Monday, March 26, 2012

Perfecting the Lunchtime Workout

Yikes, it got chilly out today. What happened to our early summery Spring?


I'm not a wish-it-were-warm-all-the-time kind of person, I like different seasons. And I like things about colder weather seasons, too, like -- holiday lights and other festive things, really big snow flakes, curling up on my couch for hours with the newspaper, baking cookies, cashmere, not having to shave my legs for long periods of time.


However, I do also love when the season finally turns --  for good -- and it's Spring. Warm Spring - not rainy cool 50 degree crap Spring. Not 42 degrees and windy Spring. But Spring that is more Summer-like. Like last Thursday. Not like today.


Get to know your gym's Lunchtime class schedules -
NYSC is definitely a low budget gym, but who cares - it has 
the most locations and best variety of classes; makes it easy 
to maintain the Lunchtime Workout
The longer days and sunny weather of Warm Spring are definitely therapeutic. People are happier. More social. It is good to shed the black tights, go bare legged, short sleeved and open toed and see the sun still shining when you leave the office at the end of the day.


Many people say that they find it harder to exercise in the cold, dark winter months than Spring/ Summer. And of course, I understand why that is.
But, for me, when the weather gets better - I find it hard to do my workouts after work. I want to do fun things instead - and I often want to do fun things right after work instead of after a run or trip to the gym. Something about walking out of the office to a sunny warm evening, seeing people out and about, restaurants with terraces and doors and windows open. It makes me want to join the fun. STAT.
As much as I love to have fun, I also keep a pretty disciplined 6-7 day a week exercise routine. I do a mix of running and  gym classes - typically strength training - total body conditioning/ pilates type classes and maybe one day of yoga. I switch it up in terms of number of days of running vs. classes - with gym classes at least 2 times a week. And if I'm doing 7 days a week, I make sure to take it easy on the 7th day - Vinyasa yoga, for example.
 I am pretty disciplined about making the schedule work - it makes me feel better, I am a happier person when I do some exercise nearly every day. It keeps me more or less toned and fit. And, it allows me to more or less eat what I want to eat without feeling too guilty about it.


I have done this 6-7 days a week schedule long enough now that it feels wrong to skip more than one day a week. Although there are times that I'll do 5 times a week - it is pretty rare. (Vacations are the exception -- I just fit in a run here and there when / if i can while on vacation).
As much as I like being sure I exercise 6-7 days a week,  I never want to be that kind of person who lets exercise get in the way of living life. Yes, it takes discipline and having to compromise things sometimes to work out 6 days a week. But, I will not let it overtake my life. Life is too short. This is partly why I have no desire to run a marathon -- having running take over my life for even a short period of time is really not worth it to me, or has not yet ever seemed worth it to me at this point in my life. 
And it is important to point out that while I do exercise at least 6 days a week -- I don't do so for long periods of time. Aside from  Long Run Saturdays, my weekly runs are 3 1/2 - 5 miles, and the classes I go to are all an hour or less.


My friends often ask me how I manage to fit in a work out every day. A lot of it hinges on being prepared and flexible -- always having my gym bag with the right shoes / clothes so that I can go for a run or go to a class depending on timing and how I feel.
However- the change that I incorporated over a year ago, which has had the largest impact on my work out schedule is -- the Lunchtime Workout.
I'm telling you - it will change your life if you, like me, have a hard time fitting in work outs before work (hitting snooze is just too easy) and have a hard time wanting to go to the gym (or for a run) every day after work.
Now, it isn't rocket science, but if you have a full time job that is high paced or demanding and requires you to be more or less in the office working for 8 or more hours a day, it can seem like an unrealistic luxury to fit in the gym mid-day, when you're supposed to be at your desk hard at work. 
And, importantly, for us ladies, there is the the whole showering and hair thing. Showering, drying hair and getting ready not only takes up time, but it is draining to do more than once a day. Especially to just go back to the office, instead of out or on a fun date.
But trust me - it can be done, and it will change your whole outlook. I do the Lunchtime Workout at least twice and sometimes up to 4 times a week.
Again - it's not rocket science - but I have perfected it (at least for me!), if I do say so myself. And because so many of my girlfriends always question how it can possibly be done - here are some pointers.
1. Be disciplined but don't let it interfere with your performance at work.
Let me start by saying - I am a lawyer. And I really like my job. There aren't many of us from what I can tell, but happy lawyers in Manhattan do exist, I'm living proof!
I have a really great job now and have been working as a lawyer long enough that I do have some flexibility in my schedule. I do have a boss and many clients. But I work fairly independently. And, I take my job very seriously. I feel very lucky to be a happy lawyer and have a job that I like in this economy, that allows me some balance and pays enough to live comfortably in Manhattan. So my goal in incorporating the Lunchtime Workout was never a form of hookie or a way to avoid doing my job well.
I have always approached the Lunchtime Workout as something that I'll do if I can -- but that may mean that I'll need to stay later to finish the work I didn't get to while on the Lunchtime Workout. And, if there is really something big or urgent going on and my boss or clients really need something that cannot wait an hour and half, then I will forego the Lunchtime Workout.


I will not sacrifice a good performance at work for exercise - nor do I advise anyone to. But, it's all about finding a balance, which I think is easier to do than you may at first think!


