What I Wore {post 21}

These are the very last grasps of Summer.  Here are some recent late Summer outfits I wore to work.

* Printed Jersey Dress *

This dress was free and got me a discount on another purchase.  I was ordering something from Kohl's, and I needed to spend another $10 to get free shipping and an additional 15% off.  I looked at the clearance and found this dress for about $15 or so.  It's a Vera Wang for Kohl's.  And it was an additional percentage off.  So once I got all my discounts and free shipping, it was as though the dress were free.  I love love loved it.  It is so flattering and fun! 

* White LOFT dress *

I've been hunting for a white dress all Summer long.  I found one in late August at the LOFT clearance sale.  I think this was $12.  I got it and while I loved it, it felt a little bare for the office. 

So I paired it with my pink j.crew outlet cardigan and a pink grosgrain ribbon belt.  The dress still looked great, but it was a bit more office appropriate.  

* Indigo Top & Linen Swing Skirt *

This is my clearance outfit.  The top, which was $4 on clearance from LOFT, is a great indigo color and a sort of dressy t-shirt material.  It's got a bit more sheen than normal plain cotton tees.  I paired it with my linen j.crew pleated swing skirt from a few years back.  My leopard flats (payless - holla!) and wooden beads from one of the teeny bopper jewelry stores in the mall (can't remember) completed the look.  

And that's it for Summer.  My next "what I wore" posts are better described as Early Fall vs. Late Summer.  Viva Fall.  

See you swoon,

Oh-oh-oh-pen Water Swimming

Well, triathlon season is over.  My wetsuits are packed away and I'm back to swimming just once a week for maybe a half hour.  But I really do like swimming and I've learned, and improved, a lot since I started. 

One hurdle I had to face in racing and training for triathlon was the open water.  Now, when I began my foray into triathlon, I rationalized, "hey, I've swum all my life! I grew up swimming in lakes and pools!  I've got this."  I trained for months in pools: both 25 and 50 meters and my endurance was there. I could easily swim a mile in the pool and still feel great after.  So when I got to my first open water swim triathlon at the Quakerman Olympic Plus Triathlon in 2012, I felt confident and ready.  But nothing - absolutely nothing - prepared me for that swim.

I jumped in the warm, clear lake and swam around a little before the race started and felt great.  The buoys seemed pretty darn far away, but I was still feeling good.  Because the water temp was over 78 degrees and the race was not "wetsuit legal" (meaning in order to qualify for an award, you could not wear a wetsuit), pretty much no one was wearing a wetsuit in this race, which was a good thing because I didn't have one at that point.  My wave lined up at the start, the gun went off, I swam a few yards and .... OH MY GAWD.  My mind took over and my heart started racing and this is what happened:

I CANT SEE THE BOTTOM OH MY GOD I'M IN THE MIDDLE OF A LAKE I CAN'T TOUCH THE BOTTOM I CAN'T SEE EVERYONE IS SPLASHING AROUND ME I CAN'T BREATHE THE LAKE IS SO DEEP I CAN'T SEE I CAN'T SEE I CAN'T SWIM SOMEONE IS GOING TO SWIM OVER ME.  I HATE THIS GET ME OUT GET ME OUT GET ME OUT OF THIS LAKE!!! 

I was used to seeing this:

And instead, I saw this:

So for about two-thirds of the .6 mile course, I did a modified side-stroke and back stroke until finally after I rounded the final buoy, I was able to get into a rhythm and bring it on home.  I realized then and there (and then for the next 3+ hours of the race on the bike and run) that I absolutely needed to get more comfortable in the open water.  

I am happy to report that I have reached that point.  Here are my tips for a newbie to get more comfortable and confident in an open water swim.

* Start Slow.  Start "Stupid Slow" *

The key to a happy swim for me is to start slowly - or "stupid slow" as I like to think of it.  If I race out of the gate like I am Michael Phelps, my heart rate zooms and it takes a long time for it to get back under control.  This actually happened when I was up in Lake Placid - no one was around me, the water was gorgeous, and there I was with my heart beating out of my wetsuit ... all because I started out way too fast.  So take it slow. Start at what feels like a crawl.  Breathe deep.  Barely kick.  Blow huge bubbles on the exhale.  And then pick up the pace.

