Marathon Training: Week 1 recap

Chicago Marathon, here I come. I think I found an in to this year's already sold out Chicago Marathon. Super excited, as this was my first 26.2 ever. Plus, it'll be fun to have JP's family there to cheer me on.

I've been pre-training for two months and was thinking I would aim for the Detroit race, so I was ready to start with Week 1 of training this week. I haven't exactly picked a training plan, but loosely following the Runner's World plan. Never tried it before, so we'll see. I think I'll have to tweak it a little bit, but overall it looks like a good plan. The only thing that makes me nervous is that it calls for two rest days. I think I'll change that to a cross-train day and a true day of rest.

Monday:

Sweet 5 miler. Had a lot on my mind, so flew through it. I know I need to start thinking about race pace and adjusting for my runs, but it just felt so good I figured I should just go with it and see what I do. I was just under 9 min/miles.

Carido and a tough weight session at night. Arms and abs were sore for a few days!

Tuesday:

Easy 4 miler. Nothing spectacular, but it was nice to be out in the fresh air. Forgot my Nike iPod sensor, so no stats.

Wednesday:

Super hot in the morning, so ended up doing my 6 miler on the treadmill. Ugh. Hate the treadmill, but it was better than running while there was a heat advisory until 10 pm! I can never run as fast on the treadmill and set the pace for 9:40 min/miles.

Thursday:

Barely gutted out my easy 4 miler. Started too late in the morning and definitely paid for it. I ended up walking the last bit, which I NEVER do. But, I figured it was that or pass out. :)

Friday:

REST. My knees were thankfull for this day to come.

Saturday:

Glorious 7 miler. My first long run of the training plan. Started out around 6:45 am and it was 70 degrees. PERFECT. Did a few miles on the nearby high school track to help my knees out a little bit and the time just flew by. Ended up averaging 9:20 min/miles. By the time I got home, it was getting warm -- about 77 degrees. Glad to be inside, showered, refuled and rehydrated by 8:30 a.m.!

Just a nice easy run tomorrow and I'll have successfully completed Week 1. I need to get in more weight lifting session in, which I've been doing fairly well up until this week. And, I would like to throw in some yoga to stretch myself out a little bit.

Gotta get ready for the rest of the day. It's a big one... JP's dad is coming into town to meet my parents. Super excited!

Reflections of an Unemployed Runner -- There's a little Carrie Bradshaw in all of us

Opening Scene: Carrie Bradshaw is in her NYC apartment, walking around in an outfit I could never pull off and would never think to put together, looking fabulous. She's deep in thought with the newest curve ball life threw her way. Then, in a moment of clarity, she sits down to her trusty Mac and begins to write something like:

"... I began to wonder, what does one wear to the unemployment office? Do clothes really define us? ..."

Silly, but oddly profound.

I totally had this moment. (Could you just picture that line being typed out across the screen?)

My severance pay ended during the second month off and I learned the ins and outs of receiving unemployment pay. Humbling? Yes.

Before you can officially qualify to receive unemployment pay, you have to go into a Michigan Works office to prove that your resume is in their job bank and that you are actively searching for a job. The morning I went in, I was triple checking to make sure I had checked all the "to-do" boxes when a startling thought crossed my mind: What do I wear? I've figured out business dress, casual chic, shabby chic, black tie, afternoon tea... but at no time have I been taught what is appropriate to collect unemployment pay. Hmmmm....

After deciding on jeans, a black short-sleeved sweater and conservative heels (probably a bit much, but my jeans were tailored for heels), I headed in to complete my paperwork.

It was an interesting experience. There was a mix of people -- different education levels, different lines of work and, yes, different styles of dress (everything from suits, to jeans, to sweat pants). I couldn't help but think to myself what Carrie Bradshaw would say. I'm sure it would be something to the effect of, "Excuse me. I don't belong here. I wear Milano's."

But, the fact is, we were all there for the same reason. I began to wonder if everyone there had the same great support system I have, if they have something positive to put their energy towards and if they had enough of a cushion to survive. I pray they do.

When I got home, I promptly changed into my running clothes and headed out. This run was a different kind of reflection. It wasn't a chance to fine tune my game plan, it was a time for thanksgiving. I have so much to be thankful for and make it a point to tell those in my life a little bit more.

