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The Perfect Fall Saturday

Sitting here on the couch at 9:21 tonight, it’s safe to say that today has been pretty amazing! In fact, it has been the perfect Fall Saturday!

After a wonderful dinner with Frank and Melissa last night at David Burke Kitchen, Bo and I were both up early this morning.

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He was off to Dutch Springs, Pennsylvania for a day of technical diving training while I met Marcial at Central Park for our last long run together before the marathon.

The park was alive with Fall colors and fellow runners. As soon as we walked through the gate at 79th and Fifth Avenue we felt the energy.

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We even had a a furry friend wish us good luck for our six mile loop of Central Park before we set off to conquer the hills. Meet Caramel, the most adorable miniature poodle.

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It was appropriate for Marcial and I to end my training with a full loop of the Park. Before today, Marcial had never conquered the full loop and while I have run it many times before, I’ve always feared the hills and never been able to keep a consistent pace. Today’s humidity and warmer than expected temperatures didn’t scare us though. We spent an hour chatting through the hills and gaining inspiration from other runners and peace from the calming, warm Autumn colors. We were all smiles when we were done as our pace was stronger than expected (10:12 pace) and the warm weather made me realize that I needed to re-think my marathon outfit.

After we parted ways I headed back downtown to meet Laura for an Uplift workout and brunch date that was long overdue. We’ve been trying to catch up with each other but due to busy schedules it had been ages. We enjoyed an hour Uplifting: Total Body Cardio/Strength with Weights class courtesy of Michelle who was an amazing instructor. She catered an easier version of each leg move for me so I wouldn’t kill my legs since the marathon is only a week away.

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How adorable were there little clementine pumpkins, greeting sweaty ladies after the workout. We spent the rest of the morning catching up over quiche and coffee at the Le Pain Quotidien around the corner.

After brunch I spent the next hour or two wandering through Union Square Farmer’s Market buying ingredients for tonight’s dinner and then heading over to Nike to buy a backup marathon shirt in case it’s too warm to wear my long sleeve Lululemon top. I’ve loved wearing my red Run NYC Miler shirt during summer training and think it could be a great backup since I know it well already.

Nike Miler Short-Sleeve Women's Running Shirt

After an afternoon of shopping, errand running and cleaning the apartment Meg came over to watch the Georgia vs Florida game. We had a complete blast! The game was amazing and Meg makes one epic cheese plate which pairs perfectly with Dogfish Head Pumpkin Ale!

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(above picture source)

After cheering on the Dawgs during an amazing win over Florida, Meg and I ventured out to do some pre “hurricane” shopping which included stops at 71 Irving for more coffee grounds, Bedford Cheese for more cheese, bread and pickles, the bodega for beer, fruit, ice, and Coconut Water. Clearly, us Georgia kids aren’t phased too much by a Category 1 hurricane after living through far worse. It doesn’t hurt that as part of Bo’s technical scuba gear we have multiple flashlights, plenty of batteries, and still have supplies from the last storm scare. I must say that it’s times like this that make us thankful to not live downtown anymore, right on the water.

Upon returning from our shopping trip, Bo had also returned from diving and the three of us enjoyed a dinner of lamb chops, brussels sprouts and roasted baby potatoes fresh from the Union Square Farmers Market.

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Yup, I’m pretty sure this is the perfect Saturday evening. While we are missing our dear friends Halloween party which we’ve enjoyed every year, this year our marathon bodies really craved rest over a long night out with the crowds.

Let me here it! Are you a college football fan? If so who is your team? I’m a proud UGA alum and therefore always root for the Dawgs and thanks to my dad’s roots I’ve been cheering on the Fighting Irish of Notre Dame since I was old enough to be a Notre Dame cheerleader for Halloween at the age of 3!

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Lululemon NYC Marathon Design Party

Last night I had the opportunity to combine a few of my favorite things:

  • shopping
  • running
  • time with friends
  • Lululemon

The awesome staff at from the East 66th and Madison Avenue stores invited a few bloggers and runners who are runningthe New York City Marathon in just a few days to come in and spend the evening shopping their new gear, taking it for a test run and then participating in a design feedback session. In exchange for our feedback and time, Lululemon gifted useach with complimentary gear of our liking. 

As soon as I reached the store, my excitement tripled! The cold weather gear greeted me with the same level of warmth and excitement as each of the employees. They were so thrilled to have us there last night and truly went out of their way to make it a great shopping experience.

I spy lots of cute running gear!

For the next 45 minutes, we perused the racks of brightly colored bras, tanks, jackets, and gear picking and choosing items we’d like to try. While we aren’t required to wear the gear on marathon day as they know many of us are Type A and have had our outfit picked out for ages, they did want us to wear it during a run later in the evening. Therefore, I avoided any gear that was aimed at indoor workouts or warm weather running or anything too heavy. Last night it was about 50 degrees, in line with what it will probably be during the morning wait on Staten Island.

Equipped with about 15 pieces of clothing I headed back into the dressing room area in hopes of finding something new and fun. My primary goal for the evening was to find a new sports bra as my Champion ones aren’t cutting it these days and my current Lululemon bra is over 2 years old and starting to show wear.

It was fun having the other ladies provide their input on the outfits in addition to the staff. While I tried on a few pieces I really loved, nothing could compare to the items I chose.

Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to join the 80’s zipper jacket gang as they didn’t have a black one in my size but how adorable are they in their matching jackets?

The above outfit was my final choice consisting of 3 Lululemon pieces , each of which I wore on our test run and absolutely loved!

