Hungry Turkey 5K

After such an poor showing at the Hot Chocolate 15K earlier in the month, I was determined to do better. The Hungry Turkey 5K was my shot. It was held the Saturday after Thanksgiving.

We had an exciting first Thanksgiving in Columbus by preparing our Thanksgiving dinner on our own for the first time ever. We had intended for Chris' family to be in town to see our new place and check out the area, but some minor medical issues prevented that from happening. So it was just the two of us. And a massive turkey. And a small ham. And far too many sides. But we laughed a lot and the meal was delicious.

But back to running. On that Saturday, I set out for the start line determined. It was chilly, but not unbearable. The race hoodies they gave participants were amazing! My goal was simply to run the entire race. I'm happy to say that I met my goal. At 12:44 per mile, I wasn't setting any world records, but I was proud. It was a step in the right direction and that is all you can ask.

Have you ever run a turkey trot?

Andrea :)

Hot Chocolate 15K

The idea of running a 15K turned out to be much more fun than the actual running of it. Even though lots of chocolate was involved at the finish line.

I was beyond unprepared for race day. On top of that sad fact, the forecast showed rain. It turned out to be more of a mist than an actual rain, but my socks and shoes were completely soaked by the 5K marker. It was a disaster.

Honestly, the only positive from the entire adventure was the chocolate treats at the end. Those were worth the slog. Definitely a race I want to do over in the future. It had amazing potential, but I just didn't do my part on this one.

What is your least favorite racing experience?

Andrea :)

Scioto 10K...or not

Before we even moved to Columbus, we signed up for the Scioto 10K in late September. Chris and I were so excited about jumping right into this run. After a less than stellar finale in New York with the Harlem 5K, I was certainly looking for some redemption.

It's an understatement to say we were shocked when we received emails the week of the race that it had been cancelled due to the town not approving the road closures. We were so bummed, but they still provided us with the race shirts and medals along with an invitation to the post-race breakfast so we decided to earn those goodies.

We completed our own 10K on the Olentangy Trail. It was pleasant and mostly shady. I didn't particularly keep tabs on my time, but I am proud that we got out there and ran the miles.

Have you ever had a race cancel on you?

Andrea :)

Harlem 5K

After dozens of New York Road Runner races over the past seven years, I felt excited about making the Harlem 5K my last. I spent most of my time packing boxes and shuffling them around the apartment so we could still live in their midst all summer so running hadn't been my top priority. However, something just felt right about capping off my time in New York with a 5K.

I'd never done the Harlem 5K before mostly because the hills in Central Park were more than enough for me. I wasn't too interested in the challenge of the Harlem hills I had heard about in this race. In the end, I was too worn down for them to be a challenge at all.

I gave it a good faith effort, but I ended up having to walk/jog most of this one. My 13:31 per mile time is proof. At the end of the day, I still enjoyed the experience and the closure it brought as we prepared to move away from the hustle and bustle of the Big Apple.

Andrea :)

Five on Friday!

{ONE}

I was ecstatic when Sarah Rodriguez selected me to be part of her book launch team! I have followed her journey for years and am completed mesmerized by her strength and courage as she has overcome so much in such a short time.  When I received my advance copy of From Depth We Rise, I absolutely couldn't stop reading! It is a beautifully written love story. A love story filled with happiness and joy as well as sacrifice, pain, and loss. Sarah's journey from a single 20-something headed off to the adventure of New York City to a single mother of two back home in Oklahoma is a true page turner. The book is divided into two sections - The Depths and The Rise. Both are written in a way that allowed me to become completely engrossed. This story of faith and God's blessings amidst tragedy is certain to speak to your heart. And be sure to keep some tissue at hand because there will be tears with each twist and turn.  Go HERE to grab your copy - it is worth EVERY penny of the $8.52 paperback price!

{TWO}

About a month ago now, Chris and I decided to cap off our summer of running with the Sunnyside One Mile Run. It was a tad unorganized, but we survived it. I prefer the NYRR 5th Ave Mile, but it was nice to support some local Queens charity groups.  Not so much fun to include a hill in a one mile fun run...

