Tag Archive | nyrr

August 2018 – the month that was

Sep1

well, August is always a good month because of SUMMER STREETS, literally, I should be hired by the Summer Streets People because I feel like a community evangelizer. That is all I talk about to anyone all year long. You know it. Anyway, to recap: I like Summer Streets. A bit. If you just met me or this is the first time you read this blog, Summer Streets happens 3 weekends in August, on Saturdays: they close traffic on Park Avenue in the Upper East Side all the way to the Brooklyn Bridge, for 5 hours. It’s MAGIC.

If you missed it, shame on you (and, how are we friends???). If you never heard of it, pen it in for next year and don’t make vacation plans or don’t say yes to weddings. If you don’t live in NYC, get tickets now. 

So, Summer Streets was awesome, even though it RAINED ALL THREE SATURDAYS as you can see in the pictures (ugh) and we have to chop one run short because there was lightning, thunderstorm and flash flooding (but mostly because with all that water I couldn’t keep my contacts inside my eyes…!). It was still awesome. 

The day after the first Summer Streets, July something, a Sunday, I run the NYRR Manhattan Mile, a new race and a distance I’ve never run. So, automatic PR you say? Meh I don’t count those, but I WILL COUNT THE NEXT TIME I RUN THIS DISTANCE because I run it as slow AF. So, here we go: I have a bum knee. It’s not chondromalacia patellae, it’s not ITBS, I’ve ruled out a lot of things but it’s just weird because it hurts VERY randomly. AND, if I take time off, it hurts more. Go figure that one out. Good luck. Anyway, that day my knee was hurting so I struggled to finish. It was also like one hundred million degrees celsius/fahrenheit. 

Luckily I had Jackie, Michael and Brian to not only keep me company but throw power boosts at me during the last mile where they all decided to pick it up and I was just not into it. Aw, friends that throw stuff at you while you want to curl and cry are the BEST! ❤ I guess.

HA.

The next weekend was another combo of Summer Streets and a race. This time I attempted to do two races on Sunday and it didn’t work out AT ALL. I wanted to do the France Run, a 5 miler in Central Park at 8, and then scoot out to Williamsburg (in Brooklyn, for all my international readers! This Wsburg is in BK, not Colonial Pennsylvania, as I had to be told a few times in my first years in NYC coming from Philly!!!) (where was I?) then scoot out to Williamsburg to race the Brooklyn Mile. My heat was at 9:30 am. Possible?? Not really. What was I thinking? Not only David and I run France Run as slow as we possibly could without bursting into a walk spider-crawl, BUT we then proceeded to be extra stooopid fun after we finished and pretend talk in French and rename everything. We then also decided, while it rained, to taste and eat all the French things they had… chocolate, financiers, it was good… oooops, it’s 9:30! CRAP. And the truth is, I wasn’t in any shape to race a mile. My knee agreed (probably).

The last weekend of August (am I missing one???) it was a doubleheader. I did the Percy Sutton 5K in Harlem on Saturday and the Henry Isola 4 Mile XC in Van Cortlandt, Bronx, on Sunday. Who knew I could handle it? The knee was stoopid all week so I run to the 5K with Kettia and David SUPER slow, like 11 pace and was thinking to maybe cheer. I felt 100% pain-free so I decided to race. It was slow (23:06 It think, 7:24 pace) well, yes, I haven’t done anything hard in 2 months so I couldn’t expect much more but I felt good and that is all I cared about. Plus it was fun. We met lots of people, Frankie run me in, we had an hour-long stop on the run back… it was all shit and giggles, the way a race morning should be (to me, don’t judge!).

We run back. I ended up with like 10 miles… then… the next day, cause I felt ok… (who feels ok the day after a 5k?) I decided to run to the Bronx to run the Henry Isola 4 miler. It’s in the trails and it’s cross country. Ummmmmmm I was an XC virgin and had NO IDEA what I was doing. I didn’t even know why my age and gender was on my bib! Or how we all run on the grass and not the path…? it was all so weird. So, I’ve done trail races, like ultras, or like Bear Mountain 50K, or stuff like that. But this was SOOO DIFFERENT. Fast but also trails, crazy. Anyway, I run to the Bronx, got there at 8 am, race was starting at 9 and it was SO BURNING HOT already… I started feeling all the heatnessticity before we even started. It’s a smaller race than the typical NYRR race, like a LOT smaller. 40% of it were we out of the trails and in THE SUN. The last loop was hard and I won’t admit this to myself but there’s a chance I didn’t negative split this race. It was still great though (if can call walking up Cemetery Hill twice because your legs can’t run up, then yes it was great).

I think you can tell how HOT it was. Maybe by the sun situation, or my sweat situation, or maybe becase my hair is fried. I didn’t run back home. At all. I tried. But no.

DATA DOWNLOAD

  • Total Miles: 157, biggest mileage month so far this year. Just checked and my biggest month was 187 miles in October 2016. 
  • Races: Four. Two were miserable/slow. One was ok, one was awesome.
  • Ups: UM, HELLO, SUMMER STREETS. Did you forget already??? Also, that’s the most miles I run in a month this year. Catching up.
  • Downs: THIS STOOOOPID KNEE. Sorry, sorry, I still need love you knee, please don’t hurt me, anymore, prettyplease?
  • Balance: I wanna feel un-pain again and run hard, and do speedwork and I hate this crap. 

July

I barely remember July already and it was just now. My parents were still visiting so we kept touristing around and we had an amazing Fourth of July with all the official NYC fireworks on the East River. Epic. I did two races, with meh performances. The first one was the NYRR

hair working hard for the picture, post-Retro 4 Miler

 Retro 4 Miler, and I was really lame to not dress up, or back?  I seriously will wear any costume but just like happens every single Thanksgiving Halloween, I don’t care enough to remember more than 1 minute ahead of time. Every year I tell myself I am totally going to dress up next year and then I forget. Then every year, when the costumey event happens, I tell myself I am gonna set a reminder in the calendar for a month BEFORE Halloween/race/etc so I can plan ahead… but I am a snooze-hitter with things I don’t really want to bother with (NOT the alarm, you KNOW I wake up before the alarm even goes off!), and I use my go-to motto: if I didn’t bother doing it so far, no chance in hell this is gonna get done ever. Just like with the emails at the bottom of my inbox. If it’s been 2-3 days, there’s a high chance they won’t get opened/read/replied to… AAAANYWAY, I didn’t wear a costume for the Retro Run because I am lame. But people do, and it’s SUPER fun and I really really really always wish I did. mooooving on. Ah, so, the race. Wasn’t feeling it. I met with Courtney to do about 4 or 5 miles before and I kept wanting to go home. I was THIS close. Does that ever happen to you?

Then, I also did the NYRR R U N 5K in Central Park last week. Also wasn’t fast or anything special. It was a bit like hell hot so I decided to hold it in a bit. I managed to not kill myself. It was meh, but I love that course, it’s pretty fast with just one hill. Saw like a million people I knew, which was fun as always to catch up and chit chat and all those things with lots of chs in them. cha cha cha.

If anything else exciting, fun, amazing happened, I either don’t remember or it’s totally private or NSFW! HAAA, got you thinking!!!

DATA DOWNLOAD

exciting huh? I am behind on my mileage… been behind since,… January??? I am lazy or having too much fun, you decide.

  • Total Miles: 152, not bad, not bad… not amazing but the most this year. July is a good month to run!
  • Races: 2. LAME!!!! Last month I had 6… so… AH THAT’S WHY MY MILEAGE IS UP!!!
  • Ups: I heart running in the summer. LOVE IT. JULY NEEDS TO BE 325 DAYS PLEASE.
  • Downs: omg my hair in the weather. HELP. Send the firemen or the paramedics or Paolo Puttanesca asap.
  • Balance: I have no idea. ALL I CARE ABOUT RIGHT NOW IS SUMMER STREETS. SUMMER STREETS STARTS IN TWO DAYS. SUMMER STREETS IS THE BEST. SUMMER STREETS HERE I COME. SUMMER STREETS IS THE BEST. DID I TELL YOU I LOVE SUMMER STREETS?

can you tell I am melting?

June

was a great month. Let me break it down before I forget it all (photos and a super organized calendar really do help!). I often wondered if I should do these weekly… there is so much to say but then I forget. Anyway, JUNE was BUSY, My parents came to visit from Argentina, which is awesome, they come every other year, for about a month and it was amazing. We did everything, we went everywhere, I got myself them so tired every single day…. it was awesome and rough at the same time. We literally did it all in a month. We even went to Miami for a few days of untamable hair and sticky skin. I forgot how insanely hot Miami is in the summer. #protip, don’t effing go to Miami in the summer, ever. or really, at any other time but definitely NO in the summer.

Anyway, the month started with the Italy Run NYC, a 5-mile race in Central Park, sponsored by Ferrero where I proceeded to smear Nutella all over me post-race, best celebration possible, correct? Before you ask, there are no pictures of that because it’s a LIE. Race was good; my performance… meh (actually, I don’t remember anymore!).

italy run nyc 2018 ferrero nyrr central park (3)
italy run nyc 2018 ferrero nyrr central park (2)
italy run nyc 2018 ferrero nyrr central park (1)

Literally 3 days later, I did another race, the Summer Series 5K in Prospect Park. It’s on Wednesdays at 7 pm, which REALLY messes up my sleep AND my Thursday morning run with my Flyers friends, BUT…I kinda love showing up because:

  1. I see lots of friends I don’t see every day in Central Park
  2. I cherish (and also hate) racing in a different course than the ones I did one million times in CP (though it’s also harder)
  3. Love the small race ambiance

Also, don’t remember much I think (given there is a picture of my holding a medal, duh) that I placed and I got a medal. Oh, and I totally remember I got something like 71% AG. YEAH, nbd.

And… 3 days right after this one, I had the 3rd race in 6 days… can you imagine how that one is gonna go???? So, Saturday morning was a Mini10K, which is a mega party, so I wasn’t going to miss it. BUT, I also wasn’t going to miss the other mega party Friday night… So come Saturday morning I was a MESS… my feet hurt (from the heels or dancing, who knows!) and I was sleeeeeeepy, SO SLEEEEEPY. I have no idea why, NOT ONLY I SHOWED UP TO THE RACE, BUT I also met Elizabeth (she is real, I promise) to do 4 miles before the race. MENTAL.

But, it was all worth it. I run it, EASY, with 3 friends, and it was a frigging BLAST. I regret nothing. #noregerts.

Told you it was FUN! Yeah, I was physically miserable but no one remembers that… smh. So then my parents arrived and we started the daily tour of all the food and all the things we don’t tell the tourists about. AND the World Cup. June was literally mental. Somehow I managed to get to Queens the next weekend, early, to run the Queens 10K. I wasn’t sure if I wanted to make the trek because Argentina was playing at 9 am against Iceland and I’d miss the first half, but so happy I went… Not only I had tons of fun at the race, I SOMEHOW (…miraculously) managed to do OK. Noooo, not a PR or even close but I got up to 69% AG, I was just one minute off from my PR, which is from frigggggging 2013! Does that even count anymore? I say NO.

Queens 10K NYRR 2018 pictures results (1)
I am a sucker for high-fives!
I am a sucker for high-fives!
Queens 10K NYRR 2018 pictures results (2)

Then, wait for this because the madness doesn’t stop there…. I did TWO races the next weekend!!!! YEAH, again, NBD! Crazy, right? I agree. It’s good that I am a biomechanics coach and I know what I am doing because otherwise my leggies would have fallen off by then… Saturday was the Pride Run and OMG I WAS NOT GONNA MISS THAT. I always race the Achilles Hope and Possibility race (which was going to the next day), so I decided to take the Pride Run easy and save my legs for Sunday. Only… I didn’t quite do that. I ended up with a lot of fun AND 12 miles… oooops. #mischiefmanaged (for you all PotterHeads!)

Jackie, Mary, Michael and I run the whole thing chatting from start to end. And the outfits were ON POINT.

Sunday I woke up to do a few miles before the Achilles Hope and Possibility race and I was wishing I had raced the day before… It was muggy, humid, gross and I was tired. You do what you can.

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David and Patricia (and corrals B,C,D,E and F) smoked me but I was happy. My parents had come to spectate and it was AWESOME. They came both days. They LOVED IT. Those two races and really something. REALLY REALLY something.

The next weekend was a wash because I was out of town, and back just on July 1st to watch the husband race the NYC TRI, with the parents and my cheering crew along. TRIATHLETES ARE CRAZY, just saying. But he’s so cute, it evens out.

DATA DOWNLOAD

  • Total Miles: 139, eeeeeek. too much racing makes the mileage go puff!
  • Races: SIX. 6 races in month. That’s probably maybe a PR, at least this year… ha, I have 12 races this year, 6 in ONE MONTH. 
  • Ups: All the fun things I did with the parents…!!! The Nutella at the Italy Run was HEAVEN. The Mini10K was SO FUN. Queens was a MEGA REVELATION. Pride and Achilles get me teary every time…
  • Downs: Mileage was yuk and I am behind my yearly goal. Tapering before races and how sore I am sometimes after…
  • Balance: ALL AWESOME!!!! I can’t believe I did all those races with all the other stuff I had going on…!

May

May was a whirlwind!! So much happened, and so many races also! I remember I started the month with something we had planned since September last year: Harry Potter and the Cursed Child!

Call me a Potterhead, That was awesome! Twelve hours later, I was up early for the Newport 10K, just over the Hudson, one of my favourite 10Ks, because 1, it’s flat, 2, the finish line bagels (and I don’t really like bagels!). The race was a blast as usual: I’ve run it a few times and it always delivers! It’s usually hot but I love the vibe and the views!

Of course, as usual, there were many runs and stairs workouts sprinkled through the month:

And then there was the Japan Run. I remembered being tired from something but then, at the start, I met with Brian and Nick and Jackie, and we all decided to run together and pace Jackie. Those are my favorite types of races!

Way too much fun was had!! The next weekend, just so I wouldn’t fall off the wagon, I run the NYPD Memorial Run 5K. It was HOT and humid but I rallied and for the first time in months, I did OK. I measure my race performances by AG and I feel I do ok when I get close or over the 70% AG mark. Lately, I had been around 64% to 69%, and in this race I went back up to 70% wohoooo. Also, it was super fun to run on the West Side Highway. I really like how wide it is there.

Then, three days later, after a brutal stairs workout and speedwork, we raced the Prospect Park Summer Series 5K: no biggie. The course was slower (as there is a hill in Prospect Park) but I managed very similar results! Just like 10 or 20 seconds off. I find it so weird to race at night (well, 7 pm), that I find it quite amusing to try to figure out what to eat, how much, when, etc. Of course, then I slept like crap after because I was so wired!

That was a lot of racing…!

DATA DOWNLOAD:

 

  • Total Miles: 147, coming back up, but it’s hard with those short races because I feel like I need a good taper before and then my legs are thrashed for a few days…
  • Races: FOUR, here we go. Racing season is upon us!
  • Ups: the NYPD and the Summer Series 5K were definitely a surprise! I wasn’t expecting to do so well (NOT IN PR SHAPE YET THOUGH, ok?) and even though I don’t feel as strong as I used to, feeling in control of the situation really helps! One more thing: Central Park blossoming is the BEST!
  • Downs: how tired my legs feel two days after any short race! YUK
  • Balance: VERY HAPPY

So, I need to race more. Even if I am not in fighting shape or without any kind of expectations, I really enjoy it. The fewer expectations I have, the more fun I have, and so I go out there controlled and just let the race happen. I’ve actually started measuring races and performance by the amount of time it takes me to get back home, aka “how much fun I have”. For example, the NYPD Memorial Run was at 9 am and I got home at 4 pm: THAT is a successful race in my eyes now. The truth is I am not always (or ever again!) be as fast as I used to be or as I would like to be or as I would expect to be, so what should I do? Stay home until I feel I am in shape? HECK NO. To me, races are not a test of my fitness or “what I get from the work I put in” but a chance to enjoy with the community of friends who like to get out and enjoy the park with one foot in front of another trying to stay healthy. Yes, I’ll push hard here and there, but if one day I don’t feel like it or I decide to stick with a friend, it’ll be no different: it just HAS to be fun. 

April

We started the month in Argentina, which was great because it was WARM and hey, it was vacations. Got to see the fam and a few touristy things of course, and yeah, a few runs with Juan. Oh and of course I ate my face away. Lots of asado and steaks but also a lot of nikkei, my favourite non-native cuisine while in Argentina (my favourite non-native in the US is Japanese and French, you always gotta know where to get what!). I got back, I did a 4 miler in Central Park, the Run as One… it was so long ago, I can barely remember, or maybe it’s because I’ve been racing a lot the last two months! Oh yeah, I remember I got really hot (I was overdressed) and started way too fast or something, here is one picture!

I obviously spent some time running around, exhibit A:

or working:

or with Juan, usually eating crap:

and/or usually with friends, running or not!!!

DATA DOWNLOAD:

  • Total Miles: 119. Ooops. That’s low. I really vacationed in Argentina… IT HAPPENS, OKAY?
  • Races: just one but it was more like a tempo, wasn’t expecting to go all out.
  • Ups: the fun runs!
  • Downs: didn’t get a lot done!
  • Balance: it was good -> lots of blossoming happening all over NYC made it amazingly beautiful!

March

March is always a good month because it is my birthday!!! HA. I started the month with a race, the NYRR Washington Heights Salsa, Blues and Shamrocks 5K (there is a post there), which wasn’t great time wise but it was fun. See proof here:

There was a lot of running, maybe not tons of miles, because it was still cold as hell Alaska? ok Alaska, but it got done. 

And the United NYC Half happened. I saw so many of you there. That was an intense week and I was REALLY just a bit jealous of everyone running the new course. I got to run parts of it last year and was on one of the Pro lead trucks on race day and it looked amazing!! and everyone looked SO happy at the finish line… Really jelly So happy for you all!!!

We then went to San Antonio for a few quiet days of pulled pork and warmer weather. For my bday. We ate a LOT.  We run a bunch too:

DATA DOWNLOAD:

  • Total Miles: 151, it’s starting to pick up
  • Races: one. and I was so not wanting to race!
  • Ups: I did a lot of really great runs
  • Downs: still not feeling my best.
  • Balance: not letting it get to me. Let’s hope the nicer weather brings better running!

Also, one more thing I forgot to report on this whole year. A few friends and I have been doing monthly challenges. January was squats, February was pushups, March was planks. We usually just grab one from popsugar.com. Basically it tells you how many to do every day and each day is a bit more. It’s interesting. Maybe you’d want to try it with a few friends? we all text each other to make sure we’re all doing them EVERY DAY… Protip: it works better with a reward at the end of the month!!!!!!!!!!

