Races – Page 2

That time I signed up for a 10K

Published on February 16, 2012 by Marie4 Comments

So remember that time I was going to run a 10K and then totally chickened out? Then there was that other time when I accidentally registered for a 5-miler instead of a 5K, but got through it without dying? Well, my friends, two nights ago I clicked a pretty little PAY NOW button and officially registered for my first-ever 10K road race.

Holy. Crap.

The race: The 9th Annual Malden Rotary Road Race 10K

Where: Malden, Massachusetts

When: Saturday, March 24th… a mere 5 and a half weeks away.

But at a $10 student race fee, I couldn’t turn it down. Plus, the prospect of some sweet race swag had me giving them those ten dollars even faster.

I can’t say no to free stuff, especially when it has to do with running (or dance.) The awesome bright green gloves I got from that 5-miler say “Shamrock Running Club” on them and I won’t lie – I love wearing them. I feel like a runner or something.

So where does that leave me training-wise? Well, I’ve got the 5-miler and a few 5Ks under my belt so I already know I can complete the extra 1.2 miles without dying. Will I enjoy it? Probably not at the time, but I’ll do it. Since I kept putting off registering, I now find myself with only 5 weeks to formally train along with a full course schedule, TA-ing and 12 hours a week of dance (oh, did I mention that even after dropping Wednesday night at DanceWorks, I somehow managed to add an additional 4 hours of dance a week? I didn’t mention that? More about that in a different post….), it leaves little wiggle room for hours of running.

So I found a plan that fits just right.

So obviously this plan does not come complete with almost 12 hours of extra cross training per week but as is the life of a dancer/wannabe runner. I’ll be running various mileage 3-4 times a week, totaling from 14-17 miles per week. This is by farther most miles/week I’ve ever done and I’m super excited to start! I’m not going for speed, just endurance and a strong finish (aka don’t collapse at the finish line.)

But let’s be real here… I need some advice.

I want to know…. what advice do you have for me as I train for my first 10k? What works best for you when you train? What should I wear (keep in mind, the race is at the end of March). Share your 10K stories! Any and all advice is appreciated!

Winning, Losing, Sickness, School

Published on February 6, 2012 by Marie4 Comments

My team lost, it was a rough game and that’s that. There will be no more talk of Super Bowl 2012.

Let’s talk about things that are happy or stressful. Anything but football. Since I’ve been away from the blog for a little while, I think this is a perfect time for an update.

School… is stressful. I thought last semester was hard. My fall courses were a cake walk compared to what I’m dealing with now. One of the worst feelings in the world is when one of your professors shoots down every single idea you have for your projects. When May 4th rolls around, you can find me doing cartwheels outside of 640 Commonwealth Avenue because after this semester, it’s smooth sailing (and flying if you’re referring to London!)

My new apartment… is amazing. My roommates are great, it’s super convenient and I love being a 5 minute walk to the gym.

Running… has not really been happening. See “my health.” I’m also still looking for a race to run this month but since Sundays are now dedicated to dance, my options have been limited. Help!! I plan on getting back into a routine this week so hopefully that new 5K PR is in the near future.

Dance… is wonderful, albeit a huge time consumer. Not in a bad way, just in a I-wish-I-had-more-time way. I had to drop a night of DanceWorks Boston to free up some time for school things which was awful, but the 5 routines I’m in are going to be great. And cardio is never a bad thing. Last weekend, DWB even got to travel to New York City to perform in a show there. It was a blast and dancing in NYC is always a dream come true. That’s the “winning” aspect of this post.

DWB HelloWorld Reach — The dance I choreographed... "Hello World"

And sometimes in NYC, I put my leg in the air.

My health… has been CRAP. I got sick last Friday (of course the day I was going to NYC) and have been sick ever since. And when I say sick, I mean it. Gastroenteritis, norovirus.. whatever you want to call it, infultrated my body last Sunday and well, I’ll spare you the gorey details. I managed to lose 8 pounds in 1 night if that’s any indication. Then once that was all out of my system (literally), I caught a head cold and have been dealing with that ever since. Good job, immune system, thanks for your hard work.

