Run, Karla, Run!

We love our dog! (RunKarlaRun.com)

Happy National Dog Day! As a dog lover and dog mom, I’m a huge advocate for dogs and all the wonderful ways they add to human lives.

National Dog Day serves to “recognize the number of dogs that need to be rescued each year, and acknowledges family dogs and dogs that work selflessly each day to save lives, keep us safe and bring comfort. Dogs put their lives on the line every day – for their law enforcement partner, for their blind companion, for a child who is disabled, for our freedom and safety by detecting bombs and drugs and pulling victims of tragedy from wreckage,” according to NationalDogDay.com.

Cinderella in the wild. (RunKarlaRun.com)

And that’s not all that dogs do. Research shows that dog owners live longer on average than non-pet owners, have fewer signs of heart disease, and better cardiovascular fitness. Pets also lower stress, anxiety, and blood pressure for their human friends. And they boost immunity and self-esteem for their owners. Plus, dog owners are less likely to suffer from despression than those living without four-legged friends. The Atlantic published a great article about the many ways dogs enrich our lives, physically and mentally. A dog really is man’s best friend.

I can honestly say I’m happier now than I was when I didn’t have a dog. My life is certainly better because Cinderella, my doghter, is in it.

I’ve shared Cinderella’s story in the past—from homeless and living in the woods of Tennessee to finding her fur-ever home in New York City with my husband and me. I found her on PetFinder.com, one of the supporters of National Dog Day and a great resource for finding adoptable dogs throughout the U.S. and Canada.

Running with Relly (RunKarlaRun.com)

I’m a vocal advocate for dog adoption, versus purchasing from anyone but the most reputable breeders. According to the ASPCA, 7.3 million dogs and cats enter the shelter system every year through no fault of their own. Approximately 2.6 million of them die there. The ASPCA says 31 percent of the dogs that enter shelters are euthanized.

By adopting—and not buying—and spaying or neutering your dog, you can be a part of the solution. You’ll find your pick of purebreds and one-of-a-kinds like Cinderella in our nation’s vast shelter and rescue system. Looking for even the rarest of breeds? You can find one for adoption, like my sister did with her Bedlington Terrier.

So let’s raise a bone to all the furry friends out there who make our lives and our worlds a better place. Take National Dog Day as an opportunity to donate to your local shelter or dog rescue organization, or spend some quality time with your furry friend. I practice what I preach. This year, I’ve donated to the Friends of the Bristol Animal Shelter in Rhode Island and the North Shore Animal League in New York. Now, it’s time to snuggle my dog.

So Happy National Dog Day from Cinderella and me!

Running with Relly (RunKarlaRun.com)

Cinderella and Fred on the beach (RunKarlaRun.com)

Run, Cinderella, Run! (RunKarlaRun.com)

Cinderella in the wild. (RunKarlaRun.com)

Beach run! (RunKarlaRun.com)

My Cinderella helps me sew…or just lays on my clothes. (RunKarlaRun.com)

Getting ready to swim. (RunKarlaRun.com)

The William J. McCarthy Memorial Swim in Bristol, Rhode Island on Saturday, August 16 was my last open water swim before the Triathlon Valleyfield in Salaberry-de-Valleyfield, Quebec on Sunday, August 24.

Swim shirt (RunKarlaRun.com)

The event was put on by the town of Bristol Parks and Recreation department to raise money to develop an aquatics program, including swim lessons for kids, and two proposed swimming pools, none of which the town currently has.

The William J. McCarthy Memorial Swim

The swim was a quarter-mile in open water at the Bristol Town Beach on Narragansett Bay. For my running friends, picture one lap around a 400-meter track. The event also included a 4 x 100 yard relay and a Fins & Floaties fun race for kids.

Registration was a bargain at $20 per swimmer, per event, or $10 for the kids race, and that included the event T-Shirt. It might be my favorite cotton shirt I’ve ever gotten at a race— incredibly soft in heather red. Best of all, they actually had my size. Read the rest of this entry →

(Courtesy of Nike)

Have you ever had a running gait analysis? I now have video of mine thanks to Nike Running.

