what long runs do to your brain..

convo w/ a friend who jumped in to run with me during this years nyc marathon:

friend: you look great! how are you doing?!

me: i don't know what i'm doing. where am i?

friend: mile 24, almost there.

me: oh. right, right. 

friend: keep going, you're doing great!

me: thanks. (as i'm running away, i blatantly remember thinking about googling jack-o-lanterns when i got home)

also, i dont remember this conversation at all, he had to remind me of it after the race.  i do, however, remember the jack-o-lanterns.

i want pancakes.

Sh!t Runners Say

the last of the "mile markers" quotes as i just finished the book (surprise, surprise)

1. There is a certain endurance rush reserved for those of us who have to work extra hard just to stand on the start line and dream. (on how running does not come easily to her)

Armstrong, Kristin (2011-03-01). Mile Markers (p. 232). Rodale. Kindle Edition.

2. If you have experienced .2, then you will never be the kind of person who does something “almost” or “half-assed.” You will never hastily approve something that isn't done right. You will never take a shortcut on effort just because no one is watching. You will never say, “Eh, it doesn't matter.” Because it does matter. If you have slogged or sprinted through the final .2 of a marathon, then you know intimately the difference between 26 and 26.2. And it's not as simple as 200 meters.

Armstrong, Kristin (2011-03-01). Mile Markers (pp. 275-276). Rodale. Kindle Edition.

quotes from "mile markers" - day 3.

1. Every runner knows how hard it is to begin, to motivate, and to fight inertia. Our instinct as runners is to encourage.

Armstrong, Kristin (2011-03-01). Mile Markers (p. 133). Rodale. Kindle Edition.

2. Start-line fear makes my heart race faster than the effort of racing itself.

Armstrong, Kristin (2011-03-01). Mile Markers (p. 146). Rodale. Kindle Edition.

3. Some experienced runners say the race doesn't even begin until mile 20—until the wall. That's when you find out what you are really up against and, in that same sweet moment, what you are really made of.

Armstrong, Kristin (2011-03-01). Mile Markers (p. 212). Rodale. Kindle Edition.

quotes i love from "mile markers" - day 2.

1. I think there are few more potent metaphors between running and life than those derived from the subject of endurance. When we consider what we are really training for, why we care so much, why we are willing at all, it becomes as obvious as a black bra under a white T-shirt. We want to be able to endure. When life throws us some difficult miles, we want to know that we can suck it up and prevail.

Armstrong, Kristin (2011-03-01). Mile Markers (pp. 85-86). Rodale. Kindle Edition.

2. This has nothing whatsoever to do with race results, placings, PRs, split times, training programs, gender, age, racing schedule, weekly mileage, or pace bands. This has to do with something deep, something tender, something profound, something powerful, and something untouchable about who we are in our hearts. This is why we recognize each other, on the road or in coffee shops, and we nod and smile.

Armstrong, Kristin (2011-03-01). Mile Markers (p. 123). Rodale. Kindle Edition.

quotes i love from kristin armstrong's "mile markers" day 1.

Mile Markers on amazon

1.  Getting to know someone on a long run is more intimate and fulfilling than conversations anywhere else.

2. Runners are an inherently spiritual crew, having firsthand experience with the concept that the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak.  Going physically beyond yourself helps you understand that there is something bigger and mightier than you.

3. Some days it's good to run.  Some days it's even better to be a fan.

4. If my mother saw the decline of my manners while running, she would be appalled.

true story: i read running books.

you'd think that on my "down time" or time that isn't spent running/training for something, that i'd want to fill my mind with things other than running.  yea, apparently that is not the case as i am on my third running book in the past 2 months.

first, i read hal higdon's book, marathon: a novel.

• this is a fiction book about a big-city marathon.  absolutely fantastic read.
• favorite quote: "i can only defeat myself if i fail to achieve my potential on any given day."

next, i read meb keflezighi's book, run to overcome.

• if you read this blog, you know about my obsession with meb, who WON THE US OLYMPIC MARATHON TRIALS THIS PAST SATURDAY!!!
• i met him, we're practically best friends.

bffs, obviously.

• this book tells the amazing story of how meb became a runner, an elite athlete and a US olympic medalist.  it truly is an inspiring read.
• favorite quote: too many to list.  what i should have done was write them down as i was reading.  now i'm going to have to go back and do some highlighting.

as of today, i am reading kristin armstrong's book, mile markers.

