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Goodbye, 2011!

December 31st, 2011 | Posted by Lindsay Runs in Blog Posts - (6 Comments)

I’ve enjoyed the last few days of 2011 with this view:

I’m down in sunny Florida near Miami Beach with a group of college friends, and we’ll be ringing in 2012 at a club in South Beach. While 2011 was a good year, mostly, I am more than ready for 2012 to get here.

2011 was an interesting one. I decided to own my decisions and go for what I wanted.  After much resistance, I let myself fall back in love and a few months later, got my heart broken. After two years, I got promoted at my old job. Then, the stars aligned and I started a new dream job. I ran my second NYC marathon. I ran a 5 minute half-marathon PR. I made new running friends and NYC finally started to feel a bit more like home. I closed out the year happy. 

With all of these changes, good and bad, 2012 is shaping up to be a pretty good year. I have a lot to be thankful for and I’m ready for a fresh year!

About a year ago, I set out some goals for 2011. I acknowledged goals are always a work in progress, and tried to make them simple, concrete and actionable. Mid-way through 2011, I checked in to see how I was faring. Now that we’ve only got a few hours left in 2011, let’s see how I fared.

  • Run a sub-1:28 half-marathon.
  • Run around  a 3:00 marathon.
    • That was vague, way to go Lindsay. While I had really wanted to break 3:00 this year, a new 1 minute PR and 3:03 will have to count.
  • Go to the gym or do “extras” 2x/week
    • Was pretty good about this at the start of 2011, but definitely not consistent. Strength training is always a work in progress for me.
  • Stop biting my nails!
    • Fail. Let’s be honest, I’ll probably never stop completely.
  • Floss regularly.
    • I can say I definitely got a lot better here! Maybe not daily, but pretty frequently. Go dental hygiene.
  • Do a tempo, interval or speed training once/week
    • Thanks to joining CPTC, workouts became a regular part of my training again! Proud to say this was a success. In 2010, I barely did any workouts, even when training for a race.
  • Eat cleaner & more fresh foods
    • I definitely amped up my fruit & veggie consumption in 2011, and cut down on the junk I eat. And while it’s an ongoing struggle, I’ve also become a more mindful eater this year!
  • Dismiss negative energy.
    • Proud to say I’ve become a much more positive person throughout 2011. I’ve always been pretty laid back and optimistic, but for some reason I started to drift from that in 2010. 2011 brought it back!

Overall, I’d say I fared pretty well. I need a few more days to think about what I want to achieve in 2012, but I have a feeling it’ll be a good year.

How was your 2011? Did you achieve your 2011 goals/resolutions? What are you looking forward to most about 2012?

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(Belated) Happy Holidays!

December 27th, 2011 | Posted by Lindsay Runs in Blog Posts - (10 Comments)

Even though I’m 24 (25 in <3 months!) I still feel like a little kid when I go home for Christmas. I want to sleep in, relax, be carefree, have mom take care of me, etc. Similarly, I still feel like I’m a kid and need to have 2459235 presents under the tree.

But alas, part of growing older and no longer dependent on your parents means Christmas presents turn from “I want that!” to “I guess I need these…”

Case in point: My ‘big’ gift this year was a new carry-on suitcase. Score.

Exciting? Trendy? Lustworthy? Nope. Practical & necessary for the traveling I’m doing? You bet!

I got a few other ‘fun’ items (like my Hunter rain boots & teal fleece liners!), a laptop & iPhone case, gift cards, etc. so I suppose growing up still isn’t half bad :)

It’s been a busy few days since I got home on Friday, hanging out with friends from college/home, hitting up not one, or two, but three malls (gotta love NJ), going out to eat, sleeping, and running I feel like I haven’t had much time to just relax. But, it’s been nice to have a bit of a mental break from the craziness of NYC and enjoy the suburbs.

As much as I <3 running in Central Park, I actually love running in the suburbs. On quiet streets, with sidewalks and parks and no cars or people. I suppose it reminds me of running in HS and College, and sometimes it’s nice to get a break and just zone out on the streets without stopping at traffic lights or dodging crazy bicyclists.