On Sunday,  October 19, I’ll be running the Nike Women’s Half Marathon in San Francisco! I’ll be attending the race courtesy of Nike as part of a media group. Along with the race, they’re helping me train and gear up for the event. Excited? You bet!

Gait Analysis

To help me gear up for the race, I got fit for shoes at the Nike Running store in New York City’s Flatiron district. I’ve had my gait analyzed four times before at various running stores and in physical therapy. I have it checked periodically in case my form has changed dramatically since I’ve gotten faster, been diagnosed with arthritis, injured my hip in a horseback riding fall, and all the other things that affect how I run.

But year after year, gait analysis shows I’m a steadfast neutral shoe runner. This time I have video proof.

But what does it mean to be a neutral shoe runner? Read the rest of this entry →

1:58 is my goal time! (Photo: morgueFile)

In two weeks from today I’ll be at the start of the Runner’s World Heartbreak Hill Half in Newton, Mass. The race will be my third half marathon in 2014, but my first attempt at a sub 2 hour half marathon this year. My current half marathon personal best stands at 2:00:30 from the 2012 Staten Island Half. Breaking “2” is the one running goal that has eluded me time and time again. It has become my Everest.

I’ve got “2” on the brain. (Photo: morgueFile)

Last Long Run

On Saturday, I finished my last long run before the big race. I ran 12.15 miles total, with 10 of them in Central Park’s rolling hills at a 9:40 pace overall. My goal half marathon pace is 9:00, which would bring me in at 1:58. A sub 2 hour half marathon pace is 9:10. I’m absolutely within striking distance.

My splits were:

10:13
9:30
9:35
9:35
10:13
9:31
9:40
9:25
9:37
9:20

I don’t like that I had two 10:13 miles as I climbed one of Central Park’s steepest hills twice during miles one and five. But I like that I was at least consistent over said hill. And I love that my last mile was my fastest.

Race Goals

My goals for the race are:

A) Run a sub 2 hour half marathon
B) Run a personal record, which means besting 2:00:30
C) Run as hard as I can, whatever time that means

My “A” goal is a sub 2 hour finish! (Photo: morgueFile)

I know I have the speed in me to finally break 2 hours. I’m much faster than when I set my current half-marathon PR. My long runs have been consistently 30 to 40 seconds faster per mile than they were in fall 2012. And I’ve since lowered my 5K and 10 PRs by two minutes and three minutes, respectively.

But I’m just not sure I have the endurance I’d like to have at this point in the season. Going into the Staten Island Half, my longest run was a 16-miler since I was in the middle of marathon training. Going into this race, my longest run was yesterday’s 12.15-miler, with just 10 of them at speed. The other 2.15 miles were an easy warm-up and cool down. Do I have 13.1 fast miles in me? That remains to be seen. Read the rest of this entry →

Thanks to Danielle at Live, Run, Grow for including me in her Liebster Award group of blogs!

In grade school, I absolutely hated chain letters. But I actually enjoy reading Liebster Award posts, even if they are the blog equivalent of chain letters. They’re a fun way to learn something new about other bloggers and spread some blogger love.

Here are the rules:

• You must link back to the person who nominated you
• You must answer the 10 Liebster questions given to you by the nominee before you
• You must pick 10 bloggers to be nominated for the award
• You must create 10 questions for your nominees
• You must go to their blogs and notify the nominees

I’m not a fan of “musts.” Play along if you like, and if not, no worries!

 Danielle’s Liebster Award Questions

1. If you could run any race in the world what would it be?

This is tough. I’m torn between a fast, iconic race in a fun city, like the Berlin Marathon or a destination race in a locale I’ve always dreamed of visiting, like the Marathon International de Moorea in French Polynesia. When I dream, I dream big!

