedestrians (her own fault), and when she was called out on it by said pedestrians, her comeback was that she was going to beat us up? I felt like I was back in middle school. Needless to say the second half of our run was much faster than the first thanks to all the adrenaline coursing through our veins.

Once I got home, I realized that there are so many runners, dog walkers, and walkers that I see out and about either early in the morning or late at night, that do not dress appropriately. I also see plenty of drivers that don’t seem to drive any differently around neighborhoods when it’s dark. So as a little PSA, here are my tips for runners and walkers AND drivers (you aren’t off the hook) out and about in the dark.

Runners:
1. Wear light clothing. If possible, wear things that have reflective seams or logos. Every little bit helps!
2. Get a reflective vest. I have this one and really like it, but there are so many on the market, and you can find one for every budget. They even sell small reflective velcro pieces you can attach to your arms, legs, etc. It looks funny, but every little bit of illumination helps.
3. Use some type of light! As I mentioned, I have the Knuckle Lights and love them because I can direct them as I need, but if you don’t like the idea of carrying anything, a headlamp also works (I have a headlamp with a strap that gets big enough so I can wear it around my waist!).
4. Stay alert. This means it would be best for you to leave your music at home. You need to be able to hear if a car, person, etc., is coming up behind you, and if you’re too busy rocking out to Katy Perry, you may miss warning sounds that could help keep you injury free.
5. Carry your cell phone. I have to admit, I hate running with my phone – it’s just too bulky in my pocket, and I don’t like holding it. But after last night, I realized that in the event I had been hit or “beat up” and was alone, I would have needed help.

Drivers:
1. Be alert and drive safely. This is really the only tip I have for you. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying you should suddenly go 5 under the speed limit, but you should try to be more aware. Oh, and STOP TEXTING AND DRIVING.

These tips aren’t just for when it’s pitch black outside. As soon as the sun is starting to set, you should really be wearing reflective gear and taking a light with you. The beauty of modern day technology is that the lights generally have an on and off switch, so you can take it with you and turn it on only when you need it. Yes, I realize you may not “look cool” and it may be a little uncomfortable, but I don’t mind looking silly and being uncomfortable for an hour if it means potentially preventing injury or saving my life! So please be careful out there – runners and drivers alike – I hear way too many stories about runners, cyclists, and walkers getting hit by cars, and as those out on foot and behind the wheels, we need to do whatever we can to prevent it from continuing.

What do you do to make sure you’re visible in the early morning or late at night?

A Marathon Weekend

I can’t believe I haven’t blogged in almost a month – whoops! But have no fear – I’m back!

This past weekend was full of running, so I had to share. Since my last update in regards to not running a marathon this fall and planning to make (small) racing decisions much closer to the actual date of the race, running has been going really well. Though I’m sure I’ve now jinxed myself. I managed to squeeze out 100 miles in October which is the highest mileage month I’ve seen since June! My paces are starting to get closer to where they were pre-foot drama, and I’m hoping to be able to do a 1:50 or lower in the Richmond Half and keep on truckin’ after that. I have some ideas for races after that, but no solid plans.

But back to the weekend – it was New York City Marathon Weekend!! While I’ve never run the race (was supposed to last year), I’ve spectated a few times and grew up loving the NYCM excitement. Now that I have so many runner friends (in real life and on the internet!), it wasn’t even a question if I’d make the trip into the city to cheer everyone on – I knew I had to be there. Conveniently, one of my good friends from home now lives in Brooklyn, (in the same neighborhood where I grew up many moons ago) which made it easy to head into the city early Saturday morning, stay over, get my cheer on, and leave afterwards.

Since a bunch of Oiselle Team members were running the marathon including the top bird Sally, we all got together for brunch on the Upper West Side at Josie’s. I took an early train into the city (that was already running 20 minutes behind schedule at 7:45am), and met up with my teammate Lauren to walk from Penn Station to the restaurant. It was an absolutely gorgeous day (I was sweating a bit wearing my long sleeve shirt!), and it was fun to see the throngs of runners out for their pre-marathon “shakeout” runs. Brunch was fabulous (how can I ever say no to a breakfast burrito?), and I had a wonderful time getting to know new teammates and catching up with others, while also checking out some of Oiselle’s spring line!

Picture from Steph! Me, Steph, Sally, and Victoria!

After brunch I took advantage of the beautiful weather and met up with my friend in Brooklyn and hung out in Prospect Park for a bit. It’s funny going back to a place where I spent so much time when I was younger, thinking about that giant and beautiful park in the middle of the “concrete jungle” where I used to force my mom and dad to play some completely ridiculous games with me. While we were sitting on the grass at one point, I mentioned how I used to play “rolly-polly” and insist my parents join in… which was basically starting at the top of a hill, and barrel rolling myself down it. Only a few minutes after talking about that, three adorable little kids came running over, threw themselves on the ground, and started rolling down the hill. It was quite a moment of nostalgia!

