Frogger

I did not want to run this morning. After a few cocktails with girlfriends and a later than usual bedtime, I was so very tempted to hit snooze and roll back over. I actually laid in bed a few minutes debating whether or not I should run. Thinking about my goals for the NYC Half and how much better I would feel after running got me up, and after a cup of coffee, I was ready to go.

My legs were not. And neither was my Garmin. The first mile and a half up to Central Park was not a fun time- my Garmin refused to pick up a signal for the first 18 or so minutes, which may have turned out to be a blessing in disguise since I was too busy dodging pedestrians to focus on actual running. I'll liken the experience to playing a game of Frogger- weaving in and out but not really making any forward progress.

Running has made me so more aware of my surroundings, and today was a shining example of how distracted people generally are walking down the street. I'm guilty of it myself sometimes- texting and walking, stopping to check directions in the middle of an intersection, not looking both ways when crossing the street... you name it. It's so easy not to pay attention that sometimes when you actually do look up, it's shocking to realize how big of an impact these things have on traffic flow.

When I'm running, this makes me especially frustrated. Since I have to run up and back to the park, I generally start and end a run feeling frustrated. (I'm thinking, I'm being considerate, why aren't you?!? I'm turning my shoulders in, making myself narrow as possible, look up from your bleeping phone!) But today I tried something that left me feeling daring and exhilarated: I ran in the middle of the road.

Ok, so middle is an exaggeration. But I did run on the road. Upon exiting the park, I noticed another runner just gliding along with traffic- with no pedestrians in the way, he was arguably going faster than the moving cars. So I followed his lead and ended my run with a HUGE smile on my face.

I was running down Park Ave, which doesn't have a bus lane, so I felt safe. But how great would it be to have a designated dual purpose running/biking lane on every street? (I say dual purpose because I've gotten yelled at by bikers who think I'm infiltrating their space. Deal with it, it's a lane for healthy people.)

Thanks to crazy Kelly from RHONY for first introducing me to this concept, and a random runner showing me it was actually possible and not just filmed for reality TV.

*Also, I will never be a great blogger. I seldom remember to take pictures.

Overcoming Obstacles

This weekend, I finally mustered the courage to try a yoga pose I've always been afraid of doing: plow (plough?). Yogis all over the world are scratching their heads thinking, plow? You were scared of plow? For non-yogis, here's a overview and video of plow (not of me, it was far too embarrassingly to include):

Plough or Plow (Halasana)

Regular practice of Plow Pose nurtures and rejuvenates the body's entire system. Halasana helps nourish the thoracic and lumbar regions of the spine by increasing circulation and suppleness, releases tension in the neck and throat, alleviates the accumulation of phlegm or mucus in the sinuses and respiratory system, and gradually assists in lengthening and regulating the breath.

Halasana has a calming, restorative effect on the sympathetic nervous system. It also assists in balancing the glandular secretions adrenaline and thyroxin, while also improving the elimination of toxins in the digestive and urinary tracts. Those with a tendency toward high blood pressure may find relief from hypertension in the pose. In the inverted position of Plow Pose, the brain is flushed with blood, promoting mental clarity and increased vitality. (source)

Not an incredibly difficult move, but one I've always skipped right over out of fear. Why? I had scoliosis when I was younger, and as a result, had surgery to straighten my spine. I now have two metal rods that run the length of my spine, helping keep everything in place. I had always just assumed that the move was out of my wheelhouse, giving up before even trying. I had also just always assumed that a yoga teacher would secretly 'judge' me about asking about such a simple pose.

I've been taking a Yoga For Beginners Workshop at Yoga Vida, and yesterday was our final session. I finally decided I was being silly and I'd just ask the teacher for help. I don't know why I had such a problem with this- I signed up for the workshop to make sure I was doing poses correctly and finally learn modifications for my back. And she had already helped me with a modification for upward-facing dog, a pose I had always found very painful when done in the regular position. So it wasn't like she a) wasn't aware of my scoliosis and b) hadn't already helped me! 

Silly Allie. After class ended, I approached her with my question, feeling quite ridiculous. She didn't bat an eye, but instead eagerly worked with me to achieve the pose- first talking with me about my fear and the fact that it was probably my mental fear holding me back more than anything, but that she would watch me to make sure nothing was going wrong physically when I attempted the pose. And then coaching me through the position several times until I felt comfortable doing it on my own.

