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Friday Favorites – September 30th, 2016

 

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Gimme Some Oven’s Pumpkin Spice Cake

Oh man, this picture makes me want to head downstairs and just spend the day baking. It’s been a long week in these parts but luckily, in just a few hours, we will have made it to the weekend. As I shared on Instagram yesterday, my method of staying sane and energized during even the busiest weeks is ensuring that I make time for my daily workout. In addition to workouts, Bo and I are also prioritizing sleep during these busy weeks. Last night we were in bed by 8:30 pm! It sounds crazy but we could barely keep our eyes open while watching television and we knew that was a sign that our bodies needed the sleep.

This weekend I have a long run with Abby as well as a spin workout during the Dare to Bare event on Sunday in Union Square. Otherwise our plans include a double date in Williamsburg and relaxing.  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.

  • My parents visit next weekend is the perfect excuse to make this cake.  My mom and I love spending time in the kitchen together and not only does it look incredible but it only takes 10 minutes to make!
  • During the Fall you can find me sipping this on the weekends.
  • I love sending flowers and hand written notes to friends and family. This is currently my favorite flower delivery service (Use the code FIRSTBLOOMS for $5 off your first order!)and these are my favorite note cards right now.
  • Since I’m working from home each day next week, I think I’ll use these tips to make a huge salad on Sunday to enjoy each day for lunch.
  • Did you see that now you can now book races on ClassPass? Even better news is that in most cases, the entries are discounted!
  • Lately Tina has upped her blogging game, delivering great video content to followers on Facebook. I did this workout earlier this week and loved it! Follow her on Facebook for weekly workout ideas and more!
  • This v-neck top is flattering enough for date night but comfortable enough for the weekends. At less then $25 it is a great everyday piece that I’ve been loving for more than a year!
  • A year after I first discovered this lip gloss, it’s still my favorite.
  • If you’re a sucker for Fall and candles, you’ll love this warm, spicy aromatic candle. I purchase three at the beginning of the season as I love burning it at our entryway as well as in my home office.
  • Last Friday I had the chance to shop at the new Six:02 in Herald Square. Owned by Foot Locker, Six:02 brings together women’s athleisure and active wear from multiple brands under one roof.  The helpful and knowledgeable staff made shopping a pleasure. I ended up purchasing a tank, crops and these shoes. Thanks to the brand for providing a gift card which covered the cost of the tank and shoes.
  • Another week, another deep, ruby nail polish that I’m loving for Fall. During the Fall season I tend to avoid shellac and stick with regular polish since I love changing things up each week!
  • There are so many great events coming up in NYC:
    • Dare to Bare in Union Square – Dare to overcome insecurities and ride with me and thousands of other women on Sunday in Union Square. I’ll be there for the 11 AM Soul Cycle ride.  Click here to register!
    • Rock’n’Roll Brooklyn – Registration closes on Sunday for this great half marathon which leads runners through the streets of Brooklyn and finishes in picturesque Prospect Park.  I have no clue what my time will be for these 13.1 miles but look forward to running and enjoying the morning with friends! Use the code HEALTHYHAPPIERBEAR to save!
    • 2016 Brooklyn Greenway 5k and Half Marathon – This scenic race takes runners along the Brooklyn waterfront while supporting the expansion of the Brooklyn Greenway, which when complete will provide runners and walkers alike with 14 miles of paved and landscaped paths.  I was hoping to sign up for the 5k but as it’s already sold out, I’m considering doing the half marathon since it’s so convenient and sounds like a great race!

Last but not least, I am putting together a great giveaway to celebrate hitting 6k followers on Instagram in partnership with some of my favorite brands. I would love if you’d follow me as I’m just 36 followers away! 

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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Running Forward

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Wearing: Sweaty Betty 7/8 Power Legging – Sweaty Betty Pace Setter Run Tank – Brooks Ghost 9

This weekend I made a conscious effort to disconnect from social media, especially on Sunday. There were many running friends racing their hearts out in Montreal, New York, Berlin and beyond. Once upon a time, each of those races, Berlin Marathon, Bronx 10 Miler and Montreal Half Marathon,  were my goal race. The Berlin Marathon was the last time I laced up my shoes and ran 26.2 miles, crossing the finish line in tears. The Bronx 10 Miler was a great race for me last year, after training hard during my first Summer back in New York. This year, I hoped that Montreal would be my opportunity to run a sub two-hour half marathon after multiple attempts.  Training hard was not a priority this Summer and instead here I sit in late September, trying to figure out what my goal is this Fall. As I have mentioned previously, after giving my body a few months of rest I am ready to train again for a goal.

