It's Totes McOATS National Oatmeal Day!

Happy National Oatmeal Day one and all!

Yes, I am dedicating an entire blog post to oatmeal- hands down one of my favorite and most oft-eaten foods. 

I truly eat oatmeal almost every day- either as breakfast or lunch. “Oatmeal isn’t lunch!” you may be thinking. But when you do oatmeal like I do oatmeal, it’s super filling and satisfying. 

First of all, let me just say that you should not be buying packets of instant oatmeal. Just stop.

Buy yourself a big container of whole grain quick-cooking oats and some ziplock bags and BOOM- all-natural, sugar-free, instant oatmeal.

It takes a whopping 10 minutes to make your breakfasts for the whole week. You can make a different flavor palette for every day, or keep it simple and make 5 of the same zip lock bags. I generally do something like this:
½ cup oats
Cinnamon
1 tablespoon of powdered PB2 peanut butter
Almonds (or walnuts)
Raisins
½ of a banana

But the great thing about oatmeal is how versatile it is- there are literally endless possibilities of flavor combinations that you can create with plain oats!  If I have blueberries or strawberries, I love adding those! Now that it’s fall, some pumpkin puree can be a nice touch! Chocolate chips? Sure. I literally throw anything and everything into my oatmeal. Which is why I consider it a lunch sometimes!

My creations are tame though, compared to one of my favorite little eateries in NYC. What other city has a restaurant devoted entirely to oatmeal? Greek yogurt? Potatoes?! I love New York City.

Everyone should go check out Oatmeals  (120 West Third Street between MacDougal & Sixth Avenue) and prepare to get a headache from trying to make a choice from the menu. Besides fairly standard options like blueberry maple walnut and brown sugar cinnamon raisin, Oatmeals creates savory bowls that will blow you away. Oatmeal with Goat cheese, bacon, dates, sliced almonds, maple syrup? How about Croque Monsieur oatmeal with diced ham, shaved gruyere cheese, nutmegsea salt & cracked black pepper? I kid you not, these are some of the chef designed bowls at Oatmeals.

Not to mention sweet options that sound more like desserts – a S’mores oatmeal bowl with dark chocolate chips, mini marshmallows, graham crackers and chocolate syrup drizzle.

You can also create your own bowl, if you really feel like giving yourself a headache- they have over 80 toppings! The best part is you can customize any bowl to be made with water, skim milk, almond milk, whole milk, soy milk, coconut milk,  heavy cream or half & half.  

The sizes are adorable and Goldie Locks and the Three Bears themed- Baby Bear (8 oz), Mama Bear (12 oz) and Papa Bear (16 oz). But a pro-tip: ask for your oatmeal to be served “Crazy Uncle” style! It comes in a different type of bowl so that it’s much easier to mix all of the toppings in!

Somehow, I’ve only made one trip to Oatmeals. I know, I know- completely unacceptable. But there are just so many places on my to-do list that I try not to become a repeat visitor at most places. But when I visited Oatmeals, I ordered the Fig & Gorgonzola oatmeal with balsamic vinegar drizzle. I’m not afraid of mixing my oatmeal with some interesting ingredients! It was an amazing flavor combination.

The creator of Oatmeals has a great blog, if you want to get some more ideas! 

I think it’s great how popular oatmeal has become within the “clean eating” and “healthy living” worlds. With crazes like overnight oats (which I was totally onboard with for a couple of months- religiously making them before bed every night) swirling around social media, it’s so easy to get new ideas for oatmeal recipes. Seriously, just Google overnight oats and I promise you will be overwhelmed with results.

Oatmeal is a way of life for some people. Yes, I realize how ridiculous that just sounded. But have you been on Tumblr recently? Have you seen the effort people but into their oatmeal? It’s kind of mind blowing how pretty a bowl of oatmeal can be (maybe I’m just really weird…)

Meanwhile, here’s what a bowl of my oatmeal typically looks like…it could use some artistic flare.

So if you’re looking for a heart healthy, low calories, high fiber, good-for-you carb meal or snack- oatmeal is one of my most trusted options.

HAPPY NATIONAL OATMEAL DAY! 

(Oatmeal puns >>)

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Snoozin' for a Bruisin' - How to #JustWakeUp

I suppose I’m lucky- For the most part, I’m a morning person. My alarm goes off, I have a bummed out moment or two when I wish I could continue cuddling with my pillow pet, and then I get up and start my day. I’m not a crazy peppy morning person or anything, but I’m also not super cranky.

As a general rule, I always prefer working out in the morning. People who live for their 9 p.m. gym sessions baffle me a little, but to each their own. It’s a total personal preference, but for me, starting off the day with a healthy dose of endorphins helps me feel more energized and keeps me from thinking about or dreading an end of the day workout when all I want to do is cook dinner and crawl into bed.

While training for the marathon, I often got my runs done before work- setting alarms for ungodly hours like 4:45 a.m.  I’ve never regretted a sweaty morning.  Plus, it makes breakfast that much better (even though breakfast is already the best meal of the day, obviously).

So what’s the point of this post? Basically, to tell you that I’m awesome and motivated and have no prob waking up for exercise while the rest of you sleep, suckers.

HA just kidding.

I’ve been seriously struggling since the marathon to get my booty up and out. At first I told myself I deserved the rest- but now I continually find myself hitting snooze and eventually saying, “Eh, I’ll do it later.” This is very unlike me and I have a few guesses as to why it’s happening.

1) My body actually does need some rest after training for and running a marathon.

(Someone needs to shut me up!)

2) The seasons are changing and its dark outside in the mornings. I don’t like the dark. And I really don’t like the cold. But seriously- it’s harder to get up when it’s dark and your body still thinks it should be enjoying your bed.

