Friday Letters: It's Winter break!

Happy Friday!! It is winter break, well almost! At 3pm it will be winter break! Surprisingly, my kids have been pretty well behaved this week so I am counting that as an early holiday gift. I am really looking forward to winter break because I normally have time to rest and relax. Because I do not celebrate Christmas I am not required to be anywhere special, but that changed this year as there is another family in the picture which I am so excited to join! I also have family coming into town for two days and I am so excited to see them since I didn't get to see them when I was in New York last weekend. What are your Christmas plans like? Mine normally consist of a good movie and Chinese food! Yum Yum :) Dear Friday, Thanks for showing up in your good ole fashion. I hope the next two weeks go by slowly though. On December 20, 1773 the Boston Tea Party occured so that is what we are celebrating today! Dear Bike, You hurt and I am nervous for our future meetings. Thankfully Meghan came to ride with me and she showed me lots of stuff, like what the different gears are. Also, apparently I was riding on flat tires because I thought my airpump was malfuntioning, it was only user error! she stayed nice and slow for me and I hurt after only 12 miles, and I don't mean just my legs. I am excited to get on my bike more often and learn how to ride better! Dear Behnieeee, I am excited and overwhelmed for this weekend of planning our future out. We are looking at a wedding venue and at a house that we can hopefully live in. Lot's of big things are happening for us! And you get to spend the rest of your life with me, feel special :) Dear Triathlon I signed up for, I am excited for you! I am findraising for the Leukemia and Lymohoma society. I am doing it for a very special friend of mine, Megan! I hope if you have a few extra dollars lying around, or still in search of a gift for someone, maybe you can make a donation to my page! teamintraining.org/sun/anttry14/ghimelfarb That is all for now, I am going to keep them nice ans short so you can enjoy time with your family and friends! What are you looking most forward to this holiday season? Me, rest! and exercising What is your favorite holiday movie? The Santa Clause series!

happy Friday! boy has it been a while

Happy Friday, everyone! hope everyone is having a great holiday season! I am so happy it is Friday of course! I haven't been blogging lately but have been busy reading all your blogs. 

This weekend I am headed up to New York to visit my family, especially my grandma who is not doing so well.  I head up Friday after work and get back Subday afternoon.  Hopefully I will get to see some of my Israel family as well!

now it's time for my Friday letters and get you all caught up on my life! 

Dear Friday, I am so happy to see you of course! I am excited to see my family and there is only one more Friday before winter break.

Dear NYC marathon, even though you were over a Month ago, I still owe you a race recap.  let's just say it didn't go as planned and I hated almost every second of that race. I think my expectations were too high. 

Dear exercise, I miss you and can't wait until you return to my life next week. I am lazy!

Dear "big race", I signed up for a big race  that haven't disclosed yet on the blog and will hopefully get around to telling you about that.  any guesses on what it is?

Dear fiancé, yes! there is one now and I couldn't be more excited to spend the rest of my life with you! if a goes well, we will wed exactly one year from today!

what are your weekend plans?

any guesses on what event I plan to do?

what is your marathon PR?

or

what was your worst race ever? what happened?

New York City Marathon 2013 Pre-Race Recap

I should probably start this post warning everyone this is probably the post you are not expecting to see..

The New York City Marathon is a *magical* race, or so I was told.

I started July 1st training with the goal of sub 5, so 4:59:59 would have been great.  Unfortunately with injuries I moved that goal to 5:15 and knowing there were bridges and hills, I thought it was doable.  Oh, it was not, but I shall get to that later :)

I flew up to NY Thursday after work, was picked up at the airport, spent time with my Aunt and Uncle and went to bed.  Friday we woke up and made our way to the Expo.  Everything was great at the expo.  It was well managed and we never had an issue.  I received an email the week before telling me to stop at a special booth to pick up a bracelet.  With that bracelet I received last years shirt and my medal! NYRR pulled out all the stops this year.  I am certainly an expo's best customer so I stocked up on NYCM pants, 3 t shirts, 1 tank top, 3 cups for me and as gifts, arm warmers (Oh thank heavens I purchased those), a hat x2, and a teddy bear.  After we made our way through the official merchandise we walked around the expo and I tried to be as good as possible and I think I only purchased a pair of compression pants for post race.

After the expo we made our way back up town, went to lunch and relaxes before I met Christa and her uncle for dinner at the Hilton around Times square for the Team in Training's Dinner.  I stocked up on chicken, pasta, and of course dessert.  I hydrated well with lots of water...typical :)  We purchased cheering hands for our family for race day and took lots of fun pictures.  (once I get them from Christa I will definitely share them here)

Team In Training pulled out all the stops.  There was not a dry eye in the room by the end of the night. It is the 25th anniversary and they had the founded of TNT as well as his daughter there who this group was started for.

Saturday morning we woke up and of course went shopping.  What would a day in the city be with your aunt if you didn't go shopping?  I got some new lululemon pants and skirts and a new North Face fleece because apparently what I was wearing from high school was not socially acceptable.  I thought it was just fine.  Maybe this is why I ask my friends, or more like tell them I need them to take me shopping.   Lunch was at Chipotle.  I made my way to Trader Joes to get some food for dinner.  I pre-made dinner because my dad and I were staying at a hotel in Staten Island Saturday night and I did not want to worry about where or what I was gong to eat.  Once I met my dad we were on our way to Staten Island, the place I grew up.  It was so weird being "back', even if it was only for one night.
I managed to scarf down my grilled chicken and gluten free pasta.  I kept drinking my water and Gatorade and was definitely asleep by 9:30.  At the latest.   I had a beautiful nights sleep.  I did do some tossing and turning but felt well rested when I woke up Sunday morning ready to conquer 26.2 miles through the famous NYC with over 50,000 of my closest running friends!

Where I've been lately....

This post is just a mash up of some thoughts running through my head, what I have been doing, and my need to blog!  Sometimes all I want to do is blog but when it comes time to actually blog, there isn't time.  The act of turning on a computer os daunting!  I try to be in bed around 8:30 and hope to be asleep around 9.  I am cool, I know!

1. So for the last 3 months I have been training for this silly thing called the New York Marathon as most of you already know.  This month although has really put a damper on my miles.  My body is revolting!  Runners knee, plantar faciatiis, this weird pain in my back.  I am a mess!!SInce July, each month of training has decreased in miles and it is supposed to be increasing..It makes me sad but oh well.  That is all I can say I think.

2. I love reading your blogs!  Its a few minutes of peace and quiet I get during the day.  I am sorry if I haven't been leaving comment but I promise I have been reading your posts!

3. I had such a blast at the summer of rum festival back in August!  Behn and I met up with a bunch of our friends and everyone had a blast!  Can we do this every year?  It did get very crowded towards the end and I was ready to leave at that point.

4. I really, really, really, love my one hour (45+ mile) drive to and from work every day..NOT

5. My injured body is already planning for future races but I hope this body heals itself.

6. I went on my bike last for the first time in probably 10 months.  I did 18 miles.  It was great! I crave more, minus the butt pain.  I need to find a bath to ride on because I am terrified to ride next to the cars.

7. I love food..DUH

8. I am sure you are really getting sick of this post now so I will see if I can find some pictures to share with you.

9. Compression socks rock! I love you Pro compression.

10.  I may already be counting down to spring break.

11. I have been gluten and dairy free since Sept. 1 hoping it helps my belly.  I had a slip up this past weekend..WHOOPS!

What have you been up to lately?  Catch me up on your life!

What is your favorite dairy free dessert? I love dessert!