Category: 5K

Run for Ryan’s Cup 5K Race Recap

Published on by Marie7 Comments

Second 5K – Boom. Done.

DONE.

Tough? Yes.  Worth it? Hell yes.

This past weekend was amazing overall.  It included lots of time with Boyfriend, apple picking, the best pre-race dinner ever and a great race ending in a PR!  But more on that a little later.

When I woke up Sunday morning (Race Day), my first thought was “I don’t want to go.”  I’m not very optimistic in the morning.  But after dragging myself out of bed, pulling on my new Refuel with Chocolate Milk tech t-shirt courtesy of a giveaway I won a few months back, and lacing up my new Asics, I felt much better.

My new favorite shirt!

When Boyfriend and I got to the race, I was already pre-registered like a good little nerd.  I got my number, a swag bag complete with free water bottles, a t-shirt and two tickets for free beer post-race.  Free beer for running? Sweet.

I meandered around, used the portapotty (which had no line and was the cleanest portable restroom I’ve ever seen), stretched and took a warm-up jog around the parking lot.  I felt good, I looked legit and I was ready for the race to start.

Soon enough, I was moving with the masses to the starting line.  There were no designated corrals because of the small size of the race so I picked a spot towards the middle-back, chatted with some first time 5K-ers and set my music to blare some Nikki Minaj.  When the gun went off, I clicked the timer on my watch to have an idea of how I was doing.  A makeshift Garmin, if you will.

So, how did I do?

Place        Name        No. Div/Tot Div   Age S   City    St    Time    Pace
108    Marie Torto   26   2/4       F2029  23  F Lynn  MA  32:46  10:33

My official time clocked in at 32:46 with a 10:33 min/mile pace.  I was thrilled!  Going into the race, I had a goal to run it under 33 minutes, taking time off of my first 5K time, 33:38.  Originally, I believed that my first time was 34:something, taking a full 2 minutes off but I’ll take the 58 second PR, thank you very much!  Plus, my pace improved from 10:50 to 10:33.  Woo!

The Highs:

The weather: It was nice and chilly when Stephen and I got to the race which is how I kept from getting (too) overheated during the run.

Water stops: There were a bunch along the course.  Friendly people holding out full cups of water so I only had to slow down a tad to grab one.  I then proceeded to take a sip and dump the rest over my head. Felt good.

The event: Everything was so organized and I got lots of fun things for pre-registering.  A free t-shirt, multiple water bottles (I can’t say no to free stuff) and a variety of granola bars, apples and a chocolate chip cookie!

My legs: I gotta say, having a dance background definitely helps the running process.  My legs, large and in-charge, are stocked with keep-going muscles that don’t tire easily.  Not one time during the race did my legs hurt.  Love it.

Mmm... free Bud Light

 The Lows:

My stomach: Once again nausea took over.  Right around that 1.5 mile mark, my insides did a flip flop, threatening gruesome consequences.  I powered through thinking of everything from crossing the finish line, hugging my boyfriend,  showering… anything to keep my mind off of the circus show that was going on in my abdomen.

The inclines: Yes, I said inclines, not hills.  There were a couple of bigger ones in there, reminding me once again that I need to train outside and on more difficult terrain more.  Because “flat” does not always mean flat.. and that’s okay.

Post Race:

The second I crossed that finish line, there was a small child holding a water bottle out for me.  I’m sure I looked like a crazy person, bright red, tears in my eyes from sheer pride.  Oh well, I was happy.  Small child will live.

I shared my 2 beer tickets with Boyfriend because I’m so nice.  (Honestly, I got down half of one before I remembered that 2 pieces of toast + alcohol does not a sober Marie make.)  We got Qdoba for lunch and I proceeded to be 100% lazy the rest of the day.

So what now?

I had a goal during the summer to run a race every month until the end of the year so here’s what I’m looking forward to:

Witch City 5K, 10/23/11, Salem, MA (already registered)

9th Annual Marcia Lemkin Foundation Race to Conquer Lung Cancer, 11/20/11, Lowell, MA (not yet registered)

YMCA Reindeer Run, 12/3/11, Beverly, MA (not yet registered)

I want to know: How do you feel as you cross that finish line?  Elated? Sick? Emotional? Happy to be DONE?  Ready to run another? What’s your favorite part of any race?

