Mind Games

Holy 9 days since my last post. You guys must be all cramped up from refreshing your browser. Well, click no more, Im back! Ugh, yes Ill wait while you go grab some ice...

...Im not really sure why I havent blogged for over a week, but Im going to go ahead and blame it on the Goose, as the majority of the hip hop world seems to be doing. No, in all seriousness its just boring to write about random 3-4 mi runs. Nothing much to report on the running front. I have yet to do a longer run, but DEFINITELY plan on getting that in this weekend. We havent really decided if we are going to do the Fairfield Half on the 28th, but thats only because there is another race (Chatham Road Race) the same weekend and we arent quite sure which one is going to trump the other and steal its queen (ie, me!).

Ive been doing a lot of repeats-uphill, which is really strange. Everyone knows I hate inclines; I tend to lean towards the reclines of "clines". I am aware, however, that this is the best thing I can do for my running right now (short of getting those longer runs in). You know what they say! Smile til you mean it! Do it til you love it! Pain is weakness leaving the body! And all that good stuff. I guess I just love self-torture, but the truth is... its kind of working!

I started out small. Just running a blocks at a time uphill, but now Ive noticed that I can run farther without wanting to intubate myself and apply 20ml's of O2 on a non-rebreather mask. Go me! It is a fact that you cant spell IMPROVEMENT without PROVE. Just had to prove to my little legs that I could do it. Cheesiness aside, ive been using a little trick that I read somewhere (source unknown). Apparantly, its NOT okay to recite to yourself "Man, hills are the worst, No, No, No, I need to stop, I hate hills, Hills are hard, etc.". I Cant Remember et al., says that it is actually better to choose a positive mantra and repeat it to yourself and let the positive vibes carry you up the hill. That way you focus on the phrase and not the hill. Little mind game comin at ya.

Ive used a few phrases, mostly derived from popular hit songs, such as the Black Eyed Peas "Lets go, Lets go" or The Kook's "Shine on". Ive also made up a few of my own, like "Rock it", "Kill it", "Beast it", "Own it", and have even stooped so remedial as to simply chant "RUN RUN RUN". Whatever works at the time, really! I think the point is, that no matter what you choose, as long as it overrides the "NO NO NO" in your head, its olive branches and gold medals for you, my friend.

Anyway, my plan is to do 6-7 mi this weekend and be more committed to maintenance runs throughout the week. Oh, how could I have forgotten! I got new kicks! They are SO AWESOME! But, Ill write about that tomorrow. But, just know. They are phenomenonal. Like, mind blowing.

What Hilary wants, Hilary gets.

This just in! Literally! Timestamp: Like 5 seconds ago. After long deliberation, Hilary has decided that she is going to train for the full marathon! How great. One catch though. Nothing is ever easy with Hilary, there is always a catch.

"I was thinking about maybe wanting to train for the full marathon though, but maybe not hartford, maybe somewhere else more fun and more motivating?"

Apparently, the Hartford is not motivating enough for her. I dont see why not? The course takes us right through the scenic capitol city; leaving no dilapidated or non-occupied buildings to the imagination. Drug deals and spanglish beckoning... half naked, blue bandana'ed children parading about the street. What's not to love?

Im hesitant about this for a few reasons. Most of which involve the lack of poster board signage and cheering section that would be present in another state. It would be fun to go somewhere else, though. Conundrum! Here are a few races I pulled up. Thoughts?

Baltimore Running Festival, Baltimore, MD 10-10
Marine Corps Marathon, Arlington, VA 10-25
Amica Marathon, Newport, RI 10-18
Manchester City Marathon and Half Marathon, Manchester, NH
Philadelphia Marathon, Philadelphia, PA 11/22 **Hilarys choice

In other news. I decided to 'play it smart, kid', and took the later part of last week off. I made my triumphant return to the streets last night when I laced up the streets for a short 40 min run. I put a proverbial cherry on top of THAT sundae with 30 min of yoga. The time off was well spent and the right decision. My legs were strong and my energy was back. The yoga (more like timed stretching for this rookie) was also very helpful to try to ameloriate some of my leg tension and back pain. All was good in the hood until Ms. Hilary decided that we absolutely HAD to play tennis.

NOT good in the good. Tennis ordinarily hurts my back the first few times back on the courts, so it was to be expected. I knew it was the wrong decision, but... have you not learned from the blog title or subtext? What Hilary wants, Hilary gets! Part of me was just thinking 'welp, it already hurts, why not throw a couple more kinks and knots back there'. That I did. I plan on taking tonight off, but doing more yoga because I think its really going to help me. Plus any excuse to buy absolutely necesary nike embossed athletic gear for my new found sport.

In other news. HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO GEORGGGEEEE. Happy Birthday to GEORGE! You look like a runnerrrr, and you smell like one TOO. No, really. Ever heard of deoderant? I kid, I kid. Happy Holidays fellow friend, runner, and blog follower! I hope you have the greatest day ever and that it is made all the sweeter by a long, lively, libation-filled time with your family tonight!

Oh, Happy Holidays!

How could I have forgotten!!! HAPPY NATIONAL RUNNING DAY!!! YAHOO!!! Look at all these running events and not one near me! Oh well, Ill throw my own party! And then bake a cake, and then throw it out, as this blogger suggests. Or do the exact...opposite...of that.

"I believe it's jogging or yogging. it might be a soft j. I'm not sure, but apparently you just run for an extended period of time. It's supposed to be wild" -Ron Burgundy

Acute to Chronic. "Wah" to "Wah Wah"

WTF. What I originally thought to be ExerciseTV induced acute "soreness", has launched its ugly face, grew two horns and has metamorphed into what appears to now be CHRONIC BACK PAIN. I cant think of anything worse Id like to have. Being a mere 5' 0.5'' tall, my back makes up like, 4 feet of me! I am in complete agony and want to die. I cried myself to sleep last night. Okay, I hate complaining (thats not even remotely true), but you just need to get the drift of how severe this is.