The "Dog Beach" at the park — The “Dog Beach” at the park

It eventually started to drizzle, so we made our way to a fun new wine bar on 6th Street where we each had a wine flight of 4 different white wines. The bar is small, but they have artwork (available for sale) and some really great wines you can get by the glass or bottle. The rest of our evening was low-key, since we had plans to get up early for a run, followed by marathon cheering!

We woke up around 7am (thanks to the extra hour of sleep!) and made our way back to the park for a run. It was gray and windy, and I couldn’t help but think of all the runners huddled at the Verrazano bridge anxiously awaiting their start. I hoped the wind would die down, and it did, but not until early afternoon. I did a loop of the park, and headed back for a total of 5.55 miles. After doing my “long” run of 10 miles on Friday and walking about 8 on Sunday, the 5 miles was more than enough. Plus, it finally got me to 30 miles for the week, which I haven’t seen in a very long time!

After the run we quickly got ready and claimed our spot on 4th Avenue and 10th street, which was a perfect spot to see the elites come ripping through. We stayed in Brooklyn for a bit after that in hopes of seeing some friends in the first waves (I missed most of them, of course), and then we quickly took the train to Manhattan, where I met up with Ashley & Co. for some cheering at the 30k mark. I was able to see everyone I was hoping to see (with the exception of a few), and even got a sweaty hug from Kara! After the last of the runners I was hoping to see came past the 30k mark, I was ready to head home. I never realized how tiring cheering can be since I’m usually the one out on the course! So naturally when I got home I ordered a pizza and found myself in bed by 8:30pm.

While I was out there cheering, I had mixed emotions. Part of me was so relieved to be on the sidelines cheering, while part of me wanted to be out there, crawling my way through the city. And of course, like any logical person, I randomly teared up and had to take a moment here and there throughout the day. The marathon is such a beast – I love it, I hate it, it makes me happy, it makes me sad, and I can’t get enough of it. Hopefully I can get myself through some longer runs “for fun” in the near future (i.e. running a 14 or 16 miler without the pressure of official marathon training). If I’m able to do that, I’ll consider signing up for my next marathon. But until then, I’m going to stick to 13.1 and under. And if anything, this weekend reminded me of one very important thing: I LOVE RUNNING AND THE RUNNING COMMUNITY!

Tell me …
Did you run the NYC Marathon this weekend?
And if you didn’t, when/where are you racing next?!

Marathon Madness

It’s no secret to anyone that pays attention to distance running that the fall is prime marathon running season. There’s a marathon every weekend, and you probably know of at least one person participating. I was supposed to be one of those runners, gunning for a big PR. But I suppose it’s time for me to admit to myself (and the Internet, obviously), that I won’t be running a fall marathon.

When I first started having ankle issues, I thought I could still toe the line at Richmond in November. But as the discomfort and inconsistent training continued, I realized I would only be setting myself up for frustration, and possible injury. I switched from the full to the half, and after three weeks of pain-free running at the beginning of September, thought I could squeeze in an early December marathon instead. I eagerly signed up for Rehoboth Beach and got to work on a new training plan.

A week into my new training plan brought me an inflamed tendon in my foot, and another week not running. After some cursing, crying, and a little back-and-forth, I realized it was time to graciously bow out of the marathon training game. It was hard for me to admit at first; I had a fast and effortless spring racing season, and had every intention of crushing all my shorter distance PR’s this summer. When that didn’t happen, I figured I would still have time to come back for late fall and early winter. But after DNS-ing four different races since the middle of July due to all these issues with my right foot & ankle, I knew it wasn’t realistic.

Am I disappointed? Absolutely. All of my friends are out there crushing long runs and PR’s, while I sit idly hoping to get through each short run without a new ache or pain. But I know that I need to be “slow and steady” with my training right now, and if I can get a few months of quality runs under my belt without issue, I’ll have a much better chance at a successful marathon training cycle, and ultimately, marathon race.

I have every intention of continuing to run, and racing when I feel up to it. I think part of my problem has always been I have a quick and heavy trigger finger when it comes to signing up for races. It seems as though the further away the race, the more likely I’ll be unable to run it. So for now, I’m going to sign up for races only a few days before they happen (or gasp, maybe even that morning). I think my brain, and more importantly my wallet, will thank me in the long run. And I’m going to keep up with my cross-training! I’ve been trying to do as many foot strengthening exercises as I can, along with calf stretching and strengthening. Here’s to hoping I’m well on the recovery train and can get back to loving running, and not dreading each run in fear of finding something that hurts!