New Kicks and a 10K Update

Published on by Marie10 Comments

I am happy to say that I got one of the biggest “To-Do’s” off of my list.

Can you guess what I bought? I hope so since the title of the post practically gave it away!

I have been running for a little over 6 months now, have a 5K under my belt and am signed up for two more, one of them this weekend!  But I was running in the crappiest sneakers known to man.  Seriously, I’m pretty sure I bought them during my junior year of college.  3 years ago.  Not acceptable by any means.

Yikes. Those pink Champs were so far gone.

So last weekend, I dragged my mom to the New England Running Company in Beverly, practically jumping up and down at the thought of finally getting legitimate running sneaks.

When I walked in, I was completely overwhelmed (in a good way) by all of the gear in the store.  I’ll admit it – I felt cool.  I felt like a runner who needs new sneakers in order to run correctly and safely and power through those races with a smile on my face.

So many sneakers, so little time..

The saleswoman was incredible.  She had me walk back and forth through the store so she could see how I carry myself.  When I first got there, I for sure thought I wanted Nike Frees because I’ve heard some good things about them.  She told me that being a new runner and for working up to longer distances, that type of shoe wasn’t the way to go.  She had me try on a couple different types but the first pair I tried, the Asics Gel Cumulus, were the perfect match.

Seriously, it’s like running on a cloud in these things. 

Pretty sneakers, hideous floor!

So where does that leave me?  I’m sorry to say that my 10K training has been postponed.  I want to concentrate on the few 5Ks I have coming up without the added pressure to have to run more than the 3.1 miles.  And to be honest, I’m scared.

Somewhere between the accident and now, I’ve put up a mental roadblock.  Even running the 3 miles is daunting at times and I can’t imagine myself going further than that.  Luckily, I did not end up registering right away for the 10K so no money lost but I am bummed.  It’s still on my running bucket list for sure, along with even longer races, but for now, 5Ks are my thing.

I want to know… How do you get over mental roadblocks when it comes to running?  Have you ever hit one?  How do you just get through the toughest long runs without wanting to quit?  Oh – and what are your favorite running sneaks?

End of summer, beginning of fall

Published on by Marie2 Comments

I categorize the sad ending of summer in two different ways.  The first – when I officially finish my last NDA camp.  This happened on Saturday when I ended 2 back-to-back camps: Shen in New York and Bryant University in Rhode Island.

We work really hard at camp... That would be me as a dead staffer.

The second time I say goodbye to the summer is the first day of September (aka tomorrow.)  After Irene, there is an autumn chill in the air up here in Boston.  As much as I love the hot days of summer, I also bask in the cooler breeze of fall.

One of the best parts living up here in the fall is watching the leaves change colors.  Another is carving pumpkins, apple picking, then cooking with said pumpkins and apples.  I also love when I have lots of things to look forward to and this is definitely the time of year when it happens on a regular basis.

Monkey Trunks.  Has anyone ever heard of this place?  It’s in NH on Weirs Beach.  Apparently, it’s like a jungle gym for adults.  With harnesses.  And heights.  And nets in case you fall.  And medical waivers.  Clearly, this was not my idea.  I’m just being dragged along for the ride.  Could be fun.

School starts.  Hello Boston University COM.  You are a lovely building.  I think we’ll be great friends.  Conveniently located only .87 miles from the beautiful BU gym?  That was really nice of you to consider me like that.  Side note: When my mom asked me the other day “What types of notebooks do you want?” it brought me back to 4th grade when Anne Frank was popular.  Good ‘ol nostalgia..

10K Training.  6 weeks, 6.2 miles.  And I plan on crushing every.single.one.  (I’ll try not to throw up the process… No guarentees though.)  Follow my progress on my new 10K Training page!

Dance.  3 nights a week and I could not be happier.  Choreographing “Hello World” is both wonderful and heartbreaking.  “Sideways” hits home in more ways than one.  “Suckerpunch” and “Superbass” are high energy and just fun.  And “Crazy Crazy Insane” will be sexy as hell.  Keep an eye out of video updates.

