RunBuggy

I Trained, I Registered, I Did Not Run

adbarkman@gmail.com (Alison B. "RunBuggy") — Mon, 02 May 2011 19:38:00 +0000

I'm glad it's Monday. Yesterday was Sunday. It was a gorgeous day on Long Island. Sunny skies. Temps in the low 60s. A perfect day for a race. A race that I had all intentions of running, but did not.

Yesterday was the Long Island Marathon/Half Marathon/10K. This was my first half marathon back in the year 2000, and I've run it eight times since then. This year I started my training in mid-February as always and completed it straight through to the taper last week.

Training in February and March was rough. We were still in the midst of this horrendous, snow-stricken winter. The skies were gray, winds howled, streets were sloppy with melting snow and ice. It took a lot for me to get out the door and run most days. Of course, once I was out there, I was happy and the winter blahs were temporarily lifted until the endorphins ran out.

I'm not sure if it was the rough winter or if my body was still beat up from my triumphant 1-year-postpartum NYC Marathon of 2010. Maybe a bit of both. But several times I questioned why I was even training for the Long Island half marathon. The answer became clear as the days grew closer: this was my first half marathon years ago, and therefore, it has a special place in my heart.

The first year I ran this race, I had been dating my now husband, aka Safety Sam, for 5 months. The night before the race he asked me if I wanted to have dinner at his parents house after the race. I was excited because FINALLY I was going to meet his mom and dad. But at the same time I was so nervous about the race, I couldn't think of a worse time for him to invite me to dinner at their house. What if I was sore, dehydrated, practically crippled, exhausted, and miserable? How would I be able to eat dinner with his parents and be pleasant if I was in excruciating pain? Since it was to be my first half, I had no idea what shape I'd be in later that evening.

Another year when we were still dating, we went out for happy hour in the city two nights before the race. I proceeded to down SEVERAL kick-ass margaritas. This led to me starting an argument with Safety Sam when he mentioned the possibility of working overseas. I was like, WHAT? What about us? Blah, blah, blah ... if you've ever been in a relationship, got drunk, and then got in an alcohol-induced fight as a result, I'm sure you know how the story goes.

That next day was the day before the race and my heart was aching. He would not return my calls. I knew he was extremely pissed off at my margarita-infused behavior. I was counting on him to be near the finish line and I spent the entire day wondering if he'd be there. In the end he was there, clapping and cheering me on. It was the greatest day.

Then there was the year I ran by my sister's side. This was her first half marathon. A newbie to running at the time, her pace was much slower back then. I didn't tell her until a year or so later how that run was agonizing for me because of the slower pace. But once we crossed the finish line, I was glad I stuck by her. Of course, later I learned from her that she is like me, and would much rather run a race solo!

My list of reasons for loving this race go on and on. For instance, my parents are always there cheering in two different spots. It's on Long Island, where I grew up and now live as a wife and mother. The race typically seems to fall on a day with beautiful weather, even the one year when it started out with rain, but ended with sun. And I've improved every year since my first with this race, by about a 35 minute window.

So this brings me to yesterday and my heartache of not running. In the middle of last week I came down with what I think was extremely horrific allergies. I was congested, had a pounding headache, felt off-balance, dizzy, and completely exhausted. I tried doing a slow 3 miles on Friday and felt like I was in outer space with led legs. I knew my prognosis wasn't going to be good for Sunday's race.

I reluctantly went to the expo and picked up my number. Normally at the expo I'm all psyched up, but this time it felt depressing. I was deliberately pushing Li'l Bubba in his umbrella stroller at top speeds through the aisles, bumping into some runners' heels (it's their fault, they were texting and walking at the same time) trying to get the hell out of there. I picked up the t-shirt knowing I'd be donating it to charity. No way would I where a shirt for a race I did not run.

I probably could have pushed through the 13.1 miles, but it would have been a slow torture. The only thing that made this a tad less painful was to know that the three other people close to me who were supposed to run also had to duck out at the last minute. My sister injured her back on Easter picking up my son and was in so much pain she couldn't run. Her boyfriend ended up with a torn meniscus and was told by his doctor not to run for four weeks. My new running friend who trained like a champ for her first half marathon unfortunately fell down the stairs in her house and quite possibly has a stress fracture, therefore she was instructed just this past Friday not to run.

No, I'm not making any of this up.

Yesterday morning sucked. I kept looking at the clock ....

It's 8:10 AM. I'd be running 10 minutes into the race right now.
It's 9:30. I'd be close to done.
It's 10. If I kept my sub-2-hour streak, I'd be done.
It's 6 PM. Right now I'd be enjoying a celebration dinner.

Well, it's over. There will be plenty of other races. I've vented. I'm over it. Until next time!

Second Place Feels Pretty Damn Good

adbarkman@gmail.com (Alison B. "RunBuggy") — Wed, 06 Apr 2011 11:11:00 +0000

This past Saturday I decided to run in a local 5K. I never run 5K's. The distance is too short for me. I always feel like it's a warm up and then ... poof ... I'm done.

But I do know that racing a 5K is great to get your feet moving, your legs to turn over fast, and get used to really RACING. I did my 10 mile long run on Friday, so I figured, why not try to run as fast as I can in this 5K while helping raise money for a good cause? It was the GC for a Cure 5K to benefit the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center.

Plus, I felt I HAD to run this race because it went down my street. I told Safety Sam he had no choice but to stand in front of our house with Li'l Bubba an cheer me on.

That morning I ran a little over 1 mile to my local high school where it started. I forked over my $30 and was officially registered. I looked around a bit to see if there was anyone I knew, but mostly I kept to myself, just fidgeting and wanting to run after the mile warm-up I just did.

Once we started I decided in my head I would run as fast as I could without puking. I tried to re-acquaint myself with all the speed work I meticulously completed during marathon training several months ago. I felt quite speedy until I made a turn onto Stewart Avenue, where the wind pushed against me for about 1 mile. That sucked.

Then I made a right onto my block, no longer running against the wind. The race photographer, who I knew, I think may have got a shot of me spitting. Well, a photo like that pretty much sums up me running - I spit all over the place. I'll have to check back on the website to see if that gets posted.

I picked up my pace so I could look like a star athlete blazing down my street. At my house I took a quick detour to give Li'l Bubba a kiss. He looked confused and I don't think he realized what was going on as his mommy came out of nowhere like a sweaty, running maniac, then ran off into the distance.

Once I crossed the finish line I totally forgot to look at the clock. Don't you hate when that happens? I grabbed my race t-shirt from the gymnasium and ran another mile home. Running to and from the race was crucial because I was planning to be a glutton on a date with Safety Sam at a French restaurant in the city later that evening. And needless to say, I ate all of my appetizer, dinner, dessert, and had numerous drinks.

It wasn't until Tuesday that I remembered to check out the race results online. Well, well, well. I finished in 23:40 (7:38 pace) and came in 2nd for my age group, 31-36 years old. Okay, so there were only 17 people in my age group. But hey, I was 81 out of 455 total runners. And honestly, I had no idea I was able to run under an 8 minute mile with the way I've been feeling these days (like there's cement in my legs and butt).

So 5Ks aren't so bad after all. Now, onto the rest of my training for the Long Island Half Marathon!

My Lists Have Lists

adbarkman@gmail.com (Alison B. "RunBuggy") — Tue, 05 Apr 2011 11:00:00 +0000

I am a mom. I am a wife. I am a dog owner. I am a runner. I am me. I am obsessive compulsive about cleanliness, overly organized, and am a slave to my damn lists.

It's true. I have a spiral-bound pad on my kitchen table. That sits on top of a stack of magazines such as Runner's World and Today's Dietitian, plus catalogs like Pottery Barn, Road Runner Sports, Athleta, or Frontgate. My catalogs sit there with pages dog-eared and items circled as if some day I will buy that end table I so desperately need or the cute, yet overly expensive workout clothes. Instead I write down on my list that I should buy these things and then hope that one day I will.

Amongst this mess of magazines and my day-to-day spiral-bound list is a few post-it note pads. Most of them are from pharmaceutical companies branded with diabetes or osteoporosis medications from my days of nutrition counseling in doctors' offices. These sticky notes are where I write something down like "Sign up for spin class", or "Give Toby his flea medication today". These special notes get stuck on my microwave, an appliance I use several times per day, therefore I cannot miss my crucial note.

