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Pinterest Marathon Race Recap Boards

This year I opted to run the ING Hartford Marathon due to my dear friend Amy’s persuasive skills – she wanted to support her sister in law and Hartford is just a train ride away from NYC. Her sister-in- law was more than willing to host us for the weekend and I ended up partnering with the Hartford Marathon Foundation to drive awareness about the marathon. The weekend was a wonderful experience and the perfect girls weekend for me and Amy, as we’ve enjoyed girls’ running weekends together for more than 7 years. VIP after party

However, there is a part of me that misses the excitement that comes with running a large marathon.

  • Fellow runners across the internet providing motivation and words of advice
  • Facebook groups and in depth race pages which provide details about every curve, feedback from people who have run it in years past and tips & tricks
  • The opportunity to meet fellow bloggers and readers due to the number of people congregating in the marathon city
  • Streets lined with people, sometimes as deep as 20 people, just wanting a chance to cheer on a friend or looking for an excuse to party and celebrate

Part of me wishes I’d signed up for a large marathon in addition to Hartford. But, it’s a good thing I didn’t as there is no way I could make another flight back to the United States. Preparing for the ING Hartford Marathon wasn’t as easy as New York City or even Philadelphia, which I signed up for last minute due to Sandy.  I wasn’t able to chat with people who were familiar with the course. There was only one race recap I could find online which unfortunately was from the old course. Sure, maybe there is some benefit of showing up at a marathon with no clue what to expect. Every turn becomes a new adventure and there is no part of the race that is familiar or boring. But, I’ve found that I’m a runner who likes to know what to expect. I like training for the idiosyncrasies of a course.

At work the other day, I had the opportunity to gush about the New York City Marathon to one of our marketing directors who is running it for the first time this year. I introduced him to my Pinterest boards via email following our conversation. After my 20 mile run with Charlie, who is heading to New York City next week to conquer 26.2 miles, I sent her the link to my NYCM Pinterest board. Each time I share the link, people thank me profusely. Each recap makes their future steps and journey seem a bit more real. Reading and learning from those who ran before them helps calm the nerves. I realized this year just how much I missed that aspect of the race preparation. There was no movie to watch for inspiration. There was no book to read about each of the boroughs. There were no race recaps to study. There was a video posted on their YouTube page but that just made me nervous as it wasn’t taken on race day so all I saw were empty suburban streets.

Don’t get me wrong. The Hartford Marathon was a wonderful experience this year and due to circumstances it was the right marathon for me. It allowed me to learn about dealing with negative self talk during a marathon, boredom and loneliness. It helped me realize just how special my New York City Marathon memories are. You better believe that I’m putting my name in the lottery this year for the 2014 New York City marathon. The energy and passion that radiates from the marathon is contagious and I can’t wait to feel that again.

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As I’ve realized how much these Pinterest boards help my friends and colleagues, I’ve decided to make more of them, covering more marathons, focusing first on the Fall ones. Thus far, I’ve collected race recaps for the following marathons:

But, as I’ve made these boards, I realize how much each recap inspires me. Therefore, it’s my goal to make them for most of the big marathons including some of the upcoming Spring marathons such as Boston, Cincinnati, Country Music, Big Sur, San Diego, and Vermont City.

I hope these boards help you or a friend who is preparing for their marathon. If you have a race request, just send it my way! Good luck!

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Cooking Therapy

I worried about my emotions as I returned to Geneva yesterday. I was exhausted as I stepped off the plane in Geneva after ten days of constant meetings, social events, moving from place to place, and a little thing called running a marathon. Don’t get me wrong – these 10 days were wonderful and we are so thankful we had an opportunity to see friends just 3 months after moving. Most people who are living abroad only fly back to their home country 1-2 times per year, maximum. This year, we will be back in the United States 2 times within the first 6 months of our move.

But, regardless of exhaustion, I felt like my mood when I arrived in Geneva would match the gray skies. I figured that I would find myself at home, alone, depressed about the situation after 10 fun filled days. Instead of succumbing to unhealthy thoughts or actions, I proactively worked to overcome this pending emotion and was actually able to find a healthy way to avoid it.

Instead of focusing on how much I will miss our friends or our home city of New York, I focused on making my Geneva home truly feel like a home last night. After going through emails and catching up on work for a few hours, I headed to the grocery store. I still find the grocery stores in Geneva to be a foreign and confusing proposition, unlike the friendly aisles of Publix and Whole Foods. I haven’t figured out the organization, if there is one, and therefore it makes shopping take far longer than normal. In order to make the process easier I decided that going in with a plan would allow me to organize my thoughts and also have translations readily available, in case I couldn’t find a product.

I spent 15 minutes finding a recipe (Turkey Pumpkin Chili), typing the ingredient list into Google translator, pushed translate and then copied the text over to an email which I sent to myself. This simple task made grocery shopping in a foreign store so much more manageable. I picked up all the produce and dairy items first, which tend to be easier. Then, using my translation list, I asked for help finding the smaller items which were hiding such as ground chicken, a few spices, and beans. Having the power of knowing the French terms made asking for help less intimidating. Having a recipe that excited me made the process of searching for items and the entire grocery shopping experience more fun as I knew it was a means to the end – a delicious and healthy home cooked dinner.

Don’t get me wrong. I’ve been cooking in Geneva the past few months but I haven’t been making recipes and getting creative in the kitchen. Instead I feel as if I’ve been preparing simple dishes such as a heated vegetable, protein and carbohydrate. This process left me bored and uninspired. It’s amazing what a few minutes on Pinterest can do for the soul.