But, the show must go on so, yes, I did complete my scheduled 3mi run last night. Not without interruption though. First, as Im getting ready to roll and test run my new cool double wicked socks, I hear footsteps coming up my 3rd floor apartment. Hello Robber? Now's not a good time. Nope, my good friend Mike Gugliotti! Pleasant surprise! Chat, chat, chat... Im off for my run. I get about 1.5 mi in and I hear incessant car horn beeping. Now, being as drop dead gorgeous as I am (kidding), this is nothing Im not used to, but then the car stopped. Annoyed I stop to see what the fuss and commotion is about-- BEHOLD! Robbie Lane and Pat Bordieri!... insert another .5 mi...Oh HELLO ex-cousin Erica and your new boyfriend, nice to meet you!....insert another 4 steps... oh HELLO Adam Boccalette smoking a bogie in the front yard.

*Sigh* Such is the life of being Ms. North End. Ive consulted with my motivational coach Mr. Kevin Witkowski and he has suggested that I run elsewhere-- like, in another town. Laughing, I shrugged this off with my half functional back, then stopped. He kinda has a point. So now Ive decided to take a different way home from New Haven and take a little detour to Wadsworth Park! Nice trails and perfect for when it gets more hot out. This also avoids the tiny problem of me wanting to fall limp into bed as soon as I get home from work. A TWO-FER!

So my game plan for the back. The issue with back pain is that it that in something like 85% of cases, the origin cannot be found. I am in no mood to be parading about Middlesex County, going to doctor to doctor, co pay to co pay, just to tell me that. I think it actually stemmed from not stretching my legs properly, which led to my back over-compensating, blah blah blah. So Im going to start doing yoga to remedy this. Actually, I started this morning! In my cube! Imagine my friend/co-worker Sarah's surprise when she came to my cube to talk business and Im in downward doggie position. Hilarious. Teary eyed, I proclaimed, "Stop making fun of me! I cant even bend over and touch my toes."

But my back up plan is to make an appointment with a chiropractor (even though I dont believe in them), JUST IN CASE something else more severe is going down in my sciatica business. Ill keep you posted on my pain level, oh dont you worry. Until I know what it is though, figure Ill keep running. Yeah, thats the safest thing to do. 5 mi tonight!

No, but seriously...

Game face? ON. Well, that's really my game back, but, anyways. These past few weeks, lets face it-- Ive kind of been screwing around. Running when I feel like running, not running when I dont feel like running, and generally just slacking. I mean, this was always the plan, so its not like Im going to punch myself repeatedly over it (like I recently saw in a disturbing episode of Intervention). Im sure people can see how it isnt hard to get sick of running. The New Balance commercial most accurately depicts this relationship in their new campain, which I feel is actually loosely based on my life. So, taking a break is natural and its absolutely necessary for what I have lined up for myself for the next couple months. Without a break I would probably quit running. And since I cant swim and hate bikes, that would pretty much leave me sedentary (minus the few occassional wii tourneys). Ive been actually pretty good about keep myself active and mixing it up so Im happy with myself for once. Anyway, the start of the official schedule (before it was modified to include an extra 6 weeks of "maintenance" running) starts either last week or this week, officially.

Yesterday, marked my first official run that I considered to be towards training- logging in at a little over 4mi. It was a pretty good run, and on a familiar route in Glastonbury and with a familiar running partner-- THE Hilary Felton-Reid. Hilary is my best friend, standby running partner, and who I trained for the past two Half Marathons with. We know eachother's running styles more than the back of our hands and I have my best runs with her. Anwyay, it was a very hot day and we were literally inhaling pollen. I was hungover and ate terribly the day before and wore my old sneakers. All of these factors sucked and a lot of the run sucked, but I finished and the miles are logged. All I care about at this point! Everything else can be fixed and modified. For instance, maybe next time dont take shots with everyone who suggests a shot. Dont wear your old half marathon, trodden streets "for old times sake", and do not eat high fatty, high calorie food just because it will make a dent in your hangover.

Rookie mistakes.

Here is whats coming up this week. I think Im going to jump ahead a week and count mile 4 as Week 8. Ya know, because I can.

Monday: REST
Tuesday: 3mi
Wednesday: 5mi
Thursday: 3mi
Friday: REST
Saturday: 6mi
Sunday: CROSS

DOMS-Dumb Onset of Muscles deciding they SUCK

In an attempt to get Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger, Ive become weaker. Dumb. I am so sore from the re-establishment of a finite resistance training program that the only result thus far has been me walking around like a baby pony after a long day at the fair, muttering things like, "ulgh, Im so sore", "You have no idea how sore I am", and/or "dude, seriously. No, I cant even...open this, Im so weak...oh and sore".

Some may say that this sucks, but baby Jesus's Dad had a plan when he created this thing called Human Body (Insert a shit ton of chemical reactions, blah blah blah, CH₃CH(OH)COO^-, etc, yadda yadda yadda) and the end result is DOMS. Being sore is actually good because you know you are tearing and reparing, baby! AKA gettin jacked.

Fucking DOMS. My friend Nick and I have a joke where days after a run one person will randomly receive a text that says something like, "Dude, my DOMS is SO delayed and onset". Shit just sneaks up on you hours or even days later. Anyway, when this DOMS character rears its ugly face, it hurts. So, while my natural reaction is to lay in my bed, sobbing in fetal position, I know that its actually best to get back out there and "run it out". Gotta train this loser body to suck it up so that when Im hurtin out there on the streets I wont feel compelled to cower underneath the water station and call my dad from my cell phone.

So thats what Ive been doing the past two days. Making myself get out there even though, dude, Im so sore. You have no idea. No, seriously. I can barely even type this...

The biggest (littlest) loser

Did about 3 miles last night easily. I originally didnt intend on running, but I DID intend on doing Exercise TV, so I figured Id get a bit limber and loosen up for the big event. Ive been having extreme back pain and have gathered that my core is weak and my legs and arms are strong. I mean, thats not hard to see. I have an extra xman muscle in my leg and I have an extra jelly donut in my belly- you do that math. This only half factual truth leaves me "weak cored". Im like a walking time bomb for disc slipping. Not really, Im not even sure I know what that means, but I am sure Im a walking time bomb for some sort of painful injury if I dont start really integrating strength exercises into my regime (as opposed to fake exercises, ie, taking the stairs, opening beers with my bare hands, reaching really high for cake batter mix, etc.)

