With temps promising to be in the 60’s with low humidity, I was super excited for my long run on Saturday morning. It certainly did not disappoint – I ran ~16 miles and have to say, it was probably one of the best runs I’ve ever had.
I felt great, and even the hills I usually dread (hello, Cat Hill…) and on the way back to CP from Riverside Park didn’t bother me in the least. It was amazing! I really felt so lucky to be able to run like that, and enjoy the beautiful NYC scenery some people only see on TV. I heart NYC. 🙂
This morning was an easy ~4.5 miler followed by some icing – I think I may need to start taping one of my arches (and get some new shoes!) because it’s been a bit cranky lately.
Yesterday afternoon was a beautiful day here, and I couldn’t stay away from Central Park.
However, I made a very stupid mistake and didn’t hydrate enough while enjoying the glorious sunshine. I’m not sure what I was thinking, but once I got home I spent the rest of the day rehydrating, feeling dizzy and lethargic.
Note to self: don’t do this again – respect the distances you run and recover correctly, yo.
I did manage to refuel with a delicious dinner, even though I wasn’t feeling too hot I knew I needed to eat. Enter, the Whole Foods pizza.
Once in a while, I like to buy these pre-made pizzas at Whole Foods and dress ’em up a bit with veggies. They especially hit the spot after longer runs. This time, I choose some zucchini, grape tomatoes, broccoli, diced onions and bell peppers.
These pizzas are usually loaded with cheese, so I take about half of it off in order to actually taste the pizza (sorry, I realize this may be painful for cheese lovers to read), season it with a little Mrs. Dash Italian seasoning and pile on the veg.
I had a salad with greens and chopped bell peppers while I waited ravenously patiently for the pizza to cook in the oven (~20 minutes at 425 degrees).
And voila! I was practically salivating at the aroma this created in the kitch.
You know, people often associate pizza with being unhealthy, but it can actually be a pretty well-balanced meal. Loading on veggies, maybe some protein like grilled chicken, and keeping the cheese to a manageable level (everything in moderation!) are good tricks to keep in mind. A lot of pizza places also offer whole wheat crust as an option these days, which is always a better choice than regular white crust (more fiber and vitamins, mmm!).
If you live in NYC, there’s a delicious, healthy pizza place called Slice that has locations on the UES and West Village. I refueled at Slice after the NYC Half Marathon in March with my mom and sis, and it was amazing!
Question: Favorite pizza toppings?
Nice job! Yesterday was a great day for running – sorry you didn’t feel tip top, but at least there was pizza at the end. I’m super fussy about my pizza (as any good tri-state area person would be), but there’s a time and a place for olives, tomatoes, breaded eggplant and…pineapple. Yep. I went there.
That pizza looks epic! I’ve yet to try the WF pizzas but I love the way you jazzed it up!
ooooh looks fab. sixteen miles warrants two pizzas, with everything: fresh mozzarella, basil, roasted red pepper and maybe even a little ricotta. yum!
I don’t like having a ton of cheese on my pizza either! The toppings, sauce, and crust are the most flavorful and the best part!
Glad you are feeling better after that run. That sounds scary to be feeling dizzy like that.
That pizza looks delicious.
Funny story about Slice. I was walking by and noticed this cute pizza place and I was sort of peeking into the door and the owner came over, asked me to come in and then proceeded to give me a nice big “sample” piece of pizza. I was a little embarrassed but that pizza was YUMMY!!!!!!
[…] last few miles of the run was some good old-fashioned self-bribery. This involved the promise of a Whole Foods pizza, a vegan cupcake and a […]
[…] year, when training for the NYC Marathon, I remember my first 16 miler as being a huge step for me. It was a personal distance record, sounded really far (i.e., bragging […]