That's not all. I have a dry erase board stuck to the side of my refrigerator. Here is where I keep my Master List. This is an ongoing list of things I should get done either tomorrow, next week, or within the month. Things that must get done sooner are at the top, and those that can wait a bit go on the bottom. I love when I can take a tissue and erase one item off this list. Sometimes I accidentally erase the item above or below it, and then I need to re-write it. Or maybe that item that was inadvertently erase was not so important anyway, and so therefore I leave it erased forever from my dry-erase board, offering up more white space to write more to-do's.

The funniest is when I remind myself to run. For instance, today is Tuesday. While I'm preparing my list of to-do's for Wednesday, I'll write "Run" at the top. As if I'd forget to run. Maybe I think I'll wake up in the morning and just completely forget that I wanted to run, but then I will see this reminder on my list and be like, Oh yeah! I'm supposed to run today! Shoot, I almost forgot! When training for a half or full marathon, it's kind of hard to forget that you need to run.

My husband, Safety Sam, finds humor in adding sneaky little notes on my list. For instance, I wrote myself a reminder to plant these tulip bulbs that I forgot to plant in the fall because I ignored my written reminder back then to do so. Next to my note "Plant tulip bulbs" he wrote "Yeah right".

He told me, "Your LISTS have LISTS." I looked around at my pile of sticky notes, two dry erase boards, and spiral notebooks. The truth hurts.

But the good thing is I do always remember to run, regardless if it's on my list or not. I don't think I'll write that on my list anymore since after 14 years running it's pretty much habit. It will be one less thing that will make me feel bogged down by all these damn lists!

Bright Yellow Jog Stroller Makes Its Spring Debut!

adbarkman@gmail.com (Alison B. "RunBuggy") — Tue, 15 Mar 2011 18:33:00 +0000

This morning was the first day since the Fall of 2010 that I pushed Li'l Bubba in the jogging stroller. I thought about taking him out a few times over the last month as all the snow slowly began to melt. Then I would stick my head out the door and feel the cold, gusty wind, which led to instant mommy guilt. How could I subject poor Li'l Bubba to frigid cold just so that I can squeeze in a run?

Not to mention, I was being lazy. The tires on my BOB Ironman stroller were flat. Then at the end of February the stroller was recalled over a drawstring that is a potential strangulation hazard. Fabulous. So I'd have to put air in the tires, remove the drawstring, not to mention carry the damn thing upstairs from the basement. It was much easier to wait and do my runs when I had a babysitter.

But this morning the temps were climbing into the 40s. He still has traces of a cold that has been lingering for over a week now. I thought the cool air and bonding time in the great outdoors with mommy was a much better option than being cooped up inside. There's only so much I can take watching him throw toys at our poor black Lab, or take off his socks and dip them into the dog's water dish.

Pushing the stroller with Li'l Bubba for 4 miles felt like a strength training workout. Much more difficult than what I remember. Gradually I began to reacquaint myself with the awkwardness of running while holding handlebars. My legs loosened up, I stopped worrying about him losing his blanket and his runny nose. I started pointing out things to him as we ran by like the "doggies" and "the beautiful blue sky". I began to relax and just RUN.

When I was done I felt happy. It's great to have the jogging stroller option back again as we slowly creep into spring weather. Ahhh....

With the LI Half Marathon a little over one month away, I am slowly re-gaining motivation. I mean look at me! I have now written two blog posts in a matter of days after a blogging hibernation AND I finally updated my DailyMile status since November. My Garmin was going to explode with stored runs. Well, most of my winter runs were indoors, but some were outside and I did make a feeble attempt to track them with my 1980's-looking Garmin Forerunner 205.

Here's to more jogging stroller runs!

Screw this Winter, Spring is Coming!

adbarkman@gmail.com (Alison B. "RunBuggy") — Thu, 10 Mar 2011 20:42:00 +0000

My desire to write about mommy-hood and running in ... oh... over one month ... has been quelled by cold, snow, gray skies, and continuous stuffy noses and coughs. I ranted around the holidays about eating too many Christmas cookies, sipping too much wine, and going from being a marathoner to barely making it out the door.

This winter, in a word, sucked. Snow fell endlessly and more would fall again on top of the old snow. Streets were full of slush, ice, sand, and salt. There was no way I could take Bubba out in the jogging stroller. Many days the thought of going out to the grocery store with a one year old seemed like a bigger challenge than a 15-mile run.

I can't even begin to say how happy I am that it is March. True, this month can be painfully long and hit or miss when it comes to the weather. But if it's March, that means April and May are just around the corner. Longer days. Sunny mornings beckoning me to do 5 AM runs again. The ability to run in shorts. Races filling the calendar.

Well, my racing calendar isn't exactly full. I started training for the Long Island Half Marathon, which will be May 1st this year. I've run the Long Island Half Marathon since my debut into the race world in 2000. My training to date has not been stellar. I think I'm still in a bit of a slacker mode since my meticulous marathon training last June through November.

I'm looking forward to getting back out there. I used to think pushing Bubba in the jogging stroller while running was a drag. But after this horrendous winter, I'm actually day-dreaming of being out there with him!

And how is Bubba? He started moving his tootsies and walking all on his own at around 15-1/2 months. I decided to focus my energy into creative home movies and came up with this little rock video of him. Enjoy!

Lack of Running Motivation and the Very Bad Scale

adbarkman@gmail.com (Alison B. "RunBuggy") — Sat, 22 Jan 2011 18:24:00 +0000

I recently read a post by RunnerMama, Hibernation Mode: Dealing with the January Blahs. She mentioned reading in the papers that January 17th is the most depressing day of the year. I agree. Maybe not that day exactly, but I sure am a bundle of ups and downs throughout ... oh, let's say January, February and March.

I turn bipolar when it comes to running in this cold winter misery. Some days I'm just itching to get outside regardless of the whipping winds, plummeting temperatures, and ice patches on the road. But it seems more times I want to stay inside, waste time on my laptop with my space heater pointed right at my legs, and think more about a strategy for running once the weather gets nicer.

During this tumultuous relationship I am having with running, I am trying different things. Rather than run, run, run, I have focused on strength training, dusted off some of those Insanity workout DVDs, and got back into spin class. With the exception of spinning, can anyone else relate to feeling like you didn't get a good workout when you do something other than run?

So even though I am doing some sort of workout 5-6 days per week - this may sound nuts - but doing a P90X upper body workout almost "doesn't count" for me. Don't get me wrong, those workouts make me sore. But I don't get that same rush that I get from running. I've been feeling almost like a slacker, even though I'm pushing myself. Crazy. I know.

I definitely don't think I'm burning the same amount of calories. And unfortunately, I'm eating the same if not more than I was during marathon season. I think the winter cold beckons me to load up on carbs more than a long run. And who can avoid some wine on a snowy night or downing a couple of pints during Sunday football? Ummm... I'm don't really even pay attention to the games. I just like the sounds of a football game and the NFL music means beer time.

Ever since the holiday pig-outs I have stayed far away from my scale. I don't think scales are a good thing. I've tried to get rid of ours but Safety Sam likes to keep in check every now and again. As my pants grew a bit snugger each day I decided it is time to face reality and hop on.

Okay, so I'm up three pounds. Doesn't sound like much, but it was enough to put me in a bad mood the entire day. I know darn well three pounds could be water weight. But with the way I've been eating over the past two months, it's probably FAT!

Oh well. Such is life. I think I go through this every winter. I'll just keep enjoying this unscheduled, unplanned phase until half marathon training begins in a few short weeks!

Cheers.

Letting Go

adbarkman@gmail.com (Alison B. "RunBuggy") — Tue, 18 Jan 2011 11:00:00 +0000

Me & Li'l Bubba @ 12 months old

I am a mother to a 15-month-old boy. He is healthy. He is happy. He has a great appetite. He sleeps 11-12 hours each night. He is beautiful, on the inside and out.

But I have been struggling. Struggling, fighting, kicking, and screaming not to lose myself. All of my dreams, ambitions, desires, goals. All of it slowly floating away with each hour of lost sleep, baby meal prepared and spoon-fed, diaper changed, lullaby sung, story read, hugs and kisses shared each night.

I want to excel in my career. I am PR-savvy. I am a dietitian. I love to write. I want to teach the world about health and nutrition. I have an entrepreneurial spirit just bursting with ideas for a new business. A blank page in front of me. I begin to outline a plan. This will definitely be time-consuming. I think of my son, "Li'l Bubba". What a minute - who am I kidding? How the hell will I be able to do this?