Anyway, if you recall, my girl Cindy Whitmarsh from Exercise TV is usually the woman who administers the kicking of my ass, but to my avail, she was no where to be found! I plan on fully stalking out this situation a bit later on, but for the story's sake, all you need to know is that I settled on Jillian Michaels- who is the training coach for the Biggest Loser. I mean, shes allrighttttttt, her hair lacks luster and her jawline is no less than manly, but I gave her the benefit of the doubt.


That she-man kicked my ass! Seriously, Kevin called me post sesh and I had to keep switching hands because I couldnt even hold the phone up after those militaryesque freakin push ups she had me doing. Pathetic.

Anyway, Im sore today which was the point, and looking forward to my run tonight to hopefully leech some lactic acid out of these bad boys. I guess Im just wondering why I dont have a six pack yet though, what the F.

I Lost my running partner to cheese

There you have it folks, this sad, sad Thursday I regret to inform you that Krystina has decided to move back home to pursue a career in serving beer to very intoxicated golfers. You know that old saying, "Reach for the stars so if you fall, you land on a cloud"? Well this broad reached for the stars and landed in Wisconsin. I still think she is joking though, you didnt really move did you? I dont like surprises Krystina, just show your face, throw the party, and get this over with.

Anyway, so yes, Krystina will be training from home-intermittently between eating, tailgating, drinking, shooting up, and god knows what other desperate attempts for fun that state has conjured up. If you ask me, Wisconsin doesnt even exists, but what do I know.

OoOO. Ill tell you what I know. My new cool iphone app-"Cool Facts" has recently informed me that 25% of your bones are in your feet. Vewyy intewesting. This totally explains why 25% of my pain while running is in my feet. These sausage links were NOT engineered for running, Ill tell you that. They were engineered to be eaten in such an event that a plane crashes, and we are stranded in the Alps with no other source of sustinance... and we just so happen to also have some barbeque sauce.

Which brings me to my Memorial Day Purchase. New kicks! Im wicked excited about it. Although new shoes will not magically give me superhuman running abilities or improve my VO2 max whatsoever, they will provide me with the proper arch support that I need as my mileage gets higher-- Which, by the way, will be around the start of June. Without good sneakers your toenails will fall off. This is not a myth, this happens to a good chunk of people who run a marathon. Personally, I kind of love war wounds, scars, bruises, etc. so I actually hope this happens to me. War wounds mean youve been to war and lived to tell a story! And look! Instead of pictures I would like to show you my highly anticipated... fake acrylic toenail! My friend Jess sadly lost a toenail to an unruly soccer ball, and she got an implant! I didnt even know they made those, but oh do they ever and I, for one, cannot wait.

There's a reason cell phones don't fit in running shorts

So as I'm sure you've already read, mine and Amanda's run last night was brutal, nay, it was absolute medieval punishment. In fact, I would have gladly taken impalement right around mile 2.

Ok, ok, I know I'm exaggerating here people, duh. But seriously, I was miserable. Contrary to my little friend, the first mile was not all that bad for me. I felt pretty good and it was nice out and I thought my running tunes were pretty good. And then I hit what is referred to as the "proverbial wall." Right as we begun our ascent of what seemed to be the highest peak in Middletown, I started to lose it. My calves felt like they were burning and battery acid was running through my veins. I tried to keep my breathing regular but I couldn't even tell if that was helping. And after we finished climbing our fourth hill in a row, I was begging for mercy on the inside. I kept thinking, its such a good thing I don't have mobile, email, telegraph, or shit, even teleporting access because I surely would have somehow found a way to be picked up around mile 3. At this point, Amanda and I aren't even speaking and she is about 2 feet ahead of me. My spirits are down and my heartrate is up. I keep thinking, what am I going to do when it comes marathon time? And then I remembered that I am fully capable of doing this, I've done it before and I'll do it again. Running uphill isn't going away anytime, in fact, its going to get worse. I'm moving back home to my parents in a week to Wisconsin and they live in what seems to be the highest point in the city. The run we just did in Middletown started out at an elevation of 102 feet and the highest elevation we reached was 230 feet (above sea level duh). God, my mapping skills are really coming in handy here. Anyways, the relief was about 450 feet. Ok, sorry for getting side tracked but mapmyrun.com is really cool. Back to the matter at hand, where I'm going to be living is going to be even worse, the same 4 mile run is about 600 feet in relief, the minimum elevation is 614 feet and the maximum is 774 feet. Hopefully you all took Geology 110 and can figure out that only 160 feet of elevation with relief of 600 feet in 4 miles means your ass is running basically up and down hills...educate yourselves!

Now before I begin to get elevation shock, I have to remember that somedays are uphill battles and somedays are downhill battles...today is going to be a downhill battle. A two mile downhill battle. I may be defying the laws of physics, but I only plan on running downhill today.

Heart of an indoor cat

As opposed to my good friend Kevin Witkowski, whom Ive deemed a "lion" due to the sheer will and heart that his physical agility and indoor soccer skills thrive off of, I in fact no longer have the heart of a lion. I have the heart of an indoor cat. A shaggy, half shaven, toothless, indoor cat. I dont know when it happened, but Ive gotta get over this hump.

I came to this conclusion yesterday... well before our 4 mi run. At this point in training, I dont think that I should have to talk myself into going for a 4 mi run. I think I should just go bang it out and be done with it-- chalk it up as an "easy" day. Not yesterday. The first mile I was straight dragggggging. Just couldnt get in the groove. The second mile was not bad considering it was all uphill. Poor downtown planning, by the way. Id like to give a quit shoutout to the settlers of Middletown who I blame for this terrible, terrible urban city planning. Glad I got that off my chest. So yeah, the way home, was fine though- GREAT even, here's why.

It takes somewhere around 20 minutes (around 2 miles or more) for a bunch of awesome things to happen in your body. Without getting all sciency- It takes 20 min to warm up (ie, regulate breathing, set a pace, loosen up muscles, etc.). Thats a problem for me and it always will be. It is usually hard to get over that hump, but lately its just be extraordinarily hard, thats all. Ill get over it, though. You can say Im having a "Hump Slump" (haha).

When I tell most people my mileage and that Im training for a marathon the usual reaction is this- "Thats insane. Youre crazy. I cant even run 2 mi. I cant even run 1 mi."

Oh contraire my dear friends. Most people CAN just go out there and run... and run farther than they think, but they are in what I will now refer to as "2 mile denial". What they dont realize is that they CAN do it, it just sucks at first. It sucks for everyone. If i was in primo shape or in terrible shape- those first two miles feel exactly the same. Just killer. After that its smooth sailin. If people (and by people, I mean me) can just get over that initial reaction and get into a rhythm, its all good in the hood. Its not the same for everybody, and maybe not to the same degree, but the physiolgical reactions stand true.

The good part about this 20 min rule, is that this just so happens to also be the time that endorphins start kicking in, giving you more energy, a positive mindstate, and extra motivation. Good timing huh? For example, most of the time when I start my run, I have scowl on my face and am visibly tense. Lets just get this shit over with. Stupid sneakers suck. Stupid sidewalk, why dont they clean this shit up. By the time Ive hit my 3 mi mark, Im waving frantically at every neighbor and drug dealer I pass! Its just science.

So, while the majority of "training" is physical, for me, my focus right now is mental. Getting over the hump and training my mind to get over the wall so that I can be prepared to handle any mental opposition I might have. Any ideas are welcomed. Like, really welcomed. Holla.

Im sorry.

It appears that since Ive posted, a dark grey and very ominous cloud has drifted over my fellow blog minions; and for that- Im sorry. The people need me. If they cant turn to me, who can they turn to? What I just did was rude and thoughtless. It would be analogous to Barack Obama standing up in front of America, during a scheduled press conference and saying.

"(Sighhhhhh) I Just dont feel like it today, guys. I had a bad day, my puppy isnt eating, Its really hot out here, I didnt get much sleep, and Im just over it. Whats the point anyway. I hate being President".

I GUESS I can come up with something slightly more positive to say about the stupid Salmon River Run.

Around Mile 4, I was doing the horizontal shuffle (running more in a lateral movement, rather than actually advancing anywhere remotely forward) and a kind of amazing thing happened. I decided to give up on purposefully selecting my songs in an attempt to find any sort of inspirational beat and gave up. I just succumbed to whatever was going to come on because it didnt matter anyways. Well, it just so happened that a song I had actually just added the night before came on. I had never listened to it in its entirety before, but out of just sheer exhaustion, just let it run its course. (Pun not intended).

That song was Mates of State-Goods. Not your typical running song, but it was that day. As the indie soundwaves made their way into my cochlear business, I found myself actually happy to be running and remember having a minute of pure euphoria and was covered in goosebumps. (Later I realized this was probably the early stages of Heat Stroke, but it was cool nonetheless). As I was coasting down those trails, I thought to myself, this is why you run, and proclaimed to George, "Im back!"

George later told me that it was my very abrubt proclamation that carried him the rest of the way. There is a quote that Ive heard once that says, "Four legs can run longer than two" and
this is the epitome of that. You dont really realize how much your mood can affect your running partners mood, and how much you feed off eachothers energy. So when you pick a running partner make sure its someone who you can trust to carry you through the hard times as well as someone who is big enough to block you while youre squatting down to pee in a pile of poison ivy ridden leaves.

NOT a great day to be an American

I am of course speaking about May 9th, the day of the Salmon River Run. I know all of you probably have Refresh Cramp in your little pointer finger, so Im going to give you what you want, but Im not going like it.

Salmon River Run. Ohhhhh Salmon River Run. Where do I begin. This is unarguably the WORST run of my entire life. This probably explains why I haven't blogged about it yet. It took a few days to reflect, except that I didnt reflect. I havent even thought about it since. This is of course the perfect venue to dig deep into my cerebellum, so lemme just lay back on this couch and play a little word association game.

Comstock Covered Bridge= Dragons
Race Director=Suede covered, patriotic, fife players
Air Quality=Oh my god.
Race Course=ugh.
DNR= yes please.

Actually, I dont even want to talk about it*. Basically there are good days and there are bad days. Rarely do I have a run that is complete agony the entire time, but holy shit, this race defined devil territory. At one point I hoped that oncoming Park Ranger traffic would hit me. Even if it was at 5 mi per hour.

Princess Krystina over here and I plan to do a run tonight. Hopefully It will be so EPIC that it will totally negate and erase this from my memory. Because I dont really have the money for hypnosis, but if I have to resort to fundraising I will. Im not too proud.

*But, if you really need deets, please refer to George's very accurate and detailed depiction of the day's events, HERE.

Getting ahead of the game

So while my colleagues were busy taking on the Salmon River Run this past Saturday, I slept quietly in my feather topped mattress like the cuddly little puppy I am. I awoke around 10, stretched my paws and headed to the kitchen for my ritualistic cup of coffee, cream, no sugar. Upon stepping onto the balcony of my princess tower, I noticed it was cloudly, hot and arguably one of the most humid days of 2009 thus far. There was no way I was going to run in this shit. Plus my knee was really sore as usual. Its actually kinda cool because after working out, my left knee is significantly hotter to the touch than my right. Anyways, I had an inner argument about running for probably about an hour, just enough time for the caffeine to peak. To combat my split personalities on running, I decided to at least get my gear on to help persuade me away from the dark side. Holy shit, that was half the battle right there. I mean, how big of a pussy would I be if I just sat inside for another hour, took my running gear off and saddled up for a Keeping Up With the Kardashians marathon? NO! That was not going to happen. So as the battle raged on, I decided to map out a run to persuade me even more. Top that off with 20 minutes of serious stretching and a coating of BioFreeze and I was ready to hit the streets. And hit them I did. I nailed 3.27 miles in 27 minutes and you know what the best part was? My knee didn't feel like it was going to give out which means, yup, you guessed it, I'm turning into quite the runner here folks! So the lesson learned here kids is that this whole running thing is mostly in your head. If I believe I can run, than I can, nuff said. Oh, and training has a little to do with it I guess but if you put your mind to it, you can do it!

Runners never call the game.

About a year back I was inspired by a friend of mine who we will call Patrick Lesniak. (Identity not changed to enhance his already stellar reputation). Patrick decided that he was going to run the Boston Marathon, which many of you may know is at the end of April. I will give my fellow New Englander's a second for that to register.....

...."18 weeks, carry the 2... subtract 4....wait, a minute! That means they must train during the winter!"

You got it Seamus! I'll give you another second to process that one.

"Man that sucks. That must really freaking suck."