2. Be disciplined and make best efforts to fit it in your schedule
Notwithstanding the above (and no, this is not meant to be inconsistent with the above) if you have a busy demanding job, you do have to be firm and disciplined about fitting the Lunchtime Workout in your schedule. Otherwise it will never happen. 
If you have a job, like me, there will always be work that should be done instead of leaving the office for 1.5 hours. And, colleagues or clients will want to schedule meetings or conference calls when you're hoping to be on your Lunchtime Workout. 
I manage this by thinking about what is important / time sensitive and what can wait a couple hours. On days when I plan to do a Lunchtime Workout - I block 2 hours in my schedule around the time I plan to be on my Lunchtime Workout. If people try to schedule a non-urgent meeting or call during that time- I say I'm not available and offer another time.  
Again - if it is urgent or time sensitive,  and I really feel it can't wait a couple hours, then I have to forego the Lunctime Workout. But I have found that such urgencies are fewer and farther between than I imagined they were before I adopted the Lunchtime Workout. Lots of stuff seems urgent - but when you stop to think about it - it really can wait. 
And best of all - after a quick Lunchtime Workout - your head is cleared, you've had a little break, and you will likely be a lot more efficient and focused when you get back to the office.
3. Keep it on the DL
Again - you need to be flexible, and be sure it doesn't interfere with your performance at work.  And, I do believe it makes me more efficient and focused afterwards. So really - what's wrong with telling your office about the Lunchtime Workout? Why not just tell people what you're doing? So long as you still get all your work done on time, seems no reason to hide it. 
Maybe that's all good and true, but my advice is to keep the Lunchtime Workout on the down low at work. Nobody needs to know that you are going to the gym a few days a week in the middle of the work day. Your work place or your boss might be OK with it - but I still don't advise advertising it. 
There will be days when you are really busy, but you opt to do the Lunchtime Workout in return for staying later a the end of the day to catch up -- but not everybody in your office will know that you are in fact staying later at the end of the day. They may think you are just taking a big mid-day break and not making up the time or not getting your work done. They may judge. They may think you're slacking off. It's not worth it to tell them. Keep it on the DL.
Or, there will be times when someone will prefer to schedule a meeting or call during the time you blocked rather than the alternate time that you offered. It is always best to just say, "I'm not available." Or "I have an appointment." And when you leave - don't tell your Admin or your boss or your receptionist, or anyone where you're going - just leave.
They will assume you're stepping out for lunch and/or a meeting or appointment.
I try to do low-sweat classes during Lunchtime Workout - like
total body conditioning, pilates or yoga.
4. Take the blackberry to the gym, but not into the gym class
The work blackberry/ e-mail device. It makes us more accessible in both a good way and a bad, can-never-escape way. 
If you are anxious about being away from the office for too long in the middle of the day, take it with you to the gym. You can check it on your walk to the gym and while changing. But please, leave it in the locker room
Don't be that person checking your blackberry/ phone in the middle of a class. If you can't go an hour without checking in on email then you shouldn't be away from the office at all and it isn't the right day for Lunchtime Workout. 
This took me a while to get used to as my blackberry is basically appended to me. It is the first thing I check when I wake up in the morning and the last before I go to bed. I'm crazy like that. But, I figured out that my boss and clients can actually survive without me for that hour. And my blackberry is always waiting for me in the locker room and the first thing I check when I'm back there after class changing into my work clothes. 
I have left it in the office on various Lunchtime Workouts - but having it with me to and from the gym puts me at ease that my true out of pocket time is minimized as much as possible and I have a sense of what is waiting for me when I get back to the office.
5. The shower / hair thing
I like to at least try to look pulled together at work. I'm not one of those natural types with perfect hair who can just hop out of the shower and go straight to work sans hair dry and at least a little make-up. And, in order to really sustain a regular Lunchtime Workout, you need to minimize the time you're out of the office. Particularly so when you know you may have to stay later at the office to catch up on whatever work you're not doing during the Lunchtime Workout. Out of the office midday for more than 2 hours - and the return on investment might not be worth it.
My favorite disposable body wipes
 - 'cucumber facial towelettes' actually -  but they work
well for wiping off gym class sweat!
Showering and blow drying hair and then dabbing on some quick make up- even if 'quick' takes TIME. And it also makes the Lunchtime Workout feel like a big commitment.
So... this is what I do. I try my best to do classes that do not produce a lot of sweat for my Lunchtime Workouts. This means strength training / total body conditioning type classes. Depending on the class some of these are more aerobic than others - I try to stick to those that are less aerobic for Lunchtime Workout. 
That said - I don't want it to be a wussy class - I need to feel like I'm getting something out of it - so it has to be enough weights and squats and sit ups to feel like I'm toning and building muscle - and not too much aerobic to make me sweat.
If it's a good class, even if not very aerobic, then I will still sweat a little. However, in these types of classes, I don't sweat like I do when I run (where I'm drenched and HAVE to take a shower afterwards before facing any person) 
So I don't actually feel the need for a shower after these classes. I know that may sound gross! but... you get used to it. What I DO do instead of a shower is use disposable body wipes. I wipe down quickly, put on some deodorant (maybe even some perfume --French shower!), run a brush through my hair, freshen my make-up and head out the door.
Every once in a while I'll fit in a run during a Lunchtime Workout - and will shower without washing hair and just blow dry the sweat out of my hair. It's lovely. I try not to do that on a day I'm going on a date after work.
But I prefer to keep my Lunchtime Workouts quick and low maintenance -- so I save my running for my after work workout days and try to stick to strength training / total body conditioning for the Lunchtime Workout.
6. Lunch -- pick up on your way back to the office
If you can pick up something and eat it quickly before returning to the office - that is the best solution - so that people will think you really were just at lunch while you were out of the office. However, there are days when I'm so busy I need to rush back to the office right afterwards, so I pick up lunch on the way back from the gym and eat at my desk.
7. Enjoy your evenings!!!!
There is nothing better than looking at the time at the end of a day and realizing you've already been to the gym and you have your evening free to do what you want. 
Of course all you morning people out there really have it down pat - but I am definitely not a morning person. There are times when I miraculously wake up early enough to fit in a morning work out (or when I'm still jetlagged after a trip abroad) but that is pretty uncommon. I wish that I could do it regularly. I'm just not good in the morning. PLUS for whatever reason, annoyingly, the classes I like to take at the gym are not offered early enough in the morning.
So for now - it's the Lunchtime Workout for me. It's even a great feeling to have the Lunchtime Workout done on a cold Monday evening, when you don't feel like doing anything after work except lie around on your couch, eat Dark Chocolate Dreams & pretzels and watch the Mad Men season premiere for the second time.