And guess what? After a few attempts, I couldn't believe I had ever been afraid to try!

It's not perfect, and I did feel a twinge of pain, but I learned that it was because of my tight hamstrings, not my back. At the end of the pose, your legs are supposed to reach behind you and touch the ground--- but they can't do that if you have super-tight hamstrings. Um, hello runner hamstrings. Which also led to a conversation about running and the benefits of yoga. Exactly the opposite of what I thought would happen!

So why was I so scared? It's very humbling to have to ask for help. It means you're swallowing your pride and trusting that the person you're exposing your insecurities to will handle them with care. And it takes me a lot longer than I'd like to admit to get to a place where I'm willing to ask for help. It's something I'm working on, and will probably continue to work on for the rest of my life, but I'm slowly learning that it's ok to just to take a deep breath and admit you need help. Especially when 99% of the time it ends in a positive learning experience! 

Plan Of Attack

After a perfect race in Myrtle Beach, I'm ready to challenge myself for the NYC 1/2. I've wanted to run this half ever since I interned in the city during college (which embarrassingly, was so long ago, the race was still held in August!), but have never been able to get in through the lottery.

I'm suspicious of the NYRR lottery- it seems too lucky to get into both the marathon and the half back-to-back after years of trying with no luck, but I'll take it! I secretly think that everyone who was supposed to run the 2012 NYC Marathon and applied for the 1/2 got in, no questions asked- I've seen too many runners around the blogosphere who were NYC marathon refugees get into the 1/2 to think otherwise. To which I say, thank you NYRR, you do have a soul!

Anyway, I digress. Plan of attack for NYC. I'm no dummy, there are just a few weeks until the race, but I do want to take some time off to reach a goal of 1:48 flat. That's 36 seconds faster than Myrtle Beach, which I'm going to make more manageable by breaking down to average pace.

My pace in Myrtle averaged out to an 8:16. I ran a tad bit further than 13.1, which is to be expected, but if I plan to run 13.1 miles at an average pace of 8:14, I'll be aiming for a 1:47:51. Given that you always run just a little bit further than race distances, I think an 8:14 average can put me right at 1:48:00. Looking at my splits from Myrtle Beach, I think this is a reachable goal. I had 6 miles at or under 8:14, and now my challenge is to get all of them there.

My training schedule for the next few weeks will look like this: 3 weekday runs with one speed workout, one run focused on hills, and one focused on just getting the mileage in at at decent pace. Capped off with a weekend long run with hills, and one day of cross training to round the week out. I started this little plan this week, and my 10 miler in Central Park (done on Friday to avoid the rain) kicked my booty. From being sick and then retreating to the treadmill in bad weather, I hadn't run in Central Park in over a month. I was sucking wind like crazy when it hit me: I have no excuse to feel like this on race day.

My run in Central Park is the exact 1st half of the course. Cat hill, Harlem Hills, love them or not, we're running them on March 17th. I have 'home field' advantage and it would be stupid to waste it by not running those damn hills every time I can. Hopefully a few uncomfortable runs in the next few weeks will translate to a better race experience on March 17th! I'm really hoping to reach 1:48 on race day, but if nothing else, hopefully this plan will get me to the finish line feeling good and ready to drink a green beer to celebrate St. Patrick's Day!

Have you run the NYC half before? Running it this year? Any tips?

Myrtle Beach 1/2 Marathon Review

I think I'm still coming down from my big PR! But would I run the Myrtle Beach 1/2 Marathon again? Eh, that's a toss-up. The Myrtle Beach 1/2 Marathon (and Marathon) is a small, local race that features a flat, fast course. While I love the race because I ran it with my parents (who both ran it in 1:57 and change!!!), I think there are probably other races that could offer a better overall experience.

Can your parents run a 1/2 marathon?

Myrtle Beach (or the dirty Myrtle as we fondly referred to it during beach week in college) is a hot spot during the summer. Trust me- it's not the prettiest SC beach, but it's a popular one, packed with tourists from all over the world enjoying the beach and golf (apparently, it's a really good golf spot). The main industry is tourism.. hence the running of the race in the off-season- a way to bring in revenue during a low time! ;)

Below is a list of pros and cons from this race:

The good stuff:

1. The weather is nearly perfect. If the race was held in the summer, more than one person would pass out from heat exhaustion. It gets HOT in the summer in SC with temperatures steady in the 90s/100s, even in the early morning. The race started out in the high 30s and we finished in the mid 50s... which is even a little on the chilly side for this time of year in SC, but perfect for running. And wildly enough, it actually snowed later that night!

