Athlete Bio {Jessica Karazsia}

February 15, 2012 by · 7 Comments

I’d been following Jessica on Twitter (@irun26at8) for a year – but it wasn’t until we started training for Boston that we met in real life.  Jessica is awesome, so genuine and beautiful – and I’ve loved getting to know her!  She ran her 1st 50 miler in Novemeber and totally rocked it (and I have a feeling it’s not her last).  I get to hang out with Jessica 2-3 times a week, and love doing my long runs with her.  She gets faster each week and inspires me to get better/faster.  I can’t wait to see what she can do at Boston!

Jessica blogs/tweets about her journey at  
blog: http://zero2fifty.blogspot.com
twitter: @irun26at8

Name: Jessica Karazsia

Age: 36

Location: Falls Church, VA

Years Running: 11

Favorite race distance: Marathon

PRs:
5K: 21:50
10k: 45:49
10 Mile: 1:14:35
1/2 Marathon: 1:41:48
Marathon: 3:39:45
50 Mile: 9:12:07

How did you get into running? I was a competitive tennis player in high school and have always loved working out. My gym workouts got really boring, so I started running outside. One February morning in 2005, I was running and decided that I needed a goal.  I had never done a race longer than a 10K but really wanted to do a marathon before my 30th birthday. I thought I would give training for the Cleveland ½ Marathon a whirl and if that went well, then I would continue my training and run the Chicago Marathon in the Fall. I haven’t stopped running yet!

How many marathons have you run? 7

Do you cross train or lift weights: The majority of my cross training at this point is pool running, yoga and core work. I pool run 1-2 times per week, try to fit in at least 1-2 yoga classes and work my core 3-4 days per week. I truly think that is why I have been able to stay injury-free for so long. When I slack off of my core work, things start to ache.

How do you find/make time to train: It’s tough to find the time, no doubt. I find I am most successful when I do my training in the morning. My day is more controllable in morning. My mood and motivation tend to waver as the day goes on but no matter what – whether I do my run in the morning or at night I always feel awesome afterwards.

Favorite place to run: In DC – The Capital Crescent Trail, eventually moving up on the C&O Canal path.

Favorite/most memorable race: Marine Corps 2010. My marathon PR going into that race was a 4:15. My goal was to run a sub-4 hour marathon. Everything came together that day and I ended up running a 3:39:45, qualifying for Boston. It changed the way I viewed myself, my abilities and my potential in more ways than I could ever list.

Favorite pre-race meal: I usually eat a late dinner (that includes a baked potato) the night before the race. Then a Balance Bar and a banana before the race starts with lots of water.

Favorite post-race food: Pretzels

Favorite quote: Our greatest glory is not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall.– Confucius

Favorite running shoe: I am enjoying my ASICS Cumulus right now, but also will rotate a pair of Brooks Ghosts in…on the trail I wear nothing but Brooks Cascadias.

Best running advice: Embrace rest and recovery. I had a really hard time buying into this before I started training with the Capital Area Runners and George Buckheit. I would go out and run the distance that was in my plan as hard as I could for however long I could sustain it. I am lucky I have not been injured. That’s a horrible way to train. Your body needs time to heal and rebuild. By incorporating this into my training, I have seen a lot of improvement already in just the way my body feels and moves.

Running accomplishment I’m most proud of: BQ-ing at Marine Corp 2010 but a close 2nd would be finishing the JFK 50 Mile race in 9 hours, 12 minutes and 7 seconds.

What races are you currently training for? Boston 2012!

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Boston Marathon Training {week 6}

February 13, 2012 by · 2 Comments

This was a busy week (followed by another busy week).  I had 5 work events over the course of 7 days, and celebrated BJ’s birthday.  I’m down-right tired. 

I was reading Jessica’s {week 6} recap and her theme was Sleep! Sleep! Sleep!  I’m stealing that catchy phrase and applying it to my life this week.  I need more sleep. 

Other than sleep, I felt pretty good this week.  One more week of mayhem and I should (fingers crossed) be back to “normal”.  

Mileage: 41

Monday {rest day} – My mom was in town from FL for a work trip.  We met up for dinner and it was SO much fun to see her.  I miss my mom like crazy! {also confirmed – my mom has purchased her tickets for Boston!!}   

Tuesday {track} – I felt pretty strong going into this workout.  I also feel really lucky to have a solid group (4-5 runners) that run the same pace.  It makes for an interesting workout.  1.5 mile warm-up, 4 x 1200m, 1.5 mile-cool down

4 x 1200m (4:50, 4:36, 4:34, 4:30)

I also had a work event (Nightlife fun run)at one of my accounts – 3 mile run.

