Gobble, Gobble...Wobble, Wobble...and Run

I have been feeling really run down lately. I can't decided if I'm coming down with an illness or am completely over tired and in need of extensive rest. I came back from a lovely conference and running adventures in Arizona, refreshed from a very relaxing Swedish massage, only to find that my legs feel like lead.

I did a 5 mile turkey trot last week, only a few days post-return, and although it was a PR, I wasn't happy with my performance. The calculators and my other race times suggest that I should be able to run faster. I did the 5 miles in 32:30, which is a 6:30 pace. But I ran 4 miles over the summer at the end of a tri at a 6:14 pace. I went out close to my goal pace during the trot, despite some hefty hills, but then started to slow after mile 3 as my legs ran out of gas. My hips were burning and my quads were lifeless. I can usually sprint hard to the finish, but not on this day. My legs were dead. Don't get me wrong, I'm still proud of my improvement, but I just can't seem to race my potential in short distances, and feel a bit frustrated. I don't know if it's not warming up completely (it takes me a while, especially in the cold) or residual fatigue.

Well I have another shot this weekend. So I have been focusing on rest, taking naps and trying to go to bed early. As well as trying to run slower (I realized I was running all my runs a bit too fast post-marathon). I have also focused on caring for my muscles, taking epsom salt soaks, stretching, rolling, and massaging out the kinks. In fact I got the most painful massage today. Really, I thought I was going to die. Unfortunately, my back was so knotted, my legs didn't get as full a treatment as they needed. I find massages in the states to be lacking in the leg department. If only I could find a place as good as the blind masseurs of Thailand. No one can beat 2 hours of torture for $20, with an ending of complete relaxation. I left today with a burning back and grimace on my face. I suppose I will give up on massages.

I am also focusing on my diet, which has been horrible lately. So after the best Thanksgiving meal I have had in my life...no really, it was the best! My husband and I were invited to the home of one of my nursing school professors, who happens to be the sister of a dear running friend. Besides great company, who can resist a menu of creamed mushrooms and brussels sprouts, caramelized onions and string beans, apple salad, roasted root vegetables, mashed potatoes, stuffing, homemade cranberry sauce, and of course turkey...all after loads of brie and fig jam and followed by apple pie. Just thinking about it makes me excited for next year!

Anyways, as you can see I had a smorgasbord and now it's time to get back on track. I'm skipping the Paleo diet this time around though, because I really missed and felt deprived without dairy (yogurt/cheese) and peanut butter. So I am going back to my low-carb regimen of eliminating grains, potatoes, and anything with a high glycemic index. I know it's counter intuitive. I run for endurance, so I must need carbs, but eating this way teaches my body to burn fat instead of carbs for fuel, which allows me to sustain a constant energy level for a longer period of time than relying on carbs alone. I am hoping that eating this way will allow my body to feel better, perform better, and lose those extra pounds I gained over the last few months. I want to lose the weight and run faster, but most of all, I want to feel better! I think eating a crappy diet has had a huge impact in my recovery and fatigue. So good-bye sweets, good-bye chocolate, and good-bye french fries.

Finally, after this weekend's race I'm planning to take some extra recovery time. I thought I had taken a few weeks off after my marathon, but after some prodding from a running mate, realized I only took 10 days. I think my body needs a bit more recovery to prepare for Boston training. Besides it will be just in time for a marathon of studying for finals. Hoping some more rest will ease the fatigue and allow me to be fresh come January when my training will ramp up again.

Mountain Lions, Scorpions, and Rattle Snakes...Oh My!

I had the privilege of going to Tucson last week for 5 days...all expenses paid at a swanky resort. Yeah, I had to work, but I also had the opportunity to have lots of fun...

The first day was filled with travel, lectures, mingling, eating...and relaxing in the hot tub. Day two we (my colleague, Rebecca, and I) opted to skip a drug rep lunch for a more enticing adventure...a hike/run in Sabino Canyon. She wanted to walk/run, while I had plans to run/run, so on arrival we inquired on the best trail to take. We were immediately advised that we shouldn't run alone or with headphones as there have been more mountain lion sightings this year. "Oh hell no!" As someone who watches too many episodes of "I'm Alive" and "I Survived", I am horribly afraid of running into a mountain lion. I think I am more afraid of mountain lions than bear. I mean, it's jut a bit creepy...mountain lions stalk you and wait for the perfect time to attack, and you will never know they are there... And, although I was advised by a friend that I should be more worried about the rattle snakes and scorpions, I felt it was easier to tackle and avoid these little beasts compared to a giant ferocious cat. So, while Rebecca chose to adventure more slowly on a less traveled trail, I opted for the more populous tram road.

