Run, Eat, Drink. Repeat steps 2 and 3.

How was your Labor Day weekend? Are you as sad as I that it's over?

The weekend started for me with the last summer half-day Friday we get for work. :::Sigh::: It was fun while it lasted.

To enjoy the day, mourn the passing of summer, and celebrate the beginnings of fall (my favorite season!), Kelly and I sat outside our favorite neighborhood joint and enjoyed our first Sam Adams Octoberfests of the year.

Hello lovelies. You make it much easier to say goodbye to summer!

Now, Kelly brought up an excellent point. Should one be drinking beers when one has an 18-miler to run tomorrow?

The correct answer? Probably not. My answer? As long as you drink plenty of water with them (and while you run), you're good to go. 

Training is, has been, and will continue to be a very important part of my life. But it's not the only part. And I think with all these years and years of training, I'm learning more and more to balance the two and to have a bit more fun with it. Back in 2011 when I started training for these shenanigans, I would get incredibly nervous every single Friday for my Saturday runs. I'd really stress myself out! I still have my moments now and again where I get some butterflies before I start, but I've learned to make them more butterflies of excitement versus butterflies of terror and fear. 

So what do you need to be excited instead of scared? Here's the list:

1) A good route (that I know includes bathrooms and water fountains!)

2) My fuel belt, stocked with water, gatorade, more gus than I need, a credit card, my ID, money, my keys, and my cell phone (oh....just that?)

3) Good clothes that I know will work (i.e. not chafe me awkwardly and will hold up to the sweating)

4) A stellar running buddy

College roomie Jen is an excellent candidate for #4, and she did not disappoint for this, the longest run to-date of the NYC Marathon (Alleged) training season.

I had planned out that good route I mentioned which would bring us from my apartment, down the East River, over the Queensboro bridge, into Queens for a hot minute, over the bridge to Roosevelt Island, circle the island twice, and then back. Phew! It's a good route that is mostly flat except for being able to practice the dreaded Queensboro, which we will hit on Marathon Day (maybe) at mile 16-17 before entering Manhattan. It's a loooooong slow incline, which makes it a doosie!

View of the Queensboro bridge from Roosevelt island

The day was incredibly humid, but we muddled through by taking it slow and steady, having lots to catch up on to distract us, and stopping often for water refills (as I was loosing liquid at an impressive pace).

Hey, cool lighthouse!

Obligatory Roomie selfie (with my fancy PMC hat)

If you've never been to Roosevelt Island, it's worth a try! You can get there via the F train or the tram (or via running...) for those of you in NY.

I haven't been in over a year when I did this route for the first time with Team For Kids. Something new since I've been before is the FDR Four Freedoms Park which opened in October of last year.

This park resides on the southernmost tip of the small island (less than 4 miles to run around) and is a monument to FDR and the four freedoms he spoke to in his 1941 State of the Union address.

I thought it was a lovely park and I love the four freedoms ideal (as shown etched on the stone in the picture above) that the park stands for. We stopped a bit to be tourists, and Jen and I really enjoyed it as a fun, unexpected surprise.

After the run, I refueled on bagels and Gatorade, stretched, and took a long nap next while Archie looked on.

Enjoy your nap. I'll sit here and stare and wait. Don't mind me.

I weirdly woke up, 18 miles and 3+ hours done, feeling fine. Like, just slightly sore but not as incapacitated as I usually am for these types of endeavors.

Maybe it was the slower pace or the nice long nap or additional stretching...or maybe the fact that I know my childhood bff Diane was arriving any moment for a visit!

Diane and I on the 3rd of July this year in Boston. This is basically us in a nutshell.

While here, we did a lot of eating mostly in the Asian genres (she has lived in both Japan and Korea, so I look to her to expand my food horizons!) and maintained our tradition of late-night Karaoke singing along with some of my other pals.

I like to do the private room Karaoke with a small group because I will not sing in a public forum. I know I'm not necessarily the "greatest" singer of all time. Close. But not the greatest.

However, once I get in that little room and get that mic, I'm like:

And then I'm like...

We also did unlimited Sangria brunch on Sunday. So basically I ran and then we ate and drank and ate and drank and ate and drank....forever. 

Now I am watching one of the great movies of our time while I gear up for a short week ahead.

Next post will be after I run my 10th (Ah!!!!) Half Marathon in Plymouth next week. 

Archie and I (yes, he is a Jewish cat), wish a sweet and happy New Year to those celebrating! L'Shanah Tova!

