About 3 days after I completed my marathon, an awful awful feeling started creeping in.
Days 1 and 2 were filled with a little bit of disbelief. Except for the profound ache in my quads, I wasn’t quite sure I’d done it.
And then came the postpartum depression.
Literally, I was overwhelmed by this sense that I could have done better. That I, and my race time, was a disappointment to friends and family. That I hadn’t worked hard enough initially, and that’s why I hadn’t pulled an Olympian time. I started to feel antsy. That I immediately needed to sign up for something else, to begin training, and to “redeem” myself in a sense.
I explained this to Yoga Kerri a few days later at work, and she, as well as a few others, explained that the race was about me, and not anyone else. It doesn’t matter what anyone else thought. My time was nothing to sniff at. I’d done it. I’d enjoyed the experience. And I wanted to do it again, and if I did it better (and one day qualified for Boston and then had a really sweet jacket to proudly wear about as people marveled about my beauty and strength), then so be it.
I don’t know who I was comparing myself to. But I have a lot to be proud of.
I finished a marathon
I ran the entire time, the way I wanted to
I felt relatively good the entire time
I created a training plan, and stuck to it
I’d gladly do it again
So raise your glass (of low-cal Gatorade), and cheers to not comparing yourself to anyone else. Do you!
Yesterday, my baby decided he wanted to go be with the Lord.
.
After a rather difficult day yesterday (guess who got another job rejection!) I climbed into the Green Monster to head home. Got going and….my car won’t shift out of first gear?! So I tried everything. I talked to him. I stopped and started him. And when all was said and done, this Mama was crusin’ down Wade Avenue barely faster than I finished my first marathon.
The Green Monster is now in a medically induced coma down at the transmission shop. There he sits, waiting for me to decide if his transmission is worth a reboot, or if it’s time to move on, and buy a car that most other grown-ups find acceptable.
At any rate, whatever I decide, if I do decide to let him go to the great junkyard in the sky, Green Monster was…no is….a great guy.
My sister crashed him like 10 years ago, and he lived to tell the tale.
He came up with me to my first stint in Pennsylvania, where we traveled all about the Northeast, without a care in the world.
His AC stopped working a few years ago, but I still accepted him as a family member. I just rolled around with that 4-60 AC system. 4 windows down, 60 mphs at all times.
I used to sleep in the back of that car on my lunch breaks during my internships with the window down juuuuust enough so I wouldn’t suffocate.
If you go under the drivers side seat, not only will you find a wide array of quarters, great for any quarter emergency you may find yourself in, but you will find a rainbow of pretzel M&Ms, still good enough to eat. (I can’t eat a bag without dropping one).
I’m taking the evening to reflect on our time together and to decide whether I think the Green Monster is worth taking for another spin. Buy at any rate, you were a good Green Monster. And thanks to your “death,” I will be running to and from work, until I find someone, not as good, but more alive than you are.
There’s probably nothing a runner loves more than his or her dog. We may love beer and bread. But the dogs come way first.
And we’re not talking strays. Vicious creatures not on their leashes, bound to bite at our Achilles tendons. We’re talking about those dogs that are just there for you. They smile. They’re happy. They make life better to deal with. These our our running partners. Our best friends. So without further ado? Our four-legged (or sometimes less) best friends!
Mini Armour
Mini Armour. Let me preface this story by saying that my mother is afraid of dogs. Like deathly, terribly afraid. One day, my senior year in high school, my mom had dropped us off to Wal-Mart to pick something up. She called me on my flip phone, (it was 2005) and I expected for it to be for her to tell me something she’d forgotten about. She just told us to come outside. We went outside, and there in my mom’s lap, was Mini Armour, the cutest friggin thing we’d ever seen. Apparently, she’d been living with some college students who couldn’t keep her, and Mother and Mini took one look at each other, and they couldn’t live without one another. She is a Chihuahua mix (she only weighs about 12 or 13 pounds), and she’s one of the best guard dogs you will ever have. She is currently studying for her GED equivalent (since she was living out on the streets), she loves people food (no matter what it is), and she loves candy. Her main hang-up? She loves to run away. You open the door, and she will run for miles. Eventually, she will come back, but this naughty pup is totally game for whatever. (Once ate donuts from Dunkin off of the dining room table while we were at church and lived to tell the tale).
Honey Swanson
Honey Swanson. Workout dogs are saints. They wait for you all day. You come home, and you’re doing a headstand on the yoga mat. And they’re all “huh?!”. Honey is a lovely lady, and “she always stays by my side whenever I do at-home workouts. She never fails to jump on me when I try to do ab work!”
