Well, its been a little while. Oh say, about a month and a half? During that time I might have taken a little vacation to where the East meets the West, ran down and around Wall Street, participated in some Japanese exercise, and slept in when I saw rain upon waking bright and early for a 5 mile Father's Day race.
Now that I write this, I am four days away from my first triathlon. And I have to admit - I am pretty excited. Not excited for the whole getting to the triathlon part. That will involve biking to the Staten Island ferry, taking the ferry across, hoping on the train, and then biking from the train stop to the event location. More nerve wracking than the race itself if you ask me.
Four days away and I just finished putting together my triathlon ensemble yesterday, picking up some Zoot tri shorts I bought on sale at the Running Company for 25% off (score!). I also picked up a tri tank not too long ago that my tri team was selling for $20 because it was last year's uniform. Last year, this year. I don't think tri tanks go in and out with the seasons.
I have my powergels. And Thursday is race packet pick-up day. All that is left after that is to make sure I have everything and then take it all with me on my long trek to the island of staten.
Stay tuned....
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
Friday, May 8, 2009
5 Boro Bike Tour
Last weekend was the 5 boro bike tour - 42 miles of biking through each of the five boroughs in NYC. I had wanted to do this ride last year, but it was set for a day that I was out of the country on vacation, so this year I made sure to plan my vacation either before or after it.
Anyway, I was pretty psyched to do this bike ride until I a few days before, when they started saying it was going to rain. I still had hope, because those weather people are never right. So I asked everyone to pray that it wouldn't rain.
Well I guess I need more religious friends, because it rained.
I woke up Sunday morning, saw it was cloudy out and drizzling, and thought to myself, hmmm I should've bought that poncho yesterday. Note - I did not buy said poncho the day before because (1) there was only a 30% chance of rain; and (2) ponchos are ugly and remind me of tourists and I would probably never wear it again. But I was regretting that decision Sunday morning, so I hastily tried to find a poncho at the supermarket or bodega - the only things that were open so early in the morning.
Well, I never found a poncho. And I debated whether I should even do the ride in the rain. But I soldiered on and met up with my people anyway, hoping that it would stop drizzling.
The ride starts all the way down in Battery Park, but unless you want to get stuck in that huge clusterf**k, its best to start uptown a little and get ahead of the pack. So that is what we did. And we made great time. We rode up sixth avenue, through Central Park, then up into the Bronx (briefly), and then back into Manhattan. We then got to ride on the FDR (which was closed) and over the Queensboro Bridge. We made it to Astoria Park, the first rest stop, by 9:30. At that point, my feet were pretty soaked, as was I, but it wasn't so bad. Plus, it stopped raining!. I grabbed some bananas, chips and lara bars, and used the porta potty (note: being a female and using the porta potty when you are soaking wet is, er, not so fun).
At 10:05, the tour started again and so did the rain. We made our way down through Queens and into Brooklyn, making great time again. I have to say, I was riding way faster than I rode last year, and that is all thanks to spin class. Now unfortunately, during this second half, it started to pour. Which wasn't horrible, but all that NYC dirt that was being thrown up onto my back and into my hair by my back tire? Well, that wasn't so fun.
On that last stretch of highway, as we approached the Verrazano bridge, which would take us into Staten Island, the final borough of the tour, I had had about enough. The rain was pelting me in the face, I was pretty sure my eye-makeup was streaming down my face (it wasn't, luckily) and I was ready for a hot shower. Of course they save the worse hill for last, but I pushed through it and we were done. But er, then we had to ride three miles back to the Staten Island ferry to get back to Manhattan. Mmmm great. And did I mention that I then had to bike back home once I got off the ferry? Well, needless to say, I rode as fast as I could home and after I cleaned up my dirty, sopping wet bike (and my apartment floor), I took a nice hot shower.
All in all, I am glad I did the tour and it was a lot of fun, despite the rain. Plus, I get to say I rode 42 miles and then some in the rain. Here's hoping next year's forecast is sun sun sun!
Anyway, I was pretty psyched to do this bike ride until I a few days before, when they started saying it was going to rain. I still had hope, because those weather people are never right. So I asked everyone to pray that it wouldn't rain.
Well I guess I need more religious friends, because it rained.
