[42] Graduation Day 2011

Ah, it's that time of year again. Saying farewell.
Parting ways.
Becoming an adult.
Moving on.
Moving out.
Moving up.

While hundreds of thousands of students will be throwing their mortar boards up and closing a chapter of their lives, I, too, celebrate. While on my National Running Day Outing with the NYRR YPC, I logged the remaining miles necessary to finally graduate from Green to Blue! A special greeting from runner Tanya Richards for synching 623.23 miles (1,000KM), and a little pick me up that "being blue is okay when you're a serious runner" was the icing on my cake this morning.

This was a goal I have been slacking on since March. Then it was pushed to April, and then May. Actually, I find it rather comforting that I could celebrate my first NRD and clear a Nike+ Milestone in the same run! (Apologies for the bad screen shots, I haven't figured out how to do one with an iPhone, so it was digicam on iPhone, hence the glare/fuzziness.) The first (and last time), I attended Nike Run Club here in Westchester, I picked up my green laces. Since I am off next Wednesday night, I may need to drop by, run, and pickup some blue ones! ;)

Now that my summer running schedule is advancing quicker than I would like to admit, I need to really start working on my running programs, tackling Nike+ goals, amping it up in races, and making sure I am eating healthy and recovering properly. Looking at my Nike+ goals, I need to get moving on the following:

• Run More: Run 40 times by 6/22 (25 Complete; 15 Left; 4 Behind): Will be extended to July.
• Run Farther: Run 200 Miles by 6/22 (46.8 Miles Complete; 152.2 Left; 102.2 Behind Target): Will be extended to July.
• Burn More: Run 10'30" Average Pace 10 Times by 6/18 (2 Complete; 8 Left; On Target): Possible, but need to hit the pavement ASAP.
• Run Faster: Burn 20,000 Calories by 6/22 (4,581 Complete; 15,419 Left; 10,352 Behind Target); Will be extended to July.

Once school is finished, and I return from the UK, my summer running is going to have to be super early morning (like 5:30AM early) or after 7PM (around sunset). My rapidly growing concern is the heat and humidity in the summer. I'm registered for the Queens (7/30) and Bronx (8/28) Halves and if the weather is this bad now, I'm going to need something short of a miracle by the time the height of summer peaks in July and August. Even though the races start at 7AM (Q1/2), I am hoping for a push up to 6AM, for more running in the early morning hours. The start time for the B1/2 is "TBD", but with summer heat (regardless of being from Florida), earlier is better. I don't mind waking up at 3AM for an early start time. Beating the heat is all I care about, especially since the B1/2 coincides with my first day back at work, so I would like time to shower, sleep, and tend to my achey muscles before throwing myself into two solid weeks worth of work.

My graduation may be small, but I didn't graduate alone. My mom also started using Nike+ and she called me to tell me that she's advanced from Orange to Green! She left a cute message on my FB Wall "I'm coming after you!" I'm so proud of her, and it feels great to graduate in a very exclusive class. 

Blue to Purple? Only 930 Miles (or 1,500KM and counting) to go...