February

was weird. I happened so quick I barely noticed. Instead of ice-fest, we had a few meltdowns (all kinds of meltdowns!) and even one day in the 70s… OH OH what are people going to use now to discredit “””global warming“””? I feel so bad for those polar bears, and hey, we won’t be moving to Venice anytime soon. Glad I live in a 2nd floor too, but I digress… Anyway, my body decided also to have a meltdown and I had a couple of stooopid issues (my hormones have decided they need more attention than any Kardashian!) and even some very very easy runs where my heart rate was about 50 over the usual… anyway, I was signed up for the NYRR Al Gordon Brooklyn 4M, and I was literally too tired to get up. Of course, I ended up running 11 miles in Central Park instead but my pace was 10:00 and my heart rate was at 82%. Insane. You just can’t win them all, can you? About two weeks ago, I spent the husband and I spent two hours shopping for half marathons for me… I came up with not a lot. If you have any ideas, let me know. Also, my running is so up and down I’ve started questioning if I should try to take some weeks/months off so my body doesn’t feel pressured and maybe that would help?

ha, I was just kidding! I’d be super hyper and way too annoying after just two days and waaaaay unhappy. So, let me just slow down, do it when my body is ok with it, and just enjoy it with no pressure. Deal?

So, I had a few awesome runs, still.

 

Plus it was Valentine’s Day and who thinks we’d let any reason to celebrate pass by? any excuse works!

Also, I got to spend some quality time at work (at NYRR) with some people you might know… Meb and Jenny. Do you even need last names? Don’t think so! Meb is now a Team for Kids Ambassador and Jenny is a Rising NYRR Ambassador and both were in town to run the Virtual For the Kids 5K race. If you haven’t check NYRR’s Virtual Races, you should.

 

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Anyway, it all went waaay too fast!

DATA DOWNLOAD

  • Total Miles: 124, emmm, got lazy a bit!
  • Races: big old zero for the year
  • Ups: weather got surprisingly “hot”. 40s and some 50s even.
  • Downs: not feeling my best.
  • Balance: i am getting a bit frustrated. cause, wtf.

January

was really cold. The first two weeks we set cold weather records. It was awful. Running was awful. I started the year working at the midnight run and it was really really cold. I wore everything and it was still crazy cold. But it’s a super fun race!

It was so cold that the races on the second weekend of January got canceled. I managed to run both Saturday and Sunday but it was insanely cold. Everyone kept asking me what I was training for, as most people assumed I had to get the miles in for some marathon or something. I am not really training for anything, just trying to not let the winter win. I can’t say I loved it, but I got out there.

 

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As you can see there was a couple of blizzards in there, snow, ice, and all the layers. Luckily we had planned a trip to Mexico for mid-January to escape the cold. The vacation part was uneventful but we had a few epic runs with Juan (the husband!).

First night in the hotel, a guy who worked there came up to talk to Juan as he was wearing his 2017 TCS New York City Marathon shirt, to ask him if he had run the marathon. Turned out that Armando, our new friend at the hotel, was a runner too and invited us to his team’s workout the next morning. So, at 6:30 am we went out to meet up the Red Runners, who were having a special run as one of their teammates had passed that week. There was a half an hour of a warm-up, everyone in a circle, probably around 130 people, and the coach had a microphone and big speakers. Before we headed out, we all got one white rose to carry for the memorial. We all run together to a gorgeous lighthouse I never would have seen, we got there with the sunrise, there were speeches, even a triathlete pastor, there were prayers, and we run back with the boombox in tow. Everyone was together. It was very moving. And everyone was so welcome to this stranger. It was very special.

 

When I travel, to me, the best thing EVER is to hang with the locals. Nothing could have beat that run.

Juan and I did have a few osom runs. The day after the run with Red Runners, there was a race in town, which we didn’t sign up for because registration was miles and miles away but we run to the start and finish to cheer/spectate. Funnest part: Kukulcan road (the main drag) had no traffic for the race. Quite FUN!

 

The next few days we did great. We did a tempo together and we run back to the lighthouse so Juan could see it. We managed to get the sunrise too.

 

And like that, we were back and the month was over!

DATA DOWNLOAD!

  • Total Miles: 140
  • Races: not even one. But we spectated at one..!
  • Ups: the runs in Mexico!
  • Downs: running in the sub 10 temperatures (which is like minus 20 in Celsius). NOT FUN. WITH WIND!
  • Balance: can it be June now? I really miss racing a LOT.

July Recap

Aug2

I barely remember July already and it was just now. My parents were still visiting so we kept touristing around and we had an amazing Fourth of July with all the official NYC fireworks on the East River. Epic. I did two races, with meh performances. The first one was the NYRR

hair working hard for the picture, post-Retro 4 Miler

 Retro 4 Miler, and I was really lame to not dress up, or back?  I seriously will wear any costume but just like happens every single Thanksgiving Halloween, I don’t care enough to remember more than 1 minute ahead of time. Every year I tell myself I am totally going to dress up next year and then I forget. Then every year, when the costumey event happens, I tell myself I am gonna set a reminder in the calendar for a month BEFORE Halloween/race/etc so I can plan ahead… but I am a snooze-hitter with things I don’t really want to bother with (NOT the alarm, you KNOW I wake up before the alarm even goes off!), and I use my go-to motto: if I didn’t bother doing it so far, no chance in hell this is gonna get done ever. Just like with the emails at the bottom of my inbox. If it’s been 2-3 days, there’s a high chance they won’t get opened/read/replied to… AAAANYWAY, I didn’t wear a costume for the Retro Run because I am lame. But people do, and it’s SUPER fun and I really really really always wish I did. mooooving on. Ah, so, the race. Wasn’t feeling it. I met with Courtney to do about 4 or 5 miles before and I kept wanting to go home. I was THIS close. Does that ever happen to you?

Then, I also did the NYRR R U N 5K in Central Park last week. Also wasn’t fast or anything special. It was a bit like hell hot so I decided to hold it in a bit. I managed to not kill myself. It was meh, but I love that course, it’s pretty fast with just one hill. Saw like a million people I knew, which was fun as always to catch up and chit chat and all those things with lots of chs in them. cha cha cha.

If anything else exciting, fun, amazing happened, I either don’t remember or it’s totally private or NSFW! HAAA, got you thinking!!!

DATA DOWNLOAD

exciting huh? I am behind on my mileage… been behind since,… January??? I am lazy or having too much fun, you decide.

  • Total Miles: 152, not bad, not bad… not amazing but the most this year. July is a good month to run!
  • Races: 2. LAME!!!! Last month I had 6… so… AH THAT’S WHY MY MILEAGE IS UP!!!
  • Ups: I heart running in the summer. LOVE IT. JULY NEEDS TO BE 325 DAYS PLEASE.
  • Downs: omg my hair in the weather. HELP. Send the firemen or the paramedics or Paolo Puttanesca asap.
  • Balance: I have no idea. ALL I CARE ABOUT RIGHT NOW IS SUMMER STREETS. SUMMER STREETS STARTS IN TWO DAYS. SUMMER STREETS IS THE BEST. SUMMER STREETS HERE I COME. SUMMER STREETS IS THE BEST. DID I TELL YOU I LOVE SUMMER STREETS?

can you tell I am melting?

June

was a great month. Let me break it down before I forget it all (photos and a super organized calendar really do help!). I often wondered if I should do these weekly… there is so much to say but then I forget. Anyway, JUNE was BUSY, My parents came to visit from Argentina, which is awesome, they come every other year, for about a month and it was amazing. We did everything, we went everywhere, I got myself them so tired every single day…. it was awesome and rough at the same time. We literally did it all in a month. We even went to Miami for a few days of untamable hair and sticky skin. I forgot how insanely hot Miami is in the summer. #protip, don’t effing go to Miami in the summer, ever. or really, at any other time but definitely NO in the summer.

Anyway, the month started with the Italy Run NYC, a 5-mile race in Central Park, sponsored by Ferrero where I proceeded to smear Nutella all over me post-race, best celebration possible, correct? Before you ask, there are no pictures of that because it’s a LIE. Race was good; my performance… meh (actually, I don’t remember anymore!).

italy run nyc 2018 ferrero nyrr central park (3)
italy run nyc 2018 ferrero nyrr central park (2)
italy run nyc 2018 ferrero nyrr central park (1)

Literally 3 days later, I did another race, the Summer Series 5K in Prospect Park. It’s on Wednesdays at 7 pm, which REALLY messes up my sleep AND my Thursday morning run with my Flyers friends, BUT…I kinda love showing up because:

  1. I see lots of friends I don’t see every day in Central Park
  2. I cherish (and also hate) racing in a different course than the ones I did one million times in CP (though it’s also harder)
  3. Love the small race ambiance

Also, don’t remember much I think (given there is a picture of my holding a medal, duh) that I placed and I got a medal. Oh, and I totally remember I got something like 71% AG. YEAH, nbd.

And… 3 days right after this one, I had the 3rd race in 6 days… can you imagine how that one is gonna go???? So, Saturday morning was a Mini10K, which is a mega party, so I wasn’t going to miss it. BUT, I also wasn’t going to miss the other mega party Friday night… So come Saturday morning I was a MESS… my feet hurt (from the heels or dancing, who knows!) and I was sleeeeeeepy, SO SLEEEEEPY. I have no idea why, NOT ONLY I SHOWED UP TO THE RACE, BUT I also met Elizabeth (she is real, I promise) to do 4 miles before the race. MENTAL.

But, it was all worth it. I run it, EASY, with 3 friends, and it was a frigging BLAST. I regret nothing. #noregerts.

Told you it was FUN! Yeah, I was physically miserable but no one remembers that… smh. So then my parents arrived and we started the daily tour of all the food and all the things we don’t tell the tourists about. AND the World Cup. June was literally mental. Somehow I managed to get to Queens the next weekend, early, to run the Queens 10K. I wasn’t sure if I wanted to make the trek because Argentina was playing at 9 am against Iceland and I’d miss the first half, but so happy I went… Not only I had tons of fun at the race, I SOMEHOW (…miraculously) managed to do OK. Noooo, not a PR or even close but I got up to 69% AG, I was just one minute off from my PR, which is from frigggggging 2013! Does that even count anymore? I say NO.

Queens 10K NYRR 2018 pictures results (1)
I am a sucker for high-fives!
I am a sucker for high-fives!
Queens 10K NYRR 2018 pictures results (2)

Then, wait for this because the madness doesn’t stop there…. I did TWO races the next weekend!!!! YEAH, again, NBD! Crazy, right? I agree. It’s good that I am a biomechanics coach and I know what I am doing because otherwise my leggies would have fallen off by then… Saturday was the Pride Run and OMG I WAS NOT GONNA MISS THAT. I always race the Achilles Hope and Possibility race (which was going to the next day), so I decided to take the Pride Run easy and save my legs for Sunday. Only… I didn’t quite do that. I ended up with a lot of fun AND 12 miles… oooops. #mischiefmanaged (for you all PotterHeads!)

Jackie, Mary, Michael and I run the whole thing chatting from start to end. And the outfits were ON POINT.

Sunday I woke up to do a few miles before the Achilles Hope and Possibility race and I was wishing I had raced the day before… It was muggy, humid, gross and I was tired. You do what you can.

2018-06-24 09.09.59-1
2018-06-24 09.35.33
2018-06-24 16.30.27

David and Patricia (and corrals B,C,D,E and F) smoked me but I was happy. My parents had come to spectate and it was AWESOME. They came both days. They LOVED IT. Those two races and really something. REALLY REALLY something.

The next weekend was a wash because I was out of town, and back just on July 1st to watch the husband race the NYC TRI, with the parents and my cheering crew along. TRIATHLETES ARE CRAZY, just saying. But he’s so cute, it evens out.

DATA DOWNLOAD

  • Total Miles: 139, eeeeeek. too much racing makes the mileage go puff!
  • Races: SIX. 6 races in month. That’s probably maybe a PR, at least this year… ha, I have 12 races this year, 6 in ONE MONTH. 
  • Ups: All the fun things I did with the parents…!!! The Nutella at the Italy Run was HEAVEN. The Mini10K was SO FUN. Queens was a MEGA REVELATION. Pride and Achilles get me teary every time…
  • Downs: Mileage was yuk and I am behind my yearly goal. Tapering before races and how sore I am sometimes after…
  • Balance: ALL AWESOME!!!! I can’t believe I did all those races with all the other stuff I had going on…!

May

May was a whirlwind!! So much happened, and so many races also! I remember I started the month with something we had planned since September last year: Harry Potter and the Cursed Child!

Call me a Potterhead, That was awesome! Twelve hours later, I was up early for the Newport 10K, just over the Hudson, one of my favourite 10Ks, because 1, it’s flat, 2, the finish line bagels (and I don’t really like bagels!). The race was a blast as usual: I’ve run it a few times and it always delivers! It’s usually hot but I love the vibe and the views!

Of course, as usual, there were many runs and stairs workouts sprinkled through the month:

And then there was the Japan Run. I remembered being tired from something but then, at the start, I met with Brian and Nick and Jackie, and we all decided to run together and pace Jackie. Those are my favorite types of races!

Way too much fun was had!! The next weekend, just so I wouldn’t fall off the wagon, I run the NYPD Memorial Run 5K. It was HOT and humid but I rallied and for the first time in months, I did OK. I measure my race performances by AG and I feel I do ok when I get close or over the 70% AG mark. Lately, I had been around 64% to 69%, and in this race I went back up to 70% wohoooo. Also, it was super fun to run on the West Side Highway. I really like how wide it is there.

Then, three days later, after a brutal stairs workout and speedwork, we raced the Prospect Park Summer Series 5K: no biggie. The course was slower (as there is a hill in Prospect Park) but I managed very similar results! Just like 10 or 20 seconds off. I find it so weird to race at night (well, 7 pm), that I find it quite amusing to try to figure out what to eat, how much, when, etc. Of course, then I slept like crap after because I was so wired!

That was a lot of racing…!

DATA DOWNLOAD:

 

  • Total Miles: 147, coming back up, but it’s hard with those short races because I feel like I need a good taper before and then my legs are thrashed for a few days…
  • Races: FOUR, here we go. Racing season is upon us!
  • Ups: the NYPD and the Summer Series 5K were definitely a surprise! I wasn’t expecting to do so well (NOT IN PR SHAPE YET THOUGH, ok?) and even though I don’t feel as strong as I used to, feeling in control of the situation really helps! One more thing: Central Park blossoming is the BEST!
  • Downs: how tired my legs feel two days after any short race! YUK
  • Balance: VERY HAPPY

So, I need to race more. Even if I am not in fighting shape or without any kind of expectations, I really enjoy it. The fewer expectations I have, the more fun I have, and so I go out there controlled and just let the race happen. I’ve actually started measuring races and performance by the amount of time it takes me to get back home, aka “how much fun I have”. For example, the NYPD Memorial Run was at 9 am and I got home at 4 pm: THAT is a successful race in my eyes now. The truth is I am not always (or ever again!) be as fast as I used to be or as I would like to be or as I would expect to be, so what should I do? Stay home until I feel I am in shape? HECK NO. To me, races are not a test of my fitness or “what I get from the work I put in” but a chance to enjoy with the community of friends who like to get out and enjoy the park with one foot in front of another trying to stay healthy. Yes, I’ll push hard here and there, but if one day I don’t feel like it or I decide to stick with a friend, it’ll be no different: it just HAS to be fun. 

April

We started the month in Argentina, which was great because it was WARM and hey, it was vacations. Got to see the fam and a few touristy things of course, and yeah, a few runs with Juan. Oh and of course I ate my face away. Lots of asado and steaks but also a lot of nikkei, my favourite non-native cuisine while in Argentina (my favourite non-native in the US is Japanese and French, you always gotta know where to get what!). I got back, I did a 4 miler in Central Park, the Run as One… it was so long ago, I can barely remember, or maybe it’s because I’ve been racing a lot the last two months! Oh yeah, I remember I got really hot (I was overdressed) and started way too fast or something, here is one picture!

I obviously spent some time running around, exhibit A:

or working:

or with Juan, usually eating crap:

and/or usually with friends, running or not!!!

DATA DOWNLOAD:

  • Total Miles: 119. Ooops. That’s low. I really vacationed in Argentina… IT HAPPENS, OKAY?
  • Races: just one but it was more like a tempo, wasn’t expecting to go all out.
  • Ups: the fun runs!
  • Downs: didn’t get a lot done!
  • Balance: it was good -> lots of blossoming happening all over NYC made it amazingly beautiful!

March

March is always a good month because it is my birthday!!! HA. I started the month with a race, the NYRR Washington Heights Salsa, Blues and Shamrocks 5K (there is a post there), which wasn’t great time wise but it was fun. See proof here:

There was a lot of running, maybe not tons of miles, because it was still cold as hell Alaska? ok Alaska, but it got done. 

And the United NYC Half happened. I saw so many of you there. That was an intense week and I was REALLY just a bit jealous of everyone running the new course. I got to run parts of it last year and was on one of the Pro lead trucks on race day and it looked amazing!! and everyone looked SO happy at the finish line… Really jelly So happy for you all!!!

We then went to San Antonio for a few quiet days of pulled pork and warmer weather. For my bday. We ate a LOT.  We run a bunch too:

DATA DOWNLOAD:

  • Total Miles: 151, it’s starting to pick up
  • Races: one. and I was so not wanting to race!
  • Ups: I did a lot of really great runs
  • Downs: still not feeling my best.
  • Balance: not letting it get to me. Let’s hope the nicer weather brings better running!

Also, one more thing I forgot to report on this whole year. A few friends and I have been doing monthly challenges. January was squats, February was pushups, March was planks. We usually just grab one from popsugar.com. Basically it tells you how many to do every day and each day is a bit more. It’s interesting. Maybe you’d want to try it with a few friends? we all text each other to make sure we’re all doing them EVERY DAY… Protip: it works better with a reward at the end of the month!!!!!!!!!!

February

was weird. I happened so quick I barely noticed. Instead of ice-fest, we had a few meltdowns (all kinds of meltdowns!) and even one day in the 70s… OH OH what are people going to use now to discredit “””global warming“””? I feel so bad for those polar bears, and hey, we won’t be moving to Venice anytime soon. Glad I live in a 2nd floor too, but I digress… Anyway, my body decided also to have a meltdown and I had a couple of stooopid issues (my hormones have decided they need more attention than any Kardashian!) and even some very very easy runs where my heart rate was about 50 over the usual… anyway, I was signed up for the NYRR Al Gordon Brooklyn 4M, and I was literally too tired to get up. Of course, I ended up running 11 miles in Central Park instead but my pace was 10:00 and my heart rate was at 82%. Insane. You just can’t win them all, can you? About two weeks ago, I spent the husband and I spent two hours shopping for half marathons for me… I came up with not a lot. If you have any ideas, let me know. Also, my running is so up and down I’ve started questioning if I should try to take some weeks/months off so my body doesn’t feel pressured and maybe that would help?

ha, I was just kidding! I’d be super hyper and way too annoying after just two days and waaaaay unhappy. So, let me just slow down, do it when my body is ok with it, and just enjoy it with no pressure. Deal?

