The First Hot Run of the Season

There is something to be said for waking up early during marathon training. The streets are empty, you can watch the sunrise if you’re really early, and the air is fresh and cool before the scalding sun comes out.

This morning, Melissa and I both chose sleep over running early. While neither of us regret the extra few minutes in bed with our loved ones and comfortable sheets, our run wasn’t as enjoyable as normal today. Needless to say I looked like a roasted beet by the end of the 7 mile run.

While we were each relaxing in our beds this morning, New York City’s Memorial Day started with rain. When I first woke up, all I could hear was the torrential downpour.

“So much for my run outside with Melissa.”

In fact, I tweeted my disappointment that my long run would have to be on the boring treadmill.

Luckily, the running Gods listened to be and the clouds melted away within an hour. By 10:30, Melissa and I were meeting in front of my apartment for our first warm Summer run, each equipped with plenty of water.

Even though it was only 80 degrees at the start of our run, it was humid and sunny.

But, luckily the sky was blue, the rain had cleared, and there were signs of patriotism everywhere from the flying flags to dogs with patriotic bandanas.

Our route took us about 5.25 miles before we split off in our own directions.

While our pace wasn’t as fast as normal, we were able to run the whole time in the torturous heat and even kept up constant conversation the first 1.5 miles. While we were tempted to run the Williamsburg Bridge, the lack of shade and the sheer length of the bridge deterred us today. Maybe next time when we start earlier! I even saw a blog reader (HI ELISE!!) along the way! I love when that happens!

I had to tack on an extra out and back loop once I reached my house since I was just shy of my 7 mile goal. But, by the end I was able to finish the route averaging a 10:02 pace which I’m okay with considering it was my first hot, mid morning run of the season and I was running and chatting for the first portion.

All I wanted when I walked through the door was an ice cold shake! I told Melissa that all I crave when it’s hot is cold fruit, water based vegetables like celery and cucumbers, protein shakes, and cold wine!

Bo and I have finally broken into our protein powder stash, now that summer’s heat has arrived, and discovered a new favorite protein powder: Sun Warrior! I bought it via Gina’s Open Sky promotion ages ago but the bag got lost in our pantry. The chocolate flavor blends wonderfully and isn’t too rich to enjoy alone with water and ice

Now I’m off to conquer today’s very enjoyable to do list: pedicure, some shopping, and cooking a delicious dinner including this soup recipe and this salmon recipe!

Happy Memorial Day and thank you to those who have served for our country both past and present.

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A Lazy Memorial Day Morning

No alarm clocks were set which meant that we both slept until 9am. I guess the busy weekend caught up with us. In case you missed it, we’ve had quite a busy weekend so far and we still have one more day of fun!

First we started with A BLT Fish Shack Date Night

Then we continued the fun on Saturday with An Intense Bike Tour of Manhattan

This morning, we dug through our tea bin to find some liquid caffeine to clear the sleep away.

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We mixed together two different types of tea, Yogi Tea Mint Uplift and Oglethorpe English Peach tea, for a delicious and fresh morning tea treat.

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The main attraction this morning was my favorite bread of the moment, Arnold HealthFull, paired with a schmear of PB&Company and Crofter’s Jam.

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I used our last egg to make scrambled egg white with salsa and then added a sweet, fruity treat on the side with yesterday’s leftover beach pineapple.

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Now it’s time to throw on my running shoes and fill my CamelBak for a run with Melissa. Hopefully she’ll share one of her favorite routes with me Smile 

Question: How are you spending your Memorial Day?

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An Intense Bike Tour of Manhattan

Yesterday’s adventures were unbelievable and intense! When we woke up, after eight hours of sleep, Bo asked if I’d consider doing a long bike ride instead of a long run since he’s training for his first triathlon! I was apprehensive at first but as soon as I saw the glorious weather and had some motivation from Theodora who was also embarking on a long ride, I said of course!

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After breakfast we headed up town to Pedal Pushers bike shop. The staff at Pedal Pushers were super friendly, knowledgeable, and helpful! We went in there ready to rent road bikes for the day including clips and the whole nine yards. Unbeknownst to me, clips are scary shit! After getting the requisite lecture about the dangers of biking in New York City and how much cab drivers hate bikers, I was more than a little fearful. Bo on the other hand was ready for clips and excited for the adventure. For once, I listened to my gut and brain and opted to get a bike with cages instead of clips.

IMG_2386 (640x478)This is the smile of girl who is excited to bike for the day with cages instead of clips! Cages allowed me to easily start and stop cycling on the busy city streets.

IMG_0694Our route wasn’t planned very clearly, instead we just went wherever we felt. We started with a loop in Central Park before exiting in Harlem and heading towards Riverside Park.

IMG_0695 IMG_0696 IMG_0693After an adventurous hike and ride through Riverside Park we headed up towards the George Washington bridge.The views of the river and New Jersey were amazing!

IMG_0692 IMG_0685 (640x478) IMG_0686 (480x640) IMG_0688 (478x640)After reaching the bridge we took a water break and then headed down the Hudson River parkway back towards Manhattan.

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Fleet week and the tourists made riding on the Hudson River Parkway less than desirable but I had one thing on my mind, a cold smoothie!

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Thirty miles later we were exhausted but excited for many more long rides in New York. Now we just have to find a better path next time!

We also learned a few things from yesterday’s ride:

  1. If you want to get serious about riding, experiencing a road bike is very important. But, you need to be confident of your abilities before embarking on a long ride in a congested area. Bo felt more confident and therefore chose to go with cages but I on the other hand, just wanted to become comfortable with a road bike versus dealing with clips too.
  2. Be sure to wear the proper attire! Having padded bike shorts on made the ride far more enjoyable for both us and I was still sore at the end! They don’t cure everything but they definitely help!
  3. Carry plenty of water and fuel because YOU will sweat and you will work your body. I’ve always figured that riding a bike was easier than running but there were points yesterday, when I was keeping a 16 mph pace on an incline and was amazed how tough it was. I loved it and was happy I had my Camelbak for easy water access.
  4. If you’re cycling with someone else, have a plan because it’s tough to stay within speaking distance of each other. We started the ride without a plan and quickly got separated which made for a stressful situation. Even though we had our phones, it is IMPOSSIBLE to ride a road bike and talk at the same time on the streets of Manhattan.
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