New York Thoughts

Runners are all a little bit crazy, myself included. Off our rockers so to speak, but for the most part in a good way.

I can't imagine the heartbreak of the runners who were already up in New York. Who were literally at the Race Expo, picking up their packets when the announcement was made.

I can't imagine the hundreds, possibly thousands of runners who got the news shortly after their planes had landed at JFK/LaGuardia; the first thing they see when turning their phones back on.

However

I also can't imagine suddenly not having a home. Every single possession that I own suddenly irrelevant due to water damage. Being stranded in the midst of a gigantic city because I don't have any gas.

I can't imagine any of that.

I see both sides of the heartbreak. And I have to say, I fully support the cancellation.

This is coming from the runner who trained for months to PR at Boston, only to have to run a 'smart' slow-paced race in the midst of nearly 90 degree temperatures. This is coming from the girl who started training for the race she was suppose to run tomorrow back in July. This is coming from, me, Kait, who is currently living pay check to pay check so that she can get the Physical Therapy she needs to start running again.

Boston, April 2012

I love running, I understand the passion that goes into it. When you train for something for months, literally schedule your life around your runs, deplete your social life so that you can get up early to train ... and the race itself doesn't happen... I get that heartbreak. You have every right to be sad, to mourn.

But not to be angry. Please don't be mad. Because more anger, more hatred, more pissed off people... that's the last thing this country, the East Coast, and specially New York City needs right now.

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Because although The New York Marathon, The New York Road Runners, Mayor Bloomberg - whoever it was who decided to cancel the biggest race in the country about 36 hours out - did it in a horrible shitshow of a fashion, I believe it was 100% the right call.

If you have any a shred of a heart, you just have to see the bigger picture. In the midst of a city in shambles, still scrambling to get back on their feet, still half under water - literally - this was simply not the weekend to make the focus point running. It was, is, and will be for awhile about recovery. (something that every runner is familiar with)

Not a good state.

"If they take one first responder from Staten Island to cover this marathon, I will scream," New York City Councilman James Oddo, who represents parts of Staten Island and Brooklyn, said on his Twitter account. "We have people with no homes and no hope right now." - source

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My hope is now that the thousands of runners who were already in New York when the announcement was made, that you are still able to do something while you are there. Any way that you possibly can, help another human out. You are already there, so why not?

Cheers to recovery - 

shut it.

Vent: I'm SO sick of people mouthing off on facebook. About politics, excessive bitching, passive aggressive comments that are both vague and annoying...

Stop it.

I wish there were a mute button for that kind of crap.

Moving on...

Because I know you desperately wanted another picture of my knee. Is it getting better? Sure is. Enough to run 26.2 miles in just over two weeks? That’s the million dollar question ladies and gents. A question that I don’t feel like addressing quite yet.

Let’s talk coffee. A beverage that I could barely stomach a year ago, that I am now extremely passionate about. I've heard arguments in both ways, but I strongly believe that the Dunkin Donuts pumpkin spice coffee that I tried for the first time yesterday is by the far the best that I’ve had yet. THE best.

I tried making my own this morning at work, with the tools that I had on hand:

Not the same, but still good. PS - that Ghiradelli chocolate is to die for. Definitely worth getting in a gang fight over.

Let’s talk about how I’ve been living out of my car. On how days like yesterday, when I wake up at 5:00 AM and go from the gym to work to PT and don’t get home until after 6 pm, how packing clothes/food for 12 hours is no small feat for a hungry sweaty girl like me. I realized that if any of my coworkers were to peak in my car windows and see my seats completely covered in bags, shoes, and dirty clothes, that they are likely to come to the conclusion that I’m homeless. Gotta do what you gotta do.

oh don't mind the half-wet swim suit sprawled out to dry.

Speaking of homeless, my attire to the health club last night was this:

Andrew and I had both had long days, and wanted to hit the hot tub for awhile. Since I already had my compression socks on post-physical therapy, I didn’t think twice about rolling over to the gym without changing. I got some pretty sweet stares.

Long hair, don’t care.

you love it.

I leave you with some motivation that I stole off of Nike’s facebook page. Because it’s Thursday, and Friday is just around the corner. Cheers!

Complacency is a Four Letter Word

Let's talk complacency, shall we?

I meant what I said up there in the title. I strongly dislike, fear, even disdain the idea of complacency. I have zero patience for people who are blatantly complacent. Who sit around and complain about their current situation, yet do NOTHING to create change.

I never want to be one of those people. And I feel myself flirting with it. Remember this post?

Let me back track quickly for ya'll. <-- insert twangy accent there. Last week Andrew and I were on a run, and decided to have one of those deep-ish type conversations that couples have on occasion.

no, we were not holding hands while running. 

While arguing chatting, we stumbled upon the topic of complacency... a verb/noun/issue/thing that both of us mutual fear.

Alright Kait sweet story, where is this going?

((angry glare))

Hold. Your. Horses. And never use that tone with me again.

In the midst of this whole adjustment/new job/trying to find friends etc. etc. so on and so forth, I am beginning to feel myself falling complacent. Not cool.

“You all know," said the Guide, "that security is mortals' greatest enemy.” 

― C.S. Lewis

So my solution... is not only to set goals over the course of the next few months in a few different areas of my life... but to make big(ish) change in regards to my running life.

I met up with her (at Starbucks), loved what I saw heard, shook her hand and asked her to be my coach. Or at least that's how I remember it.  Miss Zippy knows her shiz - check her out.

Amanda's going to help me to become a smarter runner. So that I don't do things like embark on my 20 mile training runs without water. Yes, I really did that once. And in the process of her helping me train for New York in both an effective and strategic manner, I hope to become a healthier runner in the process. That will be one of my New York goals, as I begin that fateful morning in November on that bridge....

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Every week, every expectation will be laid out for me, and I will have things to work towards, and someone to report to. And that's something I need, and have really missed since college. Not to mention that Amanda is local, and I can actually run with her if the occasion seems fit. And hey, she happens to know a lot of other runners in the area. Even a developmental racing team in Columbia who are looking for runners....

Hmmmm....

You can think I'm crazy, that's fine. I see it as a smart move, and bettering myself in an area that I'm super passionate about. I don't spend money on clothes or high heeled shoes or highlites for my hair. I save in these areas so that I can run in races, buy overpriced running shoes, and continue to get better as an athlete. I've never had any kind of coaching/training in the realm of running (unless you count middle school track and field) and have been wanting to go this direction for awhile now.

There's my rant, there's my plan. And to wrap it up, don't let yourself become complacent. It's poisonous.

Cheers!