Mom's Gotta Run

Sunday Check In

2012-03-18T17:40:00.001-04:00

Figured I would check in since it's a lazy Sunday in these parts today. Hanging out on the couch with my little princess and my little furry princess. We just had some Chinese/Japanese take out for an early dinner and I'm enjoying my freebie Chinese tea bag. My boy is writing notes for a school project on matter. Yup, the solids, the liquids and the gases. Hubby is resting (aka Facebooking in bed). Yes, "Facebooking" is a verb. Trust me, don't ask Webster.

I went to the gym earlier and did a long 45 minutes on the arc trainer with high resistance and then I ventured down to the boys' club aka the weight machines. It is so funny that at my work gym (that I have been going to for 6 years) I am comfortable in the weights section. It's one floor and it's pretty open. In my home NYSC, I find the layout to be unwelcoming, to me at least. All the big machines, weight benches and heavy weights are downstairs. It's likely just me buying into the stereotype that it's the "boys' section" but personally I've never seen more than 2 women down there at a time and 1 is usually with a personal trainer. I need to get over this intimidation and use my gym for all it's resources.

Please tell me I'm not alone. Do you feel this way at the gym? Did you ever? How did you get over it? Help!!

Emotional Eating

2012-03-14T11:07:00.000-04:00

Sorry I have been out of communication for a minute. It's been a busy few days. My husband had some surgery on Monday and I was trying out a role as Florence Nightingale. Needless to say, I am at work today. I am not the nurse type so I'll stick to what I know.

I did have a bad few days though with the stress in advance of the surgery. There may have been a binge late one evening that I am not proud of. I realize that emotional eating is probably one of my biggest issues. Since I am a very emotional person, this is an issue. I actually cry during commercials and not just the sweet ones, sometimes even the beer commercials (mostly because I miss it so much). All jokes aside though, I know that eating will not make me feel better, but in the moment I ignore the logical side of the brain. I know that this is very common. If you google it, you get tips like: - Try to manage your stress, food diary (got one), snack healthy (tried that), take away temptation... ding ding! That's it. All ~~good~~ unhealthy stuff must go! Hmmm, now who's going to tell my kids they cannot have some M&Ms once in a while because Mommy cannot control herself. Back to Square 1.

Any ideas? Help!

Happy International Women's Day!

2012-03-08T15:32:00.001-05:00

Today is International Women’s Day (per today's Google Doodle). I thought I would use today to shout out a few awesomely fit, inspiring women!

Rest In Peace

Closer to home Inspirations:

To a woman who is making big changes in her life and I am so proud of her...

Rockstar Nicole on the left (before 12 lbs lost in the first two weeks)

And the woman who helped get Nicole started on her journey, another amazing successful lady on her way to the top who is somewhat responsible for my wedding day (story for another blog)... Toni Senecal

Special Shout to some of my fav blogger ladies:

etc. etc.

And to the future woman who inspires me to be the best that I can:

My little lady

What women have inspired you throughout your life? How do you try to inspire other women?

All Over the Place

2012-03-07T11:02:00.002-05:00

So, I have been trying to think of more interesting topics to blog about lately, but my mind has been all over the place. So, if you read my blog, then you must be used to my random ramblings. Hey, that's a great name for a blog. I wonder if it's taken.(Just checked and there are several.)

Anyway, I am in full force with the PLO challenge. I have been eating well and have not cheated with bread, candy or booze. The only real temptation is that it is almost St. Patrick's Day. And with that day comes my favorite treat of the year, irish soda bread.

It is probably one of my favorite things in the world. Usually the entire week before St. Pat's Day, I will buy and eat nearly a full loaf of bread on my own. I am so not exaggerating! And what's the best thing to put on it, butter of course! (Pondering how I am not heavier. Thank God for good genes and my love of exercise.) When I was in the fourth grade we had an international food festival. Everyone had to bring something from your culture. Since I am half Irish, mom and I decided on irish soda bread. (Note: My mom is as much of a baker as me. Read: Not at all!) Well, that bread was not even fit to eat. So, now I just buy it! And a whole bunch of it. But alas, none this year.

Aside from that, all is well. I was lucky enough to hear Helene Lerner speak yesterday. She is a very successful woman with lots of knowledge to share. She is a huge advocate of womens empowerment and leadership. She mentioned a few tips from her new book that I thought were very true and worth thinking about. The theme that most stuck with me was about sabotaging your own success. I think that it is a huge issue for many women and it is important to think about what we are doing to hold ourselves back from professional and personal success. I am definitely going to be reading her book and thinking about how best to address this within my own life.

Also in important news, my nephew had veggies for the first time this weekend and I was witness to it! Oliver loved the squash! Yea! Another veggie lover in the family. Go Oli! This weekend... carrots!

Finally, I want to send a huge congratulations to one of my favorite bloggers, Janae over at HungryRunnerGirl. She is having a baby and shared the news in the most adorable way! Best to you and Billy! You are in for the ride of your life.

xox

Mikey likes it!

2012-03-02T09:41:00.001-05:00

I've never been the type of parent to cater to my children's wants. Even as toddlers, hubby and I didn't work around their naps or tiptoe in the house around them. I've always tried to raise my kids to be adaptable to any situation. When I are around parents who make 3-4 different meals in one sitting to please all the kids, I would shake my head in disbelief.

As a baby, my son not only ate peas, but he wore them too.

My daughter is two an sometimes a bit stubborn (btw- I have no idea where she gets that from). I give her a plate or bowl an she usually eats most of what's in it. On any random day though she'll decide she doesn't want chicken or carrots or steak. So, let her eat until she's done. And she does. She never complains that shes hungry afterwards so I assume she's eaten enough. (Yes, I know. I'm very scientific).

There are very few things my boy doesn't like and he's, at least, consistent about it. We make him try everything and if he doesn't like it, he tries it again next time. His tastes vary between regular kid food (nuggets and French fries) and more grown up flavors (basil leaves- right off the plant, red onions, and hot sauce).

So, now that you have some background and alot of pictures of my kids eating random things... My son does not like tacos or burritos. But, last night I called Toni for a dinner suggestion and she gave me a great idea for some soft tacos with chicken and black beans. I thought if I kept it as a rice bowl for my boy, we'd be okay. He helped me measure and clean the veggies as I took low quality pictures of the ingredients.

Jalapeno on the side (just for Mommy)

Nothing is more appetizing than raw chicken (with Sazon)

Black beans

Then we sat down to a beautiful meal.

So colorful and flavorful

Half way in, he looks at wraps and asks me to "wrap his up" because he wants to try it. Success! The boy ate it!

A boy and his wrap

This point of my long-winded story is... hmm... well, I guess that my dinner was yummy and sometimes kids do come around.

Recipe:
Chicken breast (sliced in strips) with Sazon on them
Can of black beans
Can of corn
Red Pepper
Cubanelle Pepper
Onion

Brown the chicken, Add everything else, plus packet of taco (or fajita) seasoning and some water, Simmer and serve over brown rice... or Wrap it! :)

Food Network here I come!

Do you enjoy cooking? Do your kids/husband/boyfriend/pets eat what you make for them? Do they enjoy it?

Marching In

2012-03-01T14:28:00.005-05:00

First day of March and I am ready for a new month of challenges and new things. So far, I am down two pounds this week for which I can likely thank the removal of alcohol and bread from my diet. It's officially been one week since I started the PLO challenge. I haven't missed alcohol that much... yet. But I also haven't been in a social setting where others are enjoying the libations.

The first time I stopped drink
9 months pregnant with my son (November 2005)

The last time I stopped drinking
(6 months pregnant with my baby girl - September 2009)

I do miss the bread and boy, do I miss candy. I have dreams of Skittles dancing in my brain. And I'm pretty sure that I should stopping reading Janae's blog until Lent is over. I read her posts and I can almost taste the candy. (NOTE: I will continue to read her awesome blog and torture myself. If you don't read HungryRunnerGirl, start now!)

So sour, so yummy and so colorful... Easter come soon!

Some of my friends have also joined in the challenge with me as well. The lesson here is that deprivation is fun when you do it as a group. One of my very best friends who has a significant amount of weight to loss is joining me. It's not that I have forced her to finally make a chance, but let's just say that Toni made her an offer that she couldn't refuse.

Bestie in spin class. She is 5lbs. down in the first week GO NICOLE!

Also, my sister's husband is doing the challenge since he is still trying to get rid of "baby weight" since my amazing nephew was born last August. And my friends, Pam and Kelley (who is also my neighbor) who are new moms and ready to shed the weight before thinking about baby #2. So far everyone is hanging in and making changes. It's also a great support system for ideas, recipes and even babysitting so everyone gets their gym time. A prime example is Nicole's cracker breadcrumbs that we brainstormed on how she could "bread" chicken without bread.

~~Smashed crackers~~ "Bread crumbs"

Accountability really is the key. Whether it is being accountable to yourself or to others, you have to make the commitment to follow through. I have been ~~eating~~ tolerating oatmeal for breakfast and I am even going to try salmon even though I do not eat any seafood. (Nope, not even shrimp.) It is all about your goals and making the right choices to achieve them. Happiness comes with success not a bag of sour patch kids. This is my mantra of the day. :)

My goals this month are simple. To make healthy food choices and workout consistently. I plan to workout at least once a day, six days a week. And to continue to try one new thing every week. Additionally I think I need more sleep since I am up at 5 a.m. most morning. Therefore I am going to try to get at least 6 hours of sleep every night.

March On!

What are your March goals? Do you have "fitness buddies" that help to keep you accountable?

She's a Little Runaway

2012-02-27T09:33:00.002-05:00

Thursday my husband mentioned possibly doing something special over the weekend. He was going to be off for the whole weekend (which doesn't happen often) and we didn't really have any unbreakable commitments. (I missed the Al Gordon NYRR race, but it was well worth it.) He apparently had planted a seed, because on Friday morning I decided that we needed to go away.

After a short conversation late morning from work, we decided that I would take a half day (boss was away so that was not a big deal) and we would head to the Poconos. I got home and we packed like fugitives on the run. We were checked in and relaxing at the hotel by late afternoon. It was great! We didn't do too much over the weekend because it was really cold but not really snowy enough for tubing, etc. We spent some time by the hotel pool (which is always fun in the winter), game room and gym (for me at least). Each day I worked out with Warrior Princess Lisa in Peekskill (via Skype) as part of the Passover-Lent Off. Her classes are hardcore. With her on my side, this challenge is mine! (Insert evil laugh here)

It was a perfect weekend. And I stayed on track with my eating and brought enough snacks to keep me and the kids happy. My biggest challenge was finding something to eat for dinner on Friday (in Lent = no meat) in Red Robin. No bread, low fat AND I don't eat seafood. Solution: Veggie Burger (no bread) on a garden salad. Winning!!

Ha Ha Mommy. My hot dog is better than your veggie burger salad.

Hubby looking at chicken coops. Yes, chicken coops. Don't ask.

The boys in the Candle Shop. Hubby reminiscing on life with hair.

Little Princess by the pool with her applesauce

Yummy. Bread. None for you Mommy!

Blurry bread

Yes, I was taking pictures of the bread, and the kids are the background. :)

This morning I started with some yoga and when I got to work, I had another victory. I had oatmeal and it wasn't that bad. Woo Hoo! Finally! Now don't get me wrong. I didn't enjoy it, but I didn't have to swallow it whole without chewing. My trick... one Splenda and some big chunks of strawberry. I told hubby and now he wants me to try salmon. I have never eaten fish or any seafood in my 36 years. I don't have any allergies, I just didn't grow up eating it. I have tried a few things but I can't stand the consistency and the fishy smell and taste of most things. That said, in keeping with my trying new things, I will try salmon steak.

Speaking of new things, I just signed up for my first obstacles challenge (or a date with a serial killer, not sure which one really), the Rugged Maniac in Brooklyn. I registered for this last year before I was injured. Anyone in the tri-state want to join me? I'm doing the 10 a.m. wave.

What will you try this week? How do you stay fit when you are away from home?

Game On!

2012-02-22T09:00:00.000-05:00

Today is Ash Wednesday. It is the start of Lent and the official start of the Passover Lent Off. I started my day with some in-home yoga care of Gwen Lawrence. She teaches power yoga to the New York Giants... and now to me via GaiamTV. I woke up a bit late so I did upper body and core. I skipped lower body since I plan to work lower body later today. (Either treadmill or kickboxing class)

I was instructed by Lisa, the warrior princess/fitness guru for the PLO challenge that I should be eating oatmeal. In 36 years of life, I have never liked oatmeal. Well, today I confirmed that I still don't like it. But I did eat it. Luckily with big pieces of strawberry to get it down.

Mission accepted....

And completed!

Per Lisa, I'll be trying to eat small meals every few hours so I also brought some snacks from home. I am going to use this week as a trial to see what works for me and then I'll hit up Trader Joe's on the weekend to restock.

Oh yea, game on!

Do you like oatmeal? How do you make it taste good?
What are you giving up for Lent?
Are you as excited about my challenge as I am?
What should I have for lunch?

Fat Tuesday Today... Skinny Wednesday Tomorrow

2012-02-21T21:36:00.000-05:00

Its been a week of preparation for me. Today, Fat Tuesday is the last day of my fat habits. I am kicking the fat girl inside of me out! Tomorrow, on the first day of Lent I am starting the Passover-Lent Off (PLO). This is a challenge that was put out by my friend Toni Senecal of Toni On! New York. Yes, the same Toni who just completed the Mamas Bootcamp. She kicked butt in that challenge and since that ended, she has been looking for some people who need a good kick in the butt. The goal of the challenge isbomlose the most body fat. Starting tomorrow, about 50 of us have been challenged to give up bread (Passover) and choose something else to give up for Lent (food wise) until the first day of Passover (April 6). The incentive, beyond weight loss and bragging rights, are some cool prizes. The grand prize includes a two-night stay at the Montauk Yacht Club!!!

