Excellent recovery run with R & J in the park. Snow is starting to melt, maybe R is right & Spring is right about the corner. Fingers crossed.

Distance: 5.35 miles
State of Mind: Eyes a little less wide

Trying to elevate my daily meditation a bit more led me to an amazing yoga podcast that I was able to get half through before losing my focus. It was the perfect way to re-balance my energy.

Distance: n/a
State of Mind: Practice, practice, practice

Lately, it has been nearly impossible for me to keep to my regular workout schedule. I am starting to look like one of those squishy people with lack of muscle mass. All the cheating aside, doesn't replace the real thing. So today's run was really important.

I convinced a reluctant group of guys to head outside the park, which is a very hard to do. Even for me. We headed down Carroll St. on some very wet & slippery streets, avoiding cars & sidewalks whenever possible. By the time we got to the base of the bridge, it was clear that the run was becoming difficult. So we decided to turn around & head back to the park to enjoy some "cleaner" running.

All of the challenges aside, it really didn't stop me from enjoying being outside & on my feet. And the park was exceptionally beautiful, especially the snow-filled trees.

Distance: 11 miles
State of Mind: Wanting more...

Wonderful run with a small group of runners last night. The night was full of chatter...all of us taking turns bringing up funny or dramatic stories to keep each other entertained.

Afterwards, H, S & I headed to the Y to get in a little weight training. The place was balls deep with hot men, so we just took our time doing as little exercise as possible. We did get in a few good sets of arms & abs before calling it a night.

Distance: 6.5 miles + weight training
State of Mind: Friends turn it all around

CherryTree 10miler

Headed down to the park with a nervousness in my stomach, part due to the race & part due to all the faces I would run into. I think that part of me considers the park my home, coveting it in a very selfish way.

As over 1000 runners made their way down to the transverse, it was great to be immediately surrounded by friends. After brief hellos, I headed down to the start with A, R & J. My plan was to run the first loop slow & do what I could the next two. But my idea of how the race will go never pans out. I started off much too fast, running the first mile in 6:49. I made a conscious effort to slow down, but that is a big feat for me...especially in the first few miles of any race. My pace varied, depending on the mile, but basically each loop went something like this: 6:49-7:05 for the miles around the lake; 7:10-7:20 for the miles around the transverse; 7:30-7:45 for the miles on the evil hill.

Mile 8 was by far the most difficult, I just held my breath as I watched my time slow on the third hill. I ended up letting two girls pass me in the last two miles, which was disappointing to say the least.

But overall, the race was wonderful. I ran 2+ minutes faster than I did in 2008 & felt great the whole time. The cheering from the crowd each loop around was amazing...I felt like 10-20 people knew my name each loop. My own version of being a celebrity for the day. And I guess my time improvement means that I do have more in me, just need to figure out a way to harness it.

Distance: 10 mile race + 1 mile warmup/1 mile warmdown
State of Mind: One day at a time

With the Cherry Tree race tomorrow, the group was pretty non-existent today. But JP, A & G showed up & we all decided to get outside of the park to enjoy the weather. Just a simple run, full of talking & stories, from Prospect to Ft. Greene & back.

Distance: 5.1 miles
State of Mind: Time is a funny thing.

Left the corporate world behind to practice the balance that helps me survive each day of this life. Yoga was ideal tonight...front row, tons of movement & even some peace. During inversions, I put my head down & tried to learn from the RW Goucher article by practicing saying over & over again "i can do this". I got so very, very close. It is funny how I always focus on what I can't have.

Distance: n/a
State of Mind: deep deep deep indecision, but wading through it

Enjoyable loop around the park with a skeleton crew of regulars, barely broke a sweat but felt good about getting a few easy miles in.

Distance: 5.35 miles
State of Mind: Starting a new routine

Went to my first bikram practice in years. My god, if you have never tried bikram, it is quite an experience. Full of interesting smells, unnecessarily authoritative teachers & more sweat than you know what to do with. Seriously, bikram soaked is an understatement.

The practice was 90 minutes, which was more than enough time for me to get out of my head. Just wish I could bottle that feeling instead of returning to the restlessness that weighs me down.

Distance: n/a
State of Mind: Change is underway...

Enjoyed a bitter cold loop of the park with A & B this morning. Very conversational pace, even if I was the one talking the whole time. Surprise, surprise.

Distance: 5.35 miles
State of Mind: layers are a girls best friend...

While in line at Borders the other day I was reading an astrology book that explained people born on my birthday have a great appreciation for nature, and that if possible, should live in more rural areas. If that's true, maybe that is why I take advantage of any & every opportunity to get outside. Even in this overcrowded, amazing city I call home.

