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NYC Runs Brooklyn Half Marathon Race Recap

Yesterday I completed my first postpartum half marathon!

Friday evening, once Katie went to sleep, Bo and I relaxed in typical pre-race fashion. He whipped up a delicious, pasta dinner while I set out all my race gear.

By 8pm, I was settled on the couch for the evening, relaxing in compression socks and excited for the morning’s race. I received so many sweet texts and messages from friends and followers, wishing me luck the next day. I headed to bed at 9:30, which would allow for 8 hours of sleep. Unfortunately, I was up four times to go to the bathroom between 9:30 and 11:30. I couldn’t pinpoint what triggered it but was happy to have it end at 11:30.

I slept well from 11:40 to 5:40, when I quickly jumped out of bed to get prepared for the race. As soon as I woke up, I heard the wind and rain. Instead of letting that get in the way of my positive vibes, I thought about all of those women and men who ran Boston in the pouring rain.

While getting dressed I used extra Glide, especially along my sports bra, shorts and sock lines. Then, I cut holes in a large, black yard trash bag and cut the ends off my compression socks that I wore the previous night. The size small is way too short on me so I realized that these could serve as perfect arm sleeves for race day.

I could tell that behind the positivity, my body was bundle of nerves as I could barely stomach my usual coffee and peanut butter banana toast. I sipped half the coffee and ate half the toast before giving up. At 6:15 I left the house and hopped on a Citibike, my preferred mode of transportation to Prospect Park race starts. The 10 minute, uphill bike ride was a great way to warm up my body and legs and by the time I reached Grand Army Plaza, near the start, the rain had changed to a light mist.

The race signage made it easy for runners to find our way from Grand Army Plaza to the starting area, just a few blocks away. Ten minutes later I had made my way through security and into my corral where I was greeted by tons of porta potties and other excited runners.  I spent the next few minutes chatting and doing dynamic stretches, while waiting for the start. I have to hand it to NYC Runs as they did a great job organizing the starting area for the race.  Right as they finished the national anthem I dashed to the bathroom one last time, hoping to be done. Spoiler alert – I wasn’t done.  Since I knew I didn’t have much in my stomach, I took 2 Shotblocks and water right before crossing the starting line, hoping this would help fuel me.

At 7:01 they announced the start, I took off the trash bag and by 7:03 I was crossing the starting line.  The weather was misty, breezy and humid but the temperature was delightfully cool.

 

My coach and I had discussed a race plan on Thursday, knowing that I’m famous for going out too fast, and instead would do better if I could execute the plan and finish faster, similar to many of my long runs.  Her plan for my goal of a sub-2 hour half marathon was as follows:

  • Mile 1-2 9:15-9:25
  • Mile 3 – 9:05
  • Mile 4-9 Around 9:10
  • Mile 10 9:09
  • Mile 11-13 As fast as possible, but sustainable, remember form
  • Mile 13-13.1 All out sprint

I wrote this plan on my hand so I could easily reference it.  I was smiling ear to ear when I saw that my first lap was 9:05 and my second and third lap were 9:25 and 9:06. This was perfectly on plan. As I approached the third mile I heard someone screaming my name, and was surprised to see my friend Zoe cheering on the sidelines. It turns out that she and Evann had been scheming with Bo all week. It was such a fun surprise and I was so excited to know I’d see her again soon. I took 2 shot blocks and more water, as my plan was to take 2 shot blocks every 3 miles.

After passing the 5k point the course leaves the cute, quiet, neighborhood streets of Brooklyn for Ocean Parkway. I’ve run this parkway many times as it is a common part of any Brooklyn half marathon.  Six of the seven times I’ve run it i’ve been bored to tears. The only year I wasn’t was when Amy and I were running together and spent the time watching for the many friends I knew running and were singing Brittney Spears greatest hits together since we were both listening to a shared playlist.  This is also the point in the race when signage became very confusing. There were mile markers for both the marathon and half marathon runners, but since they were the same exact style and color, many of us initially thought that the course was mismarked. Yesterday, I just told myself to buckle down and focus.  I was perfectly on pace for mile 4 (9:11) and then slowed a bit during mile 5 (9:21) due to headwind on the course and avoiding puddles. But I still felt good. I started to drop my speed a bit and was keeping around a 9:00 pace when suddenly I felt the urgent need for a bathroom. I quickly dashed back around, going back to the bathroom I’d just passed and was able to get in and out quickly, though I continued to have GI issues. I dashed out hoping to make up time and was able to hit a 9:21 and 9:33 pace for the next two miles. As I continued to run, I switched my playlist to the one of my favorite Spotify playlists, Song to Sing Along to in the Shower and tried to focus on the fun songs instead of my stomach. Unfortunately, I had to take another bathroom stop when I passed more portapotties at the middle of mile 8.  That bathroom stop meant that mile 8 was a 9:54. As we started climbing the hill back towards Prospect Park, I felt completely empty. I couldn’t hold down the shot blocks I was trying to take and just kept thinking that I had to keep moving. I pushed forward and up the ramp, hoping to see Zoe or Bo at mile 10.

