ashleyd /

Tips for A Solo Long Run

It’s Friday night.

While many people are out sipping cocktails and toasting to the end of a stressful week I am in my normal spot. July through October I am home on the couch most Friday nights in preparation for Saturday morning.

IMG_4722

Some people can do it all and go out the night before and still rock out a long run but I am not one of those people. In all honesty I think I’ve come to enjoy the relaxation. I look forward to walking through the door, lighting a few scented candles, changing into pajamas and compression sleeves, and relax on the couch for a few hours reading or watching television. Sometimes Bo is with me and other nights, like tonight, he’s finishing up at the office until closer to 9pm.

Now that the marathon is officially 7 weeks away, this is the perfect time to do any last minute experimenting. There are five long runs between me and the taper.

18 miles

16 miles (in Vermont)

22 miles (part of NY Flyers 3 Bridges Training Run)

12 miles

10 miles

There is definitely a bit of flexibility left in the schedule for Gia to alter as she feels needed depending on how these next 3 runs go. I love that I have the option to squeeze in one last 16-20 miler in case I want it or feel I need it before the marathon.

IMG_4721

After last week’s reflection I decided to give a few things a try during this week’s long run:

  • Breakfast: I really need to eat breakfast 45 minutes to an hour before I start. I did this in Vermont and in Seattle and felt a significant difference. Since the weather has cooled a bit I’ll just start a bit later than normal.
  • Fuel: After reading through a few old blog posts I realize that some of my most successful long runs have been fueled by GU. While I’m not a huge fan, I’m going to give it a try tomorrow. In addition, after doing some reading and talking to a few folks this week I’m going to try taking 1/2 a Gu ever 45 minutes to keep my body fueled.
  • Compression: I’ve had my eye on a pair of CW-X shorts or pants for a while and finally bit the bullet today on a pair of long shorts. These are long enough that they’ll massage my muscles and keep the blood flowing but short enough that I won’t be too warm and I can still wear my calf sleeves. I wore CW-X for my first marathon and really loved them.

In honor of tomorrow’s run, I thought I’d reach out to a few of my Twitter friends to see what their tips and tricks are for solo long runs. Here are their tips and tricks:

-Audiobooks @runningbun

-Podcasts @rskamel

-Daydreaming @abby_nyc

-Taking time to snap a unique picture to remember @mburton0214

-Good music @yurteaga @Rxbethontherun @kas459

-New route @healthyhappier (ME!)

What are your favorite ways to pass the time and stay sane during a long solo run?

Share Button
Follow:
ashleyd /

A New Path

Yesterday was one of those days when I wanted to do anything but run. After the Uplift workout on Tuesday night my legs were pretty sore, I had evening plans that I didn’t want to rush to make, I have a lot on my mind, and work has been pretty crazy this week.

But, knowing that the rest of my work running group was waiting for me helped motivate me to tie on my shoes and get out the door. I knew that once we started running I’d be happier and in a better mood.

Unfortunately, around five minutes in I still wasn’t in a great mood. I was just bored with our routine in general. Since I had my Garmin I suddenly realized that we didn’t have to stick to our normal path. We could run ANYWHERE in Central Park. This thought suddenly provided me with the greatest sense of excitement and freedom. I could show the group new areas in Central Park they’ve never experienced.

After our normal mile route to the Central Park entrance we diverged from habit. For the next hour we did nothing like normal.

 

  • The group wanted to challenge themselves so they stuck with me for the entire 7 miles instead of only doing 4-5 miles like normal.
  • We were only on the main Central Park loop for maybe 2 miles total.
  • We ran against traffic on the reservoir for a new perspective.
  • We spent a mile on the Bridle Path.
  • We talked about growing up as a NYC child having Central Park as your playground while running around the softball fields, The Lake and Turtle Pond.

This 70 minute run, while painful at times on tired legs, was like a breath of fresh air. Sometimes all you need to do is shake it up a bit and turn down a new path in order to bring the fun back to something that has quickly become habit.

Share Button
Follow:
ashleyd /

Back on Track

Curious what a back on track day looks like in pictures and words? Enjoy and welcome to a day in my world!

Morning Run (5:45-6:15am)

Good morning New York. While I don’t always love your slow tourists or the traffic, running up Lexington and seeing the lights on the Empire State Building illuminated over the city. There is nothing like friendly bodega men sweeping their sidewalks and giving cat calls at 6am.

IMG_3781

Breakfast (8:15am)

Oats, protein powder and an apple heated in a microwave makes for quite the Fall breakfast, especially on a cooler than expected morning. Pair it with a side of chai tea and it’s like fall in a cubicle.

IMG_3126

Lunch (1pm)

Oh hello lovely greens. I forgot how much this fiber and protein could fill me up and keep me energized all afternoon. I’ve upgraded my salads from romaine to spinach permanently. That in itself makes me feel better about my lunch time choices. This salad was so large that I didn’t even crave bread! I enjoyed an afternoon tangelo and a handful of almonds later in the afternoon since I knew I had an evening workout.

IMG_4105

Workout (6-7pm)

Thanks to the lovely ladies at Uplift Studios, I spent an hour sweating and stretching with Dori, Missy, Marielle, and other local fitness bloggers. I returned to my first love, Fit & Flow, a class that combines 30 minutes of heart pounding and muscle quiver inducing exercises with 30 minutes of relaxing yoga flow. I’m a huge fan of Michelle, who led the “fit” portion of the class. She uses the timer method so you know exactly how much longer you have and how hard you should push your body. Some of the moves left me dripping and panting. All of us agreed that the first 30 minutes almost had us in tears at points!

IMG_4693IMG_4694

Another fun aspect of Uplift Studios is the community aspect. Everything about the studio invites conversation and mingling: open bar, open layout, mirrors, open locker rooms, and friendly space. We enjoyed some healthy sips and bites while catching up and talking all things social media and workout related.

IMG_4695IMG_4696IMG_4697

Oh yeah, they even offer phone chargers so you can recharge your phone while you recharge your body!

Dinner (8:30pm)

Dinner at 8:30pm means that it needs to be quick and easy in addition to being healthy. While this may not be beautiful, a Thomas Bagel Thin with some Laughing Cow Cinnamon Cream Cheese served alongside egg white and veggie scramble is the perfect option!

IMG_4701

Okay your turn! I need some salad inspiration once again. What’s your favorite topping these days and why? Ten points if it is something I can find on a salad bar or at one of my local “chopped salad” places.

Share Button
Follow: