You are cordially invited...

...to come running with me! Let's be honest, slogging through long runs is infinitely more fun with a friend or 10. Sometimes you really need to dig deep and retreat inwards to gut out a hard run, but more often than not any distraction is a welcome one.

Even if you're not a runner (yet), be warned that I will most likely attempt to harass you into doing a race with me. Just ask my roomie. Christina's been such a good sport, tolerating my spandex taking up every free hook in the bathroom not to mention my uncontrollable irrational post run HUNGER. Now she's let me heckle her into some races. Edling's committed to doing a few 5ks once the weather warms up a bit. Can't wait! Time to get the rest of the NYC Georgetown mafia to trade in their drinking stilettos for sneakers on a Sunday morning. I promise we can still go to AYCD brunch after.

Sadly in the post-college life, I'm separated by more than just a quick subway ride from most of my closest friends. However, planning reunions around races combines the best of both worlds - quality time with my friends and more training/racing opportunities to take my running to the next level. Super excited that Kim will be joining Smithies and I for the 15K in March, and glad she wasn't scared off after our first 15K experience back in December during SNOWPOCALYPSE v1.0.

Speaking of which, a trip to Philly in May for the Broad Street 10 Mile has just been added to the spring racing schedule. Kim, Mike, and I will brave the 30,000 (!!!) other runners to take a scenic, and hopefully fast, tour through Philadelphia's diverse neighborhoods. Kim and I are also flirting with the idea of popping down to DC the day before to join Emily and Kenneth for RunAmuck Mud Run. RunAmuck is "a challenging 5K run with hills, tire obstacles, river crossings, walls, ropes, and MUD." Come on - mud pits and a costume competition? That sounds like SO MUCH FUN! Yes, I am basically a five year old.

Any races you're especially excited about this spring?

Coming up this weekend is the NYRR Al Gordon Classic, a 4 mile race in Prospect Park. Greg, Kristy, and I will be there and hopefully you! My muscles cringe a bit at the thought of climbing those hills again, but after last weekend's 10 miler this should be easy peasy lemon squeezy. Please, please, please go watch In the Loop IMMEDIATELY if you do not get that reference.

Yes, we're just that hardcore

Overheard in Prospect Park
Random runner guy: So are you running the 3 mile relay or the 10 mile?
Spandex clad runner girl: Oh, just the 3 miler. I ran the Run for Haiti in Central Park yesterday so didn't want to overdo it.
Random runner guy: Good call. I saw the NYRR email about the Run for Haiti but didn't sign up since I had the Cherry Tree today. You'd have to be an idiot to do two races in a weekend.
Spandex clad runner girl: Absolutely - who would be that stupid?

Answer: Greg and I. That wasn't necessarily the most inspiring conversation to eavesdrop on as we waited in the cold to start the Prospect Park Cherry Tree 10 mile race this morning. 14 miles and a few minor/major injuries later, I'd say they weren't TOTALLY correct. Yes, I'll be quite sore tomorrow and probably should take the next two days off from running, but these were two of the most fun races I've ever done, not to mention both PBs.

Started off the weekend with NYRR's 4 mile Run for Haiti in Central Park on Saturdayy morning. Ah-mazing experience: 10,000 plus runners and walkers pitched up and raised over $400,000 for the Haitian Relief Fund. Smithies and I met up with Kristy to complete the GTS runner's trio. With lovely unseasonably warm weather and great energy from the crowd, it was hard not to get pumped up for the race. We all clocked in at a comfortable 36 minutes for the 4 miles. Despite being sick with NAIMUN plague, legs and lungs felt really solid and I'm sure I could have gone faster if the route hadn't been so packed with runners and I wasn't running another race the next day. Minor details.

Sunday morning brought far less running enthusiasm but a substantially longer goal. Total MTA malfunction meant that it was huge pain in the ass to get to Brooklyn. No F train equals 2 hour trip to Prospect Park. Not okay. Was definitely feeling more than just a little under the weather this morning and Smithies was sporting a very painful heel injury. Strike two. Of course, we were running the self titled "Race for the Hardcore" and the 900 runners out at the start line looked like they ate 10 miles for breakfast. Understatement of the week to say that we were feeling just a smidge intimidated.

