Wind Advisory

A WIND ADVISORY IS ISSUED WHEN SUSTAINED WINDS OF 31 TO 39 MPH... OR GUSTS OF 46 TO 57 MPH... ARE EXPECTED OR OCCURRING. WINDS THIS STRONG CAN MAKE DRIVING DIFFICULT... ESPECIALLY FOR HIGH PROFILE VEHICLES. USE EXTRA CAUTION.

Wasn't feeling my best this morning when I started out to meet Cate for a run: my stomach was full, my left knee was creaking, my right ankle was stiff, and my range of motion was severely limited on account of the 4 layers I was wearing to stay warm. But naturally, as soon as I met Cate at the Williamsburg Bridge, I perked right up.

Matt Laurer is reporting that it feels like 7 degrees with the windchill, and windy it is. A strong cross-breeze made the run tough in both directions. Thankfully, Santa brought me some excellent winter running gear, including a hat with a hole for my ponytail and gloves with a pouch on the palm for house keys - genius! Not too many other runners out this morning, so Cate and I felt free to scream bloody murder every time an especially strong breeze blew. Makes you feel alive!

While I'll definitely be running during the long weekend, I don't know how much blogging I'll be doing (nothing says "Happy New Year!" quite like excusing oneself to update her blog...). I hope everyone has a safe and happy end to 2009 and a prosperous 2010. And I hope the Giants fire Bill Sheriden. That is all.

Love,

Claire

You Can't Plan Everything

After carrying on quite a bit about the inequity of my having to go to work this morning, I left the office tonight both a) in need of a serious means of blowing off steam, and b) with all intentions of running. However, as is so often the case, the powers that be were determined to throw me off course.

Bliss Spa was running 40 minutes behind schedule. Then after I finished there, I realized I forgot my gym shirt, and while running topless would have made for a good blog post, I don't think they let you have the internet in holding cells, so I returned home to get clothes. I also meant to pick up a check, which I promptly left in my bedroom. Naturally I only discovered this fact once I arrived at the bank. Back home, I looked at my watch and realized that tempus fugit, as they say, and perhaps I should get my nails done first, given how long it can take. And long did it take. And so I found myself, clad in the gym clothes I had to make an extra stop to collect, sitting in the pedicure chair at 9:30pm mentally backing out of my date with destiny. Or at least with the treadmill.

You may see these as excuses. And perhaps they are. But they are also just some of life's daily inconveniences. You can only plan for so much, and then you need to not kill yourself over it and be able to edit your plan when it doesn't work. Which is why I'm sitting on the couch in gym clothes eating string cheese and toast for dinner. Grocery shopping wasn't part of my plan.

Sunday Wrap Up

Woke up at 4:50am on the couch in my parents' house, wearing a blue sequined mini skirt and staring at a half-consumed bowl of cous cous balancing precariously on the edge of the coffee table. Not the most auspicious of beginnings.

I found myself in this situation after having enjoyed many glasses of wine and several bottles of Anchor Holiday Brew or something like that. I found it delicious. My sister said it tasted like a Christmas tree. She turned out to be better off for not drinking it and got to spend the duration of her sleeping hours in an actual bed, but that's neither here nor there.

I did actually manage to get my life together and go for a run this morning. Hilly 4 outdoors in the sunshine. The only drawback to the bright sun was that, in a moment of temporary blindness, I accidently stepped on a dead bird that was water logged an VERY squishy. Ew.

In anticipation of this, the first Sunday Wrap Up of my blog, I spent my run today thinking about the stats I promised to provide. Here they are, as best as I can remember them:

Number of Miles Logged: 30

Number of Beers Consumed: 3 on Tuesday, 1 on Wednesday, 5 on Thursday, 3 last night, and whatever I indulge in while watching the Giants play their last game at Giants Stadium today. So somewhere between 12 and 30.

Types of Beers Consumed: Thursday was 2 Moretti (good) and 1 Peroni (bad), Wednesday was 1 Brooklyn Brown Ale (good), Thursday I had 1 Black and Tan (awesome) and 1 Adirondack Amber (fine) at the Fulmer's, plus 3 Bud Heavies (I'm a dude) at a family party in New Jersey, and last night was 2 of the aforementioned Anchor Holiday brews (good, but you have to be a beer-drinker to like it) and a Bud Light (duh) to round out the night.

Several notes:

1) Pleased with myself for accomplishing both of my running goals this week, which were to a) knock out one double-digit run, and b) run 30 miles for the week.

2) In terms of beer consumption, this week was actually wine-heavy for me, which is unusual. Chalk it up to the holiday season - I was feeling charitable and didn't want to turn away any lonely glasses of wine which sought my love and affection.

3) I think a good rule of thumb is to run more in miles than one drinks in beers. So I should start increasing my mileage...

Speaking of which, given that today marks 6 weeks out from the marathon, I'd like to get in at least 30 miles again next week. This will be tough given my planned New Year's trip to the Cape, but hopefully I can manage it. Other goals include getting a run in with Cate, which is already on ye olde calendar for Tuesday morning. Looking forward to breaking in some of the new gear Santa brought me!

