Chocolates and running

hi everyone (or no one!!)

Poor me today, I had to taste chocolates all day...I guess this is the price to pay to work in chocolate...but hey before you hate me, the sugar rush also brings a sugar crush! Given the drive to Reading and back I did my run on my own. It had been a really long time since I ran on my own. I was a little nervous and anxiously left in a hurry. No need to proscrastinate any further. I bolted out and started on the east river drive...

The battle is internal: "you can do it!", "oh come on a little faster" "why is everyone running faster than me?" "how far can this straight line go on for?" "when am I allowed to stop and still call it running?"...etc

This brought me back to my first run on the east side river. I think this must have been some 2 years ago. I had just decided to get back into shape. That run was hell, my feet were dragging, I had no breath, I hurt all over the place. I remember asking/telling my roommate "how many miles was that?" I think I must have run for no more than 1 mile!!! A couple months later, in better shape, I tried that route again. Those long straight lines were still painful, but I could at least run for more than 1 mile!

Tonight started painfully (hey, this place just doesn't like me!!). But then I got into my groove. I started looking at my fellow running buddies. Yes of course they don't know me, they won't tell me about their life like my TFK buddies, but like me they are out there hitting the pavement.

Some are there for their first/daily 1/2 miles. They look all cute with usually matching clothes and I presume endorphines don't even have time to hit them!

Then there are what I like to call the "braggers" - they are showing off all their latest running T-Shirts. I always wonder if they think this will impress runners "good job, you just finished the NYC half marathon" or just be a communication starter "wasn't running times square the time of your life??". What differentiates them for the last group is something in their total look that lacks complete and utter addiction to running: old shoes, not the latest and greatest shorts (the ones with the built in underwear) or even the watch, etc.

Final group - those that will always run past me, no matter how long I run :-) Those I want to smile at but who will never smile back because then they are doing their thing, talking to the pavement, that best friend of theirs.

So you wonder (or just moved on to another site already...) - which group do I fit into??
Well I am still wearing cotton t-shirts (big running no no I hear). I don't have a watch (my bday is coming up if you want to donate to the EMILY foundation!). I don't have an opinion on gu. Sometimes, I am tempted to think that beer could be considered carb loading...

Bottom line, as everything I have done in my life: I have committed to it, so I will do it. But I'll do it the "Emily-way": natural, uncaring of rules, encouraging, bitter sweet...I still don't think I am a runner, but I guess doing the NYC marathon says otherwise :-)

For those in NYC, Pat o Brian tomorrow, Sept 1st at 7PM. $10 entry and we have a keg and beer pong tables all to ourselves :-)
No movement on the battle between french and american...to be followed.

Cheers,

long run completed, weekend off!

Hi everyone (or no one!!),

Day 2 of the battle of the year: who is more generous between French and American? I must say, I am a little disappointed by the outcome so far. Guys!!! A $150 Godiva basket!! Don’t tell me all of you have stopped liking chocolate, that’s just NOT possible!!

In regards to running, since you all want to know where your money is going…
As would say Romain, now that he gave, he has a right over my running…hum hum. Ok then J
I completed my long weekend run last night. Since me and a couple friends close early on Fridays, we decided to “get it over with” on Friday. Some of those lucky few are going to be out in VEGAS enjoying life there…lucky lucky people!!
We completed 12 miles, starting at Madison Square park, down to Battery park city , back up to 34th street on the west side high way and back to Madison square park. I was still recovering from Thursday night, so our pace was very peaceful, roughly 11min/mile.

For the first time in several weeks, I can sleep in both mornings! Much needed. My body is telling me that if I don’t rest it, it will not go on. For the first time, my calves have been starting to bother me regularly.

Tuesday is my second charity event. I might let myself be convinced to do a last one. I’ve always wanted to be a bartender, so I might try that!

Well, since I have my full Saturday ahead of me, time to go make it happen! Let’s see
Cheers

GAME IS ON!!!

Hi everyone (or no one!!)

To spice things up a little bit, I thought of a little contest. All of you out there (or no one again…), you know that I am half American and half French. You also know that if asked if I feel more American or more French, I will always answer with a question “who do you prefer, your mom or your dad?”. Well, I think it’s time to pick sides!! Who is more generous : French People or American People?

To this date (August 27th), it is a tide. My French and American friends have given equally to this great Team for Kids cause. Out of fairness, I took out my parents :-)

So what I propose is as follows – battle in the Atlantic : France vs. US. No head banging allowed. No lobbies permitted. No baguette, no burger - just pure one on one, mano a mano (wait, wrong language!)

The individual in each country donating the most will receive a Godiva basket worth $150. you know you really want it, so make it HAPPEN! Highest donation so far has been $100…”bring it on” would say Kirsten Dunst in that popular american chick flick. "tu tires ou tu pointes?" would say Pagnol...