Cooking… also hasn’t really happened this week. Between NYC and getting a sickness that didn’t make food appealing for most of the week, I wasn’t really in the mood to cook. I did make some delicious guilt-free piggies in a blanket and an amazing trifle for a certain football game we aren’t talking about and they were both a hit so we’ll count that as a good cooking for the week. I want to use my crockpot at some point in the upcoming week so stay tuned!

PigsinBlanket — Aren't these the cutest munchies ever? And guilt free!

Well, that’s pretty much it for now. Next on the agenda? Surviving this week.

Tell Me! How has your week been? Have you managed to avoid getting the stomach flu? What upcoming races are you running? What was the best thing you cooked this week?

Oh, PS – Anyone want a yummy trifle recipe?

Oreo and Brownie Trifle
Adapted from Baking Away

Ingredients:
1 9×13 inch pan of fudgy brownies
2 small boxes of fat free, sugar free chocolate pudding mix
4 cups of skim milk
8 ounce container Cool Whip Free
12 ounces regular Cool Whip
18 Oreos

Make brownies and set aside to cool completely. Mix milk with pudding powder and let chill for 30 minutes. Then, gently fold in the 8 ounces of Cool Whip Free until there are no streaks. Chop the oreos and set aside.

To assemble: Lay half of the brownies in a trifle bowl followed by half of the pudding. Sprinkle half the oreos over the pudding layer and top with half of the regular Cool Whip. Repeat layers. If desired, garnish the top with crushed and/or whole oreos or dark chocolate shavings. Chill until ready to serve.

Still lookin’ for a February race

Published on January 17, 2012January 17, 2012 by Marie2 Comments

I got a book for Christmas called Women Who Run by Shanti Sosienski and it is one of the most inspirational books I’ve ever read… and I’m only on page 49.

CWwomenwhorun — Go buy this book! It is a much better read than the two embassy/diplomacy books underneath it.

When it comes to running, I am not an every.single.day runner. In fact, I don’t even really consider myself a “runner.” I run when I want to. I run for fun. I run for fitness. But most importantly, I run for me. I honestly cannot say I love it.. yet. And I’m not yet disciplined enough to lace up my sneakers each day because I know I should. But I do enjoy it enough to register for races and spend money to do something I could do for free. I feel that the bragging rights (more like I-Ran-A-Race-So-I’m-Cool rights) and t-shirt are worth it.

So back to this book. It is full of stories of incredible women runners. Marathon-running mothers, adventure racers, 50-somethings who can run a sub-seven-minute mile. And as different as each of them are from one another, they all have the same message – they run because they love it.

So I get to page 49, right at the beginning of a new chapter and I decide that it would be a good idea to look for more races between the end of January and April. So far, I’ve come up with 3 definites and a big empty calendar for the month of February:

February: HELP.

March: Hibernian 5K in my hometown (Lynn, MA). Woo hoo! Finally a race in the city I grew up in!

April: Energize the Earth 10K (Beverly, MA). My first 10K. Gah. Who’s got a rockin’ training plan for this one? Anyone? E-mail me and we’ll be best friends.

May: Beach to Beach 5K (Marblehead, MA). This will be the anniversary race of my first race ever back in May 2011. I can’t wait to crush the crap out of last year’s time.

So, who out there has a fantastic race (5K, 4M or 5M.. ya know, since I run those now..) for February that they are dying to tell me about? (2 catches: It cannot be for Saturday, February 11th… I take the Foreign Service Exam that day(!) or any Sunday morning because I dance.)

Logging the Miles

Published on January 6, 2012 by Marie3 Comments

When I started running last March, I never expected that I would continue with it. I did the Couch to 5K plan to prove to myself that I could complete something that was completely out of my comfort zone.

Back then, I ran in ancient (AKA gross) sneakers with no knowledge of pace or technique. I just got on a treadmill three days a week and followed the plan. When my first 5K race rolled around, I did it and enjoyed it but not enough to keep track of how many miles I was running.

Now, 10 months later, I have 5 races under my belt and my cardio of choice is running. Though I’m not exactly speedy or particularly great at it, I have come to (mostly) enjoy it. Do I get up at 5 am and pound out 7 miles every morning? Well, no, not yet. But maybe someday.