Sweaty and happy

Boston Brunchers dinner at Lil Vinny’s Ristorante.  Good thing I check my e-mail 4543 times a day or I might have missed Renee’s invite for a free, family-style dinner at Lil Vinny’s in Somerville with the Boston Brunchers on Thursday night.  Lots of pics and a review will be coming your way!

Boston Brunchers brunch at Local 149 .  Once again, my OCD-like behavior of checking my e-mail wins.  I originally didn’t get the opportunity to be apart of this brunch but since Irene caused an uproar, they moved it and I snagged a seat!

Chocolate & Wine’s 1st Blogiversary.  I started my little blog on September 7, 2010 never knowing that people would want to read it and that I’d get so much support for it.  I am so grateful for all of the friends I’ve made and the different events I get to go to through my blog.  Thank you to everyone for making Chocolate & Wine a success.

Stephen’s 24th Birthday.  Man, he’s getting old.  I like to remind him of it everyday.  He doesn’t mind (much).  However, he is probably one of the most difficult people on the planet to buy a present for so this year, we are doing something a little different.  It includes dinner and Boston.  Hopefully it’s a success.

Yeah, we're cute like that.

Raechel’s Bacheloretty Party.  I mean, who doesn’t love dinner, drinks and dancing with a good friend who’s about to tie the knot?  I’m a big fan.

Turn that martini into a shot and we have Raechel's Bacheloretty Party.

Races.  Run for Ryan 5K on September 17th. Tufts Women’s 10K on October 19th. Witch City 5K on October 23rd.  I’m going to make it rain PRs all over those 5Ks.  And in Salem, I’m gunna do it in costume.  Watch out now.  PS – if you want to run one with me, let me know and I’ll send you the info! (Head’s up – I run slow.)

George & Julie’s Wedding.  After a long 2-year engagement, my cousin George is marrying his fiance, Julie.  Seriously, she could not be more right for him.  And of course, we can expect lots of crying from this girl right here.  Damn emotions.

My Sister’s 21st Birthday.  Finally.  She’s kept me waiting long enough.  Now we can have some real big kid fun.

Halloween.  Candy, costumes, parties… enough said.

That takes us through October.  I also plan on having my first giveaway for my blog’s 1st anniversary.  Lots of people right now are doing “Favorite Things” giveaways and I’m jumping right on that bandwagon.  If you want in, check back around the 7th!   Until then, follow me on Twitter for updates – @ChocoAndWine.

I wanna know… What are you looking forward to most this fall?  Any suggestions for what to put in my “Favorites” giveaway?

My Running To-Do List

Published on by Marie3 Comments

Since it looks like I will be doing a lot more running in the upcoming months (!!!), I have lots of things to do that all revolve around my new hobby.

#149 .. My first 5K

First, buy new sneaks.  This is so important because I honestly don’t remember when I bought the pink Champions that I’m running in now.  I know, so bad.  I plan on making a trip to the New England Running Company and getting professionally fit for rockin’ running sneakers.

Research GU.  I read lots of running blogs (like Christine, Emily, Aron and Ali… just to name a few) and I’m always hearing about this GU stuff.  Apparently, it gives you extra energy and calories when you run longer distances.  There are gels, chomps, jelly beans and I want to try them all.

Make a schedule.  During my 5K training, I was much more accountable when I knew exactly when I was training.  For the Tufts Women 10K, I plan on posting my schedule everywhere, here included so y’all can track my progress.

Get jacked.  Okay, not jacked.  But I would like to be more toned.  And since my legs will be doing lots of work, the rest of my body needs to be equally fit.  I used to think that being a skinny twig was all that mattered.  In a much healthier mindset, I now believe that muscles = sexy, healthy and happy.

Run outside more.  Merr, I suck at this.  I like the treadmill and I find it much easier to run when I am on one.  There are no forces to deal with (rain, temperature, wind, etc.).  In reality, races are not run inside.  I need to stop being a wimp and get my butt outside.

