The Russian Returns & Leading A Group Run

Monday:

6 Miles with girlfriends

Followed by an Orange Theory Fitness Class.  It was strength day…my favorite!

I baked a batch of Chewy Oatmeal Scotchies as a thank you gift for my physical therapist…I’ll type up the recipe this week!

I met my husband for dinner at J’s.  We shared the grilled artichokes,

and a flatbread,

before heading to the Trail Running Film Festival by Rainshadow Running.

It was a sold out show here in Nashville.  Check the link above to see if it’s coming to your city!  The films, the courses they cover, and the runners, left me wanting to push the limits of my distance running.  Truly awe inspiring!

I loved seeing all of the Ultra Dirtbag Swag!

Tuesday:

This week’s track workout was The Russian!  When I searched for images before sending the workout to our group, this crazy guy in the bottom left appeared and cracked me up/ scared me a little.  Perfect for The Russian!  Rayna even brought her own hat to the track…my friends rock!

My workout:

4.5 mile warm-up/ strides

3 x 300m (1:07 goal) with 60 second recovery between (My actual splits: 1:08, 1:08, 1:07, 1:07, 1:06, 1:07, 1:07, 1:07, 1:03)

800m recovery jog between each set

Repeat 3 times

1 mile cool down

After track, I headed over to The Juice Bar for my favorite green smoothie.

The Flying Monkey Marathon poster preview came out.  Fear is setting in.

I delivered the thank you cookies:)

These are a few of my favorite things…

And made a new recipe for dinner: Autumn Wild Rice with Kale and Caramelized Sweet Potato.   We loved it!  If y’all want the recipe, I’ll type it up:)

Lastly, here in Nashville we’re getting ready for Spring Marathon Training…can you believe it?!  Fleet Feet has a huge training group and they’ve been organizing pace leaders.

Here are some Guidelines For Leading A Group Run:

1.  Know the route using a GPS or mapping tool

2.  Outline the distance for the run and make sure it aligns with the goal of the group.  If your group has runners doing several distances, know good points for runners to break off to hit their desired mileage.

3.  Have current CPR and First Aid Certifications

4.  If you have a large group, determine whether you need a permit to run.  Try staggering the group start times to possibly avoid the need for a permit.

5.  For a large group, recruit key pace leaders and help runners identify their appropriate group.

6.  Setup water stations along the route.  Make sure to have enough water to support the size of the group.

7.  Designate a back of the pack runner/ sweeper who will carry a cellphone.  They can insure that all runners finish the training run and can call if they come upon an emergency.

8.  Make sure you have a name and emergency contact information for each runner.

9.  Have a sign in/out sheet for each group run.

10.  Make sure that the group follows the “rules of the road.”  Use sidewalks, run on the left side of the road, obey all traffic laws, etc…

11. Encourage the group to wear reflective clothing, especially if running in the dark.

12.  Never leave behind an injured runner.  Allow the group continue with their workout while you stay with the runner and call for help.

13.  Consider organizing a post-run social event: coffee, breakfast, etc… Most runner’s join a group for the social component!

These rules are paraphrased from the RRCA Guidelines.  Click HERE to see the full list.

Have you ever been a pacer during a race or training group?  It’s my favorite way to run!

Favorite cookie?  Mine is a molasses cookie that I bake during Christmas.

#choosejoy

Gooey Toffee Butter Cake

 

My husband was having a charity bake sale at his work.  His first and only request was for me to bake some toffee butter cakes for them to sell.  I’ve baked it so many times for him over the years, that I don’t even need a recipe.  If you’ve never had a butter cake, it’s similar to chess squares.  Let’s be real…this is not a healthy recipe, but it’s so ooey, gooey, good.  Sometimes you just need to indulge your sweet tooth!

Let’s Bake!

This cake has two layers.  For the bottom cake half, combine the cake mix, 1 egg, and 1 stick melted butter in a large bowl.  Make sure your butter isn’t hot or else you’ll make scrambled eggs and we don’t want that!   Mix well.

It will form a sticky dough ball.