* Sing Sing a Song *

This is a new trick my swim coach (note: another great tip - hire a swim coach!) taught me: sing!  Obviously not out loud, but in my head.  Singing a song keeps me happy and takes my mind off the distance that I'm swimming.  It also calms me down.  I do it in the pool, too, so when I'm in the open water, it is the great unifier, because I think to myself, "oh, it's just like the pool".  I gravitate toward ABBA in the water.  I mean ... I gravitate toward ABBA all of the time but I always sing ABBA in the open water.  That's the charm of me.

hello and thank you for the music ABBA friends - sorry

* Practice in Open Water *

Seems like it's pretty obvious, but I can't emphasize it enough: you have to get in the open water and practice swimming there.  Pools are great and I spend a majority of my time training in a pool. But the open water swims are key because you develop a comfort level with the water when you are in it more often.  There are several open water swim series near me - you pay for each session and you can swim in a 1/4 mile course in a local lake set up by a training company, and there are lots and lots of support kayaks in the water.  Make sure if you go into the open water you have someone with you or you are in a guarded spot.  I don't care how great a swimmer you are - this is just common sense.  If you need to find some open water swimming near you, you could just google "open water swimming" and your town or general area.  I actually found my open water swim series at an endurance sport expo.  So if your area has one of them, go check it out!  

* Practice in Pool *

You can also practice open water simulations in the pool.  The easiest way to do this is to simply close your eyes while you swim.  It is freaky at first, but really, it's a great way to make you feel a little more like you're in the open water.  You can also swim with a friend and ask them to start with you and/or to splash a bit when you share the lane.  In an open water race, you will get splashed and people will invade your space. It is all part of the game.  

* Wetsuit *

If you don't have a wetsuit, get one.  They make you incredibly buoyant, which makes you faster.  But the buoyancy is also peace of mind.  If I am swimming in open water and my anxiety starts to creep up, I remind myself that I am in a wetsuit, which will keep me afloat.  Obviously if you've never worn a wetsuit, you should practice in it before race day.  But wetsuits are pretty awesome.  And come on ... let's talk about how ridiculously sexy they are.

* Prepare Yourself * 

On race day, you may have a chance to warm up in the water or you may not.  At the very least, you should get in and roll around a little and blow out a ton of bubbles.  I don't know why, but this always helps me.  You've absolutely got to get your face in the water before you start swimming, especially if the temperature is cold.  Scope out the rescue kayaks.  Again, this is really just peace of mind: "ok, there they are. If I need them, I will find them. I will not drown."  Scope out the buoys.  Look at the water - is it really murky?  Is it clear?  You may not be able to see your hand in front of you.  When this happens, I just tell myself that the water looks like black coffee.  For some reason, that helps.  If you're nervous about swimming, find a "safe" location to swim.  Generally, this is off to the far side of the buoys and not in the middle of the pack.  You can also line yourself up at the back and even wait 10 seconds or so to start swimming after the horn blows.  Those 10 seconds are nothing in terms of a triathlon, but it will give you a bit of breathing room.  

* Mindset * 

Finally, adjust your mindset.  I used to think "it's so chaotic! They were kicking and grabbing and punching me! They were trying to swim over me!"  And really, except for the very rare tri-jerk, this just doesn't happen.  Everyone out there is doing the same thing: racing his or her own race.  No one is in that water intentionally throwing punches and grabbing feet or goggles.  It takes too much time and energy!  But contact in the open water happens.  And when it does, just move yourself over and remind yourself that the other person didn't mean it: she's just swimming her swim.  If there is repeated contact by the same person, a swift, light little kick should do the trick.  The person may just be trying to draft off of you (LOL - good luck if you are trying to draft off of me!) and the contact is truly unintentional.

There you go! I hope these tips are helpful.  I find these days I'd much rather swim and train in a lake than a pool.  I look at a pool much like I look at a treadmill or my bike trainer: it's great exercise and good for training, but it's just that: exercise and training.  When I'm in a lake swimming around or on my bike on the roads or running from here to there and back again, I have a distance and a destination, making the journey so much more fun.

Any other open water swim people in the house?  What are some tips or tricks that you have?

See you swoon,

Why I Run*

* and why I race.

Recently, within the span of about a week, my dad and a colleague asked me simple, yet difficult to answer, questions:  why do you run? why do you race?  The short answer is "because I love it." But I have thought about those questions since they were asked of me, and I think a post on the answers might be a good thing.  Running and racing are two totally different things in my mind.  

