Tick Tock

What makes you tick?  Lately, I've been asked the question but most importantly I've been asking myself.  I have no secret potion, no secret 'how to' book, I certainly don't have the answer(s).  What I do have is the understanding and recognition of when I'm not myself, when I'm hitting a rut, when I feel on top of the world and feel I can conquer or achieve anything...I do know some things, but at the same time...I know nothing.... 

With every finish line there is a new beginning.  I've been reflecting a lot, enjoying the down time, spending time with the family and thinking about  my new goals.  I've seen all my gang pick up from where we left off in different ways. I mean, its not the end of the world here people but it is an end to something we all worked very hard for and for a good chunk of time.  I haven't been totally idle in this down time... I've been running some nice trails with Bman, some quiet solo runs on Harbor Hills and some crazy kick ass swim sessions with Susan.  I think the best part of this 'idle' time is reflecting on where I was, where I've been and where I am going. 

So as of now I am working on formulating those goals.  My physical/athletic goals, relationship, family, and work.  I actually can't wait to get it all down on paper...yeah..that's fun for me...but if you're reading this...I'm thinking you may have a little 'geek' in you too and like that stuff as well.  Now, as much as I enjoy writing down all of the goals and crap please know that its not all honkey tonkey..(?) and easy.  Its just that if I don't have direction...I am the type that can go hog wild.  Yeah..pretty simple.  Either a goal with direction or hog wild....told you I know myself :)

So how do you all choose goals?  Do you have more than one at a time? Do you take breaks in between formulating and achieving your goals?  Anybody out there having a hard time getting started on a goal?

A Mommy Post

I love spending time with my kids...especially when they are not screaming, fighting or biting eachother ;). I usually schedule my runs before they wake or after they go to sleep.  The mommy guilt is inevitable at times but I always let it go knowing that I am a much happier mommy when I get the time to run or do something for myself.  Here are some cute little pics of some of our 'after school' activities!! 

Spooky Ghosts! 
1-cut garbage bag into fours
2-take two pages of newspaper and crumple
3.  put newspaper in garbage bag and rubberband
4.  Draw face and attach string to hang
Voila!

Hanging them on the porch.  They are really cute blowing in the wind!

The setup-KEY to PREVENTING a disaster

Sneaky chocolate lover!

My turn!

Mix it up!

I'm so exhausted when I get home from work but the fun and the yummy pumkin bread is well worth it!

Hamptons Marathon...finally a RECAP!!!!!

First off, I apologize for the long span between posts.  I've been livin' la vida loca!  Seriously, I ran the marathon, came home, worked three days, left for Florida and just returned this Sunday.  I'm going to have to break this post up somehow....lets just do it and see how it goes...how bout that?

FRIDAY-

 I was super excited and not so much nervous for the marathon. I took off Friday as I had to get a lot of things done around the house and didn't want to leave things looking like another hurricane had hit.  I got everything together and then we "Team WFN"...(which stands for Why the Fuck Not...?), drove out to the Hamptons.  The day was gloomy and rainy but we kept the smiles on.  Obviously, the rain was not going to stop anyone but it certainly would make the run much more difficult and a bit less desirable.  The drive was gorgeous rain or not, the Hamptons are just positively beautiful. 

We arrived at the check in and picked up our goodies-a blag bag, cute winter hat with logo, a bandana of sorts, t-shirt, lense wiper thingy with the map of the run on it, and some other little trinkets.  After packet pick-up we went to check in and then came dinner. 

Dinner was funny--because the nerves were starting to show--the questions were starting to be asked, "what should I eat?, Should I have a glass of wine-it could make me less nervous-it could make me feel hungover?, should I eat more? Should I eat less?..."  I had no wine, a plate of pasta with some shrimp (some being two because I was nervous about it not sitting right with my nervous stomach) and lots of water.  

SATURDAY

I woke Saturday at 5:15 (on my own ;) took a shower and then started my routine.  I wore my Zensah compression capris which I love and swear by. I did try the CEP compression shorts and they felt great but I didn't like how they looked.  They kind of look like you are wearing underwear...yeah weird.  I actually kept them and wore them after the run...I'll explain that later.

