Mood:  celebratory

Okay, so I'm a week late but, I DID IT!!! I finished my first 10K race on Oct. 12, 2008.

 My day started at 7am with a guzzle of Carnation Instant Breakfast and final preps. I got my timer chip, t-shirt and number on. My fresh new sports pack with some poorly made sports drink (all my fault) in hand. I'm a lil' revved and just a lil nervous. It's not that I thought I couldn't, please that's not even in my vocab. Failure is not an option for me in anything.

Fast forward to 8am I do some stretching in the lobby but can't concentrate with all the people around (and the dust flying making me sneeze) - outside. The parking lot is full of booths and vendors. My lovely Starbuck's was nice enough to provide "Perfect Oatmeal", which was truly perfect, and hot coffee or tea. I grab a cup of oatmeal. I wander around a little bit and decide to get stretched out again by some professional since my trainer was completely MIA. They were shocked that I was allowed to race.

9am I am getting antsy. WHY can't we go to the start line already?!!!

9:15am we head down to the start on the Bronx River Parkway. I play with the timer chip machine (I was bored lol and they had to figure out how i was going to do it since I had no shoes).

9:30am and we start! Here's the sad part. I was in the front, on wheels and I was passed by at least half of the 10K runners within the first 10 minutes lol. Oh well. I keep looking over my shoulder determined not to be in last place before it makes sense. To my satisfaction there was still a group of people behind me.  And then I get passed by...WALKERS!!!! WHAT?! Oh no. All I need is one good downhill boost. Besides, there was no way that I was going to let Mr. Babe Ruth pass my before mile 3. Mr. Babe Ruth was this walk who at random moments power-walked or jogged, then walked again. He had tube socks pulled up to his calves, shorts, pot-belly and a bald head. He was my secret competition (in my head) haha. Mr. Grey Shirt was long gone so I was stuck with Mr. Ruth. I am ahead of him until mile 4 when I get slowed by GIGANTIC ENORMOUS IMPOSSIBLE hills.

Mile 2 - I pass the first aid station where I unhealthily ignore my dry mouth and sore muscles. I should have stopped for some gatorade (no way I was drinking that non-Poland Springs water). But I couldn't stop, Mr. Ruth would have passed me. Some nice bouncy lady, who reminded me of Tanya from Hope (counselor, not camper), ran beside me as I tackled my umpteenth impossibly long hill. Thanks "Tanya" lol.

I see Mile 3 marker and couldn't be happier. FINALLY I get to cross to the other side. At Mile 4 (and in the middle of yet ANOTHER impossibly long incline) and nice man named Joe ran up beside me an asked "would you like some company?" Really? You'd ruin your time to run with me...okay "Sure" i reply. So Joe and I took our sweet time as we passed the Mile 5. I didn't have a choice it was, yep uphill. I think they did this on purpose. We made conversation about everything as I try to ignore a pantless old man. I think he was a volunteer.

Somwhere between mile 5.something and 6 I spot my trainer on the partition. NOW YOU SHOW UP!!!! It's aight, by this time my arms are burning, my stomach is hurting from the crunching (yes crunches), my shoulders feel like jelly and I'm out of breath. Joe, Andre and I finish out the race (actually Andre had to where my timer chip for me).

So at approximately  1:55:55 with a pace of 17:42 minutes per mile, I finish my first race.

All of the thumbs ups, the "way to goes" and the "you're awesomes", all of the annoying days training and restricted when I wanted it to be diet paid off.

So what's next? I'm not sure. Maybe I'll swim across the Hudson. I guess we'll find out.

pix coming soon!!

Mood:  on fire

Okay so in less than 30 minutes, I will be leaving my house and on my way to Westchester County Marathon.  My part, the 10K doesn't start until 9am. I am super excited even though I HATE rising before the sun lol. I think I'm as prepared as I am going to be. I did 3 and half months extra training, for the most part I tried to keep my eating okay, and just stayed focus.  So now, today will tell all.

I don't really have any concerns at this point.  I mean, the worst that can happen is I don't make it to the first check point in time and they make me quit...I don't quit. So I guess that's the only thing. Maybe they will take it easy on me. I doubt it.

