let's do this

so i'm the worst blogger ever. let's face it - i can post on facebook daily, blog for work, and even tweet when necessary. but when it comes to my very...own...blog - i'm a mess. a few posts at best.

but i guess this journey hasn't been about blogging. it's been about running. and run i've done!

i've overcome some injuries, some internal "oh-shit-i-don't-think-i-can-do-this" demons and here i now sit, less than 4 days until the big day. and i haven't burst into flames. so i guess i'm ready??

in terms of the gear - check. i know what i'm wearing. in terms of the training - check. it started off rough but i made it through and will no doubt make it through 26.2 miles on sunday. it might not be pretty, but i'm determined to make it through. in terms of inspiration - double check. i'm not lacking in that department at all.

have i even mentioned why i'm running? yes, marathon, bucket list - and all that jazz. but i'm running more so for my dad, who suffers from Parkinson's disease, and this marks his 10th year fighting. and i'm running for all of our TEAM FOX runners, and members, and those with Parkinson's who they support. i'm privileged not only to be a TEAM FOX member, but i also get to work with our members daily, working for The Michael J. Fox Foundation. our members remind me daily that they can overcome obstacles, and so can i. 26.2 will be nothing at the end of the day when i compare my aches and pains to someone who's battling PD.

there's this great quote that i'm always drawn to - "tough times don't last, tough people do" (gregory peck). this marathon won't last more than a few hours, and my sore muscles will last a few days, but the fight to end Parkinson's won't end in just a few days. we're going to need to be tough, and experience pain, but we will keep fighting. and we will find a cure.

to see more on my TEAM FOX efforts, check out my fundraising page. i'll be out there on sunday giving it my all, and i can't wait to see my family who will be at mile 23. i'm going to be tired, and probably cranky, but i know they will give me the boost i need to finish with a smile.

also, here's a fun interview that my friend and colleague kristina did the other day. enjoy.

getting there

This past weekend I was in Chicago for the 2011 BoA Chicago Marathon and it was a wonderful experience! Team Fox had 70 runners who have collectively raised over $100,000 for Parkinson's research.

I love the opportunity to finally meet many of the runners that I've been emailing and talking to leading up to the race. Everyone has their own story of why they are running, and why they've chosen to run specifically for Team Fox.

I was inspired by all the stories and seeing our runners whiz by and greeting them at the finish. While there were a lot of aching bodies and sore feet, everyone was so happy to be done and so proud of their accomplishment. It reminded me that all the pain, physical therapy, time, sweat and tears that I'm putting into 11.6.11 will pay off. And I can't wait.

fight gone bad (back)

i love crossfit. crossfit by definition is "constantly varied functional movements executed at high intensity." it's a combination of a variety of workout elements - from gymnastics movements to olympic lifting, running to rope climbing, push ups to pull ups and everything in between. most workouts are quick, some can take as little time as 3 minutes, but the intensity is high.

i've been crossfitting at crossfit south brooklyn for just over 3.5 years, on and off (more on than off). some of that "off" time was because of rugby, and some has been partly due to injury. but the south brooklyn community is phenomenal - and each time i have to go through an "off" period, i'm excited to come back. i'm so lucky to call these folks my friends.

pictured above is after the annual "Fight Gone Bad" fundraiser workout that was held on september 17. crossfit gyms around the country pull together to fundraise prior to the event, this year for the special operations warrior foundations. our gym makes a day of it - creating teams of five to compete against each other in a friendly competition. the workout is as follows:

3 rounds of:

1 minute wall ball

1 minutes sumo deadlift high pulls

1 minute box jumps (shown here)

1 minute push press

1 minute of rowing (for calories)

1 minute rest

every rep counts and your score is your total added up.

i've had to miss the past 2 events due to other commitments, so i was really excited to participate this year on team "Victorious Secret". the unfortunate reality though, was that i probably shouldn't have been competing. my back/hips/hammies have been an issue, and with training for the marathon, i should have been playing it safe. but i love crossfit, and i love this workout, so i went for it anyway. well, i managed to tweak my back, most likely doing the sumo deadlift high pulls, so it's been a rough few weeks.

doc was able to put my back back in alignment but i'm still not at 100%. unfortunately for this girl, i've been told to lay off crossfit until the marathon is over. so i guess i'm back in a short "off again" period but it won't last forever. it'll just make it that much more fun and challenging when i go back. cause i'll get my ass kicked, repeatedly!

where to begin... running update!

i'm probably the world's worst blogger - and i'm ok with that. i'm just going to try to update as much as possible now that we are less than 2 MONTHS away from race day! holy crap is all i can really think at this point.

the runs have gotten longer, and last weekend's outing left me feeling very discouraged and nervous. i went out to run 10 miles and after 8.5 with multiple stops, i couldn't go any further. i know that there will always be good and bad running days, but i am already behind in my mileage and this was a big blow to my running confidence. after kind words from great running friends, i realized that i just needed to move on and not worry about it. well, that i did.

this weekend, up in old orchard beach, maine for the new england parkinson's ride (more on that later, i promise), i set out on a 12 mile run sunday morning. i'm almost positive that the energy from the amazing event is what helped me through (along with a fairly flat route, cooler temps and a clear mind) and pushed me to even get 13.5 miles (that and i miscalculated the mileage!).

my hamstring is feeling great but my hip/hip flexor aren't too happy today. i was lucky enough to have the entire ocean as my ice bath (see below) and was able to enjoy a great meal (named "the big breakfast") after my run before having to leave to come back to ny.

definitely feeling more positive!

breakfast of champions, take two

good run, bad run

so i'm finally getting the mileage up there. but i'm WAY behind in comparison to where i should be. i ran 7 miles yesterday at just about a 10:15 mile pace. i was scheduled to run a few more miles than that, but between the crossfit competition saturday (and a few celebratory beers) plus the heat and humidity PLUS my stupid hamstring, 7 is what i got.

it was good in the sense that i got 7 done, but was bad for, as you can see, a multitude of reasons. hurumph.

new kicks!

i know, i know - i need to post more. and i want more pictures. for you to see.

here are my brand new mizuno running sneaks. i really love them - they are keeping me inspired even when - after weeks of non-training - a 3 mile run sucks. also keeping me inspired, pitbull and ne-yo. thank you.