So, I had a few awesome runs, still.

 

Plus it was Valentine’s Day and who thinks we’d let any reason to celebrate pass by? any excuse works!

Also, I got to spend some quality time at work (at NYRR) with some people you might know… Meb and Jenny. Do you even need last names? Don’t think so! Meb is now a Team for Kids Ambassador and Jenny is a Rising NYRR Ambassador and both were in town to run the Virtual For the Kids 5K race. If you haven’t check NYRR’s Virtual Races, you should.

 

2018-02-13 15.59.59-1
2018-02-13 16.01.30-1
2018-02-15 09.16.43
2018-02-15 09.21.01
2018-02-16 08.50.26

Anyway, it all went waaay too fast!

DATA DOWNLOAD

  • Total Miles: 124, emmm, got lazy a bit!
  • Races: big old zero for the year
  • Ups: weather got surprisingly “hot”. 40s and some 50s even.
  • Downs: not feeling my best.
  • Balance: i am getting a bit frustrated. cause, wtf.

January

was really cold. The first two weeks we set cold weather records. It was awful. Running was awful. I started the year working at the midnight run and it was really really cold. I wore everything and it was still crazy cold. But it’s a super fun race!

It was so cold that the races on the second weekend of January got canceled. I managed to run both Saturday and Sunday but it was insanely cold. Everyone kept asking me what I was training for, as most people assumed I had to get the miles in for some marathon or something. I am not really training for anything, just trying to not let the winter win. I can’t say I loved it, but I got out there.

 

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As you can see there was a couple of blizzards in there, snow, ice, and all the layers. Luckily we had planned a trip to Mexico for mid-January to escape the cold. The vacation part was uneventful but we had a few epic runs with Juan (the husband!).

First night in the hotel, a guy who worked there came up to talk to Juan as he was wearing his 2017 TCS New York City Marathon shirt, to ask him if he had run the marathon. Turned out that Armando, our new friend at the hotel, was a runner too and invited us to his team’s workout the next morning. So, at 6:30 am we went out to meet up the Red Runners, who were having a special run as one of their teammates had passed that week. There was a half an hour of a warm-up, everyone in a circle, probably around 130 people, and the coach had a microphone and big speakers. Before we headed out, we all got one white rose to carry for the memorial. We all run together to a gorgeous lighthouse I never would have seen, we got there with the sunrise, there were speeches, even a triathlete pastor, there were prayers, and we run back with the boombox in tow. Everyone was together. It was very moving. And everyone was so welcome to this stranger. It was very special.

 

When I travel, to me, the best thing EVER is to hang with the locals. Nothing could have beat that run.

Juan and I did have a few osom runs. The day after the run with Red Runners, there was a race in town, which we didn’t sign up for because registration was miles and miles away but we run to the start and finish to cheer/spectate. Funnest part: Kukulcan road (the main drag) had no traffic for the race. Quite FUN!

 

The next few days we did great. We did a tempo together and we run back to the lighthouse so Juan could see it. We managed to get the sunrise too.

 

And like that, we were back and the month was over!

DATA DOWNLOAD!

  • Total Miles: 140
  • Races: not even one. But we spectated at one..!
  • Ups: the runs in Mexico!
  • Downs: running in the sub 10 temperatures (which is like minus 20 in Celsius). NOT FUN. WITH WIND!
  • Balance: can it be June now? I really miss racing a LOT.

June was on FIRE

Jul15

 

can you tell I am melting?

June was a great month. Let me break it down before I forget it all (photos and a super organized calendar really do help!). I often wondered if I should do these weekly… there is so much to say but then I forget. Anyway, JUNE was BUSY, My parents came to visit from Argentina, which is awesome, they come every other year, for about a month and it was amazing. We did everything, we went everywhere, I got myself them so tired every single day…. it was awesome and rough at the same time. We literally did it all in a month. We even went to Miami for a few days of untamable hair and sticky skin. I forgot how insanely hot Miami is in the summer. #protip, don’t effing go to Miami in the summer, ever. or really, at any other time but definitely NO in the summer.

Anyway, the month started with the Italy Run NYC, a 5-mile race in Central Park, sponsored by Ferrero where I proceeded to smear Nutella all over me post-race, best celebration possible, correct? Before you ask, there are no pictures of that because it’s a LIE. Race was good; my performance… meh (actually, I don’t remember anymore!).

italy run nyc 2018 ferrero nyrr central park (3)
italy run nyc 2018 ferrero nyrr central park (2)
italy run nyc 2018 ferrero nyrr central park (1)

Literally 3 days later, I did another race, the Summer Series 5K in Prospect Park. It’s on Wednesdays at 7 pm, which REALLY messes up my sleep AND my Thursday morning run with my Flyers friends, BUT…I kinda love showing up because:

  1. I see lots of friends I don’t see every day in Central Park
  2. I cherish (and also hate) racing in a different course than the ones I did one million times in CP (though it’s also harder)
  3. Love the small race ambiance

Also, don’t remember much I think (given there is a picture of my holding a medal, duh) that I placed and I got a medal. Oh, and I totally remember I got something like 71% AG. YEAH, nbd.

And… 3 days right after this one, I had the 3rd race in 6 days… can you imagine how that one is gonna go???? So, Saturday morning was a Mini10K, which is a mega party, so I wasn’t going to miss it. BUT, I also wasn’t going to miss the other mega party Friday night… So come Saturday morning I was a MESS… my feet hurt (from the heels or dancing, who knows!) and I was sleeeeeeepy, SO SLEEEEEPY. I have no idea why, NOT ONLY I SHOWED UP TO THE RACE, BUT I also met Elizabeth (she is real, I promise) to do 4 miles before the race. MENTAL.

But, it was all worth it. I run it, EASY, with 3 friends, and it was a frigging BLAST. I regret nothing. #noregerts.

Told you it was FUN! Yeah, I was physically miserable but no one remembers that… smh. So then my parents arrived and we started the daily tour of all the food and all the things we don’t tell the tourists about. AND the World Cup. June was literally mental. Somehow I managed to get to Queens the next weekend, early, to run the Queens 10K. I wasn’t sure if I wanted to make the trek because Argentina was playing at 9 am against Iceland and I’d miss the first half, but so happy I went… Not only I had tons of fun at the race, I SOMEHOW (…miraculously) managed to do OK. Noooo, not a PR or even close but I got up to 69% AG, I was just one minute off from my PR, which is from frigggggging 2013! Does that even count anymore? I say NO.

Queens 10K NYRR 2018 pictures results (1)
I am a sucker for high-fives!
I am a sucker for high-fives!
Queens 10K NYRR 2018 pictures results (2)

Then, wait for this because the madness doesn’t stop there…. I did TWO races the next weekend!!!! YEAH, again, NBD! Crazy, right? I agree. It’s good that I am a biomechanics coach and I know what I am doing because otherwise my leggies would have fallen off by then… Saturday was the Pride Run and OMG I WAS NOT GONNA MISS THAT. I always race the Achilles Hope and Possibility race (which was going to the next day), so I decided to take the Pride Run easy and save my legs for Sunday. Only… I didn’t quite do that. I ended up with a lot of fun AND 12 miles… oooops. #mischiefmanaged (for you all PotterHeads!)

Jackie, Mary, Michael and I run the whole thing chatting from start to end. And the outfits were ON POINT.

Sunday I woke up to do a few miles before the Achilles Hope and Possibility race and I was wishing I had raced the day before… It was muggy, humid, gross and I was tired. You do what you can.

2018-06-24 09.09.59-1
2018-06-24 09.35.33
2018-06-24 16.30.27

David and Patricia (and corrals B,C,D,E and F) smoked me but I was happy. My parents had come to spectate and it was AWESOME. They came both days. They LOVED IT. Those two races and really something. REALLY REALLY something.

The next weekend was a wash because I was out of town, and back just on July 1st to watch the husband race the NYC TRI, with the parents and my cheering crew along. TRIATHLETES ARE CRAZY, just saying. But he’s so cute, it evens out.

DATA DOWNLOAD

  • Total Miles: 139, eeeeeek. too much racing makes the mileage go puff!
  • Races: SIX. 6 races in month. That’s probably maybe a PR, at least this year… ha, I have 12 races this year, 6 in ONE MONTH. 
  • Ups: All the fun things I did with the parents…!!! The Nutella at the Italy Run was HEAVEN. The Mini10K was SO FUN. Queens was a MEGA REVELATION. Pride and Achilles get me teary every time…
  • Downs: Mileage was yuk and I am behind my yearly goal. Tapering before races and how sore I am sometimes after…
  • Balance: ALL AWESOME!!!! I can’t believe I did all those races with all the other stuff I had going on…!

May

May was a whirlwind!! So much happened, and so many races also! I remember I started the month with something we had planned since September last year: Harry Potter and the Cursed Child!

Call me a Potterhead, That was awesome! Twelve hours later, I was up early for the Newport 10K, just over the Hudson, one of my favourite 10Ks, because 1, it’s flat, 2, the finish line bagels (and I don’t really like bagels!). The race was a blast as usual: I’ve run it a few times and it always delivers! It’s usually hot but I love the vibe and the views!

Of course, as usual, there were many runs and stairs workouts sprinkled through the month:

And then there was the Japan Run. I remembered being tired from something but then, at the start, I met with Brian and Nick and Jackie, and we all decided to run together and pace Jackie. Those are my favorite types of races!

Way too much fun was had!! The next weekend, just so I wouldn’t fall off the wagon, I run the NYPD Memorial Run 5K. It was HOT and humid but I rallied and for the first time in months, I did OK. I measure my race performances by AG and I feel I do ok when I get close or over the 70% AG mark. Lately, I had been around 64% to 69%, and in this race I went back up to 70% wohoooo. Also, it was super fun to run on the West Side Highway. I really like how wide it is there.

Then, three days later, after a brutal stairs workout and speedwork, we raced the Prospect Park Summer Series 5K: no biggie. The course was slower (as there is a hill in Prospect Park) but I managed very similar results! Just like 10 or 20 seconds off. I find it so weird to race at night (well, 7 pm), that I find it quite amusing to try to figure out what to eat, how much, when, etc. Of course, then I slept like crap after because I was so wired!

That was a lot of racing…!

DATA DOWNLOAD:

 

  • Total Miles: 147, coming back up, but it’s hard with those short races because I feel like I need a good taper before and then my legs are thrashed for a few days…
  • Races: FOUR, here we go. Racing season is upon us!
  • Ups: the NYPD and the Summer Series 5K were definitely a surprise! I wasn’t expecting to do so well (NOT IN PR SHAPE YET THOUGH, ok?) and even though I don’t feel as strong as I used to, feeling in control of the situation really helps! One more thing: Central Park blossoming is the BEST!
  • Downs: how tired my legs feel two days after any short race! YUK
  • Balance: VERY HAPPY

So, I need to race more. Even if I am not in fighting shape or without any kind of expectations, I really enjoy it. The fewer expectations I have, the more fun I have, and so I go out there controlled and just let the race happen. I’ve actually started measuring races and performance by the amount of time it takes me to get back home, aka “how much fun I have”. For example, the NYPD Memorial Run was at 9 am and I got home at 4 pm: THAT is a successful race in my eyes now. The truth is I am not always (or ever again!) be as fast as I used to be or as I would like to be or as I would expect to be, so what should I do? Stay home until I feel I am in shape? HECK NO. To me, races are not a test of my fitness or “what I get from the work I put in” but a chance to enjoy with the community of friends who like to get out and enjoy the park with one foot in front of another trying to stay healthy. Yes, I’ll push hard here and there, but if one day I don’t feel like it or I decide to stick with a friend, it’ll be no different: it just HAS to be fun. 

April

We started the month in Argentina, which was great because it was WARM and hey, it was vacations. Got to see the fam and a few touristy things of course, and yeah, a few runs with Juan. Oh and of course I ate my face away. Lots of asado and steaks but also a lot of nikkei, my favourite non-native cuisine while in Argentina (my favourite non-native in the US is Japanese and French, you always gotta know where to get what!). I got back, I did a 4 miler in Central Park, the Run as One… it was so long ago, I can barely remember, or maybe it’s because I’ve been racing a lot the last two months! Oh yeah, I remember I got really hot (I was overdressed) and started way too fast or something, here is one picture!

I obviously spent some time running around, exhibit A:

or working:

or with Juan, usually eating crap:

and/or usually with friends, running or not!!!

DATA DOWNLOAD:

  • Total Miles: 119. Ooops. That’s low. I really vacationed in Argentina… IT HAPPENS, OKAY?
  • Races: just one but it was more like a tempo, wasn’t expecting to go all out.
  • Ups: the fun runs!
  • Downs: didn’t get a lot done!
  • Balance: it was good -> lots of blossoming happening all over NYC made it amazingly beautiful!

March

March is always a good month because it is my birthday!!! HA. I started the month with a race, the NYRR Washington Heights Salsa, Blues and Shamrocks 5K (there is a post there), which wasn’t great time wise but it was fun. See proof here:

There was a lot of running, maybe not tons of miles, because it was still cold as hell Alaska? ok Alaska, but it got done. 

And the United NYC Half happened. I saw so many of you there. That was an intense week and I was REALLY just a bit jealous of everyone running the new course. I got to run parts of it last year and was on one of the Pro lead trucks on race day and it looked amazing!! and everyone looked SO happy at the finish line… Really jelly So happy for you all!!!

We then went to San Antonio for a few quiet days of pulled pork and warmer weather. For my bday. We ate a LOT.  We run a bunch too:

DATA DOWNLOAD:

  • Total Miles: 151, it’s starting to pick up
  • Races: one. and I was so not wanting to race!
  • Ups: I did a lot of really great runs
  • Downs: still not feeling my best.
  • Balance: not letting it get to me. Let’s hope the nicer weather brings better running!

Also, one more thing I forgot to report on this whole year. A few friends and I have been doing monthly challenges. January was squats, February was pushups, March was planks. We usually just grab one from popsugar.com. Basically it tells you how many to do every day and each day is a bit more. It’s interesting. Maybe you’d want to try it with a few friends? we all text each other to make sure we’re all doing them EVERY DAY… Protip: it works better with a reward at the end of the month!!!!!!!!!!

February

was weird. I happened so quick I barely noticed. Instead of ice-fest, we had a few meltdowns (all kinds of meltdowns!) and even one day in the 70s… OH OH what are people going to use now to discredit “””global warming“””? I feel so bad for those polar bears, and hey, we won’t be moving to Venice anytime soon. Glad I live in a 2nd floor too, but I digress… Anyway, my body decided also to have a meltdown and I had a couple of stooopid issues (my hormones have decided they need more attention than any Kardashian!) and even some very very easy runs where my heart rate was about 50 over the usual… anyway, I was signed up for the NYRR Al Gordon Brooklyn 4M, and I was literally too tired to get up. Of course, I ended up running 11 miles in Central Park instead but my pace was 10:00 and my heart rate was at 82%. Insane. You just can’t win them all, can you? About two weeks ago, I spent the husband and I spent two hours shopping for half marathons for me… I came up with not a lot. If you have any ideas, let me know. Also, my running is so up and down I’ve started questioning if I should try to take some weeks/months off so my body doesn’t feel pressured and maybe that would help?

ha, I was just kidding! I’d be super hyper and way too annoying after just two days and waaaaay unhappy. So, let me just slow down, do it when my body is ok with it, and just enjoy it with no pressure. Deal?

So, I had a few awesome runs, still.

 

Plus it was Valentine’s Day and who thinks we’d let any reason to celebrate pass by? any excuse works!

Also, I got to spend some quality time at work (at NYRR) with some people you might know… Meb and Jenny. Do you even need last names? Don’t think so! Meb is now a Team for Kids Ambassador and Jenny is a Rising NYRR Ambassador and both were in town to run the Virtual For the Kids 5K race. If you haven’t check NYRR’s Virtual Races, you should.

 

2018-02-13 15.59.59-1
2018-02-13 16.01.30-1
2018-02-15 09.16.43
2018-02-15 09.21.01
2018-02-16 08.50.26

Anyway, it all went waaay too fast!

DATA DOWNLOAD

  • Total Miles: 124, emmm, got lazy a bit!
  • Races: big old zero for the year
  • Ups: weather got surprisingly “hot”. 40s and some 50s even.
  • Downs: not feeling my best.
  • Balance: i am getting a bit frustrated. cause, wtf.

January

was really cold. The first two weeks we set cold weather records. It was awful. Running was awful. I started the year working at the midnight run and it was really really cold. I wore everything and it was still crazy cold. But it’s a super fun race!

It was so cold that the races on the second weekend of January got canceled. I managed to run both Saturday and Sunday but it was insanely cold. Everyone kept asking me what I was training for, as most people assumed I had to get the miles in for some marathon or something. I am not really training for anything, just trying to not let the winter win. I can’t say I loved it, but I got out there.

 

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

As you can see there was a couple of blizzards in there, snow, ice, and all the layers. Luckily we had planned a trip to Mexico for mid-January to escape the cold. The vacation part was uneventful but we had a few epic runs with Juan (the husband!).

First night in the hotel, a guy who worked there came up to talk to Juan as he was wearing his 2017 TCS New York City Marathon shirt, to ask him if he had run the marathon. Turned out that Armando, our new friend at the hotel, was a runner too and invited us to his team’s workout the next morning. So, at 6:30 am we went out to meet up the Red Runners, who were having a special run as one of their teammates had passed that week. There was a half an hour of a warm-up, everyone in a circle, probably around 130 people, and the coach had a microphone and big speakers. Before we headed out, we all got one white rose to carry for the memorial. We all run together to a gorgeous lighthouse I never would have seen, we got there with the sunrise, there were speeches, even a triathlete pastor, there were prayers, and we run back with the boombox in tow. Everyone was together. It was very moving. And everyone was so welcome to this stranger. It was very special.

 

When I travel, to me, the best thing EVER is to hang with the locals. Nothing could have beat that run.

Juan and I did have a few osom runs. The day after the run with Red Runners, there was a race in town, which we didn’t sign up for because registration was miles and miles away but we run to the start and finish to cheer/spectate. Funnest part: Kukulcan road (the main drag) had no traffic for the race. Quite FUN!

 

The next few days we did great. We did a tempo together and we run back to the lighthouse so Juan could see it. We managed to get the sunrise too.

 

And like that, we were back and the month was over!

DATA DOWNLOAD!