So, Sunday I headed up to New York Sports Club in Croton-on-Hudson, NY for the first weigh in. It's about 90 minutes from my house, but I figured it was best to start this challenge as a group. My neighbor drove up with me (well, she drove) as she gave birth last summer and is ready to shed the weight that's left. We also met up with one of my BFFs up there as she is ready to make a big change in her life. I really wanted to be there to support her and well, size up some of the competition. (Kidding guys)

So, I know everyone is on the edge of their seats dying to know what I am giving up for Lent. I am giving up candy, and well I eat alot of candy. Probably more than most children and possibly as much as Janae of HungryRunnerGirl.com. So it's not going to be easy. And in case that wasn't enough, Toni decided that I should also give up alcohol. What?! No wine and no sour skittles?! Yup! Bring it on!

I will be posting more details about my diet and exercise during the challenge. It's mostly for accountability but also I'll need help with food choices and workout suggestions. There will be virtual workouts and new food choices and the best part is that I have a bunch of close friends and family doing the challenge so it should be interesting.

On that note, bring on the PLO Challenge!!

Day of Love and Exhale

2012-02-14T10:59:00.000-05:00

Happy Valentine's Day! Today is one of the only days of the year that I wear red. I don't really look good in it because I have red undertones in my skin. I feel a bit like Santa when my face gets red. However, I'm a girl who likes holidays so on V day and Christmas, I do rock the red. (Truth: I have one red sweater. I wore it for both holidays.)

I started my day with Core Fusion. Yes, I can check off my new thing for the week. The other day I bought a voucher from Gilt City for three Core Fusion classes. I was anxious to try it out since I have heard all good things from fellow bloggers. I took the 6:15 a.m. class because hubby was taking the kids to school. I was up at 4:45 a.m. and out the door at 5. (Yes! I will likely be asleep under my desk by 2:30 p.m.) I got to the Exhale Spa in the Gansevoort Park about 20 minutes early and met the instructor, Adrienne. She has a 6 month old (not that you would know by looking at her. You go girl!) and we discussed the juggling act of motherhood and fitness. There were about 9 girls in the class and even though the room seemed small-ish to me, there was plenty of space. We even moved around the room from the center to against the wall and to the front of the room. All the movement definitely kept it interesting. The moves themselves were challenging but Adrienne assisted me and others (mostly me) as needed. It was definitely different than other classes that I have tried in the past. Dancer-type variations to classic strength and flexibility moves. I enjoyed it and look forward to my 2 other classes. Note: If you decide to try it, wear socks. That's one thing they told me several times.

Me Before Class

Now, a day of work followed by an evening with the kiddies. I am going to try to stay up for hubby but I don't know if that will happen. Remember, I was up at 4:45 today.

What's on your agenda for Valentine's Day?

My Tri (something new) - Run, Yoga, Spin

2012-02-13T09:53:00.000-05:00

Friday I got home from work on a mission. I needed to start getting some order in my house. The obvious starting point, my boy's room. It's not all his fault though, his furniture leaves little room for storage or playing. Plus he had misplaced his $300 video game (yes, he's super spoiled and I take full responsibility for it.) We spend a good three hours purging his closet and under his dresser. He pulled out a big pile of toys for "the kids who don't have toys." At the end of the evening, as he laid in bed, I stuck my hand in the pocket of one of five million backpacks, I found the video game. Woo hoo! Saint Anthony, powers of attraction, dumb luck, call it what you want. Regardless, we were all happy that it was found. Who knows what we'll find if I keep up the momentum.

Saturday morning I had set my mind to try something new. I want to a local yoga studio for my first ever yoga class. I was nervous but tried to stay relaxed. As I predicted, all my yoga videos did give me a background, but it was so much better to have someone correcting your form. The instructor, Karen owns the place. She was very nice and extremely helpful. Whenever I looked lost (probably 45 minutes of the 1 hour class), she would come over and help. At times, she even had someone demonstrate the
more difficult moves. It was a small class (allegedly people don't like to get up for 8:45 on Saturdays?) so the individual attention was as great. If you are ever on the island of Staten and looking for a yoga class, go see Karen at 5 Boro Yoga. The first class is free and she'll also give you a free class on your birthday. I will definitely be going back! They are even having a special kids yoga class on 2/25 from kids between 5-11. I'm hoping to bring my son.

So, now in the last few months, I feel like I went from just a runner to an injured runner with a much more well-rounded schedule including spin, yoga and more emphasis on strength training. Unfortunately I do miss running consistently. I am trying to be smart though. Starting this week, I will be running twice a week. I want to build a good solid base. Keep in mind though that I am a punk this year and there will be very little running in the cold. The treadmill and I can be friends until Spring has sprung.

It was too cold to run on Sunday. Yes, I'm a punk and I'm okay with that.

Monday is here. I hope you all have a great week ahead. And I hope you all try something new. I know I
will! :)

My dog will try to stay awake more than 2 hours a day.

My nephew will try not to eat his books anymore. Even though they are so yummy.

My princess will try to keep her headband in all day.

What will you do?

Ditch the Negativity, Try Something New

2012-02-08T11:27:00.000-05:00

I just finished reading The Secret, which was a huge victory for me. It was it the first book that I have actually finished since I had my now-two year old daughter.

Mommy! Play with me, don't read! :)

It really changed how I look at things. Without getting too deep into the book, it teaches that you have to use the "laws of attraction" to get what you want. And to be honest, even if you don't fully buy into that, it consciously makes you think about your thoughts and feelings. It keeps your thoughts positive and that is exactly what I needed. For example, if you think you will be late, then you will. Instead, visualize yourself being on time. It has helped with my anxiety level and my overall outlook. Hoping I can stick with it.

Last night I was not in a happy place. I made the decision to go to the gym and I put on my gym clothes. I waited until the little princess went to bed and I headed out the door. Hubby and the boy were playing video games so I knew that I would not be missed. It worked out well because I had been given a challenge by my dear friend, Toni that I needed to tackle. Last week I was having a discussion with Alicia (one of Toni's mamas from Bootcamp) about the Stairmaster and how 40 minutes on it would kill me. Toni decided that I needed to do 45 minutes on it. Well, last night, instead of being aggravated at home, I went to the gym and felt accomplished (and exhausted). By the way, 45 minutes on that thing is insane! I lost 560 calories and I gained some clarity. Win - Win!

That's me in the mirror (nerd!)

Victory PLUS an extra 2 minutes!

I also ~~decided this morning~~ announced on Twitter that I will try something new every week, in fitness and in other parts of my life. And if you post it on social media, you have to follow through, right? I have a couple of ideas on new things that I would like to try:

Yoga (at a studio - I've only done videos at home.)
Core Fusion (I scored a Groupon for 3 classes yesterday.)
Museum (Of course, I've been to museums, but it's been a while)
Hiking (When the Spring hits maybe)

Ok, I have only 4 ideas. Anyone got anything else for me?

WARNING: Happy New York Fan Post below

2012-02-06T14:34:00.002-05:00

Yup, after the nail biting fourth quarter, the Giants are Superbowl champs. I also learned a few other things during the SuperBowl:

Madonna is still awesome, although Nicky Minaj is NOT!
Eli is way cooler than Tom Brady.
Ferris Bueller will always be funny.
As is a dog fetching beer.

Yup, I'm the typical commercial watcher. It's probably the only time I ever watch commercials actually. (Thank God and/or Fios for DVR!)

Some of our SuperBowl feast included:

Tangy Pulled Beef

Spicy Chili

Cocoa Krispie Treats

All the deliciousness was care of my neighbors and a yummy ziti from hubby that disappeared before I could get a picture. It was good times. Unfortunately there were some sad fans, including my adorable nephew who's being brainwashed into following that OTHER team.

Don't worry Oliver, Aunt Jen will get you a Giants jersey!

Feel free to follow the Giants' lead NY Yankees and make it our year!!!

Salad and Yoga

2012-02-02T11:44:00.001-05:00

So, last night I was in charge of dinner with hubby away.

The kids decided on mac and cheese and spinach for them. Okay, well I picked the spinach, but they agreed and ate it (and the princess even wore it... see her cheek).

I went with a Smart Ones chicken flatbread which really wasn't that bad. I had some of the spinach and made a yummy salad.

Which wouldn't have been complete without my new obsession....

My sister had this dressing in her house and after I tried it, I had get some. It is so yummy!!!

I started today with an hour of yoga via GaiamTV, which did I mention is awesome? I did three 20 minute sessions of Fit Body Yoga with Gwen Lawrence. It was an interesting set up. Visually she went through all the routines quietly but she also did a voice over with instructions. I did the upper, lower and core/back. Each was around 20 minutes. As someone new to yoga, it was easy to follow, and yet a good challenge. She also offered modifications whenever possible. I would recommend it and will definitely do it again in the future.

From then until now, smooth sailing. I am loving this positive energy. I will leave you with my princess' positive energy this morning.

Fruit Loops make her dance (not Captain Morgan). :)

Have a great day!

Like a Ray of Sunshine

2012-02-01T10:03:00.000-05:00

Warning: I am in an unusually good mood right now. This is especially odd since I waited 30 minutes for a bus this morning and got to work late. However, I started reading The Secret and I am all about the positivity right now. It doesn't hurt that I also worked out with Jilllian Michaels this morning. No, surprisingly enough she wasn't at my house. But, I do have Gaiam TV, which may I say is pretty awesome. It's an online collection of workout videos, yoga, wellness movies, etc. They have everything! They also have a 10-Day trial offer which I recommend. What do you have to lose?

Jillian in my livingroom :)

So, this morning I tried Jillian's Extreme Shed and Shred video. There are two levels and she recommends you do both together. She, however, doesn't have to get two kids ready and off to school. So, I did level 1 only. It was a good workout with some fresh, varied exercises you don't see in some of her our recent videos (Ripped, Shred). I was using a 5 lb weight but I would definitely use an 8 lb. next time for some of the exercises. And if I had more time, I would likely try to do both levels. (If I had a dollar for every time I said "if I had more time"...)

Work out complete

This morning I also tried a new cereal, Special K Multigrain Oats & Honey. I usually eat the regular Special K with fruit. This was much more flavorful. Sometimes I fear the cereals with "extra flavors" because they tend to taste artificial and too sweet, but this actually had oats and honey. Two thumbs up. :)

With that, I am off. I hope you have a fabulous day.

My nephew is having one! :)

Ever tried Gaiam TV? What's your favorite Jillian workout? Favorite cereal?

TAGGED

2012-01-30T14:05:00.000-05:00

Keelie from Sweat = Success tagged me! And now you are stuck learning all kinds of useless information about me.

I have to post them per Rule #1, so ummm, here's the rules.

1) You must post the rules.

2) Post 12 fun facts about yourself on the blog post.

3) Answer the questions the tagger set for you in their post, then create 12 new questions for the people you tagged.

4) Tag 12 (or so) people and link them in your post.

5) Let them know you've tagged them!

My Random 12 Facts

I do not eat any kind of seafood. (No, not even shrimp) I am not allergic. I just didn’t grow up eating it and now I can’t seem to do it.
My first race ever was the Chase Corporate Challenge. I had never run before that and I ran it on a whim with a friend. I cursed her the whole 3.5 miles.
I have been to at least 10 New Kids on The Block concerts in the last 4 years.
I don’t like cats AT ALL.
I have no coordination and never played any sports as a kid. I even failed gym in HS several times.
I didn't learn how to drive until I was 27 and I still suck at it.
I've known my best friend since we were five. She knows everything about me.
I still get sad when I walk down 14^th Street in the city and pass what was once the Palladium nightclub.
I've known my husband since I was 15 but we didn’t date until I was 27.
I could happily live in a world where every meal was breakfast.
I am a major sour candy addiction.
I love when my hair is down but I hate straightening it myself.

Keelie's Questions

1. If you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be?

South Beach Miami! I just love the warm weather, the Cuban food and the beach. Plus I’d HAVE TO stay in shape.

2. What do you want to be when you grow up?

A personal trainer

3. What's your least favorite food/ beverage?

I can’t stomach yogurt or cottage cheese

4. If you could only do one physical activity for the rest of your life, what would it be?

RUN!!!

5. If you were reincarnated as a dinosaur, what kind would you be?

T-Rex, I want to rule!

6. What is your favorite dish/ meal to make?

Fresh Toast

7. Name your favorite childhood memory involving food!

When my parents were still together, we used to go to Roll N Roaster on Friday nights for dinner. That was the first place I ever had a mozzarella stick.

8. Who inspires you?

I’m inspired by people who know what they want and they go after it without fear.

9. Who is your favorite artist (musician, painter, actor, poet, and sculptor... any medium)?

Madonna/Natalie Merchant, Frida Kahlo

10. If you had $10,000,000 to give to charity, which charity(ies) would you give it to?

Any and all that are fighting cancer.

11. What is your idea of a perfect day?

Any random day in the Summer in the pool with the family having a BBQ.

12. What's your favorite inspirational quote?

Pain is fear leaving the body. (It’s on my USMC water bottle.)

My Questions

What's the first thing you do when you come home at the end of the day?
What's your favorite season and could you live without the other three?
Who inspires you?
Last killer workout you had?
Are you where you thought you'd be at this point in your life?
Are you a Yankee fan or a Yankee hater?
Only one food for the rest of your life... what is it?
Long hair or short hair?
Where would you go if you could go anywhere?
Do you pedicure in the winter?
Do you like to work out alone or with friends?
Favorite cartoon?

