Friday night I worked til 10:30, refusing to let this get in the way of my weekend plans, B, J and I drove straight down the cape and enjoyed a few beverages when we got there. We all went to bed deciding not to set alarms but hoping to get our long runs in. The three of us are training for Grete’s Gallop Half Marathon and B is training for the NYC Marathon. By the time we all woke up and had some breakfast, it was noon, but we decided it was now or never. We sunblocked up and J lead us through some dynamic stretches he had learned from Runner’s World online. I’m not usually one to stretch before a run (sometimes a mile in, usually not til after) but these were great. We set off together, knowing B would run ahead and farther. J and I kept a close distance for a while but then S, who was on her way down, called and I pulled over to speak with her. My long run was cut short when she drove by, I was only halfway through my 11 miles but I didn’t want her to wait at the house for 50 minutes til I went back. Though I didn’t get a long run in, I was glad B, J and I ran early, allowing us to indulge in a few cocktails on the beach and some great beach food. 

Saturday was the perfect day for a long run down the Cape. After a long, relaxing day at the beach I decided to head out on 6A to get in 10 miles. I was slightly nervous because the side of the road was pretty narrow but fortunately my bright pink top and cautious drivers kept me safe. There was a great breeze that made it feel cooler than it was. I had neglected to bring a gel for the weekend but popped a bunch of craisins in my little pocket. They came in quite handy at mile 6.5 and gave me the boost I needed to get through. Dried fruits, jelly beans or other small items that pack a bunch of sugar are a great alternative to gels.

I was able to stay under an 8:40 pace and felt great. It’s felt like a long time that I was really happy with my long run pace and I feel like I’m back in action! Really looking forward to a few more long runs before the half marathon on October 1.

Saturday’s weather was absolutely perfect for my long run. I mapped out an 11 mile route that would take me from home up the west side highway and then to the gym. The parkway was packed with runners, bikers and other people out enjoying the weather. The wind was against me the whole way north so it was nice to have it on my back for the end of the run. The turnaround point for my run was in Clinton Cove Park where I discovered this neat bottle sculpture. I was able to find some info about it online and thought I would share. 

The sculpture is a 29’ wine bottle called “Private Passage” with a recreation of a Queen Mary cabin inside. Clinton Cove Park is where the Queen Mary used to berth. The bottle has become green with weather but you can peek inside to see the shiny, metal cabin. Photo above courtesy of Tyson Williams.

I made hummus! This is the second time I’ve made it but the first wasn’t too successful. I got this recipe for Cilantro Lime Hummus using Canneloni beans from How Sweet It Is. I still had cilantro and lime left over from our delicious Chipotle Lime Chicken with Cilantro Orzo last week so this was perfect! It came together quickly and I struggled to put away the pretzels and stop dipping. It was so creamy with really fresh flavor. Definitely worth making.

Tonight I braved the torrential downpour just enough to make it to the gym. I intended to run 5 miles on the treadmill but was feeling so great I was suddenly at 6. I think having a really easy Jeopardy on made the time fly by. I did a little strength training and then practically swam home. 

A little error in setting my alarm last night led to me not waking up in time for spinning. Because of the later time, I was able to see the sunrise from my apt and decided it would be a great morning for a bridge run. The weather was gorgeous, not too cold but I wasn’t hot in all my layers. The anticipation of chill and early hour meant that the bridges were almost empty of tourists or other runners. I got to watch the sun continue to rise over Brooklyn before heading back toward Manhattan and see the sun reflecting off the east side buildings. My head was in the clouds and the four miles flew by. It seemed to be a blessing that I missed spinning because this run was truly a lovely way to start the day.

With the day off for President’s Day, I did my run in the evening. I did four miles and felt pretty good despite my right hamstring feeling really tight. After my run I tried a kettlebell workout from SELF magazine. I haven’t worked with kettlebells before and found it interesting to feel the difference between using those or weights. The amount of reps they suggested didn’t seem like much, making me think I should have been using a heavier kettlebell, but we’ll see how I’m feeling tomorrow. 

9 miles, all over the place. Today was insanely windy but with a bit of spring still lingering from yesterday. I went off to go up the west side highway but was absolutely dragging because of the wind. To make sure I could get in a lonnnng run, I ran to the gym and did 3 miles on the treadmill. After some strength training, I ran home with the wind only on my side or at my back. At one point the wind actually pushed me against the river railing! It hurt! On the way home some lovely little flurries were buzzing around in the wind. In the end I got in 8.5 miles and felt great. I had been nervous going up to this distance because I haven’t run more than 4.5 miles in a bit and I know I shouldn’t increase by more than 10% per week but I’ve got to get back on track for the More Magazine | Fitness Magazine Half Marathon. So glad I got this distance and strength training in.

One of the reasons I was able to fully enjoy this long run was a new playlist! I downloaded a bunch of DJ mixes from VitalJuice and put together a playlist. It was great! The beat really kept me going and the new songs were fun. Download some of the song for free on this site. After some stretching at home I’m feeling great and can’t wait to enjoy the rest of the weekend.

After a very busy weekend I just could not get out of bed this morning. So I packed a bag and went to the gym after work. I got in 3.5 miles of speed intervals. Tonight I was able to amp it up a bit and run a half mile per hour faster on both my slow and fast intervals. I had my running country playlist on my iPod the whole time and really rocked it. The above song isn’t really fast enough for running but I love it.

This morning was a slippery six miles. I set out to go over the Brooklyn Bridge and come back over the Manhattan bridge. I completely forgot that the BK bridge is a lot of wood which was covered in slush. With mounds of snow on both sides it was a narrow run. The Manhattan bridge a bit better just because of the concrete surface. Once I got back over to Manhattan I foolishly ran west across Canal Street. It was swamped. With people and slush. But once I got over to the west side it was a more enjoyable run. I made it to the gym for three miles on the bike and some stretching. 

It’s so cold out today that the news actually reported a frostbite warning! Despite the frigid temperatures, I still wanted to get my longer run in outside. I layered up and ran toward the gym. My layers kept me pretty warm, though my legs never seemed to warm up, I was able to take off my gloves at one point. I mapped out the route to make sure I would get 5 miles in so I ran up to 10th street and then ran back to the gym. Five minutes on the rowing machine (which included an awkward and painful arm slam with the boy rowing next to me) and I was all warmed up. I stretched and then did a bunch of strength training. Hot workout on a cold day.