I made a decision months ago to be a stay-at-home-mom. This is the hardest things I've ever done. My brain is constantly spinning with things I would love to throw myself into. I desperately want to be passionate about a cause. I want to start something from grassroots and watch it blossom into a successful venture. Other women do it - they have babies, careers, run marathons.

Li'l Bubba, exploring.

Can you really have it all? Well, looking at my son, I know I do. Still, I don't think there is a single mom out there who doesn't wish for something that keeps her driven, moving forward, and feeling accomplished. According to my mom, someday, I will understand the true rewards of motherhood. I know. It's just hard to feel it now.

I truly think to be fully vested in a career and start a family at the same time that something in life has to give. Maybe it's sleep. Maybe health. Maybe you can't be there for your child as much as you'd like. I just don't know how it can be possible to make it all work, at least while children are babies and not yet in school.

Or maybe I'm just not cut out to be a mom, runner, and career dynamo while simultaneously make healthy meals every day, keep the toilet clean and laundry fresh, plus walk my dog and give him a hug every now and then. Maybe now isn't the time for my brain's desire to run full speed ahead. Maybe I need to sit tight and be the best mom I can be. I have plenty of time for other things. Right?

I think I need to let go of something. Not all of me. Maybe just small bits of me. As everyone keeps reminding me, Li'l Bubba will not be this small forever. He will not always need his mommy. One day he'll ask for the car keys, head out the door, eat his own meals, run off to college ... and grow up.

Today, I needed to put this in writing. Bring myself back to reality. Help me sort through the ups and downs of being a mom.

My time is up. Li'l Bubba's short nap has just ended and he is calling. Thanks for reading.

Biggest Loser: Inspiration to Run or Hindrance?

adbarkman@gmail.com (Alison B. "RunBuggy") — Fri, 07 Jan 2011 01:55:00 +0000

I recently received my latest issue of Runner's World magazine. After skimming through the table of contents, this article immediately caught my attention: The Biggest Loser Contestants Run a Marathon. I look at this story two ways: 1) inspirational; 2) unattainable.

Training for, running and actually finishing a marathon is one of the toughest things I've done, both physically and mentally. I'm still not sure if childbirth was easier or harder. Let's say they are parallel in toughness.

I don't really watch The Biggest Loser anymore. I simply don't have the time to keep up season after season. I could DVR the show if it were that important to me, but being that the show is in its 10th season, I tend to lose interest and find the plot repetitive after a while.

This season we have our biggest contestants ever in the history of Biggest Loser. Really? Wow, that's a shock! But honestly, if this show continues years into the future, how much bigger will these folks get?

On to the point of this blog post. I read this article in Runner's World about Biggest Loser contests losing tons of weight, getting super-fit, and then running a marathon. Yes, this is very inspirational. I love reading articles about people who went from FLAB to FAB. You know the story: they used to eat donuts all day long, smoke, guzzle liters of Coke, and take a poly-pharmacy of meds to control various co-moribities. Suddenly something snapped in their sugar-hazed brain, they started buying fresh fruits and vegetables, exercised, and lost tons of weight.

I know I sound overly sarcastic with a dash of skepticism. But honestly, I really like these stories. I love when people go from obese couch potatoes on to complete 10Ks, half marathons, marathons ... heck ... Ironmans. It really spells out to the world that anyone is capable if you dig deep down inside and give it all you got.

The Biggest Loser contestants can certainly be an inspiration. However, they are living in a cushy, fantasy world. According to this article, they workout four to six hours per day, three of which are with that nut-ball Jillian or yoga Bob. Who the hell works out six hours per day? That's insanity. I don't know how it is that I dealt with tendonitis for approximately one month and these contestants aren't injuring themselves on a daily basis.

Anyone who wants to be inspired by these big losers should be, no doubt. But I also think it can be damaging if one begins to compare oneself to the contestants and realize they can't keep up with the six-hour-per-day boot camp style workouts.

Be inspired. Lace up your sneakers. Take those first steps. Get support from a fellow runner and your peers. Don't feel bad if you can't match the milestones that Biggest Loser contestants do at warp speed.

If you want to start running, that's all you need - desire.

Rigid Me

adbarkman@gmail.com (Alison B. "RunBuggy") — Tue, 04 Jan 2011 20:14:00 +0000

On Sunday night I was laying in bed, cracking open my Kindle after a long hiatus and trying to get through my book club book. It's "The Road" by Cormac McCarthy. Not a light-hearted read and therefore not the easiest to pick up during the hustle and bustle of the holiday season.

So there I am in bed, exhausted from staying up into the wee hours of the morning on New Year's Eve and still recuperating two nights later. Monday morning was to be Safety Sam's first day back to work after the holidays. Although I am a stay-at-home-mom, Monday, January 3, felt much like the first day back to reality.

With my husband home for the holiday week, there was no need for me to wake up at 4:30 AM to work out. I wasn't ready to return to those pre-dawn alarm clock bells. Unfortunately, because I am very rigid, inflexible and set in my ways, I feel the only time I can work out is in the morning. Preferably in the early morning hours before I dive into my day with Li'l Bubba and the dog, but most certainly it must be before 10:30 at the latest.

Why?

I feel like my body falls apart slowly the closer the clock gets to noon. But here's something I must come to realize (ah-hem, dare I declare this a New Years resolution?). As Safety Sam mentioned to me this past Sunday night, I need to be more flexible. I know he's right. Working out bright and early is great, but there are times when my body needs extra sleep, especially this time of year. As if 4:30 AM isn't early enough, it's worse when it's dark, cold, and there's a threat of wiping out on black ice.

So on Monday morning I did not wake up early to do my P90x chest and back workout. I slept an extra hour and opted to attempt working out during Bubba's morning nap. The caveat here is that Bubba doesn't always nap in the morning anymore. This is where SS questioned why I just don't wait until his afternoon nap to workout - thus, be more flexible. Sounds nice but I can't wait all day wondering when and if he will nap in order for me to squeeze in a workout.

Without going on and on, there is an end to this post. On this past Monday morning I added a little flexibility and wiggle room into my rigid, almost-perfectly-scheduled life. I attempted the P90X workout during Bubba's nap. He wasn't napping.

I stopped my workout the first time to attempt luring him into a nap again. FAIL. I stopped the workout again to set up Bubba in his playpen with toys. That worked well. I stopped one last time when he seemed to grow weary of his toys to grab him a sippy cup of water and some Cheerios.

The end result? I successfully completed my push-up and pull-ups workout, regardless of several interruptions. Wow. It can be done. And the workout definitely was worth it because I feel sore one day later. You know, that "ooo, I really sculpted my guns" type of soreness. That's the best feeling - when you know you didn't waste your time!

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Elastic Waistbands Make Me Feel Better About the Christmas Chub

adbarkman@gmail.com (Alison B. "RunBuggy") — Fri, 31 Dec 2010 16:01:00 +0000

So here we are. One day left in 2010. Anyone else out there feeling like I do? Heavy from Christmas cookies, elaborate dinners, tempting appetizers and tantalizing desserts. Dehydrated from wine, beer, kick-you-in-the-ass Christmas sangria, and rum mixed with just about anything. To add to this downward spiral of unhealthy habits, I've been recovering from a cold induced by lack of sleep and the daily grind of the Christmas rush, while simultaneously trying to squeeze in running and strength training at 5 AM.

What's the best remedy for the Christmas "chub"? Sweatpants, which I've been happily wearing all week. A couple of days ago I tried slipping on a pair of jeans to stop kidding myself with elastic waistbands that are forgiving to an expanding waistline. The butt and thigh area in my jeans felt scarily tight and uncomfortable. I went back to sweats today. I know I'm not alone when the week between Christmas and New Years becomes an eating and drinking free-for-all.

Snowed In! My house, 12/27. I was running nowhere.

To add insult to injury, a major snowstorm earlier this week buried any attempt to get back to running normalcy and burn the extra calories storing like fat a packages on my gut, hips and thighs. The soft, floaty flakes only gave me and my husband another excuse to pop open another bottle of killer Cabernet from our collection. Yes, we have a collection from a seller in Napa.

