Race Recap- Hair of the Dog 5k

Good afternoon and happy 2010! I hope that everyone had a fun and safe new year's eve. It's hard to believe that 2010 is already here!

Instead of going out last night, Bri and I stayed in, made a fire and watched season 3 of the Office. Holy H is this show awesome! I bought Bri seasons 1 and 2 for Christmas. We finished those and had to go out and purchase season 3. I love Dwight, but I think Angela may be my favorite character. How have I gone so long without watching this show?!

It was a chill NYE but I loved it. We watched the ball drop and then awakened bright and early this morning for our 5k! I initially planned on wearing my running tights and lululemon jacket but those plans were quickly squashed when I discovered that they were still wet from being washed yesterday. Dang. Instead, I wore my under armour fleece pants, cold gear top, wicking t-shirt and a white fleece. Last night the weather called for upper forties but it was chilly!

The Hair of the Dog 5k was at Mount Trashmore in Virginia Beach. Apparently Mount Trashmore used to be a landfill. Yum. It is now covered with sod (?) and grass and just looks like a huge, random grassy hill. Suprisingly, there is no odor emanating from the depths of the grassy knolls. The premise of the Hair of the Dog is to show up after a night of festivities and run the 5k, hence the 10:00 AM start time. The race even had a formal wear division, where people showed up to race in what they were wearing the night before. Some of the costumes were pretty funny, although I doubt that all of them were worn last night... no one really wears a hideous 80s looking prom dress for NYE, right? I even spotted a few tuxes.

Bri and I arrived fairly early, having not partaken in the "festivities" aspect of the hair of the dog. We walked to get our bibs and disposable chips and it was super windy and freezing! The winds were about 12 MPH, according to the race summary email I later received. I put on my ear wrap and gloves and felt okay, but a lot of people were not dressed for the coldness. We went back to the car to put our race shirts away which, by the way, are actually super cool- black long sleeved with no sponsor bs all over it!


We then headed to the start. Walking to the start line. Lovely Mount Trashmore is on the right.

There was a nice warm bathroom near the start, which I took full advantage of. I definitely wanted to avoid the mishaps of my last race. I won't go into detail but yeah, my stomach hurt at the end of my last race.

At the start line the vibe was really fun. A lot of people were wearing 2010 regalia and shouting happy new year. I was happy to see this, because some of the people we walked past on our way to pick up the bibs were just plain rude. People from the North get a bad rap for being unfriendly when they really aren't, in my opinion.

I was super happy to see a timing mat at the beginning of the start line. I have run four 5ks, and although all of them had timing chips, this was the first race that had a timing mat in the beginning. What is the sense in having a timing chip if they are just going to time you from the gun time? Anyway, the gun went off and we crossed the mat pretty quickly. Initially I was pleased that we were not going to be running through the puddles that I saw on the trail, although this would not be the case later on in the race. We were about a third of a mile in maintaining a 9:30/pace when I saw runners running back on my left. What the H, were they doing an out and back or something? Apparently so. It was strange to have a turnaround so early on, and especially one that didn't leave much room for doing the turnaround. It was fine for the number of runners at the race (480) but any more and it would have been really tight.

The first mile was nice and quick. I stuck to the inside of the course and was able to maintain a steady pace. The only downside to the first mile was a little kid at the beginning that was just kind of bobbling around in front of me- I almost ran into him at one point.

Mile 1-2 went by in blur. There was a water station around 1.5, which was nice. I tried to drink from the cup without much success. We started running around a beautiful lake and saw a pelican flying overhead, which was really neat. You don't see many pelicans in New York.


Running around the lake. Looking nice and exerted.

Miles 2-3 were okay. I started to drag down to a 10:00/mi pace, which is fast for me normally but I needed to keep up the pace if I wanted to finish under 30:00. I got a second wind and picked it up. I got my second wind by playing the game of looking at people ahead of me and trying to pass them. It's a nice distraction. Around mile 2.5 I saw the aforementioned puddles, and there was no avoiding them. I followed a girl ahead of me that ran to the side in the grass, which resulted in some nice mud covered shoes. My socks started to feel wet, which was disconcerting.

As we approached mile 3, I started to feel myself lag. This happened to me in my first race as well. I told Bri I felt myself dragging and he told me to kick it up. I sprinted for the last .10 and crossed the finish line with a chip time of 30:37, averaging 9:53/mile. So close yet sooo far to the sub 30 5k. I am still very happy with my time; I am improving constantly and know I can get there soon!