Despite our trepidation, the race turned out fantastic! Neither of us had run in Prospect Park before so we were taken aback with the very hilly course. Let's just say by the third loop on the never ending stupidly steep hill, I had practically sworn of running for life and was intensely questioning why on earth we'd consider running 56 miles of hills at Comrades. I just concentrated on maintaining a consistent pace throughout the course and assumed that a great time was probably out of the picture given the course and my utter exhaustion.

False! Greg crossed the finish line at 1:32 (pace of ~9:11) and I followed shortly at 1:36 (~9:40 pace). Personal bests for both of us and also received super cute goody bags from the folks at Prospect Park Track Club. Very excited about Cherry Tree running cap and complimentary yoga class at Lulemon. Sadly we didn't stick around for the free massages since Greg had to go get his AYCD on and I had a bake-a-thon date with the girls. Perfect post race refueling :)


You can see us crossing the start line around 4:19. Wooo!

All-in-all, a fantastic weekend with a some pretty sweet running accomplishments. Definitely feeling much more confident that I'll be able to run March's 15K at a sub-9 minute pace and looking forward to next weekend's low-key 4 mile in Prospect Park.

P.S. photos of today's races are here!

Haiti 4 miler

Over 10,000 runners. $400,000 raised. Final time for us of ~36minutes. Pace of 9:01. Woo!

More photos here.

Nike stats here.

Official Race stats for Munn and Smithies.

First Time Jitters

Munn is an old-hat when it comes to races. She's already done the venerable 4 milers, probably a few 10 milers, and vanquished the half marathon. I, on the other hand, will be ending my 25 year embargo on public running tomorrow, for the first time. And the thought of it has me on edge. Anyone with a funny run will understand.

Tomorrow, with the Haiti Benefit 4 miler, we're going to be raising a ton of money for an absolutely deserving cause, but that doesn't mean that it's not going to be a shocking time for me. Or so my mind keeps telling me.

These days, I eat 4 miles for breakfast...on a treadmill, or even on the West Side Highway. I've run up to 10 miles in one go, and our race on Sunday is a 10 miler. So it seems completely irrational that the thought of running those four short miles bright and early tomorrow morning has literally given me a knot in my stomach. It's a knot of fear, not of excitement; of shaking and lightheadedness; of wanting to hide under the covers in bed with a torch; of not wanting to eat for days; a knot of sheer, unadulterated, wantingtothowupedness. If I didn't know better, I'd think I was in love.

Well, they say that you never forget your first time, and more importantly, that it's almost invariably terrible. I for one will be hoping that my first time is short, quick and uneventful. Oh, and that I finish.

Is it spring yet?

DC, I am sorry to say this, but you suck. Or rather, your weather and ability to shovel sidewalks leaves something to be desired. I had a delightful 12 mile run planned for Monday, a straight shot down the George Washington Parkway towards Mount Vernon then loop back to my house. This was not meant to be. Mountains of snow covered chunks of the trail and 4 inch thick ice rendered it impossible for me to cross sections of the riverside path. I made it four miles down the trail before I was forced to turn around.

However, my long run was not to be so easily defeated. After making it back to my starting point, I decided to check out the northern half of the trail, which by and large was equally impassable. Luckily, the nearby Dyke Marsh Trail was comparatively lacking in ice (aka slightly less chance that I'd break my neck) so I finished off the last four miles with a little trail running. Very beautiful in the marsh and absolutely dead silent - just imagine this lovely photo with a solid 4 to 5 inches of snow on everything. And despite the weather forecasters' doomsday predictions, the sleet managed to hold off until the last mile of my run, thank goodness.

In better weather, I definitely recommend that anyone in or visiting the DC area to check out the Mount Vernon trail. The trail is a scenic running/biking path that follows the Potomac River for 18 miles and is definitely better paved then the pot-holed path along the East River in NYC. If you're looking for a longer run, at the northern end of the Mount Vernon trail it's simple to hook up to the W&OD Path, which runs for 45 miles throughout Northern Virgina.

Coming up this weekend: double races! Saturday is the 4 mile Run for Haiti - sign up now if you haven't. Not only do all race fees go to New York City's Haitian Relief Fund, but NYRR just announced that this race will count as a double qualifier credit for members trying to complete their 9+1 in order to auto qualify for the 2011 New York Marathon. Exciting! Then on Sunday, Smithies and I are running the Cherry Tree 10 miler in Prospect Park, Brooklyn. I don't plan on racing the 10 miler, but instead will treat it as a tempo/training run for March's 15K. Either way, should be a lot of fun and our first time running in Brooklyn. Keep your fingers crossed the weather is good!