Cross-train consistently.  This one is a little easier for me because I dance three nights a week and have no problem mixing up my cardio workouts with classes at the gym.  Nevertheless, more sweat never hurts.

Keep up the good eating.  More Weight Watchers please.  Lose another 10 pounds? Count me in.

Invest in a Garmin.  A simple Garmin Forerunner 110 will do.  But, since sneaks come before fancy gadgets, I’ll keep it on the wish list for now.  Anyone have one I can borrow for my upcoming races?  I’ll wipe the sweat off of it when I’m done, I promise.

Take more risks.  Sign up for a 10K… check.  Start running hills…. fail.  I can’t run flat forever.  “I think I can, I think I can…”

Be more confident.  Running is hard for me.  I have a love-hate relationship with it.  It is not something I am naturally good at and sometimes, I have to force myself to do it.  But I aim to be one of those people who say to their friends, “I got in an awesome 5 mile run this morning” or “I can’t go out; I have a long run this weekend” or “I need pasta.. I’m carbo-loading for my half tomorrow.”  I know, in time, I will be.

After my first 5K... best feeling in the world.

I want to know…. What’s on your running and/or fitness to-do list?  What types of sneaks should I look into at for running long distance?  Runner friends, what am I missing from my list/what else should I research?

Happy Things

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It’s Friday… the best day of the week!  Many happy things going on lately.

Grad school starts in 3 weeks.  I’m excited and nervous.  I won’t be all alone; one of the guys who went to my high school also got into my program, so at least I’ll have one friend.  Nevertheless, the nerves are definitely there.

DanceWorks Boston is back in action.  I’m in 5 routines and could not be happier that I get to dance 3 nights a week.  It keeps me sane, the show is going to be out of this world and I’ve met some great friends through it.  And my piece is going to be unreal, just saying.

I ran 3.1 miles yesterday at a 9:50 pace.   My first 5K pace was around 10:50 min/mile, so I was thrilled to get through the same distance today, 3 months later, a whole minute per mile faster.  I felt great doing it and I was super sweaty at the end.  Win.

I have 2 more 5Ks and my first 10K coming up.  Chelmsford, Salem and finally, the Tufts Women 10K in Boston.  Obviously I still have more training to do for the 10K, but I think I’ll be able to pull it off.  P.S. If you’d like to be my running buddy for any of these, please let me know!

I plan on running a half marathon before next spring.  Yes, you heard me correctly – a half marathon.  13.1 miles.  I considered the Cape Cod Half at the end of October but at the moment, it’s not in the cards.  I have some awesome training plans and lots of support thanks to my runner friends.  A half is definitely happening within the next year.  I currently have my eye on the 2012 Great Bay Half Marathon in Newmarket, NH.  We’ll see.

I made a kickass dinner last night.  Chicken breasts stuffed with a spinach, low fat ricotta cheese and pancetta mixture, spiced corn-on-the-cob and broccoli.  Anything with spinach and cheese just calls my name.

Colorful = Healthy

I’ve lost 10 pounds.  Thanks Weight Watchers, you really work!

I want to know… what’s happy in your life?

The Month of July & Some Mid-Year Goals

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Hello July!! I’m so excited you are here; you are my favorite month and not just because of my birthday.

Here’s what’s going on in Marie’s July:

July 3rd: Annual epic 4th of July celebration on the South Shore. YES.
July 4th: Independence Day.  Happy Birthday America! I’ll be celebrating on a plane and then going to bed early.
July 5th-7th: First NDA camp of the summer in Kansas!
July 9th: Dance2Save benefit with DanceWorks Boston. SexyBack style.
July 12th: Road trip to Long Island/sleepover with one of my best NDA friends.
July 13th: Drive to Towson, Maryland with said NDA best friend.
July 14th-17th: NDA Towson camp (2nd year on this one baby)
July 20th: Birthday celebrations with Boyfriend (he won’t tell me a freakin’ thing)
July 22nd: My 23rd Birthday… gah.
July 23rd-27th: NDA Louisville camp (helloo Kentucky, I’m back!)
July 27th-30th: NDA Adelphi camp (I didn’t make a mistake.. they do overlap)
July 31st: DanceWorks Boston dance auditions!

