Would You Rather? Runner Edition

It's Friday!!

I was supposed to do my long run this morning, but instead I woke up with a splitting headache. And I hadn't even had the fun night out Thursday night to earn the headache! Not fair. Also... when did running become so complicated?

Whenever I'm running early, I lay everything out the night before. If it's a long run, that ends up being quite a lot of stuff...

Anyway, I'm still not feeling great, so we'll see how the long run plan shapes up. For now I wanted to share this running quiz with you all! I clicked over to a commenter's blog and saw it there. Thanks for the inspiration, Madison! (Originally created by Olive to Run). I thought the quiz was really fun, and I'd love for you to respond to the questions as well in the comments!

1. Would you rather run a 5k or a marathon?
I haven't run a marathon yet so I'm not sure! However, I will say that so far, I love training for the marathon, and I love how much effort you have to put in. In a lot of ways, I think it makes the marathon feel more worthwhile.

But with that said, if you have a bad 5K, it's not a big deal, right? You can easily brush it off. As someone who had not-so-great half marathon experiences multiple times, I have to say, it sucks! When you've spent weeks training for a race, a poor race performance feels like much more of a disappointment. I can only imagine how that would feel if it were for a marathon!

So.... I still don't have an answer. For now, 5K, since I haven't run a marathon yet!

2. Would you rather run in the heat of summer or the icy winter?
Icy winter fo' sho'. Sure, it's not that pleasant, but compared to humidity? I'll take the cold every time. And when it's REALLY icy and cold I can just go run on the treadmill in my building. In the summer, even the treadmill is unpleasant since it's hot in the gym as well and humidity seeps everywhere. 

3. Would you rather have new running shoes or a new running outfit?
Definitely a new running outfit! I tend to go with the shoes that I know work for me, so while I get excited about shoes in that "I'm going to put sooo many miles on you!" kind of way, a new outfit is more fun.

4. Would you rather run alone or in a group?
Nine times out of ten, I'd rather run with friends in a group. I'm always shocked by how quickly miles tick by! I trained for my first half marathon by myself and runs could be a bit of a slog when it was two hours with myself. One time I even called my parents and chatted with them while I ran so I wouldn't feel so bored! I love running with friends and it's made running even more fun. But occasionally, I still like to run alone -- a good therapy run is required at times.

5. Would you rather run next to someone in a race who tries to talk to you constantly or someone who breathes heavy and grunts?

Haha! I love this question. Definitely someone who breathes heavy and grunts because that would be entertaining. I'd feel rude not talking to someone trying to talk to me, but I'm not really a race talker, so that would just be annoying.

6. Would you rather run a race because of the convenience (location, price, travel) or the swag?
Neither - I don't really care about race swag, and I think traveling to cool new places for races is awesome. However, if I could roll out of bed at 7:30 AM and get to the start line at 7:45 for an 8:00 AM race, that would be sweet.

7. Would you rather run a race with a group of friends or by yourself?
Probably by myself, unless my friend was pacing me and I didn't feel like I needed to be social, just to keep up. I tend not to want to talk during races, besides the occasional "that was a tough hill" or "woo almost done!"

8. Would you rather run a PR but result in an injury or finish strong and missing a PR?
I'd rather run a PR and have an injury that has me out for like 2 weeks, but if it's a serious injury then I'd definitely rather miss the PR and finish strong and healthy. No PR is worth a broken bone or torn muscle!!

9. Would you rather eat a big meal the night before or a big meal after a race?
Big meal after the race! I hate feeling heavy when I run and celebrating post-race with friends is half the fun. 

10. Would you rather be chased by a swarm of bees or a pack of dogs?
Is this, like, a vicious pack of dogs? Or just playful dogs? I love dogs, but if I'm about to get attacked, definitely bees > dogs. 


So -- what are your answers?? 5K or marathon? PR and injury or finish strong? Race with friends or alone?

Flash Cards, Fancy Cheap Eats, and New Brooks

Quick reminder! Google Reader is going away as of July 1. If you follow Jen's Best Life via Google Reader, make sure to switch to another one so you don't miss any posts! I'm using Feedly but have heard great things about BlogLovin' as well. I believe you can transfer all your subscriptions from Google Reader on both. This is a great article outlining lots of different reader options.
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Hi guys!

Yesterday was my rest day, so I just foam rolled, sticked, and stretched a bit. Oh, and watched a lecture and made piles and piles of flash cards, as I've been doing all day every day since I started studying for the bar. So many notecards, so little time!

Each stack is 1-2 inches thick. Yes, I need to (try to) memorize all that by the end of July, plus the three weeks more of lecture material I still have coming. Operation: Learn ALL the law!

