All summer long (um, all year long?) I wanted to have a Super Awesome Weekend. You know, those weekends that are so fantastically stellar from start to finish, and on Sunday night you can’t even be depressed about the week starting up again because you’re still riding high from all the funness that went down since Friday?
Well, instead of Super Awesome Weekends, I mostly settled for Stuck In The Bathroom Weekends.
Different kind of fun. Not fun at all fun.
But this weekend?
This weekend was great. It was way fun — dare I say it was even Super Awesome?
I ran a race.
But that’s not all.
A quick rundown of things that contributed to the Weekend Of Ali’s Dreams:
On Friday, we got the October issue of Dance Spirit at work. It’s the first one with my editor’s letter at the beginning, and I’m pretty pumped about it.
Friday was also a fun day at the office thanks to a visit from a few of the tiny dancers from “Dance Moms.”
Maddie and Chloe have a new jewelry line called Glitzy Girl and they hooked me up with a sweet bangle and some charms.
Yes, the moms came, too.
No, Abby Lee Miller was not present.
And on Friday night I ate pasta.
And on Saturday I spent the day with my old roommate, walking around and shopping and loving New York City.
And then the weather people started being like, “A tornado is headed for New York! Take cover! Be smart! Tape your windows! Hide your kids! Hide your wives! Stock up on Oreos!”
Which to me really meant, “Go up on your roof to get a better view of the storm! Be stupid! Be reckless! Live on the edge…of your roof.”
Worth it? Worth the danger of blowing off the roof amidst the flying cows, Twister-style?
Oh yes.
And then I Skyped with Tyler, who is getting so good at holding his head up.
Kind of.
You’ll get there, Ty. More Baby Pilates. And maybe work on untangling your legs a bit.
And then it was Saturday night.
And I was like, “So about that race I’m registered for tomorrow…”
I registered for the Bronx 10-Miler a long, long time ago. When I registered, my plan was to race the thing. I was going to be halfway into my New York City Marathon training. I was going to have eight weeks of speedwork behind me, and I was going to aim for an ambitious 7:45/mile pace.
I know, it’s so hilarious.
Laugh it up.
As you may recall, those “eight weeks of training” turned into “not really training and being sick instead.”
Until Saturday night, I was up in the air about doing this race. I could have taken it or left it — I really didn’t care either way. But since getting doped up on Remicade and starting my new round of medication, I’ve been feeling pretty good. I knew I’d be out running some distance this weekend anyway, so why not make it the 10 miles in the Bronx I’d already paid for?
Then I was like, “How do I do a race?”
Seriously.
I haven’t raced all year. I burned myself out on racing last year (stupid 9+1 requirements for the marathon), and this year I’ve been too sick to toe a start line that doesn’t lead to a bathroom.
I also told myself “I hate racing.”
I take it back. At least for now.
Because yesterday I ran the Bronx 10-Miler, and I loved every step, every mile and every bead of sweat that dripped into my eyes and created an odd burning sensation.
So Saturday night I decided I would do the race, but I’d be smart about it. I obviously hadn’t trained to throw down the 7:45s I’d initially hoped for, and going all-out in my first real long run back from Crohnsing probably wouldn’t be the best plan.
The new plan was to do a warm-up before the race to get any last-minute diseasey things out of my system. From there, I’d run the race comfortably. I wanted to make sure I could finish. That was my main goal. Sub-9:00 miles would be nice, but certainly not expected or mandatory. If I finished with a positive, happy outlook, it would be a success.
Life Coach Brian says my brain is the biggest thing holding me back when it comes to running. That’s a post for another day. We had a very long, life-changing talk Saturday night in which Brian said it was “time for some tough love” and I only cried a little bit and don’t worry, we are still best friends and in love and stuff.
I picked out my race outfit, because that’s important…
…and I had racing nightmares all night long. It’s good to be back at it!
I woke up early, blah blah blah, shower, bathroom, abs, subway.
I got to the start line in the Bronx with plenty of time for a warm-up, which was basically just me slow-jogging up and down the corral area, back and forth, back and forth.
As I warmed up, I paid attention to how I felt.
And I felt really, really good.
My legs felt fine, my head was happy and my intestines weren’t freaking out. I knew then that this could be a good run for me. After months of hell, it was a pretty remarkable feeling. I almost cried happy tears before the race even started. I was all, “Life is so beautiful, blue sky, happy day, raaaaciiiiing!”
I did the Porta Potty thing and wiggled into my corral, basically just grinning like a fool.
The National Anthem happened.
The “On your marks…” happened.
And then I was running.