I woke up Sunday morning, saw it was cloudy out and drizzling, and thought to myself, hmmm I should've bought that poncho yesterday. Note - I did not buy said poncho the day before because (1) there was only a 30% chance of rain; and (2) ponchos are ugly and remind me of tourists and I would probably never wear it again. But I was regretting that decision Sunday morning, so I hastily tried to find a poncho at the supermarket or bodega - the only things that were open so early in the morning.
Well, I never found a poncho. And I debated whether I should even do the ride in the rain. But I soldiered on and met up with my people anyway, hoping that it would stop drizzling.
The ride starts all the way down in Battery Park, but unless you want to get stuck in that huge clusterf**k, its best to start uptown a little and get ahead of the pack. So that is what we did. And we made great time. We rode up sixth avenue, through Central Park, then up into the Bronx (briefly), and then back into Manhattan. We then got to ride on the FDR (which was closed) and over the Queensboro Bridge. We made it to Astoria Park, the first rest stop, by 9:30. At that point, my feet were pretty soaked, as was I, but it wasn't so bad. Plus, it stopped raining!. I grabbed some bananas, chips and lara bars, and used the porta potty (note: being a female and using the porta potty when you are soaking wet is, er, not so fun).
At 10:05, the tour started again and so did the rain. We made our way down through Queens and into Brooklyn, making great time again. I have to say, I was riding way faster than I rode last year, and that is all thanks to spin class. Now unfortunately, during this second half, it started to pour. Which wasn't horrible, but all that NYC dirt that was being thrown up onto my back and into my hair by my back tire? Well, that wasn't so fun.
On that last stretch of highway, as we approached the Verrazano bridge, which would take us into Staten Island, the final borough of the tour, I had had about enough. The rain was pelting me in the face, I was pretty sure my eye-makeup was streaming down my face (it wasn't, luckily) and I was ready for a hot shower. Of course they save the worse hill for last, but I pushed through it and we were done. But er, then we had to ride three miles back to the Staten Island ferry to get back to Manhattan. Mmmm great. And did I mention that I then had to bike back home once I got off the ferry? Well, needless to say, I rode as fast as I could home and after I cleaned up my dirty, sopping wet bike (and my apartment floor), I took a nice hot shower.
All in all, I am glad I did the tour and it was a lot of fun, despite the rain. Plus, I get to say I rode 42 miles and then some in the rain. Here's hoping next year's forecast is sun sun sun!
Saturday, April 25, 2009
Need advice....
I need your advice. I have to get tri shorts and a tri shirt. However, I do not want to pay full price, because man, they are expensive. Does anyone buy their tri clothes online? If so, from where? I am thinking of buying them from the Sports Basement, but I have never bought anything from there before. Also, how do they typically fit? True to size?
Thoughts are welcome.
Thoughts are welcome.
Monday, April 20, 2009
Chip Cheaters Busted
As my fellow New Yorkers' know, you have to volunteer for one race (in addition to running 9 races) to get automatic entry into the NYC marathon. So on Sunday, I signed up to volunteer at the Run as One in where else but Central Park. When I got there I was immediately disappointed that I didn't run this race. Wanna know why? Because dude, they gave out tech t-shirts! They never give out tech t-shirts. Wanna know what kind of t-shirt I got for volunteering? A bright yellow long-sleeved cotton t-shirt that will probably never see the light of day again. Also note, that this yellow shirt was accompanied by an equally sexy crossing guard-esque vest that was made for someone a lot bigger than me. (Sorry, didn't get to keep the vest though). When paired with my black bag that I bring to work, it was a hot combination.
I had signed up to be a chip clipper, because, well, you get to sit down while you volunteer. But before I could clip chips, I had to work the corrals at the start. I was in one of the faster corrals and it was my job to make sure that nobody snuck into the corral who wasn't supposed to be there. Well sure enough, people who run 10 or 11 minute miles started moseying into the 7 minute mile corral. Now, normally I am not such a hard ass, but being a fellow runner who gets stuck in this clusterf**k every race, where it is hard to pass people, I thought it was messed up and started regulating on these people (nicely of course). And of course they fought with me. Them: "But I want to run with my friend." Me: "You can run with your friend, your friend just has to go into your corral back there." Them: "Bitch bitch, whine whine." Me: "Please don't fight with me and just get into the other corral!"
