Since I am no longer a nursing (took me 2 1/2 years, but I finally weaned him YAY!!!!!, now on to the next big thing, potty training, sigh!), but still a stroller pushing marathoner, I have moved my blog to Mommy Needs a Run.
You can also check out my new blog that I just started here: Every Day is a Holiday
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
Monday, November 17, 2008
I Ran the NYC Marathon and Lived to Tell About It
It has been two weeks and I am finally ready to post my experience running the NYC marathon as a nursing mom. I started with a mile-by-mile account which I still haven't completed, so here's a snap-shot of before and after.
First of all, I'm a very slow runner. I got up at 4am, nursed my baby, then left my house at 5am. Between taking the train from Queens to the Staten Island Ferry, taking the ferry to Staten Island and then you know the whole pre-race thing w/ breakfast and all...well if you don't know...wow that is a site they don't show on TV...but it is an unforgettable experience you've just got to see at least once in your lifetime.
It's really cold and everyone, and by everyone I mean about 40,000 people, is laying around wrapped up in sleeping bags, blankets and trash bags wearing our most bummed-out-looking outfits because they will end up shedding them and throwing them on the side of the road as the race begins and our bodies finally start heating up. It looks like a scene from Armigeden or something.
So it was five hours from the time I left my house until I actually started running. Bag check was due at 9am, so at 8:30 I pulled out a brand new Avent hand pump that my BD bought for me the night before and my two girlfriends who were also running held jackets up around me while I tried to figure out how to work the thing, and onlookers pretended not to be staring out of the corners of their eyes.
Actually, it is slower than my $300 electric Medela double pump, but my boobs were more responsive to this one and it seemed the milk flow would never stop. I pumped out two five-ounce bottles and it was still flowing.
The race started at 10:20 am and I didn't finish 'till after 5pm. Then I was way too exhausted by the time I made it across the finish line, picked up my bag and found the nearest train station because it was dark out and I was exhausted and totally disoriented.
Once I sat on the train I was so tired and my legs were hurting so bad I couldn't move. I got on the train going down-town and I needed the up-town train so I got out off the next stop and started walking up the steps, but I was using my arms to pull myself up the stairs. Two people stopped and asked me if I needed help...lol. I gave up after about 4 steps, got back on the train and took it all the way to the end of the line and then waited for it to go back uptown.
All I could think about going home was whether I would be able to walk up the four flights of stairs to the ground level and then walk the half a mile home. I was freaking out that my legs were just going to give out under me when I went to stand up and I was going to fall flat on my face and later wake up lying on the subway platform, or worse, they were going to take me on a stretcher to the hospital and then I would be stuck with trying to find my way home all over again.
So the last thing on my mind was pumping my bloating breasts. Besides I just found out I'm going to have to have all 4 wisdom's teeth removed and they were killing me for the 2nd half of the marathon, each step like taking a hammer and nail to them.
But the good news? With my aching legs trembling beneath me and my mouth feeling like it was giving birth to a big-headed-tooth, my bulging boobs went unnoticed.
I made it home and I was even able to lay on the bed for 30 minutes and let the Motrin kick in before I nursed my baby.
Now I am here more than two weeks later, I am still alive, my body has completely recovered minus the 4 aching wisdom's teeth that are still awaiting removal, but the pain is mostly subdued with Motrin, nothing horrible happened to my boobs, didn't get mastitis or anything, still pumping plenty of satisfying milk as always so all is well that ends well.
And the craziest part of this whole story? I would do it all again in an instant!
Stay tuned for mile-by-mile account of this crazy experience, my running plans for the future and my recovery story from getting my wisdom's teeth pulled.
Oh and while you're waiting check out my website that I've been busy building: http://www.running-mom.com. Peace out.
First of all, I'm a very slow runner. I got up at 4am, nursed my baby, then left my house at 5am. Between taking the train from Queens to the Staten Island Ferry, taking the ferry to Staten Island and then you know the whole pre-race thing w/ breakfast and all...well if you don't know...wow that is a site they don't show on TV...but it is an unforgettable experience you've just got to see at least once in your lifetime.
It's really cold and everyone, and by everyone I mean about 40,000 people, is laying around wrapped up in sleeping bags, blankets and trash bags wearing our most bummed-out-looking outfits because they will end up shedding them and throwing them on the side of the road as the race begins and our bodies finally start heating up. It looks like a scene from Armigeden or something.
So it was five hours from the time I left my house until I actually started running. Bag check was due at 9am, so at 8:30 I pulled out a brand new Avent hand pump that my BD bought for me the night before and my two girlfriends who were also running held jackets up around me while I tried to figure out how to work the thing, and onlookers pretended not to be staring out of the corners of their eyes.
Actually, it is slower than my $300 electric Medela double pump, but my boobs were more responsive to this one and it seemed the milk flow would never stop. I pumped out two five-ounce bottles and it was still flowing.
