Rock and Roll 1/2 Marathon RECAP

Yesterday was my first Half Marathon. If you recall, I decided one day to train for my first 5K before my 40th birthday. Running was NOT something I ever did. EVER. At the time, I had a 3 and 6 year old. I worked full time. I was just getting into the swing of things juggling those boys and my life. I never, ever thought that one day I would be running a 1/2 marathon.

Well, this year, I started running with Black Girls Run, my running group. These women were so much fun. They were encouraging. They pushed me to keep going further. I went from 1 mile to 3 miles. From 3 miles to 5 miles. One day, I ran 7. Then, they signed me up for my first ten mile race. I conquered the Broad Street Run. I started training with a crew of ladies who were training for their first half marathons. Team 13.1 is what we started calling ourselves after the number of miles in the race.

Every morning at 5am, we trained hard. Some mornings, we ran hills. Some mornings we did boot camp. Some mornings, we did speed intervals. Once a week, we ran a long run. We did this for about 12 weeks. Finally, two weeks ago, one of the ladies asked me if I was running the 1/2 marathon with them. To tell the truth, I was scared that I couldn’t do it. It just sounded so crazy. In my head….I DON’T RUN HALF MARATHONS.

Finally, I realized the deadline had passed for me to register without paying a gazillion dollars. One of the teammates, pulled out of the event due to injury and I ended up with her race bib. Suddenly, I felt like the universe was conspiring to propel me to run this race. I drank the Kool Aid and got ready.

Saturday night, my stomach was killing me. I was so anxious. I think I got four hours of sleep.

I woke up on Sunday morning and started getting ready. When I got there, I found my training crew. We were all anxious but we had run the distance once before. We hugged each other and encouraged each other.

PRE-RACE laughs with my training crew….

During the race, we talked and felt good. We passed miles and enjoyed the race waving to friends and family all the way. We saw an elderly gentleman running in a POW-MIA shirt while holding an American flag on a long flagpole. It brought tears to my eyes. Around mile 7, one of my co-workers who had been reclaiming his health ran up and hugged me. He was running his first race too. We high fived and joked that we would see each other on the finish line.

Our running team had cheerleaders at every mile marker. They were awesome. They had signs and cheered for us by name. They were so uplifting. I cruised into mile ten feeling good.

THE BEST PEP SQUAD EVER!

Right around mile 10-all smiles

At mile 11 1/2, my body started to hit the wall. My breathing was not labored thanks to all of my swimming and endurance training. For an asthmatic, I used to worry about gasping for air but I have great breath control now. However, my legs were starting to feel it. My body started talking to me.

My knees said “Look here. Didn’t we have a talk not too long ago? Didn’t I tell you to sit your old azz down and rest? Why do you have me out here doing this?”

All of a sudden, I looked over and saw one of our coaches. This woman. WHEW. She was not running today but she knew that on training runs, we had all started to struggle at the end. She positioned herself right at that mile 11.5 marker and what did she yell out to us? “There you guys are. I have been waiting specifically for you.” Then she ran into the street and started yelling (with love) MOVE IT LADIES, THIS IS THE HOMESTRETCH. YOU ARE 2 MILES AWAY. LET”S GO! She then started to run next to us and push us. I told her I had to go slow at this point cause my legs were shot. She told me to “stop making excuses and keep moving.” LOL…gotta love it.

She ran the remaining two miles in with us before turning back to go run in with more of our team. BGR had almost 60 runners in the race. Amazing. She helped run in most of us. What an angel.

CROSSING THE FINISH LINE WITH OUR COACH NEXT TO US (she is on the right with no race bib on)

What was great was that we stayed next to each other for the entire race. We all finished within seconds of each other. Here we are right after we all received our post race medals. Minutes after finishing.

POST RACE PHOTO

I really did it. It is now starting to sink in.

It was a great experience. On a personal note, I also got to compete and train for all these weeks with my sorority sisters. We love each other and pushed, coached and held each other up. We all purchased special shirts to commemorate our 13.1 miles. To find them in pink and green was perfect. We showed up to our post race brunch rocking our AKA pearls and our shirts.

TEAM AKA/TEAM 13.1

Yup, Thirteen point freaking one…your girl is a RUNNER.

Thirteen Point Freaking One Plus!