Unfortunately I got a bit behind because I spent most of the morning reading legal analysis of the DOMA and Prop 8 Supreme Court decisions. I was so incredibly excited that the Supreme Court struck down DOMA!!!

Quick law talk: the ruling doesn't mean that gay marriage is legal; it means that the federal government recognizes gay marriages from states where gay marriage is legal. And, unfortunately, it's not clear that states will have to recognize gay marriages from other states because that part of DOMA was not challenged.

But it does mean that people like Sourabh's friend, whose husband was kept in Canada for months because he could not get a visa, will no longer be separated. I was tearing up as I read some of the language of the opinion because this issue is particularly close to my heart. I not only have close friends and relatives who are gay, I'm part of an interracial couple. Just over 40 years ago, Sourabh and I could not have married. It was a Supreme Court opinion in 1967, Loving v. Virginia, that proclaimed that laws banning interracial marriage were unconstitutional. Yesterday felt like another important step in equality for all loving couples.


New Shoes!
In less life-altering but still running blog newsworthy news... I bought a new pair of long run shoes yesterday!

BOOM. Brooks Adrenaline 13's!! I had the 11's and really liked them, so I'm super excited to try these  out on my long run Friday morning. Or this morning for an easy run, since I have no patience.

I also tried on a pair of Hokas for fun since I'd read about them on several other blogs. They were crazy! I felt like I was walking on pillows and my legs seemed to turn out a bit. Ultimately it felt a bit too different for me -- I don't want to totally change my gait as I start marathon training. But I'd love to try them out further at some point.


"Cheap" Eats at Fancy Restaurants
We rarely have a weekday off together, so Sourabh and I also went out to lunch at one of our favorite Indian restaurants in the city, Junoon. They have this awesome $20 thali platter where you get several different curries, lentils, raita (yogurt), and bread and rice. It's a Michelin-starred restaurant that's normally quite expensive, so this weekday lunch deal is amazing. I got the vegetarian platter and Sourabh got the non-vegetarian.

A lot of the "top" restaurants in New York have much less expensive weekday prix fixe lunch specials. I've taken my family to some amazing restaurants where we've spent less than $50 per person, tax included, when a meal is normally $100+ each at these places. For example, Del Posto and Jean Georges are $39 and $38, while dinner is $115 and $118, respectively. If you're visiting New York, it's definitely worth checking out!

I was roundly mocked for the food picture. Whatevah, Sourabh, I do what I want. Also, c'mon, the presentation is great.


Cool New App!
Something all you iPhone users might want to know about: Tempo Run. It helps you sync up music to the pace you're running. It sounds amazing and I want it terribly, but it's not on Android yet! Get on that, people. If anyone gets it on their iPhone, let me know what I'm missing.


Do you have any dining out tips? Do you feel like a super hero when the song you're listening to syncs to your foot beats?

Wednesday Ramblings

Random thoughts and updates for y'all on this hump day. Speaking of humps, have you seen that Geico commercial with the camel? I think it's basically the funniest thing ever.


1. I woke up at 6:30 this morning to study, despite it being a rest day where I could have slept in, after feeling crazy inspired by dinner with Ashley last night at Hu Kitchen (yes, I love that place a lot). A lot of our conversation was me asking her for tips on how she balances her demanding corporate job with marathon training, healthy eating, and her husband and friends. Getting used to early mornings, both for workouts and for getting extra work done, was one of her biggest tips, and I'm determined to get into that habit before I start work in September!

2. Related: waking up early is hard when your lazy dog doesn't get out of bed until 11:30, and only then because you yell "treats!" from the other room.

3. Dinner at Hu Kitchen confirmed to me what I had suspected: I am unable to go to Hu Kitchen without getting something from the mash bar. This time it was berries with vanilla chia pudding and cashew cream, which I inhaled between 14th Street and 34th Street on the express train.

4. I returned to Uplift Studios last night for a Strength class, after far too long away, and completely got my ass kicked by Liz Barnet. Girlfriend is TOUGH. I took the class with Ashley before our dinner and also saw Angela and Allison there (that's a lot of A's, in retrospect). They all confirmed that it was a killer class, in the best possible way. I think my legs are still jelly-filled this morning!

5. Regardless of your views on her political stance, seeing a woman in politics who stands up for what she believes in is awesome. Especially when she's literally standing for 11 hours in hot pink running shoes! And in case you were wondering, they were Mizunos! (Here's the picture I linked to). Only a runner would care about her brand of shoes!

6. I need new support shoes for long runs since my Brooks Adrenaline 11's I got last November are on their last legs. I'm going to be hitting up a run store today and this makes me kind of giddy. New (running) shoes!!! Thinking I'll go with the Brooks Adrenaline 13's, but I'll obviously have to try on every shoe in the store, right?

