Hey everyone! Thank you again for all your support thus far!

Sorry it has been so long since I last posted, but I promise I have been running. It's been amazing to see myself transform from being surprised when I complete a 5 mile run to now expecting to run at least 10 miles every Saturday. Over the past few weeks my running buddy, Maggie, has been invaluable in helping to push me to through those long runs, especially when every time we run it is freezing outside.

(A little pic of Maggie and I, that time she convinced me to run at 8:30am on a Saturday)

Really though, I don't even remember what it feels like to run in weather above 30 degrees anymore (and that's not even counting wind chill). I've also learned what it means to be bone chilling cold, because no matter how many layers I wear (yes, I have worn multiple pants and sweatshirts for a run) the hour after my run is the coldest, even in my sauna of an apartment.

Despite these minor discomforts, training for this half marathon has been one of the most rewarding experiences in my time living in New York City. A few months ago I never would have thought I could run over 6 miles. I never would have thought I would run a half marathon for such an amazing charity. Most of all, I never would have thought I could raise as much money as I have. And that last one is all thanks to the support of you guys. Again, thank you for helping me get to my fundraising goal and for choosing to dedicate part of your own income towards a cause that may or may not affect your life personally. Together we really are making a difference and it does not go unnoticed. 

Below are just a few update pictures because I really have been running and if you didn't believe me about the cold, at least I have snow in them to prove it!

 Central Park can be pretty nice...

  We try to look decent too

Also, as a fun game, guess which mile I took my energy gel?

Thanks for reading! March 2nd is the last day to donate so if you know anyone who was unsure if they would donate, now is the time!

Wishing you all the best!

I feel like this past week has been so eventful, in all the best ways. I want to start by saying THANK YOU to everyone who came out on Friday to my fundraiser event at Fiddlesticks. It truly was a success, not only for the amount of money we raised for LLS but also for the great atmosphere of such a mix of people coming together. I really cannot express how much that meant to me so thanks again.

You may notice I changed the fundraising goal to $2,000 as that was initially my personal goal. This is a reflection of the joy I had with the ability of so many people to get together and bring me to over $1600. I can only imagine how many people's lives that money may help.

On another positive note, I MADE IT TO 7.5 MILES! Okay, I need to be honest, it was mostly flat so not very difficult... but still!

Earlier in the week I met a friend again to go for an after work jog. I've discovered that chatting with a friend not only allows me to keep a good pace without exhausting myself, but also makes the run pass by so much faster! The true difficulty of my 7 mile run was being able to stay motivated and focused for the last mile. Of course, the ability to run in Central Park (and practice hills) has its own advantage. It's pretty lovely at night!

(Running selfies are not the easiest...)

This weekend I got a chance to look at the half marathon course and between my jogs in Central Park and my weekend jogs along the west side highway, I am getting good experience with long sections of the race. I look forward to keep pushing myself, though I am a little nervous about how this weather is going to affect my training. May have to accept a few miles on' the treadmill...

I'll leave you with some pictures from my run this past Sunday. 

 (quick stop at Battery Park) 

Hope you are all keeping warm!

Wishing you all the best!

I'm going to have to start this post with something that may not be directly related to my running, but is life changing for me. 

I was accepted to the University of Connecticut School of Medicine! 

I can't wait to finally start my journey towards becoming a physician. I spent so long talking about one day studying medicine that I can't believe that by August I will finally start my classes. Yet here I am. And I am so happy that I will have a chance to support an important organization that provides funding for the advancement of blood cancer research and the improvement of the quality of patient care. 

This week I got to run with a good friend who has continually inspired me to push myself. To put things into perspective, as I train for my first half marathon she is training for her first 100 mile race... I can't even imagine the drive necessary to get to that point. But I can say this, running with someone like her makes running fun (especially when it's after working a full days work!). Though I admit to wearing my underarmor and a winter Uniqlo jacket, it turns out night running in the winter isn't so bad. My friend and I ran from the southwest of Central Park and around the reservoir. 

It's not a bad view...

Thanks Maggie for your help!

I'll admit this weekend was dedicated mostly to celebrations and spending time with one of my best friends from out of town... But I did dance quite a bit and when in heels, that's pretty much the equivalent to small hill training.

And then little Juno did not help matters, but it's going to be back to business! I have a feeling the 8 inches or so of snow won't be on the running paths for too much longer, so thank you Juno for considering my training.

Below are a two pictures when I thought this blizzard might actually be a blizzard.

Over the past few weeks I have gotten a lot of support and donations towards my cause. Thank you all! It means the world to know that others are willing to help support the cause I am running for.

Wishing you all the best!

I know it's rare for me to post twice in one week, but I have to say today was a great day in my training. Check this out :

I know it can be annoying when people constantly post about their work outs so I will keep it to a minimum. But I finally downloaded the MapMyRun app and I have to say it's been pretty great. It keeps track of your mileage and every mile it gives you your pace. Another cool part of the app is it shows your pace per incline as well.

Clearly I need to make some improvements on hills....

Anyways, I am excited to be getting my mileage up and it was definitely nice to be out in 40 degree weather. Looking forward to meeting the 7 mile marker so I can officially say I can run at least half the race. I'll keep you guys posted.

In the meantime, thank you Roman! Your donation and introduction to the MapMyRun app have been game changing for me.

Wishing you all the best!

It may have been gray and there may have been some flurries, but it's nice to finally run in above freezing weather!

Another week with some difficult conditions, but all the better to get me to try new exercises! 

This week a friend and I tried PiYo, a pilates and yoga fusion class. We did a little bit of warrior, some downward dog and a ton of pilates moves I have never done before. At one point I swear I was doing some form of sumo warm-up exercises (in fact, we did "sumo burpees"...) Despite doing all of this without additional weights I may have to admit to being sore for at least 4 days... 

Friday, I traveled to my hometown in CT. I wanted to get some inspiration from one of the fittest people I know, my dad. Together we ran over 4 1/2 miles in 25 degree weather, not to mention the last half mile was run with my dog in tow (she had a knee surgery last year but can't seem to give up running). There is nothing nicer than running with someone who can keep your pace and a steady conversation throughout a run. Merci Papa!

I'm hoping to get a nice long run in this week, maybe 7 miles? I'll keep you guys updated! 

Camille (my dog) getting ready to join the training run.

*photo credit to my mom, merci!

Dad leading the way. A scenic run to the beach is always motivating.

Because no run is complete without a selfie.