Running in Nashville - aka Nashvegas!

Welcome to honky-tonk land! Last week I had the pleasure of going to Nashville for my cousin Paul's wedding! What a treat! I got to see family, go to an ultra-rad wedding and experience a really fun city! Oh and how could I forget - I was able to complete a 15 mile run around see many of the beautiful sights by foot!

First - I need to make a few comments about this city - I absolutely loved it! Live music, 24-7, come on, it cannot get better than that! It's also small and easy to navigate, very clean, and people are not only friendly but they are HAPPY! What a change - coming from NYC where people don't hold doors and are rude on a daily basis (including myself, blush, blush, shame on me). Seriously though, NY hardens you and you get sucked into this way of life and forget that there are other great places out there! So many NYers are jaded and think their city is the best, but I would have to argue that one. So visiting Nasvhille was a breath of fresh air and made me realize, once again, that NY sucks! Ha ha, not really, I have a love/hate relationship with NY, but I will talk about that another time.

Ok back to Nashville - I was only there 3 days but I'd say that is all you need to see and do everything. Friday was filled with some sight-seeing downtown and then off to Opryland! That night we ate at a very popular steakhouse, called The Stockyard, which was very yummy! PS - I love having red meat before a long run, it gives me tons of energy! I layed off the alcohol that night and we were off to bed at a decent hour, well, that's if you consider 12am decent.

Saturday morning I was up at 6am to start my run. I decided to do 7 miles by myself and then stop back at the hotel to pick up the rest of my running clan. Yes "Operation Jenna trains for the marathon" was in full effect and Dana, Maria and John ready for this adventure! So I did about 2 laps around Vanderbilt University and found some nice shady streets to run on. At about 7:20, I was back to the hotel and met up with my sisters and brother in-law. We headed downtown, over a footbridge and then east along the Cumberland River. Oh the footbridge, oh how I loathe thee. Let's just say it was pretty steep and pretty hard. Ok so according to mapmywalk.com, once we crossed the footbridge this route was supposed to be scenic and offer river views. Hmm not so much. Instead we encountered an industrial looking area and thank god I had my crew with me because it looked a bit seedy and I would have around if I were alone.

After a mile or so of the industrial area, we entered a path along a golf course and almost made it to Shelby Park but decided it was time to turn around. We took a few breaks to stretch and once we got back to the dreaded footbridge we decided we needed another break. We were officially overheated and sweating to death. - yikes! After a quick break, we took some pictures and made our way to the only place open at 8:30am - the visitor center. Thank god I always carry $10-20 dollars on me when I run because we desperately needed water! After this break we headed back to the hotel for a large breakfast! Overall it was a completion of about 15 miles for me, 8 for Maria and Dana and 7 for John! Go us! It took me 2.5 hours to complete this run (close to 3 hrs total with the breaks). Thank you again running buddies for giving up your Friday night of partying and boozing and your Saturday morning snoozing to run with your sister! Love you all so much!

After the run I took my first ever ice bath! The ice machine was literally 2 steps from my hotel room so I filled up a couple bags of ice, threw them in the tub and filled it with cold water to about my waist. My sisters (both athletes) said they used to love ice baths during soccer pre-season and that it always made their legs feel better. I decided I had a long day ahead of me that included a wedding and dancing and that it was in my best interest to try it out. I actually liked it! It takes about 2-3 minutes to go numb and at first you feel like you might hurl but after the initial shock, it feels GREAT! I blasted my ipod and stayed in there for 15 minutes. I will definitely do this again!

Ok so the wedding was great! Paul and Liz looked amazing and so happy! I did whip out the Canon and will post some pictures another time (I only got a few decent shots. I struggled with the low lighting and my non-effective built in flash - ugh it was a real nightmare for a beginner like me!) Overall I didn't go crazy with photography, I decided to relax and not worry about it. I ended up using the good old point-and-shoot during my tourist activities!