7. Speaking of running gear, I ordered a Tiger Tail from Amazon to aid in recovery. I have a hard time getting into my calves with my foam roller and my calves tend to get really tight, so this seemed necessary. Anyone have this? Any tips?

8. At least someone likes my bar review books! She's certainly cuddled up with that thing...


What's on your mind today? Any Tiger Tail tips? Supportive running shoes suggestions? Fat cat pictures?

My Go-To Breakfasts

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, right? I always eat breakfast. It's my favorite meal. I get excited about going to bed so that I can wake up and eat breakfast. Seriously. I'm special, I know. 

These are my go-to breakfasts, the ones I make consistently; sometimes I change it up, but at least six days a week, I'm having one of these. Obviously, if I'm out to brunch I eat something different! (egg and hashbrown scramble with copious amounts of ketchup, hi.)

These are also super basic, I admit, but I love them all so much that I figured, on the off chance someone doesn't eat one of these, I had to share.

P.S. A smaller version of the parfait or protein smoothie are also great snacks!

Greek Yogurt Fruit Parfait 

• 1 cup Greek yogurt

• sliced fruit (mixed berries are fantastic)

• drizzle of maple syrup

• 1/8 cup granola

• sprinkle of chia seeds, hemp hearts, flax seeds, etc.

Last summer, when I was a summer associate at the firm I'm returning to this fall, I would eat this for dinner all the time. Typically we'd have large lunches, so on a hot summer day, coming back around 8 or 9 PM and downing a big bowl of berries and Greek yogurt was the perfectly light and refreshing meal I craved. Nowadays, it's one of my favorite warm weather breakfasts. The fiber from the berries keeps you full and the Greek yogurt gives you that protein punch that's great in the morning.

Nut Butter and Toast

• 1-2 slices whole wheat toast (depending on size of bread)

• peanut butter or almond butter

• topping (banana, apple spread, etc)

• sprinkle of chia seeds, flax seeds, hemp hearts

This is a frequent breakfast but also my go-to pre-long run meal. It seems to fuel me pretty well and there's something to be said for feeling like a long run or race day is just part of the routine.

Protein Smoothie

Peanut Butter Cup Milkshake 

• 1 scoop chocolate protein powder

• 1 small spoonful peanut butter

• 1 frozen banana

• 1/2 cup almond milk

Chai Tea Latte Smoothie

• 1 scoop French vanilla protein powder

• 1 frozen banana

• 1/2 cup almond milk

• generous pinches of cinnamon, cardamom, nutmeg, and ginger

This is my number one summer go-to right now. With hotter temperatures comes me not wanting to eat anything hot in the morning, and I love a protein boost first thing. I use Designer Whey and Whole Foods generic brand of whey protein powder (I prefer the nutritional stats on Designer Whey).

Oatmeal

OMG! A blogger who likes oatmeal! But oatmeal is so gooooood. I love a bowl of oatmeal, particularly mixed up with banana and a spoonful of peanut butter. Go crazy and add a few chocolate chips. I also posted this Very Berry Banana Oatmeal recipe back in January and stand by its deliciousness. 

What are your go-to breakfasts? 

Workout Recap and Weekly Goals: Farmers Markets and Summer Running

Happy Monday! 

I hope you had a wonderful first weekend of summer. Although there was a lot of studying on my end, there was also a lot of relaxing and I got to enjoy the beautiful weather. It's rained quite a bit in NYC, but the rain seems to be keeping the humidity down, so I'm ok with the trade-off if it means gorgeous weekends like this one.

Sourabh and I headed to the Sunday farmers markets on the Upper West Side after my long run. We scored some cherries, berries, kale, tomatoes, asparagus, fresh fish, and some incredible local cheese. Oh, and we split a fresh-baked oatmeal chocolate chip cookie. Why don't I go to farmers markets more often??? Clearly this is something I need to change this summer.

Also, do any of you watch Mad Men? Last night's season finale was SO good. I cannot wait for the final season. Without giving away any spoilers, I'll just say that (1) Pete Campbell's family has the worst luck with transportation and (2) I will never look at a Hershey's bar the same way. Oh and also, Bob Benson in an apron! (All of this means nothing if you don't watch the show, and I'm sorry, but last night's finale was too much fun not to mention.)

On to the workout recap and my marathon training schedule for the coming week.

Workout Recap:

Week 1 of Chicago Marathon Training

I'm changing this up a bit and tracking what was scheduled and what actually happened. Here were last week's planned workouts:

• 1 yoga class 

• 1 tempo run

• 2 easy runs (one for mileage with strides thrown in, one for time)

• 1 long run (8 miles)

• 1 Refine Method class

• 2 strength workouts (one short, one longer that I'm super excited about!)

