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Training Recap – Week of September 14th, 2015

Don’t mind me guys – I’m just going to hang out in down dog as much as possible this week. My hips and glutes are not happy with me after this weekend’s Reach the Beach adventure. I did my best to stretch in the van but no amount of stretching or rolling with the stick can balance the hours of sitting in between running up the hills of New Hampshire. It was such an amazing experience and I can’t wait to share more details with you guys this week including a recap of the overall event, my suggested packing list for anyone doing a Ragnar or other relay race and last but not least a review of my favorite New Balance gear from the weekend. It’s going to be a jam packed week content wise!

Yoga

Let’s kick the week off with last week’s training recap, giving you all an overview of the workouts I did last week leading up to and including Reach the Beach.

Monday:  This after work Bar Method 60 minute mixed level class was harder than normal due to the water ski move, an extra tuck session and increasing the hand weights from 3 and 4 pounds to 4 and 5 pounds.

Tuesday: After giving my body some extra rest, I had to run my 6 miles after work. Evening miles rarely go as well as morning miles as my body feels sluggish and my legs tend to feel heavier. I ran through Brooklyn Bridge Park and Dumbo at a 9:42 pace while enjoying gorgeous sunset views.

Wednesday: My legs were definitely a bit heavy for the 7 AM Bar Method 60 minute mixed level class since it was less than 12 hours after I finished my run, but it still felt good to squeeze in a second class. Each class I become a bit more familiar with the moves which means I can better adjust myself though the classes are still very challenging.

Thursday: Rest day

Friday: The Reach the Beach fun started on Friday and my first leg was 7.3 sweaty miles which took place between 1 PM to 2 PM in little to no shade. The temperature reached 89 degrees on Friday which meant that i was beet red by the end of this run. I was able to keep a strong pace, averaging around a 9:30.

Saturday: My final two legs were on Saturday starting in the middle of the night! I ran 6.4 miles through small neighborhoods and farms from 1 AM and 2 AM. I absolutely loved the night running, surrounded by nothing but the bright moon and stars. I turned off my music for part of the run, just enjoying the peace and quiet. The 55 degree temperatures allowed me to run stronger than earlier even though it was my second leg. I kept a sub 9 pace for these miles and was smiling the entire time, even on the hills. My third and final leg was an opposite experience. The 6.7 mile run left me cursing the hills, wishing for Fall temperatures and using every mental game in the book to keep moving. The heat index was around 95 when I ran, officially making this the hottest Reach the Beach event to date and explaining why my average pace dropped to a 10:05.

Brooklyn Craft Beer

Sunday: Before enjoying a much needed manicure and pedicure, I spent 30 minutes on my yoga mat. I streamed the 26 minute Jasyoga full body recovery video which helped release some of the tightness in my hips and quads. I should have done a few more videos but instead I chose to recover at the Brooklyn Beer Festival. Oops.

Your turn: Inspired by yesterday’s craft beer festival, tell me what your favorite Fall beer is so I can add it to my list of beers to try! 

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Inside New Balance: Five Things I Learned Behind the Scenes

Greetings from New Hampshire!

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We are currently enjoying the gorgeous views and relaxing before the fun and chaos of Reach the Beach, a 200-mile Ragnar relay race begins tomorrow morning. Before driving from Boston to New Hampshire, Team Girls Run Beta (#nbgirlsrunbeta) had the opportunity to tour both the New Balance Global Headquarters and the New Balance Factory located in Lawrence, Massachusetts.

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Our group was constantly in awe, learning new things about a brand we each know and love. I started the day a fan of New Balance as their shoes have carried me through countless races over the past few years. But after interacting with a number of their staff today at both locations, I ended the day a passionate consumer. I love that every person we spoke with lit up when talking about their product. I also have a far deeper appreciation for my favorite New Balance shoes since I now realize what goes into making each pair.

Here are five things that I took away from our group visit with New Balance today.

1. New Balance makes 25% of their shoes in the United States! In order for a shoe to be considered “MADE IN THE USA” 70% of the shoe must be made in the United States.

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2. The chicken is an important part of New Balance’s history! The first New Balance product was arch support, inspired by the chickens in his yard. He realized that their three clawed foot allowed them to have the perfect balance.

New Balance chicken

3. Walking the halls of both locations, it is clear that athletes, both professional and everyday, are at the root of everything they do. Whether it is product testing or hosting events, their goal is to help each athlete train and perform better while striving to deliver the highest level of customer satisfaction.

New Balance mission

4. At least 28 people touch each shoe and each team manufacturers over 600 shoes per day! The manufacturers at New Balance are truly artists, having an average of 13 years experience building the shoes.

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5. The team at New Balance is constantly studying, researching, interviewing and innovating to ensure they are delivering the best product possible to athletes.  In New Balance’s Smash Lab they have the ability to put wear and tear on shoes within minutes and days that would often take months of use. They have multiple surfaces including Fenway Stadium dirt, so they can see how shoes respond to impact, use and pressure. We were able to watch foam respond to constant impact and the amount of traction needed for an athlete to perform on surfaces like the courts of Wimbeldon.

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Thank you again to the team at New Balance for sponsoring this day and weekend. I know that each of us will appreciate the shoes we lace up tomorrow morning far more now that we’ve seen behind the scenes and understand the love, passion, research and precision that goes into making each one.

Your Turn: We learned today that people can customize their shoes online all the way down to the message embroidered on the tongue! If you were to order a pair, what would your tongue say?  Mine would say you’re stronger than you think!

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Refueling Made Easy with Chobani Simply 100

Thank you Chobani for sponsoring this post.

As you guys know, life gets a little crazy sometimes. While I work from home most days, there are other days when I feel like I barely step foot in our house. You can’t always plan your workouts perfectly around your meal schedule. It’d be great if I could workout directly before I ate breakfast or dinner each day but let’s get real guys – that isn’t feasible.

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Earlier this week there was a day when I left the house for Bar Method at 6:15 AM and didn’t get home until 7 PM. Hopping on the subway directly after working out and showering requires fuel that can travel with me and provide enough sustenance that my stomach doesn’t start growling during the Brooklyn to Hoboken commute.

Last night I ran six miles after work, enjoying gorgeous sunset views from the Brooklyn waterfront path. I finished around 7pm and had another hour until I’d be eating dinner. I knew I wanted and needed a snack to help nourish my muscles but didn’t want anything too large. The last thing I want to do is ruin a delicious dinner with a mid-evening snack.

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Moments like this are when the new Chobani Simply 100® come to the rescue. Chobani’s new Chobani Simply 100® is the first, and only, 100-calorie authentic strained Greek Yogurt. A great way to fuel-up before or after a high-energy activity. Packed with protein and an excellent source of fiber – its 100 calories worth counting.  A whole 12 grams of protein in just 100 calories is a great way to start your day! I can grab one of these and quickly enjoy it while responding to work emails, catching up or even walking upstairs to take a shower.  The Greek yogurt is available in 11 delicious flavors ranging from vanilla to tropical citrus so there is a flavor to match everyone’s taste buds!

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The Mango Passion Fruit flavor they sent me is naturally sweetened and made with fresh cow’s milk and contains no artificial sweeteners, preservatives or flavors. All I need for a perfect post workout snack is a spoon, some granola for crunch and the delicious yogurt!

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Don’t take my word for it though, try each of the Chobani Simply 100 flavors and let me know what you think!

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