After we crossed the finish line we were handed a finishing "medal", which I thought was cool given that it was a 5k.

Hair of the Dog 5k dog tag. Cute, right?

After the race they were offering instant coffee (blech) and instant gatorade, so Bri and I left and went to a bagel shop to refuel.

Final results:

30:37, 11/28 Age Group (25-29), Overall 219/480.

Overall, this is definitely a race I would run again. There were some minor snafus that were beyond the race director's control (puddles much?), but as a whole, great race.

Positives:

-fun, friendly vibe

-well-directed and well marked

-nice race t-shirts

-water station appropriately placed

-timing mat in the beginning of the race

Negatives:

-puddles/mud

-out and back in the first half mile

-instant coffee- blit

Happy New Year everyone! Enjoy the rest of your holiday!

Did you run a New Year's Eve/Day race? If so, how'd it go? If not, have you ever?

About

Hi! I'm Katie, a 27 year old attorney living in upstate New York. I graduated from SUNY Geneseo in '04 and UB Law in '07, where I developed a Tim Horton's habit. If a Tim Horton's location scouter happens to be reading this, please come to the capital district.

I started this blog to chronicle the adventures I embark on while planning a wedding, training for races, having a career and maintaining some semblance of a social life. I recently married the love of my life and couldn't be happier.



One of our engagement photos from our awesome photographer



Me and two of my favorite things- red wine and Mr. B.


When I was 19, my doctor told me I had high cholesterol. Granted, I have a family history, but there is no reason for a 19 year old girl to have the beginnings of heart disease. After this diagnosis, I took no steps to counteract what was going on in my body. I ate what I wanted, with abandon. I told myself that I was healthy because I was thin. This continued until I met Brian. He showed me the benefits that healthy eating has on the body. I was no longer tired all of the time from eating all carbs. I had more energy. I started craving healthy food. Now, I would say that I eat relatively well. I try to eat a balance of protein, healthy carbs and fat at every meal, although this doesn't always happen. I'm cleaning up my diet and embracing wholesome, organic food. I truly believe in balance; if I want something, I'll eat it. And my cholesterol is now in a healthy range :)

For as long as I can remember, every New Year's I set a goal to run a 5k. However, I was never a runner and did not take the steps necessary to achieve such a goal. Last May, I decided that I was tired of just talking and not doing. I began the Couch to 5k and completed my first 5k in September. I am a huge advocate of the couch to 5k program, it transformed me from a complete non-runner into a runner.

Finishing my first 5k.

I've now run 4 5ks and ran the Virginia is four Lovers 14k this past February. At first, the distance seemed insurmountable, but I ran it and ran it well! My races this season are the Ragnar Relay (184 miles, 12 people, 24 hours, insanity), the Freihofer's 5k for Women and the Boilermaker 15k. My ultimate goal is to run a half marathon, and I have my sights set on completing this goal in the fall.

In addition to running, I like to engage in a variety of other activities, like hiking, yoga and strength training. My newest addiction is hot yoga. It is an arduous workout and my skin has never looked better!

Thank you for reading!

Wedding (Planning) Stress

Good morning and happy new year's eve! 2009 was a great year but I am so excited for 2010! I will be posting my 2010 goals (not resolutions) soon.

Yesterday I met Bri and some of his co-workers for lunch at an Indian buffet. I'm not too sure how I feel about Indian food. It's okay but doesn't knock my socks off like Thai or Japanese food.

After lunch I went back to Bri's office for a bit while he finished up some work. I started reading Persuasion by Jane Austen. Good stuff! My training schedule called for a four mile run but by the time we got back it was already dark out. Enter: the headlamp!
Yes, that is a headlamp. Super hot, right? Truth be told it wasn't that bright. I think I needed to place it a little lower on my head. Bri brought along a flashlight so we were fine. When we first went outside we could see our breath. I remember saying "Who AM I? We are running outside, in the cold and dark, with a headlamp on my head!" I love it though.

