Day 1 – Shakeout Ride in Tuscon
February 13, 2024
This week of riding in Tuscon, Arizona with The Cycling House is a “let’s see how ready Smitha is to build on for the bike rides in summer in the Alps”. The shakeout ride on Day 1 evoked reminiscences of a July day nearly three years past when we embarked from West Glacier into Glacier National Park. Back then, the sun blazed down upon us, and the elevation gain on […]
Boston Marathon Race Report
April 23, 2023
“All you need is the plan, the road map, and the courage to press on to your destination” Boston was my sixth and last stop to complete the World Marathon Majors that started after I ran London Marathon in 2016 and got a lottery spot to New York City Marathon in 2018 (I had earlier run my very first marathon in Chicago Marathon 2011 and a repeat at Chicago Marathon […]
Glacier to Yellowstone – Bike Tour with The Cycling House
July 28, 2021
The experience of a non-cyclist doing a multi-day bike tour with The Cycling House.
Yeti 24 hour Challenge
May 15, 2020
When you are sitting home doing nothing but work and more work, your “last” marathon (Boston) cancelled and nothing else in the horizon including your motivation, and you are “on a break” with running, dumb decisions are made. Like taking on the Yeti 24 hour challenge. 3 weeks ago, the Boston Marathon week actually, my crazy friend Joy (truly on a very high crazy scale as she is an ultra […]
Yoga in the time of Quarantine – Down Dog App Review
March 24, 2020
While the first week of social distance quarantine was an experiment, this second week has started feeling surreal. Rain in back in Atlanta (YAY! – said no one ever this winter), work and school has gotten into a rhythm. Many states like California and the NY tri-state area has already given order to “Shelter in Place”. These rules are also in effect in Spain, France, to name a few, in […]
Trying to be normal
March 18, 2020
2 weeks before the Tokyo Marathon was to happen, the race was cancelled out of concerns for the COVID-19 aka CoronaVirus. There was outrage and frustration from a lot of runners. Japan was miles away and the virus was something that was happening in China. In time the focus shifted to Boston and London Marathons. And before I could realize, race cancellations/postponements started rolling in. Rome, Paris, Barcelona, … and […]
The demon in my head – dealing with race photos
February 29, 2020
When the demon in my head rears up and sees only the faults and not the strengths in a race photo – I can either let the demon make itself at home in my head or serve it’s eviction notice.
Berlin Marathon Race Report
February 16, 2020
My Berlin Marathon race report running with my husband after a miserable summer training cycle. 5th Star in Abbott World Marathon Majors.
I am worth the effort
February 9, 2020
When I was training for Berlin Marathon and the summer was sucking the soul out of me, I thought that I had hit rock bottom. I was struggling to run sub-14 min/mile, struggling at anything over 90-100 minutes of running (which at my pace is only 6-8 miles) while training for a marathon. The last few weeks leading up to Berlin was the biggest thought of HOW in the world […]
How to choose the right coach for you
February 5, 2020
It’s been 4 weeks into the new year and athletes have had a chance to assess their goals and where they stand at. If they find that they are not where they want to be, or if they have a challenging goal, athletes turn to a coach to help them get to their goals. The world of finding a coach can be overwhelming and confusing. I’ve gone through this 3 […]
Tips for a Fun day at Tokyo Disney Sea
January 28, 2020
If you are visiting Tokyo, Disney Sea is a must visit. It is aimed at adults and not replicated anywhere else in the World at other Disney Theme parks. If you are a Disney lover or if you chose to go to DisneySea, here are some tips to make the best of your day.
What to do with race medals
January 18, 2020
When I first started running, the allure of the medal was heavy. Never having received a sporting award in my life, the medal signified entry into some elite club. I signed up for the Disney Princess Half Marathon solely because I loved the tiara medal so much. I went all the way to Little Rock, Arkansas for the HUGE medal. I proudly displayed them in beautiful medal hangers. Until one […]
Gobble Jog 5k – A Thanksgiving Day Race
November 28, 2019
I have run the Thanksgiving Day Half in downtown Atlanta almost every year. But this year, I didn’t maintain the miles after Berlin and opted to run another 5K instead. The Gobble Jog by MUST Ministries is a huge 5K/10K race and I “tried” to make it a family affair. Tried because the 13yo was mad at being made to run bright and early at 9am (insert eye roll here) […]
Things to be Thankful for
November 21, 2019
Running injury free After being plagued with injuries last year, I am thankful to have had an year of no injuries. Crossing fingers that this continues into Boston 2020. Running with my kids Running Friends I always struggle to run with people at their pace so am extra grateful when people slow down to run with me. Amazing trips to Japan and Germany One trip a year is amazing as […]
Why Boston Marathon
October 18, 2019
4 years ago, around this time of the year, I was unexpectedly offered a charity spot to the London Marathon. Unexpected because I had been applying for a lottery and charity spot ever since I started running (London Marathon was my THE ONE race that I’d always wanted to do) but had always been rejected. That year after the incredible accomplishment of 70.3 Augusta, I wrote on the blog about […]
Life in September
October 4, 2019
September has been a very surreal month for me leaving me wondering if I’ve been dreaming!! My Birthday in September A birthday month is always the best. ON my birthday, some amazing things happened Solo birthday hike to HikeInn in the Appalachian Mountains Offer to “interview” for a promotion at work as I was hiking and had a rare spot of cell phone service! Berlin in September Wonderful time in […]
My Charity Team for Boston Marathon
October 4, 2019
Those who have followed my running (and sometimes triathlon) adventures know that I’ve been on a quest to complete the World Marathon Majors (Chicago, NYC, Boston, London, Berlin & Tokyo). Boston was my biggest challenge. Since a Boston qualifying time was not happening at my sloth pace (please no judgement about how “anyone could run a BQ if only they really really wanted to”), my only option was a charity […]
Travel Tuesday – Isengard
September 24, 2019
One of my favorite places in New Zealand – Isengard aka Paradise near Queenstown. I went to Glenorchy and Paradise to see Isengard. I came away with memories of one of the most remarkable places I have seen.
Travel Tuesday – Things to do in Sedona
September 17, 2019
Sedona has to be one of the most beautiful places with some of the BEST food I’ve ever had. There were so many things to do and see in Sedona and we did not do it justice by just staying two nights. Sharing the top 5 things to do in Sedona from our perspective, which might be a little skewed since we only spent 2 days and we travelled with […]
Looking Forward Monday – BERLIN
September 16, 2019
Just one one or rather one photo for my looking forward Monday. Ok, I lied – many photos tell the story! That’s what I am looking forward to, even if I have to wait until Saturday to fly out. (Visited 29 times, 1 visits today)
Life with a teenager – saying NO just because I asked her to do something
September 7, 2019
My 13yo is at an age where anything I suggest is a big NO. She acknowledges it, but apparently telling her that she probably hates things because I recommend them and might hate soccer if I encouraged her more – that is a big tripper point no-no.
North & South – Review (BBC Mini-series)
September 5, 2019
When this diehard romantic met Richard Armitage as John Thornton in North & South, my life changed. What made John Thornton challenge my feelings for Mr. Darcy? A review of the BBC mini series, North & South.
Niagara Falls attractions on the Canadian Side
September 3, 2019
Sometimes when you walk into tourist traps, you enjoy the experience for what it is and make the best out of it. And so it was with us and the Niagara Falls attractions on the Canadian Side. After a day at the US side, we took a trip to the Canadian side of the Niagara falls for a day trip. We crossed the rainbow bridge aka immigration pretty easily into […]
Looking forward Monday – Plans for a Birthday Week
September 2, 2019
September is my birth month. Every year I moan that I ask for away time to attend Dragon Con that is held in Atlanta over the labor day weekend and that every year, I get a long weekend getaway trip. This year, I am giving myself a trip since I missed DragonCon, AGAIN, but by choice.
Random Thoughts on a Friday Morning
August 30, 2019
I have a lot of thoughts tjat pop up randomly, some may not be as interesting to a reader. But they are my thoughts, my blog and my goal of just to keep writing until the act of writing becomes familiar and I can overcome writer’s block. I may not have as many readers as before, but I will be doing something I love – putting in what is in my heart into words.
Marathon Training Fatigue
August 28, 2019
Last week has been absolutely blah with regards to training. Even more so than the previous weeks. I didn’t feel any inclination to run at all, and even through I have done my track workout this week I still feel blah about waking up early and getting a run in. And the worst .- I didn’t care! Part of it is because school started and after school activities started last […]
Running along the Niagara Falls, US Side
August 27, 2019
A lot us runners love running in the quiet of the early morning when there are not many people or noises about. Imagine running in that calm, but the calm accompanied by a deafening roar of one of the most iconic and majestic waterfalls. I was on a long weekend trip to Niagara Falls with my parents and of course had to take the opportunity to run by the falls. […]
Car Accidents and Lost Mojo – 4 weeks to Berlin
August 26, 2019
School started back on August 1st, but ALL activities started back this week. And I mean ALL !!! I’ve been occupied trying to arrange everything and realizing that in spite of pulling out of a few activities, both my kids are scheduled with something or the other every.single.day of the week!! And both need a music class to be scheduled still. How does that even happen?? This week was completely […]
David Tennant does a podcast with … Review
August 22, 2019
“So, where was I? Oh, that’s right. Barcelona!” The first lines that David Tennant uttered as the Tenth Doctor before collapsing, but not before heralding a new era of a lot of running and fun and angst – “MY” Doctor even though I had first loved him after watching a televised stage production of Hamlet. (If you can find a watch of this Prince in Jeans and T-Shirt, don’t miss […]
#YouWillBeFound
August 20, 2019
#YouWillBeFound “So let the sun come streaming in‘Cause you’ll reach up and you’ll rise againLift your head and look aroundYou will be found” Have you ever felt emotionally breaking down for absolutely no reason other than a song, a song that you may have heard may times in the past without that extreme reaction? I didn’t even have this reaction on watching DEH live or when Hugh Jackman performed it […]
Back to School – 7 Weeks to Berlin
August 5, 2019
First full week of school.The heat and humidity is back with a vengeance. The weekly mileage is creeping up.My runs were hodge-podge but I did get all my miles in but could not get in any lunchtime bootcamp this week. Tuesday: I think I had a good tempo interval speed workout. Definitely made me work at it!! It was exhilarating to actually get it done. Wednesday: Tuesday night, my 13yo […]
Not being the perfect Mother
August 3, 2019
Relationships are hard. Expectations in relationships are harder. Maintaining relationships that have expectations of certain behavior is even more harder. Not having open conversations about the expectations in a relationship that you have to maintain is the hardest. A lot of what I feel is cultural and may not be understood by someone growing up in the US. Parenting Indian parents are mostly rigid with their kids with the focus […]
Trying to move past the frustration of running
July 17, 2019
I never thought I’d say this and I know that I don’t probably mean it and it is just the frustration speaking – At this moment in time, Saturday 5pm, as I sit defeated after yet another sucky run making it XX sucky runs in a row, I wonder …. (No, it is not just the Atlanta summer, I had horribly slow runs even when running next to the majestic […]
How to get a charity entry to Tokyo Marathon
June 21, 2019
Tokyo Marathon (to be held on March 1st, 2020) has a field of ~30,000 runners out of which 26,370 are through a lottery entry. While several people I know have been successful in getting a lottery spot, it is becoming increasingly difficult with a growing number of people looking to complete Tokyo as part of the World Marathon Majors Challenge (Tokyo, London, Boston, Berlin, Chicago, New York). In my quest […]
15 Weeks to Berlin: Training Recap
June 16, 2019
Just when I was so proud of keeping up with strength training sessions, I missed all of my strength training lunchtime bootcamp last week due to sickness and also this week. A team lunch, a work meeting and emotional drainage took precedence over the 30min sessions. But I alteast got my runs in and maintained my routine and cadence from the past 2-3 weeks. Monday: Yoga followed by a 3 […]
Why the London Marathon is my favorite
April 25, 2019
3 years ago, I gathered at Greenwich village with 40,000 others to make a trip from Greenwich to Buckingham Palace/St. James park and that journey instantaneously became my absolute favorite marathon ever. Yes, I loved the London Marathon even more than the New York City Marathon, which was every bit as wonderful as I’d read it would be. But London was … just something else. Ever since I dreamed of […]
Earth Day Tips – How to be an eco-conscious runner
April 23, 2019
My picture perfect run where I could get lost with myself and my thoughts and just BE would be on a trail or a beach run. I don’t get too many chances to run on the beach, but I am lucky to have an abundance of trails just 15min drive from me. How can I as a runner protect and take care of the trails? Sharing some tips for Earth […]
The First 5K
April 6, 2019
The swimmer ran her first 5K today and easily finished a minute ahead of my PR.
Random Thoughts on a Friday Morning
March 29, 2019
Writing down some random thoughts on a Friday Morning
Goodbye, Runner’s World
March 21, 2019
About 8-9 years ago, as a brand new runner who knew absolutely nothing about running, I gave myself a New Year’s Gift – a subscription to the Runners World Magazine. I would look forward to every magazine and soak up the columns and articles. As years passed by and I grew more inquisitive of running, I started interacting with the Runner’s World writers through their online presence. I “met” and […]
What you need to know about the Tokyo Marathon
March 18, 2019
The Tokyo Marathon is a very different race than the races in the US. I had researched hard on many aspects of the Tokyo Marathon that you normally would not know about and since they all played such a vital part in my finish, I wanted to share some of the things that I learnt.
Tokyo Marathon 2019 – Race Report
March 9, 2019
This past week, I travelled halfway across the world – to run a marathon. The Tokyo Marathon specifically. I prefaced the 2 weeks before the marathon with traveling all over Japan to get over the jetlag (the one time that my stomach messed up my race was at the London Marathon and I blame that on jetlag). I made sure to come back to Tokyo on the Thursday before the […]
How to Engage Your Core
March 3, 2019
Before I became a runner, I was obsessed with ab exercises like crunches (that didn’t give me a 6 pack anyway). But as I became a more well informed runner and triathlete, I learnt about the value of core strength. When I asked experienced runners and coaches what else I could do to improve my running, their answer was yoga/pilates to strengthen my core. Benefits of a Strong Core […]
Tips for New Runners
February 26, 2019
If you’ve resolved to take up running, not only is it hard to take that first step to run, but to stick with running long term is a commitment in itself. Many people start running and then drop off because it is daunting (I can’t keep count of how many times I did that myself!). Running is a journey, not a destination. You don’t have to run X miles, or […]
Favorite Treadmill Workouts
February 18, 2019
When I first started running, I ran on the treadmill exclusively. Yes, I had taken a mad leap by signing up for a half marathon as my first race, but I was like a beached whale, 190lbs, size 16, nursing my almost 1 year old (we all know what nursing does to certain parts of the body!) – very very conscious of my body. And so I was definitely not going […]
How to train effectively for running hills
February 12, 2019
My favorite and most common place to run is a 3 mile FLAT gravel loop that has a 5 mile FLAT out and back on the road. Hills are hard. I don’t like hills. Sure, hills build character. But I don’t like hills. I usually pick races that are not hilly, even though I run my uber hilly hometown race Georgia Half Marathon and Thanksgiving Half almost every year. And […]
Looking back at 2018
December 28, 2018
I went back on my blog to look through past posts to compare my goals of 2018 to what was actually accomplished, but other than a vague I need to try for the sub 5:30 marathon time again after the failure at Marine Corps Marathon in 2017, looks like I never wrote any goals down!! Was it an oops on my part on a very very sparse blogging year, or […]
Christmas Eve Run aka My “Runniversary” Run
December 24, 2018
It is hard to imagine that it was only 8 short years ago that I took my first running steps. 8 years ago, I was nervous about it, I thought I was going to die while running and I hated it when I finished the run. I used to run alone with my eyes firmly on the ground and not looking up to anyone crossing, and I’d be dressed in all cotton […]
Tips for handling Training and Everyday Stress
October 24, 2018
These past few weekends with both my minions being sick have left me feeling like I’m running hard and fast to catch up. I may also have a tad too much on my plate on a normal day – lots of chauffeuring the minions and volunteering at school and other events. That is easily manageable except when work piles up and I’m playing catchup again. No big deal, I’ve learnt plenty on how […]
Atlanta 10 Miler – Race Review
October 22, 2018
I have never run a 10 miler but the Atlanta 10 Miler is a very popular race with more than 5k runners. I wasn’t planning on it but jumped into the Atlanta 10 miler in the last minute and used it as a substitute for my taper long run. Starting lines are a different kind of thrill. I love it and I’ve missed it. I did not have any expectations of […]
An amazing week for Endurance Sports
October 14, 2018
What a weekend it has been for marathons (and triathlon)! I can’t write anything more than write a flat sentence about their records; I will attempt to write a bit more once I’ve processed it. Eliud Kipchoge – 1:59:40 Breaking 2hrs for the first time ever in a marathonJan Frodeno & Anne Haug – German Double at Kona with Frodeno breaking the World Championship Record Brigid Kosgei – 2:14:04 Breaking […]
September Shenanigans
October 1, 2018
Do you know what is harder than to start running after a break? Blogging after a break! I keep telling myself that I’m going back to my old schedule of 3 posts a week or to get inspiration from the other bloggers that I follow. But it’s been virtually non-existent, almost like I have writers block. It also doesn’t help that I write what I feel and about my experiences […]
Atlanta Kids Triathlon
September 26, 2018
Even though this is way long back (What’s a late blog post called? #laterblog? #LaterPost?), I wanted to take time to write out the Atlanta Kids Triathlon. The Atlanta Kids Triathlon this year was held on August 26th at West Gwinett Park and Aquatic center. The event with almost 1500 kids, is organized by the Metro Atlanta YMCA is geared towards children age 6 to 15 along with training through the summer. As a […]
Summer Holidays 2018 Recap
August 6, 2018
Summer has flown by and school has started in our neck of woods, and hopefully the blog can emerge from woodworks too! It’s been way too long since I’ve consistently written – in part because of summer schedules and in part because of injury and not wanting to whine about it. So maybe instead of a weekly recap, this should be a season recap of the summer holidays! So let’s […]
Injured Runner Alert – a saga of freak injuries
June 25, 2018
Ever since the Teardrop Half Marathon on April 28th, I’ve been jinxed with one injury after another. At first it was patella tendinitis diagnosed 4 days after the race, probably caused by quads not being strong enough to support the impact the knees took at the downhill of ~2000+ ft in 7 miles. Once I went through PT and healed from that in 3 weeks, it was a freak incident […]
My first running injury – Patella Tendinitis
May 9, 2018
10 days ago, I ran the Teardrop Half Marathon and had a huge PR and finally got to one of my goals of running sub 2:30 in a half marathon. I went out for an easy recovery run on Sunday and some yoga on Monday and my usual easy run on Tuesday. About 30 minutes into my one hour run, I felt a twinge in my right knee. I walked […]
Teardrop Half Marathon – Race Report
May 2, 2018
With my target marathon being Revel Mt. Hood, a downhill race in Oregon, I looked to do the Teardrop half marathon. The race started on top of Fort Mountain at an elevation near 3000 feet, through the Cohutta Wilderness Area and finished in Chatsworth, Georgia, for an over 2000-foot drop for the Half Marathon. What I LOVE about the Atlanta running community (and triathlon community when I was doing triathlons) is how […]
What are some of the best running surfaces?
April 18, 2018
Last week I ran with Barbara in midtown Atlanta and as we navigated uneven sidewalks with mix of dirt and concrete, I realized that it was my first run in many months that I had run on concrete sidewalks and definitely my longest run on concrete since mid-summer last year when I ran a 15 mile run with the group. I gave up on running on sidewalks after I discovered […]
Tips for Spring Running after a Winter Break
April 10, 2018
With the weather getting warmer (wait – is it REALLY getting warmer or is it pretending to get warm and then go back to cold?!!) and more daylight hours in the evening, lots of runners are stepping away from their winter hibernation and getting back to running. Or you might have cross-trained in the winter and are on the path to preparing for a summer/fall race. Before you start enthusiastically ramping […]
Weekly Training Recap – Here we go again!
April 9, 2018
After Marine Corps Marathon, and London Marathon before that, I said that the next time I ran a marathon, it’d be as a fun run without any goals and expectations and hence my training would similarly be simple and stress free. But that nagging goal remained and as I’d always suspected, I decided to give it another go. A group of us running friends signed up for Revel Mt. Hood […]
Georgia Half Marathon with KPeasy
March 26, 2018
Even though the Georgia Half Marathon is a hilly race that I moan about everytime, it is one of my favorite races and a great reason to keep fit through winter. Running the race with The Kyle Pease Foundation makes the race even more special to me. Here are some reasons why I love running this race with the Kyle Pease Foundation and why you should join us next year! […]
Cochran Mill Trail Race
March 5, 2018
If you had told me 2 years ago that I would one day voluntarily sign up for a trail race and one that had a water crossing at that, I would’ve laughed my head off. Even though I’ve been running the trails at Kennesaw Mountain, my one annual race was the Red Top Rumble and I’ve been perfectly happy with that. This weekend, things came together – no kid chauffeuring […]
What is Running Love?
February 13, 2018
For some reason, maybe because it was the weekend of Valentine’s day, these lines were stuck in my head. It is a sonnet by Shakespeare made more famous by the Emma Thompson/Kate Winslet adaption of Jane Austen’s Sense and Sensibility. One of my favorite poems about love is a sonnet by Shakespeare made more famous by the Emma Thompson/Kate Winslet adaption of Jane Austen’s Sense and Sensibility. “Love is not love […]
Do you really need a goal marathon time?
February 12, 2018
All of last year I dreamt of my goal, and I visualized crossing the finish line, and breaking down in tears on seeing my time goal minus some seconds/minutes on the clock and fist pumping as unicorns and mermaids showered glitter on me and presented my medal and walked me along. (Surely I’m not the only runner who fantasizes!) None of that happened, except for the tears. My history of marathons have been as […]
What does it mean to “engage your core”?
February 7, 2018
Before I became a runner, I was obsessed with ab exercises like crunches (that didn’t give me a 6 pack anyway). But as I became a more well informed runner and triathlete, I learnt about the value of core strength. When I asked experienced runners and coaches what else I could do to improve my running, their answer was yoga/pilates to strengthen my core. Benefits of a Strong Core A […]
Red Top Rumble Race Report
February 5, 2018
This past Sunday was Red Top Rumble, my one trail race for the year (as much as I love running trails, I’ve not run as many races on trails – maybe the reason is outlined here). In the 11.5 miles of mostly solitude, I had time to reflect on the race and stuff and and learnt somethings about myself. Always show up, even if you don’t want to I woke up at […]
How to not let stress affect your workouts
February 2, 2018
For the past week and a half, I’ve been involved with a very talented and a tad crazy group of people to compete in a hackathon – where we produce a fully developed product delivering actual value to our users and company. Yesterday was the final presentation and judging; we had to pitch to senior leadership. My stress levels were through the roof, even as we were having so much fun! […]
Goodbye, Dear Shannon
January 29, 2018
[This is not my usual fitness post, but something that I wanted to write for a friend.] You did not go gentle into that good night, You burnt and raved at close of day; You raged, and raged against the dying of the light. And yet, here you are, saying goodbye to your little boys, having raged the war and lost. Your life started and will end as the universe deems but your […]
January Runfessions – 5 things that’ve kept me from blogging this fortnight
January 26, 2018
I have not written much over the past 2 weeks (I have written nothing the past 2 weeks) and before I start back writing again, I have a few confessions in January. Some lightweight, some heavy. What is that they say about writing things down to feel better? FUCK CANCER I have had a very very heavy heart this month. F CANCER. The number of people I’ve seen it affect this […]
How to Warm Up Quickly after a Cold Run
January 11, 2018
Running in the cold weather has it’s challenges, one of which is perpetually feeling cold AFTER the run. When running, your core temperature keeps you about 10-15F warmer than it really is. Once you are done running, your core temperature drops and you start feeling the cold, and more since you’ll be wet from sweat. Nothing is more miserable than trying to get warm but you are cold and shivering. I […]
Welcome the New Year Resolutioners at your Gym
January 5, 2018
I wrote this post 2 years ago about New Year Resolutioners and after reading all the moaning about resolutioners on facebook, it looks like it’s time for a refresher post. When I see new people at the gym, I love that people are taking the first step to their resolution. The new crowd of people also annoys the old hardcore people who view the resolutioners as a temporary annoyance. I get […]
Chaat: Indian Street Food (Vegetarian Recipe)
January 3, 2018
“Chaat” is a savoury snack that is typically an Indian street food. It is also a fast food and tends to fulfill cravings for the fried variety. Since it is a mix of a lot of individual food items, I adapt the basic concept to form this healthy version. This recipe is the healthy version of Chaat. I also call my healthy version “salad with an Indian twist”. This one has – […]
Starting off the New Year right
January 1, 2018
Just like in every other area of my life where I strived to start off the new year right, I’m determined to do the same to my blog! I’ve neglected it long enough and my fellow bloggers have inspired me to make it a priority this year. I’m not going to go big time or monetize it, but I do want to put more effort into sharing my love for fitness […]
I did not reach my big goal for 2017 but instead I …
December 26, 2017
For the entirety of the year, I was focussed on one goal – Marine Corps Marathon on October 22nd. I wanted to very badly break 5:30 for the marathon and thought that this was going to be my year. While I learnt some very valuable lessons, I woefully fell short of my time goal. After the customary 3 weeks recovery time, I felt even more lost as to what to do […]
What I learnt from NOT making my goal at Marine Corps Marathon
October 27, 2017
Marine Corps Marathon didn’t go as planned, but it certainly gave me valuable lessons to takeaway.
Marine Corps Marathon 2017 Weekend
October 23, 2017
As I boarded the flight to Washington DC, I was excited for a new race but also a bit sad that I was traveling all alone without anyone to share it with. I was going to meet Ingo and Katie (who I’d met while training for Augusta 70.3) at some point during the weekend, but plans were still up in the air. It was the best surprise when they called […]
Marine Corps Marathon Race Report 2017
October 23, 2017
Going into race day, I was confident. I had had a great training cycle, I had stayed healthy and all my pace numbers indicated that I would make my goal. I was nervous of course, but also confident. Hanging out with Ingo and Katie the day before had me relaxed perfectly to take on race day. Lining up in the corrals, I was ready for victory. Even though anything can […]
Why not believe?