Reaffirmed life lesson: Clothes don't define us, in other words, it's not about the material items. The important things are the people in our lives that love us unconditionally. The friends that are there during the rough times, as well as the fun times.

And, in true SATC fashion, by the closing scene Carrie would have figured it out, as she's surrounded by her true friends. Although, they're probably all wearing the latest Milano's.

Reflections of an Unemployed Runner -- Independent Woman

I am a strong, independent woman. Sometimes, admittedly, to a fault. I've always been that way, and I've always been proud of this trait. One thing I have learned over the years (with some pretty painful lessons) is that it's okay to ask for help. Unemployment has been the hardest lesson yet.

At the end of May, I moved out of my apartment. It didn't make sense to not have a steady income and pay for an apartment. Packing up my apartment was the usual pain -- I hate packing! But, this time it was a little different. My mind was running... more than I realized. Not only did I have time to think on my morning runs, but I had all day by myself, packing, to think, too. A few days before the big move, JP came home to me in the middle of boxes and mentally exhausted. Through stress and pure exhaustion, I had a little break down.

I was afraid I was losing my independence. Sure, there was the usual (or what I assume is normal) nervous feelings of getting married. Moving in together, changing my name and merging our lives together more than they are now . But, in this situation I had to move out of my own apartment early because I had to move. I'm more dependent on my family and JP because I have to be. This society is so focused on who we are by what we do, and right now I'm at a loss when someone asks, "So, what do you do?"

JP talked me off the ledge (yet another reason why I love him) and reassured me that I'm still a strong, independent woman and that's why he fell in love with me. But, our relationship is changing and we will both need to adjust. (Then, he took me out to our favorite sushi place. Yet another reason why I love him!)

After my little breakdown, I enjoyed my morning runs even more. It really gave me time to think things through and figure out what my game plan was going to be. Running is definitely my outlet and this time it taught me that I can still be independent as I figure out what to do in the next chapter of my life.

Reflections of an Unemployed Runner -- Part I

Exactly two months ago, I became like many others you hear about on the nightly news. I lost my job. Due to the economic downturn, and more specifically, due to the state of the automotive business, my position came to an end. I've been Blogger MIA for the last eight weeks and part of it was because I honesty needed to disengage a little bit (although I'm addicted to Facebook and Twitter). After being connected 24/7 for a long time, it was time to take a little break.

Today on my run, I realized I missed it and thought today would be a great day to come back. I've missed my blogger friends and look forward to catching up on your adventures!

The greatest advantage I had about being laid off, is that I knew it was coming. There was a definite end date that knew about for three months. This allowed me the opportunity to go through the cycle of emotions:

1) Denial -- I kept thinking, "This won't really happen. Something will turn around and they'll need me."

2) Scared to death -- I couldn't sleep for a few weeks because I kept worrying about what I was going to do.

3) Pissed off -- They need me, damn it!

4) Accepting -- This is happening. It's not personal, it's business. I'm going to be okay and I'm better off than a lot of people. Thankfully, I don't have to worry about where I am going to live and how I'm going to eat. It takes time to go through these phases, and I was able to work through them and prepare for my next adventure.

Since I was able to do all of that before April 15, I was in pretty good shape and had a plan. I was going to take the first two weeks and do whatever I wanted. Even if that was absolutely nothing. I got up late, stayed in my pj's until mid-afternoon, went running and enjoyed happy hours and dinners out with friends I hadn't seen in a while. My mom and I started wedding dress shopping and it was perfect timing. Not too many people are in bridal salons on random Tuesday mornings. Life was great!

The next couple of weeks I tried to get into a schedule. This mostly consisted of running in the morning, running errands in the afternoon and having dinner ready when JP got home in the evening. Sound boring and a little sad? Yeah, it was. Since I was home alone all day, I would stretch out the errands so I had something to do each day so I would at least get dressed and be out among real people.

When I graduated from college, I had a job already lined up so I started almost immediately. I went right from job one to my next job, where I stayed for nearly six years. So, I wasn't used to some real time off. Although I enjoyed myself, this new "adventure" of mine was a little tough. Running really helped me through it. It allowed me to put my energy into something positive, and just allowed me time to just think about things (or not think about things, depending on my mood).

It's kinda like a great shirt I once saw, "Running is cheaper than therapy." :)

New Adventures!