I also had the big goal of getting more sleep. Spoiler alert: I had a perfect week of training this week and hit every workout, but I did not do well on the get more sleep goal. Doubling down on that goal this week because sleep is going to be key going forward, both for studying for the bar and training.

Monday: 60 min. yoga class with Amanda at NY Loves Yoga.

A great, tough hatha/vinyasa class that left me with new hips and a sweat-filled mat. Amanda is fabulous about taking requests, and after multiple people requested "HIPS!" she focused on opening us up.

Tuesday: 4 miles "easy" (44:29) with Heather in Central Park. (2) 30 min. strength workout. 

This run was so weird. I ran it at an "easy" pace, and yet it felt incredibly hard! I was running ar 6:15 AM in more humidity than we've had in a while, so I'm guessing it was that combination that made the run so hard. It was great to have Heather's company because this run would have been really hard to complete otherwise. Also logged 4 strides of 20 seconds each, which was a lot more fun, oddly enough!

For strength, completed an adapted version of the workout I posted on Tuesday (I took out the cardio since I'd just run and that humidity was hurting me): 

• 20x push-ups
• 20x lunges (10 each side w/ weighted medicine ball) 
• 20x tricep dips 
• 20x wide squats w/ 20 lb weight 
• 20x bridge butt-lifts 
• 1 min. plank

Repeated 3 times, with a 1.5 min. plank at the end of the third circuit.

Wednesday: (1) 5 mile tempo run in Riverside Park. (2) 10 min. run & 30 min. Nike Free Bionic strength workout.

• 1 mi. w/u: 9:16
• 3 mi. tempo: (1) 8:31, (2) 8:45, (3) 8:47
• 1.28 mi. c/d: (1) 10:32, (.28) 10:46

The w/u was downhill, but I still think I went out a bit fast. I probably should have slowed my tempo miles as well since directions were 10k pace and I'm not sure I could keep the sub-9 miles up for three more miles, although in a race I probably could. It was just starting to "hurt" as I ended the tempo miles.

The strength portion of the Nike event, led by Holly Rilinger, included squats, burpees, push-ups, lunges, and a speedy-feet drill like you see football players do. Those are tough!

Thursday: Rest day. Thank goodness. My legs were done by the end of Wednesday!

Friday: 60 min. Refine Method class.

It's so weird how much I love TRX and suspension straps. Something about the insane difficulty of pulling your body weight on straps makes me adore these kind of workouts.

I'm pretty sure I saw a grown man cry in Friday's class. We used the suspension straps for chest presses, rows, and one-legged squats. Cardio intervals included sprints, jumping jacks, ice skaters, and mountain climbers. We also used the weighted pulley machines on the walls for triceps. 

I'm really curious how Refine will continue to evolve now that they've incorporated suspension straps, which I prefer to the pulley system.

Saturday: (1) 45 min. easy run in Riverside Park. (2) 60 min. outdoor yoga class with Amanda. 

These "easy" miles felt very difficult because my calves were tight, so the miles were sloooow but I focused on the beautiful weather and keeping my tread light.

Amanda is conducting outdoor yoga classes in her backyard and this class was heavenly. It was tough, as all Amanda yoga classes are, but I loved every second. Just when a warrior pose felt hard, a breeze came through and made things feel fine. The serenity of being outside (it was so quiet!) and finishing with savasana under a blue sky made this class feel kind of magical. So excited for the Runners' Boot Camp class we'll be hosting here!

Sunday: 8.43 mile long run (1:23:52).

I ran up Riverside Park with Julianne and it was a good run, despite a never-ending quest for a bathroom (they don't open in Riverside at 7 AM apparently). I sort of bonked at mile 6 (I probably should have fueled more). I took a shot blok at mile 6 that I couldn't quite get down until 6.5 so the last few miles were more of a slog, but having company meant I kept going and finished up sweaty and content. I was worried at how tired my legs felt, but after emailing with Coach Jess, she said that's exactly how she hoped I felt. So... success!

Splits were: (1 - downhill to RP) 9:20, (2) 9:57, (3) 10:02, (4 - paused at bathroom and forgot to pause for a second) 10:45, (5) 9:42, (6) 9:54, (7) 10:13, (8) 9:49, (.43) 9:39.


Total Mileage = 22.2 miles

My first pair of Oiselle rogas arrived on Thursday. I wanted to see how they'd hold up for a longer run, so I waited until Sunday to try them out officially (unofficially I wore them while studying all afternoon Thursday and loved them).

These shorts are SO light and SO comfortable. Actually, comfortable might be an understatement. There was no chafing whatsoever despite the humidity and they dried off quickly so I even wore them to the farmers market post-run. I need more of these for summer running stat.


Next week's training schedule:

Here are the workouts Jess assigned me this week.