  • Total Miles: 140
  • Races: not even one. But we spectated at one..!
  • Ups: the runs in Mexico!
  • Downs: running in the sub 10 temperatures (which is like minus 20 in Celsius). NOT FUN. WITH WIND!
  • Balance: can it be June now? I really miss racing a LOT.

April and May catch up (aaahhh!)

Jun3

May

May was a whirlwind!! So much happened, and so many races also! I remember I started the month with something we had planned since September last year: Harry Potter and the Cursed Child!

Call me a Potterhead, That was awesome! Twelve hours later, I was up early for the Newport 10K, just over the Hudson, one of my favourite 10Ks, because 1, it’s flat, 2, the finish line bagels (and I don’t really like bagels!). The race was a blast as usual: I’ve run it a few times and it always delivers! It’s usually hot but I love the vibe and the views!

Of course, as usual, there were many runs and stairs workouts sprinkled through the month:

And then there was the Japan Run. I remembered being tired from something but then, at the start, I met with Brian and Nick and Jackie, and we all decided to run together and pace Jackie. Those are my favorite types of races!

Way too much fun was had!! The next weekend, just so I wouldn’t fall off the wagon, I run the NYPD Memorial Run 5K. It was HOT and humid but I rallied and for the first time in months, I did OK. I measure my race performances by AG and I feel I do ok when I get close or over the 70% AG mark. Lately, I had been around 64% to 69%, and in this race I went back up to 70% wohoooo. Also, it was super fun to run on the West Side Highway. I really like how wide it is there.

Then, three days later, after a brutal stairs workout and speedwork, we raced the Prospect Park Summer Series 5K: no biggie. The course was slower (as there is a hill in Prospect Park) but I managed very similar results! Just like 10 or 20 seconds off. I find it so weird to race at night (well, 7 pm), that I find it quite amusing to try to figure out what to eat, how much, when, etc. Of course, then I slept like crap after because I was so wired!

That was a lot of racing…!

DATA DOWNLOAD:

 

  • Total Miles: 147, coming back up, but it’s hard with those short races because I feel like I need a good taper before and then my legs are thrashed for a few days…
  • Races: FOUR, here we go. Racing season is upon us!
  • Ups: the NYPD and the Summer Series 5K were definitely a surprise! I wasn’t expecting to do so well (NOT IN PR SHAPE YET THOUGH, ok?) and even though I don’t feel as strong as I used to, feeling in control of the situation really helps! One more thing: Central Park blossoming is the BEST!
  • Downs: how tired my legs feel two days after any short race! YUK
  • Balance: VERY HAPPY

So, I need to race more. Even if I am not in fighting shape or without any kind of expectations, I really enjoy it. The fewer expectations I have, the more fun I have, and so I go out there controlled and just let the race happen. I’ve actually started measuring races and performance by the amount of time it takes me to get back home, aka “how much fun I have”. For example, the NYPD Memorial Run was at 9 am and I got home at 4 pm: THAT is a successful race in my eyes now. The truth is I am not always (or ever again!) be as fast as I used to be or as I would like to be or as I would expect to be, so what should I do? Stay home until I feel I am in shape? HECK NO. To me, races are not a test of my fitness or “what I get from the work I put in” but a chance to enjoy with the community of friends who like to get out and enjoy the park with one foot in front of another trying to stay healthy. Yes, I’ll push hard here and there, but if one day I don’t feel like it or I decide to stick with a friend, it’ll be no different: it just HAS to be fun. 

April

We started the month in Argentina, which was great because it was WARM and hey, it was vacations. Got to see the fam and a few touristy things of course, and yeah, a few runs with Juan. Oh and of course I ate my face away. Lots of asado and steaks but also a lot of nikkei, my favourite non-native cuisine while in Argentina (my favourite non-native in the US is Japanese and French, you always gotta know where to get what!). I got back, I did a 4 miler in Central Park, the Run as One… it was so long ago, I can barely remember, or maybe it’s because I’ve been racing a lot the last two months! Oh yeah, I remember I got really hot (I was overdressed) and started way too fast or something, here is one picture!

I obviously spent some time running around, exhibit A:

or working:

or with Juan, usually eating crap:

and/or usually with friends, running or not!!!

DATA DOWNLOAD:

  • Total Miles: 119. Ooops. That’s low. I really vacationed in Argentina… IT HAPPENS, OKAY?
  • Races: just one but it was more like a tempo, wasn’t expecting to go all out.
  • Ups: the fun runs!
  • Downs: didn’t get a lot done!
  • Balance: it was good -> lots of blossoming happening all over NYC made it amazingly beautiful!

March

March is always a good month because it is my birthday!!! HA. I started the month with a race, the NYRR Washington Heights Salsa, Blues and Shamrocks 5K (there is a post there), which wasn’t great time wise but it was fun. See proof here:

There was a lot of running, maybe not tons of miles, because it was still cold as hell Alaska? ok Alaska, but it got done. 

And the United NYC Half happened. I saw so many of you there. That was an intense week and I was REALLY just a bit jealous of everyone running the new course. I got to run parts of it last year and was on one of the Pro lead trucks on race day and it looked amazing!! and everyone looked SO happy at the finish line… Really jelly So happy for you all!!!

We then went to San Antonio for a few quiet days of pulled pork and warmer weather. For my bday. We ate a LOT.  We run a bunch too:

DATA DOWNLOAD:

  • Total Miles: 151, it’s starting to pick up
  • Races: one. and I was so not wanting to race!
  • Ups: I did a lot of really great runs
  • Downs: still not feeling my best.
  • Balance: not letting it get to me. Let’s hope the nicer weather brings better running!

Also, one more thing I forgot to report on this whole year. A few friends and I have been doing monthly challenges. January was squats, February was pushups, March was planks. We usually just grab one from popsugar.com. Basically it tells you how many to do every day and each day is a bit more. It’s interesting. Maybe you’d want to try it with a few friends? we all text each other to make sure we’re all doing them EVERY DAY… Protip: it works better with a reward at the end of the month!!!!!!!!!!

February

was weird. I happened so quick I barely noticed. Instead of ice-fest, we had a few meltdowns (all kinds of meltdowns!) and even one day in the 70s… OH OH what are people going to use now to discredit “””global warming“””? I feel so bad for those polar bears, and hey, we won’t be moving to Venice anytime soon. Glad I live in a 2nd floor too, but I digress… Anyway, my body decided also to have a meltdown and I had a couple of stooopid issues (my hormones have decided they need more attention than any Kardashian!) and even some very very easy runs where my heart rate was about 50 over the usual… anyway, I was signed up for the NYRR Al Gordon Brooklyn 4M, and I was literally too tired to get up. Of course, I ended up running 11 miles in Central Park instead but my pace was 10:00 and my heart rate was at 82%. Insane. You just can’t win them all, can you? About two weeks ago, I spent the husband and I spent two hours shopping for half marathons for me… I came up with not a lot. If you have any ideas, let me know. Also, my running is so up and down I’ve started questioning if I should try to take some weeks/months off so my body doesn’t feel pressured and maybe that would help?

ha, I was just kidding! I’d be super hyper and way too annoying after just two days and waaaaay unhappy. So, let me just slow down, do it when my body is ok with it, and just enjoy it with no pressure. Deal?

So, I had a few awesome runs, still.

 

Plus it was Valentine’s Day and who thinks we’d let any reason to celebrate pass by? any excuse works!

Also, I got to spend some quality time at work (at NYRR) with some people you might know… Meb and Jenny. Do you even need last names? Don’t think so! Meb is now a Team for Kids Ambassador and Jenny is a Rising NYRR Ambassador and both were in town to run the Virtual For the Kids 5K race. If you haven’t check NYRR’s Virtual Races, you should.

 

2018-02-13 15.59.59-1
2018-02-13 16.01.30-1
2018-02-15 09.16.43
2018-02-15 09.21.01
2018-02-16 08.50.26

Anyway, it all went waaay too fast!

DATA DOWNLOAD

  • Total Miles: 124, emmm, got lazy a bit!
  • Races: big old zero for the year
  • Ups: weather got surprisingly “hot”. 40s and some 50s even.
  • Downs: not feeling my best.
  • Balance: i am getting a bit frustrated. cause, wtf.

January

was really cold. The first two weeks we set cold weather records. It was awful. Running was awful. I started the year working at the midnight run and it was really really cold. I wore everything and it was still crazy cold. But it’s a super fun race!

It was so cold that the races on the second weekend of January got canceled. I managed to run both Saturday and Sunday but it was insanely cold. Everyone kept asking me what I was training for, as most people assumed I had to get the miles in for some marathon or something. I am not really training for anything, just trying to not let the winter win. I can’t say I loved it, but I got out there.

 

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

As you can see there was a couple of blizzards in there, snow, ice, and all the layers. Luckily we had planned a trip to Mexico for mid-January to escape the cold. The vacation part was uneventful but we had a few epic runs with Juan (the husband!).

First night in the hotel, a guy who worked there came up to talk to Juan as he was wearing his 2017 TCS New York City Marathon shirt, to ask him if he had run the marathon. Turned out that Armando, our new friend at the hotel, was a runner too and invited us to his team’s workout the next morning. So, at 6:30 am we went out to meet up the Red Runners, who were having a special run as one of their teammates had passed that week. There was a half an hour of a warm-up, everyone in a circle, probably around 130 people, and the coach had a microphone and big speakers. Before we headed out, we all got one white rose to carry for the memorial. We all run together to a gorgeous lighthouse I never would have seen, we got there with the sunrise, there were speeches, even a triathlete pastor, there were prayers, and we run back with the boombox in tow. Everyone was together. It was very moving. And everyone was so welcome to this stranger. It was very special.

 

When I travel, to me, the best thing EVER is to hang with the locals. Nothing could have beat that run.

Juan and I did have a few osom runs. The day after the run with Red Runners, there was a race in town, which we didn’t sign up for because registration was miles and miles away but we run to the start and finish to cheer/spectate. Funnest part: Kukulcan road (the main drag) had no traffic for the race. Quite FUN!

 

The next few days we did great. We did a tempo together and we run back to the lighthouse so Juan could see it. We managed to get the sunrise too.

 

And like that, we were back and the month was over!

DATA DOWNLOAD!

  • Total Miles: 140
  • Races: not even one. But we spectated at one..!
  • Ups: the runs in Mexico!
  • Downs: running in the sub 10 temperatures (which is like minus 20 in Celsius). NOT FUN. WITH WIND!
  • Balance: can it be June now? I really miss racing a LOT.

March is always a good month

Mar31

because it is my birthday!!! HA. I started the month with a race, the NYRR Washington Heights Salsa, Blues and Shamrocks 5K (there is a post there), which wasn’t great time wise but it was fun. See proof here:

There was a lot of running, maybe not tons of miles, because it was still cold as hell Alaska? ok Alaska, but it got done. 

 

And the United NYC Half happened. I saw so many of you there. That was an intense week and I was REALLY just a bit jealous of everyone running the new course. I got to run parts of it last year and was on one of the Pro lead trucks on race day and it looked amazing!! and everyone looked SO happy at the finish line… Really jelly So happy for you all!!!

 

We then went to San Antonio for a few quiet days of pulled pork and warmer weather. For my bday. We ate a LOT.  We run a bunch too:

 

DATA DOWNLOAD:

  • Total Miles: 151, it’s starting to pick up
  • Races: one. and I was so not wanting to race!
  • Ups: I did a lot of really great runs
  • Downs: still not feeling my best.
  • Balance: not letting it get to me. Let’s hope the nicer weather brings better running!

Also, one more thing I forgot to report on this whole year. A few friends and I have been doing monthly challenges. January was squats, February was pushups, March was planks. We usually just grab one from popsugar.com. Basically it tells you how many to do every day and each day is a bit more. It’s interesting. Maybe you’d want to try it with a few friends? we all text each other to make sure we’re all doing them EVERY DAY… Protip: it works better with a reward at the end of the month!!!!!!!!!!

February

was weird. I happened so quick I barely noticed. Instead of ice-fest, we had a few meltdowns (all kinds of meltdowns!) and even one day in the 70s… OH OH what are people going to use now to discredit “””global warming“””? I feel so bad for those polar bears, and hey, we won’t be moving to Venice anytime soon. Glad I live in a 2nd floor too, but I digress… Anyway, my body decided also to have a meltdown and I had a couple of stooopid issues (my hormones have decided they need more attention than any Kardashian!) and even some very very easy runs where my heart rate was about 50 over the usual… anyway, I was signed up for the NYRR Al Gordon Brooklyn 4M, and I was literally too tired to get up. Of course, I ended up running 11 miles in Central Park instead but my pace was 10:00 and my heart rate was at 82%. Insane. You just can’t win them all, can you? About two weeks ago, I spent the husband and I spent two hours shopping for half marathons for me… I came up with not a lot. If you have any ideas, let me know. Also, my running is so up and down I’ve started questioning if I should try to take some weeks/months off so my body doesn’t feel pressured and maybe that would help?

ha, I was just kidding! I’d be super hyper and way too annoying after just two days and waaaaay unhappy. So, let me just slow down, do it when my body is ok with it, and just enjoy it with no pressure. Deal?

So, I had a few awesome runs, still.

 

Plus it was Valentine’s Day and who thinks we’d let any reason to celebrate pass by? any excuse works!

Also, I got to spend some quality time at work (at NYRR) with some people you might know… Meb and Jenny. Do you even need last names? Don’t think so! Meb is now a Team for Kids Ambassador and Jenny is a Rising NYRR Ambassador and both were in town to run the Virtual For the Kids 5K race. If you haven’t check NYRR’s Virtual Races, you should.

 

2018-02-13 15.59.59-1
2018-02-13 16.01.30-1
2018-02-15 09.16.43
2018-02-15 09.21.01
2018-02-16 08.50.26

Anyway, it all went waaay too fast!

DATA DOWNLOAD

  • Total Miles: 124, emmm, got lazy a bit!
  • Races: big old zero for the year
  • Ups: weather got surprisingly “hot”. 40s and some 50s even.
  • Downs: not feeling my best.
  • Balance: i am getting a bit frustrated. cause, wtf.

January

was really cold. The first two weeks we set cold weather records. It was awful. Running was awful. I started the year working at the midnight run and it was really really cold. I wore everything and it was still crazy cold. But it’s a super fun race!

It was so cold that the races on the second weekend of January got canceled. I managed to run both Saturday and Sunday but it was insanely cold. Everyone kept asking me what I was training for, as most people assumed I had to get the miles in for some marathon or something. I am not really training for anything, just trying to not let the winter win. I can’t say I loved it, but I got out there.

 

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

As you can see there was a couple of blizzards in there, snow, ice, and all the layers. Luckily we had planned a trip to Mexico for mid-January to escape the cold. The vacation part was uneventful but we had a few epic runs with Juan (the husband!).

First night in the hotel, a guy who worked there came up to talk to Juan as he was wearing his 2017 TCS New York City Marathon shirt, to ask him if he had run the marathon. Turned out that Armando, our new friend at the hotel, was a runner too and invited us to his team’s workout the next morning. So, at 6:30 am we went out to meet up the Red Runners, who were having a special run as one of their teammates had passed that week. There was a half an hour of a warm-up, everyone in a circle, probably around 130 people, and the coach had a microphone and big speakers. Before we headed out, we all got one white rose to carry for the memorial. We all run together to a gorgeous lighthouse I never would have seen, we got there with the sunrise, there were speeches, even a triathlete pastor, there were prayers, and we run back with the boombox in tow. Everyone was together. It was very moving. And everyone was so welcome to this stranger. It was very special.

 

When I travel, to me, the best thing EVER is to hang with the locals. Nothing could have beat that run.

Juan and I did have a few osom runs. The day after the run with Red Runners, there was a race in town, which we didn’t sign up for because registration was miles and miles away but we run to the start and finish to cheer/spectate. Funnest part: Kukulcan road (the main drag) had no traffic for the race. Quite FUN!

 

The next few days we did great. We did a tempo together and we run back to the lighthouse so Juan could see it. We managed to get the sunrise too.

 

And like that, we were back and the month was over!

DATA DOWNLOAD!

  • Total Miles: 140
  • Races: not even one. But we spectated at one..!
  • Ups: the runs in Mexico!
  • Downs: running in the sub 10 temperatures (which is like minus 20 in Celsius). NOT FUN. WITH WIND!
  • Balance: can it be June now? I really miss racing a LOT.

when did February happen?

Mar4

February was weird. I happened so quick I barely noticed. Instead of ice-fest, we had a few meltdowns (all kinds of meltdowns!) and even one day in the 70s… OH OH what are people going to use now to discredit “””global warming“””? I feel so bad for those polar bears, and hey, we won’t be moving to Venice anytime soon. Glad I live in a 2nd floor too, but I digress… Anyway, my body decided also to have a meltdown and I had a couple of stooopid issues (my hormones have decided they need more attention than any Kardashian!) and even some very very easy runs where my heart rate was about 50 over the usual… anyway, I was signed up for the NYRR Al Gordon Brooklyn 4M, and I was literally too tired to get up. Of course, I ended up running 11 miles in Central Park instead but my pace was 10:00 and my heart rate was at 82%. Insane. You just can’t win them all, can you? About two weeks ago, I spent the husband and I spent two hours shopping for half marathons for me… I came up with not a lot. If you have any ideas, let me know. Also, my running is so up and down I’ve started questioning if I should try to take some weeks/months off so my body doesn’t feel pressured and maybe that would help?

ha, I was just kidding! I’d be super hyper and way too annoying after just two days and waaaaay unhappy. So, let me just slow down, do it when my body is ok with it, and just enjoy it with no pressure. Deal?

So, I had a few awesome runs, still.

Plus it was Valentine’s Day and who thinks we’d let any reason to celebrate pass by? any excuse works!

Also, I got to spend some quality time at work (at NYRR) with some people you might know… Meb and Jenny. Do you even need last names? Don’t think so! Meb is now a Team for Kids Ambassador and Jenny is a Rising NYRR Ambassador and both were in town to run the Virtual For the Kids 5K race. If you haven’t check NYRR’s Virtual Races, you should.

2018-02-13 15.59.59-1
2018-02-13 16.01.30-1
2018-02-15 09.16.43
2018-02-15 09.21.01
2018-02-16 08.50.26

Anyway, it all went waaay too fast!

DATA DOWNLOAD

  • Total Miles: 124, emmm, got lazy a bit!
  • Races: big old zero for the year
  • Ups: weather got surprisingly “hot”. 40s and some 50s even.
  • Downs: not feeling my best.
  • Balance: i am getting a bit frustrated. cause, wtf.

January

was really cold. The first two weeks we set cold weather records. It was awful. Running was awful. I started the year working at the midnight run and it was really really cold. I wore everything and it was still crazy cold. But it’s a super fun race!