The game is ON!!

Deadline – final date to submit donations is September 15th 6PM (midnight in France).

Side line – check out this running blog – great insight into how we runners (yup, I said it, I AM A RUNNER) get into this. It’s all a drug if you ask me…those endorphines are AMAZING
http://feetmeetstreet.blogspot.com/2009/08/gateway-drug.html

Let the fun begin :-)
Cheers,

Pour mes petits amis francais.
Mega compet' entre les US et la France. Quel est le pays le plus genereux entre les deux. Pour le moment, egalite. L'individu qui donnera le plus gagnera un panier Godiva a valeur de $150 (ou son equivalent en Euro). Vous savez jusqu'au 15 septembre minuit pour donner.
Que le meilleur gagne!!

https://www.nyrrc.org/cgi-bin/start.cgi/mar-programs/nyrrf/team/2009/donations.htm

Please remember to indicate my entry number 366304 and last name (Villette)

Monday bloody Monday...

Hi everyone (or no one!!)

As indicated, Saturday was a 14 miles run. I failed to understand the concept of these long run training sessions: build miles, not speed. I usually also fail to deliver on the speed training where I usually end up running slower than usual. Long runs are meant to teach your body how to run long distances, but it's not supposed to be fast, maybe 1 min/mile slower than your marathon pace. I did run faster than my usual pace during 14miles, which is an amazing accomplishment. However, I feel drained and exhausted even after 2 days.

Which brings me to my marathon pace. I would really love to complete it in about 4hours, but this would require an effort I am not sure my close-to-being-29-body can take. I ain't that young anymore!! More to come on that topic, I am sure!!

I didn't do an easy run on sunday, I preferred to go out tubing for a couple hours! (And wine tasting!). I think my body needed a little chill pill, so that was nice.

This week, the focus is keeping the body happy with some speed, some mile build up, but especially a balanced diet and A LOT OF SLEEP!

Cheers,

14 Mile completed!

Hi everyone (or no one!!)

Just a quick update. It's 12noon and i already completed a 14mile run today. Full day ahead, right? Two major accomplishmens. Only some $793 to get to my fund raising goal and was able to run today under 10min/mile. I really need to get a watch to verify that in detail...

Great stuff. I am really happy, but I won't lie my body is not very happy- tired and hurting. More stretching and some yoga should do the trick...

More tomorrow
Cheers

TGIF

Hi everyone (or no one!!)

TGIF!
The heat is just unbearable right now. And the humidity combined!

Whoever wants to join – 14 mile tomorrow morning in Central Park. Run starts at7AM, so let’s meet around my place at 6:30AM. Target is to survive this run. Also, to move closer to a 10min/mile pace. Hopefully over the course of the next 2 months I can get closer to 9min/mile. Finishing the marathon in close to 4 hours would be ideal. Given the heat and the strain that has on my body right now, surviving is the only objective.

Now time to get home and rest before the run! More pics from tomorrow’s run to follow
Cheers

EN FRANCAIS DANS LE TEXTE

Hi everyone (or no one!!)

Today is for my cousin and friends that are more comfortable in French (maybe tomorrow, I will try out Spanish!!).

Donc chere cousine. Comme tu l’as suivi ces dernieres semaines, je continue mon entraintement pour le marathon. Dur quelque fois a marier avec la vie active d’une femme celibataire, mais il y a pire dans la vie!

Tout se passe bien mais la chaleur est dure a supporter. Hier entrainement sur les sprints. 2 min de sprint, 3 min de recup, repetes 6 fois. Avec presque 100% d’humidite et quelques 30degres...c’est difficle, tres difficile. Je n’ai pas pu faire le dernier sprint.

Voici en attache une photo prise pendant le semi marathon. Cette photo a ete prise au milieu de la course, probablement en sortant de central park. Donc je suis effectivement en train de courir. Mais comme vous le voyez je suis SUPER heureuse…ah les endorphines. Je devriendrais Presque acro!!

A part ca, tout roule. J’ai organize un petit evenement sur NYC pour lever des fonds. 1heure de biere non stop pour $10 d’entrée. Je persever lentement pour atteindre mon objectif de $2500. Chaque donation compte…

Bon je dois aller au Yoga (ca etire les jambes, c’est bon pour les coureurs…)
Cheers,

Sick today :-(

Hi everyone (or no one!!)

Although I felt great during the NYC half marathon, after and even 1 day later. By Monday end of day, it all caught up to me. Major headache and upset stomach.

I am home sick today L Trying to slowly let my body recover from a very long and “hot” run.

More to follow tomorrow for usre
Cheers,

NYC Half Marathon!!

Hi everyone (or no one!!)

