All About the Race

On Saturday night Mark and I went to dinner at Paolo's (spaghetti dinner, you know) and went to bed at around 11:30pm.  I was definitely nervous, nervous about waking up on time, nervous about how cold it would be in the morning, nervous if I had trained enough, or in the right way.  Nervous!

Sunday morning at 5am came earlier than I anticipated.  But, after a night of much interrupted sleep I was feeling a sense of now or never.  I made my pre-race breakfast, oatmeal and almond butter, and a banana and drank, and drank, and drank (lots of water).

If you're wondering what to wear if you're running 10 miles and it is 33 degrees outside, you may follow my lead: long leggings (cotton/spandex), a wicking sports bra, a base layer long sleeve t-shirt, a Marmot zip up jacket, and a headband.  It is cold at 5am, but around mile 3 it really does start to warm up as evidenced by the trail of jackets, gloves, a shirts on the street.

As I have said, this was my first race.  Sometime in the early morning hours as I wandered around the base of the Washington Monument, my nerves dissipated and were replaced with excitement (as well as an urgency to pee - see above about the water).  I felt my muscles warm up and relax, and that sense of fear about not being able to do this thing, this race, turned into excitement as a smile spread across my face.

I didn't run the best race, I got a cramp, I had to walk for a portion.  But, I finished.  I came running into the finish line as my husband and sister watched and cheered me on and finished in just under 2 hours.  

As I ran faster towards the finish line, I wasn't thinking anything.  I was just running (I know, very Forrest Gump).  When I crossed I felt everything.  I felt salt on my forehead, the cold chill on sweat soaked clothes, and absolute joy.  I wasn't tired.  I was proud.

I hope you'll take some time to make a goal, whatever it is, and train towards it.  That feeling at the end, it's amazing.

Final Stretch

This weekend I am running the Cherry Blossom Ten Mile Race.  I am clearly not the first person to run this race, and I'll be running it with thousands of other people, but I am excited about this race.  And by excited I mean pretty nervous.

I am not a runner.  In fact, when I went to the running store two weeks ago to buy new sneakers, I emphatically told the employee, "I am running in the Cherry Blossom Ten Mile, but I'm not a runner or anything".  And the truth is, I wasn't a runner.  I didn't look forward to running the trails near our apartment in Virginia, and I often stood on the side of the track while Mark ran (and fast).  

This past fall, I knew I needed to find a mental and physical challenge to compete with the various other challenges in life.  I needed something to focus on, to aspire to and to complete.

I am generally competitive by nature, but the only person I have been competing with has been me.  Over the course of the last two months, during my training program, I have gone from dreading the 3 miles I needed to run, to saying now, "Oh, it's just three miles."

Before I ever started running I told myself that if I ran 5 miles my gift to myself would be the Maniac pumps from Brian Atwood, it is no longer about the shoes.  It is about knowing that I set a goal, I went after it, and in a few days I will do it.  I am not running for time, I am running for me.

I'll report back on Monday with the results. 

If you need a reason to take on a new challenge, the reason should be because you can, and so you have to.

Have a great weekend. 

Work Out Bright

This weekend was my first six mile run in preparation for the 10 miler in less than a month.  Normally I train in my neighborhood or in the gym, but on Saturday Mark joined me for a run around the National Mall.

We were joined by many other runners and it got me thinking about running/fitness attire.

I really do believe you have to feel good to look good and look good to feel good, and that extends to working out as well.  To paraphrase our favorite yogi, Eoin Finn, there is a difference between surfing in a 3mm wetsuit and surfing in board shorts, your movement is better with less constriction/bulk.

So in search of work out inspiration we go to the runways.  The Spring 2011 runways showed a variety of pieces in a bold variety of neon colors.  

Photo by Imaxtree, via Elle

The goal is to look fashionable and still very fitness ready, keeping in mind you're running not strutting the runway.

Workout Bright From L - R: Michael Kors Sport Chronograph at EBAGs; Nike Dri-Fit French Terry at Zappos; Sporty Shorts at Adidas; Run Performance Short by Stella McCartney at Adidas; Classic Nylon Slim at Reebok; Stella Cotton Towel at Net-A-Porter

On trend - bright for spring and perfectly functional.  See you at the finish line!

Run, Carly, Run

Almost two weeks ago I signed up for the lottery for the annual Cherry Blossom Ten Mile Run.  I have previously signed up for this event, and was not previously selected.  The longest race I have ever run is 3.2 miles.  I am challenging myself to run more than 3 times that long.

When I signed up the first time I, and didn't get in, I told Mark that when I ran the ten miles I would treat myself to a pair of these...

Brian Atwood Maniac Pump

For now the goal is just to train and run the race.  I'll worry about what my reward is when I cross the finish line.  But, in the interim between now and then I'll keep you posted on the training, the ups and downs and what, besides shoes, is motivating me.  If you have any tips I'd love to hear from you!

Realizing Resolutions

Tradition tells us that on New Year's Eve in addition to making plans, finding an outfit and getting ready you should also take some time for reflection and resolve to do better in the new year.  For me something has to give, and it's usually the resolution part.  However, this year was different.  

This New Year's Eve Mark and I were getting married a few weeks later and so charting the year with goals, and plans seemed to be more natural than before.

I will share with you some of my goals for the year, and the progress so far:

• Continue yoga practice so that I can finally touch my heels to the ground in downward dog 

This isn't me, but that's the goal.

•  Read 1 book a month, this seems fairly achievable, but I need to work on it.  I picked up a few duds that derailed this goal...

• Run 5 miles without stopping, this goal was designed so that I could seriously treat myself to a new pair of shoes, at the time it was the Brian Atwood Maniac Pumps

Brian Atwood Maniac Pumps

 

 

•  Bake more and take chances with my baking.  This has been a success, as evidenced here, and here, here, and here.  A large part of this goal was that with baking, more so than cooking, if you make a mistake it's obvious; there is no denying a deflated souffle, a dry cake or crumbly cookie.  Baking forces you to take a risk with every open and close of the oven door.  

• Be published again.  This has been perhaps the most personal goal.  In my former job I had been establishing myself as an expert in the fashion/premium denim field when it came to fits and what celebrities were wearing.  I had been quoted for the AP, In Style, Life & Style and Real Simple - and with every snippet of an article, it was always a thrill. Today I realized that thrill again when I got to write for the DC Ladies blog.  This blog is a community of women in their 20's-30's-40's who write on events, travel, food, fitness and life in general.  I will be writing there every two weeks about food. 

Thank you for being a part of this journey so far, and I'll keep you updated on that downward dog thing, as I continue...

Things to look forward to this week: The magic of oven dried tomatoes, seriously wow!, homemade pizza party, some more sweet treats, Wedding Wednesday and more!

Quick Thought: Running in Style

This morning on the way to work I saw a 40+ year old woman running through K Street and Pennsylvania Avenue.

It is currently 82 degrees out.
That is hot.
It is especially hot at 9am.

She was singing so loudly that possibly her music made the heat, the traffic, and the shin splints disappear. What a great way to start the day. Also extra style points to her for matching her iPod wires to her running outfit.

How did you start your day? I did the P90X Extreme Yoga. It's extreme, no joke, but more on that later.

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