Pat into the bottom of prepared pan(s).  The recipe calls for 1 (13x9x2 inch) pan.  Because I made these cakes for a bake sale, I used smaller disposable pans.  It doesn’t change the recipe at all.

Next, you make the filling or second layer of the cake.  Beat the softened cream cheese with your electric mixer until it’s smooth and fluffy.

Add the eggs and vanilla and mix until combined.

Then you add the box of confectioners’ sugar and combine.  I add it a little bit at a time, so it doesn’t make a big mess.

Lower your mixer speed and slowly add another stick of melted butter.  Mix well.  It isn’t called a butter cake for nothing!

Fold in 1 cup of toffee bits.

Pour the filling over the cake mixture and spread evenly.

I like to sprinkle the remaining toffee bits on top of the filling.

And now, they’re ready to bake!

Bake for 34-45 minutes.  You want the center to still look a little gooey and jiggly.

Let them cool completely before serving.  Slice into small squares.  It’s a rich cake and little goes a long way!

Enjoy!

 

Ingredients:

Cake:
1 (18.25-ounce) box yellow cake mix (I used Butter Recipe Yellow)
1 large egg
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
Filling:
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 (16-ounce) box confectioners’ sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
1 cup toffee bits (I buy a bag of Heathy toffee bits in the baking section.  I use 1 cup in the filling and the remaining toffee bits sprinkled on top of the cake.)

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a 13 by 9 by-2-inch baking pan.

For the cake: In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine the cake mix, egg, and butter and mix well. Pat into the bottom of prepared pan and set aside.

For the filling: Still using an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese until smooth. Beat in the eggs and vanilla. Dump in confectioners’ sugar and beat well. Reduce the speed and slowly pour in butter. Mix well. Fold in toffee bits.

Pour filling onto cake mixture and spread evenly. You can top the cake with the leftover toffee bits.  Bake for 35-45 minutes. Don’t be afraid to make a judgment call on the cooking time, because oven temperatures can vary. You want the center to be a little gooey, so don’t bake it past that point!

Remove from oven and allow to cool completely. Cut into squares. Just remember that these wonderful cakes are very, very rich, and a little will go a long way.

Mine are packed up and ready to for the bake sale!

#choosejoy

Recipe from Paula Deen

Cookie Confessional

This was the most normal weekend I’ve had in ages and I loved it!!  I needed it!  I feel like life has been a whirlwind since Chicago without my regular routine or my regular energy.  So for now, I’m thankful for business as usual 🙂

Saturday

I joined the Run 4 Others group. Everyone is training for different races.  Dave made a great route so we could start together and you could break off and head back to your car for your mileage.

And then there were 3.  Roy and Jenn ran the full 20 miles with me and we had a blast!  P.S.  This was the first long run since Chicago with ZERO knee pain…woo hoo!

Jenn told us the best story about a time when she was really struggling during a run.  She kept having the negative thought, “you’re toast” repeating in her head.  So, she turned it around.  “You’re multi-grain, fortified, whole grain, STRONG TOAST!”  I will forever think of “strong toast” when I’m struggling during a run!

Post-run breakfast of champions…steel cut oats with peaches that my Gran froze during peak season and Coconut Almond Quinoa Crunch…yummo!

Getting into the Thanksgiving spirit…

Sunday

We started a new (free) Sunday morning bootcamp class!  For those in the Nashville area, follow me on facebook for specifics.  This group is no joke.  We started with hill work up a .75 mile climb at a 9% grade.  The view from the top is beautiful!  Then we did an hour of pushups, sprints, mountain climbers, etc…

It was a tough workout, but I had a blast.  We were fired up to run down the big hill to finish class!

Alex (on the far right) BQ’d at Monumental a week ago and did this class this morning.  Crazy!

After class, Jason and I went for a run together.

While the world is excited about their Red Cups, I’m stoked that Starbucks is brewing the Thanksgiving Blend!!!  It’s my favorite of all of their coffees!