2. There are hotels galore. Because it's the off-season, hotels have tons of vacancies and prices are really cheap for a 'beach destination.' We stayed in one of the recommended race hotels, and the room was only $89/night!

3. No need to be at the race earlier than 30 minutes before the start. The race started ridiculously early for a winter race- 6:30! We didn't want to wake up and stand in the cold any longer than we had to, so we left the hotel at 5:45 and were parked and standing in the bag-drop line by 6:05. Because there are plenty of hotels, you can find one really close to the race start, which makes getting to the race by a car a really great option. The race was running shuttles, too, but when we left at 5:45, it still hadn't picked up at our hotel- and our hotel was 2nd on the route. Once at the start, we stood longer in the bag drop line (which was really disorganized, so there's a tiny downside) than in the porta-potty line. We missed the gun with the combo of waiting for the bag drop/bathroom, but we were still able to cross the start line just 2 minutes after the gun went off.

4. Flat, flat, flat course and sweet Southern hospitality along the way. Have I mentioned this course is flat? It's flatter than the West Side Highway. It's not the most scenic course, but if you're looking for a PR, you've got an excellent shot at Myrtle Beach. Especially since runners were so nice about looking out for each other! Seriously, I got so many 'excuse me' and 'I'm sorry' when runners cut over to the water tables- that never happens in NYC! Also, I wish I had taken a picture because it was quintessentially southern. The water cups at every station were Bojangles cups, and I just about died laughing every time I saw them.

5. Great Post-Race Atmosphere. For as small of a race it was, Myrtle Beach had a great post-race party. Beer tents (with more than just Michelob Ultra... blech!), a band, massage tents, and little extras like hot chicken noodle soup to warm you up.

The not so good stuff:

1. There are zero spectators on the course. Because it's the off-season, there are few, if any, spectators. The race largely runs down two highways, so there wasn't much of an opportunity for spectators to find a spot even if they had wanted to cheer. I also got the feeling that the city of Myrtle Beach wasn't really 'interested' in the race- the race runs down what would be the main tourist strips at the beach, so not exactly a place where a lot of locals live. It seemed like the few spectators were family members of runners, not locals supporting the race. Combined with the early race start, there would be zero reason for a local to 'stumble' on the race and stay and cheer.

2. Limited Expo, especially for the price. The race was shockingly pricey for such a small race! $124 big ones, and not even a technical tee at the expo! And just for reference, that's only $4 less than the NYC Half! Crazy! The expo only had a few little booths, but not much to see. Although there were baby tigers! (?!?!)

Did they spend my entry fee on the tigers?

3. Gun Timing vs. Chip Timing. Ok, here's my main problem with the race. Myrtle Beach uses gun timing vs. chip timing, so actual effort isn't necessarily rewarded. In my age group the difference in gun timing vs. chip timing resulted in 2 girls 'beating' me who actually ran slower than I did, and in overall results, dropped me down over 30 spots. When I emailed Precision Race, the group that handled timing, about the rankings, they sent me this rather nasty email:

Allie,

I understand your point about chip time vs gun time, but this race is USATF
Sanctioned and USATF rules require that official results be based on Gun
Time.  There are actually very good reasons for this.  Here is a bit of the
thinking behind this rule:

The first reason is that it is a race.   The first person across the finish
line should win a race.  We should not have to wait until everyone has
finished a race to see who the winner was.  Gun time shows actual finish
order.  It can be verified with finish line video - it is absolute and
uncontestable - unless someone cheats and cut the course.  Those who want to
win a race (or an age group) line up toward the front to minimize the delay
between gun and chip time.

Thank you very much for participating in the Myrtle Beach Marathon!

Bruce Bokish
bruce@precisionrace.com
Tel 919.349.1719
www.precisionrace.com

Um, I'm sorry you had to wait until everyone crossed the finish line, but it's kind of your job. And by your definition of a 'race,' we wouldn't even need chip timing! With 7,000+ runners, not everyone can stand on the starting line, so it's ridiculous to imply that people who weren't standing on the start line weren't there to 'race.' I know I'll probably never get on a medal stand, but I did show up to race my own race and this timing system/response really rubbed me the wrong way. Dammit, I put everything I had into the race-- and I want the results to reflect that!