It was so cold that the races on the second weekend of January got canceled. I managed to run both Saturday and Sunday but it was insanely cold. Everyone kept asking me what I was training for, as most people assumed I had to get the miles in for some marathon or something. I am not really training for anything, just trying to not let the winter win. I can’t say I loved it, but I got out there.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

As you can see there was a couple of blizzards in there, snow, ice, and all the layers. Luckily we had planned a trip to Mexico for mid-January to escape the cold. The vacation part was uneventful but we had a few epic runs with Juan (the husband!).

First night in the hotel, a guy who worked there came up to talk to Juan as he was wearing his 2017 TCS New York City Marathon shirt, to ask him if he had run the marathon. Turned out that Armando, our new friend at the hotel, was a runner too and invited us to his team’s workout the next morning. So, at 6:30 am we went out to meet up the Red Runners, who were having a special run as one of their teammates had passed that week. There was a half an hour of a warm-up, everyone in a circle, probably around 130 people, and the coach had a microphone and big speakers. Before we headed out, we all got one white rose to carry for the memorial. We all run together to a gorgeous lighthouse I never would have seen, we got there with the sunrise, there were speeches, even a triathlete pastor, there were prayers, and we run back with the boombox in tow. Everyone was together. It was very moving. And everyone was so welcome to this stranger. It was very special.

When I travel, to me, the best thing EVER is to hang with the locals. Nothing could have beat that run.

Juan and I did have a few osom runs. The day after the run with Red Runners, there was a race in town, which we didn’t sign up for because registration was miles and miles away but we run to the start and finish to cheer/spectate. Funnest part: Kukulcan road (the main drag) had no traffic for the race. Quite FUN!

The next few days we did great. We did a tempo together and we run back to the lighthouse so Juan could see it. We managed to get the sunrise too.

And like that, we were back and the month was over!

DATA DOWNLOAD!

  • Total Miles: 140
  • Races: not even one. But we spectated at one..!
  • Ups: the runs in Mexico!
  • Downs: running in the sub 10 temperatures (which is like minus 20 in Celsius). NOT FUN. WITH WIND!
  • Balance: can it be June now? I really miss racing a LOT.

2018 here we go! January Recap!

Feb13

January was really cold. The first two weeks we set cold weather records. It was awful. Running was awful. I started the year working at the midnight run and it was really really cold. I wore everything and it was still crazy cold. But it’s a super fun race!

It was so cold that the races on the second weekend of January got canceled. I managed to run both Saturday and Sunday but it was insanely cold. Everyone kept asking me what I was training for, as most people assumed I had to get the miles in for some marathon or something. I am not really training for anything, just trying to not let the winter win. I can’t say I loved it, but I got out there.

As you can see there was a couple of blizzards in there, snow, ice, and all the layers. Luckily we had planned a trip to Mexico for mid-January to escape the cold. The vacation part was uneventful but we had a few epic runs with Juan (the husband!).

First night in the hotel, a guy who worked there came up to talk to Juan as he was wearing his 2017 TCS New York City Marathon shirt, to ask him if he had run the marathon. Turned out that Armando, our new friend at the hotel, was a runner too and invited us to his team’s workout the next morning. So, at 6:30 am we went out to meet up the Red Runners, who were having a special run as one of their teammates had passed that week. There was a half an hour of a warm-up, everyone in a circle, probably around 130 people, and the coach had a microphone and big speakers. Before we headed out, we all got one white rose to carry for the memorial. We all run together to a gorgeous lighthouse I never would have seen, we got there with the sunrise, there were speeches, even a triathlete pastor, there were prayers, and we run back with the boombox in tow. Everyone was together. It was very moving. And everyone was so welcome to this stranger. It was very special.

When I travel, to me, the best thing EVER is to hang with the locals. Nothing could have beat that run.

Juan and I did have a few osom runs. The day after the run with Red Runners, there was a race in town, which we didn’t sign up for because registration was miles and miles away but we run to the start and finish to cheer/spectate. Funnest part: Kukulcan road (the main drag) had no traffic for the race. Quite FUN!

The next few days we did great. We did a tempo together and we run back to the lighthouse so Juan could see it. We managed to get the sunrise too.

And like that, we were back and the month was over!

DATA DOWNLOAD!

  • Total Miles: 140
  • Races: not even one. But we spectated at one..!
  • Ups: the runs in Mexico!
  • Downs: running in the sub 10 temperatures (which is like minus 20 in Celsius). NOT FUN. WITH WIND!
  • Balance: can it be June now? I really miss racing a LOT.

Guess my Finish Time at the Mohawk Hudson River Marathon

Oct2

I am running a marathon this Sunday and because I am not stressed enough, I figured I’d see who has the most guts to dare guess a finish time.

No real rules here and no prizes (as I’ve done for every race before this one) because I am in LAZY blogger mode. Sorry Not Sorry.

Here’s the Deets:

  • Race is pretty flat they say, we shall see.
  • Last races were the
    • New Balance Bronx 10 Mile, in 1:16:28 / 7:39 pace
    • Percy Sutton Harlem 5K, in 21:58 / 7:05 pace
    • NYRR R U N 5K, in 21:57 / 7:04 pace
      • if it matters to you, they were all in hot weather.
  • Predictors based on those races shoot out a 3:29 to 3:31
  • Last Halfs were 1:40, 1:37 and 1:37.

Go ahead, place your bets below. And good luck (to me).

2017 Queens 10K Race Report

Jun18

Well, I hadn’t raced in Queens in a LONG time… last time I did this race, it was a half marathon, in 2010!!

I did another half there, not a NYRR race in 2013, also in Flushing Meadows, but it was in 2013, so I was long overdue to come back… I did this weekend!

The Queens 10K is a single loop in Flushing Meadows that runs by the Queens Museum, the Queens Theather in the Park, Citifield, the USTA National Tennis Center and the Unisphere, maybe among more things I didn’t recognize. It’s FLAT. You know? Like not up and down like Central Park. You know what I mean. The weather was a different story… it was a bit humid but I thought it was quite manageable once I warmed up!

I was working before the race so about 15 minutes before the Wave 1 gun time (there are now two waves, separated by half an hour, which made it all super seamless) I run the half mile to the start and found my buddies.

Hannah, Alison, Courtney and myself, featuring Mr 3665 during his warmup/stretch!

We were all swearing it was a workout. Maybe Alison was going for it. We are missing Martina in the picture and she was definitely also just running/not racing. The gun goes off, we take it easy at about 7:40. It felt hard. A few seconds into it I was wondering why was I racing again. The Mini 10K barely 7 days before was a kick in the face and I was scared the stomach pain would come back a few miles later. Alison and Hannah peeled off, Martina and I were chatting, and Courtney was around us for a bit.

Around the first water stop I lost Martina and Courtney. I was starting to warm up (as I hadn’t run much before the race) and feeling a bit more fluid. Speaking of fluids, I was getting a sip at every water station and throwing the rest on my head. Around Mile 3 I started feeling good, though I was still scared I’d get the same pain from last week so I knew I was holding back enough. Slow and steady does it!

By Mile 5 I wanted to start pushing. I actually caught up to Alison for a bit but she had more than me and speed up a bit more. I was lost at all times so I wasn’t going to start the KICK until I could see the finish line. Then I saw it, a it too close to kick much but it felt amazing to finish so strong after last week’s mess.

My splits. The HR is totally wrong, I am sure it was a lot higher!!! But, check out my awesome splits!

As soon as I finished I saw Michael Capiraso, President of NYRR. It was his 55th birthday and he was wearing bib #55!

A few seconds later I found Hannah and Courtney, I didn’t catch Alison or Martina. Medaled up, and went for some water!

Stats Time

Finish time: 45:47 Average Pace: 7:23

Previous PR: 44:32  From: May, 2013

Age Grading: 69.13%

Overall Place: 1278 of 10,876

Gender Place: 158 of 5,097

Age Place: 14 of 636

I was very happy given how I wasn’t even sure I’d be racing, I didn’t warm up, and my head wasn’t even there…  I was a minute away from a PR GUYS!!!! Wow, I wonder what would have happened if I had really tried!?!?!

So, that was race 12 for the year. Maybe I don’t really go hard because I have so many? It’s hard to take them all seriously, taper, etc. So I don’t. I just take it was a workout and no pressure. Next weekend I have a 4 miler and I super excited about that one. See you next week!!!

2017 Mini10K Race Report

Jun12

Ay ay ay. It went down!

I had done the Mini 10K 8 times in a row (from 2007 to 2014) and skipped all the last three years. The course has stayed the same, a loop of the park that starts with a fast mile on Central Park West. It starts right on Columbus Circle, a straight mile on CPW, then into the park (going north), up reverse Harlem Hill towards the east side, and down south and over to the finish on Tavern on the Green. But the race is a riot. All women. SO much history. Super festive. Fun. Empowering. You really feel the times. This was the 46th run of the Mini, the first women-only race that started in 1972, named after the miniskirt, which was quite popular at the time.

Anyway, I jogged to the start with Juan and my stomach was already hurting a bit. It was fine most of the week but it had been hurting a lot the last 10 days, and the weekend before I had to skip the NYRR Retro 4 miler because I couldn’t even walk from the cramps/spasms/whatever it was. Friday it was hurting a LOT in the afternoon, but I had been fine for a couple of days so I thought I could handle a 10K.

We lined up in the B corral. Found Patricia quickly, and Barbara was in A, right there! It was a great morning to hear the speeches and all the opening remarks. Also, right on our right was the Trump Hotel, just saying.

The Start. The awesome ladies in the A and AA corrals ahead of us.

I found a few people in the corral that I knew. You could feel this was a special race, in a special day. Even though it was a bit warm, everyone was excited!

Photo by Moazzam Ali Brohi. Patricia, Barbara and I are looking at him from the corral!

Back to my race, I had some stomach pain on the sloooow mile-long jog to the start, so I decided to take it easy. Which is what I would do anyway on the first few miles. I made a conscious decision to hold back and extra bit. We get moving…

Photo by Moazzam Ali Brohi. Totally didn’t see him. boo.

Mile 1 is always SO exciting!!!!! Not only is the only flat part of the race, but we NEVER run in Central Park West and EVERYONE is there cheering -because they can scoot easily to the finish line! Everyone passed me and I heard so much labored breathing, I remember thinking how happy I was that I wasn’t running that hard.

Photo by Ben Ko. I did see him!

Soon enough I saw Juan and I knew I was in for a loooong time around the park…

Photo by Juan. Check how I had some Cs around. I did start slow, I swear!

Mile 1 was 7:15, what? why did it feel easy? Mile 2 was also interesting: 7:12. Ah, ok. Mile 2 and 3 are the hilliest. Around mile 2 my stomach started bothering me. Mile 3 was 7:17. What?

I told myself to hold on and no push too much.  A few minutes later, right before mile 4 the pain started. My stomach felt like someone had kicked it and I couldn’t breathe in. Juan was there, and I thought about dropping. I also thought about asking him to walk me to the finish. I was a little scared I’d faint from the pain. Mile 4: 7:58. I see Juan up ahead.

I also noticed that Christine was running right ahead!! So I told myself that if I could catch up to her, I could just hang on. I said hi and by to Juan.

So, for about 10 or 20 seconds I tried to push the pace to get closer to her. It hurt so much more. I realized that if I sped up I couldn’t breathe. Mile 5 was 7:21. I told myself then that if I could run a lot slower, I could finish. Because I really really really wanted to drop out. The last mile was just survival-mode. I had so many people yell my name, and I couldn’t even yell back, I couldn’t talk. I felt like I couldn’t breathe in. With a mile to go, I was walking. I would walk for 10, 15 seconds every 200 meters. I would start running again and back to walking. I was walking at the 200 meter marks.

I had never walked at a race before. I’ve done about 150 races and I’ve never walked -other than through a water station, or in an ultra. It was scary.

It made me appreciate the miles. I think I had been taking running for granted for too long. A mile seemed like forever. With 1 mile to go, I didn’t think I could finish. I would switch back and forth from “of course I can do a mile” to “I just want to lie down here and I don’t care”.

I didn’t need to finish the race to prove anything. I knew I could walk it. But I felt to hopeless.

Mile 6 was 8:23. The last .2 was 8:33 pace.

I know, it’s still quite fast. It just really felt like an eternity.

I can push through pain, but I just couldn’t breathe because of it. To me, racing IS pushing hard, feeling your legs falling off, your lungs burning, your head questioning how much harder you can go and how soon. I got none of that. I finished, yes, I was in pain, yes, but that’s not how I am used to feeling in a race…

Eric was volunteering handing out medals and he gave me one. I was to weak to say I didn’t want it. I saw no glory on what I did. I shouldn’t have run. But I am stubborn. And I didn’t want to miss on the fun.

Patricia and I at the finish. Look at my stomach sunken in. I couldn’t get any air in there!

Stats Time

Finish time: 48:14 Average Pace: 7:46

Previous PR: 44:32  From: May, 2013

Age Grading: 65.63%

Overall Place: 335 of 8476

Age Place: 34 of 1,141

Alison and I circled back to cheer on the rest of the field. So much fun. About an hour later, we took an all-female staff picture by the finish line, SO COOL, right?

BEST TEAM EVER

I ate a bit but was mostly in pain all day. Sunday I woke up ok, I went for a run and it was hurting after 2 miles. I need to figure out why all the stomach pain and what is going on. Now.. I am signed up for the Queens 10K this weekend, and I am hoping I am ok by then… I shouldn’t line up again if I am still having any stomach pain. I shouldn’t. I am so stubborn though. I won’t. I won’t, don’t worry, I won’t!!

 

Boomer’s Cystic Fibrosis Run to Breathe (4M) – Recap

Apr5

I am signed for SOMETHING every weekend for the next two months so I am going to keep these reports short (this one ends with a twist…).

So, this is the same 4 mile loop I race about 15 times a year… or so. I’ve done this course soooo many times I can do it in my sleep. And like those super-tired-just-did-speedwork sleeps… I met Patricia at the start corral (and Steve, heeey!!) and she asked me what pace I’d do it in… I said around 28:30. Then I told her “my first mile is going to be 7:15, my second mile is going to be 7:02, third mile is usually around 7:30 and then a 6:55 or 6:56 closer”. She looked at me like I was crazy, but that how I pace to an average 7:02 or 7:05 average race. IN GENERAL, of course.

The weather was great, which I wasn’t expecting. We had been told all week it was going to rain. Now, if I have to count how many races the weather people got it wrong for, I can just give you a list of all my races…!!! I still didn’t feel like racing, so I had woken up at 6:30, took Diego (my friend’s dog I was watching) out to pee and got back into bed. Until 8 am. Race was to start at 9.

When the gun went off, I went into auto mode. At mile 1, I pointed at the clock, I was right on what I had predicted. I then noticed I hadn’t turned on my gps. Oh well. I had no idea what my first mile and a bit was … that’s why I am not posting screenshots of my laps. Mile 2 was fast as usual and I lost Patricia. I wasn’t sure but I thought she had dropped back a bit. Mile 3, I remembered to lap my watch so I have the two last laps, mile 3 was 7:15 (what?) though I didn’t look at it at the time. And last mile, here is the twist, was a 6:33 closer. WHAT?

WHAT?
where did that come from??

Still, I waited a bit to check my results (I had forgotten about live results…!) and I saw 28:04. that is SO close to my 28:00 PR!!!!!!!!!!!!! That was another shocker. Maybe I am closer than I think to PR shape… I went into the United NYC Half thinking I wasn’t, I didn’t push to PR, then I had that whole mess with the layers…. Last week’s 10K went great, even tired a week post-half. Seems like I might be sharper than I thought… Yes, I have the lowest expectations and you all told me, I know, but I get there when I get there, okay?

Stats Time:

Finish time: 28:04 Average Pace: 7:01

Previous PR: 28:00 From: April, 2013

Age Grading: 71.06%

Overall Place: 338 of 4,731

Gender Place: 30 of 2,250

Age Place: 3 of 240

back into the 71% AG wohoooooo. I love it when you are just sitting in bed on race day and really don’t want to get out of bed but then you have a fast and surprising race… Mostly because that happens aaaaall the time!! 😉 

then Patricia and I run another loop cheering, total 11 miles

Central Park Spring Classic 10K – Recap

Mar27

This is going to be quick because:

1- I don’t have race pictures

2- I wasn’t really racing…

Patricia and I met up at the B corral as usual. Patricia finished a few seconds behind me at the United NYC Half last weekend so we figured we were in good shape to run together. Also, we were still recovering from the half so we were taking this as a workout. A very hard, structured, tempo, with lots of pacers. We met Gordon in the corral, along with a bunch more people. This is a “classic” NYRR race, like a toned down version of their usually big megaproductions, where the price is lower, there is no t-shirt, smaller field, and no prizes. Closer to what a regular race anywhere else in the world looks like. But I had never done one of these and was super curious.

Anyway, the horn blows, Patricia and I start together committed to run together. We’d start slow, as there’s Harlem Hill on the first mile. And then pick it up.

It was SO HOT. I was wearing a bra and tiny shorts already. In March. Amazing. We pretty much run good splits though we kept telling each other we were going too fast about every 20 seconds… We saw a few friends cheering, heeeey, we went up and down Cat Hill and then we pushed a bit. And we were done. We actually finished the race and crossed over the finish line holding hands, given how we had worked together through the whole race. Note to self: SO hard to run proper tangents when you run with someone (who doesn’t!!!), after a few miles, I started pointing where to go, I hope Patricia learned!!

Then… we did caught up with Carolina who was at the finish, we did a northern loop with Patricia and Justin, then I run to the Run Center, and then I hosted the NYRR History Tour with Gordon Bakoulis through the park. 15 miles total. I was RAVENOUS after. I almost ate my arm.

don’t ask. I don’t.

NYRR History Tour. Organized by NYRR and usually hosted by Grandmaster Stuart Calderwood, Gordon and I were sub-hosting as he was out of town. You learn facts and story of Central Park this, with a 4.6 run in there too!

Stats Time:

Finish time: 45:27 Average Pace: 7:19

Previous PR: 44:32 From: May, 2013

Age Grading: 69.63%

Overall Place: 343 of 3672

Gender Place: 43 of 1895

Age Place: 2 of 208

Another race this next weekend, the Boomer’s Cystic Fibrosis Run to Breathe (4M). Let’s do this!!!

Guess my Finish Time at the United NYC Half

Mar6

Two weeks to go (aaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhh!): one more contest!

