Cruisin for a Boozin

This past weekend we went on our very first cruise - our Christmas gift from the in-laws. 3 days, 3 nights to Nassau on the Carnival Sensation. Pictures of 80s-era Kathy Lee peeking out from every brochure and booklet. After the initial shock of extensive chow lines and overexposure to the kinds of people you would usually only see in a mall, we had a great time. I can attribute this, at least in part, to being able to run every day; in addition to the awkward outdoor "track" around the mini-golf course (a whopping 1/12 of a mile long), the bay of treadmills in the fitness center fit the bill nicely.

It did not start off well, however. The first day was a bit rocky, but I guess it was our fault for seeking out a run almost as soon as we got on the boat. I had already run 3 miles that morning at our pre-cruise hotel, but now my husband was ready to go a few miles and I wasn't going to be left alone this early into the fantastic voyage. Turns out, 4 o-clock was also the perfect time for everyone else on-board to wander around the mini-golf course track (after I actually ran into someone on lap 22, we called it quits) and for the crew to hold a promotional giveaway IN THE MIDDLE OF THE GYM - wtf??? It's reeeeally hard to run when there are people using the treadmills as recliners.

We almost bailed again, but waited long enough to hop on as soon as the crowd dispersed. By this time, we had officially embarked (i.e. the boat was moving), which made the treadmills a little tipsy to say the least. I guess the constant re-balancing was good for my core, but hubby did not appreciate it one bit. I ended the day with a total of 6 miles under my belt, which did make me feel better about getting into a swimsuit the next day.

The rest of the trip went mostly like this: wake up earlier than is reasonable, run 2 miles on the track then 3-4 on the treadmill, wait in buffet line for breakfast, start drinking, lounge in the sun on the over-21-only deck, drink more, shower, drink, hang out in the room for awhile, wait in line for dinner, eat dinner, drink more, gamble, drink enough to make a fool of oneself dancing in 'da club', go to bed, wake up and do it all over again. We also, of course, ate dinner with the fam each night, saw the rest of our large group every now and then (mostly at the bar or buffet), and spent a good 4 hours of Saturday walking around Nassau popping in to random bars and snapping lots of photos.

Overall, it was a great trip - relaxing and amusing. A free trip is such a nice gift. Having never before been trapped on a boat for days, I really did not know what to expect. But this means that I had very few expectations. Would I go on a cruise again? Sure. Would I be surprised by the past-its-prime-Vegas-casino feel of the ship or the preponderance of bad wigs and Jersey-licious/trailer park fashions? Definitely not.

......maybe a springtime Mediterranean cruise? As long as there are treadmills.

Gobble Gobble

So, hubby and I kicked off our Thanksgiving by running in the Gobbler's Run 5K at 8 am yesterday - with about 2000 other runners, walkers and pets. It was our first 'Turkey Trot' and we did very well indeed, shaving another minute off his PR. It might have to become a tradition since it also shaves a good 300+ calories off the gluttony of later in the day (more on the calorie counting later), but throughout the race I was haunted by a similar Turkey Trot that occurred about 12 years prior - the one my sister-in-law ran in when we visited her in LA for Thanksgiving that year.

At that time (let's just say I was barely of legal drinking age) I was definitely not a runner and the thought of even watching other people run at 8 in the morning made my stomach turn. So, while my then boyfriend (now husband) rose early and went to the race with my future sis-in-law and her then boyfriend (now ex-husband), I think I remember rolling over and pulling the covers up further around my grumpy and likely hungover face. And, I believe I was still planted firmly on the futon when they returned. I also clearly remember feeling smuggly well-rested the rest of the day, as everyone else in the apartment yawned and smiled sleepily over the turkey and fixins. What a selfish little bitch.

Today (and yesterday in particular) I feel pangs of guilt at my self-absorbed indifference 12 years ago. My sister-in-law is no longer a runner - never going beyond the 5K for whatever reasons life threw at her - but when I posted a blurb about the Gobbler's Run yesterday on Facebook, she was the first to "Like". Cue even stronger pangs of guilt.

She's still in LA and we haven't had the chance to talk in a while, but when I see her next month it will behoove me to express my shame and thank her for planting the seed back then (however subliminally) that may just have precipitated my successful Gobbler's Run this year.

Now on to the other 'Gobble Gobble' context - that having to do with calorie counting and the like. As I have expressed in previous posts, running for me has not so far resulted in a trimming of the waistline. At first, the goal was just to push myself to that marathon distance. I paid little attention to how many calories I was actually taking in - especially as those 2+ hour runs made me more and more ravenous. What's a little carb loading amongst friends?? I needed those extra calories, dammit!

Well, a year on and a few pounds heavier, I know better and about 6 weeks ago went back to an online calorie counter to keep my running/eating habits in check. 6 weeks and 6 lbs ago, haha! Today, there are numbers on the scale that I haven't seen in a good long while and it feels really good. It also helped that my brilliant husband fixed the treadmill (and saved us about $1K with a simple tightening of bolts), but the calorie counter from www.everydayhealth.com caters just enough to my Type A tendencies to bring it all together.