In closing, I hope everyone had a safe, happy holiday season with their loved ones, and I wish you all peaceful, prosperous, and preferably beer-filled 2010s. Also, go Giants!

Creatine Power

Great Christmas Day yesterday! Woke up this morning and headed to the gym with Liz and was surprised to find it packed. I guess we weren't the only ones who stuffed ourselves with food and drink yesterday. Liz and I got on treadmills next to each other, so we were able to chat, albeit loudly over the noise of the machines; most residents of North Stamford now know the innerworkings of our various relationships and jobs.

Ran a fast 7.1 and did a little lifting. Afterward, Liz and I went to the smoothie shop, where I got a raspberry banana smoothie with a shot of creatine. I am secretly hoping I will look like the Hulk in time for the Hollerday Party tonight. Maybe I should start working creatine into my regular diet. Once in high school I was wasted and stayed over at Nick and Oliver's house, where we took creatine before bed because the boys SWORE it prevented hangovers. Perhaps I could further explore these dual benefits as a blogging experiment.

Hope everyone's enjoying the holiday season!

Christmas Eve!

In anticipation of the next three days of gorging myself on foods and brews, I snuck in a quick 4 miler along the East River this morning. I had been envisioning spending Christmas in the hospital with a broken ankle, but the path was plowed and salted and I made it to the Williamsburg Bridge and back uneventfully.

Strange but true fact: when I finished my run today and looked down at my heart rate monitor, it was reading 155 - between 15 and 25 bpm slower than my run last night (and my runs typically). I would hardly have paid attention to this fact, had I not read an article in the paper last week about this phenomenon: Ready to Exercise? Check Your Watch. I feel like a scientist!

Taking tomorrow off from running and will focus my physical exertion on capturing Santa and tying him to the Christmas tree, but I'll be back over the weekend. Until then, Merry Christmas to all!

P.S. - One of Life's Great Mysteries

Why is it that you can't feel your heart rate monitor chafing you while you're running, but the moment you get into the shower and get under the water, it feels like sandpaper rubbing against your ribcage? Mother of GOD that shit hurts. This calls for more beers.

The Return of Double Digits

Hit up the gym after work tonight and was pleased to find it largely deserted; I guess most people have already packed up and headed home for the holidays (I am working tomorrow, because AIDS doesn’t take a vacation). Avoided the new treadmills because a) the power of the fan is insufficient, meaning that I am a sweaty sweat monger, dripping sweat on myself and those on neighboring treadmills, and b) they are directly in the middle of the gym, where it’s more likely that someone will notice I’ve been monopolizing them for more than the allotted 30 minutes. I recognize these two facts make me a sweaty cheater. Deal with it.

Wednesday nights are boring nights for TV, and the roads are still slippery and sloppy from the storm, preventing a run outside, so this workout was extra tedious. Things I pondered whilst running, so as to distract myself:

- Santa is coming in two days

- Have I been nice this year?

- The fighting AIDS – that’s pretty nice of me

- Oh… but there were some naughty things…

- But they were fun! Santa likes fun right?

- Speaking of fun, I have to pack tonight. Not fun.

- But there are 5 Brooklyn Browns in my fridge. Insta-fun!

- What should I pack? Can I wear my sparkly disco skirt?

- That didn’t look that good last weekend

- I should probably run faster

That lasted about .25 miles. Only 9.75 miles to go! I also watched: How The Grinch Stole Christmas, half of a show called "The Middle" with the mom from "Everybody Loves Raymond" and the mean janitor from "Scrubs." and an episode and a half of "Glee" reruns.

Three drinks on the coffee table in front of me: Gatorade, water, and the aforementioned Brooklyn Brown. Looking forward to a reunion with Nina tomorrow, who is currently engaged in similar pursuits, according to what she just emailed me:

Can't wait to join her for that tomorrow!

Until then, sweet dreams of sugar plums, honeyed hams, and hoppy beers!

Foiled!

Yesterday was heavy on the beers (Italian. Morretti is great and under-rated. Peroni is Italian for Bud Light. Not in a good way) and light on the running, so I planned to start today off right with a run. Until I learned the wind chill is hovering around 0. Obviously I would turn into a redheaded popsicle if I were to run outside, but the gym is a solid 5 block walk as well, and I'd like to make it to Christmas without succumbing to hypothermia. Waiting for the daylight to warm things up a touch and will go after work.

If you're leaving work early today, I hate your guts.

You Like Me! You Really Like Me!

Yesterday 32 unique visitors came to my blog 43 times!! Granted, some were probably lost (one apparently stumbled by after Googling "giants punch"), but still. This is all terribly exciting for me.