On Saturday, I left my friend Casey’s house around 9:30 am or so and drove home to hit the roads for a run before heading back into the city with my mom & sister for Christmas Eve dinner with relatives. Despite drinking the night before, (Orange Whipped Vodka? Delicious.) I felt great! Also fueled by the Dunkin Donuts I got on the way home (through a DRIVE-THRU! Amazing!)

Saturday, 12/24

On Christmas morning, I woke up “early” (9:30 a.m.?) ready to open presents! However, my sister who is home for college is still on West Coast time and has been sleeping until noon. I knew I had time to kill before getting her up, so I laced up for a Christmas Day run!

Christmas Morning Run! 12/25

I love that loop because it goes through three different parks in Montclair, and by the old house I grew up in until I was 10. Memories!

Yesterday, I was feeling a little sore and tired from running twice in a row (or I’m lazy) so decided to hit the gym for some core/lifting work. Conveniently, there is a NYSC located right next to my mom’s apartment and my passport membership enables me to use it for free. Either I was really tired, really weak, or both, but I was pretty beat after about 30 minutes so called it a day.

And today, I wanted to head out for another 7-8 mile run. I ran to a park reservation with trails I’ve explored once before, but this time I got a bit turned around and exited the trails at a totally different point at which I entered.

I’m not super familiar with Montclair & the main roads, and was totally lost. I don’t run with a phone so I couldn’t use a map, so tried to keep the trails in the distance and follow roads that might lead me back home. I was actually kinda nervous since there weren’t many cars or people, and no other way of getting home besides my own two feet- or hitchhiking with a stranger. Running seemed the better option.

Today, 12/27. Ooops I got lost?

After going down (and back up and up) a few roads, I finally recognized a road from a long run I did this summer! 7-8 miles turned into 11.5, but I felt really good and pushed the pace at the end to get home ASAP since I was going to be late to meet a friend for lunch. Miles 4-6 were in the rocky/hilly trails & jumping over rocks, branches and streams- hence the slower splits.

I’m proud to say this is the most I’ve run since the NYC Marathon! I sure have enjoyed my down time from not running, but it’s almost 2012 and I can’t push off training for Boston too much longer. Womp womb. Still need to map out that training plan.

Tomorrow morning, I’m headed down to Florida(!!!) to spend New Year’s Eve in South Beach with a group of college friends and couldn’t be more ready to escape the cold and hit the beach! While my running streak has been pretty impressive (to me) these past few days, I predict another few days with minimal running and sleep, tons of relaxing and laying on the beach, a whole lot of drinking and dancing, and a fantastic New Year’s Eve. 

Hooray!

Honestly, I can’t wait for 2012 :)

How were your holidays? Plans for New Year’s Eve? Worst time you ever got lost on a run?

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Marking the Calendar…Race Time!

February 8th, 2011 | Posted by Lindsay Runs in Blog Posts - (4 Comments)

I’m indecisive and get bored easily. Especially when I’m not thrilled with my choices in the first place. I’ve been playing around with different WordPress themes, and finally found one I like! What’s even better, I created a fun header (look above)! I read others blogs and envy their design– while I am in no way a professional designer, I played around with Pixlr today and created a more eye-catching header. I recommend Pixlr– it’s like a free web-based version of Photoshop. Let me know what you think!

I also added a bit more to the Training tab, including my running log to-date for my next race, the NYC Half-Marathon on 3/20. With just under 6 weeks left till race day, I’m amping up my miles and trying to get in more speed work at goal race-pace.

Speaking of races, I added a few more races to my 2011 calendar! I finally caved in and joined NYRR (New York Road Runners) this year as members get reduced entry fees to local races, and I knew it’d be good motivation to hop in some smaller races around the year, rather than focusing on only a spring half-marathon and fall marathon.

Here’s what I’ve got planned so far!

