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A New York City Bridge Run

Good morning! I think a little rest was all I needed because one day later I’m feeling better. I worked from home yesterday which meant I was able to drink plenty of tea, take an afternoon nap, and fill my body with plenty of leafy greens.

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This morning when I woke up, I still had a little scratch in my throat but otherwise felt pretty good. It’s a good thing I was feeling better because I had a fun date this morning: a double bridge run with Meghann. Meghann and Derek are once again joining us for our annual ski weekend in Vermont and decided to fly up a day early so they could enjoy New York City.

This week’s training schedule for the National Half Marathon called for a 9 mile long run this week. Since I missed my speed workout yesterday due to my cold, I wanted to make sure this run made up for it. Therefore, I spent a few minutes mapping out a route on Map My Run last night which would include the East River Park, at least one bridge, and some of the neighborhoods in between. Originally I wanted to cram the West Side Highway and High Line into the route but decided that was better left for another time.

image The weather was unseasonably warm this morning, allowing us to wear long sleeve technical shirts instead of multiple layers.

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The East River path was filled with runners and walkers, many of whom waved or nodded hello. I think the warmer weather made everyone smile considering the weather we dealt with last February.

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Adding the two bridges to our route was perfect since we’re both training for hilly races. I have the National Half Marathon on March 17th and Meghann is running the Flying Pig Marathon in May.

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The Manhattan Bridge is 1.3 miles from start to finish and has a more gradual incline grade. There was only one other person crossing the bridge as we ran which was a refreshing change from it’s tourist and commuter filled next door neighbor, the Brooklyn Bridge.

When you come off the Manhattan Bridge you can easily follow the signs down to the waterfront parks before following them over to the Brooklyn Bridge entrance.

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The Brooklyn Bridge is a very different animal in terms of running. It is 1.13 miles long but has a steeper grade, especially coming from Brooklyn, than the Manhattan Bridge.

I found this information online, regarding the two bridges’ elevation grades:

BROOKLYN BRIDGE
Manhattan side to tower: 86′ rise over .47 mile -> 3.5% average grade
Manhattan side to crest: 100′ rise over .63 mile -> 3.0% grade
Brooklyn side to tower: 92′ rise over .46 mile -> 3.8% grade
Brooklyn side to crest: 100′ rise over .60 mile -> 3.2% grade
MANHATTAN BRIDGE
Brooklyn side to tower: 79′ rise over .45 mile -> 3.5%
Brooklyn side to crest: 98′ rise over .56 mile -> 3.3%
Manhattan side to tower: 84′ rise over .48 mile -> 3.3%
Manhattan side to crest: 106′ rise over .66 mile -> 3.0%

In addition, even this morning, a weekday around 9am, there were multiple tourists posing for pictures, commuters biking to work, and other runners. In addition, they are currently doing construction on the bridge which means the path is more narrow than normal.

We had such a great time talking about she and Derek’s wedding plans during our run that it wasn’t until we finished the Brooklyn Bridge, around mile 7.5, that I really started to feel our 9:47 min per mile pace and the inclines in my legs and chest.  Luckily, she took my mind off the pain by asking me if I would be part of their wedding! What a perfect way to end a great run! We dashed between the traffic and lights heading back towards Union Square, where we turned up the speed and sprinted towards Gramercy.

After any great run there are two things necessary, a shower and food. I knew I needed some protein and fat in my breakfast so I made a yogurt bowl with 0% Chobani Plain, a sliced banana, handful of walnuts, 1/4 cup of Whole Foods granola, and a dollop of Trader Joe’s Sea Salt Almond Butter. Delicious!

003  I should probably pack for the ski trip since we’re leaving in 3 hours!

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A Long, Cold Run in Central Park

What a whirlwind week it’s been! Last night I was able to get on the earlier flight back to New York from Las Vegas but still didn’t get home until 2am. Unfortunately, Marc, my co-worker, and I learned an important lesson last night. If you land in New York City after 11pm at anytime the taxi stand manager said that cabs only arrive every five to ten minutes. Therefore, we waited in the cold for over an hour.

After crawling into bed around 2:30, I slept like a rock until almost 1pm. I felt like I’d been hit by a truck, not refreshed at all. I guess that’s what happens after being crammed in a middle seat of a six hour flight.

I ate brunch while relaxing with Bo, catching up on our weeks. I knew that the only thing on my agenda today was to do a seven miler in Central Park. Therefore my brunch was toast, peanut butter, and a banana paired with a G Series Fit.

002 003 After checking the weather report a few times, hoping that it would miraculously go from 22 degrees to 43 degrees in the hour before my run. Unfortunately that didn’t happen so I bundled up and got stoked to log the miles.

010 Okay, maybe excited isn’t the right word to use. I was apprehensive of how my body would react to running seven miles after running three days in a row, traveling across the United States, and feeling very dehydrated. image

I ran up Lexington Avenue and then cut over to Central Park so that I could ensure that my miles included hills. The half marathon I’m training for has a number of large hills which means that I can’t be fully prepared unless I spend each long run in the park.

