Hometown Hero, Part II

On this post-Thanksgiving trip back to New York, I am thankful for Celeste and her ability to find the funniest shit on the Internet. If you haven’t yet viewed the link she posted (here, again, for your convenience), I politely insist that you do so now.

Being back at the parents’ place for a few days was relaxing and full of exceptionally fattening cuisine. Over the course of the past twenty-four hours, I single-handedly consumed most of the innards of a grocery store-bought apple pie. Thank you Roche Brothers for sharing your delicious, heart attack-inducing baked goods with the world.

Dinner with the family was the usual raucous affair at my grandparents’ country club culminating with a meeting of my grandmother’s family (ours) and her ex-husband’s second wife’s (got that clear?) that may very well have resembled the first meeting of the Pilgrims and the Native Americans. How apropos! Fear not, gentle reader: a few vodka-sodas later, all were in great spirits. Before passing out in the car ride home (go me!), I very vividly recall my mom insisting that each individual family unit comprising the extended group pose for “hilarious family photos.” The results are not pretty and will not be posted here (though I may send a few to the wait staff as a token of appreciation for their putting up with us).

As I couldn’t join TNT for the group run in Central Park today, I ran my assigned seven miles all by my lonesome self in the old ‘hood. Armed with ye olde crafty G-Map Pedometer, I mapped out what I thought looked like a fun alternative to the standard jaunt in and out of town center. What I failed to realize was that this “new route” was almost entirely uphill (with a couple of real muthas in there for even more “fun”). Did I mention the severe wind warnings issued this morning in the Greater Boston area?

Stuffed Scott + mostly uphill course + 30 m.p.h. winds smacking my wimpy frame around = not the most enjoyable run of all time.

To my credit, I pounded it out in a legit time and was able, upon completion, to walk to the car to further feed my face at lunch. I am currently relaxing my knees on the Amtrak en route to New York, as Imperial Master Coach Christine has us running another fifty minutes tomorrow. I suppose that’s more reason to get schwasted in the city tonight, yes? Yes. Yes I will yes.

Life Lessons

Don't wear control top stockings on Thanksgiving.

Moonwalking to the Finish Line

Happy Thanksgiving, Everyone!

Kudos to Scott and his restraint because I sure as hell did not have any last night.

Homegirl started early. My car on the 6pm train to Boston turned into a bit of a bar scene. Booze was flowing at every seat either in celebration of the holiday or in anticipation of facing relatives...or both. For some reason, I have an unbelievable ability to make random aging businessmen guys fall in love with me on trains and planes. Last night was no exception. When it came time for one of my fellow passengers to disembark at Rte. 128, he grabbed my hand, stared me in the eyes and boozily cooed, "You are my train girlfriend." Thank you, Sir.

I was home sweet home by 9:45pm and Benny B and Scooter came over shortly after. We were missing our other friend Sami and the gusto to go out hard like we usually do but we forged on like the champions that we are. Scott was smart and went home in preparation for a run this morning. Ben and I picked up the vodka.

Oh, honeychild.

After Ben left, I raided the fridge in an attempt to curtail the impending poison. Let's just say that the situation was so severe that — for the first time in the history of the world — I did not finish a piece of pie. This morning...oh boy. I was going to post another "rough" picture but it was way too rough. When I stumbled downstairs in search of nausea-reducing carbohydrates, my mom asked me why there were tons of scrapes all over the front patio. Memories of a late night outdoor Michael Jackson dance off with Ben and his sister Lily came flooding back. My shoes apparently murdered the bluestone. This is what attempts at a moonwalk and spin look like:

But the point of this story is that I RAN TODAY. This is probably the most exercise I've enjoyed on a Thanksgiving outside of my usual pie-to-mouth bicep curl routine. I did it, Scott! My half marathon schedule suggested 2-3 miles today. And well, it was a struggle but I completed three loops of the Brookline reservoir (approx. 2.73 miles total). A beautiful way to spend the raw day:

That iPhone photo looks like a freaking painting! I was more concerned with not dying getting the mileage in over consistent running so I ended up doing a walking loop with my mom, a loop and a half running and the rest at a slow run/walk/run pace. Feeling pretty good and sassy, I also decided to chug up my hell hill of a driveway and work that ass. My new shoes and I are in a bit of a fight but I think we can work it out.

Anyway, I hope everyone has a healthy and happy Thanksgiving. Thanks for your support. I am thankful for everything life puts on my plate. Even if it's dry stuffing.

Dance it out, Michael.

Hometown Hero?

