Boy, I have NO IDEA where this past week went, but I'm grateful it's over and another one is about to begin. I love Sundays... the Pats are playing right now (and inching closer to losing their lead, by the way), I'm done with my run and work for the day, the laundry is just finishing up and in a minute (once I'm done with this blog post) I'll be relaxing on the couch w/ my Hubs. Ahhhh... life is good.

Okay, so because I have been somewhat absent "online" over the past week I shall give you a quick recap on how things have gone:

Monday:  Had an AWESOME 6 mile treadmill workout at 4:30am - ran sprints, hills & strides. Felt really energized - my guess is because of the extra sleep and rest I had over the weekend.

Tuesday:  Killer Butt & Jari Love's Ripped & Chiseled (lower body only)

Wednesday:  Lazy day - slept in 'til 6am... felt super guilty but got over it by Thursday am...

Thursday:  Did 4 miles of hills on the elliptical - surprisingly tough workout

Friday:   A 6 mile morning run. Don't know where the energy came from, but for some reason I had oodles of it (could have been the new 'coif that I got on Thursday night!)... pushed my sprinting max up to 9.0 mph on the treadmill which is quite high for me - super proud!

Saturday:  Didn't have a formal workout - just did a lot of walking all day with the Hubs. Had a great day in Newington, NH close to where we used to live. Perfect day for a morning run outside, but due to the ridiculous 4am fight that our neighbors had, including screeching at the top of one's lungs, slamming of doors, breaking of glass (my guess is it was some picture frames), stomping back and forth across their apt., and throwing the girlfriend's entire wardrobe outside on the lawn... good times - it was great entertainment, I'm not gonna lie!

Sunday:  Had a ridiculously awesome 8.6 mile interval workout this morning. While I should have taken advantage of the nice weather and ran outside, I instead opted for another indoor workout which ended up being a great idea!

Comments: I really need to start getting back in to my long runs on the weekends - starting with this upcoming weekend... but for now, all of the hills & speed workouts that I have been doing, as well as the cross training really seem to be paying off. And so far the change in proportions of fat-carb-protein in my diet have only shown a positive result in my energy levels so I really can't complain! Looking forward to a short work week (leaving at 3pm on Wed., enjoying Thanksgiving w/ the family & taking Black Friday off - can't wait!). I really do need to get crackin' on the fundraising though... as intimidating and daunting as it is I need to tackle it head on as I am the Boston Marathon (i.e. the Newton hills). Hopefully by the beginning of next week I will have my first newsletter drafted & the envelopes stuffed/emails sent out - that's my goal, at least. Speaking of fundraising, I received my first non-family member donation last weekend - I was SUPER PSYCHED and soooo appreciative to Melissa Robotti, one of the best professional photographers in Boston (who took my boudoir pictures before I got married - what a fun day that was...!). Thank you, Melissa, for your generous donation!

Here's my week in review as far a training goes (although you can't really consider it hard core training at this point by any means...!)


Monday          4.5 mile elliptical workout
Tuesday          off day
Wednesday     Killer Butt & Ripped & Chiseled (lower body) (went MUCH better than last week... not really sore the day after either,  which is good)
Thursday        easy 4.15 mile run on treadmill - was by far one of my best runs on the treadmill... felt like I could have continued running all morning!
Friday             did iTri Sprint workout for the treadmill & elliptical - 3 miles; went really well, really pushed it!!
Saturday         attended DFMC meeting (does that count as a run?)
Sunday           haven't done my run yet today... definitely unmotivated right about now - particularly with the blueberry beer I am about to pour myself... we'll see. The treadmill is calling my name. Perhaps I'll get a run in before the Pats game starts...

Well, folks... I'm commencing my second week in The Zone. Being a relatively healthy eater to begin with, I have decided to tweak my diet somewhat to kickstart some weightloss without any deprivation. On the contrary, this really is a ton of food - so much so that my husband is beginning to think I'm eating us out of house and home after only one week!