So here’s my cookie confessional:  

I have a big crush on the vegan chocolate chip cookies from Whole Foods.  Leading up to Chicago, my cookie habit grew from one a day to FOUR!  I don’t care how many miles I run a day, I have no business eating four cookies a day.

So I’m no longer buying cookies for my house.  If they’re here, I’ll eat them.  Instead, I’ve started making Chocolate Shakeology Shakes.  They taste like brownie batter and are a lot healthier for me than cookies.  (Note: I’m not using them as meal replacements, but as an afternoon snack.)

Most importantly, today (November 9th) is National Adoption Day! My sweet husband is adopted and I couldn’t be more grateful for his birthmother and adopted mother:)

What’s your food weakness? Do you keep it in your house?

What’s your next race?  How’s your training going?

What was the best part of your weekend?

#choosejoy

Big Batch Vegetable Soup

This is my favorite vegetable soup recipe!!  I’ve been making it for years.  It doesn’t take all day and it tastes so much better than store bought.  As the name states, this recipe makes a large pot of veggie soup.  You can substitute any vegetables (fresh or frozen) to suit your tastes.  It also freezes really well.

Here are the ingredients:

Heat olive oil in a large soup pot and add the onions, celery, Italian seasoning, and add salt and pepper.

Cook until the onions become translucent; around 5-8 minutes.

Add the broth, tomatoes and their juice, tomato paste, and three cups of water.  Bring to a boil.  Then reduce the pot to a simmer for 20 minutes.

Measure out 8 cups of veggies (fresh or frozen).  Used fresh potatoes, carrots, mushrooms, green beans, and frozen peas and corn.

Add them to your soup and return it to a simmer.

Cook uncovered for 20-25 minutes until the vegetables are tender.  Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve.

We had Krusteaz Honey Cornbread Muffins with ours (yum!)

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cups chopped onions
1 cup thinly sliced celery
2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
Coarse salt and ground pepper
3 cans (14 1/2 ounces each) reduced-sodium vegetable or chicken broth
1 can (28 ounces) diced tomatoes, with juice
1 tablespoon tomato paste
8 cups mixed fresh or frozen vegetables, such as carrots, corn, green beans, lima beans, peas, potatoes, and zucchini (cut larger vegetables into smaller pieces)

Instructions:

Heat oil in a large stockpot over medium heat. Add onions, celery, and Italian seasoning; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, until onions are translucent, 5 to 8 minutes.

Add broth, tomatoes and their juice, tomato paste, and 3 cups water to pot; bring mixture to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer, and cook, uncovered, 20 minutes.

Add vegetables to pot, and return to a simmer. Cook, uncovered, until vegetables are tender, 20 to 25 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, as desired. Let cool before storing.

I served mine with Krusteaz Honey Cornbread Muffins (a favorite in our house).  Click the link for the recipe:)

#choosejoy

Recipe adapted from Martha Stewart

5 Words or Less

It’s been a full week!  To catch up, I’ve captioned each pic with 5 words or less.  Let’s do this!

Wednesday

Woke up to rain 😦

But crepes made it better 🙂

Before the rainy run

Monkey training.  Soaked post-run!

6 bake sale buttercakes.

Toffee buttercake!!  Recipe coming soon…

Sinema celebratory dinner. CB BQ’d!!!!!

Butternut squash salad and pasta

Sinema selfie in the restroom.

Thursday

Breakfast after 6 hilly miles

Getting excited for Christmas!

Pottery Barn 1.  Jennifer 0.

Girls On The Run Fundraiser.

We take ourselves seriously.

Such a wonderful organization.

End of the night selfie.

Friday

Loving the new Saucony Triumph’s!

Will stop for pretty leaves!

Love me some Olivia Pope!

What are you up to this weekend?

Have you started buying Christmas gifts yet?

Do you run outside in the rain or hit the treadmill?

#choosejoy

The Friday Five

1.  When the DJ Drops Your Jam

2.  How am I just now discovering this?!  Hot Apple Cider Tea and it’s caffeine-free so it’s perfect before bed!!!

3.  Marathons are fun…yes?!!

4.  Because 80’s Aerobics Outfits…

5.  I received an invitation to run Boston!

Happy Friday!