(Changing seasons = pretty runs but chilly weather, which I do not like!)

3) Not having a schedule or goals now that the marathon is over is proving difficult to handle. I was so determined to run my first marathon that when I set an alarm for 5:00 a.m. to run 8 miles, it wasn’t really a choice. It was just a fact. I was getting up and doing it because that was how I was going to reach my goal. Also, Tiffanie was usually out there waiting fr me.

4) I’m trying to take a step back. Yes, exercise makes me happy. Yes my health is a priority. But I’m trying to embrace a new attitude for winter. Where I indulge in life a little more than I have been for the past year. I’m trying to convince myself that abs are overrated. And froyo is most definitely not. It’s like the sign I just saw outside of DTUT- “Bikini season is over. Get whipped cream.” So bring on the winter layer of warmth. Maybe 4 days of exercise a week instead of 7 won’t kill me. We’ll see.

(This is what $10 of froyo looks like. I have serious self-control problems at the toppings bar...)

That being said- I am still trying to find some tips and tricks for getting back to my normal morning workout self!

I’ve found a few things that work for me.

1) It may seem silly, but label your alarm so that when you go to turn it off (or hit snooze) in the morning, you have a motivational message staring you in the face! Along the same lines- screw alarms that are peaceful waterfalls or mellow piano music. Is that really going to make you want to lace up your sneakers for a spin class? Where’s your Stronger Better Faster?

2) Accountability in the form of friends. When Tiffanie and I planned to meet on our street corner for a run- I knew I could count on her to be there and she knew she could count on me. For some reason- we usually treat the people we care about better than we treat ourselves. I’m far more likely to let myself down by staying in bed that to let a friend down.  Fitness friends are super dependable! Jessica had told me she would bring “Gone Girl” to the next November Project workout for me, but when I woke up Wednesday morning to lots of rain- I figured I would have to wait a few more days. Wrong. True to her word, Jessica showed up with “Gone Girl” – wrapped in 3 plastic bags. #Weatherproof! 

Similarly- I had NOT wanted to go out in the rain for that workout. I am a hugeee baby when it comes to rain. And cold rain? Whyy? But I had baked cookies and posted on Facebook that I would bring them. I couldn’t be THAT person that didn’t show up with the cookies promised oh so publicly on social media! And so, I went. So Tip #3 is: Bake the night before your workout. Ok, not really- but find some way to hold yourself accountable – even if it means doing it for other people instead of yourself.

(Oh yeah, cookies yeah!)

3) Sleep in your workout clothes! Really, this makes so much sense. They’re comfy and this way you have one less excuse in the morning. Again, I hate the cold, so the thought of taking my PJs off to change into workout clothes can make me mentally shiver. But if I’m already dressed – no problem! Roll outta bed and go!

       4) Along the same lines, be prepared. You don’t want to feel overwhelmed by the thought of packing things first thing in the morning. If I plan on going to the gym before work- I have my work outfit, makeup, toiletries, gym lock, etc. all packed and ready to go. All I have to do in the morning is get out of bed, put my sneakers on, brush my teeth, grab my bag and head out the door!

       5) This one’s very specific to me- but maybe it can help someone else out there! Typically, I sleep on top of a loft. When I anticipate a difficult wake up, I’ll sleep on the futon down below- just another way of eliminating an extra excuse to stay in bed in the a.m. My loft ladder is no joke people! It takes a lot of energy getting down from there…

I’m sure there are some other things I could come up with, like drink a lot of water before bed so you have to go the bathroom early in the morning anyway? One that I know would work but I never actually do is don’t bring your cell phone to bed! Set your alarm and put it across the room so you have to get up and turn it off.

Does anyone else have any tips?

At the end of the day – know your body. Some days, you can tell you’re just being a boob and you need to suck it up and get the hell out from under the covers (no matter how damn comfy they are). But other days, at least for me, I can tell that I legitimately could benefit from the extra z’s. If my schedule allows for a later in the day workout, every once in a while it’s OK to hit the pillow for a little extra rest. As long as you haven’t dropped a #verbal and as long as no one’s waiting for you (or your baked goods)!

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Retail Tales: My New Job

I think I might be a little crazy. I have somehow found myself with a part-time job in addition to my full-time 9-to-5. How does one accidentally start working 20 extra hours a week, you ask? A friend from November Project posted on our Facebook group that the running store she works for was looking for a few people to help out during the busy time before the NYC Marathon. I thought it was a volunteer type thing- help out at some events, get some store credit, no big deal. One of the managers asked me to come in to speak with him, and I didn’t think twice- they can’t have someone helping out that they haven’t met- what if I was a complete weirdo? I go in and I’m presented with W-9 forms. Uhm, OK- probably just procedural if they’re going to be paying me in any way. The following week I’m in the store for “training” and I’m being given a free shirt to wear, being told I now have a 50% discount on anything in the store, and oh yeah, I’m scheduled to work Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday nights. Righttttt.

I’m equal parts loving and hating this addition to my life.

I’ve never worked in retail before so this is all really new to me, which makes it interesting and challenging. I’ve always assumed I would be an awful salesperson, but when I’m selling products that I am familiar with, love, and have some knowledge on, I’ve discovered that I’m actually not that bad at it!

Here are some things I have learned on the job.

Did you know that companies have spiff sales? This means that a sales associate can earn cash just for selling an item from a certain brand! Sell two sports bras and it's like you worked an extra hour that night! It’s kind of awesome. But also kind of makes me wary as a shopper! 

(Another fun fact, spiff comes from SPIF- Sales Performance Incentive Fund).