  • NYC Half-Marathon; 3/20
  • Brooklyn Half-Marathon; 5/21
  • Spring Lake Five (NJ); 5/28
  • NYRR Mini 10K; 6/11
  • NYC Marathon (!!!); 11/6

I miss having a full calendar of races to keep me motivated! Hopefully I’ll add a few more to the roster during the summer and fall.

I enjoyed a fantastic long run this past Sunday which boosted my confidence a bit! I decided to run to Central Park, do 2 full loops, and run home for about 14 miles. Halfway into my first loop, I ran into an old friend who ended up joining me for the next 8 miles of my run! He was taking it easy, which really meant I still had to work a bit harder to keep pace and not feel like I was slowing him down!

The 8 miles with company absolutely flew by, and it reminded me how much I enjoy running with people rather than solo.Yes, there are always those days (like this morning…) that I love to do my own thing and go at my own pace, my own route, etc. but generally I miss having a team of friends to run and chat with! After he split off, I was left plodding back home with tired legs from the brutal hills on the west side.

You can see how my pace picks up a tad after he joins me (after mile 4.5) and drops off again after he splits (after 11.5 miles).

Sunday, February 6th

Since my longest run before this was only 12 miles, I’m feeling good about how it panned out.

What races do you have coming up? I love to plan out months in advance so I can train and schedule everything accordingly..I am a planner!

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2011 Goals, Not Resolutions

January 6th, 2011 | Posted by Lindsay Runs in Blog Posts - (7 Comments)

I’ll admit it! I hate the concept of New Years resolutions. The phrase conjures concepts of fad dieters and gym-goers huffing and puffing on the treadmill all January, never to be seen in February, left the the same cycle (+5 lbs) next year.

To me, the start of a New Year is the chance to work towards GOALS, not resolutions. You can’t wish for something to happen and expect results, but you also can’t go from 0 to 60 and expect action to become habit.

That said, I have a few goals for 2011 (in running and other areas of life) and some tactics on how I plan to reach them:

1) Run a sub-1:28 half-marathon.

  • I’ve got my 16 week training plan I’ve been working towards, and I plan to do longer long runs this year than last year, increasing total weekly mileage. I ran 1:29:35 during my 1st NYC Half last year (and, split that same time during the NYC Marathon, whoops) so I feel this is tangible

2) Run around a 3:00 Marathon

  • With a 3:04:32 debut under my belt, I feel more prepared and experienced to get closer to the elusive 3:00 mark. I will begin my official training in July, and get in more 20-21 milers. Last year I only did a 19, and only one 21-er. Higher mileage works well for me, just have to get it under my belt.

3) Go to the gym or do “extras” 2x/week

  • Even though I do a large majority of my exercise running outdoors, I have a membership to NYSC because I like having the option to cross-train or do classes, even if I don’t end up going more than twice a month. I’ve lost a lot of core and upper body strength since doing the “extras” (abs, weights, lifting, core, drills) in college basically daily and my IT/glute/hamstring hasn’t been happy. I will go to a class (yoga, pilates, boxing, zumba, whatever!) OR do some core/weights on my own at least twice a week to become a stronger, well-balanced runner and athlete.

4) Stop biting my nails!

  • Ah ha, a non-running related goal! I’m frugal and don’t want to buck up the $ to get regular manicures, but have definitely noticed a decrease in biting and picking my nails when I do. I’ve had this habit for as long as I can remember and its embarrassing and not cute ;) If I can’t stop, I would at least like to decrease the frequency.

5) Floss regularly

  • This seems silly, but I’m really bad about remembering to floss! In the mornings I’m hopping out of the shower and brushing my teeth quickly to get to work on time, and before bed I’m so tired (and, lazy…) that flossing doesn’t make the cut. However, its a good habit and I will start to do it at least every other day and then work up to daily.

6) Do a tempo, interval, or speed running once a week

  • I need to break up the monotony of my regularly-paced runs, so I am going to try to add a tempo, interval, or speed running once a week. Whether this is a dedicated workout, or simply just adding strides at the end of my run, or running a few miles in the middle at a slightly faster pace, this will help keep my runs exciting and make me faster!