After the wedding, we headed downtown to The Stage for some drinks and dancing. I was actually too tired to dance and was suffering from a stomach ache but it was great to see everyone let loose. All the smiling and care-free attitudes were contagious. I totally fell in love with the vibe here and how everyone seems happy all the time. The band was great and played a variety of different music, not just country, which I was happy about! Again I really loved this city and am already plotting to come back. Hmmm Country Music Marathon in April 2009??? I might just give it whirl!


Maria, John, Dana and I (Me 7 miles into my run)



Going over the footbridge - Dana and John looking good!



Maria has great running form!



Dana takes a quick break



View of downtown and the Cumberland River



Maria and John - cutest couple



Sisters



Sweaty girls (me 12.5 miles in, them 5.5 miles in)

Janessa & Eric's Wedding - Part II

Here are some more pictures from Janessa and Eric's wedding at Tappan Hill Mansion! Just a reminder that I was a guest at this wedding and just working on my photography skills a bit! I had a blast!

My family rocks!

My sisters: Dana, me and Maria
(All photos by Maria)



Matt and I headed home to Long Island for the weekend for my parents' Annual Bocce Ball Tournament! My sister Maria and her husband John actually came home for the weekend from North Carolina to surprise everyone! I was actually the only one who knew about the secret but I kept my lips sealed!

Anyway, I had to log 12 miles on Saturday morning before the party and my whole family agreed to train with me! Am I lucky or what? We decided to divide it up into 3 legs of 4 miles each! I was up at 6:00am and my sister Maria took the first leg with me! From 6:20-7:00 we jogged 4 miles. The first 4 felt pretty good and we jogged through the local neighborhoods and then circled back to the house.

My younger sister, Dana, and my brother-in-law, John (Maria's hubby), took the 2nd leg and did the next 4 miles with me. I still felt pretty good and we jogged on an open road with a nice breeze. Did I mention that it rained the night before and was extremely humid - it felt like pea soup but did start to cool off a bit! We then circled back to the house and Dana stopped inside to use the restroom and promised to meet me back on the course while my dad took off with me on his bike. Now you may ask how did he bike slow enough to stay at my 10 mile/hour pace? He did so by cranking up the hardest and slowest gear - ha ha! Dana finally met up with us after a mile and we let my Dad take off on a few straight-aways but he always came back to us. So the 3 of us did the last 4 miles together, chatting all the way!

On the way back we saw my friend Angela's father who chuckled and said "You are the only family I know who runs together!" Yes we are dorks but I love us! I am so thankful to have the love and support that my family constantly offers. Whether it is running or help with a crisis, they are always there to help. I have such a close bond with everyone and can only thank my parents for raising us to be WHO WE ARE and to LOVE HOW WE LOVE.

Although my husband cannot run with me (due to a knee injury) I am so lucky to have him as well. He always pushes me and makes sure I get all my miles in every week. He will also get up and clean while I am out running. He will make me breakfast or a protein shake as soon as I get back. He will massage my sore legs when they hurt later at night. Ok no he doesn't do that but I do beg and plead! He is amazing though and I am so glad he is there to hold down the fort while I am out jogging 25 miles a week. I told him it only gets harder from here but he doesn't seem worried at all!

So after the run I stretched and then Dana and I jumped in the pool to cool off. Max does not like when people go swimming and gets really crazy. He runs circles around the pool and barks and growls the whole time. I wonder if he is worried we are going to drown? Either way, he HATES the water and will not come in but somehow he managed to fall in this time. Poor guy was scared out of his mind but Dana was there to rescue him and take him safely to shore. Thank god for her awesome lifeguarding skills that she learned at Splish Splash several years ago! I think she would have even performed CPR if she needed to because she just loves Max THAT MUCH. We all do - and I will admit I do have a doggy crush on him. (Is that even possible?)