I love being surrounded by all the newest running apparel and products. For someone who can talk about running for hours, I definitely feel at home on the sales floor amongst the gels and hydration packs and foam rollers. That sounds weird. I am one with the foot rubz. King of the Kinvaras. Sneaker joke. OK. Moving on. 

(Me, one with the mannequins. Om!)

Not to mention that when I’m working the women’s section, I’m constantly browsing the racks for what I need to buy for myself. I’m justifying my eventual purchases by telling myself that new fall and winter running clothes will inspire me to run through the winter and successfully train for a possible spring marathon. Right? Right…(more on that inner struggle later).

(Do I buy this Under Armor ColdGear shirt?! Or is it too Halloweeny? It's got thumb holes and a zippered pocket in the back! I need opinions!)

(Brooks Run Happy tech shirt? Yeah, think I need that.)

Selling sneakers is hard though. People ask me a lot of questions and I have very few answers for them…this weekend after training I’m hoping to be a little more knowledgeable! But learning how to do a gait analysis is pretty awesome!

Not everything about retail is fun. Making sure every rack is organized by style, color and size is time consuming and when a costumer goes by and ruins all your hard work it’s slightly infuriating.

Some people are rude, like the man who told me to “go get him this and that.” No thank-yous, no pleases. 

It can be super awkward when you start asking someone how they’re doing, or what brings them into the store and all they give you is a blank stare or start talking in a different language. I’m not a fan of socially awkward situations, so this has taken some getting used to.

Some people are plain crazy, like the first woman I helped buy a pair of sneakers. She backed
up into a shoe sizer and freaked out. Like needed to sit down for 5 minutes before she could “continue the shoe buying process.” She needed a pair of shoes that were easy to clean. I’m pretty sure she had everything from OCD to social anxiety to hypochondria. Lucky me. Hey, I sold her a pair of sneakers! (And socks.)

(Did you know this has a name? It's a Brannock Device. Boom!)

SO MANY PEOPLE DECIDE TO COME INTO THE STORE 5 MINUTES BEFORE IT CLOSES! We are smiling and being helpful, but we really really don’t like you.

I’m used to a desk job, and standing and walking around the store for hours is more brutal than I ever imagined it would be. Luckily, I get to wear sneakers and comfortable clothes, otherwise, I think I would cry. But that’s another huge perk- my “uniform” is what I wish I could wear 24/7. And the best part? I can try on and wear whatever shoes I want around the store during my shift!

(Not saying I match impeccably but...I match impeccably) 

Picking out outfits for mannequins is fun, but dressing them is really difficult. Using folding boards is also more difficult than anticipated.

A 15 minute break is really, really short.

People ask awkward questions like, “Do you think I’m a Large or an Extra-Large?” Uhm, how do you say extra-large without sounding offensive?

Overall, it’s been a great new experience.  But working 20 hours in addition to my full time job is taking its toll.  I work the closing shift. The store closes at 9, and depending on what needs to be done and what manager is on duty, that often means leaving around or sometimes after 10 p.m. Getting home at 10:30. Cooking dinner. Eating dinner at 11 p.m. (because that’s a normal Manhattan dinner time, yes?) And then attempting to get to bed and up to work out before work most mornings. 

I love the people I work with. I love the connection to running. I love the extra cash. And I realllllly love the 50% off discount.

But I think I need to speak up and have my hours scaled back if I’m going to stay on the team at the store. Woof! 

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I've Got the Spins

As a junior in college, I remember when our fitness center got a spinning studio. I was confused, and had never heard of spin before. Sure, I had fooled around on the archaic stationary bike in my grandparent’s basement as a child, but as far as legitimate exercise was concerned, I was convinced that biking in a gym was boring, and couldn’t possibly be a real workout.

One day, Quinnipiac had a health fair and was offering spin classes, so my friend and I decided why not? Let’s try it. I really don’t remember much from that first class, except that my heart rate was elevated and I was dripping in sweat and I was persuaded that, alright, maybe that was a workout after all.

It was a long time until I tried spinning again. Probably over a year later, during one of my many free trials at gyms throughout NYC when I was a poor graduate student. I mainly took classes during my month-long NYSC membership (which you, too, can enjoy once a year!) 

Then, when my shin splints started getting really bad, I had to seriously cut back on my running.  But of course, I wouldn’t let myself give up all exercise.  So while home one weekend, I sucked it up and paid $15 to go to a spin class at a gym nearby.  It was dark, there were black lights, the music was loud and poppy and fun, and the calories that my Polar heart rate monitor watch said I burned was seriously awesome. I was no longer just a casual spin-class taker when the opportunity presented itself. I was hooked.

(My favorite spin studio- on Long Island!)

When you first start taking spin classes, you feel awkward. At least, I know I did.  You think everyone else knows what they’re doing, makes it look easy, and holy hell, how are they not wincing with severe butt pain?! But stick with it, because eventually you’ll learn how to set your bike, what the different positions mean, what the heck the instructor means when they say to get ready for jumps and climbs, and no, your butt won’t hurt that badly forever!

There are so many things I love about spinning. I’m not going to lie, I love the fact that it burns A LOT of calories. But there’s so much more to it. It’s never boring (if you have a good instructor.) Throughout one class you’ll do interval training, strength training, hills, jumps and depending on the type of studio you’re at, even some arm and ab work!

The music is loud and pumps you up and when your instructor has a playlist that you like, and you lock your pedal strokes in with the rhythm, you feel. so. awesome.