Yes. Yes it does. Now, I truly believe that I am a die hard little Nutmegger. Ill be the first to throw on my EMS gear and get into a one-on-one match with those little bitch snowflakes. I can take the cold. Pshh, if its cold, run faster, Right? But, I gotta draw the line when there's ice. I just don't do ice (unless its around my neck). Oh contraire for my boy Patrick over here on one winter day when he had to get 20 miles in. Schedule- not debatable- he bared the BLIZZARD of 2008 and god dammit he ran it! Wanna know what his reasoning was? Yeah it sucked, but if I can do that, I know can do anything. It cant get any worse than that.

God that's so badass. Anyways, ever since then I have sworn that I would never let the elements get in the way of a run. Which is why we ran in the POURING rain last night. In fact, took it a step further when Krystina and I faced the mean streets of Wesleyan in the midst of a statewide manhunt for an armed and dangerous killer. We studied the mug shot, practiced our ninja moves, and hit the streets. Man was that place a dead zone. Huh.

But yeah, as Krystina said below- Awesome run. Even more awesome hot shower. Taking tonight off as George and I have the Salmon River Run- 5.5mi tomorrow. Hope I dont fall on a pebble; Haven't ran on trail terrain in a while.

Rain makes me look tough

"So what do you think people say when they see us out here running in the rain?"-Amanda
"Dammnnnn!"-Me
"Besides that. They say, these bitches are die hard!"-Amanda

Yes Amanda, we are die hard bitches. Running in the pouring rain last night has changed my life, seriously. I felt empowered running on the dangerous sidewalks of Wesleyan. We had our eye out for the shooter but he was no where to be seen. Anyways, it was the most amazing thing running last night. I felt as if I were 10 years old again, splashing through puddles and kicking up the mist behind me. I am no longer intimidated by mildly aggressive weather. I'm going to get out there and hit the streets hard in the rain. I've got all the essentials, amazing running mix for bad weather and waterproof mascara that held up miraculously last night. No if only I could figure out what the hell to do with my hair????

Welp, thats my cue!

Hello boys and girls. Today Id like to talk to you about cue's. No, not pool cue's silly, although while we are on the subject I did come in 2nd in the CCSU Female Pool Tournament my senior year of college (*SIGH* There were only 2 girls). My main man Webby defines a cue as a hint; intimation; guiding suggestion or a sensory signal used to identify experiences, facilitate memory, or organize responses. You see children, my 7 years of college actually did teach me a few things that apply to real life, and one interesting thing I learned in my 'Body Weight Regulation' class was this: Your emotions and outside stimuli control your actions so so so much more than you can even be aware of. Examples? Oh I got examples.

1. Lets say you are rockin out. You're running. The song stops. Suddenly, you hear your heavy breathing. You may not be aware of this, but when the song stops, that elicits an unconscious cue that it is also time for YOU to stop.

2. We all know this. Boredom, depression, etc. make us eat more to fill an emotional void. When we are born we are born with the inante skill of "Intuitive Eating". We are fed. We stop when we are full. Simple as that. As we grow up we lose all control of that. We overeat due to many things, but my kryptonite is social pressure. Our society puts a great deal of importance on the use of food to celebrate and bond. Many of you runners/athletes can empathize with me when I say it is EXHAUSTING to try to explain to your friends that you arent drinking, or that you just WANT.A.SALAD. It is honestly easier to eat the steak, pound the shots and purge it up later. Seriously.

3. Environmental cues. Years ago, when I was a young broad, there was a time when 2 mi's was a lot for me. I would get to the bottom of this hill, right at .5 miles, and stop and stretch. Half assed and lethargic, I would jog for a bit, stop. Fix my ponytail, stop. Pretend I pulled a hammy, stop. Repeat as necesary. Well, Ive noticed that when I run this exact route, I feel this undying, very strong urge to stop running right at the .5 mi mark at the bottom of this hill. I see this hill, and just that alone makes me feel like Im tired. Even though Im not.

Anyway, my point is simple. Mind over matter. We dont realize it, but our brain is doing anything it can to tell us to stop running. Our bodies are programmed to be in the rest state. Use the least amount of energy for maximal gain. Physiological efficiency and all that good stuff. But, we have to override the hater signals! Change the songs before they end! Say no to shots of Jim Beam! (AHEM, Dad), and run on new routes (without lots of stop signs, which also evoke the urge to... you guessed it.... stop).

Dare to be aware! Oh the places we will go. There's a lot of literature on this kind of stuff if you are interested. People study the damndest things.

This is why I put my running shorts on my bed. Nap no more!
Ergogenic just sounds cool.
Drop it like its hot? You got it

Wasting bagels

So for those of you who were locked in a cave, or cube for that matter and didn't happen to notice the weather yesterday, it was shitty outside. I mean, S-H-I-T-T-Y! I'm talking 45 degrees and rainy. Had I not utilized my rest day the day before, I wouldn't have felt so much self disgust with the fact that I did not run yesterday, there I said it. However, here are my excuses one by one:
1) The weather, it was miserable and there wasn't a stitch of dry fit clothing that was going to make me happy. I would have needed whale blubber to make running ok. Alright, so maybe 65% of that was an exaggeration but it was miserable out.

*Note- Either A) borrow Shaun Augeri's wet suit for future similar conditions or B) Drop some dollar bills at Lady Foot Locker like the balla I am.

2) I have been running ahead of schedule each night by at least a half mile, sometimes a mile and a half so this makes up for it right?

3) I busted my ass weight lifting on rest day. In my delusional point of view, this makes up for it.

4) My knee is still a little f-ed up and feels like its going to give out whenever I round out mile #2. I know this one is getting a little old, but remember, it was surgery, not a broken bone here. Plus I'm losing mobility, I can just tell and that freaks me out.

So now that I've numerically listed all the reasons why I'm a complete baby, its time to give this way of life up and suck it up, get my ass out there tonight and run those three miles with a smile on my face, and of course, mascara on my lashes! Its not going to be easy and no one said it was going to be, however, with the moral support of Amanda, my parents, and Stevey Augeri...I can do this, and I will.

Oh yeah, wait to go George for doing the G-bury 5K solo, I'm so proud.

Freakin Cindy, she did it again.

