a great FUNdraiser

To boost our fundraising efforts, my girlfriends and i held a little fundraiser last night.

It was really low-key, just at a local bar with the celtics game on and some live music played by our friend Mathison but it was a great way to stir up some fundraising dollars from our friends and co-workers while being to give them something back (well potentially give them something back).

The prizes ranged from gift certificates to sports gear to hotel stays and it was so fun giving them out! I did, however, go to home with a sad and guilty feeling weighing on me because I felt so bad for the people who donated and didn't win anything. I think this is my last time orchestrating a raffle... i can't take the emotional agony associated with it!

I was the one to read out the winners name and i am NOT a fan of public speaking so i was really nervous. I get awkward, overthink what I'm about to say, and then just spit something out (like when I was announcing the winner of a night's stay at the Liberty Hotel, i so smoothly described it as "... a hotel that used to be a jail, and now just looks like a jail.")

I'm half way to my fundraising goal, so a big "THANK YOU!" to all of you who have donated so far :)

Social Roadblocks

Keeping on a training schedule is really hard when theres just other stuff to doooo...

Heading to the Celtics game tonight and to Killington for the weekend, so I'm not quite back on track yet but after this weekend I am in total marathon-mode... sticking to my running schedule, eating healthy, and nixing alcohol (well for the most part) until April 19th!

the funny man in the middle of the street

I went on an adventure to visit friends in San Diego and go to my friend's wedding San Antonio (the first one of my friends to get married!) last week, so I haven't keeping up on my posts. The trip was amazing and totally worth it. I got to see friends that I love love love love, spend a lot of time with my amazing boyfriend, and see a LOT of Texas country side in a road trip from San Antonio to Dallas. Did you know that there are over TWO HUNDRED Chili's locations in Texas? I literally think we saw one every mile.

Even though I managed to get in a 16 miler during my trip, the vacation left me feeling horribly under-trained and very nervous for this weekend's 18.3 mile run. So I did the best I could in training during the week and ate a good healthly meal, drank a lot of water, and got a lot of rest the night before. Saturday a.m. I woke up with butterflies in my stomach and headed out to meet the running group.

No matter the length of my runs, I always fall into the same pattern. I feel like I'm not getting anywhere for the beginning of the run, right up until I hit the halfway point. Once I get to there I start feeling pretty good, but I don't really hit my stride until I'm roughly 60% of the way in. From there on out, as long as it's a good run, I'm golden. I know I have more behind me than I do in front and my competitive edge comes out. Whether the route is 4 miles or 14, its always the same thing. It's amazing how mental physical activity ends up being.

Saturday was no different. It was an absolutely amazing run - thanks to the company of my friends that are training with me, the amazing weather, and the extra energy of delicious sports beans, we finished with smiles on our faces and (just a little bit of) extra energy.

Along the way during these long runs, we often have to scoot around pedestrians, block out comments from crazy Brookline residents, and motion "sorry!!!" to the oncoming traffic as we run in front of it. It's not fun. We don't try to be obnoxious, it's just that, when you've got your pace, it's so important to keep at it. Little up and downs really mess up your stride and can even seriously hurt you. I adjusted my stride quickly when training for my first half marathon and it triggered serious knee pain.

All the negative energy from the grumps we pass along the way can totally be outweighed by just one fan. So today I want to thank the man that stood in the middle of the street in Brookline as we ran by that was clapping and cheering us on, screaming "These girls are getting ready for April 19th!!!!!!!!!!!!" Little did you know that we were just coming up on mile 14 and that was exactly what we needed to hear to keep us going.

peace, love, and sports beans.

punched calves

Ok i halfway take back yesterday's post on the wonders of running on the balls of my feet. my calves feels like strong and tiny fists delivered rounds and rounds of powerful blows all day yesterday. Ouchh!!

On a positive note, how cute is this baby sloth!?

Keeping Me On My Toes

My previous post mentioning my foot problems has spurred a media explosion of investigation on the best way to run. Just last week, the Wall Street Journal published an article on the benefits of running barefoot (or in shoes with less cushioning and more flexibility). Apparently, barefoot runners alter their form naturally to hit the ground at higher point in the foot, almost at the ball of their feet, thereby allowing the body to more effectively absorb the impact.

I've been experiencing intense pain on the side and back of my foot, most likely stemming from the way I land when running on uneven ground. The pain subsides after icing, ibuprofen, and rest, but comes right back with each run. Because of this, over the past few weeks I've been stressed out about whether or not I'll overcome this injury and if I'll physically be able to run the marathon.

The trainer suggests a brace, stretching, and sleeping in this thing called the Strassburg Sock. My god! I really don't want to pay $40 to sleep in some sort of medieval torture device, so I've decided to test out this whole barefoot theory out. I couldn't bring myself to go really go barefoot, my little feetsies can't handle the cold pavement, so I tested the waters by running on the ball of my foot in my regular sneakers this morning.

And the initial verdict is - SUCCESS! I just did a short run so it's not definite that this form will work for the long runs, but I think I'm headed down the right path. Not an ounce of pain in my foot and my goodness does it give your calves a workout! The only downside is that I'm pretty sure I look like a fool tiptoeing around... but I usually don't pick my legs up that much and it looks like I'm gliding on an invisible nordic track so I guess this could be an improvement.

Beer vs Running Shoes

Oh beer oh beer oh beer
You make me grin from ear to ear.
As soon as you're gone, a replacement is near,
Then in the morning, for my life i fear.

A weekend away
the runner will play.
Laughing and lounging all day,
"More beer!" I say!

A three hour trip,
Into the condo I slip.
I'll eat more than one chip
and lots of chili cheese dip!

Beer, gin, and blackberry Vodka,
Into the van and off to the bar horrah!
Barkeep what's that? No! No soda,
We want Beer, and more beer, and more beer - ha!

The weekend is over and now I'm back home,
Back to emails, meetings, and calls on my work phone.
From kitchen to mail room to cube I roam,
Feeling lethargic like a lazy lump of loam.

Leaving the office I decided on a whim
That life would be better if I skipped the gym.
So tomorrow morning, while the light is still dim,
I'll be running down Broadway, not looking or feeling so slim.

But in the battle of Beer vs Running shoes,
it's not that either one will really lose.
I'll deal with the running after the booze,
Accepting the consequences as my Drinker's Dues.