Energy Bra: I wanted to find a bra that was light enough in color that I could wear it under all different tops in addition to one that wouldn’t chafe during a 26.2 fun run. The Energy Bra has flat seems which will help ward off chafing, cool-max liner that can keep me cool, a thick bottom strap that will stay put, full coverage, and an open airy back. I thought the back straps may annoy me but I actually forgot they were any different than normal when I was running and appreciate the open design. I also noticed on the website today that this is one of their highest rated bras! The consumers are normally right.

Run Swiftly Tech Long Sleeve: I feel like I don’t even need to type anything here. If you’ve read my blog for a while you’ve seen me rock this shirt in my 2 marathons and a number of other Fall/Winter races. It is comfortable, the thumb holes make it easy to wear during a race, it’s so light I forget I’m wearing anything, and it doesn’t sag when it gets sweaty. I’ve had one of my Run Swiftly short sleeve tops for 3.5 years and it still looks like new. I love this bright orange color with my brunette hair and for something new and fun. If I wasn’t rocking a pink sparkly skirt for the marathon, I’d consider wearing this with my CW-X shorts on marathon Sunday since it’s NYCM colors!

Track Time Crop: These may be my new favorite crop pants! They are made from the soft Luxtreme material which is odor resistant and moisture wicking. The seamless design means there is no chance of chafing and the higher waistband holds everything in while allowing me to focus on running versus adjusting. I love the fun design on the back which is quite flattering, especially on someone like me who doesn’t exactly have a butt to speak of at all thanks to the flat butt syndrome I inherited from my dad. In addition, the longer length means that they are actually “crop length” on my long legs.

After we chose our outfits the gang headed to Central Park for a 4 mile workout led by Gia! The workout, 8 quarter mile half marathon pace repeats, was a great way to get our legs moving without taxing them too much 9 days out from the marathon. Ali and Gia were great cheerleaders while we pushed through the speed portion. I enjoyed chatting with the other ladies during the recovery portions as we discussed race day strategy and more. Gia and I had some heart to heart moments where we decided how I’ll tackle the marathon. I can’t wait to share this with you all next week!

After the run we headed back to the store where we enjoyed some healthy snacks and discussed the products. For an hour we all provided honest feedback on the things we love, hate, want to improve, and just plain would get rid of if we had our way. We provided feedback regarding things like running gear but then also other programs such as run clubs at the New York City Lululemon stores. I love that they were open to the feedback, both positive and negative.

It was such a wonderful evening with other runners and Lululemon. This is my second year participating in a program like this and I can’t say thank you enough! I can’t wait to see the Lululemon cheer section at Mile 22 as I’m heading back towards Central Park on November 4th!

In case you’re a size 8, 10, or 12 I’m selling some of my Lululemon tanks on eBay! Many of them have only been worn a few times because they are now too big. Check them out here!

What are your thoughts? What, other than discounts, would entice you to join a local Lululemon run club on a weekly basis and keep you coming back?

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Marathon on My Mind

I’ve finally reached that almost annoying countdown stage of the marathon training.

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Now that we’re less than 12 days out from the marathon it’s showing up on my work calendar, is affecting my daily activities and is on my mind more than normal. But, it’s weird to have it consume my mind so much when it’s not consuming my legs.

This weeks mileage: 23 miles

Next weeks mileage: 11 before the marathon then 26.2

So far my workouts have been strong these past few days and the taper hasn’t started to really set in and feel real. Actually, based on the way Gia has laid out my workouts, I’m not sure I will feel it. She’s done a great job of giving me daily activities, similar to the way she’d program activates for her adorable twins, so I don’t get bored or plan my own activities. For example, today was personal training which meant lots of mobility and core work using light weights or only body weight. In addition, I have yoga sessions sprinkled in between my running workouts which means I’ll never get bored.

I really like her version of taper. I want my legs to be hungry next week, not this week.

This week I feel like she’s also my therapist. She’s given me prescriptive directions for every run to make sure I don’t kill my legs by trying to race the Poland Springs 5 Miler this Sunday or any of my other runs. Instead, the name of the game is marathon pace.

in addition, as I’ve been trying to keep my own mind clear I’m trying to focus on learning as much as possible from my own training and other people’s experiences before next Sunday. Therefore, I thought it would be fun to spend some time this evening reading through my old marathon recaps and other blogger recaps. I had so much fun that I just spent the last hour creating a Pinterest board dedicated to New York City Marathon race recaps. Check it out here! Want me to pin your recap? Leave a link in the comment section!

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In addition, I’m working on a larger post that will go up later this week including my tips and tricks for the marathon, including answers to questions I’ve received via email and Twitter from readers. Though I’m not fast it is nice to feel like I can help others prepare for the big day since I’ve run New York City Marathon twice already and live locally. If you have any questions, feel free to leave them in the comments section!

Earlier today, Bo and I finally decided what we want to do after the marathon. This year our decision is to make no firm plans. Two years ago, Bo hosted an amazing party for our friends at our place to celebrate my first marathon finish. While it was lots of fun it was exhausting for both of us. Last year our plans to enjoy drinks at Rye House fell through due to my visit to the medical tent after crossing the finish line. This year, since we’re both running the marathon, we think the best option is the lowest stress option. Therefore, we’re delaying any type of group celebration until the next day and instead making it a Pre-Election/Post Marathon celebration at a bar where we know we can enjoy steins of beer in comfort: Zum Schneider!

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You know how else I’m pre-occupying my mind this week? I’m sending this lady random Marine Corps

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Marathon facts each day that I’ve found online. It takes my mind of my own marathon and I’m learning a lot along the way.

Discuss: How do you feel about marathons that don’t offer free tracking service? Once again, the NYC Marathon charges $2.99 to track runners. I also can’t find anything like Runner Broadcast Service that other marathons like Chicago and MCM offer for free. I love NYCM but wish they could improve on these aspects.

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