After a four day hiatus from running, I decided it was time to put my foot down - literally - in the snow. I braved the snow drifts and ice for an "easy three-sy" (my sister's phrase for an easy three mile run). I ran in the streets, hopped on to some sidewalks that were clear, and intermittently tip-toed over ice patches. I went out the next day again, this time with my Labrador Toby, just to make things even harder with me AND my dog dodging ice and snow. During both runs I kept in check with how my knee felt. Yes, I'm still suffering slightly from tendinitis, but thankfully my Christmas wish came true and my knee is on the mend.

This morning I was grateful to venture out for my longest run in one month with my running buddy, Ms. Ironman. She's also nursing a knee injury. After the two of us not meeting up for a run since my marathon training days, we decided it was about time we hit the roads and test out our sore knees for about an hour. With the temps now climbing into the 40s, no wind, a great running friend and minimal knee pain, it was the best run I've had in a long time.

It's hard to believe that almost two months ago I completed the New York City marathon. A mere three months ago Safety Sam and I were scheduling family to babysit so we could squeeze in three hour long runs. The days where six miles was a short and easy run seems years ago.

Li'l Bubba testing out his winter gear.

Here we are now, another year about to end. What are my running goals for the New Year? There is always the Long Island Half Marathon in May. Another marathon? I'm not sure. Definitely, without a doubt, I will complete 26.2 miles again in my life. I'm just not sure the time is now. Maybe Li'l Bubba needs a sibling sometime soon?

As I ponder all of this healthy running stuff and family life, let me take a step back and focus on this weekend. Tonight is New Years Eve. I may as well be a glutton for one more night ... Okay, who am I kidding? ..... one more weekend of drinking and eating. We work so damn hard all year round, what's a couple more days of pure gluttony gong to hurt?

Nothing! Bring on the fun for a few more days. Happy New Year! Cheers!

Mr. Knee, Why Have You Forsaken Me?

adbarkman@gmail.com (Alison B. "RunBuggy") — Tue, 14 Dec 2010 12:45:00 +0000

Before I let one month go by without posting, I must update the RunBuggy blog! The reason for my absence? Besides all of the turkey carving, ho-ho-ho'ing, and going nutty on Cyber Monday with Christmas shopping ... well ... I'm injured.

Two weeks ago I went out solo for an early 5 AM run. Later that evening I was rushing around trying to dress myself for my book club dinner while Li'l Bubba was crying for his mommy from his playpen. I felt a slight twinge of pain in my left knee. Hmmm.....

With fourteen years of running under my belt, I've never fallen prey to those pesky knee injuries. The worst I've dealt with is some slight throbs in my knees when my sneakers were too old and worn down. I dismissed the knee pain thinking it was some fluke thing and would go away.

Two days later, I went for an early 6-mile run with two other women. Here's where I like to call myself AN IDIOT. From the first step of that run my knee hurt. I continued to plug along and chit-chat with my two running partners. When I got home, I was actually scared. I knew this was more than a random shooting pain.

Of course Safety Sam shook his head at me in disappointment. "Why did you run when your knee was hurting you? Why didn't you stop," he asked.

Why? Why, indeed. Because stopping when you feel injured is something Safety Sam would do. He is practical. He is SAFE. I am addicted to running. Addicts don't stop if they're in pain, yet still enjoying the runner's high and conversation along the way. I wouldn't have stopped unless my knee buckled and I collapsed to the cool asphalt. Please note - I am not saying this is smart.

Now, I pay the price. A few days later I attempted to do a spin class because I thought biking wouldn't hurt. Nope. After a few rotations of the pedals, I hopped off the bike and left class. A few days later an orthopedist told me I most likely have patellar tendinitis. He wrote me a prescription for one of those fancy patellar tendon straps to wear under my kneecap.

It will almost be two weeks since I ran. And with biking a sore spot as well, I've been going nuts trying to find alternative ways to get my fix of endorphins. I've been getting good use out of the P90X DVDs. I've also been walking on the treadmill on an incline to simulate hiking. I'm not even sure if this hill walking is okay for me to do. But I do know it makes me feel like I'm working hard, makes me sweat, and doesn't cause any pain. Of course swimming is the best choice, but my swimsuit, cap, and goggles have been hibernating in a storage bin for years. The bright side of this is that this running hiatus is forcing me to try new things, cross train, and break back into strength training.

Meanwhile, with the lack of calorie-burning runs, I've also been slightly fearful of this jingle bell, over-indulgent season. It's bad enough even when I am running with all the Christmas cheer. Cookies, dinners, wine, fancy Christmas cocktails. I don't normally weigh myself often, and now I'm really avoiding the scale like the plague.

Oh, Mr. Knee. Please don't let this be the beginning of a downward spiral with knee aches and pains. I know I am getting older. I know I trained hard for the marathon and may be a bit over-trained. I know I'm damn lucky this didn't happen until AFTER the marathon. But please. PLEASE. Please get better and let's not make this a recurring issue in my bright and sparkly running future.

That is my Christmas wish.

4 Miles with My Best Running Buddy

adbarkman@gmail.com (Alison B. "RunBuggy") — Mon, 22 Nov 2010 11:00:00 +0000

Sunday morning was cool. Leaves were brown, orange, red, and yellow. The smell of a wood-burning stove was in the air. All signs that Thanksgiving is just around the corner. I wanted to celebrate all I have to be thankful for with a short, fun Sunday morning run.

What better way to share my good mood and thankfulness than by bringing along my #1 running buddy? We haven't run together in well over six months. My last few runs with him were a bit slow. He would lag behind, pant, and require numerous potty breaks even on a short 4-miler. Once my marathon training was in full swing, I needed to leave him in the dust.

But this Sunday morning, it was time for these old running buddies to reunite. I was dressed in my gear, iPod secured to my waistband, and proudly sporting my NYC marathon hat that was stuffed in my closet for months until I officially finished. He watched me pace around, turn on my Garmin, fiddle with the idea of wearing light-weight gloves, and make a last pit stop before heading out the door.

Somehow, I don't really know how, but he knew. He's watched me go out the door for a run day after day for months, and he would just slump on the couch, lift his head as if to say, "Wish I could join you, but I know you don't want me." He would never pace around or anticipate that I would bring him along.

But on Sunday morning .... he knew.

His tail was wagging. His jaw was slightly open as he breathed heavily, yet happily, anticipating some together time that was way over due. I stuffed two plastic bags in my waistband.

C'mon Toby, I called. Two collars, one leash. We were ready to go!

So by now you have figured out who my best running buddy is. It's Toby, my black Lab. He kept me company on almost all of my pregnant jogs. Once Li'l Bubba arrived and marathon training began, poor Toby fell low on my priority list. I couldn't run with the jogging stroller and Toby - that would be a disaster. And the scorching heat this past summer was not a dog-friendly environment for outdoor runs. Plus, although Toby loves to run, I don't think he's too keen on anything more than four miles. Most of my marathon training runs were five miles or more.

I wasn't sure how he'd do after months of no running. But he was pacing quite well - under a 10 minute/mile pace. He galloped alongside me like a prancing horse for 4 miles. Every once in a while I'd look down at him and smile. I forgot what a pleasure it is to run with my dog.

In this season of Thanksgiving I have so much to be thankful for. Right now, I want to enjoy these weeks following the marathon. No pressures of following of rigorous training schedule. I can take a short run with Toby and not worry about pace, time, or the fact that I have to stop when he needs to take care of business.

For me, this is one of the best running experiences that I'm very grateful for. What are you thankful for this Thanksgiving?

The 2010 NYC Marathon - FINISHED!

adbarkman@gmail.com (Alison B. "RunBuggy") — Tue, 09 Nov 2010 11:00:00 +0000

Me at mile 8 in Brooklyn

I am done. I did it. I finished my second New York City marathon. I waited 5 long years to run this amazing race again. Running 26.2 miles through Brooklyn, Queens, Manhattan and the Bronx was like visiting an old friend.

This race is truly unbelievable. Roaring crowds, random rock bands lining the streets, and runners dressed as bananas and other such characters carried me through. I only listened to four songs on my iPod the entire time. There was no need for music when complete strangers cheered your name, offered high fives, and sounded various noise makers like it was New Year's Eve.

So here's the run-down.

As with any marathon, the experience begins with the training. For me, this was base-training that started in February when I began training for a half marathon. Once June arrived, I was officially in marathon training mode. As any marathoner knows, training is a roller coaster ride. I had great runs and crappy ones too. I had numerous moments of doubt. How can I do this while trying to handle the ins and outs of being a new mom?