Chip Nam
Chip Nam. Chip is a very very special doggy, because he’s helping his Mama fight off cancer. That’s right, Chip has powers! Chip is an old man, his Mama says, but he hasn’t quite come to terms with his age. “He loves cuddling, basking in the sun, and long walks on the beach.” Chip doesn’t like water though. Like many of our dog pals, Chip enjoys the challenge of stealing food off the table when no one’s watching. Naughty Chip!
Lukas Gomez
Lukas Gomez. Are you dead at how cute this guy is? He’s not only ridiculously good-looking, but he’s studying Poodle Studies at NCSU! Wolfpack! Apparently, he likes Popsicles as well. (His Mama likes taking cycling classes!)
Dash Gomez
Dash Gomez. Dash took his education more seriously. Dash is very pensive and studying Biology at NCSU. Dash has been helping me with my Punnet Squares after school. Thanks bud! But Dash isn’t all just biology and serious times. Dash loves to play outside on sunny days (omg look at that tongue)…
Dash Gomez
And she likes to play fetch! Look at her fetch sweater!
Now finally Bragg…
Bragg Gomez
Bragg Gomez. North Carolina is home to none other than Fort Bragg. Take a second and thank your vets for their service. Now Bragg? Bragg studied political science at Cal B and his favorite past time is fetching the ball. His favorite treat is liver treats by Biljac (available at Petsmart).
Ash Zelin
Ash Zelin. Ash is a fine Jewish dog. He loves to smile for the camera (duh). From his mama? “This is my parents’ dog, Ash. She is 8.5 years old, lives in Charlotte, NC, and LOVES to chase squirrels, going for long walks, and going buh-byes in the car. She is a happy mutt and will gladly smile at anyone willing to scratch her behind her ears. She was my “replacement” when I moved away to college, and I love her dearly. As a puppy, she managed to eat 2 pounds of Hershey kisses, wrappers and all, and not get sick. She has also been known to destroy boxes of tampons, eat full tubes of toothpaste, and hide peanut-butter flavored power bars in her crate. Ash just finished radiation for a malignant tumor in her throat and is now cancer-free, hopefully for the rest of her life. We are very excited to get to spend more time with her”
The best thing about Ash? Ash once relieved tampons from their box and gleefully threw them about until Mamas and Daddys came home. But he’s too cute to be angry with! How can you be mad at that smile?
Mini Armour
It’s my lady, Mini again! Mini, while she’s not studying for her GED equivalent and eating people food, loves to lay in the sunny spots all around the house. Sometimes she will even sit on the fireplace hearth and warm her little tush up in the winter!
Nolon Kepley
The Kepleys! This little monster is Nolan 🙂
Nolon and Ana Kepley
And Nolan with his sister, Ana.
Nolon Kepley (and Mel!)
The flash was too bright for him to see…
Nolon Kepley (Kisses!)
Ready? “Nolon is my stand-up guy. He is BIG, goofy, loving, and wants NOTHING more than to be given every second of your most undying attentions…well, except for maybe food. But don’t fret! He will swallow his food whole in record time, every time. Although he is quite the looker and LOVES people, he isn’t so friendly with other dogs Unless of course, we make them a part of our pack! All it takes is a brief introduction and a good walk together and mi casa es su casa! In short, guys if you want a guaranteed lady’s number gettin’ ratio of at least 1 per hour, he’s for rent and I recommend downtown. Ladies, if you need a GREAT cuddler and protector, his mother could use a break.
Ana is my go-to bitch (pun intended). She is beautiful, smart, quirky, independent, and protective. She loves the outdoors and just laying around with her loved ones. Now that I think of it, she is a lot like ME! She is the leash-less walker who usually listens impeccably but every now and again exhibits her “I’ll do what I want” qualities.” She would be the perfect companion for hiking with ANYONE, loves to swim and play fetch, and makes sure that no dog, even Nolon, gets too close to her Mamma.”
Brewer Shawty
Brewer Shawty. His name is cool right? It’s super cool cause Brewer likes to ‘brew’ beer with his daddy, Matt.
Brewer Shawty
Brewer joined the Shawty fam this past January. Mom says he’s been a little adventure ever since! His hobbies include brewing beer with daddy Matt, tearing up plush toys (especially ducks), chasing birds (real ones), and going on lots of long walks. He also likes to snuggle and sit in laps whenever gets the chance.
Toby Emery
Toby. Toby Emery! Look at those ears, darling! So Toby was one of the best characters on The Office, even though Michael was terrible to him, and Pam never realized that he had a crush on her. Office aside, Toby Emery, is a very special pup. Mama and Daddy are very smart, and are putting Toby on the path to a long and lush relationship with education. Lauren didn’t tell me where he might me going to college, but my feeling is is that Toby is an Ivy Leaguer. I mean look at those ears!