Well!!! Wish me luck. Time to get dressed. Don my official Genesis Adventures shirt, my cute little tracking device thing and my headphones - drown the world around me out and hear just my breathing and the orchestra (or whatever's playing at the time).

Stay tuned for photos.

Mood:  caffeinated

PEOPLE!!! I have about 5 days and 11 hours (check coundown clock) before my lil race.  I JUST registered yesterday so of course I had to pay an inflated price...the downs of procrastination.

My training is officially over. Not much else we can do, you know. We "ran" the course, well along the side of it since the course is the Bronx River Parkway.  We did strength training, cardio, all that so, what's left? Me resting. I'm supposed to load up on carbs, ehhhh Andre, don't think I can do that. Yeah see carbs equal sugar (energy) unused sugar equals fat, fat equals weight and that's what I'm trying to get rid of.  I wonder how many calories I can burn in 6.3 miles? Anyone?

5 days! At least it's not going to be boring for spectators. Music, food, games and such. They will be entertained.

I'm trying to figure out what my next challenge will be.  Should I do the half marathon next time? What about something aquatic? I'm like Phelps: better in the water than out. Maybe I can do that Hudson swim? I don't swim THAT fast, but I'm good.

Wouldn't it be cool if I could have like T-vision? A mounted camera so you can see my POV. Maybe next time.

Cinco Dias! I'll check in soon.

Well, I have come to the understanding that somone on my fitness team of two (and it's not me) has been "tricking" me. ALL this time I'm thinking yeah I'm doing 8-10 miles give or take. NOW the other day somehow the same session turned into like 2 miles. UGH!!!  I'll get over it.  I definitely need to get up to my 8-10 miles since my 10k is about the far.

Back to my barely two months. My marathon is creeping closer and closer - just sneaking up on me. Can you hear my excitement? It's kinda there lol, not fully there but kinda.  I'm thinking I should probably do some off-the-clock training. Get back in the gym that I've been actively neglecting...just not purposefully. See, I've been pretty busy. Between making sure there's money in the bank and sorority stuff and my regular training schedule, I've been busy! Can't help it. Besides I kinda didn't pay my membership so yeah, I'm also ducking :)

October 12th. Counting down.  I should probably do the actual registration, huh? Where IS my motivation? 

Okay, well I haven't been updating every other day b/c I'm sure you are tired of seeing the same thing.  My workouts have changed slightly.  Now I go to Central Park 2x a week, the next week I'll just go to the gym 2x a week, and the next week I'll do both...lather rinse repeat.

 TWO MONTHS TO GO!!!!!! OMG And I just realized (again) after tons of math and googling that the 10k (for which I am registered) is just a 1/4 of a marathon. Yeah Go figure. It's about 10 miles, maybe 6 which is pretty much what I'm doing in Central Park anyway.

 I need to bring my camera again. It's cool though. The park workers know me now and every week ask me if I am in one of the many marathons taking place. No I am not.  All the little bike riders, runners. It's nice. Annoying. HIGHLY annoying, but they are just being nice.

As for my strength training. It's going. I have no clue what half of the exercises are called but mostly shoulder/back/arm work.  My floor routines are pretty much core/ab focused.

TWO MONTHS!!! And then I go on work-out vacation. I sure am. Andre doesn't think I'm serious. I am disappearing from the gym world for like 2 weeks.  Then I'll be back and doing indoor training for maybe a swim marathon thing. Water is so much better than land. 

New photos posted. More to come.

It's almost the end of July. So my big day is coming at lightening speed. According to Andre, I'm getting better. Slowly getting better, but getting there nonetheless. I haven't been updating my training page but it looks like this:

Strength Training - 1hr 2x a week

Cardio - 30mins 2-3x a week

Floor/Core - 30mins 2x a week

 I just got this cute little balance disk thing.  It looks like a flattened ball. I pretty much do not have too many excuses anymore for NOT working out at home. I can make some up...you know, like the bed was right there, the floor was too comfy, God made it too hot today, etc, but they'd be more and more useless with each new piece workout equipment I acquire.