Overall Assessment:
While the good outnumbered the not-so-good, I'd say Myrtle Beach is an overpriced race that is put on to help bring in a little money during the off-season. The flat course and the almost guaranteed mild temps are the draws for the race, but there are plenty of other Southern, winter races that offer more of a destination experience. My parents and I are already scheming for next year... we're thinking Disney World! :)

2013 vs. 2012

What a difference a year makes! My parents and I completed our 3rd annual family 1/2 marathon this past weekend, and nearly a year to the date from the 2012 race, the runs couldn't have been more different!

2012 Recap:

My sister, mom, dad, and I run the USA Rock 'N Roll 1/2 Marathon. I hadn't really 'trained' for the race, only running 1 or 2 times a week. I (stupidly) believe that since I had run a 1/2 marathon in 2009 I would be fully prepared (hah!) with or without strict training. I throw-up twice on the course and feel sick the rest of the day. And I run a 2:04:46, 10 minutes slower than my 1st 1/2 marathon (1:54:26).

And after seeing this picture, I realize how chubby I've gotten.

2013 Recap:

My parents and I run the Myrtle Beach 1/2 Marathon. (My sister is currently living in Australia so she couldn't join us, but she's running Brisbane in March!) I've consistently trained for this race, logging at least 20 miles a week with a long run of at least 10 miles. I've started to incorporate speed work and I welcome hills and bad weather as an opportunity to push myself.

Perhaps I have lost weight from running. (see picture above)

The Myrtle Beach course is flat as a pancake, and the 40 degree 6:30am start feels practically balmy after morning runs in the frosty 20 degree NYC temps. Wonders of wonders, I don't have to stop and go to the bathroom (a rare occurrence with my anxious belly), and I feel absolutely GREAT the entire time.

And I run 16 minutes faster than the year before, clocking in at 1:48:35.

Hey, shiny new PR! That's a 6 minute PR from my 1st 1/2 in 2009 and more than a minute/mile faster than the awful race in 2012! I was really proud of my splits- outside of a slow first mile (course review coming soon), I was able to stay fairly consistent from mile to mile, even seeing a slight negative split!

How flat can a course be?

I placed 23rd in my age group (out of 201) based on gun time (really, what race uses gun time?!?), but based on chip time, I placed 21st! That's probably the first and last time I'll place in the top 10%... small town races can be really good for your psyche ;)

Now I'm excited to get to work for my new 'hometown' race... the NYC 1/2 Marathon on March 17th! The NYC course will be VERY different from Myrtle Beach (hello Harlem Hills!), so I'll really have to work to match my pace in Myrtle Beach. Plan of attack to come soon!

P.S. If you noticed... yes I caved and I bought those Lulu shorts. They were sold out in my size online as well as in stores... or so I thought. I was out shopping with my boyfriend and when I noticed a Lululemon across the street from J.Crew, I had to pop in and check! And guess what? They had only 2 pairs of shorts left in the store- and 1 of them was in my size!! And I couldn't leave the store without them after all that talking and searching, could I? ;)

Puppy Love

Tuesday night I may or may not have completely embarrassed myself with extreme excitement:

The feeling was not mutual.

Yep, totally did. We went to the Westminster Dog Show and I couldn't contain myself around all the pups, especially my beloved golden retriever.

A repeated reminder at the show: No, we're not getting one.

Did you know? The Westminster Dog Show is the longest running American sporting event outside of the Kentucky Derby. It was fascinating to watch- so much pomp and circumstance, and unlike most sporting events, very formal and refined! The women judges wore evening gowns and the men wore tuxes, and all of the handlers were in (mostly sparkly) suits. Now I really want to watch Best In Show- I've never seen it, but from what we saw at the show/what I've heard about the movie, I think it sounds spot on!

PSA Alert: how did we afford tickets to the show? They were free! We recently signed up for How About We, which I'd describe as a Living Social for dating. You pay a monthly membership for access to preplanned dates- anything from brewery tours to dinners to a private ice skating session in Central Park. Prices range from $5 to over $1000, but about half of the listed dates are free. Like the Westminster Dog Show! So if you book a few free dates each month, you'll easily recoup your membership fee (which is only $22 a month). And if nothing else, it's a great way to find new date ideas!