While I'm here, I should mention that I've decided to add a new weekly feature: Sunday Night Wrap Up. In it, I will detail:

a) the number of beers consumed for the week

b) the type of beers consumed

c) the number of miles run

I recognize this is a daunting task, given that the number of beers consumed is inversely proportional to my ability to count them. Furthermore, this will make my mother feel like a failure (sorry Mom!). However, I feel that, to remain true to the mission of this blog, it must be done. For you, dear reader, I will make this sacrifice.

For reporting purposes, the week shall begin on Monday and end on Sunday, which I know is counterintuitive, but that's the calendar by which both my heart rate monitor and my online training tool operate, so it requires less math on my part. I don't do subtraction.

Tuesday morning. Which is really like Wednesday mid-day, given the holiday schedule. Is that math right? I can't be trusted. Anyway, here's hoping we can make it.

My First Christmas Season as a Blogger

Yesterday was a momentous day in the history of WillRunForBeer; thanks to the generosity and creativity of a certain robot-building genius, I am now the proud owner of WillRunForBeer branded apparel!!!


I can’t even express the excitement this brings me. I am going to have more than 4 readers!!! In addition to hoodies, I am also in possession of a WillRunForBeer singlet, which I fully intend to wear not only during the Surf City Marathon, but also during regular trips to the gym. And the mall. And the office! AMAZING!

I-man also used his genius powers to set me up with Google Analytics, which allows me to track traffic to my blog. For example, yesterday I had 2 unique visitors. Hmm… might need to work on that… GOOD THING I HAVE A NEW FOUND ABILITY TO MARKET THIS THING!

Speaking of I-man, after reading this blog last week, he decided to purchase the aforementioned Vibram Five Fingers (I am a service to the community!). Though I offered him the opportunity to guest blog about this (and wear a hoodie while doing so), he declined, which means that I am left to tell you about his run. He wore his frogman shoes for 1 mile, which is the most he can run because he is not nearly as physically fit as me. Then he ate tofu for dinner because he is embracing the barefoot movement.

Okay, none of that is true. He did, however, report that running one mile in the frog shoes was cool. These are his exact words: “It was really different but pretty easy. The run felt quiet and so light on my feet. I would have felt like a total badass were it not for the girl in a sports bra next to me who crushed 7.5 miles at 8.6 mph barely sweating.” All this makes me even more eager to snap up a pair and test them out (also, to punch out scantily clad bitches, but that’s neither here nor there).

But that will have to wait for another day. After a wonderful Bone dinner where I feasted on veggie tempura with Kelly, Brennan, Leslie, and Cate, I went to the gym for a quick 5 miles in my boring, traditional, non-bad ass sneakers. I felt good, if a little full, but who knows how much better I would have felt if I were virtually barefoot.

The Giants are killing it tonight, and I was so engrossed in the game that I didn't even realize I was the last man standing at the gym. This fact made me feel slightly bad ass but also tired, because if I'm the last person at the gym before it closes at 11, I'm up way past my bedtime.

Short week, my friends! Hope it’s full of festive cheer and plenty of beer!

Walsh Family Olympics Part Deux: The Winter Games

Busy day, so let's get right to it. My sister's flight last night was cancelled, so I was left alone with the parents this weekend. Naturally, this meant we had to take advantage of the snow fall and participate in the Walsh Family Winter Games.

First on the agenda: shoveling. As an apartment dweller, I don't do shoveling. Even in a house in Waterville, Maine, I didn't shovel, both because I was 22 and didn't care about the affects of snow on my meth lab of a rental home and its environs and because I had a hottie landlord with a plow (you can thank me for not making the obviously "plow me" joke). But being that Dudley is from Buffalo, shoveling is among his chief interests. Well far be it from me to interrupt his pursuit of his passions. I did, however, photograph this:

Next on the agenda: wilderness trekking. After crossing the stream in the backyard to get to the shed and collect some wintertime provisions, Dudley and I went on a woodland walk. The splendor of this untouched snowfall was too much to bear. So I jumped into the pristine drifts and left my mark (no, not a yellow one):

My snow angel wears Uggs. Anyway, not equipped with a luge, we attempted the next best thing: sledding. Unfortunately, Dudley is not at the peak of fitness and struggled to pull all 105lbs of me (shut up, this is my blog, if I say I weigh 105lbs., then don't question it):

Much as we wanted to wait for my dear sister, being that it's already December 20th, we decided we needed to fetch our Christmas tree before we were stuck with Charlie Brown's bare sapling. It was about 12 degrees out, so we stalked the first tree we found, killed it, and tied it to the roof of the car. Here is Dudley, demonstrating he is both a saw-wielding man and a cowboy:

Next came the actual running. I went to the New York Sports Club in North Stamford for the first time today, and it was great. The place was both enormous and deserted. I hopped on a treadmill overlooking the parking lot, where I got to watch hordes of rug rats with HUGE hockey bags arrive at the ice rink for Sunday afternoon practice. Flew through 7 miles in 58:59 and felt awesome. After watching both the Ironman World Championships and Julie and Julia on TV yesterday, I was fired up for both running and blogging, so that could have been what was fueling me. That, and the fact that I knew I had cookies to eat.

