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A Day In The Life: Geneva

Back in October I shared a “commuting day day in the life” with you all and promised that in the future I would give you all a glimpse into a Geneva day. I figured that today was the perfect day to share with you all as I took plenty of pictures.

5:45am – Alarm goes off but after staying up until 11 last night watching The Good Wife was not advantageous for my morning run. That, combined with the knowledge that I can run later helps me choose to reset my alarm.

7:30am – Alarm goes off again and this time it means business as I have to hop in the shower and be out the door by 8:00am.

7:35am – I turn on my over the door heating lamp as I hop in the shower. I spend my time in the shower reviewing yesterday’s French lesson. It’s hard to balance everything and French is quickly something that gets pushed to the side if I’m not lucky. In order to keep improving my French and getting the most out of my weekly lessons I’ve decided to practice in the shower and on the morning commute.

7:35-7:55am – Shower, blow dry hair, choose outfit, make my breakfast and grab an apple and some walnuts for my desk snacks. 2014-01-18 16.33.08

8:00am – Embarrassingly carry a bag of recycling down to the recycling center knowing that it has been sitting in our laundry room since December. You can’t recycle things before 8am in Geneva as it is illegal due to the noise. Colleagues know people who have been fined hundreds of francs for breaking this rule so today is the first day where I see the bag and realize it’s after 8am.

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8:05-8:30am – This morning’s commute to the office includes a 1/2 mile walk down to the tram stop as I just miss the tram and know that walking to the connection is faster than waiting for the next one. I revel in the fact that it’s 39 degrees while my parents are having 20 degree weather in Savannah, Georgia. Geneva’s weather is quite a conundrum sometimes. No snow and warmer weather than most the US this year. 2014-01-22 08.24.35

8:35am – Grab a cappuccino and banana to enjoy with my breakfast from home. I’ve stopped eating bircher in the morning as I I tried eliminating things from my diet to pinpoint the cause of my breakouts. As soon as I stopped eating bircher the breakouts diminished so since we returned from the holidays I’ve been bringing a mix of oats, wheat germ, protein powder, and cinnamon to the office each day. It is easy to eat at my desk as it doesn’t smell and I can just get boiling water from our drink machine! Not to mention, wheat germ is a great source of iron which helps my iron deficiency!

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8:40-9am – Catch up on work emails before the day of meetings begins

9-12- 3 different meetings with 3 different groups of people about 3 different topics.

12-1pm: Enjoy lunch with a co-worker who has quickly become a friend and mentor as we work in the same space but in different business units. I learn a great deal during each of our connects though today we spend more time talking about our personal lives than work as her husband is moving to Perth for a year next week! 2014-01-22 12.13.10

1:15-2: Catch up on emails and return a few phone calls before my afternoon meetings begin.

2:00-6pm: My afternoon includes 4 different conference calls, two of which I lead. One of them includes people across five different countries which will never cease to amaze me. Luckily the calls are each productive.

6:05-7:00pm: Dash upstairs to our office gym to grab one of the four treadmills. Quickly change into workout clothes before running 4 miles on the treadmill, hopping on the erg for a speedy 1000 meter row at a 3:59 pace followed by 10 minutes of abs and arms on the bosu ball. I’m ever so thankful for the new Spotify channel I discovered, House Workout! It keeps my mind off of the miles and I feel like tonight’s workout flew!

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7-7:15pm Change back into work clothes after a quick cleanup compliments of face wipes and the blow dryer. I forgot my towel at home so showering at the gym isn’t an option tonight.

7:20-7:45 Address the last of our New Year’s cards before sorting out my inbox. Each night before logging off I go through my inbox and file any emails so I only have the actionable ones waiting for me the next day.

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7:55-9:00 End up walking halfway home with a co-worker while we talk about work and then decide to walk the rest of the way home while talking with my dad on the phone. Walking home in the evening versus taking the tram allows me the perfect amount of time to call people. The only issue is that most people aren’t free at 2pm. 2014-01-16 06.30.04

9:15 After 4 mile run and 3 mile walk home dinner can’t come fast enough! I throw together what may be the most random meal ever using everything and anything I have in the pantry and fridge. Dinner ends up being a glass of white wine paired with whole wheat pasta, sauteed spinach, sardines, pasta sauce enhanced with herbs and a tablespoon of bottled pesto. The mix ends up being delicious though I know most people would think I’m crazy for eating it.

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9:30-9:45 Write this post while chatting with a few friends on GChat and WhatsApp.

9:55 Hop in the shower before curling up in bed with an episode of Modern Family.

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An Autumn Adventure Up The Saleve

Happy Saturday!

As promised by many of the locals in Geneva, the rainy, gray days of November have arrived. While the cool, gray weather can get depressing, I find that the best way to stay happy is through exercise and fresh air! Renaud suggested we head up to the Saleve this morning to see the path in Autumn beauty!

After 9 months of raving about the great trail running and hiking adventure I experienced on the Saleve in February, I was excited to share to finally share the beauty with Bo and two other friends. Our group of 5 met this morning at the bus stop outside our flat at 8, ready to head over towards the base of the Saleve. The weather was around 33 degrees though Renaud expected temperatures in the 20s once we reached the top of the Saleve.