As you may or may not be wondering, but probably are, my run yesterday was... as expected...INCREIBLE! (thats spanish for incredible). I probably did about 3 mi, comfortably and was breathin all around town, belly hangin out and just full of oxygen waiting to be utilized. They were all like, "Oo Oo! Pick me!" and I was all like, "Settle your kettle, O2 molecules, Ill get to ya when I get to ya!". I would have run longer, but my grubby, yet ridiculously cute nephew was playing outside (supervised of course) so I had to stop. One thing led to another as he needed to listen to a lil Fergie Ferg on the headphones for like 40 minutes. So as I chatted with my sister, I tightened up and as she talked more, I tightened up even more. Before I knew it the kid decided that visiting times were over and the wooden swing was much more interesante (thats spanish for interesting) and I was left standing there. Tight, cold, and wet. (Thats what he said, ZING!)

Unsatisfied with my run, I paid a lil visit to ExerciseTV. Since this is the first time I am mentioning it, I feel that I will not go overboard with enthusiasm when I state that I FREAKING LOVE EXERCISE TV. What's ExerciseTV you ask? Well, funny you should ask! Exercise TV is a station that God himself offers to paying Comcast customers, in which at the click on an "On Demand" button, you essentially unleash every single exercise dvd known to mankind... wait, Im not done... for FREE! You can choose among a myriad of exercise categories, including but not limited to, Fat Burn with Cindy Whitmarsh. For those of you who already know this, forgive my heavy breathing and drool, but Im kinda obsessed with Cindy, or "freakin Cindy" as I call her. Do you think these buns are going to squat themselves? No! Freakin Cindy. She did it again. I.am.so.sore.today, but feel great. In other interesting, but completely non related news, I just found out that her professional volleyball player of a husband committed suicide recently. That sucks, I hope it doesnt take the perk out of her already perfect, shimmering blond pony tail. If I was married to Cindy Whitmarsh I would never suck on a tailpipe. Just sayin.

Anyway in celebration of cinco de mayo and in honor of my deeply rooted spanish (or italian) roots, I just helped myself to my 11th, and FREE taco salad from Bulldog Burrito. Not only are these salads fun packed with tons of protein, carbs, veggies, and sour cream, but the mexicans that work there never fail to call me "Mija" when I leave. Which is cool.

It aint easy bein green

(To myself in the mirror) "You see this fatty? This is what the lunch of a champion looks like. It does NOT look like this!" Oh sorry, I was just just trying a little positive reinforcement and affirmations. You are what you eat and the more I tell myself I eat this way, the more I will. Or something. "YES AMANDA! You totally do eat leafy greens, un-seasoned chicken, brown rice and veggies. You always have you little devil. That Amanda. Always having healthy cheese and dairy products for dessert. Ill tell ya. What a health nut." Im going to try to take pictures when I succeed, and take pictures when I really, really, blatently do not. Apparantely, there's a whole field to this, who knew? They did.

I just love smiling. Smiling is my favorite.

Happy Monday! What's the good word folks. Came into work at 7am today ready to BATTLE! Vent time. Dont you just hate Mondays? I do. Want to know why I hate Mondays? Because everyone is walking around saying how much they hate Mondays. I have single-handedly made it my mission to give a proverbial bitch slap to anyone who even remotely sighs dramatically to me today. Not with my hand, of course, but with my Will-Ferrell-from-the-"Elf" like holiday cheer (and turbo iced coffee induced smile)! With that, I have altered my schedule a bit. Stay with me kids, I know you are on the edge of your seats. You see, I was originally planning on taking Mondays and Fridays off, but in an attempt to not fall victim to the negativity that Mundane Munday's seem to bring, I have decided to do everything I can to keep Monday a normal, fun, and active day.

Vent session. Done. This past weeks runs have been awesome. Ive been working on my stride and breathing, and it really has made a difference. It seems silly to tell yourself to BREATHE since, ya know... I've been doing it since I unleashed my first hearty battle cry 25 years ago, but its necessary. I sometimes forget to breath, straight up. I bet you do too. Lets try a test. Make fists with your hands as TIGHT as you can and hold it for 5 seconds. While still holding, take a deep breath. I bet your hands loosened up, didnt they? Totally magic! Thats what happens when Im running, I get so tense and tight and just forget to reeeeeelax. Woooosahhhh. Experts will say that you are supposed to take "belly breaths", which yoga enthusiasts would state are deep, meaningful breaths that fill your stomach, instead of your chest. In a yoga class I took a few years ago, the instructor gave us a really helpful tip that I try to remember when running, which is to picture a baby sleeping and picture how its belly rises and falls. Those aren't short, shallow breaths. That baby is breathing like it means it! Like its it's JOB to breathe! (It kind of is).

Anyways, if I dont forget to breathe like this, I lose oxygen in my main muscle groups and I get "stitches" in my ribs. No, not greys anatomy stitches, silly. Little, sharp, jabbing pains in my ribs which are a result of my chest muscles working too hard for oxygen. My solution? Give them what they want!

Its so working! My stride is more effortless, my chest feels (and looks) great and I feel like I can run miles more than intended. Now the true test of course, is to up the ante and see if I can keep the belly breaths up when Im really pushed to the max and feeling tired. Stay tuned this week to find out!

Side Note. You see this guy? Do you know what this guy did? He ran the Baja 5000 this Sunday and beat his personal record, making him champion of the universe in my eyes! Dont you just freakin love people who go out and set goals and achieve them, instead of whining about what day of the week it is? And believe you me, this guy had TONS of reasons why he shouldnt run. Go give him a pat on the back. Go on. Its more than you did this Sunday. (Unless you went to church, then in that case, may the peace be with you too brother).

I need an intervention

I just biofreezed my knee at work, why? I can't say but its getting out of hand.

Harumph!

Alright! Alright! Its time to come clean with myself. I haven't run since Sunday's Glastonbury River Run 5K and have a REALLY good excuse. I mean, look at that face!! Can you deny that? Because I cant. His little smirk is practically screaming "you knowwww you wanna go play in trees and go get chinese food, then ice cream. C'mon Auntie. Seriously."
I mean, one might contend that chasing after this little bopper might actually cumulatively add up to being more than a solo run, so actually, Im AHEAD of the game! HA! I win!