{THREE}

Another book I'd set my sights on long ago was The Light Between Oceans. When I began to see the movie previews for it, I decided I better get busy reading.  As it turns out, I ended up going the audible route. The book was good, but definitely a bit slow in places. I saw the movie with my friend Rachel the afternoon after I finished the book...and it was a bit slow in places, too. The movie was fine, but (as usual) I much prefer the detail of the book. The movie left out a handful of info that helped round out the light keeper himself, but overall it closely mimicked the book.

{FOUR}

As we move into fall, I've been doing a bit of reflecting on summer. Chris turned me into a bit of a running spectator this year. It might have been on accident, but it happened nonetheless. Chris discovered that he was best able to train and prepare as a runner when he had a race scheduled.  Besides the one mile run I mentioned earlier and the 10k race we ran together in June, he completed four additional races over the summer months. I am incredibly proud of him. It was a lot more stressful than I realized to be the spectator part of a couple. I'm not great at spotting people in large crowds so I was consistently concerned I would miss him at the various checkpoints we'd set.  I didn't, but the worry never ceased. I was so happy to be cheering him on to his goals race after race.

{FIVE}

We saw our final show as 2nd Stage Theater season ticket holders a couple of weeks ago. The Layover proved quite interesting though we both agreed we weren't too keen on the ending. We couldn't put our finger on exactly how we had hoped it would end, but what we saw on stage wasn't it.  Otherwise, we really enjoyed the play. As season ticket holders, we have loved our experience each time we attend a 2nd Stage production. It has truly become our go to spot!

How are things in your world?

Read any great books?

Run any fun races?

Andrea :)

Our 1st 10k Together!

Today, I have a special guest joining me on the blog to share all about our 1st 10k experience together.  I thought it would be fun for you all to hear his point of view regarding our recent 6.2 mile run in Queens.  Without further ado...

Last year, I decided I wanted to run a race where all finishers received a New York City Road Runners medal. As a Queens resident, the Queens 10k was a logical choice. To prepare, I ran three races - Run for Japan, LIC Run the Waterfront, Retro 4 Miler - and bought fancy running shoes that probably cost too much money. That is the most I ever ran in my entire life, but I wanted to be ready for this race.

The race took place at Flushing Meadows Park which is a long ride on the 7 train especially on Saturday morning when you are half asleep. But Andrea and I got on that train early and were greeted with quite a few others heading to the same place. Due to my bad knees, I have what could be described as an elaborate stretching routine.  I need to get there 20-30 minutes early so I can get ready. There were so many people at this race that I could have shown up at the 8:30 scheduled start and still had time to stretch. We didn't start until almost 9.  At that point, it had started to get warm.

This was the only the second time I ran alongside Andrea. Before, we had a great race routine - she ran and I watched. My desire to get a medal changed that but I wanted to run with her. Most of the time I ran listening to podcasts, but recently I felt that music was more helpful. My mp3 player was loaded with music from the Roots and I was flying. Unfortunately, I started too fast. Flushing Meadows Park is not like Central Park. You are not running under trees. After the first mile, it started to get very warm and we started to slow down. The heat got to us and our pace suffered.

The second and third miles seemed to be entirely in the sun, wearing us down even more. This race also has narrow paths making it mentally easier to walk in small spaces. There was even a point right before you reach the 5k mark where you run over a bridge. By the 4th mile the end was in sight because there was a turnaround ahead. Plus at that point, I could see people with the medal that was awaiting me when I finished. That plus the Roots kicking in moved me on.

Finishing up the 5th mile, Andrea and I were settling in. We were running towards the Unisphere. I could see the finish line. Except our path to it was not straight. We had to run around the Unisphere. Andrea tells me there is a time she wants to beat and we have to finish in 5 minutes. I see this as the time to go back to how I ran that first mile. We kicked it into high gear and finished the race. We held hands as we ran across the finish line. Then we got our medals. Andrea put it around my neck. She knew how important this was to me.