The race started at 10:20 am and I didn't finish 'till after 5pm. Then I was way too exhausted by the time I made it across the finish line, picked up my bag and found the nearest train station because it was dark out and I was exhausted and totally disoriented.
Once I sat on the train I was so tired and my legs were hurting so bad I couldn't move. I got on the train going down-town and I needed the up-town train so I got out off the next stop and started walking up the steps, but I was using my arms to pull myself up the stairs. Two people stopped and asked me if I needed help...lol. I gave up after about 4 steps, got back on the train and took it all the way to the end of the line and then waited for it to go back uptown.
All I could think about going home was whether I would be able to walk up the four flights of stairs to the ground level and then walk the half a mile home. I was freaking out that my legs were just going to give out under me when I went to stand up and I was going to fall flat on my face and later wake up lying on the subway platform, or worse, they were going to take me on a stretcher to the hospital and then I would be stuck with trying to find my way home all over again.
So the last thing on my mind was pumping my bloating breasts. Besides I just found out I'm going to have to have all 4 wisdom's teeth removed and they were killing me for the 2nd half of the marathon, each step like taking a hammer and nail to them.
But the good news? With my aching legs trembling beneath me and my mouth feeling like it was giving birth to a big-headed-tooth, my bulging boobs went unnoticed.
I made it home and I was even able to lay on the bed for 30 minutes and let the Motrin kick in before I nursed my baby.
Now I am here more than two weeks later, I am still alive, my body has completely recovered minus the 4 aching wisdom's teeth that are still awaiting removal, but the pain is mostly subdued with Motrin, nothing horrible happened to my boobs, didn't get mastitis or anything, still pumping plenty of satisfying milk as always so all is well that ends well.
And the craziest part of this whole story? I would do it all again in an instant!
Stay tuned for mile-by-mile account of this crazy experience, my running plans for the future and my recovery story from getting my wisdom's teeth pulled.
Oh and while you're waiting check out my website that I've been busy building: http://www.running-mom.com. Peace out.
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
Protect our Democracy!
It’s been 9 days now since my last run. Monday, 10/13, my buddy Michelle and I decided to spend Columbus Day in Central Park doing our longest run before the marathon…a whopping 20 miles!
We set the entire day aside to run…well at least I did I think Michelle had grand plans of studying afterwards (she’s in graduate school earning a Ph.D. – bless her courageous heart!).
W arrived in CP around 10:30 and finished our run around 4:30…an entire 6 hours of running…but all those hills and the jogging stroller slowed us down and then there’s no water stands and stinky outhouses along the course so we had to take detours, so that’s more extra time. Then counting the walk from the train station to the park and from the park to the diner afterwards was about another 2 miles so in all we ran at least 22 miles and then some. So we’re in tip top shape for the marathon now.
I came home that night and E-man sneezed non-stop for one whole hour. I was so impressed with him he didn’t fuss one time while we were running except to eat and then he was fine again…he just hung out in the jogging stroller all day. Good thing I’m getting this in now…’cause I doubt he will be this patient for long. He’s becoming more and more energetic every day. He now stands up in his crib…and less than a week after he figured that out, he’s now trying to climb out. Poor baby just got stuck between the rods trying to climb out.
Oh and he does the cutest thing now. His daddy picked out this little entertainment center for him and it has a little walker thing attached to it that’s supposed to swivel around the entertainment center (I was ready to get him a jumper). But he loves it. I was worried because it’s not made of the highest quality. The two sides of the plastic stand had to be screwed together and the seam is too big so the walker part can’t move around the entertainment center w/out getting stuck on the seam. I was like no way he’s going to be able to move this, but his daddy had faith in him. “Look at the way he grabs onto you,” he’d say, “My son is strong!”
So the other day he’s in the little walker part, and he starts walking across the room, dragging the table behind him. Now my boy thinks outside the box, and yeah he’s strong!
But anyway he was sneezing and sneezing and has had the sniffles and a little cough all week so I’ve been keeping him inside and only taking him out for short walks to get some fresh air because he and I both go stir crazy if we’re cooped up in here for too long…speaking of stir crazy…he’s kind of loosing it right now so I’m off to put him to bed.
The big run is almost year. Yay! I can’t wait for it to be here and can’t wait for it to be over.
Oh you know what before I go, I’ve got to mention one more thing. I read this story today http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/10/21/BAUC13L3GQ.DTL&tsp=1. It’s about Arien O'Connell, who ran the San Francisco Nike marathon this month and even though she had the fastest time, they didn’t acknowledge her as the winner because she wasn’t running with the elite runners…such a crock of dung. So let’s give a shout out to Arien. You are the true winner and you are our hero! Please fight those stuck up bureaucrats and get what’s yours for all our sakes.