Running

Running is my soul sport.  Don't get me wrong, I love triathlon.  But if I have an hour of free time and could choose any exercise out there, I will always choose a run.  I really like to swim. I kind of like to bike.  But running fulfills me in a way that no other sport does.  There is something about moving my legs and literally pounding the pavement that makes me feel amazing.  Even a bad run is actually a good run.

I run for therapy.

When I am stressed or sad or angry or overwhelmed, the first thing I want to do is run.  I need the outlet.  I think turning to a run versus a vice is a pretty good choice.  I do some of my best thinking and soul searching on my runs.  I'm able to solve problems, think things through and let all the "stuff" in my life fall away and focus only on myself.  When I am running, it's just me.  I can think about whatever I want.  I can be whatever I want.  It is both an escape and a way to center my focus.  When a runner friend is injured and cannot run, I completely understand the agony that the person feels when she is told she cannot run.  If running is your soul sport, nothing can replace it.

I run to eat.

Let's be real: running is a great way to get and stay in shape.  It burns a ton of calories.  And thank goodness for that, because I have the appetite of a horse.  I run so that I can eat whatever I want.  One of my favorite things to do after a long run or a race is to check out my Garmin and see how many calories I've burned and translate that to the meal I'm about to have: mmm, I burned 2000 calories! So that's a huge meal and at least two Hop Devils.  

I run because I can.

I am thankful that I am able to run.  I am healthy and have very little issues that prevent me from running or doing any other sport.  I have seen stunning sunrises and gorgeous sunsets on runs.  I have seen hot air balloons in the sky.  I have run in the falling snow on a snowy path with nothing but silence around me.  I've run in the Fall when the trees are on fire with red, yellow and orange leaves.   I've run super close to deer, fox, turtles and snakes.  I've run in the rain, the fog and the wind.  I've run in the heat and the bitter cold.  And there are those days - those perfect weather days  - where I don't want the run to end.  I run when I travel.  I have been able to experience so much of the world around me simply by going out for a run.

Racing

If running is all about the zen of life, then racing is all about the zest.  As much as I need to run, I also need to race.  I think racing may be harder for people to understand because I'm not a professional and I will never ever win a race.  But, nothing can replicate that feeling surrounding a race: the adrenaline, the excitement, the competitive vibe.  I also love that feeling of everyone around me who is racing his or her own race with his or her own goals ... all heading toward that exact same finish line.  

I race for the challenge.

I am Type A by nature (no!), so a race appeals to my nature.  I am always up for a challenge and competition, and I am always challenging myself.  I set time goals for almost every race I do, and if I don't make them, I try again.  It took me years to run a sub-2 hour half marathon.  I am still working on running a sub-4 hour marathon.  When I make that goal, I'll try to quality for the Boston Marathon.  There is always a new time goal to beat.  You can always try to beat your last best time.

I race for vindication.

Ok that sounds a little scary.  Talk about the opposite of zen.  I don't mean to invite bad karma, but there is a part of me that races as a way to show myself and others in my past that I am an athlete.  I played field hockey in high school and I loved it.  The coach, unfortunately, was awful.  An awful, mean, negative and overly critical person who should not have been allowed to coach teenage girls.  But she was a winning coach, so her behavior was overlooked.  She had her favorites, and everyone knew who they were.  I remember the last year I played hockey, I was not a favorite, and during a practice scrimmage, she had the favorites scrimmage with the other part of the team.  She kept referring to the favorites as "our team" -- "our ball!" or "ok, our turn to take the hit", and I remember thinking, we are all on the same team!  She made those of us who were not the chosen ones feel like non-athletes -- I chose my words carefully there.  It wasn't that I felt that way: she made us feel that way.  So when I cross a finish line or meet a goal, it is one way I say to myself -- both the 37 year old me and the 17 year old me who still lives deep down inside -- "you are an athlete."  

I race because it makes me believe things about myself that I never thought possible.  

This is the overwhelming reason that I race:  it makes me believe that I can do anything.  I never thought I could run as fast as I do on a consistent basis now.  I never thought I could get an age group award in a triathlon.  I never thought I could even do a triathlon.  I never thought I could do an olympic triathlon.  I never thought I could do a half ironman triathlon.  By pushing the limits of what I thought possible, I learn that really, truly ... I can do it and that sport (any sport) is part physical but mostly mental.  During every single race that I do, there is a point where pain is greater than enjoyment and I have to push through the pain.  That moment -- that moment where the pain is overwhelming and I have every reason to quit but don't -- that makes me feel alive and shows me that truly, this body and mind of mine are a team and can do anything I set out to do.  It may not be easy (it isn't) and it may take time (it will), but perseverance and belief in myself will get me there.  Racing changes the conversation from "why?" to "why not?"