• 2 yoga classes
• 2 60 min. strength workouts (an Uplift Strength class and my Runners Boot Camp)
• 2 easy runs (3 miles and 5 miles)
• 1 long run (10 miles)
• 1 recovery run (3 miles)

Outside of workouts and studying, I'm going to be concentrating again on getting more sleep. I've probably written that five thousand times on this blog, but it's something I seem to consistently need to work on.


What are your workouts for this week? Any tips on getting more sleep?

My Favorite Things: Hair Necessities Edition

Happy Friday!

Today, I'm sharing with you some things that make going to and from workouts a lot quicker and easier, particularly as a woman with long, thick hair. And nope, no compensation was given for featuring any of these items. They're just things I use constantly that have made my life easier!

Yep, these are my hair necessities. *cue "Bare Necessities" from Jungle Book* (or is it bear necessities because it's a bear singing??)

(1) Oscar Blandi dry shampoo. Ok, I'm going to admit to you here, on the Internet, that I only wash my hair every 3-4 days. I promise you I shower daily, but I have long, thick hair and it is a huge pain to wash and it honestly would be bad for it if I did wash it every day.

So then how do I work out almost every day and not have the most disgusting hair ever? Dry shampoo, my friends. I am a huge advocate for this miraculous stuff. Basically, it eliminates excess oil that develops at your roots. After working out, I will blow dry my hair to dry the sweat then spray dry shampoo on the roots around my face.

This works incredibly well for me and means I can work out or go for a run without also having to add an extra 45 minutes of hair-washing and -drying time!

Note that I prefer the powder to the spray, but both work fine and I think the spray is less messy, so some people prefer that.

(2) Scunci no-slip grip hair ties. I had never, ever bee able to find a hair tie that didn't have my ponytail sliding down my head at one point or another during the day. Then I read about these on Meals and Miles and decided I had to try them. Wow -- these hair ties are incredible! Despite my thick, heavy hair, my ponytail will stay up no matter how active the workout. I used these for a Flywheel and Refine double a few weeks ago and my ponytail did not budge.

Not much else to say. They're the bomb.

(3) Sparkly Soul headbands. Well clearly I couldn't do a post on hair necessities without mentioning my favorite athletic headband! Sparkly Soul headbands are so fun and they're the only headband that doesn't slide off my head during tough fitness classes and long runs.

I tend to have a lot of flyaways around my face, and it's so gross when they stick to your sweaty face. Having a reliable and cute way of keeping random strands of hair out of my eyes/nose/mouth while I'm  pouring sweat is a big win for me.

(4) Goody spin pins. I first heard about these from yoga instructor Heidi Kristoffer. They are fantastic when I want my hair totally out of the way and not bouncing around. You just take two and spin them tightly into a bun so that they cross perpendicularly.

One thing I love is that the spin pins hold my hair in a nice, tight bun, without creating any creases like a hair tie would. If I go to a spin class or yoga class and put my hair in these, I can come out, blow dry and dry shampoo my hair, then pull out the pin and have soft waves in my hair!


What are your hair necessities? Do you use any of these products?

Nike Free Bionic Event

Do you live in New York and, if so, have you signed up for the FREE Runners' Boot Camp class on June 29??? If not, RSVP here! Hurry, there are only a few spots left!


Last night, I got to attend an incredible event hosted by Nike to publicize their new Nike Free Bionic training shoe, which is apparently the only training shoe designed specifically for women!

The Nike Free Bionic

The event was amazing. On Tuesday, we went to the Nike store in Flatiron to pick up bags with our free Nike gear. Each bag was slightly different, although everyone got a pair of the Free Bionics and a Nike Fuel band to measure activity. My bag had a sports bra, tank top, pullover, shorts, and crop tights. THANK YOU, Nike!!

Rocking my gear.

The event divided us into five teams, each of which was led by a master trainer. I was on Holly Rilinger's team -- I found out about the event through her Facebook page, which is how I got to go. THANK YOU, Holly!!

I've mentioned before, in my post on how to save on fitness classes, that following instructors you like on Twitter and Facebook can pay off because they'll often let you know about awesome fitness events they're doing. Like this one!

We arrived at the 34th Street Ferry dock and, after waiting while everyone checked in, piled onto a ferry decked out by Nike.

As the ferry headed toward Brooklyn, Holly led everyone in a dynamic warm-up.

I'm in the back, rocking the purple leggings and pink sunglasses.
(credit: Nike)

As we floated past the midtown skyline, I had a major "WOW I love this city moment."

I mean... how could you not? There's just something about New York. It's so big, there's so much promise. I've lived here three years now and still am constantly finding new things to love about the city.

Anyway... we docked in Williamsburg and headed to a gorgeous loft space where we met up with our teams, took some photos, then headed to the roof to hear all about how the evening would work. Ary Nunez, trainer to celebrities like Rihanna, walked us through how our trainers would take us to a special location, give us a high intensity training workout, then lead us to our final destination.