I also like that there is such a HUGE variety of different types of spin studios and instructors.  What works for one person may not work for everyone, so it’s definitely important to try all different types of classes with all different types of instructors before you give up on spinning! Maybe one day you’re in the mood for a class with John from SoulCycle because you leave a sweaty beast and he plays rap and techno during class while kicking your ass with 10 minute climbs and intervals.  But then the next day you wake up and need some California Dreamin’ hills with Harriet the Hippy instructor who has you closing your eyes and “becoming one with the bike.”

(I am totally content with basic NYSC spin classes!)

I’ve tested out my fair share of spin classes (you can read about my first SoulCycle experience here) and they each have something unique- so shop around until you find the place that feels like the right fit for you!

Oh, and check out this funny Buzzfeed about people who spin ;) 

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DIY: Runner Edition

Confession time…

I judged people who spent money on arm warmers. I thought it was ridiculous when I saw runners wearing a t-shirt and then arm sleeves. "Why can’t you just wear a long sleeve shirt?" I thought to myself.

But like most instances where you judge others, there’s an explanation that can make you feel like a real jerk for being so critical. Eventually, people explained that arm sleeves are great for races because you’re usually cold at the start, but then warm up as the run progresses- arm sleeves are an easy way to go from long sleeves to short sleeves without actually having to wear two layers.

Except then my next thought was, so you just throw the arm sleeves away when you warm up? That seems like a waste of money. Carry them? That seems like a pain.

For my marathon, everyone had told me I should wear shorts, short sleeves or a tank and, you guessed it, arm sleeves.  But I wasn’t willing to spend $20-$40 on something I was literally going to throw away after using for a few hours. Then, I had a genius idea. Ok, maybe it wasn’t my idea, I think I must have read it on a blog many moons ago and it kind of sat in my back of my brain until Saturday night, but either way…DIY Arm Sleeves.

I took a pair of old knee high socks, cut off the feet and VOILA! 

(They even ended up matching my outfit perfectly, which I swear was unplanned!)

I wore them until about mile 23 of my marathon and am SO glad I had them. I took them off at mile 23, tossed them in a garbage can, and didn’t have any cares about wasted money. 

Next time, I may try cutting them to include thumb holes, because at the beginning of the race when I was freezing, I would have loved to have a little coverage on my hands!

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Restaurant Review: Flex Muscles. I Mean Mussels.

While my parents were in town a couple weekends ago we went to dinner at a place on the UES called “Flex Mussels.” I have been dying to try it. Ever since I moved to Yorkville, multiple people have mentioned it as one of their go-to neighborhood restaurants. I love seafood, plus I had heard they make amazing donuts. My hopes were pretty high for a place whose name is a fitness and food related play on words.

I guess I didn’t realize just how popular a place Flex Mussels is, because when I called to make a reservation, the first available one was for 9:30 that night (granted, it was a Saturday). When we got there, we realized we easily could have just sat at the bar and walked in whenever. We were led to a table in the back of the restaurant. The atmosphere was nice- clean, uncluttered, with lots of beach pictures. But the chairs were hard and metal and it was cold in there!

The service was fine, and I give our waiter credit for listening to my parents and I argue about which seasonal vegetable to order (“But I just ate so much asparagus!” “Mushrooms are bad for my gout.” “I love spinach!” “Spinach is so boring!”) When our food came out, he magically had a plate of asparagus and mushrooms- thanks for trying to make everyone happy, Mr. Waiter!

Obviously, the main attraction of this restaurant is its mussels. But the rest of the menu looked delicious too, and so we decided to choose two mussels and a non-mussel entrée. First to come out was the bread, which I was highly anticipating. Everyone knows that the best part of eating a pot of mussels is when you take a hunk of bread and dip it in all the leftover broth. Come on, you know that, right? Sadly, this bread wasn’t anything to write home about. I wasn’t a big fan, maybe due to the sourdough-y taste of it - heavy on the sour.

My choice of mussel pot were the Thai mussels- served in a curry coconut broth with lemongrass, coriander, lime, garlic and ginger. I love Thai and curry tasting things- so I thought this was pretty delicious. However, it wasn’t the “WOW” I was looking for and was incredibly salty. 

(Unfortunately, Flex didn't have great food photography lighting!)

I’m also a lazy eater- I like my meal to be easy. In order to have a mussel that tasted Thai, I needed to pick it out with my fork, transfer it to my spoon, and use the spoon to scoop up some of the broth. And after a while, it didn’t seem worth it.

Dad’s choice had a little more “oomph” to it- a pot of mussels “Cleopatra,” topped with lump crab meat, saffron, fennel, cream and basil (super light, right?) This was PACKED with crab meat, so A+ on not being stingy. 

I definitely recommend ordering a pot that comes with something in addition to the mussels – like the Mediterranean that comes with shrimp or the Mexican that comes with chorizo and calamari.  Now that I look back at the menu, I’m not really sure what I was thinking with the Thai. Oh well, live and learn!

We went back and forth on a couple of options for the non-mussel meal before settling on the crab cakes served with jicama slaw and sesame Dijon. These may have been my favorite part of the meal- well really, the jicama slaw was my favorite part of the meal. With the Dijon sauce a close second. The crab cakes weregood though- and again, not skimpy on the crab meat.

As I mentioned before, we also got a side of asparagus and mushrooms. They were asparagus and mushrooms. Dad insisted on the truffle fries and I wrongly assumed that my distaste for truffle-flavored things would stop me from eating a ton of fries. That assumption was wrong. That being said- I still do not like the taste of truffle. But pro tip: when you dip things in enough aioli- you can drown out the taste.

The best part of Flex Mussels was hands down the dessert. I am on a new donut RAMPAGE. Like, donuts are >>> all right now. And these donuts are at the top of the list. Seriously. I am on the hunt for something to beat Flex Donuts (more to come on how the search is going) but I’m not quite sure they’re beatable.