I have been running with Black Girls Run for a full year now. When I started, I could comfortably run 3 miles. I never had a desire to push myself to do more. Hell, I was training for a triathlon and my distance in the race portion was 3 miles. Why run any further than that? Who actually LIKES running?

Well, since running with BGR, something has happened to me. I have allowed myself to make friends with actual runners. Cool right? Well, not really. See what happens is they start to push you. They encourage you to go further. You start to drink the Kool-Aid and lo and behold…I found myself going from running 3 miles to completing ten miles this past May in the Broad Street Run here in Philadelphia.

Today, one of our team members decided to host a 1/2 marathon in honor of her daughter who is leaving to attend college. Yes, both mother and daughter run. How fab is that? Well, I have had it in my mind that I want to run in the Rock and Roll 1/2 marathon coming up in Philly. I have been following a training schedule but have kept it quiet. See, I hate failure and I am uber competitive. I have been so scared of the distance. 13.1 miles. *sigh*

Well, I had a 10 mile run scheduled for today but got dragged into doing  decided to join in on the 1/2 marathon. Last night, I couldn’t sleep. I was up at 4am just laying there. I was sweaty and anxious. Even though it wasn’t a real race, I was concerned because my pace partners are REAL RUNNERS. I kept hoping I could keep up without falling behind. I laced up my sneakers, ate a peanut butter on wheat and headed out the door.

When I got there, everyone was so excited. The ladies warmed up with some stretches and calisthenics. As we broke off into groups, my stomach was doing flip flops. Everyone was geeked. Me? Not so much. I laced up. Took a few deep breaths and said a silent prayer. “I Can Do ALL THINGS through Christ, Who Strengthens Me.” It was time to go.

Not only did I manage to keep up, at certain points, I was the rabbit and helped set the pace for the group. At one point, they told me to slow down. LOL

Today, I did something I NEVER thought I could do. I completed my first half marathon distance. Not only did I run 13.1 miles…I finished at 13.47 miles.

I called one of my fellow tridivas and she made me smile. She reminded me that I couldn’t swim and I conquered that. I was not a runner and now, I can do a half marathon.

When I look back on how far I have come in such a short time, I am amazed at myself. However, I know I have succeeded because I worked hard, I stayed focused, I believed in myself and I had the support of my family and my fellow athletes. Who knows what new challenges lie in wait for me? I am excited to tackle them all.

I don’t do these things for any other reason than the fact that I wanted to reclaim my health and set an example for my children. There is no quick fix, it starts with baby steps. From drowning to swimming. From walking to running. Believe that you can because it’s true.

13.47 miles later and look at me…..I am ready for that next race because I too, am a REAL RUNNER.

Stuff You Find at Tarjay

So I went on a random trip to Tarjay and found a few items that I felt the need to share. I am starting my new weekly feature…STUFF YOU FIND AT TARJAY.

First up, we have these. EXHIBIT A:

What are these you may ask? SKINNY JEANS FOR BOYS…IN COLORS. Uh yeah, I blame Lil Wayne for this. Perhaps this is the hot look for your 8 year old, for me? Yeah, I am having 80′s flashbacks and just can’t with these. I don’t get men or boys in skinny stretch jeans. *sigh* I feel so old.

EXHIBIT B

Hmm….did you know there is a FIFTY SHADES OF GRAY MAGAZINE????? I swear I stopped dead in my tracks and bust out laughing. Now, I read all of the books and despite the terrible writing, enjoyed them immensely. I say power to the housewives having some mommy stimulation. However, a national magazine? Let’s look at the topics covered this month shall we? Release Your Inner Goddess? S*E*X whisperer? Men, were you aware that 93% of your women want to spice up their lives with role play?? Whew, maybe the men should be reading this stuff?

Since I live around the corner from Tarjay…expect to see more in the weeks to come. I love this stuff.

Only me.

Our widowed neighbor is away on a church retreat. Mr. 1969, is the best neighbor on the block (unless you are the Wu Tang house) so, of course, he volunteered to take care/feed her pets while she is away.

This morning, as I sit here and work on my computer banging out a report, Mr. 1969 calls me from his office “Babe, can you go feed the pets next door? I forgot.” They have a cat and a guinea pig. I can’t remember if I shared this but the last time I went over to feed her cat earlier in the summer, the cat escaped and I had to wait 30 minutes to track down and touch an animal that causes me to sneeze profusely.

