Why I've been MIA

Here is the Boston forcast for Monday's marathon:

Monday
Rain in the morning...then rain likely in the afternoon. Rain may be heavy at times in the morning. Brisk and cold with highs around 40. Chance of rain 80 percent.

Monday...Rain. Rain May be heavy at Times in the morning. Brisk and cold with highs around 40. Chance of rain 80 percent. Windy. With gusts up to 50 MPH

I am currently home in Newton. Sitting on the new green couch mom and dad got. It is good to be home and reacharge my batteries after a stressfuls couple months at school. I haven't written much on my blog but I hope to go back and fill in some spots. This is what I've been up to this semester:

-GMATs
-Applying to 3 business Schools- Cornell, NYU, Columbia
-5 classes
-Work 3 days a week [first at Sesame St., Now at Y&R]
-Training for Monday's marathon
-3 weeks in Thailand
-applications/ interviews for summer internship (I will stay at Y&R and also work at clarity consulting doing executive coaching0)

Whew. I'm exhausted.

In addition to all that I've been doctor hopping the last couple weeks getting second opinions and MRIs on my groin which hurts when I run.

The diagnosis: a stress fracture in my pelvis.
The Rx: don't run for a couple months.*
The response: NNOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Due to the stress fracture and the impending Nor'Easter I have made a final decision today not to run the boston marathon. This year. Next year not even Thai dogs will stop me from running it.

My treat after a hard week- running

Well, the GMATs were great. Most especially is the part that they are over! Whew, I did a lot of studying. But I got a decent score too. It puts me in the good 'middle' range for what is accepted at the schools I'm looking at.

It was a pretty intense week as I prepared for the exam and did last minute practice tests. I didn't get to the gym or central park as much as I would have liked. The treat I was anticipating all week for when I finished was a long run....

I had a 20 miler on my training schedule for today, a beautiful sunny day. I started off on my usual path towards central park, but realized maybe it was a good day to head back to my fall running route along the river. I had abandonded running in riverside park because of the winter winds, but today there were none to be had. I was planning on a 10 mile run south along the running path and then turning around for 10 back. After 10 miles I had already passed the bottom tip of Manhattan and was running up the river on the east. I figured I'd keep on running (just like ol' Forrest Gump). My watch tells me my milage, so I figured I'd just run until 20 miles then hail a cab.

The run was glorious and I was able to keep a 10:10 pace for 20 miles! At that point I was so close to home I just extended my run for another 3 miles back to my apartment. I realized that my next long run would be in Thailand, in hot weather, so I should make todays run my longest one. 23 it was (although the last 3 were a little slower).

I can't seem to paste it here, but you can check out the loop here: http://www.usatf.org/routes/view.asp?rID=124571
- it was a full loop running from 120th down the western side of Manhattan back up the eastern side of the island to 120th- then across.

Here-ye, Here-ye

I have an announcement to make to all you out there in blogworld: I'm applying to business school. Yup, you heard me; actually I've been going through the application process for a month now. Some of you know this news already, but for the most part it's been a secret.

I am applying really late in the game- third round to the schools, which means my chances aren't good. But I'm certainly not going to get in if I don't apply.

I've pretty much cut off all social contact because on top of the rush to get in the B school apps I'm studying for the GMATs, taking 5 classes, have an internship 2x a week, and training for the Boston Marathon. Something has had to give, and it's been my social life. Thankfully this will all be over soon and I have the most glorious light at the end of the tunnel: my 3 week trip to Thailand! What could be better than Thai food, Thai Friends, and Thai beaches???

"But you're already in grad school, Rachel" you say? "Yes, I am, but I'm not terribly excited about my program and have always thought about business school." I respond.

I am taking a class at the Columbia Business school this semester and it was just that extra little bit of inspiration that I needed. So I'm taking the GMATs on Feb 28th, and will have my applications in to Columbia, Cornell, NYU, and Dartmouth shortly thereafter.

Please cross your fingers, toes, and all other appendages for me...