At this point, I was mad and frustrated. As my legs still felt strong. I just had nothing inside of me. I was lightheaded and starting to have dry heaves. When I saw Zoe, just past the 11 mile point, she asked if I wanted company. I was thrilled because at this point all I wanted was to be done.  Since having my peanut butter toast I’d had three bathroom stops that left me sore and lethargic. My only goal at this point was to keep moving and not get into my head. I immediately apologized to Zoe. I told her I was sorry that she and Evann came out to cheer for me when I wasn’t going to have a PR day. Zoe reminded me that I not every race is perfect and even top athletes have days when they get injured, have stomach issues or have something else stand in their way. At least this was physical and not mental which for so many years was my case. We spent the next three miles making our way through Prospect Park and up the steep climb, towards the finish. I was focused on one thing at this point – seeing Bo and Katie at the finish line. On her sixteen month birthday, Katie was able to experience the joy and energy of a race finish for the very first time. As I did my best attempt at a sprint towards the finish line, I saw Katie on Bo’s shoulders, waving at every runner. That moment made up for the past six miles of misery and bathroom stops. That moment made every early morning and the hot and humid runs of training worth it.

Yesterday I may not have run the sub-2 hour half marathon that I hoped and trained for these past sixteen weeks. But, I ran my first post-partum half marathon after two years away from distance running in 2:08:35.  I have no clue what caused the stomach issues – nerves, too much cheese the night before or some random bug. I’ll never know, and there is no use wasting time trying to figure it out. Later in the day, I apologized to Bo for asking him to come out to the race and bring Katie since it wasn’t a PR day. His response was so true, and made me even happier to have seen Katie at the end.

“We came out to cheer for you so Katie can see her mom do awesome things.”

After hugs, pictures and of course, giving Katie my medal, we enjoyed a delicious brunch at French Louie, one of our favorite spots for brunch or dinner in our neighborhood.

Many people have asked me whether I’m going to quickly sign up for another half marathon since I’m trained and in half marathon shape. My initial answer, at this point, is no. I am content. Back in July, I hadn’t run further than four miles postpartum and now I’m in half marathon shape. Instead of focusing on another quick race, what I definitely want to do is stay in half marathon shape. Back in 2013-2015 I ran relaxed long runs throughout the year, making training for half marathons a bit easier. Since I have such wonderful friends in the area who also tend to run a number of marathons and half marathons, this is my initial goal, after taking this week off from formal training. The other thing that is preventing me from signing up from a race is my upcoming travel schedule. Between now and Christmas, I am traveling a few times for work and, more importantly, going to China for a “quick” one week business trip. There are three half marathons in our local area during December, and they are all either the first or second weekend, when I’ll be on a flight or extremely jet-lagged.  So, for now, my plan is to enjoy running, squeeze in a few shorter, local races during the holiday season, and hopefully run my next half in January or February.

Thank you for your support throughout this entire training cycle and especially leading up to yesterday’s race!

 

 

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Friday Favorites – October 19th, 2018

Happy Friday!  I’m thrilled to report that unlike last week, this week everyone is healthy and has had a great week. While it’s been a healthy week in our home, it’s been a really long work week. There are a lot of changes and things in motion with my team but it’s all good. Today, I will be joining a team meeting virtually for eight hours via FaceTime. Our team is experimenting with different remote conferencing options and this week I’ve had a few great one on one meetings leveraging FaceTime instead of our other computer conferencing capabilities.  While I usually do my best to join these full-day meetings in person, between Bo’s work travel and my half marathon tomorrow morning, a trip to Arkansas wasn’t in the cards this week.  In between this week’s non-stop meetings and conference calls, I’ve had the opportunity to get really excited for tomorrow’s half marathon. Picking up my bib at the expo made it all feel very real. The last time I ran a half marathon I was seven weeks pregnant with Katie and tomorrow, she’ll be sixteen months old! A lot has happened during those 23 months in between, but luckily, my love of running is still alive and well. I have a lot of things I want to share with you guys today, including the thing lots of you have asked me for – more fashion.

Now, let’s dive into this week’s edition of Friday Favorites, including recipes, articles, posts and of course, clothing items, that I’m loving this week.

