Sisters

Shirt: Banana Republic, Pants: LOFT, Bag: TJ MAXX (Anne Klein), Necklace: Gift from Costa Rica

Sometimes living with your sister can be quite comical. Example: when we come out of our rooms only to realize we're wearing very similar outfits (see above). This is beginning to happen more often than not. Other times living with Drew has great benefits. Example: having easy access to another closet full of scarves (like the one above that she knit herself. Clearly I didn't get the creative genes in this family), jewelry, and much more exciting clothes than my own. But probably the best thing about living with Drew is that she is such a GREAT cook. Head over HERE to check out the delicious dinner from last night!

Happy Hump Day Everyone!

Rhode Island Triple Crown - Part One - Providence

Drew looking SO excited to be driving to Providence at 6 am on a Sunday

Ready to run!

Post Race: We did it! Can't you just see our excitement (or maybe exhaustion is a better word)? 

The great thing about space blankets - they double as stretching blankets!

Conclusion: Definitely not real silver.

PR! My very basic watch was pretty accurate - official time 2:03:21

Delicious post-race bagels

Pretty elaborate medal for a half! 

On Sunday morning we set out for Providence, RI around 6:00 am. Breakfast consisted of toast and peanut butter followed by half a bagel and coffee from Dunkin Donuts. We picked up another racer in Quincy and made it to the start area in downtown Providence around 7:30 am. Just enough time to check our bags and stand in line for a last minute port-o-potty break.

The Providence Marathon had started at 7:30 so the start area wasn't too crowded and we were easily able to line up towards the middle of the pack (mile time signs were a little close together for the number of people at the start so we were actually right next to the "walkers" sign).

Drew and I had planned to start slow, and I'd say we did a pretty good job sticking to the plan. Turns out there was a surprise hill at Mile 1 so a slower start was much appreciated. Overall the course was much hillier than anticipated, and not the steep short hills, but the long, slow, steep inclines that seem to NEVER END.

The course was very well marked and headed southwest (?) from Providence through some nice neighborhoods and into Pawtucket, RI (home of the Pawtucket Red Sox!). There weren't too many fans along the way but it was almost perfect conditions for running (65 degrees and overcast for most of the way). I decided at the last minute not to wear a hat however the sun began to beat down quite a bit in the second half of the race and I wish I had a hat on to limit the amount of squinting I ended up doing. 

Drew and I maintained a comfortable pace for the first 7 miles. There was a nice long stretch where the leaders were running in the opposite direction which was exciting to see (although a bit disheartening as they were ~ 3 miles ahead and it was only 50 minutes into the race). The water stations were pretty spread out (I think every 2 miles, or maybe every 1 and I just imagined the distance to be longer between them), but they had both water and Gatorade. I began dumping 1/2 cup of water on my head after mile 5 which felt great!

After mile 7 there was a long, slow incline that lasted all the way to mile 8. I put my head down and felt pretty good throughout. I decided to see if I could pick up my pace a little in hopes of finishing as close to 2 hrs as I could. I don't remember much about the last 5 miles of the race but overall I remember feeling pretty good. There were a few more sections through neighborhoods, a nice stretch by the river where I spotted my favorite sign of the race ("Worst parade ever" on a scrap piece of cardboard - so funny in the moment). There was quite a steep downhill at mile 10 but other than that the course remained relatively flat/downhill miles 8 - 11.

After one last uphill at mile 11 the course connected back with a segment I had already run so I knew the end was near. Also at this point the full marathoners (who were finishing ~2:30) rejoined the course. There's nothing like getting passed by full marathons in the last mile of a race realizing that "hey, these guys are almost TWICE as fast as I am, and have run TWICE as much as I have. Awesome.". At mile 12 I checked my watch and realized if I wanted to finish under 2 hrs I would have to run a 7 minute mile to the finish (which was just not going to happen at this point). I kept my pace pretty even through the homestretch and really enjoyed coming into downtown Providence feeling strong and in a limited amount of discomfort. I crossed the finish in 2:03:23 according to my ultra-high-tech Timex (ha.), with official time being 2:03:21 (not too bad Timex, not too bad). 

I graciously accepted a space blanket, finisher's medal, and water bottle upon finishing and waited for Drew who came in at an impressive 2:11. Post race food options included pizza (not quite what I was craving at that moment), bagels (yes please!), bananas, Chobani yogurt, and Gatorade. We snagged some delicious treats and took some obligatory post race photos (see above). After meeting up with our friend Adrienne we headed back to the car and set off towards home!

All in all it was a very successful day and my training definitely paid off as I finished under my goal of 2:10, picking up a half marathon PR by 9 minutes! After I got home I searched through Vermont City Marathon results archives and found all my previous Half Marathon times (see below). In retrospect I was pretty under trained for most of them as I don't think I ran over 10 miles during my training for those races.  Lesson learned. More training miles = felt much better throughout this race than previous halfs, AND ran much faster overall.

Vermont City Marathon (half marathon) 2006: 2:30
Vermont City Marathon  (half marathon) 2009: 2:12
Vermont City Marathon  (half marathon) 2011: 2:17

United Healthcare Providence Half Marathon: 2:03:21

Next up is the Vermont City Marathon on May 27. The goal is to improve my time from Sunday, and hopefully come in under 2 hours. However, it will all depend on race day conditions and making sure my legs are fully rested going into race weekend. I am really looking forward to running a more familiar course and excited for the larger fan presence in Burlington than we had last weekend. Countdown is on!