I started out very cautiously, eyes and ears attune, afraid of what hid in the bushes. I even stopped one time after hearing a rustling that was...just birds...heart pounding through my chest. But shortly enough the joy of the run took over...passing other tourists and racing the tram...rolling hills that gradually got tougher and tougher to climb as I approached the peak. At the top, I rested briefly to enjoy the view and then flew back down. The climb up was tough, but the reward of flying down was fabulous! I stopped at the trailhead Rebecca took, but was advised by another runner that if I was afraid of mountain lions, I shouldn't take that trail. That was all I needed to hear to keep me away, so I called Rebecca and told her I would run to the starting area and come back to meet her at the trailhead. I ended up doing that a couple of times as I was having so much fun running and didn't want to stop. At one point, I was asked by an older man, "Are you done yet?" as I passed him for the umpteenth time. I simply smiled and replied "Nope!", and off I went. When I finally decided to stop, I had completed the most enjoyable ten mile run I think I have ever had...if only I had the time to keep going! But alas, it was back to schmoozing and networking with conference goers.

Day three was packed with activity. It was the day of my presentation, so my nerves were shot. I had planned an early evening run to relax before the end of the day. My presentation went well, the lectures were stimulating, but I was tired. Rebecca and I decided to take a short nap prior to heading out for another adventure. After resting a bit, we headed out, with map in hand. The nice thing about the resort was Runner's World created a 3.3 and 5.5 mile route for runners, all documented on a handheld map. The bad part was that it was initially confusing to follow, which wasted precious time. We ended up running on a pseudo dirt trail next to the main road, followed by smaller residential roads. I started out at my usual pace and gradually got slower as I ascended a steady one mile climb. The funny part was I didn't realize at first that I was climbing because it was such a gentle slope. I had wanted to run seven or so miles, but by the time I completed two, the sun was setting. So I turned around, to fly down the hill and head home, faster and faster, trying to beat the oncoming darkness. Then into the hot tub with a little sangria. Fabulous ending to the day!

I was determined to run farther on day four since my measly four mile run on day three seemed like nothing. So I opted to skip the morning activities and headed out with the same helpful map, this time understanding the route. In order to add some mileage, I crested the mile hill a couple of times, being rewarded doubly with the amazing view and the flying run back down. I ran around the residential streets in solitude, as there were very few people out. Again I felt free and light hearted as I had a few days before in Sabino Canyon. I didn't want to stop, but knew I had to get back to the conference. I tried to take in all I could from this final run in Tucson.

On our final day of the trip, we got up early and relaxed at The Red Door Spa with a lovely massage. What a nice way to prepare for the long journey home.

I will leave you with a little advise in case you should ever run into a mountain lion...

Running Home...my niece, dirt roads, and covered bridges

Hurricane Sandy prevented me from getting home as soon as I wanted. You see my niece was born the morning of the storm...breach and via c-section. Luckily, I was able to get away this weekend, only 10 days later, to meet her and congratulate my amazing little sister. I am do proud of her!

World's next speedster!

You would think given her choice of entry into this world, my niece would be a terror. But she is the sweetest, calmest baby...nothing like her mother, who was a wild child. I am not one to really enjoy babies, but I couldn't get enough of her. I spent my days cuddling with her, preparing her new home, and of course running. I can't wait until she can run herself!

My sister has been living at home and was about to sign a lease for her new apartment when she went into labor. And of course after surgery she has not been allowed to do any lifting...or much of anything. So after my daily runs, I helped her to clean the new place...scrubbing the floor on my hands and knees, cleaning the cabinets while climbing the counters, and shampooing the carpet. Then we started moving what was packed and setting up her kitchen, bathroom, and part of the baby's room. She still has some work to do...wish I could have stayed to help finish up...but at least we got a good chunk done. And I am pooped...that was more tiring than my running!