So here's the basics to the plan:



The Zone Diet sets your body up to burn fat as a primary source of fuel while you retain your lean body mass. How? By regulating the amount of insulin your body produces. From what I have read, insulin is released by the pancreas after you eat carbohydrates, and while it ensures that your cells receive the necessary blood sugar, it also inhibits fat burning, converts almost half of your dietary carbohydrate directly into fat and causes hunger. The Zone Diet moderates the insulin response by limiting the intake of refined sugars and keeping all other carbohydrates to about 40% of the diet.


The concept of the Zone is simple - every time you eat it must be in the correct ratio of Protein to Carbs to Fats. That ratio? 40/30/30 - 40% Carbs, 30% Protein, 30% Fat. The maximum control of insulin occurs when this ratio is met.


So the verdict? Down about 5 lb., but that really doesn't say much 'cuz I fluctuate this amount all the time depending on my sodium intake, etc.. Having said that, I haven't been hungry at all. No notable increases in energy just yet. Could that be because I'm up by 4:30 most mornings?! Anyway, I will have to wait a few more weeks to provide a realistic assessment. In the meantime I'll stick with it, as it's all the same food that I normally eat ('cept for the almond butter which I have developed a taste for!) - just really need to concentrate on getting the protein in at every meal/snack. 

Another early morning, but slacked somewhat - up at 4:45am, on the treadmill by 5. Thankfully, I used iTread for the run today. I. Love. iTread. It's like my own cheezy personal trainer. It's my Jillian Michaels. I love it and hate it at the same time... but I couldn't handle winter treadmill sessions without it, so I'm grateful. This a.m.'s 5 mile interval run was definitely a good workout, although Grace Lazenby (the woman that's screaming at you in your headphones) who does the coaching is a bit much with her "woos!" and "I am sooo there with ya" statements. No you're not! You're probably sitting in some L.A. studio standing in front of a microphone! Anyway, I digress... the music is lame as well, but I suppose its because they create their own electronic crap rather than license better music. Overall, however, the workout is amazing and it definitely helped push me harder than I might otherwise have done on the treadmill. Particularly this morning when all I wanted to do was snuggle with the Hubs. But alas, I know I'm not going to get to that finish line under 5 hours if I don't get my arse out of bed. So... thank you, iTrain, for providing me with my Jillian Michaels!

A lot of people who ask me “what I do”. I have a passion for fitness. I have a passion for running. I have a passion for life. I have a passion for my job. I love being an attorney. I love arguing (I hate trials, but I love arguing - seems like an oxymoron, but bare with me, I'll explain later). For me it is not “my day job versus my passion”. My day job IS one of my passions. I believe in living your passion, not just talking about.

Like most Thursdays, I had to go to Court. Not a usual hearing involving case conferences, mediation and drafting agreements for judgment, today was a motion. Easy stuff. Simply make my points and argue my motion - done deal. Prior to going to Court, however, I was not as passionate. It really is more of a pain in the arse than anything else (going to Court, I mean). There's a ton of waiting around (to which I usually am secretly grateful for, as I catch up on my Runner's World issues) and usually a bit of a drive to get to where I'm going that particular week. This morning was no different. Got up at 5am, ran until 6am, showered, changed, made my lunch & left the house by 7am. Drove two hours to the courthouse in rush hour traffic and stood waiting for an hour until 10:00am for the sheriff to open the courtroom doors. That's the part that was a bit of a drag... however, this morning, rather than meet with a mediator to haggle with opposing counsel over a deal that may or may not be made, I simply waiting for the Judge to take the bench. That's the beauty of your client giving you no wiggle room to negotiate. I was simply there to argue my motion before the Judge. That's the moment I love. That's what I am passionate for - those few moments in which I can let loose and articulate the points I have already mentally rehearsed. No procedural crap to deal with that you get with trials, like how to address the Jury and enter exhibits in to evidence. I just simply spoke. Another passion of mine! And then I was done... having kicked some serious arse, I think. Unfortunately I won't know until next week most likely, as the Judge said she would take my arguments "under advisement" and issue her decision via mail. Either way, the decision doesn't matter. What matters is that I had such a great time those few moments before the Judge in a packed courtroom. There are very few things in life that provide the high that I get from articulating a great argument. Running is also one of them.

