Monday, January 10, 2011

8 Miles & Hot Yoga

This morning I woke up and ran 8 miles in Central Park.  Who am I?


It was beautiful.  I haven't been to the Park since the blizzard and the snow day on Friday.  I couldn't believe how much snow was still there.  The Park looked completely different.


I wish I could say my run went smoothly, but of course it didn't.  It all started with the subway ride...  I waited FORTY-FIVE MINUTES for the right train to come.  By the time I got to the Park, it was 10:45 am, I was freezing and I had to tinkle really, really badly.  But of course I got off at 72nd to do two of the 4-mile loop, and the only public bathroom I'm aware of is closer to the Columbus Circle entrance so I held it.  And it was uncomfortable. 

I was also uncomfortable b/c I was so cold.  It took me forever to warm up, and by the time I did, I finally got to the bathroom and so I stopped.  Back out in the cold, I felt stiff again.  I took my first Gu this run (vanilla bean - really does taste like vanilla pudding) around mile 4.6 , and I think it went well.  Didn't upset my stomach, but I definitely had to take it with water. 

At 5.5, my left bra strap came unhooked.  Yup.  I was wearing a Lululemon bra that strangely is no longer on their website.  It has maximum support, and so I like to wear it on my long runs.  I do not, however, like that the straps come so easily unhooked.  I mean, what up with that, Lululemon??  When I pay more than $50 for a bra, I expect more than that.  The annoying thing was is that in order for me to fix my bra, I would've had to stop, find another bathroom (or return to the one I know), take off ALL my top layers and the bra and fix it.  At mile 5.5, I was not having that.  So I spent the rest of the run awkwardly trying to, um, hold/support my left breast.  It was not fun.  I was super annoyed.  People looked at me.

But I did it.  I finished the 8 miles, caught the subway in good time and went home to a very, VERY hot shower.  I've not been able to get warm all day.  Definitely sleeping with a very hot water bottle tonight.  :D

Not only did I complete my 8 mile run, but I had a pretty easy 4.5 mile on Friday night AND went to hot yoga on Saturday.  Hot yoga does not equal bikram.  I've never taken a bikram class, and I have no desire to.  I don't think I'd like it.  Hot yoga for me equals heated vinyasa, which I LOVE.  The amount of sweat that exited my body during that 75 minutes is kind of unbelievable.  My tank top was completely soaked through (much to my roomie's dismay) so I took it off and just wore my Nike pullover back home.  SMART move considering it was 30 degrees outside.  Brr!  Winter is officially here, my friends!  I'm feeling PUMPED about the fact that I did all my training this weekend.  I plan to tackle this week with the same fervor and determination. 

The rest of my Sunday was pretty productive as well.  After my run I had brunch with my gorgeous friend David, and then we met up with other friends who are also participating in NaNoWriMo.  We spent next couple hours at the Barnes & Noble in Tribeca attempting to write.  It went... okay.  I couldn't really get into the zone, and I find it incredibly hard to believe that I'm going to be able to write 50,000 words by February 3.  But um... here's to trying!

Few questions for ya...
  1. Any tips on how to get into the writing zone??  I haven't written lengthy papers in so long that I can't quite remember how I did it.
  2. I stopped for a pretty substantial time today during my run to go to the bathroom, get my water and take my Gu, etc.  Do you think that stopping like that negates the point of a long run?  In other words, is it really an 8 mile run if I don't run it nonstop?

9 comments:

A'n'G Johnson said...

Whooohooo! Awesome morning!

To get writing you just type out the most mundane boring not interesting stuff for a little while so that you aren't staring at a blank canvas. Or a stream of consciousness. The first pages on the page should not be meant to be productive or even part of the finished piece. Just start. Its the starting that is hard. Once you have all that on there, you are bound to have something to write about and you can edit out the rest later.

Anonymous said...

Hey Carolyn!

1. On writing - as someone who has to write for my job, I know writing is hard. It's so difficult to get the words on the page to match what's happening in my head. The best advice I can give, especially when you're trying to tell a story, is to get it all out there. If I'm struggling with the opening and spending 15 minutes trying to write the first sentence, I'll write the middle instead. If I can't get my transitions right, I'll just write everything I can and figure the transitions out later. Sometimes, struggling with certain parts of the story means that other parts are clogging up your brain, so get those other parts out first.
2. I count total miles, not how long I run uninterrupted. Because you're still running all of it. It's not like you took a break to go home. It's unrealistic to think you won't stop at all, especially when you run the marathon.

Sarah said...

Wow! 8 miles! That is insane and amazing! Congrats!

Writing--well, I no longer write for fun (just don't have the time). When writing scholarly papers, I try to find the right environment for me...something that feels good. It may be writing in a cafe with a chai latte or writing in my home office on a recently cleaned/organized desk.

Regarding running, I don't see stopping as a problem. You ran 8 miles! That is more than most people can run, so who cares if you stopped.

Cat said...

Wooo 8 miles! That's amazing!! It doesnt matter one bit that you stopped half way through, in fact its supposed to be quite good for you. Can't find the article now but I've read about marathon runners who walk for a minute every mile or two.
You should be so proud of that distance and your commitment!!

Unknown said...

Kudos on he 8 mile. It all counts. Every bit of it.

Writing: think of your topic,and think of what someone -- who you'd totally disagree with, they'd flat out make you angry -- would say.
Then write your response.

Another way I get the pen moving is to finish sentences.
I'd be perfectly content with my life if...
The partner/job/situation of my dreams involves...
When I die, I hope they say I was...
Hope it helps. :)

Anonymous said...

All of the miles count - during your race you'll have to take bathroom breaks and stop to get water - still counts!

Unknown said...

I am sooo proud of you, Carolyn! I read your running posts with a mixture of envy and fascination, and I love reading about the ups and downs of your training. My vote is "Yes." Every inch of that 8 mile run counts! Especially the ones where you're holding your tatas for dear life!!

On a side note, I recently read an article and thought of you:
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704111504576059713528698754.html
This Chinese mother's words remind me a bit of some of the things you've shared about your own Korean mother. She may criticize you, but it's because she knows that you are strong and that you can be "the best." I think that this marathon training is a great example of this... Who knew that you were capable of this level of fitness, athleticism, and dedication? Your mother, that's who.

Melanie said...

Hey Darlin'!

1) The 8 miles broken up is still 8 miles. While of course it's preferable to do it all in one shot, the way you did it is totally fine. It's really about logging the time & distance on your feet.

Also, there are bathrooms on the EAST side of the park too, near 72st transverse - the boat house!

2) Re:the writing -- I HIGHLY recommend the book "The War of Art" by Steven Pressfield. Seriously, I read it 3 times in 2010!!!!!!!

Globetrotting Cacti said...

I would agree that 8 miles, is still 8 miles even with a loo break (even top class athletes have to go to the bathroom!). Well done! 8 miles is amazing...

As for writing.... enjoyed reading your responses as my writing seems to be academic papers at the moment and I often need a kick to get started x