This year I am adding a resolution to my list. I want to log my miles and maybe even have a goal mileage in mind. But since dance will take over my life once again very soon, I don’t need to resolve to run any crazy number… just enough for me.

I want to know: Do you log your miles? What’s your mileage goal for 2012?

Run Your Hangover Off 5-Miler Recap

Published on January 1, 2012 by Marie1 Comment

Hello 2012! It’s nice to meet you. My name is Marie and sometimes I do silly things. Like take 3 hour-long workout classes at the gym back to back to back and expect to walk to the next day, or register for a 5-miler instead of a 5K for the first day of the new year when I’ve never run more than 3.1 miles in my whole life.

I’m sure we’ll be great friends.

On Friday night, I was sitting in front of the TV with my parent, laptop open, researching the my first race of the year. I was naively looking for the starting line address when I noticed that the January 1, 2011 race was 5 miles and the accompanying walk was 3. In a panic, I searched for the January 1, 2012 race and there it was: 5 MILE run. Not a 5K, a 5-miler.

Oops.

I immediately panicked. Things like “I can’t run 5 miles!” to “How could I be so STUPID?” came out of my mouth more than once. But the fee had already been paid so instead of throwing 23 precious racing dollars out the window, I opted for my only other choice: run the 5 miles.

And to my utter surprise, relief and joy… it was great.

Hi, I'm Marie.. I don't always pay attention when I register for races..

The Highs:

– Inexpensive, local race. A $20 race fee for a 5-miler is great, especially when you get a shiny PR and some bright green running gloves. Plus, Woburn is only 20 minutes away so I got to sleep in, eat my toast with peanut butter, and warm up without having to rush.

– First race with the Garmin. I’m hooked. I knew when to slow down after I went out way too fast (seriously, seeing a 8:10 on the watch within the first .25 miles was SCARY!!) It also let me see how much longer I had to go which made it less daunting.

– Friendly, helpful volunteers. Because the course went between Woburn and Winchester, there were volunteers stationed at the various streets to point runners in the right direction. And at the halfway mark, a nice man shouted your time too you. And every clapped and waved. It was reassuring to hear “you’re doing great!” on practically every corner.

– My cheering squad. Both of my parents came to see my race. It was the first time my dad has been to one and only a second for my mom. It was so great seeing them as I rounded the corner after that last hill and I almost knocked my mom over when I hugged her.

– The weather. Partly sunny, 50 degrees with a nice, cool breeze. A-mazing.

– Automatic PR. First 5-miler equals 5-miler PR. 55:23 on the Garmin. Not too shabby!

Distance = 5 miles. My longest run ever!

The Lows:

– Only 1 water stop. I really didn’t need water during the race because I never felt dehydrated but having some to splash in my face, especially towards the end would’ve been nice.

– So. Many. Hills. I’m happy to report that I made it up most of them without having to walk but the last hill right before the finish line was a BITCH!

Overall, I am a happy happy girl. I keep thinking, “I can’t believe I ran 5 miles today.” And I realized that I’d rather run longer distances at a slower pace rather than wanting to die from going to fast after half a mile. Great lessons, great race.

Great way to kick of 2012!

2012 will be BIG.

Published on December 31, 2011 by Marie1 Comment

2012 promises to be a huge year for me. I have big ideas, big dreams and big goals.

This year will include a lot of milestones. I’ll turn 24, study abroad in London covering the Summer Olympics, create and present a media thesis project, choreograph for DanceWorks Boston and Kinetic Synergy, work my 4th summer with the National Dance Alliance, finish my last 2 semesters of grad school, run a bazillion more races… the list is endless.

Goals-wise, I am all about the resolutions. I love ’em. Not the kinds that say “I’m going to drop such-and-such amount of weight” but the ones that make you feel good when you accomplish them and make you want to work harder if they slip away from you.

Keep Going — I feel like this can be referred to in all aspects of life...

2012 Goals

– Run 10 5K races. I know this is attainable. I just need to buckle down and register.

– To go along with my 5K race goal, I want to run the 2012 Marblehead Beach to Beach 5K again this year. It was my first ever race and I’d love to keep running it every year.

– Run a sub 27:00 5K. That’s about a 9:00 min/mile. I can do it.