But even better to have it perfected for those summery Warm Spring and Summer evenings right around the corner.....!

Tuesday, March 20, 2012

Going out to eat on my mind

I have going out to eat on my mind today. Probably because I had to forego my Saturday night dinner out with friends  -- that I had been looking forward to all week -- after my stomach staged a protest following this week's Long Run Saturday. Still not happy about that.


People eating at the bar at  Gottino.
Doesn't it look lively?
Also I haven't really expanded yet on how I like to go out to eat.


I do,  I like to go out to eat. A lot. It is the main way that I catch up with friends. I go out to eat for dinner probably 5 times a week on average. Sometimes more, sometimes less. Always before or after whatever else I'm doing with a friend. Sometimes just a snack and a glass of wine, but I'm out and about at some sort of restaurant more often than I'm at home.


I'm not the only person who lives like this in this city, and that is one of the (many) things I absolutely love about NYC. People are always out and about, catching up with friends over food and beverages.


Often it is me and another friend catching up just the two of us, and when that's the case, I like to score a seat at the bar of a restaurant rather than sit at a table. It's more fun, more casual, livelier


Not all my friends share this feeling. Some think the bar stools are uncomfortable, or that it's claustrophobic at a crowded place with people standing around trying to get drinks. 


But, I like that (well not the bar stools being uncomfortable thing, but that never really bothers me). I like the chaos, the crowd, the people around. Some eating, some just drinking, coming, going. I like it. 


I also like to order lots of different things to eat and share everythingI like the variety. And wine. There is always wine. A glass, quartino, or a split bottle is always on the bar in front of us.



For location, I have lots of favorites. While I love trying new places, on a normal night, I tend not to venture too far from home. So you'll see a West Village slant here. A couple favorites on my current rotation -- 


Weeknight go-toGottino

I have been to Gottino soooo many times. It seems like I've been going there for years - but I can't even recall how long it's been open. I definitely started going there soon after it opened and haven't stopped since. It never disappoints. A pretty perfect weeknight place to catch up with a friend


The place is practically just bar seating (I now refuse to sit at a table here although I have done it). It can be crowded, and there is often a wait, but be patient, get a quartino and find a place to stand against the wall. I've never had to wait very long. 


And unlike many of my favorite places in the city it is a good place to go in all seasons. It is cozy and warm in the winter but isn't too dark and subterranean to enjoy when the weather is warm. Best of all is when they open the door in the summer and you get a breeze going through the whole place. Ahh. Just think, that kind of weather is right around the corner!

They have a good selection of wines available by the glass/quartino that are well kept and not sitting around opened for too long. I have never had a wine here I didn't like and I always agree with their selection. 


As for the food -- I have dreams sometimes about the walnut pesto crostini. I am addicted to it. The anchovy and butter crostini is also to die for (don't be afraid of anchovies - they are salty deliciousness!)  and I always order the shaved brussel sprouts salad. The bacala whipped w/ olive oil is also a good choice. 


The ambiance is my idea of perfection for a wine bar. Small but not too crowded once you're seated. Comfortable. Good lighting, good level of liveliness, not too loud. 


The only thing I'm not a fan of is the water glasses. Super cute but they are barely larger than a shot glass and, as I am a camel and I often sit down at Gottino after having gone on a sweaty run, (well I shower first) I tend to arrive thirsty and spend most of my dinner refilling my water glass, which can be distracting from conversation. Bigger water glasses, please. 


However, the wine glasses are very nice. I like good wine glass. Not fancy, just good. With a stem. I'm not a fan of stemless wine glasses or the trying-to-be-bistro-chic wine in a juice glass. In my mind drinking wine from a juice tumbler is only cool if you are at a bar in remote town in Sicily. And Michael Corleone is sharing a glass with you. Or on a picnic.  Gottino's wine glasses are good, graceful, sturdy glasses with stems. 


Aside from their teensy water glasses (which is a small price to pay) after hundreds of times at Gottino, it is still in my opinion a pretty close to perfect place to sit at the bar and catch up with a friend.

Weekend go-to: Joseph Leonard 

I am also loving Joseph Leonard at the moment  It is my favorite place for a late weekend dinner. I also like going there early and during the week, but on the weekend, it is crowded, a good crowd and fun


This is not where you go if you want a serious intimate conversation. This is where you go for a fun, good dinner and drinks.


The guys that work there are great. It stays open late (I have been there until wayy later than necessary on more than one occasion for post dinner drinks, ughhh still recovering from that one night months ago...). People are there eating and drinking late. It is fun, lively, bustling. They play Jay-Z and other unexpected & awesome music at a perfect volume. The crowd is good. People mingle a little; in a good way.


I usually go for wine when I'm out to eat, but the drinks here are delicious. And the Magdelana cocktail is a perfect mix of spicy /sweet / salty tequila deliciousness. It may be my favorite cocktail in the city.




All the food I've ever had on the menu (probably almost everything on the menu) is very good, I am never disappointed in my meal. Although, at the same time, nothing really stands out as memorable -- but maybe that is due to the number of cocktails usually consumed while waiting to sit. My only real complaint is that there isn't really a lot on the menu.... The menu is kinda small, and not a lot of small plate options. This makes it harder to order lots and share.


That said, a couple Magdelanas in, with Jay-Z playing in the background, a good livley atmosphere and delicious food on your plate -- 'more variety on the menu' seems an insiginficant request.


