Jingle Jog 6K

(above: me, baby girlfriend, husband, and dear friend aunt rosie)

Twas a beautiful day in Prospect Park Brooklyn for a 6k. 6k because part of the park was under construction and NYRR had to adapt their annual 4 miler...but I am not going to complain about not getting to run .3 miles to make it a 4 miler.
My official pace was 9:10, just 3 seconds slower than my PR, but ugh did I feel sluggish! I hadn't run since Monday and it showed.

Happy to say it was fun to run with some TFK alums...this race was the TFK marathon alum event of the season and a fundraiser for NYRR youth programs...so all around, a nice day.

Am now enjoying an afternoon of rest while Baby Girlfriend naps. Laying low to gear up for tomorrow's 6:30 run with D, my Ethiopian friend. I will need my energy. Help me once again baby Jesus. It'll be another link in the chain in terms of my getting faster and help me prep for next weekend's 15K.

Jump at the Sun, my friends. Jump at the Sun.

Hot Chocolate 5 miler/3 days of running

I was happy my friend Kate joined me for the New York Road Runner's Young Professionals Committee Hot Chocolate 5 miler in Central Park. It was a fundraiser with an affordable entry fee and snacks when we finished. I saw a couple other Team for Kids members there and it was a beautiful morning to run.

I probably ran a little harder than I should have (to keep up with Kate, an awesome runner even when she hasn't been running) because the next morning I felt TIRED and had a 5 mile race with NYRR. However, I was lucky enough to run with a couple TFKers and they paced me for sure, allowing me to PR...making Sunday's my fastest 5 mile race ever. Slowly getting faster!

Yesterday my neighbor and friend Sara met me on the corner at 6:30 for a light recovery run across the Williamsburg Bridge to Manhattan and back. It was so foggy we couldn't see beyond the bridge railings, but a nice warm morning for a jog. Sara's trying to get into running and over some injuries and I think it was a good run for her too. Such a great way to start the morning.

Today, I'm taking the day off. And that feels good too!

40 before I'm 40

It's taken me a while to make my 40 things I'd like to do before I turn 40 list, but I finally wrapped it up today. I was inspired by my husband's sister who did the same thing a few years ago. In some ways it was hard for me to come up with 40 things. I feel pretty good about the things I've done and the experiences I've had in my life. I've done a lot. I've been overly blessed with opportunities.

But there's more living to do. More jumping at the sun.

So here's my list:

X 1- run a marathon DONE

2- take a girl's weekend with friends

3- celebrate my 10th wedding anniversary with Bearden

4- eat Indian Dosas in Jackson Heights, Queens

5- learn to cook injera (Ethiopian flat bread)

6- cook an Ethiopian meal for Ethiopian friends using what I learned in my Ethiopian cooking class

X 7- go to Thailand DONE

8- knit Konjit a sweater

9- do 50 push ups in a row

10- do 100 sit ups in a row

11- run a 1/2 marathon in 2 hours

12- write thank you letters to 5 people who have greatly impacted my life

13- set up an Adoption Home Study website

14- finish and defend my dissertation proposal

15- start collecting data for my dissertation research

16- take my dog on a hike: just she and i-outside of NYC, but if not, in Central Park

17- try snowshoeing

18- help my daughter make her handprint in clay and bake it

19- run the Miami 1/2 marathon

20- decorate my house for Valentines Day

21- host a girl's lunch in my home

22- enjoy a picnic with my family in Central Park

23- teach an online social work class

24- finish Konjit's lifebook

25- go to the Leica gallery on Broadway, the one I always pass by and never check out

26- make kale apple juice with my juicer

27- eat sushi, not just a california roll (i'm scared!)

28- take my dog to Bloomingdales, like all the other Upper Eastside dog owners

29- speed work: increase my 1 mile pace from 7:40-something to less than 7 mins mile

30- speed work: run a 10K in less than 1 hour

31- speed work training once a week with a professional coach

32- anonymously give away $100 on a bus, or at a grocery store, or on a street corner to someone who looks like they need it.

33- set goals for the next 5 and 10 years.

34- make a quilt for Konjit

35- re-read To Kill A Mockingbird

36- read a book on the Ethiopian Orthodox Church

37- make 3 things I've bookmarked on Pinterest

38- nurture 10 long distance friends with really awesome care packages

39- nurture 3 local friends with a visit & a freezer meal for their freezer

40- write my daughter a letter about what I've learned in 40 years

I've got just over 6 months to get it all done.

Help!? Speed training & blue fingernails. Wha?

Yesterday I ran 4 miles with some other TFK alum. It was an easy 10/min/mile pace and a gorgeous morning on the bridle path. It felt great to be with TFK friends---we rehashed the marathon a bit and talked about new goals. On the way to the park we ran into an Ethiopian friend who is an elite runner. He was returning home from a workout, his face bearing the salt of his effort. I introduced him to the group. They were wowed to meet him.

This morning I met up with said Ethiopian friend for my first speed workout. We did fartleks (which means speed play in Swedish), also known as interval training. We ran fast and hard for 2 minutes and then recovered for a minute or so before doing it again 9 more times. That gave me 20 minutes of running fast and hard at around a 7:20ish avg pace (this is faster than I ran the 5th Ave mile a couple months ago). It was challenging and then felt really hard during the last 20 seconds of each 2 minute bit. After 10 of these we ran hard for 30 seconds and recovered for 30 seconds, and did this 5 times. Then we jogged about 1.5 miles to end. All in all, it felt great and I began to feel hopeful that I can get faster.

At home, I parked and eased my way out of the car, a little stiff, but feeling great. Then, in the shower, I noticed my nail beds were deep purple. I was puzzled. I didn't feel particularly cold. I kind of forgot about it until I sat down in front of the computer this afternoon. I googled blue fingernails and running. And I found this:
Exercising and Blue Fingernails on the LiveStrong website.

Um, what does this mean? Do I need to call a cardiologist tomorrow? I mean, I surely do not want to drop dead from farklets. Does anyone have any experience with this?

On top of this, my left booty cheek is super sore from running hard this morning.

A Robust Goal

I have already signed up to run with Team for Kids for the New York City marathon in 2012. I am so excited to run the marathon again!

And I've also decided to try to knock an hour off my overall time...bring it down from 4:52 to 3:52. Surely, I can do that in a year's time? Especially because I didn't feel like I ever really pushed myself---my 11 min/mile pace was very easy and comfortable.

Starting speed training soon. Yeah..

High 5

Baby girlfriend gives hi-fives at the marathon near mile 11.

Marathon Day Pics

On the Team for Kids bus (1 of 20), driving through Times Square with a police escort. Heading to the start. Nervous!


The sun has come up, driving over the Verrazano Bridge to Staten Island to the start village.


The Verrazano and runners heading to their corrals.


Finding my family at mile 11 in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, our neighborhood. I was feeling great!


About to cross the finish, 26.2 miles! I'm just right of a stop light, wearing neon yellow and red. Arm raised.


Sitting down sure feels good. Basking in the glow with teammate Andrea. We did it!


And here's my running-mate Maren. It was so great to fly with her through all 5 boroughs of NYC. She was a big part of my success. Thank you, Maren!


Bearden and I on Central Park West in the family reunion area waiting on his brother who also ran.

One of most positive days of my life and an incredible journey!