Lifestyles of the Famous

Long time, no see, blog readers! Life -- as it tends to do -- has been crazy and my non-work computer time has been limited. But the training, I'm sure you'll be pleased to know, is pretty smooth going right now! What you've missed in MeriG running the past few weeks is a gradual mileage build-up solidly into the double-digits for long runs. My routine during the week is relatively set, with one "easy" run (still hate that term"), one "quality" run (with hills and/or speed) and a couple of days of strength cross-training.

And I'm writing this to you on my new ipad, which is just super-duper nifty.

Immediately upon receipt of said iPad I downloaded all the apps and started playing all the games. It's problematic and if I seem like a recluse, well, you know why now. I have a cute cat and I have an iPad with Seamless web all ready to go. I may never leave my apartment again.

But I digress.

I have downloaded a couple of completely unnecessary running apps (that stands for "Applications," Mom), that I wanted to share with you. The first is the countdown app "T-Zero." So, sure it's not just for running, but I'm using it to track my upcoming race (November 3rd! NYC Marathon! Save the Date! #Allegedly)

The other is called MilePost and provides a running quote of the day. It has been giving me insteresting quips of wisdom.

But it has also been making me laugh. Like this morning's quote:

All I want to do is drink beer and train like an animal. -Rod Dixon

Love it.

So when I find the time to peel myself away from my new electronic toys, I have otherwise been engaged with being famous. I am basically being chased by the running paparazzi wherever I go.

Don't believe me? Let's look to the evidence.

July 15th. My Team For Kids group send out an invite for a run. Take a peek:

A sweaty high-five with Jazmin last year around this time seemed like the good shot. Notice how my fuel belt cinches my waist just-so and how the sweat glistens as we awkwardly high-five. Clearly this image was so powerful it had to be saved in the archives to be brought out at moments such as this.

Not convinced this construes fame? Fine. About a week later I'm sitting at my desk and a co-worker IMs me, "You are the face of Team for Kids!!"

Oh?

Turns out this is the image being shared to publicize that spots are still open (which they are, if you're interested...) on the Facebook:

Yep, there we are again. Can't see it enough.

Still no? Well I ran this said Long Training Run -- a 13-miler -- with Roomie Jen. After the race, I received an email from her entitled "YOU'RE FAMOUS!" in which it came to my attention that the New York Runners website had this as one of the dozen or so race pictures they posted on the interwebs.

The moral of the story is that I'm going to have to start charging a talent fee.

And I'm definitely going to have to start getting my game-face on for the Marathon. Rather than thinking about it as 26.2 miles, I'm going to have to start considering it as a 4+ hour photo shoot. It's going to be tough, but I'll have to give my fans something to keep them satisfied. ::::sigh::: Fame is a tricky witch.

If you'll permit me a segue, I have some thoughts now I'd like to share. Cuz I'm the one writin' the blog.

This is my third year.

My fourth time training.

I know I say this a lot, but just...wow. Time has flown, and continues to fly. And it's a little weird now that this "thing," is something that I've been doing for years.

This familiarity with the process and the relative "smooth sailing" of it all gives me a bit of discomfort, if I'm being honest. I keep waiting for the other shoe to drop a bit and for disaster to strike. I know this makes me such a Susie Sunshine, but it's just how I feel and  -- you know -- I'm the one writin' the blog.

And I'm so glad I have this blog at times like these. I'm so glad that I know people do read it, but it's very helpful for me to go back and look at where I was a year ago. Two years ago. It gives me perspective and helps remind me of where I've been.

I ran 16 miles yesterday and it hurt. I don't know why I think these crazy distances will get easier, because they never do. I'm lucky that I was running with my friend Kevin who was supportive and pushed me to keep going when I wanted to stop. It was a gorgeous morning and a gorgeous route, but it's never going to be easy to run 2.5 hours. I'm never going to be that girl.

I'm the girl who sweats and talks about wanting to eat tater tots for a majority of the run. Just ask Kevin.

So it's helpful, when I'm sitting in agony at home after, nursing crazy chafing wounds (seriously...it got real...) and icing sore feet, too look back.

Two years ago it was that 16-mile run, done stupidly and stubbornly when I was already in pain, that led to the injury that benched me in 2011. I was incredibly optimistic at the time, but I was also a newbie. And I was paying more attention to schedules and websites and books written by other people than to my own body.