This weekend is made of alcohol and win. And running.

Braved the snowpocalpyse and headed down to DC for the long weekend! Although it's definitely been 48 hours of Olympic themed jello shots, NAIMUN sketching, and epic reunions, still managed to sneak in a run yesterday morning at Emily's gym. Possibly the most painful experience of my life - sweating tequila for five+ miles is not fun. FYI, just in case you ever develop a temporary case of insanity and think that sounds like a great idea.

Hungover runs - yay or nay? May not be the most thought provoking question but considering the number of brain cells I killed last night, it's remarkable that I can even type this post. Usually I feel like running expedites the detox process, although I'm not sure of the science behind that... Placebo effect anyone?

Anyways, assuming the snow holds off and the roads are clear, I'll do my weekly long run tomorrow morning along the Potomac River. Really looking forward to returning to my old running haunt and trotting down to Mount Vernon. Also feeling very inspired to athletic greatness after watching a bit of the winter biathlon - cross country sprinting a 10K seems a lot more taxing that my leisurely 11miler.

Paying my dues on the dreadmill...

The best laid plans of mice and men are often COMPLETELY waylaid by alcohol overconsumption and impending snow storms. Waking up at 7am on Saturday morning to meet Greg for our 11 mile run, I was met with the painful realization that I was still entirely drunk and in no way fit to brave the bitter cold without dying. I convinced myself that I'd go for a shorter run in the afternoon when it'd warmed up and I no longer had the bed spins. False. Knowing that the rest of the weekend was guaranteed to be equally shambolic, I rainchecked my long run till Monday.

Well I paid for my inebriation induced laziness last night when I had to run 10 miles on the treadmill. There are few things more mind-numbing than doing a long run inside, in my opinion. I completely acknowledge that the treadmill can be a great tool for shorter tempo runs, interval training, and of course hill work. The ability to maintain a consistent speed or adjust hill gradations is very helpful for completing specific workouts. But running over 5 miles at a turtle's pace? No thank you. However, be it weather or time constraints, at some point every runner has been forced to resort to the dreadmill to get in those important miles during training.

In order to avoid watching the clock tick down every minute of a 2 hour run, I have to find new ways to trick myself into gutting it out every long treadmill run. Awesome iPod playlists are a must; shuffling between Paul's Eurotrash dance mix, angry white girl music, and Lady Gaga definitely makes the miles go by faster. Inside runs are now a chance for me to catch up on reading the Economist or study for Arabic class. Anything to keep my mind distracted...

What gets you through those long dreadmill runs when outside isn't an option?

Running Fail

Sometime you really don't feel like running - like Munn last week -
and sometimes it just feels like the world is ganging-up against you
to stop you from running - like me stuck at work last night.

Motivation FAIL

I do not want to go running today. There, I've said it. Most days I anxiously watch the clock for 5 or 6pm to roll around, then bound downstairs to the gym, eager to conquer new distances and shatter PBs. Or at the very least take a much needed break from my cubicle. Not today. Maybe it's simply exhaustion or the 19 miles I've run in the past 3 days or, quite honestly, the bottles of wine the girls and I killed last night. Whatever the cause, no amount of DC (Diet Coke for non-addicts) or coffee can shake my lethargy.

So what's a tired runner to do? My deeply ingrained Catholic guilt won't allow me to happily skip a day of training, so I could force myself to slog through today's scheduled 6 mile run. However, the last thing I want is to turn running into an odious chore, just another to-do on my endless stickie lists. Separation makes the heart grow fonder right? Well at the very least it'll give my tired legs a rest.

So I think I will grudgingly take the day off. Instead of hitting the treadmill, I'll leave the office a little early (!!), perhaps indulge in retail therapy, make these tasty looking granola bars, and bake some IRISH CAR BOMB CUPCAKES for Sunday's Super Bowl party. Surprisingly there are other activities that can be just as unwinding as running.