The bundle of emotions I felt along the training journey came to a peak when tapering. I was excited, tired, scared, and pacing around all over the place from nervous energy. After attending the expo and spending $80 on two marathon shirts, I came home with a throbbing headache, yet floating on a cloud at the same time.

The night before the marathon I was in the hotel room with Safety Sam. He was relaxing on the bed, watching TV. I was frantically arranging and re-arranging my ClifBloks, ID, pretzels and fig newtons in the running pack I planned to wear. I had TWO iPod nanos with me - one old one that I trained with and a brand-spanking new one that was less than half the size. They always say doing nothing new the day of the marathon. I was afraid the new nano would mess me up with its built-in waistband clip and fancy touch screen. I opted to use my old nano.

On Sunday morning it was GO time! Safety Sam and I hopped in a cab over to the charity where we ate a bagel, put our names on our shirts with tape, chattered with other runners, then hopped on a bus bound for Staten Island. It was cold that morning. We hovered under layers of old sweatshirts and a pepto-bismol pink blanket donated by my mom. This was the first time we were running the same year. It was great to have each other while we waited over three hours to start. Waiting on Staten Island = not so fun.

Unfortunately we had to spend our last hour apart as we were assigned to different starting groups. I spent that last hour wandering around by myself, making a few bathroom stops, and unsuccessfully trying to sit on the ground and relax.

The part you've been waiting for: THE MARATHON.

My goal for this marathon was to finish no slower than 4:20. The running coach from my charity, Citymeals-on-wheels, gave me this game plan:

Run miles 1-10 like a long warm-up. For me, he recommended a pace between 9:50-10:10.
Run miles 11-20 a bit faster. Here I was to bump it up to 9:40-10 min/mile.
Miles 21-26.2 -- go with how I feel! If I felt great, try to keep up a 9:40 pace or faster.

With this game plan in mind, I went into the race not thinking of it as 26.2 miles, but as 3 segments: miles 1-10, 11-20, and 21-26.2.

I wore a pace band that told me what time I should reach each mile marker in order to finish at 4:20. At the start, running that slow uphill march to get over the Verrazano bridge and into Brooklyn, my main goal wasn't time but instead to not collide with another runner and avoid tripping over various clothing items being shed on the bridge. I checked my Garmin a couple of times to make sure I was keeping within my assigned pace.

Once I was in Brooklyn, I began looking at the clock at each mile marker and comparing it to the pace band. Holy sh**, I'm 5 minutes ahead of the game! I was ecstatic. But I had to remind myself - Brooklyn is only the beginning. I had to keep the pace steady or I'd crap out at the end, for sure.

I saw my cheering friends at the 10K mark. Then my family around mile 8. Seeing my own group of fans was a little shot of adrenaline straight into my veins.

I carried on into Queens. Five years ago this was the point of the race where I hit a mini-wall and thought I was going to end up in a medical tent from hyponatremia. But this time around, I was fine. No stomach cramps. No sloshing in my belly. I was very careful about what I ate and drank the day before and during this race.

NYC marathon is in no way a flat course. The bridges are no joke. After crossing two bridges, I hit the third, the Queensboro. This bridge takes runners from Queens into Manhattan. This is where you hit mile 15, and for me, I almost hit a wall. It's silent on this bridge. All I hear are feet clomping on the ground and heavy breathing all around me. I feel like I'm slowing down as I slowly trudge up this incline. But once I'm over the hump, I know what's coming ... Manhattan.

Once over this bridge, the silence is broken by screaming crowds and music. Suddenly I feel like a celebrity as I begin a new leg of my journey up 1st Avenue. I check my pace. Suddenly, I'm more like 6 minutes ahead of time!

I glanced at people waiting on line for the porta-potties. I was on a mission and didn't even want to think about peeing. I kept on going, now at a faster clip. Up and over yet another bridge into the Bronx for about one mile, then back into Manhattan.

Mile 21. A man is holding a sign that reads something like: Break the Wall. My legs were burning. I blurted the sign's words out loud: BREAK THE WALL!! I passed the 4:20 pacing team a while back. I think I had passed the 4:15 team as well. Don't stop now! You've worked way too hard!

A lot of races can come undone in the last few miles. Once you hit that wall, it can be the final nail in the coffin.

Mile 23: Wondering if my legs will break.

Mile 23. Only 3.2 miles to go. But 3.2 miles felt almost impossible. The crowds were starting to blur. I found my family again. I managed to smile for the camera. I was steadily ahead of my pace now by 7.5 minutes. I think my legs are going to break. Could they just stop right here?

I was chaffed under my arms. I think I was hallucinating. People were walking at this point. Some were crouched over on the sidelines, probably getting sick. I found another group of friends as I turned off Fifth Avenue and into Central Park. I felt like I was going to pass out, but managed to smile.

Central Park. At this point, it's only a couple of miles left until the end. But it's grueling. I really pushed it the entire race. I kept up my pace, only slowed a bit at water stops, and never went to the bathroom. I just kept looking ahead, checking off each mile, only to greet the next one. I was determined and on a mission to beat my last marathon by a landslide. I was in competition with no one but myself.

The last mile I almost started walking. NO! DO NOT WALK! DON'T YOU DARE WALK NOW!! You can break 4:20!!

26 miles.... 0.2 left. AHHHHH!!! Keep going, keep pushing, don't stop!! I fiddled with my iPod and Kanye West's "Stronger" came on.

My goal was 4:20. Secretly I hoped for 4:15, but didn't want to set myself up for failure.

I finished.... in 4:12:03!!!! BAM!! I shaved 35 minutes off my last marathon time from 5 years ago, in the pre-baby years. I crossed the finish line and my legs began spasming uncontrollably. I was shivering. I forced myself to drink Gatorade to help stop the horrendous leg cramps.

I didn't meet Safety Sam until almost two hours later. Getting OUT of the NYC marathon takes a LONG time shuffling from the finish line, through the park and into the city streets. Then I walked almost 45 minutes to our hotel. Just what I felt like doing after running 26.2 miles!

He was a bit disappointed with his race. He suffered from cramping legs and a reoccurring foot pain. Be he finished his third marathon!

It is over. I am so pleased. I am in a bit of disbelief that months of early morning runs, speed work, long runs, nutrition, hydration ... it's all done.

Although this was my second marathon, it was like a first. A first time training and completing 26.2 as a new mom. In my pre-baby days I always wondered if I could do this once I became a mom. And I did, faster than before.

And just like the first ... I will never forget this race.

Tapering, Tears, Excitement, and Race Jitters

adbarkman@gmail.com (Alison B. "RunBuggy") — Wed, 03 Nov 2010 10:00:00 +0000

The tapering continues. Four days until the New York City Marathon.

On Sunday morning I got ready for a slow four mile run. I dressed in my 2005 New York City marathon long sleeve shirt. This shirt is three sizes too big for me, plus it's cotton. Not an ideal running shirt. But in exciting anticipation of the big marathon only days away, I had to wear it with pride.

From the first step I took Sunday morning on one of the shortest runs I've done in months, I could not stop thinking about marathon day. I thought about how thousands of runners were plugging through the Marine Corps Marathon in DC that morning. Flashbacks of smiles, aches and pains, hunger, sweat, stomach cramps and all other things I endured back in 2005 were rushing through my mind. All of the sudden a surge of tears came on as I reminisced over the last five months of training.

Now, I wait. I don't know what to do with myself. I'm trying to treat this week as if it's any other week. But I can't. I know what's coming up this weekend. And it's not just a marathon. It's New York City.

Regardless of the fact that I only live approximately 20 miles from the city, the logistics involved just getting to the start line can be a marathon in itself. Not to mention a major transportation artery, the Long Island Railroad, decided to pick marathon weekend to do major track work, thus limiting train service into Manhattan all weekend long. How's that to add to race jitters?

Today was the first day I took a peak at the race day weather forecast. I won't even comment good or bad because anything can change at any time. The weather forecast is like the Bible for runners. We're all obsessed with it, especially a race day forecast. The only other time I remember being so crazed over the weather was in the few days leading up to my wedding.

This is supposed to be a week of light running, good sleep, hydration, and increasing carbohydrate intake. Oh, and to cool it on any wine or beer (oh well).

