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A Successful Long Run

11 mile long run

Greetings from the other side of this morning’s long run!  While I’m thrilled to have the run done, I’m also glad that I have four more long runs before my goal half marathon. There were a lot of great things about this morning’s run, I hope to feel a little bit stronger each week. I’m also hoping that fall weather arrives in Brooklyn and STAYS because I am done with the heat and humidity. I am glad that I finally took time, before the run, to make sure I was set up for success. I’ll share those changes with you in a few, but first, let’s chat about the workout.

The directions for today’s workout were to run 11 miles, keeping the first 9 miles between 9:50-10:30 and then aiming to run 9:00 minute pace for the final two miles. Thanks to the below steps, I was able to hit all of the paces except for the goal pace of 9:00 for the final two. I’m not sure if it was the humidity, hills or where my body is in training but I couldn’t seem to get the final two miles below 9:40. I’m not letting this put me in a panic for race day since I know that I still have five weeks of training ahead of me and that while I’d love to break 2:00 hours for the upcoming half, right now my body and mind are enjoying the training and that is the best gift!

Since these few changes helped me start the run in a good spot physically and mentally, I thought it would be helpful to share some of the changes I made for this week’s long run that helped me have a good run.

  • Run on fresh legs. I stayed off my legs yesterday and enjoyed a complete rest day. While I did a bit of foam rolling and some stretches, I spent the rest of the day sitting at my desk working or relaxing on the couch. While some people prefer to take the day after a long run as a rest day, my body responds well to active recovery such as a spin class the day after a challenging run.
  • Lay out my gear the day before. Since my closet is in Katie’s nursery, many mornings I’ve realized last minute that SOMETHING was in my closet. I laid out my shoes, socks, shorts, sports bra, tank top, fuel, water bottle, Garmin and Apple Airpods downstairs so this morning all I had to do was come downstairs and get ready. While this may sound like a no-brainer, I’d overlooked this important step for my previous runs.
  • Give my pre-run breakfast and coffee time to digest. As soon as my alarm went off at 5:30 I dashed downstairs and drank a glass of water with NUUN and peanut butter toast. I spent the next forty-five minutes sipping coffee and reading the morning news before getting dressed. It felt so much better to head out for my run feeling fueled versus feeling like I head a heavy stomach. For the past few weeks I’ve been eating just 10 or 15 minutes before heading out for a run which doesn’t allow my food enough time to digest and hit my bloodstream. 
  • Do my pre-run stretches and warm-up. I know I’m not the only person who often shirks pre-run stretches and warm-up in favor of starting my run. Since I had so much time this morning, I took 2-3 minutes and did the full circuit which includes arm swings, leg swings, lunges and more.
  • Switch things up and listen to a mix of music and podcasts. I’ve been listening to podcasts for the past few long runs and while I enjoy them, I woke up this morning craving some of my pump up music. It was fun to start the run listening to my Spotify marathon playlist from 2015, filled with everything from Ludacris to Calvin Harris. When I refilled my water bottle at mile five I switched over to Lindsey Hein’s podcast. It was so fun to listen to my friend Charlie share her story and it felt like we were running together.
  • Run without stopping for lights and traffic.  I pushed through eleven miles of rolling hills today in order to avoid traffic and stoplights. While the hills left me exhausted, it was such a nice change of pace to zone out and run in the park. I felt safe the entire time since it was packed with runners training for fall races and the light along the lake was gorgeous during my first loop. Since the Brooklyn Half Marathon includes a loop of the park, I think I’ll do the rest of my long runs here!
  • Plan something fun. Last night Bo and I realized that the timing worked perfectly for he and Katie to meet me at the Prospect Park farmers market. For the last few miles I was dreaming of an iced coffee and pumpkin muffin that I knew I could buy there while perusing the stands.

pumpkin muffin

 

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A New York City Bachelorette

This weekend I had the pleasure of celebrating my friend Evann during her bachelorette party! Evann wanted a relaxed, fun day in New York City surrounded by a small group of her friends. When we started planning the day, Evann had a few requests:

  • Minimize time traveling between locations, with a goal of having everything walking within walking distance
  • Keep things local since 7 of 8 people invited live locally
  • Include some sweat, pampering and, of course, wine.