I DID IT! I finished the NYC half marathon in one piece….and drum roll I also improved my time. I finished in 2h15min at a pace of 10:26min per mile. The last half marathon I had done in Brooklyn, I had finished it in 11:55min per mile…So GREAT improvement.

A couple pictures during the race (just to really drive home that I really do run!), at the finish line and with my team for kids team.

Team for Kids is not only about obesity, and giving youth a running start. It’s also a spirit of camaraderie and support. I was able to finish this race and improve my time thanks to the dedication of my coaches. Regardless how many times I came to practice grumpy, they supported me. Now every hill I run up, I can hear Sid telling me “pump up those arms! Let the hill come to you, don’t try to go to it”. And to quote Sid again, “all for one, one for all”. With every penny you are donating, we will be able to pass along to so many kids these values of support, general well-being and dedication to a cause. They really do need your support! In the pics you will see my fellow friend and buddy runner, Heather. Without her by my side at the beginning when I was so nervous and during when I just wanted to quit, I would not have finished this race.

Running through Times Square was the time of my life!! I felt like Tom Cruise in Vanilla Sky. Cheering was amazing from the Team for Kids and other passersby. A special thanks to Aude who came out to cheer and even ran a little bit with us J It really made a huge difference because I was really starting to feel the pain then.

So an amazing experience…and great excitement to the months to come as we start to build towards the final “hard” additional miles.

If you haven’t already donated, there is still time (but not that much, donations end on Oct 10th).
https://www.nyrrc.org/cgi-bin/start.cgi/mar-programs/nyrrf/team/2009/donations.htm

Please remember to indicate my entry number 366304 and last name (Villette)

Talk to you all soon
Cheers,

TGIF!!!

It’s been a while …hi everyone (or no one!)
We had a team building event on Wednesday. Lucky me, cheering as usual, I got hit by a stray ball….and with my luck right in the knee. Practice on Wednesday was a little painful. I think both due to the knee ‘injury” and the heat.

Thursday I successfully went to Yoga. It felt great. I should do that more often.

We are now only a couple days away from the NYC half Marathon, or the half of my Marathon adventure…

If you haven’t donated yet, there is still time
https://www.nyrrc.org/cgi-bin/start.cgi/mar-programs/nyrrf/team/2009/donations.htm

Please remember to indicate my entry number 366304 and last name (Villette)


Every $$ will help give kids a running start! Don’t you have $26 to help fight obesity???

More to come later,
Cheers

Falmouth Race at the Cape

Hey everyone (or no one!!),

Happy Monday to all! It’s the final countdown (do you guys hear the music in the background?!)… Just a couple more days until the half marathon (Sunday August 16th)
The course should be a lot of fun: full loop of the park, race down Times Square and then down on the west side to Battery Park.
I just cannot wait to run through Times Square!!

This weekend I was in the Cape for a race: Falmouth Race. Running on the street you slowly come out to an opening and there the sea opens itself to you. Along with fellow runners the sweet ocean breeze pushes you forward. As the miles, heat and sweat pearl down your face Cape Coders cheer on your last efforts. Kids are out extending their hand; parents are sprinkling runners; I heard of some others giving out Booze (?!), on hill at a time, one beach town at a time the 7.1miles unravel.
I won’t lie the heat was really hard on me. Maybe also the day on the boat on Saturday drinking beers watching waves and the sun did not help…
I was amazed at the kindness and cool demeanor of the people on the Cape. They were present throughout the ENTIRE course.

I don’t yet consider myself a runner. I just happened to be training for the marathon….I would love to interview or sit and talk with other runners who feel the need to disguise for a run: What is the rationale of being disguised as a Banana, butterfly, red sox, angel? I just don’t get it. I also don’t get those with make-up etc. Seriously, after 7 miles, you’re NOT going to look great with the make-up all smeared…whatever.!!

Did anyone ever try to race across the world in search of the best running sites with best cheering or the most interesting communities. Would Saharans cheer those crazy runners there? Boston people are REALLY proud of Boston. I know that might sound like a fact, but it was amazing how many wore Red Sox/I love Boston/etc T-shirt before the race, during (there was one colored red and blue!!)

I finished within my time, 10min/mile, on target as usual. I tested Gatorade and water drinking on the way. I also tested carrying my camera. And unfortunately also realized that not having my “gym mix” on shuffle really throws me off (we are such creatures of habits!). I hope to master the taking pics for the half so I can “shoot away” during the real thing on November 1st. As a smart monkey told me once, “consider every run as the real thing. Test everything ahead of time.” Sooo true

Enough rambling. Enjoy my first running pic :-)
More to come soon!

why the marathon with TFK

Hey everyone (or no one!!),

I hope everyone loves my new look. This blog thing is not easy on my technologically-challenged brain! The new logo is courtesy of Danika – the most amazing graphic designer I know, plus an amazing person inside and out….(also my running buddy and inspiration) …that’s a lot for one person, right?!