I took my first few strides, checked in with the watch and saw a sub-8:00 mile. Take it down a notch, Feller. I didn’t get caught up in the excitement, I kept myself in check, and I just ran.
That was basically my “strategy,” if you can call it that.
I kept my focus forward — I cannot tell you a single landmark or “cool thing” we passed on this course because I wasn’t paying attention at all — and I just happy ran.
The first three miles flew by. I was loving life. For three miles, I didn’t even think about my stomach. I didn’t have to — it felt fine.
The course was an out-and-back with a few detours to mix things up, and I really enjoyed the course. Coach Cane had told me it “wasn’t flat” but that it also “wasn’t hilly.” I thought that was silly and not at all helpful, but turns out, it was a totally accurate description of the course.
There were basically little rolling hills the entire time. Nothing you could call “climbing,” though the downhills were fast and fun. There wasn’t much shade, and eventually the hot sun began to take its toll on me, making me wish I were more adept at the whole grab-a-cup-of-water-and-don’t-spill-it-up-your-nose thing, but I will work on that. I suck at water stops.
Around mile four, I saw my friend Katie. She was all, “OMG, I didn’t know you were back to racing!” and I just sort of smiled at her and was all, “Surpriiiiiiiiise!”
It wasn’t until mile six or so that I started to feel a little tired. I never felt like I was really racing, but I was cruising along faster than my marathon goal pace.
When I started to feel tired, I remembered all the stuff Brian had talked to me about the night before. All that stuff about how I can’t give up on myself. About how my body is capable of more than my brain thinks when I’m racing. About how I’m the funniest, most talented girl he’s ever met.
Maybe not so much that last part. It’s hard to remember the entire conversation.
I wanted to finish strong and I wanted to be proud of myself at the end of the race.
I did, as always, positive split this race. I’d beat myself up and say I “went out too fast” and I “should have started slower,” but I just can’t bring myself to care.
I stuck with it, I loved this race, and I managed to kick it ever-so-slightly at the very end.
I thought I’d exhausted myself by mile 9.5, but when I saw the finish line up ahead — and saw a guy on my left eyeballing me, clearly wanting to race it out to the end — I got a little extra jolt. I “sprinted” (by my standards) and finished strong.
I survived my first race back from whatever. Back from a hiatus? Back from an injury? Back from an intestinal and total body attack?
I didn’t care about my pace. I don’t care that I didn’t negative split.
I don’t care that the shorts I wore made it kind of obvious when I started sweating. I don’t care about anyone else who ran this race, and I don’t care about whether they finished ahead of me or behind me. This was my race and for the first time in way too long I ran it for me and I felt physically and mentally strong the entire time.
I also PR’d by four minutes, so that’s cool.
To wrap up The Weekend That Was Awesome, Brian and I went to the Bronx Zoo. If you brought your race bib, you got a discount.
So I brought my bib and wore the race T-shirt. You can call me a nerd, but I think I’m just more of an overachiever.
Also, giraffes. I friggin’ love giraffes, more than I can explain, and they have giraffes at the Bronx Zoo, and Brian caught my reaction when we rounded the corner and I spotted them.
They are tall and gorgeous.
Longest “race recap” ever?
Yes.
Good job if you made it through.
To summarize: I ran a race. It was in the Bronx. It wasn’t my fastest run of all time, but it just may have been my happiest.
And yes: I finally used the mango soap.
90 Responses
Hey!…i ran that race too…but i think i may be flaring so my pace was off ended up running a disappointing 10:05 mile when my pace for Brooklyn was 9:34 a few months prior…and it didn’t help that the previous night i went to the Madonna concert!…Any tips on how to keep up the speed when you are not feeling well?
Oh no! I’m sorry to hear you’re not feeling well. Honestly, when I’m not feeling well I DON’T keep up my speed. By the time I ran the Bronx 10-Miler, I was feeling so much better than I had been two weeks prior. But during the worst of my flare-up, if I ran at all it was slowly and without pressure. When I’m sick, I know my body is already under a ton of stress, so I try not to add to that with speed work or anything too taxing. Let your body recover, and when you’re flare-free you can rock out and speed up. (I’m sure some people are able to maintain their speed during flare-ups, but I’m not one of those people.)
Yay Mango Soap!
I think I’m going to go buy a bottle of super awesome soap and reward myself with it. Sounds totally awesome.
And congrats on the race and the pace and having a great race day!
So happy to read this! 🙂 Congrats on your awesome splits, you rocked it!
Congratulations! I know this is a big accomplishment with all the health difficulties that you’ve had lately. Hopefully this is a sign for good things happening.
Ali, Awesome post! I am so glad your race was such a success 🙂 Bet it feels good to get back out there.