I tag:

Heather at Heathers Mean

Ali Mc @ Running with Spatulas

Theodora @ Losing weight in the City

Janae @ Hungry Runner Girl

Sara @ Once Upon a Lime

Michelle @ NYC Running Mama

Bobbi @ NHerShoes

Anyone else want it????? :)

Feeling Better

2012-01-30T09:39:00.000-05:00

I'm still alive! The (non) smoker's cough is lingering but I am definitely feeling a million times better. We went to the park on Saturday with the kids and then out for pizza. The little one was late for a nap and was not having any of the lunch nonsense. She just wanted to go to sleep. Unfortunately, her stomach wasn't having the chocolate milk and on the way home, while half asleep, my poor little princess gave back the chocolate milk. All over the seat, her clothes, the door. Good times. My weak stomach has definitely gotten better over the years thanks to my kids and their ailments. :)

Fun at the park

Resting after our best Exorcist performance

Yesterday I went for a 3 mile run. It was far from great, but it was a run. And I need to get back to basics. It definitely gave me some time to work through some things in my head. Ah, how I unconditionally love running. I cannot imagine how anyone does not enjoy it.

Then we went to visit family and hubby cooked a delicioso Italian Sunday dinner. I got to see my nephew and my Grandma who have both been off limits since the kids got sick two weeks ago. Since I was still not 100% though, I couldn't smother him with love like I wanted to. Watch out Oliver! Aunt Jen is coming for you soon! :)

How can you not want to eat him?!

This morning I woke up with Jillian Michaels. She kicked my butt and I just tried to keep up. Ah, Jillian you never disappoint me. Keeping with the momentum I am looking for a fully productive day at work. And I expect to be back on track this week.

My little man doing some homework. :) He's more focused than his Mom.

What did you do this weekend?

Where Am I?

2012-01-26T10:13:00.001-05:00

I'm here at work trying to make it through the day. My kids are mostly over being sick and now I am so sick. Why am I at work? Well, I took a bunch of days when they were sick. :( So, here I am, trying to stay awake at my desk. On that note, I am completely unable to multi-task. So, I will be back soon... and healthy.

Any tips on how to get these damn germs out of me and out of my house?? Please share.

Blood, Sweat and Tears... all in one day

2012-01-18T09:45:00.000-05:00

For a four day work week, I am really tired. Its been a busy few days but I'm definitely feeling good about it.

After two days of Nurse Mommy, the little one was definitely feeling better. I bundled them both up and headed to NYSC. While they watched SpongeBob with a babysitter (I usually do not let my kids watch Spongebob. It's like the kid version of Jersey Shore sucking out brain cells.), I ran 5 miles on an incline of 2. To top it off, I did it in just over 51 minutes. Go me!

The proof is in the pic

On Monday I celebrated MLK day with a spin class. When my friend and I walked in, it was chaos. They had lost the waiting list and with only 23 bikes on a holiday, they wanted to make sure everyone who registered got a bike. Guess what though, at 5 minutes before the class starts if you aren't there, your seat is up for grabs. It's like the college rule about if the teacher is 15 minutes late you can leave. (is that even a policy?). Regardless I got a bike and I spun! :) I'm definitely hooked on spinning. I want to get a seat cover but there are so many options. Can anyone suggest a good one?

Yesterday was a odd day. I literally gave my blood, sweat and tears... but not in that order. I started with an 7 a.m. TRX class with Ray at Pedal NYC. I was supposed to be training with Toni and the Hot Mamas, but I was the only mama who made it. Extra attention yesterday means more ouchie today. But as always well worth it! So sweat was given before 8 a.m. Buckets full! (Yep, I'm sexy like that.)

Killer TRX workout!

I also gave blood at work at 10 a.m. I given blood at least 4 times a year. Everyone who can, should. It's an hour of your life to help someone else. Easy, done!

Unfortunately, the tears came due to a tragedy in the family of a co-worker. It really makes to realize that every day is a gift. After a work function at 230 Fifth (great spot), I went home and kissed my already sleeping kids.

230 Fifth

Delicious food! The sliders are amazing as is the very pink meat! YUM!

My son also gave a tooth yesterday! His first tooth fell out!

What is the going rate for the tooth fairy nowadays?

Going the Distance

2012-01-11T14:56:00.001-05:00

Okay, maybe that's a bit dramatic for a post title about 4 miles, but it is my longest distance since the 18 Mile Tune Up disaster in September. I apologize if you are sick of hearing about that, but it was an experience that has been difficult to get past. So, when Ray said that I should run 4 miles this morning at a 1-2 incline, I was a bit hesitant. And then, at 3:30 a.m. when the fire trucks and the ambulance woke me up while assisting people who live around the corner from me, my 5 a.m. start was not looking good.

However, I woke up. And I was in a great mood.

Before run

I did my push ups and ran my mileage, slow (5.8-6.0) and steady (1.5 incline.)

And then I was done.

After - Sweatier and happier (despite the sarcastic smile)

More push ups and off to start my day.

Side notes:

Even my Phoebe didn't want to go to the gym.

See the resemblance :)

And the best news of the day...

Don't worry about the rest of the article. ;)

With that, have a good day. Xoxox

The Ultimate Goal

2012-01-10T08:40:00.001-05:00

Dear Sciatica,

You will not keep me from Fort Wadsworth this year! You did it once and now you need to go away. I WILL run through the 5 boroughs of New York City on the first Sunday in November!!!

Thanks!
Jen

(Now go away (Scaitica)!!!)

On a (slow) Roll...

2012-01-09T20:36:00.000-05:00

I'm a bit behind but I wanted to give you the weekend update...

Friday I had a nice healthy dinner with my neighbor. She makes "pulled chicken" in the crockpot. It is delicioso and well, I don't really cook! Me and the kids headed back early though because I knew Saturday I would need all my energy.

I headed to Mom's to drop off the kiddies early and hopped on the subway to Pedal NYC. I had made plans with Tiffanie (one of the Mamas) for a short run before bootcamp. I had anxiety from the night before since I hadn't run outside since September.

Well we headed out on the West Side Highway and these well rested legs went for 3.19 miles! It felt amazing to be running. But my sense of accomplishment was cut short. It was time to start bootcamp with Ray. I was extra excited though because one of my partners in crime was joining me for bootcamp and the only thing better than a killer workout is watching a friend ~~suffer~~ benefit next to you. It was a 30/30 class and the first 30 was spin. Let me tell you now, a run and then a spin class is as close as I'll ever get to a triathlon. I can do alot of things after running, but spinning is definitely not my first or hundredth choice to follow running. After 30 minutes of lead legs, we headed outside and started running up 61st Street. We ran forward, sideways, and backwards. We stopped for squat, lunges and push ups. At the turn around point, we did steps, tri dips and v-crunches. Oh, and then we sprinted back to Pedal.

That's me and my girl Nurys having a fun Saturday afternoon.

Needless to say, solid workout! I spent the rest of the day hanging with my mom, my sister, my nephew and my kiddies. We even hit one of my favorite local spots for lunch. My sister thinks its just the smell of bar (nostalgic) that I love at Salty Dog. I think it's the yummy salad. So simple and yet perfect! And I opted for a veggie wrap and didn't have a single piece of friend goodness from Mom's appetizer sampler. Go me!

No pics of the salad, but my boy and my nephew are too cute, aren't they? :)

Sunday my neighbor and I made a workout happen by taking turns watching the kids while the other went to the gym. By 3 p.m., we both had a great workout. Mental note: Let's do that again, Kel! Win-win! But who's going to fold all this laundry?!

Oh yea, me... I'm the mom! Lucky me! :)

Today I woke up sore but my head was begging for endorphins. I'm officially addicted! That said, I headed to the gym at work and challenged the BFS. I swear I was in a good mood all day and that included busy work, a broken truck and going to Babies R Us with both kids (always stressful).

I am in such a good place that I just want to keep it up. I do know that I need to sip the wine not chug it though. I want to start running every morning and looking at races. But I know I need to take it slow. So I will train strong, consistent and smart!

Thoughts, comments, opinions? Anyone? Bueller?

1 Week Down, 51 to Go... And my Butt's TV Debut

2012-01-06T12:26:00.001-05:00

So we are a week into this new year and I am feeling good about it. I am being productive at work and in life. I definitely need to pay more attention to home (read: cleaning/laundry) but hey, baby steps.

The other morning before work I trooped into the city in the freezing cold and trained with Ray at PedalNYC. He put quite a beating on me in one hour's time. Now, that is a talent that should be shared with some Special Ops trying to get info from the enemy. The could invest in Ray and a TRX and we'd have all the international secrets. Until they do, if you are in the city, you should definitely try out a class at Pedal. The spin class is awesome and I am looking forward to checking out some of the other classes. It's pretty cool because they do a "30/30" so you can get spin and do yoga in one class.

Yes, I am in pain.

Even harder than it looks!

This is what you look like after a workout with Ray.

For the rest of the week, I have been trying to juggle my time so that I can get a workout in each day. Hubby has been very helpful in taking the kids to school some mornings so I can use the early hours of the day for sweating. Hoping he will not bore of this new, early morning quality time with the kids, so I can keep it up. (Thanks honey!)

I got a call last night to remind me that my amazing three-month gym membership Groupon is ending next week. The girl told me all the other membership options and none were in my budget. So, I am heading over to New York Sports Club this week with my three-month membership certificate to cash that in for 90 more days at a gym. This will change my routine around because the NYSC in my borough (yes, city people, I only have 1) is further away and I will not be able to get in a morning workout there. However, I do have a friend from my kickboxing class who goes there and I'm hoping I can have her as a "gym buddy" for a while. She lost a ton of weight and she is still at it. Definitely an inspiration! (Hi Michelle!)

This morning I hit the Stairmaster aka the BFS. When Toni and the Mamas first called it that, I was confused. Now I understand. Let's just say that the first word is Big and the third word is Stairs. :)

My view from the "BFS"

Looking forward to Bootcamp with Toni and the Mamas tomorrow! Who's in??? It's a free workout and it's a great workout and hey, I'll be there! This will be my third time going. The first time I went with my sister and they were filming for Toni On New York. My butt even made a cameo appearance. Here's the episode (the first half is Toni On ChinaTown and then it's all about the Mamas (and my butt.)

Whether you can or can't come, you should definitely check out the "Mamas'" Bootcamp Blogs. These ladies have made the commitment and their hard work is definitely paying off. :)

How did your first week of 2012 go down?

Freebie Day

2012-01-02T12:24:00.000-05:00

Thanks to the calendar this year, I scored an extra day off... from work. The kids are off as well and we just took a break from working on my boy's first grade project. I swear we started it last weekend, but alas history repeats itself once again and I'm working on a school project the day before it is due. At least it's not midnight. Baby steps. :)

It's a timeline of a 6 year old's life. :)

Yesterday the kids and I headed to my sister's home to visit with my adorable nephew.

It was a beautiful day out and I glad we got out of the house. After a message from Ray @ Pedal inquiring about my workout for the day, I headed home and dragged out my mat. Somehow I managed to complete a 50 minute Pilates workout with Mari Windsor, care of Gaiam TV (which I am absolutely loving these days.) Of course, that wasn't enough, I was also instructed to do 20 push ups and 50 squats before AND AFTER the workout. Truth be told, I only did 15 push ups, but I did try.

The question is, what can I squeeze in today. It's too cold to go for a walk with the kids and I think I missed the gym's babysitting hours. Worst case scenario, I will end my night with some Jillian. Unless you have a better idea??? For now, I'll do the laundry and let the little one help with the cleaning. :)

I hope you are all having a great 2nd day of the year. Who break their resolutions already??

Happy New Year!

2012-01-01T12:05:00.000-05:00

Happy New Year! It is 11 a.m. on the first day of 2012 and while that is late for me to be home in pajamas, it is not due to partying like a rock star. More like sweating like an athelete.

Yesterday the kids and I were up and out early. We headed into the city for a change of scenery. First, we went to Pedal NYC. I spent an hour there with Toni and the Mamas at a 30/30 class. The kids played while I sweat buckets during 30 minutes of spin. Can I just mention that I may have caught the spin bug!!

Getting my spin on with Toni and the Bootcamp Mamas

That was followed by another 30 minutes of crazy core work.

That's Alicia, one of the Mamas giving Ray a thank you for a great workout :)

About 600-700 calories burned later, I morphed back into mom mode.

Since we were in the city and only had gotten to have fun at Pedal (read: sarcasm), I took the
kids for some NYC Christmas sightseeing. We walked Fifth Avenue, Times Square and went to the see the tree at Rockefeller Center.

Walking through NYC

The Tree @ Rockefeller Center

Time Square on New Years Eve... before all the craziness

The city was way too packed for my taste and I was already sore and exhausted so we then headed back home.

Being silly on the bus heading home.

After a nap (them not me) we had some quick dinner. Then the night's festivities consisted of my neighbor, Rockin Eve and a bottle of Cabernet. Hubby had to work and the kids only lasted until 9 p.m. I surely do not blame them. I am not even sure how I made it myself.

That said, I plan to keep moving forward. I have some goals that involve strengthening my body and mind in 2012 and beyond. Now, to make a plan to how to achieve these goals. I'm working that out in my head first. No worries, I have 364 days to make it happen.

I wish for you a happy and healthy new year. Now spill it! Resolutions, goals, whatever. Share them if you like.

Getting Back on the Horse

2011-12-29T10:53:00.000-05:00

So, yea. It's not New Year's yet, but I need to take accountability now. Back in September, sciatica and a bulging disc completely ended my marathon training. Then I tried to accommodate my injury and continue working out but with caution. I started hitting the gym in the morning and focusing on non-running cardio. Then I started to get more depressed abut not running and ate junk to feel better. Add work/life/financial stress and the holiday season and it's a recipe for disaster. Disaster for me comes with a number. 29% - That is my body fat. Three months ago I was training for my third marathon and running 4 days a week, including a 16 mile run and now I have 29% body fat.

Well, that's all I can stand and I can't stands no more. This morning I headed to Pedal NYC to meet with Ray Wallace. Pedal is a brand new boutique gym on the west side that focuses on spin and core training using equipment such as TRX. I am a stranger to both spin and TRX but 29% is not a number that I can live with. We did about 35 minutes on core work using the TRX, kettlebells and some funny, little blue balls (insert joke here). Then, I joined a few of "Toni'sBootcamp Mamas" for 20 minutes of a spin class. Had to head out to get to work though.

