Starting Fresh

It’s funny, but it’s been exactly two years (give or take a day) since my last blog post. To look back and realize how much has changed in such a relatively short time is crazy. I’ve been contemplating bringing back the blog for a while now, and today seemed like a great day to resurrect it, seeing as it’s Easter and all. Not that I celebrate Easter, but it’s finally Spring, we’ve almost made it through Passover and I’m about to kick off a summer full of racing and I wanted to have a place to document my training.

I’ve got four races lined up so far this summer and I’m hoping to PR at all of them.

• Mountain Goat 10 mile — Old PR: 99 minutes/Goal: under 90 minutes/Actual: 90:50
• Komen CNY Race for the Cure 5k — Old PR: 24 minutes 45 seconds/Goal: 23 minutes/Actual: 22:04 (2nd place in my age group!)
• Athleta Iron Girl Triathlon (600m swim, 18.6mi bike, 5k run) — Old PR: 1 hour, 56 minutes/Goal: 1:45:00
• SkinnyMan Triathlon (800m swim, 14mi bike, 5k run) — Goal: 1:45:00

I’m also thinking about the Boilermaker 15k, but I’ll have to see. Sometime before the end of my gymnastics career, I managed to fracture my back. A doctor (finally!) found it this past February. I’ve gotten the ultimate vote of confidence from this so-called medical professional, “I don’t think you’re doing any more damage.” Well anyone who knows me knows that that’s all I need, so I’m still running.

Right around the time I found out about the fracture, I started running with a coach at the Y, hence all the lofty goals of four PRs in four races. (Though that last one’s a guaranteed PR since I’ve never raced that distance before.) Despite the fracture and a new job, I’ve been running more than ever, which is a good thing because I love to bake, cook and eat :).

Actually, since I just PR'd by over 14 minutes at the NYC Half Marathon in March, I guess it's 5 PRs in 5 races.

Then, people have started telling me I should open a bakery. It’s always been a pipe dream, but they’ve got me thinking about it more lately then ever. Typical, right? Tell a Jewish girl she should start a bakery during Passover. So over the last week, I’ve been thinking about all the recipes people have raved over that I never bothered to save. I’m hoping this becomes a place to document trials, failure and hopefully a few successes along the way. Then if this pipe dream ever becomes a reality I’ll have an archive to look back on. If it doesn’t, hopefully a few people will learn from my mistakes or triumph from my success.

So that’s where I am in my story. Documenting the trials and tribulations out on the road and in the kitchen (and probably in a doctor’s office or two, unfortunately). I don’t know if anyone’s out there reading this or not. But if you are, take a minute to say hi!