My knees were sore and I knew I would spend the rest of the day with ice but I made my goal. I was happy about that. When people run the NYC Marathon, they wear their medal to work the next day. I didn't go out in public with my medal, but I sat on the couch wearing it around my neck icing my knee and thinking I really accomplished something today.

Thanks for that great recap of our experience, Christopher!  It really was a special day.  I'm so glad we were able to be there for one another throughout the training and all 6.2 miles on race day!

We finished our first 10k together in 1:26:37 at a pace of 13:57 per mile.

Andrea :)

My 5th NYRR Mini 10k

The NYRR Mini 10k has become a staple in my summer race schedule.  As I trekked through the course for my 5th straight year, I was overwhelmed with joy for the community of women runners.  I love this race because the ladies out there attacking the hills and heat alongside one another always find a way to encourage and uplift me.  This year, I also had Chris on the course cheering me along.

I started the race strong.  Chris was waiting for me around the 1.5 mile point so I committed to run the whole way to him - and I did it!  Just after seeing him, I headed into the park.  One of the first major obstacles after entry is a massive hill. That wasn't fun, but I ran as much as I could through it.  By the time I hit the 5k marker, I was really wishing it was a 4 miler instead of a 10k.  I pushed through the next mile before I really hit a low point in mile 4.  Chris was just on the other side of the mile 5 marker so I tried to focus on just making it there.  Fortunately, I had some good music kick in about that time as well!

After seeing Chris for the second time, I knew there was just a mile left to go.  I wasn't feeling great, but I was hanging in there.  I was dead set on beating my time from the Healthy Kidney 10k a few weeks ago...and I knew it meant I'd have to fight to the finish. Once I got close enough to feel the presence of the finish line, I made myself go as hard as I could to the end.  I felt like I was in slow motion, but I was thrilled when I crossed the finish line with a time of 1:25:30.  An improvement of almost exactly 3 minutes!  I managed to shave 30 seconds off my miles!  Running 13:46 minute miles still isn't really anything to brag about, but I was happy with the improvement!  Here's to hoping I'm able to shave off a little more time when Chris and I run the Queens 10k this weekend!

Have you ever run an all-women's race?  

How did it compare to those you run in mixed company?

Andrea :)

UAE Healthy Kidney 10k

Don't let the photo fool you, my first 10k of the season didn't go so great. I can't say I was entirely surprised. It was a miserably hot day...and I really wasn't all that prepared. I'm hopeful the one I run today goes a bit better.

I've contemplated putting a hold on running since last fall. I don't have the same enthusiasm that I used to for it. Maybe it is time to focus on some other types of exercise and circle back to it down the line. It's tough though because I do like the aspect of competing with myself to improve...and it's always fun to get a new medal for my collection! I'll hold off on making a firm decision until after the Queens 10k that I am running with Chris next weekend, but I think it's time to make a change! Especially if I continually report 10k finishing times of 1:28:20 - that's 14:13 per mile. Such a disappointment for me.

Andrea :)

Five on Friday!

I am SO excited to finish the week and begin another wonderful weekend of fun!!  June has been jam packed for us already so let me catch you up on the adventures...

-ONE-

As you saw yesterday, we've been watching plays like crazy.  We've taken it a bit slower with the musicals - mostly because Chris isn't as big of a fan of them.  But also because they are much more difficult to squeeze in on a weeknight.  And our weekends have been crazy full of fun outdoor adventures like running!  Back to my point though - the plays!  Since we'd seen so many this year, we thought it would be fun to attend the Drama Desk Awards this past Sunday.  It was definitely an interesting experience.  We had lots of laughs and enjoyed hearing the strictly timed acceptance speeches - 90 seconds is a lot longer than I thought!