Now I'm headed home to see MY puppies and run the Myrtle Beach 1/2 Marathon! 2 HOURS OR BUST!!

And oh, Happy Valentine's Day! ;)

Running In The Snow

Since the streets looked like a slushie on Saturday, I opted to stay fall free and do my long run on the treadmill.

Yeah, not really into face planting.

Woof. I was supposed to run 12 miles, but after an hour and 6.75 miles (every 10 minutes I did a 'fartlek' at 7.5 for 2 minutes), I had to get off and regroup. I made it 30 more minutes for a total of ~10.2 before quitting - no amount of Forgetting Sarah Marshall and the Kardashians were going to get me through another 2 miles.

I know conversion charts show running on the treadmill equivalent to about 30 seconds slower on the road, but it's the opposite for me. I ran at 6.3 MPH with 0% incline (no way I was going to even 0.5%), which translates to 9:31 mile on the treadmill and 9:56 mile on the road.

(from Hungry Runner Girl, who runs like at a 9.1 while holding a baby)

I can maintain an 8:40 pace outside with (relatively) no problem, but ask me to run faster than a 9:30 pace on the treadmill, and I'm dying. I find it so HARD to run on the treadmill- mentally and physically. I'd rather run up Cat Hill or tackle the Queensboro Bridge any day- at least the scenery changes! I find treadmill runs demoralizing and defeating- I really hope the slush is gone before my next run on Tuesday!

On Friday I did tackle the snow and run outside-- I turned to Twitter to ask Jack Rabbit for advice.

@nyc_allie Go slow, don't over-stride, wear good quality winter running clothing. Fresh snow can actually be fun. Ice is a different story.
— JackRabbit Sports (@JackRabbitNYC) February 7, 2013

The snow was just starting to stick (so it may not count as 'running in the snow'), but the road was more than a bit slick in places. I took it slow over any patches that looked a bit ominous, and ended up having a great 5 mile run! Now hopefully next week's 1/2 marathon will be like the 5 mile run and NOT the treadmill run this week!

Just a tad wet.

Week In Review:

Sunday: Yoga
Monday & Tuesday: Rest Days
Wednesday: 4x400's on the Dreadmill (8.2 MPH with 6.3MPH for warm-up and 6.4MPH for rests in between 400s)
Thursday: ~6 miles in Central Park
Friday: 5 miles along the East River
Saturday: ~10 miles on the Treadmill

Total Miles: 24.8

SoulCycle 101

(via)

Last Friday, I joined a cult  tried my first SoulCycle class. I'd been curious about the classes for awhile, but after reading this article in NY Mag, I knew I had to give it a try. Surely it would be just another spin class. Wrong. It really was an 'experience' rather than a class, down from trying to book a bike to the party-like atmosphere. For anyone else new to the cult, here are my SoulCycle 101 tips:

1. You're Not Going To Get Into A Class. Well, eventually you will, but you won't get into the first class you try to book. SoulCycle only allows riders (soul-ers? cyclists? spinners?) to book classes one week at a time. Classes for the week (Monday to Monday), open up at 12pm on Monday, and if you're not sitting at your computer manically refreshing your browser at noon, you're not going to get into a class. Classes sell out within seconds. And forget about calling- it's not going to happen. What I found helpful is first calling at a random time to talk about booking my first class. If you call, your first class is only $20 instead of the regular $34. Go ahead and let them charge your credit card- this way, your account is activated and has a credit on it, meaning you can actually book a class online later . Doing this will mean you're not wasting precious seconds (seriously, seconds) at noon.

2. Bikes Are Like Manhattan Real Estate. And the bikes up front and near the fans are the penthouses. With SoulCycle, you just don't book a class, you book a bike. Bikes up front go quickly, bikes in the far back corner are more accessible. When you book a class, you pick a bike according to a floor plan-- you can see where the instructor is and where the fans are, so you can choose a bike you're comfortable with. Chances are, the ones in the front will be booked already, but I didn't mind being in the back. I could still see the instructor, plus when I found myself lost, I could look at the people in front of me to see what was going on. The instructor also isn't really hands-on, so unlike a yoga class, you're not going to miss out if you're at the back. I did, however, notice that the people in the front are crazy. Get ready to observe the most fit people you've ever seen do some crazy things on a bike.

