Hi!
Thursdays are great, do you know why? Because tomorrow is Friday. And then we get Saturday, and then Sunday.
So if you have any complaints in life today, maybe forget them for a few minutes so we can all enjoy a little rendition of Thankful Things Thursday. The weekend is right around the corner and I am feeling pretty good today. Here we go…
I’m thankful Nicole dragged me to yoga last night. She’s such a nice girl. She gave me the heads up last week that Pure Yoga (SO FANCY) was offering a free Yoga for Runners class in honor of National Running Day (that was yesterday, in case you missed the 2,620 blog posts and 131 Tweets about it). I will always attend something at Pure Yoga that is free. It’s amazing there and I love it. You’re not allowed to wear shoes at all…
…and everything is so clean and smells good. Even though everyone is barefoot.
I always say I “suck” at yoga, but Matt Giordano, our instructor, kicked off the class by saying “no one is good or bad at yoga” (pretty sure I disagree, since most times everyone around me is hanging out in headstand while I’m daydreaming down in child’s pose, but OK Matt, whatever you say). He was all, “something about levels, and there’s no beginner or advanced, and you’re all beautiful, and let’s achieve happiness in our breath and be friends.”
So that’s what we did. I think.
I tried to take lots of deep breaths, but mostly I was focused on the “holy crap my hips are stretching and it hurts but it feels good and now it hurts again and I’m dying and I’ll never walk normal again” poses. Lots of lunges. Lots of “firing up the quadriceps and hamstrings.” Lots of chair pose. I hate chair pose.
I loved the class, though. I went into it with a bubbly, crampy stomach (I’m not even blaming it on Crohn’s, I’m simply acknowledging that I am a girl and, you know) and didn’t think yoga was a good idea.
But it was! I didn’t even notice the crampiness going away, but looking back, I realize by the time Nicole and I pranced (yes, we pranced, or at least I did, in my head) out of Pure Yoga, my stomach was psyched about life again. Cool! Downward dog helps!
I’m so glad I went to the class. It’s always a struggle to get my butt into a yoga studio, but once I’m done I’m always happy about it. I try to remember that. Also, it was free. That helps. And Nicole thinks I was good, or at least that’s what she’s telling people, which is awesome.
I’m thankful Giant Tyler is one month old today! He’s happy, healthy and hanging out at home with his awesome mom. For the record, he is still cute. And I’m not biased just because I’m his aunt. It has been factually proven that Tyler is, in fact, an adorable kid.
I’m thankful for beautiful, perfect New York City mornings like today. Sun? Shining. Rain? Nowhere in sight. Clouds? I don’t see any. Roads? Dry. Bridle Path? Free of puddles.
It was warm enough this morning to run in a tank top and short shorts, but there was a sweet, cool breeze, so there was no chance of overheating. It really was an ideal start to the day.
I’m thankful my body — specifically my legs — decided to embrace the “recovery run” today. The other day I wrote about attempting to pick up my pace to see how I’d feel, and I got a whole lot of feedback about how I’m “doing it wrong” and “don’t need to be doing speedwork right now” and “should just be doing slow runs.” OK, fine. It was just one time and I don’t think running four miles at an 8:15ish pace will ruin my hopes and dreams for a November 4th marathon. But yeah, I’ll take your advice and I’ll do slow and steady runs for a while. Sounds good to me.
So this morning, it was six “slow and steady miles” in Central Park. I thought I’d be stiff and creaky since I’ve run a few days in a row now, but I felt good! Maybe it was all that yoga last night, or maybe it’s the fact that I’ve cooled it with the two-a-day workouts and my body isn’t quite so exhausted all the time. I don’t know. I am not a scientist. Or, you know, a running coach. Or even a very smart person.
I took my miles slowly, and I loved them, bathroom stops and all.
I’m thankful for my proximity to Central Park. I know, I say this all the time, but I’m so grateful I live near the most magical place in the city. Brian and I toyed with the idea of moving downtown where apartments were “cheap” (HAHAHA. Nothing in this dang city is cheap.), but I’m so glad we found an affordable place to live that’s right near the park. I love living so close by and getting to go there almost every day.
OK. Enough photos of the park. Moving on.
I’m thankful I found a perfect little satellite corner. It only took me two months to find a spot that’s remarkably close to my front door where my watch actually manages to pick up a signal, and quickly. I’m sure I just jinxed this forever, but for the past week I’ve found a happy, Garmin-approved corner, and it’s great because I don’t have to stand around for 45 minutes just waiting for a signal to load.
I’m thankful that for a brief time span yesterday, I got really excited about marathon training. It’s still a month away, but lately I’ve just been nervous and thinking that 26.2 miles sounds really F-ing far. The idea of doing long runs and sticking to a specific training plan made me more anxious than thrilled. Yesterday, though, I got a little jolt remembering that excited feeling before conquering an 18-miler, and the awesome satisfaction you get when you get to go on with your day knowing you had 20 miles for breakfast. I’m starting to look forward to it. Thank goodness.
