New sneaks....FTW!

Well...UPS turned out to be my friend yesterday!  I was getting very upset with the fact that I usually have to chase down the UPS person to retrieve my packages.  I actually have lost several packages to UPS and FedEx due to them just plain old not leaving my stuff!  Only yesterday...they came through!  I had to leave approx. notes for them to actually leave what I was expecting....MY NEW SNEAKS!  I ended up coming home from work yesterday to find a package under my door mat.  Ummmm, I question why they put it under the mat, due to the fact that it was a shoe box, but it was here none the less!  I didn't get to wear them today because it was raining....can't ruin them on day one!

So, today is Wednesday.  I have gone to 2 yoga classes and ran 1 day this week.  I'm feeling tighter than usual.  Trying to get some sort of loosening up to happen, but it's difficult!  I'm seeing my body become a bit stronger, so I guess that's good.    Let's see tomorrow how my run goes.


I'm hoping to get some new scenery on Saturday.  This running in Queens thing is getting to me.  Maybe a trip into the city to either run the Hudson River or Central Park will help.  I'm looking forward to Christmas time when I can run in FL!  I'm slated to run 9.5 miles on New Years day!  Oh boy!  At least it will be on flat ground in the place that I love the most!

Aiming for a longer run tomorrow.....still 30 minutes tho!

A bit of delay....

Mike came for the weekend.  He's very proud of me and all that I am accomplishing.  I'm glad he's such a great support!

I tried to get some running in on Saturday...however, it was hard when we just wanted to sleep in and then go right out and do stuff together!  I ended up doing 2 miles in about 27 minutes.  I actually ran about 3/4 of it!  Less walking for sure!

Got a notice on our door from UPS that I have a package.  Wondering if it's my new sneakers or if it's the arm band!

Second day of yoga today.  I think I'm going to continue with this place.  They have class times convenient to my work and running schedule....so that's what I was looking for.

Haven't been very consistent with my blogging....time to get back with it!! 

Annnnd on that note...bed is calling....so I can run my 30 minutes tomorrow!!  Hopefully I can fall asleep sooner than later....I don't want to sleep all morning!!

Well....

Today is Thursday....day 5 of my running.  I had the urge to lay around and sleep in this morning, however that didn't stop me from at least running 20 minutes today.  I managed to get in almost 2 miles in that time.  I'm finding myself able to run for longer periods of time and walking a little less.

My knee is still in pain...ending up swollen at the end of the day both today and Tuesday.  It's frustrating that I'm experiencing pain so early in my training, but I'm learning new techniques on how to avoid injuries.

As I mentioned before that I was going to be purchasing some near gear....well I did that.  Still waiting for my arm band...I'm very annoyed it isn't here yet!  I bought a Nike winter thermal top and some running tights.  They are not thermal, but they have the ability to absorb the sweat and keep me warm in the cold weather.  I also managed to get a great deal on a new pair of Mizunos....the same brand of sneaker I am currently running in...just a new style.  I'm hoping they are as comfortable as the ones I own now.  I ordered them online...so here's hoping for the best!!

Started a new yoga class last night.  It was amazing!!  I was looking for a way to get some great stretching for my days off from running.  Found a yoga place that was right around the corner from work...which is convenient.

Until the next blog....

Quick post...

Just wanted to do a quick post before I head to work....

So today's run was a little tough and on the other hand it felt great.  I found myself struggling today because of my knee and I got a cramp relatively early in my run.  Not quite sure what is causing the pain in my knee, but I've got a heating pad on it for the day.  We'll see if that helps.  (Time to break out the knee brace.)

Still through all of that...I managed to run 2.46 miles in 30 minutes.  I'll post the map a little later.  I found a somewhat quieter place to run...I stayed on my side of Queens Blvd.  It was close to the cemetery for only one block, but then I ran through the blocks surrounding my apartment.  Seems to be a nice run.

I found myself having bursts of "Wow, I'm breathing a bit easier!" and "If my knee would stop hurting, I'd be able to run further!"  It was a decent run all around.  I'm feeling that if I manage the pain a bit, I'll be running that half marathon in no time!!

Off to work!! 

Exciting NEWS!!

Well, I just registered for the race!!!!  Running in a 2 person team with my good friend Marielle!

While registering we were asked to provide our FAVORITE Disney Princess!  Such a difficult thing to choose from...so I went with Ariel since The Little Mermaid holds a special place in my heart.  It just so happens to be the very first movie I saw in movie theaters in 1987...when I was 5!!!!  That was also the year that Mikey was born!!  So I picked her!!  Marielle was torn between 2 princesses as well....Cinderella and Belle.  She chose Cinderella.

We were then asked to give our team name!  That wasn't an easy task!  So the conversation with Marielle went like this, "Spicy Girls" (because of our middle school history with the spice girls), "Big city princesses", she said to maybe do a play on Snow White and the big apple....so I responded with "Snow Whites Big Apples".  Thinking it may be a little too inappropriate I started listing things relating to our princesses.  "Part of your once upon a dreamers", "Once upon a dreamers", then Marielle said "The slippery fins"  I laughed thinking it could have gone the wrong way....then she said "Glass Slippers and Mermaid Fins".  The 2 things our princesses use to get around!  SO then was born our very creative team name!  Team Slippers and Fins!!

Filled out our information...and ended up doing a nice thing as well!!  We each donated money towards the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.