Back home for Thanksgiving...the highlight of which is obviously watching Glee with Courtney (see above).

Got together with Ben (from "The Mailbag" fame) and Celeste (you know her well enough by now) last night for our annual Scott-Ben-Celeste reunion at Celeste's house, where I showed remarkable restraint in not drinking (the Hughey bar is unrivaled in the metro-west area). Woke up, put on my Team in Training shirt for the first time, and hit the road for a comfortable 6-miler around the old neighborhood. It's always really weird to run on the streets near my house; remember that for the entirety of the 18 years I lived here, I was never in nearly good enough shape to make my way around them. Something of a personal victory. 

Happy Thanksgiving to everyone! Celestial, get ya ass on the road today!

MAKE IT WORK!

Last night was the first of what I’m sure will be many instances where fitting the TNT schedule into “real life” becomes something of an obstacle. As I was busy filling my liver with toxins during the first training run, I was determined to hit the road with my teammates at the second group session. Plans were nearly thwarted when tickets for a hot show I’ve been really looking forward to seeing became available. The 5-mile training run started at 6:40 in the Park; curtain was at 8:00 in midtown. No way to do both consecutively. When I called Celeste at work and told her I’d likely have to run on my own during lunch to complete the mileage, she turned on the Tim Gunn and ordered me to “make it fucking work.” 

I hopped the train uptown and met up with Celeste, Stephanie, and a crowd of…a lot of women. Gotta admit, before finding Celeste I was a little nervous knowing practically nobody. When the coaches began to explain the four, five, and six mile loops in Central Park (with which, having lived on the UES for a year, I’m really familiar) my own comfort with the various courses alleviated any anxiety. The coaches split us into three groups – beginner, intermediate, and advanced – and, to my surprise, I met the criteria for advanced (the ability to run six miles comfortably). It hit me that this was the first time in my life I’d ever been identified as “advanced” in any kind of athletic context. Ever. The sole exception was being granted the “Most Improved Player” award at Pine Manor Tennis Camp in fifth grade, but I suspect that was more of a pat on the back for building up just enough endurance that summer to stop flooding the court with sweat during matches.

We started with an easy jog and maxed at what felt like a 7:50 pace. Slowing down was honestly a little tough, but both my mom and the coaches have been stressing the importance of it. I suspect they know a bit more than I do, so I’m trying to take their advice. Repeating the Celeste-inspired mantra –make it fucking work – I veered off at the southern edge of the Park, sprinted back to the office, changed (still sweaty) into nicer clothes, and bolted to the theatre with a bag of pretzels for sustenance. I’d like to give a shout-out to my apocrine glands for giving me the gift of limited body odor, as my co-worker appeared not to notice any rank scent. Or at least was nice enough not to mention one. 

Great run, fabulous show; this whole thing may work out after all.

Guy in a Dodgers Hat

So there's this guy in a Brooklyn Dodgers hat who I think is pretty cute...

I first noticed him sitting with the Vancouver marathon group at Kick-off. Then I spotted him across the massive sea of runners on Saturday. He even runs in the beginner group, who I'll be running in from here on out for reasons explained below. But oh! I was looking so rough! As it was still before my normal wake-up time when the run was done, I wasn't feeling too social. So I said my goodbyes and headed out of the Park to catch the subway back downtown. While waiting an eternity and a half for a train, I popped in my headphones and dreamed that Guy in a Dodger's Hat would appear on the platform and we'd strike up a conversation and fall in love and it'd be great. He never came. But the train did and I moped on and settled into a seat. In a dramatic moment out of "Sliding Doors", Guy in a Dodgers Hat pushed through the doors as they came to a close. Oh my God, I thought to myself, this is it. This is fate. Say something. But...I have my headphones on...and he's near the door and I'm sitting down and...just say something...but I'll look like a stalker for recognizing him...say something...Oh no!...Now he put his headphones on...chance lost...maybe not...just have to say something.

I just sat there. I did nothing.

Okay, okay, I bargained, if he gets off at my stop I'll say something. Each stop went by and he didn't get off. This is it. This is fate. Aaand one stop before mine he hops off. Of course.

I am an idiot.

First Group Run

While Scott was boozing and cheering on Yale on Saturday, I was cursing the closed off B train and non-existent C train, dashing to a cab, and getting stuck in traffic in a desperate race to make it to Central Park for the first TNT group run.

Above all, I was wondering why the hell I was awake at 9:30am on a weekend morning. Despite getting to bed early, I was feeling (and looking) rough:

A not all too uncommon occurrence: I was late. Luckily, when I reached Bethesda Terrace, I was greeted by a MASSIVE group. Spot Stephanie, our mentor.