So, now it's up to me to make the commitment. To be consistent in my workouts and my food choices. And then I came across this on my friend's Facebook page today.

The time is now!

**Who's with me???

Holiday Season in a nutshell

2011-12-29T09:51:00.000-05:00

I have been completely out of if for the last week. Christmas came in like a hurricane. There was shopping, eating and time with family. I'll take 2 out of 3. The shopping part will haunt me for months to come with credit card bills. So, I will now bombard you with my Christmas in pictures.

The Princess and my Mom

Mom and I - Do we look alike?

Paparazzi

With some of my cousins

Fam shot - outtake

The Love of my Life :)

Me and my cousin Holly - Isn't she gorgeous?

My boy

With Great Grandma - She's 96!!!

My boy and his future wife, Josephine

Are you bored yet? You are actually lucky because most of these are from Christmas Eve. I have yet to download Christmas day. I had a great time seeing so much of my family and some great friends. I definitely need to make more plans with family throughout the year (*writing that down for my resolutions).

I still have boxes piled in my dining room and toys stacked up under the tree. Husband wanted to take down the tree this week. I told him he had to wait because the tree somewhat camouflages the mess. Well, not really, but it makes me feel better to think that it does.

This weekend I am back to business as usual. The house and my life need some cleaning up.

**Do the holidays completely throw your life off course? If not, how?! Please share your secrets with me.

** When do you take down your Christmas tree (if you put one up, obviously)?

Lights, Camera, Christmas

2011-12-20T10:18:00.001-05:00

So, I didn't blog for a few days, because, well, nothing will likely ever top my moment with Joe McIntyre (for me at least). I know it was almost a week ago, but I cannot even bring myself to change my Facebook profile picture. Yes, it's Christmas time and I have pictures of my beautiful children to post, but c'mon, it's Joe McIntyre!

This past Saturday, I hoped to hit Toni On New York's Mamas Bootcamp again at PedalNYC. The gym is now officially open and they had their first spin classes over the weekend. However, being that I live in the forgotten borough, I had logistical issues getting there. Instead I hit my local gym and did some cardio. I even did 40 minutes on the treadmill, which included alot of walking and yet, still the sciatica pain reminded me it is still here. I am trying to shift my fitness focus in an effort not to get frustrated about this injury. I plan to run the NYC Marathon in November 2012, but for now I am just going to focus on getting stronger. More on that to come.

To change gears though, Christmas is coming fast and since I did not start shopping until this week, I am way behind. Any chance my love and gratitude is enough of a gift? Didn't think so. Ugh. Anyone want to shop for me, oh and pay for it? I did get some things done. I finally took Christmas pictures of the kids. I decided early in the season that I was not going to send out cards this year due to time and finances. However, I still did our annual photo shoot to give pictures to the family. Below are some of the outtakes. :)

Okay, maybe giving her a Lenox Candle Holder was a bad idea.

Gotta love the attention to detail... notice the cracked window pane on the left.

Extreme close up

Couldn't put her in this. She is scared to death of the reindeer.

Yup, she was done.

**Do you take professional Christmas pictures? (I used to but it is just too crowded and stressful unless you take them in October.)
**Are you finished Christmas shopping?
**Are you still making time to work out during the holiday season?

Germs, germs, go away... My Date with Joe Mac

2011-12-16T10:10:00.000-05:00

So, I am sick AGAIN. I finished my antibiotics about a week and a half ago. Then my kids started theirs. And THEN this week, my husband found out he had strep throat and spent the last few days in bed. Well, I guess germs love to share. I am sick again. Not nearly as bad, but I'm foggy and my throat is scratchy and my nose won't stop running. This my friends, is the story of December in my house every year. Gotta love kids. They bring home everything from school including all the germs in the city.

That said, I have not worked out all week. I can barely get out of bed in the morning for work. I did however manage to start Xmas shopping. I hate shopping and I cannot deal in crowds. Christmas shopping is painful torture to me. However, it must be done and I hopefully I'll finish before Xmas. Hmm, am I setting my expectations too high?

Sick or not, I had the opportunity to see Joe McIntyre from New Kids on the Block perform a one-man show in a small venue in the city the other night. (Thanks Nicole!!) It was absolutely awesome. As a lifelong NKOTB fan, it is amazing. There were only about 150 people there and after the show he signed CDs and took pictures with everyone! Oh yea!

Please don't go Jen. Don't worry Joe. I'll be here with you.

Ok, cheesy, I know. And proud of it. Now back to being sick.

**Were you a New Kids on The Block fan? Or other boy bands? Be honest!

Bootcamp and Booty Shakin

2011-12-12T10:33:00.002-05:00

So I had an open invite from Toni On! New York to join their mamas' bootcamp, a 12-week weight loss program for a group of awesome mamas. I had been trying to attend for a few weeks but Saturday mornings without kids are scarce. Well, this Saturday my plans changed due to a great surprise homecoming from Hubby. So, he stayed with the kiddies and headed out to Pedal NYC for an ass kicking workout. My sister joined me for her first postpartum workout. We headed outside and the fun began. There were running intervals, push ups and lots of steps! Up and down and up again. And it was fun... In an "I like to get beat up" way. And boy, these mamas are hardcore. Kudos to their hard work and motivation.

My sister & I after bootcamp. Wanted to take pics with the hardcore Mamas but everyone was busy working it out.

I am so grateful to the trainer, Ray, "Warrior Princess" Lisa and to Toni for the invite. You guys should check out Toni On! New York on Channel 25 (WNYE) in NY. And my shout out in Toni's blog post. if you watch, you might even get to see me doing too many push ups and possibly even my booty shaking (a whole other story).

It's Monday and I am still feeling it. It's that good type of pain. And I'm not surprised, I even did some assisted pull ups (not by choice -thanks Ray!). I think I see a goal in sight. I definitely want to keep this motivation.

I will definitely need some home workouts. I see Jillian Michaels in my future!

**Thoughts on bootcamps? Love'em or hate'em?

**Wanna try Toni's Saturday for bootcamp in NYC?? Let me know...

**Suggestions on good video workouts? (I heard that ExerciseTV is coming off Fios cable. I am at a loss here!)

Book Giveaway

2011-12-11T15:36:00.001-05:00

Amylee - Despite the low odds due to so many entries, the book is yours! :) Please email me your address and I'll
send it out tomorrow.

I ran

2011-12-09T10:07:00.000-05:00

After 11 weeks on the sidelines post-injury, I ran 2 miles. It wasn't fast and it wasn't easy but I did it. Afterward I started to feel the sciatic pain right away. It's not that bad and I stretched afterwards (new concept for me). I also spent some quality time last night with electrodes and heat. Still sore today but I think that is partly because I haven't run in so long.

I am not going to get frustrated about it. I am just going to use it as a checkpoint of where I am at in recovery. And that would be somewhere between injured and recovered but not at the end of either spectrum. I am going to take it slow. I think yoga might be the way to go here. I just need to get my butt in gear.

That said, it is 2 weeks before Christmas and I have no begun shopping. Truth be told, I hate Christmas shopping. I hate being forced to buy things for people. I prefer to casually shop and buy things for people when I see something that I know they would like. I personally would prefer random, thoughtful gifts from people throughout the year then forced, often generic gifts from people all on one day. And I am by no means a Grinch. I just prefer to enjoy the holiday without the shopping stress. I love the lights and the music and the whole family together part.

But I have two kids and they want gifts so I have some shopping to do. As cliche as it sounds, I will be fresh and ready to start anew for the New Year. Until then, I will do what I can. And of course, I will keep you posted.

Book Giveaway for Pregnant Runners or Future Pregnant Runners

2011-12-06T13:39:00.003-05:00

So, I have this book and while I always plan to be a runner, I never again plan to be pregnant. It is gentlly used because well, I read it. ;) Mostly, I just need the space back and I hate to waste books.

So, let me know if you want it. I am not going to make you follow me or anything (although that would be nice). Just leave me a comment. I'll wait until Friday, 12/9 and pick a winner at 4 p.m. randomly (if I get more than one interested person.) If it's out of the U.S however, I will need to ask you to pay shipping.

Inertia

2011-12-06T07:34:00.001-05:00

Sorry for the disappearing act. It's been a rough week with some huge challenges and happy occasions. This week my husband started a new job which requires me to take on full responsibility of the kids 3-4 days a week. All I can say is God bless single moms! I cannot imagine how they do it all the time. But I guess it's like I say, if you have to do it, you just make it happen.

I was also still fighting that nasty virus I had last week. The good news there is that I think I won. However, I also haven't worked out in a week. Winning? Not so much.

Finally yesterday was my son's 6th birthday. (Rest assured, there will be a recap post on the party.). This is also the birth date of when I became a mom, a gift I will always treasure regardless of the struggles.

What's next? Well, unfortunately I am a victim of inertia. When I am in motion, I stay in motion. But when I'm at rest, I have alot of trouble getting my butt off the couch and my head out of the fridge. I need to get my head and my body back in the game.

[Insert positive comments now (please.)]

Ill-matic

2011-11-29T11:55:00.000-05:00

So, I knew it was coming yesterday. And I appreciate your positive comments. I try not to be cranky just because it's Monday. However, this is a rough week of transition for my family and on top of that, my throat started to hurt Sunday night. By mid-day I was feeling tired and a little loopy. I went up to medical (I love my job!) and saw the doctor. He said although I didn't look so good, he thought I'd live. He gave me a Z-Pack and sent me on my way.

I stopped on the way home for my sick kit (i.e. Rx, soup, lysol, green tea, etc.) Then I got home and crawled into bed. This morning I had to get the kids dressed and to school and it was a challenge. But dayquil helped!

Now, it's just me, my pup and Dr. Oz. And hey, let me look at the bright side. I got to see NPL on Live with Kathy and Donnie Wahlberg was on Rachael Ray. Winning!!!

I just need to get better fast. My kids' birthday party is this weekend!!

me and my pup

please work fast!

my sick kit

Am I missing anything in my sick kit? Any home remedies are welcome. I'll try anything!!

Long Weekends Rock!

2011-11-28T11:02:00.000-05:00

So, there is actually one good thing about being injured and unable to run. I do not have to get out of bed at the crack of dawn. This weekend I managed to stay in bed until 7:30 a.m. 3 out of 4 mornings. (Note: 7:30 is very late for me. My kids are up with the birds.)

I do not usually do Black Friday and this year was a definite no due to finances. Instead I babysat for my 3 month old nephew while my sister went back to work for the first time since giving birth in August. I know how hard that first day can be and I was honored that she asked me to watch me. My mom actually spent the day with my kids so I had some 1-1 time with my little peanut. Oliver and I spent most of the day snapping pictures and sending them to my sister so she knew he was in good hands. I had a great time with him. I did however confirm that I am done having children. I love my kids and I love my nephew and the other babies in my life, but I have no desire to go through those early stages again. My husband calls it the dark ages because you are mostly inside (we have winter babies) and your life revolves around the baby's needs. It is an amazing time, but I'm done. :)

Best Black Friday Date Ever!

Saturday and Sunday the kids and I made the best of beautifully, unseasonable weather in NY. We went for 2 hour walks (with my neighbor and her baby girl) and stopped and the park both days. Sunday we went by the beach and my son was running sprints in the sand and jumping over sand hill hurdles. I was definitely a little jealous that I was walking and he was running but I definitely got a workout walking quickly and pushing the stroller.

Sunday night I even cooked dinner. My first roast beef. Everyone said it was good and I must agree. Don't worry though, I don't see myself turning into a chef anytime soon. But, just humor me while I share my masterpiece.

Yep! That's giant pieces of garlic shoved right in. I am Italian, ya know.

Now, it's Monday again. I guess that's unavoidable.

Turkey Day Update

2011-11-28T10:40:00.000-05:00

By now, Thanksgiving seems like it was so long ago. It was a long weekend after we ate some turkey. But, in the interest of sharing pictures of my little monsters, I will give you the quick photo update of our Thanksgiving.

Before everyone even woke up, I was at the gym. I was so excited when I found out that my gym was open 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Thanksgiving. It was even open on Black Friday for regular hours (opening at 5 a.m.) This is why I love my gym!!! Say it with my CONVENIENCE! :)

As tradition in my house, we spent the morning hours watching the parade. It seemed though, that I was more anxious to see Santa Claus then anyone else.

Notice the TV is above the picture and my son is busy playing on the computer.

And posing for me.

That is not a dust bunny, it is my dog watching the parade,

My "little" brother and I

After the parade, everyone got dressed and moving. My little brother, who had been staying for 2 days headed back to my Grandmas and we took the long trip to my neighbor's house to spend the holiday. (You can't beat the travel time.)

My butterball turkey :)

Extra blurry Family holiday pic.

The star of the day. Hubby's deep fried turkey

It was a nice day of family and friends and for that, I am thankful. I hope you all had a great holiday.

WAH

2011-11-23T10:46:00.000-05:00

I hit the gym this morning for a good hour of cardio (arc trainer) and some push ups and stretches. Now I am WAH. In my office language, that means I am working at home. In my language, it means thank God I do not need to commute in this weather on the worst travel day of the year.

my "home office"/Dining room table

Co-worker for the day

Work attire

All while hubby and little brother do another kind of work at home.

The rain was nasty here last night and knocked down my fence which was originally mangled in Hurricane Irene. I was hoping he could work on the Xmas lights today but I guess that will wait.

When do you usually put up your holiday decorations (if you celebrate)? Do you ever feel like working at home is more work than working in the office?

Safe travels to anyone heading out of their town today!

Today's word: Productivity

2011-11-22T09:04:00.000-05:00

So it's Tuesday of a three day work week. The boss is not in but she is online and sending work. Meanwhile I am trying to get all my work and life in order. Starting next week, life is going to get hectic for me. My husband's job got transferred to another location. This means our whole routine is going to change. We will not know all the details until he gets there but it's going to be challenging to say the very least.