I grabbed her keys and took the boys with me and headed over there. She has an alarm system on the house and a small key fob for it that looks like a remote control for a car. One of the buttons looks like a man going through a door. I clicked on it and entered the house.

One minute later, I hear the alarm saying INTRUDER, FRONT DOOR MOTION DETECTED and then the ear shattering alarm kicks in. *sigh* The phone rings and I pick it up and calmly let them know that I am here to feed the pets. They, of course, can’t track the neighbor down. They managed to shut off the alarm but had to call the police out to verify my story.

Two handsome members of Philly’s Finest rolled up, verified my photo id, checked the house and then started laughing at me. I told them it was Mr. 1969′s fault. They agreed and wrote out a nice little “faux” citation for me to give him.

How has YOUR morning been?

Juggling Act

Since the Tali’s spent most of the summer in Trinidad and summer camps in Philly close either this week or next, we were left with a three week gap of time where I have to both work from home and entertain the boys. I can’t lie, it hasn’t been easy. Mr. 1969 has done a great job of working from home 1/2 days to assist me in getting out to all of my scheduled sales calls.

I also have a great network of fellow parents who (on a day like today where I have an important meeting from noon to 2pm) will take my boys for a few hours so I can get my corporate America on. I am enjoying having them home and the break from them has made me appreciate them all the more. I guess I realized how fast they are growing up and I value being around them a little bit more.

Speaking of time flying, yesterday was our 12th anniversary! On Friday, I woke up with a bad sore throat but I was scheduled for my long run. I shook it off and hit the pavement with my BGR teammates and completed 9 miles. I came home and started feeling progressively worse. My head started hurting, I got a fever, runny nose…I had a dreaded summer cold. I collapsed around 7pm and hit the bed. Saturday morning, Mr. 1969 took the boys out and stayed out so I could sleep. I needed to feel better because we were supposed to attend a Black and White themed party that evening.

When I finally woke up, it was 3 o’clock in the afternoon. I took a shower, ate something and tried my best to get my game face on. Once the medicine hit my system, I felt so much better. We dropped the boys off at their friend’s house and off we went. We had a great sushi dinner at POD and headed off to the Aquarium. The venue was great. We took a picture in our Black and White attire in front of the sharks (who looked hungry and agitated!)

Yes, I drank one glass of wine with cold medicine. I think it made me feel better. However, please note that I am not a Doctor and I don’t play one on TV. The guest DJ was the world famous Biz Markie. Now there are few things I love more than old school music. I was standing on the sidelines, getting my two step on as the old school disco classics played.  However, when Biz gets on the mic, I start hearing the strains of Big Daddy Kane and he asks the famous party question “WHERE BROOKLYN AT?”…..I swear the cold medicine and wine combo took over.

The Philly/NJ folks had to move back cause Brooklyn had to break down the wop for them when I heard “I came in the door, I said it before….” and from there it was a plethora of dance challenges which culminated in me doing the Pee Wee Herman to Joe Ski Love (Yeah…Google that one kids.)

Needless to say, it was a crazy night full of fun and I am so glad I made it to the party. Our lives together have always centered around us making each other laugh. Nothing has changed in the last 12 years. We are still crazy. LOL

Hope you all had a great weekend.

April 6th, 2002-April 6th, 2012

Today is a milestone for our family. My sweet Tali 1 turns 10. A whole decade has passed of my baby boy’s life. I have watched him grow into a wonderful young man.

Tali 1, age 3, holding his new baby brother at the hospital

All mother’s think their child is the greatest but I really couldn’t ask God for a better son. His most endearing quality is his heart. My son cares about his family, his brother, animals, those suffering….he really is the sweetest, kindest kid ever. He always wants to help someone and never hesitates to go out of his way if needed.

Tali 1, age 3 Tali 2 at one month old

He is a great student and a great athlete. He really is my little superstar and the future leader of the Free World.  He is the child that always comes to check on me. “How are you feeling mom? Can I get you some water mom? You look really nice today mom!” Tali 2 has never known a day with us all by himself but those three years with just Tali 1 were so special. I had the chance to focus all of my energies on his life and well being. He and I share a special bond and we always will. He is the first child and he will always carry the very best of me with him wherever he goes.  These ten years have flown by and I can’t imagine how fast the next ten will go.