October 21, 2017
I was exchanging emails with Coach G on my time predictions for Marine Corps Marathon a while back and at one point he said that I should really feel more confident about my goal for MCM. Of all things that I take on, I find it incredibly hard to believe in myself whenever a pace number is involved. I never doubted that I would finish my first marathon, but would […]
7 Days to Marine Corps Marathon
October 14, 2017
It’s 7 days to Marine Corps Marathon – 1 week from now I’ll be at the start line. I’m continuing to document my taper tantrums and perhaps later laugh at some of the crazy stuff. Taper Craziness I’ve managed to keep my nerves under control for most part. Sometimes, however, stress of regular life gets to me and sometimes I’m suddenly overcome by nerves. Usually I eat when I’m stressed (not […]
8 Days to Marine Corps Marathon – What if I fly
October 14, 2017
It’s 8 days to Marine Corps Marathon. I’m continuing to document my taper tantrums and perhaps later laugh at some of the crazy stuff. Taper Craziness I’ve been agonizing over the biggest race day decision – WHAT TO WEAR!!!! With race day weather predicted to be hot, I feel like I should be able to pick something out of my summer wardrobe easily. But I’m still undecided. I know I will pair […]
9 Days to Marine Corps Marathon
October 13, 2017
It’s 9 days to Marine Corps Marathon. I’m continuing to document my taper tantrums and perhaps later laugh at some of the crazy stuff. The Iconic Iwo Jima backdrop Coach G posted an article – The iconic Iwo Jima statue that marks the finish of the Marine Corps Marathon and provides the perfect backdrop for the finishers photo will be covered and hidden by scaffolding this year. I had been visualizing running […]
10 Days to Marine Corps Marathon
October 12, 2017
It’s 10 days to Marine Corps Marathon. To help me with nerves, I am going to document and reflect on the training cycle and race plans and perhaps later laugh at some of the crazy stuff I’m going through in taper. Taper Craziness I’ve gone through these action a zillion times – checked that I’m actually registered for Marine Corps Marathon (Whew, bib# 8708 is still registered) – checked the weather […]
Symptoms during Taper and How to get over it
October 10, 2017
These past few days have been very weird. My runs don’t need any planning since they are only an hour or less in duration, so I’m not as mentally engaged in the runs as I was a few weeks ago. I have a lot of time to actually sit down and look through the minions projects!When I finished my run this morning, a 5-4-3-2-1 ladder speedwork, I was surprised at how short […]
High Intensity and High Volume – 3 Weeks to MCM
October 2, 2017
With a relatively easy fallback last week, this week was a high volume high intensity week. I started the week a bit tired and a lot sore. Monday – Yogalates Perfect start to the week with lots of hip openers. Tuesday – My babysitter quit on me by text. (I am still fuming about the younger generation texting important information like quitting or breakup. Face up and learn to have uncomfortable […]
Fall Racing Schedule – A confession
September 29, 2017
It seems odd to write about my fall/winter racing schedule when I haven’t even finished up with my A race, but since most people I know are already filling up their calendars, I figured why not get it off my chest! My main fall race is no surprise. I’ve been living and breathing the Marine Corps Marathon for almost a year now since the Organization of Autism Research offered me a spot […]
Picking up from a scrappy week – 5 Weeks to MCM
September 18, 2017
I’m a creature of routine. There are certain days that I wake up early in the morning to run, and there are certain days that I sleep in and hit the treadmill at lunchtime. Takes a bit of getting into a routine, but once established I find it relative easy to stick to no matter what I am juggling. This week things threw me off! Hurricane Irma closed schools (and roads) […]
Craft Classic Half Marathon – Race Report
September 11, 2017
On the quest for a half marathon before Marine Corps, I was going to “race” the Craft Classic Half Marathon to evaluate where I was in my training for Marine Corps Marathon. While I wasn’t feeling too good the day before the race with a lost voice and some chest congestion (my usual race jinx), I woke up the morning of the race with nothing worse than just being crazy […]
Chasing the Eclipse – 8 weeks to MCM
August 28, 2017
I am normally a very cheerful person, but sometimes life bogs me down and my marathon goal seems so far stretched that I wonder whatever I am doing chasing it (for the THIRD time!). That’s when unexpected week comes up and I am reminded that it’s not one off shot runs that make a difference, but consistency over time. Monday – Chasing the Eclipse Atlanta was just 2 hrs away from total solar eclipse […]
The Best Laid Plans – 10 Weeks to MCM
August 14, 2017
“The best laid plans of mice and men oft go awry.” I cannot describe this week in any better words than the poet Robert Burns. It was a very unusual “just fit it in somehow” kind of week for me. Monday – Rest Day There’s something disconcerting about starting a week with a rest day, but I’ll gladly take it with some active recovery stretching and yoga. Tuesday – Lunchtime Treadmill […]
Learning to run at Marathon Pace – 11 Weeks to MCM
August 7, 2017
School in suburban Atlanta started last week on July 31st, something about “July” and “School” in the same sentence is just weird!! This past month we’ve been busy with back to school shopping, getting a new middle schooler ready, trying to align activities and schedules and just trying not to freak out. And throw in a little marathon training in the middle of it all, because, why not! I had no free […]
Vegetarian Quinoa Bowl
July 17, 2017
I don’t even remember how this recipe came about. I think it may have started from some leftover cooked quinoa. And I probably had read something similar a while back. So I tried to throw things together and came up with this awesomely fresh and delicious Vegetarian Quinoa bowl. It was nutritious, filling, and I can see this being a favorite in both summer and winter. So without wasting time on […]
Tips to prevent Sports Bra Chafing
July 12, 2017
This post is dedicated to all the women out running who brave and live with chafing caused by one of the most essential pieces of running gear for women – Sports Bra! I used to think that I was an anomaly with insane chafing on the bra line on my chest but seeing so many women post on various Facebook groups, I am comfortably in the norm. Sports Bra Chafing […]
Why Revel Rockies is one of my favorite half marathons
June 21, 2017
Last weekend, I ran the Revel Rockies Half Marathon in Colorado. It was picked by our 50 state runners as a pretty downhill course. And realizing that it was just 30-40min from Boulder, I jumped on it as a race + a visit to my sister. The weeks leading to the race were crazy with last weeks of school and work and everything else in between. I couldn’t prepare my […]
Running in Jekyl Island, Georgia Coast
June 5, 2017
Just off the coast of Georgia and connected via causeways are the islands of St. Simons, Jekyll, and Sea Island that make up what’s known as the Golden Isles. Tidal marshlands, preserved wildlands, and long stretches of beach join exclusive resorts, golf courses, and historic communities on these islands. As a runner and triathlete, Jekyll Island provided some of the best opportunities (even though I didn’t swim in the ocean!) to train […]
Running in High Humidity – How To
May 22, 2017
It is already starting to get humid and hot in Atlanta and in various parts of the country (except Colorado. Where it snowed last week. In MAY!). One of the things that many athletes do to avoid the summer heat is to change their running schedule so they run early in the morning or later in the evening when the sun goes down. Running around with kids and activities and […]
Cheering for Mom
May 15, 2017
I believe that my transformation from couch potato to (faux)runner started after my kids were born. Initially, while battling mild post partum depression, I stepped out for “some air” while Mr. FauxRunner would run with the minions in a jogging stroller. Oh, how I hated that walking from my front door to the neighborhood entrance!! But slowly it turned into the quest for bigger bolder things; and when the minions […]
Stop saying “I could never run that fast”
May 3, 2017
As a slower runner, I’ve heard (and read on social media) plenty of comments about pace. Not my pace specifically, but any pace that is considered slow; slow being relative. I get aggravated with some, I ignore most of such comments. But this post is about the other side of the running pace conversation – not the fast commenting on the slow, but vice versa. Recently, I was having a […]
Joy’s Great Southern Endurance Run 100 Miles
May 1, 2017
Joy, my 5 @ 5 buddy took on an incredible feat of running 100 miles at the Great Southern Endurance Run. Apart from the challenge of the distance, there was extreme heat (it hit 92F on Saturday) and running on concrete with heat radiating off it. She wasn’t able to keep anything down and still kept moving powered by sips of slushies. I don’t have words to describe her feat, […]
Do I need a Triathlon Coach?
March 29, 2017
It’s been 3 months into the new year and athletes have had a chance to assess their goals and where they stand at.In a lot of Facebook groups that I am part of, there is plenty of discussion about coaching – do I need a triathlon coach, is a coach worth it, when to hire one, recommendations for a coach, etc. The world of figuring out coaches and finding a […]
Weekly Training Recap – Of Nerds and Bikes
March 27, 2017
After the high of my half marathon with The Kyle Pease Foundation last weekend, I was very upset to find that my whole body rebelled and was incredibly sore and tight in every place imaginable. I took Monday and Tuesday off with just walking and tried to get on the treadmill on Wednesday. After 30 seconds, I stopped in pain. My right adductor/hipflexor was beyond hurting. The weird thing was that […]
Publix Georgia Half Marathon with The Kyle Pease Foundation
March 21, 2017
“The purpose of the Kyle Pease Foundation (KPF) is to create awareness and raise funds to promote success for persons with disabilities by providing assistance to meet their individual needs through sports.” – The Kyle Pease Foundation Like many athletes in the Atlanta area, I was aware of the work that The Kyle Pease Foundation was doing. But other than contributing to their fundraising efforts, I had never been involved […]
Charles Harris 10K with The Kyle Pease Foundation
March 13, 2017
I had another opportunity to run with The Kyle Pease Foundation at the Charles Harris 10k this past weekend. My athlete was Lizzie, who loves going fast! Oh oh, fast and me don’t go along together but we were going to have a grand time! Charles Harris 10k is advertised as a fast course for the Peachtree Road Race qualifier. And Brent had said that it was an easy course […]
What to look for in a coach
March 7, 2017
It’s been 6 weeks into the new year and athletes have had a chance to assess their goals and where they stand at. If they find that they are not where they want to be, or if they have a challenging goal, athletes turn to a coach to help them get to their goals. The world of finding a coach can be overwhelming and confusing. I went through this 3 […]
February Spotlight – Meet Miss. FauxRunner
March 3, 2017
Last week was Miss. FauxRunner’s 11th birthday and as all parents do, I reflected back on the girl she had become and all the changes in her this past year. Since one of the biggest leaps she had was as an athlete, I wanted to be proud mom and showcase her. She was tickled when I “interviewed” her and hoped that someday someone famous would interview her!! 2 years ago, Miss. […]
Poha/Avalakki (Vegetarian Indian) – Instant Pot Recipe
February 28, 2017
I’m yet to write a post about my life-saver Instant Pot, which is my 2nd most important kitchen gadget after the Vitamix. I’ve been cooking so much in the Instant Pot that I forget to take photos or write about it. This one was however too good and way too fast to forget to blog about. Avalakki is a very popular breakfast dish as well as an evening snack of Karnataka, the […]
Our weekend ski trip – Cataloochee Ski Area
February 26, 2017
I’m not a cold sports person, maybe because I prefer sports where my feet are firmly on the ground. Also, growing up in hot South India, I never had the option to play in the snow. My first snow sighting was when I came to Atlanta, but it being Atlanta it snows like maybe 1-2 days a year inspite of many impending dooms of Snowpocalypse! The minions love to experiment with cold […]
How to get back into training after a long break
February 21, 2017
After London Marathon and my long hiatus, I was trying to start back up from ground level. The biggest issue I had was – I wasn’t in shape for ANYTHING. I could not even run “just” 3 miles (I put the just in quotes because most endurance athletes would understand what I mean and it is not an insult because running 3 miles is a pretty cool). Because I could […]
Pav Bhaji Recipe: Indian Street Food
February 20, 2017
I love Indian street food. In fact, much to my mum’s frustration that Mr. FauxRunner shares, I could survive on street food for breakfast, lunch AND dinner. Pav Bhaji is one of my favorites. Pav Bhaji is an Indian street food sold in deliciously smelling carts, consisting of a vegetable curry and served with bread rolls aka Pav. The curry is meant to be spicy, and the bread roll is toasted […]
Heart and Soles 5k – Race Report
February 13, 2017
The FauxRunner family has been a member of Atlanta Track Club for the past 3 or 4 years, but we’ve never taken advantage of the Grand Prix series and the free 5k events. When I was looking for a 5k for Miss. FauxRunner around February, the Heart and Soles 5k was perfect and it was free for members. Having raced The Red Top Rumble 11.5 mile Trail Race just last […]
Red Top Rumble – My First Trail Race
February 7, 2017
The last time I put a number on to race was at the London Marathon in April last year (I had the Memorial Day 5k and PTS Allatoona Sprint Triathlon as fillers, but I didn’t train for them. Just showed up and suffered). While it was an experience that could not be topped, after that race I was demoralized, frustrated and a bit burnt out trying to chase goals and […]
Lack of Sleep and it’s Effect on Training and Life
February 1, 2017
Sleep. Or the Lack of. Every parent has vivid memories of being low on sleep during the newborn and sometimes well into toddler days. These days, luckily my minions sleep through the night, or atleast they are smart enough to know NOT to wake me up when I’m asleep. Especially on the days I’m up at 4:xx AM trying to get a run/ride/swim in before work. It was hard in the […]
Recipe: Sweet Potato toast
January 30, 2017
When I get creative with my veggies, I … well … I don’t get creative or fancy with my veggies. I love to just eat them all piled up together. But I had seen the “Sweet Potato Toast” being posted by a few friends and knew that I had to try making it! So I came up with an open faced Sweet Potato “sandwich”. It is so simple that […]
Single Serve Vegetable Frittata
January 2, 2017
I don’t eat eggs, but my minions do and Mr. FauxRunner loves them. A full egg brunch is one of the few things that keeps my 10yo full for a long time, else her super high metabolism hits her with hunger barely 30 minutes after breakfast – I should’ve called them hobbits instead of minions, with their penchant for a second breakfast. So it’s the usual boiled eggs, scrambled eggs, […]
Make New Year Resolutioners feel welcome
December 29, 2016
It’s a new year and time for new ideas, new starts and new goals (or reviving the old ones). When I looked at the top resolutions for the past 6 years at Neilson, Getting Fit, lose weight, eat healthy and other similar fitness goals was a firm top candidate (along with get organized, spend more time with family, spend less save more and enjoy life to the fullest). So the fitness […]
Christmas Eve Run aka My “Runniversary” Run
December 25, 2016
It is hard to imagine that it was only 7 short years ago that I took my first running steps. 7 years ago, I was nervous about it, I thought I was going to die while running and I hated it when I finished the run. I used to run alone with my eyes firmly on the ground and not looking up to anyone crossing, and I’d be dressed in […]
Looking back at 2016
December 23, 2016
While 2015 was all about an amazing year of races and goals and self growth, Looking back at 2016 was much more mellow. The whole year was around one big race rather than my usual sprinkling of races. Miss. FauxRunner made her racing debut – both in running and triathlon. And I took back seat as mom and coach. Since I voluntarily gave up on my season after April and the London Marathon […]
Weekly Training Recap – 12/18
December 19, 2016
After months and months and months (7 months to be precise) of not having any weekend training recap, I’m back to writing about my training. After the long hiatus from anything more than 60 minutes of workout and not following any kind of plan, I’ve finally started back on structured focused training. What am I starting to train for? Well, … that needs to wait for another post towards the […]
7 Gifts for Triathletes under $50
December 13, 2016
These few weeks before the holidays are some of the best days to shop for toys aka gear and stuff. If you are shopping for a very close family member (or yourself), then a big ticket item is great. But if the gift is for a friend and you are constricted by budget, then some of these suggestions for gifts for triathletes under $50 might give you great ideas. […]
Tips for Staying Healthy in Las Vegas
November 18, 2016
Earlier this month was Rock N Roll Las Vegas, that I sadly had to miss due to family conflicts. I’ve been to Las Vegas quite a few times but have never run the strip at night. My most recent trip was just last summer when LV was the final and the most luxurious destination after a 10 day mini grand circle tour of Grand Canyon National Park, Antelope Canyon and […]
What makes brands pick you to be their ambassador?
November 14, 2016
Recently, Coeur Sports announced their team for 2017. For those of you not of the triathlon world, Coeur is a very popular triathlon clothing brand with the hashtag #NoAngryKitty. There was there was a lot of hurt in one of the facebook groups that I’m part of. I saw the exact same hurt when InkNBurn (the athletic clothing that has art as print – like the one I’m wearing in my profile picture on the […]
Off Season Training Tips
October 26, 2016
Since my last race for the year was the London Marathon way back in April, when seasons were just starting, this post seems mis-dated to me! Or maybe I was just following the schedule of someone in the Southern Hemisphere from memories of my 2 years living in Melbourne, Australia. When I look back, I’ve never had an “off” season. I’ve had huge periods where I’ve been “off” training, but […]
Spooktacular 5k – Ms. FauxRunner
October 24, 2016
To beat off Jetlag from the 20+ hours of flight time, I got the entire family to go to the Spooktacular 5k even though only the older minion was planning on running it. In hindsight, maybe it wasn’t the best idea to get her to race after she had taken 3 weeks off of running while in India. But Mr. FauxRunner stayed with her and he was very impressed how […]
The Long Journey to India
September 27, 2016
It’s been 4.5 years since I last visited home. And this past weekend, I made the 20 something hour journey with the clan. I’ll try to document my days there but with things being super busy with the family, it’ll be spotty at best. Atlanta international airport had installed Pianos for Peace. I don’t know if this is a everyday fixture or if it was there only got the Peace […]
Miss FauxRunner’s First 5k Race
September 18, 2016
Miss FauxRunner ran her first 5k race this weekend. And surprised us all and herself by podiuming 2nd in her AG! It was at a race that is very popular in the Indian community as a fundraiser. Mr. FauxRunner ran with her to pace her. She wasn’t sure at first if she wanted to run with him and was very nervous that she wouldn’t be able to keep up. But […]
Heros Amongst Us – Inclusion in Racing
September 15, 2016
The minions are doing a project for school and they have to tell a someone’s story. Kind of HONY (Humans of New York) style, but with more detailed narratives/videos/photos/etc. A few weeks ago we were running together at our usual place when we saw an assisted athlete team (one athlete pushing another athlete in a special bike) training and my 10 decided that she wanted to talk to some assisted athletes. I […]
Never Forget – a 9/11 Memorial
September 11, 2016
On a gorgeous Sunday morning, the minion and I went out for a walk /run around the Kennesaw Mountain and were spell bound in memory. One flag per person who did not return home that day. Never forget. And hope for world peace. (Visited 179 times, 1 visits today)
The Birthday Quest – 40!
September 7, 2016
Sometime last year, I had expressed an interest in doing something milestone for my 40th birthday. But along the way, I realized that other obligations prevented me from training for that century bike ride that we had planned on (sorry, Barry!). So instead, I came up with a different challenge – a quest, I called it. To run/walk my age miles in my birth month by my birthday. So to […]
The Smoky Mountains – Easy Trails for Children
September 5, 2016
At just 4-4.5 hours from Atlanta, the Smoky Mountain National Park is a great getaway destination for the long weekend. We had been to Gatlinburg many a times in the past, but never to explore the Smoky Mountains. We used to admire the views on our drive and then hang out in the town. I doubt we even realized that there was more to the Smokies than the towns of […]
Safety Tips for Running Alone #RunSafe
September 1, 2016
This is an archived post that I believe needs to be resurfaced. It highlights safety tips for running alone, especially for women. A woman was attacked and seriously injured in a trail that almost every runner/triathlete in the Atlanta area has run or biked on. We all love running and cycling, but we need to be safe to do the things we love. For a lot of us, running is […]
Yes, I’m Fat. And I don’t care.
August 21, 2016
Last week, I was at an Indian ceremony when a acquaintance exclaimed, “OMG, you’ve grown fat!” *blink* And without knowing how to respond, I tittered (yes, that awkward laugh when you don’t know how exactly to respond). She wouldn’t let it go, and added, “You run and do so many things and yet you are fat.” I was shocked. What … the … what … After my first reaction of shock wore down, a […]
Just keep Swimming
August 19, 2016
Did I happen to mention that the first step is the hardest? Well. I lied. Not exactly, but hard is relative. If the first step was the hardest, the second step is hard too. So is the tenth and the hundredth and the one after 6 months. If it were easy, we (and thousands of others) would be doing it without questioning things. Don’t give up. Just one little step […]
The Hardest part of any Journey is taking that First Step
August 15, 2016
Why is that first step the hardest? Because that step is what takes us into the unknown. Because that step takes us farther away from our comfort zone where we have been for days, months and even years. Because that step takes us down a long hard route when our body and mind craves for the short easy one. Because that step into the unknown makes us falter like a […]
Every Accomplishment starts with the Decision to Try
August 13, 2016
Everyone has dreams and aspirations. Dreams that we wish turned into reality. There are those that dream day after day and think “if only … “. And then there are those who say with joy filled tearful eyes “This is a dream come true”. They made their dreams come true. By deciding to pursue their dream. By deciding to give themselves a fair shot. By deciding to try. […]
24 Hour Endurance Race
July 11, 2016
This past weekend, I had the incredible honor to pace a friend at her 24 hour endurance race. Laura (and Joy) have been my 5am running buddies and I was thrilled to road trip the 1 hour to support Laura. Joy was ultra-prepared with everything needed. And I just had a chance of clothes and water. Not even a blanket for when it got cold at night, and it did […]
A Cleansing Run in a Thunderstorm
July 6, 2016
As I wrote last week in my confessional, I haven’t been feeling my mojo. And I haven’t been able to figure out why. All I know is that my heart is unexplainably heavy sometimes and that my mind is distracted. But it does nobody any good to brood on something that doesn’t seem to figure itself out. And after a vacation where I wasn’t in the least inclined to run […]
I have a Confession
June 29, 2016
I have a confession to make – I love social media. I use social media to post about my training, to read about other’s training, to be inspired and motivated, to hope that I can inspire atleast one person into realizing that they can redefine their impossible too, to get a boost from kudos, to learn from others when they post about their experiences and thoughts, to … you get […]
#ThrowbackTuesday – My Open Water Swim Journey
June 28, 2016
This popped up on my time hop and I teared up at the memory. So I decided to make it #ThrowbackTuesday in FauxRunner land instead of Thursday. 3 years ago, I had decided that I wanted to do triathlons but I had such a fear of open water that I couldn’t even put my head in. And without learning to swim in the open water, I couldn’t proceed with triathlons There […]
PTS Allatoona Sprint Triathlon
June 27, 2016
8 years ago, I couldn’t run/walk a 5k (heck, one KM) getting up from the couch and off. 3 years ago, I don’t think I could’ve done a sprint triathlon getting up from zero training. I’m so thankful to be able to do that. And it looks like this particular race is my one race where I do things without training. I’m not a fan of racing without training. Not […]
PeachKids Triathlon – her First Tri
June 12, 2016
The older minion trained and completed her first triathlon today. Even though she’s 10, she’s a very very shy introvert who tends to live inside a bubble in her head. When I had asked her if she was interested in a tri, my hope was that the tri would give her the space and confidence to focus and think her mind through a lot of things happening around her. The […]
Changes to the Blog
June 9, 2016
Last year, I went through a discovery process for the blog that made me think about my name, my journey and my future. It made me realize that I was no longer the ‘Faux’ Runner who started writing online to whine about having to run. I started seeing myself as others saw me – as a passionate athlete who had was learning to redefine her impossible. That brought about a change in […]
Veggie Fried Rice – Indian Chinese Style
June 6, 2016
Once in a while (or more frequently than that), I cook or prep something that I proceed to forget and end up cooking the same in more quantities. Plain rice is one such item that I forget that I’ve already made. And then I end up with a whole lot of plain rice and no gravy or curry to go with it. An easy way for me to use up […]
Weekend in the life of my Minions
June 5, 2016
My weekend started off with all good intentions – I was going to run like usual at 9:30am, an easy run for 45min or so. But when I actually started the run, my legs said no. My mind said meh. The weather said oh ho! And I walked most of those 45min with a friend. Good company and good conversation, but negative points for not attempting to run even 3 miles. […]
Memorial Day 5K
May 30, 2016
Well … I ran a 5k this morning – to run on Memorial Day, to run with friends (Julia #TeamLoki and Brandi), and to check my HR zones. Since I hadn’t trained for a 5k, and I have run maybe 4 times since London a month ago, the “race” was more of a fast-run. I did beat a high school kid though, running up a hill – while trying to […]
My First Ride Outside After Hiatus
May 28, 2016
It’s been almost 8 months since I rode outside the last time! I meant to keep riding through the winter, but since I jumped straight into marathon training, never did. And then when I got back from London, I was done with everything and just wanted a break. After being pumped up by Ironman 70.3 Chattanooga, I was inspired once again to dust the cobwebs off my bike. How you […]
Fusion Tri Shorts Review & GIVEAWAY: Fusion Sports USA Sweepstakes
May 20, 2016
FUSION Sweepstakes (we’re giving away FREE STUFF!): Experience the superior quality performance of Fusion. Enter to win one of 6 prize packages. Grand prize valued at more than $450. Follow the link to enter! https://fusionsweepstakes.pgtb.me/cdsdmk Disclaimer: I’m not compensated in any way by the Fusion Sweepstakes. I’m writing this post to share the love for a brand whose Tri shorts I absolutely love. Winners are picked directly by Fusion Sports […]
Why I’m taking a break from “What’s Next”
May 16, 2016
After every big goal race, there’s the lingering question of “What’s Next?”. There is either the excitement generated by a great race that fuels your fire of wanting to go back for more, or the disappointment of a not so good race that pushes you to seek revenge/redemption. I started training with coach back in July 2014 for the Dopey Challenge as precursor to Augusta 70.3. Those 18 months were […]
London Marathon Race Report
May 10, 2016
When you have A race that you’ve dreamt about, that you’ve never thought you’d ever the chance to run, that you’ve taken leaps beyond your comfort zone to get to – writing a race report for that race is a very hard task! Add to that an unbelievable atmosphere, the most crazy and fun people, and an forgettable race experience. The London Marathon was all that and more. I have […]
Highlights from my London Marathon 2016
May 1, 2016
The London Marathon is an experience first and a race second. It is reputed to be like no other, not even Boston or New York city. And I could see why. The experience I had during London was something way way different than my big races in the US like Chicago and Disney. This post is the highlight reel of my London Marathon experience, a much detailed race/performance report will […]
Marathon Miles Dedication
April 13, 2016
When I was first offered a charity spot to run the London Marathon as part of Team Run for Autism, I never ever thought that I’d be able to raise $5000k to make the fundraising minimum. What started as a far reaching dream to run a bucket list race while supporting the research against Autism, the dream has been made possible by the support of some awesome people, some […]
Sickness – Streph and Bronchitis
April 10, 2016
I started this post last Wednesday – 20 days to race day. And I had one last week of push before the 2 week taper. But I guess Mother Nature’s pollen and my body had other ideas. Instead of that last week of added effort, I’ve spent most of the time this week curled up in bed convinced that I have the plague. And mostly super frustrated. I guess at […]
4 Weeks to London – Training Recap
March 29, 2016
I’ve been so so busy of late that I’ve quite neglected to write. So, in order to not lose the thread, I’m going to let my photos describe my weekend long run and training recap. It was the first big weekend – 20 miles! I had a Cinderella deadline time but got lucky when crazy ultra runners Joy and Laura joined me at 5am for the 20 miles. Joy […]
Women in Running and Triathlon: Friday Five
March 11, 2016
Did you know that it was only in 1984 that women were allowed to run the marathon in the Olympics (won by Joan Benoit). In fact, only in the 1960 Olympics were women allowed to participate in 5 events in track and field, compared to the 16 of men. But even after that in 1961, women were banned from participating in all US road races! Surprisingly, while women weren’t allowed to […]
Training Recap: A Miserable 16 miler
March 7, 2016
Last week was a very weird week and a low one for me on the training front. I started the week very sore from the Sunday’s 16 mile trail run but had a really really hard time finding energy and enthusiasm for anything else. As a result, my eating habits plummeted. Which in turn caused my energy levels to dive down more, which then caused my eating habits and workouts […]
Friday Five: Goals that I’ve fallen Short of
March 4, 2016
I’m usually a very disciplined person when it comes to training and I have a lot more green in my training peaks than I have reds. This training cycle, since I’m not working with a coach, I set myself overall goals and I at the end of a couple of weeks (a month to be more realistic), I look through them all to see what I’ve accomplished and where I […]
16 miles of Trail Running
February 29, 2016
Yesterday was a gorgeous day to run outside. For my long run this week, my goal was to increase time on my feet without necessarily having to increase mileage or speed AND without having to run mind-numbing Z2 run for 4hrs. The trails are the perfect place for that! Kennesaw Mountain, Cheatham Hill and Kolb Farm are some of the main trails around the Kennesaw Mountain Battlefield National Park. Although […]
Hope is Not a Strategy
February 18, 2016
I’ve come across some jaw-dropping statements on Facebook; one theme particularly bothers me. These are posts to the effect of – “I hope I finish.” “I haven’t run more than 6 miles but I know I will finish. I hope my IT band/hamstring/.. will be ok.” “I hope I’m not swept.” “I hope I break xx:xx time.” Perfectly normal sentences from nervous athletes, similar to those I myself have made plenty of. But […]
Inertia: Weekly Training Recap
February 15, 2016
While I had put in some solid training the past 2-3 weeks, this week was a struggle. I came back exhilarated from the hike to the Appalachian Approach Trail, but I guess it must’ve worn me out more than I thought. I felt sluggish the whole week, almost as if my body was fighting something but not knowing what. I slept A LOT! Almost 9-10hrs every night and still would […]
Seen on My Run
February 10, 2016
Every Wednesday or sometimes Thursday morning, I run with some crazy girls at 5am. Crazy because they are willing to meet me at 5am, and nice enough to go at my pace (and because they are ultra runners who have some wonderfully crazy adventures!). When I drive to our meeting spot, I see the morning sky and I’m always enthralled by it. This week, it was particularly alluring – the […]
Why I loved Hiking the Appalachian Approach Trail
February 8, 2016
“Because in the end, you won’t remember the time you spent working in the office or mowing your lawn. Climb that goddamn mountain.” – Jack Keroac I’ve been very fortunate to live in Atlanta with very close access to some beautiful places. They may not have the dramatic breathlessness of the other popular nature spots in the country, but still leaves your heart filled with happiness and takes away all the […]
Let’s Get Speedy: Weekly Recap
February 1, 2016
It’s 12 weeks to the London Marathon and I’m pulling together my training plan and goals for the race. Race day goals are still far away, but I know my training goals – train like I always do and give my best to improve every single day. I spent time getting reacquainted with my foam roller and my new hip, glute and core routine. Monday – My hips, glutes and core […]
Friday Five: January RUNfessions
January 30, 2016
That saying that “Running is cheaper than therapy”. Very true. There is nothing like unburdening your soul to your running friends with the unspoken rule that what’s said on the road, stays on the road. But there are still somethings that you don’t get to talk to your BRFs about perhaps because there are other more important things to be talked about or just because you haven’t run with your […]
Simple Exercises to Strengthen Hips and Glutes
January 28, 2016
After my scare with my knee a couple of weeks ago (in detail at the bottom of this post) and hesistant about starting a strength training routine just 12 weeks from my marathon, I read up on strength training DURING marathon training (on Active articles, Jason Fitz’s Strenght Running, Jeff’s Runners Connect and more). These were simple short exercises that isolated muscle groups and worked to “activate” them. So glute exercises were […]
Keeping Things Simple: Weekly Recap
January 25, 2016
This week was all about building back gains that I had started last week after sickness – going back to basics and just focusing on marathon training running without clutter/chatter from other activities. I focused on getting 4 runs in the week and because I skipped swimming, added one more base run to that. I also started a functional strength routine to help my core-hip-glutes. I usually get very distracted by […]
Friday Five: Fictional Characters I want to Train With
January 22, 2016
When it comes to running with people, some runners are social and love company while some runners closely guard their run time as their alone time. I fall into the former category most of the time, and run alone only when I have a specific training workout to do that I need complete focus on (mainly because I talk when I run and talking messes up pacing). I’ve been very […]
Back on Track: Weekly Recap
January 18, 2016
I started writing weekly recaps in the beginning of the year and after a grand recap of 1, I missed last week. To be honest, there wasn’t anything much to write about – I was slowly limping back to some painful miles after almost 2 weeks off to sickness. I was back to normal by wednesday/thursday, but was still very much overwhelmed at having lost the base I was trying […]
Tips for a Great Dopey, Goofy and the Disney Marathon
January 5, 2016
This week is runDisney’s Dopey Challenge week and Goofy and the Marathon and everything in between. I’m very very sad that I won’t be joining the boys for the fun filled weekend (maybe I shouldn’t feel as bad as I’m still down sick). Instead, I am focusing this week’s post on tips to help through the week. Dopey, Goofy and Disney Marathon Weekend Tips #runchat #runDisney Click To Tweet Expo Get to the […]
Lost to Sickness: Weekly Recap
January 3, 2016
I’ve decided to get back into the habit of doing weekly training recaps. It’s been a while since I did them, especially as my week would go – Swim, Bike, Run – all done and green on training peaks. Now that I’m on my own and in charge of my own training, it is a good reflection on where I am and where I hope to be on April 24th. […]
A Coffee Date, The 2016 January Edition
January 2, 2016
It’s virtual coffee date time with the first Saturday of month crew! If we were having coffee, I’d tell you that … I’m a bit scattered at not having a goal for the second half of 2016. For the past 18 months (April 2014 since I signed up for Dopey Challenge), I’ve been so goal driven that I don’t know what I’m looking at after April 24th London Marathon. I […]
What’s in 2016?
