Run, Recover, Roquefort.

Once again I've taken an extended break from this thing. No need to recap all the highs and lows in between, let's just get at it.

After a 10 mile race in January left me with bad outer foot and arch pain, an MRI showed I have tenosynovitis, tendinosis and edema, which are all just fancy ways of saying inflammation. And because blogs are about visuals, here's a picture of that junk:

I can keep training for the Michelob 13.1 in March though, so YAY! I didn't get into the NYC half, so I was forced to register for one the following weekend, sponsored by beer. There are worse things. 

Now that I'm starting to really put in the miles for two half marathons  (beer, then Brooklyn) and hopefully the NYC marathon in November, I also went to the endocrinologist last night, at the suggestion of my orthopedist, because basically I felt that I really don't have enough doctors that end in '-ist' in my life. And also to hopefully quash my shin issues once and for all. 

Today was my first run outside since the 10-miler (What?! I don't even know who you are anymore, Dana) and all things considered it went well. I ran for distance, not time, although I sort of wish I had started my watch because I think I ran faster than expected. I saw everyone in the world I knew on my run/way to run, which really means three people, but it made my morning feel social. This could also be because I worked for 20 days straight and finally have a break. Parks! Friends! Weekend!

Lots of thinking on this run, mostly about things like:

How I feel glad when I buy a pice of clothing or gear that's expensive, and there's a borderline chance I'll never use it, but then I use it all the time. 

How I really was the one that taught myself about pushing through and not giving up, but that I wish I did it sooner than my 20s.

How if anyone had access to my thoughts while running they would either think I was hilarious or be really embarrassed for me. I had this thought while I was making up a song about cheese to the tune of Miley Cyrus' "We Can't Stop" toward the end of my run. 

On that note, I'm gonna go make myself a victory omelet. 

Recappin'

So in between my 10-miler in January and my tearful 8-miler last week I did do a little running. It went a little something like this:

After the really chilly Run to the Brewery, I ran an even chillier Hot Chocolate 10k in Prospect Park with Kaitlyn.

SO COLD! Of course, by the end of it I was overheating but man were my digits numb at the start line. It was 1.5 laps of the park, and I hate loops (especially ones with huge hills!) but my time was still pretty good and I clocked in at 1:00:14.

I was hoping to do the D.C. Rock'n'Roll Half in March, but the way February went, I was too busy to train properly, so I didn't register. Smart move. I was putting in miles here and there (mostly there) but I really needed a race to get my focused and the Brooklyn Half it was. The rest of the year so far has looked like this:

March consisted mostly of bRUNch with Outward Bound friends and slowly turning up the mileage. 

Now that it's April I've done a few more races, a few "Run for Boston" runs and will finally be hitting double digits.

With just over 3 weeks to go to Brooklyn I'm a little anxious but excited. I've been registered to run this race for three years now, but each year I couldn't run because of injuries or having to travel for work...so this is my year!  Training hasn't felt too bad so far (knock on wood!).In a perfect world, I would do it under two hours, but really all I'm aiming for is to have it not be my slowest half. I think I'm on the right track :)

Boston.

Can I claim to have a running blog, casual though it may be, and not post about the Boston Marathon? Yes, I probably can, but I'm gonna go ahead and say something anyway. 

Tonight I went for a run because it was on my training schedule, but also because I wanted to be around other runners who wanted to be around other runners—because this is how we help each other make sense of something so apparently senseless. It's how we show our solidarity, pay our condolences, meditate on our heavy-heartedness, and send out our positive vibes. A lot of us were wearing blue and yellow or race shirts, but everyone seemed to be making the same silent statement. 

Somebody Call Me A Wahmbulance!

Does anyone else feel like this year is closing in on them? And it's only (read: ALREADY!) mid-April.  

I think I'll save a re-cap of the last 3 months for another day, because right now I just want to talk about the run I just had.

It's 9pm and I just got back from an 8 mile run because, even though I woke up at a respectable running hour when the sun was shining, I loafed around in bed. I watched a couple of running documentaries to get myself psyched up ("Running the Sahara"—Charlie Engel, what a dick!) and a bunch of Nike commercials on YouTube, but it didn't stick. Then it got cloudy and I didn't want to run. So I went shopping.

By the time I got home at 5, I was feeling better and the sky was clearing up, so I polished off my Carrot and Raisin cookie from the Union Square Farmers Market, rehydrated, digested, watched some more Nike commercials, and headed out around 6:30.

The first couple of miles in the park were a little tough, and I debated just doing a 5k and saving the long run for tomorrow (as part of a short group run I'm already doing) but motivation was on my side. I left the park at Columbus Circle and headed toward the Hudson—the sun was shining on the water, I was gaining some downhill momentum, and Alicia Keys was singing all about how I was on fire.

Weeping installment #1. Running catharsis is no lie.

I don't even know where it came from. I'm not even running red (which is what I've decided to start calling it when I have to run and I also have my period (sorry dudes). I thought of that on this run. Is that a thing? It is now. Gross.) I just started to feel good about being out there on a long run and couldn't hold back the tears.

One of the things I freaking love about living on the West Side now is that I'm closer to Riverside Park and the Hudson River Greenway, which is really fantastic. I hate running loops, so it's nice to be able to just run a straight shot for miles, and feeling like I'm knocking them down quickly. 72nd St...54th St...23rd St. BAM!