First of all, I am a sucker for things that are filled. I don’t like cupcakes, but I liked Crumbs cupcakes because they were bursting with ooey gooey deliciousness inside. If I’m getting a donut, 9 times out of 10 I’m choosing a jelly or Boston Crème. So Flex Donuts are just my speed- deep fried balls of dough stuffed with magical fillings.

“We need to try 6 of them. Not only 4. I can’t pick only 4 flavors.” I told my parents. My parents aren’t dessert people, but they too fell in love after one bite of these crispy, light, airy, doughy donuts. I will say that they are greasy. You are not going to feel great about yourself after eating 6 of these. But your taste buds are going to be happier than they’ve been in…possibly ever.

(SO SO SO GOOD!)

Cinnamon Sugar, PB&J, Fluffernutter, Salted Caramel, S’more and my mom’s choice- Wild Blueberry.  We tried them one at a time, savoring every incredible bite. They were warm, and you could dunk them into vanilla bean dipping sauce that was actually just melted down vanilla bean ice cream- which explains why it was so creamy (my guess is they use Haagen-Dazs- that was some quality vanilla bean ice cream!) I honestly don’t know which was best- I might have to go with the Salted Caramel, although Fluffernutter was up there.

I happily rolled out of Flex Mussels- slightly disappointed in the mussels, but newly addicted to donuts. Beware, your life will be changed by Flex Donuts.

Flex Mussels has two locations – 154 West 13^th Street and 174 East 82^nd Street. You should also check out their Happy Hour – when you can get certain pots of mussels and a side of fries for $15. They also offer special prices on clam strips, oysters, fish tacos, oyster sliders and $5 fries. Wine and beer are $5-$7.

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Packing for a Marathon 101

I am by no means a racing expert. I rarely find races worth the anxiety or entry fees. 

However, I have run quite a few races this year and can tell you that it’s absolutely a good idea to do your race-day packing the night before. If you’re anything like me, it’s hard enough falling asleep the night before a race without the added stress of having to think about what you need to pack in the morning.

But the real reason you’re going to want to lay everything out the night before, is to get an awesome picture to Instagram, to let all of your followers know you’re a total badass with a race in the morning, and yes, you will be flawlessly color-coordinated.

(Instagram Exhibit A) 

(Instagram Exhibit B)

Running races in New York City, packing is usually fairly easy. But for my first marathon, I would be travelling 5 hours upstate to Corning, NY. Shockingly, packing went pretty well so I thought I would share my list with you, in case you’ve got a destination race coming up. Also, so I can look back at this and repeat it next time around!

Running Gear 

-First and foremost SNEAKERS. Both of my parents asked me multiple times, “You’ve got your sneakers right?” So much faith in me. Although in High School I did show up to my math final without a calculator. D’oh.

-Compression. I knew I would be running in my CEP compression socks, so those were definitely coming, but I also threw in my 2XU calf sleeves as back-up.

-3 different race-day outfit options. I swear, this wasn’t completely excessive! One outfit featured my Nike Pro shorts if I decided I wanted to go the spandex route. Another featured my Old Navy split shorts with undies inside. And the third was Old Navy capris, in case I decided it was cold enough to run in capris instead of shorts. Obviously each of these bottoms required a different matching top and sports bra.

-Fall marathons mean cold starts. I had prepared by going to Goodwill and buying myself an $8 running jacket that I could start the race with and throw away without caring too much when I warmed up.

-Arm warmers. When people looked at the weather forecast for the day of my race and told me what they thought I should wear, pretty much everyone said arm warmers. Uhm, what? I have been brainwashed into buying a lot of running gear that’s probably not 100% necessary, but arm warmers were something that I refused to get behind. Until I ran a marathon in homemade arm warmers and realized they’re genius.

-Headband that I didn’t end up wearing because it didn’t match my outfit (#Vanity)

-I had decided that I would be leaving my cell phone with my grandparents the morning of the race so that I didn’t need a belt, but I am indecisive, and didn’t trust myself not to want it at the last minute, so I threw my belt in just in case. Happy to say I stuck with my gut and didn’t end up running with the belt.

-The Nike GPS watch that David lent me was bigger than my arm, but so clutch. I am so glad I had it! I definitely can’t imagine having run the marathon without it (ugh, is this the beginning of me cracking on buying a damn watch too?)

-Nutrition is something that I still have yet to master, but I threw in some of my trusted Quest bars, Chia Squeezes and GUs to have with me.

-Agua? I also fail at hydration but I have some water bottles that are supposed to go in one of the Nathan TrailMix belts so I threw one of those in just in case I decided to be spontaneous Sunday morning and hold the water bottle to avoid stopping at water stations. I never really considered this, but I had the water bottle with me so I’m listing it here.

-Heatsheet! I had sniped one of these after the Brooklyn Half to save for later and I am SO glad I did. This sucker saved my life while we waited an hour and a half before the race Sunday morning.

-The stick. Because my calves are jerks.

-Trigger point foam roller. Because who doesn’t love a little pre-race torture?

-Icy hot that felt oh so good  Sunday night.

-The typical toiletries that you would bring on any trip (+ Extra Ibuprofen!)

-Camera and charger!

-Normal people outfits (I forced myself to dress in real clothes when we went out to dinners except that I totally wanted to stay in workout gear the entire weekend. Ultimate comfort.)

-Car ride reading materials courtesy of Claudia- “Bone Health for the Endurance Athlete.” Except that I just ended up sleeping the majority of the car ride. I am a damn good napper.

There you have it! I had to take the LIRR and subway with all of this stuff, so I did a pretty good job keeping it minimal but making sure I had everything I needed.