Wednesday {4-6 miles} – I had a work event on Thursday, so I switched days.  Wednesday – rest day, with the exception of a 30 minute workout in the gym: arms, abs, stretching.   

Thursday {rest day} – I had a Valentine’s Day themed run at one of my accounts.  It was such a fun event.  I can’t say it enough – fun runs are definitely a perk of my job!  4.5 miles

Friday {tempo run} – Running 3.1 miles on the track is boring but thankfully I had a running partner and it was fairly painless.  The good thing about a 3.1 mile run is that the workout is over quickly: 7:02, 6:57, 6:56

(In college I had a love/hate relationship with 200’s on the minute.  It was the quickest workout in history (8-10 minutes, depending on how many 200’s we had to run) but also one of the hardest (we ran a 200m every minute, whatever time was left – usually 28-30 seconds – was our rest before the next 200m.  This workout reminded me of college – tough but over quickly). 

Saturday {16 miles} – I ran 16 long, slow miles.  I had a work event in the morning and was unable to run with CAR.  When I got home, I convinced BJ to help me on my run.  I ran 10 miles by myself, and then he ran the last 6 miles with me.  It definitely helped improve moral – I was starting to hurt on the run.  2:16:00 minutes (8:30 average pace)

Sunday {4 miles} – I had a work event for a large portion of the day, so I had to squeeze in a run.  I actually felt really good (after running 16 miles).  It was a really cold, windy morning – but felt nice to get out in the crisp morning for a 4 mile run. 

6 down, 9 to go! {no longer in the double digits}

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Jeff Horowitz {book event}

February 9, 2012 by · 1 Comment

jeff horowitz

Kick off your spring training with Jeff Horowitz, author of My First 100 Marathons and most recently, Smart Marathon Training.  Water Street Gym, located in Georgetown, is hosting a book signing event on Sunday, February 12 from 11-1pm.  Others on hand include, Rebecca Schritchfield – sports nutritionist, Dr. Kevin Maggs – chiropractor and owner of Active Spine & Sport, also preforming gait analysis, and yours truly – Brooks rep, showcasing the new Spring ’12 line and offering a 10% {Brooks} discount at Georgetown Running Company.
 
Food & Drink will be provided.  Invite your friends, runners, triathletes, or others that might be interested. No RSVP necessary. 
 
Who: Water Street Gym, Jeff Horowitz, Rebecca Schritchfield, Dr. Kevin Maggs, Melody Jones, Georgetown Running Company race team, Cyclelife race team
What: Jeff Horowitz Book Event (and other fun activities)
Where: Water Street Gym, located at 3255 K Street NW, Washington D.C. 20007
Other: No cost, no RSVP required.  All are welcome.

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Boston Marathon Training {week 5}

February 6, 2012 by · 15 Comments

The next couple of weeks are going to be hard for me – I have back-to-back weekend events, night events, travel and marathon training.  I don’t mind the night events or even the travel, but I am worried about my long runs.  How am I going to get in the miles?  Will I have to run by myself?  Week 5 is the start to  the mayhem – and I’m learning the flexibility is key to marathon training (and life, for that matter).

Mileage: 45

Monday {rest day} – I co-lead a ladies fun run on Monday nights at my local running store.  I use the fun run as an easy, slow run – it’s the perfect way to work out my muscles from all of the weekend miles.  4 miles.  

Tuesday {track} – This workout was hard for me.  I didn’t feel as strong as I would have liked, but I pushed through the workout and was happy with my splits.   2 mile warm-up, 7 x800m (1 lap recovery), 2 mile-cool down

7x800m (3:07, 3:04, 3:04, 3:03, 3:03, 3:02, 3:00)

Wednesday {4-6 miles} – I had a Nightlife event at one of my accounts and use this event as a workout (one of the perks of my job).  Hill workout for 5 miles with the group. 

Thursday {rest day} – I took the day – and needed it! 

Friday {tempo run} – I had to rearrange my weekend schedule, so I ran a modified tempo run.  5 miles at 7:30 pace, with the last 2 miles at tempo pace (6:37).  I did not run on the track, so there were a lot of variables including, traffic lights, cars, etc.