Raceday outfit:

• Zensah compression capris
• pink Nike Top
• Nike bra
• Wigwam socks
• Brookes Adrenaline sneakers
• ipod
• fuel belt w/chocolate gu's and Bloks

What I ate/drank:

• Vega smoothie with banana, strawberries and almond milk
• I brought a sandwich with pb & j



Fueling up!

• Water and pretzels 

I rolled and stretched a bit and then headed outside ...worrying and hoping that I didn't forget anything.  That's when I thought to myself..."dude--technically all you really need is clothes and sneakers...and some snacks;) so chill out!

Rolling

The Race-

Now, I am going to try and account for as much as I remember.  There are points where I was just flying high so I wasn't thinking...and there were points when I was crashing so I wasn't thinking.  Scott took his bike and actually rode to many of the mile marks.  There were times when I was happy to see him and times that I asked him to just move along...on his nice bike with two "fast" rolling wheels. 

Thoughts:

Miles 1-5  Holy shit I'm running a friggin marathon! This is so cool!  This place looks beautiful, this place is sooo beautiful. 

1	9:47.8	1.00	9:47.8
2	10:08.5	1.00	10:08.5
3	9:39.4	1.00	9:39.4
4	9:51.5	1.00	9:51.5
5	9:54.6	1.00	9:54.6

6-10 miles-  At this point, I'm trying hard to concentrate on my times because I know I have to stay at least at a 10 minute mile to make it strong until the end.   I knew that I was going to fast at some points (for me) and this would hurt me in the end.  One of the things that I will focus on next time (yeah I said it) will be to concentrate on my splits more.  I kept the mantra that I just wanted to finish but realized to do that you really have to figure out what times are good for you to keep it going.  I knew round-a-bouts but forced myself to not go into anything too specific.  I didn't want to get wrapped up in the time games.

6	10:01.3	1.00	10:01.3
7	9:47.5	1.00	9:47.5
8	9:53.5	1.00	9:53.5
9	10:03.9	1.00	10:03.9
10	9:48.0	1.00	9:48.0

 Miles 11-15  I'm refueling and feeling really good right now.  I am talking to neighbors and decide that at 14 I am going to put on my ipod.   It was an awesome feeling to pass over the half-marathon mark at 2:10...it was a "holy fuck" moment when I realized I have a whole half-marathon to go!

11	9:55.3	1.00	9:55.3
12	10:19.2	1.00	10:19.2
13	10:10.8	1.00	10:10.8
14	11:01.1	1.00	11:01.1
15	10:48.3	1.00	10:48.3

Lil' touch of hills...

Miles 16-20  My legs are still feeling good and I'm still okay up until this point.  I was given a 2x caffeine espresso GU at I believe station 17 and thought "what the heck".  This was a big, huge, fat mistake.  What upsets me most about this mistake was that I knew from my training that my stomach doesn't handle the double shot well.  I think if I had one negative of the marathon this would be it.  I paid for this GU shot at mile 20 and on.  So lesson learned- TRUST and LISTEN to all parts of your training.  You can even see in my times that I was starting to feel not so great right after I ate it.  OH and at mile 18...they RAN OUT OF WATER!!!! Apparently this was only for a matter of 2-3 minutes....but I wasn't waiting--thank god I had my fuel belt with 1/2 bottle. 

16	10:41.6	1.00	10:41.6
17	11:16.8	1.00	11:16.8
18	11:07.0	1.00	11:07.0
19	11:54.3	1.00	11:54.3
20	13:09.0	1.00	13:09.0