On a parting note, for those interested in the science of fitness and speed, the New York Times had a very good article on peak performance and weight loss yesterday. For runners, the general rule of thumb is that for every 1% decrease in body weight, you can expect a 1% decrease in time. While I may not run to lose weight, the lure of dropping my race times is very tempting. However, the article is quick to point out that losing pounds past one's ideal weight can be equally detrimental to performance as carrying an extra few. So don't worry, Emi, there will be no intentional return to the Lau coffee diet!

Myoplex Monster

Monica's waxed poetically about the joys of the home-made granola bar, the cream-cheese filled muffin, lauded locavore eating attitudes, and no doubt will spout much more prose regarding the merits of organic munching when it comes to staying fuelled for runs. I, being an engineer at heart, have a much simpler solution - protein shakes.

There are those out there who despise the flavour of these scientific wunder-drinks, but with a little shopping around, there's more than enough selection for anyone to find something that they like. The simple truth though, is that when you're looking for a fast, efficient, and above all, convenient way to get nutrients to your starved muscles as quickly as possible after a run, it's incredibly difficult to beat a good micronised whey infusion.

Of course, as a guy, we have a few other things to worry about when burning thousands of calories a day running - muscle catabolism can leave you breaking down more muscle than you build after each work-out, meaning those pounds you're dropping could easily be lean muscle as opposed to beer muscle.

Keeping a high protein diet helps to maintain muscle-tone even whilst you're running a calorie deficit in order to drop pounds, ensuring that you don't end up with a grossly out of proportion upper body.

Protein also helps to keep up the nitrogen balance in your blood stream, vital to proper immune function, because we all know that nothing destroys your work-outs faster than being sick (...or hung over.)

Of course, the other side of the equation is that you can't ignore the rest of your body when working out. Lifting heavy objects at least twice a week will help you stay in proportion, as well as preventing injury by strengthening connective tissue and support-muscles.

All of this exercise can only be supported if you're putting the right stuff into your body. Go with the Munn-chies and eat lovely luscious legumes if that's your calling, but the engineer in me will stick to the Myoplex.

Post-script: My actual weapon of choice.

Run for a cause!

New York Road Runners is partnering with New York City Department of Parks & Recreation to raise money for NYC’s Haiti Relief Fund in light of the recent tragedy that's befallen the left half of Hispaniola. 100% of entry fees will be donated to organizations providing aid in Haiti. Join Greg and I in Central Park for a quick 4 mile jaunt on Saturday, February 20th. Guaranteed to be a fun, albeit chilly, run followed by a yummy brunch in the UES with the GTS Runchers (aka drunkie brunchers with a running problem).

Even if you're not going to be in NYC, you can still donate to the relief fund and participate "virtually" by running a 4M between February 19 and 24. Click here for additional information and race registration!

ME WANT FOOD

Hi, my name is Monica - a natural born eater and recent running addict. These days I'm hungry CONSTANTLY thanks to an aggressive training plan, and have begun to notice the ways in which running has slowly adjusted my eating/drinking outlook. While I've always enjoyed healthy, produce filled meals, I'm much more likely to pass on the double fried pommes frites in favor of a salad and some multi-grain bread since I know I'll regret that greasy cart food come mile 5 of my long run a few hours later.

One of the biggest issues I had while training for the half marathon was getting enough calories. I mean as tempting as it is to chug PBRs at Doc Holiday's somehow I don't think beer is the preferred choice for carbo fuel. Finding healthy, filling meals and snacks is my new mission and luckily, New York has plenty of options for fresh produce that don't break the bank (cough, Whole Foods, cough). Current fave pre-run snack is one or two Kashi granola bars and some dried apricots. Although given my current granola bar consumption rate, I may have to resort to making my own - at $5.99 a box, those tasty little chewies definitely add up.

Food for thought (pun entirely intended) - what gets you energized for your evening or morning runs?

Obviously there are a ton of resources on the internet for foodies on the run. Shout out to Runners Kitchen for a great blog on running with some yummy looking recipes - perfect for runners logging long miles. My all-time favorite food blog, Smitten Kitchen, definitely takes advantage the city's farmer's markets and offers inexpensive, locavore(ish) recipes for the NYC foodie and runner alike.

Last moderately unrelated note, today begins my new training program for March's 15K, courtesy of Runner World's free online coaching program. Very excited for this Saturday's long run - an 11 mile trot uptown then over the Queensboro Bridge and ending on Roosevelt Island. Pretty! And after I think I'll treat myself to these delish looking muffins from SK :)