December 29, 2015
December and January are times for looking back and setting goals and resolutions. I love reading how the past year has treated people. And what they plan to tackle in the next year. 2016 is a big year for me personally – I turn 4.0 in September and it’s also our 15th anniversary in October. Races and Places March 5th – Chattahoochee 10k March 20th – Georgia Publix Half Marathon […]
Looking Back at 2015
December 23, 2015
Just 2 days ago, I FINALLY cut off my participation bracelet from Ironman 70.3 Augusta. A lot of mentors cheered me on that I was finally beginning to look ahead. And I guess with it being just 10 more days to a new year, it was about time. Looking ahead, moving onward. Although I still want to take a moment to recap looking back at 2015. Simply put, 2015 was […]
Is this a GoodBye Post?
December 4, 2015
This was a post that is months overdue (in my defense, I haven’t blogged much since the race). In spite of the warm glow of post-race Augusta, I can no longer deny it. Since the end of the #LongRoadToAugusta, I’ve been on a break with my coach and I’m starting to wonder if this is the end of the road for us … And whether it is now or later, […]
If *I* Can Do It, Anybody Can Do It
November 11, 2015
This past weekend, I was at an Indian gathering and an acquaintance mentioned following my #LongRoadToAugusta and being inspired to take up triathlon. She didn’t know how to swim and had signed up for swim lessons as the first step. She wasn’t running and had signed up for a 5k as the first step. She had a simple bike that she rode with her kids on weekends and she was going […]
Ironman 70.3 Augusta – Everything You Want to Know
November 5, 2015
When I take up any new undertaking, I put my heart and soul into it and work on putting together everything I can possibly know about the race. The Augusta Half Ironman course preview was one such undertaking that I think a lot of other athletes will benefit from. So this page is a comprehensive list of all my articles and all the articles I used to refer on the […]
Ink n Burn Pullover with Thumbhole – Review
November 3, 2015
Runners – have you seen this meme? This is me when it comes to selecting long sleeve shirts! I I think Kate at Big Peach Running Co. might have turned me on to them a while ago and since then I’ve come to love them and prefer the thumbhole shirt over normal long sleeves. Why all that fuss over thumbholes? When you start a run and it is slightly chilly, […]
Perseverance and Tenacity at the New York City Marathon
November 2, 2015
There is amazing and then there is AMAZING! There is inspiring and then there is INSPIRING! That was brothers Brent and Kyle Pease of ‘Walking with KPeasey’ yesterday at the New York City Marathon. Walking with KPeasey is a campaign affiliated with The Kyle Pease Foundation, Inc (KPF). Walking with KPeasey works to create awareness and raise funds in support of KPF. The Kyle Pease Foundation, promotes success for young persons with […]
Post Ironman 70.3 Augusta Blues
October 29, 2015
I’ve been trying to write this post, but struggling to. It’s been a month since Augusta 70.3 and I took sometime to process my thoughts. After a 2 week “being proud” period when I rejoiced in my accomplishment and nothing else, I went back and looked at my race data and race experience. I can say that I have no regrets about my race performance. I had a great day […]
Tri The Parks: A Time to Celebrate
October 22, 2015
Tri The Parks is a triathlon race series put on by Blue Sky Sports team in Georgia. It is a great series and they assign points to every racer in each race and at the end of it all give out the series awards. This year, Tri the Parks featured a triathlon series, duathlon series, aquabike series and one aquathlon and they offered multi race discounts to make it enticing for […]
Benefits of Trail Running
October 20, 2015
It’s been a quiet time in FauxRunner land. No just because of the post-race blues, but because of so many things that are happening or that need to happen and thoughts and inaction. In short, things are draining and overwhelming and I don’t have anything on my plate. But – no training plans also means that I can run whenever and whereever I want! This weekend, I suddenly chose to […]
What Next? The Off Season
October 6, 2015
The long awaited #LongRoadToAugusta finally reached its destination last weekend and that brings the question – what road will I take next? After months and months of training (since July of last year actually), with weekends being occupied by either long runs or long bikes, with lots of early morning swim or runs, with some late night trainer rides, with a LOT of emotional upheaval, with every day’s focus dictated […]
Ironman 70.3 Augusta Race Report #LongRoadToAugusta
September 30, 2015
Sometime mid last year after I finished a Sprint Tri on 8 days of “training”, I had a crazy idea. So crazy that I immediately banished it, but so crazy that I couldn’t help keep thinking about it. I wanted to do Ironman 70.3 Augusta. There was a small catch though – along with being a slow swimmer and runner, I didn’t know how to ride! And hence began the #LongRoadToAugusta These […]
Gary’s Augusta Half Ironman Race Report
September 30, 2015
This is Gary’s Race Report for Ironman 70.3 Augusta. He was nice enough to let me host the report when I asked around for race reports to compile in my Augusta Half Ironman section of the blog. This was to be my second attempt at the 70.3 triathlon distance; 1.2 mile swim, 56 mile bike, and 13.1 mile run. My first 70.3 was the Rev 3 Anderson, SC last […]
#LongRoadToAugusta – What Will Race Day Bring
September 26, 2015
Ever since the day I even thought about signing up for Ironman 70.3 Augusta, I knew it would be a long and hard road. Hence the #LongRoadToAugusta. But it was almost 10 months to the day that I signed up. I knew I would stumble, I knew I would have my firsts, I knew I would break down some days, I knew I would come out tougher some days, I […]
A Thank You Note
September 25, 2015
As I pickup my race number and everything else, and before I get engulfed in the pre-race bubble, I want to take a minute to look back at the great support I’ve had in this #LonRoadToAugusta. Without the support of people around me, I don’t know how I’d have gotten through the training cycle. Guru (That really is his name!) I joke about Mr. FauxTriathlete’s involvement in my training […]
Just Keep Swimming
September 20, 2015
In 6 days, at this exact moment, I’ll be lined up on the dock at Augusta waiting to take the jump to my first 70.3 triathlon. Coach asked me earlier today how I was feeling. I can’t seem to muster up an THIS IS GOING TO BE THE BEST DAY OF MY LIFE IN CAPS yell, but I’m not at the opposite end of I’m nervous to the point of puking […]
RAFFLE: SparkleSkirts
September 12, 2015
CLOSED: Congrats Erin! As a lot of people in my running circles know – I LOVE my running skirts! My preferred brand is Sparkle Skirts – pockets on each leg, pocket on waist band and shorts that don’t ride up! I wear mine for running and out about town! I’m raising money for Run for Autism to run the London Marathon (my bucket list marathon and the hardest marathon in […]
I don’t wanna …
September 9, 2015
My training peaks for one of the days last week said 2k swim and 45min recovery run. An easy knockout of 2-2.5hrs with my slow swim pace. Plenty of similar days that I’ve done in the past. Except this time, I didn’t want to. I didn’t want to swim or run or do anything. I wanted to sit and idle my time away and maybe do my to-do list and […]
London Marathon (Fundraising)
September 7, 2015
That’s how I felt when I first read the email from OAR (Organization for Autism Research) offering me a charity spot into the LONDON MARATHON to RUN FOR AUTISM with the OAR. Yes, THAT London. One of the world majors. My Bucket List LONDON! Ever since I wanted to do a marathon 5 years ago, I’ve always wanted to do the London marathon. For those not in the know, it is […]
Birthday Ride
September 6, 2015
When one has a birthday coming up, what does one do? Run or ride those miles, of course! I had the BEST possible start to my once-in-a-year day with a special ride of 39.39 miles and run of 3.9 miles. A ride that was made even more special by a rare appearance by coach who patiently rode with me and pushed me to ride faster than I’ve ever gone […]
10 Tips for Riding in the Rain
August 31, 2015
This past Sunday, a small group of us had planned to go down to Augusta to ride the course. It was to be just another training day until the weather changed in hours and chances of rain went from 30% to 80%!! None of us were too thrilled about the rain, but since we had driven down (2.5hrs each way) and since race day weather might throw anything at us, […]
Five Things I did this summer
August 28, 2015
It’s always fun to look back and see what we did over summer! I had a wonderful family vacation doing the grand circle mini tour (national parks in Arizona and Utah) to kick off summer. This is our second vacation around national parks after our Yosemite trip last September. LOVE the national parks and can’t wait for our next trip! 2. I trained for my Ironman 70.3 Augusta. And rode […]
Raffle: Win a Garmin 920XT w/HRM
August 27, 2015
You know I’m a gear junkie and my friend Laurie is hosting a raffle benefiting the Scott Rigsby Foundation. You can win a Garmin 920XT !! The Garmin 920XT with heart rate monitor retails for $499. To see the full functions and features of this watch, check this out DC Rainmaker’s in-depth review. Tickets are $35.00 each or 3 for $100 Make your donation directly to Laurie’s fundraising page and put […]
So you want to use Racing Wheels?
August 25, 2015
Last week All3Sports let me try out some speedy wheels and I feel in love. I want to share what I learnt about wheels and hopefully this will answer questions that other newbies have about race wheels. Why should I get racing wheels? Race wheels or carbon wheels are lighter and more aerodynamic. They also offer a much smoother ride. I have tried them out on a 25 mile […]
5 weeks to Ironman 70.3 Augusta – Positive Reinforcement
August 24, 2015
On Friday, I joined the linkup for “Where do you see yourself in 5 years“? There’s a more imperative and pressing question that I have to face instead. Where do I see myself in 5 WEEKS? 5 WEEKS. How in the world did the timeline shrink to 5 weeks?? Where? In 5 weeks time, I will be in Augusta, GA. What? – I will be lined up on the […]
Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
August 22, 2015
I love making plans, long term plans. For someone who is very detail oriented in her real life job, I do a of long term planning otherwise! What races will I run, what places shall we visit, what big ticket items are we buying and saving for, … Family – I’ll officially have one teenager and one tween. Help! I assume Mr. FauxTriathlete will be just as busy in 5 years […]
Train Hard, Party Hard – Crazy Hat Day with TriGeeks
August 19, 2015
This summer, I started riding with a group of people called the “Tri Geeks”. I knew I was going to be the slowest person, but I was also desperate for bike handling skills and hills, so I went to the first ride about 2-3 months ago a tad nervous. The group was awesome and made sure that someone stayed with me for the first couple of times until I knew […]
7-6 Weeks to Ironman 70.3 Augusta – Positive Reinforcement
August 15, 2015
I went a bit MIA on the blog last week so I’m having a bit of catching up to do. And the first catch up I have to do is the Week 7 & Week 6 of my positive reinforcement. For my positive reinforcement of last week, I wanted to choose an event from the training camp in Augusta – the swim. The first time I got into the water […]
Ironman 70.3 Augusta Training Camp
August 11, 2015
The Ironman 70.3 Augusta Tri Coach Georgia Training Camp was one of the most anticipated events in my training calendar. Mr. FauxTriathlete had done it 2 years ago and I knew he’d benefited from it. There is more than one post that I want to write about this weekend (detailed tips and recon on the course, my personal experience on the course this time, other random topics that conversations over the weekend […]
My First Puncture
August 5, 2015
I had another bike “milestone” – a puncture. Or a flat, as it’s known here. A milestone that you never wish to have. I was unloading my bike to take it to the basement for a trainer ride and noticed it. Luckily, it wasn’t on the way to a ride outside. I changed the flat and finished up the trainer ride. No issues with that, thanks to help […]
Bike Nutrition Balls: RECIPE
August 3, 2015
I started riding long (3-4hrs) in May. Everytime around the 2.5hr mark, I’d get tired. I kept attributing every bonk to my lack of bike strength – I had only just started riding (on the the trainer at first) since mid-January. After all, everyone keeps talking about just pushing through and not whining. So when I bonked, I didn’t complain. But 5 bonks in 7 rides (one of the non-bonk rides was the […]
8 Weeks to Ironman 70.3 Augusta – A Tale of 2 Rides
August 1, 2015
Another week goes by and the countdown is now 8 weeks to Ironman 70.3 Augusta. As part of my positive affirmations this week, I chose to shelve away the tale of two rides on the same course. The first ride was 6 weeks ago and the second ride was this past Sunday. At a popular Atlanta cycling route called “Silk Sheets”, both rides were 50 miles. The route is similar to the Ironman […]
Training Recap: The much needed ride
July 27, 2015
Mid last week, I had another wave of panic about the Ironman 70.3 Augusta. My ankle has been in PT for almost two weeks now and while they are great and addressing the root causes (my glutes and hips), the ankle itself is still a bit sore and my running mileage dropped to 2-3 miles/week. Pop-up thunderstorms in the evening and freaky “accidents” in the pool prevented me from getting my […]
Positive Affirmation: Ironman 70.3 Augusta (9 weeks) – MY JOURNEY
July 25, 2015
I started the 10 weeks to Augusta post, resolving to put in positive affirmations of real tangible success points I’ve had along the way. The first thoughts about going long in a triathlon came to me sometime after I finished my unexpected unplanned sprint triathlon last year. No, I didn’t go any faster than my always snail pace, but I was taken aback by how much I’d enjoyed myself, and […]
10 Weeks to Ironman 70.3 Augusta – Positive Affirmations
July 18, 2015
One of my main issues has always been my speed, or lack of. And hand in hand with the lack of speed is my confidence, or lack of. Sometimes my confidence levels plummet so badly that no matter what anyone says I find it hard to pull myself back up. Will I be able to complete the 70.3 miles total? How will be able to bike 56 miles after swimming 1.2 miles […]
Okra Fry, Indian Style: RECIPE
July 17, 2015
Known as Okra in the U.S, also called “Ladies Finger” in other English speaking countries, called “Bhindi” in India, has high fiber, vitamin C, and folate content. Okra is also known for being high in antioxidants. Okra is also a good source of calcium and potassium. It is also one of those vegetables that people either love or hate. And I’ve found that most of the hate comes from not knowing how […]
Tips to ride in an Aero position on the Bike
July 15, 2015
If you are an experienced rider, this post is probably useless to you. For me, a newbie rider, learning to ride aero was a BIG deal. Aerodynamic riding is free speed since it reduces drag that you get while riding upright. It is important the time trial bike (or aero bars on your road bike) be professionally fit for you. A good bike fit makes riding in aero position comfortable […]
Ironman 70.3 Augusta Course Preview
July 13, 2015
Ever since the day I even thought about signing up for Ironman 70.3 Augusta, I knew it would be a long and hard road. Hence the #LongRoadToAugusta on all social media. But it was almost 10 months to the day that I signed up. I knew I would stumble, I knew I would have my firsts, I knew I would break down some days, I knew I would come out […]
Race Goals: “ABC” or just an “A”?
July 9, 2015
Over a recent conversation with Coach Mike, he mentioned that part of racing is learning how not to quit. That made me think of races and goals. (This is more of a rambling thinking out aloud post than a definitive answer post). Race Goals – A ton of what I’ve read and been advised is to have ABC goals in a race. Why so many goals for a single race? The idea […]
Peachtree Road Race 2015
July 7, 2015
The back story My race reports always have a back story! This one for the Peachtree Road Race is more of a “why am I running this”? I wasn’t just feeling it in the days leading up to the race. I had just raced Chattanooga Olympic Triathlon last weekend in rather exhausting personal conditions and I felt like I had no breather after that. I had a terrible migraine for […]
Open Water Swimming Tips – How to overcome your fear
July 3, 2015
I started open water swimming two years ago and I have been swimming pretty consistently – open water swimming (OWS) in the summer months and year round in the pool, even before this Augusta 70.3 training cycle. Yet, EVERY.SINGLE.TIME I go to tan OWS, I get this feeling in my stomach … I’m a horribly slow swimmer. I can’t breathe. I’m going to be tired before I reach any particular point. I’m […]
Racing a Triathlon. With a Period.
July 1, 2015
This is an incredibly hard post for me to write … mainly because it is embarrassing. But it influenced my race and I hope that someone might benefit from the tips I got and what I decided to do. WARNING to the men in my life who read this blog: It is a girly topic, so bail NOW if you want to! Since that line gave it away – my BIG […]
Chattanooga Waterfront Triathlon
June 30, 2015
I always find it difficult to just stick to the race day in a race report, because the race day is the finale in a series events leading up to the day. And so much of what happens before race day influences race day choices and decisions. Chattanooga Waterfront Triathlon was my first Olympic Distance River Swim “Away” Triathlon So needless to say, it was a big one for me. But […]
Chattanooga Olympic Triathlon – Packing
June 27, 2015
Tomorrow, I take on the Chattanooga Waterfront Triathlon. It will be my First Olympic distance triathlon First River swim First out of town/overnight stay triathlon One of my worst weakness is how much chatter I put in my mind leading up to a race, especially one that I’m nervous about (with 3 firsts in a race, I can be permitted to be just a tad nervous, I think). My personal focus […]
Gear Geek Box GIVEAWAY
June 24, 2015
Most triathletes (and some runners too!) are type A++ personalities who have their eyes on the latest and greatest. And we want to buy more and even more stuff! If you are one, Gear Geek Box might just be the one for you! Gear Geek Box is a subscription box aimed at triathletes who love trying new products and gadgets. You might find some big name staples in your box, or […]
Training Recap: Meltdowns and Bonks and Strength
June 22, 2015
I call this past week my roller-coaster week. Up and down and down and up! Physically and emotionally. There was no saying when I’d be on my up and then I’d be on the down. And I was totally bewildered by my apparent inability to control my emotions. I am a 1 or 0 kind of person, but for the most part I’ve learnt to even things out and this took […]
Training and Stress
June 20, 2015
This post about my training and stress affecting it is one of the most unorganized posts I’ve written. It bugs me because it doesn’t flow the way I wanted to in my mind. Perhaps this is two posts mashed into one. Either way, it was written from the heart without an editor’s hand and I don’t want to spend too much time fixing it. So this stays! Plenty has been researched and written […]
Newton’s Third Law: Kindness Begets Kindness
June 9, 2015
I’ve been wondering if I should write this post. It doesn’t have anything to do with the running or triathlon or fitness world other than originating from it. On the other hand, it is a basic common life lesson that NEEDS to be spoken of. A couple of months ago, there was a difference of opinion on the Internet and some of us who had a different opinion than the […]
Training Recap: The Breakthrough
June 8, 2015
All through these past months, I’ve been plugging away at the training plan, focusing on getting the workouts in and trying to learn from each workout. And at the end of almost every single week, I’ve carried over my nervousness over tackling something huge like a 70.3 Half Ironman. How is someone who does not know how to bike, who is a pathetic swimmer and who is an incredibly slow […]
Why do you run?
June 4, 2015
June 3rd was national running day. There’s a separate day for running! So what do I do the other 364 days?And it so happened that I went cycling instead of running. And I was ok with it. Because I’m a runner. And I run any day of the year (according to training schedule, that is), not necessarily on a specific designated day. But … I digress …. Non-running friends often ask […]
Triathlon Transition
June 2, 2015
T1 and T2 or simply “transition”, is where you physically transition from one sport to another. T1 is the first triathlon transition when you go from swim to bike and T2 is the second triathlon transition when you go from bike to run. It is characterized by bike racks and is also the place where you keep your items (e.g. – helmet, shoes, …) that will take you from one […]
Blalock Lakes Sprint Triathlon
June 1, 2015
I was supposed to sign up for the Blalock Lakes Sprint Triathlon and … I procrastinated and it sold out! Luckily, I was able to get on the waiting list – I had to come prepared to race, but was not guaranteed a number until 7:30am on race day. That just added an extra element to my usual race day nerves. No issues, after a point, all nerves jumble into […]
Pass Them Like You Love Them
May 27, 2015
If you google bike safety, you will find a lot of articles that give advice on how to ride safely. Like – wearing helmets, wearing visible clothing, using hand signals, etc. There is even a good article to help understand how to avoid common types of collisions. But what about the car drivers? I’d like to think that most car drivers aren’t sure what to do when they see cyclists riding […]
Running in Phoenix
May 20, 2015
If anyone followed me back when I was training for my first marathon, they’d know how petrified I was of my race and how I made sure that I never took extended breaks from training. Which meant – no vacations that spring and summer of 2011. It annoyed Mr. FauxTriathlete, but at least the minions were young enough. This time around, while training for another first, I’m looking back at […]
Training Recap: Facing Fears & The Loch Ness Monster
May 12, 2015
A lot about this weekend was facing fears. And the Loch Ness Monster. I spent wasted a LOT of time thinking about it. And then thinking about it again. I was going to meet a group on Mother’s Day sunday for some open water swimming. And in that group were very experienced triathletes and coaches. So ideally, a perfect setting for a first OWS of the season. Except, I was […]
Mother’s Day – Thank you, Mum
May 9, 2015
Mother’s Day has become sort of a hallmark holiday for me. The minions do their projects at school and bring in cute little mementos. Every year I ask for a clean house and I get a dinner out instead. I even get flowers sometimes even though I ask for a live plant instead of flowers. But through all this is an exchange of gifts or an action on ONE day […]
Pittsburgh Half Marathon – Race Report
May 4, 2015
5:56 am on the morning after your race might not be a good time to write a race report, but since I am awake and seem to have it fresh in memory, why not! (And there’s some hanky panky going on in the room next door at the hotel, so writing this race report is helping me block out the noises!! Awkward!!). So here goes the race report for Pittsburgh Half Marathon. […]
Best Foot Forward – Pittsburg Half Marathon
May 2, 2015
When this bout of sickness knocked me off last week, my main thoughts were filled with frustration. 12 days to a goal race at the Pittsburg Half Marathon is NOT the time to get sick. But those germs don’t play favourites and sickness happens. I moped enough while I was under last week. For the first time ever, I took off 3 sick days (not that it means anything because the […]
Faux Runner … No More: From FAUX to FAB
April 27, 2015
If you have visited my blog in the past, you will have noticed the new look to the blog today. I’ve been working to develop a logo for the past few weeks and that made me think about my name, my journey and my future. Who really is the Faux Runner? Five and a half years ago, the Faux Runner was a couch potato who took up running “just for three months, […]
Boston Marathon 2015
April 23, 2015
Monday was “Marathon Monday” with Boston Marathon 2015 and thanks to the world of the interwebz, people in office cubicles in places like Atlanta were able to watch the live streaming of the race. And once the elite coverage was done, we were able to follow it through twitter, facebook and other social media. Every marathon is inspiring. And with its huge history, the Boston Marathon is no less inspiring. […]
The Bike and Me: How to change a Bike Wheel
April 20, 2015
I usually do a training recap on Monday and today it is slightly different. It is the tale of my bike. And me. And our relationship. And how I learnt how to change a bike wheel. When I first met her (the minions call her “Black Beauty”), I was smitten. We’ve been together for a year and a half on an easy ride – platform pedals, and saddle closer to […]
PINspiration Wednesday: What are you making yourself
April 15, 2015
It is time for PINSPIRATION WEDNESDAY! What is PINSPIRATION WEDNESDAY? In short, you write about a motivational quote or inspirational thing that you found on Pinterest (or anywhere else!). You are encouraged to look through other pinners and pass the love. More details here. I came across this collage that someone else had pinned. It looked like it was part of an ad-campaign, of what I don’t know. The pin itself didn’t lead to anyplace […]
Training Recap: Through Spring Break
April 13, 2015
This week was spring break and instead of taking the minions on a nice vacation, we ended up staying home because this usually supermom had a crazy brainfart moment and thought the break was the week before! We had no childcare either, so it was a juggling act trying to work, workout and watch the kids. Last year was much easier to workout during spring break with kids since I […]
PINspiration Wednesday: The Little Engine That Could
April 8, 2015
It is time for PINSPIRATION WEDNESDAY! What is PINSPIRATION WEDNESDAY? In short, you write about a motivational quote or inspirational thing that you found on Pinterest (or anywhere else!). You are encouraged to look through other pinners and pass the love. More details here. I was putting away my minions’ old books when I came across this one. And I knew it was meant for me! And you, and everyone. And so, even though […]
Bike 102: Bike Basics – Before, During and After a Ride
April 7, 2015
I’m a novice when it comes to cycling but I’m trying to learn as I go along. People are extremely helpful and have told me to ask all kinds of questions. The stumbling block to that is – I don’t know the right questions to ask. My bike is fairly new and is a well made brand and I have not had the time to face any serious issues (*crossing […]
Training Recap: A Weekend of Hips & Bunnies
April 6, 2015
6 months. 6 MONTHS. JUST 6 Months to Augusta 70.3. It seemed like just yesterday that I signed up and I had almost 10 months to get ready. Now it is down to 6 months. I could look back at this week’s training and as a worry-wort, wonder how I am to ever accomplish this huge goal. Or I could look at the steps I’m taking and continue to take the […]
The Friday Five Pin it Party
April 2, 2015
On the heels of my linkup of Pinspiration Wednesday (which I will admit is having starting troubles getting off the ground … so be a dear and pop over there to add in your links), I found Pin It Party hosted by Lindsay from The Lean Green Bean. So I’m joining that today and pushing some of my favorite pinnable posts from the past. And this also gives me pause to think and write […]
PINspiration Wednesday: Be Prepared & LinkUp
April 1, 2015
It is the first PINSPIRATION WEDNESDAY! What is PINSPIRATION WEDNESDAY? In short, you write about a motivational quote or inspirational thing that you found on Pinterest (or anywhere else!). You are encouraged to look through other pinners and pass the love. More details here. Today’s Pinspiration is simple – BE PREPARED! When you take on a goal or a challenge, when you are looking at something that is outside your comfort […]
Training Recap: Back to the Grind
March 30, 2015
After a huge weekend of a half marathon PR and kicking some hills, I don’t think it is fair that I could not even bask in the glow this week. Do you? Not because I was back at it (things don’t stop until September 27th), but because I was sick. I was a little “off” on Sunday evening, but by the time I woke up on Monday morning I wasn’t […]
Pinspiration Wednesday: LinkUp for Motivation
March 27, 2015
What is Pinspiration Wednesday? (Formerly Pinspiration Friday) We’ve all wandered around in Pinterest land (which I refer to fondly as Facebook on crack!) and found some memorable gems to share. Some of them might inspire and talk to you a little more than the others. Pick a motivation quote or something that inspires you and write about it and join me for the linkUp. Not a Pinterest person? No worries. Share […]
Georgia Half Marathon 2015 – Race Report
March 24, 2015
The Georgia Half Marathon was my first ever race in 2010. And it was my strong showing in the race in 2011 that gave me courage to sign up for my first marathon later that year. I’ve signed up every year since for it (although I didn’t actually end up running it a couple of years since it was 2 weeks after my Spring Marathon and I can’t really call it […]
Book Review – The Bicycling Big Book of Training
March 18, 2015
In a triathlon, especially the longer distances, you spend more time on the bike than swim or run. And hence in training, a lot of time is spent on the saddle. For me in particular, this saddle time is very important. Even if it is to simply learn not to fall off the bike! And so, I jumped at the chance to review the Bicycling Big Book of Training from Rodale, Inc. […]
Training Recap: A Mental Shift
March 16, 2015
A few weeks back, I was dreading writing my weekly training recap because I was feeling so very down. In fact, almost the entire month of February had me in a state – I was tired, I was not my usual perky self and the winter was just getting to me. Luckily, instead of letting myself be drawn into a full blown funk, I worked to establish a routine and to be positive – […]
Consistency in Training: A Tale of Two Runs
March 14, 2015
About the end of August, I had a 2.5 hour run. It wasn’t the first long run I’d done, but it was to be my first long run without walk breaks. The evening before the run, I was a partial mess. I was so nervous about having to run straight out. And I kept going back and forth with what if I couldn’t run it all (without walk breaks), and what if […]
Pinspiration Friday: Yoga Poses For Runners
March 13, 2015
What is Pinspiration Friday? Every other Friday, I scout around that wonderful place Pinterest (which I refer to fondly as Facebook on crack!) for motivation and inspiration to share. I usually share motivational quotes or inspirational messages during Pinspiration Friday. But this week I’m sharing something practical – a simple cheat sheet for yoga stretches. As runners and triathletes, focus on training and nutrition but sometimes forget the active rest […]
Training Recap: PRs and Bikes
March 11, 2015
After a week of all workouts completed and even an extra swim and a couple of yoga sessions thrown in, this week was a bit of aborted and missed workouts. But it all evened out (hopefully) when I had a marvelous weekend of racing and cycling. Training Monday was my usual rest day and I took complete advantage of it. But that also meant that I forgot my functional strength […]
