Longest Saturday & First Bridal Shower

This past weekend I headed out to Southampton again. Opposed to the weekend before, I had a little more time since I was taking a later bus.

I was quite proud of how I aligned everything together – and even more impressed with how it all worked out.

Our TFK’s Long Run was at 59th street & 1st avenue / Queensborough bridge. Perfect! Not only was it the easiest commute yet (imagine if I still lived on 61st) but there was a Bed, Bath & Beyond on 61st, my gym on 59th & Park and the Jitney stop at 59th & Lex. The pieces were all there.

I lugged all my stuff to the meeting stop, including clothes for 5-ish days, foam roller, yoga mat, recovery items and a party dress that dried just in time.

Pretty sure the gym front desk thought I was nuts as I stumbled in with all of this, drenched from my run.

After 14 less than awesome miles, I jumped into the group stretching, got a coconut water to mix with my protein powder (uh ending runs at a grocery store = brilliant, we created an express line of TFKers buying chocolate milk, fruit & Gatorade) and mopped my self up. Then I headed to Bed Bath & Beyond, dumped my bags in a cart and aimed for the registry section. Easiest process ever! And they gift wrapped it!

At the gym as I was pulling myself together to sit on a bus for 2 hours I got to eves drop on two women who used to do group runs together. Hearing about races and injuries and fellow runners made me excited {I’m becoming apart of this!! } as I was leaving I approached them (awkwardly) and thanked them for the added inspiration.

Compression socks on, I proceeded to nap for the next ~1.5  hours trying to ignore the fact that my legs would much rather be stretched out.

Saturday evening I catered a party with my old company – and I jumped right back into it  –  I was manning the kitchen. {hey, I never said I couldn’t cook, only that I don’t } I held strong until the end of the evening. Then I crashed.

But one of my best friends was back home for the shower and I was already in town so I faked energy and rallied. I’m getting good at changing on the go. Dancing was the destination. Ok I could do this, their energy & good music….it would boost me.

Yeah we didn’t last long.

In the middle of the dance floor the fact that I hadn’t had a real meal since my run hit me and I was hungry! And tired! Being completely sober I was ready to call it a night – luckily so were they.

Stupid tired, that nutella sandwich I pulled together in the dark was the best thing ever!

I made C promise me an iced coffee stop on the way to the shower when the next morning arrived way too quickly. I popped into the bakery while she picked up balloons – efficiency. Breakfast options were limited to a buttered roll though I was so tempted by the blue duck cookie but quickly reminded myself of all the goodies to come.

While I’m not in the bridal party I quickly & happily jumped into party throwing mode. Working with two of my best friends that I pulled into years of catering, plus seeing old high school friends to celebrate one’s happiness – fiesta style. Not to mention I was in Pinterest heaven.

Top highlights were:
– trying to get the keg from the car ….uh those things are heavy

– watching everyone run back & forth between the two entrances to catch the bride to be’s reaction

– delicious fajitas & amazing desserts that Sam made….available when long run hunger kicks in #willrunforcupcakes #andminiblueberrypies #andfudgybitesizebrownies

– seeing Sarah so happy and loved

After the party all we could think about were real showers – it was hot, we were already melted just from setting up the party.

Then it was time to finish off the keg and go for round two.

Card games ensued, I chugged Nuun and there were jokes of hydration – I haven’t laughed like that in a while. I decided I should go join some college kids in cards games before my long run – best way to hydrate!

Shins cut it short

Oh shin splints. You silly little injury. You’ve always been nagging but now your threatening my training plan.

On Monday I had 6 miles on the schedule – increasing from 5 for the SloFasy run. After last weeks extra rest days, a full weekend and already having my legs hate me, I was a little nervous.

I was still out in Southampton and planned to do some loops around the neighborhood and was tossing around the idea of taking it to the sand at the bay beach nearby.

Shins weren’t having this run from the start. I made it through three rough miles and then decided the rest would be on the pebbly sand – walking. That only happened for a mile.

