A Picturesque Fifteen Miles

The air in New York City has definitely turned Fall like since the hurricane winds left.

The return of Fall also means that a few of my favorite things are back in season:

  • All things Pumpkin (oats, beer, muffins, candles, etc)
  • Tall boots, skinny jeans, and comfortable sweaters
  • The return of our favorite television shows (Modern Family, Parent Hood, Grey’s Anatomy) and new ones who will get their shot
  • Long runs every single Friday or Saturday morning, preceded by delicious pasta dinners

Last night, I welcomed my first 15 miler of marathon training with a delicious pasta dinner. Unlike last year, I tried to keep in mind that I’m carb loading for a long run, not 30 people’s long run. Therefore, I only enjoyed this bowl and not the multiple loaves of bread they sent with the delivery.

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I woke up bright and early and made sure to prepare my fuel first so I could eat it before getting ready. I realized last week that I need to give my food time to digest before I start running in order to reap the benefits.

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Three bathroom stops, one twitter post, and four work emails later I headed out the door around 6:45. One of the best perks of my new job is the fact that I’m allowed to work from home on Fridays. This means that if I so choose, I can do my long runs Friday morning. I promise that you will see Friday afternoon posts from me during marathon training where I’m responding to work emails from an ice bath or with my calves happily inside of Zensah sleeves. Two things that would never fly if I had to be in the office on Friday.

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You’ll notice in the picture that I’m wearing an actual technical shirt versus a tank. When I checked The Weather Channel this morning it was 65 degrees and only supposed to reach 75 by 10am! You’ll also see that there is no Garmin on my wrist. I accidentally plugged my Garmin into the charger but forgot to plug the charger into the wall. Maybe this was just my mind’s way of telling me to focus on mileage not time today.

I ran with my phone in my hand for the first few miles since I was meeting up with people along the path. I wanted to let them know my approximate distance and pace so they would know when to expect me. The other benefit of having the phone in my hand was easy camera access. I couldn’t help but capture the beautiful morning views.

This morning’s picturesque route took me along the East River Path, down to the point of Manhattan and Battery Park City, and around to the West Side highway. I met Katherine and Melissa along West Side Highway about 7.5 miles into my run.

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Running with these lovely ladies, and Theodora for a quick mile, was a complete treat!  We have very similar paces so I never felt like I was holding them back. We don’t know each other very well so there is always an easy topic to discuss which makes the miles fly by. I still haven’t mastered the art of talking while running but I did manage to talk for about 4 of our miles before we all chose to zone out to music.

This week was exactly what I needed to get my running mojo back. I had an awesome speed workout, a challenging hill workout, and a long run that was enjoyable and challenging.

Things to remember for next week:

  • Do not send your Zensah sleeves to the wash and fold the night before a long run.
  • Plug the Garmin into the charger AND the wall.
  • Bring more fuel.
  • End the run at Jamba Juice again!

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I’m off to meet Bo for date night! It’s been a while since we went out for a date night and we have plenty to toast including our new jobs and a wonderful Summer!

What do you have to celebrate these days?

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5,4,3,2,1…

 

After seeing this on multiple blogs, I too caved and joined in the fun! 🙂

5 words to describe me:

  • Driven
  • Intelligent
  • Competitive
  • Disciplined
  • Loyal

4 favorite foods:

  • Peaches
  • Homemade cookies
  • Mexican food
  • Frozen yogurt

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3 things I’m most proud of accomplishing:thumbsup (257x171)

  • Completing the New York City Marathon in 5:06 and surviving to run it again a year later!
  • Having the courage and independence to try living up North on my own despite the lifelong guidance of all Southerners that I could never be happy in the North. (I wish my brother was in the photo booth picture below so it could be a true family portrait!)
  • Being a devoted and loving wife in good times and bad! IMG_4352 (436x640) 13304_1202006105098_1676948544_379395_7356778_n (428x640)

2 favorite workouts:

  • Distance running, especially with friends
  • Weight Lifting  IMG_2554 (478x640)

  1 thing to expect from my blog:

  • I hope that everyday you find honesty and inspiration through my blog. I’m not perfect and nor is my work life balance, eating, or workout habits. I’m human. I’ve overcome a great deal in the past few years which includes losing over 50 pounds through Weight Watchers, beginning my running journey, moving North, pursuing my dreams, and starting this blog. I’ve gained more from A Healthy, Happier Bear and my readers than I could have ever imagined and for that I thank you! I know it’s your choice to come here daily and follow my crazy life but I hope you enjoy it!

Question: What 3 things are you most proud of accomplishing?

PS: Don’t forget to sign up for the free Equinox Vitality class I’m hosting next weekend!

Also, I the winning caption was “I wonder if she has vodka in that backpack. She can’t be that happy about running”

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