Last year my first 16-miler of the season put me in a place where I felt I was qualified to start offering some advice. And I probably am. But I've also learned since then that there's definitely no right way and no wrong way to do this whole "running" thing. It's very personal and it changes over time. What might be right for me, at one point in time? May not be right for you at that point in time. [Real time point in fact: The shorts I wear last year may chafe me this year. Fact.]

And now -- with a Marathon under my belt -- I'm back at it. With a sense of purpose, but also of normalcy. I'm happier with my training than I've ever been, but also more scared. I want to run New York so badly. I really want this, more than any of those two years past. And it's not for the personal gratification of knowing I can run a Marathon (because you know I #Actually did that!)

I want it because I want it. And I've worked for it. And that's enough for me now.

And if you'll excuse me, I need to get back to answering my fan mail.

What Each New Day Shall Bring

Ah, the life of a person in the midst of marathon training. Just party, party, party all the time.

Party!! Woo!!! Woo.....woooooo....

Okay fine. No. I am completely sober and go to bed early. After eating a sensible dinner. Damn, you caught me.

Saturday morning my alarm went off at 4:30am. Yup.  4:30 in the morning. 

Why, just why, would anyone in their right mind do that voluntarily? On their own accord? Well, actually, it makes it quite easy when you have this situation on your hands: 

Yup. At 5:19am.

Although the heatwave has finally broken (finally!), Saturday was still on near-dangerous territory. New York Road Runner's races were made into fun runs, and I know that my Team For Kids group actually cancelled their weekly run due to the heat. It was a slow, safe, hydrated run at dawn...or not at all.

With money and a MetroCard in hand in case I needed to bail, and plenty of Gatorade on my belt, I took a taxi to 14th and 1st and met my running buddy Jazmin to start a 12-mile run as the sun started to rise.

A view like that, on the East River of New York City at sunrise, almost makes the crazy wake-up call hour worth it.

Almost.

MMhmmm.

The run took us on a lovely route down the East side, around the tip of the island, and then up the West Side Highway to finish things up. Always running along the water did allow for a bit of a nice breeze, but the heat and humidity at dawn had me at my breaking point for basically the entire time. 

The pace was tortoise-esque and the sweat was truly epic. But Jazmin -- as always -- was a lovely running partner and our conversation made the time pass by pretty quickly. I was home, stretched, showered, and back in bed by 8:45am for a little nap so that I could start my day by late morning.

The things we runners do...

...But usually not two days in a row. 

On this Sunday morning the alarm went off at 5:15 am for another early-to-rise day.

Today Betsy and I had an appointment to do the Color Me Rad 5K color run! We signed up several months ago, so I had been looking forward to a fun, unique running experience with her. Even though it was super duper early. Again.

The heat had broken, bagels had been eaten, and the ride to NJ (ugh) was not nearly as bad as anticipated. We were ready to rock n' roll.

The premise is simple. You run (or jog...or walk...or whatever you want to do) and you get colorful. That's it. It's not timed, it's not really for racing. It's completely for fun. And you know what? I need more pure fun in my running life, gosh dangit! 

With our white clothes and souls pure, the starting music began at 8:00am. So, I'm not sure what I was expecting exactly...but the course definitely underwhelmed a bit.

Yup. It was a parking lot.

We watched the route weave in and out of traffic cones, and, it really made 5K seem quite long! Wow! we were jog / speed-walking (okay, fine, we were sauntering, ok? Sauntering.) But I caught myself at many points thinking to myself, I really run this far? The parking lot was BIG!

LOOK AT THIS EXPANSE! AND LOOK AT ME!

As you're walking, you know, around the parking lot, there are stations where volunteers hose you with color or throw basically food-colored cornstarch on you. It's fun if you keep an open mind and a disposable wardrobe.

All the color!!!!!!

The first station was pink. And my face was at arm level with the volunteer Pink-Thrower.

The result:

Hello gorgeous!

It was in my nose, my ears, my mouth....it's still on me right now more than 14 hours later. And there was literally no reason for it. But you know what? It was really freaking fun.

All-in-all, a really great slash random morning with B. And we got a bit of exercise in there too!

We're sexy and we know it.

Yet we remain unimpressed.

After running for the bus back to NY (ironally the only actual running we did all morning), we arrived safe and sound back at my least favorite place in the entire expanse of the Universe: The Port Authority.

There, freshly clothed in my race souvenir shirt, my Color Me Rad 5K shirt was put to its final resting place. Farewell, good soldier.