The teams were meant to compete to see which team could get the most fuel points on their Nike fuel bands. This meant that we were all trying to move our arms as much as possible to rack up fuel points and we all looked a bit, uh... spastic.

Team Crazy Pants!
(credit: Nike)

Extra bonus to this event was that Beth, Kim, and Kristin were all at the event as well. Beth and Kim ended up on Holly's team, too! Go Team Crazy Pants!

Rocking our Just Do It shirts!
(credit: Beth)

After getting the general schedule for the evening, we still had no idea where we were heading to work out... when Holly yelled for Team Crazy Pants to follow her. We jogged through the streets of Williamsburg (which is really cool and I really need to get back to and check out), following her toward our workout destination.

HI! I love running!
(credit: Jolene)

Our run ended at... the Williamsburg Bridge! Yes, I got to work out on the Williamsburg Bridge. Hands down one of my coolest fitness experiences to date.

(credit: Nike)

Holly led us through 30 minutes of non-stop movement. We were burpeeing, we were squatting, we were jumping, we were squat-jumping.

It was a great chance to see that the Nike Free Bionics are a great training shoe. I really liked the balance and flexibility the shoe had. It's incredibly light yet has good support, so my feet weren't hurting despite jumping up and down on concrete.

(credit: Nike)

One of my favorite aspects of Holly's workouts is that she leads them like a basketball coach (which makes sense, since she was a professional basketball player for a few years). There's a lot of cheering and sports-type team-building that makes you feel like the people working out alongside you are your teammates, not just someone else squatting.

(credit: Nike)

After 30 minutes, we were totally exhausted. We'd gotten to work out on the Williamsburg Bridge as the sun set over New York City. I would have been happy if the night had ended right there! But Holly brought us in for a final group cheer, then we headed off the bridge to a waiting shuttle bus for our final destination.

(credit: Kim)

Yes, there was more to this evening. Nike sponsored a party for all attendees at Beauty & Essex on the Lower East Side, where we were given mini makeovers, three drink tickets, and delicious appetizers. Although Team Crazy Pants didn't win the award for getting the most Nike Fuel points, it was still a great end to a wonderful evening. I want to go back to Beauty & Essex and try all their dishes!

Thank you, Nike and Holly, for an amazing night!!


What's the coolest fitness event you've ever been to?

Runners' Boot Camp Free Class!!

I have something REALLY exciting to share with you today!!

My trainer, Amanda, is also an incredible yoga teacher and an absolutely kickass class instructor. She had an awesome class at Uplift called Warrior Fight Club that combined boxing drills with yoga for a fantastically sweaty and stretchy experience (sadly, it ended when Uplift switched to their two-classes-only format).

Don't take my word for it, the class was incredible. Amanda knows how to get you sweaty and sore. She was the 2008 Golden Gloves boxing champion, she knows what she's doing. Check her out in this recent Well + Good post!

So I am extremely psyched to get to offer my blog readers a FREE class with Amanda! She has generously agreed to do an outdoor boot camp class targeted at runners that will focus on core and lower body strength, finishing with some great stretches for runners.

We'll be meeting in Amanda's backyard on the Upper West Side, so you don't have to worry about tourists gawking at you in the park as you do a sweaty burpee and/or fall into "child's pose" (AKA praying for mercy).

After the class, we'll refuel and rehydrate with some healthy snacks and drinks, while chatting with Amanda about strength training, yoga, and anything else you might want to ask her! Like how she can do such an awesome side plank...

Amanda has also started teaching yoga in her backyard, and you are welcome to stay and attend her 4:30 PM yoga class at a discounted rate of $15 (bring a mat if you want to stay!).

It should be an awesome afternoon of fitness, food, and fun! AKA the important things in life.

Runners' Boot Camp with Amanda Rose Walsh

(non-runners welcome, too!!)

2:30-3:30 PM

Saturday, June 29

Upper West Side 

(location will be emailed to attendees)

This event will be CAPPED at 10 people so the sooner you RSVP the better (see below form). Please note that I do not know how to close the form after 10 people, so you are only confirmed if you get an email saying you are confirmed! I will keep a wait list in case additional spots open up.

And if it rains, we'll hold the class on Sunday!

RSVP HERE

Please RSVP by June 27! 

BONUS: Fun Fact! Ever wondered why burpees are called burpees? According to the Oxford English Dictionary, they're "named after Royal H. Burpee, [an] American psychologist. The original usage was Burpee test, in which a series of burpees are executed in rapid succession, designed to measure agility and coordination." (source) There's your fun fact for the next cocktail party you attend!

Superman, Yoga, and a Workout: The Twenty Plus One

Hi guys!