Toby Rundown: (I have to leave it the way his Mom sent it, because it was so organized and cute, I can’t stand it).
Birthday: March 14th, 2012
Breed: Pembroke Welsh Corgi
Favorite workouts: walks with the rents, chasing the cat, and “herding” the other dogs at the dog park.
With his little legs, Toby is not the optimal long distance running companion, but he is great at short sprints!
Troll Morton-Dunn
Troll. Now this is the type of dog I die over. Look at his coloring! Don’t you just want to steal him and take him home! “This little man goes by Troll. He enjoys sleeping on anything that is soft, running frenzied laps around our apartment in five-minute intervals, making pig noises and playing with his KONG bone. We rescued Troll about five months ago. He is a big-hearted pup and we could not be happier that he is part of our family.”
Soloman Woods
King Solomon Woods IV. This handsome fellow has an equally handsome and nice daddy! Solomon is a 2-year-old Dachshund/German Shepard mix. He has BA in Drama, and he graduated early from Solid Bone University. Is that an online Uni?
And you guys get one last gander at the joi de ma vie, c’est Mini!
Mini Armour
I think animals are one of the best parts of life. So take some time, surf our favorite pets, and if you’re able, head over to PetFinder to make a new addition to your family!
No thanks to Phaedra Parks, of the Nobel Peace Prize Winning, “Real Housewives of Atlanta,” I’ve gotten this question more than a few times after class.
Now take a good look at Miz Parks. Beautiful woman, right? But does she seem like someone that you should be taking fashion workout advice from? Does she strike you as someone who sat and studied for their AFAA group exercise or personal trainer cert? Me either.
This, non-expert has now taken it upon herself to release a workout tape, touting the benefits of a few exercises to give you a “donkey booty,” or a curvaceous, voluptuous behind shape that Queen Bey and Nicki Minaj have popularized.
The real questions here is, can you spot train to firm up and “grow” one area of the human body?
The answer, in short, is, absolutely not.
-Can you do a bunch of squats and get a Beyonce booty?
-Can you do a bunch of crunches and and get Jackie Warner abs?
-Can you do a bunch of bicep curls and get Michelle Obama arms?
No. Nope. Absolutely not. Spot training is not a thing.
So the trick to getting a donkey booty? Hawt abs? Michelle Obama arms?
–Throw away those pics you cut out of your fantasy body now. You’re not Shakira. You’re not Bey. You’re not Al Roker. (Okay, sike on that last one). But you’re you. Chances are, you hold on to muscle and fat way differently than whomever it is that you idolize. Me and my brother have a typical Haitian male shape. Tall, long limbs, long fingers and toes, and a donkey booty is not in my future. The little bum I do have is firm, but it’s small. I’m not going to grow it.
-Eat well! Seriously. You can work out a million hours a day. If you’re eating Fishy McBites breakfast lunch and dinner (we’re eating those next week on the blog folks, stay tuned) you’re going to look and feel a mess. Even if you want a treat, stick to thing you can eat with ingredients you can pronounce. The fresher, the better, and your body will thank you for you.
-Cardio. You want a six-pack? Killer arms? Ridiculous quads? Work on peeling off the layer of fat that might be covering it up. Do a little cardio every day. A good way to get it in? Run! Run to the gym. Run to the post office. Run to maintain your fitness. You’ll be surprised to see what’s underneath some of that fat! (And fat isn’t a dirty word, okay?)
–Strength training. It kinda sucks. But it also rocks to have muscles. Even if you’re only using your own body weight, you’re doing what you need.
Do all of this, and your natural, beautiful shape will emerge. If you’re blessed to have the donk? Donk it up. Your arms may be better than some. But once that shape emerges, rock it and be proud of your donkey whatever!
When a truly good CD comes out, I skip the iTunes thing and buy the CD. Gavin DeGraw, Beyonce, Amy Winehouse – all CDs I had to hold in my hands. As a present for me, I made a special trip to Target (which I usually avoid in order to skirt the issue of wrecking my budget), and picked up JT’s album. Sigh. That boy is perfect. And it’s going to come out that he was black at one point in his life. Mark my words.
I won’t lie to you and tell you I felt (physically) like a million bucks after. In fact, the day after, I felt quite horrid. Not like anything was hurt, I’ll-never-walk-again horrid, but like, quads were like ::side eye:: hips were like what in the world?!
Three days out and I feel great. I did a little walk/jog thing on the treadmill last night to get the juices flowing. I’m ready for a really short, easy run today, and nothing more. But I’m so ready to sign up for another. SO ready. So ready to do better with my time. So ready to plan out better. So ready to take an extra day off work so I can actually enjoy the beer they give you after. So ready to bring a few more friends and let them get addicted to it (in a good way) like I am! So ready for better weather (here’s hoping) for the next one!