I’m thankful I get to see my family in a few weeks. Yay!
I’m thankful I’m starting to feel normal again. Whatever “normal” is for me. I’ve been eating pretty well this week, and keeping a food journal so I can keep track of which foods seem to upset my stomach and which ones keep me in the clear, and by “in the clear” I mean “out of the bathroom.” So far I don’t have any major observations, but I’ll report back if I discover something cool. Which I probably won’t.
I’m thankful for my new position at work. It’s exciting and kind of crazy that I’m officially an editor in chief. I’ve spent five years working my former-dancer butt off at this company, and it’s fun to be rewarded for that.
I’m very grateful and feel overwhelmed in the best way possible about this opportunity.
I’m thankful for peonies, the prettiest flowers ever.
I’m thankful for sleep. I’ve tried to go to bed at “reasonable hours” this week. I’ve been semi-successful, but mostly I just like my bed.
Alright, time to work hard. Go do the same.
BUT FIRST: Tell me what you’re thankful for today! A great morning run? A great morning meal? A great morning hitting the snooze button? Exciting weekend plans?
68 Responses
I’m thankful for lots of things but specifically today I am grateful that my husband thinks I’m pretty even when I have cold sweats and haven’t been out of bed since 8:30pm last night. And for my 5-year-old daughter who is certain I’ll feel better if I have her cardboard pirate ship that used to be filled with fish-n-chips snuggled next to me in bed.
My street is canopied by giant oak trees which block my Garmin signal in the summer, so I often have to walk to the end of my street before it picks up satellites.
Yay Thankful Things and Yay Travis Wall!
I’m always thankful that Travis Wall exists. <3
Hi!
Probably NBD for you but………. I’ve nominated you for “The Versatile Blogger” award!
http://cutedogsandhugs.wordpress.com/2012/06/08/fridays-focus-on-the-versatile-blogger-award/
Here are the rules for receiving the award: (1) thank the blogger who nominated you (2) include the links to their blogs, (3) include the award image in your post, (4) copy the award image to your site, (5) give seven random facts about yourself, (6) nominate 15 other bloggers for the award, (7) when nominating other bloggers include the links to their sites, and (7) let those bloggers know they’ve been nominated.
Had a fantabulous start to the day with a 8.65km run with a friend…though he totally kicked my butt. Have a great weekend ahead!
Hi Ali!
I just stopped by after a little blog hiatus and WOW, congrats on the new position at work. That’s truly amazing!!! From a girl that still hopes to make her writing dreams come true, it’s very inspiring. Hope all is well 🙂 It seems like it is!
This post is hilarious. I’m totally framing that picture of folks in line for the bathroom…
You & I are thankful for a lot of the same things today, including proximity to Central Park. I’m still astounded by the fact that any time I want to I can just run up and around that gorgeous park.
I’m also thankful, at long last, for a cross-training day after three intense days of trail running at a campground in Virginia. (The campground, incidentally, where most of “Dirty Dancing” was filmed!)
I am thankful for a great body pump class yesterday with an awesome teacher. I am not so thankful for the pouring rain and gale force winds that made me stay in bed this morning rather than running. I want to find a yoga for runners class!!
I am so happy you are feeling better, that is what I am thankful for today.
I’m so so jealous you live so close to Central Park! I’m close to the East River, which is nice so I won’t complain : ) haha
I’m thankful for my yoga class this morning! Ahhmazing.
Thankful for a great yoga class tonight. I’ve found an instructor that I absolutely love and I think that’s made a huge difference in my ability to get my butt into the studio twice a week.
Congrats on your job promotion! I’m thankful that I got an apartment in Boston today and that I’m moving there in August! I love the location (basically ON the boston marathon course) and close to my internship (I guess that’s important too) and lots of great places to run. I hope my roommates are okay with my apartment priorities.
Here’s a tip on the Garmin- stick it outside on your balcony to catch the satellite. I’ve found that once my watch sees the satellite while sitting on my windowsill (no balcony for me =( ) it will see it quickly again once I take it through my apartment and down to ground level. The 3 minutes it takes to do that isn’t long enough for it to lose the signal. Does this make sense? Anyway, if I do that I never have to wait to get a signal at ground level and can run right away!
My thankful thing is that even though I hurt my ankle and can’t run right now, I can still take spin classes.
Great tip — but sadly I don’t have a balcony! Or even a windowsill. Boo! Thank you, though! And sorry to hear about your ankle 🙁 Heal up, take good care of yourself and you’ll be back running soon!
Whoa! I could have sworn I saw a balcony in one of your apartment photos. Darn! Oh well.