Any advice for me?
Know of any late-spring marathons I can eye up?

Fashion Friday: #BirdMachine

On Wednesday, I took an evening trip into the city to attend Oiselle’s New York Fashion Week after party. That’s right – a running apparel company was showing at Fashion Week!

When I was younger, if someone asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up, they would get one of two answers: a fashion designer, or a lawyer. While my interest and passion for law never really flourished past the sixth grade (unless you consider following the law as interest in it), I’ve always been into fashion. I had intentions of applying to FIT when it came time to decide on colleges, but after a less than positive impression from a “college night” at my high school junior year, I decided it wasn’t really the place for me. So here I am now, with an English degree (and teaching certification), not really sure what I want to do and where I want to go. But that’s a post for another time! Naturally I was drawn to Oiselle as a running apparel company because they do more than “just make running clothes” – they support the running community and make the kind of running clothes I want to wear, whether I’m running or not.

Since I live in New Jersey, I was thrilled to hear some of the Oiselle ladies would be in the tri-state area, especially since it meant possibly getting to soak up some of the NYFW awesomeness. While I wasn’t able to attend the actual fashion show (it was closed to “industry” only, which I clearly am not), they did have an after party that I was able to attend, along with some of my favorite NJ/NYC/CT/PA based running blog buddies. After seeing some sneak peek pictures from the show, I couldn’t wait to get to the party and celebrate. Swim wear? Bright & bold colors? Short shorts? Amazing stuff!

I met up with Ashley to grab dinner once I got into the city, and we walked over to the party in Chelsea together. It’s so funny walking into a room full of people you know through the Internet – because you want to go up to them and strike up a conversation like you’re old friends, yet you’ve never actually met in person! As I was introducing myself as “Danielle,” I realized I needed to include my Twitter handle in order for people to put the two together, and a bunch of us joked that we should have worn name tags with our handles on them. It was so great to meet the brains & operations behind Oiselle, along with a bunch of fellow Oiselle Teammates and other people I interact with daily that I felt like I already knew! Unfortunately I had to leave to catch my train before I had a chance to get all fan-girl with Lauren Fleshman (should have brought my resume so she’d hire me as Jude the dude’s nanny…) but I did get to say hi to Kate Grace!

Admittedly I was a “bad” blogger and took zero pictures. I was too caught up in meeting everyone and chatting, that I forgot for a moment my phone had any purpose other than to tell me the time! But trust me when I say that the party was awesome, and somehow made me fall even more in love with a company than I thought possible.

So tell me…
Have you ever attended (any) Fashion Week events?
When you were younger, what did you want to be when you grew up?

Running Update: Marathoning

For those of you that have been following along, you know I was struggling with some weird undiagnosed pain in my right ankle & foot for most of July and August. Early signs of marathon training in June pointed to a successful training cycle, and the chances of me crushing my current PR were high. But, after two months of inconsistent training, I knew it wasn’t logical to think I would be able to successfully (and easily) complete marathon training by the November 16th race date for the Richmond Marathon. So in what seems to be like an unfortunately common theme among a lot of my runner friends right now, I had to pass on the 2013 Richmond Marathon.

The good news, though, is that my ankle and foot are 90-95% better, depending on the day, and the run. I was able to run in Disneyland with no problems! Since I already paid for a hotel room, I decided to drop down to the half since they provide the option for only $10. So at least I’ll still get to run part of America’s friendliest marathon!

This leaves me with a new problem, though… finding an early winter marathon! My initial thoughts are to run the Rehoboth Beach Marathon on December 7th, since it isn’t too far away from me and doesn’t have to be a big weekend away. But that only gives me an extra three weeks of training, putting me at about a 12 week cycle. Any other races would obviously be in different locations (South, West, etc.) because the weather in January and February around here is not exactly marathon friendly. Thankfully I’ve been able to bounce these ideas off of my coach, Steph, so I’m confident we’ll be able to come up with the best solution soon.

In the meantime I’m just going to keep my fingers crossed that all of these annoying pains are gone for good. I’ve been trying to be as diligent as possible with cross-training and ankle, foot, and leg strengthening exercises, while also working on my core and upper body. I’ve always known how important it is to condition your whole body and how great cross-training is, but I’m realizing it more now than ever. I just have to remind myself when I’m feeling lazy or unmotivated that these few minutes here and there can mean the difference between running pain free, or being sidelined.

So tell me…
Do you have any good cross-training or exercises you do for your feet, ankles, and/or legs I should be trying?
Know of any great December, January, or February marathons I should consider?