Light running is just fine with me at this point. I may even do the indoor bike in lieu of a run. Good sleep is a tough one. Li'l Bubba is 1 year old and he's taking his time getting any teeth. Some nights are good, others he wakes up hourly for a few minutes, most likely from teething.
Hydration isn't so tough. I just need to increase the water and maybe cut out that afternoon, pick-me-up cup of Starbucks (damn).
Increasing carbs can be a big danger zone for me. The last time I ran the marathon, I was not yet a dietitian, didn't really understand carb-loading, and blew it way out of proportion. In a nutshell, I know this time the carb-loading DOES NOT mean eat 500-1000 calories EXTRA each day in carbs. It means that approximately 70% of what I eat each day should be from carbs. Not just bagels and pasta, but veggies, fruit, whole grain bread, etc. The last thing I want to do is feel like a bloated lead weight running through the streets of New York like I did last time.

So here we are. Four days to go. The charity running coach says it's normal to feel tired this week. I'm exhausted. I don't even want to do the measly 30 minute runs on my training plan. Sometimes tapering feels like you already did the hard work and are ready to kick back and relax. But no; I still have 26.2 miles to run this Sunday.

With the way life is lately, I may not write again until after the marathon. I hope for great sleep this week, limited stress, and an easy commute into the city. Oh, and I'm definitely wishing for a better-fitting, moisture-wicking marathon shirt this year.

The rest will be a piece of cake (wink, wink)!

Running with a Cold?

adbarkman@gmail.com (Alison B. "RunBuggy") — Wed, 27 Oct 2010 10:00:00 +0000

Lil' Bubba's first apple picking excursion in New Paltz, NY

I haven't posted in over one week. So much has been going on! Mainly because Lil' Bubba turned 1 year old on October 19th! This past Saturday was his very first birthday party with close friends and family. There we are a couple of weeks before his birthday on his first apple picking adventure with me and his daddy.

Other than this wonderful celebration, I've been plugging along with the marathon training. This past Friday was a 2-hour run. Then I spent the rest of Friday running around getting things prepared for the big one-year birthday bash.

The party was a smash! Lil' Bubba was a bit cranky, which is out of character for him. The next day I realized his crankiness was because he was coming down with a cold. Then Sunday night I started sneezing. CRAP! Now the marathon is less than 2 weeks away and I haven't run in three days. This is the longest I've gone without running in months.

Normally I would run through a head cold. But since I'm winding down to the end of marathon training, I'm afraid to push myself and have this cold blow up into an upper respiratory infection or something else just as fun. But now I'm getting antsy. I may give it one more day and attempt a short run on Thursday.

If I had a friend in this situation my advice would be to rest until she felt 100% to start running again. At this point in the game, a few days off will not undo the months of devoted marathon training. But of course, I'm not giving advice to a friend and I don't want to listen to my own advice if it means having to rest a few days.

What would you do?

The Last Long Haul

adbarkman@gmail.com (Alison B. "RunBuggy") — Mon, 18 Oct 2010 10:00:00 +0000

Saturday morning was the last 3 hour run of my NYC marathon training plan. This last one meant a lot of things to me. It was one more push bringing me closer to race day on November 7. It was a bit relieving to know that once I did this last long haul it will hopefully be smooth sailing.

Saturday morning was an exceptionally windy day. The wind was just one more little obstacle in my path as if it were saying, Can you make it? Show me what you're made of!

Ms. Ironman kept me company for the first 10 miles. The second half of the run was just me, my iPod, and those evil voices in my head battling it out with each footstep closer to the finish.
I can't do this. Maybe I'll stop at 2 hours. Will it really matter at this point?

No! You have to run at least 3 hours! You know how you are. If you don't do this you'll be so mad at yourself later!

You CAN and you WILL do this. It's your last 3-hour run. Why give up now?

I made it. I pressed the stop button on my Garmin a few seconds past 3 hours. In that time I finished 18-1/4 miles. After running in cool, whipping winds for 3 hours with numb hands, my body was screaming for a hot shower. But I knew my sore, beat up legs needed an ice bath more than anything. I "rewarded" myself with an extremely fast ice bath.

Later that evening, Safety Sam and I ventured into the city to meet our friends for dinner. As we marched through Penn Station and onto the subway headed downtown, I began to get excited. It was the first time through months of training that it finally hit me what I've been working so damn hard for this whole time:

I am running the New York City marathon!

All sorts of characters
show up to the NYC Marathon!

The buzz of the city streets on Saturday night brought all the pavement-pounding, sweat, Gatorade guzzling and sore muscles into perspective. In a few weeks, I'll be running all over this great city. I will be alongside thousands from all over the globe. Best of all, Safety Sam and I will be doing it together this time.

When we cross that finish line, we can say we both did it. Somehow through the diapers, feedings, and all the nuances that come with being new parents, we squeezed in speed work and long runs. We balanced our schedules, arranged for babysitting, (I) pushed the jogging stroller and helped each other through the tiredness, injuries, and my fleeting doubtfulness.

If we are lucky, maybe we'll see some characters like this guy I found a few years ago in the marathon (pictured left). I know - I don't get it either. Can you say, CHAFING?

Well, I won't get ahead of myself. We are not there yet. But we sure are damn close!

Slack on Training for a Personal Best?

adbarkman@gmail.com (Alison B. "RunBuggy") — Thu, 14 Oct 2010 14:26:00 +0000

I love reading Runners World. It keeps me up to speed on running injury-free, training plans, ways to vary my runs, great foods to keep me fueled up healthfully and more. I usually flip to the back page to read the "I'm a Runner" column featuring a celebrity who is a runner. November's issue features Food Network's very own Bobby Flay.

Like me, he'll be joining thousands running through the streets of NYC on November 7th. I believe this will be his third NYC marathon. He mentioned that for his last two he did not train very well. Still, he finished one in 4:08. Not bad in my opinion for shoddy training! Then again, he was a track star in his youth, so he has a great foundation.

I've been 99% faithful to my training plan for the last five months. In the last two weeks I'm having some strange aches and pains, but nothing that's put me on the sidelines. Still, with four weeks remaining until the BIG RACE DAY, I think I'm going to scale it back and start following the plan with 80-85% accuracy. At this stage, I don't want little aches to explode into a major injury.

For instance, today I was supposed to run 4 miles easy, then another 4 miles at marathon pace. I already logged two seven mile runs earlier this week, one of them was a tempo. I ignored what I was supposed to do today and ended up on a stationary bike at 95-100RPM for 30 minutes, then hit the treadmill for 3.5 miles.

A 20-22 mile long run is schedule for this Saturday, or 3 hours, whatever comes first. In the following weeks the long run mileage gradually tapers down. My goal at this point is to make sure I can finish the long runs strong and injury-free. I no longer have a desire to kill myself with speed runs, and running three days in a row. It's just too much.

In a nutshell, I'm not ditching my training plan altogether. I've just decided that following it perfectly isn't worth the risk of injury with one month left to go. Sometimes I envy people who can be so laid back about "not really training". Perhaps they enjoy the experience more and don't stress out like when I try to squeeze in five days of running, strength training, plus my mommy duties.

Here's to keeping it laid back for the next four weeks. For my body AND my mind!

The Great South Bay Half Marathon

adbarkman@gmail.com (Alison B. "RunBuggy") — Mon, 04 Oct 2010 20:04:00 +0000

This past Saturday I ran the Entenmann's Great South Bay Half Marathon in Bay Shore on Long Island. It was supposed to be a long run as part of my marathon training. didn't want to get injured since my ultimate goal is racing the NYC marathon in just a few short weeks. Of course, it turned into a competition with myself vs. the runner I once was in my pre-baby days.

Although I usually opt to run races alone, my sister and I decided to start out together and see what happened. We both agreed that if one of us felt better than the other, we'd separate. That's what I love about running with her. There are no hurt feelings. If I feel great, I can say "See ya!" and carry on my way.

We ran the first six miles together. I kept looking at my Garmin and at times our pace bounced under 9 minute miles. I thought that was too fast and feared bonking out at the end. "We need to slow down," I announced. And we did.

By mile six I was sick of holding back. I felt great. Suddenly my plan went from a long, slow run to a race. Let me just mention that switching your game plan halfway through a half marathon DOES NOT WORK. You really need to know what your goal is ahead of time and STICK WITH IT. Deciding all of the sudden at mile six that you want to try for a PR is not a smart strategy.