A lot has been going on. Like, life-altering things. Mostly good, but as we all know good stress is still stress. I've been disconnected for a bit, just to get things straight in my own head. So... here's a brief recap:

The best news ever:
The day after the weird Chinese lady fortune telling, her vision came true. JP took me on a romantic, surprise date the next night. No clue what was going on, all I knew was that I had to be dressed and ready to go by the time he picked me up at 6 pm. We went to a Detroit icon resturant (former mansion, turned top-notch, have to go at some point in your life, resturant). We had a private room upstairs, private waitstaff and a tremendous dinner. In a total shock to me, he proposed! It was an amazing night and one I will never forget! Admittedly, I've been floating on a cloud for the past three weeks.

Busy, busy, busy:
Last week was super busy at work. I busted my butt in NY for the New York Auto Show and was ready to come home at the end of the week. The Easter holiday came just in time, it was great to have a long weekend of friends and family after the crazy week in the Big Apple!

Now what?
Wednesday was my last day of being gainfully employed. The auto industry is clearly doing badly and I was one of the innocents that got swept up in the mess. My on-site account with GM ended and my PR agency didn't have enough work for me to go back (like I would under normal circumstances). Everyone was great about it and I'll miss my co-workers dearly. My game plan is to take 2 weeks off and just rejuvenate myself. Sleep in, get organized, work out, get a massage. Then, I'll dive back into getting up, showering on a regular basis and finding a new job. Wish me luck!

The new adventure:
I know there's something out there for me and perhaps this was just the push I needed to do something else. Plus, I have a wedding to plan now! We're going to start off with a fresh new life together and the possibilities are endless!

Better than a fortune cookie

Lots of craziness yesterday, which led to no workout and dinner out -- two things I hate to do these days. So, at 9:00 pm JP and I found ourselves at an old favorite Chinese place.

They were kind enough to stay open for us and we enjoyed talking with our waitress. But then, the conversation turned into something more like a palm reading. (Or what I imagine a palm reading/fortune telling session to entail. Never done it.) A brief snippet of the convo:

She looked at JP and said, "You have good heart. I can see in your face." Then she went on to ask how many siblings he had - she knew there were many in his family. She went on to correctly guess (?) he was the youngest one. Wow! She was right.

"And, you engineer." Yes...

"You good man, but little patiences sometimes." Yes... "But, she is a good balance for you. She helps you figure things out." Yes... that was part of the craziness of the evening before dinner.

She told us we'd be married by next July and our first child would be a boy. First of three. At the time, I almost believed her since she was so spot on with everything else.

We left there very amused, a little freaked out and in general awe of everything she correctly stated about our individual personalities and our relationship. I do have to say, it was better than the dumb fortune in my fortune cookie after the meal! :)

Food Heaven

It feels good to be back to normal. The end of last week had me napping on the couch at any given chance. Whatever I had, it took a toll. But, I was back at it this weekend. Full Force.

JP went to Chicago so I had the weekend to myself. Saturday morning I got up bright and early for a refreshing run. It was a little slow, but felt good to be out again. Afterwards, I quickly got ready to meet some friends for a little morning adventure. It was my virgin trip to Eastern Market, an outdoor market in downtown Detroit. It was SO much fun! We loaded up on bulk candy (mmm... chewy sprees...), amazing cheeses and freshly baked bread. It really doesn't get much better than that. Or so we thought...

From there, we headed over to Mexican town to hit up this awesome bakery. You walk in, grab a tray and just start picking out all the pastries, cookies, bread, fresh tortillas that you want. The pastries are good, buy my weakness is the fresh tortillas. They are SO GOOD. We opted for an early lunch at one of the resturants and stuffed oursleves silly with fresh guacamole, tacos and hot salsa. Seriously, this is my food heaven. :)

We rushed home and my girlfriend and I left her husband at home and went to see "he's just not that into you." It was a cute movie and sure made us think about all the jerks we dated in the past. Why didn't we lose them earlier? :)

By the time we got out, it was 4 pm but felt like 10 pm! I had to go home and take a nap before my dinner plans. Headed back downtown to meet up with some college friends at a super swank Italian bistro. Homemade pasta, fabulous wine (my new favs seem to be from Argentina) and top-notch company. Seriously, day of food heaven!!!

Sunday I had to recover from the adventures I had the day before and I hit the gym. Hard. I don't overindulge like that often, but it was well worth it!