The four miles were great (and another PDR! Every "long" run from here on out will be a PDR until the 14k), aside from a few pine cones that got in the way. It was chilly but I warmed up quickly with all of my gear. Also, how could I really complain that the temps were in the 30s with the frigid cold going on in upstate NY?
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Bri and I are getting married in less than three months. Holy! I haven't really talked about wedding planning on here because timing wise, everything had fallen into a lull. I had heard that this is pretty common; once you get the big things out of the way, it doesn't really get crazy again until right before the wedding. Well, the other night I got to thinking about everything left that I had to do and couldn't fall asleep. It got to a point where I had to get up and write everything down so that I could ease my mind. Enter:


My midnight list of things that I need to do for the wedding. As I was writing things out, things just kept popping into my head. Ummm, I have a lot to do! Writing it out made me feel better, but I am a little overwhelmed.

For those of you that are planning/have planned a wedding, how were the last three months for you? I have all of the big things done- it's the little things that stress me out (pick out a cake topper? Contact the organist?)...eep!

For everyone- if you have a hard time falling asleep because your to-do list keeps running through your head, do you get up and write it down?

Have a great New Year's eve and don't forget to enter my Sigg Om water bottle giveaway!

Sigg Om Bottle Giveaway!

Good morning lovelies! I have been alluding to a giveaway, and now it's here! One reader (US or Canada, except for Saskatchewan) will win a Sigg Om water bottle! I just received one for Christmas and am in love with it. It is so fun, bright and cheery.

Why Sigg? Sigg water bottles are PVC and BPA free, so no harmful chemicals are potentially swimming in your water. The water bottle holds a ton of water, allowing you to easily meet your recommended 64 ounce daily requirement.

So, do you want to win one? You can enter four ways:

1. Leave me a comment telling me which sigg bottle you would choose (you can see the options by clicking here)
2. Add me to your blogroll
3. Follow me!
4. Link back to this post on your blog

Please leave a separate comment for each entry. I will announce the winner (via random integer drawing) on Monday, January 4th. Good luck!

*Please note that this giveaway is subject to availability. If the water bottles sell out before January 4th, you will still win an equally sweet (but different) Sigg water bottle.

Happy Wednesday!

Crossfit is Intense and a Refreshing Run in VB

Good morning (afternoon?)! I'm spending my week off in Virginia Beach doing one of my favorite things- sleeping in! I've always wished that I could be one of those people that jumped out of bed at 6 am, raring to go. Alas, such is not the case. Are you a morning person? If so, can you pass it along to me?

Right now I'm drinking Tim Hortons coffee (I love me some Timmy Hos!) in the new coffee mug that Bri got me. How cute is this mug?I love it!

Last night was so great. Bri and I haven't been able to spend more than four consecutive days together since he left for bootcamp a year and half ago, so this is a real treat. We started the first fire in our fireplace:

And then tried to get some pictures in front of it (don't mind the new VS pajamas I'm rockin')

Oh wait, we should probably get the fire involvedAnnnnd I need a haircut.

Bri surprised me when he came home from work with some beautiful flowers. I love gerber daisies!

And then we feasted on a delicious sushi dinner.

I love edamame, and it's a great source of protein to boot!

The goods. It's hard to believe that a few years ago I was such a nervous eater that I would only order grilled cheese or pasta in restaurants. In fact, when I was around 13 years old I went on vacation with my best friend and her family. We are at this somewhat fancy restaurant, and all of the entrees scared me. I ordered grilled cheese and her stepdad was flabbergasted. Then he got pissed. lol. Her stepdad is one of the most peaceful, calm people that I know, so it was pretty funny. Moral of the story is that I've come a long way! Now I'll try anything. Are you an adventurous eater?

I had a great run yesterday. It was a balmy 40 degrees in Virginia Beach. Seriously, 40 degrees is warm when the temperature in your hometown is -9 degrees. Yikes. I'm not sorry I'm missing that weather. So, my training plan called for a quick 2.5 mile run. It was sunny out so I quickly warmed up in my running tights, gloves and lululemon jacket. There was a bit of wind on the way back, which I actually enjoyed because it cooled me off. I also learned that it is probably a bad idea to run past construction zones. Mental note for the future- avoid that street! I felt very safe with my new Road ID. I had been putting off getting one because I'll be changing my last name in March. Bri got me one for Christmas with my current and new last name on it! He is such a sweetie. I also love the phrase he put on the band: "Enjoy Each Run". He said that he chose that because sometimes I get down on myself if my pace isn't as fast as I want it to be or if my knee starts to hurt, etc. He wants me to appreciate the fact that I can just get out there and run, and I do! The reminder is nice though. It makes me appreciate what I have and what I can do.

