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This and That

Wow, wonders never cease. It’s a Monday and it’s been fabulous, even though work was crazy and full of catch up due to last week’s travel. Today’s post is a bit of this and that for you.

  • Slept until 6:45am which is unheard of in this household!
  • Didn’t spend a dime today on food due to this weekend’s Costco run!
  • Packed a delicious lunch that was not only healthy but it also left me satiated.
  • Ran 3.5 miles with my work run group, including 1 mile at under an 8:45 pace!
  • Made it home in time to cook dinner for us and enjoy it with Bo!
  • I’m excited to finally try MetCon3 tomorrow morning at Equinox!

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In addition to these lovely food pictures which I share with you to show how proud I am that I not only cooked but also packed a lunch, I want to share a few more things with you. None are as tasty as that tender rub with love rubbed chicken thigh, but pretty great in their own right.

1) This article is a great, quick read for any folks who work out during the hot summer months. While most of it makes sense, I’ve never thought to have a transition training period.

2) Episode #3 from our Reach the Beach adventure is posted and it’s pretty hilarious. While Monica is still my hero for logging the longest nighttime mile,  I wish I could have experienced “zen or scary dark” as Jes terms it. Also, to qualify, those miles were flown for work and personal last year.

 

3) Jackie Warner isn’t messing around. I had the opportunity to participate in a special sand workout Saturday with Jes, Cat and other health and wellness influencers in NYC thanks to Well+Good.

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The workout, while only 45 minutes, left me sweating and more importantly, left my muscles sore yesterday and today. This clearly means that I worked them in a new way. (picture courtesy of Zimbio)

General atmosphere as Evian Presents Live Young Get Fit With Jackie Warner on June 9, 2012 in New York City.

While I know everyone doesn’t have this opportunity, this YouTube video gives you a great 10 minute workout that uses the “power pyramid” something similar to what she did with us in the sand. I’m going to edit some of the videos and share with you later in the week but I love that she admitted that she sometimes gets bored with workouts and loves nothing more than enjoying a slice of NYC pizza when she’s in town.

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ashleyd /

Like Used Basil

Right now, I feel a bit like our poor, used Basil plant. After I made three Caprese salads tonight, this poor plant is asking for some rest to rebuild. 005The week was absolutely amazing in so many ways. There were three races including a new 10k PR, a few amazing meals, time with friends, and a very New York City evening last night which reminded me why we love this city so much. It’s hard to top a casual dinner with friends at Red Hook Lobster Pound followed by hours of wandering through a studio we stumbled upon while walking towards the river. 040041

Having the opportunity to meet an up and coming artist, Dustin Yellin, whose work will now be featured in the famed Lever House, was nothing short of phenomenal. Where else would this happen?

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While I was out West my sister in law, Meg, moved to New York City which means the start of Sunday night dinners and the joy of having family in the city. Yeah, I’m excited to have her in the city and look forward to many new memories! This picture is just an example of the fun times we’ve shared before in NYC, on her 21st birthday.

We started off our Sunday experiencing Soul Cycle at the Upper West Side location for the first time. The location was smaller than expected and lacked showers. But, what it lacked in space and showers, the teacher Sue made up for in an amazing class based on a classic rock and theatre playlist which made the ride fly by very quickly. We’d hop the 1 train up there again in a heartbeat for one of her rides. After the ride, we met our newly engaged friends, Tom and Molly for brunch at Ouest. The $29 prix fixe menu featured a wide variety of brunch standards such as omelets, hamburgers, and croque monsuires. We found the restaurant randomly on Open Table when trying to decide on a brunch spot near our UWS friends and were surprised how delicious the brunch was. While the service was a bit slow, their thorough menu left everyone pleased and my omelet was fluffy and delicious. We would definitely return!

Tonight’s Sunday night dinner, our first, was perfectly squeezed into Meg’s busy NYU weekend schedule yet still included an hour of dining at our dining room table while laughing about the week’s events. Bo and I spent only 30 minutes in the kitchen preparing dinner from start to finish thanks to yesterday’s epic Costco run. Yes, you can go to Costco and save ridiculous amounts of money in NYC in less than 2 hours, round trip!

001 002  004 Tonight’s meal included Caprese salad, roasted broccoli, quinoa with fresh roasted red peppers, and sockeye salmon. So good!!

Okay, these tired eyes are ready for bed! I’ll see you all tomorrow for a recap of last week’s meals from coast to coast.

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ashleyd /

NYRR Mini 10k

This morning I ran the NYRR Mini 10K for the second time. I love doing races year after year, especially when the course doesn’t change, as it allows me to see how far I’ve come as a runner during a year of training.

While last year’s race was hot and humid, this morning’s weather was far more pleasant. But, other than the weather everything was just like last year.

  • Too few port-a-potties for over 6,000 women
  • Lots of inspirational speakers at the beginning
  • Tons of girl power from both the cheering along the sidelines and within the corrals
  • An awesome medal at the finish
  • A PR!

Theodora and I headed up to Central Park via the Subway around 7 so that we’d have time to check our bags and use the restroom before the race. I ate my pre-race breakfast during our commute, a sandwich thin with a thin spread of peanut butter and half a banana. IMG_2819

By 7:30 when we arrived near Central Park West the area was already crowded. There were women everywhere yet I somehow managed to see Megan and Amelia while walking around, proof that even in this large city, I am starting to feel at home. IMG_2821

Theodora and I lost each other pretty early as checking my bag was my #1 priority and using the bathroom was her #1 priority. She was smart as I wasn’t able to use the bathroom before the race due to the horrible lines. On top of the bathroom shortage, Columbus Circle bathrooms no longer open before 8am.

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I headed to the corrals after checking my bag and spent the next 10 minutes chatting with strangers and stretching. Today was the 8th day in a row I’ve run more than 3 miles and that combined with yesterday’s 6 hour flight back from San Francisco meant that my legs weren’t exactly fresh. Oh well. I decided early that this race would be my best effort and that my goal was for anything better than my PR and if nothing else to just enjoy the race as much as possible. In addition, I knew that I wanted to practice a more steady pace, which is one of Gia’s goals for me over the next few months leading up to the marathon.

From Athlinks  NYRR New York Mini 10K 2011
6/11/11
716
2615
2615
9:54
1:01:3

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At 8am the race started without a hitch other than the crowds.  The first 5k felt flawless. My pace was steady, the crowds were great along the sidelines, my music was pumping, and the rain held off. Eventually, right past the 5K point I had to stop and use the restroom as I knew I’d never make it the rest of the race. But, thanks to no line this was the fastest bathroom stop EVER! 

Mile 1: 9:17

Mile 2: 9:20

Mile 3: 9:19

Mile 4: 10:13

Mile 5: 9:33

Mile 6: 9:50

Overall, I loved this race and was proud of my more steady pace though I know I can still use some improvement. My legs definitely weren’t fresh and I think that on fresh legs a faster time is definitely possible. But, according to my Garmin I kept a 9:36 pace and according to NYRR I kept a 9:43; both of which are fast enough for a new, shiny PR!

NYRR New York Mini 10K
June 9, 2012		 6.2 1:01:17 1:00:15 9:43 2970 / 6121 2970 / 6119 748 / 1406 1:00:15 50.3%

Hope everyone else who ran today enjoyed it and if you’re a local and have never run the NYRR Mini 10K, I can’t recommend it enough!

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