Cooking therapyLast night, cooking was my therapy. The hour I spent preparing the ingredients, simmering and constantly stirring the chili, crafting a flavorful salad, and then sitting and dining by candlelight gave me a joy I haven’t felt in ages. This unique and awkward space, complete with the wood paneling and small, dingy refrigerator and oven, felt like my happy place.

For so long, I’ve found my happiness in Geneva outside. Whether hiking in the French Alps or running along Lake Geneva this solace was something that I couldn’t find in my own home. Just in time for the gray Autumn months and bitter, cold winter months I couldn’t be happier to have rediscovered happiness in the kitchen.

Special thanks to Gena and Anne who inspired me to get back in the kitchen, one recipe at a time. If you don’t follow my recipe board on Pinterest yet, I’d love for you to join the party. I can guarantee you that a pinning party has just begun and it isn’t stopping anytime soon!

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Frank & Melissa Say I Do

What an incredible weekend!

There really is nothing better than celebrating a couple’s marriage. It provides a time to see familiar faces, meet new people, honor good friends, reminisce, dance the night away, and stay out too late!  This weekend in Saratoga Springs we had a great time with not only Frank and Melissa but also their friends. By the end of the weekend when we said goodbye to everyone we left with new friends in London along with a rekindled friendship with Gena whom we met years ago through Melissa.

I kicked off yesterday’s festivities around 8am with Melissa for a walk around Saratoga Springs. It gave us some time to catch up, just the two of us, and reminisce on the wonderful relationship she and Frank have enjoyed. Melissa was my first New York City friend whom I met just a week after moving to the city back in 2009. Frank came into her life just 6 months later so Bo and I have had the opportunity to get to know Frank over the years and consider them close friends.

IMG_3324 After our walk we met Gena for a morning juice and smoothie before the chaos of the day took over. Saratoga Juice Bar is a small juice bar in the middle of Saratoga Springs main street, Broadway, which serves cold pressed juices along with delicious smoothies from 9am until 9pm each day. Per Melissa’s recommendation, I bought the popular Saratoga Detox and Spirit of Life to enjoy during the day.IMG_3326IMG_3328For breakfast, we each ordered a smoothie, taking advantage of their many options and add-ins. I ordered the Just Breathe smoothie (kale, spinach, mango, pineapple, banana and soy milk) adding flax seeds and substituting soy milk for almond milk.

IMG_3330At 10am the bridesmaids met in the bridal suite for a morning of primping and priming. I wish I had brought all my bridesmaids together in a suite the morning of the wedding for hair and makeup versus going to a salon. While I’m sure it is quite expensive, it is so much fun to enjoy a relaxing morning with the entire bridal party! The team did both hair and makeup which made it quick and easy for them to rotate through the bridesmaids and family. They were more than happy to accommodate our group’s many requests which included everything from no hairspray to Pinterest inspired looks. Melissa put a lot of thought into the morning and the room, wanting to ensure that everyone would have fun. There was a “getting ready playlist” she made which included requests from each of us along with lots of snacks, drinks, and plenty of seating.IMG_3350IMG_3347Since I knew the side bun hairstyle I wore for Meghann’s wedding was not only flattering but also lasted all day, I asked them to replicate a similar style. The result included a fun braid which helped it stay up longer and add a unique edge to the style. Both Gena and I sported it until the early morning hours with no issues.

IMG_3362For the makeup, I requested a natural glow with a accentuated eyes to ensure that my makeup matched the black tie wedding. When paired with my silk duponi black bridesmaid dress and the beautiful bouquet the look came together just as I hoped!IMG_3384Melissa was the scene stealer all day long. She was radiant from morning until night, smiling with excitement to finally marry Frank and looking absolutely stunning in her lace gown. IMG_3356IMG_3372 After hair and makeup our the bridal party headed to three different locations for the first look followed by pictures. We rode a carousel and posed among the vibrant fall foliage while capturing two hours worth of photos. It was colder than any of us expected so the swig of whiskey the groomsmen offered me on the trolley was more than welcome. We made our way to the church just in time for a quick bathroom stop before lining up for the procession. Everything went off perfectly and an hour later we toasted the happy couple on the trolley before heading to the reception site.

IMG_3398Their reception was breathtaking. The space was quite large which could easily be overwhelming but instead they filled it with vibrant lights, flowers and large table decor. IMG_3406 Before the guests enjoyed the reception they were escorted to a cocktail hour including delicious heavy appetizers and a Mexican taqueria bar including guacamole, quesadillas and margaritas!IMG_3411  IMG_3403 After cocktail hour we moved into the reception hall for a sit down dinner, toasts, and four hours of dancing! The salad and the harvest stuffed portobello mushroom was restaurant quality while the gelato bar was such a fun treat including a gentleman who took orders and served the gelato to each guest behind an actual gelato case! IMG_3415IMG_3418 But the main event was definitely the dancing! The dance floor was packed for three straight hours. More than 100 guests spent hours dancing to the music list Melissa and Frank put together for the DJ. We were all thankful for the large dance floor which allowed for true dancing versus akward movement in tight quarters. IMG_3416 IMG_3433 IMG_3450IMG_3438Thank you for an amazing evening Frank & Melissa! Bo and I wish we had a fun party like this every weekend!

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