And most importantly, I got a great Instagram shot.

(The money shot, right there!)

Is there anything you think I was missing that you always pack for a race?

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Wineglass Marathon 2014 Recap

I’ve been holding off on writing my first marathon recap because once it’s written and posted, it’s really over.

Training for, running and completing the Wineglass Marathon was by far one of the most life-changing experiences I’ve had thus far and I will certainly struggle to put it all into words. But I will try, because my confidence is pretty high right about now. I can do anything!

Friday after work my foam roller and I made our way to Penn Station to make the trek to Long Island to stay the night at my parents. As soon as I got there, I was greeted with an amazing dinner. I was in full on “Calories are energy and you need energy to run” mode which meant my parents looked on in amazement as I packed away enough food to feed at least 2 people. Salmon, sweet potato, some of my dad’s spaghetti for good measure, and a delicious Mitch creation – artichoke heart salad with feta, red onions and chick peas. Talk about spoiled.

I was convinced by my mom to join her in drinking a cosmo. Totally fine.

Oh, did I mention my mom had also bought me a gallon of Fudge Tracks ice cream? Since I was only home for a night, I made myself a generous ice cream sundae complete with chocolate syrup and whipped cream.

I diligently iced my shins and calves, did some stretching and crawled into bed.

(Thank you, Claudia, for my patriotic KT tape!! Keeping my legs from doing anything too crazy.) 

Saturday morning I took advantage of my parents’ fully stocked kitchen and made myself a delicious, healthy breakfast of whole wheat toast, hummus, an egg, Swiss cheese, tomato, avocado and some feta crumbles for good measure. 

(That's hot.) 

My grandparents picked me up at 8 a.m. Saturday to start our journey to Corning, NY. I napped on and off pretty much the entire ride, wrote my pre-race thank yous, stared out the window- you know, typical car ride stuff. For lunch, my grandparents and I stopped at the Liberty Diner, where they used to stop on their way up to Oswego when my dad was in college! Talk about a throwback! 

Diner menus are by far the most intimidating things ever…all the options. So many possibilities. I ended up ordering tuna, lettuce and tomato on an English muffin with coleslaw and a pickle and LOTS of Ken’s honey mustard. Also my grandma’s French fries, dipped in the honey mustard. Oh, and my grandpa’s buttered toast with strawberry jelly. Pre-race nutrition, I was rocking it, right?

After about 7 hours total, we reached the Corning Glass Museum, site of the 2014 Wineglass Marathon Expo! WOOHOO! 

(We made it!)

Packet pick-up was crowded, but pretty quick and Curly and Melissa found me and had already been through it, so they guided me.

What you get with this race is AWESOME, especially given the fact that registration is less than $100. At the expo I got a neon green long sleeved tech shirt, my bib, bag-check bag, safety pins, wine glass, and a cute little bottle of champagne- all in an awesome canvas drawstring bag. Two thumps up for swag!

I would have loved to walk around the expo for hours, but I was kind of overwhelmed and my grandparents were waiting upstairs in the glass museum so I didn’t want to take too long. I saw that there was another Wineglass marathon tech shirt for only $15 since they were out of every size except XS. I bought it for myself, sampled some yogurt and granola, and went back to my grandparents.

(They're good at taking selfies. They've learned from the best...)

I wish we could have actually gone to the museum, because it looked awesome!

Next, Curly, Melisa and I set off to drive a portion of the course while my grandparents went to check-in to the hotel. We wanted to see these two parts that looked like fairly significant hills – but after driving them, they were no big thing! From the car, the route didn’t look as “scenic” as we had thought it would.

We got back to the hotel and I changed quickly before we all set out for dinner in Horseheads at a place called Louie’s Hanover Square. 

(It was a gorgeous night!)

I chose an Italian place because people eat pasta the night before marathons, right? I was really struggling on what to order. I didn’t want to get anything too cheesy since I don’t typically eat a lot of cheese. I also didn’t want to go with salad because too many veggies aren’t usually good for my stomach. Also, I was still full from lunch – adding to the indecisiveness. I finally settled on filet mignon with vegetables and a side of pasta. A little bit of everything – protein, carbs, greens! The best thing about the meal was probably the bread and olive oil before our salads came out. It was bangin’.

(Wonderful company)

My meal was delicious too.

Oh did I mention I drank a glass of red wine, too? Because I did. Again, pre-race nutrition is my strong suit.

I got back to the hotel, arranged everything I would need in the morning, put some water next to my bed, and by 10:00 I was going to sleep. I slept surprisingly well, despite the fact that I had to get up pee about 4 times.

Then, it was 5:30 a.m. and my alarm was going off! AH! I had no trouble getting out of bed, getting dressed, doing some stretching and very light rolling, and eating a breakfast of Greek yogurt with some walnuts and raisins. Yummo.

(Wineglass marathon, sponsored by Chobani?)

So what did I end up wearing?
-Sports bra
-Pink tech tee
-Bib (I was literally obsessed with my number 2434)
-Homemade arm warmers
-Old Navy split shorts with built in underwear (I have really been digging these more than spandex lately). The little pocket in the front of my shorts held my chocolate Powerbar gel with caffeine.
-CEP compression socks
-Saucony Guide 7s
-Goodwill purchased Chobani fit running jacket with pockets and thumb holes (The thought of having to part with this was upsetting me)

(So much style!)

I was packed perfectly in my clear, bag-check bag. All it had were some extra gels, a Quest bar, a banana, water bottle, and a Chia Squeeze since I didn’t know what else I’d want to eat before the race. It also had my heatsheet that I had snagged at the Brooklyn Half. I figured if bag check was easy, I’d do it, and if not, I’d toss the stuff. I packed a separate bag for my grandparents to bring with them in their car, so that I’d have it after the race (change of clothes, camera, phone, etc.).