Whew!!!  What a month.  I’ll be away 21 of the 31 days and dancing through all of them.  I love my job.  Thank you NDA for making the summer more fun!  And DWB friends, I apologize in advance for being practically crippled at auditions.

As for these mid-year goals, I realized that I didn’t do a 2011 goals post like so many other bloggers.  After reading Ali and Emily’s mid-year check-ins, I figured it’s better late than never to set some goals.  At least I’ll have something to check-in for when December rolls around.

2011 Mid-Year Goals:

  • Work (at least) 8 NDA summer camps.
  • Run 2 more 5Ks.
  • Host a blog giveaway.
  • Stick to Weight Watchers (not playing a numbers game here. Work out, eat right, follow the points, be healthy and let the body do what it will.
  • Rock the first semester of my grad program at Boston University (all A’s would be sweet but we like B+s too)
  • Try 1 new recipe a week.
  • Dance in 4 DanceWorks Boston fall pieces.
  • Train for and run a 10K.
  • Take hot yoga regularly.

Those seem pretty good if I do say so myself.  This summer is one of the busiest I’ve ever had but 2011 is flying people, and I can’t wait to see how I do by the start of 2012!

I wanna know… how are your goals coming this year? What goals do you still need to work on? Any new ones in mind for the last 6 months of the year?

Weekly Gratitude

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Thank you AGAIN to everyone who came out, sent me e-mails, comments, text messages and supported me for my first 5K race.  It was an unbelievable experience and I can’t wait to do it again.  (And I think I may be getting roped into a HALF MARATHON in August?!?!? Oh. My. God.)

Thank you to my cousin Ali for taking gorgeous pictures at my race.  She’s legit.  And hysterical.  And an all around great kid.  She takes after me.

Thank you to Dunkin Iced Coffee.  It’s Friday and I NEEDED you.  Small with skim milk and 2 sweet-n-low if you were wondering. 

Thank you to my boyfriend.  I don’t give this kid enough credit.  He puts up with a lot on a regular basis.  (I am a HUGE pain in the you-know-what.)  Last night, he brought me a bottle of wine for no reason whatsoever.  One word: Keeper.

Thank you to Tracie for making the best American Chopped Suey that my sister and I absolutely hoovered last night.  Comfort food at it’s finest.  Oh and for my b-e-a-utiful flowers for my race.  What a Work Mama she is.

Thank you to NDA for the best summer job I could ask for (not that I don’t love my hospital peeps!)  I get to travel all over the country, meet incredible people and dance all.summer.long.  I go to Oklahoma in exactly one week and I cannot wait.

Thank you to the gym.  I love you, enough said.

Thank you to DanceWorks Boston for having fall AND spring sessions next year.  I want to choreograph again…. pom, jazz or contemporary?

Oh.. and a big HAPPY 23rd BIRTHDAY to my best friend/college roomie Swy! 23 is the new 21…

Me & Swy

It’s Friday.. what are you thankful for?

My First Race: The Recap

Published on by Marie7 Comments

They say a picture’s worth a thousand words.  That picture right there is worth a million.

As my short but sweet post yesterday told you, I. FREAKIN. DID. IT.  I finished my first 5K ever with an official time of 33:28 which was right where I wanted to be.  (I told myself I didn’t really have a goal time in mind but all kidding aside, I wanted a time between 33 and 36 minutes.) 

So, another first for me… My Race Recap!

Place    Name             No. Div/Tot     Div    Ag S City     St   Time   Pace 
224 Marie Torto     149  48/64    F2029 22 F Lynn  MA 33:38  10:50

The Highs:

The weather – sure, it was chilly when we got there but it was cloudy and breezy and I think that’s what kept me from getting overheated.

The route – I cheated and totally mapped it out ahead of time but knowing exactly where I was going and knowing how much further I had to go was great for my first race.

My t-shirt – I bought a plain BRIGHT orange t-shirt and ironed RUN on the front and MY FIRST 5K, 5-14-11 on the back.  Throughout the whole race, people were telling me what a great job I was doing and to keep going.  It was so motivating and made me want to finish strong.