The coaches were just finishing their pep talk so I stealthily slid into the group (or as stealthy as a wild child 6 footer can manage). We were going to run the roughly 1.7 mile lower loop of the park. For beginners and half marathoners, the coach suggest one loop. For advanced and intermediate runners, he suggested two. I eat that loop for breakfast. No problem, I thought, I'm gonna hit the ground running (pun intended) and take off with the advanced group. For longer distances, I've been training with the Galloway technique: running with short walking intervals. I've worked up to 10 minute intervals in the past and can do the flat Reservoir loop without a walking interval in a good 16 minutes. So alright, I thought, I can make this first loop and do a leisurely second loop.

Worst. Idea. Ever.

These people are runners. Despite it being a "conversational pace", I was quickly wheezing at anyone who wanted to chit-chat. And hello, Hills! I got a good 15 minutes of running in before I started to find myself drifting further and further back in the pack. I opted to do a walking interval and my mentor Stephanie caught up with me and walked it with me. I explained that I had thrown myself in too hard and she assured me that it's okay and I've got nothing to prove. This is a fact that I have a hard time with. I don't want to look like the dopey gym class failure. I finished strong with a run. So here was my predicament: The advanced group was far ahead of me. The beginner group was far behind me. Hang out and look like I shortcutted? What to do? I decided to knock in another half loop on my own.

So I was alone. Meanwhile, an Ultra-Marathon was being held in the park (a marathon and a half...nutsos). Since we were running on part of the course, we got a little cheering from some of the race volunteers. I particularly enjoyed the group of Italian tourists chanting "Run! Run! Run!" as I chugged up a hill.

I was getting kind of down on myself when I heard, "Hey, are you Team in Training?" A nice girl trotted up beside me and she looked like she was struggling (a comrade in arms!). She is a mentor but her knee was giving her some trouble. Together, we ran-walked-ran the rest of the half loop as she explained to me the tragic circumstances that brought her to Team in Training. A coworker went in to get a check up for a bad cough. An X-Ray revealed he didn't have a cough but Leukemia. A few days later, she randomly received a TNT flier and took it as a sign. Sadly, after she completed her first marathon, her grandmother got diagnosed with Leukemia, as well, and now she's back. I was glad she caught up with me.

Since I was between the two groups, I was officially the last person to finish the training loops. Flashbacks to the middle school half-mile run... I wanted to explain to everyone that "No! Really! I did like 2.5 miles! I'm not a beginner, I swear! Circumstances just made me finish last!". I really have to get over that self-conscious gym class failure thing. Anyway, the season has begun!

My calf was bothering me a little bit on Sunday but I figured it was just tight. Yesterday's run with Jenn revealed it is an injury. Because I procrastinated in getting new sneakers, I've been having some pain from the lack of foot and arch support. There was some searing pain and I really had to slow down. It seems I've strained the top of my Achilles tendon. Hopefully it won't be a problem but damn it hurts. At least I finally got the incentive to buy new sneakers (and cold weather gear!):


Second TNT group training run today! And hopefully Mr. Chaloff will make an appearance.

Why I'm in it...

I just got back to New York from an amazing weekend at the old school, and thanks to three days of nonstop merriment and mirth (let's stick with the euphemisms for now), tonight's 40-minute training run was a little more difficult than it probably ought to have been. Not that we ate and drank our way through New Haven or anything.

Celeste's entry about Jenn made me want to post a little about my own source of inspiration for this whole crazy enterprise: my mom. One of the things I love about Mom is the drive with which she turns ideas into reality. When she hit forty, she decided to rekindle some teenage dreams of athletic stardom and announced she was going to train for a marathon. A first go at the Disney race turned into a second and a third go. Our novice runner became a mentor, a team captain, and finally a coach. And a triathlete. And a certified triathlon coach. And then she took her abundant gifts and started sharing them with a most remarkable group of young people she pulled together from the student body of the high school at which she teaches. They became the first high school marathon team in New England and they're going strong for the second year in a row at Providence. A collective of nine newbies is now thirty-strong. I cannot wait to join them in May.

I'm running this race for myself (the old and the new Scotts), for Celeste, for those we've lost to cancer and those who are fighting with all they've got, and most of all, I'm running for Mom. She brought out the burgeoning athlete in the lazy schlub. For that - among many other things - I'll be forever grateful.

The Chaloff gang at the finish line of the Boston Marathon.

