Importance of SLEEP & all the food

Hi Friends! I hope everyone had a great weekend. It was two beautiful, sunny, cloudless days here and I did.not.want.it.to.end. On Sunday, we went into town to do some sightseeing and visit a few of the shops. The Steamboat Marathon was still going on and I felt both sad (this was the first year that I haven't done it since I moved to town) and excited (the energy was contagious and got me pretty pumped for my race next weekend)! It definitely is a small-town race (I did the marathon one year and half-marathon the next two years) and gets to be pretty hot with not a lot of shade along the course, but the scenery is fantastic. HIGHLY recommend if you're looking for an early-June race next year! 

We visited a few of the local springs in town (the one above is Steamboat Spring)- we have a total of 7 natural hot springs in the center of town (only one you can actually go soak in). Unfortunately, the riverfest that we planned on going to wasn't happening, but we made the best of it and walked the town then headed to lunch before relaxing back home! One of Alexs' close friends also had his parent visiting (him & his friend grew up together) from Maine, so we took them all out to eat at the Ore House--> a MUST visit if you are ever remotely close to Steamboat. They have a sunset happy hour menu (5-6pm) and all entrees are typically ~$2 off regular price. I had the green chile chicken and off-course filled up on their all you can eat salad bar and dinner rolls (they have a cinnamon roll flavored one and it's amazing). 

On our drive home, Alex's dad had us stop to get a picture of the pelicans that we have at the lake by our home. They're always there every morning and the gray swan (alittle to the right of the pelican group) is also in this photo! 

Who knew that there were pelicans in Colorado?! This ended our weekend and it was so great. 

I bought some rustic sourdough bread this week and had to have some for my breakfast this morning! Half had a smashed avocado, red pepper flakes, and a egg and the other half had butter & raspberry jam with a side of oj :) Is it just me or does anyone else get even more hungry when they're tapering?? I think it's because our metabolism is still really high from all the miles we've put it through and is trying to play catch-up. Definitely not complaining and I'm trying to eat as much healthy light food that I can!

Met Alex & his dad for one final meal together before he left and of course we had to go to CREEKSIDE! I was torn between breakfast or lunch (they serve both all-day), but wanted to try something new so I got the falafel salad and it was so amazing! After about two hours, I was hungry again so had some fresh watermelon that we got this weekend.

Watermelon- definitely one of my favorite summertime treats. I also managed to squeeze in a short run before lunch (on my lunch break from work) and a few strength moves (did some dips on the assisted pull-up machine and calf raises on the side of a stair). I don't like to completely cut-out strength training the week of my marathon, but do stay away from any leg exercises and focus on just a few core/upper-body exercises to keep myself feeling fresh and strong, but not over-worked. I'll do one more day of a few strength training moves on Wednesday or Thursday, then that will be all before race day on Sunday! I've already started to pack a few things for my race and create a list. Tonight I'll work on  my playlist and packing some food/ more clothes. The more I plan ahead and pre-pack, I've found the less-likely I am to either 1. forget something or 2. stress about the race. I will probably finalize my race-day plan on Wednesday, so I can start visualizing it and feeling confident leading up to the race. We will leave Saturday late-morning for Denver (about 3 hour drive) to allow enough time to go to the expo, do a short shake-out run, drive along a portion of the course, check-in to our hotel, and get some dinner!

Anyone race this weekend? How'd you do?

Any big races scheduled this Summer?

What are some necessary things you do the week of a race?

Thursday Things & What I'm Currently Reading!

You know when you sometimes just aren't in the mood to do something? For me, it was not wanting to run this morning. Or well, let me rephrase that. I WANTED to run, but my stomach was definitely not feeling it and that altered my mood. I knew that if my stomach could hold it together during my run, at least my mind would feel more clear (even if my stomach didn't). So, I slept in a bit (trying to get as much sleep as possible leading up to the race next weekend) and then headed out 30 minutes later than normal for my run. It was stunning outside!

Let's back up a little though and talk about my amazing snack that I had last night before bed. Whole wheat toast with crunchy PB, honey drizzle, and a few chocolate chips. 

So, now fast forward to my run. I managed to get out 4 miles- felt better overall, but my stomach still felt all funky. Chocking it up to something I ate yesterday and hope it makes a turn for the better today!