Tracie’s heart monitor – It kept my time for the race so I knew how I was doing.  When I saw that I could finish in my goal time, I knew investing in a Garmin would be something I would do in the future.

The Crowd/My Entourage – So compared to huge marathons, this was a pretty small race with a little more than 350 participants but what can you expect from a small town 5K?  Nevertheless, the crowd was super supportive.  At the 1.5 mile, there was a water station with little kids holding out bathroom cups of water.  It was precious.  I grabbed one and proceeded to spill it all over me but oh well.  It was the thought that counted.  AND I may have had the biggest group there.  My mom, little sister Melissa, cousin Ali, Aunt Deb, Stephen, Claire, Tracie AND April (also known as Ariel) were all there cheering me on with signs, pom poms and a million flashing cameras.  I felt like a celebrity.

The Finish Line/Time Clock:  When I saw it from the original starting line at 33:something, I pushed.  I guess surged is the right word.  I ran hard, fist pumping over the finish line before collapsing into Stephen’s arms.  And I cried.  Whatever, I’m an emotional person, it was bound to happen.  I felt more than accomplished, I felt incredible. 

Not-So-Highs:

My stomach – Just as I passed the 2 mile marker, my stomach did a somersault.  There was an incline and as much as I wanted to push through it, I listened to my body and took a short break to walk.  It was either that or grossing out the other runners.  I picked it back up as I rounded the corner to the Causeway for the end of the race.  Smart move.

 The nerves – I was so nervous the night before and all morning on Saturday.  I was able to shake them off (and I didn’t get sick, thank God) but hopefully next time they will back off a bit.

Post Race:

 I spent the rest of my day RELAXING.  I ate a bagel when I got home and treated myself to some Starbucks.  Then I passed out on the couch for 2 hours only to be woken up by Stephen’s ringtone.  I pulled myself off the comfy couch, made myself pretty and headed out to celebrate this cutie’s 3rd birthday.  (And made Mickey Mouse cupcakes for it!)  We had a great time.

Thank you…

To my mom, dad, Melissa, Ali, Aunt Deb, Stephen, Claire, Tracie & April for coming to support me at my race.  To Christine, Aron, Ali and all of those other running bloggers out there who I look to for advice.  To my friends and family who believed in me.  I couldn’t have done it without you.

So what next?

I guess the big question is am I going to keep running?  My answer: Just try to stop me!  I would’ve signed up for another race on Saturday when I got home but I have to get my summer dance schedule from NDA first.  So my summer will pretty much be all dance and running. I don’t hate it.  I do know that I want to run the YMCA’s Witch City 5K in Salem this October.  And there is a 5-miler in August that I’ll try to work up to as well.

I’m unstoppable.

How was your first race?  How many have you done since then?  Have any around the Massachusetts North Shore that you’d recommend?

Categories 5K

My First Race: The Essentials

Published on by Marie2 Comments

Here we are, kids.  The eve of my first 5K.  I’m sorry if you are sick of hearing about it.  I’m not sick of talking about it.  (I promise I’ll start cooking again for real next week though. I’ve missed it!)

So I’m nervous.  Like really nervous.  That’s normal right?  I hope so.  When I dance in big competitions like nationals, I have a habit of… well, losing it (if you know what I mean) beforehand (and maybe after.) Sometimes I cry too.  Just being honest here.

I’ve been researching for quite some time now about what to wear, eat, listen to before, during and after running a race.  Christine is a big help.  Aron is too.  But come on now, I’m no marathon runner just yet.  No crazy carbo loads, no 5 mile easy runs (haha, can’t do those yet, but I did get in some nice cardio yesterday) and no Garmin on my wrist.  However,  I will have a (basic, but cute) running outfit, a rockin’ playlist, a good dinner tonight (a signature pasta creation), a light breakfast tomorrow morning, lots of water and my favorite people there to cheer me on (and take tons of pictures!)

This picture was my night in a nutshell…

So my essentials.  I’ve comprised a (short) but sturdy list of things I’ll do/wear/eat today in preparation for tomorrow.  First, I have been  RESTING.  My legs were a bit sore still today (I dance 3 days a week so yeah) so tonight I watched tv, cut up some watermelon, read, hung out with Tracie for a bit and watched Disney movies.