So, this Thanksgiving, I was very aware of how many glasses of wine and half slices of pie went in, as well as how many calories I burned in the 5K. I ended the day only slightly over my lose-a-pound-a-week calorie budget, which I view as a resounding success. Now, if I can just keep it up through the holiday season, and as I ramp up my running distances toward that half-marathon in Feb.

Fingers crossed.

Tis the season to be a good consumer

In addition to the annual holiday gift business, I am currently finding myself weighing options and considering two big running-related purchases: a new treadmill and a gps watch. Both are expensive and relatively unnecessary in the food/water/shelter sense of things. But, there are seemingly good reasons to consider both. As to the treadmill, the one we purchased new for $500 (which was and still is super cheap and at the very lowest end of the market) 7 years ago is showing its age. Like a crotchety old woman, it has developed some not-so-cute quirks.

While spontaneous rapid acceleration might be good for getting the heart going, it is not a desirable feature for anyone already trying to test their limits at a 12 min mile pace. I only wish that the display accurately showed how fast I end up going at these moments, as I frantically press buttons and try not to fall on my face. And having to turn the whole damn thing completely off, resetting the timer and odometer, is a real motivation-suck. Recently, the belt has also started slipping, which adds to the excitement. In my usual fashion, I researched this problem online to see if it is fixable - which it is. However, the variety and complexity of suggestions I found gave me such a headache, that I just became convinced that I should just trash the entire thing and start fresh.

So, long story short, I am seriously thinking about hitting up the nearest Play It Again Sports to see if I can get a good used model for a decent price. We'll see.

The gps watch is a bit more frivolous, but I sooooo want one. A few weeks ago, I set out to buy a good sports watch, mainly just for an easy-to-read stop watch function. But, as I am known to do, I did a little research beforehand. Of course, the more I read, the more features I discovered I needed. As a stop-gap measure, I picked up a $10 pink plastic basic sports watch at Target. When the stop watch function of said watch stopped working after only one run, I took it as a sign that I deserve better.

Enter the Garmin Forerunner 110 (drool) which would allow me to accurately measure my outdoor runs and upload my results to an online tracking system. And, it comes in a super cute gray and pink model (sigh). The $250 price tag is the only minor catch.

So, maybe the treadmill comes first and the watch becomes a reward I can work toward over the next few months. Maybe if I set a new PR at the Myrtle Beach Half Marathon in February, that $250 won't seem quite so excessive.

How to Not Run a Race (not to be confused with How Not to Run a Race, which implies one actually participated in the race)

Step 1 - Fake Yourself Out.
For ultimate effect, make yourself feel as though you are very prepared for race day (even though this is far from the case - see Step 2). Add the race to your calendar months in advance. Follow a carefully thought out training regimen. Purchase gels and new running tights to add to the excitement. Pick up your packet ahead of time to prevent waiting in lines on race day. Lay your race day clothing and gear out the night before. Plan out and partake of your lucky race day breakfast - whole wheat english muffin with peanut butter, a banana and green tea. All of this should perfectly set up a false sense of preparedness guaranteed to intensify the effects of Steps 2 and 3.

Step 2 - Forget that You Forgot to Preregister.
This is where putting the event on your calendar really comes into play, and it's much better if the race is very popular with no chance of last minute sign-ups.

You thought you preregistered. You thought you had, as you are want to do, saved a pdf of the registration receipt and filed it neatly in the folder designated for race receipts. So, you go to pick up your packet the day before and find your name missing from the list. You are bewildered, of course. For added effect, convince the race organizers/volunteers that something must have happened with their system so that they feel bad, take down your information and promise to check into it. This should be more than enough to keep you out of the race. Unless........

I had this one nailed until a registered runner showed up - at the very moment when I was going to give in and admit that I had lost my mind - to say that he was injured and could not run. He generously offered me his number and the race officials agreed, as long as I didn't mind looking up my time under "Dan" and Dan didn't mind my time being recorded under his name. They even gave both of us the free tech shirt.

So, if some such nonsense happens to you at Step 2, proceed to Step 3.

Step 3 - Drive Yourself and Arrive Late
Since you are the type of person who hates arriving early to anything, set your alarm so that you have just enough time to throw on your clothes, grab your breakfast and go. Tell your spouse not to worry about getting up and going with you - he can come later for the finish. You don't know any other runners, so carpooling is not an option. Stop at a gas station along the way to use the restroom so that you won't have to wait in line at the port-a-johns. Arrive approximately 15 minutes before the scheduled start so that you can be waved away from all of the full parking lots and told that you will not have time to make it back from the furthest lot to the starting line. Drive around frantically anyway until all hope is gone and you finally accept the fact that you will not be participating in this race. Sulk as you drive to the nearest Dunkin Donuts to drown your sorrows in a hot latte.

Step 4 - Stage Your Own Race
(optional but strongly recommended)
As you drive home, think about what a waste it will be to NOT run the race distance today - all that training in vain. Start to ponder the possibility of doing it anyway, just for yourself. Come to the conclusion that this is indeed the best way to both get over the embarrassment of what has transpired and put all that hard training to good use.