Which brings us to the last disciplines of the Walsh Family Olympics: cooking and drinking. Mom and I elected to make a type of cookie called "Langues des Chats," which means Cats' Tongues. If this doesn't result in many years of expensive therapy, I don't know what will. In any case, I was particularly eager to get cracking on these last two athletic endeavors; so eager, in fact, that I skipped showering and went right to cooking:

Good thing I have that heart rate monitor on, because team building exercises with my mom tend to elevate my blood pressure to some degree...

In any case, a rich and full day of winter festivities today. 18 miles this week is not so hot (12 short of where I should be 7 weeks out from a marathon. Shit, did I just say 7 weeks?). Definitely need to get a double digit run in next week, which will require much mental toughness given the holiday and the delicious foods I keep finding in my office and at cocktail parties. In the meantime, you know what I'll be doing:

Holiday Party

Office holiday party last night. Packed my gym clothes and went to the party telling myself I wasn't going to drink so that I could work out afterwards. Until I started eating pigs in blankets and the like, and really? Who's going to the gym after that? So why punish myself with sobriety? Instead, I consumed a couple goblets of wine and worked it out on the dance floor if you know what I mean. Anyway, definitely didn't get to the gym. And I might have a meeting with HR today...

Happy Friday! I'm grounded until I go running.

So Many Things!

Good morning and happy Hump Day! Had a great run on this bright and brisk morning with great company; met Cate at the Williamsburg Bridge and ran down to Brooklyn. While her stories today could never rival those she shared with me during Chicago, she was nonetheless wonderfully entertaining. The time flew by, and I was sad to part ways with her on the return trip. I felt great, especially as compared with yesterday's "run." I have pictures and everything, but on account of the aforementioned shoddy internet, they aren't uploading. Time Warner, have you no respect for us new media types?! Anyway, Cate looked lovely.

On my way back uptown, I saw two different women running in the Vibram Fivefinger shoes! Unfortunately both were wearing headphones so I couldn't ask for their thoughts on them (though I bet on cold days like today, they don't keep your feet very warm). The second women, who was about my age, was running with a weird/stiff stride, but that could just be her normal stride. Or, maybe she was worried about stepping on dirty needles on the FDR Drive. Both are plausible. Either way, I am feeling infinitely less bad ass and trendy this morning, and will do a little research on these today. Stay tuned.

Happy Wednesday friends! Hey, we're nearly there!

Back to the Grind

With events and obligations every night this week, my pre-work run prophesy has been realized. The early wake up call wasn't too bad, save that as soon as I was awake, the heart burn that has been plaguing me since Sunday presented itself once again (yes, the logical response would be, "Claire, maybe that isn't heart burn..." But if I've spent the past 354 days not smoking and 348 days not eating cheese fries and still have a coronary, I'll be so pissed.) Easy 4 along the East River this morning. Unfortunately, "easy" refers to the pace, not the perceived level of exertion. Heart attacks will do that to you, I guess.

Quick question: is everyone in this city besides me completely idiotic (fun fact: the first time I typed that sentence, I spelled "completely" wrong). It is 45 degrees outside right now, and I just passed a girl who was wearing running tights, shorts, a hooded sweatshirt, and a down vest. RUNNING. Well, more like flopping, as she wasn't particularly dexterous in that get up. People, get to know Chris Cimino!

In other annoyances, something is wrong with our wireless network at my apartment, which means a) I'm stealing the internet right now. Thanks! JALTMAN_HOME! And b) it's a shoddy connection. I'm thinking of calling Time Warner and telling them that it's hard to be a blogger without reliable internet access.

It's already Tuesday. That wasn't so bad.

Saturday - We Made It!

Woohoo! Finally the weekend! Was super-psyched to sleep in a bit and leisurely get ready for my run. Another bright and cold weekend in NYC. 4 along the East River; body mechanics felt fine, but energy drained from the week. Thought it best not to push it with the hopes that I'll get one more run in this week (famous last words, given the party planned for tonight...)

Speaking of parties, if you're looking for me tonight, I'll be the girl in the wheelchair wishing she were on the dance floor; 50 walking lunges after the run today, leaving me sore. Hopefully it's nothing a little Guinness can't clear up.

I am a Liar

Sometimes I have to lie to myself to get my runs done. "You can stop at the next mile." "In another 5 minutes, you can slow down." Tonight was definitely one of those times. An uneventful (though seemingly interminable) 7 on the treadmill - not a single freak to annoy, distract, entertain, or otherwise capture my attention! I've been having trouble sleeping (and waking up... ugh) this week, so I'm going to try getting back into pre-work runs, as opposed to post-work death marches. Not particularly looking forward to starting this plan, given the forecast:

SAD versus BEERS

I am not a fan of the holiday season. Every year around this time, I start to get in a bit of a funk. Rather than filled with holiday cheer (and fruit cake), the 6 weeks between Thanksgiving and the New Year leave me filled with anxiety and worry. And sure enough, just like clockwork, today I started to feel a little bit down. Eager to find a cure to my blues, I sought sound medical advice.