Chattahoochee Road Race 10k – Race Report
March 10, 2015
The prep for the race started a little odd when Mike’s pre-race words were of “I want to see what you can do without instructions”. No pace or time requirement other than the generic – “negative split, race smart and finish strong.” Umm… ok. Ok. I can do that. I used to do it before when I took races seriously, and I can do it again. That was thought of in a more gleeful voice […]
Post Race Treats
March 5, 2015
Runners have this funny saying “I run so I can eat”. I say funny because once you become a goal oriented runner, whether it is simply running X days/week or Y miles/week or training for performance, most runners put in an effort to fuel themselves to improve their performance. So while we try to be conscious of what we eat throughout the week, a post race option seems to be […]
Night Runner 270° Shoe Lights – A KickStarter
March 4, 2015
As someone who runs in the early hours of the morning (and with a husband who runs in the late hours at night), this product caught my fancy! I love the idea and you know that this “christmas tree” will be getting one when they come out. “Night Runner’s back-facing distinctive red taillights are attention-grabbing to instantly alert motorists of your location. Each unit fastens securely to shoelaces via a […]
Swimming Analysis
March 3, 2015
Even before I signed up for Augusta 70.3 Half Ironman Triathlon, I loved swimming and I’ve always turned to it when I’ve not been able to run. My problem is – I am very very very slow. Nothing surprising here. Since I’m slow in all 3 sports! But swimming is said to be technique and form first, speed/strength second. Unfortunately, I don’t have it in my schedule right now to […]
Training Recap: Cupcakes and Long Runs
March 2, 2015
The past three weeks, I worked on overcoming my funk (for the lack of a better word) and establishing a routine. This week was about sticking to it and as a reward, I got to enjoy a long run outside. Your attitude is like a box of crayons that color your world. Constantly color your picture gray, and your picture will always be bleak. Try adding some bright colors to the […]
Pinspiration Friday: Be Positive
February 27, 2015
I had been feeling a little out of things these past few weeks. It was just an off feeling, a nagging feeling, nothing concrete that I can put into words. In fact, I do NOT want to voice it and put it into words. For there is power in words. The only times I was cheerful is when I’m with my minions, when I’m busy or when I’m talking/texting with friends. […]
Training Recap: The non-Snowpocalypse
February 24, 2015
When I looked at my Training Peaks at the beginning of the week, even though I was waiting on the next week’s schedule, I had a premonition that this week was going to be the last of my “easy” weeks. Or maybe this conversation gave me the premonition. So I tried to use this week to continue on the routine that I had got going last week. I know that it […]
Treadmill Running: Mental Tips
February 17, 2015
My FaceBook status this past Wednesday read – It was in the low 60s outside and the sun was shining brightly and I was on the treadmill running. A tragedy. But unlike others who hate the treadmill, I embrace it. When I first started running, I ran on the treadmill exclusively. Yes, I had taken a mad leap by signing up for a half marathon as my first race, but I was […]
Training Recap: Love the things you love to do
February 16, 2015
For some reason, maybe because it was the weekend of Valentine’s day, these lines were stuck in my head. It is a sonnet by Shakespeare made more famous by the Emma Thompson/Kate Winslet adaption of Jane Austen’s Sense and Sensibility. “Love is not loveWhich alters when it alteration finds,Or bends with the remover to remove:O no; it is an ever-fixed mark, That looks on tempests, and is never shaken;” Last week, […]
Bike 101 Class
February 9, 2015
If there was a ever a Bike 101 class, this would be it for me! After the series of falls from the bike last week, Mike offered to watch me on the bike to figure out what I was doing wrong and ride with me. I was thankful and nervous, but the nervousness was not because of my incessant falling. When I fell the second time last week, it hurt like a […]
Ultimate Coffee Date – February
February 7, 2015
I discovered the Ultimate Coffee Date LinkUp with Coco, Lynda and Deborah. This sounds like such a wonderful idea as a recap and just talk about things in general! If we were having coffee, … I’d tell you how this seemingly slight cold has knocked me out and is making me miserable. It is not big enough for me to excuse myself back to bed and take meds, but is just enough to […]
Every Run is not the Perfect Instagram Moment
February 6, 2015
The idea for this post started when I posted this photo of my minions to my Instagram account a few weeks back (Follow me if you already don’t!). It was a picture perfect moment with both the minions coming in first in their categories at a school “Reflections” event. The picture totally masked the fact that my 5yo had been throwing a tantrum just 20 minutes before and rolling on the floor!! […]
Like Riding a Bike
February 1, 2015
My main thought as I’m starting to write this – Maybe I should’ve learnt to ride a bike before signing up for Augusta 70.3! But riding a bike is as easy as … riding a bike! Right? Not if you’ve never ridden your bike with clipless pedals and a proper fit (which puts the saddle a mile high from the ground!). Everyone assured me that I’d fall a few times before […]
Dopey Challenge Race Report (Compiled)
January 31, 2015
This post on the Dopey Challenge Race Report is a compilation of all my Dopey days! Just a little blurb that hopefully makes it easier for someone to search and read them all (SEO – don’t give up on me now!!) Dopey Challenge: To go Dopey or Not to go Dopey (read before you register!) Week 0 : The Week Before Day 0 : The Expo Day 1 […]
Friday Five – Indoor Activities
January 30, 2015
I must be one of the rare people who actually likes training indoors. Obviously, outdoors is the best. But I’m faced with so many time and logistical constraints that having resources at home lets me continue training without too many breaks. All I need is to make sure that I wake up early enough to get the workout done! So instead of sharing Five “indoor” workouts, I’m sharing five activities that […]
My Worst Race
January 27, 2015
I’m joining “Tuesday on the Run” with Run the Great Wide Somewhere, MCM Mama Runs and My No-Guilt Life! Today’s topic: My worst race. What makes one give a race the title “my worst race”? It could be one with the worst possible finish time. Or one like Thanksgiving Day Half 2011, where I was completely humbled on course. Or the Atlanta 13.1 2013, which was a complete misery after mile 5 when I wasn’t prepared for the hilly onslaught and I got dropped. […]
Dopey Challenge Race Report – The Marathon
January 25, 2015
The day of the marathon started bright and early! Not really bright, but certainly early! (Maybe I should stop calling it the start of the day and just refer to it as the continuation of the previous night’s party!) Surprisingly, I wasn’t feeling nervous. All my nervousness was spent the day before during the half marathon, when I could barely get my breaths straight in the beginning! I was feeling […]
Lost in Translation
January 23, 2015
While growing up, I wanted to be an Archeologist who wrote cricket columns for Sportsweek (publication in India), or a writer who went on archeological digs (Agatha Christie!). Ended up taking no courses that were English or History related and they were relegated to a hobby and soon forgotten, even writing. A pity. Then came the social media age and I found blogging and even facebook posts sometimes. A perfect outlet for […]
Dopey Challenge Race Report – Half Marathon
January 17, 2015
After 3 nights of early wakeups and late bedtimes, I was so tired the night before that Shawna says I fell asleep mid-paragraph! And hence missed the start time memo. It was a hurried departure and we got slightly stuck behind merging lanes of traffic. But that helped us get a spot closer to the entrance! So all was good. For the half marathon, we went as Pirates ready to […]
Dopey Challenge Race Report – 10K
January 16, 2015
After kicking off the Dopey Challenge with the 5K on Thursday, our strategy should’ve been to kick back and put our feet up. Instead, I dragged everyone along to Harry Potter world in the afternoon. And we walked around a ton (well, du’h!). So I showed up to the start of the 10K on Friday Sleepy With aching legs. Make that killer aching legs. but complete with awesome costume for […]
Dopey Challenge Race Report – 5K
January 14, 2015
We started off the Dopey Challenge 2015 with the 5K race on Day 1. The race was starting “only” at 6:15am, so not so bad wakeup time. The weather ended up being cold and windy! Luckily, the costumes I had designed was going to be ok even with layers and layers inside! So the Fab 3 layered up to start the 5K. We drove up early enough and huddled inside […]
Dopey Challenge Race Report – Expo
January 13, 2015
The entire Dopey Challenge is such a huge saga that it needs to be in 4-6 parts! After plenty of freakouts during the taper week, my Dopey buddies and I started the drive down to the world on Wednesday. After a fun drive and a short stop for lunch at Panera in Gainsville, Florida (thanks to Ajit who had mapped out lunch stops earlier), we reached the Walt Disney World […]
Dopey Challenge – The Week Before
January 6, 2015
This week is the BIG adventure! The Dopey Challenge starts in TWO days when I shall run a 5k on Wednesday, 10k on Thursday, Half Marathon on Saturday and Marathon on Sunday totaling 48.6 miles over 4 days! I am excited and nervous at the same time. But determined to have a fun time and be strong all throughout. How does nervousness manifest itself? I obsess over the training, or […]
Word of the Year for 2015
January 3, 2015
Last year (or the year before) I read about the idea of picking a word of the year that influences you from Amanda at Run to the Finish. With my focus this year being on Augusta 70.3 and trying to manage my nutrition, I think Amanda’s approach is a great start to this. My word for the year is DISCIPLINE The word came up a few months ago as I […]
Looking back at 2014
December 29, 2014
At the end of 2013, I summed it up as – A bit of everything (running, yoga, crossfit, triathlon), a bit of focus lost and regained (running goals defined), a new love gained (triathlon and crossfit) and an old love reclaimed (running!). And so finishing up 2013 and going into 2014, I had just one race in April that I was training for. I was trying to juggle that with CrossFit. Here’s me looking back […]
Training for Dopey Challenge – Weekend 1
December 22, 2014
This was my first weekend of LONG training for Dopey Challenge! And nothing prepares you mentally for a LONG long run like the weather channel forecasting 100% rain during the exact 5 hours you expect to be out. I wasn’t looking forward to running that long in the rain, I didn’t want to either. But the alternative of changing my run days wasn’t an option either. I sort of knew what […]
First Yoga Class
December 18, 2014
I’m not a stranger to yoga. For the starting and winning point, I’m Indian and grew up with some form of yoga or the other. I used to regularly attend one class/week at the YMCA. And I have used p90x Stretch/Yoga while training. However, other than during pregnancy, I have not attended any at a yoga studio. I’ve been too intimidated! That is until a local yoga studio started a […]
Running Bloggers of Atlanta Dinner
December 17, 2014
This past Monday, Elizabeth from RunningForBling hosted a holiday dinner for some running bloggers. (She had one last year, but I was in Disney at that time!). Although I had interacted with Elizabeth on Twitter & Instagram, this was my first time meeting her in real life (if you exclude the fleeting 12 second ‘hello’ just two days before while running.) We had a little White Elephant gift exchange. There […]
Meeting Bill Rodgers at Jeff Galloway 13.1 Expo
December 13, 2014
I met Bill Rodgers 5 years ago in October at his running store while on vacation in Boston. I was hanging around Faneuil Hill Marketplace with my then 3yo and 10month old when I saw the running store. Mr. FauxTriathlete had his first half marathon coming up shortly and I wanted to get him a gift or motivational something. I met this nice guy at the store and started talking to […]
Augusta 70.3 Half Ironman – Registration
December 4, 2014
Need I say more? I will be swimming 1.2 miles, biking 56 miles and then running 13.1 miles at Augusta, GA – all hopefully within 8.5 hours. Who else is registered/planning to register? Want to follow along as I train for this mammoth? Follow me on other social channels and this blog! Twitter: @fauxrunner Facebook: www.fauxrunner.com/fauxrunner Instagram: www.instagram.com/fauxrunner Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/fauxrunner/ Bloglovin: Follow FauxRunner with Bloglovin (Visited 186 times, 1 visits today)
Atlanta Thanksgiving Half 2014
November 28, 2014
I’ve done the Atlanta Thanksgiving Half Marathon 3 times before – and except for the first time (where I went under 3hrs in a half marathon for the first time), the race has always ended in frustration for me; tears even. But it is a kind of tradition to run, brag and eat. Race Instructions Training Peaks said that I had to run the race with a steady pace of 13:30 […]
Long Run Recap – I Want More
November 16, 2014
I have waited quite a while to put my feelings from this week’s long run into words. And I don’t think I am still able to do justice to it. This post is a tad too long and all over the place. But still it needs to be said. I looked at this week’s 17 mile pace dictated long run (1 warmup, 7 @ 13:30, 6 @ 13:00, 3 @ […]
Throwback Thursday – Signing up for my PR race
November 13, 2014
This week’s Timehop app brought up the following picture and I thought it would be perfect for Throwback Thursday. (I usually do TBT posts only on Instagram, but since I’m writing for NaBloPoMo November, I might as well write a short post about it.) 3 years ago, on November 13th, just a month after finishing my first marathon at Chicago, I signed up for the New Orleans RnR Marathon. Why? I never thought […]
Cold Weather Running – What to wear
November 12, 2014
Last week, I started a mini-series on Cold Weather Running where I try to address the many aspects of running in cold weather (du’h!). How do you motivate yourself to get out when it is cold? What do you wear? What are somethings that are rarely mentioned when it comes to cold weather running? This post is the second in the cold weather running series. (I could share them all in […]
Training Recap – If Better is Possible
November 9, 2014
“7 relaxed miles, 5 strong miles, 2 hang-on-for-dear-life-miles, 1 wheels-fall-off-and-crawl/walk mile = 15 long miles dictated by pace targets.” That’s how I described my run today. It was a major milestone run, both in terms of training mileage and my mental readiness. The run was both awesome and miserable and I learnt quite a few important things today. Never ever run without water & electrolytes I always run with water, […]
Throwback Thursday – First Marathons
November 6, 2014
This week’s Timehop app brought up the following picture and I thought it would be perfect for Throwback Thursday. (I usually do TBT posts only on Instagram, but since I’m writing for NaBloPoMo November, I might as well write a short post about it.) On November 5th, 2011 Mr. FauxTriathlete completed his first marathon at Savannah. Just a month before, I had completed my first marathon at Chicago. October 2011 was […]
Cold Weather Running – Just Do It
November 4, 2014
Winter is here while bypassing fall altogether!! But what a change from the hot humid days of summer! The weather lends itself to curling up on the couch rather than some cold weather running, especially for someone like me who runs the first thing in the morning. How do you motivate yourself to get out when it is cold? What do you wear? What are somethings that are rarely […]
Training Recap: Long Run, Just Go
November 3, 2014
All week, I was looking forward to one run – the trail run at Kennesaw Mountain! Even though I started running these trails only a few months ago, I love the beautiful, historic and not too terribly difficult trails! Starting out along the side of the mountain just as the sun is coming up in front is one of those sights that I will never tire of! When I woke […]
Halloween Running Costume
November 2, 2014
I’ve usually worn some kind of accessory for halloween, but not run in a costume on halloween (plenty of costume running in races!). This time, I dressed up to run. No matter that the run was in the dark at 6am and no one else other than my running partner that day, Dawn, noticed it. I’m all for capes! No matter what Edna Mode says in Incredibles! This superhero wears […]
NaBloPoMo November
November 1, 2014
I’ve been a bit sporadic in writing on my blog other than weekly recaps or major training run updates. It has been a combination of writers block on finding topics interesting enough for others to read (I am not a fan of chronicling my day to life – absolutely of no interest to anyone but me and maybe close family members) and a combination of everyday real life taking over. So […]
Training Recap: Training to Run Happy
October 26, 2014
While logging my last run for last week, I wrote – “I’m starting to understand the difficulty of a long run on the day after a hard/long run. Was just looking back at some of the older similar runs – almost all of them have some kind of issue/whining!!” I know that the hard back to back runs is mental training, for my mind to go the distance along with my body. […]
Training Recap: Running and Real Life
October 20, 2014
We often say that running is cathartic, it releases more than just sweat and so on. Sometimes (most of the times), my running state of mind also reflects the curve that my real life is going along. This week had 2 tough runs that I successfully completed, and one run that I made tough on myself (more on that later). Similarly, I had a tough, long work week and managed […]
Training Recap – The Best and the Worst
October 13, 2014
If this week was any indication of the Dopey training to come, whew! The week started out with some issues behind my knee that developed quite suddenly after my long run last week on trails. When it didn’t go away after icing and rest, it was painful enough to scare me to seek help from the chiropractor and massage therapist. Stacy from TriBodyworks was nice enough to see me early […]
Run for Mind, Body and Soul
October 6, 2014
Sometimes there are runs which are exactly what your mind and body need; the fact that they are on your training schedule is an unexpected bonus! My trail run at Kennesaw Mountain Battlefield park was like that – a run for mind, body and soul. Even though I’ve walked up this mountain many times (And thought that the runners I’d see were absolutely batsh!t crazy! Who’d want to run on a […]
Ironman Chattanooga – What I learnt from Spectating
October 3, 2014
I’m not a stranger to volunteering or cheering at events. I’ve spectated all distances of running (5k to marathon) and a couple of sprint triathlons along being a sherpa (taking care of) of Mr. FauxTriathlete . This past weekend however, was the mother of them all – The Ironman Chattanooga. The famed 144.6 mile event (instead of the usually 140.6 miles) of 2.4mile swim, 116 mile bike (4 extra miles) and […]
Divas Half Marathon Peachtree City
October 1, 2014
I don’t know if the Diva’s Half Marathon is worth writing about after a whole month!! But I like to keep records of all races run and this will be a good one to read later. The inaugural Diva’s Half Marathon, Peachtree City was scheduled on my birthday, September 6th. And I knew I had to do it! What are the odds that I would get to run a fun […]
Ragnar Relay Napa Valley
September 30, 2014
What an EPIC weekend at the Ragnar Relay Napa Valley (in fact it was the highlight of an epic 10 days for me, but that’s a new post on a personal vacation)! 12 BAMRs (BadA$$ Mother Runners) lead by Sarah and Dimity, our two fearless leaders, took on Ragnar Relay Napa Valley. And the exuberance that we unleashed on the roads – I don’t think the roads leading in to Napa […]
AMRAP Nutrition Bar: Review and Giveaway
September 4, 2014
The following post is sponsored by Sweatpink on behalf of AMRAP. All opinions are my own. I was not compensated monetarily for this blog post. Being a busy working athlete, I’m always on the lookout for easy to carry nutrition that I can eat on the go and that can stay at the bottom of my purse until the day I am hungrily digging through it frantically. And bars are […]
Why do You Workout?
August 28, 2014
These past 2 weeks have been super crazy, hence the lack of blog posts. Mainly because I’ve got my supermom cape on. Since school has started, I have to maintain a strict schedule, my moorings are split up by the bus pickup time, my nights are longer having to fix lunches and snacks before I sit down for more work, and there is a never ending flow of things to […]
Bake Sale! Fundraising for JRDF
August 28, 2014
http://www2.jdrf.org/site/TR/TeamJDRF/JDRFNationalChallenge?px=9097790&pg=personal&fr_id=4083 In January, I will be taking on the Dopey Challenge in January (5k, 10k, Half Marathon and Full Marathon over 4 consecutive days Thursday-Sunday). Along with this physical challenge, I have joined Team JDRF to raise funds for the millions of people living with and affected by type 1 diabetes (T1D). My race entry, lodging, etc has already been paid for. So every $ you help me raise will go […]
Running Mantras
August 12, 2014
“A statement or slogan repeated frequently to aid concentration.” That would be my definition of running mantras. It is not enough to train your body to run through those miles, the mind also needs to be trained to lead the body. There a huge difference, for me atleast, in the way I deal with my body and mind. Unless I am in pain or I am running on low sleep reserves, my […]
Race Memories: Friday Five
August 8, 2014
When I think back to my favorite race memories – some of my best race memories are not the races where I was “blazing fast”, but those that I remember because of the hard work and heartbreak that went in to training for it. Which is why even my 5k PR doesn’t make the list, because I didn’t specifically train for the 5k. It was enroute to training for a marathon and I just […]
Homemade LaraBar
August 7, 2014
This was inspired by a Almond, Date, Walnut Cake that was posted as a good source of bike fuel. Since I’m always looking for something quick to eat as a snack (either in the morning before a tough-ish workout or in the evening when I get home from work), I decided to make it. A true Almond, Date, Walnut Cake of Spanish origins is made by kneading in almonds and walnuts into dates […]
Tips on How to be a Great Race Volunteer
August 5, 2014
This past weekend, I volunteered at the Acworth Women’s Sprint Triathlon with Shawna from Building Block, Jesica from rUnLadyLike and Lynn. Although I’ve volunteered in the past and cheered on Mr. FauxTriathlete at Augusta 70.3, it had been a while. But the emotions and fun were the same as before! Just like a race, I’ve learnt to be a better volunteer from the past. Here I am sharing some of my […]
Heroes in Recovery 6k
August 4, 2014
2 weekends ago, I ran a rather usual race – the Heroes in Recovery 6k. Instead of a regular 5k distance, this had an extra km. “The Roswell Heroes 6K is a unique run/walk presented by Foundations Atlanta. A Heroes in Recovery 6K is a 3.728 mile race that brings together those in recovery, their loved ones, supporters of the cause and whole communities in order to break the stigma surrounding addiction and mental […]
Race Day Preparations
August 2, 2014
For this post, I am joining the girls at You Signed Up For WHAT?!, The Cupcake Triathlete, and The TriGirl Chronicles for TriTalk Tuesdays to discuss race day preparations (yes, even though my post ends up being friday and not tuesday). Race day can be somewhat of a monster, considering all the time you’ve spent in training. Many a times, I’m so lost in training that I don’t give a thought to […]
Vega Sport Recovery Accelerator
July 25, 2014
As part of the FitApproach and VegaSport collaboration, I was sent a box of Vega Sport Recovery Accelerator to try. As a User Experience Architect and Brand Strategist in my real life, I looked at their Vega Sport’s campaign for #FuelYourBetter and was really impressed. This is what the Vega Sport website has to say about their recovery accelerator – “The first all-natural, plant-based recovery drink mix specifically developed to […]
Training Recap: What I learnt from Week 1 of HR Training
July 21, 2014
This week’s training recap is a little different. Instead of the usual day-by-day byplay, I’m going to focus on what I learnt from it all. Mainly because my entire week was dedicated to runs. 7 days, 5 runs – a 5k race, 1 recovery run, 2 base building runs and 1 ‘long’ run. This was also week 1 of training with a run focus (even though it is technically week […]
Virtual 5k Results
July 18, 2014
What a virtual 5k that was! The support over the internet from the running group was awesome and it was great to see so many people push themselves to a 5k and quite a few PRs along the way! We sure are a bunch of crazy people for racing without the need for a reward just because a complete stranger asks them to join her! Here are the people that checked […]
Kids Triathlon: Lessons from Little Miss FauxTriathlete
July 17, 2014
My Little Miss FauxTriathlete (8) is in training! She had her first “group training” for the kids triathlon and it focused on the bike. Specifically, how to pass another person on a bike. She has been riding for a grand total of 1 month and is very nervous rider. When she saw the ten or so other kids with their bikes, some with fancy bikes and some with cute bikes […]
Racing a 5k: Mental Chatter
July 16, 2014
Those who have met me in real life know that I never stop talking while running. Not even when running alone. My mind just talks to itself and comes up with interesting/boring dialogues (Is it still a dialogue if it is the same person doing both sides? Maybe it IS a dialogue because it feels like my mind is two different people. I digress …). So of course, when I was racing […]
My First Race
July 15, 2014
Today I raced a 5k as part of a run test. And in honor of that (and also as part of the InLinkz party), I’m reliving memories of my first race. The year was 1987. I was 11 years old and in 7th grade (Eek! I just dated myself!). With nerdy glasses and a nose buried among books, I was never athletic. But that particular year, for reasons best not disclosed […]
Training Recap – Shifting Focus
July 14, 2014
With the excitement of the Allatoona Sprint Triathlon signed up at the last minute and its aftermath, and then the Peachtree Road Race, I completely forgot to do a training recap for the past two weeks! All races done (for the time being), back to focusing on what was accomplished during the week and how it helps me towards my goal of Divas Half Marathon, Ragnar Napa and then the […]
Recipe: Cauliflower 65
July 12, 2014
I’m usually not a recipe sharer, mainly because I’m not very experimental and I am bad at taking food photos. Also, I cook a lot of Indian food for which there are better bloggers! But today’s cooking was such an absolute delight that I had to share it! It is the recipe of Cauliflower 65. For those familiar with Indian food this is (apparently) just like Chicken 65, which is […]
Virtual “Race a 5k”
July 11, 2014
Calling on all my running and walking friends everywhere because misery awesome loves company. I’m trying to get this going as a pure selfish personal challenge and would LOVE for people to join in!! What is it? It is an impromptu 5k “race”! Just like any race you would run on a weekend! Except you run it at your start and finish line. Oh – and there is no medal or swag […]
Peachtree Road Race 2014 – Race Report
July 6, 2014
Peachtree Road Race 10k – An Atlanta 4th of July tradition. A.k.a the party in the morning with 60,000 of your closest friends! This year was my 3rd year “running” it and 4th year taking part in it. It was also my 6th year of being present in the race – running or cheering. In “Training” for Dopey Challenge The Peachtree road race was to be my training run. Not for […]
Three Things Thursday – Diva’s Training
July 3, 2014
Instead of sharing something non-training related, I’m taking advantage of Three Things Thursday to share a few changes I’ve made that is worth mentioning and changes that I will carry forward. 1. I’m a runner. I need to run. The Divas Half Marathon is only 12 weeks away and I want to go for a PR. I may not be prepared enough for a time goal, but I want a […]
Allatoona Sprint Triathlon – Race Report
June 30, 2014
This is a race report that shouldn’t have been written at all. This was a race that wasn’t planned to happen and certainly not trained to race. But faced with a last minute entry from one of the sponsors, I succumbed to temptation and signed up for the Allatoona Sprint Triathlon. I had done a very similar course just last year. I was stronger than last year (not necessarily faster, sadly) […]
What do I need for my First Triathlon
June 25, 2014
So you want to Tri? You are a brand new wannabe triathlete and you don’t know where to start or how to sift through the overwhelming information. This post “What do I need for my First Triathlon” is meant to help a newbie who is looking to do their first triathlon (or an only triathlon) and does not want to spend anything more than they really have to. When I […]
Training Recap – Never Say Never Again
June 23, 2014
Never Say Never Again. As this training recap will show, the saying is right! I enjoyed doing the Acworth Women’s Sprint Triathlon last year but this year my focus was on getting ready for Ragnar Napa and then the Dopey Challenge. Just on Wednesday night, I was telling a friend how I would NOT do a triathlon this year because I didn’t have time to train for it. And on Thursday, […]
Enso Roller from EvoFit – Review & Giveaway
June 18, 2014
My journey into running started rather abruptly – a spur of the moment decision took me from being a couch potato to a half marathon runner in a matter of months. In the early days, all I knew was I had to run and I had to “stretch” after the run. Inspite of this “stretching”, I had “issues” every time I crossed mile 9-10. On recommendation from my local running […]
Memories from a Back of the Pack Runner
June 16, 2014
I’ve always been a back of the pack runner. I finish in the bottom 20% regularly. And while I’ve done my best to get faster, I seem to be perpetually slow. Always. (Another topic for another day). I have also been amongst the bottom 5% (or maybe the bottom 1% even), especially when I was starting out. In the super early days of this blog, I wrote a short post […]
Training Recap – Pushing through Physical Inertia
June 16, 2014
As much as I wish that every week of training is filled with enthusiasm and great results, it is not always the case. Some weeks, I’m positively bursting with energy and wish that I could do more, and some weeks I’m dragging myself to do anything, if at all anything. As this week’s training recap will show, I was mentally willing but physically tired. And since it is always the […]
Three Things Thursday – Socks, Flan and Dunking
June 12, 2014
Three Things Tuesday or is it Three Things Thursday? I always get confused! Anyway, three random facts from the week. (I’ve been told that I need to make TTT more personal. And I tried. But I can’t think of one thing that happened in my personal life that would be interesting to someone else reading my blog! Maybe next week! 1. It is never too soon to plan runDisney costumes! […]
Training Recap – Doing things that are Fun!