Melissa and Curly picked me up and as I headed out the door I realized that CRAP it was no joke freezing out. Cars had frost on them. I regretted not buying a pair of throwaway sweatpants. We headed to the further of the two shuttle pick-up locations in Bath, which was about a half hour away and also the first of the spectator “viewing” areas. There was plenty of parking and we got out, used the porta potty, and hopped on the “Special” school bus. I was amazed at the fact that the shuttle area wasn’t packed and crazy. No lines, just walked onto the shuttle and casually drove the 10 minutes to the start. No cramming in and sharing seats. The bus was probably only half full.

(So far, so good!)

When we got to the start area, we walked up to a giant shed PACKED with runners. All the chairs were taken, people were standing and sitting anywhere they could. There were space heaters, but it was an open shed and 30 degrees out and everyone was still freezing. We had about an hour and a half to sit there. I found a spot against a wall, wrapped myself in my heatsheet, and tried to stay positive and upbeat instead of turning into Cranky Lauren. At the end of the day- my pre-marathon ordeal was a LOT better than most people’s. Wineglass was really well organized and is a fairly small race. But that hour in a shed was a little meh. I ended up eating a Quest bar and then we headed out to the long porta potty line. Very unfair that guys didn’t have to wait on it.

They pushed back the start about 20 minutes but it wasn’t bad. It was just COLD. We walked down a hill to the start and there were vans there to check your bag. Easy. And I made the bold decision that my Chobani jacket was going in the bag and not coming with me for the start of the race. The sun was up at this point, and if you stood directly in it, it wasn’t too terrible. We met up with Sam and took some pictures. “Take a jumping picture of me!” I shouted. I jumped up, and literally my legs didn’t work on the landing. Oh, cool, I am completely numb.

(My landing was certainly not a perfect 10)

The start was really crowded but I fit myself in somewhere around the 4 hour pace group and soon, I was over the start line, starting my GPS watch (David’s GPS watch) and I was running my first marathon! There were no spectators allowed at the start line, so it was just us runners cheering each other on at the beginning. It was kind of nice starting without tons of people cheering because that probably would have caused me to go out too fast. Instead, I eased into a nice feeling pace and tried to ignore the fact that everything was numb. There was a little panic that I was way underdressed but I just pushed it to the back of my mind.

There was a girl behind me who kept saying to her friend, “Ok, I need another story” and I just remember thinking damn if you need stories already you are not going to be enjoying this by mile 20…I quickly broke away from her.

My first real memory is entering the viewing area around mile 4. There were more people lining the streets than I had anticipated, and I was worried that there was no way I was going to notice my grandparents in the crowd. But my grandpa had promised he would be loud, and sure enough a little ways into the area I heard him and my grandma, whipped my head around and had the BIGGEST smile on my face. It was a sudden jolt of energy and I felt like I was on cloud 9 for the next mile or so after seeing them. 

I was really proud of myself because the entire run, I didn't push my body too hard- I wasn't chasing anyone down, I wasn't getting angry at myself when the pace on my watch went over 8:30/mile. I had come to terms with the fact that I was running on legs that were nowhere near 100% and that if I wanted to cross the finish line I needed to be nice to body. I remember being very cold, and then slowly, the sun started to warm me. 

The volunteers at the aid stations were all wonderful. The course was never too crowded, and the aid stations were a breeze. I did a good job getting water at almost every one and taking a few sips without choking- hooray! 

Since Wineglass Marathon is only a semi-closed course, we were coned in on the shoulder of the road and the occasional car would pass.  As I approached viewing area 2 around mile 10, all of a sudden, my grandparents were driving next to me! I actually think I jumped up in the air with excitement I was so stunned and excited.  They must have driven ahead and parked super quick and gotten to the sidewalk because when I entered the viewing area, I got to see them AGAIN! And again, it gave me such a needed mental boost. 

I loved all of the viewing areas because it was such a nice pick me up. But I also liked that the entire course wasn't filled with "fans." There were the occasional people outside of their houses with encouraging words, but if the entire 26.2 miles had been filled with screaming, cheering, cowbell ringing people, I think I would have burned out way too quickly from the excitement. The solitary miles through the foliage were great for taking a deep breathe, appreciating what was happening, and giving myself some pep talks. 

Everything was a lot prettier running than it had been looking out of a car window. 

(Not actually taken during my run since I had no phone)

At around mile 7 was the first aid station that was also handing out GU and I took a salted caramel and ate it. By mile 10, I needed a porta potty. No, not to pee. This was also a huge problem for me during the Brooklyn Half and I know that I seriously need to figure out my nutrition if I want to BQ someday. So at mile 10, I hopped into a bathroom, quickly did what I had to do, and was back out on the course. 

I got another salted caramel GU at the half marathon mark and again, a few miles afterwards had to stop at a porta potty. Luckily, I was able to hold on until I found one that had no lines. 

Overall, the course was wonderfully flat. I can't imagine how people run marathons with tons of hills because by mile 15ish, I was hurting. My quads had never felt like they warmed up and they were so tight that it was a burst of pain every time I planted my food down. 

But onward! I didn't see my grandparents again until the end of the race, but some of the other spectators gave me fabulous confidence boosts by telling me I looked great, to keep up the pace, to stay relaxed, etc. You can definitely tell when someone that's yelling at you from the sidewalk is a runner too- and their words of encouragement are incredible. 