According to the great internet Aesculapian clearinghouse that is Wikipedia, symptoms of Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) include:

- difficulty waking up in the morning

- tendency to oversleep as well as to overeat

- a craving for carbohydrates, which leads to weight gain

- lack of energy

- difficulty concentrating on completing tasks

Interestingly, these symptoms are strikingly similar to those associated with an overdose of Brewed Ettiquitte- and Ethics-Reduction Serum (BEERS). So as any good doctor would do, I sought to rule out one diagnosis over the other. I began this process at the gym.

Upon arrival, I felt immediately better, though perhaps this is related to neither condition, but to the fact that the gym attendant who scanned my pass told me I looked "so... legged!" Once I began running, I experienced continued alleviation of symptoms, which again failed to rule out one condition over another; past anecdotal evidence would indicate that both SAD and an overdose of BEERS can be improved by physical exercise (NOTE: this is NOT the case for all patients, and as such, those who are struggling with these conditions must use caution when determining the best course of treatment, particularly if the cause cannot be confidently confirmed. Some victims of BEERS overexposure have a violently unpleasant reaction to physical activity). If you have experience with either of these conditions, I welcome your insights as to suitable treatment and prophylactic measures. In the meantime, I prescribe a continued regimen of advent calendars and Bud Lights until condition improves. Dispense as written.

-Dr. 3:59:59. Bitches.

Cheated

First, I was going to call this post "Gypped," but I think that's a derogatory term, demeaning towards gypsies. Not that I am particularly concerned with gypsies, having practiced swatting their fake babies away with heavy guide books while in Rome, but that's neither here nor there. The point is, I was cheated out of multiple things tonight.

I came home to find 4 (!) packages waiting for me. Granted, I do all my Christmas shopping online, so most of these things were gifts for other people, but one was a package from Dudley. It was labeled "DO NOT BEND." So naturally, I jostled it around the whole way up to my apartment, trying to figure out what it was. It made a rustling noise when shaken and was flat and rectangular. I tore into the packaging to find my most favorite of all holiday traditions - an advent calendar!

You'll note that today is December 7th. As such, I had 7 whole pieces of chocolate (the really cheap kind that tastes like milk and sugar mixed together and made solid - aka my fave) waiting for me. I opened the door labeled "1" and found... NOTHING! WTF? "2." Nada. What kind of scrooge sends his daughter an advent calendar with no chocolate? But then I realized that the shipping process (and ensuing elevator jostling by yours truly) had made all the chocolates fall to the bottom of the cardboard frame, where they will be stuck until I get to December 20-24. That blows.

With no chocolates to eat, I decided to head over to the gym, where at least I could watch Monday Night Football on the treadmill. First of all, the gym is always extra crowded on Monday nights, because everyone is atoning for their mass consumption of weekend food and drink. When I first arrived, every treadmill was occupied! (Kudos to the guy whom, when asked if he was waiting for a treadmill, responded, "No, just waiting for my wifey.") Anyway, I finally get on a machine around 8:10 and channel surf my way to ESPN... WHICH IS BLACKED OUT! First no chocolate, and then no MNF? Worst Monday ever.

To console myself, I listened to the same song on repeat for the entirety of my 5 miles (Rodney Atkins, "It's America," which I thought was the lamest song ever when I first heard it, but now fires me up enough to run through a brick wall... or at least enough to drive a pick-up truck to the local Denny's to chow before going cow tipping. Stereotypes!)

I hope everyone had a nice Monday, during which they were not swindled out of anything. But you probably were. Because it's America.

Sunday in Pictures

Go Garnets!

Looking uptown

Tall

Downtown

Williamsburg Bridge

Running Rules of Thumb

Good morning and happy Sunday to all! I'm still at home, drinking my coffee and getting ready for a leisurely 7 miler to the Brooklyn Bridge and back. Cold in NYC today, so I'm looking forward to wearing a black, extremely tight Under Armor top and bright red, semi see through tights. Because I love the Garnets.

As I mentioned on Thursday night, the latest issue of Runner's World (January 2010) arrived by mail this week, and has some motivational, start-of-the-new-year type of things that I wanted to share, including the following list of Running Rules of Thumb. I've added my own insights where applicable.

Running Rules of Thumb:

1) "If you see a porta potty with no line, use it. Even if you don't need to." Fact: in the 2007 Philadelphia Marathon, I had to go to the bathroom at Mile 24. No porta potties in sight, a river to one side of me, and a wooded hill to the other. If I hadn't absolutely had to go, I would have waited two more miles, but this was crucial. I climbed up the incline, nearly breaking my ankle in the process, and hunted for a tree that would provide me suitable coverage. The squatting was nearly unbearable at that point in the race, and then I had to carefully pick my way down the slope without injury to finish the last two miles. I crossed the finish line at 4:01. Kill yourself.

2) "If you need to ask yourself, Does this driver see me? the answer is no." Next time you see I-man, ask him about his altercation with a motorist on Scofieldtown Road. Good thing the man doesn't carry a handgun.