Ali,
I have been following your health/running over the last year or so and am so very glad you got the weekend you so deserve. I am currently (and recently) on the DL due to some kind of knee injury. Like you I have been worried will I ever get to run a marathon again? Why did I take my running for granted? Your race recap has given me hope that I will return to the racing scene, my knee will get better and I will be better for it. Thank you for sharing everything! BTW, I’m a NH girl – I love it here; if I was to pick anywhere else to live – it would be NYC. You are pretty much my hero. LOL 🙂
So glad you got to use your mango soap. 10 miles in 1:22 is a pretty sweet comeback! Giraffes are just awesome.
love the Mango soap remark.
and so happy that u allowed urself to finally use it again 😉
Great job! You motivate me!
Sounds like a well earned comeback, and many happy surprises at the end. I’m the same way with elephants. They can see into your soul. Its awesome.
I didn’t know you were running it too! I would have looked for you (though it was a sea of people). It was such a fun race 🙂 glad you enjoyed it as well
Great news and great post. I’m glad you finally got a weekend you so deserve. Also, I have to tell you I just love all your pictures and your captions. They crack me up every time.
I AM SO JEALOUS!! Your job is amazing. I also grew up dancing and you have my dream job. Yes…I saw you on All the Right Moves.
But anyway… Great job on your run. I hope you keep feeling better and better!!!
Double thumbs up Ali!!!!
Well…you rock!!! After being in the hospital, you came out a week later to compete in a running race. Then you kicked some ass out there. I was out there too and I know you kicked mine.
Great run – great weekend – so happy you are back on track! CONGRATS!!! Your writing is an inspiration.
I saw you at the finish line and was too shy to say hi! I’ll say it here though, I really enjoy your blog and it was strange but cool seeing a blogger I regularly read in *real* life. Glad you actually exist haha.
Congrats on the awesome run! And I agree on the fun, rolling not-hills. Good stuff.
Congratulations Ali. Sorry if I accidentally teared up while I was reading this. It’s so wonderful to hear this great news for you. I had some pretty serious surgery August 7th and have been waiting to get back at the running thing (or actually any working out at all) and am hoping to get the all clear Thursday. I just went ahead and signed up for the Disney marathon because why the heck wouldn’t I. So to see that you were able to run this 10 miler at such a great pace after everything you’ve been through lately gives me such inspiration and hope for what I’m looking at. I read all of your posts and rarely comment, but I just had to on this one. Thanks for never giving up. 🙂
Hey Ali! I was the total creeper soulcycle employee that introduced myself to you saturday afternoon. so great to meet you; come back soon, i promise to not be as creepy (no promises actually).
and congrats on your race!!!!
Awesome! So glad you had a good weekend and a great race!
Congratulations, Ali and hooray for a good run! Your post made my day — I must have been standing right in front of you in the corral at the start (that’s half of me to the left of the guy in green :))
Wish I would have turned around to say hi! Maybe the next one!
Congrats! It is my post race tradition to wear the race shirt immediately after the race.
This is all sorts of happy. Love it. Congrats!
I’m so happy for you! You deserved a good race day/run. I’m also giddy about the fact that you met Maddie and Chloe ;).
I’m so glad you’re back to running and RACING! Yay!!!!!! If I knew you were running, I would have looked out for you — I would have looked out for you as you were coming back and I was going out. I don’t recall many landmarks or anything. I used to really take the scenery in, but I’ve stopped doing that with my last few races. I don’t know why. I kind of liked seeing different things. I didn’t even realized I missed anything until I looked at the NYRR photos and realized there was actually stuff along the course.
Nice giraffe photo. Now, if there was a giraffe long the course, I’m sure I wouldn’t have missed it. 🙂
Kristen Bell & Sloth reference: Check (This one wins triple points)
Was the giraffe coming to the party?
Awesome race: Check
Babies: Check
Dance: Check
Hilarious Ali: Check
I think you’re just awesome.
WOOOOOOO ALL CAPS YAAAAAAAAY!
Also, I *LOVE* giraffes and react similarly to being in their presence.
I’m super happy to see that you posted a zillion pictures with smiles that could stop a train. I’m excited that you got to race and that you enjoyed it. Mostly I’m just super excited that you are feeling better!! 🙂 WHOO HOO!!!
Hooray! Congratulations on your race – what a happy day! Just channel that energy the day of NYCM!
Congrats! I was excited for you when I saw on twitter that you got to use the soap! Was really looking forward to this post today! yay!
Side note: What brand headphones do you have? I can’t wear those ones that you just stick in your ears so I bought a pair that look exactly like the ones pictured above, but I ran a really humid race with them and they stopped working and I had just gotten them!