Happy Birthday to my boy. I love you so much son and wish you continued success in all that you do. Enjoy life and know that Daddy, Tali 2 and I will always be your biggest cheerleaders. We love you son. Especially mommy.

So Blessed

I posted a while back about Tali 1 applying to a very prestigious school for their middle school program. I tried not to talk about it too much cause I didn’t want to jinx us. (Be quiet….I’m superstitious!) Well, the letter just came and it was a skinny letter. I swear I held on to it for a solid ten minutes. I finally took a deep breath and opened it and my baby is ACCEPTED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I can’t lie, I cried like a baby. He is the newest student at arguably, the best middle school in PA and one of the top in the nation. At the Open House, they told us that almost every student accepted is a straight A student. We knew that competition was going to be thick and we didn’t want to put too much emphasis on him getting in. We continued to focus on his grades and keep moving forward but believe me, it has been in the back of our minds for the last year.

When I walked into the school, a few things jumped out at me…the diversity, the type of child at the school and the environment. It felt exactly like my alma mater, Brooklyn Tech. Students from all backgrounds, all nerdy (in a good way) in a positive and safe environment where learning is the focus. I knew instantly that my son was a perfect fit for the school. I just needed the school to agree.

I am on pins and needles and can’t wait to go pick him up today. He is going to be so excited. Now he will take the bus like a city kid into school everyday. I will probably have to get him his own *gasp* cell phone.  My baby (who turns ten next week) is growing up right before my eyes and his future is looking so bright.

When you have a child, you have big dreams for them. You want only the very best. Today, one of those dreams came true and it totally validated the choices Mr. 1969 and I have made regarding his education. What’s also great are the calls and texts pouring in from our family and friends that are cheering for him. We have a village around our son. I am so grateful for that support system. With all of these loved ones behind Tali 1, this will be the first step on his journey and he will get wherever he wants to go.

I AM SO PROUD. THANK YOU GOD. I AM HUMBLED AND GRATEFUL.

This Triathlon Training IS REAL

I have been MIA but it’s strictly because I am adjusting to Mr. 1969 working long hours, re-learning how to manage my household and fitting in the intense training schedule for this triathlon. How intense? See for yourself…. TRI SCHEDULE

Yep….this is the insane weekly schedule I am on. Currently, it’s Week 4 and it has indeed been a shock to my body. Last year, I did not train hard enough and it showed in my last place crawl across the finish line. I also ate like I normally do. I eat pretty healthy meals, but I would indulge in sweets. Anything with frosting has always been my weakness. Despite all of the training last year, I really only lost about 5 pounds and gained it right back when the race was over.

This year, I decided that if I was going to train, I was going to find a schedule and stick to it. I am taking this race seriously. The workouts are tough but I constantly prove to myself that I am stronger than I ever thought.  My swimming is getting better, and my biking and running are improving.

The biggest change I have made over the last two months has been my eating. I am proud to tell you all that I weighed in at my GOAL WEIGHT this morning. I am so excited. What have I done? I downloaded an app on my phone. If you are interested in seeing how many calories you are consuming a day (and trust me, it was an eye opening experience for me) try it out. The app I use is called “my fitness pal”. The cost? NADA

For the last two and a half months, I have been using it and I have officially lost my weight. I started by entering my goal weight and my current weight. Based on my height, etc…it spit out a daily number of calories I should eat to get to my goal weight. When I saw that number, I almost passed out. Who can live on that tiny number of calories? Guess what….I can. Once I started putting in the calories of stuff I was eating, it all clicked for me.

Here is what I go through daily “Hmmm….a donut is about 300 calories. If I eat it, I will waste those calories and still be hungry. For 300 calories, I could have a chobani yogurt and a bowl of oatmeal and be full. DONE.”

It has become a game to see how I can make it to my daily calorie goal without going over. Plus, everytime I work out, I log it and I get those calories back to eat that day. Swimming for 40 minutes gives me about 300 calories to play with. That way, if I want a treat…I can have it but only on a day I worked out. I have to earn that treat. Now I firmly believe that you have to find something that works for YOU but I can say, this is all working for me.

