the time i went to california and my brain almost exploded (and other tales)

How the hell is it already the middle of May? I've almost forgotten that I took a two week vacation from work at the beginning of April. The first part of the trip was spent on the West Coast for my annual Team LUNA Chix summit. This was my third year in attendance and it's something that I always look forward to. Unfortunately I got hit with the worst sinus infection I've ever had it and it made the weekend of schmoozing, running, and healthy-living sessions really difficult to handle. I was pretty congested, but the worst part was that I had a headache. Nonstop. For five days. And every time I moved my head too quickly it would feel as though my brain was too big for my skull. And my jaw hurt so much that I could barely chew. BUT, I really did try to make the best of it. I promise!

On Friday, Ashley and I spent most of the day in leader training. After that wrapped up we made our way to Clif corporate where we were joined by fellow teammates Bonnie and Lisa. We enjoyed a wonderful (and healthy!) dinner before heading back to the hotel to try to get a good night's sleep.

I woke up on Saturday feeling pretty miserable, so I took a double dose of cold and sinus medicine. It was a good idea because it enabled me to survive the track workout. But it was probably a bad idea because I'm pretty sure I was a little stoned. Eh, you win some, you lose some, right? The rest of the day was spent in various sessions of which I don't remember a ton since I was coming down from my self-imposed medicine high. I made it through dinner and some of the entertainment before calling it an early night.

I woke up on Sunday feeling slightly less like death, which was a huge improvement. I opted for the long, easy run which amounted to about six miles. After lunch, Ashley and I said goodbye to our fellow LUNA Chix before heading into San Francisco for some sightseeing. We explored the city, took a cable car, and had the most amazing burgers for dinner. On Monday we did about a million more miles of walking (good gracious, those hills are NO joke) and were lucky enough to get on an afternoon tour of Alcatraz. I'm pretty sure I spent the entire day screaming "WELCOME TO.. THE ROOCKKK". It was epic and everything I dreamed it would be an more.

Oh, and I'm pretty sure (like 99%) that I saw a ghost while I was walking around Alcatraz. Ashley doesn't believe me but WHATEVER. I know what I saw.

We rounded out the trip with a red eye on Monday night. Those flights are always a good idea in theory but usually ends up with me wanting to punch myself in the face somewhere over the middle of the country. I got back to Boston on Tuesday morning and had the rest of the week to prepare for the second part of the trip.. road tripping to / rock climbing in West Virginia! More to come on that (soon, I promise!).

review: the studio empower class with sebastien lagree

Earlier this week I was given the opportunity to take a complimentary class at The Studio Empower with founder Sebastien Lagree. The studio is a lovely, bright space that's located in Newton Centre, Massachusetts.  They currently have eight machines, but soon will be increasing to ten. It's nice to have a small class - especially when there's somewhat complicated machinery involved. It means that the instructor can really look at each person and to make corrections. It means you get a better workout and are less likely to find yourself injured from improper form.

I had actually purchased a deal for five classes and, though I had taken one class, I didn't quite know what to expect. I was under the (incorrect) impression that it was just a Pilates reformer class. Luckily, after the class we had a chance to talk with Sebastien and he cleared up a lot of the misconceptions. According to the website:

"Lagree Fitness™ (formerly, SPX Fitness or best known as Pilates Plus) incorporates the basic principles of traditional Pilates but has transformed itself into a high intensity, low impact workout using strength training – allowing for all fitness levels to achieve sculpted and toned physiques quickly and safely.

Newton (MA) is the first Lagree fitness studio in the world to introduce clients to the Megaformer, M3 (the latest member of the Megaformer family – just released the end of January 2013!)"

Off the top of my head I remember doing front/rear lunges, squats, carriage kicks, ninja kicks, pushups.. and I could go on. You can do literally hundreds of different workouts and stretches on the M3. It's "designed to cater to both upper and lower body muscles, using a system of springs and pulleys to accommodate the resistance and counter-resistance of the workout".

y so serious?

Weight lifting alone simply targets individual muscles - but that's not how the body works. All of your muscles are connected and working on the Megaformer helps to build long, lean muscles. I really enjoyed the range of motion that I was able to get on the machine because I felt as though I was really able to sink into each exercise. Also as someone who has a bad knee, and who does a lot of high-impact cardio classes, I can appreciate the focus on slow, deliberate motions. The idea is to really focus on your form and to use control to bring the carriage in and out. And all of this is done with little-to-know impact on the joints.

Apparently there are people who do these classes every day, and I'm pretty sure that they are either brave, or very masochistic. Though, I'm sure people have said the same about me for running a marathon or climbing mountains. In my opinion, I think that classes at The Studio Empower would be great to use as a supplement to your main sport (in my case, that would be running and/or rock climbing). The machine does take a little getting used to but believe me, if my clumsy self can master it, so can you!