June 9, 2014
Every once in a while, you find yourself in the middle of things and they make you go “Huh? Why exactly am I doing this?” and then you realize that you do it because you are enjoying it, even though it might not serve a bigger purpose. This week’s training recap highlights that for me. Monday Started off the week with a PR – a back squat 1 rep PR […]
Wordless Wednesday
June 4, 2014
This week’s Wordless Wednesday comes from a random inspiration I found while running at my favorite trails. Not a day younger than 55, but they were talking, laughing and running like 15 year olds. They made such a picture perfect outlook as they ran past me that I *had* to take a snap. And that is today’s Wordless Wednesday – “Friends who run together, laugh together” (Visited 39 times, 1 visits […]
Training Recap: Making it through “Murph”
June 2, 2014
I kicked off the summer break with a great (and so-so) workout week. There is something awesome about not having to scramble to get the kids to the school bus and pack a millions lunches and snacks (ok, I exaggerate. Only 4 lunches and 8 snacks per day.) Except for the one rest day/lazy day that I took, I got something in every day. That in itself should be a […]
Three Things Tuesday – The Bike Version
May 27, 2014
While I ended 2013 with the best of intentions to continue triathlons, about 2 months into this year I decided that I was going to focus on running instead. I love the 3 sports individually but putting them all together freaks me out, especially the bike! And then there is a little matter of cross fit that I’ve taken up. So the bike that was put on the trainer in […]
My First Murph at Crossfit
May 26, 2014
Today, I completed my first Murph, a well known hero Crossfit WOD. Murph is a special WOD that a lot (almost all?) crossfitters do on Memorial Day which consists of a 1 mile run, 100 pull-ups, 200 pushups, 300 squats, 1 mile run. It is named so in honor of Navy Lieutenant Michael Murphy, who was killed in Afghanistan. You can read about the story behind Murph here. My box, Crossfit East […]
Three Things Tuesday – New Job
May 22, 2014
I don’t usually write about personal going ons in my blog (would people even be interested in reading about it?), but since my personal life affected my training life, I think personal stuff needs a mention just this once. And then I realized that it also very neatly makes up for Three Things Tuesday (or Thursday, which is what today is, by the time I finally published the blog post)! […]
Schedule of Races for the rest of 2014
May 9, 2014
2 weeks ago, I did not have a fall race on my schedule. Now, I have a heavy schedule of races for the rest of 2014. And in spite of some life changes including my littlest minion starting Kindergarden, I have goals for every one of these races. I’ll most probably be carried away and add races to this tweak this slightly, but here is my race schedule as it […]
Tribute to Roger Bannister’s Sub-4 Mile
May 7, 2014
Last week, I came across a post from Dan @ Running Dan, encouraging everyone to run their fastest mile on May 6th as a tribute to Roger Bannister’s Sub-4 Mile. And so I did. Although the sub-4 mile is known even to non-runners, here is a short background. On May 6th, 1954, Roger Bannister ran a mile race in three minutes 59.4 seconds. The first person recorded to have run a […]
Running the Ragnar Relay Napa Valley
May 5, 2014
Running a Ragnar Relay has been on my bucket list of races and when Dimity and Sarah (SBS), the awesome ladies at Another Mother Runner announced their Ragnar Napa contest, I didn’t want to miss a chance running the Ragnar Relay Napa Valley! I don’t usually send in my entries, mainly because I have very little creative imagination and very little time. But this time I had lots of time and with some help from […]
Mother’s Day Picks for the Mother Runner
May 3, 2014
As a runner (and sometimes wannabe triathlete), I always hope for gifts that are running related. After all, our lives as a mother and runner is so intertwined. Why not get something that I’m going to use, and that will put a smile on my face every time I use it? And although my husband refuses to buy me anything more running related, my kids know that I appreciate my […]
Adventures in Donut Making
April 23, 2014
I tasted my first donut at the age of 26 when I came to this country. There was a Krispy Kreme near my grad school and I went there with my classmates. I remember asking what type I should get for my first donut and got a glazed donut. I remember almost gagging on it with the sweetness of the topping. I since tried a bunch of varieties in Krispy […]
To Dopey or Not to Dopey Challenge, That is the Question
April 18, 2014
Just as I was thinking of what to do next, my running buddies started to talk about the Dopey Challenge! The runDisney website says “Run 48.6 miles of fun in the Dopey Challenge!” I am not exactly sure about the “fun” in running close to 50 miles!! DisneyWorld races start at an insane time in the morning so that is 4 days of 2am wakeup calls. And there will […]
Cyclists Hit at New Orleans
April 17, 2014
A group of us made the trip to New Orleans in 2012 to run the Rock ‘N Roll Marathon. While passing the various bodies of water, the triathletes amongst us remarked on the incredible choppiness (and perhaps a bit murkiness) of the water. That was my first introduction to a triathlon event in New Orleans. This past week, New Orleans 70.3 Ironman Triathlon was in the thoughts of a lot of […]
A Tiny ‘Personal Trainer’
April 10, 2014
After I wrote this post, I realized that it was a actually a post on how cute my 5yo is. So for a short parent brag, continue on reading. For those who know me well, you’d know that I’m obsessive when it comes to get my workouts in. And especially so when I’m trying to be a super-working-(mostly)Single-mom-wannabe-athlete. With a new client taking up close to 1hr commute time (each […]
Tips: How to workout with Kids
April 6, 2014
There is nothing more exciting than school breaks when you have little kids (or if you are a teacher). Especially when the break happens to fall during a time when you can take off of work! But fitting your workout/training in is a hard deal when you have kids home and they don’t have a set schedule. I have found that it is so much easier for me to have workouts […]
Tu-Tu Magnificient
March 28, 2014
Running world was taken by storm this week. After the selfie bandit runner at the Georgia Half Marathon (who continues to get coverage from media outlets who think her stunt was extremely funny instead of wrong); there was this, SELF Magazine criticizing tutu runners – SELF Magazine’s ridicule of the tutu runners had almost everyone up in arms against them. One of the main reasons runners of every kind – serious, […]
Selfie Bandit at Georgia Half Marathon
March 26, 2014
In any race, you can see all sorts of people – different sizes, different hairstyles, different clothes, different pace, … but there was someone entirely different this Sunday – a Selfie Bandit at Georgia Half Marathon. Anyone who reads my race reports knows that I take pictures during a race. Lots of pictures. In fact, I was chastised for that habit right after my first marathon. But selfies now … Even though […]
Georgia Publix Half Marathon 2014 – Race Report
March 24, 2014
When a race like the Georgia Publix Half Marathon (2014) that has a reputation of a brutally hilly course can produce a picture like this, the race report can only be one word (or three) – FUN with FRIENDS! So this race report is more of a picture slide show and less words. If I must say something – tough course but great race, lots of people. I ran with […]
Mizuno: What if Everybody Ran
March 13, 2014
I came across the new brand campaign from Mizuno: “What if Everybody Ran?” and was immediately smitten by it! (Other than a runner, I am a user experience architect in real life and this campaign was gorgeous, designed to catch the eye and very easy to read through!) Of course, it also helps that I am a Mizuno Wave Inspire girl 🙂 Mizuno has statistics to show emotional, economic, […]
Enjoy the Run, Enjoy the Life
March 11, 2014
As a person who has absolutely fallen in love with running, I cannot imagine otherwise. Choosing not to run and/or choosing not to love running. Maybe it’s just a reflection on my personality for wearing my heart on my sleeve, but I was reminded yesterday why I keep going back to look for those moments. The group run this past weekend was hosted by a local running store as a […]
Hibernating my Dream
March 7, 2014
Back in November, I started the 6 month training path to my “Mystery Marathon“. I had my dream race picked for marathon #5 and all that was needed was to train consistently. A destination race. In a city that I’ve always loved and I’ve wanted to visit again. I blocked flights for my family last Tuesday with the intention of paying for them on Friday morning. Thursday morning, due to unforeseen, […]
Fruit Kebabs – Quick and Colorful Treats
February 27, 2014
One of my minions had a fruit kebab at a class party last year and ever since then she’s been wanting me to do it for her birthday. Well, the big day came and I decided to do it. As always, I left everything to the last minute and so ended up with only fresh strawberries and cheese. Even the skewers I had to cut in half since the ones […]
The Power of Words
February 23, 2014
The power of words, however casually said, is enormous. It has the ability to motivate and inspire. It provides me with extrinsic motivation, and has the ability to pull me through when least suspected. (Of course, I’ve also been told that I’m a bit over-dramatic at times 🙂 ) Anyway, case in point – this morning’s run. I started the intended 12 mile run with a smile. I took my […]
It’s not what the body looks like, It’s what the body can do for you
February 7, 2014
Sometimes I am reminded that, no matter how much I protest, I am now a special brand of crazy called an (faux)athlete. This was one such occasion. On Tuesday night, the Biggest Loser finale results was on a lot of people’s feed, especially in the fitness social media. A former swimming champion, Rachel won the $250K prize money by losing the most body percentage fat of all the remaining contestants. […]
Snowpocalypse Atlanta 2014
January 31, 2014
Regularly scheduled writings about running & fitness (or triathlon) is interrupted to write about Snowpocalypse Atlanta 2014. Snowmageddon. Snowjam. Whatever you want to call it. Or a shake of the head and sniggering laugh, if you are from the North of the US of A (or Europe or other naturally cold regions). We have had so many below freezing days in HOTlanta this winter that it became a common joke […]
BRFs and Mind over Body
January 26, 2014
One of the most amazing things about BRFs (Best Running Friends) are that they are just like best friends – you can pick up your pace and mile just where you left it the last time. This weekend, Dawn, a BRF who moved away to Boston, came down to visit and run with us! She was so awesome in coming out to meet me early for a few solitary miles […]
Good Form Running Analysis
January 23, 2014
Running (or walking) is such a natural thing that we don’t think twice about it. It is a basic motor skill development and a milestone when a baby begins to walk/run. As kids grow up and they discover the joy of running with the wind in their hair, they just run. But somewhere along the way, some of us (most of us) become sedentary adults for whom running has provided […]
EnergyBits Review and Giveaway
January 21, 2014
The giveaway has ended. Congrats Kevin T! “ENERGYbits are only available at ENERGYbits.com, and Jonathan (their Brand Manager) has shared with me that he’d be happy to connect anyone with a current ambassador to share a discount on a bag of bits – you can email him at jlevitt@energybits.com“ I had seen references of EnergyBits all over twitter and some blog reviews earlier, but my interest was piqued when someone tweeted about […]
Winter Break Training Recap: Dec 21 – Jan 4
January 6, 2014
I don’t usually write a weekly training plan or recap (although I think it is a great idea to be accountable in public), but these past week of winter holidays has been so blissful that I’m compelled to record and brag about it. And perhaps continue this trend so you can get a glimpse into what workouts with a person who wants to do everything and probably has no clear […]
Resolution Run 5k 2014
January 2, 2014
January 1st. The time for resolutions. And the mandatory “Resolution Run”. This race has almost become a tradition for me for the past 4 years (I missed it last year and well … my racing year did not go well, so why jinx myself!). We’ve always gone as a family with my minions doing the kids races, but this year Daddy didn’t wake up even when I poked him quite […]
Highlights of 2013
December 27, 2013
The time between Christmas and New Years is recap and summary time. Just like last year, I am following Miss. Zippy’s lead in looking back at “How was your year of running?” Best Race Experience 2013 was super low key for me with no major races. And the 2 major races I did this year tie for best race experience. I went into the race burnt out, completely under trained […]
12 Days of Christmas WOD
December 26, 2013
Christmas Eve was my 4 year “runniversary”. What better way to celebrate than with a run with BRFs (and by having a giveaway. Don’t forget to enter the giveaway for some great prizes)! Although I would have liked 12 miles, I cut it short at 5 since I wanted to do crossfit as well! I started back at Crossfit after a 2-3 month hiatus (sickness, vacation and more sickness), just […]
4year Runniversary Giveway
December 25, 2013
On Christmas Ev, 4 years ago, I took my first running steps out of fear that I would not be able to complete my first race – a half marathon 12 weeks away. At the same time, I started this blog to document my thoughts. Never did I think that those first steps would stay with me and carry me to 4 years. Running and me have had our ups […]
Koss Fit Series Review
December 23, 2013
This post is sponsored by FitFluential LLC on behalf of Koss. All opinions, as always, are my own. I was recently sent the Koss Fit Series headphones (the FitBuds and the FitClips) to review as part of a FitFluential campaign. If you aren’t familiar with the Fit Series, Koss’ designers teamed up with Gold Medalist Dara Torres to create the world’s first headphones designed specifically for women, by women. Given my […]
MIA Vacation
December 19, 2013
I’ve been MIA from my blog a bit !! First it was sickness and then it was sickness mixed with a long awaited trip! We had a magical week, with a bit of tantrums, meltdowns and remnant sickness thrown in. A few teaser pictures before I resume normal blogging posts! (Visited 124 times, 1 visits today)
Motivation to Run through Winter and Holidays
November 27, 2013
Finding motivation to run through winter and the holidays can often be hard. And just because the weather is cold, that is no excuse to not run (or atleast, that is what I tell myself!). But it is harder to leave the warmth of the bed in dark:00am for a run (or bike/swim/gym). I’m a relatively new runner with only 3 winters under my running shoes. And it hasn’t gotten […]
Date Night with Andy Potts
November 25, 2013
When all3sports announced the weekend with Andy Potts, Professional Triathlete and multiple 70.3 & 140.6 winner; my first thought went to the evening with Craig Alexander, again organized by all3sports. I was super excited about meeting Crowie and then life (and my minions) took over and I missed the event. So this time, I was determined to not let to let that happen and instead dragged my minions along (if […]
Consistency – Back to Basics Training
November 20, 2013
It is not yet January , the time for goals and resolutions. But I have my goal picked out for this season and I’m going to treat the next 5 months as a “mini-year” with goals, resolutions and check points! I have a SMART goal (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, Time-based) – for a marathon that I will refer to as the “Mystery Marathon”. And the goal in this marathon is […]
runDisney Atlanta Meetup
November 18, 2013
If you can’t go to Disney, then bring Disney to you at the runDisney Atlanta Meetup! That is what #OnTheRoadToDisneyParks was all about and Atlanta was lucky to have the first meetup. Even though I’m not running any Disney events this year, we are going down in December. What better way to get me all extra excited about our trip!!! Amy from Mom’s Magical Miles and I carpooled down […]
Chocolate Fudge Balls – Borrowed Recipe
November 7, 2013
This past weekend was a major Indian festival – Diwali, known as the Festival of Lights. We Indians light a lot of lamps and firecrackers, and eat a lot of sweets (oh wait, we do the sweets part no matter what the festival). I usually make a small customary sweet and skip on the rest, this time the minions wanted to make something special and I found this recipe for […]
Three Things Tuesday – Favorite Posts
November 5, 2013
The next in my series of Tuesday Favorites (I’m looking to make this a bi-monthly post!) and I’m excited to share some of my favorite posts. This awesome 30min yoga routine for runners from Runners World. I’ve tried a lot of yoga DVDs and some of my own make-up-as-I-go poses and try to target the usual problem spots for runners. This routine hits the sweet spot. I usually get through […]
A runDisney Meetup RoadTrip to Atlanta
October 30, 2013
A classic example of being in the right place at the right time. In cyberworld, that is. A few days ago, there was this tweet from @rundisney, that I honestly didn’t give a second thought to. I mean, what are the odds that they’d pick Atlanta, right? It's official! #runDisney Meet-Ups are going on the road. More details to come… #OnTheRoadToDisney — runDisney (@runDisney) October 29, 2013 And then, at […]
Spectating a Race with Kids
October 9, 2013
This past weekend, I was at Augusta for the 70.3 Half Ironman. Not to race it, but to support and cheer my husband in this first (almost) triathlon. I’ve always known that I’ve missed my calling as a race cheerleader because the next best thing to being in the race is cheering the racers. I love the adrenalin rush and love the overwhelming feeling of motivation that comes over me. […]
Hills, Hills, and More Hills – A 13.1
October 7, 2013
My race report for the 13.1 AllState Atlanta ends right at the title – it was hills, hills and more hills. This was Half Marathon #8 (or is it 9?) and surprisingly the first one after Alien Half Marathon LAST YEAR in August!! Even though I’ve run 2 marathons since August. I had done this race 3 years ago and it was Half #2. It was the old course and […]
Three Things Tuesday – The One with the Epic Half Marathon
September 24, 2013
I love reading blog posts by some amazing people and have found plenty of gems. I thought it would be cool to share it and also to document it so I can come back and look at it whenever I want to. So with that thought, this is a start of my Tuesday Favorites post. (That doesn’t really rhyme. It should be Friday Favorites, but Friday is my Pinspiration Friday. […]
Wordless Wednesday – Runner Meets Pavement
September 19, 2013
The harvest moon. 5am run. Bad spots in otherwise nice roads. Runner meets pavement. Runner – 0 Pavement – 1. (Visited 41 times, 1 visits today)
Keep Moving Forward
September 17, 2013
I am constantly amazed at how the Universe sends signals in the most random places that can influence or empower us if we are listening. Life and running/triathlon are so intertwined with each other that there are plenty of life lessons to be learned from running/triathlon and vice-versa. Last week, I attended a triathlon transition clinic by Dan Arnett of Endurance Concepts, an Atlanta based coaching group. While it had the […]
My Little Tech Junkie!
September 4, 2013
Just when I wrote the Tech Junkie or Tech Slave post, kidlet #2 (4) demonstrated that she is a chip off the old block by “running” all around the house but insisting that she wear my Garmin for it. And when she finished – she wanted to see how far she had run and how fast!! Goes to show how much we influence our kids! Do your kids imitate you […]
Week #12: Long Run Reflections
August 26, 2013
This week marked my official end of my first Tri “season” (if a single event can be called a season) and the start of shifting focus towards my next goal. While I do not have a set goal yet, I am leaning towards a half marathon in November. So the weekend marked my first long run in quite a while. Although temperatures were slightly cooler when I started, it was […]
Tech Junkie or Tech Slave?
August 23, 2013
Previously a couch potato all my life, I only started running 3 years ago (4 actually to this Christmas Eve!). Other than my husband, none of my real life friends were into running (although most of them had good physical measurements). And although I love him, my husband’s “Shut Up and Do It. Don’t talk about it.” attitude made me turn to social media outlets to discuss running. And I took […]
Acworth Women’s Sprint Triathlon
August 16, 2013
Tri-ing again was a great feeling. An almost first time and this time, I loved it! Having registered for the race at a rather last minute, I was surprisingly calm and not nervous at all. Sure I was nervous about the swim and hills on the bike, but nothing that is close to the near state of nervous wreck I usually am on race day! Having friends to come cheer […]
Tri-ing Again
July 29, 2013
The last time I wanted to do a triathlon (IronGirl in May), I had close to panic attacks just thinking about it. So when thoughts of Acworth Women’s Sprint triathlon rolled up, I firmly pushed it away. I did not want to feel overwhelmed and lose fun. But I had a brand new bike and was biking a bit to cross train. There were friends who were doing open water […]
Peachtree Road Race 2013
July 9, 2013
Growing up in India, August 15th, India’s Independence Day would be day full of flag ceremony at school, followed by speeches and other cultural events, the much awaited sweets, and then returning home to hear more speeches from politicians. It was a day of wearing white, of reflection and appreciation of what the freedom fighters had endured (the millions of people, not just Gandhi. Wikipedia has a “short” history, if […]
Open Water Swim – Sans Wetsuit
June 28, 2013
As the alarm went off at 5:30am (again!) and I started the long drive up to the lake for an open water swim, I wondered why exactly I was doing this. I haven’t signed up for any race, I don’t have to do XX miles or XX workout, and I certainly don’t have to drive 40min to face one of my biggest fears – an open water swim. But when […]
Bart Yasso on Training, Marathons and Triathlons
June 25, 2013
Yesterday, I had the chance to run and then hangout with Bart Yasso at Big Peach Running Company, our local running store. Both run and hangout are very loose terms that I will deliberately not elaborate on 🙂 (As hard as it may be to believe, I did not stalk him but instead learnt of his run at the store through twitter #runchat) After a short easy 3.5 mile run, […]
First 50m Pool Swim
June 24, 2013
Last Friday, with a sudden burst of dutch courage (the same one that makes me do some crazy things once in a while!) I decided to go to the 50m county pool instead of my usual 25yds. To get used to the cold, I tried the bobbing in water technique suggested at OWS clinic (not really that cold at 81F, but as usual it felt so to me at first dip.). […]
Spirit of the Marathon 2
June 19, 2013
Soon after I saw the first Spirit of the Marathon, it became such an inspiration and motivation for me that I’d see it every time I was on the treadmill. Especially powerful since the movie was about Chicago Marathon and I was training for the Chicago marathon. Or maybe I was inspired to sign up for Chicago over Marine Corps or anything else because I watched it. Whatever be the […]
Intro to Crossfit
June 6, 2013
I’ve been wanting to try CrossFit for sometime now. And it was mostly fear that was stopping me. On Wednesday, I gathered up a lot of Dutch courage and went in for an introductory class. I had emailed back and forth with the owner for a while, letting him know that I was nowhere close to doing even 10% of what regular crossfitters seem to do and he was very […]
The Evening “Runs”
May 30, 2013
I went out to run a short 3 miles on tuesday with Big Peach Running Company, our local running store. I’ve never usually made it out, but it was a short 3 mile instead of the usual 5 miles and my husband was home early, so I dashed over. The drive was where the dash ended. I wilted about 1.75 – 2 miles into the run. There was a ton […]
Mango Salsa with Harvest Grains
May 28, 2013
I LOVE mangoes. Love them! Then I wrote a post on some of my favorite mango recipes, Indian style. And when my husband came home with a big bunch of super sweet mangoes, I had a sudden hankering for mango salsa. But I wanted something more healthy than chips to eat with it. I was initially thinking of quinoa, but I spotted Trader Joe’s harvest blend in my pantry. The […]
Fastinista – Summer Watermelon
May 25, 2013
Does it already feel like summer or do you wish for summer to get here? Why not dress up cool like summer to get your wish? I wore this outfit on plenty of group runs to many compliments. I was told that I looked very like ‘summer’ and another person told me that I looked like a watermelon! So why not? Summer Watermelon it is! Skirt Sports’ Gym Girl Ultra […]
Pinspiration Wedneday – I’m Making Myself
May 17, 2013
I came across this collage that someone else had pinned. It looked like it was part of an ad-campaign, of what I don’t know. The pin itself didn’t lead to anyplace on the internet, so I have no idea about the context of the images. But it got me thinking – In all the 3 years that I have been running, this is the first year that I have not signed […]
We are in this together – Augusta 70.3
May 15, 2013
Everytime our conversation brings up the word “Augusta”, my husband just nods. I am nervous, excited and a bit anxious about how the next 20 weeks will shape out. This is one of the times when I am glad that my husband is more level headed and takes things cool, without majorly showing any reaction or wearing his heart on his sleeve. Because I am reacting plenty for both of […]
Pinspiration Friday – Focus on Yourself
May 3, 2013
Every Friday, I scout around that wonderful place Pinterest (which I refer to fondly as Facebook on crack!) for motivation and inspiration to share. This week, this pin popped up on my ‘timeline’ without me having to dig in at all. As I read this, I started thinking about how much we tend to think about the people around us, the influences, the one we are influenced by, the chaos, […]
It is not you. It is me.
April 30, 2013
Dear Triathlon, I seem to have this relationship with you where I’ve wanted to go out with you and then pulled back, then wanted to go out and hesitated again, and then … you get the drift. When I first started on a journey to loose my baby weight(which has since then turned into a journey to stay fit and do some crazy things along the way), I joined the Y […]
Speedwork Tuesday
April 24, 2013
Speedwork makes me nervous. Especially one on a track with other people and a coach. The one that I attended yesterday with Coach Cawood of No Boundaries Multisport was no different. A whole bunch of fast fit people, a track, and a coach with a clipboard! We started out with a mile warmup (the others went 1.5 miles) and a whole lot of drills. High knees, Butt kicks, lunges with […]
#RunForBoston
April 23, 2013
Almost all running stores across the country had a Boston dedicated run on Monday, a week after the bombings. And in spite of all the monday craziness, I went to our local running store to take part in the solidarity run. It was honoring and humbling to be a part of this amazing community. We started the run in silence, but ended with noise, chatter and laughter, as we took […]
4.15.2013 – Boston
April 17, 2013
Wordless Wednesday – Because there are no words to describe this horror and tragedy. (Visited 151 times, 1 visits today)
All Things Mangoes – Indian Style
April 17, 2013
When Courtenay at Running with Perseverance asked for mango recipes, I knew I had to dwell in to some of my favorite Indian ones. While it might be a tad exotic for my US friends, I grew up loving the sweetness and the savory of mango with Indian flavours. We had a mango tree in our backyard which mum used for raw mango recipes. As kids, we were very disappointed that we […]
Our First Multisport Race – A Duathlon
April 14, 2013
Hubby is on his road to Augusta 70.3! Apart from my Callaway Sprint 2 years ago, this duathlon was our his first multisport race and he did pretty good. He started on the bike only about 6-8 weeks ago and has gotten quite comfortable in clipless pedals. Cheering was hard work though! He got to nap in the afternoon while I have to be up with the kids 🙂 We got […]
#BestRun
April 8, 2013
I am usually all over a challenge like Miss Zippy’s Best Run Link Up. However, since I have hardly run since my Little Rock Marathon, this was really a challenge for me! What makes a run a “Best Run” anyway? A good pace/splits/distance Running a good pace with even/negative splits always makes for a great run for me. In my training cycles, I am usually all about hitting a certain […]
I Can … But I Didn’t
April 8, 2013
My usual weekend run recaps are a reflection on my enjoyment or struggles. And they involve double digits, some lessons learned, some sunshine to keep me going and the runners high that I am addicted to. This weekend run was “only” 4 miles “long” but writing it down is rather hard for me. Because it is making me face up to the fact that I did not take this run […]
I’m Going to Bootcamp
April 4, 2013
Last week while catching up on my blog readings, I came across one that mentioned doing an online bootcamp. Huh? An online bootcamp? I was intrigued and had to check it out. Scheduled by Tina Raele and called “Best Body Bootcamp”, the description read “An 8 Week Fitness Program adapted for all fitness levels and geared to improving your lifestyle.” I have been trying to land on a strength training […]
#EngageTheBasics April Challenge
March 31, 2013
Barbara created this challenge as a means for us to remember the basics needed to continue on our journey to being a stronger runner. Taking all of 8 minutes, it consists of 2minutes foam rolling (I added in 5 min instead of 2, as I can never get anything done in 2min) 1 minute plank 1 minute side planks (30 sec. Each side) 1 minute push-ups (however you need to […]
0.0
March 24, 2013
Oh! The things I do for bling (or a TShirt!). I very rarely sign up for 5k races without looking at the weather forecast. The logistics of the race takes more time than the running itself. The Atlanta Women’s 5k race had the allure of a really cute TShirt, in purple this year, and a necklace. It also was to be my first “race” race, where I planned to […]
Pinspiration Friday
March 22, 2013
Every Friday, I scout around that wonderful place Pinterest (which I refer to fondly as Facebook on crack!) for motivation and inspiration to share. Our bodies, we can train. It is our mind that shows us the limitless possibilities. Connect with me during the week on other social channels for more inspiration and positive thoughts. @fauxrunner on Twitter The Facebook home of Fauxrunner Inspiration board on Pinterest (Visited 46 times, […]
All Things Pink
March 21, 2013
This week was all things pink! Started off with the pink shirt I got from my group Marc. The picture doesn’t do justice to the pink of the T Spring wasn’t spring after all; with the need to cover up completely on a cold run. So out came pink compression socks. I hate wearing compression socks with capris though. Just weird! Finished off with a pink smoothie! Bananas, frozen mixed […]
What’s Next? Post Little Rock Marathon
March 13, 2013
Now that I have successfully gotten through my goal of finishing Little Rock Marathon, what’s next in store for me? I had gone into the race pretty burnt out with running and frustrated with the forced pace changed in the past 4 months. I came out having rediscovered my running mojo and looking for what to do next. I’m taking a break from the marathon distance; something that I should […]
All Out Low Impact HIIT by Cathe
March 9, 2013
As a (faux) runner, I have been looking avidly at different types of cross-training and strength training. Of late, given the constraints of time in a full-time working mom’s life, I have started looking into at home DVDs and have been doing the couple I have. I was looking to change things up when I received this DVD from Cathe. The ‘All Out Low Impact HIIT’ is part of the […]
Pinspiration Friday – It’s your Run
March 9, 2013
I’ve had a lot of hiccups in my get me to the start and across the finish line plan training for Little Rock Marathon. It is finally time for the race. Time to run. Time to be strong. Time to keep moving. Original from the Facebook page of Slow is the New Fast Every Friday, I scout around that wonderful place Pinterest (which I refer to fondly as Facebook on […]
#4 Little Rock Marathon
March 6, 2013
“If you want to win something, run the 100 meters. If you want to experience something, run a marathon.” – Emil Zatopek, Gold medal in 5k, 10k and the Marathon at Helsinki Olympics I chose to run Little Rock Marathon for the promise of a huge medal. In spite of a chilly 22F start at 6am, I started nice and slow and my race strategy ‘Start Slow and Back Off’ […]
Pinspiration Wednesday – Inspiration from the Week
March 1, 2013
All of this week, I’ve been posting motivational quotes on my facebook wall (“Like” me at www.facebook.com/fauxrunner – you are seriously missing out if you are not). And when Pinspiration Friday rolled along, the day that I scout around that wonderful world of Pinterest for motivation and inspiration to share, it struck me that my collection this week was a wonderful pin-worthy collection! Pin away! photo credit: h.koppdelaney via photopin cc photo credit: [ […]
Who do You want Waiting at the Finish Line?
February 28, 2013
I saw the ‘Hey Girl’ sign at Chicago Marathon last year and it brought a HUGE smile to my flu-hazed mind. Not because I have seen Ryan Gosling, but because of girly silliness and the memories of the meme.The Channing Tatum, someone posted on my facebook page and of course, he’s the new “hottie” after Magic Mike. In my alternate reality, If I could have THE person waiting for me at the […]
“Healthy Yogurt” – Yay or Nay?
February 25, 2013
As a mom who is always in a hurry to get the kids to school, to get myself to work and then to add in a round of training/workout, I thought healthy yogurt was the bomb. Especially the organic, low-fat, no added sugar or greek variety. What could be better than a snack that has a reputation for being healthy, comes in a neatly packaged container and is loved by […]
Pinspiration Wednesday – Breathe Through It
February 22, 2013
I’ve been feeling very overwhelmed for the past two weeks. The usual life of a wannabe supermom, working full time and adding in training into the mix (sloooooow training, which doubles the time spent on the activity). The beginning of the week, I made a post about being exhausted and overwhelmed. While a lot of advice was to cut down on things, one of the best from a fellow supermom […]
Will Run for Cupcakes
February 19, 2013
This weekend’s run was one last attempt at getting some long miles in before a short taper for Little Rock Marathon. With 16 miles planned, I was lucky to have 2 running buddies rag-team me for the effort. Unfortunately, a little bit of Math error ended up with me getting in almost 2 extra miles. While the run itself was pleasant, my legs were screaming at me towards the end. […]
Shout Out of the Week
February 17, 2013
Regular musings and ramblings on the blog is interrupted to give a HUGE shout out to Ashley !! She is not a stranger to this blog, having been featured last year on her adventures in double-strollerdom. At that time in September, she was thinking about attempting the RnR Seattle Marathon. But she changed her plans. On Sunday, she ran her first marathon at IMS Arizona Marathon! What an amazing journey […]
What Goes Up Does Not Necessarily Come Down
February 11, 2013
This weekend’s run was mostly a I will be miserable if I have another bad run “I am going to be positive and take it mile by mile” kind of run. After the mishaps with my back (again), and then the sickness (again), I planned to do 16 instead of the 21 on plan. The route was in a very hilly location, but I’ve had good runs everytime we have been […]
Pinspiration Wedneday: Keep Moving Forward
February 8, 2013
Every Friday, I scout around that wonderful place Pinterest (which I refer to fondly as Facebook on crack!) for motivation and inspiration to share. Today’s Pinspiration is thanks to runwiki.org! One of the important times where running and life cross paths. Original post at runwiki.org Connect with me during the week on other social channels for more inspiration and positive thoughts. @fauxrunner on Twitter The Facebook home […]
February 4, 2013
As a working mother with little kids and a husband who travels, I am banished to the treadmill in my basement a lot. When I first started running, I was embarrassed to run outside and gladly made the treadmill my friend. Then I discovered the joy of feeling the mix of wind/humidity and sweat on my face and I ran on the treadmill only if I couldn’t go outside. Which unfortunately, has […]
Reflections on a Dark Run
February 4, 2013
When you run at 60% of your ability, your mind wanders and it can dwell in dark places. I had a tough run this weekend, not because it was hard, but because it felt impossible. On a day of a super cold 23F start (cold for this warm-blooded runner), I struggled from miles 4 – 7 and it was almost impossible to think of me ever completing Little Rock Marathon. […]
You Know You are a Mother Runner When ….