Oh, and unlike most restuarants, even if you don't score a seat at the bar (which I suggest of course you try to do) the place is so small and revolves around the bar so much that even seated at almost any table, you feel like you're at the bar. Especially the tables in the front.


Althought the wait can be looooong on a weekend night  (over an hour for sure) and if you are waiting during peak dinner hours (which can be as late as 10:30/11 on the weekend) there is little room to stand and you will be jostled around by the crowd and waiters.


If it's really busy, I put my name down and go around the corner to Bobo (Bobo also has a yummy tequila cocktail - although not as good as the Magdelana).


Or, like everyone else waiting for a seat at Joseph Leonard, try the bar at Jeffery's Grocery just across the seat (same owners). It's worth waiting.


And, if you've had dinner elsewhere, stop by Joseph Leondard after the dinner rush, late night for a  Magedelena or two. You won't regret it.

Saturday, March 17, 2012

Learned my lesson...

So today was Long Run Saturday

As I mentioned last week, my goals for Long Run Saturday were (a) to become more efficient in the timing of preparation for my run; and (b) to increase mileage.

Well I now need to revise the second goal --  increase mileage without major stomach issues for hours afterwards.

It was a glorious running day like this on my Loop
even though my stomach was less than glorious...
Yeah. When I list all the stupid things I did that could have contributed to this, nobody will be too surprised I had stomach issues on my first 10 mile run. Still I'm surprised and disheartened by just how bad it was. I need to find a way to avoid this for sure or that will be the end of the 10 mile Long Run Saturday.

Let me start by saying that I have been known to brag about how low maintenance I am in this department. I have zero dietary restrictions. I can eat anything, in pretty large quantities for my size and not have any real issues. When I travel, I embrace the food - in hole in the wall restaurants, on the street, at people's homes. Mystery meat stew while camping in Africa? No problem. Spicy street food in India? No problem. All kinds of dairy on a regular basis? Welcome to my world. My stomach can handle it all.

I have had stomach issues for sure when running longer distances than I'm used to. But it usually just requires a pit stop on the run and then I can pick up and finish, and I feel fine. Maybe a little tired, but fine. No lingering issue.

Not so this Long Run Saturday. In fact, my run was over nearly 6 hours ago and my poor stomach is still not 100%. So here I am,  on a Saturday night, on my couch writing this instead of heading out to a nice dinner & drinks with my friends. A dinner that I had planned earlier this week and was so looking forward to. :( I am feeling a little sorry for myself. In fact I don't even feel happy right now that I met one of my goals and completed the run.

So what happened? 

Well, here is what I did. In line with not wanting to be too overly disciplined on a Friday night.. last night, while watching March Madness with friends, we all went a little crazy with delicious bar food for dinner. Basically, everything was fried, except the nachos (which I made sure to eat topped with jalepenos and doused with tobasco sauce). The fries and chicken fingers had multiple creamy dipping sauces. All was pretty delicious if unhealthy to an excessive point, but why not? every once in a while, a little good- tasting-but-bad-for-you food is in order. We were at a bar watching basketball after all. I say live a little. And eat a salad tomorrow.

Of course, it was all rinsed down with a strong beer and two glasses of wine. And after the games, we headed to another bar where I shared another glass of wine  and a spicy margarita w/ my friend (didn't mean to but I am a sucker for these things..). 

Got home at a decent time (12:30 or so) had some Vitamin Water Zero and went to bed. 

Woke up around 10 AM this morning very thirsty and with a headache. Had another Vitamin Water Zero and took 2 Advil. Had peanut butter toast and banana with tea and milk for breakfast. More Vitamin Water Zero and water. Stomach was a little unsettled so took a couple Tums

At 12:30 I felt good. I headed out for my run. I ran north on the Westside Highway for 1.5 miles and back to get the 3 extra miles on my Loop. I noticed my Garmin said I was running too fast for a new longer-distance-run -- my pace lingered around 7:45 for the first 4 miles. I tried to slow down a little but just couldn't, it didn't feel right to run slower.

My stomach was talking to me the whole time - gurggling and making weird noises. But I felt OK. 

Miles 6-7 my pace slowed - my stomach stopped talking and started yelling at me a little. I started thinking I might need to make a pit stop - but then talked myself out of it. That was easy to do because there wasn't anywhere to stop anyway. Long stretch with no bathrooms or portas. Mile 8 -10 my pace was a steady 8:30 - ish.  My stomach was not happy with me at all, but I was able to hold it together and didn't make a pit stop. I have felt more emergency-about-to-happen on past runs. Mile 10 was tough - but I did it and kept a steady 8:30 pace. 

So I finished 10.07 miles in a little over 1:24. Average pace of about 8:20. As I said, I didn't pace myself well in the beginning - and was slow at mile 6-7, but I felt I still finished at a decent pace (for me!). I was happy with this for my first try.

When I stopped running, my stomach was churning, but I didn't need an emergency pit stop on the mile walk home. 

I made it home - went straight to the toilet and figured that would be the end of it. I made myself lunch (2 eggs and toast, pretzels and half a banana). I felt fine. For about 15 minutes. 

But, then..... my stomach was very, very unhappy. All afternoon. And, as I said, it is still not 100%. I was also beat. I mean really really out of it, tired.  I had an appointment to get my hair cut at 4 and I'm not sure how I even managed to walk the 15 minutes to get there - I almost took a cab, but managed walking - slowly like a zombie - trying not to think of my stomach churning -- and somehow made it through the appointment (I had to make 2 bathroom runs during the appointment then skipped the blow out b/c I just had to get home...) Walked home slowly like a zombie, picked up a Gatorade (figured I was all sorts of dehydrated at this point and somehow the Vitamin Water Zero wasn't appealing anymore) changed into sweats and crashed on my couch.

Aside from several trips to the bathroom, I have not left my couch since. And that was a few hours ago now. 