Potentially putting in a quick run on Monday night with Marielle...along with I guess some Monday night football (don't know who's playing, but it should be fun).

No pain...no gain!!

Well...as you all may see..I missed my Thursday run!  Ooops!  Guess I was forced to deal with the consequences today!  No true explanation for my missing my Thursday, other than just the fact that it was a bad day!  No more bad days allowed!  Next week will be a full week of following training to it's extent!  NO EXCUSES! 

I was slated to do my 3 mile run today....which I did!  Hooray for me!  It was a struggle here and there, but I pushed and did it!  I am finding that it is hard for me to run locally here in Sunnyside.  There is too much traffic, both cars on the road and people on the sidewalk.  Now to find a place for me to run that's safe and has some sort of regulated distance (as I keep thinking I'm running further than I really am).  Here is one instance I wish I lived in the suburbs!!

I used an app on my phone that uses GPS to track my every step.  Kindof creepy that "big brother" is watching...but at least someone is!  It claims I ran 3.03 miles.  I'll link the map of my crazy, "no idea where to run to", run here on my blog.  Maybe someone can give me some ideas of where to go...without going all the way into Central Park just to go run a few miles!

Great music selection today...Justin Timberlake on my Pandora station!  Great mix, perfect for running!! New headphones FTW (for those who don't know what that means...mom....it means For The Win).  Ordered some new headphones that were more appropriate for my little ears....that didn't hurt or fall out while I was running!  They were awesome!!  Put them on under a headband that protected my ears from getting cold...great success!!  Now I'm just waiting for my new armband to strap my Iphone to my arm while running...and I'll be all set!

The weather today was a bit windy and it's definitely fall!!  Weather man says it was 59 degrees out with gusts of wind upwards of 30 mph!  That's faster than I was running!  Not fun running against the gusts...that's when I turned to a fast walk for those moments.  Wore my GapAthletic fitted capri pants, a thermal shirt, and a windbreaker today.  I know it's only going to be getting colder...so today I'll be ordering some cold weather gear like thermal pants, warmer socks, headbands/ear muffs, and warmer tops.  This whole training through the winter thing is going to be tough!!  Also looking into some new sneakers that are a little more winter friendly....for running in the snow!

 New goal for the next few weeks is to progressively begin waking up earlier to run!  The 1/2 marathon is at 6am!  I can't just get up and run that...so there will need to be some work done on that department!

Plans for the next few days include treating myself to brunch tomorrow am with a good friend (Lauren), looking for a yoga class for the other 2-3 off running days, and preparing for my Mikey to come on Thursday night.  He'll have to deal with me being gone for about an hour on Saturday while I do my run before we start our day...unless I take advantage of visiting his/my family on Saturday and go running in the SUBURBS!!!  We'll see!!  And perhaps today...REGISTERING FOR THE RACE!!! 

Until Tuesday..........

Frozen peas on the knees......

Well, feeling great as far as my running is concerned....HOWEVER, today was a little rough on the body!  As I was on my way to work (feeling great from my run) in my usual rush in the subway, when of course there was a slow guy on the escalator!  Said "road block" wouldn't get out of my way when asked...so once to the top of the escalator I decided to book it...only I tripped over myself, and fell on my knees.  Right knee seems ok...left one took the brunt of it!  Hopefully my bad karma doesn't cause my Thursday run to be a problem.

I am determined to do this....PAIN or NOT!!

Day 1

Ok so I'm not much of a writer, but all of these resources for runners told me I should keep a journal of all of my running.  So I figured I'd make them for everyone to follow me!

Today marks day 1 of my training for the Walt Disney World Princess Half Marathon.  It will be an 18 week training, running 3 days a week (through the winter in NYC), finalizing the training at the finish line Sunday, February 27th, 2011.  I haven't quite registered yet, but that is coming!

So I'll be running on Tuesdays Thursdays and Saturdays.  The training suggests a breakdown of 30 minutes 2 days a week....and then on the weekend day, to do whatever the set mileage is.  This weekend starts with 3 miles.  But let's not go there yet.  Today is DAY 1...so I'll tell you about day 1. 

Alarm went off at 8:45am, didn't get out of bed until about 9:20am, walked Katie then got out the door.  Was hitting the pavement by 9:45am.  Set the Pandora to Michael Jackson.

I found a path to run locally here in my neighborhood.  I guess it's not really a path, more like running on the streets of Sunnyside, dealing with traffic lights, cars, and people in the sidewalks.  However, it's a little under a mile to a park that has a small track (small track doesn't even begin to describe it).  There is quite a bit of elevation on these roads, so that is making a bit of a challenge for me.  So I ran to the park in approximately 11 minutes.  An 11 minute mile...not bad for day 1.  There was a bit of running and a bit of walking...but we can blame that on the waiting I had to do at lights.  Ok, ok, not totally on the traffic.  Once at the park I ended up running 2 full laps and walking 1.  The track is measured at .10 mile, so a little less than a third of a mile there at the track.  I did some stretching then got back on the road.  Ran that mile back (mostly downhill which was nice). 

I stopped at the health food store on the way back and got a protein/energy shake.  It was made with banana, almond milk, ice, protein powder, and an energy elixir.  It was just what I needed after that run. 

So total, with my brief stop I got back to the house by 10:35am.  (I happened to add in a quick move of the car for alternate side of the street parking...bought me a week for my car).  Did some stretching while typing this blog, feeling GREAT!

Until Thursday.........