The Outfit

Okay, so I don’t really have a running wardrobe yet.  I do have great running capris from target that I’ve been training in and LOVE.  A regular t-shirt will suffice for this race with a light zip-up over it.  I’ll decide when I get to the race if I need the jacket or not.  I doubt it since it’s supposed to be nice out and I sweat … a lot.  Sneakers? I have a confession… I never got new ones.  I know.. SO BAD.  But I’m going to suck it up for this first race and if I enjoy it as much as I hope I will and decide to sign up for more races (and longer distances), I will go to a specialized running store, get fitted and invest in good sneaks.  For now, my Champs will have to do.

The Carbo Load

Just kidding.  But there will be a little pasta.  And veggies (duh, don’t you know how much I love em?)  So here’s what I’m chowin’ on…

Breakfast (Today): Cup of fruit salad, small sliver quiche, small iced coffee with skim milk/2 sweet n low, water.

Lunch: Garden salad with cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, carrots, a few croutons and fat free ranch, 1 orange, water.

Dinner: Whole grain pasta (angel hair is my favorite), throw in some of Stephen’s “quick sauce” (fam recipe sped up for convenience but still delicious).  Then I’ll saute zucchini, yellow squash, eggplant, and mushrooms in a skillet and added it to the pasta.  Yeah.. the perfect dish for some pre-race energy.  Matched with a large glass of water, it’s a tremendous, digestible and san-heavy dinner.

Breakfast tomorrow: Slice of wheat toast with 1 TB low fat peanut butter, small banana (3 hours pre-race), water

The Playlist

I’ve done lots of mixing and matching to get the perfect approximately 40 minute playlist so every second will be accounted for… hopefully I won’t even need the whole thing.  I’m not a big song jumper – I pick the winners ahead of time and play the whole thing.  Here’s what I’ve got.. yes, a song or 2 are repeated but only because they pump me up so much.

1. King of Anything (3:27)- Sara Barielles.  Upbeat for the warm-up few minutes.

2. The New Workout Plan (5:22)- Kanye West.  If you want the best push-yourself song there is, download this.  It’s so funny and makes you want to run… or do sit-ups, whatever.

3.  Best Love Song (3:17) – Chris Brown.  Got this one from Christine.  It’s a great pacer song.  I find my stride easily.

4. Can’t Be Tamed (2:28) – Miley Cyrus.  I can’t be tamed, what about it?  Plus, it’s short and a nice break up in between the long songs.

5.  Born This Way (4:20) – Gaga.  “I was born to survive.” Enough said.

6. On the Floor (3:50) – J.Lo & Pitbull.  I could dance to this, run to this, anything.  It’s just awesome.

7. Who’s That Chick  (2:47) – Rhianna.  Another one I can dance to.  For some reason, when I think of dance routines while I run, it makes me enjoy it so much more.

8. The New Workout Plan.  Repeat.  I know it’s 5:22 so when its over, it’s a big chunk of time I got through.

9. Mean (3:57) – Taylor Swift.  I play this at the end but I’m hoping I don’t need it.  It’s one of those “you think I’m nothing but look what I’m doing now” sort of songs and it makes me want to prove to myself that I CAN DO IT.

The People

Obviously I’ve never run a race before but I completely believe all you runners out there that the crowd pumps you up and keeps you going.  I’ve got a terrific group coming to cheer me on including my mom, my sister, my cousin Ali, my aunt, my work peeps.  I plan on getting as much energy and motivation as I can from them and HAMMING it up in front of the cameras.  And I’m giving Tracie a set of poms to shake around.  Yeah, we’re legit.

If you just happen to be on the North Shore tomorrow morning, say around 9ish and you want to come watch a 5K, head to Marblehead (Beach St./Ocean Ave.)  Find me and say hi.  I’ll love you for it!

What are your Running Essentials?  Were you nervous for your first race and if so, what did you do to de-stress yourself? (Seriously peeps, I need all the advice I can get on this one!)