Whoever they gave the stolen first prize too, come on you know better. Arien O’Connell, you and Al Gore should get together and fight this, not just for your sakes…but for everyone…for the right of every individual in this great democracy! Stand up and protect our rights!
We set the entire day aside to run…well at least I did I think Michelle had grand plans of studying afterwards (she’s in graduate school earning a Ph.D. – bless her courageous heart!).
W arrived in CP around 10:30 and finished our run around 4:30…an entire 6 hours of running…but all those hills and the jogging stroller slowed us down and then there’s no water stands and stinky outhouses along the course so we had to take detours, so that’s more extra time. Then counting the walk from the train station to the park and from the park to the diner afterwards was about another 2 miles so in all we ran at least 22 miles and then some. So we’re in tip top shape for the marathon now.
I came home that night and E-man sneezed non-stop for one whole hour. I was so impressed with him he didn’t fuss one time while we were running except to eat and then he was fine again…he just hung out in the jogging stroller all day. Good thing I’m getting this in now…’cause I doubt he will be this patient for long. He’s becoming more and more energetic every day. He now stands up in his crib…and less than a week after he figured that out, he’s now trying to climb out. Poor baby just got stuck between the rods trying to climb out.
Oh and he does the cutest thing now. His daddy picked out this little entertainment center for him and it has a little walker thing attached to it that’s supposed to swivel around the entertainment center (I was ready to get him a jumper). But he loves it. I was worried because it’s not made of the highest quality. The two sides of the plastic stand had to be screwed together and the seam is too big so the walker part can’t move around the entertainment center w/out getting stuck on the seam. I was like no way he’s going to be able to move this, but his daddy had faith in him. “Look at the way he grabs onto you,” he’d say, “My son is strong!”
So the other day he’s in the little walker part, and he starts walking across the room, dragging the table behind him. Now my boy thinks outside the box, and yeah he’s strong!
But anyway he was sneezing and sneezing and has had the sniffles and a little cough all week so I’ve been keeping him inside and only taking him out for short walks to get some fresh air because he and I both go stir crazy if we’re cooped up in here for too long…speaking of stir crazy…he’s kind of loosing it right now so I’m off to put him to bed.
The big run is almost year. Yay! I can’t wait for it to be here and can’t wait for it to be over.
Oh you know what before I go, I’ve got to mention one more thing. I read this story today http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/10/21/BAUC13L3GQ.DTL&tsp=1. It’s about Arien O'Connell, who ran the San Francisco Nike marathon this month and even though she had the fastest time, they didn’t acknowledge her as the winner because she wasn’t running with the elite runners…such a crock of dung. So let’s give a shout out to Arien. You are the true winner and you are our hero! Please fight those stuck up bureaucrats and get what’s yours for all our sakes.
Whoever they gave the stolen first prize too, come on you know better. Arien O’Connell, you and Al Gore should get together and fight this, not just for your sakes…but for everyone…for the right of every individual in this great democracy! Stand up and protect our rights!
Tuesday, October 7, 2008
Half of the Marathon Completed
I’m at that point in the marathon training where I’m just done…I just want it to be over…and my buddy Michelle who’s been training with me most of the time is also at that point, so we decided to do a half marathon with New York Road Runners to get some extra support.
We started out pretty slow, running together, doing a 13-14 minute mile, but I wanted to see how far I could push myself today…not such a good idea when you are only running on the weekends and you’re so close to the big event because let’s face it I am risking injury…but I was up for some fun.
At around mile five, I ran into this really cool couple from New Jersey who are also training for the NYC marathon. They were doing this run/walk thing and as I’ve said before, I always wanted to try it. I believed it would give me more energy in the long run…literally! ;-) I also believed I would be able to run faster because I’m not just running and running and running until I can’t run any more but rather I’m running with purpose for 3-10 minutes and then getting a walk break where I get to recover and start all over again with renewed energy.
This couple was doing a run for 3 minutes and then walking for 1 minute and it worked great! I ran with them for about 5 miles…so much fun! It makes it much more interesting when you get to take walk breaks…it breaks up the monotony of running long distance. So yes it is everything I expected and more and I’m sold. I’m doing this for the marathon. In fact I think I will do the exact same time I did with this couple…run 3 minutes, walk 1 minute.
You know another thing that I love so much about running marathons and half marathons, is you get to meet new people all the time. That’s what makes it so interesting. Just when you’re feeling down and like you’ve just had enough you run into some other runners and learn something new, exchange stories and have renewed energy.
And speaking of learning, I learned a lot from this couple. They told me they learned from their coach that there’s three kinds of running paces when it comes to running marathons: 1) commuter pace, 2) warm up pace, 3) all in pace…show what you’re made of ;-)
For the commuter pace, you are running a pace that you could maintain all day. For warm up pace, you pick it up a bit, but just a bit, your still not running as fast as you can. Then for the all you got pace, that’s exactly what you do, give it all you got…go as fast as you can…we’re not talking race speed though, because you want to keep it up for a few miles. Their goal was to run commuter pace the first sixteen miles, then warm up pace for about 4 miles and then run the last 10k giving it all they got.
