Long Branch

Since Long Brand is 2 miles from our house, and Pier Village officially reopened today after Hurricane Sandy, I would like to post some happy, pre-Sandy pictures :-D

Feeling Glum: Seaside Heights 1/2 Marathon: Our First

October 2011, Brad and I ran our very first half marathon, in Seaside Heights. In fact, a picture from that day has been the image for this blog since then! (Up top!) I'd like to share some of those photos, because they bring back HAPPY memories.

Again, please donate. Let's make Seaside and all our other shore towns look like this again! It's located on the right side of this website: crowdrise.com/shorecorps

Snow and Rollercoasters in the Sea Don't Mix

Nor'easter brought plenty of slushy snow. I'm praying the branches stay on the trees and the power and heat stay on. I'm also feeling terrible for those who don't have power and heat. Usually, the first snow storm of the season makes me feel warm and cozy inside. Snowboarding, Lake Placid, Sweatpants, Hoodies, Starbucks Christmas cups, Thanksgiving Turkeys, Football... all the winter things I love. Now, I just feel sad, and wish I could do more to help. Again, please consider donating at http://crowdrise.com/shorecorps

XoXo, stay warm out there people!

Team Shore Corps: www.crowdrise.com/shorecorps

So, Brad, Laura, and I are planning to run the NJ Marathon for the American Red Cross. I have set up a website where you can donate: crowdrise.com/shorecorps

Please, donate to this cause. I actually saw the trucks driving around bringing hot meals and warm clothing to people, and as much as the news tries to make it seem like they are invisible, they are out there, but there's so much more they could do if they had the resources!

If you can't donate, join us! We are looking for more members to join Team Shore Corps. If you've always wanted to run a marathon (or half! same day!), now's the time, and do it for a great cause. Help people rebuild their homes! And, I can't wait to go to the amusement parks again, jog on the boardwalk, and soak up the sun on the beautiful beaches!

We will run 26.2 miles around the beautiful Jersey Shore next May. It will happen.

Wedding Postponed, NJ MARATHON: Restore Da Shore

"Sandy the aurora's rising behind us
The pier lights our carnival life forever
Oh love me tonight and I promise I'll love you forever" ~Bruce Springsteen

Well, I was supposed to say "forever" to Brad this weekend, but Hurricane Sandy came instead.

The night of the hurricane was one of the scariest I've ever spent, with massive flooding all throughout our neighborhood, and water creeping up to our front door and back door of our brand new house. Luckily, it didn't make it inside our door! Wind whipped, we had to move Brad's car to the garage because we feared it would float away. Trees bent to the ground. One of the trees snapped, and a large chunk of it fell on our house! Somehow there was little damage, and Brad, with his sick roofing skills he obtained in college, was able to put our roof back together again! I must have an angel somewhere...

So the weekend that was supposed to be my wedding, I bought supplies, donated them to a shelter, and drove around with Melissa bringing food to people who were too afraid to leave because of looters, couldn't leave because they were elderly or couldn't leave because their cars had flooded. So tragic! How could I celebrate at a time like this, eating filet mignon and dancing 'til the wee hours of the morning? Right. Couldn't! But, yonkersrunner is back in business, though now an Oceanport runner (with a real NJ license, NJ plates, and NJ car insurance for a heckuva lot less). Wedding will just have to wait, but January 1, marathon training part deux officially begins! We, and my good friend Laura (maybe more!) have signed up for the NJ Marathon, which conveniently starts in Oceanport and runs through many of the towns devastated by Hurricane Sandy. So excited and nervous, but at least this time we know we can do it. Come cheer Brad and I on as we run to restore the shore! XOXO

Calves And Deer

After sweating the mortgage stuff for way too long (still sweating it as we speak), I decided to get some real sweat work in. Yesterday, I woke up early (not work early.. 5:00 shouldn't come in AM as far as I'm concerned) and headed over to the Manasquan Reservoir, where I got a nice 5 Miler in wearing my NB Minimus trail running shoes. But, I was still all amped up, so I tacked on a 15 mile bike ride. And today, I can't walk. Haha. But it felt SOOO good to get some exercise in--it's been a while. I've been so exhausted! I guess I'll know more about what's going on with the house in the next few days... for now, I haven't a clue. But, a good run does make everything feel better. (Except maybe my calves!)

One Dinner Plate Please. Cruise Style.

Loving Life. I forgot what it felt like to be happy and stress-free. It's an amazing feeling. Now, some may argue that I should be stressed... The wedding is less than two months away and I still have a lot to accomplish... We haven't closed on the house, and there's still a lot of ridiculous paperwork that is sent my way almost daily. I am still in the process of learning and writing three completely different curricula for my new job. We joined a softball league AND a touch football league. I'm hoping to be an assistant track coach for the girls' team (and maybe a full-time coach in spring). I have to be at work by 6:30 AM. All of this should be making me nuts, right? No. Not at all. Living down the shore, breathing salt air, being in a well-organized school with positive, happy, generous people... it's all wonderful. I haven't felt this good in years. So I'm super lucky, and very appreciative. And I'm glad I had the guts to shake things up, even when it seemed like it was too much to handle. What will I ever do if I have some free time? I think the track coach at my new school put it best: You're from NY. Putting too much on your plate is what you do. (And it is, even literally. Mmm buffet!) You wouldn't feel comfortable without a million things to do. So true. Maybe one day I'll learn how to slow down. Probably not, but maybe!