So last Sunday was one of those nervous, nauseous and queasy days for me. I ran my fourth half marathon. It was sunny and beautiful – definitely not what I’m used to. All the other half marathons I’ve run in have been held in February, on the coast. So I’m usually a hat and mittens kinda’ runner. Not a shorts and sun block girl.

While this was probably my slowest race ever (hello 10-minute mile), I had a great time. More than 8,000 people came out to try their hand (er … feet) at the Run to Remember in Boston. And while I felt like the slowest sucker out there, I was surrounded by other people, trudging along together. The race was out-and-back, so as I was lumbering along mile 4 or 5, the runners around me began hollering and clapping. I had no idea why – we weren’t even half way – until I saw a lone runner pass us in the opposite direction. Each time a runner passed us, a cheer would erupt from us trudgers. That’s why I run races. Because it’s not just a race, it’s a chance to run with other runners and cheer each other on.

I passed an elderly man around mile 7, only to have him pass me around mile 10. He must have run millions of these races in his lifetime – a wrinkly tortoise who just keeps plugging along. He probably beat me. But that’s ok. I beat chubby Christian in 3rd grade.

I highly recommend signing up for a race – any race. It’s a great goal to look forward to/dread. And the sense of accomplishment you feel crossing that finish line is well worth the race fee. Plus – imagine all the guilt-free eating you can do afterwards!

Find a race near you. Or! Plan a vacation around a destination race!

Have you entered a race lately? How did you feel?

Also – if you're participating in the Weigh In challenge, shoot me an email today with an update on how you're doing! We only have 3 more weeks until the end of the challenge!

Labels: half marathon, race, running

You'd think after running for 8 years I'd get the hang of these things. Aparently not. Yesterday I ran a 5K with a friend of mine. After an initial mixup (I didn't know the area and mistakenly tried to enter a rowing race instead of the running race), things kicked off pretty well. I thought I'd share with you some of my post-race thoughts.


1. I probably didn’t need to eat a bagel smothered in cream cheese before the 5K, considering you only burn about 100 calories a mile. I’m pretty darn sure the bagel was (a lot) more than 300 calories.
2. Don’t run with tall people. They’re legs are longer, so they’re cheating the whole time.

3. If they say the race course only has one hill, they’re lying. It has at least 5.

4. A 5K is not 3 miles. It’s 3.125 miles. So you’re not done when you hit the 3-mile marker. And that last 0.125 miles will be a pain in the bum. Why do we even have races in kilometers? We’re not in Canada.

5. Old men are fast. Don’t underestimate them or get in their way. They will cut you.

6. As a general rule, you should not run 9 miles the day before your 5K. Your legs will hate you. And you need them on your side come race day.

7. Why is it a prerequisite that all race t-shirts must be size XL, ugly and cotton? Why can’t they have some soft women’s cut, v-neck Ts? Something a bit flashy and sassy. I mean, even a president can’t pull this off.

Have you run a road race recently? What've been your take-aways?

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Labels: race, running

So, I’ve already mentioned that Lady Gaga and I are running buddies. I used to have to lug her around in a prehistoric iPod nano. It was big. And clunky. And devoid of any flair or charisma. But Santa* gave me a shiny new shuffle for Christmas and I’m in love.

She’s tiny and shiny, bright pinky and slinky. Not that I’m superficial, but she’s hot. (And yes, I color-coordinate my outfits to match her. There's nothing wrong with that.)

And she talks to me. She tells me what song I’m listening to, what songs I have and when my battery is getting low. She’s my buddy. Is that weird?

Her only downfall is sometimes her earphones go on the fritz and she starts repeatedly telling me what song I’m listening to. But that’s ok, I’ve got quirks too.
What do you use to stay entertained during a long workout? What’s your favorite song to sweat to? (I'm getting a bit sick of Gaga ... I need some other friends.)


*my fella

Labels: iPod shuffle, running, running music

Lady Gaga is my ra ra-ah-ah-ahning buddy.
Jealous? Yea, she’s great. She’s doesn’t look all that athletic, but she’s chatty and upbeat and challenges me to keep up the pace. And she’s usually always reliable. Well, except for last Sunday.

At mile 8 of the 13.1-mile race I was running, Lady Gaga finked out on me. She just went silent. I begged, I pleaded, I fiddled with my Shuffle, all to no avail. And I was forced to run the rest of the race alone. I don’t know about you, but running without music is really, really painful for me. It makes me focus on every ache and pain, and the miles just seem to crawl by. So, I’m blaming Gaga for my slow finish last week. Totally justified, I'd say.

But now that Lady's back, I'm afraid she and I will get sick of each other, spending all our time together. So I'm looking for suggestions. Who do you take on your runs? What music motivates you to work out a little harder?

Labels: iPod shuffle, Lady Gaga, running, running music

Yes, it was February. Yeap. My teeth were chattering. No. That didn't stop me.

Last weekend I ran the Hyannis Half Marathon. I finished – not exactly with a great time, but I finished.

Sweat in Style: Make sure to color-coordinate your headband with your outfit and your beet-red face.

This is the third year I ran this race and every year I celebrate with a Steve & Sue’s Flurry – the highlight of my weekend. Then I top that off with beer and sweet potato fries at the British Beer Company. I believe these are scientifically proven to be the best post-race foods to eat. They say you should be eating foods high in carbohydrates to refuel the body. Beer has carbs, right?

What’s your favorite post-race indulgence?

Now onto recovery. I ran the half marathon on Sunday, so I’ve been trying to take it easy for the past few days. Experts say you should take a day off for every mile you raced. So, if you run a half marathon you should take two weeks to return to your normal training schedule. That seems like an aweful long time.

How long does it take you to get back to normal after a big race?

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Labels: ice cream, race, running

Labels: half marathon, running, training