ashleyd /

I Miss My Running Endurance and A Giveaway

ash run

Happy Monday!

If you follow me on Snapchat (@healthyhappier) you already know that this morning Bo and I laced up our shoes for our first morning run together in ages. It’s easy to forget how simple running is in comparison to other workouts. Just ten minutes after the alarm went off we were running through the neighborhood. Since we were only running for 30 minutes, we just had to change clothes, lace up our shoes, chug some water and push start on the stop watch.  The simplicity of this, in comparison to our morning workouts in the city, left us smiling and relaxed. We immediately decided that starting out the week with a morning run is the best way to kick off a healthy week and transition from the weekend to a busy work week. The F train has driven us crazy the past few weeks, running a reduced schedule during peak times, which has changed the morning commute for workouts from 20 minutes to almost 45 most mornings.

Don’t get me wrong, we aren’t breaking up with cross training or ClassPass anytime soon. But, due to a few upcoming races and healthy bodies, we are going to spend more time hitting the pavement. This morning’s run made us both realize just how much training we have ahead of us in order to be race ready.  The run wasn’t easy but we still loved the time together and the fact that we faced the harsh reality that we’ve both lost our endurance and Summer training will be tough.

6.6.16 run

Our route this morning was a flat and shady 3.5 mile route which took us through Cobble Hill, Boerum Hill and Carroll Gardens before ending in Gowanus.  Our average pace was around 9:45, which felt more like sub 8-minute miles.  Even though I ran two half marathons and a ten miler this Spring, it has been a while since I consistently trained for a race. Now that we’re both healthy – I’m excited to focus on running.  Our goal is to run three times per week – speed, long and tempo. This week is a base-building week which will include two four mile runs an done 6 mile run.  Due to weekends in Vermont and down in Avalon, New Jersey there aren’t many races during the Summer that work with our schedule but here is our tentative race schedule. We are using a few of the NYRR Open Run 5k as speed work and diagnostic runs. In addition to these, we will be doing long runs each weekend to build our endurance.

In addition to running, we will each continue using ClassPass (<–link to save you $) for cross training, taking 10 classes per month using the new NYC Core Plan.

To celebrate my return to running, I have teamed up with Timex to give one lucky reader a Timex Ironman Colors watch of their choice!  I’ve been using the Timex Sleek 150 and Sleek 50 models this Spring and love the fun colors, large buttons and easy to use features.

timex pic

To enter, leave a comment with your favorite running song or which color Timex Watch you’d choose.  I will pick one winner (US only) at 11:59 Tuesday, June 7th. GIVEAWAY CLOSED – WINNER CHOSEN 

 

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JP Morgan Corporate Challenge Race Recap

jp morgan corporate challenge 2

On Wednesday night, I ran the JP Morgan Corporate Challenge with 14,999 other runners and walkers. While I’ve heard about the event for years, this was my first time participating. While I had a blast running with Meaghan and Ashley, this event unfortunately lived up to the rumors I’ve heard for years.

  • Too crowded
  • Takes forever to cross the starting line
  • Chaos in Central Park with people EVERYWHERE 

The race started at 7pm but we didn’t cross the starting line until 7:17, even though we were in one of the closer corrals. I have no idea how corrals were decided though it seemed that they were based on company versus pace so people could spend time with their co-workers while they waited for the race to begin.

jp morgan corporate challenge 1

The 3.2 mile course was the bottom loop, starting right at the Loeb Boathouse and finishing on the west side of the park, avoiding the park’s largest hills. Regardless of the wonderful course, this is not a PR course due to the huge crowds and the fact that many of the participants are first time racers. I loved seeing the people of all shapes and sizes out their with their co-workers but when people were walking in the first few minutes of the course – five people across – it made things pretty crowded and cramped.

jp morgan corporate challenge race route

Luckily, our plan for the race was to chat and enjoy ourselves. I knew that my legs would be tired from running the Brooks 5k just 12 hours earlier after a month long running hiatus. Due to the crowds in our corrals and on the course, we were only able to keep around a 10-minute pace. As we dodged people we passed the time by laughing at team t-shirts, taking in the sights and enjoying a warm, Summer evening in Central Park.