Started the run off with the hubs, a slow yet peaceful run around the park. Afterwards, I met up with A & N to head outside of the park to meet J so we could get in some longer miles. Since our run started quite late in the morning, people were everywhere. But I tried to wish as many as possible a happy valentines day as I could, even though I got few responses.

We made our way over the Brooklyn bridge, down Centre to Delancey, back over the Williamsburg bridge & through Kent home.

It felt great to get in some longer miles, especially at a very moderate pace.

Distance: 13.88 miles
State of Mind: Fortunate for the love around me...

Brrr, it's cold out there. This NY weather is getting to me lately, I yearn for days where I can feel my hair flowing behind me & feel the heat condensing my legs. Met up with a small group of runners, only to have the group decide to play it safe by staying in the park. Ugh. But, I am sure it was the right decision. Plus, it was nice to be surrounded by so many other runners. I have to say, from today's preview, there is no shortage of beautiful girls keeping in shape. V. nice eye candy.

We did two loops, the first easy & talkative. The second, I stuck with the guys a bit more & ended up running the last two miles with a pretty quick clip next to B. We both kept to our own thoughts, pushing up the hills as we made our way clockwise back to GAP.

I do wish I did more, I am just in no shape for valentines day.

Distance: 8.5 miles
State of Mind: Wanting more...

I feel like I have lost half my yogi by not being as dedicated to practice as I could be. I literally rushed out of back-to-back meetings with Facebook & Google/YouTube to make it to practice tonight. Although the delicious Ali wasn't able to teach, it was probably for the best as I was truly not on form. But I know I will make it back, life just wouldn't be as fun without the immense joy I receive from practice.

Distance: n/a
State of Mind: Ridding my mind...

The snowfall was so gorgeous tonight, making the park sparkle in such a pure form of beauty. H, R, F & I did a complicated loop full of blasts of wind & snowfall that just wouldn't weaken.

I stole this one from MR, doesn't show the darkness of the night but it does show the delight of the park.

Distance: 5.35 miles
State of Mind: I feel like I am evaporating...

Met up with my lil bro tonight to do an easy loop around the park. It was a slightly different run tonight since I am so accustomed to people around me picking up the pace the second half of the park...but I really enjoyed feeling so control in the end.

Distance: 5.35 miles
State of Mind: Grounded by what's around me

The best part of running on Mondays is how very quiet the park feels. H & I met up for a quick loop, but were soon joined by N just as the story was getting good. N, in his ever so intense way, spent the rest of the run recapping a new film that he had just seen. All in all, a much better night than how I usually spend Mondays.

Distance; 5.35 miles
State of Mind: At least I try...

Snowstorm over this last weekend, a view from behind. Thanks M!

I just looked at myself in the mirror & realized that I still have a huge line across my forehead from the two hats I wore this morning. Ah, at least it's proof of my dedication to the sport.

Woke up to a snow flurry with about an inch on the ground. To me, maybe because it isn't the first storm of the season, it wasn't the type of snow that I saw any beauty in.

The group was surprisingly small today, with a few new chatty girls. We decided to stay in the park, much to my dismay. It was actually a very technically challenging run, with the bitter wind, slight snowfall & slushy ground making each step very difficult.

Distance: 8.5 miles (wish I did more)
State of Mind: I think it's time for me to stop reaching...

Lighter yet solid group of runners out tonight for the usual run. It seems like we are almost instantly breaking away into small mini groups with more distance in between us, but maybe thats not such a bad thing.

Like usual, I felt great up until the last half mile or so when the hill kicks in. It just feels like everyone has the energy to power through the hill while I feel like I am going in reverse. And it also reminds me of some training advice I got, that maybe adding more variety of hill workouts to my training would actually do me a lot of good.

After the first loop, a bunch of us decided to do another loop...which was perfect for me. It turned into an all ladies run + the lovely G, who kept us all entertained.

Distance: 8.5 miles
State of Mind: I think I see the light...

You know that sense when you can actually feel your blood rushing through your body? God, it is so strange. Makes me feel so impossibly defenseless.

Went on a solo run tonight, just me & my lovely thoughts. It started to snow when I hit the bottom of the park, which was absolutely gorgeous. I felt like I spent the rest of the run just starring up at the passing lights so I could watch the beauty of the snowfall all around me. No need to look down.

I'm hoping that whatever is going on in my head figures itself out soon. And that what feels so right turns colder & colder each day.

Distance: 5.35 miles
State of Mind: Patience