Luckily, we started planning far in advance which meant reservations were easy and the overcast, rainy day meant that we were able to find space to sit down and enjoy a drink everywhere, even the bars where we didn’t have a reservation.

Here are a few tips for planning a bachelorette in New York City:

  • Make reservations early
  • Do your best to limit transportation as this can lead to delays and confusion
  • Let the bars, restaurants, activity spots know that you are a bachelorette group as they’ll often choose to shower the bride or group with complimentary drinks or other celebratory fun.
  • Call in advance to confirm all the reservations and plans 72-48 hours in advance
  • Bring at least a little bit of fun décor to make everything feel more festive (Sash for the bride, sunglasses or flair for the attendees, fun props for pictures)

We started our day together at 1pm with a sweaty Soul Cycle class in SoHo. The instructor, Cameron, was exactly the personality to kick off a fun day – hilarious, enthusiastic and fun. His playlist included Backstreet Boys and Soul Cycle surprised our bride with a fun polaroid picture, cupcake and some coconut water to help her stay hydrated throughout the day.  Each of the attendees booked their bike exactly at noon when classes opened so we were able to all ride in the front row together, laughing and smiling throughout the class.  After class, we headed downstairs to the locker room to shower and get glammed for the rest of the fun.

After a ten minute walk we found ourselves at the adorable and perfectly feminine Sweet Lily Spa where we each enjoyed either a manicure or pedicure. Since Evann does her best to include natural beauty in her daily routine, I felt that Sweet Lily would be a great spot since they pride themselves on providing conscious nail care, free of toxins and chemicals. The space felt like an oasis in the middle of chaotic and rainy New York.  The space itself was filled with bouquets, shabby chic décor, overstuffed chairs and an adorable boutique. Since our seven ladies took up each of their 6 spaces, it felt like we had the spa for our own private event. Depending on preference, we each enjoyed either their lavender cream manicure or sweet & simple pedicure which included fresh cut cucumber and a relaxing peppermint sugar scrub.

Once our polish dried, we meandered through the heart of fashion week festivities towards the West Side Highway and City Vineyard. Before Saturday, I had only spent time on City Vineyard’s rooftop but since it was rainy and cool on Saturday, our group decided to move downstairs instead. We were able to snag a large table in the center of the space, providing us views of the river as well as the televisions which were showing the US Open coverage, much to many of the ladies delight. Our waitress was amazing and she immediately brought us a round of bubbly to celebrate. Since we were hungry following the workout, we ordered an assortment of snacks including a cheese board and a few of their flatbreads.

We took advantage of a quick break in the rain to head a few blocks into Tribeca for some lingerie fun and frose shots at a fun new spot, A Summer Day Café.  They greeted us with a round of complimentary frose shots and from there we enjoyed an array of their craft cocktails, including my personal favorite – dark and stormy. Since we had a perfect nook, away from other customers, in their bar, we showered Evann with some fun lingerie while sipping our cocktails.

 

Once we finished our cocktails, we walked a few blocks to Antique Garage in Tribeca.  As we entered the space we immediately fell in love with the sparkly chandeliers and Victorian era décor.  We had a large, round table towards the back which allowed us to share laughter and food with the entire group versus just seeing the person next to or across from us. I love round tables for fun events like this! The live jazz music was a fun surprise that provided a soundtrack for our dinner. We shared a few of their starters before ordering a main for each of us to personally enjoy. Their large Mediterranean menu had enough options for everyone’s tastes.

Our group was starting to feel the many bottles of wine by the time we finished dinner and decided to make the next stop our last one. We headed to a small, packed bar next door where we each ordered one last drink while we danced to their 80’s and 90’s music.

The bachelorette was such a fun afternoon and night, bringing together our brides favorite things, without dealing with lines, crowds and traffic which are three of her least favorite things.

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Friday Favorites – September 7th, 2018

Sunrise on Brooklyn Bridge

Happy Friday!