I do something a little similar to that but not quite. I always knew your were supposed to start out slow. Like when I did the half, I started off with my buddy Michelle because I knew we would keep a slow pace (and we’re good company for each other!). Then I did the 2nd 5 miles with this couple running at a moderate pace, picking it up a little. Then I took off at about mile 10 with my buddy Roxanne who does about an 11 minute mile.
Roxanne was always faster than me, but after I had the baby and took a break from running and she continued to run she became MUCH faster than me. I always bust my butt running with her. I ran with Roxanne for about a mile, and quickly lost my breath and had to spend the next two miles recovering.
At the finish line, I did what I love to do best. When I see that finish line in the distance I start sprinting. I mean I pick up my feet and swing those hands and run that last dash like a Kenyan to the finish line. I always feel like superwoman in that last moment. I love it!
In all it took me 2 hours, 45 minute to run the half marathon. Not the fastest race I ever did. But much better than the half marathon I did in July which took me 3 hours and 7 minutes.
What’s more important is how I felt AFTERWARDS this time compared to in July. I felt great and was able to walk back, catch up to my buddy Michelle, run back with her to the finish line (about another mile) and then walk an additional mile back to the train station. Whereas after the half in July I sat there on a stump when I crossed the finish line and waited for Rock to come pick me up and I was in PAIN and EXHAUSTED!
Also it was really hot in July whereas it was pretty cool today. But it rained for both races. Ah and as for making comparisons, this entire race took place in Central Park (lots of hills) whereas the ½ in July took place the first half in Central Park and the 2nd half on the very flat but also desolate-except-for-lots-of-cars-and-exhaust-West-Side-Highway.
But most of all I know what really killed me last time versus this time (well besides the fact that I had done 0 training for the half whereas I did a bit of training for this one). I started out with my buddy Roxanne who is much faster than me and was feeling half dead after only a mile in July whereas this time I started out with my buddy Michelle who is a bit slower than me and that was the way to go!
Note to self. Run long runs with someone a bit slower. Run short, speed runs with someone a bit faster. But at the end of the day, it’s all up to me. Me, myself and I will be running the NYC marathon come November 2. Any support or company I have will be nice, but they will not be able to run for me. My two feet will stomp out every step of those 26.2 miles throughout NYC. I’m looking forward to it.
And then comes ELECTION DAY! If you haven’t registered to vote yet, stop reading this blog and go register! Time for Change! God bless!
Oh one more thing (for those of you who have already registered to vote). Yeah, my hubby stayed home with E-man today so I wasn’t pushing the jogging stroller. It felt so nice to not have anything to push…now I see how all that training with the jogging stroller has come in handy and made me into super-woman.
And E-man and his daddy had fun hanging out together, eating real food and doing guy stuff. Oh and you know what else, I smelled that food in his diaper the next day…that’s for sure…that was one stinky diaper. But all worth it. And E-man loved the carrots…at least the part of it that went in his mouth and not all over his face, on his shirt and on his sheets…lol!
We started out pretty slow, running together, doing a 13-14 minute mile, but I wanted to see how far I could push myself today…not such a good idea when you are only running on the weekends and you’re so close to the big event because let’s face it I am risking injury…but I was up for some fun.
At around mile five, I ran into this really cool couple from New Jersey who are also training for the NYC marathon. They were doing this run/walk thing and as I’ve said before, I always wanted to try it. I believed it would give me more energy in the long run…literally! ;-) I also believed I would be able to run faster because I’m not just running and running and running until I can’t run any more but rather I’m running with purpose for 3-10 minutes and then getting a walk break where I get to recover and start all over again with renewed energy.
This couple was doing a run for 3 minutes and then walking for 1 minute and it worked great! I ran with them for about 5 miles…so much fun! It makes it much more interesting when you get to take walk breaks…it breaks up the monotony of running long distance. So yes it is everything I expected and more and I’m sold. I’m doing this for the marathon. In fact I think I will do the exact same time I did with this couple…run 3 minutes, walk 1 minute.
You know another thing that I love so much about running marathons and half marathons, is you get to meet new people all the time. That’s what makes it so interesting. Just when you’re feeling down and like you’ve just had enough you run into some other runners and learn something new, exchange stories and have renewed energy.