I often think back to when I started running.  I remember it vividly: it was the Summer after my freshman year of college.  I was home and decided to try running.  I would run a bit, then walk a bit, then run, then walk.  This was in 1995 and there were no fancy GPS watches.  So I drove my route with my orange-red 1986 manual transmission Ford Escort and figured out where the one-mile mark was. My goal for that summer was to get up to 3 miles total.  I remember the day I ran a mile without stopping.  I felt like a rockstar.  I remember the day I ran 3 miles total.  I felt like a bigger rockstar.  I remember the first 5K I raced.  I felt like a rockstar.  I remember the first five miler ... the first 10K ... the first half marathon ... the first marathon ... I felt like a rockstar.  Life is too short and there is too much bullsh*t surrounding us to not feel like a rockstar any chance we get.

Running and racing are the Jerry McGuire of my life: they complete me.   I saw a sign at the Philly Rock and Roll Half Marathon that said, "one day you will not be able to do this.  Today is not that day."  That is something that goes through my mind every single time I run or race:  I owe it to my 80 year old self to run and race every single chance I get.  Because my 80 year old self will still be running and racing ... she'll just be a bit slower :).   In the meantime, I am thankful for every start, every finish line and every mile in between.  The Earth doesn't stand still ... and nor shall I. 

See you swoon,

What I Wore {post 20}

Hello and happy Wednesday!  September is such a great month weather-wise.  A little bit of Summer, a little bit of Fall ... I'm loving it.  Here are some recent Summery outfits.  

* Navy Top & Navy Striped Skirt *

You've seen this navy top before ... I wear it a lot because I love it.  It's from the Banana Republic outlet a few years ago.  I wore this on a super hot and humid day.  The skirt is from Old Navy and is soft cotton.  I thought the orange sandals would be a fun bit of color. 

* Purple Ann Taylor Outfit (circa 2001) *

I love this outfit.  I bought it the Summer before I started my first job out of law school right after I took the Bar Exam.  It's still as stylish now as it was then and it still fits like a dream.  It's hard to see in this picture, but the skirt has little white polkadots.  

* Turquoise Top & Seersucker Pants *

Sadly, the seersuckers are now tucked away until next late Spring (seersucker is one of the very few things that I really do believe belong only in Summer), but I really got my money's worth out of these pants this season!  I wore the pants (from LL Bean Signature Collection, which, incidentally does not do vanity sizing harumph) with a top from last year from New York & Co.  It was an easy breezy Summer outfit. 

It's that time of year when I'm just ready freddy for my Fall clothes.  I'm trying to figure out which new pieces to add to my wardrobe.  I had to buy a bunch of new suits for all of the trials I have in close succession this Fall, so that ate up a lot of my budget, but there are a handful of things I'd love to buy: new wool patterned skirts, a pair of booties, and I desperately need some new jeans.  

What about you?  Swooning over anything for Fall? It's almost here! 

See you swoon,

Race Recap: 2013 Philadelphia Rock & Roll Half Marathon

Wow.  Wow wow wow!

I raced the Phildelphia Rock and Roll Half Marathon (formerly known as the Philadelphia Distance Run) yesterday.  I've always loved this race. It was my first and, still is my, favorite half marathon ever.  I did it two or three times back in the early 2000s when it was still the Distance Run and then a few years ago, Rock and Roll took it over.  The course is the same, but the feel is a little different. Rock and Rolls are great: lots of people, lots of energy, lots of fun.  

I cannot believe it, but I had PR!  I finished in 1:50:50, which is an average 8:28 pace.  This time I beat my prior PR of 1:51:34 at the Rock and Roll USA (Washington DC) half marathon in March 2013. And, it was 7 minutes faster than I ran this very race last year!  

I signed up for the Philly R&R as soon as registration opened.  At the time, I was "only" doing the Olympic triathlon at Quakerman the week before.  But, I eventually changed my distance to the half iron.  I was a little unsure of how (or whether) I would do this race after the Quakerman Half Ironman triathlon just 7 days before.  I decided to just roll with it, see how I felt and adjust my expectations accordingly.

After the half iron, I felt really good.  I was surprised at how great I felt.  As the week went on, I rested and ran only one 3-mile run at a moderate pace (somewhere in between a tempo and easy run).  My body felt good, I had no aches and pains (even the weird knee pain from the week before was gone), and my head was in the game.  