I flew the last seven miles (well, "flew" for my typical pace). Mr. Garmin said I was doing between 8-8:30 min/mile paces. In the last two miles I was pacing at 7:30-7:40. As I approached the last mile and saw my time, I knew there was no way in hell I'd beat or even MEET my half marathon PR of 1:52.

Me finishing my second post-partum half marathon

Nope. I was 10 minutes slower. Ugghhh. My time was 2:02.

I won't lie. I was pissed. Even though I ran the first six miles slowly and planned for the entire 13.1 miles to be slow. I was only one minute faster than the half marathon in May, when I was 6-months post-partum and runners were dropping left and right from a freak heat wave.

I blamed it on the Garmin. I should have just gone with how I felt rather than letting the Garmin tell me I was too fast. I spent the last 12 years running and racing without that damn watch telling me what to do! My sister blamed her time on my Garmin as well. Ahh.... you have to blame it on something, right?

My cousin, a veteran track star, set out that day to take first place in the 5K. He came in second. We both bitched and moaned that the race's clock was off. It had to be something, right?

My mom took third for her age group in the 10K - and she was speed walking! She was so gosh darn proud of herself, and rightfully so! Here are my super-star mom and cousin, proudly holding their awards.

Winners!

In the end, we all managed to smile for a post-race photo. From left to right: my cousin, mom, sister, and me on the end!

Lesson learned: You must decide prior to the race if you will RACE or if you are just out there for a slow run. You DO NOT make a decision to race half way through.

Meanwhile, my poor husband probably wanted to chew my head off when I came home and whined about my time. He is suffering from a foot injury and had to miss out on the race. He's been scaling back his running and hopping on the dreadful stationary bike as an alternative. We've diagnosed it as possible tendinitis, but won't know for sure until his doctor visit this week. His marathon fate is hanging in the balance.

I only complained a couple of times. It was a couple of times too many. But one thing I did have a right to complain about is that the race is sponsored by Entenmann's, but they no longer hand out their donuts as they did in years past! What's up with that?!? Us runner's do enjoy a touch of trans-fat-laden-chocolate-glazed heaven after a tough run!

So here I sit on a Monday and I must remind myself: I am happy to be a healthy, ambitious runner. It's not about time. It's about just getting out there, breathing the fresh air, and amazing yourself at each mile conquered.

***5 weeks until NYC!***

Spooky Run

adbarkman@gmail.com (Alison B. "RunBuggy") — Thu, 30 Sep 2010 10:00:00 +0000

Yesterday morning my 5 AM run was a solo one. The air was thick with fog. At some points during the run I could only see a few inches in front of me.

I immediately thought of Halloween. Various scary movies jumped in and out of my head. I saw a van driving slowly in two different spots - it seemed to be some sort of taxi to the airport. I was a bit worried for a moment, spooking myself out with the crazy thoughts racing through my head.

On a spooky morning such as this, it probably would have been better to run with a group. But this morning I craved no running partner but myself. I wanted solitude. I made up a random route as I ran through vapor droplets thick as peanut butter. I attempted to do 30 second pick-ups without being able to see my Garmin in the darkness.

It made me think about how important it is to be as safe as possible, even if you do live in a nice neighborhood. I bought a reflective vest years ago and never wore it once. Several times on early morning runs I was convinced a car was following me but then realize it's the newspaper delivery guy. Moments like these make me wonder if I should carry pepper spray. Or maybe I shouldn't be listening to my tunes so I can be 100% aware of my surroundings.

Regardless, my spooky morning run alone was a nice meditation. Just what I needed to face the day.

I Don't Run with My Husband

adbarkman@gmail.com (Alison B. "RunBuggy") — Wed, 29 Sep 2010 10:00:00 +0000

I recently read an article in the October 2010 issue of Runner's World, "Mars and Venus Go for A Run". I was instantly sucked into this article and could relate well to this paragraph:

"You see, Peter and I love each other a lot. We love running a lot. We have discovered in our six years of marriage that we don't love running together or doing many other sports together. A lot."

Whenever I tell someone that my husband (aka Safety Sam, pictured left) and I are training for the NYC marathon, naturally they ask if we're running together. My answer: No.

When I tell people that I went out for my long run on a Saturday morning and so did my husband, I'm asked if we ran together. The answer again is "no".

I think some people find it strange that we don't run together. Strange that we are on this long adventure of marathon training, and about to run the same marathon, but we will not be trotting along side-by-side.

When we were dating (many years ago!), Safety Sam dabbled in shorter runs at the gym for fitness while I was prepping for my first half marathon. We both worked time-consuming jobs in NYC during the week (his days much longer than mine) and rarely saw each other on a weeknight. Although at times I wished we could see each other more often, I also loved that I found someone who was secure with NOT hanging out every day and into his own thing as much as me. We loved spending time with each other on the weekend, but we also loved our own individual hobbies.

When his running began to take shape into marathon training, I asked if he'd like to run together. He said "no". His explanation was that he enjoys being alone when he runs. He likes to zone out with his iPod, clear his head, take in the scenery and be alone.

I respect that. I never really pushed the issue. True, a few times during this marathon training I asked if he wanted to do a few miles of a longer run together. One time we started a long run together, but I felt so uncomfortable knowing that he probably would rather be running alone. I let him go ahead of me.

Not to mention, Safety Sam and I have completely different philosophies when it comes to running. If he feels an injury coming on, he rests. I would run and risk the injury worsening. If he feels sick, he rests. I would still run and probably be very sick shortly thereafter. I was just whining the other day that I'm ready for this marathon to be here already. He told me to take a step back and enjoy this time because there's only one month left of training.

So there you have it. We most likely will never run together. Just like I'll never play golf with him (oh how BORING!). He will never play miniature golf with me because he claims I'm too competitive (me? what!?!?). I will never think Monty Python is funny, never like cats or sip Scotch. He will never buy a road bike (not SAFE!).

Although we won't be running the NYC marathon together, we will be together in many other ways. We will be anxiously awaiting the start in Staten Island. Our feet will carry us through the same borough terrain, over bridges and through ever-changing neighborhoods. We will think of each other as we tough out each mile, sip Gatorade, eat Clif Bloks and contemplate pee stops. We'll be thinking of Lil' Bubba, at home with his Grandma and Grandpa, while his parents beat themselves up. Best of all, we'll raise our pint glasses together for a "Cheers!" at the end to celebrate our accomplishments.

We love each other. We love running. Just not together.

Any other runners feel the same?

6 Weeks To NYC Marathon

adbarkman@gmail.com (Alison B. "RunBuggy") — Mon, 27 Sep 2010 10:00:00 +0000

Can you hear that? It's the clock ticking. A countdown. It's like the stopwatch on the Sunday evening news program 60 Minutes. Tick, tick, tick, tick, tick, tick, tick....

.... 6 weeks to go until Sunday, November 7th, the New York City Marathon!

This past Saturday I completed another 3-hour run, which for me was a tad over 18 miles. I've lost count at this point how many times I've completed an 18-miler. I just keep looking ahead on my training plans, not behind.

I remember clear as day the last time I trained for this marathon five years ago. Once I hit October, it was like when you are 8-1/2 months pregnant. You are so done being pregnant and so ready to have the baby. Well, September is about to fade into October in a few short days. That little voice from five years ago came buzzing in my ear saying, C'mon, another long one? Let's just bang out this 26.2 right now!

I received the last six weeks of my training plan via email from our running coach. This upcoming week is a bit of a relaxed week compared to weeks prior. The miles are still there, but there are no intervals or tempos. Just some quick strides over runs 6-8 miles in duration during the week.

The long run for this upcoming week is supposed to be a 15-miler. Me, Safety Sam, and my sister are going to run a half marathon on Saturday that we do every year. My dad will be doing the 10K and my mom most likely will speed walk the 5 or 10K. It's the Entenmann's Great South Bay races in Bay Shore, Long Island. I missed out on this one last year because I was very close to giving birth to Lil' Bubba. So I'm thrilled to be getting out there this year! It's a nice local race through some beautiful suburban streets and marina.

I haven't decided yet if I'll just run it like a slow, long run, or race it. I believe we're in the "red zone" as far as being to close to the marathon day to safely race a half marathon. In other words, the recovery after racing a half marathon can take several weeks, longer than one may think. So if Safety Sam and I want to be as healthy and strong as possible for the NYC marathon, we may be better off running this weekend's half marathon slow and easy.