If you live in the Greater Boston area, I suggest making a visit to The Empower Studio - you will not regret it -- though you may not be able to sit without pain for a few days! And it's just like Sebastien says, "It's not how you start the workout, it's how you end it".

here we go again..

#bostonstrong

It's been over a week since the Boston Marathon bombing, four days since the MIT police officer was killed, and people seem to be returning to normal. The trees are starting to blossom, and it's looking like it'll be a lovely spring. And me? How am I feeling?

Stressed.

Overwhelmed.

Sad.

Anxious.

I work at MIT. It's not something I have mentioned on my blog in an effort to keep my personal and blog lives separate. I've been working here since the day after I graduated college back in May 2006. If I'm being honest, I feel more of a connection to MIT than I do my own alma mater. I also work one building over from where Sean Collier, the fallen MIT police officer, was killed.

I understand that people have been profoundly impacted by the events of last week. I know that I wasn't even in the state when everything happened. I won't pretend that I'm special in any way. But I can explain a little bit of how I'm feeling. Yesterday was my first day back in the office in over two weeks (I was on vacation). I forced myself to ride the T, even though I was internally panicking. I forced myself to walk past the makeshift memorial to Officer Sean Collier, even though it made me cry. I forced myself to sit through a day at work even though my skin was crawling and I all I wanted to do was go home and bury myself under the covers. I saw a student walking around with a backpack with a large antenna sticking out and I panicked. I was so exhausted last night but all I did was toss and turn. This morning the idea of riding on the T made me so anxious that I drove to work.

I distinctly remember the feeling of helplessness and utter despair after watching the Twin Towers fall.  It was an event that changed me, and New York, forever. And it's interesting that I hadn't made much (or any) connection between September 11th and the Boston Marathon bombings.  I feel very fortunate that my therapist is a New Yorker who lived there during 9/11. I think that people are entitled to their feelings regarding such life-changing events, but there's a special understanding between those who have lived through the same trauma.  She gets it. In our session today, the first since everything that has happened, I (mostly unsuccessfully) tried to explain how I was feeling. The words that came most easily to mind were overwhelmed and anxious. She asked if I was sleeping? Nope. Did I have trouble sleeping after 9/11? Absolutely. Was I anxious using public transportation after September 11th? Definitely.

I'm trying to process and to move on, but even walking to my office is a constant reminder of what has happened. Realistically, I know that I am probably more safe in Boston today than I was before the bombings. Realistically, I understand that the chances of anything else happening are one in a million. But  I can't help but feel as though I have been hit on so many fronts - as a runner, a New Yorker-turned Bostonian, and an MIT employee. It feels intensely personal. I'm giving myself permission to feel everything I need to in order to move forward.

"there will always be those who are helping"

How are you all holding up? What has helped you to find peace and comfort? 

run on, boston

Greetings from West Virginia.

I am writing from my iPad, so forgive any typos or stupid errors. With everything that has happened, I thought it was worth an update.

I am absolutely a New Yorker by birth. I root for the Yankees, I love a good slice, and refuse to eat bagels unless I am in the tri-state area. I also carry with me the sadness and scars from 9/11. But I am a Bostonian by choice. I have lived here for over a decade and, much to my mother's chagrin, have no plans to leave anytime soon.

Boston is special to me for so many reasons, one of the most important of which is that it is how I discovered my love for running. I don't know that I ever fully appreciated Boston until I became part of the running family -- and that is exactly what is is. A family. Training for a long distance race means hours upon hours spent around the city. Being a runner has allowed me to explore the city in such a special, intimate way. I've gotten into the nooks and crannies of the city and even when I complain about it (which happens a lot), I love it. It's also introduced me to a community of wonderful, supportive people who are equally, if not more, masochistic than your average bear. The New England running season is 12 months long. We run through the miserable winter, the damp spring, the blistering summer and, well, a (usually) pretty beautiful fall. It's something that bonds us together in a special, almost indescribable, way.

I feel fortunate that many who started as casual running partners have become my second family. These are the people who understand why I never have all ten toenails and why, during marathon training, I am a cranky mess. Some of the greatest moments in my life have been related to running. Maybe that's why the news of the Boston marathon bombing hit me so hard. When I heard what had happened, I felt panicked. I had several friends who were running the race and many others who I knew would be spectating. I was thankful to be far away and safe but the distance made me feel powerless and disconnected. I wanted to be home so I could hug friends, my Boston compatriots, because they were the only ones who could truly understand how I felt.

I was touched by the calls, texts, Facebook messages and tweets that I received from everyone. Many people didn't know that I was out of town and knew that otherwise that I would have been out on the course. My heart breaks for my friends who were very close to the blasts, who saw things that no person should have to see. I feel so fortunate that no one I know was physically hurt, but know that many of the deepest wounds for the city are not physical. I know that this will not stop the city of Boston or the runners. We are strong. We are resilient. We will run on. Just try to stop us.

I love that dirty water, Boston you're my home.