Jamie Chals kicked some ass.

Celeste's Mission and Inspiration

I am running the New Jersey half marathon!

Depending on how I feel with the training, I may consider the full marathon. For now, though, this is what I plan to do. I am running because Scott made me I got in shape this past year and want to take it to the next level. I am also running to lose weight, make friends, and help a fantastic cause.

Though we will be training together, Scott and I will not be running the race in the same place. But we have good reasons. Just as Scott needs to run with his mom in Providence, I need to run with Jennifer Giamo in New Jersey.

Who is Jenn? Besides being super awesome, Jenn is my trainer and she changed my life. Here's how:

I reached an all-time high in my weight in the summer of 2008. I was miserable. My weight is a lifelong issue that I will probably discuss further over the course of training. In short, if it was a diet, I tried it. South Beach to Jenny Craig to diet pills (yes, I know). I have lost tremendous amounts of weight and I have gained tremendous amounts of weight. And I've always focused on the food element only. The one thing that I was never able to incorporate was fitness. This is where Jenn comes in.

In July 2008, I decided that I needed help and I was put in touch with Jenn. I remember our first day when she put me on the treadmill for ten minutes just to get a sense of my fitness level. I huffed. I wheezed. I walked. I thought I was going to die. Over the coming weeks, we slowly worked up to running the entire ten minutes. Then it was running a whole mile. Then a mile in ten minutes. Then under ten minutes. Then we took it to the park. Then we upped the mileage. On good days, we have run up to 4-5 miles (with walking intervals) and I can now run a full loop around the Central Park reservoir without stopping. I definitely whine and negotiate my way through some all of the runs but Jenn keeps me going. She gets just as if not more excited than I do when I reach a running milestone. I never thought I could be a runner. I hate running, I still do. But it makes me feel great. So I am running the half marathon with her because she got me this far and inspired me to go further (she just did the NYC marathon!).

I also have her to thank for my sick Michelle Obama arms.

Work it out, Michelle.

Stay tuned for a report on tomorrow's first training run!

From the Mailbag!

Our friend Ben writes:

I just found your guys' blog - AMAZING! As a former gym class dud who grew up to pretend to be an athlete (read: buoyancy), I wholeheartedly support you guys and will avidly await further updates on your training!!

See you guys next week in Brookline?

Ben

Thanks for your encouragement and donations!

Official Kick-off: Part 2 (Celeste Edition)

What the hell am I doing? Seriously. This was the thought that raged through my head throughout the entire 90 minute kick-off. How did I possibly think this was a good idea? What has Scott talked me into?

The energy in the room was palpable, though, and it was hard not to be swept up in the excitement and anticipation. I'm slowly warming to the idea but the denial is still with me. Being in that room made it that much more real. I'm officially signed up. I am doing this.

A long distance race is a personal battle. But we won't be doing it alone. The coaches and mentors (Stephanie, you do not know what you've gotten yourself into) and teammates will help us finish. Above all, though, the mission of TNT is incentive enough to make it to the finish. Towards the end of the kick-off, they brought up a 5-time TNT marathon runner. Her reason for running? Her six-year-old niece who battled against Leukemia and won. And then the niece spoke. Cue the tears. This beautiful, bubbly girl lost two years of her childhood to the disease and she can't wait to run a marathon herself. Okay, you got me TNT, I'm definitely gonna do this.

The first group run is this Saturday at 10am in Central Park. They repeatedly reminded us that it will be at 8:30am for the rest of the season and not to get used to the late time. Thanks, guys. If you've ever seen me before the hour of 10am, you know it's not a pretty sight. In fact, it looks a lot like this:

Hey sexaaaay.

Official Kickoff - Part 1 (S.C. Edition)

Last night was the official kick-off to Team in Training's Spring 2010 Season. And it was totally insane. And awesome.

Celeste will provide you with additional coverage but the below video pretty accurately sums up our initial feelings. It's a ten-second clip and you'd better watch till the very end.

I think you'll agree that it's all about the facial expression at the end. That, and the blue nail polish.

Celeste and I showed up to a big event space in Murray Hill where what appeared to be a couple hundred future marathoners and triathletes gathered together for a night of inspiration, celebration, and maybe a little bit of anxiety. The Team in Training staff did an incredible job of introducing administrators, coaches, captains, and getting everyone pumped up for training. The support system they provide for all athletes is really something. Each runner is assigned a mentor, a go-to coach, and a race coordinator.