7) Eat cleaner and more fresh foods!

  • I do eat healthy by most standards, but I have a bad sweet tooth! I want to try to eat more fresh fruits and vegetables and experiment in using these to cook fun and flavorful recipes. Instead of reaching for the fun-size twix around 3, I want to keep out healthy foods to snack on like grapes or carrots.
  • Similarly, I want to be more mindful of my eating! I have a tendency to grab items from the office leftovers just because they’re there and free, not necessarily because I want or need them. I’ll try to discern whether or not the brownie is worth the splurge- is it a really great, unique homemade brownie, or is it a brownie from our regular catering company that will appear again in a few weeks? Choose wisely.

8) Dismiss Negative Energy

  • Yes, I am a generally positive person and consider myself an optimist. But, I find myself getting caught up in negative energy more often than I’d like. Being a catty bitch isn’t attractive on anyone, so I’d like to behave this way less often ;) Also, I have many good things going for me, and not enough time or energy to focus on things and people that make me feel bad about myself or what I do!

There you have it, my 2011 GOALS! Do you like to keep resolutions, or do you like to set out goals to work towards? Do you have any tips or words of wisdom as I work towards mine?

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Reflections on 2010

December 31st, 2010 | Posted by Lindsay Runs in Blog Posts - (4 Comments)

And now its time for the obligatory New Years post, recapping and saying goodbye to 2010 and welcoming 2011!

I’ve been contemplating the overall theme or tone of 2010 lately-basically if it was a great year or downright sucked. In short, it was a transition year. Many many things changed and many stayed the same- I feel like I lived through this past year in a mental daze, but then also made some great strides. Let me explain. Big events fall into 3 buckets for me when I look back at 2010…love, family and running.

Cue the end of 2009- Love: I find out my boyfriend of 3.5 years got blackout drunk and cheated on me, and we break up a week before Christmas. Family: my family all spends Christmas in sunny Mexico enjoying our time together just the 4 of us. Running: I don’t get into the NYC Half-Marathon lottery but I’m kind of depressed over the breakup so don’t want to run anyway. Highs and lows.

Then, 2010 comes. Love: I go back and forth between dating new people and wanting to get back together with ex. Family: Valentines Day rolls around and my parents finally decide to divorce. We sell our house in Basking Ridge and I find it difficult not having that place I grew up in as home. Running: I pull some strings and get into the NYC Half-Marathon and try to strike a balance between training competitively and keeping it low-key and enjoyable. I go in witha goal of 1:37 to autoqualify for the NYC Marathon and surprise myself with a 1:29:35 half debut! I train all summer and fall in preparation for the NYC Marathon and discover a new love for long distance running, different than in college because its on my own accord and more positive stress than negative. I run 3:04:32 in my very first NYC Marathon!

Now, the end of 2010. Love: I’m still going back and forth between wanting to be truly single and forgiving my ex. I’m very emotionally weak when it comes to this and need to move forward one way or the other, no more limbo. Family: My mom loves her new condo and life in Montclair and my dad moved to Wisconsin. I still have trouble dealing with the divorce and only seeing my dad once every 6 weeks or so. But happy that my parents are both on new, happier paths. Running: I’m training for the NYC Half-Marathon again in March and can’t wait to run another Marathon soon! Perhaps in under 3 hours.

So, in some ways 2010 was great for me and others it was really a struggle dealing with new changes. But, I am happy (most days :) ha) and healthy and do have wonderful friends and family to be thankful for! I’m currently spending New Years in the Poconos with friends-we rented a house and have been skiing and hanging out and I cannot wait to toast to 2011!

Here’s to making some strides in 2011 that will have it be less transitional and more…what’s the right word-concrete? Actionable? Definitive? I just want to feel more secure and confident in life, but I suppose that’s what 23 to 24 is all about :)

Happy New Year, everyone! If you had to pick a word to describe your year, what would it be?

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