And now for the running part...Every morning I would get up and head out for a run on my favorite dirt road. The weather was beautiful. The cow manure was fresh (yeah, I'm the weird one that enjoys the smell). I ran hard and pushed myself with hilly runs, hill repeats, and short sprints. I have been feeling lethargic since my marathon, so it was nice to get some speed in and not feel too spent afterwards. On my second day home I decided to go for a longer run towards where my favorite covered bridge once stood, destroyed by hurricane Irene only a year ago. To my surprise, it was being resurrected. This little piece of history was important enough to the community to have it replaced. In the wake of Sandy devastating many communities in New York and New Jersey, it was a relief to see how much progress could be made in only a year. Soon enough their little pieces of history will also be restored.

Pre Hurricane Irene

Post collapse caused 

Resurrection

Sorry...I couldn't resist another pic of her cuteness!

Sandy's Marathon of Destruction...NYC's Marathon of Hope

This week has been one of mixed emotions, confusion, and shame. Hurricane Sandy came through the beautiful city of New York, and not only demolished entire communities, displacing thousands of residents, but created a divide through much of the city. At a time when people should have come together for the better good, prevailed against the hardship, they instead attacked the runners. Why? Because the NYC marathon was scheduled to run less than a week after the storm. Despite the catastrophe the New York Road Runners (NYRR) president and NYC mayor decided that the marathon would be good to boost the moral of the city. This became the hot topic. A divide between people who agreed the marathon should go on and those who argued against it.

I found myself feeling guilty that I thought it should be run. Not only because of what the marathon means to so many people, but because I truly believed that it would bring positive attention and uplifting energy to those in need. However, I don't think it was handled well. And because of this, people against the marathon verbally attacked the runners. We were labeled as selfish and arrogant. Words that I never associate with my running community. Because running is more than just a fulfilling physical activity, it's about being a part of a loving community, a team of people who are there to support you.

Victims of this terrible storm tried to take that away. I admit, that once I realized the extent of the devastation, I thought maybe the route should be changed, but continued to believe we could bring about a positive experience for the entire community. We could band together and support the communities in dire need, just as we do our running families.

There was extensive new articles, blogs, Facebook comments, and Twitter feeds, but the following quote from Long Run Pain: A Staten Islander's View on Why the Marathon Should Not Have Been Cancelled resonates the most with me:

"That the marathon became the focal point of worst natural disaster in New York City history is a disgrace. As a native Staten Islander and as a runner, I couldn’t be more appalled (and I wasn’t scheduled to run Sunday’s race).

Of course, this was never really about the marathon. It was about anger. We had just been devastated by a terrible tragedy. We were upset. We needed someone to blame.

To see ourselves as the victims of a randomly cruel universe didn’t offer much comfort. Existentialism is unsettling...

I’m not concerned about the runners. They’re disappointed, but they’ll adjust their training and find other races to run. Dealing with adversity is what we do.

No, I’m worried about the rest of New York. Our propensity to point fingers, our inclination towards anger, our tendency to be destructive rather than constructive.

I’ve seen how the marathon can represent New York at its best and I’m saddened to see how it’s become a symbol of New York at its worst."

~Mike Cassidy, an Olympic Trials qualifier, is a native of Staten Island with a marathon best of 2:18:52. He was 22nd overall and the sixth American at the 2010 ING NYC Marathon in 2:24:05.

In the end, the marathon was canceled, but that didn't stop the thousand of runners who had trained for months from running. Almost immediately groups were assembled to run through Statin Island with full backpacks in stow and deliver much needed supplies...the Marathon of Relief. An activity, I wanted so dearly to participate in, but couldn't get there due to transportation issues...and still feel guilty about. At last count, I believe a thousand runners disembarked for this destroyed Island, putting aside all the negative comments made about them in order to help.

Another massive group of runners decided to Run the Marathon Anyway. They were not running for themselves, but for the charity they had raised thousands of dollars for, or in the memory of loved ones with a devastating illness. They were determined to see the end of there journey for a cause, to see the fruition of there blood, sweat, and tears. But, they too banded together to collect massive amounts of donations, items highly needed by Sandy victims. And these are just the large organized events. Local running clubs, such as my own, the Vancourtland Track Club, packed a few car loads of supplies for donation.

You see, all this was done by so called selfish runners. But we are not selfish at all! And I will no longer feel ashamed for being a marathoner in the wake of the storm. I will stand tall and run proudly.

Recovery...Done...Time to run!!!