  • Today Brooks launched their special NYC Marathon Pop Art Ghost 11 shoes. I was able to get a sneak peek earlier this week when Brooks sent me a pair to take for a test run. The vibrant pop art highlights some of NYC most iconic images including Statue of Liberty, an apple and skyscrapers. I have a feeling these are going to sell out quickly so head over to their website today to snag a pair for yourself!
  • I used to “runmute” or run commute home on an almost daily basis when we lived in Manhattan and Geneva. Charlie’s running backpack blog post highlighting the best backpacks for run commuters is a terrific resource for anyone who wants to do this but needs a trusted backpack that won’t chafe and will hold their gear!
  • Not only do I think this Fall Spiced Pumpkin Chili sounds and looks delicious, but I also love that Brittney’s recipe uses pantry staples versus hard-to-find spices or rare ingredients. I’m hoping to make this on Sunday so we can enjoy it next week as well as have a stash in the freezer. Did you know that when Bo and I cook on Sunday we typically double whichever recipe we are making so we can have leftovers in the freezer?
  • I love reading Cup of Jo not only because she’s the coolest mom around, who I tend to see on a daily basis since she lives a few blocks away, but also because I find myself inspired by her posts. Her Ode to Potluck has inspired me to send out an email/text to a few of my girlfriends in hopes of hosting a few potlucks here in the future. Having a potluck here means I don’t have to find a babysitter AND we don’t have to be rushed out of a restaurant or deal with reservations or over-priced wine.
  • I still haven’t baked pumpkin muffins this season and this morning I realized that I not only have multiple cans of pumpkin in the pantry but also two over-ripe bananas on the counter. After some searching I found this delicious Pumpkin Banana Muffin recipe that brings together moist banana bread with the warm, fall flavors of cinnamon and pumpkin.
  • When I shared a picture of our dinner Tuesday night, everyone asked for the chili recipe. This White Chicken Chili recipe has been a favorite of ours for years and I swear the leftovers are even better. The recipe isn’t what we consider a weeknight recipe since the chopping, but if you make a large batch during the weekend you can enjoy it throughout the week by quickly reheating it and pairing it with a simple side salad.
  • Okay, now it’s time for a fall Fashion round-up including these J.Crew items that I’ve been wearing non-stop since fall weather arrived in New York.
    • Since buying the Cocoon Coat (40% off) three years ago, it’s been one of my favorite items. I have a navy and white boucle style, that makes it a bit unique, but the coat is the same cozy, over-sized, warm version available again this year. The pockets are larger than normal, pefect for holding winter gloves or a scarf, and the oversized fit allows it to easily be worn over sweaters and winter layers. I wear a size 6, which is smaller than my normal J.Crew size so I definitely recommend sizing down.
    • The quilted vest (25% off) is a perfect transitional item this time of year and I wore my off white one yesterday over a cotton turtleneck. Many of my friends have these vests in different colors as they can be worn all winter long in the south and up here they are perfect for fall and spring.
    • JCrew’s tall high-rise jeans fit (25% off) me better than any other jean I’ve found and they tend to be half the price of the designer brands carried in most department stores.  After loving my classic, dark pair I just bought a pair of jet black jeans in the same high-rise style,
    • I love wearing this chambray shirt (25% off) with black dress pants or my leopard skirt for a fun weekday outfit.
    • The tissue turtleneck (25% off) if a great base layer beginning now, when worn alone or with a light vest or jacket, and can be worn throughout the winter under sweaters. I own six of them in different colors but my black and white stripe one is definitely my favorite.
    • This relaxed sweater blazer (25% off) can be worn for work and weekend alike, but my favorite aspect is that it’s long enough to wear with leggings! In fact, I think i’ll wear it for today’s conference call with a tissue turtleneck and leggings!
    • I’ve been adding a new color of the tippi sweater (25% off) to my closet each year since 2010 as it’s a classic, flattering sweater that comes in new colors every season. This year I added emerald green and burgundy to my wardrobe.
    • The martie slim pant (25% off) is my new favorite work pant. In fact, I loved my black pair so much that I ordered another pair in navy just a few weeks later. High-waist, slim fit and machine wash make these pants a no-brainer in my book!

Okay, I know this was a long post but I hope it’s a fun way to kick off your Friday! Have a great weekend friends!

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Fall Date Night Outfit

After wearing this outfit on Friday night, I’m certain that this fall date night outfit is one of my new favorites and will become a staple in my rotation.

I remember spending hours going through my closet last year. I could barely open my closet but, at six months postpartum, I felt as if I had nothing to wear. For hours I went through my clothes, trying things on and then putting them into a few piles: keep, donate, or sell.  At that point I was still carrying 15 pounds of baby weight and had come to terms with my new curves. I parted ways with many of my favorite pieces of clothing, never thinking they would fit again.