Saturday {14-16 miles} – I ran 15 miles (progression run).  I was exhausted from my week (travel, work) and it took a couple of miles for me to feel good.  Last 4 miles were close to race pace (Miles 11-13 at 7:40 pace, Miles 14-15 at 7:17 pace).  I was happy when it was over.   

Sunday {6-8 miles} – I ran 7 easy miles (8:15 pace) and felt a lot better than I was expecting I would (with the high mileage on Sunday).  These runs really help work out the kinks and soreness.

5 down, 10 to go!

How do you get through long runs when you are solo? 

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Thai Chicken Pasta

February 3, 2012 by · 9 Comments

BJ  and I have a friend that is currently living in Kabul (yes, Afghanistan).  I don’t want to get into details – but let’s just say it’s not very fun over there.  Dave is home for 3 weeks and had one request: Thai Chicken Pasta.

This recipe is full of wonderful flavors and beautiful colors.  It’s great for parties or leftovers  {it actually tastes better 1-2 days later}.  While it’s not difficult to make, there is a lot of chopping, grating, slicing involved – but it’s totally worth it!

This one’s for you Dave!

Ingredients
1 lb chicken
1/2 lb vermicelli noodles
1/4 lb snow peas or sugar snap peas
2 Tbsp fresh minced ginger
1/4 head sliced savoy or napa cabbage
2 scallions minced
2 Tbsp chopped fresh cilantro
2 Tbsp chopped fresh chives
1 cup peanuts
1 cup bean sprouts
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes

Vinaigrette
2 Tbsp rice wine vinegar
2 Tbsp Thai fish sauce
2 Tbsp soy sauce
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp sugar
1 Tbsp fresh grated ginger
2 cloves minced garlic
Zest and juice of 1 orange
Zest and juice of 1 lemon
1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes

chicken pasta

Cook noodles al dente as instructed on package, rinse under cold water.  Meanwhile, brown chicken until cooked (I like to cook the chicken in a light teriyaki sauce).  Chop, slice, grate vegetables.  Toss all ingredients together and dress with the vinaigrette.

Note: Add bean sprouts last & reserve some vinaigrette to be added before serving (noodles will drink up the sauce)

Enjoy!

 

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Boston Marathon Training {week 4}

January 30, 2012 by · 10 Comments

Coming off of a not-so-great week, I had high(er) expectations for week 4.  Week 4 did not disappoint.  I felt really strong and was able to push through all of my workouts without cutting back or “cheating”.  Friday’s tempo workout was really hard and I was really happy when it was over.  Sunday’s long run was something new for me: progression.  I like the start off slow part, it’s the finish fast part I’m not so sure about {ha}.   

Mileage: 42

Monday {rest day} – I did nothing – no running, no yoga, no gym.  Sometimes it feels really good to give my body a rest!

Tuesday {track} – This was an intense, but great, workout.  2 mile warm-up, 2 mile-cool down

1×1 mile (6:23 pace)
4x800m (3:07, 3:04, 3:04, 2:57)

{it was 60 degrees on Tuesday morning – can you believe that I ran in my sports bra in January?  I wasn’t the only one: guys with no shirts, girls in sports bras, shorts.  Crazy, but awesome, weather!}

Wednesday {4-6 miles} – 5 mile morning run.  Felt good, nothing too exciting to  report on this one.

Thursday {rest day} – Yoga.  Bikram seems to get harder with each class – but I love the idea of pushing through when possible (building that mental toughness), and “taking a knee” when I need to.

Friday {tempo run} – this was a really hard workout.  Not only was the mileage high (9 total) but 3×2 mile repeats is BORING.  

2 mile warm-up, 3×2 miles – 14:02, 13:57, 13:45, 2 mile cool-down

Saturday {6-8 miles} – I ran an easy 6.  It was a beautiful day and about half-way through the run I thought to myself: “When you are running 45 mile weeks, 6 miles seems like nothing.”  When did I become a {distance} runner?

Sunday {14-16 miles} – I ran a 15 mile (progression run).  Start slow, end fast.  The “slow” part seems cool, the “fast” part not-so-much. 

Miles 1-5: 8:50-9:00/min pace
Miles 6-10: 8:20-8:30/min pace
Miles 11-15: 7:20 pace

The last 4 miles were hard (the muddy C&O canal trail covered in rocks didn’t help) but I was able to push through the pain.  Good news is that I’m not exhausted cardio-wise – I just need to push through the physical pain (mostly in my left calf).  I proceeded to go home, take a bath and relax.  {the one true perk of a long, slow run!} 

4 down, 11 to go!