And speaking of learning, I learned a lot from this couple. They told me they learned from their coach that there’s three kinds of running paces when it comes to running marathons: 1) commuter pace, 2) warm up pace, 3) all in pace…show what you’re made of ;-)
For the commuter pace, you are running a pace that you could maintain all day. For warm up pace, you pick it up a bit, but just a bit, your still not running as fast as you can. Then for the all you got pace, that’s exactly what you do, give it all you got…go as fast as you can…we’re not talking race speed though, because you want to keep it up for a few miles. Their goal was to run commuter pace the first sixteen miles, then warm up pace for about 4 miles and then run the last 10k giving it all they got.
I do something a little similar to that but not quite. I always knew your were supposed to start out slow. Like when I did the half, I started off with my buddy Michelle because I knew we would keep a slow pace (and we’re good company for each other!). Then I did the 2nd 5 miles with this couple running at a moderate pace, picking it up a little. Then I took off at about mile 10 with my buddy Roxanne who does about an 11 minute mile.
Roxanne was always faster than me, but after I had the baby and took a break from running and she continued to run she became MUCH faster than me. I always bust my butt running with her. I ran with Roxanne for about a mile, and quickly lost my breath and had to spend the next two miles recovering.
At the finish line, I did what I love to do best. When I see that finish line in the distance I start sprinting. I mean I pick up my feet and swing those hands and run that last dash like a Kenyan to the finish line. I always feel like superwoman in that last moment. I love it!
In all it took me 2 hours, 45 minute to run the half marathon. Not the fastest race I ever did. But much better than the half marathon I did in July which took me 3 hours and 7 minutes.
What’s more important is how I felt AFTERWARDS this time compared to in July. I felt great and was able to walk back, catch up to my buddy Michelle, run back with her to the finish line (about another mile) and then walk an additional mile back to the train station. Whereas after the half in July I sat there on a stump when I crossed the finish line and waited for Rock to come pick me up and I was in PAIN and EXHAUSTED!
Also it was really hot in July whereas it was pretty cool today. But it rained for both races. Ah and as for making comparisons, this entire race took place in Central Park (lots of hills) whereas the ½ in July took place the first half in Central Park and the 2nd half on the very flat but also desolate-except-for-lots-of-cars-and-exhaust-West-Side-Highway.
But most of all I know what really killed me last time versus this time (well besides the fact that I had done 0 training for the half whereas I did a bit of training for this one). I started out with my buddy Roxanne who is much faster than me and was feeling half dead after only a mile in July whereas this time I started out with my buddy Michelle who is a bit slower than me and that was the way to go!
Note to self. Run long runs with someone a bit slower. Run short, speed runs with someone a bit faster. But at the end of the day, it’s all up to me. Me, myself and I will be running the NYC marathon come November 2. Any support or company I have will be nice, but they will not be able to run for me. My two feet will stomp out every step of those 26.2 miles throughout NYC. I’m looking forward to it.
And then comes ELECTION DAY! If you haven’t registered to vote yet, stop reading this blog and go register! Time for Change! God bless!
Oh one more thing (for those of you who have already registered to vote). Yeah, my hubby stayed home with E-man today so I wasn’t pushing the jogging stroller. It felt so nice to not have anything to push…now I see how all that training with the jogging stroller has come in handy and made me into super-woman.
And E-man and his daddy had fun hanging out together, eating real food and doing guy stuff. Oh and you know what else, I smelled that food in his diaper the next day…that’s for sure…that was one stinky diaper. But all worth it. And E-man loved the carrots…at least the part of it that went in his mouth and not all over his face, on his shirt and on his sheets…lol!
Wednesday, October 1, 2008
Nap Time
Well it’s been tough going for the last couple weeks because my running buddy Michelle has been MIA. But I’m strong! That’s what I keep telling myself and it’s what got me through 17 miles this Monday.
Actually I had a lot of fun running on Monday, 9/29. Now Let me say first, I do not at all recommend being a weekend runner. In fact I speak very strongly against this. However it’s a lot of what I’ve been doing. Last weekend I ran 13 miles on Saturday and 5 miles on Sunday and then nothing all week. In my defense it was freaking pouring all week and while I have no problem running in the rain, I do have a problem bringing my baby who already has the sniffles out there in the rain.
It rained all weekend to, so come Monday it was the first nice day and whether I felt like it or not (I did NOT) I had to get out there and do my long run. So I made it to the park by noon and did a loop, slow but steady. Then…ah this is the worst part of pushing a jogging stroller and not having a running buddy. When it comes to bathroom breaks, I have to find a bathroom in the park that is wheelchair/stroller accessible. And there is only one that I know of. So I had to run/walk/struggle/backtrack 2 miles getting ready to pee my pants to the one bathroom. Then E’man had fallen asleep but the noise of the loud toilets flushing woke him up (poor baby!). So after that I decided to take him on a fun little detour.
We stopped at the central park carousel. It was only $2 and it was so much fun. He just loved it. He just kept looking all around an you know the really cute thing. Before that he never even noticed the horses going by. But after that every time a horse rode by he pointed at it and laughed. It was just adorable. I only wish I had taken some pictures. But some moments, you just can’t stop to take a picture…you just go with it and I will always have that adorable, sweet picture in my mind.