I realized that I was feeling pretty excellent and my body was cooperating. I was also making better time than the 10k I ran last weekend. I'm training for the Brooklyn Half and have all but committed to the NYC marathon this year. I was feeling anxious and having reservations, but this run was helping to put some of them to rest. Then I thought of my family waiting for me on 1st avenue in 2011 and

Weeping installment #2. I have a great family.

I was pretty far downtown by this point, and passed the murals I helped paint for NY Cares day. I hope they never paint over them. At mile 7, "Life" by the Avett Brothers came on, which always makes me cry no matter what, so I'd like to consider this one a freebie. HOWEVER, the sun was so glowy and the buildings were so beautiful, and the Statue of Liberty was just chillin' out, and even though I know I belong in the mountains I can't seem to leave this city.

Weeping installment #3. We're not of this world for long. I'd better start doing what I want.

It was a good long run. Then it was a good long train ride back to Harlem, so now I'm just going to eat a bowl of wheatberries and watch Clueless because I am tired (and tired of weeping haha) and that movie's been on my brain for some reason lately. What-ever!

Run to the Brewery!

My mission to do more fun, smaller, home-town races is off to a great start with the Sayville Run to the Brewery, a race that starts and ends at the Blue Point Brewing Co.

I headed out to Long Island on Friday night to stay with my friend Kaitlyn who was also running the race. Too much tasty Italian food, frozen yogurt, and a couple of NBC sitcoms later, a 6:15 wake-up call was set. Friday was freezing, at a whopping 25 degrees, and even though I knew Saturday would be warmer, it was so windy and difficult to know what to wear. Somehow we ended up in the same exact outfits as the last time we ran a race on Long Island together.

We met up with some of Kaitlyn's coworkers and my friend Jaimie (who I also tricked into convinced to run) and her friend. Kate and I started out together, but split up after the first water station around mile 2.5. This was also when—as usual—I got into my own head.

Aaaand it's only Tuesday

First off, let me just say how much I love volleyball. Too bad it's taken me so long to participate in organized team sports, but now I'm here and I totally dig it. Even though our team is not that good. (But that's what 'extremely casual' divisions are for!)

You win some, you lose some

WIN

Thursday 1/10: I almost skipped this one, but I'm so glad I didn't. My expectations weren't particularly high, just wanted to get it done. I decided to run clockwise in the park, a direction I normally hate, but I needed a change of scenery. Well, it turns out clockwise only sucks on the west side because you're running the hills in the steeper direction. On the east side it's really not so bad! I've avoided this for years, but I think it helps that I enter the park from a different spot since I've moved—the northwest corner of the park. Which, by the way, is right in the middle of the Harlem Hills, so no matter which direction I choose, I'm running uphill for the first bit of my run. 

Anyway, my legs didn't feel leaden, my lungs were good and warmed up, and my shin was taped and sleeved and feeling fine. It had warmed up a bit and boy, what a difference a few degrees makes! I kept up a 9:30 pace for the 4 miles, which I attribute, in part, to Eminem. I can't seem to run over a 9mm when I listen to his songs. A pretty great run overall!

LOSE

Saturday 1/12: 9 miles on the docket today before next weekend's ten-mile race. First of all, since Thursday's run my calves on BOTH legs (surprisingly) have been SO TIGHT. Painfully tight. Like tears in my eyes as I roll them out tight. This is the first time this has happened. I had 3 potential running routes, and was pretty much gonna wing it. As I was getting ready, my Garmin totally shorted out. I went to plug it in, the charge screen appeared and then everything went blank. I quickly came to plan B which was to use MapMyRun on my phone. I knew it was gonna be a little warmer so instead of doubling up on the fleece I went for a t-shirt and fleecy sweatshirt. Then I put my phone in the sweatshirt, which I've done numerous times, but maybe because my layers weren't as bulky it was bouncing around so badly as I ran and twisting my sweatshirt around. And the t-shirt kept riding up underneath. This was NOT working, so I stopped and crammed the phone in my pants pocket which kept it in place better, but that meant I didn't have good access to it. Also my shin was itching and burning and feeling generally uncomfortable.

I left the park at 60th St. and ran to the Queensborough bridge, getting stuck at every traffic light and it was too much of a hassle to pause the phone. I was meant to run the entire bridge out and back, but I stopped at the top and turned around, which isn't even halfway, which meant I was gonna have to make up those miles at the end. I left the bridge and ran up the East River Promenade, and every time I wanted to check my mileage I had to extract and then stuff my phone into this minuscule pocket. At one point I stopped for a little leg massage. I just wanted it to be overwith, so I shuffled up to 116th and back down a few blocks until I hit 9 and found an exit off of that damn path. I took the bus home and felt really light headed and nauseous because, of course, I didn't eat that much before and, of course, I didn't bring any Powergel. Lame.

DRAW

On the walk to the bus to go back home I passed a track on 114th and 1st. I've been wanting to use one to do speed work but the one on Houston is SO far away. I probably wouldn't feel comfortable running here at night until it stays lighter later, but I might be able to get myself to go on the weekend if it doesn't mess with long runs. Also, even though that totally sucked and I lost time at traffic lights or checking my phone, my pace was around 10:30. I had expected it to be way worse. I think I'm gonna go reward myself with a leg massage and a nap.