I finally broke down on the beach, feeling the weight of trying to hold all the variables together but not having it figured out. I needed that cry – full on sob. I’ve been trying very very hard to keep deep thinking negativity away and not get worked up on what’s not working, how slow I’m going or the feeling that my head my explode from calculations.

It won’t be my last cry, I know this isn’t easy for a lot of people and it’s definitely not easy for me. It’s holding the diabetes, the injuries and the novice runner factors all together. There is not a doubt in my mind that I’ll finish – I have the willpower and determination. I’m just trying to figure out how to make this the most enjoyable & strongest experience possible.

Return of Summer Streets

 

I have to be on a bus to Southampton at 9:30am tomorrow.

That means tomorrow’s TFK Long Run in the Bronx isn’t going to work. When I first realized I wasn’t going to be able to do my 13 miles with the team and  my running buddy Jackie I wanted to cry. No, really. Everyone has been talking about how great of a route it is and plus I’m going to miss the olympic viewing party after. Even more,  Jackie will be out-of-town for the next two weeks – which means 3 weeks we’re on own, just when we decided we’re in this for the long haul together.  I had been trying to figure out various options of what time I needed to be out there, what options were available and how far Van Cortlandt Park really is, and I had to finally conclude that it wasn’t happening. 13 miles on my own. I had deja vu of my first half marathon and the same exact lack of enthusiasm. I scrambled for plan B.  Hamptons Marathon does group runs with Gubbins  on Sunday … I could just move it a day. In fact I recommended it to a fellow TFK’er, Erica, when she said she was going out this weekend. But it’s in East Hampton and I don’t necessarily have access to a car.  I could run it with Erica, but she’s slightly faster than me and also in EH. And then in the middle of downward dog and sun salutations I remembered! Summer Streets start this week!  Gone was the zen breathing (ok it was never there) and with each move into a pose I was calculated how to make this work.

When I got home I looked up the course – 7 miles  of Park Avenue closed off.  Out and back will get me my 13+ …..perfect!

via treehugger.com 

Summer streets is where I  really pushed myself in running last year. It’s where I broke PRs (how far I’ve come!) . It’s where I battled the heat and focused on hydration and fueling. It’s where I learned about running on empty …fuel and insulin ….and how that doesn’t work. It’s where I got caught up in the excitement of other runners.

By taking it to summer streets  I wouldn’t really  be running alone, and there’s excitement in the air and water stops along the way. That was instantly settled. But now about time.  13 miles.  Right now that’s looking to take me 2h30m – 2h45m. While I plan to sleep and “recover” on the bus  (wishful thinking of  there being room to stretch my legs …so not going to happen) I want to leave enough time to shower, ice and stretch.  Goal is to be back at my apartment by 8:30. That’s not really a goal but more of deadline. Ok so working backwards….that has me heading out  at 5am. Blech. Having gone back to a night owl routine that’s rough, but I’d be beating the sun to head up to the Bronx anyways so not much difference.

Now, summer streets doesn’t really start until 7am. And a good handful of blocks below me.  Last year I was  closer to the start and usually didn’t go out until 10-11.  So technically I might  be on my own for at least half  of the run but  all the activities and people will be up and going to push me through the end.   If I was staying in the city I would totally stop at 40th st rest stop for massage therapy & yoga! (Does someone want to bring myself down and meet me at the 39th street Jitney stop instead?  I’ll just be there getting a massage while waiting for the bus. You do? Awesome, you’re the best, thanks!) 

My shins aren’t too happy with me for skipping the compression sleeves lately and all of the hill / street work so I’m a little nervous  about a long run on the concrete. I’ve been heating my calves, icing my shins and have grand plans of some serious sticking & foam rolling this evening. Perhaps to episode 2 of Saved by the Bell which I recently discovered on Netflix.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

If you’re in NYC have you ran Summer Streets? Are you going tomorrow??

Any suggestions for Netflix entertainment while massaging the heck out of my muscles ? 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~