I decided to kick off a new year by running my third half marathon on my 28th birthday! What better way to celebrate?
I have never run a Rock 'n' Roll event but I have always heard good things about them. I was so impressed at the organization. We got to the drop-off point very quickly and I was able to find my corral easily. The MC's and Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders kept us entertained before the start gun. The corrals started one after the other, Corral 9 left only 16 minutes after the official start time.
The weather was great: cool, no wind and overcast.
I loved hearing the bands spread out throughout the course and the pockets of supporters that came out to cheer for us. (Not nearly as many spectators as White Rock, but the support is always appreciated!) The funniest supporter was around Mile 1, right as we were passing Lew Sterret, just one guy standing on the corner: "Great job! Keep it up! You still have a long way to go!" Um, thanks?
I felt great through the race, I took water at most of the aid stations and Cytomax twice. I carried Honey Stinger chews with me because I have used them (or Gu Chomps) on all my long runs. However, I never ended up taking any because (TMI) by mile 4 I felt like I had a brick in my stomach. Not bad enough to have to stop, but I felt like eating anything would be a mistake.
My parents told me where they would be watching for me (in front of La Madeleine, just before mile 7) and I was so happy when I spotted them! I started jumping up and down and waving my arms to get their attention. This was the first time I have ever had a "cheering section" on a course and it really energized me!
Once I hit Mile 10, I knew I was in the home stretch and I felt like I still had enough energy to really push myself. So I told myself I was just going to go all out for the last 5K and started picking people off one by one.
And once we got within sight of Fair Park, I just hauled ass! I didn't even care whether or not I ran out of steam.
I PR'd by 7 minutes! I still can't believe it!
Breakdown:
Chip time: Pace:
5K 00:32:23 10:26
10K 01:05:03 10:31
10M 01:43:34 10:11
FINISH 02:12:37 09:21
Afterwards, I wanted to stay to watch Bret Michaels but my achey legs begged to differ. By this time it was also starting to drizzle a little so we called it a day and went home so I could eat and nap!
I will definitely do Rock 'n' Roll again!
Monday, March 28, 2011
Friday, March 11, 2011
NYC 2011
My mom and I had a great trip! Here are some of the highlights.
The Lucerne- This is the second time we have stayed here. It is in a great neighborhood on the Upper West Side and I enjoyed it all over again!
Restaurants:
Nice Matin- This French-style bistro is attached to the Lucerne and you get a discount on breakfast if you are staying at the hotel. We also ate there several times since it was so convenient! Some favorites: fava bean hummus, pistou soup, housemade granola, Tuscan chicken.
Amsterdam Gourmet- I visited this little deli across from the hotel daily for coffee (under $2 vs $3.50 at the hotel). Very friendly, plus lots of baked goods and grocery items.
Eataly- This was quite an experience! It is a huge market featuring both local and imported Italian foods. There are also several restaurants within the building. We went on a Saturday night so everything was insanely crowded. We ended up eating at the La Pizza & Pasta restaurant. I ordered a San Marzano pizza (basically a margherita pizza with sweet San Marzano tomatoes) and a Moretti Bionda draft beer. Delicious! We also got some gelato afterwards. I would love to go back and explore the market when it is a little less crowded.
Sido Falafel and More- Yummy falafel platter! Just down the street from the hotel.
Calle Ocho- Sooo good! We went on a Sunday night, when they have a free sangria bar. I'm not big on sangria usually, but their Blanca was great! We ordered an appetizer called Dulce, a sweet corn and goat cheese empanada with a tomato salad. Seriously one of the best things I've eaten in a while!
Sarabeth's Kitchen- We ate brunch here before hitting the Met. Delicious! I ordered a spinach and goat cheese omelet with multigrain toast. You can also buy preserves and other premade goodies.
Sightseeing:
Limelight Marketplace- We stopped to check this place out on our way to Eataly. Very hip little boutiques inside what was once a church. I didn't buy anything but it was fun to look around.
Whitney Museum of American Art- This is mostly very abstract art. Interesting, but not really my thing.
Museum of Modern Art- I was afraid this was going to be more abstract art as well, but I forget that "modern" art encompasses a lot more. There are works by Monet (including his famous Waterlilies), van Gogh, Picasso, Dali and Matisse. There was an exhibit of Andy Warhol's motion pictures, which we were able to see with a guided tour. We also ate lunch in a cafe on the 5th floor, Terrace 5 which was really good!