So then on and on I continued running around and around the park. I set out to do 18, but what stopped me at 17 was it was getting dark and E-man was starting to loose it. I mean come on he hung out in the jogging stroller all day while I ran 17 miles like such a sweet, patient little guy…I think he earned the right to start fussing after 17 miles.
You know he’s been kind of fussy lately but today he went to sleep around 10:30 and he’s still sleeping and it’s almost 2pm. I can’t believe it. I was headed out the door to stop in at the office and then go for a 6 mile run in the park, but he’s fast asleep. I can’t believe it. He must have been tired. And if my baby wants sleep, he gets sleep, because believe me, he earned it. He’s the first child of a mama that’s struggling to get about three different businesses off the ground, running marathons and doing so much. He’s really such a sweet, patient boy. I am so lucky!
Actually I had a lot of fun running on Monday, 9/29. Now Let me say first, I do not at all recommend being a weekend runner. In fact I speak very strongly against this. However it’s a lot of what I’ve been doing. Last weekend I ran 13 miles on Saturday and 5 miles on Sunday and then nothing all week. In my defense it was freaking pouring all week and while I have no problem running in the rain, I do have a problem bringing my baby who already has the sniffles out there in the rain.
It rained all weekend to, so come Monday it was the first nice day and whether I felt like it or not (I did NOT) I had to get out there and do my long run. So I made it to the park by noon and did a loop, slow but steady. Then…ah this is the worst part of pushing a jogging stroller and not having a running buddy. When it comes to bathroom breaks, I have to find a bathroom in the park that is wheelchair/stroller accessible. And there is only one that I know of. So I had to run/walk/struggle/backtrack 2 miles getting ready to pee my pants to the one bathroom. Then E’man had fallen asleep but the noise of the loud toilets flushing woke him up (poor baby!). So after that I decided to take him on a fun little detour.
We stopped at the central park carousel. It was only $2 and it was so much fun. He just loved it. He just kept looking all around an you know the really cute thing. Before that he never even noticed the horses going by. But after that every time a horse rode by he pointed at it and laughed. It was just adorable. I only wish I had taken some pictures. But some moments, you just can’t stop to take a picture…you just go with it and I will always have that adorable, sweet picture in my mind.
So then on and on I continued running around and around the park. I set out to do 18, but what stopped me at 17 was it was getting dark and E-man was starting to loose it. I mean come on he hung out in the jogging stroller all day while I ran 17 miles like such a sweet, patient little guy…I think he earned the right to start fussing after 17 miles.
You know he’s been kind of fussy lately but today he went to sleep around 10:30 and he’s still sleeping and it’s almost 2pm. I can’t believe it. I was headed out the door to stop in at the office and then go for a 6 mile run in the park, but he’s fast asleep. I can’t believe it. He must have been tired. And if my baby wants sleep, he gets sleep, because believe me, he earned it. He’s the first child of a mama that’s struggling to get about three different businesses off the ground, running marathons and doing so much. He’s really such a sweet, patient boy. I am so lucky!
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
Why Not to Eat a Fish Sandwich Before a Run
Today I was starving before my run because I hadn’t eaten since breakfast, I'd been running around all day filing my tax return because this is the last day to file with an extension and doing all sorts of other things and before I knew it was time to run and yeah, I was starving.
So we’re driving down Manhattan because my BD agreed to drop us off at the park to run and I’m getting hungrier and hungrier and sick to my stomach because I always get car sick especially when I’m hungry and finally we decide to stop at One Fish Two Fish and order fried catfish sandwiches. By this time I felt like I was digesting my stomach. I ate a bag of Doritos while I waited for the sandwich then I ordered a side of coleslaw with my fish sandwich and a side of fries with my BD's fish sandwich and I ate both sides as well as the fish sandwich. Feeling good and full now.
I started out running in Central Park and it was surprisingly hot for the middle of September. 10 degrees above the normal…as the weather man on NY 1 put it. High 80’s, humid and no breeze, took so long getting to the park in traffic and then of course slowed down even more eating the fish sandwich so my running buddy Michelle not only started but just about finished without me. So I’m jogging along after running all my errands and eating my fish sandwich and I’m pushing the jogging stroller and it’s hot and humid and my usual company isn’t there to help motivate me.
That fish sandwich sat right there on my stomach, bearing down with each step…not fun at all.