A couple updates…and the reasons why I am running this marathon with Team for Kids

Three years ago (or was it already 4??) a really good friend of mine ran the marathon with Team for Kids (Danika). Two years ago, I went to cheer a friend running the marathon. Finally last year I cheered another friend running the marathon with team for kids. I saw through these friends the excitement of running, but not just for you, for a greater cause.

When I was in business school my final thesis was on “communication strategies in consumer packaged companies given the growing obesity problem in kids in France” (ouf!).

I slowly started running with Danika last summer in Fire Island. The feeling was great. Those endorphins really make you feel GREAT! The joke last weekend was that at the end of the 14mile run, I would have asked anyone to marry me…I might want to check in on that habit…

So I started thinking – why not do the marathon? Some people start running and are happy on the tread mill. I thought this would be an amazing accomplishment. But I didn’t want it to be all about me. There is enough selfishness in NYC that I don’t need to add to it…

We all know how big a problem obesity is. It’s all over the place on TV: biggest looser, move your ass, on the streets, on the news, etc. 12 is the new norm in the US now!! 12, that’s HUGE!

We all know the learning of eating and exercising starts young. It all starts with the kids. We all think we know how to eat and get moving. However, it still baffles me some times to hear someone say that a Pizza is a nutritional option, it’s NOT.

Raising money for Team for Kids, I am giving kids a running start. All funds raised pay for running-based fitness, goal-setting, and nutrition programs in over 150 schools in New York City, nationally, and internationally. These programs currently serve more than 75,000 children and provide them with opportunities to learn about good health & fitness habits and, as a result, allow them to lower their risk of obesity, heart disease, diabetes, and other serious diseases.

So help me give youth a running start – see previous blogs for donation directions

More to come tomorrow!

Tuesday didn't happen

Hey everyone (or no one???)

I hope this blog (or blug as some like to call it…) is going to be for me the opportunity to share with you my little personal journey training for the marathon, an update on my fund raising and just amazing random thoughts!!! As you know, the only thing I am doing and talking about these days is the marathon. Here is a fun T-Shirt that the New York road runners created…I guess it’s kind of true…For $22 you can remind how boring I am J

Yesterday was cross training. I usually go to Yoga. Someone told me running squashes your muscles and yoga extends it. So it's good to compensate one with the other…

But work caught up with me so that didn’t happen…

What else? A couple random things

- Tonight is sprint training – if anyone wants to join, it’s always a good time. Meet with Team for Kids @ 6:15 on the west entrance on 81th street.

- I’ve met my ½ commitment for the marathon. I’d like to take this opportunity to thank all my friends and family for believing in the cause, Team for Kids and myself. This is going to be an amazing journey J

- The next big step for me is the NYC half marathon, it’s on Sunday August 16th. If you want to test your cheering skills or are still skeptical on my running skills , come and join. I just can’t wait to run through Times Square!! I would love to be able to carry my camera during the run, but it’s more a space issue at this point…Solutions anyone?

- Very psyched about this weekend – 7 mile run at Cape Cod (Thanks for having me Lauren!)

More to come tomorrow !

Donation directions

Thanks to all of those that have already donated...

For those that have not, remember it's tax deductible and it's giving youth a running start. Below details on process.


Giving is easy— You can give online by visiting
https://www.nyrrc.org/cgi-bin/start.cgi/mar-programs/nyrrf/team/2009/donations.htm.
Please remember to indicate my entry number 366304 and last name

My First post...I am almost crying...except that this is way harder than I thought. Yet again I had no idea.

Some wise monkey said, blogging is now hard, but like running it will get easier....wise monkey!!

On the left you will find the Parc de Marly le Roi. This is where I completed my 11mile run on July 25th.

It's actually a really cool parc. I used to do cross country running there when I was in Junior high school.

This is where Mitterand and Louis XIV used to come hunting. There used to be a castle in the center, but it was destroyed during the french revolution. Good old Louis would bring his mistresses here...oh the french!!

What this parc is most famous for is its "abreuvoir": horses can just walk in to the abreuvoir to drink. On both sides you have horses "les chevaux de Marly". The originals are now in Musee d'Orsay. Other copies are also at the bottom of the champs elysees in Paris. When France lost Alsace and Lorraine after WWI, the horses were draped in black in sign of mourning...

So it's a cool parc to be running in and thinking about what stories already took place there.

I ended up running for something like 2 hours. My sister ran a bit (like 20min). After 1 hour she candidly asked "are you almost done?" My response: "no honey, I still have one more hour to go!!". I guess my pace was around 10min/mile, on target. Only issue was the pinky blister problem. I guess I will need to get rid of those ones :-(

More blog updates tomorrow!