Luckily, I enjoyed this run more than I expected because it was my first chance to enjoy Central Park during the winter outside of a race. It was serene, quieter than normal, and the barren trees gave the entire park an eerie feel.

These flags, in front of The Plaza Hotel, show just how windy it was ruing the entire run.

011 012I waved goodbye to the statues and headed into Central Park with a goal of keeping 10:00 pace during these middle miles after my two slower warm-up miles towards the park. 014 015 016019 020 021Right before my first round of hills I had two Honey Stingers which I absolutely loved! I’ve never tried these before but am in love. The pink lemonade flavor wasn’t too sour or sweet and they didn’t irritate my stomach.

022024 Instead of doing one round of Cat Hill and Harlem Hills I switched my run up today and did Cat Hill once and Harlem Hills in both direction due to turning around at 110th and 7th Avenue. Through the cold wind and freezing temperatures, along with a few fun snow flurries, I kept my pace at 9:58 until my final mile where my legs were showing their exhaustion. Instead of pushing them too hard I did my last mile at 10:03.

These are the runs that make me a stronger runner. By doing my best to run each long training run in the park, my legs will slowly but surely become adjusted to the hills and I’ll be able to power up them, as Gia requests, versus dreading them.

Now, if you don’t mind, I’m going to enjoy a long bath with a shake and some bath salts.

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Don’t forget to enter the Friday the 13th Gaiam giveaway!

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Saturday Shenanigans

 

When Friday rolled around this week, all I craved was a weekend that never ended filled with friends, lots of sleep, and some wine.

So far, this weekend has delivered quite well!

Yesterday morning, after nine hours of sleep, Bo and I enjoyed a leisurely morning cleaning and organizing the house. Having a fabulous Christmas party for 40 friends is wonderful but even a week later parts of our home were still in disarray including the pantry and linen closet, in which we found empty bottles of liquor and wine in both. I guess our friends thought that was our recycling spot!

Around 10:30 we headed out for our first long run together. The weather was sunny and cool, around 37 degrees. Our route would be perfect if it wasn’t tourist season in New York City. We were constantly dodging tourists until we hit Central Park but in a way that kept things interesting.

image Running outside reminded me that I need to get better about layering and not underestimating the cold. I only wore Lululemon crops and a long sleeve technical t-shirt yesterday which meant that I was freezing for the first five miles. I think this helped me run faster but I won’t make that mistake again. I’d rather tie something around my waist or unzip if needed than be cold.

When we walked through the door I immediately wanted something to drink even though I barely broke a sweat due to the weather. I chugged three large glasses of water before hurrying to get ready for Theodora’s cookie swap.

While getting ready I refueled with a G Series Fit Recovery drink. This was my second time trying this recovery smoothie and I really love it. The mix of protein, calories, vitamins, and minerals helps my body recover even when I’m in a hurry or on the go. The mango pineapple flavor is the only one I’ve tried. It’s a little sweet for my taste buds and I wish I could find the strawberry banana.

004 I made it to Theodora’s 2nd Annual Cookie Swap only a few minutes late, ready to catch up with friends and enjoy some sweet treats. When I walked through the door I was amazed with the presentation!

008 There were already twenty different types of delicious cookies displayed, many of which were in adorable little boxes. I guess I missed the cute container memo and instead transported mine in Chinese takeout containers and Tupperware.

014 There were even some healthier options displayed for those people who wanted to enjoy some vegetables. I made it my goal to fill up on vegetables and protein before diving into the cookies.

009 Our hostess was dressed in her best holiday attire, emulating her favorite Christmas movie, Elf!

010 011 She kept our glasses full all afternoon while Bailey kept us company.

015 007 017 It was fun to see my runner friends (Gia, Sue, me, and Theodora) dressed in something other than running apparel for a change. We weren’t even sweaty yesterday!

I also had the chance to test run my Christmas Eve outfit yesterday since we’re going to a family friends Christmas Eve cocktail party this year after church. I didn’t want to buy anything new this late in the game and deal with holiday crowds. Luckily I was able to pair to JCrew classic pieces (long sleeve t-shirt and silk brocade skirt circa 2008) with my Kate Spade necklace and new Cole Haan boots for a winning combination. It is comfortable, includes shimmers, and can work in Savannah’s mild weather.

I left Theodora’s around 5:30 to meet Bo for a spontaneous date night in Hell’s Kitchen. Our evening included wine and cheese at Casellula followed by the most amazing Broadway show, Private Lives with Kim Cattrall!

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Half way through dinner we realized we’d be done with dinner by 8pm which left us searching for movies or other options. Since we were only a few blocks away from the Theatre District I suggested walking by a few theatres to see if they had any last minute tickets available. Our first stop, Music Box Theatre, was a success! Second row mezzanine tickets for the win!

020 If you’re in New York City and have the chance to see Private Lives before it closes in January I promise you’ll love it! Kim Cattrall is amazing and the show keeps you laughing the entire time!

Now it’s time for a wonderful Sunday filled with relaxing, watching Felicity, healthy french toast, a three mile run with Theodora, and then a New Orleans themed Christmas party up in Washington Heights!

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