-TWO- 

Chris ran another NYRR 4-miler on Sunday.  And he now has a new personal best!!  I'm so proud of how great he is doing with running!  He managed to run back-to-back races last weekend since we had the inaugural LIC Run the Waterfront 5k together on Saturday.  We are gearing up for our big race of the summer next weekend when we take on the Queens 10k together!

-THREE-

We escaped the hustle and bustle of the city after our 5k last weekend when we drove up to Baldwin Winery in the Hudson Valley.  They were having a Strawberry, Wine, and Chocolate Festival.  I was sold when Chris said the tasting included a chocolate covered strawberry, but we got a whole plate full of tasty treats to enjoy while we tried various wine samples.  Definitely a fun way to spend the afternoon!

-FOUR-

Earlier this week, we trekked out to Citi Field Stadium to see Beyonce perform her Formation World Tour.  To be frank, we were quite disappointed.  I was completely amazed when I saw her perform up close and personal at Super Bowl a few years ago, but she just didn't have the same appeal this time.  It seemed like her moves for every song were exactly the same.  And there was just a real strange feeling surrounding the whole experience.  Maybe I should have anticipated that I wouldn't love it since I am not really a fan of her recent work, but I still had high hopes for her performance factor.  She did manage to impress me with the final dance set done in a shallow pool of water - that type of entertainment was what I had hoped to see all night long!

-FIVE-

I shared with you our Date Box experience in May recently.  Well, the next date box that arrived was equally as fun - and we've only managed to make it halfway through the date!  The date box included a CD to learn some fun dance moves and a competitive card game, but we dove in for the make your own ice cream portion first.  We have plans to finish the rest before the end of the month, but we sure did have fun making (and eating) our ice cream!

What have you been up to in June so far?

Andrea :)

LIC Living

When we moved to LIC (Long Island City) a couple of years ago, I had my doubts about the area.  It was a far cry from my previous anything and everything at your fingertips midtown Manhattan location.  And, of course, it involved the subway - ugh!!  Fortunately, it didn't take me long to warm up to the area.  Not to mention the fact that it has grown by leaps and bounds in just those two short years!

One of my favorite parts of LIC is the waterfront park area.  We stumbled upon it when roaming around the neighborhood our first Spring.  I've done most of my short runs in that area over the past year, and I've really grown to love it.  And you can't beat the view there!  Fast forward to about a month ago when we decided to check out the LIC Springs festival over on Vernon Blvd and discovered an upcoming inaugural Run the Waterfront 5k.  Needless to say, we promptly signed up.

The 5k was a run/walk format and really just a fun way for locals to celebrate life in LIC.  Chris and I were pumped to find out we'd be able to walk to the start!  We really enjoyed the experience from bib pick up at LIC Landing (complete with a free drink!) to running through familiar streets together.  We weren't the fastest in the bunch, but we really enjoyed the community feel of the race day experience.  Definitely something we would do again!

Andrea :)

Race to Deliver - A Year Long Adventure

God's Love We Deliver has been on my mind for a full year now.  I ran this exact same 4-miler last year as I wrapped up my marathon qualifying.  I was intrigued by the charity and did a bit of research post-race.  I discovered they have a Birthday Bake Sale ministry where a donation can be made in honor of or in memory of loved ones.  That donation is then used to bake a birthday cake for a New Yorker living with a serious illness so he or she doesn't have to feel so alone on their special day.  I decided this would be a great way to honor each of my family members throughout the year.

I surprised each of them on their birthday with an email telling them all about the donation made in their name.  I was happy to be able to continue giving to this great organization from February to November.  When the Race to Deliver 4-miler rolled around this year, I was SUPER excited to run in support of a charity that has meant so much to me this year.  I also decided I would donate a dollar toward their holiday meal program for every minute I was on the course this year.

I happened to run my best time all year while reflecting on this past year of giving back as I trekked through Central Park on a gorgeous November day.  I managed to run 11:52 per mile for a total time of 47:28.  I'll go ahead and round up to $50 since I love this charity's mission so much!  Check them out HERE if you have interest in learning more about them!