I am still buzzing from consuming massive amounts of coffee and ingesting loads of chocolate covered coffee beans. I barely survived. Made some stupid mistakes and was completely lost at times. I left feeling very thankful that they grade on a curve. But that midterm is finally done! Had I opted not to torture myself in an elective of microeconomics, the last few days would have been more peaceful. Had I dedicated as much time to studying as I did running, it would have been easier. But in the midst of marathon training, that wasn't an option!

The marathon was almost three weeks ago and I have only run twice since then. I have been completely exhausted and the slowest runs seem to take incredible effort. I had intended to hit the gym hard with cross training and to take out my bike for some nice fall riding. I mean, I did join the NYU cycling team and have yet to make it to one of the workouts. But, alas, the exhaustion has taken over. So, I have enjoyed sleeping in and not feeling the need to wake up before 5am. Don't get me wrong, I managed to get in some spin, a little yoga, and a bit of time on the elliptical. But more importantly, I have allowed my body to repair.

I have pushed my body continuously since spring marathon training began in February, not allowing it to stop, as I maintained focus from one even to the next. All that training coupled with a full-time job and school, means I don't get enough recovery time. I have had an amazing year so far, with almost every race ending in a PR. On top of that, I have successfully ventured into triathlon and ultra running. Recovery is a very important part of training, one that many people are horrible at because we just don't know how to sit still. My body deserves a break!

I have focused my energy on eating healthy and getting enough rest, rewarding my body for all it's hard work. But it hasn't completely gone as planned given my continuously demanding schedule. I have spent the last week cramming for this midterm after realizing how under prepared I was. This meant many high stressed days and late nights of studying. Sitting for hours on end, while my friends are out enjoying the beautiful weather, enjoying their ability to ride or run for as long as they desire. Previously my desire to run had been little to none. But after living like a sloth for the past few days, I am dying to move! Longing to run in this amazing fall weather! Running to feel the cool breeze across my skin, the wind in my hair, the crisp air in my lungs. Running to be free!

I am secretly longing for an ultra to jump into (guess it's not a secret anymore), but I just don't have time. I can't train for anything long right now. I need to focus on school, and need to focus on learning how to run through pain. Learning how to push at a faster pace and not stopping, not letting up, just keep pushing. I ran well this year, but had I possessed this skill, like so many runners whom I admire, I could have had even better times. I cannot wait to run with them, cannot wait to hit the track, the trail, the street. Regretting that I missed last night's team workout as I sat cracked out on coffee beans with my head in a book.

I cannot handle sitting still anymore! I am ready to run!!! So watch out...Here I come!!!

It's my birthday and I'll run if I want to

Yesterday was my birthday and it might just have been one of my favorite birthdays so far! Although I don't like the grey hair, I am really enjoying getting older. As a birthday present to myself, I set out to run the St. George marathon, which is listed by Runner's World as one of the top 10 most scenic marathons. And it just happened to be on my birthday.

I set out training for a 3:05, but secretly hoped I could squeeze out a sub-3 since it is a net downhill course, where runner's usually have a negative split. I had trained well with no injuries, just a bit of calf tightness in the week before the race, nothing a little extra rest and TLC couldn't handle. I flew in the night before, planning to run to the expo, eat dinner, and head to bed for an early start. Some members of the club thought I was crazy to fly in the night before, not allowing myself to adjust to the altitude, but I couldn't afford the extra time. Coach thought I was being too ambitious aiming for a 3:05 given that my PR thus far was 3:23:32. I figured at my last marathon I should have been able to do between a 3:10 and 3:15, but bonked from the heat, so I was well on my way to this faster goal with good training. So I didn't listen to him, something I rarely do. I knew I had to prove him wrong.

After arriving in my hotel, I jogged over to the expo in a nice 1 mile jaunt on a paved trail along the road with beautiful scenery. Could this place get any better? Yes! I ran into a bunch of kids racing to the finish of a 5k...so adorable! Once at the expo, I went to the spot where my bib should be, but I was told I had to go to another area. Confused, I walked in the direction of the Clydesdale/Athena and elite bibs. I opted to try the elite side first, hoping they didn't consider me an Athena. Sure enough I was in that box. I asked the lady perplexed and she said based on my projected time I was listed as elite because I was one of the top 150 women...pretty cool. I picked up my shirt and got some props for being elite. Thanks! I picked up a race band, and was pointed out for picking the fastest one (3:05...no sub-3 band). Thanks! I was feeling special, but humble. Then I jogged back to the hotel, incorporating a few stride outs to stretch out the legs. I was feeling good! I prepared my race attire and bag, adjusting the race band. I thought I would try to make up time in a negative split on the second half which would allow me to run with the 3:05 pace group for the first half and then work towards a sub-3 in the second half if I was feeling good by that point. I then ate my dinner and went to bed.