After the awesome kettle bell class on Saturday, I am anxious to jump back into some group classes, however it seems that time will not permit for now. So, it's going to be option 2. Back to the exercise video search. I am looking into Gaiam TV which seems to be a good option at a good price but I am still on the fence. For the time being, instead of committing to anything, I am going to think about my 2012 goals and how I can best tackle them given my lack of time and resources (read: cash).

How do you keep motivated to stay healthy when time and money are an issue? Ever heard of Gaiam TV?

Meet my new blog photographer. :)

Weekend Activtities

2011-11-20T15:47:00.000-05:00

As a mom and a grown up, I look forward to the weekends for different reasons than I did when I was younger. In my 20s and teens, weekends were for friends, relaxing and sleeping in. Now, the weekend means that I can get things done and spend some time with my family. There is little relaxing and no sleeping in with my early bird daughter.

This weekend was a bit different for me. While I usually start Saturday with laundry and house cleaning, this Saturday I headed into the city for the NYC Blogger Playdate. If you know me, you know that I have no interest in trekking into the city on a weekend unless I have a race. Therefore I spend the first part of Saturday morning changing my mind as to whether I was go to go or not. Well, after my husband insisted that I go, I jumped on the express bus and headed to Five Points Academy on Canal Street. I was running late (weekend traffic is annoying) but made it just in time for the kettle bell workout. It was a great class with a great instructor. And the pain I am feeling in my quads and my arms tells me it was also an effective class.

November 2011 NYC Blogger Playdate @ Five Points Academy (Photo care of Keelie Sheridan)

My Saturday playdates were: (Anonymous) Master Dater at 100 First Dates, Liz at An Interesting Year, Laura at Joyful Shimmy, Kayla at Learning to Say Yes, Keelie at Sweat Equals Success and Jocelyn at Peace Love Nutrition. It was a pleasure meeting all of you!!

After getting our sweat on, myself and several other NYC bloggers headed over to Patois for brunch. For $12.95, we each had our choice of great entrees (I had a steak sandwich), coffee and not one but two mimosas. WINNING!

Post-workout nutrition is key! (Photo care of Keelie Sheridan)

I was awesome meeting such an interesting group of women who all seems to share my love of sweat. It was especially awesome to be out for fun without kids on my hip. Then, be it mom love or mom guilt, it was time for me to head home. I said my good-byes and headed back to my world.

The rest of Saturday was a blur since the little had me up at 4:30 a.m. and then well, the kettle bells AND the mimosas. Me and hubby put the kids to back early and woo hoo, we are sleeping by 9. It was awesome. We truly are party animals!

This morning I managed to fit in a quick, much needed manicure and then hubby and I took the kids to the park. We have to take advantage of this beautiful weather. Monday it could snow. (Gotta love global warming.)

Top of the world!

Now, back to mom world. I have laundry to catch up on.

The next NYC Blogger Playdate is December 10.

**What did you do this weekend that was different from your usual routine?

Sleepless Monsters

2011-11-17T09:58:00.000-05:00

So, I didn't get to the gym yesterday morning or this morning. I am going to blame that solely on this little monster.

Mom, I am trying to watch tv!

Yes, the party animal was up since 4 a.m. Usually I let her cry it out and I did. She went back to sleep in 30 minutes. Then I got up at 4:50 to head to the gym , got dressed and she started again. Cue: Mom guilt. How can I go to the gym if she is in there crying for me. So, we laid on the couch for an hour while she pet the dog, kicked me and asked me "whatyadoing mommy?" every 30 seconds. It was awesome quality time.

I have a lunch meeting so gym at lunch is out of the question. I even forgot to do my push ups. But I'll do those right here at my desk.

Last night since I didn't get to the gym, I at least tried to get my stretching in. My son wanted to play too.

Stretching

and rolling

Then he tried to foam roll Phoebe.

Anyway, I am going to attempt to go a video this evening once my monsters go to bed.

We're not monsters. We're angels with horns :)

Did you workout today yet? Do you ever suffer from Mom Guilt?

Go!

2011-11-15T21:15:00.000-05:00

Okay. Two days in and I'm still on point. Yea, I know two days is not that impressive, but with the amount of stress I am feeling, not emotionally eating is a huge accomplishment. So, Go me! I have decided to use SparkPeople for tracking. If you are on there, find me!

Gym bound Monday morning.

I also have been gymming in the morning. However, I am thoroughly exhausted by 6pm. So be it though. It's going to get cold soon (or at least it is supposed to). I also got my haircut this weekend. Sort of off topic, but part of the fresh start. Long day and I just got back from parent-teach conference so I'm off to bed. I will give you a better update tomorrow.

For now, a photo story of me and the kids giving the dog a bath over the weekend.

You tricked me. I don't like baths!

help


Mom - This is fun

Is it over yet?

I feel pretty (and I smell good too)!

On your mark, get ready....

2011-11-13T20:34:00.000-05:00

I am coming to you from Sunday night. This week has been a difficult one. I am pretty much overwhelmed with most aspects of my life. This would be manageable if only I could work through it all... while running. As you have likely heard me whine, I am injured and have been unable to run for 9 weeks (but who's counting?) The problem is that running is it for me. I lift weights and I do other active things, but they all revolve around running for me. Since I have been unable to do so, my routine has fallen apart. I seldom go to the gym at lunch, I have barely lifted. The only thing I have been doing is the elliptical in the morning at the gym. But I haven't had a plan. And which that, my eating habits have been a total mess. Emotional eating + halloween candy = Mess!

I have promised myself a fresh start. A plan. And since I once read that diets that start midweek are likely to fail, I figured Monday was the best option. So, as I write, that is less than 4 hours away. Now what?

Well, starting with breakfast, I will be tracking my meals for a while. I do not usually do that, but it is a good way to take accountability and get on track. (Still deciding which tracker to use. Any suggestions?)
Also, I am going to be limiting my alcohol to 1 day a week.

In terms of exercise, the specifics are still up in the air. Without a PT, I am on my own finding out the exercises/stretched I should be doing. However, I am committing to this:

4 days a week at least 40 minutes of cardio
Stretching 5 days a week for at least 15 minutes
Pilates/Yoga at least 2 days a week (still looking for good videos for improving back pain)
At least 15 push ups every morning, 20 next week, etc.

Ok, it's in writing and you all can see it. I may need to tweak it, but not for less activity, just in terms of what are the best things for me to do with the bulging disc/sciatica.

I will try not to bore you by tracking every day the mundane details, (I'll save that for Daily Mile) but I will keep you posted on progress. Hopefully, I can get my physical and emotional state back to where it's supposed to be.

Any suggestions, kicks in the butt, motivational quotes are all welcome. Help!

Let's Get Physical in Front of the TV

2011-11-09T11:20:00.000-05:00

I couldn't hit the gym this morning because hubby had to go to work earlier than usual and it's illegal to leave little kids alone even to go to the gym while they are sleeping. (Kidding! Do not call ACS please.) Instead I did some Mari Winsor Pilates. I thought maybe it would be good to do some stretching for the back. Then I threw in an ExerciseTV standing abs 10 minute workout. I didn't end in a pool of sweat but at least it's something. Besides sometimes it's fun to literally work out in my pajamas. Any workout that doesn't require shoes is a good one to me.

Do to a change in hubby's schedule, I may be moving some of my morning workouts to the front of the TV. Unfortunately, I think my workout DVR collection needs some replenishing. I have my staples of course, Jillian Michaels - 30 Day Shred and Ripped in 30. I also have some oldies, old school Taebo on VHS and of course my Mari Winsor pilates. I even have a 4-pack of Yoga videos that I literally tried once and didn't like.

So, I need help (What's new, right? I am a needy blogger.) I need your suggestions on workout DVDs worth investing in and anything on Exercise TV (for my FIOS people) you suggest. Also, anyone want the 4-pack of yoga DVDs. I don't know if they are any good, but if you want them, let me know.

November 4, 2012

2011-11-08T11:03:00.000-05:00

Firstly, congrats to all the marathon finishers and PR crushers that killed it on Sunday. You guys are all awesome. And I want in! I was supposed to run beside all of you but my body decided this was not my year. I'm over it though. Now the countdown begins. In 361 days, I will be running 5 boroughs in one day. Because I deferred from this year, I am guaranteed entry. So, now I wait. See you then finishline.

For now though, I need to find some focus. Being injured has been painful to my body and my mind. I am thankfully still able to work out. I just need to be mindful of what my body should and shouldn't do right now. Herein lies my issue. Running is my go-to. I just do it and right now that is one of the main things that I cannot be doing. So, I am going to try to be nicer to the elliptical and even give the bike a shot. I need focus though. I need a plan. My workouts are boring me and my food is out of control. Halloween candy will be the death of me.

I need a plan. More importantly I need a mom-friendly plan.

Is there an Elmo bootcamp? That one we could do together.

Something I can honestly commit to wholeheartedly. I would love to do a bootcamp but time and location always seem to be an issue. (Staten Island really is the lost borough of NYC.) Here's where you come in, help! Any suggestions on plans, virtual trainers, programs that worked for you?

NYC Marathon Sunday

2011-11-06T19:10:00.001-05:00

So, unless you live under a rock, you know that it's NYC Marathon Sunday. And since I live within the five boroughs, this was that story of the day (that and the Giants/Patriots games). I was supposed to run it. But my back screwed me 7 weeks ago and I have not run since. So, instead one of my BFFs slept over and I drove her to the start. Then I went into Mom mode Nd drove my son to religion class. The rest of my day has been a mix of boring mom stuff (laundry, grocery shopping, etc.) and watching the marathon on tv and checking my marathon app to see how all my friends and fav bloggers were doing. BTW- everyone did so awesome!!!

That's said. Here I am on marathon Sunday sitting in bed emptying the DVR. My legs are not sore but my heart is heavy. Today wAs supposed to be my day. However one of the best things about the marathon is that it happens every year. There's no pic yet, but 2012 I'm in!

That said, bring on the week. I'm reDy for a new start... After a good nights sleep. Until then, cheers!

I'm Still Here. Meow!

2011-11-02T11:27:00.000-04:00

I have been gone a few days. Since then, we've had snow in October, Halloween and a chiropractor appointment.

Momma Cat and baby Kitty.

My son and Mike Myers

Want more candy

Scary face

Trick or treat

I have no pictures at the chiropractor's office, although it was probably funny since I had my car ears on when I was there. Anyway, he seems optimistic, although he said that this injury needs to be "babied" which is not my strong suit. I am waiting to confirm insurance and then I plan to let him work his magic.

Do you think I need an orthopedist right now or should I work with the chiro for a few weeks first? I feel like they are just going to tell me what I already know and I am not at the point where I are yet considering surgery. Thoughts?

New Info = New Problems

2011-10-28T14:04:00.000-04:00

So, I got the results of my MRI. I apparently have:

L4-5 large broad disc bulge leading to mild to moderate right and mild left lateral recess stenoses.
L5-S1 smaller bulge without significant stenosis.
Dextroscoliosis of the thoracolumbar spine.

Is that in English? Because I have no idea what it means. I do know that #3 means that my spine curves to the right. All I know is that for #1-2 the doctor said my options are to do nothing and it will likely heal itself eventually and continue anti-inflammatory med or even surgery. Hmmm, I think I do not like either option. So, I am searching for a good orthopedic in my area and also checking in with a PT and chiropractor that I know to see what they think. I have searched everything I could find online and found nothing encouraging.

I am trying to stay focused on the positive. I continue to go to the gym in the morning and pump the elliptical for 40-50 minutes while I stare at this chick who runs on the treadmill across from me. I want to tell her that I am a runner like her and I should be on the treadmill next to her. I even wear my race shirts to the gyms so people know that I am not on the elliptical by choice. Nothing against though of you who like the elliptical but I am a runner. I want to run!! (Great job staying focused Jen!)

In regular life, it's Friday and that's awesome. Plus I just bought the winning Powerball ticket! It's like $203 million!! Don't worry guys, I'll still blog after I win. I'll blog from Paris, Australia, Spain and then from the comfort of my home in Miami. ;)

Cock-A -Doodle-Doo

2011-10-26T09:50:00.000-04:00

Good morning! Not much to say today. I am getting my MRI this afternoon and I am looking forward to getting some solid answers.

Until then, here is my kids this morning. My son is not really a morning person (like his Dad). My daughter is up with the rooster and ready to go (like her Mommy.) I know who I'll be sharing morning runs with someday. (How cool would that be?!)

Yes, I have laundry on my windowsill... don't judge me. lol

Are you an early bird or a night person? I am up before the sun (and at the gym by 5am) and in bed as soon as I put the kids down.

The Internet Rocks! Shout Outs

2011-10-25T10:54:00.001-04:00

In my day-to-day life, there really are only 1-2 people that have the same love of running, working out, etc. that I have. Mostly I just deal with co-workers, my husband and my kids. Most people like to say things like "Wow, you are really committed, I wish I could do that." or "Girl, you are crazy to get up at that time to run." This is why I love the internet and especially blogs.

Reading about everyone's daily work outs, struggles, goals and even their funny stories is one of the highlights of my day. If I know that Ali Mc got in a run on a day that her son wasn't feeling well and she had to work or Gia went to yoga even though she has the twins, then I have no excuse. I also know that if Gina can work as a fitness instructor at 30 weeks pregnant, I can work out for an hour after work. While I cannot do as much as I would like to do, I can learn good work outs from Jenae and find out about fun fitness events in the city from Theodora. And Ali, well she is my inspiration for speed and for this post. There are so many inspirational women out there!

Thank you to the internet and Steve Jobs and Bill Gates and everyone else who brought us into a work where you can interact with such awesome chicks on a daily basis (oh, and for Facebook so I know what my third grade crush is doing with his life.) And thank you to all the awesome bloggers on my blog roll for sharing your world with the world and inspiring me to do the same.