I intended to run a 6 mile loop of the park but then I ran into Michelle running back so I ran back with her. That equaled about a mile. Then I ran back to the train station and ran up every hill twice. That added another two miles to my run, generously estimating. But I’ll never eat a fish sandwich right before I run again. It’s bad enough running on a weekday in the evening after a crazy day. Don’t need a fried fish sandwich to weigh me down even more. But I’ll say that was one good fish sandwich! ;-)
I'll tell you another thing...pushing a jogging stroller you get a lot of support. Even the fast runners who pass me up are like, "it's hard enough for me to haul myself without hauling a jogging stroller on top of it" and I'm like yeah! But every run I find someone to out-do me. Like today there was a stout guy running with a jogging stroller stuffed with two kids each looked like they weighed half as much as him.
But you know what, for the first time in my life, I'm finally toning my arms. I never could get the arms toned, because I'm scared of the water so I don't swim, I don't care for pushing weights - I find it very boring...I know a runner should do some weight training...and any kind of sport that requires the arms also requires hand-eye coordination, something that I sadly lack. But I've finally found the thing. Running and pushing a jogging stroller up hill. Yay! It's tonight my whole body, not just my legs for once! ;-)
So we’re driving down Manhattan because my BD agreed to drop us off at the park to run and I’m getting hungrier and hungrier and sick to my stomach because I always get car sick especially when I’m hungry and finally we decide to stop at One Fish Two Fish and order fried catfish sandwiches. By this time I felt like I was digesting my stomach. I ate a bag of Doritos while I waited for the sandwich then I ordered a side of coleslaw with my fish sandwich and a side of fries with my BD's fish sandwich and I ate both sides as well as the fish sandwich. Feeling good and full now.
I started out running in Central Park and it was surprisingly hot for the middle of September. 10 degrees above the normal…as the weather man on NY 1 put it. High 80’s, humid and no breeze, took so long getting to the park in traffic and then of course slowed down even more eating the fish sandwich so my running buddy Michelle not only started but just about finished without me. So I’m jogging along after running all my errands and eating my fish sandwich and I’m pushing the jogging stroller and it’s hot and humid and my usual company isn’t there to help motivate me.
That fish sandwich sat right there on my stomach, bearing down with each step…not fun at all.
I intended to run a 6 mile loop of the park but then I ran into Michelle running back so I ran back with her. That equaled about a mile. Then I ran back to the train station and ran up every hill twice. That added another two miles to my run, generously estimating. But I’ll never eat a fish sandwich right before I run again. It’s bad enough running on a weekday in the evening after a crazy day. Don’t need a fried fish sandwich to weigh me down even more. But I’ll say that was one good fish sandwich! ;-)
I'll tell you another thing...pushing a jogging stroller you get a lot of support. Even the fast runners who pass me up are like, "it's hard enough for me to haul myself without hauling a jogging stroller on top of it" and I'm like yeah! But every run I find someone to out-do me. Like today there was a stout guy running with a jogging stroller stuffed with two kids each looked like they weighed half as much as him.
But you know what, for the first time in my life, I'm finally toning my arms. I never could get the arms toned, because I'm scared of the water so I don't swim, I don't care for pushing weights - I find it very boring...I know a runner should do some weight training...and any kind of sport that requires the arms also requires hand-eye coordination, something that I sadly lack. But I've finally found the thing. Running and pushing a jogging stroller up hill. Yay! It's tonight my whole body, not just my legs for once! ;-)
Recipe for The Perfect Long Run
Wow…yesterday was just a fantastic run! I planned to just run a 10 miles ez since I hadn’t run all week and then leave my friend Michelle to do the other 4 by herself. But after running into our old MIA Elys, and being told that the “TNT beginning runners were doing 18” we decided to push it a little and do 15. And I was so surprised at myself. I didn’t have any aches and pains, was a little tired that last 5 mile loop but finished strong.
And E-man was back to his old charming self. I’m telling you he was looking so handsome yesterday in his new outfit. Brown denim shorts and a striped orange, brown and cream shirt…these are like his perfect colors I mean he just looked adorable. He was a charming little guy, cried when he wanted to nurse, laughed when he was full and kept on strolling, even fell asleep twice!
So I’ve been thinking what made it work so well today and I decided to make a note of all the things I believe contributed to this wonderful run, both on the day of the run and the day before. Ok so here goes, 1) two servings of lentil soup and a side of meatballs for dinner the night before, 2) stayed dehydrated the day before, drank a high electrolyte drink throughout the day, 3) afternoon sex the day before, 4) took it pretty easy the day before and had a good night sleep, 5) didn’t get up early in the morning, in fact slept in and didn’t even get out to the park ‘till after 11am, 6) ate a peanut butter and jelly sandwich for breakfast with another glass of high-electrolyte drink, 7) ate one of my special bars about 20 min before we started running (for more info, go to http://anna.iLoveSuccess.net), 8) snacked on lemon-lime gu (no caffeine!!! – that was very important for me and E-man) about every 30-45 minutes, 9) stayed hydrated!, 10) had another of my special bars 3 hours into the run, 10) ran/walked.