– Run 5 longer races this year, 5-milers, 10Ks and one half marathon. Holy crap, I can’t believe I’m writing that, but there it is, out there for the world to see.

– Choreograph 3 more dance pieces. It took me until 2011 to realize how much I love choreographing and I don’t want to stop!

– Try out and review 1 new restaurant a month. I want to expand my food horizons and experience as much of it as possible… on a budget.

– Work 3 NDA camps. This one might be tough because of London, but I think three is a good compromise since I usually work 9.

– Ace my study abroad. 6 weeks, 1 class, 1 internship, 1 chance. An internship with a huge news networks could lead to a possible job. I want to kick ass during my time in London; it’s a once in a lifetime opportunity and could set me apart from a million other applicants in the real world.

– Rock my media thesis. No specifics just yet but it will include a website where I am happy to say I just buy the domain. It will come with a lot of physical and mental changes and challenges. Stay tuned.

– Finish graduate school successfully. Without too many meltdowns would be ideal.

– Save money. This year will be especially difficult since London alone is very expensive, but I have a number in mind and achieving it at least once this year would be great.

– Love others more. Personal goal. Be nicer also ties in here.

Overall, I hope 2012 will be as successful, productive and eye-opening as 2011 as been. Thank you to all of you who read Chocolate & Wine and support me through everything I do.

I raise my glass (of Asti) to you.

Last question of 2011: What are your biggest goals for the new year?

2011 Recap & Wrap Up

Published on December 29, 2011 by Marie6 Comments

2011. I feel like it went by so fast. At this time last year, I was a completely different person and I’m happy to report that I’m a better me than I was at the close of 2010.

This year, I achieved things I never thought I ever could. I choreographed three group routines, I started running and ran four 5K races, I got into grad school and survived my first semester, I realized what I truly want in my life and I am starting to become the person I have always wanted to be.

I worked my third summer with the National Dance Alliance, I now dance in an amazing company in Boston and BU has opened my eyes to incredible new opportunities, including an acceptance into a 6-week study abroad program to cover the London Olympics next summer.

2011 taught me to not take life too seriously. To enjoy each day, love whole-heartedly and appreciate myself for who I am. It’s a great feeling to look back on this year and know that I have grown in so many ways.

Back in July, I set some mid-year goals for myself. So let’s recap them and see how I did.

1. Work (at least) 8 NDA summer camps. Done. I worked 9! I traveled everywhere from Kansas to Maryland and loved every minute of it.

267731_1382675772573_1402320861_30982031_7624943_n — NDA friends take awesome photos.

2. Run 2 more 5Ks. Done. I ran 3 more: Run for Ryan’s Cup 5K in September, Witch City 5K in October and the Lynnfield Turkey Trot 5K in November. I wanted to run one in December as well but since I didn’t get to, I signed up for the “Run Your Hangover Off 5K” on January 1st. I think it’s the best way to kick off 2012!

3. Host a blog giveaway. Done. I hosted my first giveaway in September for Chocolate and Wine’s 1st Blogiversary!

4. 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.) Kinda done. I don’t exactly stick to the WW plan but I did manage to drop 12 pounds this year and I am VERY happy about that.

5. Rock the first semester of my grad program at Boston University (all A’s would be sweet but we like B+s too.) Kinda done. 1 A-, 1 B+ and 2 Bs. I am very proud; grad school is hard, man.

334508_10100107597655341_11000654_44203077_1351148099_o — Dream job.

6. Try 1 new recipe a week. Fail. Sometimes when I cook, I use the same recipes over and over. But now that I have a beautiful new crockpot, I might be able to achieve this goal in 2012.

7. Dance in 4 DanceWorks Boston fall pieces. Done. I danced in 5! 6 if you include the finale/Flash Mob!

386030_634576716032_2103214_33679656_1191123552_n — Some of my DanceWorks family...

8. Train for and run a 10K. Fail. I chickened out. 2012 will hold at least one 10K and maybe even a half marathon.

9. Take hot yoga regularly. Fail. I probably did it a total of 3 times between the summer and now.

Overall, I think this has been a great year. I achieved most of my goals and really let myself let go of the rest of the emotional baggage leftover from undergrad.

