Fan Fare Friday!

The original name of this post was going to be "It's My Birthday and I'll Run if I Want to [even though I don't feel 100% better]" but it turns out whatever % better you need to feel to be up for running - I was not today.  But....believe it or not...this really happened...super amazing awesome friend Jen and super amazing awesome sister Susan both got me a Runners World magazine subscription for my birthday - AMAZING!!!  That's right...if they thought they were going to make me faster, they were wrong - they made me DOUBLY faster!!! Woohoo!  I couldn't have been more pumped, surprised, or confused when the two RW emails came :-D  (I will have a little chat with RW to make sure they don't just send me the same one two times every month, cause that would just be ridiculous)  Thank you amazing lovelies :-D

Anyhoo...on to FAN FARE FRIDAY!!!  I'm excited to send some speedy vibes (okay, I don't really have any speedy vibes to send, but good will?  cheer?  love?) to my friends Jen and Gillian who are each running a half this weekend.  Let's go ladies!!!  For more on their respective goals, planning and races ahead, read on!

JEN

Jen running towards her glass of wine - talk about good motivation!!

What race are you doing?

National half marathon.  I am not sure what the official name is. Rock n roll USA?

This is your 2nd half-marathon!!  (The first one offered wine tasting at mile 10 and a wine and music fest at the finish so this one has a lot to live up to!!)

What is your goal for this race?

Goal went from 2hrs to 2:05 to "just survive" and that's where it's at currently. Oh, and have fun :) 

Anything in particular you've done to train [differently] for this race that's made you feel really good about this weekend?

Set out a training plan with (theoretically) hillwork, speed work, long runs, yoga and spinning.

Anything you wish maybe you'd done differently?

Actually follow my training plan! Big regret on this. Oops.

What will you be wearing [so people know to cheer you on/and cause i'm a creeper]?

I dont know! I wish I had more green! I'll probably wear black capris (a bit more flattering in photos). I'll definitely wear my neon green sports bra, but noone will see that so it'll be our little secret. I also randomly have some 4 leaf clover mardi grad beads. Hopefully those don't chafe haha.

Any pre-race rituals that you're into?

My friends always joke that I bring a huge feast to races (to triathlons where you often have over an hour from when you rack your bike to when you start)  I'm always afraid of getting hungry and I never know if I'm going to feel like bagels with cream cheese or peanut butter or Greek yogurt and granola or a banana that morning. So I like to be prepared. And well fed. Post race ritual: boozy brunch w gfs!! Can wait for that.

GILLIAN

Doesn't that gorgeous scenery and Gillian's cute little work-out getup make you want  to go for  a run??

What race are you doing?

NYC Half Marathon

This is your 1st half-marathon!!  

What is your goal for this race?

Just to finish and have fun - I love this city, and I want to take in the whole experience and ride on the energy of the course. 

Anything in particular you've done to train [differently] for this race that's made you feel really good about this weekend?

I am running with Fred's Team, a fundraising program that helps raise money for research at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center.  Starting in late January, they provided a weekly group run training program including a coach to help guide you in your training.  The fellow Fred's Team runners are amazing and the coaches were really helpful.  Training with them really helped to make me feel more confident.  During my last training run with the group I ran 14 miles! That was a big mental victory for me because now I feel like I am more excited rather than nervous about completing the 13.1 miles. 

[Here is Gillian's fundraising page if you're interested in donating!]

Anything you wish maybe you'd done differently?

Not really except that I wish I had not been intimidated my running for so many years! 

What will you be wearing [so people know to cheer you on/and cause i'm a creeper]?

The Fred's Team orange, long sleeve shirt. I will try to put my name on it! 

Any pre-race rituals that you're into?

I like to make sure I get up nice and early to make my peanut-butter oatmeal and tea.  Peanut-butter is my go-to fuel source! 

Sounds like they both have great attitudes and have set themselves up for a great weekend!  Good luck girls!!!