I am running four miles and doing strides for the first time this morning. I've never done strides before! Jess sent me this article, which helped me understand the "why" of strides. I'm a "why" person through and through -- I always want to know why I'm doing something (uh, ask my parents, they remember those delightful childhood days of "why"). I always thought strides were strictly for speed, but turns out they also help loosen up your legs after a slower run!

I love having a plan laid out by someone else that I have to follow. Give me a plan or a checklist and I will complete it as assigned. But if I draw up the plan myself, I'm much more likely to go off-plan because hey, it's my plan.

For example, I cannot tell you the number of times I've meant to go to my trainer, Amanda's, 12:30 Monday yoga class and failed because I didn't get enough sleep or I had too much work. But yesterday, Jess had me scheduled to do yoga. So I went to yoga. And it was fabulous and I have new hips now.

I also saw Man of Steel last night. The climactic battle was about 20 minutes too long, but I really enjoyed it. If I were to compare it to superhero movies, I'd put it above all the DC adaptations besides the Batman movies and above the Hulk movies. It's probably about on par with Captain America and Thor? I LOVED how badass Lois Lane was. And of course, Henry Cavill (the guy who plays Superman) is really, really ridiculously good looking.

No, Zoolander. There's nothing more to life.


Workout: The Twenty Plus One

After today's run, I have also been tasked with completing a 30 minute strength workout of my choice. I put this together and wanted to share it -- I even came up with an oh-so-cool name for the workout.

Yes, it's The Twenty Plus One. Best part is that it requires no equipment! Body weight exercises for the win.

In case you were unsure of how to do any of these exercises, I've called in the aid of YouTube:
Push-Ups
Mountain Climbers
Jumping Lunges
Tricep Dips
Burpees (push-up in burpee optional!)
Bridge Butt-Lifts (starting at 1:03)
Plank


Do you love superhero movies? Do you prefer making your own plan, winging it, or having someone give you a plan?

Workout Recap and Weekly Goals: Marathon Training Starts, Double Dates, Dancing, and Chihuahuas

Quick housekeeping note -- I am planning on transferring over to WordPress at some point this summer, but for now, I've changed around the commenting settings because I've been receiving so much spam lately. I hope this isn't more difficult for you and that you'll bear with me for a short time if it is! We now return to our regularly scheduled programming...

Happy Monday! Hope you all had a lovely Father's Day.

This weekend involved some of my favorite things: good food, dancing with friends, running in beautiful weather, kickass spin classes, and rejuvenating yoga.

On a short walk Friday afternoon, Mason and I met this long-haired Chihuahua who looked just like Mason! We've never seen a long-haired who looked so similar to Mason before and I got extremely excited, especially when I heard his name was Max. Max and Mason! I need to make this a cartoon TV show for kids.

After all that intense Chihuahua excitement on Friday, and after a loooong day of studying, Sourabh and I met up with our friends Katherine and Prat for a double date at Cata. It was our second time there with them because we liked it so much the first time! Delicious tapas and creative gin & tonics, what's not to like? Sadly, I could not participate in the G&T festivities due to my finicky stomach, but don't worry, I had a nice glass (or two) of Cava as a consolation prize.

Katherine mentioned a bar with dancing that wasn't filled with creepers or hipsters, so we headed there for a bit.

Yes, Sourabh and I get quite into our music. 

HI KATHERINE!

And a good time was (clearly) had by all.

The rest of the weekend flew by. Saturday included a fantastic spin class with Laura at Flywheel, a second dinner with Katherine and Prat at our favorite Upper West Side Indian restaurant, Saravana Bhavan, and This Is The End (I liked it OK, the boys really enjoyed it). And Sunday, I enjoyed a free yoga class at Athleta followed by running with Sourabh. Then back to the books, of course!


Workout Recap
I didn't quite get my mileage up the way I'd planned, but it was a conscious choice not to after I felt how tired my legs were in a Sunday morning yoga class (probably a byproduct of not enough sleep all week... see: next week's goals!). Instead, I ran with Sourabh on Sunday and had so much fun getting to share a favorite Central Park route with him! I wanted to be fresh going into my first week of marathon training, so I'm ok with the 14 miles I got in this past week.

Otherwise, I hit all my goals for last week! I replaced a strength session with spinning, but Flywheel incorporates some upper body work so I feel like that counts, right? And I went to yoga again! Be proud, people.

Monday: Rest day. SO sore from Sunday's Refine Method class that used suspension straps!!

Tuesday: 5 miles (47:16). Easy run with friends. These miles flew by and Central Park hills seemed easy as we chatted away. It was so nice to see two ladies I hadn't seen in a while and catch up!

