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!
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.
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!