3) "If you have to ask yourself, Are these shorts too short? the answer is yes." Again, I-man knows a thing or two about short shorts...

4) "1 glazed doughnut = 2 miles." For me, this rule is more like "1 trip to parents' house = 5 more miles." Seriously, sometimes I think Dudley is fattening me up like a Christmas goose. Every time I go home, I have to adjust my weight on my heart rate monitor.

5) "You rarely regret the runs you do; you almost always regret the runs you skip." Words to live by.

6) "Not everyone who looks fast really is, and not everyone who looks slow really is." Where do I fit on that spectrum, with the see through red running tights?

7) "Nobody has ever watched Chariots of Fire from beginning to end. Not even the people who made it." True for me. Also true: last weekend I watched West Side Story on Broadway from beginning to end. And I would be interested in repeating that act (Nina, please acknowledge my WSS shout out).

8) "You can never have too many safety pins on your gym bag." I always find them pinned to the inside waist band of shorts I've raced in, left over from pinning packages of Gu to myself. Then I forget about them and they go through the wash and get all rusted. Then I get stabbed in the hip with rusty pins. I guess I should start putting them in said gym bag, eh?

9) "Running any given route in the rain makes you feel 50 percent more hard-core than covering the same route on a sunny day." Word. Because I belong to a gym a few blocks away, I am guilty of selling out and getting on the treadmill in inclement weather. The only time this plan fails me is when it's early morning and therefore dark out, and I can't see that it's raining. I'll get dressed for an outside run and go downstairs and get to the street before I realize I should have grabbed my gym pass, because it's raining and windy and there's also a swarm of locusts. Naturally, because I wasn't prepared for these conditions, I'm inevitably wearing shorts and a white t-shirt. So for me, I'd say the percentage of bad-assery increases to about 75.

10) "If you care even a little about being called a jogger versus a running, you're a runner." Does anyone use the word jogger anymore? I would hate to be called that, it's true, but I think the film Anchorman brought it back in an ironic sense.

That said, I'm off for my daily jog. Have a great weekend, and go Giants!

Number 99

A great night here at Will Run For Beer! I know I said I was going to run outside today, but because I'm a genius, I realized that if I went to the gym after work, I would be able to watch the Bills-Jets game. Double bonus: football uninterrupted on a Thursday night AND immunity from the treadmill blues!! Had a great run, distracted by the game and powering through 7 miles (true story: two different guys switched treadmills to be further away from me. I can only assume this is because of my clapping, screaming, fist-pumping, and general football spectating behavior. Also, I'm wearing a dri-fit shirt, and you know those never really get the smell out, so that could be a possible contributor. But probably mostly the football).

En route home, I stopped to pick up a few necessities at Duane Reade - toilet paper and beer. I snagged a 6 pack of Bud Light Golden Wheat, which is surprisingly good. And at $6.99, one of the cheapest beers in Gramercy. Best of all, I returned home to find the latest issue of Runner's World waiting for me. Excited to curl up in bed tonight with a magazine, a beer, and a stuffed raccoon. Normal.

Well That's a New One

Let me preface this by saying I'm not some crazy skanky perv. With that out of the way, here is a story about the single weirdest running injury ever. I think I pulled my tongue.

At work today I noticed my mouth feeling sort of weird. Not a burned roof-of-mouth, not a canker sore. The muscles on the floor of my mouth felt... fatigued. I had no idea what it was from, but given that it was more strange than painful, I put it out of my mind.

After work, I slapped on ye olde Asics and headed to the gym, where I hopped on the treadmill. Suddenly, I was very aware of the mouth feelings. The treadmill enhanced this sensation (add that to the list of reasons treadmills are the pits). Furthermore, the longer and harder I ran, the more I felt this mouth aggravation. I know this to be true, because I was constantly monitoring my time and speed.

A-ha! Based on that highly scientific study, I believe this mouth injury to be the result of careful focus on the treadmill monitor. Unlike those gym-goers who throw the towel over the screen read-outs, I study them carefully. It's called a monitor people - use it to monitor yourself! Anyway, I think this intense concentration three consecutive nights has caused me to strain my neck in such a way as to put undue stress on my lower jaw and tongue. I should probably just become an orthopedist now. Is that the kind of doctor I mean? Sports physiologist?

I am currently numbing this pain with a Bud Light, which is made considerably more difficult given that one's tongue is a pretty crucial ingredient for swallowing. Aiming for an outdoor run tomorrow, pending the weather, so hopefully my mouth with have a break. And now that I've pretty much set you up for crude remarks regarding injuring one's mouth, or why I might want this injury to heal, take to the comments. You crazy skanky pervs.

World AIDS Day

Was dog tired today after a physically taxing and mentally draining World AIDS Day, the capstone of which was a gathering and remembrance at the Broadway United Church of Christ. It was awesome and amazing, but the fact that I went to church tonight better earn me some points with the powers that be. The fact that I went to the gym afterwards should earn me the effing Presidential Medal of Freedom. Or at least an invite to a state dinner.