I think that sometimes we think that we can’t make our passion a vital part of our life, just a hope that it can be. Life is too short to not make your passion a part of your life. Which is why I have made a concerted effort to wake up early most mornings (hey, nobody's perfect!) and workout. If I don't consciously make the decision to make working out and running a part of my life it won't just magically find time for itself. I need to want it to be in my life, and plan accordingly.

So what do I do? I run. I read. I spend quality time with my husband. I train for marathons. I argue. I travel. I enjoy the little things in life. Every day. And oh yes, I am passionate about everything!

Hi, I am Sarah and I am passionate. Are you?

Last week was just okay as far as running goes. Starting back in to the training slowly, since running the Newport Marathon a few weeks ago.

Ran a 10k last Sunday around the lake - great weather, pushed the speed a bit and felt strong.

Did my first Killer Butt & Ripped & Chiseled (lower body) since July on Monday. Figured it really hasn't been that>> long since I did it, so added in twenty pound weights. Could hardly move on Tuesday. Was most definitely WAY more sore than I was the day following each of the two marathons. Get to look forward to the same routine on Tuesday and Saturday with hopefully less soreness.

Took Tuesday and Wednesday off. Tuesday was a scheduled off day, but Wednesday was nothing short of laziness. Couldn't get out of bed at 4:30am, and had dinner with a friend after work - didn't get home 'til 9:30pm, so no time left in the day. Still beating myself up over Wednesday. :(

Ran 100m repeat workout on the treadmill Thursday.

5 mile interval run with hills and sprints on Friday. Sucked, but I got through it.

To cap it all I had an AMAZING 3.5 mile (4 hour) hike up Mt. Monadnock (3,600 feet) on Saturday. SO much fun, can't wait to go hiking again!

To sum it up: okay. It definitely ended on a good note, so I am grateful for that. Need to increase the mileage this week and add some more strength training sessions. Bring it on, baby!

Am I going to follow through or drive thru???

I’ve been asking myself that multiple times a day the past week. I’m going to be honest. Training for marathons can be extremely hard and lonely. Most people don't have a trainer or an accountability partner who is training for the same event. While I enjoy the solitude of my runs, there are times when the loneliness plays games with you and breaks down your motivation. Until the group runs start kicking in (can't wait to get out on the streets of Boston with some of my DFMC teammates!), it’ll been just me, my iPod, and the road.

And you know what??

I think this is a good thing for me. If this was easy I wouldn’t be learning as much. I tend to rely on others for approval and motivation. While I think encouragement from others is a HUGE GIFT from God when it comes down to it I make the choices. When I lay in bed at night reevaluating how I spent my day it’s the choices I made that will determine how close I come to my goal. It’s so easy to come up with excuses and justifications. ”I still have time.” ”Tomorrow I will eat perfect.” ”Just one more scoop of peanut butter.” And on and on.

Well I’m coming clean. I’ve made too many of these excuses in the past. Yes, I’ve leaned out a little but I haven’t made the goals I set out to make. There are going to be consequences. Nothing tragic except not being able to fit into the two-sizes-too-small pants I bought on sale at Nordstrom Rack. And not being well prepared for the Boston Marathon. It’s not about the weight or vanity… really it’s not… okay maybe a little. It’s about keeping my word to myself. I’ve spent too much of my life “starting tomorrow“. The consequence is I’ve let a little seed of self-doubt take root and good old Ms. Laziness is standing there with the fertilizer. I set a goal and have let the temptation of instant gratification get the best of me more than I care to admit. I know I will never be perfect and quite honestly “perfection” would be a bit of a bore but so is low-self esteem.