No, in all seriousness I took Monday off because, well, its my day off and I was also recovering from the 5K on Sunday. HOLY MOTHER OF GOD IT WAS HOT! I mean, really hot. It is safe to say that no runner on that course was acclimatized to the heat yet... as evident by the grown men pathetically wheezing their way over to the finish line with outstretched arms, begging in whisper for a popsicle. The neighbors that lived on the course were awesome though, especially the one 99 year old woman who took it upon herself to recognize that, yes, it was indeed her civic responsibility to stand out there in a housecoat and hose down each and every one of us. Its people like that that totally motivate me to keep going. I mean, what person wakes up in the morning and is all like, "I have to be out by 1pm and hold a hose for 45 minutes straight. The people need me." I would never do that, nevermind when Im all osteoporotic! Ill be the one who is like, "Ohhhkayyy, who is the lucky great-great grandkid that's bathing my bones this fine day?" So Hilary, George, and I finished in a ridiculously respective time, considering a) the elements AND b) that it was Georgey Boy's first 5K! Big ups to Colli, who despite his terrible choice for shoes, un-sunscreened bald head and polyester shorts, FINISHED!!!

Anyway, so yeah when I actually do run, Ill check back in. This heat wave kind of threw me for a loop. Harumph!

The life of an addict...a BioFreeze addict

Hi, my name is Krystina and I'm an addict. An addict of what, well from a clinical standpoint, many things I guess. I'm addicted to caffeine like any other red blooded American so I guess thats normal but tell me I can't have my after work martini or you take away The Real Housewives of New York City and we're going to have words, a shouting match even. Although the martini has recently been substitued for protein shakes (we'll save that for another entry) and the Housewives will eventually turn into a different reality show fad, my love for caffeine will never subside and nor will my new found addiction to BioFreeze. This A-MAZING product not only got me through the Hartford Half with a torn ACL, it also helped me through physical therapy and continues to hold me up through this whole trainig thing. Lets just put it this way, I was able to complete my 2 mile run last night without any problems and I don't even feel sore today. Now before I go off handing out free bottles outside the local gym let me explain that after I ran last night, I stretched and iced my knee...this shit doesn't work miracles, got that? What it does do is slightly numb the area applied to and gives me a sense of false hope that my knee is getting better faster than it really is. This may or may not be a bad thing. Either way, I love it and it loves me.

Running runway

Typically I like to jog with a friend; afterall, its someone to talk to and push you through your route and maybe even encourage you to take the long way back home after you've made your loop. But due to the heat and the 5K Amanda ran in earlier, I was forced to run alone. Don't get me wrong, I'm not a baby about this and I am fully capable of motivating myself however, I have self doubts when hitting the streets solo. When I was younger I used to see people running through my neighborhood all the time and I can remember two people in particular. One was an older gentleman who was probably in his late 40's, early 50's at the time and he ran all the time, like every day, rain or shine. Despite his dedication to the sport, he still ran like a drunken duck...a full out waddle if you will. Then there was this other girl who would deck herself out in all Green Bay Packers gear which I will never fault anyone for, what can I say, she has good taste. Nevertheless, it wasn't her attire that was so eye catching but the way she would walk. She would literally bounce in every step and she looked like she was walking on a trampoline. So now its time to turn the mirror on myself and I wonder how strange I run. I try to catch glances of myself when I run past store fronts but the blinds in the windows or the stupid writing always screws up my line of sight. I think I look good but who knows, my face is always beet red and my arms always hang lifeless at my sides or at least I try to make them. Plus, I'm still in pain with my knee when I run so its hard to hide the stroke victim esque grimmace on my face. My ultimate goal is to look like I'm gliding down the runway when I get out there. Hair flowing, fierce look, skin glistening and all flawless...but half the time my hair has flyways and frizzies and I'm constantly sniffing. Maybe I'll wear some lip gloss before I head out tonight.

Stupid baby, Carbs are great!

I was going to comment on Amanda's blog but this certainly deserves a new post. First of all, don't be stupid Amanda, Carbs are the best thing ever invented and as a runner you need them! I unfortunately have made the same mistakes which includes substituting carbs in the afternoon with proteins. And I realize how much carbs I go through when its Wednesday and I've already eaten a dozen hard boiled eggs. Ok, that is an exaggeration, I only eat one or two a day but you get the idea. I definitely feel like I have more energy though and I feel ready to run whether I want to or not. I've also integrated leafy vegetables and high fiber fruits, I don't discriminate. Next step, weeding out the morning bagel for oatmeal but I'll be dammned if I give up that spoonful of PB that goes with my bagel, you'll get in there somehow oh glorious peanut butter.

Enough about the dieting, more about the physical training. If any of you are familiar with Family Guy then you're also familiar with the loveable character Joe Swanson. For you non-Family Guy followers, let me get you up to speed real quick. Joe Swanson is a handicapped police officer for the Pawtucket PD. He lost the use of his legs in an unfortunate encounter on Christmas eve with a grinch-like burglar. Nevertheless, Joe has maintained his upper body physique while simultaneously loosing his legs in the atrophy battle. In short, Joe is jacked on top, baby legs on bottom. I feel a close connection with this fictional, animated hero because I too am suffering from this same aliment at this time but in a more disproprotioned fashion. My right leg is beefy, muscular, and pretty damn hot in my opinion. My left leg looks like your grandmother's left leg minus the liver spots, wrinkles, and spider veins. Ugggh, I just grossed myself out. So here I am running like I have a peg leg while at the same time, trying not to use my popeye arms while I run to conserve energy...goddamn cartoon.

Catch the show, I'm running 2 miles in West Hartford around the center with my nugget Amanda.

*Note-if you think I'm weird for calling her a nugget, familiarize yourself with Chelsea Handler. She changed my life and I believe we were separated at birth.

Sesame Street is wrong. Veggies ARENT good for you.

Okay. So I did about 3 mi last night and then came home and sulked. In an attempt to cut about 50% of my carb intake out of my diet- so that I would eat more fruits and vegetables, Ive managed to... well, cut 50% of carbs out of my diet. Therefore, I was lethargic, weak and miserable. An ordinarily easy run ended up being pure agony. NOT how I wanted to start this record. No fear though. Im italian. Im sure I can think of SOME way to get more carbs in or around my mouth. If you want to be all Kate Moss about it, thats cool, but for athletes- carbs are your friend.

