ashleyd /

Marathons+Moderation Guest Post #19

Hello all!
 
Ashley, thank you for the opportunity to participate in this series. 

having_funMarathon training is a unique adventure and an emotional roller coaster.  As a running coach with Hot Bird Running, in Brooklyn, NY, several of our runners are in the middle of one the hardest emotional phases of training – the end of their highest mileage long run and then a transition into tapering for the 2011 NYC Marathon on November 6th.  I hear a lot of mixed emotions: the onset of race day excitement; discouraged sentiments and struggling to find motivation and sense of purpose in their training; or concern for existing injuries and anxiety about getting through their longest run this weekend.  After completing three marathons and currently in the middle of training for my fourth, I am very familiar with the significant role these and other emotions have on training success and the ability to maintain balance in the rest of one’s life at the same time.  To ensure a sound emotional approach and positive response to the marathon experience, I recommend that anyone training for a marathon considering the following:
 
Travel to train.  Break out of autopilot in your training runs by changing your scenery.  I always get in at least couple runs a month outside of my city, preferably at least one long one. If most of long runs are in the city, seek out a trail run instead – it will feel completely different.  Don’t be afraid to get in your car and drive somewhere for a run.  This includes a quick day trip outside of your hometown, running on vacation or out of town for work.  Changing your running venue keeps your training interesting and challenging.  My best long training runs the last two marathons were trail runs in Portland, Oregon while visiting family. The winding trails, delicious smell of the forest and varied terrain were just what I needed to kick it up a notch.

Richmond_MarathonDon’t try this alone.  In my experience, marathon training is not complete without a social component.  First, it’s important to connect and share the joys and tribulations of training with other runners who understand what you’re going through.  Additionally, marathon training is emotionally draining and without moral support, you may lose out on half of the training experience or find it hard to motivate/enjoy running as much.  Moreover, running with people encourages you to run further, faster and along new routes.  An option for groups of varying paces is to map out a run in advance and begin and end together to create a shared experience even if running in front or in back of each other.  Finally, running with people introduces the fun element into your training, and that’s the whole point, right?

Boston_Marathon_With_my_cousinUse marathon training as cross training for another sport.  I am a runner because I am an athlete.  I love running as a way to get in shape for my other passions such as skiing and hiking.  During cold, wet winter training runs for the Boston Marathon held in April, reaping the benefits of increased stamina and strength on the ski slopes throughout the winter provided all the motivation I needed to get me through my training runs.  Running doesn’t have to just be about the race.  Occasionally switching the focus of your workouts to something other than a race that is 2 months away provides a nice mental break and prevents training burn out.

IMG_1355Flaunt your enhanced physical fitness.  I love that my golf game is always a little better in the middle of marathon training – longer drives and improved mental focus and a more controlled short game.  Or the awesomeness of being able to run around like crazy during the 90-minute full field soccer game at a wedding weekend in Oregon while training for the Richmond Marathon last fall.
 
Injuries offer new beginnings.  If an injury requires a week or more off from running, don’t panic.  Stay in the game!  This does not mean you cannot run the marathon.  It is not unusual for runners to have to take a week off from running around the transition into taper as a safe way to avoid injury before the race.  If possible, maintain endurance by biking or swimming or aqua jogging during your period of rest.  If you’re able to continue exercising while trying to recovery in time for a race, focus on enjoying the new form of activity rather than stressing out about your injury.  You never know what an injury might inspire. Last week I took up mountain biking for the first team during a week in California because of an Achilles injury caused by a chair smashing into my leg and forcing me to stop training for the 2011 NYC marathon.  Not much of a biker and excited to spend all week running trails in Marin County, it a few days took a few days for me to accept my current situation (and for my butt to stop hurting from the bike seat).  By the end of the week I was excited to replace my 20-mile long run with a 3-hour climb to the top of Mount Tamalpais on my mountain bike and look forward to future biking adventures that I would not have considered before this experience.
 Mt_Tam_Bike_RideSo much of marathon training is out of your control and the best way to find moderation in your training is to develop an emotional strategy for coping with curveballs 

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ashleyd /

Brasserie 529: French Cuisine Savannah Style

While Savannah is certainly known for its’ cuisine, most of the restaurants’ famous dishes include the words fried or breaded and butter is one of the top ingredients. Paula Deen, made famous for her sweet Southern twang and love of all things butter, is a Savannah native and many of her dishes are in line with those that have made Savannah and the South famous. If you’re looking for delicious fried chicken, frickles (fried pickles), delicious drop biscuits, shrimp and grits, pecan pie, pralines, or greens than we do it better than anyone else.