I could quit and hand myself over to Ms. Laziness or I can make a choice to keep going. Quitting would be so easy, as easy as the Taco Bell drive thru. Or would it??? Ms. Laziness packs a pretty mean punch and some of those bruises take a long time to heal. It’s not about winning. It’s not even entirely about losing (weight or otherwise). It’s about following through and not driving thru.

So despite my lazy moments in the past, I’m giving the next 6 months my all. I’ve been down this bumpy road before and I’m hoping with time I’ll eventually make more right than wrong turns. I’m not giving up hope that the freshly paved road is just around the bend. As far as the race goes what will be will be but I’ll know I’ve won another personal battle. And that, my friends, is what this journey is all about. :)

There are a few reasons I have decided to blog about my running and pursuit of the holy grail of marathons: Boston...

• To give me extra motivation and provide more accountability for my training (up to now if I skipped a workout, only I knew about it; however, if readers of the blog are expecting to find out how my workout went that day there is more pressure to not skip it)
• To get feedback on my training and other running related issues from other runners
• To help motivate other beginning runners to reach for new goals or give motivation to current non-runners to start

I'm hoping that I'll blog often enough and the content is interesting enough to make it worthwhile for readers to visit the blog on a regular basis!

I hope you'll:

1) check back often


2) remind me to post


3) make comments on my posts


4) come for a run with me!


5) make it to Boston to watch the race on April 19th!

6) and lastly, make a donation to benefit cancer research at my fundraising    

    website: http://www.runDFMC.org/2010/sarahc

Welcome to my 2010 Boston Marathon Training Blog. I will be using this website to let you, my friends, family, and marathon supporters, know how my training for the Boston Marathon 2010 race is going. 

My official 16 week training plan doesn't start until the middle of December, but I've been keeping up with my mileage since the Newport Marathon on 10.18.09 so as not to lose ground by the time my official training begins. I'm thrilled to report no injuries & thankfully no IT band issues (surprising given my lack of training going in to the Newport marathon). So to continue with my injury-free winter season, I plan to incorporate more strength training sessions back in to my regime. The goal is to not only get my legs & hip flexors stronger but also keep them looser. And, of course, make it to the starting line healthy and more prepared for a PR (personal record for you newbie runners out there!) than ever.

Enough about my training for now. I should really introduce everyone reading this blog to why I want to run the 114th Boston Marathon on behalf of Dana Farber. Dana Farber is one of the top 5 cancer hospitals in the United States. It is internationally recognized for excellence in research and the treatment of cancer in children and adults. I am running because in short I want to make a difference. And I know that I alone cannot defeat cancer, the disease that takes hundreds upon thousands of lives every single day. Dana Farber was the logical choice for me because providing the best care is so crucial to ensuring that cancer patients are given the best chance of surviving the disease. Moreover, Dana Farber is also taking on the larger goal of curing cancer and ensuring that no family sees a loved one fade before their eyes and pass away.

It's truly unfortunate and sad that almost every single person I come across has a story to tell about how this disease has affected them. But that's all the more reason why we must stand behind organizations like Dana Farber; because this isn't a problem that affects just a few people. Cancer disrupts lives, takes loved ones from us; it doesn't care if you are black, white, rich, poor - cancer affects everyone and it is up to all of us to fight back.

In the next 6 months, I am hoping to raise $5,000 - 100% of which will fund the Claudia Adams Barr Program in Innovative Basic Cancer Research! We all have been touched by cancer in some way... and it's our job to help find a cure for it. Whether you can donate $1,000 or even just a small amount, each dollar counts, is much appreciated, and gets me closer to my goal - not to mention the DFMC '10 team goal of $4.4 million! Please go to the website below and help support the fight and give hope that no one else will have to suffer from cancer.

Thanks for all your love and support! Keep tuning in for more stories of my journey as a member of 2010 DFMC :)

http://www.runDFMC.org/2010/sarahc