That could be me in Moorea! (Photo: Te Moorea Club)

2. What is the best race you’ve run so far?

I can’t pick just one! There are very few marquee races I’ve run time and time again, mainly because I’ve got a big bucket list and love experiencing new places and new races. Of the 21 half-marathons and marathons I’ve run, there are only three I’ve revisited more than once: TCS New York City Marathon, Disney Wine & Dine Half Marathon and Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend. I’d run them every single year if I could. Read the rest of this entry →

Cinderella! (Photo: Lev Kuperman)

Happy Birthday, Cinderella!

OK, I have no idea if today is actually her birthday. There’s a 1/365 chance that it is. But three years ago today, this sweet little dog came into my life. Since she was a stray without papers, my husband, Phil, and I anointed the day we got her as her annual feast. The vet guessed she was about two years old then, so five it is!

I shared Cinderella’s story last year: Happy Birthday, Cinderella! My Favorite Running Gal

Cinderella gets cozy on my pink Cinderella running costume.

This year, my favorite running princess—like so many runners—is coming back from injury. Her vet diagnosed her with intervertebral disc disease, which is essentially a herniated or slipped disc in her spine. She had most of the symptoms when I took her to the vet a week ago Monday. She’s been on pain killers and Prednisone since then and dedicated to a regimen of complete rest. In other words, she’s been lethargic and in pain.

It’s been breaking my heart to see her like this. When she’s not sleeping on a pile of laundry or, in this photo, a running costume, she’s usually running, playing, or trying to stop me from working. Cinderella is a dog full of life. Read the rest of this entry →

Yesterday, I shared pics from my first curling adventure. Earlier I took you on a trail run through the Austrian Alps. But most folks who head to St. Anton am Arlberg in Austria are there for some Alpine skiing.

I’m not a big skier, so I’ll let my husband, Phil, lead you on this particular tour. He shot this video on the slopes. It’s basically ski porn. As you’ll see, the Austrian Alps are truly gorgeous. Be sure to watch it in HD.

And the music? Well, you’ll probably be singing, “Hey! Das Geht Ab” by the end of the video. I haven’t been able to get it out of my head since I first heard it at the apres ski bar called Mooserwirt pictured in the video. You’re welcome.

Ski buddies! (Photo: RunKarlaRun.com)

Karla’s Alpine Skiing Adventure

As for me, I did spend one day skiing. I grew up downhill skiing on small hills in Wisconsin. But when I started having knee problems at the age of 14, my skiing days were over.

My friend, Cara, was a total ski newbie. She was the reason for my visit. She’d been transferred, along with another friend of mine, to Switzerland for work. So Phil and I cashed in some airline miles, flew into Zurich, and stayed with our friends there. Before long, a large group of us converged on St. Anton, about 2 hours away.

While the experts skied in the video above, Cara and I booked a 6-hour ski lesson. When you’re jet lagged and not really a skier, 6 hours is a long time!

We spent the morning on classic Nordic cross-country skis and hit the pristine trails around St. Anton. Read the rest of this entry →

Curling is fun! (Photo: Cara Morgan)

I’m finally home from my trip to the Jerusalem Marathon. While I sort through all my photos and videos from that trip, I’ve got a few more posts from my February trip to Switzerland and Austria. While there, I completed my own winter pentathlon of sports: running, curling, snowshoeing, Nordic skiing and Alpine skiing. I also hit the pool, sauna and partook in some genuinely crazy apres ski.

I already shared scenes from a snowy trail run in Austria. Up next in the pentathlon is an Alpine curling game!

So close, but pink wins. (Photo: Cara Morgan)

Like most people, my first experience with curling was watching it on TV during the Olympics. When I went to the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, I actually got to watch a curling game, interview Team USA, and write an article about how the Olympics have raised the sport’s profile in the U.S.: Curling capitalizes on Olympic coverage.

But I’d never actually played a game of curling…until now.