Fast forward to this fall and I opened my closet feeling once again as if I didn’t own any clothing. The clothes I kept last year were loose and baggy. Luckily, I took this as a sign to take advantage of a few sales by investing in a few pieces of clothing.  Now that I’m almost 35 years old, I believe that quality is more important than quantity.  Last night, I paired three of my new purchases together for a relaxed, Brooklyn date night outfit.

Since so many of you messaged me on Instagram, asking for details, I wanted to share a bit more details behind last nights outfit. I’ve always loved sharing my favorite clothes with you guys and now that I finally feel good in clothes again, it only seems appropriate to kick off my favorite season with a fashion post.

First of all, let’s have a quick chat about the most amazing bakery that we discovered last night. After a delicious, albeit fast, dinner at Fausto, we werne’t ready for the evening to end. Instead of heading home, we meandered a few blocks in search of a sweet treat. Since we’re currently binge watching Madam Secretary, we wanted to grab a sweet treat to enjoy back home. As soon as we walked into Little Cupcake Bakeshop, we both knew we’d entered our new favorite bakery. Even though we’ve lived in Brooklyn for three years, until last night we hadn’t found a bakery that we loved. Well needless to say, after tasting their buttercream frosting and their s’mores bar, we are both smitten. I’ve already requested a cake from here for my birthday!

Fall Date Night Outfit

But now, for the outfit details. You know when you put on an outfit, totally unsure if it will come together, only to see yourself in the mirror and love it? That is exactly how I felt Friday evening when I was getting ready for date night. I knew that the 60 degree temperatures meant it was cool enough to take my new fleece top for a spin but couldn’t figure out how to style it. I went to the Dudley Stephens Instagram page for some inspiration before settling on this look. The outfit is comfortable but is still chic and put together enough to wear to the office or out to dinner.

Top: Dudley Stephens Cobble Hill Turtleneck in Lightweight Fleece (Wearing a size L)

Pants: Spanx Faux Leather Legging (Wearing a size L)

Shoes: J.Crew Factory Zoe Calf Hair Leopard Flats (Wearing a size 10.5)

This is my second pair of Spanx leggings and I love the look and feel of the faux leather style. The high waistband and heavier material holds everything in but they are 100x more comfortable than the Spanx I remember trying to wear under formal dresses when I was in college. The material inside is soft and the fabric has enough give that it’s tight without making me feel like I can’t breathe. For reference, I wear a size 8 or 10 pant and wear a large in these. They have a 29 inch inseam but due to the stretch, I find that they are plenty long on my legs which typically require a Long or Tall pant. While there are many lookalike faux leather leggings out there, this is an example of when I believe in quality over quantity. My last pair lasted two years and only had to be retired after I accidentally put them in the dryer. Also, if you can be patient, they are typically included in Macy’s, Nordstrom or Shopbop sales!

I’m a huge fan of the leopard trend this season, especially in shoes. I found these 40% off at the JCrew Factory outlet in Vermont a few weeks ago and since then I’ve worn them at least 2-3 times per week. I would recommend ordering a half size larger and wearing a Bandaid on the back of each heel the first time you wear them, until they’ve broken in. I made the mistake of sprinting through both JFK and Minneapolis airports my first time wearing them and have the blister scars to prove it.  A colleague said that anytime she gets new shoes she wears either a bandaid or blister patch on the back of her heels and this ensures that shoes can be broken in pain-free. Brilliant! After that initial shock the shoes have been very comfortable and the flat heel and padding makes them comfortable.

Last but not least, the top I’m wearing is my favorite purchase this season. After seeing many of the bloggers I follow on Instagram as well as a few local moms rave about Dudley Stephens fleece tops, I clicked over to their website and did some research. Initially, I was shocked by the $158 price point for the Cobble Hill tunic. But, then I realized that the top seemed so versatile that I could wear it for everything from playground dates to video conference calls for work. The brand was started by two sisters three years ago after they wished their zip fleeces had a bit more style. That is exactly what this fleece gives you. As soon as I put it on I felt put together, chic and, most importantly, cozy. The stand up collar gives the top a finished look and the a-line silhouette is flattering. I ordered the lightweight fleece as I hope to wear this throughout the fall and winter in my home office, which tends to be warmer than most, as well as out and about in both Brooklyn and Savannah.  For some this is an investment piece or perfect item for the birthday or holiday wish list. I’ve already added two of their shorter style, the Park Slope,to my birthday and Christmas wish list as I can tell that I’m going to reach for this on a daily basis.

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