Metropolitan Museum of Art- As always, there is never enough time to see everything at the Met! This time we took two guided tours, one of old masters paintings and one that focused on modern art. Both tour guides were great. We also viewed an exhibit called Guitar Heroes about famous guitar makers that was very interesting.
American Museum of Natural History- This was fun, I have been once before but only to the planetarium part. We took a guided tour (have you noticed that I love guided tours?) which took us to highlights all over the museum. We also bought tickets to a seperate exhibition about the brain with a lot of hands-on exercises. My favorite area was the gemstones hall.
Shows:
La Cage Aux Folles- So fun! Harvey Fierstein was playing one of the leads and did such a great job.
Memphis- I had never heard of this until we got to NYC and we saw ads for it and decided to see it since it had won the Tony Award. The music and cast were great!
Whew! We packed a lot into our five days and four nights! Can't wait to go back!
The Lucerne- This is the second time we have stayed here. It is in a great neighborhood on the Upper West Side and I enjoyed it all over again!
Restaurants:
Nice Matin- This French-style bistro is attached to the Lucerne and you get a discount on breakfast if you are staying at the hotel. We also ate there several times since it was so convenient! Some favorites: fava bean hummus, pistou soup, housemade granola, Tuscan chicken.
Amsterdam Gourmet- I visited this little deli across from the hotel daily for coffee (under $2 vs $3.50 at the hotel). Very friendly, plus lots of baked goods and grocery items.
Eataly- This was quite an experience! It is a huge market featuring both local and imported Italian foods. There are also several restaurants within the building. We went on a Saturday night so everything was insanely crowded. We ended up eating at the La Pizza & Pasta restaurant. I ordered a San Marzano pizza (basically a margherita pizza with sweet San Marzano tomatoes) and a Moretti Bionda draft beer. Delicious! We also got some gelato afterwards. I would love to go back and explore the market when it is a little less crowded.
Sido Falafel and More- Yummy falafel platter! Just down the street from the hotel.
Calle Ocho- Sooo good! We went on a Sunday night, when they have a free sangria bar. I'm not big on sangria usually, but their Blanca was great! We ordered an appetizer called Dulce, a sweet corn and goat cheese empanada with a tomato salad. Seriously one of the best things I've eaten in a while!
Sarabeth's Kitchen- We ate brunch here before hitting the Met. Delicious! I ordered a spinach and goat cheese omelet with multigrain toast. You can also buy preserves and other premade goodies.
Sightseeing:
Limelight Marketplace- We stopped to check this place out on our way to Eataly. Very hip little boutiques inside what was once a church. I didn't buy anything but it was fun to look around.
Whitney Museum of American Art- This is mostly very abstract art. Interesting, but not really my thing.
Museum of Modern Art- I was afraid this was going to be more abstract art as well, but I forget that "modern" art encompasses a lot more. There are works by Monet (including his famous Waterlilies), van Gogh, Picasso, Dali and Matisse. There was an exhibit of Andy Warhol's motion pictures, which we were able to see with a guided tour. We also ate lunch in a cafe on the 5th floor, Terrace 5 which was really good!
Metropolitan Museum of Art- As always, there is never enough time to see everything at the Met! This time we took two guided tours, one of old masters paintings and one that focused on modern art. Both tour guides were great. We also viewed an exhibit called Guitar Heroes about famous guitar makers that was very interesting.
American Museum of Natural History- This was fun, I have been once before but only to the planetarium part. We took a guided tour (have you noticed that I love guided tours?) which took us to highlights all over the museum. We also bought tickets to a seperate exhibition about the brain with a lot of hands-on exercises. My favorite area was the gemstones hall.
Shows:
La Cage Aux Folles- So fun! Harvey Fierstein was playing one of the leads and did such a great job.
Memphis- I had never heard of this until we got to NYC and we saw ads for it and decided to see it since it had won the Tony Award. The music and cast were great!
Whew! We packed a lot into our five days and four nights! Can't wait to go back!
Sunday, February 27, 2011
Rock & Roll Half Marathon Training Week 12
Last week's workouts:
Sun: Rest
Mon: Easy outdoor run (2.25 miles)
Tues:Lululemon yoga I ended up working late and didn't make it to class, so I did Body By Bethenny yoga when I got home.
Wed:Easy outdoor run Treadmill intervals (2.5 miles)
Thurs:Easy outdoor run rest
Fri:Yoga or rest Easy run (2.1 miles)
Sat:9 miles Rest
Sun: 9.25 miles
Clearly, it was a week of Plan B's! I forgot that I had a hair appointment on Saturday so I decided to do my long run on Sunday instead.