HOLD THE PHONE I JUST TURNED ON BIGGEST LOSER AND THE FINAL FOUR ARE RUNNING A MARATHON. EXCUSE ME?! First, Rudy lost more pounds in 12 weeks than I weigh at 25 years. Now these bitches are one upping me yet again by running a marathon?! I mean, I guess I have nothing else to say since I'm not nearly as bad ass as NBC celebrities who lose half their body weight then run marathons without training. I'm sure The Biggest Loser has it's own blog, so you might as well go read that instead. Nina, is this payback because I dropped the F-bomb in front of the NBC booth at the Chicago Marathon?

Lucky Number 7

It’s official – my next marathon is in 69 (hehe) days. Grab your board shorts, kids, we’re off to Huntington Beach, CA!

With my registration official and my credit card billed (for the exorbitant sum of $109... I need to pick a less expensive hobby), I knocked off 7 miles tonight at the gym. Stuffed with stuffing, I had plenty of energy to burn. In addition, I was suitably distracted by Monday Night Football (this game is CRAZY!!), the hot but exceptionally sweaty and grunt-y guy next to me, and the whiny girls who pay for personal trainers and then complain in high pitched voices that their workouts are too hard. I hope you choke on a hair extension. Anyway, excited to have a new project (and a vaca to sunny SoCal!) to think about. Also excited that I’ve set out to race this one just for me – no time pressures (and no alcohol abstinence) to speak of. Just 26.2 miles of reflecting on 26 years of life. Oh God, that sounds overwhelming already; I’ll probably sprint the damn thing just to get all the feeeeeeelings over with.

Anyone interested in an early Spring Break the first week in February should definitely let me know. Anyone who isn't can feel free to send a birthday present to my apartment and I'll open it upon my return. Only 69 shopping days left!

Giving Thanks

Having just participated in Thanksgiving: Round 3, now more than ever, I resemble the turkey running through the grocery store (pale, fleshy, and awkward!). But I am pleased to report that this Thanksgiving break was a success! Many beers were consumed (including the one I put in the pocket of my coat when I left the Grill on Wednesday night...), several runs were had (also some walks. I'm getting really good at walking), and general merriment was made (much to the chagrin of sleeping family members, who wondered why some Thanksgiving side dishes were missing on Thursday, and just how it came to be that our pants were on the floor of the kitchen).

I hope you took a second to reflect on what you're thankful for this year (suggestions include: "I am thankful that Claire broke 4 hours in the marathon" and "I am thankful that Leslie has a window seat in architecture studio"). Now if you'll excuse me, I've gotta go run laps in the produce section...

P.S. - On Walking

Whoa! Guys, walking rules! Obviously I've been a funk lately - bummed about being sick and anxious about getting scarcely 2 runs a week in for the past month (what's that about a marathon in California in 9 weeks?). But that walk totally lifted my spirits!

First of all, walking is just like running, only slower (who knew?!). Not to be an idiot, but it would never occur to me to engage in any kind of deliberate exercise besides running. I mean, obviously I ski and play tennis and all that jazz, but in terms of a daily workout, I just don't think about doing anything besides running. But why?! Walking is so much easier! Instead of being a marathon runner, can I be a marathon walker? I think that deserves even more respect, since it would take so long.

Second, because I felt liberated from the usual running route along the East River, I walked down First Ave to Houston and up Broadway, which meant I got to see interesting things. Like the picture above, which is supposed to be a man walking 2 Great Danes, only I felt like a creep taking a picture of a man and his dogs from behind so I had to be covert about it. But the dogs were up to his waist!

Glad I restrained myself and didn't run because even just walking was tough on ye olde lungs. Also, if there's an increase in TB testing between here and SoHo, blame it on the fact that everyone I encountered was terrified of my hacking...

I've Adopted A Pen Name...

It's currently 6:03am. I am wide awake, lights on, coffee in hand. My legumes are aching for a run. Alas, my chest is full of... icky stuff. Mentally, I'm ready for 10 this morning, I'm so eager. But if the beginning of this month is any indicator, getting back to running before you're recovered and ready is a recipe for a long, drawn-out, icky chest-y ailment. This sucks.

Stretching/lifting indoors this morning, then going for a non-run (commonly known as "a walk"). In all seriousness though, send me your clean-bill-of-health vibes so I can enjoy the holiday with the fam. I'd love to get a run or two in with Dudley. Also, it's hard to write a blog about running if you can't do it, and Will Walk For Beer sounds like the title of an episode of Intervention...

Signed,

Coughy McPhlegm

P.S. Do you feel lost without a running blog to read? Too bad. But here's a good blog about sports in general, which I recommend you read if you've ever wondered what my Gmail away messages are all about: Deadspin.

Not again...

Once again, confronted with a plague. Twice in a month - how is this fair or possible? Anyway, took the day off and actually went to the doctor this time around, who reported that I'm probably not going to die. Got some drugs and then promptly drank a glass of wine with lunch - sick days rule!!