So what happened?? Yes, I'm aware of runner's trots -- but I thought that meant while running, not for hours afterwards?! And, it's not like I just completed an ironman or even a marathon or even a truly Long run. 10 miles is nothing in the grand scheme of real runners' runs!! Nor should it have been that big of a deal for me. It wasn't that big of an increase from what I've done before -- I ran 9 miles last week (albeit at a slower pace) and have been running 7 -8 miles once a week for months. 

Of course, being the internet detective that I am, I did a few google searches and found out this is not uncommon. Increasing mileage can cause it - and it can last for hours - and you can feel totally wiped and exhausted. So I guess that is a relief (?) It's likely not a parasite or worse.

According to my very scientific google research, here are the suggested things to do to try to avoid this from happening --

Eat low fat / bland food the night before
Limit alcohol
Limit caffeine the day of
Limit milk the day of
Avoid aspirin or ibuprofen
Avoid antacids
Avoid sugar substitute sweeteners (*found in most low cal drinks - like Vitamin Water Zero)
Eat at least 2-3 hours before running
Be properly hydrated

Ok, most of this is pretty common sense. But, yeah, I pretty much broke every rule on the list. The only thing I did right was the peanut butter banana toast for breakfast. Still - I cannot believe how bad it was - especially considering my normal brag worthy low maintenance stomach. (I mean - it was so bad that I am still considering whether I need to see a doctor to rule out anything more serious -- and I never go to the doctor except for routine check ups!)

Have any of you had this happen and successfully gotten past it in future runs? 

I can't wipe out my whole Saturday and Saturday night because of a 10 mile Long Run Saturday. I loved the challenge of completing it and in general like the idea of increasing mileage - but if this is the consequence, it's just not worth it to me.

For anyone who has been through this, does your body eventually get used to it? Should I go back to doing 8 miles and gradually work up to 10 instead of just going for another 10 miler next weekend?

Oh and thanks for sticking it out on this oh so pleasant topic ......  I do hope everyone else is having a fabulous Saturday night ! And avoiding the many belligerent in green, scouring the city right now after hours of drinking. I guess maybe it's not such a bad night to avoid the craziness out there in exchange for a lazy night renting movies and catching up on my book.

Then again, now that my stomach is finally starting to feel almost normal again, I wonder what my friends are up to after dinner....

Friday, March 16, 2012

OK, fine.

I like Daylight Savings now.

I don't mind if the sun sets while I'm on my run -- but
starting a night run in the dark in NYC... does anyone do it?
Although my sleep has been far more messed up this week than I can really give credit to the loss of just one hour (is it in my head??? there is no reason I should be having a hard time falling asleep before 2 AM, it's not like I used to stay up until 1AM regularly before the hour change.).. I did curse Daylight Savings more than once this week when my alarm went off and it seemed impossible it was already time to get out of bed.

But, it is hard to deny it -- there is a benefit to Daylight Savings -- the whole staying lighter later in the day thing. This is particularly true because I like to run after work. And given that I leave work around 6:30/7, it has been dark when I leave the office since late October.

And, I'm not a fan of running in the dark night on the Westside Highway (do people feel the same way about this? It is fine to run in the dark in the morning but seems a little unsafe at night..?)

Anyway - I'm fine if it turns dark while I'm already out running, but something about heading out for a run in NYC when it's already dark just doesn't really sit right with me.

So I was thrilled to leave work last night and actually have time to quickly change and make it to the Westside before the sun went down. It was a chilly night after the 70 degree temps we had earlier this week. But awesome running weather! I did a glorious 5 mile run in 40 minutes (ok 40:28 to be exact). And had time to shower, change, grab dinner and meet my friends for a couple Thursday night drinks in the West Village afterwards. Fun ! There were so many people out and about last night!

I didn't do my Loop. I ran uptown on the Westside this time - for the first time in several months. Yikes I forgot how many bikers there are at night and how skinny the lanes get at a few points when you have to share with the bikers....

 I think the mental vision of me getting run over by a bike  -- and how awkward that would be -- made me keep my pace good and steady the whole run. It felt great. Much better than my 3 mile treadmill run I had to fit in Tuesday in the middle of the day because it was the only time I could fit anything in. (hated  that! especially since it was such a gorgeous day Tuesday)

Best of all, between the run and the two drinks afterwards, I curled up in bed w/ a smile on my face and fell fast asleep as soon as my head hit the pillow.

It was a good night.

Monday, March 12, 2012

Welcome Spring ! Done with the black tights

I always find it a bit of a dilemma deciding when to start wearing tights in the fall and when to stop in the spring. Like most girls I see in NYC, I have a winter uniform of black tights, black skirt and some sort of blouse. Or black tights and a dress.

I like to buy my tights at Duane Reade,
'cause I'm classy like that.  Don't knock
the Kushyfoots if you haven't tried them.
Save for a few weeks during the transition from tights to bare legs, I really don't ever wear pants to work. Mainly I have a hard time finding pants that fit right, aren't too frumpy looking or too big or too long (I'm barely 5'3"). Plus - the length for wearing pants with heels at work means that they are too long to wear with flats coming and going from work. Does anyone else have this problem?? I cannot walk to work in my heels, but my heel-length pants are too long to wear with flats; the ends of the pants drag along in the street. So I stick with skirts for work. Which means covering my legs with tights to keep them warm and hidden in the winter.

However, there are usually a few weeks in the spring when I'm ready to be done with the black tights but my poor pale wintery legs aren't ready to see the public light of day quite yet. So I will do pants to work during these transition weeks -- but that's about it. (Oh and I never, ever wear pants in the summer  even on the weekends - bare legs all summer long is the way to go!)

But all winter long to work it is black tights. Black tights. Black tights. Every day. And also when going out at night on the weekends.  So when spring rolls around, I'm usually very ready to put the black tights away.