Rules: pick a time and write in the comments below. Whoever gets closer, wins, If there’s two identical times, the first poster wins! Make sure if you include seconds in there too, and post before Friday, March 17th, 8 pm et. I can bet money someone will hit in the head, as usual!
Prizes... you can pick from:
  • Koss Fitbuds (purple) KEB32p, limited edition
  • Koss Fitclips (orange) KSC32C, limited edition
  • milestone pod, teal or black
  • clip-on running metronome
  • brooks flat vapur water bottle
  • pack of travel bodyglide
  • TCS NYC Marathon Shopping Bag
  • Clif Bar Branded Gear Package (aluminum water bottle, jumping rope, women’s triathlete tee medium black and silver, towel)
  • FitSok, pack of 3 (white, gray, black), CF-2 Shadow Yarn Athletic Sock, size M (mens 6-8, womens 7-9)
  • B2R Split Toe Performance Running Sock, CoolMax, EcoMode, Size M (mens 5-7, womens 6-8), white
  • Powerbar branded crossbody backpack, black
  • NYC Marathon rain (knee-length, orange and white) poncho
  • North Face arm warmers, black with red NF logo, small/med
  • Lock Laces, one size fits all, white
  • KT Tape Roll, hero pink, roll of pre-cut strips
the DATA…
My guess: I don’t think I am in PR shape. Maaaaybe close but not really there. For example, I did the same 4 miler one month ago, and I was 12 seconds slower this year.. If all goes well, my stomach and the weather collaborates, I should be around 1:37 or 1:38. But who knows… I am gonna guess 1:38:22 …?
GO ON! Place your bets below!!!

Prizes shipped only within the US, but you can pick it up when you’re in NYC if you are abroad! Or have me send to someone in the US.  / Guesses will only count if done before Saturday, March 17, 8 pm, ET.  on the original post / Other comments anywhere else (Runners World, facebook, twitter, etc.) won’t count / If there are two guesses with the exact same time, the first one wins.

December/November/October Recaps

Jan2

Well, it turns out I totally forgot to post a November recap, AND ALSO, an October Recap…  so I am going to keep it short and good. But it was a quite eventful 3 months. If I told you everything that happened since October, you would not believe me. You wouldn’t. The good, the bad, the just really unbelievable, so it was all and crazy and crammed and shockimg. All of it. 2017 needs to be a bit more relaxed. Please. It’s NOT looking that way though… stay with me, here we go!

meme-lets-do-this-1

December

I started the month in Italy!!! My husband, my parents and I spent two weeks travelling from north to south. It was glorious. I didn’t run one mile, had ALL THE FOOD and still came back in amazing shape. Italian food is magical. I have no idea how they do it; well, clean unprocessed food will do it, but it’s just ridiculous. Two weeks on vacation is INSANE these days, but so totally worth it. And needed. We got back to NYC mid December and, after three weeks of no running, on December 13, I looked at my log and I realized I was at 1406… so close to 1500!! My highest year ever I had done 1240 (and 1237 last year), so I already had my highest mileage ever, but why not go for 1500?  I did 28 miles that first week back, and after 3 weeks off, 28 is a good way to ramp up! 44 miles the 19-25 week, and 30 this past last week…. It was hard to get the miles in the last week as everyone was out of town and I hate running alone, but when you have a goal, you get it done! I am also participating in a streak, December 21st to January 21st, which requires a mile every day, for Coach Stuart Calderwood’s 30th anniversary streak. The logistics are crazy but so far, so good! Oh, and did the Midnight Run on December 31st!!

  • Total Miles: 97 miles (between December 13th and 31st)
  • Races: one, though I wasn’t really racing…
  • Ups: Some runs alone were quite interesting. I’d also find myself running easy miles in sub 8 pace, which was completely weird but welcome. Most of the miles were super slow but I can see my endurance building with the higher mileage.
  • Downs: Running alone sucks but I did manage to get it done. The cold is here. ugh. The piles of laundry is scary.
  • Balance: AMAZING, 1502 MILES FOR THE YEAR!!!!!!!!!!! HELL YEAH!

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And some pictures from Italy, I promise I will do a post about it soon! (HAHAHA, “promise” and “soon”!!)

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November

November was a busy month, between the 2016 TCS New York City Marathon and the Philly Marathon… I participated in and attended many events before the big day, I spent LOTS of hours at the marathon expo, I run my last miles for the Philly Marathon, I tapered, and then I went to Philly, got super sick and didn’t run a yard! I definitely was in way better shape than before ANY other marathon, I trained a lot harder and did many more miles, and came out the other side with no race… SUCH a STRANGE FEELING!!! But there was not time to dwell on it, the day after the marathon I managed to close a HUGE project (even if I was still sick and super weak), then a Thanksgiving trip and by Saturday I was off to Italy for two weeks, all in 6 days! And it took until Friday for my stomach to feel normal again; so happy it was as good as new in Italy!

  • Total Miles: 72. Hilarious.
  • Races: nope
  • Ups: the NYC Marathon week fun. Nothing beats that week, all year. And Thanksgiving!!
  • Downs: OMG, the Philly marathon that didn’t happen. There went all the training I did, nowhere!!!!
  • Balance: okay…

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October

October was wild. How did I manage such mileage? Well, I got some decent long runs, two halfs and apparently some ridiculous extra workouts. Both halfs were good but not what I expected. The Great Gallop turned out to be a hot/humid training run of sorts, and the Verrazano Half was a wind tunnel I was glad to survive. I was a bit disappointed to not have good weather in the Verrazano Half to PR, but oh well, can’t win them all. Then, the marathon madness swiped over us and took over my life. It was easy to forget all the racing!

  • Total Miles: 187, WHAT!??!?! MOST EVER BY A LOT
  • Races: 2 halves, no PR but good overall
  • Ups: Crazy fun runs and highest mileage ever
  • Downs: No great races so far this Fall. Oh well.
  • Balance: well, still have a marathon next month!

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September

is it really almost October ALREADY??? WHAT!

meme-winteriscoming

actually, this is more like it:

bwqofcpl0jst21jc1ajuI am already dreading it ALREADY, though of course the running gets easier… On the other hand, I was finally adjusted to the heat. You know how it is…

September shocked me a bit. I ended up with 160 miles. Oooops.

I actually had the same reaction many Fridays or Saturdays when I had a race that weekend and realized and already had run way too many miles that week to be rested for the race. No idea how that happens!

september-2016

This was probably my month with the highest mileage EVER. I say probably because I am too lazy to go check. Then I reply to myself, “what is the point of keeping track of EVERYTHING, if you are not going to use it to check on stuff?” And I just pretend I have to go to the bathroom and walk away offended. So, I am assuming there’s a 95% change this is my highest monthly mileage ever.

This month my routine was thrown off a LOT. I had a set-in-stone routine: Speedwork on Tuesdays (THE main workout); Easy or nothing on Mondays (Stairs workout for the last 4 months); November Project on Wednesdays; Easy or Tempo on Thursdays. Nothing Friday. Long or Race on the Weekend.

Then, I started coaching the NYRR Long Training Runs a few weeks ago, AT NIGHT. First of all, I hadn’t run after 7 am in AGES… 3, 4, 5 years maybe? I don’t even remember! Which is SO STRANGE. Adjusting to running at night is still a struggle. It feels weird waking up and not heading out. Do I shower? Do I just watch the news???? WHAT DO PEOPLE DO?!!?!?! Then, what’s the latest I can eat? One time, I forgot, had a snack at 3 pm and I was so uncomfortable during the workout (there’s always speed-work or some sort of speed component), I felt like I was going to throw up. Then, I get home past 8, which is usually my bed time… it’s weird to go to sleep so late, with food still in my throat, I’ve woken up early a few mornings after still full and gagging in my first few steps. There’s some major logistics mishaps that need straightening. On the other hand, SO much fun!!!!!!!!!!!!

What do other women do about long sweaty hair when they run at night?????

What do other women do about long sweaty hair when they run at night?????

I still need to figure out how to reinstate my own speedwork instead of just doing it with the group, but running twice on Tuesdays, speedwork twice in one day, seems crazy. Still fine-tuning this. Stay tuned!

Oh and I had a few races and did many fun this, but I am SURE you’ve read my previous posts anyway!

  • Total Miles: 160. Most ever. For Sure. Almost Sure. Not 100% sure but almost really sure.
  • Races:Two. The New Balance Fifth Avenue Mile and the Newport Liberty Half. I run both quite poorly to tell you the truth, now that I have the perspective.
  • Ups: Apparently something good was happening if I was clocking this many miles. 😉
  • Downs: Races and their tapering… ugh. Oh, and no PRs since MARCH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
  • Balance: The more I race the more I get deflated about the no PRs since March’s United NYC Half thing. But we’ll get there when we get there, right?

Some pictures from the road:

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See you next Month for the next recap!

August

I can’t get over how now 70 degree weather feel like Autumn… it’s amazing how fast we get used to 90s or 10s around here…. I am already missing the high temperatures and dreading the winter, but ohboyohboyohboyhowfastwearegoingtoberunningsoon!!!

August was insane. I don’t know if I ever run 149 miles in one month and I am too lazy to look it up. I know that’s weekly mileage for some of you, but whatever, we all have our limits! I love sharing my training month once in a while because no one believes me I run this little/much or at this pace or whatever. And we’re all nosy, aren’t we? You’re welcome. So here’s the naked August truth:

august runs

I did 3 long runs, all in Summer Streets, one better than the last one. I felt great, fast and powerful, even with awful heat and humidity, go figure. I am still cross-training a lot more than usual, and I totally felt the difference in the long runs. The 4th week I was supposed to be off so I raced a 5K. I didn’t PR but I was 9 seconds away! It was hard, but I was just so happy with the race, the fun, and my negative splits! This past month was interesting as my gastroenterologist put me on a no-dairy, no-gluten, no-artificial sweeteners diet. Quite messy at first, because, is there anything left? But once the 16Handles cravings subsided, I got used to it. This past month was one of the funnest ever, and I am so happy I decided to sign up for a marathon: I found out I could rally the troops to have great long runs with great company and have been having the best time! September, and all is racing is just so close I can smell it!

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  • Total Miles: 149. Most ever? Let’s assume so!
  • Races: one!!!! Not a PR but a great effort! Still, that’s race 7 this year, I am waaay behind!
  • Ups: The miles flew by and have been getting in quality workouts with QUALITY PEOPLE!
  • Downs: Tapering for races annoys me. And the easy weeks. UGH. But I know they’re needed.
  • Balance: best month ever!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

July

So, last month I finally STOPPED. I had been running crazy for years and never ocurred to me to rest. There. One week. Ugh. It was tough. I finally decided to maybe do another marathon this year, and scheduled a few halfs. I got on a groove with the stairs workouts and the cross training at November Project, so all seems to be going in the right direction. I’ll share my training for all July as I know you’re all curious, but there was nothing groundbreaking. Not even a lot of miles!

july training

  • Total Miles: 109. Shit
  • Races: zero. ooops. forgot
  • Ups: LOTS of stairs and running and cross training. AND SWEATING.
  • Downs: the easy week!!!! I am scared about the marathon training plan I put together.
  • Balance: It’s great. Though  I am a bit anxious about how this marathon season is going to play out.

June

did I forget to write about June??? I guess SO! Oooops, what a mess. Well, my parents were visiting for a month if that is a good excuse! It was BU-SY!

BUSY

what happened in June..?? well, I we took my parents everywhere. a month is like, 4 weeks, so we had tons of time to do stuff, and they’d done all the touristy stuff all the other times, so this time we did local’s stuff stuff, you know? like they’d walk to Randall’s Island everyday, or go to the GW, or go to November Project, or volunteer at a water table (for the JP Morgan Corporate Challenge). fun part is this is the first year in like 15 years, that my parents and I spend my birthday and my dad’s bday and father’s day  in the same place! So cool right? Little things you get used to not having… oh well. We did do a couple of touristy things, like the Freedom Tour Observatory (meh), the NY Philarmonic in Central Park, and the Intrepid. But it stops there! Juan had a half Ironman so we went to Maryland or somewhere for the weekend. He did amazing. But he has been training like a maniac, twice a day, hours and hours in the indoor trainer, so I was happy he could get some good results! Me? I’ve been running and workout as usual. I finally managed to make cross-training part of my routine, which I talked about here, and I am SO excited about it!

  • Total Miles: 137. YES!!
  • Races: Just one, the NYRR Achilles Hope and Possibility
  • Ups: LOTS of running and cross training. And we starting doing stairs workouts. AND IT’S HOT OUT
  • Downs: that this weather can’t last forever??? nothing!
  • Balance: I feel amazing. As fit as I’ve ever been. I have no interest in racing because I don’t want to taper. I just want to train and train and train!!!! that’s crazy right?

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May

Flowers Month started with the NJ Half, which now seems like aaaaages ago. Maybe because I did the Brooklyn Half and that also seems like aaaaaages ago!!! Well, it was only 10 days ago. Wow, I am aging fast! New Jersey was a meh race, I got bored, my heart rate was spiking and I wasn’t even sure why, missed a PR by 20 something seconds. I spent the whole month trying to lower it and find the culprit. Then I did the Newport 10K, which was fun but super hot so I missed a PR by a whole minute. A minute in a 10K is like a minute waiting for your Shake Shack buzzer to go off: e-t-e-r-n-i-t-yyyyy. A week later, and still tired, was the Brooklyn Half. I knew I didn’t have it so took it easy there and had a great fun (though slow) race. Best decision evah. Why try when you can just give up? 😉 Overall, I had a fun month, I did a million workouts and runs with lots of friends, I went out a lot, I looked for many races to do as soon as I recovered from Brooklyn then was happy that I didn’t sign up for anything, as it’s SO HOT out. Speedwork Tuesday was not just hot, it was HUMID and awful. Need to make sure I adjust to this crap ASAP. If you need a read on how to adjust to the heat and a lesson on how to over-hydrate, check this (skip to the bottom if you’re not into sciency/nerdy stuff). And you better be ready for the summer runs/racing. It’s happening whether you like it or not! What’s happening in June…? I’d like to say I have x race and x race but…. I do have a bunch of races in my calendar, but nothing I am 100% on. I think I need a liiiiiitle break from racing. Usually in May/June I have a race every weekend, sometimes 3 races in a week! I am just going to go with my heart this time, and see where the wind blows!

  • Total Miles: 120. Ok with me!
  • Races: Three. The NJ Half, the Newport 10K, and the Brooklyn Half.
  • Ups: solid workouts, not just running, all sorts of stuff. I went up LOTs of stairs and bridges too.
  • Downs: my races sorta sucked. BK was fun but nothing fast.
  • Balance: Still in building mode for the Fall, I guess?. And having fun with it. May was fun but not the usual May where I score a bunch of awesome PRs! Oh well. Healthy and Fun wins over FAST. Actually, looking at the pictures in the slideshow, I have proof that I had all sorts of fun!

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April

I am ready… feeling ready to say hello to May and a NEW HALF PR, whether that’s New Jersey (May 1, this Sunday!!!!!) or the Brooklyn Half, well, that… I still don’t know, but I’ll be trying at both. Or I’ll be trying at NJ this weekend and then we’ll see about the other one!

I did one fun race in April, the Run for the Parks 4Miler, that went a bit (12 seconds) too slow and two IronStrength workouts that zapped my legs. Like OUCH. Or more like this feels worse that my first marathon (walking backwards downstairs and all). I also did a lot of coaching, I went to cheer on my athletes, team, and friends at the Boston Marathon, and last week I participated the Bloomberg Square Mile Relay. A busy month at work, lots of coaching, and quality runs. Plus some cross-training, which you know I hate! I am getting over it though, I think, we’ll see.

  • Total Miles: 90 (ooops)
  • Races: One, Run for the Parks 4Miler, not a PR by a bit.
  • Ups: I got back on the horse about the #!*$! cross-training with some November Project and some Ironstrength. Each time I was out for days. I am not built for burpees. at all.
  • Downs: same as above, cross-training kills me. I’d do it and then not be able to walk normally or run for days!!!! And… where did my mileage go? Even last Saturday I tried to run (3 days past Ironstrength!!) and I couldn’t, UGH.
  • Balance: Building, building, waiting for my chance to ATTACK. Stay tuned. May should be my chance!
  • Good news: not to be braggy but I noticed how all my races lately have been over 70% Age Grading, which had always been my goal. So, happy (very happy) about that. Also noticed, that I have no need to do the 9+1 now as I qualify for the marathon (with my NYC Half time) , if I ever decided to do it. Whaaaaat? yeah, it’s a bit braggy but hey, it took YEARS! And lots and lots of sweat and early mornings!

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March

Ah it was a roller coaster!!!!! It was cold, it was hot, it was cold, you get it. I did some amazing workouts, some confidence-boosters, and lots of junk miles. It took a bit to psych myself up that I could do a sub 1:37 half. I did it. And then, the same day, I left for Argentina for two weeks, so it’s like it almost didn’t happen (it was funny when I got back home last week and my apartment looked like I just had done the half: pace bracelet, Gatorade, extra layers, mylar blanket, and stuff everywhere!!!). Remind me not to do that again! I barely run when in Argentina; maybe about 30 miles in two weeks. But had such a relaxing time!

  • Total Miles: 110
  • Races: ONE. The NYC Half! with a PR!!! the PR I had been chasing for THREE YEARS
  • Ups: I got a lot of fun easy runs, slow runs, fun runs
  • Downs: where did my mileage go? I had no interest in running while I was on vacation.  Or workout. Or anything, as usual.
  • Balance: Overall good. I still need to figure out a thing or two about the half, and how to drink while running and why I sometimes, after a hard effort, have no interest in any of it, but overall good.

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February

confirmed that this would be the most confusing and best winter ever. One day you have low temperature records and the next day you’re in shorts. A Blizzard, then 60 degrees. Still a lot better than just straight out freezing for the whole month (like last year). Somehow, I have still been able to train a lot this month, which is strange as I haven’t really taken a break since last March… So weird. I did quite good mileage, once short race, 6 interval workouts, three runs over 15 miles, ooops no tempo! Forgot about the tempo. Though I should probably count every time I run with Patricia as a tempo!!! 76% of my miles were on the briddle path, maybe that’s why I have been able to do all this mileage?

  • Total Miles: 137.
  • Races: one 4 Miler, not a PR (by 3 seconds) but placed 2nd in my Age Group
  • Ups: the weather was awesome for February. Lots of miles. Lots of fast miles! I love that we’re back in the briddle path for the speedwork!! Got a lot of new Under Armour gear and shoes. Managed to survive a long run with Patricia.
  • Downs: I am tired and we are 2.5 weeks from the NYC Half: I am starting to get nervous!
  • Balance: Great, ready to pounce!!

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January

was a solid month. I got 132 miles… how? Apparently I started doing longish runs again without noticing!!! I got five of them in the log: 12.5, 12.5, 15, 11, and 15.5, not sure what distance is “long” anymore but I guess if I am training for a half, anything over 8 miles is LONG. Right? Anyone knows?