Come on people. That is so rude. Corrals are there for a reason. When you take your 10 minute mile self and put it in a 7 minute corral, you will just trip up the people behind you. I think it is really inconsiderate to your fellow runners. Plus, please don't give your fellow runner volunteers who got up at 6 a.m. on a Sunday and are sporting a bright yellow shirt and orange vest a hard time.
Onto the chip clipping. Before the day of the race, we were told, via email, to be on the lookout for people wearing two chips and to report anyone doing so, because this is a NYRR no-no. I couldn't understand why someone would wear two chips. But then someone explained it to me. Apparently, people will wear one chip for themselves on one foot, and one for a friend/significant other who can't/doesn't want to run the race. As a result, the friend/significant other gets credit for the race and the other person's time. Now when I heard this, all I could think of was "If I have to get up at the crack of dawn on a Sunday morning and run a race to get entry into the NYC marathon, well then so should YOU!"
So I was on the lookout for these "chip cheaters." And let me tell you, I found them (Hi! You will probably be disqualified! Sorry about your luck!). Now, come on people. If you are going to cheat and wear two chips, don't go up to the chip clippers, ask them to clip one of them and then they hope you don't see the other. We are not blind. Smart people would either rip the chips off themselves and hand them in, or just leave and return the chips to NYRR the next day. But I guess these people weren't so smart.
I will say though, every person whose chip I clipped said "Thank you" and some even said "Thanks for coming out and volunteering today." Even the chip cheaters said it. I thought it was really nice.
After volunteering and a post-volunteer nap, I headed over to the Y to get my swim on. I used one the workouts posted by my triathlon team. Total yards: 2000. Did I do it? You bet! I actually did 2100 by accident. But who would've thought I could swim that far! And it didn't even feel that hard! Olympic tri, here I come.
I had signed up to be a chip clipper, because, well, you get to sit down while you volunteer. But before I could clip chips, I had to work the corrals at the start. I was in one of the faster corrals and it was my job to make sure that nobody snuck into the corral who wasn't supposed to be there. Well sure enough, people who run 10 or 11 minute miles started moseying into the 7 minute mile corral. Now, normally I am not such a hard ass, but being a fellow runner who gets stuck in this clusterf**k every race, where it is hard to pass people, I thought it was messed up and started regulating on these people (nicely of course). And of course they fought with me. Them: "But I want to run with my friend." Me: "You can run with your friend, your friend just has to go into your corral back there." Them: "Bitch bitch, whine whine." Me: "Please don't fight with me and just get into the other corral!"
Come on people. That is so rude. Corrals are there for a reason. When you take your 10 minute mile self and put it in a 7 minute corral, you will just trip up the people behind you. I think it is really inconsiderate to your fellow runners. Plus, please don't give your fellow runner volunteers who got up at 6 a.m. on a Sunday and are sporting a bright yellow shirt and orange vest a hard time.
Onto the chip clipping. Before the day of the race, we were told, via email, to be on the lookout for people wearing two chips and to report anyone doing so, because this is a NYRR no-no. I couldn't understand why someone would wear two chips. But then someone explained it to me. Apparently, people will wear one chip for themselves on one foot, and one for a friend/significant other who can't/doesn't want to run the race. As a result, the friend/significant other gets credit for the race and the other person's time. Now when I heard this, all I could think of was "If I have to get up at the crack of dawn on a Sunday morning and run a race to get entry into the NYC marathon, well then so should YOU!"
So I was on the lookout for these "chip cheaters." And let me tell you, I found them (Hi! You will probably be disqualified! Sorry about your luck!). Now, come on people. If you are going to cheat and wear two chips, don't go up to the chip clippers, ask them to clip one of them and then they hope you don't see the other. We are not blind. Smart people would either rip the chips off themselves and hand them in, or just leave and return the chips to NYRR the next day. But I guess these people weren't so smart.
I will say though, every person whose chip I clipped said "Thank you" and some even said "Thanks for coming out and volunteering today." Even the chip cheaters said it. I thought it was really nice.
After volunteering and a post-volunteer nap, I headed over to the Y to get my swim on. I used one the workouts posted by my triathlon team. Total yards: 2000. Did I do it? You bet! I actually did 2100 by accident. But who would've thought I could swim that far! And it didn't even feel that hard! Olympic tri, here I come.
