Summer is unofficially over. I do not feel good about this. Each day that passes that is not 90 degrees pushes me deeper into unhappiness. Luckily, I have a lot to look forward to this fall, like, I don’t know, running a MARATHON. Or spending lots of time inside a warm apartment watching football (I care about football. I even understand some rules).  So there’s some good here.
Here’s what I am excited about this month:
{} Labor Day Weekend
I mean, pretty much if there is a long weekend or any sort of time off work, I will include it in my monthly excitement. I really value all time off. In fact, I never understand when people say they wish they could be back in college. Not me. I love working because for the most part, when I go home at the end of the day, I am done. I don’t constantly have work hanging over me. Except this blog.
Over this long weekend, I saw my mom, got my fro tamed by Maria (discount to DSB readers on Keratin, haircuts, color and more — (917) 331-3450, ran 15 miles (more on that below), sat outside at three restaurants, watched lots of 90210 (Andy’s favorite show) and read. I loved the entire weekend.
{} My New Job
Speaking of my new job, things are getting good. I am really loving our Hydroxatone products; I got to “live tweet” from the Charlotte Ronson Fashion Week show where we were the Official Skincare Sponsor; and I would be forever grateful if you could help me out and do the following:
- Like Hydroxatone on Facebook (and you’ll get 25% off)
- Follow Hydroxatone on Twitter
Seriously, I would appreciate this to no end. For the most part, the updates are from me. And if you are a blogger and want to do a review or giveaway, or work with me in any other way, let me know!
{} Getting Deep Into Marathon Training
Two weekends ago, I ran 15 miles for the first time in my life.
I ran it all by myself. The idea of doing long runs alone has terrified me, and I’ve managed to find a friend to run with each week until this run.
My strategy for the 15 miler was to break up the run in my head as three 5-mile runs. Part 1, Part 2 and Part 3. So instead of being like, “I still have 13 miles left, that is an entire half marathon, how overwhelming,” I instead thought “I have 3 miles left in Part 1.” The entire run felt much more approachable this way and it really worked!
During my 15 miler around the city, I stopped to take a photo of my office across the river. I tried to imagine tiny Dori, like a little ant, working hard in that building as I ran past. Strange.
[I work in one of the buildings pictured here]
Last weekend was another first: 17 miles. My plan was to run 8-9 miles myself, then meet up with my Girls on the Run Solemates team for the rest. I ran about 8.5 myself and then met up with the team, but shortly after we started running I realized thy were way too fast for me. I tried keeping up but after a mile I just didn’t have it in me, and I watched as they disappeared ahead of me.
While I don’t mind that I wasn’t able to run with them — in fact, I was a little relieved because I actually wanted to be alone — I do wish I knew ahead of time that they run so fast. The bright side is I won’t feel guilty anymore for not attending their runs.
Which is especially OK with me because I only have three new long run distances to conquer before the marathon! How did this happen already? And if I did 17 with so little issue, of course I can do these. 18, 19 and 20. I also have a few races lined up, so I won’t be alone. There are a few step-back weeks in between these distances, and a taper period after, which all fits into my two-month timeline before 26.2.
So after the team escaped me, I ran back up to the Reservoir for a couple more loops myself before running home, and I made it to 17 miles. My legs were screaming after and walking the rest of the way home was hard at first, but I recovered pretty quickly.
I was even able to run 5 miles just two days after that, where I saw this sunrise:
I remember when after a half marathon I couldn’t walk for a week. Now I can run 17 miles and run again a couple days later. AND my 13 miler this coming weekend, as part of my step-back week, actually seems like a “shorter” run. Perspective is funny.
{} Dave Matthews Band
Hurricane Irene canceled the DMB Caravan Governor’s Island show I was excited for last month and it’s been rescheduled for Randall’s Island. I saw Dave there back in 2006. I am excited to walk there this year.
{} Baseball Game
Yeah our tickets for this were also during Hurricane Irene. Instead, we are going to a Mets game against the Phillies (Missy is from Philly and we will be with her, so it will be extra fun) instead. Although I am slightly less excited that we are going in late September when I won’t be able to wear a tank top or a little dress (the only things I want to spend an outdoor event in) I will suck it up and be happy anyway.
{} Reading
Now that I commute every day, I have the time and motivation to read books. I have been a book fiend and it feels good to be back — although I have been getting significantly less sleep. P.S. Read The Hunger Games Trilogy. By far, the best bandwagon I have ever jumped on. And I generally don’t do bandwagons. These are the type of books that get into your head and under your skin and you can’t stop thinking about them long after you finished reading.
{} Being the Subject of an Interview
My good friend Ben interviewed me for his own NBC New York GO Healthy New York column in a post called Extraordinary Motivation: Dori’s Passion for Fitness. Apparently, I might be motivating or something?
{}Â My Final NBC New York Post
The opportunity to write for NBC New York’s GO Healthy NY blog was one of the most incredible things to happen to me this year. It fell into my lap at exactly the right time in my life — when I was desperately looking for a job in the fitness world and needed some solid writing samples, connections and visibility. Now that I am balancing my fantastic job with marathon training, it’s been harder to keep up with my NBC writing and class-taking that goes with that. I decided to stop writing for them and it feels like a weight lifted from my shoulders.
My last post is my review of my month-long FITiST trial:
NBC New York – Dori’s Quest: My Month of FITiST
{} Weekly Blogging for Work
I will be writing for a couple of blogs at work. One of these blogs will be a weekly column that I will link to from here each week the way I did with NBC. I am very excited about the content because it is not fitness related but still very much me. I’ll just say that any job that lets me write about my overall laziness when it comes to everything and doesn’t fire me is a job worth keeping.
What are you excited for this month?