• in order to not have the same difficulty as i am now experiencing with meb's book (loving too many quotes and not writing them down), i'm going to blog the quotes i love in this book right away. stay tuned.

any other suggestions for running books?  running movies?  i've recently become obsessed with both (go figure).

date a girl who runs.

i read this on a blog that i follow and i just had to share. below is the link to jaymie's post as well as the text that made me want to fly to the philippines and hug her.

Date a Girl Who Runs

Date a girl who runs. Date a girl who chooses to move than to let the world pass her by. She will cover the roads with you while talking about the mundane to the profound without gasping for air. She will notice and appreciate the little things: the extra cushioning of her shoes, the softness of the pavement vs concrete, or how much cooler it is to run 30 minutes earlier in summer.

Take her to a race and be there with her 30 minutes before gun start. You will watch her fret over her gels, and her hydration, and the portalets. You will laugh because she gives so much importance to running as if it was her entire life. But, you will learn later on that it only shows how passionate she can be about what is important for her.

Hold her jittery hands before you enter the assembly area. She will hope to break her PR at the half marathon, but do not wish her luck; she won’t need it after all the speed work and tempo runs. Instead, show her a reassuring smile that she’ll be fine and that you’ll be proud of her whether she finishes first or 50th. Let her know that you’ll be waiting at the finish line—or at least you’ll show up there in case she finishes several minutes before you do.

If you find a girl who runs, never let her go; register for a marathon and train together. Be her best friend on the road. When she talks, listen to the joys of her first 5k, the pains of her recurring Plantar Fasciitis, and the 1,001 reasons why she loves to run while pretending that you can keep up with her “easy” pace. In between stories, allow her to take a sip from your water bottle or remind her when it’s time to take a gel. Watch her glow when she talks about running; she is in her element. She is running by your side.

She is happiest on Sundays, the day when she can run long with you. She loves to sweat, and the sore legs, and, of course, the hefty breakfast along with the good conversations that follow each run. Always have a cold, wet towel in the cooler waiting for her. Surprise her with her favorite post-recovery drink, low fat chocolate milk, and if she runs an extra 5km, spike it with her favorite coffee from Starbucks. In her simple joys, you will find an abundance of happiness.

Propose after your first marathon abroad. Or drop the ring in her hydration bottle. Or run the trails together and end with a proposal at sunset.

When you marry a girl who runs, the only time you will see her slow down is when she walks down the aisle towards you. She’ll be a picture of beauty and strength in a gown with her running shoes upon her feet and all you will be able to think of is the thousands of kilometers you will run together. You will find the best running partner in her. You will talk about the household, career, and finances during your long runs. You will fight during your hill training and make up during easy runs.

She will never force your children to run, but they will learn to love it when they see her passion for running. She will make living a healthy, active life easy, natural, and best of all, fun. Expect a lot of laughter, sweat, and sports beans. Running will not be a sport, but it will be a way of life for you and your children.  You will never run alone.

Love a girl who runs and she will love you back the same way she loves running. You will ask her why she loves running and she’ll answer: Because I can. You will ask her why she loves you and she’ll reply: Because I do.

NOTE: I wrote this after I chanced upon Jayvee Fernandez’ blogpost Date a Girl Who Blogs. Jayvee was inspired by Date a Girl Who Reads.

thank you, jaymie. this was brilliant.

i really need to not be sick by saturday. this girl needs a run.

i knew i had guaranteed entry - but i still got excited when i received this from nyrr:

I got all giddy and claimed my "I'm in to finish" badge!

that's right baby! running my 4th NYC Marathon on November 4, 2012. bring it!

2012 new years resolution.

my new years resolutions in no particular order:

• become a smarter grocery shopper (listing out what i want to make that week, the ingredients, and buying those... anyone else guilty of having a fridge full of food and nothing to make a meal out of?)
• spend more time with friends (no, ang, you do not have to sit on your couch every night just because you have to work in the morning.  get your butt up and go behave like a 25 year old)
• take better care of my skin (this may mean either never running again or just learning to run really really fast)
• sub-4:30 marathon (i'm coming for you, chicago)
• beating 1,016 miles in 2011.  i'm at 4 miles right now. good start, yes?

anything else i should tack onto there?  stop being a bitter angry woman, you say? maybe in 2013.