I also did 5 speedwork sessions: Mile Repeats, 6x400s + 3x800s, 5x1K, 5 Cath Hill Sprints, and 6x800s. Plus a stoopid-hard workout at Orange Theory I had no idea how to include in my spreadsheet 😛

Weather has been ok so far, nothing like last year. We did have a rough day, when it was 17 (feels like 5) and we were doing intervals. It was BRUTAL. but you know, those are the days you go out because after that 20s and 30s feel like Summer. We had a little blizzard (22 inches of snow in 1 day) but I was able to run the day before and the day after so no biggie. And the briddle path was back in just 10 days!

I have now 6 weeks to the United NYC Half Marathon and I am super pumped. I need a Half PR this year guys, it’s been 3 years! I am desperate. I also signed up for the New Jersey Half. Oh, and Brooklyn Half too. It’s coming. I promise. I can see it. I can almost taste it! I am sure it tastes like unicorns, and victory and clouds, and sunny and yes, pizza from Rome.

  • Total Miles: 132.
  • Races: Zero (unless you count the times I need to race to be on time to meet running friends!)
  • Ups: the weather is not 100% miserable. Lots of consistent training and cross training.
  • Downs: I am sick of wearing layers. My legs and my bun want out!
  • Balance: Good, on a patient waiting mode.

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Guess my Finish Time at the Philadelphia Marathon!

Nov10

10 days to go… and yes, DNF and DNS are allowed guesses!

Rules: pick a time and write in the comments below. Whoever gets closer, wins, If there’s two identical times, the first poster wins! Make sure if you include seconds in there too, and post before Friday, Nov 18, 8 pm et. I can bet money someone will hit in the head, as usual!
Prizes... you can pick from:
  • Koss Fitbuds (purple) KEB32p, limited edition
  • Koss Fitclips (orange) KSC32C, limited edition
  • milestone pod, teal or black
  • clip-on running metronome
  • brooks flat vapur water bottle
  • pack of travel bodyglide
  • TCS NYC Marathon Shopping Bag
  • Clif Bar Branded Gear Package (aluminum water bottle, jumping rope, women’s triathlete tee medium black and silver, towel)
  • FitSok, pack of 3 (white, gray, black), CF-2 Shadow Yarn Athletic Sock, size M (mens 6-8, womens 7-9)
  • B2R Split Toe Performance Running Sock, CoolMax, EcoMode, Size M (mens 5-7, womens 6-8), white
  • Powerbar branded crossbody backpack, black
  • NYC Marathon rain (knee-length, orange and white) poncho
  • North Face arm warmers, black with red NF logo, small/med
  • Lock Laces, one size fits all, white
  • KT Tape Roll, hero pink, roll of pre-cut strips
the DATA…
My guess: No idea, range could be between 3:25 and 3:45… so I truly have no clue. I had a great training year, my best ever if I can say so myself, but my halfs this fall weren’t great and I am totally not motivated to do the marathon. I am going. I am trying my best (hopefully) but I haven’t done a marathon in two years so I am not even sure if I can get it up for 
GO ON! Place your bets below!!! (I will probably not look until after, and no need to be nice!)

Prizes shipped only within the US, but you can pick it up when you’re in NYC if you are abroad! Or have me send to someone in the US.  / Guesses will only count if done before Friday, November 18, 8 pm, ET.  on the original post / Other comments anywhere else (Runners World, facebook, twitter, etc.) won’t count / If there are two guesses with the exact same time, the first one wins.

Guess my Finish Time at the Verrazano Half Marathon (Oct 22nd)

Oct16

Did I tell  you I am doing the NYCRUNS Verrazano Festival of Races Half Marathon? I probably did!!! Less than a week to go!!!!

So, one week to go, one more race, one more contest!

Rules: pick a time and write in the comments below. Whoever gets closer, wins, If there’s two identical times, the first poster wins! Make sure if you include seconds in there too, and post before Friday, October 21st, 8 pm et. I can bet money someone will hit in the head, as usual!
Prizes... you can pick from:
  • Koss Fitbuds (purple) KEB32p, limited edition
  • Koss Fitclips (orange) KSC32C, limited edition
  • milestone pod, teal or black
  • clip-on running metronome
  • brooks flat vapur water bottle
  • pack of travel bodyglide
  • TCS NYC Marathon Shopping Bag
  • Clif Bar Branded Gear Package (aluminum water bottle, jumping rope, women’s triathlete tee medium black and silver, towel)
  • FitSok, pack of 3 (white, gray, black), CF-2 Shadow Yarn Athletic Sock, size M (mens 6-8, womens 7-9)
  • B2R Split Toe Performance Running Sock, CoolMax, EcoMode, Size M (mens 5-7, womens 6-8), white
  • Powerbar branded crossbody backpack, black
  • NYC Marathon rain (knee-length, orange and white) poncho
  • North Face arm warmers, black with red NF logo, small/med
  • Lock Laces, one size fits all, white
  • Travel Roller 4.3
the DATA…
  • Last HALFS

Newport Half Marathon, September, 2016, 1:37:49
NJ Half Marathon, May, 2016: 1:36:28
Brooklyn Half Marathon, May 2016 1:39:02
NYC Half, March, 2016: 1:36:03  PR
Staten Island Half: October, 2015: 1:37:38
Airbnb Brooklyn Half: May, 2015: 1:39:10
United Airlines NYC Half, March 2015: 1:39:26

  • Last Races

August 2016, Percy Sutton 5K, 21:18, 6:52 pace.
June 2016, Achilles Hope & Possibility (4M), 28:43, 7:11 pace
May 2016, Airbnb Brooklyn Half Marathon, 1:39:02, 7:34 pace
April 2016, City Parks Foundation Run for the Parks (4M), 28:12, 7:03 pace
March 2016, United Airlines NYC Half, 1:36:03, 7:20 pace

My guess: I have no clue…. I’d love a PR and I’ve been close all year, but 1, I’m still sick with the cold (2 weeks now!) and it seems that I don’t PR unless it’s the NYC Half. So, as much as I’d love and try to get to the 1:36:04 PR, I predict I’ll be close but not PR!
GO ON! Place your bets below!!! (I will probably not look until after, and no need to be nice!)

Prizes shipped only within the US, but you can pick it up when you’re in NYC if you are abroad! Or have me send to someone in the US.  / Guesses will only count if done before Friday, October 21st, 8 pm, ET.  on the original post / Other comments anywhere else (Runners World, facebook, twitter, etc.) won’t count / If there are two guesses with the exact same time, the first one wins.

September Recap

Sep30

is it really almost October ALREADY??? WHAT!

meme-winteriscoming

actually, this is more like it:

bwqofcpl0jst21jc1ajuI am already dreading it ALREADY, though of course the running gets easier… On the other hand, I was finally adjusted to the heat. You know how it is…

September shocked me a bit. I ended up with 160 miles. Oooops.

I actually had the same reaction many Fridays or Saturdays when I had a race that weekend and realized and already had run way too many miles that week to be rested for the race. No idea how that happens!

september-2016

This was probably my month with the highest mileage EVER. I say probably because I am too lazy to go check. Then I reply to myself, “what is the point of keeping track of EVERYTHING, if you are not going to use it to check on stuff?” And I just pretend I have to go to the bathroom and walk away offended. So, I am assuming there’s a 95% change this is my highest monthly mileage ever.

This month my routine was thrown off a LOT. I had a set-in-stone routine: Speedwork on Tuesdays (THE main workout); Easy or nothing on Mondays (Stairs workout for the last 4 months); November Project on Wednesdays; Easy or Tempo on Thursdays. Nothing Friday. Long or Race on the Weekend.

Then, I started coaching the NYRR Long Training Runs a few weeks ago, AT NIGHT. First of all, I hadn’t run after 7 am in AGES… 3, 4, 5 years maybe? I don’t even remember! Which is SO STRANGE. Adjusting to running at night is still a struggle. It feels weird waking up and not heading out. Do I shower? Do I just watch the news???? WHAT DO PEOPLE DO?!!?!?! Then, what’s the latest I can eat? One time, I forgot, had a snack at 3 pm and I was so uncomfortable during the workout (there’s always speed-work or some sort of speed component), I felt like I was going to throw up. Then, I get home past 8, which is usually my bed time… it’s weird to go to sleep so late, with food still in my throat, I’ve woken up early a few mornings after still full and gagging in my first few steps. There’s some major logistics mishaps that need straightening. On the other hand, SO much fun!!!!!!!!!!!!

What do other women do about long sweaty hair when they run at night?????

What do other women do about long sweaty hair when they run at night?????

I still need to figure out how to reinstate my own speedwork instead of just doing it with the group, but running twice on Tuesdays, speedwork twice in one day, seems crazy. Still fine-tuning this. Stay tuned!

Oh and I had a few races and did many fun this, but I am SURE you’ve read my previous posts anyway!

  • Total Miles: 160. Most ever. For Sure. Almost Sure. Not 100% sure but almost really sure.
  • Races:Two. The New Balance Fifth Avenue Mile and the Newport Liberty Half. I run both quite poorly to tell you the truth, now that I have the perspective.
  • Ups: Apparently something good was happening if I was clocking this many miles. 😉
  • Downs: Races and their tapering… ugh. Oh, and no PRs since MARCH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
  • Balance: The more I race the more I get deflated about the no PRs since March’s United NYC Half thing. But we’ll get there when we get there, right?

Some pictures from the road:

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See you next Month for the next recap!

August

I can’t get over how now 70 degree weather feel like Autumn… it’s amazing how fast we get used to 90s or 10s around here…. I am already missing the high temperatures and dreading the winter, but ohboyohboyohboyhowfastwearegoingtoberunningsoon!!!

August was insane. I don’t know if I ever run 149 miles in one month and I am too lazy to look it up. I know that’s weekly mileage for some of you, but whatever, we all have our limits! I love sharing my training month once in a while because no one believes me I run this little/much or at this pace or whatever. And we’re all nosy, aren’t we? You’re welcome. So here’s the naked August truth:

august runs

I did 3 long runs, all in Summer Streets, one better than the last one. I felt great, fast and powerful, even with awful heat and humidity, go figure. I am still cross-training a lot more than usual, and I totally felt the difference in the long runs. The 4th week I was supposed to be off so I raced a 5K. I didn’t PR but I was 9 seconds away! It was hard, but I was just so happy with the race, the fun, and my negative splits! This past month was interesting as my gastroenterologist put me on a no-dairy, no-gluten, no-artificial sweeteners diet. Quite messy at first, because, is there anything left? But once the 16Handles cravings subsided, I got used to it. This past month was one of the funnest ever, and I am so happy I decided to sign up for a marathon: I found out I could rally the troops to have great long runs with great company and have been having the best time! September, and all is racing is just so close I can smell it!

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  • Total Miles: 149. Most ever? Let’s assume so!
  • Races: one!!!! Not a PR but a great effort! Still, that’s race 7 this year, I am waaay behind!
  • Ups: The miles flew by and have been getting in quality workouts with QUALITY PEOPLE!
  • Downs: Tapering for races annoys me. And the easy weeks. UGH. But I know they’re needed.
  • Balance: best month ever!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

July

So, last month I finally STOPPED. I had been running crazy for years and never ocurred to me to rest. There. One week. Ugh. It was tough. I finally decided to maybe do another marathon this year, and scheduled a few halfs. I got on a groove with the stairs workouts and the cross training at November Project, so all seems to be going in the right direction. I’ll share my training for all July as I know you’re all curious, but there was nothing groundbreaking. Not even a lot of miles!

july training

  • Total Miles: 109. Shit
  • Races: zero. ooops. forgot
  • Ups: LOTS of stairs and running and cross training. AND SWEATING.
  • Downs: the easy week!!!! I am scared about the marathon training plan I put together.
  • Balance: It’s great. Though  I am a bit anxious about how this marathon season is going to play out.

June

did I forget to write about June??? I guess SO! Oooops, what a mess. Well, my parents were visiting for a month if that is a good excuse! It was BU-SY!

BUSY

what happened in June..?? well, I we took my parents everywhere. a month is like, 4 weeks, so we had tons of time to do stuff, and they’d done all the touristy stuff all the other times, so this time we did local’s stuff stuff, you know? like they’d walk to Randall’s Island everyday, or go to the GW, or go to November Project, or volunteer at a water table (for the JP Morgan Corporate Challenge). fun part is this is the first year in like 15 years, that my parents and I spend my birthday and my dad’s bday and father’s day  in the same place! So cool right? Little things you get used to not having… oh well. We did do a couple of touristy things, like the Freedom Tour Observatory (meh), the NY Philarmonic in Central Park, and the Intrepid. But it stops there! Juan had a half Ironman so we went to Maryland or somewhere for the weekend. He did amazing. But he has been training like a maniac, twice a day, hours and hours in the indoor trainer, so I was happy he could get some good results! Me? I’ve been running and workout as usual. I finally managed to make cross-training part of my routine, which I talked about here, and I am SO excited about it!

  • Total Miles: 137. YES!!
  • Races: Just one, the NYRR Achilles Hope and Possibility
  • Ups: LOTS of running and cross training. And we starting doing stairs workouts. AND IT’S HOT OUT
  • Downs: that this weather can’t last forever??? nothing!
  • Balance: I feel amazing. As fit as I’ve ever been. I have no interest in racing because I don’t want to taper. I just want to train and train and train!!!! that’s crazy right?

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May

Flowers Month started with the NJ Half, which now seems like aaaaages ago. Maybe because I did the Brooklyn Half and that also seems like aaaaaages ago!!! Well, it was only 10 days ago. Wow, I am aging fast! New Jersey was a meh race, I got bored, my heart rate was spiking and I wasn’t even sure why, missed a PR by 20 something seconds. I spent the whole month trying to lower it and find the culprit. Then I did the Newport 10K, which was fun but super hot so I missed a PR by a whole minute. A minute in a 10K is like a minute waiting for your Shake Shack buzzer to go off: e-t-e-r-n-i-t-yyyyy. A week later, and still tired, was the Brooklyn Half. I knew I didn’t have it so took it easy there and had a great fun (though slow) race. Best decision evah. Why try when you can just give up? 😉 Overall, I had a fun month, I did a million workouts and runs with lots of friends, I went out a lot, I looked for many races to do as soon as I recovered from Brooklyn then was happy that I didn’t sign up for anything, as it’s SO HOT out. Speedwork Tuesday was not just hot, it was HUMID and awful. Need to make sure I adjust to this crap ASAP. If you need a read on how to adjust to the heat and a lesson on how to over-hydrate, check this (skip to the bottom if you’re not into sciency/nerdy stuff). And you better be ready for the summer runs/racing. It’s happening whether you like it or not! What’s happening in June…? I’d like to say I have x race and x race but…. I do have a bunch of races in my calendar, but nothing I am 100% on. I think I need a liiiiiitle break from racing. Usually in May/June I have a race every weekend, sometimes 3 races in a week! I am just going to go with my heart this time, and see where the wind blows!

  • Total Miles: 120. Ok with me!
  • Races: Three. The NJ Half, the Newport 10K, and the Brooklyn Half.
  • Ups: solid workouts, not just running, all sorts of stuff. I went up LOTs of stairs and bridges too.
  • Downs: my races sorta sucked. BK was fun but nothing fast.
  • Balance: Still in building mode for the Fall, I guess?. And having fun with it. May was fun but not the usual May where I score a bunch of awesome PRs! Oh well. Healthy and Fun wins over FAST. Actually, looking at the pictures in the slideshow, I have proof that I had all sorts of fun!

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April

I am ready… feeling ready to say hello to May and a NEW HALF PR, whether that’s New Jersey (May 1, this Sunday!!!!!) or the Brooklyn Half, well, that… I still don’t know, but I’ll be trying at both. Or I’ll be trying at NJ this weekend and then we’ll see about the other one!

I did one fun race in April, the Run for the Parks 4Miler, that went a bit (12 seconds) too slow and two IronStrength workouts that zapped my legs. Like OUCH. Or more like this feels worse that my first marathon (walking backwards downstairs and all). I also did a lot of coaching, I went to cheer on my athletes, team, and friends at the Boston Marathon, and last week I participated the Bloomberg Square Mile Relay. A busy month at work, lots of coaching, and quality runs. Plus some cross-training, which you know I hate! I am getting over it though, I think, we’ll see.

  • Total Miles: 90 (ooops)
  • Races: One, Run for the Parks 4Miler, not a PR by a bit.
  • Ups: I got back on the horse about the #!*$! cross-training with some November Project and some Ironstrength. Each time I was out for days. I am not built for burpees. at all.
  • Downs: same as above, cross-training kills me. I’d do it and then not be able to walk normally or run for days!!!! And… where did my mileage go? Even last Saturday I tried to run (3 days past Ironstrength!!) and I couldn’t, UGH.
  • Balance: Building, building, waiting for my chance to ATTACK. Stay tuned. May should be my chance!
  • Good news: not to be braggy but I noticed how all my races lately have been over 70% Age Grading, which had always been my goal. So, happy (very happy) about that. Also noticed, that I have no need to do the 9+1 now as I qualify for the marathon (with my NYC Half time) , if I ever decided to do it. Whaaaaat? yeah, it’s a bit braggy but hey, it took YEARS! And lots and lots of sweat and early mornings!

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March

Ah it was a roller coaster!!!!! It was cold, it was hot, it was cold, you get it. I did some amazing workouts, some confidence-boosters, and lots of junk miles. It took a bit to psych myself up that I could do a sub 1:37 half. I did it. And then, the same day, I left for Argentina for two weeks, so it’s like it almost didn’t happen (it was funny when I got back home last week and my apartment looked like I just had done the half: pace bracelet, Gatorade, extra layers, mylar blanket, and stuff everywhere!!!). Remind me not to do that again! I barely run when in Argentina; maybe about 30 miles in two weeks. But had such a relaxing time!

  • Total Miles: 110
  • Races: ONE. The NYC Half! with a PR!!! the PR I had been chasing for THREE YEARS
  • Ups: I got a lot of fun easy runs, slow runs, fun runs
  • Downs: where did my mileage go? I had no interest in running while I was on vacation.  Or workout. Or anything, as usual.
  • Balance: Overall good. I still need to figure out a thing or two about the half, and how to drink while running and why I sometimes, after a hard effort, have no interest in any of it, but overall good.

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February

confirmed that this would be the most confusing and best winter ever. One day you have low temperature records and the next day you’re in shorts. A Blizzard, then 60 degrees. Still a lot better than just straight out freezing for the whole month (like last year). Somehow, I have still been able to train a lot this month, which is strange as I haven’t really taken a break since last March… So weird. I did quite good mileage, once short race, 6 interval workouts, three runs over 15 miles, ooops no tempo! Forgot about the tempo. Though I should probably count every time I run with Patricia as a tempo!!! 76% of my miles were on the briddle path, maybe that’s why I have been able to do all this mileage?

