A Perfect Scenic Chicago Run

Good morning from Chicago!

It’s hard to believe that I’ve run in New York, San Francisco, and Chicago this week! It’s been a whirlwind week for sure.

Yesterday, after a morning of meetings, I had an early afternoon flight to Chicago. The flight was uneventful and the morning’s long run meant that I was able to sleep for a a solid four hours.

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Upon arriving in Chicago, I was craving one thing: deep dish pizza. Even though I spent a wonderful weekend here last summer for Healthy Living Summit, I never had the opportunity to try this local treat.

Luckily, my manager was craving the same thing! Within minutes, we’d left our hotel in search of a local deep dish restaurant. Our concierge recommended Lou Malnatis, a local pizzeria located less than a mile from our hotel.

By 8:30, when we arrived, there was no line which resulted in quick, wonderful service!

Lou Malnati's Shines!

 

 

 

 

 

After studying the menu for a few minutes, we decided to share a medium Lou.

The "Lou"
A pizza so good we gave it his name!  Fresh spinach, mushrooms and sliced tomatoes covered with a blend of mozzarella, romano and cheddar cheese. No substitutions please.

The Lou did not disappoint!

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A slice and a half later I was happy and full! This was the perfect way to begin our quick trip to Chicago and fuel an easy morning shake out run.

Our hotel provides a perfect running map for runs in the area.

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My legs and hips were tight this morning but I knew an easy run would help loosen them right up!

The views were amazing and the other runners were inspiring as they sprinted past me on Lake Shore Drive!

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What a fabulous way to start the day in Chicago! If you’re looking for a flat and scenic route while visiting Chicago I highly recommend this 3.4 mile path.

Happy Friday!

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San Francisco Long Run

 

Good morning from cool but beautiful San Francisco!

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This morning I woke up 45 minutes later than planned, at 4:45, not knock out my long run.

I am proof that business travel doesn’t have to ruin your workout schedule!

Running in a new city, especially completing a long run, does take some extra planning. Before flying out to San Francisco, I referenced Google Maps and Twitter to find a perfect running route. I knew that I needed something relatively flat and that I wanted to see the San Francisco sights.

Luckily, multiple Twitter followers responded with suggested routes and tidbits of information.

In addition to figuring out a route, I also packed a few items that normally wouldn’t make it into my suitcase.

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  • Camelbak
  • Luna Bar to eat pre-run
  • A Gu packet
  • Garmin AND Garmin charger
  • Multiple layers since the weather is cool in San Francisco
  • Pepper Spray and a whistle for safety

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By 5am, I was out the door and ready for a slow and steady run. My goal was to keep my pace around a 10:30 today since I knew that 6 hours of travel yesterday and the time change had taken a toll on my body. I also decided early on to focus on the sights and sounds around me and actually ran without music for the first half of the run!

I captured some of the views so you could enjoy the sights of San Francisco’s Embarcadero and Ferry district. I only wish you could smell the fresh Sourdough Bread!

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Oh wait, who’s that you ask? Well, the beauty of Twitter and the blog world is that Katherine and I figured out that we’re both out in San Francisco for work this week! Even though we only live a few blocks apart in NYC, we’d never met. It was the perfect way to get to know someone, power through the last few miles, and enjoy the sights. She joined me for the last 3-4 miles which really helped as my legs were growing tired after the hills around mile 6-7.

My final time today was 2:06 which came to a 10:24 pace. While it isn’t quite as fast as I’m hoping to get, it’s definitely a pace I’m proud of considering that I spent 6 hours on a plane yesterday, didn’t have the best pre long run dinner last night, and only slept a few hours! In addition, it was a great way to see San Francisco!

Question: What city do you dream of touring on foot? I really want to tour Italy via bike someday but I’d love to run through Paris in the Spring!

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Overcoming Mid-Week Tempo Fears

Happy Wednesday!

This morning I finally embraced the mid week tempo run. My training calendar has a mid-distance tempo run on it each week and until now I’ve split it up and feared it for a few reasons:

  • Running longer than 4 miles on a weekday means leaving the house by 5:30 if I’m going to make it to work on time.
  • Even though I’ve been running for quite some time now, I’ve never figured out how to fuel for a 6-7 mile run.
  • I don’t live close enough to Central Park to enjoy the run up there unless I’m out the door and on the subway by 5am!

Last night, we didn’t get home from seeing Rock of Ages until almost 10pm which meant I wasn’t in bed until 11:30 by the time I ate dinner and relaxed.

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Even though I was exhausted at 5:15, I knew I’d feel better if I finally conquered my fears.

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The above picture is me trying to fake excitement at 5:25am.

I set out for the Hudson River Path as I knew that the sight of water would make me smile on this early morning and I’d be able to enjoy the path with other runners.

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It was the perfect morning for a run! The temperatures and humidity were lower than normal and the sun was shining!

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The sign below is right. A run along the water is a great way to unwind or get ready for the day!

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Why hello, New Jersey! You look quite pretty in the morning sun!

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Luckily, the water fountains were working along the path. I stopped 3 times for water and a one minute stretch break.

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By the end of the 6.02 miles I was sweaty but filled with smiles and a kick ass attitude!

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While I definitely need to figure out the fueling part of the equation, now I have a wonderful and scenic 6 mile route that I can enjoy each week and know exactly what time I have to wake up in order to make it to work on time.  I think I’ll try eating a piece of toast or half a banana before next week’s run.

Today’s splits weren’t too bad either:

6.02 miles 10:02 average pace

Mile 1 10:03

Mile 2 9:57

Mile 3 9:56

Mile 4 10:00

Mile 5 10:01

Mile 6 10:04

A longer morning run also means that my stomach has been screaming!

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Now I need your help! Do you have suggestions of what I should eat before 6 mile morning runs?

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