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TRAINING RECAP – WEEK OF SEPTEMBER 7, 2015

Happy Monday you guys!

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In order to help make this Monday a bit better, I’m sharing the winner of the Timex Ironman GPS+ giveaway at the end of this post. That ensures that at least one person ends this day feeling like it’s Christmas in September! Speaking of which, there are 16 Fridays until Christmas but that is a topic for a whole different post. OMG.

Instead of dwelling on that let’s talk the upcoming running fun and last week’s workouts.

I’m so excited that Reach the Beach week has finally arrived! Wednesday evening I’m heading up to Boston with Team New Balance for a tour of the New Balance headquarters followed by the 200 mile relay race through New Hampshire on Friday and Saturday! It’s going to be a great weekend with lots of new friends but man oh man is there a lot of work to do between now and Wednesday at 6pm when my out of office goes up.

Last week’s training wasn’t perfect but I know that with all the running I’ll do this week, it was the perfect week to play it smart. I felt a slight twinge in my left hip Friday afternoon which caused me to skip this week’s tempo run in favor of a yoga class. Luckily foam rolling, ice and a little bit of rest left it feeling better.

Just a reminder, my goal is to do one yoga class and two strength workouts in addition to my weekly runs while also allowing for at least one recovery day.

September 7-13th, 2015 Training Recap

Monday:  I felt every ounce of beer that I drank during the holiday weekend as I completed my “easy” 3 mile run which never felt easy. But, after procrastinating all day, I was proud that I finally went out for a run at 5 pm.

Tuesday: The 60 minute Bar Method class was a killer as it combined pretzel with chair at the barre but after just three classes I can feel myself becoming accustomed to the moves and getting into the poses with more precision. We did three sets of push-ups and I was able to do 42 of the 60 on my hands and feet which definitely gives me something to work towards! If anyone wants to join me for a Bar Method Brooklyn class this month, let me know! I’m loving it so far!

Wednesday:  I’m still trying to figure out the best mid-distance route in our neighborhood but the 5 mile route ended we put together for this easy run was perfect. We ran down towards the waterfront and did three miles down there before running back towards home. I’m definitely making sure that I allow five minutes before and after my run for dynamic stretches and foam rolling.

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Thursday: Scheduling workout dates is the best way to ensure that I don’t push snooze on my morning alarm and get my workout done. I had the pleasure of sweating through a 6:30 AM Uplift Sculpt Fusion class with Theodora, Ashley, Evann, and Jess.

Friday: Due to our weekend schedule, Bo and I knew that getting our long run done on Friday was the best option. We woke up at 4:15 AM in order to squeeze in 11 miles before work. The 11 mile run included two bridges and plenty of hills, perfect training for New Hampshire’s many hills during this weekend’s Reach the Beach relay.

Saturday: Before an afternoon of wedding dress shopping with my sister-in-law and mother-in-law, I headed to Bar Method for my first Saturday morning class. I didn’t love how crowded the class was but Katie did a great job still ensuring that she gave everyone personal adjustments. Even in the crowded class she gave me helpful adjustments for my left hip twinge and helped me get deeper into the stretches at the end.

Sunday: I was supposed to do a tempo run Sunday morning but played it smart and went to the complimentary Lululemon yoga instead. I love the weekly yoga offered at Smith Street Lululemon each Sunday at 9 AM and even brought two friends and my sister-in-law and mother-in-law this week!  The 60 minute class included lots of standing poses but it helped provide us with some zen before another day of dress shopping.

Your turn: If you’ve run a relay race, what tips would you give me and my team before we pack for the weekend?

The giveaway winner is Jennifer Apfel! Congratulations! Please email me with your contact information.   

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A Great NYC Summer Run

You know those runs that go exactly as planned? Everything clicks and you feel as if you could run forever? Luckily, that is what Bo and I enjoyed yesterday morning.

I don’t think it was a coincidence that we enjoyed a strong, fast run yesterday. Unlike week’s past, we set ourselves up for success.

Friday night we cooked together, whipping up a delicious Frutti di Mare and spent a few hours watching Orange is the New Black and Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt. We both foam rolled and stretched before going to bed at 10pm. Yes, we went to bed on a Friday night at 10pm and it was glorious.