Andrea :)

My Second NYC Marathon: A Recap

It is difficult to recall now what exactly possessed me to run a second marathon let alone a second marathon in the same city, but now that I'm a couple weeks removed from crossing the finish line I suppose it doesn't matter too much.  It was a tough race for me, but I had some really great moments along the way. If you ever wanted to be inside the mind of a minimally trained marathon runner, you've come to the right place.  It is a long one, but hopefully the photos make it worthwhile for you :)

It's 5:30am...and the alarm tells me it is time to rise and shine.  It's marathon day!  I'm groggy, but I get up.  It takes a bit of time for me to wake up though.  Thankfully, I laid everything out before I went to bed.  My breakfast is tucked into my bag along with several items to keep me warm as I wait for my group to start on Staten Island.  My supportive husband volunteers to walk with me to the subway station so I don't have to worry about keeping track of my metro card all day.  He's the best!  We head over to catch the 7 train.

At 6:15am, my train arrives.  There are a couple other marathoners that hop on board with me.  And just like that I'm on my way.  By 6:45am, we are shuffling through the barricades toward the charter buses lined up at the Public Library in midtown.  I managed to snag a row to myself so I grabbed a few much-needed winks on the ride out to Staten Island. After arriving, runners are herded like cattle through the security area.  And then the waiting begins!  I drank SO much water at home that I headed straight to the never ending port-o-potty line.  It took ages to get to the front of that line, but there were lots of conversations going on that made time move just a tad faster.

Finally, I found a spot to call home for a couple hours.  I ate my banana and peanut butter breakfast and downed some more water.  I made a friend, too.  She had on Bengals earrings so I struck up a conversation.  As it turned out she was fully decked in Who Dey gear and we spent the next hour or so chatting and flipping through magazines together. 

We meandered over to the blue corral and found section E between port-o-potty stops and the removal of our layers. By 11:00am our group was ready to roll!  The atmosphere was electric.  And then we waited some more.  An announcement regarding our brief delay was made.  Shortly following, the anthem was sung and a solitary shot was fired.  We were off!

Mile 1 involved an exciting, yet grueling jaunt over the Verrazano Bridge.  There were selfies and fabulous views galore.  I cheered internally when I made it to the Mile 1 marker.  And then, out of nowhere it hit.  A side stitch.  Are you kidding me?!?!?  How can this be happening at Mile 2?  I'm never going to make it to the end at this rate.

It was painful.  SO painful.  I did everything in my power to make it go away.  I applied pressure to my side.  I walked with my hands over my head.  I eventually drank some water - thank you Mile 3 water station.  That seemed to do the trick.  My new focus became determining my pace and attempting to figure out how close I was to still being able to hit my goal time given this unexpected twist so early in the race! Mile 4 and 5 and 6 were flat and full of excited Brooklynites.  I stayed focused on putting one foot in front of the other.  And I started to listen to a little bit of my audiobook.  Somehow, I was marking off the miles a tad ahead of my 6:00 hour pace bracelet.  Shocking, but great news...especially since I was talking a short walk break at each mile's water station.

Just before Mile 7 my awesome husband was cheering me on with a sign and a smile.  I was SO happy to see his face!  And he brought me some orange bloks. I needed those in the worst way!  I could feel my energy level rise as I worked my way through them over the course of Mile 8 and 9.  By Mile 10, I just wanted to be done with Brooklyn already.  Don't get me wrong, the supporters there are SPECTACULAR, but I was just ready for Queens and the familiarity it would bring.  And, of course, the halfway mark.

Mile 11 and 12 found me starting to really get hungry.  It was nearly 2pm.  I had been up since before the sun.  And I made the mistake of eating only once.  Mental note for next time.  Scratch that.  There won't be a next time.  I'm starving.  Back to the audiobook.  Marie-Laure is starving, too.  Can I survive to the halfway point?  This is the question I continually ask myself.  I'm right on pace at the Mile 13 marker.  I cross the half marathon timing pad at 3:00:04.  Doesn't get much more exact than that - I'm pumped!!  I see my friend from the port-o-potty line as we take a brief walking break up the hilly part of the Pulaski Bridge.  I tell her my great news and bid her adieu as I pick up the pace to maintain my timing feat.  I gain ground on Mile 14 and 15 throughout the familiar streets of Queens.