The only downside to the run was that my sneaker was rubbing against my Achilles heel, causing some blistering. I love my sneakers (Adidas Supernova Glide) and this is the first issue that I've had with them. I think it may have been because my tights were somehow caught between my sneaker and my sock. I finished the run by walking over to the ocean and sitting on the beach where Bri proposed. It was so peaceful. The beach looked like it had sustained some damage from the hurricane a month ago, but it wasn't as bad as I was expecting.

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On Sunday I mentioned that Bri was going to put me through a Crossfit workout. That he did. It was awesome! The thing I love about Crossfit is that you get a total body workout, exerting both your aerobic and anaerobic capacities, in a short period of time. The workout on Sunday called for 100 jumping jacks, 75 body weight squats, 50 (real) pushups and 25 burpees, for time. You can't move on to the next exercise until you finish the one before it. Wow. This was tough. It may sound easy but trust me, once you get going, it is intense! I can usually bang out 50 pushups in no time (thank you 100 pushups workout) but when I got to the pushups during this workout, they were killing me. Afterwards Bri explained that my body was taxed from the jumping jacks and squats, making the pushups that much more challenging.

I finished the workout in 12:05, and then worked on a few boat poses. My abs are still sore today!

Some information about Crossfit:

• It is incredibly popular amongst the military and law enforcement personnel
• Anyone can do it- the workouts of the day (WODs) are structured so that beginners can scale them down to their ability
• The aim of Crossfit is to forge a broad, general, and inclusive fitness, involving constantly varied, high-intensity, functional movement
• Crossfit WODs work to strengthen the ten recognized general physical skills- cardiovascular/respiratory endurance, stamina, strength, flexibility, power, coordination, agility, balance and accuracy

Have you ever tried Crossfit? Would you?

We are off to a yoga class tonight- I can't wait! Have a fantastic day, and check back soon for an awesome giveaway!

Favorites of 2009, Part II

Good afternoon! We are currently in Pennsylvania at Bri's mom's house celebrating Christmas part V. We had an excellent "Christmas" breakfast that involved mimosas and (disgusting) spiked egg nog. The only meat options were sausage and bacon. I recently gave up pork so I stuck with all of the non-meat foods: quiche, bagels and lox. Yum!

My training schedule calls for crosstraining, so Brian is going to put me through a crossfit workout. Should be fun! Yesterday we went for a 3.5 mile run (PDR!) and about two miles into the run it started sleeting. We finished the run soaking wet- it was awesome!

Continuing the recap of my favorite products that assisted me in my healthy living journey (If you miss part I, you can find it here):

Balega running socks
I purchased a pair of these socks at my local Fleet Feet store and I have to say, I'm in love! At first I was skeptical that a pair of socks could make a difference in my running, but they do. These socks are thin, lightweight and super comfortable. I am also a huge fan of how breathable they are. If you are in the market for new running socks, I highly recommend!

My Garmin Forerunner:

I love my garmin forerunner! I was torn between the newer model (405) and the 305, but after reading numerous reviews I went with the 305. It is awesome! I love that I can go out for a run and know the distance I've gone without having to map it out beforehand. It also helps me pace myself; before I purchased it I wasn't sure what pace I was running at. I'm also a big fan of the garmin training log. When you hook the forerunner up to your computer, it automatically logs the date of your run, the number of miles ran, the average pace, number of calories burned, etc. It is so helpful in my training. I can't rave enough about it!

Nike Tempo Shorts

Nike tempo track shorts are fantastic! I think I own around six pairs. They are lined on the inside, should one choose to run commando (which I don't, but the option is there!). The shorts are the perfect length for running- not too short yet not so long as to interfere with running. These shorts are great on the milder winter days to wear over your running tights- they definitely help keep the tush warm!

Oatmeal

Oatmeal. Oh oatmeal, how I love thee. I can't believe I only stuck to instant oatmeal packets before. I was missing out! There is nothing better on a cold morning than oats with walnuts, a bit of maple syrup and peanut butter. Super healthy and it keeps me full for hours to boot. Speaking of peanut butter:

Mighty Maple Peanut Butter! This seriously may be the best peanut butter on the planet. It tastes amazing in oatmeal, with apples, pears or just by itself! I limit myself to one tablespoon a day, and usually eat it with an apple. Amazing!