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Even though our alarm clock went off at 6am, far earlier than either of us would like on a Saturday, we felt rested and refreshed. We sipped on some NUUN, coffee and had a few bites of bread and peanut butter before heading out the door 30 minutes later.

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We chose to run early on Saturday for three reasons: avoid crowds, avoid heat and get it done before we headed out of town for the day.

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We created a great path which allowed us to enjoy both the water views and breeze off the Hudson River as well as NYC’s Summer Streets. On three consecutive Saturdays, August 1st, 8th and 15th, NYC shuts down seven miles of streets so the public and tourists alike may bike, run, walk and play in the streets from 7am until 1pm.

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It is AWESOME and includes five rest stops, outdoor yoga, bike tune-ups, a Vita Coco sponsored slip and slide, as well as music and lots of other great activities.

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Yesterday morning’s run was such a blast. Since we were rested, the miles came far easier than last week’s long run. Our goal was to keep a 9:45-9:50 for the first seven miles and then drop the pace for the final mile. Due to rested legs, proper fueling and perfect weather we were able to finish the 8 miles at an 9:26 pace including the final mile at an 8:02 pace!

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Hope you guys had a great weekend and remember, if your run doesn’t go well take a few minutes to think about how you can make it better next time! Our goal for the next few weeks is to make sure we are well rested for long runs!

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Ain’t No Party Like A Long Run Party

Before we get into today’s post, just a friendly reminder to everyone that as of Monday the beloved Google Reader will no longer exist. If you’re someone like mom (hi mom!) and don’t know what Google Reader is then you’re clearly not affected. However, if you would like an easy way to keep up with your favorite blogs and read them on your smart phone or PC then Follow my blog with Bloglovin’ target=_blank>Bloglovin’ and Feedly are two great options. They both have pretty easy one click Google Reader import capabilities and it’s easy to add your favorite blogs if you’re new to using an organizer.

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In addition, while we’re at it you, you can also follow all my running and travel filled adventures through social media. I’m a huge fan of each of these for different reasons but tend to post on each at least once daily.

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The past 24 hours have been wonderfully workout filled!

24 hours of sweat

Plans for this morning’s long run started early in the week when Meghan and I decided to use it as a way to catch up since we haven’t seen much of each other lately due to work and travel schedules. As you may recall she was one of my long run buddies during marathon training. It’s true what they say – you learn a lot about people during an 18-20 mile long run. But, as the week progressed each day someone was asking about long run plans so we decided to make it one of the best types of party – a long run party!

We decided via text last night that we’d meet in Union Square at 7am to beat the heat and ensure that our run didn’t monopolize our day. We all agree that getting a run done early is the best option as there is so much going on in the city during the summer. Note: If you ever need to meet people for a long run Union Square Starbucks or McDonalds are both great options as there are tons of subway options at Union Square and it’s equidistant to the East River Path and West Side Highway.

By 7:10 we were all (Jen, Theodora, Meghan, & me) together and ready to run 8 miles. Each of us had a different distance goal due to varied training plans but establishing our group distance in advance made it easy for people to tag on mileage at the beginning and end as needed.

Our route together ended up being ~9 miles due to construction detours near the Financial District end of West Side Highway and a few extra turns. Not bad considering that by the time we ended for smoothies I’d logged almost 9.5 miles versus the planned 8!

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Our goals for the run were to log our miles together (at least 8) and have fun. I’d say we accomplished that mission very well considering the number of conversations and laughs that were shared.

aint no party like a long run party

Jen, Meghan, and I ended at Barry’s Bootcamp Smoothie Bar for some delicious smoothies after the sweaty run. I love their assortment of smoothies and that all the ingredients are clearly listed on their chalkboard! I will definitely be recreating the Blueberry Cobbler smoothie at home! It was made with vanilla protein powder, Almond Breeze, blueberries, cinnamon, and Better N Butter!

Barry's smoothie

Hope you guys have a great day! Bo and I have a long moving to-do list this weekend along with some time with friends! Luckily it looks like the weather is going to be perfect!

Are you team bagel or smoothie post run? I’m a smoothie girl!

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