Wednesday: 5 mile run/race (~45:47). 1.5 mile w/u and JPMorgan Corporate Challenge 3.5 mile race. Didn't time the warm up, so I just estimated 10 min/miles for it and added that to my race time.

Thursday: 60 min. strength training session with trainer. Intense TRX workout left me nice and sore.

Friday: Rest day.

Saturday: 45 min. spin class. Enjoyed an awesome Fly 45 at Flywheel with Laura. The instructor, Wendy, was fabulous and made for a great class. She had terrific focus on form and cues, which I loved.

Sunday: (1) 50 min. Hatha flow yoga class at Athleta with Laura (thanks for letting me know about the class!). (2) 4 mile run (37:43). Ran with Sourabh! Yes, the boyfriend ran 4 miles, a distance he hasn't run in a year. The time on the run is misleading since we stopped frequently, but I didn't mind since it was nice to have him running with me!


Goals for this week:
AHHH. You guys, it's the first week of marathon training! At this point, it's really not different from half marathon training, but it feels different. While I was running on Sunday, I kept thinking "I will be running this times 4.5. AHHH!" But an excited AHHH. Not a scared AHHH. This is going to be a great adventure!

Jess put together what seems like a great, doable week that has me hitting about 22 miles and incorporating plenty of strength training and yoga.

• 1 yoga class
• 1 tempo run
• 2 easy runs (one for mileage with strides thrown in, one for time)
• 1 long run (8 miles)
• 1 Refine Method class
• 2 strength workouts (one short, one longer that I'm super excited about!)

I have one other goal for this week that isn't fitness related but that really, really needs to happen:
• GET MORE SLEEP

Yeah, I've been getting about 7 hours max every night, and typically more like 6, and it is just not. cutting. it. My legs felt dead all weekend and it makes it hard for me to study, so I have to stay up later to have enough time to get everything done, which leads to .... less sleep. Vicious cycle. So more sleep is a big priority. No more Candy Crush Saga before bed!


What are your goals for this week?

Summer Racing, Social Pace, and U Studios Yoga

Hi everyone! It's FRIDAY!

Wednesday's JPMorgan Corporate Challenge race has me excited for races this summer. So far, I don't have much on my calendar, and I intend to keep it that way since I'll be concentrating on marathon training. But I do want to add a few, both to integrate into long runs and to use as speed work, which Jess has given the OK to. She'll be sending me the plan for my first week of training on Sunday!!

Mason's got his Oiselle rundies and is also very ready to race.
Yes, I will pay for his dog therapy bills, I promise.

Right now, I'm planning on doing a 10K over July 4 weekend, a few of the Al Goldstein Summer Speed Series 5Ks, and the ZOOMA Chicago Half Marathon in August (my sub-2:00 attempt continues!).

I'm using a new site, Social Pace, as I fill out my race calendar. One of the founders, Brett, reached out to me to let me know about the new runners' and triathletes' social network. It allows people to learn about events, share the races they're going to attend, and find run clubs and training teams to join. I thought it was a pretty cool idea and wanted to let you all know about it! (And nope, I wasn't compensated, just thought it was a cool start-up that I wanted to share!)

Here is Brett's description of the site:

SocialPace is the premier online platform making it easier than ever to live an active lifestyle. The SocialPace platform provides its members with the largest database of events, teams, facilities and more, all in the members' local city. SocialPace also enables members of its community to engage with other like-minded, passionate individuals to discuss races, training, reviews, and more. 

If you want to join and "draft" me to your "roster" so we can see each other's events, you can find me here! 

U Studios Yoga
One other thing I wanted to share before the weekend: a new yoga studio I checked out last week! U Studios is located in SoHo, on Canal Street. It's not the nicest location, but the studio itself is a nice quiet, sun-filled room.

I took a very gentle restorative class and really enjoyed it. There were just two of us, so we both got a lot of individualized attention. Several of the restorative poses at the end we held for quite a while and I could feel how much more relaxed and loosened my body was when I went home to continue studying. Well & Good recently attended one of U's more vinyasa-style classes, and it sounds like the more intense classes are great as well.

The instructor, Henry, had a great vibe -- very relaxed and laid-back, leading us through the flow and moving between demonstrating and walking between us to check on form. Sometimes I feel intimidated in small classes, but the vibe was so chill that it was impossible to feel nervous in any way. I just enjoyed the relaxing class and practically melted into a terrific shavasana at the end.

By the way, if you're in the city tonight, U Studios is co-sponsoring a fundraiser for the victims of the horrific storms that tore through Oklahoma in May. The event looks like a lot of fun and is for a great cause.

Psst ... they also have a Groupon going on right now!


The Facts
Length - 60 minutes
Cost - $10 
Location - SoHo (264 Canal Street, off Lafayette, on the 5th floor)
Skill Level - Anyone!