Anyway, as far as mileage, my goal right now is just maintenance. I should be able to run about 5mi comfortably before I start official training... which will be in about a month. We have a 5K on Sunday (Glastonbury River Run), so that will be fun. Anyway, here is the official schedule we will be using.

Week	Mon	Tue	Wed	Thur	Fri	Sat	Sun
1	rest	3 m run	3 m run	3 m run	rest	6	cross
2	rest	3 m run	3 m run	3 m run	rest	7	cross
3	rest	3 m run	4 m run	3 m run	rest	5	cross
4	rest	3 m run	4 m run	3 m run	rest	9	cross
5	rest	3 m run	5 m run	3 m run	rest	10	cross
6	rest	3 m run	5 m run	3 m run	rest	7	cross
7	rest	3 m run	6 m run	3 m run	rest	12	cross
8	rest	3 m run	6 m run	3 m run	rest	13	cross
9	rest	3 m run	7 m run	4 m run	rest	10	cross
10	rest	3 m run	7 m run	4 m run	rest	15	cross
11	rest	4 m run	8 m run	4 m run	rest	16	cross
12	rest	4 m run	8 m run	5 m run	rest	12	cross
13	rest	4 m run	9 m run	5 m run	rest	18	cross
14	rest	5 m run	9 m run	5 m run	rest	14	cross
15	rest	5 m run	10 m run	5 m run	rest	20	cross
16	rest	5 m run	8 m run	4 m run	rest	12	cross
17	rest	4 m run	6 m run	3 m run	rest	8	cross
18	rest	3 m run	4 m run	2 m run	rest	rest	race

Fun right? I dont know how Im going to make it through the Mondays and Fridays.

It works, and we need more followers

I have just carefully scrutinized Amanda's post and have decided that although her gramatical errors are few, she is dead on here. First though, let me paint the picture of this Tanya Harding-esque blow to my knee:

Here I am, 2 minutes left in the game and we're down by one goal against Wethersfield FC (they are confirmed to be a bunch of assholes). Here I go sprinting after a loose ball like the star soccer player I am when all of the sudden some 200 pound gorilla comes charging out of the net like a force of nature not known to man. He lowered his gargantuan shoulders and nailed me sideways sending me to the floor in agony. At this point, I am screaming in pain and I all I can think of is, "How the hell am I going to run the Hartford Half?" I mean, god damn it, I had been hard core training for a little over 5 weeks at this point and I was ready! So I wiped the pellets off my face and hobbled to the sidelines, pulled my shit together, slapped on some lip gloss and put myself in the mind set that, "Yes, I will run still!"


Scene: Race Day Hartford, CT

As an unregistered runner, I felt a little scandalous ducking under the ropes and getting in the starting line but hey, I don't live by any rules but my own. And with Amanda by my side and looking down at her smiling child like face, I knew we were doing this, torn ACL or not. 13.1 miles, 2 hours 20 minutes, and a few cat calls in the ghetto later, we were crossing the finishing line!

Fast forward now through 6 months of crutches, bitching, braces, more bitching, rehab, and oh yeah, for the first 3 days after my surgery my mom had to help me bathe. That old bird hasn't seen my naked ass in almost 23 years I'm pretty sure and let me tell you, it takes you down a peg or two when your mom comments on your ass cellulite. Now, this is all motivation to get me going and take that little nugget Amanda with me.

So training most likely began yesterday when I ran 1.6 miles for the first time and dare I say, six months! It hurt a little but pain goes away with time, hard work, and pain killers.

I'm doing the full in October whether I like it or not. Plus Amanda and Pizzi are excellent motivators when we're running and Amanda says, "Krystina, you can't talk to me for the next mile." What can I say, I can't shut up when I need to. I'll update as the training continues and when we finish the 5K in Glastonbury.

This might or might not work.

I always thought blogs were silly, but then the more I thought about it, the more I realized that its like an electronic diary! I dont even like diaries, but I think I dont like them because I hate hand writing things out. Problem solved! Anwyays, this might or might not work to keep us motivated for the task at hand, which is.... (cue the drums)

So, Krystina and I are planning on running the Hartford Marathon this year, and Im secretly (but now publicly) scared. Here's why.

1) After a devastating Tanya Harding style blow to the knee during one of our very elite co-ed soccer games, Krystina recently had surgery on her ACL. Actually, it was slightly less dramatic, but the end result was the same.

2) I get crazy ideas in my head and are very gung ho about them, and then lose interest almost as quickly as it took me to conjur up the said crazy idea. In other words, its no secret that I have ADD, but its also no secret that IF I put my mind to something, Im an upstoppable force of 5 feet nature. Which brings me to my next point.

3) Im not naturally "made" to run a marathon. Im short. Im a natural born sprinter. I like eating cake. I dont like making plans (Long runs would take up a lot of time). My dad said my toes look like sausage links and my arches are really high. My podiatrist didnt necessarily disagree.

Anyway, the point of this blog is to keep sort of a diary of mileage, emotions, anectdotes, and other necessary information to keep me and Krystina motivated to make it all the way to 26.2 miles on 10.10.09 (D Day). Now that Ive re-read this post it appears that any psychologist would have a field day with this. Ive basically list listed reasons why we SHOULDNT run the marathon, but no reasons why we SHOULD! Negative, no more!

AHEM!

1) I have already done two 1/2 Marathons and the New Haven Road Race (12.something miles). I know what its like to feel like you cant do something, work for it, and then just do it. I can totally do this!

2) Krystina did the Hartford Half with me last year, so we have both already done a 1/2 Marathon together. We are familiar with eachothers running styles, etc. and have no problem saying to eachother, "lets go fatty, pick up the freakin pace".

3) My Masters was in Health Promotion and concentrated on Kinesiology. Not only does this give me more insight into understanding training and how the body works, but people who are in this field dont gravitate to this field for no reason at all. Because of this, I am surrounded by TONS of amazing people who most would consider overcompulsive exercisers, but who I just consider awesome. They know stuff. They are kind of big deals. They are the type of people who would punch me in the face and call me a baby if I complained.

4) My bumper has a scratch on it. Its $700 to fix it. What would be really awesome is just to cover that up with a 26.2 bumper sticker. I mean, its just economical at this point.