Merigayle Endurance Run - Race Report

After a day filled with baby showers and graduation parties (cake and cake), I readied myself for the overnight portion of the Merigayle Endurance Run. I dressed, collected my Camelbak, pulled on my headlamp hat and hit the road.

At about 11:15 pm, roughly 4 miles away, I found out that the MER100 had been called due to a severe case of the Heebie Jeebies.

Alas, it simply wasn't meant to me.

Congratulations are in order, however, for Meri's strong 100k run! I wish I could have been there to keep you company (I miss you).

EXTRA special shout out to Maria for completing her very first 50k! Welcome to the dark side - we're lucky to have you here :)

Merigayle Endurance Run 2008


First Annual Merigayle Endurance Run!!


For the first time in its 35 year history, the Western States Endurance Run 100 mile race has been canceled due to the wildfires currently wreaking havoc in California.

In its place, some very wonderful people are coordinating a 100 mile run here in NY for my favorite ultra runner - Merigayle.

As I have a very full schedule this weekend - baby shower, graduation party, and theatre in NYC - the smart thing would be to cheer them all on from cyberspace, sending good vibes of fleet feet and settled tummies.

However, we all know that I rarely do the smart thing.

Crab Cakes

At the tail end of an email I recently received, a very wise man I know made mention of a particular phenomenon that I was previously unaware of - crab mentality. His explanation follows:
  • Crab mentality – Have you ever been to a fish market? If so, you must have noticed that crabs are always sold live, but the strange thing is, the container they are in, is kept wide open, without the lid. Now you will think that crabs with their mobility will escape, but they do not. Why? Because a crab will always pull down a fellow crab which is climbing up, thus none ever reaches the top, and they all eventually become someone's dinner…"
Intrigued, I went to the all powerful and all knowing Wikipedia:
  • Crab mentality describes a way of thinking best described by the phrase "if I can't have it, neither can you." The metaphor refers to a pot of crabs in which one tries to escape over the side, but is relentlessly pulled down by the others in the pot.
  • This term is broadly associated with short-sighted, non-constructive thinking rather than a unified, long-term, constructive mentality. It is also often used colloquially in reference to individuals or communities attempting to "escape" a so-called "underprivileged life", but kept from doing so by those others of the same community or nation attempting to ride upon their coat-tails or who simply resent their success.
Wow. And all along, I was simply referring to people like this as assholes.

I'm proud to say that I currently have no one in my life that exhibits these characteristics, friend or family. It's taken a long time, but these days I'm surrounded by people who want nothing more than for me to succeed in anything and everything I do. And I feel the same way about their endeavors. I'm proud that I can look to all of my friends and know that regardless of where we are individually in our careers, we can feel joy and pride for those of us who are excelling (in the entertainment industry, that's no small feat!).

Athletically, I am similarly supported (ah, if only I were creative enough to have worked the phrase "athletic supporter" into this post). From the moment I began running (and later on with CrossFit and Powerlifting), I've experienced nothing but camaraderie and support from all of the people I train with. Through good runs and bad, PRs and injuries - no one has ever tried to tear me down. Instead, I am constantly presented with the building blocks to create a stronger, healthier Divaleh.

I wonder then, why some people are content to remain in that pot, constantly being pulled back down into the fray. Is it because on some level, they don't feel as though they deserve better? Or is it easier to blame their lack of success on someone else's sabotage, rather than take the responsibility upon their own shoulders?

Whatever it is, I hope that someday I'll be in a position to give them a leg up.

Of course, at just under 5' tall, that might not be much of a boost. But it's a start.


"Crab mentality." Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. 14 Jun 2008, 01:06 UTC. Wikimedia Foundation, Inc. 24 Jun 2008

Chick Flick

You know how some people put a picture up on their fridge, to motivate them to stay OUT and stick to their eating plans? Or how some make a collage out of the body parts of famous people that they most covet (not in a pervy way)?

Well, I can do better than that. I've got a video.

Gillian Mounsey, CrossFit Games 2008 - video [wmv] [mov] (via)










How's that for inspiration?

manilookdesperate.com

Who says that sweat isn't sexy? The following is a flyer posted in my friend's neighborhood. She and I ran the NYRR Anniversary Run together, and it seems as though a gentleman on the subway became enamored of her during her trip back home.