Also totally loving my momentum bracelet that I got at a local running store the other day! Perfect reminder for me to dig deep when things get tough and the bracelet material is breathable and I don't even notice it's there on my run (unless I look at it to remind me to keep pushing). I had another bracelet that I somehow misplaced over the summer and it was customized to a motivational saying that I picked out (and custom band color too). Still on the search for it and hope to come across it sometime soon....

I grabbed breakfast from Starbucks this morning since my stomach wasn't liking the idea of yogurt and got a sprouted bagel and iced tea. Put some peanut butter and banana on it and boom. happy runner breakfast (slightly less angry stomach).

Switching topics!: What I'm Currently Reading

Lost on the Appalachian Trail by Kyle Rohrig (you can find it here). I've got about 150 pages left of the book and it is definitely a big novel! I absolutely love any thru-hiking related books and typically devour them quickly, however this one is a large book and small print so it's taken me over a month to get 200 pages into it (I normally read before going to sleep and sometimes can only make it through a page or two before I'm OUT). It's a really detailed account and I think it would be a great read for anyone currently thru-hiking the AT or getting ready to. I'm mainly excited to get to his recaps of hiking through the White Mountains & Maine (since that's where I grew up and absolutely love hiking when I visit)! 

Leaving you with this stunning early morning shot of my run this morning!

What kind of books do you like to read? Any good recommendations?

What's the weather like where you are? Anything fun planned for the weekend?

Favorite night-time snack?

Intervals, Power of Positivity, & My Love For Chulula

My second-to-last longer interval training run was scheduled for Tuesday and I planned to wake-up at 4:45 to get it done with before heading to work. However, my cold was still causing me a sore throat and slight congestion so I turned my alarm off and decided to do it after work. During the taper, I try to take every precaution to not get sick and get more sleep, so afternoon taper it was! I was still exhausted, didn't eat as many carbs/proteins as I would have liked to, it was super windy, the trails were congested, and my throat was worse- I kept coming up with excuses the entire run!

This is funny because I was just saying the other night how I was needing to start to be more positive. My mental strength definitely starts to weaken during the later miles in a marathon and I am determined to work on staying positive. However, here I was in the middle of my speedwork session and I could not get out of my head! I started feeling like Violet Beauregarde in Willy Wonka and how an oompa loompa would need to roll me home because I was feeling round like a blueberry. 

Then, as I began my cool down miles I started to switch my thinking from negative thoughts to positive ones. I started to think about how lucky I was to live in such a beautiful place and how wonderful the sun felt. It made a huge difference in how I mentally finished out my run. While my splits were not all 100% perfect, I hit the majority of them after a tough day and while still being SO sore from my reformer pilates class the day before.

Ended up finishing the day with 9.2 miles:

• 2.10 miles warm-up
  • 1 mile @ 7:50-8:00 (actual: 7:58 min/mi)- 800 recovery
  • 1200 @ 5:52 (actual: 5:50 min/mi)- 400 recovery
  • 800 @ 3:55 (actual: 3:55 min/mi)-400 recovery
  • 400 @ 1:56 (actual: 1:56 min/mi)-400 recovery
  • 1200 @ 5:52 (actual: 5:55 min/mi)-400 recovery
  • 800 @ 3:55 (actual: 4:04 min/mi w/ 100 short)-400 recovery
  • 400 @ 1:56 (actual: 2:02 min/mi)- 400 recovery
• 2.10 miles cool-down

I think working with positivity will continue to be a work in progress for many months, but am hopeful that I will be able to mentally concur the marathon when I get it down! 

This morning I felt so much better (thanks to my 7:30 bedtime last night) and headed to the gym to get in a 30 minute strength training session and easy 3.25 bike ride & 1.5 mi recovery run. 

We finished out our day with TACOS and chulula on top of everything. It was seriously so amazing. My love for chulula may rival my love for Alex...or Stella....maybe....

We're over humpday and SO close to the long weekend! The weather doesn't look too great here, so our plans for camping or backpacking are still up in the air. Hoping it clears up for us to enjoy some much-needed fresh air and sunshine!

What are your go-to thoughts to improve your mood?

Ever tried to be more mentally tough or positive? How'd it go? Any tips?

Are you a hot sauce lover?

Beginning the taper

Alright. I am determined to not let the taper-crazies get to me this training cycle! I have officially begun tapering and have less than 3 weeks until race day. Today I slept in until 8:30- I can't remember the last time I slept that late, but it was definitely needed! We made breakfast (avocado smash on a sesame bagel & egg on top) then I went to work meal prepping for the week. Chicken & Rice Soup for lunches, roasted a whole chicken for use in both the soup & chicken tacos we'll have this week, baked sweet potatoes for breakfasts, and green egg frittatas for breakfast!