So I’m not sure when. But soonish. I’d like to take on this beast again.
If you’re thinking about running a marathon, and you’re kind of playing around with the idea, DO IT. It’s like the best feeling of accomplishment next to graduating with a Masters or an undergraduate degree after a long hard road. It’s like you work toward it, you work toward it, and OH LOOK! Now it’s here, and you finally get to see your hard work pay off. It’s really neat. So a few marathon tips, and a little insight into Shamrock?
Post-race, they gave us all blankets for the trek home!
You need a hotel? Get one that’s walkable. Now’s not the time to be getting yourself a motel in the hood. Because you’re gonna be feeling some type of way when you finish, only to realize that you paid to park in a sketchy parking lot, and that you’ve got to ride around, smelling like a locker room, to the Sundial Inn, or worse, the Motel 6. Just spring for the extra.
Bring a friend. If you can convince someone to do it with you, I think that makes it way better, and the two of you can encourage each other. You and aforementioned homie don’t need to be pace buds, but even to check into the hotel with, to eat a few meals with, to walk around the expo, and to encourage each other is fun and fine! I brought Jenny, who was quite a bit faster than I am, but we bounced some good energy between the two of us, and it worked out!
Aquaphor.
My only battle scar (because I Aquaphored) was a welt from the seaming in my tights. Once I realized what was going on, I was 20 miles in, and it was too late for me to be messing with my leg.
Be prepared for things to go not exactly how you planned them out in your head on race day. You do everything you’re supposed to. That doesn’t mean the weather or the course will. The weather this weekend, quite frankly, sucked a big fat one. It was beautiful and breezy on Saturday. On race day? Overcast, cold, and a few rain drops, though the rain held off until after we scooted. The course also was a little longer than 26.2 miles, which I’m investigating right now. Oh well, you can’t do anything about it once you’re in the thick of the race, right? So just solider on!
We were crossing our fingers and praying for some good weather, but we didn’t get it. Oh well! At least the rain held off. It was rather freezing and windy, though!
Throwaway clothing. Not kidding. These cheap articles of clothing are going to save. Your. Life. Over the top of my adorable little green cap-sleeved tech shirt and compression 3/4 length pantaloons, I threw this horrific hoodie with holes in it over the top, as well as a slouchy pair of sweats. I was able to, in the pocket of the hoodie, put some hotties, to keep my Raynaud’s-afflicted hands warm while we stood around and waited for the elites and the first corral to get moving. I had gloves as well, which were thrown away around 20-some-odd miles because I could not get them back on my hands. Oh well. RIP Brooks gloves. You served me well this past winter. But someone else is enjoying you now.
Be sweet to the volunteers, cause they’re gonna be so sweet to you! I understand why these road races cost so much. They put a LOT into them to make sure that we’re rolling relatively comfortably for 26+ miles. The volunteers stood out in the freezing cold for close to 5.5 hours, holding little cups of water, Gatorade, bananas, cookies, and gels to make sure we could cruise successfully. They clapped, they cheered, and at the end, stood out on the even-colder beach to make sure I was given a finishers medal and a wonderfully warm fleece blanket. My hands were too cold to open the packaging my blanket came in at the end and a volunteer busted open the package and turned me around to put it on my shoulders. As a final note, my apologies to the little girl who I spilled water on. Total accident.
Draw on the strength of your friends, family, and other well-wishers. You’re gonna need it. Play their voices in your head. Think about your mom. Think about your friends. Think about the random folks who’ve wished you well. Think of your ancestors. Think of how hard you worked, and draw strength. That will get you through. I have to give a very special shout-out to all the folks at Fleet Feet, Jenny, Kerry, Vinny, Austin, Alexa, Andrew, Erin, Taylor, Liz, Maggie, Mark, Christopher, Chelsie, my Mom, and Melanie. An extra special thanks to Jerry, my co-worker, with the southern accent, whose voice kept playing over and over and over in my head.
Be prepared. You’re gonna see a lot of poop, and a lot of public urination. I only tell you this so you’re not a total weirdo and staring when you see a guy in an Adidas track suit about face, step only a foot away from you, and whip his stuff out. Avert your eyes, and keep it moving.
Register! You’re not gonna understand it until you register. Do it, and you will be amazed at what your body is capable of doing.
The final score. Already planning on what I can do a little better next time 🙂
Gels, Gatorade Primer, sports bra, gum, Welch’s Fruit Snacks, throwaway clothing, gloves, RockTape, Nuun, low-cal Gatorade, Hotties (for my hands), scissors, Brooks Ghost, Brooks Glycerin, Aleve, and I’m throwing some bagels in there now.
Overactive Blogger 