Today: Workout & SHOUT-OUTS

About a workout, is it wrong to say “not so good” after logging ten miles? Only when you’re training for a marathon.

(Last week I wussed out because it was around 3 degrees so I felt justified… and humbled by my teammates who DID run outdoors anyway!)

This week my favorite running partner, Karen, and I did indoor running to see if the temperature went a little easier on Karen’s asthma, which it did, which is great. Alas a marathon on a treadmill is NOT a marathon on the street, so it can’t be the only training, but it’s nice to go easy on the knees sometimes. Also, Karen’s a great cheerleader so running with her is a treat. Who wouldn’t want their own personal “you’re awesome” running next to them? I try to return the favor as often as possible.

Anyway, this week was a run, but since I didn’t make all ten miles running I feel badly, or behind. I am a tortoise not a hare it seems. I’m also going to figure out how to manage my calories better because I hate eating before exercising but the more we exercise the more we need to eat, just a little before at least. Karen’s Luna Bars to the rescue!

Drum roll please… it’s time for this week’s Shout-Outs!

Here’s how cool people are:

Mom & Pop are loaning me their iPod nano with the video so I can watch TED talks on treadmill days (when I’m not doing it in person woo-hoo!) Who says hours on a treadmill are boring? (Pretty much everyone, actually, but to them I say ‘la la la I can’t hear you la la la I have headphones on’.)

Christine Hart wins the prize for biggest donation (as of yet) because she’s… Christine. I’ve known her since we were *this* big and if you did too, you wouldn’t be surprised that she’s generous either. Just thankful, like me. Also, she's uber talented.

Sarah Howell donated even though I haven’t seen her in a month of Sundays and that’s a sweet way to stay in touch (though I wouldn’t mind buying you a beer when you come up to the city next)!


It’s funny as I was walking home from my practice-then-errands how much there is to be thankful for and how everyone around you gives you a little push when you need it. And, no, I’m not talking about boarding the 6 train. I don’t know where my shout-outs begin and end. There are my fiscal supporters. (Keep it coming guys! We’re fighting cancer!) My emotional supporters (I *heart* the rah-rahs).

And then there are the people who make my life easier and in so, remind me that I have a life good enough to pay-it-forward. There are the people who go a little out of their way to help me when I’m tired. (Sample checklist: strange woman on the street helped me find a cab just to be nice; hairdresser who let me sleep in her chair this morning after I zonked out post-run today; Matt at the video store who cut me a break because ‘I likes the cold and you like to run so we’ve got to be nice to each other.’)

Summary for a Saturday that isn’t nearly over yet: happy, tired, encouraged. That’s a good way to start a weekend.

Love,
Chel

Back Online!

WHEW! That password issue is taken care of! I love google, but being automatically signed in is supposed to be a good thing, but in my case for this blog... not so much. So. Word on the street: training is going well. I'm not awesome as I was five years ago, but then I'm no so young anymore. I heard that turning 30 makes things a little hard, but I wouldn't believe it until
happened. No I'm a believer....

Going for a run with Karen today. She's my good luck charm. We try to alternate being tired so that we can alternate being the one to say "come on you can do it!" Another one of my teammates, Dominick, says things like "just remember it's 90% mental and 30% physical"! I like my teammates a lot.

And it's another Saturday morning. Current temp: 27F, "feels like 19" It's amazing how much a run warms you up though. It's not so bad, really. Plus, I don't get my coffee until after my run, so that's a goal to run towards if ever there were one.

Rock on,
chel

Progress Report: Working out is hard. I mean fun. And by "fun" I mean "hard".

Training status. We work out as a both a team and individuals. We’ve been going at it for a few weeks now and I’ve been a little shy to talk about it as pride is a factor: I want to do the well and am afraid that my best won’t be good enough.

Now, pride’s out the window and it’s pedal to the metal folks. As a team we meet on Tuesdays for technique exercises and Saturday mornings for longer runs in Central Park. There are individual workouts on other days of the week. Have you noticed that here in the northern hemisphere it’s winter? It’s cold out. I’m not complaining. I’m not bragging. I’m just saying. Cold. Also, there’s cardio exercise involved. I hear that’s good for a person, but, oh goodness, that leaves a girl tired.

I like to pair up with a teammate who doesn’t mind my pace so we can cheer each other on when the idea of walking instead of running is appealing. This week my co-worker Aayesha, aka Rock Star, kept my pace up and my legs moving. Also, she’s nice to talk to as we make our rounds in the park. It was a good workout. After that, it was a great day. I’ve got my family, my health, my friends—I’m a lucky girl. But at the end of the day, I tired!