I planned to take one of the first shuttle buses to the start, I had no problem being there 1 hour 45 minutes early. I got up at 3:15 on race morning. Not as early as it sounds since there is a 2 hour time difference, so it was really 5:15 for me...one advantage over some of the other runners. In my early morning  pre-race anxiety, I only forgot a few things, nothing too essential. I couldn't decide if I wanted my music, thought while I was sleeping that I would take it, but forgot it in the end. Also forgot to Tiger Balm my calves, but was lucky they had some Bengay at the start (really, it's just not the same, but the placebo effect helped!)

The start of the race was amazing! All I thought about was why can't NYC do this? You walked into the waiting area and were handed a pair of gloves and mylar blanket. You were then pointed in the direction of the multiple small bonfires, all to keep you warm in the chilly morning temp. They also had bananas, Gatorade, water, plenty of port-a-potties with plenty of quilted toilet paper...the joys of a great pre-race bathroom experience. I sat around a fire waiting until it was time to hand over my bag and warm-up clothes. About a half an hour before the start, that time came, and I also realized I was hungry. I had eaten my bagel almost 2 hours earlier. I guess it was a little too early. The hotel had given us a breakfast bag, so I took a chance with the granola bar as it seemed the best option. I took of my sweatshirt and sweatpants, donning my husbands tubes socks as arm warmers (they really are convenient and you don't feel sorry when you toss them). I took my last bathroom break, opting for the farther port-a-potty in order to avoid the lines. When I headed back, I realized the corrals were moving forward a bit and I had to duck under the tape. Hey, I was elite, so I could. But I couldn't find the 3:05 pace leader. I asked someone, but she didn't know. It was too late now, I would have to figure it out on my own. Time to start running....

The start was dark. I ran with a water bottle for the first couple of miles taking sips as I felt parched, but then couldn't deal with it anymore and threw it to the side. Along with my gloves and arm warmers. I tried to check my splits with the light on my Garmin. I knew I was running too fast at a gotten down to a 6:36 min/mi, but felt good and thought it would make up some of the time I would lose on Veyo hill. The middle of the road was lined with rubble strips, which I had to focus on avoiding as I didn't want to fall on my face, but after about 5 miles, the sky began to lighten. I watched the miles go by and anticipated Veyo hill, planning to take my first gel just before the 7 mile mark, where Veyo was to start. I can say, that seeing it from afar was intimidating, but once running it, I felt fine. Sure I slowed down a lot, but it wasn't as hard as I had thought it would be. However, there was another 4 miles of hills to go. The prolonged exertion of those hills felt harder, but it was rolling so there were some breaks, and I knew once I got to mile 14 it was downhill. So I stayed positive and kept plugging along. I chatted with another runner, who told me some tidbits about the course. There was another hill to anticipate at mile 18, not too bad of a hill, just bad timing. Ok, I've got this!

Mile 14 was downhill for sure, it was steep. I tried to hold back while everyone else sped up around me. I wanted to save my quads as much as I could. At this point I had been dropped by the original women I had my eyes on a while back (she finished 10th...too fast for me), passed another one, and now had my eyes on a new target, a women in a flowery skirt. This was also the most beautiful point in the race. I focused on the scenery, a wide expanse of red cliffs. I watched bicyclists on the path along the road. Did I already say how amazing this place is? I felt myself feeling jealous of there ability to ride in such a bike friendly and beautiful environment. These things kept my mind busy. 

When I got to mile 16, I started to feel the pain in my quads. I talked to myself in order to run through it; "You just have to get to mile 18, and then it's all downhill". I got to mile 18 and slowed down a bit as I ran up the hill, and then worked to pick up the pace once over it. I tried to break down the rest of the course, but couldn't decide in my head how to do it, so I just focused on getting through the next  8+ miles. I had hit the halfway mark at just over 1:30 and figured according to my pace band that I was 2 minutes ahead of my sub-3 goal, so thought if I could pick it back up to a 6:40-6:50, I would be fine. I told myself people usually have a negative split, so I should be just fine! I could do this! Ok, yes, in reality, I was just at the margin of breaking sub-3, but my pace band was set to run a negative split and cover the second half at a faster pace, my race brain just wasn't really realizing this.