Thursday, April 9, 2009
Race Report: Run for the Parks 4 Miler
Sunday. The best day of the weekend, and thank God this race was on Sunday because Saturday was awful. Between the messed-up trains and the ridiculous wind, Sunday was a blessing. But oh yeah, there was this one part where I had to get up at 5:45 a.m.!! Not to mention I had a class all day Saturday so no sleeping in all weekend.
Anyway, I got a ride up to Central Park on Sunday (score!) and ended up getting there early. I picked up my shirt, bib and chip (no time to pick it up during the week) and then warmed up. I am big into warming up now, by the way. In these shorter races, I do feel that it helps.
This race was not a capped race. So, of course, it was mad crowded. The announcer said there were 8,000 people there. Yikes. At this point, I am getting used to weaving in and out of crowds, although I think it is absurd (and will probably continue to complain about it). I long for one of those Long Island races, where there are no more than a few hundred people in a race. But I digress.
Everything started off all well and fine, until the first mile and a half. That is when my stupid ankle started hurting me. This is the ankle pain I developed in mile 9 of the Staten Island half-marathon and which periodically comes back to haunt me. Usually it bugs me if I try to run over 6 miles. But this time it started after a mile and a half. What the heck? I kept going though, and pushed through it. And eventually this phantom pain disappeared around mile 3.
Oh, and what happened to the water stations? There was only one water station out on the course, when normally there is at least two. Thank God for the hydration belt.
But, back to the race. I was feeling pretty good, and the last mile I usually try to pick it up, but I didn't pick it up too much because it was crowded and I was kind of like "eh, I will wait until I see the finish line and then do my usual sprint." Well, surprise surprise, sprinting was impossible at the finish because of the number of people. I seriously think people actually start jogging when they see the finish line. I mean there was not an ounce of effort to pick it up with some people. I did manage to do a version of sprint with weaving but then someone had the genius idea of setting up a water station right after the finish line. So once people crossed the finish line, they just stopped and tried to get water. Which means the finish line was backed up and you couldn't really run through, unless you wanted to run into a herd of people.
Overall I was pretty happy with the race. The best part was that I knocked off over a minute off my overall time. Another PR! And I was soooo close to getting under a 10 minute mile. Just four seconds and I would've been there. Just think, almost exactly a year ago, I ran my first race, a 4 miler, and ran at a 12 something pace. Now I am almost down to under a 10 minute mile. Woo hoo! That is progress in a year, at least for me.
Goal for the next race: see if I can bring to under a 10 minute mile.
Next race? Looks like it is going to be the Wall Street 5K in May.
2 races down, 7 races and one volunteer event to go for NYC 2010.
Anyway, I got a ride up to Central Park on Sunday (score!) and ended up getting there early. I picked up my shirt, bib and chip (no time to pick it up during the week) and then warmed up. I am big into warming up now, by the way. In these shorter races, I do feel that it helps.
This race was not a capped race. So, of course, it was mad crowded. The announcer said there were 8,000 people there. Yikes. At this point, I am getting used to weaving in and out of crowds, although I think it is absurd (and will probably continue to complain about it). I long for one of those Long Island races, where there are no more than a few hundred people in a race. But I digress.
Everything started off all well and fine, until the first mile and a half. That is when my stupid ankle started hurting me. This is the ankle pain I developed in mile 9 of the Staten Island half-marathon and which periodically comes back to haunt me. Usually it bugs me if I try to run over 6 miles. But this time it started after a mile and a half. What the heck? I kept going though, and pushed through it. And eventually this phantom pain disappeared around mile 3.
Oh, and what happened to the water stations? There was only one water station out on the course, when normally there is at least two. Thank God for the hydration belt.
But, back to the race. I was feeling pretty good, and the last mile I usually try to pick it up, but I didn't pick it up too much because it was crowded and I was kind of like "eh, I will wait until I see the finish line and then do my usual sprint." Well, surprise surprise, sprinting was impossible at the finish because of the number of people. I seriously think people actually start jogging when they see the finish line. I mean there was not an ounce of effort to pick it up with some people. I did manage to do a version of sprint with weaving but then someone had the genius idea of setting up a water station right after the finish line. So once people crossed the finish line, they just stopped and tried to get water. Which means the finish line was backed up and you couldn't really run through, unless you wanted to run into a herd of people.