I went out to White Rock Lake for only my second time. I don't know about anyone else but I think it's a hard course! The Katy Trail is so flat comparatively. Plus, I usually drink lots of water and go to bed early the night before a long run, but I decided to go out for a little while on Saturday night. It was a long, slow 9 miles, but I got it done!
Anyone watching the Oscars tonight? I've only seen three of the films nominated for best picture: True Grit (just watched this Friday night), Inception and Toy Story 3. I hope I can see the others at some point in time! I am relaxing and watching the Red Carpet coverage right now, it's my favorite part of an awards show!
This week's plan:
Mon: Short run
Tues: Lululemon yoga
Wed: Short run
Thurs: Short run
Fri: Rest or yoga
Sat: 9 miles
Sun: Rest
Mon: Easy outdoor run (2.25 miles)
Tues:
Wed:
Thurs:
Fri:
Sat:
Sun: 9.25 miles
Clearly, it was a week of Plan B's! I forgot that I had a hair appointment on Saturday so I decided to do my long run on Sunday instead.
I went out to White Rock Lake for only my second time. I don't know about anyone else but I think it's a hard course! The Katy Trail is so flat comparatively. Plus, I usually drink lots of water and go to bed early the night before a long run, but I decided to go out for a little while on Saturday night. It was a long, slow 9 miles, but I got it done!
Anyone watching the Oscars tonight? I've only seen three of the films nominated for best picture: True Grit (just watched this Friday night), Inception and Toy Story 3. I hope I can see the others at some point in time! I am relaxing and watching the Red Carpet coverage right now, it's my favorite part of an awards show!
This week's plan:
Mon: Short run
Tues: Lululemon yoga
Wed: Short run
Thurs: Short run
Fri: Rest or yoga
Sat: 9 miles
Friday, February 25, 2011
Alphabeticals
Age: 27
Bed size: Full
Chore you hate: Cleaning the bathroom.
Dogs: They're adorable, I wish I had time and space for one!
Essential start to your day: Coffee.
Favorite color: Blue.
Gold or silver: Silver.
Height: 5'2"
Instruments you play: I played the violin for 10 years, but I'm not sure what would happen if I picked one up today.
Job title: Allocation Analyst
Kids: No, thank you.
Live: On the edge?
Mom’s name: Beverly
Nicknames: Gold Star, SharpÉ
Overnight hospital stays: Not since I was born!
Pet peeve: People who chew gum.
Quote from a movie: “We can't stop here! This is bat country!"
Righty or lefty: Righty.
Siblings: One younger sister.
Time you wake up: 6:30ish.
Underwear: I wear it.
Vegetables you dislike: Not a fan of cabbage.
What makes you run late: I'm just a slow mover in the mornings, to be honest.
X-Rays: Just my teef.
Yummy food that you make: I make a pretty kick-ass spinach artichoke dip.
Zoo animal favorite: I love otters, they always look so happy. And elephants.
Bed size: Full
Chore you hate: Cleaning the bathroom.
Dogs: They're adorable, I wish I had time and space for one!
Essential start to your day: Coffee.
Favorite color: Blue.
Gold or silver: Silver.
Height: 5'2"
Instruments you play: I played the violin for 10 years, but I'm not sure what would happen if I picked one up today.
Job title: Allocation Analyst
Kids: No, thank you.
Live: On the edge?
Mom’s name: Beverly
Nicknames: Gold Star, SharpÉ
Overnight hospital stays: Not since I was born!
Pet peeve: People who chew gum.
Quote from a movie: “We can't stop here! This is bat country!"
Righty or lefty: Righty.
Siblings: One younger sister.
Time you wake up: 6:30ish.
Underwear: I wear it.
Vegetables you dislike: Not a fan of cabbage.
What makes you run late: I'm just a slow mover in the mornings, to be honest.
X-Rays: Just my teef.
Yummy food that you make: I make a pretty kick-ass spinach artichoke dip.
Zoo animal favorite: I love otters, they always look so happy. And elephants.
Sunday, February 20, 2011
Rock & Roll Half Marathon Training Week 11
Last week's workouts:
Sun: Yoga
Mon:Treadmill intervals Easy outdoor run 2.25 mi
Tues: Lululemon yoga
Wed:Treadmill intervals Easy outdoor run 2.25 mi
Thurs:Yoga or rest Easy outdoor run 2.25 mi
Fri:Yoga or rest
Sat: 8 miles
As you can see, I took full advantage of the gorgeous weather we had this week! I love that the days are getting a little longer, so it's not as hard to fit in a run after work. Saturday's run felt great, they Katy Trail was busy with people also enjoying the beautiful day. I hope this week stays as nice!