I was dropped by the woman in the flowery skirt, but didn't let that effect my confidence, and found another to target, a woman in a bright yellow tank. At mile 22, I fought with myself not to stop and walk. My brain was telling my legs, "if you stop now, you will give up as per your usual, so you have to keep running...if you stop now, it's really going to hurt when you start again, so you have to keep running". My legs responded by saying, "I just need a couple seconds break". My quads were on fire and essentially won. I stopped for a couple seconds and then picked it up telling myself I could walk through the water stop at mile 23. I had passed a women in a navy blue sports bra, but she re-passed me when I walked. As I picked up the pace, I was determined to pass her again and pass the woman in the bright yellow tank. And I did!

At one point I was advised by a spectator that I was the 18th woman, this was when I was ahead of the woman in the navy bra. But by mile 25, my quads were completely fatigued. They no longer hurt, in fact, I just couldn't really feel them anymore. They had no life left. I felt like I was running a 6:30 pace, but was in fact running much slower. I took a few more short walk breaks, realizing at this point I wasn't going to make the sub-3 time, but refusing to give up. I was essentially passed by the woman in the navy blue sports bra and regardless of how hard I tried, I couldn't catch up to her. I think she finished about 20 seconds ahead of me. I ran as hard as I could...that finish line couldn't come soon enough. I finished in 3:01:25! It wasn't a sub-3, I hadn't run a negative split, I realized that I ran the first have a bit too fast, but I was more than happy! I ran a fabulous PR, giving myself a wonderful birthday present. 

I was actually the 5th female in my age group as the 1st won the race...

Shortly after crossing the finish line, I was approached by a guy who had had his eye on my singlet as he ran. He used to be a member of VCTC, but was now living in DC. I met his friends and girlfriend and we relaxed together at the post-race area, with it's array of food choices, massages, and festivities. We gathered to watch the awards ceremony and planned a fabulous hike in Zion Canyon for recovery. With his girlfriend living in Brooklyn, another great triathlete/ironwoman, I put my recruiting skills to use, trying to convince them to join my fabulous team. I couldn't have run such an amazing race without the support of my teammates, some of the best friends I have!

Zion Canyon...breathtaking!

Whirlwind

This past weekend was both amazing and tumultuous. I hadn't been home to Vermont since Christmas, but had been anticipating the trip for a while. I was looking forward to social engagements, but bummed I couldn't run more due to tapering. In fact, the Vermont 50 was on Sunday and I so badly wanted to sign-up, but alas, running 50 miles the week before a marathon would be complete insanity if I wanted to race well. I just love running in the country...It beats the streets of NYC any day!

My sister came out to get us Thursday evening. Yep, she is pretty great, always coming to get us so the hounds can have a break from the city too. If only I could figure out a hassle free way to manage alternate side of the street parking, I would have a car and drive myself. We chatted away during the ride, catching up...and keeping me awake as I took over the driving. I have been over tired lately due to school, work, and training, so staying up late isn't easy...and we didn't get in until 1:30am.

The next morning I had my first social engagement, breakfast with a very dear friend. She actually used to be my therapist, but we have stayed in touch since I moved to NYC 7 years ago and is now more like family. I look forward to seeing her every time I go home...always one of the highlights of my trip. It was great to update her on all my running exploits and other life happenings. Always feels good to hear words of encouragement from someone you love.

It was Friday, and it was raining. I had a scheduled recovery run, but didn't feel like torturing myself and opted to do it another day. Recovery runs always feel like torture...I just like to run fast...and can never manage to run slow in the rain. I figured it was better to postpone in order to maintain my taper. So after a fabulous visit, I opted for some homework...blah.

