Faster Stronger

Last Dayyyy!

Thu, 31 May 2012 16:06:45 -0400

At work. T-minus one hour (ish) before I’m out of here. And out of 9-to-5, sit-behind-a-desk jobs! Very, very excited!

My inner cave woman is very happy about what’s about to...

Mon, 28 May 2012 16:31:26 -0400

My inner cave woman is very happy about what’s about to happen.

Also today officially starts marathon training (once the sun goes down)!

The WOD Shop

Wed, 23 May 2012 17:33:55 -0400

The WOD Shop:

shortmom:

Online CF WOD generator.

Get yer WOD on.

I’ve been hearing too much about CrossFit to not be contemplating it.

Pumped!

Tue, 22 May 2012 11:00:19 -0400

So, I got into the teaching program, which I am very, very excited about! Excited to start a new career, to get back to school (both teaching and learning), and super pumped to get out from behind this desk. I know that this won’t be easy - and looking at my summer schedule, I’m going to be very, very busy. I’m done with work on May 31st, and the first obligation for teaching is June 1st (thankfully, not until the evening), so no break for me.

My goal is to incorporate marathon training into all of this. I don’t want to go into the NYC Marathon as unprepared as I was for Delaware. So training officially begins next Monday (23 weeks in advance), with the first 9 weeks focusing mainly on form and building up my mileage. Runs will be 35-45 minutes, at an easy comfortable pace, and the weekly long run will start with 60 minutes and build up to 2 hours, rest and cross training and arm/ab workouts (which I really, for realz, will do this time) will all be mixed in on off days.

Food also really needs to be a focus this time around. I say it every time, but I would really like to be down about 20 lbs, if not more, by the time I run this marathon. And as much as I run and workout, it really all comes down to the food I’m consuming. I’m going to be quite poor, so that will cut down on the number of meals I eat out, but I will also be quite busy, so the challenge will be to find healthy, yet convenient, foods. I know what I should be eating, it’s just a matter of getting myself to eat these things (and not cookies).

SO I’m pumped. Ready to get this show on the road. Ready to change.

And just for fun, here are the cats, who are all friends (mostly) now:

Yayayay!

Thu, 17 May 2012 14:56:39 -0400

I got ittt! A new chapter begins!

Now to tell work… the only dark cloud over this day.

Decision Day

Thu, 17 May 2012 09:31:47 -0400

Today we find out if we’ve made it into the teaching program. I haven’t been so anxious about anything in a really long time.

The interview Wednesday went fairly well, I think. The program needs more Math/Science people, so naturally they had more Math/Science candidates in. Only 5 of us were there for Special Ed. So if they really are taking 80% of us, that means 4 out of the 5 will be accepted. And surely I had to have been more impressive than at least 1 of them, right?

They’re meeting this morning to discuss the interviews, so if everyone could send positive, Jess-friendly vibes in the general direction of the West Village, that’d be much appreciated!

This afternoon needs to hurry up! I’ll be obsessively monitoring my email ‘til then.

Delaware Marathon

Mon, 14 May 2012 10:30:24 -0400

Aka that time I ran the first 20 miles, turned around to quit, and was found crying behind my sunglasses by two Marathon Maniacs from Georgia who made me turn back around and finish the damn thing.

It wasn’t pretty. And I took forever (7 hours and change…). But I did it. Valuable lessons were learned.

Now I’m ridiculously sore and cranky. And work is probably the last place on the planet I want to be. I’d much rather be home planning my minilesson for tomorrow’s interview.

I really need to get into this program. The more I learn about it, the more I want it.

Also, the longer I am where I am, the more I realize how not right for me it is.

Door Closes, Window Opens

Thu, 10 May 2012 10:04:13 -0400

I’m glad I didn’t let myself get all too worked up about not getting the Teaching Fellowship, because another, possibly better in the long term, opportunity has presented itself.

In the same vein as what I wanted to do, but you take more time to actually learn how to teach, and you spend a year observing, tutoring, student teaching and working closely with another teacher. Which I think is especially important when you’re considering Special Ed.

Just need to interview, impress the hell out of these folks, and figure out the logistics (if I were to get in…).

Horoscope said the next week few days would be particularly amazing and lucky.

Speaking of horoscopes, I subscribe to Rob Brezsny’s “Free Will Astrology” and here’s this week’s, which I find very intriguing:

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Taurus actor Daniel Day Lewis will star as
American president Abraham Lincoln in a film to be released later this
year. Hollywood insiders report that Lewis basically became Lincoln
months before the film was shot and throughout the entire process.
Physically, he was a dead ringer for the man he was pretending to be.
Even when the cameras weren’t rolling, he spoke in the cadences and
accent of his character rather than in his own natural voice. It might be fun for you to try a similar experiment in the coming weeks, Taurus. Fantasize in detail about the person you would ultimately like to become, and then imitate that future version of you.

Which begs the question: who do I want future me to be?

"Be of good cheer. Do not think of today’s failures, but of the success that may come tomorrow. You..."

Wed, 09 May 2012 09:29:23 -0400

“Be of good cheer. Do not think of today’s failures, but of the success that may come tomorrow. You have set yourselves a difficult task, but you will succeed if you persevere; and you will find a joy in overcoming obstacles. Remember, no effort that we make to attain something beautiful is ever lost.”

- Helen Keller (via kimijoy)

Sometimes all you need is a quote.

No Teaching Fellowship for me. What an excellent end to an otherwise okay birthday. Back to the...

Wed, 09 May 2012 07:59:51 -0400

No Teaching Fellowship for me. What an excellent end to an otherwise okay birthday.