How do you {celebrate} a long run? 

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Italian Wedding Soup

January 26, 2012 by · 8 Comments

The other night all BJ wanted for dinner was soup or stew – specifically (and I quote) “something hearty”.  I wasn’t so much in the mood for beef stew (or the likes), so I racked my brain for something substantial enough for my hubs and “light” enough for me.

This recipe, adapted from Barefoot Contessa, was a huge (and I mean, HUGE) hit at the Jones household.  BJ talked about the soup of 8 days.  I am not kidding.  If you are looking for an easy but delicious soup, this recipe is sure to be a crowd pleaser.

Author Notes/Substitutions:
I used chicken/turkey/basil sausage from Trader Joe’s; I used both panko and italian bread crumbs; I used orzo instead of tubetini/stars; I completely eliminated dill from the recipe (it’s just weird)

Ingredients

For the meatballs:
3/4 pound ground chicken
1/2 pound chicken sausage, casings removed
2/3 cup fresh white bread crumbs
2 teaspoons minced garlic (2 cloves)
3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves
1/4 cup freshly grated Pecorino Romano
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan, plus extra for serving
3 tablespoons milk
1 extra-large egg, lightly beaten
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the soup:
2 tablespoons good olive oil
1 cup minced yellow onion
1 cup diced carrots (3 carrots), cut into 1/4 inch pieces
3/4 cup diced celery (2 stalks), cut into 1/4 inch pieces
10 cups homemade chicken stock
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 cup small pasta such as tubetini or stars
1/4 cup minced fresh dill
12 ounces baby spinach, washed and trimmed

Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
For the meatballs, place the ground chicken, sausage, bread crumbs, garlic, parsley, Pecorino, Parmesan, milk, egg, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper in a bowl and combine gently with a fork. With a teaspoon, drop 1 to 1 1/4-inch meatballs onto a sheet pan lined with parchment paper. (You should have about 40 meatballs. They don’t have to be perfectly round.) Bake for 30 minutes, until cooked through and lightly browned. Set aside.

In the meantime, for the soup, heat the olive oil over medium-low heat in a large heavy-bottomed soup pot. Add the onion, carrots, and celery and saute until softened, 5 to 6 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the chicken stock and wine and bring to a boil. Add the pasta to the simmering broth and cook for 6 to 8 minutes, until the pasta is tender. Add the fresh dill and then the meatballs to the soup and simmer for 1 minute. Taste for salt and pepper. Stir in the fresh spinach and cook for 1 minute, until the spinach is just wilted. Ladle into soup bowls and sprinkle each serving with extra grated Parmesan.

Enjoy!

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Boston Marathon Training {week 3}

January 23, 2012 by · 10 Comments

I don’t have many good things to say about week 3.  It was a hard week for me – I was tired and my legs felt sluggish.  Even though I’m not a coach, I used my discretion while running and accommodated accordingly. 

My favorite {and hardest} workout of the week was on Friday – my tempo run on the track.  I posted about it {here} and I appreciated ALL of your comments about overcoming mental challenges.  If you are new to my blog or just now reading, and have your own tips & tricks for overcoming mental challenges – PLEASE share them with me and the group!

Mileage: 42.5

Monday {rest day} – one of the really cool things about my job is that I get to talk about and run a lot.  This can be a good thing – or a bad thing on my rest day.  I had a 6 mile lunch meeting, followed by a 4 mile work event.  10 miles (after my 12.5 miles the day before)

Tuesday {hills} – decided I was going to use Tuesday as my rest day (my body was tired!) 

Wednesday {4-6 miles} – I used Wednesday for my hill workout.  6 x 400m hills, with a 2 mile warm-up and 2 mile cool-down

Thursday {rest day} – I slept in, worked from bed for a bit, and did not do anything athletic (my body needed it)

Friday {tempo run} – I decided to do this workout solo – it was a really hard workout, both physically and mentally.  But I pushed through and finished stronger & faster than I expected I would!

1 x 3 miles – 6:31, 6:32, 6:26
1 x 2 miles – 6:30, 6:26
1 x 1 mile – 6:05

Saturday {6-8 miles} – Ice, snow and more ice lead to a very interesting (and slow) run.  I was trying to be as safe as possible.  5.5 miles

Sunday {12-14 miles} – I ran 13 miles and felt really good.  There was some miscommunication on my part regarding the start (rookie mistake) – but I found the group and was able to run with one of the girls on the team (I’m excited to have a new running friend).  13 miles – 1:43

3 weeks down, 12 to go!