#choosejoy

He said, She said, They said

Red Head on the Run sent me the Liebster Award as a way to get to know new bloggers…super fun!

She included a list of “get to know me” questions.  I thought it would be fun to let my husband answer them about me and then give my answers, too.  Hence the “He Said, She Said” title.

1.  What is your favorite distance to run?

12 Miles (the routine maintenance run that allows you to keep running)

I love a long run…anything 20 miles and up!  For racing, I love the half marathon, because it allows for quick recovery.

2.  Tell us 2 interesting facts no one knows about you (or very few people know).

1.  Plays the violin 2.  You communicate with your Grandmothers every day.

1.  I play the violin.  2.  I used to work in the music business.  It feels like a lifetime ago!

3.  What is your favorite splurge food?

Slice of vanilla cake from Whole Foods

The carrot cake from J. Alexander’s!!!  They serve it warm and gooey.  

4.  What is your favorite running accessory?

Your husband;) Serious answer- your Garmin

Garmin 620

5.  What is your biggest hurdle as a runner?

Tapering- without a doubt!

Rest Days….I basically don’t take them.

6.  What is your favorite thing to do when you are not running?

Cross-Training

Bake!

7.  When and why did you start your blog?

A few months ago, and to share your love of life with others.

I started JenChoosesJoy in August 2014.  It gives me a wonderful creative outlet!

8.What’s your favorite season and why?

Spring, to refresh your summer running wardrobe

Summer!!!  I love the warmth.  I can seriously just sit in my hot car in the summer and let it soak in.  

9.  What book are you reading right now?

Don’t know, probably something about running or someone’s biography

The Gospel According To Coco Chanel (Karen Karbo)

Wonder Women (Debora L. Spar)

10.  What is your favorite place to vacation?

30A

Winner winner chicken dinner…30A!  I love easy getaways to Rosemary Beach or Watercolor Beach.

And now for the “They Said” portion of this blog.  Some of my favorite quotes from Pinterest…

 

 

Tell me one thing about yourself that other might not know.

Do you play a musical insturment?  How long have you played?

What book are you currently reading?

#choosejoy

Ladder Workout and Rad New Tights

Track Tuesday….Ladder Workout!

Monday night prep…

Up and down the ladder…

4 mile warm-up

Run at 5K pace:

400, 800, 1200, 1600, 1200, 800, 400 (400 recovery job between each level)

1 mile cool down

After our hard work, some of our track group went out for coffee. #mytribe

My iphone 5 finally kicked the bucket, so I had to buy a new one.  Amazingly, the transition has been pretty smooth.  I’m always terrified that I will lose my information.   I distrust the cloud!

I received my RunnerMarx shirt in the mail.  He has an awesome Instagram account and he sells these shirt to raise money for KaBOOM (a non-profit organization dedicated to ensuring that all kids get a childhood filled with the balanced and active play needed to thrive). Very cool!  You can order a shirt HERE!

I made a big pot of homemade vegetable soup.  This is my husband’s favorite soup…recipe coming soon!!

I voted! (In my Ultra Dirtbag jacket of course!)

I bought this pineapple painting by Jen Ramos for my music room, because it’s pink and it’s a pineapple.  Do more of what makes you happy, yes?!!

I keep picking up acorns from my front yard and stashing them around the house…I LOVE fall!

Pretty flower by the kitchen sink:)

And lastly, I bought these kick-arse reflective tights from Fleet Feet Nashville this afternoon….swoon!  They’re Nike Flash Women’s Running Tights.

 

And a reminder to be kind to yourself:)

Do you have trouble when you switch from your old phone to a new one? I feel like I always lose notes or pictures, or contacts…

Are you doing speed work this week?  Share!

What’s your favorite kind of soup?

#choosejoy

10 Cold Weather Running Tips and My Fave Cold Gear

Greetings from the frozen tundra of Tennessee.  We get cold weather, but obviously it is nothing compared to what some of you experience.  Here’s a list of cold weather running tips based on my experience.