I also like American Apparel Opaque size XS "panty hose" (read: tights)
This pose is giving me a back ache, however. Who stands like that??
For whatever reason I feel the transition to and from black tights has to be cold turkey both ways - no waffling back and forth between tights / no tights. And a big pet peeve of mine is when I miscalculate one way or another and I'm stuck in the freezing cold with bare legs in late October when everyone else around me is cozy looking in tights or boots or WORSE when I'm stuck sweating to death in black tights on a warm day in the spring when everyone else is summery looking and bare legged. That makes me grumpy. 

So it is important to gauge the seasons change carefully.  To me, putting the black tights away for good means Spring is here. There is no more risk of snow. It is time to wear more color, less black. Summer is around the corner. 

That usually happens around mid to late April in NYC. But this year we've had the strangest most non-existent winter ever. And, I was super grumpy to find myself in black tights (and a cashmere sweater no less) last Thursday, when it was a beautiful sunny 70 degrees and everyone else looked like a breath of fresh springy air in their bare legs and spring clothes.

(I blame NY1 for the wardrobe misstep by the way, they said it was going to be a cool and windy day??! I normally love Weather on the Ones. How did they get it so wrong last Thursday?) 

I got so sweaty and worked up about it Thursday that I swore off black tights for the rest of the year. So what, it's only the first week of March?? I was DONE with black tights 'til Fall. 

Then, I woke up Friday, and it was cold. And windy. And I couldn't find a pair of pants that looked remotely OK and I realized (after I got out of the shower) that I hadn't shaved my legs, and was running late. I also thought that I'm not sure my pale little legs are quite ready to be bare in public...... or rather, I'm not sure people are ready to see my pale little wintery legs quite yet. I made a mental note to go shopping for a new pair of transition black pants and I pulled back on the damn black tights. But it was all fine - it ended up being a chilly Friday, other girls were likewise in their black tights and my legs were thankful. I was not grumpy. All was good.

But now here we are with a full week ahead of gorgeous spring weather. Snow at this point seems impossible. I'm ready to wear more color, less black. And before yoga on Sunday, I managed to find a couple pairs of transition black pants that should do the job for me this year. (For anyone who has a hard time finding petite fit pants - the Banana Republic 00P (I think it is Martin fit) pants actually fit alright)  Not great, but they'll do the job. Not too frumpy and the length is just about right for both heels and flats. A little long / short on either end - but they just need to get me through the transition weeks anyway.

So I pulled on the new transition black pants Monday morning. My bare tights-free legs felt good underneath the pants. My bare tights-free feet felt good in my flats and then heels, peeking out below my pants. I was especially thankful for no black tights today -- what an amazing summery day!

Yes, it's only the second week of March. But I'm putting those black tights away 'til Fall. Done. Now my little legs just need to get ready to see the public light of day again so I can put the transition pants away and rock the bare legs w/ my skirts and dresses. A couple upcoming long-weekend warm-weather trips should do the job there.

And just like that... it's Spring!


Shoes and Sweets

It's Monday and I don't like Mondays.. who does? Especially when it's the first work day after losing an hour and you couldn't fall asleep the night before because of losing the hour so the alarm went off way too early and you were tired all day. Grrr. I'm still not a fan of Daylight Savings yet.

To try to bring some positivity to this grumpy Monday, I thought I'd list a few things I am liking these days. Here goes --

My hipstamatic kicks
1.  My Nikes Triax. I like Nike running shoes. I always have. I like a narrow fit along the whole foot. I don't like my foot to feel like it can move within the shoe. I don't like the feeling of free feet in a shoe. I like security. I have never found a running shoe that feels that way, except for Nike. I have tried many different Nikes over the years. I'm currently with the Triax. I like them. They work for me.

I know that as people get serious about running they tend to go with one of the 'runner's brands' that you can't get at your standard Footlocker - Brooks for example. Not me. I have tried running in many other shoes and I spent a long time at Jack Rabbit before purchasing the Triax yet again, trying other shoes on the treadmill to see what I thought. (has anyone ever noticed how many straight looking attractive men are in Jack Rabbit at any given time by the way? Maybe I need to join a running group..) All other shoes feel sloppy on my feet. I like the feeling of clean, structured, security. So I am a Nike gal. 

2. Peanut butter and chocolate. (yeah, no transition here from one random topic to another...!) As the title of this blog indicates, I love to bake. Of course most baked goods are sweetsy things. And I don't really have a sweet tooth. Sure, if something looks yummy and  sweet and is sitting right in front of me, I will eat and enjoy it. But I don't usually really crave sweets. OK once I did eat gelato every single day for 2 weeks on vacation in Croatia (sometimes twice a day) and I do love my frozen yogurt piled high with all the awesome bits on offer at 16 Handles. But my real food vices are more of the savory type. Pizza. Cheese. Crispy salty thin french fries dipped in mayo. Spicy stacked nachos. Crusty bread and salty French butter. You get the idea.

However, when it DOES come to sweets, there is one genius combination I'm particularly fond of -- chocolate and peanut butter. Sweet and salty. Salty sweet. Genius.

So last week, when I received this gem in my 'gift bag' from the James Beard Greens event,  I knew it would be good.  Peanut Butter & Co. Dark Chocolate Dreams. Natural peanut butter and dark chocolate together, in one spoonable jar.
Beware: Highly Addictive. 

If you are like me and you have portion control issues with anything that can be eaten with a spoon straight from the jar / carton - WARNING. Please proceed with caution when trying this. It. Is. Addictive.

Far better in my mind than Nutella - this has the perfect balance of salty sweet.