Photo-full weekend

2011-10-24T10:06:00.001-04:00

Everyone in my office seems like they are in a good mood this morning. Maybe, instead of wondering if they have all gone insane, I will use their positive energy to get me through another Monday. (Realistic, probably not, but it sounds good on paper.) That said, let's recap the weekend.

Saturday I met up with my sister and my gorgeous new nephew. He got some shots on Friday so Saturday was his first real outing. After lots of packing, feeding and preparing (ahh, new moms and new babies), we headed over to meet some friends. With the kids decked out in their costumes, we headed out. We went to a "Halloween festival" which wound up being 5 bouncy houses, a cotton candy stand and a few people in scary costumes. That would have been fine, since my son LOVES bouncy houses, but it was free. Again that might sound perfect, but free in the park on a Saturday means a 1 hour line for 2 minutes in a bouncy house. So, we bribed my son with pizza to head back to my girlfriend's house.

That's my boy on the left :)

My adorable nephew Mooooo

Me and the kiddies

My sister and I with our kids (I know we look nothing alike)

Sunday I took my son to religion class. To kill an hour before he was done, me and the princess got some coffee and donuts (coffee for me, munchkins for her) and headed to the beach. We sat up on the boardwalk and watched random runners go by. It made me very sad since it is my usual weekend long run route.

Enjoying her morning juice and donut.

Cheese!

Feet, why have you failed me?

I can almost see my foot steps from runs past.

Sad Jen.

Although, not running gave me time to spend with the kids. So after we picked up the boy, we headed to the park. I went to this cool park that someone told me about. It has a pirate ship (that my son LOVED playing on.)

She was literally falling asleep. :)

Then we headed home and I spend most of the day cleaning the house. I know that some people enjoy cleaning. I am not one of those people. I hate cleaning. I do, however like living in a clean house. So, I do it. And sometimes even while drinking red wine. Don't judge me. It's just more fun that way.

After dinner, hubby and the kids decorated the pumpkin we got last week.

Before

After

In action (still working on night shot camera skills)

All in all, a successful weekend! (minus running)

Do you carve a pumpkin every year? Do you have any other Halloween traditions?
Do you enjoy cleaning? Want to clean my house?

Can't run... volunteer!

2011-10-21T10:57:00.001-04:00

So last night, after some inspiration from Emily's blog, I did it. I cancelled my NYC Marathon registration. Well, actually I deferred it until next year, but in my heart it felt like I was cancelling. Then I quickly received this email from NYRR:

"We have received your cancellation notice for the ING New York City Marathon 2011.

We’re sorry to hear that you won’t be participating in this year’s event. You are eligible for guaranteed entry into the ING New York City Marathon 2012. Please note that you must still apply for guaranteed entry into the 2012 event and pay the entry fees as well as applicable optional fees.

Now that you have cancelled, you cannot be reinstated into the ING New York City Marathon 2011. Your decision was final."

I won't lie, it stung. S I did what I could. Those who run, do, those who can't, volunteer at races! So, I volunteered for Marathon Sunday at Fort Wadsworth. If you are looking for me (and you better if you are there!), I will be the food court attendant at Fort Wadsworth wearing the I Heart Sweat shirt! :) It's from 4 a.m. to 11 a.m., which is earlier than I planned on heading to Wadsworth (since I live on the Island of Staten) but hey. I volunteered twice in the past and it was alot of fun.

So, with that... I'm in... 2012!

I also got my x-ray results back this morning and there is nothing to see there. Next is an MRI. Of course, I have to wait until my insurance company agrees to it first. I'll keep you posted. Until then, elliptical in the morning at the gym. 45 sweaty minutes today. I definitely felt it!

AND I got this in the mail yesterday from Amylee. I won her giveaway!! It's a beautiful Scott James jewelry charm and I will wear it in good health.

Lastly, my thoughts are with Emily of Daily Garnish today. She gave birth this morning after 55 hours of hard labor. Best wishes to you, Casey and #BabyMalone (who was a Twitter trending topic before even leaving the womb.)

Did you ever have to cancel a marathon? Did the letter feel like a break up?

Did you ever win a giveway? What was it?

Early Bird Gets the Elliptical

2011-10-20T10:59:00.000-04:00

Last night was leftover night. We take out every tupperware container from the fridge and polish off every thing we ate all week. Last night's treats included rice and beans, Mexican rice, ribs, skirt steak and garlic noodles. The little one specifically asked for rice so she got Daddy's delicious rice and red beans with veggies (from the freezer) on the side. The boy heard that we had mac and cheese (Kraft box - best thing ever!) and so he had that with some veggies.

Happy boy with mac and cheese

Hubby had some hot wings (also from the freezer) with the rest of the rice and beans. Me, well, I'm a bit of a leftover snob. I only eat certain foods leftover and usually not meat. So, I went with a whole wheat sandwich flat with goat cheese, grape tomatoes and fresh spinach. I am not chef but I can pull together something quick and easy that I enjoy.

Yummy.

Add Trader Joe salsa for extra yummy!

This morning I went to the gym just after 5am and got on the elliptical. It was an different elliptical than I usually choose and it was a bit more challenging. The chick on the machine next to me was definitely a runner so I figured it was a good machine for me. I did 40 minutes and then headed home. Did I mention that I love my new gym!

View from the elliptical

It was still dark when I left. I hate the cold months. :(

But I was glad I got my cardio in.

Heading home to start my day (of course I'll shower first)

Weights at lunch and hopefully tomorrow I'll have the results from the x-ray I took yesterday. Then I'll go to next steps from there, which is likely an MRI. Trying to stay positive but every day without a run gets worse. If you run today, please do a mile for me. :)

More Coffee Please

2011-10-19T09:59:00.000-04:00

I am so exhausted this week. I swear that I am still coming down from the general anesthesia at the hospital on Monday.

My sexy hospital outfit :)

I rested that whole day and I cannot wake up, two days later. Yet, here I am at work. So, yesterday I went to my new gym, Dolphin Fitness. I had gone on Friday night to sign up.

Here is my recap of Dolphin Fitness (Amboy Road, SI): It was seamless. Two forms to fill out, no credit card info (I have nightmares of gym contracts past) and I was free to work out. It's a great gym. I mean, it's missing all the bells and whistles of some NYC gyms, but I do not need a blu-ray player in my elliptical machine. The main floor is all cardio machines. There are a few of everything so no one has to wait. Downstairs is the weight room. They seem to have all the machines I could possibly want to use and a nice free weight and dumbbell space. I am still working through my intimidation of weight rooms so I went down there right away to face my fears. I did some machines that I am familiar with and then some free weights. It was a Friday night so I was not surprised that it wasn't crowded but the clientele also seems mixed between genders and ages. All in all, I was definitely pleased with my Groupon purchase.

So, (as I was saying) I went to the gym yesterday morning. They are open 5 a.m. - 11 p.m. Monday through Friday which is perfect for me! I got there about 5:10, picked up my membership card and started on the elliptical. I did 35 minutes on that.

Elliptical - Done!

Then I ran for 3 minutes. My deal with myself was that I would try to do 2.5 minutes, so 3 was a victory. But it did not feel good. So I stopped.

Oh treadmill, how I miss even you!

With that, I need to make it official. I need to official withdraw from this year's marathon. However, every time I get to the website, I can't press it. Help! I know it's too late for ":what if's" but I cannot seem to do it. Any advice?

Are you exhausted this week or is it just me?
I need some specific sciatica exercises? Anyone?

Feeling Loopy

2011-10-18T09:18:00.002-04:00

So, I'm home from work today due to a medical procedure (nothing exciting or scary). I did however get put under general anesthesia and therefore I'm groggy and useless for the rest of the day. So, I did the only thing I could, got in bed and tackled emptying the DVR. Today I have lost alot of brain cells thanks to Teresa Guidice (NJ Housewives), Olivia (Jerseylicious), and 90210. Plus I beefed it up with last week's Blue Bloods and CSI NY (Joe McIntyre was guest starring.)

In an effort to do something productive, I thought I should sign in and update all my adoring reader (if even). Plus, if I don't, I'll eat more pumpkin spice cake that my friend made me bring home from her house last night. My friend is due with her daughter next Friday and so if she makes cake and tells me to take some home, do I have a choice?

So anyway, since I'm still pretty loopy so I'll show you my weekend in photos.

First Pony Ride

Delicious dinner at a Friend's house

yum... garlic and butter

The fam shot

Plan B

2011-10-14T15:05:00.001-04:00

So, it's finally Friday! Rainy, but I'll take it anyway. Hoping for a nice weekend since we are still scheduled to go pumpkin picking on Sunday.

Hubby and I were supposed to go out to dinner on Saturday night (he got a gift certificate from my mom for his birthday), but my sitter opted to ruin my plans by choosing a birthday party over watching my kids. So, instead he promised me a Saturday night movie together (in the living room). It's not dinner out, but it is time together alone (as long as they both sleep through the night.)

I guess one of the biggest lessons that I have learned since having kids is how to adapt. I was very excited to get out of the house together and enjoy a meal and each others' company. But if that is not an option, there's always a Plan B. Even with work and life and work out, if I cannot do something, I'll do something else. With that, I think I am at the point where I have accepted that I am unable to run the NYC Marathon in 20-something days. (See, I even stopped counting down.) Rest assured though, that I will be running NYC 2012. And I may even pick something in the Spring if I am feeling up to par soon. I may even cancel my registration today... hmmm... maybe tomorrow.

So, plan B... well, I bought the Groupon for the 3-month gym membership and then my neighbor (who had a baby in August) decided to get it as well. I am not going to wait for her every time I need to go to the gym, but it will be cool to have someone to go with sometimes, maybe to a class or something. Since I cannot run, I am going to continue upping my time on the elliptical for cardio and start hitting the weights again. (I had laid off the heavy weights over the last 1-2 months with marathon training.)

I did get a welcomed surprise today! I won the giveaway over at Amy's blog. Woo Hoo! Go me! I won a beautiful piece of Scott James jewelry. Check out her blog. She is awesome and not just cuz she gave me free stuff!

**Do you always have a plan b? Examples?
** Won anything today?

It's not Friday, but at least it's close!

2011-10-13T09:55:00.000-04:00

I honestly thought it was Friday until about 6:30 this morning. I was bummed to find out that it isn't. But, at least it's Thursday and I'm off on Monday. My head was probably foggy because I was out last night for dinner with some friends. Two girlfriends from DC were here on business and so we made a night of it and even got our other friend to come in from NJ. She has a 10 month old baby, so a night out for dinner is big for her. :)

The waiter took the picture. Obviously he is no photographer.

I was so stressed about picking a place for dinner. That's probably because I never go anywhere so I like to make the most of every opportunity. I wanted something fun and for some reason Mexican restaurants usually seem to be fun. (Is it just me?) We went to one place and after a blonde moment we realized that it had closed down. Recession sucks. So we wound up at Caliente Cab Company.

3 enchiladas and a frozen sangria later, we went over to Sweet Revenge Bakery. It is a cute little spot where they pair cupcakes and wine. Um, hello, the two best things ever! All in all, fun times with awesome chicks!

This is a Not So Dirty Cupcake

Carnivale Cupcake with a Cabernet

On the health and fitness front - (What? Cupcakes and enchiladas aren't healthy?) Yesterday afternoon I moved up to 30 minutes on the elliptical. I even put a little (3) resistance. Then a few push ups and crunches. I think my head is back in the game. I just need my body (read sciatic nerve) to follow. No physical therapy this week yet but I am trying to get in touch with a chiropractor. I also am going to go for an x-ray either tomorrow or Saturday morning.

I am considering joining a gym in my neighborhood for now. I usually don't bother with a gym because it's a waste of money for me. I prefer to run than do anything else. But since I cannot run and I cannot kickbox, I really do not have a place at home to work out. To be honest, I only started considering this about 20 minutes ago when a Groupon popped up on my iPhone for a deal on a 1 or 3 month membership. Maybe I'll check it out.

And now my kids in the morning... (it's like my version of Ali's puppy pictures)

Hey Mom, can I eat in peace?

Not a morning person :)

Should I join a gym for now since I can't run?
What t two things go perfect together for you, like cupcakes and wine?

Back on the... Elliptical

2011-10-11T15:55:00.001-04:00

So yesterday I went to the gym at lunch. I was so happy to be there although i did give the treadmills dirty looks. I did the elliptical for 15 minutes with no resistance just to see how it felt. It seemed okay although I do have a mini-limp this morning. I wanted to get up at do Jillian this morning (modified) but the bed was very comfy and there may have been 2-3 glasses of wine last night while I watched Real Housewives of New Jersey.

I promised this morning via Twitter that I would make today a good day. I made it a productive day. I finished a project at work that was late, ordered new checks and booked my kids' birthday party. Yes, 1 party, 2 kids. It's a recession! Besides, she won't know the difference at her 2nd birthday. I'll do it while I still can. Don't judge me. :)

Warning: Random cute kid pics below...

random from Sunday

She's already running with a jog stroller!

She loves this hat - It's 75 degrees out!

Alyssa's Diet Tip: Eat banana while rocking horse to burn more calories.

Silly kids in the morning.

That's all I've got for now. Make sure you vote for the Shape Blogger awards. My suggestions are Ali On the Run as your favorite sports blog and Theodora for best fitness junkies blog!

Social Butterfly

2011-10-10T20:51:00.000-04:00

So it was a busy weekend for me and the family.

Saturday morning I headed to my doctor to try and get something more then "It's sciatica. You have to rest." well, I got the first part from him, and even the second, but I also got a cortisone shot and some stronger meds. He gave me a twice a day anti-inflammatory and a mes left relaxer to take at night. He said that in addition to sciatica, I have tight muscles in my calf. He suggested magnesium-calcium over the counter for loosening tight muscles. He said that if it hurts in a week, I should go for an x-ray. He was nice enough to write the script and it's been hurting for 2 weeks already... So x-ray happening in the next few days. (I have to carve out the time for it.)