My Alpine Curling Game

Curling in Austria! (Photo: Cara Morgan)

It was a snowy night in St. Anton am Arlberg when my friend, Cara, and I made our way to ARLBERG-well.com, a public wellness center with a gym, pool, sauna, tennis center, skating rink and more. Read the rest of this entry →

The Queen of Hearts and I “heart” you. (Photo: MarathonFoto.com)

Happy Valentine’s Day! The Queen of Hearts wants you to know you’re loved. She really does, even if her face doesn’t show it.

Hope you’ve got a run planned with someone you love—whether it’s a friend, family member, partner, furry friend or someone else close to your heart. You’re all close to mine.

Love,
Karla

P.S. If you want to read more love stories, here’s the story of how my husband and I fell in love through running: When Running And Love Collide

And how we stay in love: Sweat Together: A Valentine’s Day Ode To Running Love

And here’s all about how much I love my dog: Happy Birthday, Cinderella! My Favorite Running Gal

And all about falling in love with running…again: Falling In Love With Running…All Over Again

So much to love!

Christmas in New York!

Merry Christmas from my family here in New York City to you and yours wherever you are!

We started our celebration yesterday with the Radio City Christmas Spectacular starring the Rockettes. I’ve lived in New York City for 13 years and have never seen the show. It took my family coming to finally do it. I don’t know why I waited so long! It was truly spectacular and far exceeded my expectations. What a way to get into the Christmas spirit.

My family is going to Central Park today.

Today, we got our stockings from Santa and are making our way to Central Park.

I’ll be celebrating the way I celebrate most things…with a run! Read the rest of this entry →

Bernard Lagat at the 2010 Fifth Avenue Mile. (Photo: Phil Hospod)

Happy 4th of July! Celebrate your freedom to run! Read the rest of this entry →

Players from Newport Polo (red) and Far Reach (blue) race to the ball. (Photo: Phil Hospod)

Sometimes in life you have to get back on the horse.

Literally.

There’s a horse—an actual four-legged animal with a mane and a tail. You fell off of it, dirt and grass covering the shoulder of your white polo shirt. You’re breathless, having had the wind knocked out of you by a collision with the hard ground. You lie there a moment and catch your breath. You make sure nothing is broken, stand up, and walk over to the horse. You pet her and tell her it’s OK. Then you plant one foot in the stirrup and swing your leg over her back. You get back on the horse.

I’ve been taking polo lessons for two years now. Two weeks ago, I fell off my horse. Suddenly, an old cliché had real-world meaning. Read the rest of this entry →

Karla gives snowshoeing a try in Colorado. (Photo: RunKarlaRun.com)

Greetings again from Colorado! My first day in the Rockies, my husband and I enjoyed a muddy run with literally breathtaking scenery near 9,000 feet above sea level in Tabernash, Colorado.

But for two mornings in a row, we have woken up to complete white-out conditions. The early hours of Sunday morning brought us 7 inches of fresh powdery snow with up to 10 inches on the mountain.

Too deep to run, there was only one thing left to do: snowshoe! Read the rest of this entry →

My girl, Cinderella (Photo: RunKarlaRun.com)

My favorite four-legged running pal turned 4-years-old yesterday. Or at least, that’s what we think.

Cinderella was a stray living in the woods of Tennessee when a kind man spotted her and earned her trust over time by feeding her. Soon, she was living in his yard as a yard dog named Maggie. But after a few bad-weather nights, he decided his yard was no place for a dog and he couldn’t keep her, so he brought her to local rescue group Shelly’s Angels that works to save strays and find them homes.

Meanwhile in New York City, my husband and I were on the hunt for a dog. Read the rest of this entry →

Our family on our wedding day (Photo: Lev Kuperman)

I’m a newlywed. My husband, Phil, and I have been married for six months and we’ve been together for five years. Running played a large part in our courtship, our engagement, and has been a mainstay of our relationship. We love to run, and whenever we can, we run together. They say that couples who sweat together stay together. I hope it’s true. Here’s to running love.

He’s much faster than me with his 3:03 marathon personal best; mine is 4:28. But that doesn’t stop us. Here’s how we keep on running side-by-side.

Workouts

For workouts, we often do one of four things: Read the rest of this entry →