AND..... I have convinced myself it is not really that bad for you. I mean it contains peanut butter. That has its health benefits and when lined up next to Peanut Butter & Co. crunchy peanut butter - the nutritional info isn't that off -- yes, higher sugar of course, but it's actually 20 CALORIES LESS per 2 tbs serving than regular peanut butter. And lower fat too of course. Hmph. Plus, it's all natural. I like that.

I wouldn't waste this jar of geniuseness making the following snack -- although you probably could -- save the Dark Chocolate Dreams to eat by the spoonful with a side of pretzels. The following recipe is already easy as pie. And I wanted to end with it while I'm on the topic of peanut butter and chocolate because it is one of the easiest, quickest, fail proof, crowd pleasing recipes I know. It is straight from the back of the Chex box, and also known amongst some as 'puppy chow' although many people have never heard of it before. But trust me. People rave about it.  And it only takes about 20 mins to make, from start to finish and requires no crazy ingredients or special appliances. Perfect treat to make for a casual get together - movie night, book club, March Madness. It's also gluten free. Call it what you want. It won't disappoint.

         Peanut Butter Chocolate Deliciousness


        9 cups of  rice Chex cereal  
        1 cup chocolate chips
        1/2 cup creamy peanut butter (not natural; I use Jiff)
        1/4 cup butter
        2 teaspoon vanilla
        2 cups powdered sugar (at least - I usually use more)
        a 1-gallon ziplock bag
Place cereal in a large bowl and set aside. In a medium microwavable bowl, add chocolate chips, peanut butter and butter. Microwave on high for 1 minute and stir. Microwave 30 seconds longer and stir mixture until smooth. Stir in vanilla. Pour sauce over cereal and stir until evenly coated (I use my hands to mix everything up and make sure it's all evenly coated). Spoon half of the mixture in the ziplock bag. Add 1 cup of powdered sugar and seal. Shake the bag until everything is entirely coated. I like mine to be very white with a lot of powdered sugar, so I add more sugar as needed to achieve that. Repeat with the rest. Spread on waxed/parchment paper to cool (10 mins or so). Store in airtight container. Bring to a get-together. Your friends will love you.

--Adapted from the back of the Chex cereal box.



Sunday, March 11, 2012

Long Run Saturdays

Vitamin Water Zero - good for Long Run Saturdays and hungover Sundays
Am I the only person who wishes it wasn't such a nice and sunny day today? I want to lie on my couch and be lazy (i.e., hungover) without feeling guilty about the sun peeking through my blinds. And how did I manage to sleep in until noon? And stay out until 4 last night? I am a night person, not a morning person. Losing an hour always hits me hard.

Daylight Savings and the delicious tequila beverages I had last night probably both hit me a little harder than expected because yesterday I ran a little farther than usual on my "Long Run."

Every Saturday I run a "Long Run." For real distance runners and marathon trainers, it is not "Long." But for me, it is a little longer than what I usually run. It has become a new necessity for me and the source of my recent goals.

Usually my Long Run is a 7 mile loop along the Westside Highway down and around the bottom tip of Manhattan and up the East River. I LOVE THIS LOOP.

I have been a runner since high school and I have always run consistently since then. I love it for all the reasons runners love running. It keeps you fit. It is the easiest thing to just pick up and do. It keeps me sane and de-stressed. I feel like I can breathe better when I'm done. I always feel better after a run.

However I have never been a distance runner. I like to run fast-ish and short. On a normal day, a "fast" paced (7:45-8:00) 3 to 4 mile run does the job for me - still after years of doing it. When I am done, my head is cleared, my stress is gone, I am a sweaty, smiley mess and I feel great.

I also love short fast runs because they are so low maintenance -- I can fit 30-45 minutes into my schedule easily, I can do it on a treadmill without wanting to die of boredom, I don't have to be conscience about what I eat beforehand, or about hydrating, or electrolytes or having to go to the bathroom during the run etc etc. Short runs are low maintenance. I like low maintenance.

So the short fast run has been my best friend for years. 2-3 runs a week and I was a happy person.

Until in 2010 I got an injury (non-running related) that prevented me from running, and any form of strenuous exercise, for months. I do not wish such a thing on anyone who loves to run / exercise and is used to doing so regularly. It was terrible.

As soon as I recovered, I was ready to get back into a routine. But I could barely run 10 minutes in a row. It was devastating. I could not remember ever struggling to run for 30 minutes. I felt like I had never run before in my life. I did what beginning runners are told to do -- ran as far as I could until I had to walk, walked a bit, then ran again up to a total of 30-45 minutes. I did this a few times a week and was eventually back to my normal running pace again much to my relief. But it was hard. Harder than I ever thought it would be. It is no joke -- if you basically stop running for several months, it will be hard to start up again.

And when I got back to where I'd been, running 3-4 miles at a 8:00 /mile pace. It felt great. Amazing. I couldn't believe how much I'd missed it. That was a year ago - February 2011.

Realizing how much I'd missed running and how much I loved it, made me naturally want to increase the number of runs I was doing - until I was running 5-6 times a week. My pace got faster and I started wanting to go farther.

Over the summer I went for runs outside, and a few times, ended up running for an hour, unplanned. And it felt great. I soon realized there could be a new love I have for a longer run. So, in the fall I started my Long Run Saturdays.

I do the same Westside to East River Loop every Saturday. Did I mention I LOVE THIS LOOP. If you are in NYC, try it. I have run many of my fast/short runs over the years in all sorts of places, different countries, cities, parks, paths, countryside, mountains. Yes, I have run in Central Park - and it is great. But it is a far trek for me to get up there -AND I really don't like it nearly as much as I like my Loop.

On my Loop you are always alongside water. And when you are running, I swear that water looks cleaner than it is - and even smells like the ocean sometimes!  I love running under the bridges, seeing the statue of liberty, the boats. My favorite stretch is along the East River right before South Street Seaport - running under the bridge - there is a stretch of sandy beach, and actual waves lapping the beach and sea gulls (not pigeons - these are actually white clean looking sea gulls!).