That's me on right...running that side so my hip doesn't hurt too much

Miles 21-25  I'm getting really nervous now because I am starting to lose my mojo.  Scott even notices the big difference in demeanor ;) and seems worried...lol....which now is funny to me.  I think there is a 'look' I give and Scott kind of knows 'buyer beware'.  He pretty much left me with ..."you can do this...I'll see you at the finish". If the boy is learning one thing...its the appropriate time to exit!!!   At mile 21 I realized that I put some TUMS in my pant pocket just in case (as per a trainer at my gym).  I took all three and kept trying to drink hoping that the extreme caffeine wouldn't tear too much of my stomach up.  The TUMS did help a bit and took my mind off of it...just in time to realize what was happening was a touch of hitting the infamous 'wall'.  It was just a feeling of not having any mojo left.  (I'm loving the word mojo right now lol).  I really wish at this point in the game I was running with a partner.  I found myself stopping a lot at this point.  Just look at those times....that aint no Gump running my friends...that's almost driving Miss Daisy..heck that would be Miss Daisy walking lol.   

21	11:17.7	1.00	11:17.7
22	11:32.3	1.00	11:32.3
23	11:53.7	1.00	11:53.7
24	12:01.9	1.00	12:01.9
25	12:06.1	1.00	12:06.1

Now, please don't get me wrong...I am very happy that I finished this marathon under 5 hours...that was my goal.  But with every goal that you reach you need to set a new one and my new one would be to last long enough that I can be running at the end.  The whole time ;). 

Few steps away from the finish!

Miles 26 and .2

I listen to my favorite song for this marathon, one that I couldn't wait to get to and hoped my shuffle would 'shuffle it' to this song the whole 10 miles I was wearing my ipod...funny, last mile here it was playing... 

This one's for you and me, living out our dreams
We're all right where we should be
Lift my arms out wide I open my eyes
And now all I wanna see
Is a sky full of lighters Finish line                                                                                               A sky full of lighters  (This to me is symbolic of my finish line...to many things not just the marathon)
[Eminem]
By the time you hear this I will have already spiralled up
I would never do nothing to let you cowards fuck my world up
If I was you, I would duck, or get struck like lightening,

Fighters keep fighting, put your lighters up, point 'em skyward uh

Had a dream I was king, I woke up, still king  queen ;)

So the song finished, I had tears in my eyes (heck who am I kidding...I was crying..and sniffling) It was one of those awesome cries.  Its kind of like the cry when are just so damn friggin happy inside you don't know what else to do...kind of like my 'watching my kids at Disney' cry . 

I'm sniffling and crap as this girl 'shuffles' her way up to me...lol we were all shuffling.  She's besides me and holds my shoulder and goes..."I know girl, I know."  It really was just one of those feelings that you can't replace, can't get from something you buy, eat or drink, a feeling that comes from inside, from achievement, from knowing you are doing what you once thought was IMPOSSIBLE.  Take the feeling of pride, accomplishment, happiness... roll that into one and you've got one friggin awesome marathon experience.  

I started hearing the cheers of the crowd and I picked up my pace.  Picked up my pace=running again.  I thought about who would be there and made sure I would be there/in the present moment.  As soon as I thought of my daughter, I KNEW she would be crying.  She's a bit like me and when she is overly excited and becomes weepy.  She was all out crying when I passed the line.  I first noticed that Scott made shirts for the kids that were awesome, then I heard them announcing my name-time and other bits of random information...something about tears in my eyes and then BANG I was handed the coolest medal ever.  I felt great and I didn't look too much like a train wreck!

My daughter was too hysterical to take the picture!

My chip time- 4:53:51

My watch said 4:43:02 ( so apparently i sat idle for about 10 minutes?...I did make a potty stop).

After the marathon.  I went home, took and ice bath and rocked like a baby...lol seriously. My stomach wasn't going to let me get off easy.  I drank tons of Zico water and ate bread...within a couple hours I was feeling back to normal.  We went out that night had some drinks and ate well. 

FAB FIVE!



K, A, C at dinner



The next day I still felt very good.  We even went apple picking.  Honestly, as soon as 24 hours hit...like CLOCKWORK I was friggin super, crazy sore.  That lasted for a full day...I'm sure Scott could add to this part of the story but we will spare you the details.  Lets just say there was a lot of f'bombs, crying and some crazy talk about "how I would NEVER do that again"..... Like childbirth...you know you'll be there again with your feet dangling in the damn stirrups!