My injury is more annoying that anything. I didn’t get to run on National Running Day and I need to be smart and not run the Mini this Saturday even though I really want to. But you know what, overall I’m healthy so I’m trying to take this is stride and be patient with my body. Your blog helps me keep this stuff in perspective!
I’m looking forward to going upstate to see the family this weekend. Every 4 or 5 months I max out on city life and need to escape!
I am thankful that tomorrow is my last day of school! WOOT!
I’m thankful I get to run the nyrr mini 10k in Central Park on Sunday! Yay! Happy Thursday to you 🙂
Just wondering which marathon you’re training for? I’m sure you’ve said it before, but I’m dense like that. I’m currently training for my first marathon, NYC baby!
I’ll start training for the New York City Marathon in July. Woo! See you out there, I like your name!
Likewise gal!
I just have to say, I recommended your site to my best friend (Sarah) who is also living with Crohn’s and you’ve changed her life. Just wanted to say thank you!!
Wow, that’s big praise! Thank you so much for sharing. I hope your friend isn’t letting Crohn’s bring her down and I’m so glad we could connect this way! That’s awesome. Thank you for letting me know!
I love Pure Yoga- great studio here in NYC!
Is that Sasha from So You Think You Can Dance in your work day photo???
Today I am thankful for sunshine. It has been a rainy, dreary, cold (for June) week here, and the sun finally decided to grace us with its presence today.
It’s not Sasha, it’s Taja Riley, another awesome dancer!
So awesome that you’re editor-in-chief…CONGRATS again! I’ve always thought that that must be such an awesome job (and for a few years, that was my dream job, actually!).
When/where are you seeing your family? I want to join!! I will be thankful if at my doc appt today he gives me the green light to run again. So keep your fingers crossed! Glad you are feeling better!!
I’m going up in two weeks to snuggle with Tyler! Come hang with us! And let me know how the doc appointment goes! Fingers and chubby toes are crossed for you!!
Thankful for some extra sleep this morning instead of doing the #RWRunStreak. Thankful that Bart Yasso tweeted me this morning to lighten up when I got dramatic about not running. Thankful for dinner & drinks with a friend in Union Square tonight!
Congrats on your promotion!
I totally agree with you about peonies, I found some in our backyard and i’m in love!
Dude, being an editor in chief IN YOUR 20s is freaking amazing. You are awesome. I’m excited I had a phone interview for m dream job yesterday and another day long interview tomorrow.
I’m also thankful that I only make typos in blog comments. “my”
Wait, so you weren’t the example for the entire class and you didn’t get a ride to 16 Handles on the instructor’s bike??? Nicole is full of lies!
Sorry I missed out on this! Sounds like you guys had a great time! I knew you would be better at yoga than you claimed!
I’m really sorry that Nicole lied to you. I didn’t tell her to do it.
Congrats on the promotion!!! Are you gonna rename the blog Ali That’s-Editor-In-Chief-to-You-Punk On the Run?
Haha yes! BRB, checking to see if the domain name is available!
Downtown cheap? Do we live in the same city? I’ve actually considered the UES for the price and space! Congrats on your great run, awesome nephew (I love awesome nephew pics!) and new position and title. All great things to be thankful for. Me? I’m thankful for not having to drink excessive amounts of alcohol tonight. I want to go home, make a salad, and sit on my couch. If a glass of wine mysteriously makes its way onto my coffee table, so be it.
Ahem, that’s “cheap,” quotation marks necessary. Everyone said there were great deals down there, and there were. Lots of “first month’s rent free” and such. The prices were relatively comparable with the UES, but ultimately the UES was slightly more affordable and more convenient.
I have so much to be thankful for today!! 1) My family will be in Seattle in a couple hours, 2) I am moving out of this gross Seattle ‘summer’ in a couple days to some real Chicago summer, 3) My sister is currently with me after not being able to see her in a year and we haven’t fought too much and she has been an awesome packing helper, 4) That I get to walk at my graduation and prove to the world (aka my family) that I do, indeed, have two Master’s Degrees.
I’m thankful that I was able to run 3 straight miles with no bathroom stop. Currently sitting at the doc’s office getting my remicade treatment. So i’m thankful for that too I guess. Only about 45 mins left…
Congrats on the new job!! How rewarding to work your way up and finally be there 😀 Enjoy this amazing time in your life!! As for Marathon training, I’m having those OMG its F’ing far moments too. Phase 3 of my training won’t beging until mid fall though so there’s still time to freak out more. Youv’e got this! You did it before, you’ll do it again! Happy Thursday Ali!
I’m thankful that the amoxicillin my doc gave me yesterday is already helping my stupid tonsils. What a way to kick off the first week of marathon training! Yay strep throat! 🙂
HOW ARE YOU STILL SICK?! What are you doing to yourself, Heisler?! Get healthy, you have a nephew to cuddle with!