So long, 2011…On to 2012! Goals and “resolutions” to come!

Lynnfield Turkey Trot 5K Recap

Published on November 23, 2011 by Marie2 Comments

November 5K – Check!

So far this year, I’ve run a 5K in May, September, October and November. And damn, it feels good.

I decided to run the Lynnfield Turkey Trot this month for a few reasons. First, it was super close being in the town right next to mine. Second, it had “Turkey Trot” in the name and we all know how much I love anything holiday-themed. Third, it started at 11am. Hello extra sleep!

The morning of the race, I slept until 9, made my pre-race breakfast (2 slices of light wheat toast with peanut butter) with lots of water, and drove over to Lynnfield at around 10am with Stephen to pick up my race packet and free t-shirt. Fun fact about me: I love t-shirts, especially free ones.

The race started right at 11 and I was ready for it. I made a great playlist complete with the songs “Sexy & I Know It” and “We Need a Little Christmas” Glee version. My strategy was simple: run slow to start, run smart the whole way.

And that’s exactly what I did.

The Highs:

– The weather. It was the perfect day to run. Cloudy with some sun, 60 degrees with a nice cool breeze.

– The course. With the exception of one HUGE hill, the course was very nice. I ran around pretty Lynnfield neighborhoods and there was still enough foliage to keep the sun off of my over-heating face.

– My stomach. Woo hoo, it cooperated!! The only time I wasn’t feeling so hot was when I sprinted at the very end.

The Lows:

– No PR. I honestly thought that I had done enough to get one and when I saw the clock and realized I missed it by 40 seconds, I got upset. Like very upset. I crossed the finish line, grabbed a water bottle from Stephen and demanded we leave right away (I didn’t even know I missed the free bagels!). In the car, I came very very close to tears and almost had an all-out tantrum.

But then I stopped being a 5-year-old and thought about the race. I ran almost the entire thing without stopping. I didn’t think I was going to throw up or pass out. I wasn’t hurting (yet) or want to quit running right then and there. I felt good, accomplished and for once in my whole life, I ENJOYED running. Genuinely enjoyed it. Go figure.

December is so close and at this point, I haven’t signed up for a race yet. Since I’m nervous about running in the snow, I wanted to do the Beverly Reindeer Run 5K on the 3rd and pray that the snow holds off. But now I might have to do shooting for school that day. Dilemma.

Your turn: How do you feel when you don’t PR? Do you throw a tantrum or chalk it up to a good experience? What holiday races in December are you running and can you recommend a good one for me?

November

Published on November 16, 2011 by MarieLeave a comment

It’s officially the middle of November.. when the hell did that happen?

I only have 3 full weeks left in my first semester of grad school. That is an amazing sentence. I could do a cartwheel with that sentence.

The beginning of November included lots of filming, lots of editing, some friend-filled parties, more editing, a trip up the the Tonry Tree Farm in New Hampshire, applying for the London Summer program at BU, dancing, running, and some freaking out. There is always a little bit of freaking out. Here’s the first half of my month picture-style:

My best friends from undergrad and I have pulled Secret Santa names and determined a theme (let’s just say it centers around sports). This is going to be an interesting gift swap! I already bought my gift and it’s AWESOME.

313098_609484865693_41203305_33180514_485254103_n — Best Friends at Toby Keith's I Love This Bar & Grille

This is RD Sahl. You may know him. He was an anchor on NECN forever. He’s now one of my teachers.

This is what we call a Live Shot. It took a few tries but we got there.

NovemberCamera — I want to be on TV when I grow up.

And when my DanceWorks friends get together, well, wine and dancing are always the most populat combination.

NovemberDWBfriends — Is that white wine in my glass? All the red must've been gone.

And we learn dances sometimes.

And this is Fred.

: He’s a great snuggle buddy.

That’s been my month up til now. Running has been more of a priority this month and dance has been the top priority in my workout world. The DanceWorks Boston show is less than a month away (only 2 rehearsals left!) and I’m so excited.

So what’s coming up?