Unlike Southern cuisine and seafood, French food is one cuisine for which Savannah has never been known. For example, even though I called Savannah home for more than 20 years, I couldn’t name a single French restaurant, until this trip home.  It turns out that the reason behind this is that the three most well known French restaurants in Savannah, Papillote, Circa 1875, and our lunch choice, Brasserie 529 have all opened quite recently.

After my long run on Saturday, my dad figured I’d like a proper meal to refuel. He knows me very well as there is nothing I prefer!

My parents surprised me with lunch at Brasserie 529, their new favorite restaurant. I was surprised to hear the name and realize that a French restaurant, a casual restaurant moreover, had finally called Savannah home.

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A casual but modern brasserie, conveniently located within walking distance of historic Savannah’s many tourist attractions, at 529 East Liberty Street,  Brasserie 529 is open Tuesday through Saturday for lunch and dinner. After just one quick glance at the menu’s prices, it was clear that the owners want this restaurant to be accessible for both locals and tourists.

IMG_4859 (640x478) (640x478)The décor is warm and comfortable with dark wood booths and comfortable chairs against the warm yellow walls. The Parisian influences throughout include paintings, chandeliers, and floral touches.

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I was a very happy and hungry lady, growing hungrier by the moment due the restaurant’s rich aromas.

It took us to study the menu as so many items sounded delicious including but not limited to their house specialties which have come to include the Lyndy burger, coq au vin, and mussel frites.

In the end, we all chose very different entrees so we could share the different flavors for which Brasserie is known. My mom chose Saturday’s special, Rabbit Stew, while my dad went with the traditional coq au vin. Deep down, I really wanted both items which they were already sold out of, the duck and the seared fish. I finally decided upon the fish en papillote since I was craving seafood.

Before our main entrees were served, we each shared a delicious salad, each of which were far fancier than we expected.

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The Torched Arugula salad is like nothing I’ve ever had before, topped with roasted grapes, blue cheese, nuts orange segments, ladrons, and an orange honey vinaigrette. We were a little disappointed with the salad, hoping it would be a bit larger as this picture is pretty true to size.  In addition, I wish that our waitress had donned our table with a fresh loaf of French bread versus bringing it out with our meal.

Thirty minutes later, our lunch arrived, steaming hot fresh from the oven. While the thirty minute wait flew by due to the great company, I do believe that Brasserie 529 needs to include on their menu details such as cook time if certain dishes take longer than others. Most business people and even tourists often expect lunch to be a meal that is quick versus a dining experience.

However, as soon as we enjoyed our first bite of lunch, our annoyance was replaced with delicious sighs. IMG_4866 (640x478) (2)

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We all joined the clean plate club, enjoying every bite of our lunch dishes. The fish and rabbit were petite portions, perfect for a lunch dish. The coq au vin was a far larger portion, similar to what you would expect during dinner. The rich meat and crispy skin was absolutely delicious and the sauce screamed for a hearty, crusty bread for dipping. My mom’s rabbit was the clear winner due to pure uniqueness and the overall flavor profile. The rabbit did not leave a “gamey” taste and the large vegetables and potato topping was a perfect pairing for the rich stew. Unfortunately the fish didn’t meet my expectations as the small portion did not have the strong garlic and lemon flavor I have come to expect in fish en papillote. However, it was still delicious and quickly devoured by our table!

After tasting each dish, I have put the above pictures in order of flavor and uniqueness.  

Overall, our experience was wonderful and I would recommend that both tourists and locals alike visit Brasserie 529 for lunch or dinner. The staff is very friendly, the atmosphere inviting, and the vast majority of their dishes leave you scraping the plate for every last bite. In addition, rumor has it that they’ve recently started a happy hour Tuesday-Saturday from 3-7pm during which time they feature $2 beers, $6 wines, and many appetizer specials!

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