This week's plans:
Sun: Rest
Mon: Easy outdoor run
Tues: Lululemon yoga
Wed: Easy outdoor run
Thurs: Easy outdoor run
Fri: Yoga or rest
Sat: 9 miles
I think I'm going to try to get out to White Rock Lake for this long run just for a change of pace.
Have a great week, hope everyone is able to take advantage of good weather!
Sun: Yoga
Mon:
Tues: Lululemon yoga
Wed:
Thurs:
Fri:
Sat: 8 miles
As you can see, I took full advantage of the gorgeous weather we had this week! I love that the days are getting a little longer, so it's not as hard to fit in a run after work. Saturday's run felt great, they Katy Trail was busy with people also enjoying the beautiful day. I hope this week stays as nice!
This week's plans:
Sun: Rest
Mon: Easy outdoor run
Tues: Lululemon yoga
Wed: Easy outdoor run
Thurs: Easy outdoor run
Fri: Yoga or rest
Sat: 9 miles
I think I'm going to try to get out to White Rock Lake for this long run just for a change of pace.
Have a great week, hope everyone is able to take advantage of good weather!
Saturday, February 12, 2011
Rock & Roll Half Marathon Training week 10
My plans got kind of messed up last week, but I still got most of my workouts in:
Sun: 2.35 mi intervals on treadmill
Mon:2 mi Rest (dinner plans got rescheduled)
Tues:Power yoga 2.2 mi treadmill intervals
Wed:2 mi Body by Bethenny yoga
Thurs:Yoga or rest 2.5 mi treadmill intervals
Fri:Yoga or rest
Sat: 7 miles
Saturday's run was tough since I hadn't run outside in over a week, but I got it done.
This week's plan:
Sun: Yoga
Mon: Treadmill intervals
Tues: Lululemon yoga
Wed: Treadmill intervals
Thurs: Yoga or rest
Fri: Yoga or rest
Sat: 8 miles
Sun: 2.35 mi intervals on treadmill
Mon:
Tues:
Wed:
Thurs:
Fri:
Sat: 7 miles
Saturday's run was tough since I hadn't run outside in over a week, but I got it done.
This week's plan:
Sun: Yoga
Mon: Treadmill intervals
Tues: Lululemon yoga
Wed: Treadmill intervals
Thurs: Yoga or rest
Fri: Yoga or rest
Sat: 8 miles
Sunday, February 6, 2011
SnowMG!
Last week's workouts were a major fail:
Sun: Yoga for Runners podcast
Mon: 2 mi run intervals
Tues: Power yoga (Yoga Sculpt On Demand)
Wed:Rest (we have dinner plans) Made up a living room circuit because I had cabin fever so bad.
Thurs:2 mi run Body by Bethenny Yoga
Fri:Yoga Rest
Sat:7 mi run 10 min Stairmaster; Yoga for Runners podcast
Monday night and Tuesday were hail and ice, Wednesday we still had ice plus rolling blackouts; Thursday was still icy; Friday it snowed all day. Saturday things started to thaw out but there was still ice on the ground. I tried to get to the Y on Saturday to see if I could salvage a run on the treadmill but all the other runners in my 'hood had the same idea.
The Y wasn't nearly as bad today, I was able to get a treadmill without having to fight anyone for it. So, we'll just call this past week my rest week and work ahead for the rest of training, okay?
This week's plan:
Sun: 2.35 mi intervals on treadmill
Mon: 2 mi
Tues: Power yoga
Wed: 2 mi
Thurs: Yoga or rest
Fri: Yoga or rest
Sat: 7 miles
Sun: Yoga for Runners podcast
Mon: 2 mi run intervals
Tues: Power yoga (Yoga Sculpt On Demand)
Wed:
Thurs:
Fri:
Sat:
Monday night and Tuesday were hail and ice, Wednesday we still had ice plus rolling blackouts; Thursday was still icy; Friday it snowed all day. Saturday things started to thaw out but there was still ice on the ground. I tried to get to the Y on Saturday to see if I could salvage a run on the treadmill but all the other runners in my 'hood had the same idea.
The Y wasn't nearly as bad today, I was able to get a treadmill without having to fight anyone for it. So, we'll just call this past week my rest week and work ahead for the rest of training, okay?
This week's plan:
Sun: 2.35 mi intervals on treadmill
Mon: 2 mi
Tues: Power yoga
Wed: 2 mi
Thurs: Yoga or rest
Fri: Yoga or rest
Sat: 7 miles
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