Celeste and I wasted no time in getting to know our mentor, Stephanie. She may or may not have been weirded out by us being the only people taking pictures and videotaping the event. Either way, she agreed to pose for this ultra-closeup. She's training on our team as well and loyal bloggers will get to know her well, I'm sure. Over the course of the next six months, I know we'll become better runners and I can only hope we'll become better photographers.

Most importantly, Celeste and I now have our fundraising pages set up. As runners with Team in Training, we are raising money for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, an outstanding national organization dedicated to eradicating blood cancers. As we train more, so too will we learn more about the work of the LLS and about developments in cancer research. Celeste and I need your help to raise money for this most worthy cause. My web page can be viewed here and Celeste's can be viewed here. I hope you'll consider contributing to the LLS; as I say on my page, we thank you for believing in us and for believing in a cure.

To wrap it up, here are two parting shots:

Stephanie took this picture. At this point, she wasn't that weirded out.

Celeste posing with her baller new running shirt.

At our post kick-off dinner at the diner across the street. Obvi.

Till next time,

Scott

Hot Mess - Volume 1

Each day of P.E. in middle school started off with a half-mile run around our campus. In inclement weather, we'd complete equivalent laps around the gym - let's say ten. As the teachers couldn't monitor everyone's lap status, going the full distance was on an honor code basis. One rainy day, my overweight, sasstastic eleven year-old self decided four go-arounds were more than sufficient. I strode to the benches a good five or six minutes earlier than usual. Having watched me fail to execute even a single lay-up at JV basketball tryouts the week before, Coach Roach (not kidding - that was actually his name) surely noticed something was awry when I sat down before some of the primo pre-pubescent athletes among us. Long story short: I got caught and was forced to finish the remaining six laps in front of the entire class. 

Not so fast, Roach, I thought to myself, for he had left the divider that separated the two basketball courts down. As soon as I was out of  everyone's sight, I cut across the walkway between the two courts, slashing the distance in half - if not more.  

And then came the laughter echoing through the torture chamber. 

I had failed to notice that the space divider hung a good half a foot above the floor. The entire class saw every move of my sneaker-clad cankles along the bogus shortcut.  Well played, Chaloff.  Five more laps. In full view of the class. A freshly-laundered Abercrombie athletic shirt soiled FOR NAUGHT, DAMMIT.

Blame it on the ah-ah-ah-alcohol.

I, on the other, did not do any running yesterday. Because I came home like this:

From the rooftop, shout it out: BABY, I'M READY TO GO...

So maybe it wasn't the best idea to partake in several rounds of hookah last night after an open bar...

Nevertheless, I wanted to kick off the official first week of training today with one of my favorite courses, the southern tip of Manhattan. The route takes me from Houston and FDR on the East Side down past the Staten Island Ferry, Battery Park, and up the West Side Highway back to Houston Street. It's a great seven-mile loop best enjoyed at night (and ideally with a good breeze coming off the East and Hudson Rivers), as the Williamsburg, Manhattan, and Brooklyn Bridges are all lit up. Dumbo, Liberty Island, and Jersey City provide a really beautiful backdrop. As the song goes, "these lights will inspire you." 

Interjection: about two weeks ago I got an email from Mom at 7 a.m. with the subject line "I LOVE THIS SONG." In it, in all lowercase letters, were the lyrics to the chorus of "Empire State of Mind." I concur, Mom; these streets will make you feel brand new. I love New York and I love my Mom. Who was apparently awake at 7 a.m. listening to Jay-Z.

Pre-run, I was feeling pretty good, armed with new gear (see right): a runners' watch Mom got me, a shoe wallet,

and plenty of cold-weather garb from the big sale at EMS last weekend.  As it wasn't nearly cold enough for anything more than a tee-shirt and shorts, those very exciting purchases will remain in the EMS bag on my floor, hopefully not needed until February. Though I felt a little bit of the heel pain that's been bugging me the past couple of weeks around my left arch, I felt good tonight averaging a pretty comfortable 7:35-7:40 mile. As I couldn't figure out how to work what appears to be a very simple Timex, this isn't 100% accurate. Let's hope I can learn how to use this little mutha and not have it start flipping out and flashing neon indigo around the South Street Seaport next time.

I'm really looking forward to the big Team in Training kick-off this week and to the first run with Celeste and my teammates. For now, we shower and eat. See below.

Till next time...

It's All For You. And Us, Too.

Because, let's be frank, it's all for us. And Janet.

Update: Where is Celeste's face in this screenshot?

Meet Scott. Meet Celeste.

Or, as we fondly refer to ourselves: Karl and Ru. This blog is about to get all up in your grill.