When I round the corner that will take us onto the Queensboro Bridge, I'm home.  Literally!  Chris is waiting to see me again just outside the door of our apartment building.  I decide there is time for a selfie before I grab my second stick of bloks (strawberry this time!) and exclaim that I am remarkably still on pace.  The bridge, however, is a killer.  I trained on it.  I felt so confident heading up its steep climb.  I even passed on the photo ops that so many others took because I have those pics already.  When I hit the Mile 16 marker and saw that I was two minutes off my pace, I must admit I was crushed.  Not destroyed, but crushed.  I'd done SO well for SO long.  It was a major bummer, but I remained mentally strong telling myself that two minutes was fine.  I could still finish faster than last time.  Much faster.

And then the steady climb up 1st Avenue began.  I held my ground through Mile 17, but it wasn't long before I completely fell apart.  I kept falling farther and farther off my pace as I moved through Mile 18 and 19.  Chris and my friend Reba were set to be around 125th street just before I entered the Bronx.  Honestly, it was the biggest boost of the day to see them there.  I was physically done.  I relayed that fact to them but they continued to encourage me.  They said I looked strong and reminded me that I just had another 10k to go.  They transferred me that last bit of energy I needed to push myself to run up and over the bridge leading to Mile 20 and the Bronx.  I cranked up the audiobook through the quiet streets there....and the next thing I knew we were back in Manhattan.

At Mile 21, I texted Chris to let him know that I was too far off my pace time to finish faster than my first marathon, but I did think I would finish.  I hadn't been too sure when I saw him earlier.  I was beyond ready to be done...and I knew at the rate I was going it would be about an hour more.  I was exhausted in every way imaginable.  Just before reaching Mile 22, I discovered that a light jog actually felt better on my blistered heels than walking so I resolved to walk only as a last resort.  Chris alerted me that the Bengals just beat the ever elusive Steelers around the Mile 23 marker.  I was SO pumped to hear that exciting news!

I'm not entirely sure how I survived Mile 24, but I couldn't have been happier to be in Central Park and rounding the home stretch. Chris was waiting for me one last time just after the Mile 25 marker.  He was on the far side of the route and those extra 10 steps to get to him were well worth it.  I knew it was almost over.  I made him pose with his poster even though it was practically pitch black dark at this point.  I didn't stay long, but it was the break I needed to push through that final mile.

As we turned the curve of central park south to head toward the finish line, that final Mile 26 marker was glowing!  The remaining .2 miles was the longest of my life though.  When I could finally see the finish line, I sprinted as fast as my tired and aching body would allow.  And immediately texted "DONE!!!" to Chris.  Followed by, "Let's order pizza for dinner!  I'm starving!"  It took me another half hour to gather all my post-race goodies and tenderly walk through the crazy long exit path.

Finding the actual street was the second miracle of the day.  It wasn't long before I saw Chris headed my direction with a beautiful bouquet of roses.  Tears welled up in my eyes.  I am so blessed to have an amazing husband that met me at various points along the way to offer his much needed encouragement and ended one of the longest days of my life with flowers and a hug! He made me feel like I won the whole race!  Navigating the subway was a fun post-race experience, but I finally made it back to our apartment in one piece.  A totally different person than the one that left there that morning.  A two-time marathon finisher.  I still can't believe it.

The next day was filled with lots of rest and movie watching.  I ventured over to Central Park to have my medal engraved in the afternoon.  It might not have been the time I was hoping it would be, but I'm still proud.  I did it.  I don't anticipate doing it again, but I did it.  Twice.  And I will cherish every single step - good and bad - forever.

Andrea :)