The best thing about my doctor's office is that it's right near the brand new Traders Joe's that opened in Staten Island on Friday! You have to understand that I have been waiting a year for this opening. When I first heard about it in our local newspaper (yes, SI has it's own newspaper), I was so excited. I emailed the article to my neighbors and started a countdown. They pushed back the original opening date, just to drive me crazy. I swear that I stalked the website everyday to see if there was more info than "opening soon." Well, when I ot the, I realized that I wasn't the only one. It was 9:30 (they opened @ 8) and it was packed!

Still I went in and it was almost everything I dreamed it would be (no three-buck-chuck). Some sunflower seed butter, fruit, guacamole and TJ's salsa (thanks to Gina's obsession) later, I was headed home. I even grabbed a 6-pack of pumpkin ale for the hubby. (he always says that I don't think about him.)

My goodies!!!

Saturday afternoon we headed to my hometown, Brooklyn Represent!, for a special birthday party. The kids had a great time and hubby and I disagreed on who would be the "designated driver" home. As usual, I won, he drove. Truth: I am a horrible driver. I didn't get my license until I was 27.

Baby Girl before the party

Daddy and my boy

Pj and some of his pretty cousins

Sunday morning the kids and I headed to mile 6.5 of the Staten Island Half marathon. Yes, I was supposed to be running this race. And then I couldn't. So those who can't run, spectate! It was depressing when everyone is running by and I am limping to catch my little one. I saw my bestie as she ran by, a racer in an aqua I Heart Sweat shirt, and another runner complimented my aqua Sweat shirt. She must read Ali's blog. Then I heard my name and there was Dori running by and looking strong! (sorry I didn't see you first).

Bell Guy!

Run Rae!

I made the most of spectating and watched the last runners pass. There are an amazing bunch! Then the kids and I headed to the playground. We played for a while and then we hit the boardwalk to walk back to the car. It was the toughest workout in 2 weeks for me.

Sunday afternoon we had another party for our neighbor's baby girl. It was close to home and the food was good. I couldn't ask for much more. Since the weather was so beautiful, some of us regrouped in my backyard to chill out with some beers. I have the best neighbors ever!

Do you like your neighbors?

Do you ever spectate when you aren't running?

What's the best thing to say to runners when you are spectating? (cuz it's not "you're almost there" - I hate that)

Not Loving Detroit Today

2011-10-07T14:03:00.002-04:00

Finally , Friday came. Just in time. Whatever you do though, do not mention the New York Yankees to me today. I am not over okay with this defeat. I may give away my son's A-Rod jersey.

Hubby, Son and I just after the Yankee parade and ceremony in 2009. (I was about 7.5 months pregnant.)

My fav Yankee ever getting his key to the city from Mayor Bloomberg.

That said, this weekend is the Staten Island Half marathon that I will not be running (Did I mention that I hate you, Sciatica?!) I will however be spectating somewhere between the 6 and 7 mile marker at the turn around by the beach. I will be wearing my I Heart Sweat shirt - So Say Hi if you see me!

Me and Ali in HER awesome I Heart Sweat shirts!

Tomorrow though, I am heading to the doctor at 9 a.m. to ask him for an MRI. This sciatica is not budging. It's been almost 2 weeks of PT, rest and anti-inflammatory meds. Then a family party in the afternoon that I am looking for to. I have 9 first cousins on my mom's side of the family and I love them dearly. Although my sister and I are the oldest by 15+ years, so they do make me feel old... they also make me feel young. :)

BTW - Make sure you head to Shape Magazine Best Blogger and vote for your favorite fitness blogger. I am not making your decision, but Theodora's blog never fails me.

Starting Fresh

2011-10-06T14:30:00.000-04:00

Today is a new day. I am not going to eat junk because I am sad that I saw this sign yesterday on my way home.

I am sad about it. It is one of my two favorite half marathons. (Staten Island - home now; Brooklyn - will always be home) I ran Brooklyn this year before I knew I got into the marathon.

Brooklyn Half 2011

Now, I got in but I can't run the marathon and I can't run the Staten Island Half. I'm stuck with a wasted bib (anyone want it?) and an ugly (what a bad color) tshirt.

I will be spectating though. I will let you know exactly where by Saturday, but likely near the 6/7 mile mile marker. Let me know if you might "stop by" and I'd be happy to have some water, Gu, etc. if you put in a request. Runners make the best spectators!

Instead (from first sentence), I ate some cereal with fruit for b-fast and chicken and veggies for lunch.

Yup, I ate the pretzels. I LOVE honey wheat pretzels!

I'm having chicken for dinner (oops, I forgot until I already had my lunch) but I'll mix it up either in a salad or a wrap with some extras.

Had more physical therapy this morning. She started mixing it up from our basic routine, massage then ice. Yesterday she did heat and then massage. Today is was heat and then some electronic currents with ice. She is trying to confuse my muscles, but she is definitely confusing me. Still don't feel good though. Seeing my regular doctor on Saturday. I am going to ask him to send me for an MRI and go from there. And of course I'll keep resting (like I have a choice) and icing at night.

I have also started reading Spark People. My girlfriend just read it and she said the plan is working great for her. I am only a few chapters in so I am not sure, but I can always use a little focus.

Anyone ever read Spark People?

Are you running in my boro on Sunday? Need anything specific?

How should I change up my chicken for dinner?

Coming Clean

2011-10-06T09:39:00.000-04:00

Really, it's only Wednesday? What a long week, right? I couldn't be tired from all the working out and eating healthy because... Well... I'm not. This blog is about saying what I need to say and accountability. I am solely accountable for the fact that besides my 15 minute disastrous run yesterday morning, I have not worked out in over a week. It hurts to even write it. I have been reading all of my favorite blogs and feeling almost guilty. It's almost as if I am hiding my laziness from my favorite healthy bloggers (cuz they care or even know me- lol). Still I feel so crappy. This sciatica has been such a blow to my marathon training that I almost feel as if - what's the point? Does that make sense? I mean I know that the point is to live a healthy and happy and energetic life but this setback truly affected my focus.

Now that I have that all out in the open, what am I going to do about it? Well, I have to start making smarter decisions about what I put into my mouth. (That's what she said! Yea I know, I am very mature. Mother of two, can you imagine?).

Yesterday's after lunch snack - the whole bag not the handful

Anyway, my eating needs to change immediately. In addition to the pure gluttonous nature, we have been having alot of quick meals, be it take-out or just crappy processed food and I have been maki g emotional food choices. That must stop, 1- cuz we are broke; and 2- cuz my clothes will start to feel tight real soon. That said I did run out at 8:30 last night for frozen yogurt. I make no apologies for that.

Nighttime fro-yo run in Staten Island

It was so good!

Secondly, I need to get moving again. Thanks to the sciatica (sorry- I know you're sick of hearing about it.), I need to find some lower impact cardio options and get back into my weights cautiously. I need to stop promising myself that I will get to the gym tomorrow and go today (well- technically that does mean tomorrow though because hubby is working late tonight.)

Anyway, I feel better to have come clean with all (2?) of you. Any suggestions for good workouts with back problems, I'm all ears. I am off to pick up the kids (blogging on the express bus = multiple-tasking), stop at the doctor for the little one's update medical form,
...
(side note: moms- how annoying is that? I feel like I am constantly calling the doctor for an update medical form for the daycare/school/camp, etc. Why cant there be a network online to house these records? It is 2011 and I am blogging on a bus while skyping on my iPhone!)
...

Boy fed and homework done - check

And then get homework, dinner and bathes done so I can, wait for it, clean up the house. And then reward myself with the second half of last night's Biggest Loser. SPOILER (not really): Not sure why anyone would ask their team to vote them off.

Petting the dog with my feet - she needs love too

Baby girl's toe nails painted

Bathed and ready for bed!

BTW - Everyone should head over to Janae's blog as she is giving away some cool sneakers!!!

Facing Facts

2011-10-04T11:46:00.001-04:00

I didn't get to run yesterday because my baby girl wasn't feeling well. I needed to head home on time. Plus, I just I was trying to prolong the inevitable. I did "run" this morning. I might say, I love my new compression socks. They are like a pink security blanket wrapped around each leg.

However, that wasn't enough to make it a good run. It was uncomfortable and awkward. My right leg (sciatica) was sore and I was involuntarily limping which was causing my left leg to overcompensate which made my left knee feel weird. All in all, it was not the most fun 16 minutes of my life. Yes, that's it. That's all I could handle. Honestly I felt like I was doing more damage than good. Probably true since my leg was sore and shooting pains the minute that I walked in the house. After that, there was some foam rolling...

Ugh, what to do now? I looked this up on the NY Road Runners Club website just to weigh my options...

Entrants who cancel their entry for the ING New York City Marathon 2011 according to the instructions listed below will be eligible for guaranteed entry to the ING New York City Marathon 2012. All fees are non-refundable. If you cancel for 2011 and wish to enter the 2012 race you will still need to apply and pay the entry fee as well as applicable fees. It is your responsibility to apply to the 2012 marathon according to the application schedule and instructions. Failure to apply according to the application schedule and instructions will result in forfeiture of your guaranteed entry. Accepted entrants may cancel as many years in a row as they wish.

Once you have canceled, you cannot be reinstated into the ING New York City Marathon 2011. Your decision is final.

This is truly heartbreaking for me. The optimistic view is that I will be guaranteed entry for next year and won't have to worry about completing my 9+1 this year. The rest of it is all crappy. :( I just feel like I have to listen to my body and it's not saying anything nice. MY PT at work says I can try doing the elliptical - which bores me on death. Let the fun begin!

Help! Thoughts? Anyone come back from an injury so close to the marathon?

On a happier note, how handsome is my boy?

Add caption

One Week Later

2011-10-03T09:28:00.001-04:00

So it's been a full week since my disastrous 18 mile tune up. That was the last run for me to date. Since then I have seen 2 doctors, had PT 2x, foam rolled and iced alot. Am I healed? Nope. I was supposed to run Grete's 13 on Saturday but obviously that was not happening.

I am clearly improving because I can walk without a limp and it's definitely less painful. Still uncomfortable though. In an effort to gauge where I am, I am getting on the treadmill. I hoped to do so at lunch but just remembered I have a lunch meeting today. So hopefully this evening and I do not know if I'll be on it for 30 seconds or 30 minutes. I know what I am hoping for but at this point, I have no expectations. The truth is that while it will be heartbreaking if I am watching on 11/6 from my livingroom, I truly just miss running. So, we will see what happens today and move on from there. I cannot promise that I won't be sad if I need to change my plan, but I will think towards the future and adjust my plan as needed.

So, I did not run this weekend which left alot of time and energy for other things. That was good since my husband had finished the painting but everything needed to be cleaned so that it looked like livable space again. Unlike some of my friends, I absolutely hate cleaning. I find nothing therapeutic about it and I have no problem if someone wants to come and clean and organize my house as they see fit. That said, no one came... and so after sleeping in (until 7 both days), I got to work. I cleaned my daughter's room and switched out all of her clothes. (If you are not a mother you should know that kids grow fast and you spend alot of time getting rid of the clothes that they have overgrown and putting in the next size up.) My girlfriend has two girls and lot of great barely worn hand-me-downs. My daughter's closet and dresser is full! Take that Paris Hilton!

Then I tackled my room and a long put off goal of mine... my closet. A huge bag of garbage later, this was the finished product...

Finally clean!

I love how there are more running sneakers than shoes. :)

My workout library and some great videos (my 2004 MCM finisher video) - the VCR tape is my wedding proposal on tape (long story for another day)

I did take a break at some points this weekend. Saturday, I had an awesome lunch with my amazing sister who had a baby 5 weeks ago. Unfortunately on her way home, her car died so I had to drive her home - which was fine for me - I got to see my nephew and give him a kiss. :) Sunday, while my son was in religion class, my daughter and I took a walk on the beach.

My Princess

So, I guess I will see how the run goes and go from there. Please keep your fingers crossed.

I Got a New Attitude (Sung in my best Pointer Sister voice)

2011-09-29T11:54:00.001-04:00

Firstly, Happy New Year to my Jewish friends! I hope you are all having a nice holiday. I am reaping the benefits of a very light commute today, which is great since I had a companion today.

My boy on his morning commute

My son is off from school and came to work with me. (We have an emergency day care at my job.) He calls it "work-school" and he always gets excited when he gets to go. Today he jumped out of bed and get ready without any pushing. I wish that was every day.

Last night I used my Groupon for a deep tissue massage at Pelletier Salon in Staten Island. I can only say good things about this place. It was my first time getting a deep tissue massage, but it was excellent. He focused on the sciatica, but still managed to make everything feel a bit better. Definitely an hour well spent. When I got home, I enjoyed that relaxed feeling and took the opportunity to catch up on Blue Bloods. I had been a few episodes behind from last season and now I am all caught up. It is a great show! If you don't watch it, you should. And not just because Donnie Wahlberg is in it... although that helps... alot!

Side Note: Since you are all getting to know me, you should know that I am a huge New Kids on the Block fan. Yes, I was a fan in the late 80s-early 90s and I am still one now. I have been to about 10 NKOTB concerts in the last 3 years. Don't judge me!

Anyway, I was all late watching TV. I think that my body is rebelling since I am not exerting the usual amount of energy in a day and not up at 4:30 to run. Now it wants to go to stay up late and get up late. Hey, Body! It's not happening! We will be running soon! Don't get used to this slacker behavior!

I also met with the PT at my job this morning and she also worked on the piriformis muscle for a while and then applied some ice. I definitely feel a difference, but there is still discomfort when I walk. I am trying to be patient but I am very anxious. I am still "scheduled" to run 13.1 this weekend at Grete's Great Gallop which I really wanted to run this year to honor a great inspiration. I guess some things are out of my control.

However, I control how I handle it. And I have decided that I will just take this one day at a time. No more Cranky Jen. Sorry guys! Just going to do what I need to do and readjust my expectations as needed.