Foam Roller:

I started running this past May. I broke into easily with the Couch to 5k training plan. By September I was running approximately 3 miles four times a week. Around this time I started having some serious knee pain on the top of my right knee about 2 miles into each run. So much so that I had to stop running once the pain started because it was that intense. After a bit of googling, I diagnosed myself with iliotibial band sydrome, where basically your IT band becomes increasingly tight and rubs on your knee, causing a sharp pain. I went to an orthopaedic doctor, who confirmed my suspicions. He recommended a number of stretches and the foam roller. WOW. The pain from the foam roller is intense, but in a good way. If you have ever experienced IT Band issues, the foam roller definitely helps work out some of the kinks! I am happily back to my pre-injury running distance, and I am certain that the foam roller has a lot to do with it.


Greek yogurt:

Greek yogurt is amazing! I was a huge fan of yogurt from the get, but after looking at the ingredient list of some of my favorites, I saw that a lot of them were full of HFCS and unhealthy, unnatural ingredients. I had been reading about greek yogurt in blogland, so I decided to give it a try. Delicious, creamy and tons of protein. On the days I don't have oatmeal for breakfast, I have greek yogurt with granola and fruit. Chobani, Fage, Stonyfield- I love them all! I also use the plain greek yogurt as a sour cream substitute. It's fantastic!

Google Calendar. My fiance actually introduced me to google calendar six months ago. I use it to monitor my work events, social events, and to track the workouts I have completed. Not only does it keep me organized, it also serves as a great motivator. I love to look back and see all of the workouts I have done, and I get a great sense of satisfaction in writing (typing) down the workouts I have completed.

So there are my favorites of 2009. What do you think? Anything that you would add to the list?

Merry Christmas, a Three Mile Run and Delectable French Toast

Merry Christmas! I love the holidays. The weather is actually pretty mild around here (about 33 degrees). Yesterday Bri came (yay!) and we had an awesome three mile run. It was about 32 degrees- I wore my under armour cold gear top, Reebok running tights, under armour gloves and my ear cover and I was good to go. The cold air is seriously so refreshing! 32 degrees is the perfect winter running temperature- I'm convinced of it! Today is a rest day and I am super excited about it. My legs are sore and it means I get to drink mimosas with Christmas breakfast :)



So today is a very special day. In addition to Christmas, my little guy turns four today. Happy birthday Bailey! Bailey's birthday and Christmas goodies

He approves!

It's become somewhat of a tradition for me to make my "special" french toast on holidays. The recipe is from our Williams Sonoma Bride Groom cookbook that we got at our engagement party (thanks mom!)

The recipe calls for:

-a day old loaf of French bread

-4 large eggs

-1 egg yolk

-2 cups milk

-1 tsp vanilla extract

-1 tsp orange zest

-2 T fresh orange juice

-4 1/2 tsp sugar

-3/4 tsp kosher salt

-butter for the pan

The goods:

Slice the loaf into approximately 20 pieces. Beat together the eggs, yolk, milk, vanilla, orange juice and zest, sugar and salt, blending well. Pour the mixture into a large dish.

Prick the tops of the bread with a fork. This allows the bread to better absorb the egg mixture. Then place the bread into the egg mixture.

Submerged bread

The recipe says to let the bread sit for 15 minutes. I, however, am impatient, and the bread usually sits for five or ten minutes when I cook.

Next, melt some butter on either a cast iron skillet or a griddle. I used a griddle this morning and found it much more convenient than the skillet method, namely because it is more efficient!

French toast cooking


Flip the bread occasionally, until each side looks like it's done (generally about 5 or 10 minutes). Then feast!

Finished product.

This french toast may not be the healthiest, but it is super easy to make and is perfect to break out for special occasions. The addition of the orange zest and vanilla really takes it a step above normal french toast.

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I made out like a bandit today! I am so spoiled. Bri got me a ton of running stuff, including a gorgeous lululemon zip up, pink zensah running sleeves and a running log :) My parents also got me my awesome Sigg I love running waterbottle!

Modeling my new goods. And I may or may not be hosting a giveaway involving one of the aforementioned items in a future post ;) I'm very excited about it!

Christmas eve was a blast yesterday. Bri and I started the day off at Christina and Rob's, then made our way over to my grandmother's house.

My brother modeling one of Matthew's presents.

My brother, grandmother and I

Christina and I with our pups.

Family pic!

Brian and Rob- they love each other.

Sadie wasn't sure if Bailey was a dog or a toy.

Happy holidays!