This weekend:

I’ll be driving up to Hampton Falls, NH again this weekend but this time, it’s to film for my final project for my Visual Media class. The Tonry Tree Farm (where we get our tree) has agreed to let me capture their beautiful farm and their history on camera. I think it’s going to be the perfect Christmas ending to my semester.

Family dinner to follow that night… my parents, Stephen’s parents. They’re best friends, it’s all very cute. I’ll be going to bed on the early side because I have my fourth 5K race, the Lynnfield Turkey Trot, on Sunday morning. I’m gunning for that PR and my goal is to run it around 32:00 but anything under 32:30 works for me!

Next week is a 3 day week school/work week! 2 days of class + 1 day of work + 1 amazing holiday + Black Friday = Happy Marie.

Next Thursday is obviously Thanksgiving and I will be creating some healthier versions of my favorite holiday foods. Example: Hungry Girl’s stuffing with apples and cranberries. I’ll also be sticking to lots of veggies and some white meat turkey. And probably a small slice of Boyfriend’s apple pie because it’s just that good.

Black Friday is not a typical shopping day for my family. I don’t enjoy the 5am rush to the mall. I don’t enjoy being pushed and shoved for “on sale” items that are still over-priced. I do enjoy listening to Christmas music and driving an hour to New Hampshire. We spend the day shopping for something very special: our Christmas Tree! Together, Stephen’s family and my family go up to the Tonry Tree Farm, find our (very large) trees, make Stephen cut them down, strap them to the hoods of our cars, make a pitstop at Market Basket for some tax-free beverages and then head home to put the trees up and decorate all. night. long.

: Well, I’m certainly not going to do that…

Next Saturday means homemade raviolis and my 5-year high school reunion. Strange. 5 years.. seriously? I’m kind of excited though. I get to see people I haven’t seen in a really long time and I think it’ll be fun. And Sunday is my friend Sandy’s 24th birthday which we will be celebrating the following Tuesday night. The rest of the month leaves a couple of paper deadlines, lots of filming and editing and getting ready for the end of the semester/my dance show/Christmas!!

I wanna know… what are you looking forward to most this month? What is your favorite thing to eat on Thanksgiving? Is it too early for you to listen to Christmas music? (I don’t think it is….)

Witch City 5K Recap

Published on November 2, 2011 by Marie1 Comment

Better late than never!

Third 5K in historic Salem. With a running buddy. Not my best race but still Halloween-tastic.

The Ups:

The weather. Chilly, yes, but it was a gorgeous morning and the air kept me cool.

The location. Historical Salem, MA during the Halloween season is the BEST. People (not me) were dressed in costumes, the city is adorned with all sorts of fun decorations and the course itself was lovely.

My running buddy. My friend Kim and I started the Couch to 5K programs only weeks apart at the beginning of the year but this is the first time we ever run one together. Seriously, even though my stomach was puke-y and she has somewhat of a bum knee at the moment, having someone running next to you who trains at a similar pace is one of the best motivations out there. And we wore matching shirts. What now?

The Downs:

My stomach. Seriously stomach? I don’t understand why I constantly feel the need to puke during every race I do. Can anyone help me on this? Is it my pre-race morning routine? My pre-race dinner? My pre-race jitters? I don’t know but whatever it is needs to be rectified.

No PR. I was gunning for it too. And I was disappointed. But ya “win” some, ya “lose” some.

Pain. Foot for me, knee for Kim. Aspirin post-race. What can ya do?

Overall, it was a fun time despite the downs.

Next up?

Well, here’s my debate. I have a goal to run a 5K each month until the end of the year. I rocked one in September, didn’t puke in October and now, I only have 2 months left. I found 5Ks in both months that look promising. But there is a very big BUT staring me in the face.

You may have heard that Massachusetts has already gotten snow. Yes my friends, snow in October. And yes, it is 35 degrees out. I’m not a fan.

Now it’s November and another 5K is rapidly approaching for the end of the month and I honestly don’t know if I’m going to be able to run it in the cold weather. Call me a baby, a wuss, a whatever. If you have tips for me for in heavy, cold air, please let me know.

I’m probably just going to suck it up and register for both. But any advice is much appreciated!

: Who can run in this??

I want to know: When it’s cold, what do YOU run in? Hats, scarves, special shirts/shorts? TELL ME!