Race day arrived and it was perfect weather!  Cool at the start, breezy and sunny later on.  The sun eventually came out and was a bit brutal on the course, but it was really only for about 3 miles at the very end.  Enough chatter, here's the race recap.

thank you random stranger runner for snapping my photo!

As I said, I really did not have a race strategy.  I took it easy on myself ... I didn't go into this race planning to PR.  I knew I wanted to beat my 1:57 time from last year's race and I was pretty confident I could do that.  So, I thought, "OK - take it easy in the beginning, negative split and make the back end of the race strong.  Try not to hit 9:00 miles - stay in the low to mid 8s."  

Mile 1:  7:59

Um, yah.  Clearly the negative split was not happening at the first mile.  I realized when I saw that 7 that I needed to sloowwwwwww down.  The first few miles, though, felt incredible.  I have only raced in connection to a triathlon since May, so to just be running and not be tired from a swim and bike preceding it felt amazing.  

Mile 2:  8:10

Mile 3:  8:27

I forced myself to slow down before hitting the 5K split.  As good as it felt to be running in the very low 8s, I knew I would regret it later.  So I took it easier.  Miles 1-3 were through the city streets of Philly: down the Benjamin Franklin Parkway toward City Hall, then along 16th street to Market Street all the way down to 4th Street and back up Arch toward the Parkway.  There were a decent amount of spectators along this initial stretch, which was nice.  

Mile 4:  8:12

Mile 5:  8:31

I started to fall into a pattern: feel great and run fast for a mile; realize I needed to slow down a bit and took it easy on the next.  Repeat. Repeat.  Miles 4-5 were back on the Parkway heading out of the city and past the Art Museum.  The race would go up Kelly Drive, then cross over the river to Martin Luther King Drive and back to the Art Museum.  

Mile 6:  8:12

Mile 7:  8:19

Mile 8:  8:26

Mile 9:  8:28

Miles 6-9 were Kelly Drive.  You can see my pattern - totally followed it: two miles of fast; two miles of a little slower.  Kelly Drive was pretty quiet and very shady, which was great.  I looked across the river and saw how sunny it was on MLK Drive.  Yikes.  At this point in the race, I was still feeling really great and was actually racing it.  Around Mile 9 was my favorite sign of the day. It simply said:

Motivational Sign.   (with the period at the end -- LOL!)

Other great signs that I saw or my friends saw:

• Run like there's a hot guy in front of you and a creepy guy behind you.
• One day you will not be able to do this.  Today is not that day.
• A Half Marathon is just a 5K with a 10 mile warm-up
• You're doing a half marathon because you're only half crazy!

Mile 10:  8:15

Mile 11:  8:17

Miles 10-11 felt fast.  I knew I was closing in on the finish and started to realize that both a PR and a possible sub-1:50 finish were within reach.  If I could just hang on ... just stick to this pace, I could do both.  

Mile 12:  8:27

Mile 13:  8:24

Miles 12 and 13 were so freaking sunny and hot!  I'm not blaming that on my slower times - it's the pattern that I fell into.  But the heat and sun certainly did not help.  I was getting tired but I would not let myself slow down.  My Garmin was about .2 mile off of the race distance, which was frustrating, but I could figure out my time quickly based on the total time on my watch.  As I came close to the finish, which is a punishing hill after a course of complete flat terrain, I was hitting 1:49.  I knew that unless I sprinted with every fiber of my being, I couldn't do below 1:50.  But I also knew that if I stuck to this pace, I could PR and beat my DC 1:51 time.  So I stuck to my pace and happily crossed the finish at 1:50:50.  

A bunch of my friends also had PRs and/or their first half marathons at this race.  It was a good day.

I am really enjoying the momentum that I have right now.  Two years ago (or even a year ago), I wouldn't believe that I could do a 1:50 half marathon.  Each race I do makes me want to push harder and run faster.  And the thing is: I know that with some time and hard work, I totally can.  The next big running goal for me is that elusive sub-4:00:00 full marathon.  I'm training for the Philly full in mid-November.  

One more thing in September and then it's just training!  I have the MS City to Shore bike ride in two weeks.  A team from my office is biking, and I'm planning to do the 75 or 100 mile distances.  Though, honestly, at this point, it's looking more like 75.  But like today, it will be a game-day decision.  

See you swoon,