The party got under way around 2:00pm and there was plenty to eat and drink, courtesy of my mom who does not believe in catering but instead slaved in the kitchen for 3 days prepping! She did hire someone to help cook and clean up and that was a huge help! The bocce ball tournament was a blast and I cannot believe that Maria and my Dad (the reigning champions) got their names picked out of a hat and were partners again! Not only that but they won AGAIN! My parents' friends are starting to have their suspicious and are calling it a "set-up". Maria and my dad did decide to forfeit their prizes to the runners-up which was very nice of them.

I almost forgot to mention that the whole point of the bocce tournament was to fundraise for a walk my dad is doing. He does a walk every year for ALS in honor of his brother, Ron. My dad collected donations an entree fees for the tournament and fundraised over $400! What a great day and all for a great cause. Go Dad!

Other than that, running has been good and I got my hunger under control. I added more protein to my diet which helped but think I just went through a phase last week and it's finally over!

This weekend I am off to Nashville and looking forward to another family run in a cool city! Goal is 13-14 miles! Woohoo!

Fundraising is going well - I am up to $2421.20! My goal is $5,000 and I am almost halfway there! Please show your support by donating to Fred's Team and Memorial-Sloan Kettering for cancer research at:

https://fredsteam.mskcc.org/fundraising/Controller?action=userHome&user_id=39924&event_id=128

Running Partners - 2nd leg: Dana and John



Dad and John



Matt and I



Max - still a little wet from his fall in the pool

Hungry Hungry Jenna (Marathon update)

Training has been going so well so far! A few minor aches and pains but nothing major. My biggest problem is that I am so unbelievable hungry! I have been running about 20-22 miles per week and just cannot get full no matter what I do! Somehow I have managed to gain a few pounds too and I find that so frustrating! Is my body holding onto calories so I can get through my long runs? Am I not eating enough calories? What is going on?


Ok so here is the skinny: I eat a lot of small meals throughout the day, along with plenty of water and a cup of green tea but I am still starving! I even added in an extra snack! What is a girl to do!? I believe I may need more protein to help fill me up but I hate leftovers so it is hard to bring something meat-related to work for lunch. I would love to buy my lunch every day but it is very pricey to eat in NYC...as least $10 bucks a day! So instead I head down to A&P or Trader Joe's and stock up on all my favorite foods and snacks.


Here is a sample of what I eat every day during training. Note that I usually do not eat carbs and limit dairy but will rotate in some pretzels, bread or pasta here and there.

JENNA'S DAILY DIET

Breakfast: Banana and some almonds

Snack: Zone Bar or Luna Bar

Snack: Carrots

Lunch: Salad or shrimp stir fry

Snack: Peach or apple

Snack: Tortilla Chips and Salsa (not every day) or granola bar or pretzels

Dinner: Chicken or Steak and a veggie

Snack: Sugarfree fudge-pop or a piece of fruit


Like I said I do swap things here and there and LOVE chocolate so will slip that in, but overall I try to eat healthy. I will treat myself to dessert on the weekends and love dining out so I will indulge but hey, you only live once! I love to cook Italian and will often make Eggplant Parmesan, Eggplant Rollatini, Chicken Francese, Manicotti, or Chicken Parmesan on Sundays.


Anyway I am not sure what I should change in my diet? Less sugar and less fruit? More protein? I guess I have some reading to do! Does anyone have any advice for me? Helllppppp!

Antigua & Marathon Update

Wow! I cannot believe that Matt and I have been married a year already! I guess this saying applies to us, "Time flies when you are having fun!"

We have had an action packed first year of marriage! We were married on June 21, 2008 at Giorgio's at Foxhill in Baiting Hollow, NY. It was such a gorgeous day and we were so grateful to have all of our close family and friends with us (many that had flew in from Arizona, California, Utah, Michigan, and the list goes on). I still cannot believe what a perfect day we had but more importantly how lucky I was to have found Matt. After the wedding, we honeymooned at Sandals in St. Lucia and had such a great experience that we booked another trip right then and there for our 1 year anniversary! They offered us such a great package that we just couldn't say no! We decided to go to Antigua because we have heard wonderful things about the the island and the beaches are supposed to be gorgeous (which they were)!

