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Why I’m Running The Lausanne Marathon

Before we get to today’s topic, here is a picture of our brunch date this morning. I mean really, how can you not smile when you see this face?

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Okay, so now back to the running talk. Two weeks ago, I was just finishing the ING Hartford Marathon. While it wasn’t exactly the marathon I’d hoped for it was still such a fun day with some wonderful ladies! 2013-10-12 13.22.12 HDRAs I was finishing, my immediate thought was that I never wanted to run another marathon. I think a lot of people have this during a tough marathon. But, during the train ride from Hartford to New York City I realized that the Lausanne Half Marathon, which I already had on my calendar, was only 2 weeks later. I started thinking about whether my body and mind were strong enough for a second marathon. Each year I’ve been tempted to run two marathons because there are so many wonderful East Coast marathons during the Fall. First it was whether I could do Marine Corps and New York City. Another year it was whether I could do Wine Glass and New York City. This year, I finally decided, after talking with Laura and Gia, that I wanted to give two marathons a try. When I made a pro/con list I had a hard time thinking of many cons. (photo source)

Pros:

  • Only 45 minutes away, via train
  • The town and surrounding area is supposed to be gorgeous
  • The entire course is along Lake Geneva
  • Out and back course means perfect opportunity to keep my mind occupied while watching people on their way back
  • Bo and other friends were already signed up for the half marathon or 10k which means friends cheering
  • Fall foliage along the vineyard hills should be gorgeous
  • First European marathon

Cons:

  • The course includes multiple rolling hills which will be challenging as I didn’t train on many hills
  • Only 288 women are signed up for the full marathon along with 1,000 men
  • Half marathon runners start at the turn around point 2 hours and 45 minutes after our start which means there will be faster runners passing me

I did not choose to run the Lausanne Marathon because I wanted redemption. After everything that I’ve gone through over the past few months, while I would love a marathon PR this year, I realize that it may not be in the cards. I am going into the marathon with no expectations or goals other than having a strong race and applying what I learned in Hartford. I want to enjoy myself and take in every single moment, appreciating the opportunities we can have while living abroad. I’m excited to have Bo on the sidelines cheering after his 10K race.

I didn’t share the decision to run the marathon with my family, friends or social media because I wanted to make sure my mind and body were in fact ready for the challenge. In fact, it wasn’t until we arrived at the expo yesterday that I committed 100% to the marathon. 2013-10-25 17.50.40-1I did the runs and rest days Gia prescribed for me over the past 10 days while eating healthy and cutting back on alcohol. I listened to my body and slept 8 hours more than 6 of the past 10 days. I’ve asked Laura for advice on a daily basis and read multiple marathon recaps from friends who have rocked hilly races, including Bobbi, Stephanie and  Meghann.  I gave myself the flexibility to make a last minute decision which also helped reduce the pressure. But, by the time we left the expo last night I couldn’t contain my excitement anymore. I am so excited for Sunday! 2013-10-25 17.48.492013-10-25 17.54.10We’ve enjoyed a low key day in Geneva, brunching with friends and picking up ingredients at the farmer’s market before going on a shake out run along Lake Geneva. 2013-10-26 11.40.08Now it’s time to hang out with my very Swiss 2XU compression socks and relax the rest of this evening with Bo, Ranald and Emily as we prepare for tomorrow! 2013-10-25 20.06.00

Any tips or words of wisdom for tomorrow’s race?

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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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