BUT ... I am feeling so great during this marathon training. Thirteen miles is (sort of) like a skip and hop in the park. This may make it hard for me to trot slowly at a half marathon.

Happy 6 weeks left to all those training for NYC!

A Break from It All

adbarkman@gmail.com (Alison B. "RunBuggy") — Thu, 23 Sep 2010 10:00:00 +0000

Last week I took a much-needed hiatus in the Adirondacks. As we have been doing almost every year since we've been married, and one year while dating, Safety Sam and I hit the road for a little peace and quiet in Lake Placid, NY. Our trip last year was slightly different from prior years as I was seven months pregnant. This year the trip took on a new shape and feel as it was our first adventure with Lil' Bubba.

I was looking forward to relaxation. Runs in the mountain air, hiking among quick-moving wildlife, tasty dinners, and of course, sampling some great brews at the two breweries in town. The five-and-a-half hour drive wasn't as bad as I anticipated with an 11 month old. He really didn't fuss and we only had to make two stops, which is not much different from when we traveled in the pre-baby days.

It was once I got up there and tended to the usual diapering, feeding, and overtired crankiness from a shortened or missed nap that I realized vacations will never be as they once were. I did relax a bit. But then I realized one of my most favorite activities, possibly second to running, would be impossible to do with Lil Bubba. That activity would be savoring great food at the more "upscale" restaurants in town, accompanied by numerous glasses of outstanding wine in a relaxed atmosphere. After a couple of nights eating out, we realized we had to stick to kid-friendly dining, which sometimes means sub-par food (not in all cases, e.g., loved Lisa G's and the Lake Placid Brewery).

Although scaled back a bit, I was able to keep up my running. I looked at this week away as a chance to step it down a bit, relax, and recharge my batteries for the final push of training in the upcoming seven weeks. What a drastic change to go from a humid, heatwave-stricken summer to 50's and 60's where some mornings I wished I brought my running gloves. I ran along roads where countless Ironman finishers trained and completed that monster of a triathlon.

Chilling out on Mirror Lake in Lake Placid, NY

My long run was supposed to be 15 miles while I was away. After a full week of clearing my plate at dinner each night (fries, steak, cheese on everything), a couple Ben & Jerry visits, countless pints of beer, and then glasses of wine on the dock Friday night (see me smiling in picture at right), I knew my Saturday long run would be shortened. I wasn't going to let a long run stand in my way! Definitely not that night where the last drips of summer melted in autumn-like breezes off the lake. I managed a 10-miler the next morning. I felt like I could have kept going, but I promised Safety Sam I wouldn't waste away our last day of vacation doing a long run.

Besides running, we took Lil Bubba on a hike with our new backpack baby carrier. He was such a happy little hiker!

And then we had a day of hiking up Cascade Mountain. Lil Bubba stayed back at the house with Grandma. I didn't want to attempt any steep climb with him on my back. Here I am with my dad and sister on the summit. Unfortunately, the clouds were so thick we saw nothing of the fabulous view. That's another tricky thing about vacations - you can never control the weather.

Summit of Cascade Mountain in the Adirondacks. Surrounded by clouds!

Starting Monday morning it was back to reality (boo!). No more skimping on the marathon training. Definitely no more daily pints of beer, pulled pork sandwiches or Ben & Jerry's. I felt heavy during Monday morning's speed interval run. I'm sure I gained a few pounds, but I won't get on the scale. Why bother? It will only tell me, yes, you WERE a glutton on your vacation.

I'm hoping with a few more runs and my long 18-20 miles this Saturday that the extra flab will melt away! October is around the corner. Marathon training will be dwindling down to the actual race day soon. Lil' Bubba will turn 1 year old in a few short weeks.

Time flies. Embrace every minute of it!

Running Inspiration

adbarkman@gmail.com (Alison B. "RunBuggy") — Tue, 21 Sep 2010 00:51:00 +0000

This is why I run. If you need inspiration to face your demons, do something you may be afraid of failing at, and pushing yourself beyond limits you didn't know you had .... watch this video.

The end says it all --
“If you want to do it, all you have to do is do it.”

Remembering 9/11

adbarkman@gmail.com (Alison B. "RunBuggy") — Sat, 11 Sep 2010 10:00:00 +0000

Words cannot explain what we all felt the morning of September 11, 2001. Where were you that morning? What were you doing? What were you thinking as you watched the events unfold, either right before your eyes or on the TV?

I was working in Manhattan. I was starting my morning in my happy little cubicle at a global public relations agency. Most likely I was sipping coffee, tapping away emails on my keyboard ... and then ... a co-worker came by and said a plane crashed into the World Trade Center.

Crazy things were always happening in NYC. I shrugged it off as the office buzzed around me. People continued their morning rituals, conference calls, and email checking. Within a few minutes, I saw people slowly filter into a conference room where the TV was blaring the events that were unfolding many blocks downtown from our midtown office.

I decided to join them.

Did a Cessna hit the building?

Everyone started suspecting some inexperienced pilot crashed a private plane into the building. As we continued to watch, we realized it was much more than this. Could this be terrorism?

Smoke started to billow from the first tower that was hit. People began leaving the conference room to call friends and family. Maybe this is serious.

The next thing I knew I was watching one tower crumble to the ground on a TV screen in our lobby. This was all happening only a few blocks downtown from our building. The tower fell as ash, smoke and garbage blew wildly in the air. I stared in complete disbelief. Tears fell from my eyes. My stomach twisted.

When the next tower fell, I knew it was time to leave New York City as fast as possible. I met up with my then boyfriend (now husband) and his friend as we began walking on foot through Manhattan, over the 59th Street bridge and into Queens, figuring one way or another we'd get to Long Island.

There were mobs of people crossing the bridge. As we crossed, I looked out and saw the smoke and debris flying through the air where the towers once stood. It was the most surreal thing I had ever witnessed. Eventually we made it home. We were exhausted, confused, but most of all, we were sad.

I remember feeling depressed in the days that followed. Every TV station was recounting the events of that gory September morning. Each day more horrific details were revealed, such as people jumping to their death from the fiery towers. Then there were the wives with children or expecting, who just lost their husbands. The families who lost their brave sons and daughters who were working at the World Trade, or rushing into the towers to save lives.

I will never forget that day. I will never forget the fear. The hopelessness. The emptiness.

In memory of all those lost .... and in support of all those who have lost.

Negative Nellie

adbarkman@gmail.com (Alison B. "RunBuggy") — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 19:25:00 +0000

I've discovered something about me. The mornings I don't get out for a run or workout first thing at 5 AM, my mood is all over the place. If it is a planned rest day before a long run day, I'm usually fine. But if it's a day where I have to do a mid-morning workout, I slowly crawl into the dark side.

Runs or gym workouts that begin any time between 8:30-10:30 AM cause quite a stir in me. I think my blood sugar plummets for mid-morning runs, most likely because I eat breakfast around 6:30-7. I always start to feel ravenous during a mid-morning workout and so low on energy that I want to drop.

I also hate starting the day with Lil' Bubba and the dog, knowing that I have so much to do with both of them before my workout even begins. I'd much rather run at 5 AM, shower, eat something quick and THEN face the Bubbster and my dog. My spirits are always up, my energy is great, and I can better handle any crying fits, flying baby food or the dog constantly at my feet begging for a piece of my attention.

Safety Sam detected the "grump" written all over my face this morning. I think I was mostly in Negative Nellie mode because I had planned to do my 15-miler this morning, but threats of Hurricane Earl made Saturday look like a better morning. Of course I woke up this morning and it was just fine and dandy outside (what tropical storm warning?). I wasn't in the right mindset for a long run, so I opted for the dreaded mid-morning, 8:30 AM, indoor spin class. The thought of being inside made my skin crawl.

Once I got through spin and some upper body strengthening, I felt better. Negative Nellie melted away. However, it did get me to thinking that winter is just around the corner. 5 AM runs outside won't be as appealing on a dark, cold, icy January morning (Brrrr!!!). And my gym only opens at 5:30, not allowing enough time for a decent enough workout and be home by 6:30 when SS leaves for work. I may have to check out a couple other area gyms; one opens at 5, the other is 24-hours.

Onward to Labor Day Weekend. There's no reason for me to be Grumpy Gus. I have a nice weekend planned with various friend and family activities. I'll kick it off tomorrow morning with my 15 mile long run, a blessing in disguise after last week's 18!