Overall I was pretty happy with the race. The best part was that I knocked off over a minute off my overall time. Another PR! And I was soooo close to getting under a 10 minute mile. Just four seconds and I would've been there. Just think, almost exactly a year ago, I ran my first race, a 4 miler, and ran at a 12 something pace. Now I am almost down to under a 10 minute mile. Woo hoo! That is progress in a year, at least for me.
Goal for the next race: see if I can bring to under a 10 minute mile.
Next race? Looks like it is going to be the Wall Street 5K in May.
2 races down, 7 races and one volunteer event to go for NYC 2010.
Monday, March 30, 2009
Run. Bike. Swim. Repeat.
I haven't been writing much because, well, I don't feel like I have much to write. Run. bike. swim. repeat. Nothing too interesting there. Actually, my running has been taking a hit with biking and swimming competing with it.
This weekend I went for a nice, long bike ride through Brooklyn. Nothing too fast. But I can definitely tell that spin class has made a difference. Last year, I would go for a 15 mile ride and feel a bit sore after. This time? No problem. Except I realize that my bike seat is a tad too low (another thing I learned in spin class).
Hairy Spaz was back at swim class this week. Again, he still hasn't learned when to stop swimming. He just keeps on swimming laps when the rest of us have already completed them. He must have been an English major, because counting is not for him.
Well, that is all I have to report. Boring, I know. But it is what it is.
This weekend I went for a nice, long bike ride through Brooklyn. Nothing too fast. But I can definitely tell that spin class has made a difference. Last year, I would go for a 15 mile ride and feel a bit sore after. This time? No problem. Except I realize that my bike seat is a tad too low (another thing I learned in spin class).
Hairy Spaz was back at swim class this week. Again, he still hasn't learned when to stop swimming. He just keeps on swimming laps when the rest of us have already completed them. He must have been an English major, because counting is not for him.
Well, that is all I have to report. Boring, I know. But it is what it is.
Monday, March 23, 2009
King of Pain
Can I tell you why I haven't ran (or biked) since Thursday? Well, it is because I got the worst. charlie horse. ever. on Thursday night. Thursday nights are swim nights. It was a good night, because Hairy Spaz was not there flapping around and running us all over. At the very end of practice, the coach had us swim down to one end and then back, each time counting our strokes. As I pushed off the wall to swim back down the pool, I gave myself a mondo charlie horse in my right calf muscle. I am talking about the worse charlie horse of my life. I have gotten charlie horses plenty of times before, but I must say this was the all time worst. I immediately stopped swimming (luckily no one was behind me - I think) and managed to get out of the pool, whereby I could not put an ounce of pressure on my right leg. I hobbled on one leg to the hot tub, hoping the hot water would release the giant knot that had seized up in my calf muscle. And it did help. But stupid me, as I go to get out, I put pressure on the leg and it seized up again. So back into the hot tub I went.
I managed to hobble my way home that night, but the pain in the calf muscle did not go away. Seriously, it lasted for a whole 4 days! Never have I had charlie horse pain last that long - usually the muscle seizes up in the middle of the night when I am sleeping, I rub it out as I yelp in pain, and then I go back to bed with no traces of the charlie horse the next morning. But not this time. Even my trusty, orange foam roller didn't help.
Thus, I thought it wise that I not run until the pain went away. And I can't say I felt TOO bad about not running or biking this weekend. No, not so bad at all. But with the pain in my calf muscle gone, I am back out tonight for (hopefully) a 4 miler.
Here's hoping to no more charlie horses!
I managed to hobble my way home that night, but the pain in the calf muscle did not go away. Seriously, it lasted for a whole 4 days! Never have I had charlie horse pain last that long - usually the muscle seizes up in the middle of the night when I am sleeping, I rub it out as I yelp in pain, and then I go back to bed with no traces of the charlie horse the next morning. But not this time. Even my trusty, orange foam roller didn't help.
Thus, I thought it wise that I not run until the pain went away. And I can't say I felt TOO bad about not running or biking this weekend. No, not so bad at all. But with the pain in my calf muscle gone, I am back out tonight for (hopefully) a 4 miler.
Here's hoping to no more charlie horses!
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