Ever get a deep tissue massage? Like it?
Ever get thrown off marathon training course? How did you get through it?

Hi! My name is Cranky Jen

2011-09-28T11:40:00.002-04:00

So first I would like to apologize for the cranky negative posts over the last few days. I try to be positive most of the time because I know cranky people can be a real joy-kill. Unfortunately my crankiness was unavoidable in this case.

So Sunday's 18 mile tune up proved to be a disaster for me. I went out there to run a strong 18 miles and wound up limping home after 10. Yesterday I saw a doctor who basically told me nothing that I didn't already know. She had no answers except yes it's sciatica, take anti-inflammatory meds, get pt and wait. I asked her when I would be able to walk (yes, just walk) without pain and she said it could be a few days or a few months. Really? I feel like bee has to be something that I can do.

Ouchie.

That said, where do I stand now. The marathon is in 38 days. Well, the truth is that I have no idea. My longest run was 16 miles two weeks ago. I cannot walk without pain. To help the pain, I have acquired a limp and guess what, a limp is not sexy!! Honestly a pregnancy waddle is sexier than a limp.

So, I guess I wait and I try to manage my expectations and hope for the best? I am trying very hard not to be cranky here and at home but the truth is that running is the one thing that is just for me. The marathon really meant the world to me. And with this pain, I can't even work out at all.

Jen minus (Running + endorphins) = Cranky Jen

My boss suggested a deep tissue massage. I don't know that it will have any effect since it's a nerve not a muscle, but I'll try. Besides I already have a Groupon for it!

**Please let me know if you have any suggestions for your own experience. I'm willing to try anything. When do I have to face facts and realize this isn't going to happen- because I am so not ready to do that yet.

To make up for my negativity, here's a shot of my mini-mes this morning. They were up early so they had a little tv time before leaving for school.

Don't they look like models? It looks like a mini-Guess ad.

Worst Race Ever

2011-09-26T13:17:00.000-04:00

Not the most inviting title I know. But it really was. Let me back up though.

Hubby is still painting the house so I spent Friday evening and all day Saturday out of the house with the kids so he could work. Saturday I went to my sister's house to see my nephew. She even let me babysit for him. Okay, it was two hours. But hey, I'm still honored since he was a month old on Saturday. Happy Birthday Oliver! Aunt Jen loves you. (Sorry no photo. Oliver's mom and dad are not fans of the paparazzi.)

We ordered pasta for dinner at their house (by my request) and wound up waiting almost two hours for the food. By the time it came I was exhausted and it was past my little one's bedtime. We literally ate and ran. So, I carb-loaded basically on Italian bread and got to bed by 10 p.m. I could not sleep though. I was so worried about the 18 mile tune up. It's strange because I have run that race before and I have run two marathons before. Still, I was tossing and turning all night.

Got up at 5 and out the door. The race started at 7 and we were off. I knew that the course was three loops of Central Park but I didn't remember it feels so long. The first loop seemed to take forever to complete and I tried to keep my head in the game. When I started the second loop, my legs were already hurting and I was so tired. I opted to walk some of Harlem Hill. Then I would run for a mile and need to walk again. I figured that if I made it through the second loop, I could walk as much as needed for the final loop. Finally by mile 10 I was in alot of pain. There just came a point when i could not start running again. I walked and walked and tried to get my head to make my legs move. I knew that was the end for me. I walked to the side and I called my friend. I needed a friend at that moment. I walked for over a mile to the finish line area and then I knew I was no going to make that final loop. I went to the medical tent and the doctor there thought it might be my sciatic nerve. I sat in the grass and cried for a while until my friend was done.

My leg hurt even more by the time I got home and continued to hurt throughout the day and night. I am now limping at work and trying to get an appointment with a sport medicine doctor. If anyone knows a doctor in NYC with an appointment available before 2012, please let me know. :(

I am not sure where I stand now, but I am extremely worried and I cry out of the blue every few hours. The marathon is in 39 days. :(

HELP!!!

Foggy Friday

2011-09-23T09:49:00.000-04:00

So, I had planned to run today because I missed a run on Monday and have been trying to catch up all week. I was supposed to do a 6 mile basic run. I was even up on time, although exhausted. But my right leg is sore. I think it's an IT band issue but I am still researching. Either way, it is sore all day and all night, not just when I run. My coach suggested ice, stretch, foam roll and massage. He also suggested cutting out a day of running. I currently run 4 days a day (2- basic, 1 - threshold, 1 - long). I am so against losing the mileage but I thought about it last night and this morning when I got up intending to run. With the marathon in just about 5 weeks, I think that is the best damage control I can do right now. Please let me know your thoughts. I am really struggling with this.

Plus it was SO foggy out this morning. I mean, it's already the dark of night when I start running, now let's add fog. Seemed like a recipe for disaster to me. So, I got a few extra ZZs and then foam rolled and started my day. I don't even feel that bad about not running today. I will need to hit the gym though. I haven't done much strength training in the last 2 weeks. I usually do that at lunch and work has been crazy hectic. I feel like my muscles are disappearing. :( I started a morning ritual this week. 10 push ups and 10 crunches as soon as I get out of bed. Next week it goes up to 15, etc. Post marathon, I'm starting the New Rules for Lifting for Women again. I did it for a few months just before marathon training and I loved the results.

Anyway, my weekend schedule is focused around Sunday's 18 mile tune up. Saturday is probably going to be chock-full of running errands and schlepping the kids around in the rain. However, unlike my past long runs, I am committing to a nice carb-loaded dinner on Saturday evening, followed by early to bed.

Have a happy Friday! Special "shoutout" to Ali who is running her first marathon tomorrow! She will make the streets of the Hampton's her bitch!

Please let me know anything you can if you have experience with IT issue.
Weekend plans?

Thursday's Legend... wait for it... dary!

2011-09-22T14:46:00.000-04:00

I never got to run yesterday. I had to go home since Hubby is painting the inside of the house this week. Too much going on at once. A full home-cooked dinner was out of the question because of the condition of the house. In lieu of take-out (read: awaiting pay day), I pulled together something for the kiddies and the Hubby had something leftover. I took that opportunity to go fresh, healthy and easy for me. I made a yummy salad with fresh spinach, grapes tomatoes, onion, LOTS of goat cheese (my favorite) and I broiled a Morningstar spicy black bean burger and cut it up into pieces. It was yummy and pretty so I took a pic to share. Then we watched the season premiere of How I Met Your Mother - best show!

Don't even ask what's on the table next to it. This home improvement has everything piled everywhere. I think it's the Wii holder.

So, I got up this morning and I ran. It was the threshold run that I didn't get to do yesterday.

It literally took me 20 minutes how to figure out how to get this picture uploaded to my blog. - So please check my splits :)

I had the most problem trying to stay paced. I was supposed to do 2 mile warm up, 6 x 800 @ 9:20 pace (4:36 for the 800) with 1:15 recovery between each 800 and then 1 m cool down. I kept running too fast and then when I tried to slow down a little, I went too slow. The good thing about these runs is that I am working and thinking the whole time and don't think about the fact that I am running hard. However, it's an awful lot of thinking before 5 am. I almost lost count of my 800's. I did however fix my Garmin so that I have .5 mile splits so I only have to watch the time during the 1:15 recovery. I am learning that my Garmin can do so much more than I have ever done with it. Well worth Hubby's hard earned money. Thanks boo! Love ya! Best gift ever.

Then I rolled it out. Re: the background see above picture caption. :)

At lunch, (after I drafted the above) I headed up to Jack Rabbit on the Upper East Side to snatch an aqua "I Heart Sweat" shirt before they were no more. Ali (awesome blog - if you don't read it, you should!) will be running her marathon on Sunday so this was the last chance to get one. On the train I realized that I also needed to pick up my bib for the 18 Mile Tune Up @ NY Road Runners Club. Win Win! I actually saw one of my other favorite bloggers there, Theodora there. She was getting her "+1" in by doing bib distribution for the Fifth Avenue Mile. I stopped to say hello to her and then ran back to the train to get back down to work.

So, the moral of the day is... you run, you have a good day. (So far at least)

With that I leave you with yet another picture of my baby girl to make your day, like she does mine.

She was literally saying "Cheeeseeee"

Do you have a better day when you run?

Do you watch How I Met Your Mother?

Do you get excited to meet other bloggers? I know it's nerdy, but I do.

Are you sick of my kids' pics yet?

Buying Time

2011-09-21T16:20:00.000-04:00

So I was telling my friend this morning that I wish we could buy days like I can buy vacation days. I want to add an extra 2 days to this week to get things done. (Of course, I would have to use credit before I have no time and no money.) If I had 1-2 more days in the week, I swear I could get everything done... maybe.

Instead I am always rationing my time. I often do my son's homework with him while I am cleaning up after dinner. Unfortunately running time is just for that, running. I cannot run and clean the house or run and go food shopping. So, I have to careful pick the time I use for running. This is the reason I am up at what most would call the God-awful hour of 4:30 a.m. to run. Today I got up, but didn't wind up heading out to run. I spent my day hoping that an evening run can still happen but it's just not looking good at this point. :( grrr. Cranky Jen strikes again. I wonder if I can actually muster up a run after the little one goes to bed. Hmmm, not likely but it's the only chance I got.

Until then, something to be happy about...

What makes you happy when you are feeling like a crankypants?

More Running = Less Cranky

2011-09-20T11:32:00.001-04:00

It's a simple equation. If Jen runs, she is happier. Even if Jen's leg hurts while she runs and she then has a crazy day at work and beyond, she is still happier than if she doesn't run.

That said, I ran this morning. I felt bad about the crankiness yesterday, so I got up and got moving at 4:40 this morning. I ran at a decent pace although my right leg is now hurting and I cannot pinpoint the issue. The whole leg seems to be unhappy although I think it's the lower half. (How's that for a medical diagnosis?) After just over 4 miles, I dipped the legs in my cold pool (aka big ice bath) for a few minutes and then stretched and foam rolled. I even looked up some stretches to make sure I was doing everything I can do to fix this leg. Gotta love Coolrunning.com!

I also had a Muscle Milk "slurpee." When I poured the muscle milk over ice, I realized that I didn't shake it well enough so I put it in the blender and made my version of a slurpee. Take that 7-11!

It was good too!

By the time I jumped in the shower, I had 9 minutes before I had to wake up my son to get him ready for school. People must think that I'm crazy that I get up at 4:30 a.m. and still look this unpolished when I get to work. Oh well, they should be lucky I make the time to shower. :)

How much can you do in 9 minutes?

Well, I showered, dressed and the ponytail I wear just about everyday. :)

People must think I never wash my hair. I swear I do... sometimes.

Anyway, I know no one cares about my day. Just cute pictures of my kids and I aim to please so, here's the little one this morning. Eating her cheerios and watching Elmo

I want her life :)

Do you get cranky when you don't run?
Do you run through injury/soreness?
How long does it take you to get ready in the morning?
How cute is my daughter's sleepy morning face? (sorry, can't help it.)

Not a Happy Camper

2011-09-19T11:25:00.000-04:00

So, I haven't run since Thursday. I ran some speedwork and my leg hurts every since. In addition, I had absolutely no time (aka no babysitter) to even attempt a long run this weekend. I had a wedding on Friday and a baby shower on Saturday (read: heels for too many hours). Sunday Hubby worked 16 hours so running was a no go for me.

I got up this morning to run at 4:30 and my head was in a bad place. I should have just went but I was afraid that if my leg hurt, I would have to walk home and that's not the safest time to be walking around the streets. So I convinced myself I would find time later. Hopefully, I can make that happen. Instead I foam rolled for a bit. I feel like the issue now is in the upper front of my shin. Any possible diagnosis for me?

My head is full of all kinds of things going on in my life and it is completely fogging my focus on marathon training. Life is throwing some curve balls and I just feel like I cannot hit them all at once. (I'm not even sure that is a proper baseball metaphor, but you know what I mean.) Still the clock is ticking and it seems like everyone else is up to date and running 18 and 20 miles these past weekends. I did 16 last weekend and I am scheduled to run the 18 Mile Tune Up next weekend. I guess I should work on scoring a babysitter for that. I need to get my head back in the game. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

In the meantime, here's a picture of my cutie to make me ~~you~~ us smile.

Playing dress-up @ daycare

How do you get yourself out of a dark place?

Busy Weekend - Quick Check in

2011-09-17T20:44:00.000-04:00

So I had a wedding to attend yesterday. I arrived at the church in the middle of the ceremony literally 30 seconds before I was called up to do my reading.

Taking deep breaths

Got through though and then the day continued on and we celebrated the love of two awesome people.

Today I had to travel to New Jersey for a baby shower for a friend. It was also a very nice party. Although at today's event I consumed much less (none) alcohol and no one snapped pictures of me like this...

Is there anything worse than dancing action shots from a wedding?

Today is over and I am ready for bed at 8:30 p.m. (Don't let the dress fool ya, I'm an old lady.) Stil trying to figure out how I will run 14-15 miles tomorrow when I'm on kid duty all day. Anyone got 2.5 hours to spare in the morning? lol

Slacker

2011-09-14T19:36:00.002-04:00

We had to go to a wedding rehearsal/dinner last night and therefore did not get home until late, well it's was almost 11 and that's late for me on a week night. I had every intention of getting up to run this morning and yet my body disagreed. It won. I then kept the pipe dream of making up that run all day today. I knew it couldn't happen at lunch because I have 6 miles on the schedule and that is not happening in my lunch break. I even brought clothes just in case I could run right after work. Well, I'm now on the bus heading to SI to pick up baby girl (read: no run happening). So, it looks like tomorrow morning I'll have to make it up.

The day is not a loss for fitness though. I did get a good weights workout in at lunch. It was a much needed break from a very stressful, busy week at work. Also, I'd like to throw something in tonight after the kids are in bed - maybe pilates - but we'll see. I'm already falling asleep on the bus as I type.