In terms of the race on Sunday, I'm going to play it by ear and see how I'm feeling. Until then, you can find me on the couch in Stamford, eating Girl Scout cookies and squeezing Jingles.

Guess Who's Not A Slacker

Proper re-hydration is key...

Another post-work 4 miler. Really sprinted the second half, so it was a bit disappointed to find I was only 20 seconds faster tonight. But I am still proud for going out at all, since the six pack of Bud Lights I bought yesterday but didn't touch were REALLY calling to me when I got home from work. I'm sorry, but good God, those are so easy to put away!

Speaking of God, there have been some questions regarding my upcoming race on Sunday for God's Love We Deliver. No, I didn't find religion in the Chelsea gay bars on Monday night (though that would be an ironic place to find it...). GLWD is an organization here in NYC that provides home delivery of meals to people living with AIDS (and sometimes cancer) whose diagnosis has left them homebound and unable to get regular meals on their own - no proselytizing involved. Check them out online. Think of God's Love as a synonym for delicious feast. Try to use it in a sentence. As in, "I'm going to get so drunk this weekend and then pick up some God's Love at Lyric Diner late night." The more you know...

Get It Together

Exhausted and extremely unproductive on the heels of my epic evening, I snuck out of the office early tonight and squeezed (squooze?) in a quick run along the East River. Felt a-okay. 4 miles brought me to an even 300 miles on my DailyMile counter!

Speaking of mileage, I’ve definitely been slacking off of late, and feeling increasingly guilty about it. Not only am I hitting snooze more mornings than not, but recent meals have included Shake Shack, bacon, late-night pizza, and mini candy bars – nary a vegetable in sight. Frankly, Chicago was long enough ago that, unless I want to be confused with the mashed potatoes next week, I need to get my act together. I guess it’s time to register for my next race to really light a fire under me. While I’m signed up to run a 4 miler for God’s Love We Deliver this weekend, I don’t think that’s quite the right amount of mileage to motivate me. Surf City Marathon?

Anyway, here’s hoping tonight’s run put me back on track (and tonight’s drinks with the Ladies of Development don’t derail me yet again…)

Make It Work, Indeed...

Last night I drank two Stellas, which would be unremarkable, had I not consumed these two beers:

-in a gown

-in a gay bar

-with the cast of Project Runway

-while watching a corporate donor assault my boss with his tongue

The Last Dance

Early meetings yesterday morning and a late event last night left no time for a run, unfortunately. I did, however, get a work out in last night by dancing to Donna Summer at Saks with male models in bathing suits. If it's wrong to be sore from disco dancing with half naked men, I don't want to be right.

Woke up this morning at 6:30 with the intention of running, only to be greeted by gusty winds carrying neighborhood dogs, school children, and delivery men down the street in an Oz-like tangle of fur, backpacks, and bagels. Opted to lift in the warmth of my apartment. Arms, abs, squats, lunges, planks. Hoping to squeeze in a run after work...assuming the traditional 5:55pm Friday dance party doesn't take too much out of me.

Friday the 13th. Ooooooooooooooooooh.

What a Difference a Day Makes

4 outside in light rain this morning. Unlike last night, my legs felt like trying to run in a swimming pool. I don't care what Agassi says; crank is most certainly a performance enhancing drug. The only redeeming aspect of this morning's workout was watching a dog catch a rat, which was a lot noisier than I would have expected.

Don't forget to thank a veteran today (I have one you can borrow)!

The Days Can't Be Like The Nights

Things are positively crazy these days, but rather than a stress-inducing obligation, running after work today was actually a much-need diversion. Plus I am on no fewer than 3 different kinds of cold medicine, so I was kind of tweaking the whole time.

Have more than $1 million in grant proposals due this week and have been fighting this nagging cold for almost 2 weeks. Managed to escape the office at a reasonable hour and without a splitting headache tonight, so I strapped on ye olde Asics. Was delighted to find that, despite the warm weather, the East River path wasn't jammed with other runners and bikers. Victory!

Threw in some squats and lunges for good measure, but only 2 sets since 3 left me unable to walk last week. Arms, abs, etc. Subconsciously preparing for The Biggest Loser tonight? Perhaps. Also, combatting the unfortunate discovery I made that chocolate really does ease cold and flu symptoms. In any case, it felt good to get outside and do something just for me.

An unfortunate side effect of taking Dayquil/Nyquil (the old standbys), Tylenol Severe Sinus (better than the 'quils at relieving sinus headaches), and Claritin D (the only one that actually decongests. As it should, since that shit cost $9.99 for 5 pills!) is that you really, really cannot drink alcohol. Really. I think your liver just turns into that shiny liquidy stuff Alex Mack was made of if you do. So no beer reviews today. If anyone wants to write in with one, or suggest one for later in the week, please do. Until then, I'm going to be chugging milk and pretending I'm wasted. I'm sure my roommates will be so grateful...