(via)

2. You'll Find A Whole New Level Of Sweat. I run four times a week, sometimes in 90 degree weather. I thought I knew what sweaty was, but SoulCycle cranked it to a new level. Within minutes the sweat was pouring off, and I was worried my bike would become an island in a pool of sweat by the end of the class. Thankfully, the staff knows you're going to sweat buckets and gives everyone fresh towels. Be prepared- I assumed I wouldn't get that sweaty because it was 'just spinning' and not a 10 mile run.  But it was more of a full body workout, with an ab session kicking off the class and a weight session ending it... while you're still pedaling. SWEATY. My friend and I had planned to get drinks after the class... so I ended up going out in my sweaty clothes. Nice.

3. Even Though They're Much Prettier And In Far Better Shape Than You, The Staff Will Treat You Like A Queen. See above, re: towels. And extra attention if you're new-- sometimes I feel places discount the newbies to pay attention to the regulars, but the staff made special effort to make everyone who was new feel at ease. When we signed in, they put a little asterisk next to our names so the instructor would know that we were new. We were given free shoes (normally they are $3 to rent) and water, and shown the locker room. Once inside the class, a staff member was waiting for me at my bike to help me with set up. And even though I couldn't figure out the clip system and I'm sure he was silently judging, he stayed incredibly nice and friendly... even when Ms. Barbie next to me started flirting and trying to get him to 'help' her, he finished helping me first. They also followed up with an email, which I thought was a nice touch.

4. Your Instructor Probably Moonlights As A Therapist. Before heading into class, my friend and I were chatting to some regulars. They told us that they would leave class feeling so renewed, like they had just been to 5 therapy sessions. I was a bit skeptical, but the instructor did throw in some 'inspirational' messaging (increase the resistance! because life is all about resistance, let's get through this together!), followed by chants (ok, more like woos!) from the regular riders. A little weird if you're new and haven't sipped the kool-aid, but a nice touch. It's fun to see how into SoulCycle people are.

5. Or A DJ. Get ready for some jams. It's like a dance club, and the instructor even has a DJ booth up his 'stage.' Everything is done to the beat of the music... so if you're like me, you may be a little lost. Just have fun with it- I figure as long as you're still pedaling, you're still getting a workout. But look to the crazies at front to see the wildly choreographed moves of the regulars.

5. SoulCycle Is An Equal-Opportunity Workout. I thought it would be a room full of 20-something girls, but the class was split almost 50/50 between girls and guys, and there were people of all ages there.

Overall, it was a great experience, and I finally learned why people are so obsessed with the classes. But at $34/class, the price point is prohibitive for anything more than once a month... which is kind of a bummer. NYC, how 'bout some cheaper group classes??

January Recap, February Goals

Well I started 2013 with a great start... and didn't meet my goals. My goals were to run 20 miles a week and attend at least one Jack Rabbit group run. Jack Rabbit, check. 20 miles, not so much. I was doing great until I got sick, which resulted in a week of zero running. To which I say, Boo!

maybe next time, lulu.

I was just going to get those Lulu shorts after all, but wouldn't you know they were sold out everywhere? (unless you're a size 2. really, who wears a size 2?) Now I'll just save my pennies and make February's reward really great!

January by the numbers:

1: Weeks Sick and Jack Rabbit Runs

13: Hours Spent Running

16: Total Runs

23: Spam Comments. Lesson Learned: Don't Title A Post With 'Hungry.'

88.2: Total Miles for the Month

And now for February goals! Just to keep it interesting, one running related goal and one non-running goal:

1. Run a Sub-2 Hr Half Marathon! I'm running the Myrtle Beach 1/2 Marathon on February 16th with my parents, which promises to be warm and flat. If I can run the race like I've been running my long runs lately, breaking 2 hours is very possible!!

2. No ordering from Seamless Web. If you don't live in NYC, I feel sorry for you. Seamless Web is just about the best invention ever-- anytime you're hungry or don't feel like cooking, you can order a delicious meal from thousands of NY restaurants. 10am, 6p, midnight... something will be open and the food will be at your door in approximately 30 minutes. And on busy nights when I don't have the energy to dump pasta in a pot, I find myself leaning on Seamless Web. I took a look at my orders for January, and I was SHOCKED. I ordered from Seamless 5 times during the month for a total of... drumroll please... $104.18!!! Granted, a few of the orders were split with my boyfriend, but still. That's the equivalent of 2 weeks worth of grocery shopping. Or a pair of shorts and short sleeve top (give or take a few bucks) from Lulu. Dang, Allie!