January 29, 2013
You know you are a Mother Runner when … You go with your 6yo a Girl Scout camp dressed in your warmest running clothes with running skirt (of course) and Compression Socks. My 6yo and Me painting Fairy Wings (Visited 60 times, 1 visits today)
The Busy Excuse – Pinspiration Friday!
January 25, 2013
Struggling to find the motivation or time? You can spare 30 minutes out of 1440, can’t you? I found this on the internet a while back. I don’t remember where I found it from.If this is yours, please let me know and I will gladly give you credits. Connect with me during the week on other social channels for more inspiration and positive thoughts. @fauxrunner on Twitter The Facebook home […]
You don’t have to go fast, You just have to go
January 20, 2013
The training plan for Little Rock Marathon called for 18 miles this weekend. However, in order to ramp-up not too quickly, I have been splitting my runs over Friday and Saturday. So 18 miles turned into 6 + 15/16 miles. And even though the miles were slow and long, I learnt some valuable lessons to remind myself when I am in the dumps You don’t have to go Fast, You […]
The Beautiful and the Ugly
January 13, 2013
The Beautiful It was a gorgeous foggy morning with some amazing January temperatures. I set out to run 12 miles on my favorite route – the Chattahoochee River Trails. The UglyAbout a mile into the run, something went ‘Ouch’ with my back and it hurt to run. Hurt very badly. But with such amazing beauty around me, I didn’t give up and instead walked 8 miles for a total of […]
The Power of Positive Thinking
January 8, 2013
Part of the reason I have not been writing as much as I’d like to is because I’ve been in a rut and my head was filled with negative chatter. Its nothing new and I go through cycles of those, But instead of being my sunny self and working through them, I’ve let it affect me on a deeper level. Sickness, on-off mild injuries and life (in this case – LASIK […]
The One Goal
January 1, 2013
My goal for 2013 – Run a 2:30 Half Marathon. That is all. (Visited 49 times, 1 visits today)
2012 – A Look Back
December 31, 2012
After the Highlights of 2012 post, I still wanted to do a month-by-month recap of the year. (Although I realize that the only person interested in reading this would be me 🙂 )January: Where I start the Year with a Bang What could be a better start than a PR on Jan 1st? 32:53, that I never imagined of since I was aiming for 34:XX. A 4+ minute PR from […]
Forced Rest
December 28, 2012
A week of forced rest and sporting Helen Keller glasses – recovering from LASIK surgery! Supposedly takes 2-4 weeks to settle into 20-20 vision. *Fingers Crossed* (Visited 43 times, 1 visits today)
Highlights of 2012
December 25, 2012
December and end of the year means – summing up experiences!! I am taking Ms. Zippy’s Q & A for easy answering (I will be doing a month-by-month recap later). Best Race Experience – This would be a tie between Resolution Run 5k (32:53 4+ min PR) and New Orleans Marathon (5:46 30min PR). The 5k gave me confidence of what was possible, and the Marathon was the result of dedicated training […]
Staying Fit and Healthy during the Holidays
December 23, 2012
With all the goodies and treats that float around, the enticements in the stores, the endless holiday parties, traveling to visit family, not to mention the craze of shopping, how do you hold on to some sanity and fitness during the season? Get the little things out of the way Online Shopping – I LOVE shopping, but recently shopping for someone else stresses me out. I can’t seem to find […]
What’s on Santa’s List?
December 4, 2012
What! Another Christmas gift guide for runners that almost every blogger is writing about? Yes, sorry. ‘Tis the season of gift giving and you never know what novelty you will find. Like this Oiselle ‘Fly’ Necklace that has been mentioned in atleast 3 other gift lists. Even though I shop and love Oiselle, I had never looked at necklaces at their site before. I’m also sharing items from my wishlist/gift […]
Trail Running Tips
November 25, 2012
I started trail running 3 years ago on a whim to go on a “different” run. And I fell in love, even though I was painfully slow (Thanks to Big Peach Running Co, Marietta GA, for organizing Friday Morning Moms Run at the trails for my initiation). The first time I went back to explore on my own, I was armed with a phone and pepper spray (Don’t Laugh. But I’m […]
A very different Thanksgiving Day tradition
November 22, 2012
For the past 2 years, I ran the Thanksgiving Half Marathon and it was a ‘new’ tradition. However, this year, for various reasons, I took a backseat and cheered on my favorite runners. (Visited 65 times, 1 visits today)
Hug A Runner Day
November 21, 2012
Yesterday was National Hug-A-Runner Day. (Who came up with the idea, I wonder!) Great time to stock up on those hugs from my favorite runners. Pity my camera died at the start of the night 🙁 Andrea, who introduced me to Get Fit and encouraged me when I started running Coach Michael and I Kate aka ‘Princess Peach’ Lorraine of Run Wifey Run, my Chicago training partner! The incorrigible BJ […]
Why I Run
November 20, 2012
“So I don’t kill anyone” The ‘Why I Run’ wall at the Thanksgiving Race Expo. Some nice ones that resonates with every runner. (Visited 51 times, 1 visits today)
The 5:5:5 Challenge
November 20, 2012
As runners we need some motivation to keep us going when we are in a rut, when we are injured, when we need to show some TLC to our body, or just for some variety. I started this 5:5:5 last year around the holiday season last year to keep me going strong through to my journey to New Orleans. Very easy and self-explanatory. Takes about 10-15 minutes of your time […]
Runner Swap
November 15, 2012
(This is a month overdue post!) Katie of Katie Runs This had hosted a Halloween Runners Swap. And I got the absolutely most awesome package days before Halloween. Heidi, my swapper sent me a boatload of goodies in the most cutest packing (Unlike me, who sent her stuff a week after Halloween. Sorry. The PO and me are not the best of friends). Thanks Katie for organizing this and thank […]
Short/Medium Term Running Goals
November 14, 2012
After spelling my general goals for the next few months this wasn’t too long coming, was it? All I want to do is – Run at 12:30-13:00 instead of 13:00-13:30. Physically, I know am very well capable of it, but running long and slow has made my body comfortable with running long and slow.At this point, it is matter of training mind over body because running long and slow has […]
What’s Next?
November 8, 2012
This post was supposed to be written 3 weeks later, after Philadelphia Marathon brought an end to my season. Alas, that was not to be. My racing season (and year) has ended and with that comes the big question ‘What Next’? (Also inspired in part by Jesica of rUnLadyLike) Strength TrainingWhile I’ve been promising myself this every time, this time it is for serious. I have various options that I’ve […]
The Rate of Recovery from Endurance Events
November 8, 2012
“1 day of easy for each mile of race effort” seemed the general guideline that I have heard/read when it comes to recovery after an endurance event. While I’ve followed this guideline in all my events (half and full) and incorporated it with a post-marathon recovery training from Hal Higdon , I’m wondering if my personal recovery rate is different from most people. My Personal ExperienceLast year after Chicago, since it […]
The "Best" Decision
November 5, 2012
“Make the choice that is best for you and your family”. That was the advice that almost everyone gave me when I was wavering about Philly. Given my husband’s reluctance in the first place and everyone battling sickness at home, that should make my choice to cancel Philly easy. Right? Except … The friend that I was going to stay in Philly with, she is part family.The buddy I was going […]
Would you run or Would you not?
October 31, 2012
NYC during the marathon in “normal” days. And NYC in the aftermath of hurricane Sandy. (Visited 29 times, 1 visits today)
To Philly or Not to Philly: That is the Question.
October 25, 2012
I’ve been yo-yo-ing about Philadelphia Marathon since I got back from Chicago. I was going to take a week/10days off and decide. Its been 3 weeks and I can’t still 100% decide.Lots of talks with people, I was 98% close to backing off.Then some pep talk and decided this week to go for it. Unfortunately, I ran 3 times and I could feel the tightness and twinges in my hamstring […]
The Pill Culture in the life of a Recreational Endurance Athlete
October 19, 2012
Taylor Phinney, the US cyclist, 4th place in Olympic Road Race and Time Trials, talked about getting the pill culture out of the sport. In the interview, he addresses the issues of popping a pill in order to dull the edge of a difficult sport. Although he talks from the view of a professional cyclist, some of his comments resonated with me. It got me thinking about various instances when […]
"You set yourself up for Disappointment"
October 16, 2012
I wear my running heart on my sleeve (who knew, huh!). Almost all people who run with me or talk to me about my running (or read my blog) know my high-level goals. A lot of people have been with me in my journey this season, through travel, through fake injuries, through training runs, through recovery drinks and more. But only some (my coaches and a couple of trusted friends) […]
Chicago Marathon – The " What If " Marathon
October 11, 2012
So … where do I start the race report for Chicago Marathon 2012? The injury scares in the beginning of the season, gingerly putting my feet back in and following a slightly modified long run schedule, then getting into the full swing of things and busting to train to this time goal I had in mind, excited and nervous and more excited and then … The week before the marathon […]
No Excuses
October 4, 2012
Someone at the Runner’s World Chicago Marathon forums posted these 2 words “No Excuses” (since the weather is finally going to be cool, even cold!). (Visited 66 times, 1 visits today)
Chicago – To Do List
September 29, 2012
This is more for my benefit than as a regular blog post. But it might end up helping someone else traveling to a race too. Pack Running Bag/Carry On Race Confirmation Ticket. iFitness Fuel Belt: 8 Gu attached, + 2 more in my skirt pocket. Nuun. Tylenol. Aquaphor tube. $20 cash. Attach hooks to fuel belt to clip on stuff, if needed. Race Outfit Normal Weather: Tshirt (Long, Short, Tank). Skirt. […]
Goals for Chicago 2012
September 29, 2012
I could make this as complicated as possible or keep it as simple as possible. Plan A++ : 5:30 for a pace of 12:35.McMillan recommended long run: 12:17 to 13:21; My long runs(when I’ve been serious): ~13:20 Avr. Yasso800: 5:10So everything points to the fact that I should be able to come pretty close to Plan A++ Pacing: 5 miles – avr. 13:20, 10 miles – avr 13:10, 15 miles – […]
Michaela – Blazing Run Happiness
September 27, 2012
Continuing forward from the 10 Running Relation Questions started on Another Mother Runner, I am profiling some of my mother runner friends who don’t have a blog. These girls are my friends in real life, have been a motivation for me to start and continue to be an inspiration to me. Last time, we met Ashley, a BAMR running in Phoenix Heat with a Double Stroller. Today, I am introducing you to Michaela, another […]
Food Journal – Bread & Rice and More Bread & Rice
September 25, 2012
I mentioned in my last post about jumping on Lorraine at Run Wifey Run’s #DoBetter project and borrowing her idea to keep a photo food journal. I didn’t take pictures of anything last week, so I decided to use stock internet photos to just give me an idea of what I ate. Most of this is from my sporadic My Fitness Pal entries and memory. Last Week (Stock Photos), Missing […]
Visual Accountability
September 25, 2012
I’ve been very proud of my weight loss and running goals. And the past few weeks has been amazing and made me feel even more proud. I was featured on #runchat and on Another Mother Runner: Follow this Mother . People who have known me from ages ago have commented on how much I’ve changed – not just my size, but also my outlook towards exercise and having fun! I’m very proud, […]
Fastinista – Fall into Fall
September 21, 2012
The long hot and humid summer had me longing for Fall temperature. And on the first weekend after labor day and the official end of summer, I wished and willed for Fall to start with a Fall outfit. Starting with my trusty SparkleTech Skirt, this print aptly named ‘Autumn’ . There is a lot of Red and Black in the skirt, but just enough of orange shades that a generic […]
Fastinista – Mom who dreams of Island Paradise
September 21, 2012
I love my running outfits and always (well, almost always) try to be coordinated and look put together. I am not fast, so I might as well look pretty while running! And looking good makes me feel good about my running! I always start my outfit with my skirt. We all had ordered the Peacock Island SparkleTech and thats what we decided to wear together. Gorgeous vibrant colors that neither […]
The London Marathon
September 19, 2012
The London Marathon, UK fresh from the success of the 2012 Olympics. One of the 5 World Marathon Majors.When? Usually held in April with temperatures of ~60F high. (April 21 in 2013) The Course The point-to-point course is very flat with only one small rise. The triple start winds out of Greenwich Park and Blackheath Park, loops through Greenwich and across Tower Bridge. Circling Canary Wharf the course runs along the […]
Ashley – Phoenix Heat, Kids, Double Stroller and a BAMR
September 18, 2012
Continuing forward from the 10 Running Relation Questions started on Another Mother Runner, I am profiling some of my mother runner friends who don’t have a blog. These girls are my friends in real life, have been a motivation for me to start and continue to be an inspiration to me. Today, I am proud to introduce BAMR Ashley Joy McClanahan from Phoenix, Arizona. Ashley is a military wife, mom […]
Weekend Recap – The Last Long Run before Chicago
September 17, 2012
Finished up a good run leading up to Chicago Marathon. So glad to have it done with and ready to taper and head on to Chicago (and then Philly). I didn’t try out anything new, but it helped reinforce some stuff that I’ve tried out in the past. Personal Lessons Learnt / Reinforced I chafe. A lot. In weird places. In new places. I just have to deal with it […]
When Race Plans Fall Aside
September 14, 2012
I was going to do the Kaiser Permanente Corporate Run Walk 5k as my Tempo run for the week. But race plans fell aside and instead ended up having a lot of fun run-walking with Jennifer and Shelly. In a sea of 16,000+ people, we managed to find some other friends for some picture time! It was a non-timed event, an annual event for corporate wellness. Very well organized for that huge […]
10 Running Related Personal Questions
September 13, 2012
I was so so so honored and thrilled to be tagged by Sarah at Another Mother Runner for 10 Running Things you don’t know about me (although people might know all this about me already). Best Run Ever Although not recent, my 21 miles from training for Chicago Marathon last year is one I can’t forget. My running group had scheduled an information session on prepping for the big day. I wasn’t […]
Weird Running Conversations
September 8, 2012
With fallback week comes a sense of fun, even if the run is only 12 miles. Surprisingly, our entire group was together most of the distance, and the conversation ranged from Lance Armstrong to Paul Ryan to Tennis Doping to Boob Jobs to Bubble Popping. Umm… yes, it really did, even with the boys participating in the conversation. To anyone who overheard the conversation, or was part of it, I […]
The Best Birthday Gift of All
September 7, 2012
As I celebrate my birthday this month, I am reflecting back on the best birthday gift/wish ever – the one that I never got. And a story that I’m never tired of telling. September 6, 2009.9 months after my 2nd kid was born, in the 7th year of our marriage, sprinkled with bouts of post-partum depression and the 7-year marriage ich – My husband forgot my birthday. He didn’t realize it […]
Wordless Wednesday – Group Fun for 20 miles
September 5, 2012
Coach Michael, Me and Teri’s first 20 miles! The picture speaks for itself – yes, we were goofballs the entire 20 miles. (Visited 52 times, 1 visits today)
Where it all Started – Athens Marathon
August 31, 2012
The Athens Marathon, Greece. On the original Olympic course from Marathon to Athens. History of the RaceLegend has it that Phideppidis, a foot soldier ran all the way from the Battle of Marathon to Athens to announce the Greek Victory over Persians. He announced the victory, collapsed and died. (This version was from Robert Browning’s poem Pheidippides, which was accepted as historic legend. But according to the Greek historian Herodotus a soldier ran […]
A Favorite Running Buddy?
August 28, 2012
I’ve run with a lot of people over the past 2 years. While I like running with anyone who will tolerate my incessant chatter and slow pace, there are some people that I absolutely love running with. So what makes someone a great running buddy, or rather, what makes someone your favorite running buddy, I wondered. Is it someone whose pace and cadence matches yours effortlessly? Is it someone whose […]
Capturing a great 18 miles
August 27, 2012
What a big difference this week’s run has been compared to my (mis)adventures last week. After this week’s 18 miles, I couldn’t stop smiling (and talking, of course), I was up and hopping by evening craving for some nachos, and my legs feel nowhere as sore as they should for the long mileage. I wish I could bottle this and be able to recreate it. Things that were the […]
Lance Armstrong – Clean or Dirty?
August 24, 2012
After today’s official statement from Lance Armstrong, refusing to fight any more against the USADA’s allegations – Is he Clean or Is he Dirty? Lance Armstrong – Clean and Hunted The Man is a Ninja It is very well possible that Lance Armstrong is a Ninja and did not need to take external help to be the best of the best for those years. After all, he has […]
Dear Race Director of Area 13.1
August 20, 2012
Dear Race Director of Area 13.1, What a brilliant idea it was to have an alien themed half marathon at night in Roswell! Roswell, Georgia. A cool concept that about 15+ runners from my running group embraced and signed up, even though warning bells were very insistent about the heat and humidity of Atlanta in mid-August. Humid-er than humid summer runs did not deter our enthusiasm for the run and […]
A Crazy Running Adventure Day
August 18, 2012
This crazy adventure (crazy by my mortal standards) started just 2-3 weeks back when the Vinings Downhill 5k date was announced. August 18th. The same day as the Alien Half that a big bunch (almost all?) my running buddies had signed up for. So perhaps I should backtrack my onset of crazyness when I signed up for the Alien Half. 6:30pm, August, Atlanta humidity, Aliens. Definitely NOT my cup of […]
Q & A from the 3 (and more) Wise Men (and Women)
August 16, 2012
Chaffing How do you deal with the morning after on chaffing?Aquaphor helps protect and also speeds up the healing. Or … suck it up 🙂 Do you apply Aquaphor during your run?YES! Before, during and After. (An overwhelming consensus that won’t make me as self conscious when I think that the moment calls for sticking my hand to certain body parts) What else can you do to prevent chaffing?Aquaphor the […]
My Amazing Runner Pick from the Olympic Marathon
August 12, 2012
Not Mutai. Not Keflezighi. Not Ryan Hall. My amazing runner is Ram Singh Yadav from India – the only second person from India to have qualified for the Olympics in the Marathon. He finished 78th with a time of 2:30:19 (the winning time was 2:08:01, and his own PR was 2:16:59 at Mumbai Marathon where he qualified for the Olympics) but he finished the course where 20 runners did not […]
Wildlife Visitations on a Long Run
August 11, 2012
The Get Fit Atlanta group runs on the Silver Comet trail and occasionally we get to see some wild critters. Not as dramatic as the Armadollio, but today’s was a tiny little dead snake on the trail and a little bunny. Overall a good 11 miles as my fallback mileage (I love running “only” 11 miles!). Good average pace, but baaaaaaad chaffing on my bra-line 🙁 A seminar meant that […]
Something to make my Feet go a little Fast?
August 8, 2012
Will this make my feet go a little faster? Not 2 extra sets of munchkin feet, but the pedicure with a flower painted on 🙂 (Visited 42 times, 1 visits today)
"Embrace the Suck"
July 31, 2012
My initial mantra to this weekend’s long run was – the less said about it, the better. And then I realized that I was missing out a valuable learning opportunity. While runs like these are dreaded, they are the ones that give a runner a list of what-not-to-do, and how-to-make-things-better. So what went wrong? Well. Rather hard to say. Because it just never fight right from Mile 1. I was […]
Favorite Moments of the Tour De France 2012
July 24, 2012
I’ve been fascinated by the Tour De France this year, my first year of following the event. The past 3 weeks have been an amazing display of power, but of also other little nifty things that has me hooked. I’ve tried to compile some pictures/moments of my favorite memories of the event. The first day I watched the Tour (Stage 3), without an understanding of the rules, the etiquettes, the […]
The Weekender Edition – 7/22
July 22, 2012
The weekend started at 4:30am – to drive 45min for a 12 mile run. Yes, utterly insane, but completely understandable given how much I like socializing with my running group. On brutal hills and humidity, I was the sweeper of the group trying to make sure that the last few people made it fine (I didn’t have to do it, but … that’s a new post coming up altogether). The […]
Messing up a Pub Order
July 17, 2012
Who goes to a pub and asks for chocolate milk (which I’m surprised they even had in the first place!)? A runner who has just finished a good session of intervals and doesn’t drink beer a.k.a The FauxRunner. That’s who. Ironically – the fastest runner in our group, and the slowest runner, me, asked for chocolate milk instead of beer. Wish sharing a common recovery fuel made me atleast half […]
Another 26.2 Sell Out!
July 16, 2012
Big Sur Marathon sold out within 26 hours! That is insanely fast for a race that is slightly more ‘tough’ (In My Opinion, at least) because of elevation gains, even though it is gorgeous! The marathon is on my bucket list, but (un)fortunately not for the next few years. This is one race I’d like to do with my husband. Is it weird that I think that there is nothing […]
Start them Young!
July 16, 2012
We ambushed met Daddy after his 8 mile run at the Chattahoochee River Trails and dragged him along with another mile. The girls ran, sweated, laughed, fell down(!), whined, walked, complained, ran some more, all the while sipping on “juice water” aka water added with Nuun Hydration Tablets. We must’ve met atleast 5 people who declared that my older girl’s running skirt was the prettiest on the trail 🙂 They also […]
Armadillos and Watermelons
July 15, 2012
It is amazing how much you can look forward to a long run with excitement and nervousness. The run today didn’t disappoint. I laughed and joked the first 5 miles with my group doing 2:1 intervals. Even had the energy and enthusiasm to double back and check on one of the group. Took off after that with 3:1 intervals until mile 7, and then ran straight out including almost all […]
Brooks Adrenalin
July 11, 2012
After Dr. Peebles told me to change from the Saucony Guide 5 to avoid the heel drop to help my calves, I’ve been looking for a replacement shoe (Which really is the most stressful thing, even more than finding a new hairdresser!) Requirements Stability Support for mild-moderate overpronation Cushioning So far I’ve run 2 times with the Brooks – once with my kids, and once on the treadmill for […]
Shoe Tales
July 9, 2012
I’ve been running in Saucony Guide X ever since I was first fitted with a running shoe, 2.5 years ago. When Saucony moved from Guide 4 to Guide 5, they changed something very important – The heeldrop. The new Guide 5 has a 8mm drop instead of 12mm. Not that big a deal on paper, but to my poor calves, made a ton of difference. And Dr. Peebles advised me […]
The Joy of Running
July 8, 2012
It is so easy to be caught up in technology, pace, speed, nutrition, HR, and all the rest of the jargon. But at the end of the day, running is fun. There is a pure joy in being able to run miles, pain free. After being misdiagnosed with a stress fracture. There is joy in getting back into the act of putting one feet in front of another. There is joy in […]
Best of the Week
July 6, 2012
Best Encouragement: “I’ll get you to Chicago, don’t worry. Actually, you are crazy enough to get yourself there.” – After I had got my happy news. Best Compliment: “You are not a fake runner. You are very much real with a lot of passion.” – Bart Yasso at dinner. Best Advice: “Don’t be afraid to run slow on the long runs. That builds up endurance and it is not the […]
Peachtree Road Race 2012 – Where I just Chilled
July 5, 2012
Peachtree Road Race 10k. An annual Atlanta tradition. 60,000 people. Entry by lottery only. With all the recent developments, I didn’t run it. Its not my favorite race anyway. The logistics to get to the race and back is a big PITA and takes more time than actually running it, not to mention the soaring temperatures of July 4th. I went over to the finish with friends and watched others […]
Much Ado about Nothing – A Roller-Coaster of Emotions
July 3, 2012
This week has been a roller coaster of emotions, overtly magnified by someone as dramatic as me. After spending an entire 2 days crying, I alternated between trying to cheer myself up and going back to crying; with tons of nervous energy these past few days until I was cleared today at a second opinion. I hugged the Dr as I tried not to cry again!Its been a combination of factors […]
Bart Yasso, Chief Running Officer, Runners World
July 3, 2012
Today I met Bart Yasso, the man behind the Yasso800s. A celebrity in the running community. Not just a celebrity, but a real person. Not just met him, but talked to him, took tons of photos, picked his brain AND had dinner with him. I’d already met him at the Peachtree Road Race expo in the morning and gushed like a giddy schoolgirl. But the kicker was him coming out to […]
In a bit of a Shock
June 27, 2012
Last night at Zumba, about 40minutes into it I had a pain on my shin/side of inside calf. I’ve had this on and off for 2-3 months. It’d hurt just a little bit once in a while, I’d go to my Chiropractor and get adjusted/cold laser and I’d be fine. We’ve always thought it was because of my super tight calfs. It has NEVER hurt while running. But the sudden […]
A Hate – Love Relationship
June 26, 2012
I have this hate – love relationship with speed workouts. Its amazing on how I start out by completely hating it. But about 5 minutes later I’m grinning from ear to ear. 1 – 8:18 (Holy cr**) 2 – 8:12 (No Wonder I was on the road to fizzling) 3 – 9:13 (So ready to be done) 4 – 8:58 (I hate a certain someone) 5 – 8:58 6 – […]
Partying into Fitness
June 21, 2012
One class and I’m hooked back to Zumba. Just amazing how dancing can make things so much fun in the world. And helps me out of my soreness from Body Sculpt too !! (Visited 60 times, 1 visits today)
Amnesia of the Legs
June 18, 2012
Going out for a first run by myself after being back was …. weird. Mind: All right Legs, lets go run for a bit now. Its 16 weeks to Chicago and the start of the real training period.Legs: Run? Oh Yes, Sure! Mind: Garmin on, body glide on. Lets start! Giddy up!Legs: Er …. I AM moving along. Mind: You are walking, not running.Legs: WHAT D’YA MEAN WALKING? I AM […]
Travel BFFs
June 6, 2012
Staying in a conservative neighborhood where I don’t dare break conventions by going out for a run in public, my new BFFs are – walking– yoga– planks, planks and more planks (I can hear myself say – ‘Drop and give me 20 seconds’) While it means that I’ll have depleted my running base in the 3 weeks here, at least I’m maintaining some flexibility and maintaining my sanity. (Visited 45 […]
Cultural Differences
June 5, 2012
Traveling to visit my parents, half way across the globe has given me a new perspective about how big a role running plays in my life. Since I’ve been here a week I’ve – slept a ton to overcome jetlag – been stuck in this horrible horrible traffic for hours every time I venture out – eaten a ton of unhealthy but oh-so yummy food available only here in India […]
Random Thoughts on My Pace
May 14, 2012
That race pace for both the full and half marathon scares me! So does the 10k one actually. I’m supposed to run 26.2 miles at a pace that I’ve never even run half the distance at! I’m running my long runs too fast (I knew that!). So no matter how much I think I need that ‘push’ and no matter how much other people push me into it, stick with […]
Cherish your Mother Runner
May 10, 2012
When Mother’s day rolls around and my husband asks me what I want, I’ve always said that I wanted to sleep in, breakfast in bed, be pampered, … and all the whole nine yards. Now that I’m a faux runner, I never sleep past 6:30am, crumbs in bed are harder to clean, and prefer a hard sports massage instead of an expensive back rub. As a mother and a runner, what would […]
Hydrate Hydrate Hydrate
May 8, 2012
On Sunday, I had my first ride on my new bike! But that excitement is not what this post is about – We met a lady on our loop. Thoroughly dehydrated, unable to walk or talk, sitting on the sidewalk, and threw up when we gave her some water. She was running without ANY water or fuel (we saw plenty of people like that). Her reasoning – she’d get water […]
Meet Lance
May 6, 2012
On our first date, Lance and I had chemistry! Sparks and excitement as I met him for the first time! Looking forward to see where this leads me. I’m taking it easy and don’t want to scare things off by coming on too strong too early 🙂 Lance is a 2011 Trek Madone 4.5 that Barry helped me find. I still ride with platform pedals (and a muffin-top stomach), but […]
Running Terms for Newbies
May 3, 2012
When I trained for Chicago last year, I did a lot of research on running. I hung onto every world the coaches would say, researched on it when I got back home and pestered them with questions when I next saw them (I still do 🙂 ). It was great to finally understand the articles in Runners World, to feel one with the Kenyans (on a theoretical level, of course) […]
Wordless Wednesday
May 2, 2012
Road ID (or anyother form of identification) – Use it. It saved my friend’s life. It could save yours. (Visited 42 times, 1 visits today)
A Resonating Article …
April 29, 2012
Article at Competitor.com This was a great article in Competitor ‘Out there: Running is Running’ that resonated with me so much. And my favorite piece in it – “Most importantly, I never would have had the drive to keep going had my friends not celebrated my victories along the way. If I ran a 5K, my friends who have finished Ironman triathlons could have laughed and said, “Aww, 3.1 miles. […]
Why I Run
April 26, 2012
I ran for the first time ever on Christmas Eve 2009, the after day I signed up for my first race, the ING Georgia Half Marathon. My run was full of fear and worry, fear that in 3 months, the 13.1 miles would be far far beyond what this couch potato had imagined. I would run when my husband pushed me to. I would roll my eyes and mutter under […]
What Spikes?