The chicken was possibly the best one I've ever done- melted 3-4 tablespoons in the pan & brushed it onto the chicken. Topped the chicken with thyme, garlic, oregano, rosemary, and fennel seeds. Recipe for the green egg fritata will be posted up on the recipe page shortly!

After cooking and had a small window where the rain let-up (it's been overcast and rainy all weekend), we headed down to the lake (about a mile from where we live) and did a 3 mile easy run! It was a great way to shake out my legs from yesterdays long run and recover. 

Stella was pretty angry (hangry maybe?) at us towards the end and we kinda had to drag her back (seen in the photo above). Sorry Stells....

After our run, I headed to the skating club's ice show- it was super cute and concluded the end of our season until summer! Then I saw this fantastic bald eagle on my drive home. It really is the little things in life you guys....

Just left Alex in charge of the feta spinach stuffed chicken and maple roasted brussel sprouts for dinner and it kinda smells like something may be burning...gotta go! Have a great Sunday eve!

Favorite recovery methods the day after a long run? 

Any good meal prep recipes you care to share?

Snow & last 20 mile training run!

Thursday started off in an unexpected way...SNOW! We got over a foot of snow by Friday evening (thankfully it's almost all melted as of tonight). 

It was not fun to clean off my car again, have freezing fingers since I had put away all my winter essentials, and wear boots instead of cute spring shoes to work. 

Since it was so cold out, I took my easy 4-mile run on the treadmill at a super conservative pace. When it gets this close to race day (3 WEEKS!), I try to take my easy runs slower than I may usually to recover and try to get more sleep. I was also still pretty sore from my speed workout on Tuesday & strength training session Wednesday morning- lots of stretching & foam rolling for me post-run!

I started carbo-loading for my 20-mile run on Thursday night with a delicious pizza from Against the Grain Gourmet (the pesto one is AMAZING)

Friday was Alex's birthday (HAPPY BIRTHDAY BAE)! So, I started our morning with some cinnamon rolls & bacon (best of both sweet & salty worlds). We met-up for a lunch date at our favorite lunch spot in Steamboat- Winona's (seriously the most amazing Buffalo Chicken Salad EVER) and a walk with Stella. 

The Cherry Blossoms with the snow and blue skies made for a perfect backdrop on our walk! I made my Meditteranean Pasta Dish for dinner & a homemade cookie skillet (topped with vanilla ice cream) for Bday dessert! YUM! I was in bed by 9 and ready to wake up at 4:45 to tackle my last 20 mile training run! 

I like to start out the mornings of my longer runs with Nuun Energy to give me that extra caffeine boost (along with the cup of coffee I have). I also had a half of a banana and some oatmeal before starting my run by 5:45. It was still cold when I started (32 degrees) and overcast. I planned to mix-up my run with atleast half outside and the remaining middle miles on the treadmill to utilize the decline (to mimic the Downhill at Revel Rockies) at goal marathon pace.

My plan for this run included:

• 7 miles outside at an easy pace (10:00min/mi)
  • actual: 7 miles outside at 9:23 min/mi pace
• 10 miles treadmill at goal marathon pace (9:05-9:09min/mi) varying decline (-1% to -3%)
  • actual: 10 miles at 9:00min/mi ; -1% 25 minutes ; -2% 25 minutes ; -3% 25 minutes ; remaining 15 minutes spent climbing the ladder up from -3 to -1 % (each 5 minute intervals)
• 3-5 miles outside at an easy cool-down pace (10:00 min/mi)
  • actual: 4.01 miles at 9:20 min/mi

TOTAL: 21.01 miles at 9:10 min/mi pace

Overall, this run felt so strong and I have no doubt that I could've pushed through the last five miles at just above goal marathon pace. I finished it just a hare off my goal marathon pace and really feel like finishing in under 4 hours is definitely within reach at this race! 

The feeling that you get when you really nail a workout and finish strong is like nothing else. 

I finished the week with 39.01 miles and spent the rest of Saturday napping, recovery with my favorite fuels and foods, grocery shopping, and doing an endless amount of laundry (I honestly feel like it never ends). When I have a family- I can't even imagine when I'll have time to run with the heaps of laundry there will surely be! 

Happy Saturday friends! Off to enjoy some dessert and to bed early :)