Oct 12!!! 

Okay, so I haven't exactly kept you all updated for a little while.  Actually, things are going the same as usual.  This past week, my trainer took me to his gym (actually, a rec center).  Turns out it's the one my sosority sister manages. I signed up yesterday. I pretty much had to since that's where he wants to work with me from now on.

Well, let's see. It's already July. Almost the third week in July already. Just a couple of more months.  I realized last week that the 8-10mi. I do in the Park IS the marathon. And here I thought that I'd have to hit like 20mi.  I did the conversion from Km to M incorrectly, apparently.  Makes me feel tons better b/c by the time we hit maybe mile 5, I'm done.  The only relief is knowing that Central Park is just built on hills and more hills, the Bronx River Parkway isn't...as much. Okay it is, but I saw the graph. It's more of a steady incline and blah blah (something the site said).  Evenutally, we'll have to go train over there.

And I still need a chair. I was actually going to purchase one this month/next month-ish. But something ALWAYS comes up. IDK.

In the meantime, new pix will be up this weekend. And thank you to everyone for your support!! 

Okay well, this is week four.  Pretty much a month since I started my training (a little less, actually). Today was another trip to Central Park (CP).  You know, this getting up with the sun thing is killing me, but I have to do it right? As my trainer and I are coming up on what may have been mile 7 (yeah, i know) I asked, why the hell did I decide to do this??? Then, in true Tiara fashion shrugged it off with an "oh well, I started it might as well finish it".  I'm not one to just stop.

Each CP day the miles get longer, the breaks get shorter and for some reason, on those days, the sun decides to get hotter.  I'll deal. 

//sidebar// So, someone asked me the other day, why? I don't really have an answer other than: I want to and I can. Then with a e-smile, "I can" that's my name you know! Guy asks, huh? I said Ndigayenza (hehe) it means "I can do it".  He e-smiles back and says yeah, it does. I was shocked and amazed. "What do you know about that" I asked. Turns out he spoke Xhosan (look it up). //end sidebar//

Anyway, back to today.  It's about 1:30 in the afternoon. I feel like I've been up all day/night working in the fields. Kinda. Just had to paint the picture for you. And I know it'll just get worse (great!!! -- no) but, I have to complete like 24km in less than 4hrs so I mean, I gotta do it.

So what do you think about this - SeeTGo t-shirts? Yeah? I know but I need a logo or something. I mean, I need to be able to pick out my supporters in the crowd.

Alright. I'm done. Tomorrow I'll probably take a trip to Yonkers and do some laps in the pool. Because I can't walk, swimming is the one of the only ways I can get a full body workout.  (bye bye relaxer *sigh* - it's all for the sake of the cause, it's all for the sake of the cause). 

It's three weeks in, here's a little video of what I do. Thanks to everyone who has emailed or Gbooked me. 

I just got back from my mini-vacation at Wildwood. (Congrats NST).   I didn't really do too much working out, unless you call 4hrs up and down the boardwalk (end-to-end) working out. IDK.  Somehow, I still managed to hurt myself and of course it would be on the day I have to leave.  Maybe I slept wrong, who knows but I have the ONLY pain in my shoulder/collar bone area right now.  This is no bueno seeing as how I have to go to the gym today and do the hand-bike, Central Park tomorrow and tackle unecessarily big hills...Think those IcyHot heating pad things will work? Maybe. Hope so. It hurts. 

The bad part about having a hurt arm is that I rely on my arms for EVERYTHING. They pull double duty as "legs" (getting around) and arms (doing arm stuff lol). I'll be alright. *sigh*

Anyway, Wildwood SOOOO took me off my little food regimine.  I was doing well and then. AND THEN! I'm bombarded by eveything I can't eat. No pasta, low bread in-take, avoid the fried food, avoid pretty much everything you'd find on a boardwalk. Don't know how I survived. Eggs. Eggs and nuts. That's how I survived.  Yeah I did have an empanada or two but in MY defense. I was hungry *shrug*.

Okay it's about noon. Gotta go sign-in and sweat. Tootles!