April 24, 2012
I got my Garmin 305 to finally read my HR monitor (simple case of asking the Garmin to recognize the monitor! Thanks to Cody at Cadence Bikes, Sandy Springs GA) and of course used it to play! I tested my resting rate as 63 in the am; after being up since 4am! And then hopped on the treadmill at 7:30am for some speed intervals (2 x mile repeats and 2 […]
Running/Training Like a Mother
April 21, 2012
When Lorraine at Run Wifey sent an invitation for the chance to meet Dimity McDowell and Sarah Bowen Shea, the authors of Run Like a Mother and Train Like a Mother (Another Mother Runner), I was super thrilled ! I love their books and their articles on Runners World. Needless to say, it was a great event with a lot a giveaways (of course, I didn’t win any) and book reading from Train […]
Girls Just Wanna Have Fun
April 19, 2012
What’s better than running with friends? Hanging out with running friends, of course! Running Buddies Dawn and Shirley; who have moved on to faster pace-groups.(I need some wings on my shoes!) Dana, Dawn, Shirley, Me and Coach Karen – Girls Just Wanna Have Fun! (Visited 50 times, 1 visits today)
Wise Words to Remember
April 15, 2012
As many of us start our training program for fall marathons (can you believe we already start Chicago training at 24 weeks on Monday?!!), here is a very simple piece of sensible advice. (Visited 39 times, 1 visits today)
Changing My Life
April 11, 2012
February of last year, I had a sudden buildup of insanity and with only one year of faux-running “experience”, I signed up for the Chicago Marathon. After getting over my initial shock at my audacity, I joined Get Fit Atlanta to help me get to the start line. Over the course of the next 6 months, I logged more miles than I’d thought possible, laughed with some great friends, got […]
Goals for the New Season and Beyond
March 31, 2012
Goal #1: Finish Chicago and Philly Marathons in Fall without injury and fatigue. Why is this goal important? I am unable to answer why other than the fact that I wanted to do 2 fall marathons and take the winter season off. Seemed like a good idea 2 months ago when I was putting in long lonely miles so soon after summer. Goal #2: Get to 5:30 – 5:35 in […]
Cheating on my Love
March 19, 2012
Last week, the FauxRuner took on the role of FauxBiker when I went on my first bike ride with Get Fit Atlanta. This wednesday, I took my bike in for some much needed servicing and then rode for a bit after that. And on Saturday, asked people if they wanted to ride with me and went out for 14-15miles. The same 2 weeks, I’ve run a total of 4 times; my […]
I Missed My Calling
March 18, 2012
Instead of running the Georgia Half Marathon today, I volunteered at the Get Fit Atlanta Water Stop at Mile 10 of the Marathon Route. I yelled, screaming, chanted, whooped, yelled some more, screamed some more, … until the kidlets were sort of embarrassed by Mommy’s maniac ways. While not the same as running, the rush I had came pretty close to it. I may have missed my calling as a running spectator […]
FauxBiker?
March 11, 2012
It started with an email from PTS detailing their sporting events for this year. One that I had been interested in the past popped up – The Cartersville Duathlon. A 3.1mile run/17mile Bike/3.1mile run, the timing seemed right at April 15th; fitting in just right before the start of the Chicago training season (May). Just something for me to keep occupied without feeling the blues about not pounding the […]
Now What?
March 7, 2012
Due to a combination of various factors, I’m exhausted and my “perkiness level” (as Kate from Big Peach put it) is at 1.1 instead of the usual 9.8. So to take my mind off of it, I did what I always do – head to the Get Fit forums and read up on race reports and seminar notes. And from there I’m trying to formulate a plan. How do I feel?The […]
26.2 #2 – New Orleans
March 6, 2012
I had signed up for NOLA a month after Chicago in-spite of my husband’s reluctance. I was running this not to race for a perfect time, but I was running it to prove to myself that I was mentally stronger than my “wall” at 8-12miles at Chicago. Expo and Pre-Race I was still nervous, but gave myself permission to be nervous quietly instead of freaking out ‘OMG, I’m doing a marathon again […]
I Wish I could Confidently Say This
February 29, 2012
In spite of all the work I’ve put into my training, I wish I was confident about my Goal A. (Visited 53 times, 1 visits today)
Goals for New Orleans
February 28, 2012
Plan A – 5:35 Finish at 13:00 paceI’d like to shoot for this, and I think I can achieve it. However, the weather is in the high 60s and I am not confident enough – of both the weather and my ability. I’m retaining this plan however, because you never know! Plan B – 5:45 Finish at 13:15 paceThis is my training pace on the flat this winter. All I […]
Taper Time Madness – 1 Week to New Orleans
February 26, 2012
I’ve slogged my way through 2 weeks of taper and this last week is getting to me. I’m feeling every little twinge in my legs. I’ve had 2 massages to work kinks out and when I still feel my hamstrings, I am a little more nervous (although my massage therapist assures me that feeling my hamstring means it is not tight). I’ve been germaphobic to the extent that I convinced […]
Locomotive Half Marathon – A Pretend Training Run
February 20, 2012
Plan called for 12/14 and coincided nicely with the Locomotive Half Marathon that was a 10minute drive away from home. The initial course was a nice downhill which they had to change in the last minute. The Thursday prediction for a bright sunny day had given way to thundershowers. So I was very much inclined to skip it. But come race day, weather was much milder than expected. I was […]
All things Red and Love
February 13, 2012
Since I’m quite the fashionista these days when it comes to running clothes, I’m wondering if blogging about what I think would be great for a Valentine’s Day run would give my husband a hint. “Will Run for Chocolate” Tech T from One More Mile. THE place to go if you love witty sayings on comfortable Ts that you can run in. A running skirt with compression shorts underneath that […]
Oh Yeah …
February 6, 2012
I signed up for Chicago Marathon again. I honestly don’t know why I did it. I was not going to. I was going to do something else and not touch Chicago with a long pole until 5 years from now. But tons of people from my running group were going to and I caved into temptation. So, there it is. Chicago Oct 7th, 2012. (Visited 42 times, 1 visits today)
Tempted, Very Tempted
February 3, 2012
The Chicago Marathon opened up for registration yesterday. And I’m tempted. Very tempted to sign up again. Especially now that it is a target race for Get Fit Atlanta. Ah. This is where I wish I would win the lottery, or that I had a super rich grand-uncle somewhere. Stay strong, and remember that I’ll always have a chance to go back and do this one again in 5 years […]
Rave Run – San Francisco Bay Trail
January 30, 2012
10 Mile Run in Solitude Gorgeous, isn’t it?It was absolutely peaceful and ethereal. And a run that gave me confidence that with some proper training, I can get to that 2:32 prediction. I ran the entire distance, most of it with the other solitary runner, at an easy conversational pace of 12:45. (Visited 89 times, 1 visits today)
Singing in the Rain
January 21, 2012
Forecast called for thunderstorms at 12noon. Hoped that started at 7am would let me beat it. Almost …. Rain for the first 3 miles, but got poured on for the last 3 miles. There was too much thunder and lightening and I had to stop 1.15 miles before planned. Megan and I in for some early am miles. I was torn between deciding a mileage for this run. Finally settled […]
Exhausted, Exasperated and Emotional
January 19, 2012
Exhausted – I was tired all day Saturday and Sunday after my 16.something miles in hilly Buckhead. As I lounged on the couch, I realized that I’ve been exhausted way more than I realize. Housework has been neglected, my cooking is sporadic at best (thank heavens for a husband who is a good cook!) and I’ve been spending too much time on the couch otherwise. Yes, I’ve been getting 2 runs/week […]
Forget or Remember?
January 13, 2012
“You have to forget your last marathon before you try another. Your mind can’t know what’s coming.” -Frank Shorter (U.S. Olympic Marathon Gold Medal winner 1972) But … If I forget my last marathon, then I would never attempt another one.Its the memory of the joy, the thrill, the excitement, the untold happiness and also the nervousness, the despair, the frustration, the pain that drives me to attempt my next […]
Benefits of Running
January 12, 2012
– when you look hot and get to hang out with cool running buddies 🙂 Michelle, Me and Shirley (Visited 32 times, 1 visits today)
To NOLA, With Love, From CHICAGO
January 6, 2012
Next time, the clock will not be reading 6:xx:xx 🙂 (Visited 55 times, 1 visits today)
Say What?
January 5, 2012
Ever tried doing maths on your runs? Even a simple one like 7+4. Yeah, not the brightest of ideas 🙂 (Visited 74 times, 1 visits today)
Scared … but Excited
January 4, 2012
Of course, the first thing I did after I got my official race results from the Resolution Run 5k was to plug the numbers into McMillan’s Running Calculator. The prediction for the longer distances – blows me away! How am I supposed to learn to run 26+ miles at a 12:15 pace!!!! I reckon that I cannot go out and actually run a 5:20 marathon in New Orleans in March; […]
Revisiting 2011
January 1, 2012
January Resolution Run 5k – 37:09 in pouring rain. (Last yr’s time – 41:48). Ran on the iced trails for a 12 mile training run! 74 Miles Agonizing over if I should sign up for a marathon February Disney Princess Half Marathon 3:38 min. Amazing time stopping for all photo ops. 50 miles March Georgia Half Marathon – 2:49:00 (Last yr’s time – 3:09:18) 46 Miles Laid off from my […]
2011 – The Best and The Worst
December 29, 2011
Best Running Decision – Joining Get Fit Atlanta when I signed up for Chicago Marathon. What could be more awesome than training with a group of people who run/coach because they love it! Biggest Achievement – Chicago Marathon My first Marathon. Never in my dreams did I think that *I* would be running a marathon. A “what”? A MARATHON! I may have only accomplished plan C, but I had the […]
Foam Rollling, Lactic Acid and Pointy Headed People
December 28, 2011
A very interesting discussion that foam rolling and lactate threshold brought up. I’ve highlighted some of the conversation in bold. I love my Get Fit Atlanta group for the wealth of knowledge that they share. Smitha Barki Tuesday PublicFriendsFriends except acquaintancesOnly meCustomGFA+FitnessPeepsClose friendsSee all lists…Get Fit AtlantaRunning StuffDeals and StealsCAMPAtlantaKV CLRIFamilyIndiansUBDTGeorgia TechKVCLRICampUniversity BDT College of Engineering (UBDTCE)Georgia TechAcquaintancesGo Back Does foam rolling ever get easier/less hurtful? Like · · Share Barry Falcon Yes over […]
2nd Running Anniversary
December 24, 2011
Dec 24th, Christmas Eve is a day I don’t think I will ever forget. 2 years ago, as the first training day to the ING Georgia Half Marathon, I took my first running step. I whined more than I ran. And I started this blog to keep records and not go insane with all that running. What a madhouse 2 years its been. My first year – I completed the […]
Santa Came Calling – A Little Early, albeight
December 22, 2011
Santa came a little early with winter running gifts ! Saucony Vizipro full length tights for the Hubby. A second pair of Brooks Infinity Capris (Which unfortunately I’ve not worn since its gotten slightly more cold) Nike Skull Cap with Ponytail Slot Running Skirt in Preppy Pink (to wear over my capris/tights) And about 15 of these for my glacier hands! (Visited 75 times, 1 visits today)
The Run to Erase Self-Doubts
December 17, 2011
After 3 bad long runs (Thanksgiving Half debacle, 12.5 miles on Columns Dr when my hamstrings and hipflexors protested, 12 miles at Buckhead when the hills beat me up mentally), I was long due for a good one. Granted today’s course wasn’t as hilly as last week and it was marvelous to finish up with almost 2 miles of downhill; the run was still wonderful. A run that assures me […]
Kale and Chickpeas Pasta – Thank you Pinterest
December 12, 2011
Ever since I became addicted discovered Pinterest, I’ve been pinning a.k.a bookmarking like crazy. I discovered this Whole Wheat Pasta with Chickpeas(!), Kale(…gulp…) and Crushed Red Peppers. I wasn’t sure if this combination of Italian Pasta with Mediterranean Chickpeas would work. You know what – just like the Romans and Mesopotamians had a good trade going on, this dish has something good going on! I didn’t read the recipe right […]
Stir Fry – When Friends Inspire
December 12, 2011
I took this picture after I was done with more than half the veggies. It was that good! *Confession here* – I’ve never made a stir fry before. My attempt once long ago was with no taste and no intention of repeating the experiment. But it is one easy way to get in a stock chunk of vegetables. So I turned to Becca a.k.a CrafySnatch (my sister in another life) […]
It’s only a Hill. Get over it!
December 11, 2011
A brutal run at Buckhead that has left me wondering if I’m a “flat road” runner. The hills were relentless and steep. No amount of repeating “hills make you stronger” made things any easier for me. By the end, with another mile to go, I decided to call it a run. We’d passed by my car 3 times by then and it was just easier to quit. Not my greatest moment […]
Making an Effort to take back Control
December 9, 2011
For the first time in over 6 years, I met with a nutritionist. One who was recommended by a lot of Get Fit athletes. Why did I decide to get an expensive consult when my food/weight isn’t really that out of control? That was the key. I didn’t want to be just getting alongI knew there was something amiss, but with things overwhelming me so much lately I hadn’t been able […]
An Ode to my Running Mentors
December 7, 2011
From the December issue of Runner’s World When I joined Get Fit Atlanta the target fall race was Savannah, an entire month after Chicago. Dick and Felecia (and Lorraine from Run Wifey Run) were doing Chicago as well and I soon found myself running 2-4 extra miles in the early morning with them before joining the rest of the group. Dick and Felecia have been running buddies for a long time […]
Respect the Distance
November 26, 2011
It has taken me a good 2 days to come to peace with my performance in the Thanksgiving Day Half Marathon.To understand that this needed to happen, so I can learn to deal with it.To understand my limitations and my strengths.To understand that everything can go wrong without warning. And to learn a very important lesson – Respect the Distance (to quote John Bingham). I had decided to treat this race […]
Thanksgiving Half Marathon 2011
November 25, 2011
I like my food guilt-free and 13.1 miles is the best way to earn that food! A week before the race I had a trail run disaster and sprained my ankle. I was given clearance to run on thanksgiving, but not the practice runs. I was a little wary of going in with only one 12 mile run (almost a month ago), but I’ve done 13+ miles about 10 […]
The Tale of the Trail
November 17, 2011
Went out for my first proper trail run with the husband on this windy, but nice fall day. It was great for the first 0.5miles, until I went down! I must’ve stepped on slick leaves and lost my footing. And now have a badly swollen ankle. Not sure if icing is going to heal it for Saturday’s 9 miles. I’m just hoping that it gets better by next Thursday, in […]
A Slightly Alarming Upward Spiral
November 14, 2011
Ever since Chicago 6 weeks ago, I seemed to have gained eight pounds. Completely negating the 4 pounds I’d lost during taper. Once I started enjoying running, I had stopped looking at the numbers on the scale (or clothes sizes). I appreciated both as side effects of something I liked doing. But every extra pound counts in running. Every extra pound is extra impact on my joints, every extra pound […]
What is Love?
November 13, 2011
Love is Signing up for your first marathon in the same year. Training for your first marathons side by side (kind of – Saturday and Sunday). Swapping parenting days on the weekend so both can get their runs in. Not killing each other after exhaustingly long training runs. Buying bags of ice for each other to soak in cold chilly recovery baths. Putting up with one partner talk only about […]
Rock n Roll Savannah Marathon
November 8, 2011
(He’s going to be totally mad at me for posting his pictures in public domain, but I’m just so proud of him!) We drove down from Atlanta, and went straight to packet pickup. The traffic into the expo (which was on an island with just ONE road) was a mess! Good thing we left Atlanta at 9am and not at 12noon as we had originally planned! Race […]
The Other Side of Savannah
November 7, 2011
Meeting up with Becca (and her husband Jerry), Kelly and Michaela (for 20 seconds) was the next best part about Savannah weekend! (Visited 38 times, 1 visits today)
Atlanta Marathon Relay
November 1, 2011
What more fun than to run 26.2 miles, except you are not actually running it all ! We had 4 teams (that I knew of) from Get Fit who signed up for the relay (4 people with legs of 5.5, 8.4, 5.1, 7.2 – Although the legs didn’t really measure right(!)). It was so much fun, especially waiting in the end to cheer in Edna, one of our yellow peeps […]
Finishing is Satisfaction … or is it?
October 21, 2011
True … but … Satisfaction to me is knowing I gave it my best shot. (Visited 47 times, 1 visits today)
Post Marathon Blues
October 18, 2011
Well, not really. Its a different kind of blues.One that is leaving me wondering what I could’ve done better in Chicago, what I can do better. I should be able to do a better than 6hrs 16min finish, right? Right?? As Coach David put it – I have to decide between distance and speed with 2 choices.Do another marathon in Jan to satisfy my longing for the distance and then a March(maybe […]
Post Marathon Blues
October 18, 2011
Well, not really. Its a different kind of blues.One that is leaving me wondering what I could’ve done better in Chicago, what I can do better. I should be able to do a better than 6hrs 16min finish, right? Right?? So I have 2 choices now –Do another marathon in Jan to satisfy my longing for the distance and then a March(maybe not) and the Fall target. I can see […]
Pictures from Chicago
October 15, 2011
Cheesy Excited Grin! HOT! Ugh! Would have been nice if they hadn’t cut my arm off! Rocking on! I see the Finish Line! Yaaaahoooooo !!!!! Oh – This is NOT the actual finish line. I had taken my visor off for the real line! Bling Bling! Muah! All my Love! Very nice photo, but I find the background too busy. […]
Challenge Your Limitations
October 14, 2011
I think I know my limitation in this running gig. Its the concept of speed. However, I don’t know if the limitation is physical or mental. Whatever it is, I intend to challenge and defy it. Georgia Half Marathon at the end of March was my last recorded half marathon with a 2:49 finish. I want to get to a sub 2:30 (11:15 pace). I don’t know when I will get […]
A Matter of Faith
October 13, 2011
In the weeks leading up to the marathon, along with yoga, I turned to the Gita and other Hindu works to calm my nerves. I had downloaded the text apps onto my iPhone. Then comes this tough time I’m having at Miles 8-12 in the Marathon when I’m partially struggling with the heat. I was posting on Facebook and getting tons of encouragement. One of those times, I fumbled with […]
Goals for my First Marathon
October 12, 2011
As with everything else, I’ve been thinking and rethinking and then thinking some more about what my goals are for Chicago. I’m thinking KISS. Keep It Simple Stupid. So with that theory – My goal is to finish. I want that bling on my neck. Finishing with a smile instead of grimace would be nicer. End of statement. But … I don’t do things simple. I need plan A, B, C, D, …… and […]
D Day – Owning Chicago 26.2
October 12, 2011
There it was – the day of the Marathon. The day that I had been anticipating since February!! I’d prepped everything before hand the previous night, including taping my name to the front and taping ‘26.2 Virgin’ on the back. Lorraine and I were staying 2 blocks from each other and we decided to meet at the bus stop for a cab/bus, whatever came first. We got onto a bus […]
1 Day to Chicago – The Expo
October 8, 2011
Went over to the expo to pick up my race number. Seeing the crowd of people was emotional, to say the least. Overheard a lot of first timers’ conversations. Lots of emotions running through my head as I wound my way through the expo. (Visited 64 times, 1 visits today)
5 Days to Chicago – Race Day Strategy
October 3, 2011
Race Start : 7:30amExpected time to cross start from Open Corral: 7:45-8am Meeting the rest of the Get Fit Atlanta folks on the steps of the art institute : 6:30-7:00am Leave hotel: 6:00am (Take the bus from the hotel to the race start) Breakfast of bread with almond butter and 1/2 banana: 5:30am Wake up :4:30am Fueling strategy 1 Gu packet every 45min/3.5 miles until 18 miles 1 Clif Shot […]
6 Days to Chicago – Defining Goals
October 2, 2011
As with everything else, I’ve been thinking and rethinking and then thinking some more about what my goals are for Chicago. I’m thinking KISS. Keep It Simple Stupid. So with that theory – My goal is to finish. I want that bling on my neck. Finishing with a smile instead of grimace would be nicer.End of statement. But … I don’t do things simple. I need plan A, B, C, D, […]
8 Days to Chicago – Now’s Not the Time to Obsess
September 30, 2011
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10 Days to Chicago – Can I get this visual out of my head?
September 28, 2011
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20 Days to Chicago – Painkillers, Yay or Nay?
September 28, 2011
Obsessing over (Visited 57 times, 1 visits today)
13 Days to Chicago – Leave me Alone!
September 26, 2011
That is all. (Visited 38 times, 1 visits today)
15 Days to Chicago – Too early to obsess over Weather?
September 24, 2011
Strangely, I’m not really obsessing over weather this time. It is what it is. The ONE variable I cannot control. But since Accuweather does weather predictions 15 days out, message boards on the internet were ripe with discussion and someone posted this “hour-by-hour weather prediction for Oct 9th”. (Visited 80 times, 1 visits today)
21 Days to Chicago – The Last Long Run
September 18, 2011
A wonderful run to end a long season of long runs! I read Coach David’s “Secrets of Marathoning” that he posted beforehand (Thanks, Coach!) a million times to understand what I needed to do on this 21mile, mock race run. I knew I could go the distance, I wanted to know at what pace I could. And I still wanted to make it in time to catch the seminar. Everyone […]
24 Days to Chicago – I better pray for Ideal Temps!
September 15, 2011
Today I ran a hard 5 miles. Just because. Just to see what that pace feels like. Whew! I certainly felt it !! Especially since my run was at 12:30pm in the peak afternoon heat of 88F. The humidity wasn’t there, and there was partly shade and a cool breeze and absolutely flat soft terrain, but even that made me hope that Chicago is in 60s at 12noon – 1pm […]
25 Days to Chicago – Why am I doing a Marathon?
September 14, 2011
or …. IS THERE? I had a bit of a conversation with our Speedwork coach after yesterday’s Yassos at the track. At one point, he talked about the mental strength you need to complete 26.2 miles. And remembering why I am running the marathon would help reinforce my goal. In my obsessed enthusiastic state, I took his words literally and tried to think of WHY I am doing this marathon. […]
25 Days to Chicago
September 14, 2011
Given that I have improved quite a bit since Spring, I’ve also been obsessing thinking quite a bit about my pace in the race. All sorts of permutations and combinations being worked out. I’m actually planning to attempt a tryout at this weekend’s 21 miles at a better pace than I always thought I would run at. Nerves – not as much. Lack of sleep is not allowing my brain […]
26 Days to Chicago – Feeling Invincible
September 13, 2011
A great track session with 6x800Yassos has left me on a high. At this moment, I am on top of the world and so proud of the distance I’ve travelled since April/May. This is the kind of high I want to be in as I tackle the days leading to the Marathon. The kind of high that makes me grin hugely, the kind of high that makes me want to […]
27 Days to Chicago – Suck it up, Buttercup
September 12, 2011
I stayed up tracking the Get Fit Atlanta athletes at Ironman Wisconsin. The results hit me smack with a shock. The next time I whine or brag about my marathon attempt, I shall think back to these amazing people who swam 2.6 miles, biked 112 miles (a distance I’m not too happy to drive in a CAR), and THEN ran a full 26.2 miles marathon. I am just doing a […]
28 Days to Chicago – An Undercurrent of Excitement
September 11, 2011
This time, next month. It would’ve been all over. Wow! Am I nervous? Strangely, no. Its an undercurrent of excitement. An excitement brought about by a great 19mile run that left me feeling that I could do more (thanks to a super slow first 5 miles)! An excitement brought about by yet another great ascent up Mt. Nickajack! (Visited 60 times, 1 visits today)
1 Month to Chicago – D-Day in a Month’s Time
September 10, 2011
Today’s the day, next month. The enormity of my attempt is hitting me. I’ve had a week of eating crap and feeling like crap allowing me to reflect on my body. My body is what I want it to be. Whether it be treating it with love and reverence and taking care of it through food and exercise, or by treating it with casual abandon. It will respond in kind […]
Pomegranates – A Super Food
September 9, 2011
Yesterday at Whole Foods, wanting to cleanse my body of the crap I’ve been eating recently – I picked up a pomegranate (among other fruits and vegetables). At $2.99 each, it was the most expensive item in my basket! This fruit brought back memories of my dad peeling it for my mum while my mum was doing the dishes and cleaning up. Once she was done, we’d all eat it […]
Eating Crap Feeling like Crap
September 8, 2011
Remember my post about feeling all guilty about missing a favorite festival?When the next one came around (a short 2 weeks later), I decided to do as much as I could. The traditional prayers, and of course, the traditional food that goes with the festival. A sweet, and a fried snack. And I ate almost everything I made a little. Then I had a birthday. There was a cake. And […]
Getting Stronger
August 30, 2011
In spite of a shaky 18 miles over the weekend, I think I’m getting stronger! (Singing out of key to the tune of Rocky) Today’s interval training workouts had me going without feeling like I would die. And I really think I can actually manage the 800s the next time around! That reading is a trick 🙂 Would love that pace for 3 miles, but alas, its only my 8x3min/3min […]
Struggling to find a Balance – An Inspiration
August 25, 2011
After a weekend of struggling to find a balance, and then making peace with that struggle, this morning I am inspired from my struggle (Am I bi-polar or what!) I woke up to this feed in my twitter “I hated every minute of training, but I said ‘don’t quit, suffer now & live the rest of your life as a champion.’ ” – Muhammad Ali (via @RunningQuotes) I don’t hate […]
Struggling to find a Balance – Making Peace
August 24, 2011
I have been fretting and feeling guilty about finding a balance between normal life and marathon training. And this was in my mailbox as Runners World’s “Daily Kick in the Butt”.“I am thankful that there are different seasons in life and training. I have learned to embrace each season realizing how important it is to allow the body, mind and spirit to fully cycle through each. My current season of […]
Struggling to find a balance
August 23, 2011
Yesterday was Krishna Janmashtami. The birthday of Lord Krishna. One of my favorite festivals with lots of childhood memories. The day before was my sweet 16 (miles). My first. The 16 miles left with me a great runners high on Saturday. But I was also in the lows Saturday night and Sunday morning. Not much energy to get anything done, but also a calendar full of birthday parties for the […]
Ants in my Pants!
August 21, 2011
Not really. But that is the closest to what I felt like running my first sweet 16 miles! My previous long(er) run was 15 miles 2 weeks ago, just when I was going down with sickness. Needless to say, it was a very long 15 miles. Entering this Saturday, I felt surprisingly calm with an undercurrent of excitement at pushing to a distance that can be best called borderline insane […]
Upper Respiratory Infection
August 11, 2011
Not a pleasant thing to end up with 2 months away from one of the biggest days of my life. And school hasn’t even started yet!! I wasn’t feeling too good during the run last week (but boy am I relieved that the sucky run was mainly because I was on the verge of getting sick and not anything else!) and started a very very mild cold the next day. […]
My body protests
August 8, 2011
I woke up the day of the long run with a sore throat.I struggled a bit during the run, physically and a little mentally.Sunday, full blown head cold and body ache. Had to drag myself to a birthday party and I ended up with a headache with still half the day to go. My body is creaking and protesting the upped mileage. It was ok until 12 miles. I’d done […]
15.22
August 7, 2011
A rare week since the start of training that I didn’t feel all that awesome going into the long run. Was up every hour the night before, and woke up with a sore throat. But that didn’t stop me from being slightly nervous excited for 15 miles when I left home at 5:15am! (Please don’t mind the shopping bags in the background. We just did our starting-school shopping the day before, […]
Yet another First
August 1, 2011
First time with 100+ miles a month. More importantly – a month when I did not miss a single running workout on my schedule. 2 more months to Chicago! (Visited 35 times, 1 visits today)
Sheer Exhaustion – Why?
July 31, 2011
This was how I felt yesterday after 14 miles, except it was at home and about 5 hours after the run. I haven’t felt this exhausted in forever, not since my first 7-8 mile run 18 months ago. So it took me by complete surprise. And I want to obsess to death record and analyze what happened so I can take care to prevent it. Timeline: Woke up at 4:20am after 10-10:30pm bedtime. Breakfast […]
The Day I made History
July 30, 2011
I suppose the day I made history was actually the day I first laced up and stepped out for a run/jog/walk/waddle. But this hot humid day of July 30th was history of some sorts too. The air was so thick that you could slice it. I woke up late and scrambled to make the run in time. My pre-run food was rebelling against me. I was pretty sure I didn’t […]
Things that I see on my Run
July 29, 2011
Well .. not me. The husband. Cool, eh? Am almost jealous. (Visited 41 times, 1 visits today)
Half way Point
July 23, 2011
Half way point in the training for the Chicago Marathon. From the next week on, there will be no turning back. We move forward. One step at a time, one mile at a time. The last of “normal” runs (funny how 13 miles seems normal!) was a blast with Lorraine of Run Wifey Run and the rest of the Get Fit Crew. Lorraine tells a great story with her pictures […]
My New BFFs
July 19, 2011
Our “Yellow” gang running in Piedmont Park this Saturday. I don’t look too shabby for having just finished 10.5miles (of a total 12), do I? (Visited 45 times, 1 visits today)
The week in numbers – W12 to Chicago
July 17, 2011
Summary Total Miles : 24 Long Run: 12 miles with GFA Cross Training: One lone swim session Strength Training: For the second week – FAIL Daily Splits M: p90x Stretch + Interval Training 19*30/30 (Was able to pace myself and felt much more confident) T: Swimming W: 5 Miles on the treadmill while watching Swades and bawling my eyes out. Th: 4 miles total with 30min/2.5miles of Tempo on the […]
The week in numbers
July 10, 2011
Summary Total Miles: 23 Long Run: 11 miles with GFA (that I kicked a$$) Peachtree Road Race 10k that I sadly missed my time goal Cross Training: Swimming on Wednesday Strength Training: FAIL (Too spent from the Peachtree on Monday and never recovered) Daily Splits M: Peachtree Road Race 10k in 1:17:13 (6.4 miles on my Garmin @12:05). Was aiming for 1:15:30. T: – Pity party on missing the […]
Action Shots
July 7, 2011
Look how smart I looked before the Peachtree. And then, I had to go spoil it all by running. I don’t really look that attractive after 6 miles of huffing and puffing, do I? I’m kind of over the black and white look too. Its sharp, but I like pops of color. I was the only dork wearing compression socks (I saw one other person with black […]
Chronicling myself during the Peachtree: 2009 and 2011
July 6, 2011
A little something to make me see the positive side of things. I’m feeling bloated, I gained 3 lbs in 3 days and can’t seem to stop eating all of a sudden! Hopefully this should make me get back on track. Should be titled – After & Before 2009 – 180/185 lbs. Size 14/16. 6 months after my 2nd Baby. I started running 6 months after this photo was taken. […]
POV and Goal setting
July 5, 2011
After yesterday’s Peachtree Road Race (the largest 10k), I realized that a race (or a run) is all about my point of view. POV1It was hot. 82F when I started at 8:18am.It was humid. 90%+.It had hills. Cardiac hill after mile 3 and 2 more hills after that (which we usually forget about).I was feeling the heat. I found breathing a bit laborious in places and had to drink water to […]
Half way in
July 1, 2011
6 months into 2011 already! Time to take a look back at what I have accomplished so far. PRs 5k PR at Resolution Run on 1/1 (in pouring rain) in 37:07 @ 11:58. Last year’s time – 41:41 Half Marathon PR at the Publix GA Half Marathon in 2hrs 49min @ 12:45. Las Year’s time – 3hrs 9min. (Have not run a 10k to see my progress) Race Goals for […]
With Family or Alone?