Do you adjust your training schedule when your body feels tired, sluggish and rundown?

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Fast Friday

January 20, 2012 by · 25 Comments

Friday’s are my tempo run.  Tempo runs kinda scare me – they are fast, and push my body to an uncomfortable place (but that will make me stronger and faster, right?!)

I’m usually on the track with Coach George & Capital Area Runners at 6:00am every Friday.  Running with a group (and a coach) is motivating.  It doesn’t make the run less hard (physically); it just makes it less hard (mentally).

I didn’t sleep well last night. I couldn’t get up this morning.  I tossed and turned – should I wake up, exhausted, and try to push through the run?  Or should I sleep in, wake up rested, and run solo?

I decided to run solo.  My workout scared me: 1×3 miles, 1×2 miles, 1×1 mile with 1.5 mile warm-up/1.5 mile cool down. 

Tempo runs on the track, solo, are hard.  My mind played tricks on me. 

Maybe I’ll just run 1×3 mile, 2 x 1mile
My legs feel really tired
Maybe I should run 2 x 2 mile

In the end I decided to run the ENTIRE workout – no substitutions, no deletions.  I’m glad I did.  Mentally, I feel really good.  Physically, I feel really good.  I know Boston is NOT going to be easy.  I know my GOAL is NOT going to be easy. 

I rocked my workout for the day – maybe running solo isn’t so bad after all…

1 x 3 miles – 6:31, 6:32, 6:28
1 x 2 miles – 6:30, 6:28
1 x 1 mile – 6:05

How do you overcome mental challenges?

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Athlete Bio {Annie Feldman}

January 13, 2012 by · 10 Comments

Meet Annie – one of best friends and runner extraordinaire.  Annie is pretty much the reason I qualified for Boston on my 1st marathon attempt. Sure, I ran a lot & worked hard but if it weren’t for her coaching and pushing me, I couldn’t have done it!  Annie works full-time, is getting her MBA, races with Pacers Elite women’s team and owns her own artisan bakery & pastry company, Beaux Reve.  If you’re wondering – Yes(!!), Annie Feldman rocks my world!

Name:  Anne (Annie) Feldman

Age: 29

Location: Arlington, VA

Years Running: 18

Favorite race distance: Half Marathon

PRs: 5k – 18:27, Marathon – 3:08

How did you get into running? I had a ton of energy and zero coordination, so it was a natural fit for me in middle school. I never looked back.

How many marathons have you run? 6

Do you cross train or lift weights: Yes. I bike, swim, do yoga, and just started boxing. I’ll do the elliptical in reverse every once in a while for a full-body workout. I try to do some ab work every day.

How do you find/make time to train: Running has always been a part of my life, so it doesn’t really ever seem like I need to find time. Mornings are usually the best, but definitely the most difficult in the cold & dark winters here in DC.

Favorite place to run: A sunrise along the Mt. Vernon trail, at sunset along the National Mall, along the beach in Santa Monica, in the mountains of Alaska.

Favorite/most memorable race: My first marathon – 2008 Marine Corps. Running 26.2 miles was something I never thought I could do. It was such a painful race, but I had the support of so many family members and friends that it was truly a special moment when I crossed the finish line.

Favorite pre-race meal: My homemade breakfast egg sammie – whole wheat English muffin with a fried egg, turkey bacon, caramelized onions, and cheddar cheese. Favorite post-race food:Ice cream. A delicious “cool-you-down” treat. 

Favorite quote: “It is not the critic who counts: not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles or where the doer of deeds could have done better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly, who errs and comes up short again and again, because there is no effort without error or shortcoming, but who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions, who spends himself for a worthy cause; who, at the best, knows, in the end, the triumph of high achievement, and who, at the worst, if he fails, at least he fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who knew neither victory nor defeat.” – Teddy Roosevelt

Best running advice: Make small goals. Stay focused. Persevere. And never say “I can’t.”

Running accomplishment I’m most proud of: The honor and privilege I’ve had of being a part of the Arlington/DC and Pacers community. The people I have met here are the reason I have any running accomplishments at all.

What races are you currently training for? A few as of yet unscheduled 5ks and 10ks in the spring.

Famous {and delicious} Beaux Reve Brownie

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