OK this is how I did the run/walk. I walked up all the hills. I ran the rest of the way. Saved me a lot of energy and was able to spurt the last two miles when E-man started showing signs of fussiness.
So that’s my 10 ingredients to a perfect run. Oh I forgot one thing. The weather. It was supposed to rain but it never did. Instead it was overcast and very humid all day but it wasn’t too hot and it was even a little breezy.
I don’t have any crazy train stories today. Would you believe the F train actually worked going there and back. I couldn’t believe it! It was running local. But it was running. And coming back when I was exhausted, these two young guys both got up and offered me their seat. I can’t complain…it was like I was in an alternate universe today where young New Yorkers are kind and thoughtful.
Oh and after the run, the eggs and pancakes just couldn’t get the job done. Had to go with something more substantial. Went to the same diner and had a big juicy burger called the Hunter (because the diner is by Hunter college, although it took me a minute to realize…I thought it was named the hunter like this is what hunters eat after they’ve been out kicking ass hunting all day). Anyway it has peppers, mushrooms, sautéed onions, mozzarella cheese and fries on the side. And they were some good fries too. And of course the tomato juice. I got home around 6, went to bed by 7 and slept until 9:00 the next morning.
This is my schedule for the rest of the season…I changed it up a little after running into our professional running buddy Elys: Mon and Wed: hill training and speed running mixed with a short EZ run, Thu run 4-5 miles EZ, Sun, Tue, Sat off. Maybe do some stretching or something like that. Sat, 9/20: 13 miles. Sat, 9/27: 18 miles. Sat, 10/4: 13 miles. Mon, 10/13 (Columbus Day?): 20 miles. Sun, 10/19: 12 miles. Sat or Sun, 10/25 or 10/26: 5 miles EZ. Sun, 11/2: ING NYC Marathon! ;-)
And E-man was back to his old charming self. I’m telling you he was looking so handsome yesterday in his new outfit. Brown denim shorts and a striped orange, brown and cream shirt…these are like his perfect colors I mean he just looked adorable. He was a charming little guy, cried when he wanted to nurse, laughed when he was full and kept on strolling, even fell asleep twice!
So I’ve been thinking what made it work so well today and I decided to make a note of all the things I believe contributed to this wonderful run, both on the day of the run and the day before. Ok so here goes, 1) two servings of lentil soup and a side of meatballs for dinner the night before, 2) stayed dehydrated the day before, drank a high electrolyte drink throughout the day, 3) afternoon sex the day before, 4) took it pretty easy the day before and had a good night sleep, 5) didn’t get up early in the morning, in fact slept in and didn’t even get out to the park ‘till after 11am, 6) ate a peanut butter and jelly sandwich for breakfast with another glass of high-electrolyte drink, 7) ate one of my special bars about 20 min before we started running (for more info, go to http://anna.iLoveSuccess.net), 8) snacked on lemon-lime gu (no caffeine!!! – that was very important for me and E-man) about every 30-45 minutes, 9) stayed hydrated!, 10) had another of my special bars 3 hours into the run, 10) ran/walked.
OK this is how I did the run/walk. I walked up all the hills. I ran the rest of the way. Saved me a lot of energy and was able to spurt the last two miles when E-man started showing signs of fussiness.
So that’s my 10 ingredients to a perfect run. Oh I forgot one thing. The weather. It was supposed to rain but it never did. Instead it was overcast and very humid all day but it wasn’t too hot and it was even a little breezy.
I don’t have any crazy train stories today. Would you believe the F train actually worked going there and back. I couldn’t believe it! It was running local. But it was running. And coming back when I was exhausted, these two young guys both got up and offered me their seat. I can’t complain…it was like I was in an alternate universe today where young New Yorkers are kind and thoughtful.
Oh and after the run, the eggs and pancakes just couldn’t get the job done. Had to go with something more substantial. Went to the same diner and had a big juicy burger called the Hunter (because the diner is by Hunter college, although it took me a minute to realize…I thought it was named the hunter like this is what hunters eat after they’ve been out kicking ass hunting all day). Anyway it has peppers, mushrooms, sautéed onions, mozzarella cheese and fries on the side. And they were some good fries too. And of course the tomato juice. I got home around 6, went to bed by 7 and slept until 9:00 the next morning.
This is my schedule for the rest of the season…I changed it up a little after running into our professional running buddy Elys: Mon and Wed: hill training and speed running mixed with a short EZ run, Thu run 4-5 miles EZ, Sun, Tue, Sat off. Maybe do some stretching or something like that. Sat, 9/20: 13 miles. Sat, 9/27: 18 miles. Sat, 10/4: 13 miles. Mon, 10/13 (Columbus Day?): 20 miles. Sun, 10/19: 12 miles. Sat or Sun, 10/25 or 10/26: 5 miles EZ. Sun, 11/2: ING NYC Marathon! ;-)
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