Multiple people along the way told me I was looking great, which felt really good because I didn't feel great.  My pace wasn't all that great either. But I was enjoying myself. Eventually, I settled into a pack with a very similar pace and cruised along for awhile with them. Miles 16-18 were probably my best- I was suddenly feeling amazing and scoffing at the wall that was supposedly going to greet me around mile 20. 

At mile 20 I ate my final gel- the one I had in my pocket. It was absolutely vile. 

Mile 20 is also where the course changed- we were less in the middle of nowhere and definitely getting closer to Corning. Then I was passing mile 22 and officially running further than I had ever run before! AH! 

Mile 22-26.2 was by far the hardest thing I've ever done. It seemed that every .5 miles or so, something new in my legs started to bother me. My right ankle? Ouch. Then my IT Band decided to be cranky. Hips? Oof, that doesn't feel nice. And the entire time, my quads were dead. At a downhill into a park around mile 21, I saw Melissa and Nate and gave them a, "Help me I'm dying look." On the downhill, tears sprang into my eyes because the pain was so horrible. I honestly started to worry that when I crossed the finish line, I was going to be one of those people who collapses with cramps and makes a scene. 

These 4 miles CRAWLED by. And my stomach was hating me. Around 22.5 miles there was luckily a porta potty and I stopped and was there for probably 4-5 minutes. All I wanted at that point was to finish strong, and I had to freaking stop for the THIRD time to use the bathroom. So. Frustrating. 

Once I was back out, I went back to seriously questioning whether my legs were going to hold on until the end. My breathing was fine. Mentally, I knew this was possible. But my body just wasn't having it. 

We got into a little park and at mile 23 I finally took the arm warmers off and threw them away. Then came the most amazing moment. I was running behind a woman who was coaching someone, and heard her saying, "Only think with this." She was pointing at everything from the waist up, and telling her friend that her legs weren't going to be what got her across the finish line at this point. 

I ran up  next to her, told her that was the most helpful thing I had ever heard, she told me to go get it, and I pulled up ahead and continued on. Except that everything was different after that. I started thinking about everything that running means to me- which is a whole damn lot. I started thinking about everything that has been going on in my personal life lately, which is also a whole damn lot. I thought about the long runs, the early mornings and the countless amazing people I've met since I got involved with the NYC running community. I thought about my grandparents and how incredibly lucky I was to have them there for this experience. I missed my other grandma. I looked around at the leaves changing colors, appreciated the absolutely perfect weather, the sun shining. I was crying and I didn't care how crazy I looked. Except then I realized that crying is really not the best activity for breathing and trying to finish a marathon so I tried to get myself together. 

I wish I could say that from mile 23-26.2 everything got easier after that but physically, it didn't.  It still hurt. A lot. But whatever. I was just thinking and feeling with my heart and my brain and focusing on anything except my legs. 

Eventually, I was on a bridge and I saw a photographer and I cheesed super hard and then everyone was yelling at us that when we turned the next corner we would see the finish line! I rounded the corner, and saw beautiful Market St. lined with cheering faces, beautiful fall foliage, and at the end- the finish. 

(My new favorite street)

I literally have no idea how I ran Market St. as fast as I did- it was like my legs weren't a part of my body but I kicked it into high gear and flew down that final stretch. People were like, "DAMN" - I could tell. And then my grandparents were on my left looking SO HAPPY I could have exploded. I was so glad that I was able to finish strong.

(I will actually buy these eventually, I promise)

And then I was crossing the finish line and I HAD RUN MY FIRST MARATHON and I was crying and having a heatsheet put on me and getting my amazing medal and wow I was still standing and then I was cheesing with my medal for a photographer and then I was filling up a bag with cookies and fruit and eating pizza and chicken noodle soup and my legs felt very wobbly but I found my grandparents and we were hugging and babbling and then ah thank god sitting on a bench and I was talking to my parents and telling them that I had done it and my time and that it was under 4 hours and I was feeling lost without my phone and then I easily picked my bag up from the bag check trucks. And Nate and Melissa found us and said Curly should be finishing soon. 

(He finished too!)

Then my stomach was like ouch ouch and I was in a bathroom in the information center for quite some time. 

Eventually, we went back to my grandparents car and I changed into leggings and boots and was finally out of my compression socks and had my phone and my camera and we walked back to take some pictures at the finish line.

And then it was time FOR BRUNCH at a cute little martini and wine bar called The Cellar. Salmon eggs benedict. Yes. 

Oh, and THE BEST DRINK I'VE EVER HAD! My grandma and I split a peanut butter banana martini! Heaven. 

I'm a little confused by all the different times I've been shown for my finish- but the one I'm going with is 3:50:09.

The Wineglass Marathon was incredible from start to finish. After running it, I think that 2,500 is the perfect amount for a marathon, and I'm not sure I would like anything significantly bigger. It was the best first marathon experience I ever could have imagined. 

Since I've been back, I've tried Googling "Post Marathon Depression." Because I am missing that feeling of floating on cloud 9 that I had all day on Sunday. Maybe it was the endorphins, but I think it was more the fact that I finally had proof that if you put in the time and effort to achieve a goal, you can make it a reality. I have been needing a confidence boost- to believe in myself, and to appreciate myself. And this showed me that I can be pretty resilient. But it was also such a bonding experience with my grandparents. I have always appreciated them beyond words, but now, I appreciate them more than I ever thought possible. I couldn't wipe this ridiculous smile off my face all day- despite the soreness and inability to walk. Because this marathon wasn't just running 26.2 miles. It was about so much more- I've learned so much from training for and running this race and hope to one day get that feeling I had at mile 23 again- thinking only with my head and heart, feeling complete appreciation and happiness for the exact moment that I was in. 

It doesn't get much better than that.

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