"Do you run on Wednesday Mornings?

I kind of feel creepy doing this, but I saw you on Wednesday morning June 4th around 7:15am on the 7 train and we both got off the 52nd St. stop. I'm guessing after one of your runs...maybe in Astoria Park. It was a rainy day and you looked amazing in a pair of brown running pants and a white hoodie. I thought I might never see you again so I decided to be one of those desperate guys that puts up a flyer. If you see this and remember a guy in an orange shirt and black track pants and you want to get to know each other and maybe go for a run together email me. Oh yeah...one other thing I remember is that you wore the biggest watch I ever saw, probably a heart monitor. Hope to hear from the real you."

email address omitted to save the poor guy some spam mail

Ya gotta give the guy some credit for trying.


...ah sweet nothings...

When I'm good, I'm good. Not only did I keep my word and complete a speed workout last night before dinner - but I also got up this morning at 4:57 am, took the 5:45 bus into the city and completed both a CrossFit workout and a super short 3 mile run before 9 am.

Not to put the cart before the horse or anything, but I think I might just be back.


Pillow Talk

Well, I did it.

Yesterday, I set my alarm for 5 am, it went off, and I got UP. Yes, friends, it's true. For once, I actually accomplished something I set out to do.

This morning, however, was a different story. Now, you're probably thinking to yourself "Aw shit, girlfriend rolled over and hit the snooze button!".

Well, you'd be wrong - what I did was possibly even worse.

I woke up before my 5 am alarm, rolled over, and reset it. Yeah. I'm that lazy :)

So, I'm putting this out here in cyber-land: I will do a speed workout this evening when I get home.

Period.

No excuses.


Unless it's raining.



More Tales from the Twighlight Zone....


Big brother is watching you?


I'm not sure how I feel about this one. Well, that's not entirely true. My first reaction was that it was creepy (not as creepy as the Official Olympic cheer, but creepy enough to make me go 'ew!'). After creepy, came unsettling. And after unsettling, frightening. It's still percolating in my brain, so we'll see what other feelings I cycle through.

I'd be interested to hear your take, dear readers. So, yay or nay?


Whine and Cheese

I sit here before you, a runner in running clothes.

Not running.

Not that I've been sedentary, mind you. I just haven't been running.

It feels weird, and not in a good, "ooooh" way.

Much of it comes from an inability to prioritize, I think. There are only so many hours in the day, and I am having a hard time fitting everything in. I know, I know - this is hardly a new complaint from me. But it's still an issue, and I am struggling daily. I made the decision to focus on CrossFit, but I just can't let the running go. I feel lazy. Unmotivated.

Undefined.

I know what I have to do, what I should do. Let go of the mileage whoring, and focus on quality workouts. More quality, less quantity. But every time I set that alarm for 4 am, I hit snooze. Every time I come home from work at 7:30, intending to go for a run - I sit down.

Perhaps it's not an inability to prioritize, but an unwillingness to sacrifice?

NYRR Anniversary Run, 5:30 am - RR

'Twas a dark and stormy night
when all through the flat
not a creature was stirring
.....not even Gandalf (the cat).

With a peal of alarm,
the cell phone rang out
it was time to go run
(we were crazy, no doubt).

The rain pelted down
as we walked down the block
the subway arrived
and we looked at the clock.

There was plenty of time
if we played things just right -
we'd get to the race
as day grew from night.

We walked to the start
in a deluge of rain
"what the fuck are we doing"?
...Yes we're insane.

The runners set off
through the soggy, wet park
we ran in a circle
and passed each mile mark.

One up through five
the miles passed by
until finally we finished
'neath a brightening sky.

We were slow.
We were wet.
We were done.
Game. Match. Set.


Yup, not even three hours of sleep. Gotta love bad poetry ;)

The Odd Couple

Anyone have any great ideas on how to train for a fast (for me, sub 1:50) half-marathon (July 27th) while training for fall ultra-marathons?

Don't make me choose between the peanut butter and the chocolate!