I spent a few hours this weekend outlining plans and have set my sights and goals on the following races:

  • Rock’n’Roll Brooklyn Half Marathon – October 8th – Goal: Run a strong, smart half marathon. I have no expectation of setting a PR based on my training, so instead am going to run with my friend Mary and focus on a consistent pace, possibly increasing my pace if I feel strong enough during the final miles. The four long runs leading up to the race have given me the confidence to know I can run 13-miles.
  • Prospect Park Turkey Trot – November 24th – Goal: Run a sub 42:00 race which would be a PR versus last years 42:36 time (8:31 pace).  Since I have a solid two months to train for this race, I believe it is feasible.
  • NYRR Jingle Bell Jog – Each year, this race continues to be a favorite due to the cool weather, festive atmosphere and Prospect Park location. Four years ago, I ran a personal best in this race, keeping an 8:57 pace per mile. Based on my training for the Turkey Trot, my goal is going to be an 8:31 pace.

Over the coming months I am going to share weekly training recaps with you guys since many people find them beneficial. I am also going to do more research and speak with some of my coaching friends to ensure I’m training for these shorter distances properly. I am most familiar with the half marathon type of training which includes three key runs per week, so I know I need to figure out the training plan that works best for shorter distances.

So, who wants to join me at some of these races? 

Thank you to Lydia Hudgens for her magic behind the lens in bringing this image to life. 

 

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Highlights from the Weekend – September 26th, 2016

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Happy Monday! How was your weekend? Even though our weekend was busy, I woke up this morning feeling rested and refreshed.  I thought it’d be fun to share some highlights from our weekend with you guys to start off the week.

Celebrating – On Saturday I made the 2-hour drive to West Chester, Pennsylvania to celebrate my friend Colleen’s upcoming nuptials.  One of my college sorority sisters, Colleen and her fiance live and work in Atlanta but his West Chester based family hosted a lovely backyard wedding shower for her. Since I can’t make it down to Atlanta for the wedding weekend,  the time we spent together on Saturday was very special.  We were able to spend some quality time together, laughing and catching up in between enjoying a lovely lunch spread with her friends and family.

Smoothies – Since Bo and I are both loving smoothies these days, I whipped up large batches of smoothies Friday, Saturday and Sunday. While I love our Magic Bullet for making individual smoothies, it was so much easier to make the larger batch in our VitaMix. This weekend’s flavors were pumpkin spice, strawberry peach and cherry vanilla.

Fall Flavors – The Farmer’s Market was overflowing with produce yesterday as the tables featured both the final bits of Summer tomatoes, squash and corn along with the first Fall flavors of the season. Inspired by the tables of local apples, we decided to make a Fall themed dinner last night. We started things off with a small cheese plate, including my favorite Cowgirl cheese followed by a dinner of smashed sweet potatoes served alongside pan-roasted pork chops topped with caramelized onions and apples.

Running – Sunday morning I laced up my shoes for ten miles, my longest run since the NYC Half Marathon in March.  As you guys know, I’ve been increasing my long run mileage by two miles each week in preparation for the RNR Brooklyn Half Marathon. Luckily I had friends to motivate and keep me company along the way, making yesterday’s 10 miles fly by! Zoe, Nicole and I ran the entire ten miles together while Katie joined us at the halfway point.  If you ever have a hard time finding the motivation to log your miles, call a friend for company as I swear logging miles with friends, especially those who are faster than you, is the best way to crush your training!

Decorating – Even though we’ve lived in our apartment for over a year, we still have decorating and final touches that we want to do. This month’s project is our master bedroom. In addition to painting the crown and bay window moldings bright white, we also moved one of our rugs into the bedroom and are going to mount the television on the wall next weekend. This morning we ordered the finishing touches from One King’s Lane  (<– Save $15 with that link) – a chair for the bay window as well as flowers and coasters for the bedside tables.

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