GIRL, I WISH I KNEW. I’ve been sick more in the last 3 months than I have in the last 3 years of my life. I know you feel my pain when I say it has been torture not to run!
I agree that peonies are the prettiest EVER.
I’m thankful that work is catering lunch today and will actually have vegitarian options too. They seemed to forget about us non-meat eaters last month and it a complete bummer. I’m also thankful that even though I dragged myself to get out on my bike last night I managed to get in and complete some very sweaty, much needed miles.
I am thankful that I will be visiting home (Minnesota) this weekend!!! I am thankful that I will see my wonderful (WONDERFUL!!) parents for the first time in over a year! I am thankful that I will hold my new niece and nephew for the first time. I am thankful for old friends in Minneapolis, and all the new running friends I have made in Seattle. AHHHHH Thursdays do make everything feel better! Lastly, I am thankful for my 20 mile run on Saturday! Woot, woot… my longest run yet!
All of your work pictures make me extremely jealous of your life. 🙂
Hahahaha!! Actually, we pranced INTO the rainbow that SHINED over the park after class!! There was absolutely no impatience when I thought we just missed the bus, and we carried our serene, yogi attitude all the way to 16 Handles!
I am thankful for my hubby, who is just always sweet and wonderful even though I can be a total neurotic pain in the butt. He is fantastic 🙂
I’m thankful for our latest houseguest – Stella, a retriever we are dog-sitting for a few days. I took her out for a run yesterday and got to be ‘That Girl’ with a toddler in a stroller, a dog and a swishy ponytail. I felt so cool for one mile!!
I’m thankful for flapjack – my latest baking craze, and that it’s runner-friendly!
I’m thankful for an amazing weekend in DC last weekend with my girls and a very exciting run round the National Mall and the White House!
Happy Thursday everyone.
I’m thankful for working from home this summer and making my own schedule so that I can take the dogs to the river at my leisure.
Umm is that Travis from SYTYCD in your picture? If it is, I am thankful that you posted it because I love love LOVE him.
I am also thankful that that I have motivated myself enough to work out the past 3 days in a row. I know that sounds silly but I feel great about it 🙂
It sure is! We did a shoot with him in L.A. in February.
I’m thankful for pretty sweaters (black roses pattern today!), and super pretty running skirts (lululemon FTW!). I’m thankful for strong legs and mental focus. I’m also thankful for a short respite before summer really comes. I love summer for laying by the pool but for running? Not so much. Oh and I’m super thankful for my new 5K PR (27:39!) even though I peed all over myself in mile 2 (oops!).
I’m thankful I ran last night and that next week at this time I’ll be home (and hopefully poolside)
I’m thankful for the trip I’m about to take to North Carolina this weekend with my sister, and for my awesome boss who is taking care of my menagerie of pets for free 🙂
I’m thankful that it’s actually nice out today even though the weather people are predicting scattered showers for this afternoon.
Tyler is adorable. 🙂
Last night my garmin found satellites so fast I actually thought something was wrong. It’s usually quicker at my house in the burbs that downtown, but we’re talking 5-10 seconds here. Crazy.
I’m thankful that I’m getting my running mojo back. I’m also thankful for DOMs because it reminds me I’ve been working hard, even though I can’t lift my arms over my head right now.
Thankful for coffee and a delicious English muffin. Also later im going on a glorious bike ride 🙂 happy Thursday
I’m thankful for Bagel Thursdays at work (they aren’t every Thursday, but they are the BEST Thursdays), a killer weights session this AM (after a quick 2-mile shakeout around the neighborhood), and having stuffed my face with ribs and cornbread last night at Dinosaur BBQ with my football team. Excellent past 24 hours, if I do say so myself!
Upper East Side is actually the most affordable area. Downtown is $$$$$$ so you definitely did it right. Glad you’re feeling good! I’m thankful for everything about Jersey City and for opportunities to do new workouts I never would have tried before (talking about Refine ReGroup here).
Downtown as in Financial District, not the village. Financial has lots of good deals on apartments! I just didn’t want to be so far away.
Really?? When we looked at financial district, one bedrooms were $3000+.
Dori is right. I lived in the Financial District for 4 1/2 years. They got super confident and really fahhhncy and hiked up prices to match. My own building tried to get me to renew our fake-two-bedroom from $2750 to $3350. Gross. We got out, fast.
We never made it down there to actually look, but we found good deals online! Still, wasn’t for me. Toooooo far from my beloved park!
You like peonies? You would have died at the ginormous display of peonies at the hotel I stayed at in LA for work this week. Bright pink peonies EVERYWHERE. I was actually overwhelmed. And supremely jealous that the Beverly Wilshire has its own florist that makes the place pretty. I wish I had fresh flowers all the time in my dinky apartment!
yesterday I ran for the first time in a year for longer than 10 mins. I am thankful for my PT. And running is magical. I felt high.