Upon arrival into Antigua we were faced with nightmarish lines to get through immigration and customs, however once we arrived at the resort we were greeted with cold towels and champagne! We were then escorted to our cottage-type room in the gardens which turned out to be adorable. The grounds there are immaculate and there are tons of little paths and cottages spread out all over the place. There are a few main buildings, and some with ocean views, but we were extremely happy with our cozy little room! We took a short walk out to the beach and were amazed as our feet touched the softest sand we've ever felt and our eyes met the views of crystal clear aquamarine colored water! We got there late so we took a quick dip in the ocean and then nestled into some chairs to watch the sunset and it was beautiful. The entire trip was just so relaxing, without a care in the world and no where to be, it was just what we needed. We did not turn on our cell phones or check email at all! We pretty much lounged every day on the beach or by the pool, went on a boat tour one day and even attended a wedding!

On our first night we were there we went to a teppanyaki/hibachi style restaurant where we sat with 3 other couples. We ended up becoming very friendly with all of them and hung out with them every night! Camille and Tim were there to get married on site and invited us to their private ceremony which was so nice (pictures to follow). We were so honored to go and so glad we met such nice people!

Every night there was some form of entertainment or a band and even some crazy contests (we participated in 2 of them)! The boat tour we went on was very intimate and showed us around some of the smaller islands, took us snorkeling, hiking and even through a cave! I only have great things to say about this resort and the island and I think my pictures will show you some of the natural beauty we encountered.

AS FOR MARATHON TRAINING...

We worked out 4 days while we were in Antigua (well if you include swimming/snorkeling and a game of tennis, we were physically active every day!) I usually take off from the gym when I go on vacation but could not afford to do that with the marathon a near 4 months away. I had to get a 7 mile run in along with a few other short runs. Not to mention the resort was all-inclusive and I was packing in some major food, I decided it was in my best interest to get to the gym. I did all my running on the treadmill which wasn't as bad as I thought! I was even late for breakfast on our actually anniversary due to my run taking so long - sorry Matt! He understands and like I said he is very supportive of all my running and training.

We got back from Antigua on Friday and the very next day I had to get up and do a 9 mile run with my friends and running team in Hoboken. I thought I was totally ready for this but I was not. It was in the high 70's or maybe even 80's and I tend to overheat when it's that hot. I think I was tired and the heat just got the best of me and I had to stop and walk at least 4 times. But hey I made it through and logged the miles and that is all that matters.

Since then I have done a 10 mile run and some short runs and 2 speed workouts on the treadmill. I have been feeling good during my runs but have been exhausted at night. I have can hardly keep my eyes open to watch our TV shows and find myself ready for be at 11pm (whereas I usually go to bed at 12am). I think I am going to alter our bed time but it is hard because by the time I get home from work, run or go to the gym, make dinner, shower, etc, it is 10:00! I have worked out twice in the morning and may try and do that a few times a week so I have time to do things at night and hang out with Matt.

Ok enough blabbering here, I will leave you with one last comment - I HAVE RAISED $2,181.20 SO FAR! WOOHOO! I had a couple of really generous coworkers/friends donate money and get me more than 2/3 way through with my fundraising! My goal is $3,000 but I may even aim for $5,000! Thank you to everyone who has supported me so far!

Our beach

Our cottage

Hell's Gate - we went climbed this rock formation and went snorkeling here!

Matt on our boat tour

View from Bird Island (I have to thank Matt for this shot, he spotted it!)

Us at the top of Bird Island

Long Island - a private island off Antigua

Long Island

Sunset from our 1st night

Another sunset

Not much of a sunset this night but loved the sky!

The grounds

Some of the other cottages

The main pool

Happiest day of my life - 6/21/08!