 

I scrubbed, and scrubbed, and scrubbed...and scrubbed. Along with a full layer of skin, I think I got most of the color off. Then brunch with some lovely ladies followed by a lazy afternoon in the park where I did a lot of this:

Two early mornings make for a sleepy exhausted MeriG, but all-in-all it was a great weekend. Looking forward to seeing what my pre-dawn wake-up calls have in store for me next week... 

Heat Index = O.M.G.

Archie and I went home the week of July 4th to see friends and family and enjoy a relaxing week away from the city.

Although I had to work the first couple of days, the week in general was packed full of fun stuff. One of the first highlights was the annual day-trip on the 3rd of July to Boston with the family to see the Dress Rehearsal of the Boston Pop's 4th of the July concert. My parents have been going for years, and whenever I possibly can for the last decade or so (God, I'm getting old...) I've been joining them.

We get there around 1 pm and get one of the first spots in line.

Around 4 pm they start getting people through security (lots of security this year...) and then you go out onto the lawn and stake a spot.

Now, it's no secret that I am a runner.

So my father has finally figured out a use for my little hobby. He hands me a big blanket, instructs me to push little old ladies and helpless children out of the way, and sends me SPRINTING for a front seat.

This may be what I have been training for all along.

Every year I continue to reach a personal best on the lawn. And this year was no different. Aided by comfortable sandals and a lack of stiff competition, we were about three blankets from the front of the lawn.

The view, without zooming in, was this.

Nice.

It was a lovely concert and a great day with my family, my sister's fiance's family, and a couple of friends. I love these little traditions and I LOVE WINNING THE GAME OF GETTING TO THE FRONT OF THE LAWN.

The next morning was the 4th of July. The celebration of our country and of freedom and of hot dogs and beer. To celebrate the day, I ran a 5K in the morning along with my friends Lauren and Christie. I had written back in March how excited I would be to run with Christie once she got back from Afghanistan, so it was wonderful doing this race with her and her fiance (congrats again, ladies!!)

We arrived bright and early at the starting line with nearly 600 others. I love that running is becoming so popular in my town!

We wore patriotic head gear.

Although the race started at 8:15, it was already toasty out and the sun was shining like it was high noon on the equator.

The route basically traced the parade route (which began a couple of hours after the race ended, so a few nice spectators came out early to cheer us on.) It took us through the main part of town and normally would be quite pleasant, although a bit hilly.

That day? I'm not gonna lie to you. The race was brutal. Absolutely brutal. But I managed to try to take a good race pic, because I am a liar and a fraud:

I look like I'm floating! Thumbs up!

Yay Christie and Lauren!

My best time at a 5K was last November and I was about 40 seconds off that time in this race. Honestly? I'm just proud I didn't spontaneously burst into flame. It was so. Incredibly. Hot. I believe they said the heat index was near 100 with humidity. At 9am. What?!

The sweating was off the charts. Simply astounding. When you reach a point where you realize that you weren't sure the human body was actually equipped to lose that much liquid is when you start getting concerned. There was one water stop where they gave me about 1.5 ounces of warm water.

I was thankful for the nice volunteers who were out on a hot day. But I was also like:

So, lesson learned: Running 5Ks in the summer can suck. 3.1 miles, 3.1 schmiles. Once it's that hot all bets are off. Might as well have been an Ultra-marathon for how I felt at the finish line.

In general I find this distance difficult because I'm not very fast, but I am very competitive and unnecessarily crazy. I don't have another 5K on the horizon for a while, instead focusing on building up my long runs (since Marathon training again is underway!) This one'll do me for a while, so I'm all good!

Fun race overall though ... in theory ... if I didn't think I was slowly boiling from the inside out and about to just simply die.

Yaaay....sweaty....Plymouth Rock....need...Gatorade....ahhhh.....

My other fun run while I was home was a long easy run around Plymouth with my cousin Anna! Anna has been living in Uganda for the last few years (yep, you heard right), so it was amazing having her visit and to go for a long [and still incredibly hot] morning run.

During our run, she was so excited to find out that we were passing Plymouth Rock. THE PLYMOUTH ROCK! Here she is very excited:

All in all, a great running week at home. Now I'm back in New York, and officially already up to double-digit long runs [again] as I embark on training for my 4th marathon. Hope to actually run a 2nd one this time. Allegedly.

And, like I always say in the summer...stay cool and embrace the treadmill. There ain't no shame for staying inside and watching an hour of Food Network or trashy TV to pass the time. Just saying.