It finally clicked.  I am at the weight I was before I got married and had those children that ruined my body the Tali boys. I am feeling strong. I am balancing work, mom, wife and athlete. Like I said, it’s all clicking for me right now. This is a GOOD WEEK.

In other news, today is a special day. It is Mama 1969′s birthday. Everything I am….I owe to my mom. She raised me to believe in myself and was the epitome of a strong female role model. This tenacity comes from her. Wishing her nothing but love on her special day. I love you Mommy!

note: How fitting…this is my 1,000th post. God is good and I am so thankful for all of my blessings. Thank you all for reading!

Kryptonite

Mr. 1969 has started a rigorous new job. He is in hardcore training for a year, at the end of which, he will own his own business.  I fully support him in this endeavor and know that the long term outlook for our family could be huge. I never blogged about it but the last year has been a challenging one for our family. My hubby was laid off from his job last year. While we weren’t affected too hard financially due to a good package and unemployment, it was a hard adjustment for him personally. I didn’t share it on the blog because some family stuff is simply private and I didn’t need my hubby’s business out on Front Street as he dealt with that transition.

I can’t lie, I was so spoiled having him home for that time. Our house was immaculate, he dropped and picked up the boys every day so I could work, train, etc. All I did was cook dinner. With him undertaking this new endeavor, my life of leisure has come to a screeching halt. SCREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEECH.

Mr. 1969 has to now leave the house by 7:30am. The boys have to be at school at 8am. I have also started the Triathlon training schedule. Most mornings, I am up at 4:45 and at the gym by 5-5:30am. I swim laps or run or bike for a good hour then roll back in at 6:30am. I have to come back, get the boys dressed and make breakfast and then drop them to school. After which, I come home and get ready to work.

While I do work from home, I usually have appointments and sales calls daily. I now have to be back by 4pm to pick up the boys, do home work, make dinner, etc. Mr. 1969 works till 6pm most evenings and till 8pm two days a week.

Right now, I am doing EVERYTHING. While I am not complaining because I am so excited for my husband to have this opportunity and I will support him 100% in this endeavor so he can focus on what he needs to do to be successful…..can I just share that Superwoman is TIRED?

Yesterday was the 2nd day of my training calendar. The first day I swam 1,o00 yards and biked for 30 minutes. Yesterday, I swam 1,250 yds and then got out of the pool and ran 3 miles. I worked all day. I came home and whipped up a Valentine’s dinner for the men. I also baked red velvet cupcakes. When I finally stopped moving, I laid in my bed and stared at the ceiling and realized I was completely and utterly exhausted.

I know that two weeks from now, I will be used to the flow. You know me, I will just make it work. I have been spoiled for months by a great hubby who did everything for our family. Getting back into Superwoman mode is taking longer than I thought.

As I type this, I am about to get ready to head into the city for a lunch appointment and a meeting with my boss. *sigh*

I take on too much. Usually it’s because I want to. This time, I have to.  This is what sacrifice is all about. I am focused on the long term goals for my family and when my hubby comes home late and still has homework, I know that it’s worth it to have his back and keep our house running smoothly.

I just needed to tell someone….I really am tired.

There, I said it. Off to work. Somebody get my cape!

Couples Night Out

One of my favorite sorors recently bought a home a few blocks away from us. On New Year’s Day, they held a lovely brunch that we had the pleasure of attending. At the brunch we connected with another couple that also bought a home in our neighborhood recently. We all clicked and decided to have a couples night out last Saturday.

We found sitters and headed out to see Red Tails and to dinner afterwards. Over the last few months, I have attended several events to support my wonderful friends that promote business ventures, clubs, after work happy hours, parties, etc. Can I just tell you? I am over that whole scene. Yup, it’s official, I AM OLD. I am not trying to stand around a club in heels all night with random men trying to approach with their best lines. UGH. I don’t miss that at all.

Sitting down with a glass of wine, enjoying a nice dinner and good conversation? Count me in every time. The three ladies rocking jeans and sweaters and snow boots due to the snow? EVEN BETTER. Comfy, casual, grown up fun is underrated.

The funny thing is, I felt like such a SUBURBANITE. Couple friends? Wine? Dinner and a movie? What’s next? Playing mahjong and hosting Tupperware parties? This may be the first step towards being uncool people. I can’t wait to do it again.