15 Miles

Thank you SO MUCH for your comments and thoughts on my training plan for this year’s NYC Marathon. I love “knowing” so many knowledgable and awesome runners, and will definitely take your advice as I continuously tweak the plan.

One of the most important parts of marathon training is long runs, and they’re also kind of my favorite. I love getting out on the roads for a good couple hours and working hard, and my first long run of this training cycle couldn’t have gone better.

The plan was to run about 9 miles on my own and then meet up with Ali, Lindsay and Megan for the last 6 or so. It was awesome to have something to look forward to for the last, and sometimes hardest, part of the run!

The miles with the ladies flew by, and like Ali, I didn’t want to stop! I felt great, but knew I had to stick with the plan and ended with 15.25 miles.

Note to self: running with buddies on long runs = winning. We were a sweaty, color coordinated bunch.

(thanks for the photo, Ali!)

I stretched, ice-bathed and refueled when I got home. Ezekiel sprouted grain cinnamon raisin toast, berries and crunchy peanut butter

And relaxed with the paper and some coffee.

On Friday, Whole Foods (i.e., my favorite place on earth) had a one day sale of organic cherries – $2.99/lb! This is pretty unheard of, so clearly I had to stock up on my favorite summer fruit.

And now I’m working my way through 4.5 pounds worth of them. I get a little crazy when it comes to deals like this. Luckily they’re packed with antioxidants, which have been shown to help aid muscle recovery after long runs or tough workouts (among many other things!).

Also a necessary daily post-run treat – 16 Handles (obviously).

It’s been a gorgeous weekend in NYC, but 15 miles plus a day in the sun = a tired Kelly. But also a tired, happy Kelly, because my runner’s high was in full effect into the night. Here’s hoping the next 16 weeks are as awesome as this one as been.

Question: Do you have a post-long run or workout routine? I like chilling out, having breakfast and reading the paper before returning to civilization.

 

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Cherry Picking…

Holy humidty this morning, batman! Despite the soupy air, sleep I did not get last night and overall feeling of crankiness, I actually had a great peppy 6 miler this morning. Not a bad way to start the day.

This view never gets old

My run was followed by cereal with blueberries, per usual. This morning it was a combo of  Joe’s O’s and Trader Joe’s High Fiber Fruit and Multigrain Medley (what a mouthful!). Kind of resembles rabbit food, but it’s delicious and filling!

Two large mugs of coffee did nothing to clear my cloudy, tired brain. It was a long day. A few things made it much better. One – it’s cherry season! If you live in Manhattan, you’re used to the fruit vendors on every corner, and it’s quite exciting when they start to carry sweet cherries around this time of year. Buying fruit off the street may freak some people out, but I find it to be a great, convenient option. It’s also much cheaper than at grocery stores – I got my cherries for $3/lb, compared with $8/lb at Whole Foods. Washing the fruit before eating is advisable, however 🙂

Cherries are not only super delicious, but they have a TON of health benefits as well. I definitely consider them a super food. They’re packed full of antioxidants that fight inflammation, and are also a great source of vitamin C and fiber. Cherry season is short and peaks in June in the U.S., so I highly suggest getting some while they’re available. They will not disappoint!

Another great part of my day involved more coffee.  Normally I don’t drink coffee during the day, but today Starbucks was calling my name.

So was the sunshine:

Outside my office (taken a while ago, but you get the idea)

I enjoyed a great coffee break outside with one of my favorite co-workers 🙂

I made it through the rest of the day with grand plans to make a decent dinner. Instead, I had a hastily put-together salad with arugula, bell peppers, radishes, grilled chicken, asparagus, goat cheese and some hummus on top that was a little past its prime (oops). Not very attractive.

 I’m struggling to keep my eyes open and I’m determined to rest up for speedwork tomorrow morning. I see a restaurant review coming in the near future though, so stay tuned!

Question: What do you do to cure crankiness?

Question: When was the last time you saw a sunrise?

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