We finished in 31:05 (9:42 mins/mile) – a far cry from a PR or even typical pace for me pre-injury. But, as you can see from the picture below, the crazy course crowds didn’t stop us from having fun together!

jp morgan corporate challenge 3

If you’re trying to decide whether to run this race with your company, I would suggest that you do so but know what to expect. Focus on the time with colleagues more than the workout or race pace and you should have a great time! Some companies rented out area bars or restaurants for after parties which sounds like the ingredients for a perfect evening – a run in Central Park followed by beers!

Thank you to JPMorgan for the complimentary bib and VIP wrist band. All experiences and thoughts are my own.

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Friday Favorites – June 3, 2016

wine slushySource

Am I the only one who feels this short week was actually the longest week ever? My inbox and to do list is out of control but luckily, there are just a few more hours until I can relax and unplug. Tonight I’m stopping by Hey Day for a 30 minute facial before a wine and dinner date with Theodora. The rest of our weekend is going to be pretty busy as we are having sod delivered tomorrow and hoping to finish the backyard before a housewarming party on the Upper West Side. What are your weekend plans? 

Now, let’s dive into this week’s edition of Friday Favorites, including recipes, articles, posts and other things that caught my eye this week.

  • This post proves it’s possible to pack 10 days worth of cute outfits in one carry-on bag. Pin it so you can reference it when you pack for your next trip!
  • We whipped up this healthy coleslaw recipe on Monday and were so in love with the first taste that we doubled the recipe and enjoyed leftovers all week long. If you’re an Old Bay seasoning fan I highly recommend kicking the slaw up a notch by adding a few dashes of Old Bay.
  • I had meetings and events on the Upper East Side three times this week which translates into four hours of subway time. I was able to read over 100 pages in the new Curtis Sittenfeld book, Eligible, which Theodora recommended to me last week.
  • As I mentioned previously, I’m slowly but surely cleaning up my skin care routine, swapping out products for cleaner, less harsh ones. When I finished my night cream last week I ordered the Acure night cream, hoping I would like this one as much as I like their day cream. The night cream is heavy but moisturizes my skin without clogging pores and leaves me looking fresher each morning. The tube looks small but a little bit of this rich cream goes a long way.
  • After seeing this video I think I know what I’m bringing to tomorrow night’s housewarming party. I mean come on, does it get any better than rose wine slushies?
  • Now that short and dress season has arrived, I find myself shaving on an almost daily basis thanks to my dark, brunette underarm and leg hair that seems to grow ten times faster in the Summer. I swapped my regular Venus razor for the Venus + Olay razor and am in love with the silky, smooth results.  The Olay moisture bar on the razor leaves my legs looking as if I just applied moisturizer, saving me a step each day. (As a reminder, I am a P&G employee, but my opinion is honest and my own.)
  • The new emojis have been announced and I’m looking forward to filling my texts with palm to face, fingers crossed, avocado, shrimp and tacos! Which new emoji is your favorite?
  • One of my friends from college, Michael Lage, worked on the team that just answered Chick-fil-A customer’s number one complaint – the lines. I’m so thrilled to see that the app, Chick-Fil-A One, is currently the top downloaded app in the app store! The brilliant app allows customers to order and pay for their food in advance then quickly pick it up in a separate, shorter line when they arrive. Anyone who downloads the app gets a free chicken sandwich between June 1st and June 11th! Yum!
  • Eleven of these thirteen books everyone will be talking about this Summer were just added to my Goodreads account in hopes of reading them this Summer! What books are on your Summer reading list?

Disclaimer: This post is not sponsored and instead is a list of the things of my favorite things this week. As normal, it includes lots of beauty and fashion items which means there are a few affiliate links via ShopStyle. It takes time and money to maintain a blog so I thank you for the support and few cents that come from clicking through the links!

 

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