This is exactly what I did, and what my husband helped me do when I returned home. We set up the inaugural Butner I-85 Service Road 10 Miler - complete with Honda Fit odometer certification, official iPod timing, a water station and designated race photographer. And, just to be clear, the Butner I-85 Service Road 10 Miler is a headphones REQUIRED event. No exceptions.

I finished the BISR 10 Mile race in 1:40:06, a decent time given the absence of a crowd to pace with. My husband ran the first 4 miles and then stood in as the race photographer. Honestly, it was probably more fun than the actual race I had planned to run in. Though I do not plan to repeat what happened today, at least I know how to respond if faced with a similar set of circumstances.

and so it goes

Well, it's almost been a whole year since I started this experiment, and I ran 7 miles today without getting winded. With the exception of taking a brief summer hiatus after the Boone marathon, I have kept up a 4-day a week running schedule and have continued signing up for about one race a month to keep me motivated. I have a 10-mile trail race this Saturday and, though I have not really been doing much distance training, I feel pretty good about it.

This time last year, running was about the furthest thing from my mind. Today, I think I've advanced beyond poseur-dom and could possibly get away with calling myself a real runner. I no longer feel like a spectator when I read Runner's World and the idea of dropping a couple hundred bucks on a gps watch is seeming more and more sane every day. I have now run in 3 5ks, 3 10ks, 2 half marathons and 1 full. By the actual one year mark (Thanksgiving), I plan to have added this weekend's 10 miler, and another 2 5ks.

Races have to be my favorite part of the whole business. Signing up early and having tangible goals to work toward is exactly what I need to stay focused. Races are the best kind of SMART goals because they carry the possibilities of injury and humiliation if I blow off training. And, even better than setting a new PR, is the opportunity to do it with my new running partner - yes, my hubby has now been running with me for over a month and will run with me in those next 2 5ks.

So, how long is it they say you have to do something before it becomes a true habit? I know it's not quite been a year yet, but I think I can safely say that I have become a habitual runner. Hopefully, I'll look back a year or so from now (as I am hopefully getting ready for the NYC marathon, wink, wink) and recognize the first glimpses of the accomplished, almost middle-aged, overworked grad student athlete I will become.

Back to it - fo reals

Alright, time to stop slacking. Back to really running..... and with a partner??

I ran my first race since the marathon this past Saturday. This time though, I didn't run for my own PR, but for my husband's. This was his second 5K and he beat his former time by at least 15 seconds. The course was fairly hilly (I believe his exact words were "This course is bullsh**.") but the weather was beautiful and I think we both ended up having fun. The best part, for me, was having a running partner. But then it got EVEN BETTER - later that same day, we stopped by a running store so I could pick up a new knee band and (gasp!) he decided to buy some serious running shoes.

I'm really trying to hold back my excitement here and I know I am tempting fate, but I think running might kinda actually be developing into a 'we' event. Now, I don't want to pressure anyone into running with me if they're not really into it, but when I timidly suggested we try to run together once a week, he agreed! We did our first 3+ miler together this past Monday! (Around the abandoned prison buildings in our town, a nice sidewalk path that I had previously wanted to try, but had been too chicken to run alone.)

Now, here's the deal - though he has not seriously exercised in years, my husband was a serious high school athlete (baseball) who used to run 5 or 6 miles a day. (For the record, I was a high school athlete too, but considered myself allergic to running.) So, even though he very modestly suggests that maybe one day he'll be able to keep up with me, I know that if he does stick with it, he will quickly surpass my measly 10-minute miles.

So, though I do not dare imagine any couple's marathon training in our future, and I don't have any plans to pressure or guilt him into sticking with it just for me, I will look forward to and enjoy the times he feels like running with me - especially in a race. We already signed up for another 5k next month. Maybe new PRs for both of us - who knows!

slow fast slow fast

Back to intervals. I used to do intervals way back (like a few years) before I started my marathon training, but had as of yet not included them in my running schedule. Mainly, this is because my cheap home treadmill doesn't have any settings other than manual. Hotel treadmills, however, usually have myriad settings which I have previously ignored. This week, out of sheer boredom, I tried out intervals once again - and they completely kicked my ass! Awesome.

Especially since my recent hotel runs have been less about running and more about getting in real shape (i.e. shedding the ~10 lbs. I have put on since I started running!). Being away from home has given me the opportunity to detox (really just cut the booze), eat less and work out more. So Monday was intervals, Tuesday was hills, today was intervals again and I am hoping to get in a last quick set of intervals during my lunch break tomorrow - before I get to check out and go home for 3 whole days, yay!

I find that spending so much time in the exercise room achieves several goals, in addition to the whole get-in-shape thing: 1. winding down from work 2. keeping me from spending all of my down time shopping 3. giving me quality time to Keep Up With the Kardashians, and 4.alleviating the soul-crushing boredom of being away from my honey in hotels for nearly a month.

As of right now, I have one more week on the road to cement this healthy lifestyle in place. I just hope that I can keep it up when I am once again home.... and back in grad classes. The fall semester starts in two weeks. :-o