June 27, 2011
Chicago will be my first Marathon. Being my first, it will be a special event for me. And of course I want to share my special event with the husband and kidlets. What’s the big deal to think about then? Lodging in Chicago is super $$$$. If I travel alone, even though I will be flying, I can share the room with someone. If we go together, atleast $1200 in […]
The week in numbers
June 26, 2011
Summary Total Mileage: 21 miles Long Run: 8 miles with GFA Others: Swimming and Weights as XTrain Daily Splits M: 3 miles easy + 30DS T: 6.38 miles easy on a horribly hot humid day W: Swim Th: 45min/3.5miles of Tempo + Upper body Weights F: Swim S: 8.11 miles with GFA. Pushed myself at that distance @13:05 Su: – p90x Stretch Plan for next week M: 30DS + Interval […]
The week in numbers
June 19, 2011
Summary Mileage : 13 miles (No long run) Long run: 5 miles (Mid week run) Other: Ab Ripper (second half) and p90x Stretch Daily Splits M: 4.86 miles easy T: – W: 3.18 miles easy Th: 3 miles Tempo, Ab Ripper X (Second Half) The tempo at 5mph/12:00 felt tough for some reason. I need to find my correct tempo pace. F: 600 yd swim. A very smooth swim after […]
Attitude is the Little Thing that makes a big Difference
June 16, 2011
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The week in numbers
June 12, 2011
Summary Weekly Mileage : 21 miles Long Run: 10 miles Cross Training: 30 day shred (4 days) Daily Splits M: 10 miles on a very hilly course. Worst part of the run – Chaffing. T: 30 Day Shred W: 30 Min (2.25miles) of Tempo @ 12:00. 30 Day Shred. Th: 35 Min (2.75 miles) of Easy. 30 Day Shred. F: 30 min of p90x Yoga instead of the 30Day shred. […]
30 Day Shred – Day 3
June 10, 2011
“Mummy, are you ready now?”, asked my 5 yo for the 500th time today.“Not yet, Honey, just 5 more minutes”.“Mummy, you have been saying that since morning and now its almost dinner time.” We finally did Day 3 of the Shred at 5pm after she had been trying to get me start since 9:30 a.m. (Visited 65 times, 1 visits today)
30 Day Shred – Day 2
June 8, 2011
“Wake up, Mummy. Its time to exercise.” Yelled my 5 yo in my ear at 7:30am.“But Darling. Mummy had a late night and is sleepy”.“Mummy, lets finish it up and you can go back to sleep. Come ON!” And so, muttering under my breath with a plastic smile on my face, we did Day 2. (Visited 41 times, 1 visits today)
30 Day Shred – Day 1
June 8, 2011
“This is so much fun. Can we do it everyday?” asks my 5 year old who did the whole thing (minus push ups) with me.“Yes, Honey. But sometimes Mummy has other things going on.”“How about we do it in the morning after breakfast before you start work? I’ll remind you everyday Mummy.”“Geez thanks, my little trainer.” (Visited 34 times, 1 visits today)
Strength Training – The challenge of the First Step
June 6, 2011
Remember my goal as I approach my mid-30?A – for efforts to stick to the plan of strength training.F – for actual execution of the plan. Here’s what I tried, my experience and the one routine I’m going to stick with to move forward.p90x Why should I do it? – Everyone raves about it, it has a wide variety of exercises, it really shows the results in 90 days, etc. What’s stopping […]
The week in numbers
June 6, 2011
Summary Total Miles = 19 Long Run = 9 miles solo Cross Training = p90x Stretch, Swimming 20 min Strength Training = FAIL Daily Splits M – 9 miles on Memorial Day at the River. Perfect negative splits at 1/3 distances. T – p90x Stretch and 20min of Swimming W – 4.6 miles in the humidity with a late 8am start. Traveling to Chicago that night. Th – Traveling […]
Plan B
June 1, 2011
Thanks to the discount that RnR offered for their races on National Running Day, I now have a plan B. I am now registered for the full marathon at Savannah on Nov 5th. My ‘A’ race of the year is still Chicago on Oct 9th and I’m being cheerfully optimistic that everything will be perfect on race day; but lets face it. Chicago is notorious for its weather. 2 out […]
The week in numbers
May 30, 2011
Summary Weekly Mileage – 16 Miles Long Run – 7 miles (mid day by myself for extra Chicago miles) Got all my runs in Cross training – a little bit of swimming + Yoga FAIL at p90x Shoulders and back Daily Splits M – 2 miles Easy and a little bit of swim (most of it trying to overcome panic attacks) T – 7 Miles to get some extra miles […]
Running ego Vs. Chafing
May 29, 2011
Hubby when he came back from a 10mile run: “Ow, Ow, Ow !!!”Me: “What? Where?”“There where-it-cannot-be-mentioned. Ow, Ow !!”“Didn’t you use body glide/coconut oil?”“Its these shorts. 6miles in, it shifted and started chafing.”“So – why didn’t you stop and re-adjust?” …. long pause …. “Well?” “There was a lady behind me 5 miles in and she was gaining everytime I slowed down.” “So why didn’t you wait until she passed you?”Hubby *looking like I […]
The Quest for a Running Skort – FAIL
May 28, 2011
Why not look cute while running? That’s what I thought. And fell in love with girls running with skorts (skirts with compression shorts). Since they were pricey at $60+ online, I went to the outlet malls hoping to get one for half the price. Store #1 – Nope. Not even worth browsing. They had only “athletic training” section which did not have any tech material. Came out in 5 minutes. […]
A Goal as I approach my mid-30 mark
May 27, 2011
As the husband turned 40, I realized that I have a mid-30 number coming up in September. What can I do to make this midway point memorable? So I did what almost every girl resolves to do for her birthday (or wedding or anniversary) – lose weight! Well, not exactly. I don’t care about scale numbers anymore, so I want to lose dress sizes. I am currently an 8/10 (down […]
Three Things Thursday – Food again
May 26, 2011
It was ironic that the day I blogged about my relationship with food was the day that Dailymile had a #dailymission question – what is the most important thing you do nutrition-wise that helps your training?And I realized – I don’t have an answer. I don’t really do anything much. While I don’t binge-eat anymore, my intake of vegetables has dwindled in the past 2 months – ever since I […]
A flash during a run
May 25, 2011
8:30am and I had just entered my neighborhood after a good 7 mile run. Apart from the heat, humidity and hills, I was smiling and lightly humming to the songs jamming on Pandora. And then I saw her. A lady, with a bright green shirt, and her black capris sitting on her butt cheeks with her black bikini/thong in full view !!!!!!! She was bending over her car trunk and […]
My relationship with food
May 24, 2011
A sampler of the range of variety in Indian food Like most people, I have a weird relationship with food. In Indian culture, (very much like the Greeks as portrayed in ‘My Big Fat Greek Wedding’) the solution to every problem or every non-problem is to eat or drink coffee/tea. Unless a child eats a portion that is two tsp less than an adult portion, the kid is considered a […]
‘I love to Run moment’ of the Week
May 23, 2011
I had my ‘I love to Run’ moment when I ate to my heart’s content without guilt at the husband’s surprise 40th birthday party on Sunday. Now, that’s why I love to run – so I can eat what I want to (within sensible bounds, of course). (Visited 30 times, 1 visits today)
The week in numbers
May 22, 2011
Summary Total Mileage = 15 miles Long Run = 7 miles No cross training, but got my runs in Daily Splits M – 2 miles easy with a pounding sinus headache. More walking than running, but got them legs moving. Quick upper body + core while DD(5) was at her swim lesson. T – 4 miles of Congested 800 speed intervals. 5 x 0.5 miles @ 5.1×2/5.2×2/5.5 (11:47/11:36/10:51) with 0.10miles of walk […]
The week in numbers
May 15, 2011
Summary Total Weekly Mileage – 3 miles Long run with GFA – n/a Sick Week Daily Splits M,T,W – – pity party because of lower body cramps Thursday – 3 miles of good strong tempo run. 2.5miles at 12:00 without stopping in between. Kenpo X (kickboxing) before the tempo run. F – Onset of sickness Saturday – Missed group run for a myriad of reasons (Body ache […]
Cutback week for running
May 11, 2011
It could be because I had a super awesome week last week or because the woman in me wants a break, this week has been cutback week. Even though I could be faced with a cutback week on the day of the Marathon, I’m listening to the voice this time and going with the ancient wisdom that my body needs rest. My legs feel refreshed and I have no doubt […]
The week in numbers
May 7, 2011
22 Weeks to ChicagoSummary Total mileage of 14 miles Long run of 6.18 miles with Get Fit Atlanta Cross training with Spin, Swim and Sculpt Daily Splits Monday – 6am Spin class for 1hr (First one in over 6 months, tough; glad to have lasted 1hr) Tuesday – 2 miles Planned easy run turned into short tempo to save my iPhone after it started raining midway Wednesday – 6am Sculpt […]
Motivation on Long Runs
May 6, 2011
(From Runner’s World tumblr) Active.com had a great article on 4 Tips to Stay Motivated on Your Long Run. Until a month ago, since I’d been doing my long runs (although my runs were 10-12miles and not the 18miles in the article), I figured I’d give my “expert” opinion on what worked for me. Tip #1: Getting Started (From active.com)I have to whole heartedly agree with this one. For me a […]
Things that scare me
May 4, 2011
There are some things (fitness related) that I am scared to do. Or out of my comfort zone. Or …I figure if I put it out there, I will be able to face it and know that I need to overcome it. Swimming in the Deep – Even a 6ft deep pool scares me. Weight training – Not scared of doing them, but scared of the soreness the day after […]
Revisiting 2011 Goals
May 1, 2011
I think I should review my goals and plans every quarter.Goals Improve my 5k speed from 37min to under 36 by the end of the year. – I am sure I can break 36 if I ran a 5k today. I’ve been able to do mile repeats at 12:00 pace with minimal walking in between. So maybe its time to sign up for a 5k race! Get to 2:45-2:50 in […]
The week in numbers
May 1, 2011
23 Weeks to ChicagoSummary Mileage for the week – 12 miles Long run of 6.2 miles with GetFit Atlanta Daily Splits Monday: Walk on home treadmill for 1.6miles at 8pm Tuesday: Mile repeats at Gym treadmill for 3.75 miles at 8:30pm (1mile x 3 at 5.0/12:00mph) Wednesday: – Thursday: – (The night of the Tornado and storms and camping in the basement) Friday: – […]
Three Things Thursday (a.k.a. I need an alternate Title)
April 28, 2011
(I need an alternate title if I’m going to write 3 random things. There’s nothing wrong with TTT, but … hmm.. would like to be a little more creative) 1. I’ve been soooo tired this week. Could be excess work, could be stress, could be getting only 1.5 running days (I walked one of those days) and those were past 8:30pm. I’m a get ’em done by 8:30 AM kind […]
When work interferes with running
April 27, 2011
This says it all. (I don’t know their web url, so linking to facebook.) ps: I’ve been reading about themes in blogs – Tanget Tuesday, Wordless Wednesday, Three Things Thursday, etc. Maybe I’ll borrow from it so I can keep my blog flowing when work is interfering with blogging. Dang work …. can’t live wihout it, can’t live with it. (Visited 59 times, 1 visits today)
Bucket List of Races
April 27, 2011
Inspired by Today’s #dailymission over at Dailymile What race would you most want to do, if you didn’t have to worry about any logistics (money, family, work, injury, etc.)? Yes, I have a bucket list of marathon races in-spite of having just one year of running under my belt. And please ignore the slight fact that I have never yet run a marathon. London Marathon (Last year, after I saw “Run Fat Boy, Run”, I […]
New BFF on Saturday Mornings
April 23, 2011
Finally, after months of wavering, I joined a running group. I’m hoping that Get Fit Atlanta will help me get to the start line at Chicago. I’ve had 3 group runs. I found out that I’m still very very awkward running in a group – especially where everyone is faster than I am. All 3 days, I was the straggler. I’m sometimes embarrassed, when someone slows down to stick with me […]
Pixie Dust
April 21, 2011
Wings to carry you to the finish line, literally – Tinker Bell Half Marathon Weekend. Run Disney announced their latest race in January in Disneyland. Maybe this is one I’ll do with my girls over a long vacation when they are all grown up. (Visited 74 times, 1 visits today)
The Mecca of all Marathons
April 19, 2011
Almost everyone who runs long distance is aware of this special event – The Boston Marathon. One of the Race Director’s started the event after attending an Olympics marathon; and selected the Patriot’s day to celebrate the US’s great runner – Paul Revere. Its since grown in prestige and getting a BQ (Boston Qualifier) is a huge huge deal. This day, all records were smashed as the first 4 male […]
The Best Compliment of them all
April 16, 2011
Ever since I’ve been consistently running, I’ve received a lot of compliments from people; even after I stopped worrying about weight loss and concentrated on just having fun. I got my best compliment today. I stepped into the house after a run – hair wild from the wind, sweat running down my face and stinking from the sweat, wearing my regular Brooks running Capri and full length shirt. As I […]
Georgia Half Marathon – Course and Elevation
March 30, 2011
Hills , hills and more hills. A largely pretty course taking me through areas I had never been! More hills. The “biggest” hills (to me) was the one coming out of Piedmont Park, and the one(s) passing through Georgia Tech. The most deceptive hill is the one after Georgia Tech onto Marietta St (the last mile). I couldn’t see the hill, but my legs could feel it. Drove down to […]
An Year of a Difference
March 21, 2011
March 21, 2010 – My first half marathon. Signed up in a fit without respect for the distance. Trained diligently, but hobbled crying across the finish line in 3:09:10 March 20, 2010 – My 5th half marathon. Signed up to see how far my mind and body had come. Trained hardcore and pulled 10-12mile weekend runs consistently. Grinned cheerfully while crossing the finish line at 2:48:39 What a difference an […]
Running releases more than just Sweat
March 14, 2011
All of Friday and Saturday morning, my mind was filled with negativity, self doubts, worry, regrets, frustration, anger, and … you name it. All ingredients for a migraine. So I ran. I ran to forget my present. I ran to take out my frustration. I ran to prove a point to myself. But running that day was far more therapeutic. More powerful than me trying to channel negativity into something […]
Signing My Life Away
March 7, 2011
That’s what I did … when I signed up for the Chicago Marathon.I filled out the registration form and navigated away from it 7 times (yes, I counted) before I hit the ‘Submit’ button.I let the active.com session expire 4 times before I hit the ‘Submit’ button.I drove the husband nuts by alternating between elation and self-doubts while on the registration form.I caused my blood pressure to shoot through the […]
Disney Princess Half Marathon 2011
March 1, 2011
The Disney Princess Half Marathon. Me, the anti-princess mom got swallowed by the Disney marketing magic (it was the promise of a Tiara medal that did it for me). The kidlet’s 5th birthday was the same week and I convinced the husband to celebrate it in Disney and I was waiting for this day like a giddy schoolgirl. It started the day before as went to the Wide World of […]
Transforming into a Princess
February 10, 2011
Who knew that behind this tomboy lurked a Princess! When it came time to decide on what Princess I was, I felt I was more Mulan than anyone else. Mulan is clumsy as a girl, but brave and in the midst of action when she dresses up as a boy. But … unfortunately, Mulan wasn’t offered as an option. So I settled on Jasmine – sheltered as a Princess, but […]
Snapshots from My First and Only Sports Meet in School
February 8, 2011
Long lost memories came flooding back with this DailyMile question. I wonder if any of my school friends will stumble on this and get a good chuckle out of it. The year was 1987. I was 11 years old and in 7th grade (Eek! I just dated myself!). With nerdy glasses and a nose buried among books, I was never athletic. But that particular year, for reasons best not disclosed to […]
Do you run when you have a cold?
February 7, 2011
Snotty nose, achy & stiff legs, sneezing all takes a toll. Mentally and Physically. When the weekend rolled around – should I do my long run? Or call it a rest week? I have been battling a cold (among other things) for the past 2 weeks. I drudged through last weekend’s 11 mile run and felt blah. This week, I set off for an intended 12miles. A mile and a […]
Exercise and Relationships
February 3, 2011
This article from WSJ got me thinking – A Workout Ate my Marriage My mind first flew back 3 years. The husband has been a runner for a long time, getting serious in Melbourne in 2005. When we got back to Atlanta, my life was overrun by juggling an infant and jobs and everything else in between. The husband on the other hand, went out for runs when he felt […]
Dilemmas, Dilemmas and Dilemmas
January 27, 2011
The Players: The FauxRunner and Her Husband The Scenario: Both planning their first full marathon The Background: FauxRunner is obsessive about running(like anything else she tries); has been faithfully running and training since starting a year ago, and building up endurance in her own slow pace to make sure her body can handle the stress.The husband is a runner from heart. Doesn’t think about time, pace, races or anything (mid-run […]
The Importance of Rest
January 27, 2011
Put simply – Rest is important for the human body to heal and strengthen itself. So is pacing yourself and not push too much even though your body is willing to go there. Both of the above is very important to someone who was a couch potato an year ago, someone who’s pace is still 13:00-14:00. And not heeding to it – body crashes. After 2 weeks of intense tempo, […]
Speedwork
January 20, 2011
I . did . speedwork !!! Can you believe that ?? The FauxRunner tried to RUN !! It was a day when everything just came together. My plan said speedwork, but since everyone’s definition of speedwork is different (mile repeats vs. 800s with jog/walk in between), I decided on 800s. Easier to run half a mile at a “I’m going to collapse” speed than a whole mile, isn’t it? After […]
Turning Hardcore
January 17, 2011
Christmas Day – I ran a short 2miles while it was snowing. The Resolution Run 5k on Jan 1 – I ran in pouring rain. This past weekend – I ran 13miles! 13 miles! My longest training run ever at a pace of 13:15 and half of it in slush, mud and melting ice! Is that not hardcore for a former couch potato? (Visited 56 times, 1 visits today)
Bragging Rights
January 14, 2011
I received raves over this picture a few days ago. And I look back in amazement at my journey. My “normal” weight for most of my adult life – about 160/170lbs July 2005 – At my thinnest losing 30lbs. After 3 months of healthy eating and intense personal training. Jan 2008 – 165/170lbs Just before I got pregnant with my 2nd kid Dec 2008 – 203/195lbs […]
2010 Year End Report from DailyMile
January 13, 2011
Only wish that the 25lbs burned translated to 25lbs of body weight lost. (Visited 46 times, 1 visits today)
Lottery System for the Peachtree Road Race
January 12, 2011
Atlanta Track Club is introducing a lottery system for their flagship 10k Peachtree Road Race on July 4th. What does that mean to the FauxRunner? Of course I will “apply” and then hope to get selected. Although I am loving training for longer distances, the Peachtree is an Atlanta tradition even though its run sometimes in the sweltering heat of Hotlanta’s summer. The Peachtree is also the first race that […]
Snowpocalypse 2011
January 10, 2011
What’s a girl to do waking up to a sight like this? Take a rest day and let that IT band heal 🙂 (Visited 35 times, 1 visits today)
2010 Bests and Worst races. What made them so great or not so great?
January 5, 2011
I saw this at Kitzzy’s Blog and loved it! Wanted to do the same (apologies in advance if I’m not supposed to borrow the format – I’m relatively new to non-personal blogging) Biggest Achievement: ING Georgia Half Marathon – The first. My perseverance in training for it amazed me and made me realize that I could do things that I had thought impossible. Biggest Achievement #2: Callaway Gardens Sprint Triathlon – I had […]
Goals for 2011
January 3, 2011
GOAL PLAN OF ACTION Improve my 5k speed from 37min to under 36 by the end of the year. And get to 2:45-2:50 in a half marathon. · Continue with the speedwork and tempo runs once a week. They DO payoff. · Once a week of weights, and once a week of boxing. Toning up helps speed up too. Go for the FULL – Chicago Oct 9, 2011. It seems […]
Revisiting 2010
January 3, 2011
Jan 1st Resolution Run 5k: 41min 48sec (My first race after I started attempting to run. All previous “races” were casual walks)Jan Mileage – 61miles (wow !!! How did I do that??)Feb 6th Chattahoochee Challenge 10k: 1hr 24min (I finished so slow that all the food was gone)Feb Mileage – 55miles March 20st ING Georgia Half Marathon: 3hrs 9min (My very FIRST. Sooooo proud of myself) April – Total inertia […]
Resolution Run 5k – 2011
January 3, 2011
What better than to start off the New Year with a race in pouring rain? Last year, this was my first race after I started seriously training, and I wasn’t going to let it go this year. Not to mention the $30 race fees and the cute race Long sleeve tech Tshirt ATC Track Club gives out (although I’ve always struggled with their sizing) 2011 Time: 37min 08sec (Plenty of […]
My 1st Running Anniversary
December 25, 2010
Today is the first anniversary of my running journey. Last Christmas Eve, terrified of having signed up for the ING Georgia Half, I laced up and stepped utside my home. I walked/jogged 3 miles and came back in tears. I hated every minute of it, and I hated myself for doing that to myself. I kept at it though, initially to prove a point to Hubby. And here I am […]
Atlanta Thanksgiving Half Marathon – Elevation and Map
November 28, 2010
The hills kept coming and coming and coming, in the second half of the course. I felt the hills on the second half. This may be one of the races where I bank time in the first half to allow for a 30-60 seconds fade in the second half. The water stops were 2 miles apart, a tad too far in my liking especially in the second half of the […]
Thanksgiving Day Half Marathon – Race Report
November 25, 2010
It was an unusually wonderful start to the day. Temperature in 50s at the end of November! Unheard of! I had on cute new running gear. What more could I ask for 🙂 I had slight gear malfunction until about 5 miles. It got hot/humid pretty fast, but because of my armband music, I couldn’t remove my long T inspite of wrestling with it for a long time. My […]
13.1 Atlanta Half Marathon – Course and Elevation
October 10, 2010
Course starts and end at Oglethorpe University (great finish party). The first 2-3 miles (for my speed) were in the dark. The little speed bumps on dark roads were tripping obstacles. Small but fun race with no corrals. The running in the dark in the beginning may have partly contributed to me going out a tad too quickly. The last bit of 2 miles or so on Peachtree St felt […]
13.1 Atlanta
October 4, 2010
Whew! So glad to be done with this!! And happy the way it ended, although I am sad about the time. The race was to start at 7am, I got there at 5.40am to find a parking spot nearby. Cold and slightly windy morning that promised to turn out to be a great day. I met a very nice girl at the start who mentors the Fleet Feet […]
Callaway Gardens Sprint Triathlon 2010 – Race Report
June 22, 2010
Swim: 18:24 T1: 4:49 Bike: 37:29 T2: 2:26 Run: 25:32 Total: 1:28: 38 I woke up at 3am, loaded the kids in the car and left home at 4.05am. We reached Callaway Gardens at 5.45am, just as they were opening packet pickup. Picked up the packed, and drove to the far end to set up transition. Smothered myself with more body glide. The Swim: The water was nice […]
Callaway Gardens Sprint Triathlon
June 22, 2010
My First !!! Here is my detailed Race Report, if you are interested. I loved training for it. And can’t wait to do more inspite of my fear of the deep water. Swim: 18:24 T1: 4:49 Bike: 37:29 T2: 2:26 Run: 25:32 Total: 1:28: 38 Bright and Early at 5.45am Waiting for the start at 8am Testing the waters Sand … ewww .. Taking my place in […]
ING Half Marathon
March 22, 2010
My First Half Marathon – and I’m hooked! After a night of tossing and turning, the alarm clock woke me up at 4.30am. After quickly cooking breakfast for the girls and nursing Brinda, we waited for Stephanie (our babysitter) to come and we were off. Slight time delay and our train pulled into the station just as we were pulling into the parking lot. So we […]
Tomorrow, March 21
March 21, 2010
… will be my first half marathon.I’m super excited and super nervous. In spite of being sick for the past 3-4 weeks and not having too many miles after my big 10mile run on Feb 21st, I have trained hard for this. Starting from not being able to run half a mile and wimping out at hills to being able to run for over 2 hours. Ideally, I would like […]
The Day I …
February 28, 2010
10 miles.Would you believe it?10 f$#@^$%@ miles! Grumpy over the last 2 miles, husband brought out a search party for me since I was gone so long, tired and hungry, but 10 miles !!!! Maybe there is something to running, if I can feel this excited even after a whole day of soreness and passing out from tiredness. (Visited 48 times, 1 visits today)
My first Running Purchase!
February 20, 2010
I bought myself a water belt! Ashley (my super speedy running friend) says this is awesome. I have a 8 mile run coming up soon and I will need to drink somewhere along the road. Of course, Guru thinks it is over the top. *Men* (Visited 40 times, 1 visits today)
Chattahoochee Challenge 10k
February 7, 2010
This race was a logical progression for me to lead up to the ING half next month. And very weirdly, this is the first 10k I’ve actually trained to run (Peachtree I just walked with a friend; the Labor Day I just showed up and went). It was great weather and a very pretty route along the river, flat except for one hill at 5 miles. I ran the whole […]
Assailed by Self Doubts
January 22, 2010
I’ve been feeling pretty good about myself, my goals and my efforts these days. But when I start to compare or look around, I get assailed by doubts. After the high I had from finishing my hilly labor day 10k, I signed up for the ING half-marathon in March. I shy away from running. I hate it. But I have been sticking to it and following a training program religiously […]
Resolution Run 5k – 2010
January 2, 2010
A 5k run in the cold and wind to start off my fitness resolutions for the year.3.1miles/5k: 41 min 48 sec So – how has this resolution been working out for me?So far, so good. I’ve been running 3-4 days a week. I’ve officially started training for my half-marathon on March 21st.I’ve put in 10 miles last week of december/first week of Jan, and 13 miles last week.This week I […]
New Shoes
December 29, 2009
I went down to a running store (Big Peach Running Company – a quaint little place I never knew existed even though I’ve driven by it) and got some running shoes. The person who helped me seemed a little shocked (little is an understatement, actually) on seeing what I was wearing when I went it. What!It was a Nike Shoe! How was I to know that all shoes were not […]
My First Run
December 24, 2009
Today, I ran on the roads outside my house. Ran for 3 miles. The weather was just perfect. The first 10-15 minutes was uncomfortable. The middle 10-15 was tolerable. The last 20 minutes definitely tried to kill me and I had to walk up almost every mountain I encountered. I wanted to give it up and call Guru to pick me up instead, but the baby was sleeping and I didn’t want […]
Why Why Why
December 23, 2009
After the debacle over my B’day and anniversary, a husband constantly telling me that running was the miraculous cure for my weight-loss plateau and post-partum depression issues, and blown away by a friend who had finished a half marathon; in a fit – of enthusiasm or temper, or both, I have decided that I am going to do a half marathon. But … I hate running. I am not a runner. Heck, […]
Roma – day 1; The loss of the Ergo, Trevi Fountain and Oven Pizza
January 5, 2009
After an ear infection diagnosis, and forgetting the all important Ergo, and enduring a temper tantrum on the flight (she was totally bewildered about the new place and why we were not letting her walk around), We reached Rome in the morning and not wanting to repeat our misadventures in Paris, took a cab to our hotel. The hotel was located 2 blocks from ‘Fori di Imperialli’, the main street […]
Rome – Day 2 Colosseum and The Roman Forum
January 5, 2009
After a tiring night with Sudha Parimala bouncing on the bed until 2 am (yawn… ), we finally left at 11am. Our destination – The Colosseum and The Forum Romanum, both just minutes away from our hotel. We walked down Fori di Emperiali until we came to the Colosseum. We decided to buy tickets at the Palatine Hill, just around the corner from the Colosseum. Instead of dragging the gogoKidz […]
Roma – day 3; The Vatican Museums
January 5, 2009
These travels were before I turned the FauxRunner Having “booked” our tickets through viator.com, we reached the Vatican entrances at 9.00am. After a short confusion (I stood in the wrong line for half an hour), we got in the museum bypassing the lines. The Vatican museum, like The Louvre, is best described in pictures. So I am not even going to attempt it. The Raphael Rooms We stayed longer than […]
Tasmania – Australia’s UnderRated Destination
January 2, 2008
Tesselated Pavements at Eaglehawk Neck enroute to Port Arthur from Hobart Port Arthur Penal Settlement Model town of 19th century Hobart at Richmond Wineglass bay at Freycinet National Park White sands of Wineglass bay and Hazards Beach Wombat at the Freycinet National Park Kate’s Berry Farm at Swansea with yummy Devonshire teas and Scones Bay of Fires at St. Helenas Dove Lake at Cradle Mountain National Park Cataract Gorge at […]
FIJI – UnWinding on “Bula” Time
January 2, 2008
One of our most relaxing and enchanting vacations – Fiji was chosen out of necessity rather than choice for our anniversary vacation. I had to go to Atlanta for my fingerprinting by INS and I found an Air Pacific flight that was through Nadi, Fiji and needed a journey of minimum 5 days. Researching on Fiji a little, I discovered that it was a very sought after destination for Australians […]
Kumarkom, India – The Beginning of it All
January 1, 2008
After deliberating on various places to visit for our honeymoon. we selected the beautiful backwaters of Kerala. We stayed in a houseboat in the backwater lake of Kumarkom. Not for nothing is Kerala described as ‘God’s own country’. A must see place for visitors to India. (Visited 51 times, 1 visits today)