Wake up the Earth

What a weekend we had. There was a delivery from UPS, homemade omelets, tons of grey, a surprise festival in the neighborhood featuring Spontaneous Celebrations, Camp Common Ground (all the way from VT), and some run-ins with friends - old and new. Followed by the necessary pre - race carbo-loading. After a full bowl of whole wheat pasta with grilled veggies, peanut sauce, and a delicious corona I was in bed before 9 pm. Race re-cap up next!

Race Weekend is HERE

 

Hip hip hooray! Another Friday has arrived! Which means there is a busy, busy weekend to come. 

This weekend I will be heading to Providence not once, but TWICE. How did I get so lucky you ask? Well, Drew and I are heading down on Saturday to pick up our race packets for our HALF MARATHON on Sunday. Race packets mean that we also get to peruse the fitness EXPO. A giant event full of shiny shoes, running tanks, and millions of packets of GU! What could be better????

We're opting to sleep in JP on Saturday night to save $$ on a hotel room in Providence, and to get a good nights sleep prior to the big race. Sleeping 45 minutes away means we will have to get up extra early on Sunday in order to make it BACK to Providence prior to start time at 8 am. Good thing we're early risers! 

United Healthcare Providence Half Marathon Goals:

1. Have fun

2. Run strong

3. Finish under 2:10

Ready go!

Happy Weekend Everyone!

Updates

Shirt: Old Navy, Jacket: Aldo, Watch Necklace: UO, Boots: Rockport

 Boot Camp Update
Week 3

1. I attempted and failed to complete clapping push ups. Maybe someday I will be strong enough for that. Until then I will stick to my girly pushups, thank you.

2. Sprinting in place is possibly the most awkward thing ever. Maybe it's the fact that no matter how quickly I move my feet I still don't get anywhere, or that every part of my body seems to jiggle while running in place. The most flattering. NOT.

3. I've decided boxing moves are much less awkward and way more enjoyable than throwing fake footballs or shooting an invisible basketball.

4. 3 different people complemented me on my Kinvara 2's. Maybe it was the fact that I color coordinated my tank to match my shoes (it's the little things in life), or maybe it was that they actually really liked them. One will never know.

5.  There's nothing like dynamic stretching to Enya's May It Be to help channel one's inner Frodo Baggins. Or to try and imagine hobbits doing boot camp. Now THAT would be a good time.

In other news: here's a truly inspiring story about a recent Wesleyan grad who is working to create gender equality in one of the largest slums outside of Nairobi, Kenya.

http://www.scribd.com/doc/92082253/Vogue-Up-Front-with-Jessica-Posner-of-Shining-Hope-for-Communities#fullscreen

Kinvara 2

They finally arrived! And they fit! 

I have read nothing but great reviews of these shoes so I decided to order myself a pair and see if the 4 mm heel to toe off-set is something I could get used to. 

I am nervous to change shoes this soon before my upcoming half marathon so I am waiting until after the race to really run in these shoes. Until then, I plan on wearing them around the house non stop. Is it frowned upon to sleep in running shoes? Even if I'm protecting myself from lightning?

In other news, Drew and I decided to join a running group! There are two groups that run in JP and we've been meaning to check them out but have always found some excuse not to (mostly because we are afraid we'd be the slow ones of the group and let's be honest - no one wants to be the one holding everyone back).

The group we went with tonight had a 3 mile loop around the pond planned and even if they were much faster than us, we decided that we could keep up for 3 miles, right? So despite the weather we ventured out in our most rain-tastic apparel and met up with 3 other runners just around the corner from our apartment. 

Everyone was really friendly and we even had enough breath to chat with the other runners for most of the run (I guess we are faster than we give ourselves credit for!)

We will definitely be going back.

Unfortunately I have acquired a HUGE blister on the side of my big toe. I keep staring at it hoping it will go away but have had no luck thus far. I will need to decide if I should pop it and let it heal before the race on Sunday, or leave it and hope it becomes a callus by Sunday. Neither option is that appealing to me so I will continue to pretend it doesn't exist for now. Blisters are the MOST annoying.

Cubre

On days like today it is customary to say "Isn't it just so cubre out today?" ( pronounced Coo-bray)
Cubre is used to define days when the sun refuses to shine, there are clouds in the sky, it is raining, and often very chilly. It is derived from the name of a gentleman who thrived in such weather, a man whom we turn to for motivation and cheerfulness when all we want to do is curl up in bed with a good book.

Goals for May:
1. Run a Half Marathon in under 2 hours (for this I have two chances - this weekend ,and if I fail I have another scheduled for memorial day weekend in Vermont!)

2. Read 1 book that is not a textbook (I didn't read any in April so hopefully I can carve out time for at least one in May)

3. Floss everyday

4. Take the stairs at work at least once a day (8 flights just seems like too much work on some days!)

5. Join a running club

6. Have at least one POWER DAY a week (POWER DAYS = intense productivity. Getting all those things done that have been stuck on the To-Do list for weeks and not being distracted by the insane power of the internet)
7. Go to a Boston Red Sox game

Happy May everyone!