I also love this Loop because it has been the perfect Long Run for me. 7 miles was a good step up from my 3-4 miles. It is an hour of running. I have had to learn to pace myself a little, I cannot do the whole thing at my normal 7:45/8:00 pace. When I'm done I feel great. It has become a necessity in my week. Like therapy. I need my Loop. I need to see all my little favorite spots on the Loop. I need to zone out and clear my head.

It does the job. I've done the run every Saturday since October - except 2 days -- one when it snowed and one when wind chill was in the teens (of course this has been the best winter ever to run outside!!). I forced myself on the treadmill those 2 days and managed 7 miles, but of course it was not the same. And the Saturdays I've been out of town, I've done a 7-8 mile run outside wherever I am which was better than the treadmill, but I still missed my Loop!

I love my Loop and my Long Run Saturdays. But, the Long Run is not low maintenance.

First, I have to try to be careful about what I do on Friday night.  No I will not stay in completely or avoid certain foods or alcohol. I'm not running a marathon here - or even training for one. But I do try to limit the amount of alcohol I drink and the time I go to sleep - no 4 AM binges for me before Long Run Saturdays (which is definitely a good thing, who do I think I am anyway?? One night of debauchery -- Saturday -- is enough for a weekend). However, I'm not the most disciplined person when it comes to such things. I am a night person and I like to catch up with friends. I am always up for 'just one more drink' or a 'night cap'. So there HAVE been times when I've had to consciously discipline myself on a Friday night in anticipation of Long Run Saturday.

Second, I am not a morning person. At all. I don't understand how people can be happy and cheerful early in the morning before ample quantities of coffee. And, while I will get up to run in the morning if it is the ONLY time I can fit it in, I don't like to do this. I don't run as well early in the morning. I don't feel as good on my run. That makes me grumpy. On a Saturday morning, I prefer to sleep in until I naturally wake up, which could be 8 AM or could be 10 AM, depending on my Friday night or week plans.

Third, and related to the above, is that I have to think about what I'm eating and how much I'm hydrating in order to make it through an hour run. I definitely have to eat something - and far enough in advance that I'm well digested on the run. And I have learned my lesson about eating the wrong thing. NO high fiber cereal on a Long Run Saturday. I tried peanut butter + banana on toast this week and this may be my breakfast of choice now.

And then you have hydration. I find hydration to be a huge issue for me. Maybe it is partly in my head but my hardest runs I usually pin on not being hydrated enough. And I am a salty sweater - so I need a good dose of electrolytes as well. I am seriously addicted to Vitamin Water Zero  at the moment -- but next on my list to try is Nuun. The biggest challenge for me is getting the right amount of hydration and then peeing enough before my run so I don't have to stop and pee. This balance is SUCH a challenge.. Am I the only one who finds it hard to do??

Finally - to get to the Westside highway and back from East River from where I live is a bit of a walk (2 miles total). Yes, I could run or jog part of that and often I do - but it is difficult jogging 14th Street on a Saturday with so many people out and about and having to stop at all the lights. So usually I (speed) walk a good portion of that stretch -- which lengthens the door to door time of the run.

So you see... Long Run Saturdays = not low maintenance. All the Friday night disciplining, eating the right thing, hydrating, digesting, getting to and from my Loop and running - when all is said and done it takes up a good portion of my Saturday. Does anyone else have this problem? Maybe I need to just get my act together and force myself out earlier. I don't like having my Saturdays revolve so much around this -- I hesitate to make plans on Saturday because of it - which is not a good thing. I did once do my Long Run before a brunch that I had - I fit all in and was showered and at brunch by noon - and it was great! But I also had naturally woken up well rested before 8 AM that day for whatever reason. Anyway - all this to say - goal #1 on Long Run Saturdays is to get better about the timing of my run, be more efficient and get started earlier. I need to feel free to make other plans and fit my run in somehow.

Goal #2 is to increase mileage. This week I ran 9 miles for the first time. 8 miles was non-stop (1:07 total time) and then I walked across the street and for about 30 seconds then started up again at a slower pace and ran through to 5th Avenue. It was weaving around people on the sidewalks and stopping at lights - but I ran until I hit 9 miles. My goal is to increase my Long Run Saturday to 10 miles. This will mean making my Loop start higher up on the Westside Highway or exploring whether the East River paths go beyond 20th Street - yesterday I tried going that way and was running through a gas station and some sort of hospital looking building - what is that?? And where does the path go?? Did I lose the path or is that where it ends?? I was very confused so just turned around and ran back. I will look this up.

But, yesterday was good. I felt great. Well, except that less than a mile in I had to pee. REALLY?? Ughhh, the right hydration to pee-before-run ratio is so hard for me to perfect. Thank goodness for being near the public toilets. Still I get so grumpy when I have to stop so early on. And that grumpiness made me run faster than I should have when I started up again for that first mile- which I paid for later.

My legs got a little heavy around mile 4-5. But then felt better. Mile 8-9, I was dragging though. I was slow. I felt tired. I could not have easily run another mile. I have read that when you run over an hour you may need to refuel a little - so I may need to try this to see if it helps. I am afraid of all the marathon gels - but read on a serious runner's blog that a pack of honey or Annie's Bunny Snacks could help so will need to investigate. (see www.rungiarun.com, one of the blogs I like to follow!)

Well I have now killed a good chunk of time on my couch while eating breakfast for lunch and enjoying my coffee. I feel better about the sun peeking through my blinds. I think I might even change out of my pajamas and head out a bit before it's time for my Sunday yoga class -- my new favorite post Long Run Saturday routine. Vinyasa. Perfect to stretch out my legs and doesn't require a lot of energy. Low maintenance; no Saturday night discipline needed. I like that.