No Seamless February is in full effect! I'm going grocery shopping today, and I'm planning on picking up a few frozen items that I can pop in the microwave if I get desperate--- I also don't want to rely on frozen foods for February, because that's not healthy either, but just want to have 2 or 3 backup items for the nights when I really have no motivation.

February, here we come! And the groundhog didn't see his shadow yesterday, so hopefully we'll have some more warm temps to look forward to :) What are your February goals?

So Hungry My Knees Hurt

I realize that title sounds ridiculous, but on Wednesday, I was so hungry my knees hurt. Really. I ran (a hard) 6 miles in the morning and then proceeded to only eat a Luna bar and a bowl of soup until 8p, at which point I was making dinner with my boyfriend and told him I was so hungry my knees hurt. He of course, told me that was ridiculous, but I can't help to think there was some correlation between running a little more than I usually do + eating a lot less than I normally do. I usually have a yogurt, fruit, and granola for breakfast, soup and a salad or soup and a piece of fruit for lunch, and then an afternoon snack.

Because I was rushed getting out of the door on Wednesday, I forgot half of my food for the day and then once I got to work I was so busy I didn't come up for air until after 2:30 for lunch, and then didn't look up again until 6:45 when I left for the day. And I realized I was so starving my joints literally hurt. Not good, and a reminder that I need to pay extra attention to what I'm eating on days that I'm running.

Thankfully, Thursday was a different story and I ate my weight in GOOD food. I got invited to an event for Purity Vodka that combined the principles of Eastern Medicine with cocktails and food.

Not every day that you have an acupuncture treatment (my first), followed by a shot of vodka, followed by a massage and a four course meal. A Razor A Shiny Knife created the concept for the event, (if you live in NY, they're the same group who did the gourmet lunch on the L train) and really put a great amount of thought into every minute of the evening.

When we arrived at the event, we were immediately handed an aromatherapy card to set the mood. We then spoke to an acupuncturist about which 'course' we'd take at the event- nourishing or restoring. Our courses were based on our stress levels, digestive health, and energy levels. I was given the nourishing course, and my first treatment was acupuncture to open up my respiratory system (we talked about how I was a runner, and apparently opening up the respiratory system will help me on my long runs). He placed needles on my wrists, hands, ears, and head-- it was a little weird, but the needles didn't hurt at all. After about 10 minutes, I was given a warm shot of vodka to further open up and relax (warm vodka sounds weird, but this vodka was surprisingly tasty warm), and then moved on to my first dinner course.

Crudites (in a literal garden made of hazelnut) and french onion soup accompanied by a clear bloody mary and bee pollen, yuzu, and honey cocktail.

Vegetables in a literal garden.

After the first course it was time for a massage, which was heavenly. I think I fell asleep. We were then escorted to the main portion of the meal, which started off with a vodka, lemon, and thyme cocktail and ravioli with egg yolk. Can we talk about how delicious the ravioli was? It was covered in white and black truffle oil (and I think the words duck fat were also thrown around), and it melted in my mouth. So good. The next course was steak and a dry martini, both of which, of course, were delicious. At this point I was feeling verrryy relaxed and full (hmm, massage or alcohol, you decide), but a delicious dessert table was waiting for us. I'm not sure exactly what I had- it looked like a cross between apples and a doughnut, but the dessert cocktail was to die for. Vodka, persimmon, and pine nuts. It tasted exactly like Christmas and I didn't care how silly I sounded for telling our host that. And oh! the presentation. I'm a sucker for good presentation, and the host had really put a lot of consideration into the plating of the meal and the stemware for the glasses.

I spy... how many different cocktails?

The evening was supposed to include with Reiki, but it was late so we decided to end the evening after dessert.

An amazing, if not odd, evening.

And today, instead of achy knees I have an achy head. Oof!

EDIT: Apparently my title choice attracted SPAMMERS. LOTS OF THEM. Turned comments off to thwart the attacks! Trust me spammers, this was a random day and I don't need advice on diet pills or any other weird merchandise thankyouverymuch.