That night I felt some all over body soreness, but tried to ignore it. However, it was only worse when I woke hope. But I headed out for my 10 miler anyways. It was drizzling, so I opted to stick to the main road instead of my favorite dirt road as I didn't want to get my brand new "marathon" shoes all muddy...yes, I am one of those clean freaks. I donned my compression socks and my new "birthday" (a bit early) iPod. Over the first mile my calves seemed to tighten more and more. This had never happened. I went back and forth between stopping or finishing the run. I did not want to injure myself. I only opted to continue because I didn't have time the following day. I stretched multiple times and tried to slow myself down (I was running faster than I wanted, but everything besides my calves felt good). They got better as time progressed, but the hills hurt. I wondered if it was the socks or if something was happening inside. I had recalled some calf cramping the night before while sleeping, so maybe it was a residual effect. I finished my run, a little worried. I didn't have time to ice, as I had another important engagement, so I ate some bananas, hoping the electrolytes would help.

Now time to prepare for my best friend, Noah's, wedding. He is Jewish and his beautiful bride is Indian. They picked a very simple Indian themed wedding in a Vermont field, with a few Jewish embellishments. It was absolutely beautiful...perfect! I cried as they said there vows. I have not seen two people so madly in love in a long while. It was breathtaking!

He is one of the most important people in my life and I couldn't be happier with his choice in a bride as she is just as amazing as he is. I only wish I could see them more often, but alas they live in Calcutta, India. If you ever want to donate to a great cause, check out Noah's NGO Calcutta Kids, which helps mothers and children in a slum of Calcutta...I fundraised for him during my first marathon and went out for a month to work with him.

Oh, and another reason I had to run that 10 miles...so I could eats loads of fabulous Indian food! Yes, I run to eat! But my diet has been horrible lately, and going home didn't help. I had been working at adopting the Paleo lifestyle, but going home meant a perpetual sugar high. You see, my mom has a daycare at home with a junk drawer, junk cupboard, and junk closet. For a sugar addict, it's hard to resist! Next time I need to pack all my own food and plan meals...next time...And with all that junk, I was beginning to feel bloated and lethargic.

Ok. So onto Sunday. I slept until noon. I had stayed out late at the wedding after party. Sleeping in felt great, but I had a baby shower to attend at 2pm. So I dressed, skipping the compression socks this time, and headed out the door for my recovery run. I tried to enjoy my favorite dirt road, but the run was torture. My calves were tightening again...and I had to force myself to slow down. I finished, unhappy, and more worried.

But again, no time to fret. I had to get ready for my little sister's baby shower...oh did I forget to mention she's 8 months preggo with my niece. Yep! And I can't wait to buy her first running shoes! I hate baby showers, I hate family gatherings, but I enjoyed watching my sister in her new more mature ways. I was worried when I first found out she was pregnant, only being 23, in an on and off relationship, and still having a final semester of college. But she has delightfully surprised me in how much she has grown up! She is going to be a fantastic mom! And I couldn't be more proud of her! I am so happy to feel like we are developing a closer relationship...something I have always wanted! At this point in my life, I don't really like kids (they cry and poop too much), but I am getting excited to be an aunt! (Anyone want to be on duty to drive me or loan me their car when delivery is approaching? I might just bake you a goody :-)

Anyways, the next day, it was time to head back to NYC. I opted to sleep in again...oh so nice to catch up on some zzz's. I also opted to take the day off instead of attempting another recovery run. Rest is just as good...and very important!

Tuesday I headed out for 7 miles with 2 at marathon pace. I tried out my compression socks again, but as soon as I started running my calves stiffened and my socks felt uncomfortably tight. I have run in my socks for a while now, but they feel so much tighter when my calves tense up. I stretched them well, which helped and kept running...and they kept tightening. They didn't feel good until I really picked up the pace, but everything else felt lethargic. Not a good outcome for one of my final runs before race day. More worrying!

I stretched after the run. I went to the gym at lunch to stretch some more and foam roll. My calves were still bothering me at the end of the day. Time for ice! And again today. More ice and rolling. I am trying to stay positive. I am sure it will be fine. Likely a result of high stress and anxiety. You see, despite all the great things that happened at home, I was overcome with negative emotions due to issues I won't bore you with. I don't think my body could handle all the emotional and physical stress it was under. It has revolted.

But I will take control! I fly out Friday morning to St. George, Utah. Once I arrive I will run a couple easy miles with a few stride-outs on my way to the expo and then go to bed after a quick bite to eat. I am hoping to get some good rest. For now it is ice, rolling, and plenty of oranges (they decrease inflammation). Come Saturday it will be time for...