  • Total Miles: 137.
  • Races: one 4 Miler, not a PR (by 3 seconds) but placed 2nd in my Age Group
  • Ups: the weather was awesome for February. Lots of miles. Lots of fast miles! I love that we’re back in the briddle path for the speedwork!! Got a lot of new Under Armour gear and shoes. Managed to survive a long run with Patricia.
  • Downs: I am tired and we are 2.5 weeks from the NYC Half: I am starting to get nervous!
  • Balance: Great, ready to pounce!!

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January

was a solid month. I got 132 miles… how? Apparently I started doing longish runs again without noticing!!! I got five of them in the log: 12.5, 12.5, 15, 11, and 15.5, not sure what distance is “long” anymore but I guess if I am training for a half, anything over 8 miles is LONG. Right? Anyone knows?

I also did 5 speedwork sessions: Mile Repeats, 6x400s + 3x800s, 5x1K, 5 Cath Hill Sprints, and 6x800s. Plus a stoopid-hard workout at Orange Theory I had no idea how to include in my spreadsheet 😛

Weather has been ok so far, nothing like last year. We did have a rough day, when it was 17 (feels like 5) and we were doing intervals. It was BRUTAL. but you know, those are the days you go out because after that 20s and 30s feel like Summer. We had a little blizzard (22 inches of snow in 1 day) but I was able to run the day before and the day after so no biggie. And the briddle path was back in just 10 days!

I have now 6 weeks to the United NYC Half Marathon and I am super pumped. I need a Half PR this year guys, it’s been 3 years! I am desperate. I also signed up for the New Jersey Half. Oh, and Brooklyn Half too. It’s coming. I promise. I can see it. I can almost taste it! I am sure it tastes like unicorns, and victory and clouds, and sunny and yes, pizza from Rome.

  • Total Miles: 132.
  • Races: Zero (unless you count the times I need to race to be on time to meet running friends!)
  • Ups: the weather is not 100% miserable. Lots of consistent training and cross training.
  • Downs: I am sick of wearing layers. My legs and my bun want out!
  • Balance: Good, on a patient waiting mode.

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Guess my Finish Time at the Newport Half Marathon

Sep8

Did I tell  you I am doing the Newport Half? I did! Such a great race! Who’s going??

So, one week to go, one more race, one more contest!

Rules: pick a time and write in the comments below. Whoever gets closer, wins, If there’s two identical times, the first poster wins! Make sure if you include seconds in there too, and post before Friday, Sept 17th, 8 pm et. I can bet money someone will hit in the head, as usual!
Prizes... you can pick from:
  • Koss Fitbuds (purple) KEB32p, limited edition
  • Koss Fitclips (orange) KSC32C, limited edition
  • milestone pod, teal or black
  • clip-on running metronome
  • brooks flat vapur water bottle
  • pack of travel bodyglide
  • TCS NYC Marathon Shopping Bag
  • Clif Bar Branded Gear Package (aluminum water bottle, jumping rope, women’s triathlete tee medium black and silver, towel)
  • FitSok, pack of 3 (white, gray, black), CF-2 Shadow Yarn Athletic Sock, size M (mens 6-8, womens 7-9)
  • B2R Split Toe Performance Running Sock, CoolMax, EcoMode, Size M (mens 5-7, womens 6-8), white
  • Powerbar branded crossbody backpack, black
  • NYC Marathon rain (knee-length, orange and white) poncho
  • North Face arm warmers, black with red NF logo, small/med
  • Lock Laces, one size fits all, white
  • Travel Roller 4.3
  • KT Tape Roll, hero pink, roll of pre-cut strips
the DATA…
  • Last HALFS

NJ Half Marathon, May, 2016: 1:36:28
Brooklyn Half Marathon, May 2016 1:39:02
NYC Half, March, 2016: 1:36:03 MY PR
Staten Island Half: October, 2015: 1:37:38
Airbnb Brooklyn Half: May, 2015: 1:39:10
United Airlines NYC Half, March 2015: 1:39:26

My guess: I think a PR could be happening if I am feeling good. I’ll try to get under 1:36 as much as I can… but really, who knows?
GO ON! Place your bets below!!! (I will probably not look until after, and no need to be nice!)

Prizes shipped only within the US, but you can pick it up when you’re in NYC if you are abroad! Or have me send to someone in the US.  / Guesses will only count if done before Saturday, September 17, 8 pm, ET.  on the original post / Other comments anywhere else (Runners World, facebook, twitter, etc.) won’t count / If there are two guesses with the exact same time, the first one wins.

August Recap = byeSummerbye

Aug31

August

I can’t get over how now 70 degree weather feel like Autumn… it’s amazing how fast we get used to 90s or 10s around here…. I am already missing the high temperatures and dreading the winter, but ohboyohboyohboyhowfastwearegoingtoberunningsoon!!!

August was insane. I don’t know if I ever run 149 miles in one month and I am too lazy to look it up. I know that’s weekly mileage for some of you, but whatever, we all have our limits! I love sharing my training month once in a while because no one believes me I run this little/much or at this pace or whatever. And we’re all nosy, aren’t we? You’re welcome. So here’s the naked August truth:

august runs

I did 3 long runs, all in Summer Streets, one better than the last one. I felt great, fast and powerful, even with awful heat and humidity, go figure. I am still cross-training a lot more than usual, and I totally felt the difference in the long runs. The 4th week I was supposed to be off so I raced a 5K. I didn’t PR but I was 9 seconds away! It was hard, but I was just so happy with the race, the fun, and my negative splits! This past month was interesting as my gastroenterologist put me on a no-dairy, no-gluten, no-artificial sweeteners diet. Quite messy at first, because, is there anything left? But once the 16Handles cravings subsided, I got used to it. This past month was one of the funnest ever, and I am so happy I decided to sign up for a marathon: I found out I could rally the troops to have great long runs with great company and have been having the best time! September, and all is racing is just so close I can smell it!

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  • Total Miles: 149. Most ever? Let’s assume so!
  • Races: one!!!! Not a PR but a great effort! Still, that’s race 7 this year, I am waaay behind!
  • Ups: The miles flew by and have been getting in quality workouts with QUALITY PEOPLE!
  • Downs: Tapering for races annoys me. And the easy weeks. UGH. But I know they’re needed.
  • Balance: best month ever!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

July

So, last month I finally STOPPED. I had been running crazy for years and never ocurred to me to rest. There. One week. Ugh. It was tough. I finally decided to maybe do another marathon this year, and scheduled a few halfs. I got on a groove with the stairs workouts and the cross training at November Project, so all seems to be going in the right direction. I’ll share my training for all July as I know you’re all curious, but there was nothing groundbreaking. Not even a lot of miles!

july training

  • Total Miles: 109. Shit
  • Races: zero. ooops. forgot
  • Ups: LOTS of stairs and running and cross training. AND SWEATING.
  • Downs: the easy week!!!! I am scared about the marathon training plan I put together.
  • Balance: It’s great. Though  I am a bit anxious about how this marathon season is going to play out.

June

did I forget to write about June??? I guess SO! Oooops, what a mess. Well, my parents were visiting for a month if that is a good excuse! It was BU-SY!

BUSY

what happened in June..?? well, I we took my parents everywhere. a month is like, 4 weeks, so we had tons of time to do stuff, and they’d done all the touristy stuff all the other times, so this time we did local’s stuff stuff, you know? like they’d walk to Randall’s Island everyday, or go to the GW, or go to November Project, or volunteer at a water table (for the JP Morgan Corporate Challenge). fun part is this is the first year in like 15 years, that my parents and I spend my birthday and my dad’s bday and father’s day  in the same place! So cool right? Little things you get used to not having… oh well. We did do a couple of touristy things, like the Freedom Tour Observatory (meh), the NY Philarmonic in Central Park, and the Intrepid. But it stops there! Juan had a half Ironman so we went to Maryland or somewhere for the weekend. He did amazing. But he has been training like a maniac, twice a day, hours and hours in the indoor trainer, so I was happy he could get some good results! Me? I’ve been running and workout as usual. I finally managed to make cross-training part of my routine, which I talked about here, and I am SO excited about it!

  • Total Miles: 137. YES!!
  • Races: Just one, the NYRR Achilles Hope and Possibility
  • Ups: LOTS of running and cross training. And we starting doing stairs workouts. AND IT’S HOT OUT
  • Downs: that this weather can’t last forever??? nothing!
  • Balance: I feel amazing. As fit as I’ve ever been. I have no interest in racing because I don’t want to taper. I just want to train and train and train!!!! that’s crazy right?

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May

Flowers Month started with the NJ Half, which now seems like aaaaages ago. Maybe because I did the Brooklyn Half and that also seems like aaaaaages ago!!! Well, it was only 10 days ago. Wow, I am aging fast! New Jersey was a meh race, I got bored, my heart rate was spiking and I wasn’t even sure why, missed a PR by 20 something seconds. I spent the whole month trying to lower it and find the culprit. Then I did the Newport 10K, which was fun but super hot so I missed a PR by a whole minute. A minute in a 10K is like a minute waiting for your Shake Shack buzzer to go off: e-t-e-r-n-i-t-yyyyy. A week later, and still tired, was the Brooklyn Half. I knew I didn’t have it so took it easy there and had a great fun (though slow) race. Best decision evah. Why try when you can just give up? 😉 Overall, I had a fun month, I did a million workouts and runs with lots of friends, I went out a lot, I looked for many races to do as soon as I recovered from Brooklyn then was happy that I didn’t sign up for anything, as it’s SO HOT out. Speedwork Tuesday was not just hot, it was HUMID and awful. Need to make sure I adjust to this crap ASAP. If you need a read on how to adjust to the heat and a lesson on how to over-hydrate, check this (skip to the bottom if you’re not into sciency/nerdy stuff). And you better be ready for the summer runs/racing. It’s happening whether you like it or not! What’s happening in June…? I’d like to say I have x race and x race but…. I do have a bunch of races in my calendar, but nothing I am 100% on. I think I need a liiiiiitle break from racing. Usually in May/June I have a race every weekend, sometimes 3 races in a week! I am just going to go with my heart this time, and see where the wind blows!

  • Total Miles: 120. Ok with me!
  • Races: Three. The NJ Half, the Newport 10K, and the Brooklyn Half.
  • Ups: solid workouts, not just running, all sorts of stuff. I went up LOTs of stairs and bridges too.
  • Downs: my races sorta sucked. BK was fun but nothing fast.
  • Balance: Still in building mode for the Fall, I guess?. And having fun with it. May was fun but not the usual May where I score a bunch of awesome PRs! Oh well. Healthy and Fun wins over FAST. Actually, looking at the pictures in the slideshow, I have proof that I had all sorts of fun!

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April

I am ready… feeling ready to say hello to May and a NEW HALF PR, whether that’s New Jersey (May 1, this Sunday!!!!!) or the Brooklyn Half, well, that… I still don’t know, but I’ll be trying at both. Or I’ll be trying at NJ this weekend and then we’ll see about the other one!

I did one fun race in April, the Run for the Parks 4Miler, that went a bit (12 seconds) too slow and two IronStrength workouts that zapped my legs. Like OUCH. Or more like this feels worse that my first marathon (walking backwards downstairs and all). I also did a lot of coaching, I went to cheer on my athletes, team, and friends at the Boston Marathon, and last week I participated the Bloomberg Square Mile Relay. A busy month at work, lots of coaching, and quality runs. Plus some cross-training, which you know I hate! I am getting over it though, I think, we’ll see.

  • Total Miles: 90 (ooops)
  • Races: One, Run for the Parks 4Miler, not a PR by a bit.
  • Ups: I got back on the horse about the #!*$! cross-training with some November Project and some Ironstrength. Each time I was out for days. I am not built for burpees. at all.
  • Downs: same as above, cross-training kills me. I’d do it and then not be able to walk normally or run for days!!!! And… where did my mileage go? Even last Saturday I tried to run (3 days past Ironstrength!!) and I couldn’t, UGH.
  • Balance: Building, building, waiting for my chance to ATTACK. Stay tuned. May should be my chance!
  • Good news: not to be braggy but I noticed how all my races lately have been over 70% Age Grading, which had always been my goal. So, happy (very happy) about that. Also noticed, that I have no need to do the 9+1 now as I qualify for the marathon (with my NYC Half time) , if I ever decided to do it. Whaaaaat? yeah, it’s a bit braggy but hey, it took YEARS! And lots and lots of sweat and early mornings!

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March

Ah it was a roller coaster!!!!! It was cold, it was hot, it was cold, you get it. I did some amazing workouts, some confidence-boosters, and lots of junk miles. It took a bit to psych myself up that I could do a sub 1:37 half. I did it. And then, the same day, I left for Argentina for two weeks, so it’s like it almost didn’t happen (it was funny when I got back home last week and my apartment looked like I just had done the half: pace bracelet, Gatorade, extra layers, mylar blanket, and stuff everywhere!!!). Remind me not to do that again! I barely run when in Argentina; maybe about 30 miles in two weeks. But had such a relaxing time!

  • Total Miles: 110
  • Races: ONE. The NYC Half! with a PR!!! the PR I had been chasing for THREE YEARS
  • Ups: I got a lot of fun easy runs, slow runs, fun runs
  • Downs: where did my mileage go? I had no interest in running while I was on vacation.  Or workout. Or anything, as usual.
  • Balance: Overall good. I still need to figure out a thing or two about the half, and how to drink while running and why I sometimes, after a hard effort, have no interest in any of it, but overall good.

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February

confirmed that this would be the most confusing and best winter ever. One day you have low temperature records and the next day you’re in shorts. A Blizzard, then 60 degrees. Still a lot better than just straight out freezing for the whole month (like last year). Somehow, I have still been able to train a lot this month, which is strange as I haven’t really taken a break since last March… So weird. I did quite good mileage, once short race, 6 interval workouts, three runs over 15 miles, ooops no tempo! Forgot about the tempo. Though I should probably count every time I run with Patricia as a tempo!!! 76% of my miles were on the briddle path, maybe that’s why I have been able to do all this mileage?

  • Total Miles: 137.
  • Races: one 4 Miler, not a PR (by 3 seconds) but placed 2nd in my Age Group
  • Ups: the weather was awesome for February. Lots of miles. Lots of fast miles! I love that we’re back in the briddle path for the speedwork!! Got a lot of new Under Armour gear and shoes. Managed to survive a long run with Patricia.
  • Downs: I am tired and we are 2.5 weeks from the NYC Half: I am starting to get nervous!
  • Balance: Great, ready to pounce!!

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January

was a solid month. I got 132 miles… how? Apparently I started doing longish runs again without noticing!!! I got five of them in the log: 12.5, 12.5, 15, 11, and 15.5, not sure what distance is “long” anymore but I guess if I am training for a half, anything over 8 miles is LONG. Right? Anyone knows?

I also did 5 speedwork sessions: Mile Repeats, 6x400s + 3x800s, 5x1K, 5 Cath Hill Sprints, and 6x800s. Plus a stoopid-hard workout at Orange Theory I had no idea how to include in my spreadsheet 😛

Weather has been ok so far, nothing like last year. We did have a rough day, when it was 17 (feels like 5) and we were doing intervals. It was BRUTAL. but you know, those are the days you go out because after that 20s and 30s feel like Summer. We had a little blizzard (22 inches of snow in 1 day) but I was able to run the day before and the day after so no biggie. And the briddle path was back in just 10 days!

I have now 6 weeks to the United NYC Half Marathon and I am super pumped. I need a Half PR this year guys, it’s been 3 years! I am desperate. I also signed up for the New Jersey Half. Oh, and Brooklyn Half too. It’s coming. I promise. I can see it. I can almost taste it! I am sure it tastes like unicorns, and victory and clouds, and sunny and yes, pizza from Rome.

  • Total Miles: 132.
  • Races: Zero (unless you count the times I need to race to be on time to meet running friends!)
  • Ups: the weather is not 100% miserable. Lots of consistent training and cross training.
  • Downs: I am sick of wearing layers. My legs and my bun want out!
  • Balance: Good, on a patient waiting mode.

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Guess my Finish Time at the New Balance Fifth Avenue Mile

Aug29

Time to place your bets again… let’s do this!

Rules: pick a time and write in the comments below. Whoever gets closer, wins, If there’s two identical times, the first poster wins! Make sure if you include seconds in there too, and post before Friday, Sept 2nd, 8 pm et. I can bet money someone will hit in the head!
Prizes... you can pick from:
  • Koss Fitbuds (purple) KEB32p, limited edition
  • Koss Fitclips (orange) KSC32C, limited edition
  • milestone pod, teal or black
  • clip-on running metronome
  • brooks flat vapur water bottle
  • pack of travel bodyglide
  • TCS NYC Marathon Shopping Bag
  • Clif Bar Branded Gear Package (aluminum water bottle, jumping rope, women’s triathlete tee medium black and silver, towel)
  • FitSok, pack of 3 (white, gray, black), CF-2 Shadow Yarn Athletic Sock, size M (mens 6-8, womens 7-9)
  • B2R Split Toe Performance Running Sock, CoolMax, EcoMode, Size M (mens 5-7, womens 6-8), white
  • Powerbar branded crossbody backpack, black
  • NYC Marathon rain (knee-length, orange and white) poncho
  • North Face arm warmers, black with red NF logo, small/med
  • Lock Laces, one size fits all, white
  • Travel Roller 4.3
  • KT Tape Roll, hero pink, roll of pre-cut strips
the DATA…
  • My Mile PR is 6:05, same race but in 2012. Last year I run it in 6:24 (and I was going at maybe 80% out).
  • When I run Mile Repeats, i usually run them at 6:45 or 6:50 in soft dirt.
  • Last Races
    • August 2016, Percy Sutton 5K, 21:18, 6:52 pace. Last Full Mile was at 6:20 (but it was downhill)
    • June 2016, Achilles Hope & Possibility (4M), 28:43, 7:11 pace
    • May 2016, Airbnb Brooklyn Half Marathon, 1:39:02, 7:34 pace
    • April 2016, City Parks Foundation Run for the Parks (4M), 28:12, 7:03 pace
    • March 2016 United Airlines NYC Half, 1:36:03, 7:20 pace
My guess: I think a PR could be happening if I am feeling good. I’ll try to get to a low 6 as much as I can… but really, who knows?
GO ON! Place your bets below!!! (I will probably not look until after, and no need to be nice!)

Prizes shipped only within the US, but you can pick it up when you’re in NYC if you are abroad! Or have me send to someone in the US.  / Guesses will only count if done before Friday Sept 2nd, 8 pm, ET.  on this original post / Other comments anywhere else (Runners World, facebook, twitter, etc.) won’t count / If there are two guesses with the exact same time, the first one wins.