By 8:30 we arrived at the small town a mile from the trail entrance, ready for a great morning. I wasn’t sure how today’s experience would compare to the winter hike and run as I knew there would be wet leaves in place of snow. After our mile warm-up run towards the trail Renaud shared his tips with the group, advising that we find a slow, steady pace up the mountain or our “hearts would explode.” He warned us of slippery rocks and loose leaves.

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Over the next hour our path took us up along the mountain with sporadic views out of the fog, overlooking Geneva. Though our lungs and legs were burning, everyone was enjoying the experience. Anytime the trail was flat we would run as quickly as possible but the rest of the time, especially in the steep areas, we hiked at as fast a pace as possible.

The next hour of the adventure we encountered snow, beginning first in small clumps on the trees and then it eventually surrounded us. While I love Fall, I definitely find a peaceful beauty in the Saleve when the trail is dusted with snow. The temperatures also dropped quite quickly, causing each of us to add our extra layers including globes, ear warmers and wind breakers. DSC02891DSC02893841290_10151823792746969_821762980_oAs we summited the Saleve we felt as if we were in a snow globe. The fog limited our view to only a few feet in front of us but the snow and brisk air was exhilarating! 1456886_10151823772291969_764442808_n1458870_10151823773511969_1241608241_n1472176_10151823772696969_1567404319_n1454461_10151823773171969_507424231_nCheck out the amazing snow and icicles covering the tree limbs! By this point our ponytails were covered in snow and ice. Even my eyelashes were covered in small icicles! 1418292_10151823773246969_330317730_nOur journey down required a great deal of caution, more so than last year in the snow. The steep decline down was covered in exposed roots and stones, many of which had frost or icy patches. In addition, without the snow to cover the path our fears were a bit more present. 1461975_10151823772606969_971388416_n1232663_10151823772211969_843044431_n1418263_10151823771361969_479574648_n1422861_10151823771886969_1176895999_nOn our way down we even saw a natural bridge and explored a cave path complete with icicles and a chain link railing to support us. 1454506_10151823771416969_275510455_n1464969_10151823771406969_1049063136_nMore than 3 hours later our group of five found ourselves high fiving and celebrating a successful 8 miles adventure up and down the Saleve! While it was far harder this year due to the wet and slippery leaves, I still enjoyed every moment. The mix of hiking and running left me exhilarated and humbled.  I know I will be sore tomorrow! I can’t wait to return in a few weeks, after the first big snow, to enjoy the snow covered trails again.

Fall or winter running? Which to do you prefer?

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Cross Training: Geneva Style

No marathon training will be perfect. Life happens regardless of whether you are training for a marathon or not. There are only so many hours in a day and week during which you can focus on your training unless of course you are a professional athlete. This Fall I’m not running the Hartford Marathon with any expectations other than to enjoy every mile with my original running buddy, Amy. It will be her first marathon and therefore I know first hand just how important it is to focus on having fun versus stressing out over goals. No one knows how their body will react to 26.2 miles of running, especially the first time.

IMG_4776Cross training hasn’t been a focus for me this training cycle as I’m finding that cross training is happening each day naturally. I move more now than I ever have before. Ryan, Amy’s husband, joked that he realized why Europeans can drink wine, eat croissants and delicious cheese, while still staying relatively thin. The culture here facilitates lots of movement, especially in the form of walking. On an average day, I walk at least 3 miles around town in addition to my daily workout. These walks include steep hills, multiple flights of stairs and often occur while I carry my large purse which is “always full”.  As you can see below, even market trips happen via walking in Geneva versus driving. While I walked to Whole Foods or Morton Williams in New York, they were less than a half mile away. In Geneva we walk a mile to the market most times which ends up being at least a 3 mile adventure by the time we’re finished. Walking up a hill with a week’s worth of groceries is definitely strength training!

IMG_1021My favorite marathon cross training that I’ve enjoyed to date is hiking. There is nothing that compares to a day filled with fresh air and nature. It is easy to disconnect and forget any stresses when I am a mile up, above the tree line focusing on the beauty that is surrounding me.  Based on the way my body feels the day after a long hike, I can tell that it engages my core, calves and thighs especially though I believe there are benefits to my entire body, both physically and emotionally. Creations like Mont Blanc and etched valleys make everything else around me feel so small.

Chamonix Hike

My favorite hike is Le Lac Blanc, an approximately 3 hour hike in Chamonix. Yesterday I had the pleasure of sharing this area with Amy and Ryan. Nothing makes me feel like a local more than when I can navigate our way from Geneva to Chamonix in France via rental car then successfully lead visitors through a hike, pointing out glaciers, mountain ranges, plants, and villages below. I am so thankful that Renaud shared these special hikes and trails with me early on in my Geneva adventure.

While I questioned at my local friends when they insisted I wouldn’t need a gym membership, laughing at the thought that I could get all the exercise I needed outside, I think they were correct. My body and mind thanks me for spending every minute possible outside this Summer in Europe versus the confines of a gym. I know I’ll want a membership during the winter but for now, I plan to squeeze every ounce of vitamin D out of Europe before the Fall gray skies and rain arrive.

What is your favorite form of cross training?

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