My sweet old-school-style headphones are made by Sony. They break ALL THE TIME. I seriously go through like 10 pair in a season of marathon training. My mom sometimes buys me a bunch at a time from Target because she’s such a nice lady (and because they’re only about $8/pair). But yeah, they’re cheap and crappy but they’re the only ones that fit into my freakishly small ear holes.
Niice! And I’m totally jealous that you got to meet Maddie and Chloe.
Whoosh! Great race! Yay for the mango soap. Yay for giraffes and that amazing picture. And yay x 2000 for Dance Moms, OMG. My mom is pretty sure I met Abby Lee Miller once when my dance studio competed against hers (…and won everything all the time; that part of the show is def real) but I don’t remember it at all, sad. I remember meeting her mom, though.
er, HER dance studio won everything all the time. Mine did not. Because we were competing against ALDC.
Totally framing that picture. Just cause you asked. But seriously, your photo captions are hilarious. Can you write a book already? I’ll buy 12.
Congrats on your PR—you just got out of the hospital and you’re running faster than you have before. That’s worth celebrating.
So….I know I might have said you were a little crazy when I found out you were signed up for this race (in slightly nicer words) BUT I am so happy that it went well!! Yay for great runs! (And welcome back to racing!).
Also – you need to give yourself a LOT more credit. Considering what you’ve been through over the past 2 weeks, I think your pace is pretty amazing! Actually – it’s amazing period. No disclaimer. You ran a PR…that is worth being excited about! Congratulations! I hope this is the start of many more great weeks of running.
Congrats! That’s a really impressive time! I also ran the race, and thought the course was awesome.
CONGRATS on the race!
I’m also overly excited and super jealous you met Maddie and Chloe, I can pretend my 7 year old daughter is a bigger fan of the show than I am, but I love it!
YOU KILLED THAT RACE!! Congrats! That is amazing!!!! I ran the Chicago Half Marathon after a looong break from organized races because I don’t have the dolla-dolla-billz right now. And it was quite awesome!
That last line made me smile. You go, Ali.
heck yes! mango soap and a great race~!
Yah! I am so happy for you that you did so awesome in your race! 1:22 is an awesome time!! Oh, and I LOVE Dance MOMS, I’m so jealous you got to meet them!
Congrats on your mango soap moment! I hope you had a long, supersudsy celebration. 🙂 Seriously, this is AWESOME… doesn’t happiness just ROCK?!!!
I was gettin’ happy this weekend too, but on a much smaller scale. After 2 months in physical therapy, my PT clearned me to start adding (“gradually, patiently, slowly” ) intervals to what has been a long walkin’ summer. It felt so good when I get to fly for each of those 60-second “laps”! 🙂
Keep the glow goin’ on,
K:)
Couple of things: Your race results are freaking awesome. AWESOME. What a great confidence builder – so happy for you! I was hoping that’s how my half would go on Sunday and I’d be in love with running again. I pretty much had the opposite happen. Womp womp. I said I was not running the Chi Marathon, but now I’m 95% sure I’m not. Why can’t it just be easy to quit?! And also, I got into Dance Moms when i was stuck on my couch when I had pneumonia. That show is legit.
CONGRATS!!!! This is awesome! So happy to hear you crushed it!
Yayy! You are back! I am so, so, so happy for you! Congrats on the great race and the PR! And holy cow, by my standards you were FAST!
Congratulations! You deserve that Mango soap!
Wow! Fantastic pace! You are speedy!! So happy you found your race mojo again! You must be so happy and so glad you are feeling better.
That’s awesome you came out of major illness with a pr!! Kinda sets the bar high for the rest of us, huh! So you basically just crushed the first half (yeah give or take) of the marathon, are you feeling good about doing it? I’m just getting more and more nervous and not trusting training at all. Aaaah!
Yay! Happy for you Ali…glad that awesomeness visited your weekend.
Flipping fantastic news. So pleased for you!! NYCM…I smell Ali coming your way!
Yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay!!!!!!!!!!!!
Yay! I’m running a 10K next weekend as my first “real” race post-injury (I did a 5K right at the beginning of marathon training, when I still felt out of shape and it was brutally hot. Not counting that one.). I don’t know what to expect at this one…a PR would be sub-50:00 and I know I’m not quite back to that point yet. If I can maintain marathon goal pace, I’ll be happy.
You’ll be great! It sounds like since you started running again post-injury your runs have gone pretty well. I’m sure it’ll be a solid day!
In other news, I introduced myself to Twin Carla after the race and was like “I saw you in Runner’s World!” and I’m pretty sure she thinks I’m a total creep. I was like “EMILIA AND I WORKED IN THE SAME BUILDING!” Further proof of Creep Status. My bad.
Hahaha…that’s amazing that you knew it was her in RW. I’ve been correcting people for the past two weeks.
P.S. We will finally meet at NYCM, yes???
Don’t say it wasn’t your fastest run of all time, it WAS your fastest 10mile race!!!
Looks like you’re getting back into cheerful running Ali, yay!
You need to put going to the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo in Colorado Springs on your bucket list. You can watch the giraffe herd come out in the morning AND you get to feed them. And there are usually cute baby giraffes running around.
I’ve been there, as I also love giraffes and I had a very kind family who supported that love and planned a special day for me on a vacation to Colorado. Go there. It’s amazing.
And also, Great Job this weekend!
FEEDING BABY GIRAFFES?! CAN WE GO THERE TOGETHER PLEASE?!
http://www.cmzoo.org/exhibitsAttractions/giraffes/ Go there, seriously!
yay!! what a sweet run and great confidence booster. chin up, friend! things are lookin’ good 🙂
HEY NICE RUN! You look pretty. Is that a belt? I have a whole positivity thing/goal going on this fall. I’m all wooha be positive you’re wasting too much time on bitching and moaning. It’s maybe 60% working but I bet you can get it up to 70% if you work super hard.
Hahaha. It’s a “Spibelt.” It held my phone in the back. Pretty handy. It’s basically a fanny pack. You can borrow it. It’s great for stashing snacks.
Happy for you! Yeah mango soap!!
So happy for you! Great job girl!
Hey Ali! saw you out there at the finish line and was so happy for you! Congrats!
Aww you should have said hi! Would have loved to meet you!!
Congratulations, that’s awesome!!!
Yeah Ali! Congrats. Also HEART the Kristen Bell moment.
Remember when I was all like “Ali, I’m gonna put this race in my calendar, wake up really early, and pace you for this race!” and then you were like, “It’s ok, I don’t even know if I’ll show up, you should stay out drinking until 2am and wake up at 11am instead?” Yeah, thanks for letting me slide on that commitment 🙂
I waited and waited at the start line. I was like WHERE IS MY HOT PACER IN HER NEW DANCE SPIRIT JUMPSUIT? But you never showed up, so I had to run it alone. Next time I’m wearing the Caccia Olympic Trials bib, FYI. I KNOW WHERE IT IS.
This is awesome! I am glad you are feeling better and awesome job on the PR.
You finally got to use the mango soap. Exciting! I’m happy for you that you had such a fantastic weekend and your stomach was fine for your race. YAY!
As soon as I got to the mango soap part – I had the biggest goofiest grin on my face for you! GOOD WORK!!!!
Yeah…pretty sure you know this but you’re job is friggan amazing!
your not you’re. Ugh I just messed up my own grammar pet peeve!
Congrats on getting your racing mojo back and getting to use the mango soap!
a few things:
1) I am still so hyped up about you meeting Chloe, Maddie, Christi and Melissa. Although I’m slightly bummed that Kelly wasn’t there because I would have loved to know if she actually IS always drunk and crazy.
2) CONGRATS on the race/pr/feeling better-ness/awesome comeback weekend of fun!!!
Yay for the mango soap!
Also, a sign that I have been reading your blog for a long long time – looking at your layout of race clothes and (before reading the caption) thinking to myself “Ali is eating the Entenmann’s “granola” bars again!”
Haha! We go way back. I like it.
YAY! Ali that’s awesome, I’m pumped you had a randomly fantastic race. I’m also so glad you got to use your mango soap.
Lastly, I feel very similar about giraffes. Magical.
Yay for mango soap, and a good run. Glad you are feeling better
Yayyyyy congrats on a great race! I’ve been having a VERY hard time with running lately too and I’m worried about a couple of upcoming races and you actually made me feel a little more positive about them. Glad you felt awesome the entire time!
Don’t worry about the races. Just adjust your goals accordingly. Goal A: Don’t die. Goal B: Have fun.
+1000
Your captions on photos are my favorite part of your blog. I giggle a little bit on the inside every time.
Glad you got out there and ran! And even more glad it went so well!
I just about died when you uploaded the pic of Maddie and Chloe to FB. Did you figure out how much of the show is actually ‘real’? Are the moms nice?!?! Please write an entire blog post on that……….
Awesome job on the race! And you look so adorable when you spotted the giraffes!!!!!
I agree with Melissa. Please do a “Dance Moms Recap” where you spill everything.
Haha. Yes, everyone was very nice. Maddie and Chloe were so stinkin’ cute. They’re just normal little girls, very sweet!