Back to the drawing board.

Things

Tue, 08 May 2012 10:38:57 -0400

1. We adopted a new kitten. She is tiny and adorable and very playful. We (I) named her Zooey, but I’m not super fond of the name. Maybe she’ll grow into it. Henry is warming up to her (he’s such a mush), Ellie just hisses at her and runs away.

2. It is my birthday. I wish I were excited about it, but I never am. Being the super negative emo that I am, all I can do is look back at what I haven’t accomplished in the past year and what I don’t like about my life.

Also, Eric is super amazing and got me a Coach bag for my birthday. Naturally I’m a brat and am exchanging it. Which makes me feel like a giant ahole.

I’m coming out of my funk though. With everyone telling me to have an amazing day of Facebook, it’s hard to stay in a bad mood.

3. Marathon is this weekend. I feel way unprepared. Will likely have my period, which should make the experience that much more fun. And have been forced with a measly 26 other people to start early because I will most likely take FOR.EV.ER. So I’m feeling really great about this. I am excited to get out of town (even if it means leaving new kitty for a day and a half).

Training buddy and I have also decided that we’re starting our training for NYC in June. 5 months should be enough to get my act together.

4. Job I interviewed for never got back to me. So I guess that’s a no, which is sad because that would have been a perfect position. I haven’t heard back from Teaching either, although I should soon because they said we’d hear back in 4-6 weeks and this Saturday would be six weeks.

I heard from a friend that maybe the Teaching Fellow wouldn’t be a good idea. And that some people have had negative experiences, which gives me pause. But then I know others who have had a great time and truly appreciate the opportunity. So if I do ever hear back, and do get in, I’m going to have to do some serious thinking.

Current job has gotten better (mostly…).

T-Minus 2 Weeks

Sun, 29 Apr 2012 12:09:24 -0400

Til marathon #2…and my longest run has been 12.25 miles. This makes me quite anxious.

Also went to a ChiRunning talk on Friday. Very interesting discussion of running technique. I think I’m going to use their training plan for NYC Marathon. 24 whole weeks of training!

doubledaybooks: “That is part of the beauty of all literature....

Fri, 27 Apr 2012 20:54:40 -0400

doubledaybooks:

“That is part of the beauty of all literature. You discover that your longings are universal longings, that you’re not lonely and isolated from anyone. You belong.” ― F. Scott Fitzgerald

regainingmymoxy: Perfectly said. Thanks for the words of...

Thu, 26 Apr 2012 22:27:54 -0400

regainingmymoxy:

Perfectly said. Thanks for the words of encouragement Lindsay! (Taken with instagram)

I swear to you all that Eric is a germ incubator. Illness number two in two months that that jerk...

Wed, 18 Apr 2012 21:42:09 -0400

I swear to you all that Eric is a germ incubator. Illness number two in two months that that jerk has given me. He bought me Boston Market for dinner so maybe I forgive him.

Eating = fairly horrible.
Running = not so much these last few days.

We have squirrels in the ceiling which is more funny than anything else.

Had catch-up time with two great people yesterday and realized I am not alone in my job-related frustration and in the whole not knowing what I really want to do with my life thing.

Also went on an interview for a job that might actually be perfect if I were to get it (marketing for COOKBOOKS!). It’s basically everything I wanted but didn’t get when I left my old job. So cross your fingers and toes they call me for a second interview tomorrow or Friday?

Okay that’s all.

Went for a run and came home to these bad boys. Eric may be the...

Tue, 10 Apr 2012 20:50:31 -0400

Went for a run and came home to these bad boys. Eric may be the bestest!

9 Eastery Miles Done

Sun, 08 Apr 2012 11:51:49 -0400

Longest run of training so far… and they only get longer from here.

I am intensely proud of this run for some reason. My average pace was 12:49, which for me, on a long run is fantastic. And considering the mega hills in this neighborhood and the two mile climb from miles 4-6, that’s a really great pace.

Nothing really hurt, except the toes on my right foot around mile 7. Pollen is killing me though. The shoulder of my shirt is literally covered in snot right now.

Focusing on your form and lean is really, super helpful.

Now to shower and go hang out with the family!

Interview

Sun, 01 Apr 2012 11:55:00 -0400

The interview for the NYC Teaching Fellows was yesterday. I really, really hope it went well.

I can say with certainty that my lesson, which I was most concerned about, was good. Better than most of the others anyway (not to toot my own horn, but I had a clear, concise lesson, was engaging, was audible, and wasn’t confusing). And I really liked everything I had to do and the other people that were there.

So that’s that. Naturally, in retrospect, I can think of a million other things that I could have done/said. But it’s over now and all I can do is wait (im)patiently for them to get back to me in 4-6 weeks. I’m hoping it’ll be sooner though!

Another 3 Down!

Thu, 29 Mar 2012 21:25:06 -0400

And, might I add, getting pretty close to my pre-Disney pacing:

3 Miles in 36:26: 12:08-ish per mile!

I think that I’ve realized where I went wrong when I started this training cycle. I was pushing myself to go too far and do too much right up front. Knowing I only have to go out and do 3 miles when I get home. Knowing I have to come home and run 5 or 6 miles is a little daunting.

Any who. Tomorrow is Friday. And Saturday is THE INTERVIEWWWW! I should probably figure out my lesson plan…

3 Miles in the Books

Tue, 27 Mar 2012 22:22:00 -0400

Really focused on form, posture, and “lean”. Must say it was one of my better runs in quite some time.

Although I really need to not eat (particularly things involving tomato sauce) before running. I always end up feeling ill.