Did this “short” work week feel like an extra-long one for anyone else?  I am so happy it’s finally the weekend. My long run was finished bright and early this morning so the only thing that I have to look forward to is a deep tissues massage tonight, quality time with Bo and Katie, enjoying cooler temperatures, and heading into the city for Evann’s bachelorette festivities tomorrow.   It is going to be a fun day with some lovely ladies while we relax and celebrate doing some of Evann’s favorite things – a sweaty workout, some fun pampering and enjoy delicious cocktails and food. After so much travel recently, I’m thankful that Evann chose to have a NYC bachelorette instead of a destination.  Do you have any fun plans this weekend?

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.

  • When I was at Target last week I discovered Peanut Butter & Jelly Kids RX Bars. These 130 calorie bars have 7 grams of protein and 3 grams of fiber which make them the perfect morning or afternoon snack. I find the texture to be a lot softer than the larger RX bars and the PB&J flavor is DELICIOUS!
  • As I jumped back into half marathon training this week after a few weeks of travel, my three runs were definitely not easy but enjoying an amazing pair of new shoes and sunrise views made them a bit more bearable. I’ve now worn the new Brooks Levitate 2 on four runs and am IN LOVE! My feet felt cushioned while also enjoying some extra spring and energy due to the shoe’s responsive nature. The heel collar allowed me to sweat and run without any blisters or rubbing and the bright color is an added bonus!
  • After seeing this shower blue tooth speaker on a friend’s wedding registry, Bo and I immediately ordered it ourselves. Does anyone else ever do that?  Since attaching it to our shower wall I’ve enjoyed listening to podcasts each morning during my shower. The music and sound is very clear and it was very easy to mount.
  • For some reason, Bo and I rarely cook cauliflower. After feeling burnt out on our usual vegetables we made this new-to-us cumin & turmeric cauliflower recipe on Monday and immediately marked it a WINNER! It is a little spicy but oh-so-delicious!
  • Who else has been watching the new Tom Clancy Jack Ryan series on Amazon? I’ve always liked John Krasinski, but wasn’t sure how he’d transition into this role which is very different than his Office character. Needless to say Bo and I loved the show and quickly watched all eight episodes in just five evenings. I like that the season is a self-contained story so there weren’t any dramatic cliff-hangers at the end of the season. They’ve already started filming season 2 and I’m thrilled to read that the three main characters will continue in the next season.
  • Earlier this week, a reader asked me what I’d recommend buying during the Fall Jcrew 40% off sale. Below are the items I recommended to her since they are my closet staples. The only item on this list that I don’t own is the tie waist dress which I just ordered!
    • Tippi Sweater – I own this sweater in six different colors and tend to buy a new one each year. It’s a perfect weight for fall and I tend to wear it with a skirt and necklace during the work week and pair it with jeans on the weekend.
    • Martie Slim Pant  – These pants come in three lengths and are so flattering that I just ordered a 3rd pair!
    • Going Out Blazer  – The perfect way to transition your summer dresses or silk tanks to fall is by throwing on this tailored blazer. I wore it earlier this week with a summer dress to keep me warm in a chilly office.
    • Wrap Tie Jumpsuit –  I’ve worn this once a week since adding it to my wardrobe earlier this summer. It is so versatile and fun! Tomorrow I’m wearing it for Evann’s bachelorette and pairing it with bright, strappy sandals and statement jewelry.
    • Tie Waist Shirtdress – If this is as flattering as it looks in the pictures or based on the reviews, then I’ll be wearing this non-stop. When I travel I prefer to take dresses since they are simpler and this one will be perfect with my gold, chunky necklace and dark tan heels.
    • Leopard Skirt  – My favorite way to wear this skirt is with a chambray shirt and black heels. It’s a classic that can live in your closet for years and be worn many different ways, depending the occasion.
    • High Rise Toothpick Jean  – I’ve embraced the high waist jean style and don’t think I’ll be going back to anything else in the near future. These are flattering yet comfortable and the long length is appreciated since I have a short torso and long legs.

 

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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