Cold Weather Running Tips

1.  Layer your clothing.  Wear thin wicking layers so you can add or remove clothing as needed.

2.  Synthetic fibers.  Cotton is rotten.  It holds moisture and will keep you wet.  Synthetic fibers will wick away the sweat.

3.  If possible, warm-up inside to get your blood flowing without breaking a sweat.

4.  Protect your face, head, and extremities.  Wear gloves, an ear warmer, or a winter hat.  About 40% of your body heat is lost through your head.

5.  Try to start your run into the wind and have it at your back for the second half of your run.  Running into the wind after you’ve broken a sweat will only make you colder.

6.  Don’t forget to drink.  You’re still sweating and need to replenish your fluids.

7.  Your respiratory system will adapt to the cold burning in your lungs just like it adapts to running in the heat.  Give your body a few runs to adapt.

8.  Don’t forget to apply sunscreen and lip balm.  You can still get a sunburn during the winter, and the lip balm will help to prevent dry, chapped lips.

9.  Change out of your sweaty clothes immediately after your run, so your body can start to warm up.

10.  Runner’s World has a great “What To Wear” Tool to help you select your clothing based on the weather conditions.  When determining what to wear, don’t forget to pay attention to the wind chill.

Here are a few of my winter running favorites:

Nike Element Shield Full Zip.  The Nike Element Shield Full-Zip Women’s Running Jacket is warm and comfortable with sweat-wicking fabric and a 3-D interior that keeps heat close to the skin. I’ve had mine for years and it’s still going strong.

Lululemon Bang Buster Headband.  I’ve bought multiple colors because it fits so well.  I love that it has a thinner elastic band in the back that doesn’t ride up.

Wrightsock Double Layer Cold Weather Running Crew Sock.  I wear these when my regular Swiftwick Zero’s aren’t warm enough.  I’ve never had a blister from the Wrighsocks and they really do keep your toes toasty.

Saucony Ulti-Mitt.  Convertible mitten gloves.  The gloves are great and you can pull the mitten layer over when it’s super cold.

HotHands Hand Warmers.  On the coldest days, I will tuck a hand warmer in between the glove and mitten layer.  It works perfectly because it warms my hands without actually touching my skin.

Now it’s your turn!

What tips did I forget on my list?

What are some of your favorite cold weather running products?

 What is “too cold” for you to run outdoors?

#choosejoy

Chattanooga

Saturday

They said it would be a cold morning up on Lookout Mountain…they weren’t lying!  It was super windy, sleeting, and I LOVED it!!!

We started the day with breakfast at the Bluegrass Grill while we waited on the sun to rise.

Then we headed up the mountain to run!  Trail running makes me feel like a little kid.  We ran the Big Daddy Loop that goes down the mountain and back up.  I think we connected 10 or more trails to make the loop and we only made 2 wrong turns!  Even though it was sleeting on top of the mountain, the leaves were gorgeous and I LOVED the trails!

We made it back to the top of the mountain with a view of the city.

I’m pretty sure it was a little more running than my husband anticipated, so we went to Urban Stack for veggie burgers and beer afterwards.  He forgave me:)

Sweet potato fries might be one of my favorite foods in the whole world.

We went to our favorite coffee shop…Rembrandt’s

With our coffee in tow, we went back to the room for a siesta…where I may or may not have had a cream cheese brownie in bed.

Before dinner, we did some shopping.  This little store must have known I was visiting.

For dinner we headed to Public House.

Public House has the BEST veggie plates!

Sunday

Breakfast at Milk & Honey.  It was super cute.  Next time we’re in town, I want to go back for gelato.  The flavors sounded awesome! (Side note: I don’t think the server was picking their nose…I just caught them in a bad pose.)

Their oatmeal and housemade granola were so good!

After breakfast we went for a run around town and made sure to stop and watch the regatta.

Blue sky and fall leaves…perfection!

Before I knew it, it was time to pack up and head home.

I took advantage of the car time to finish up the recipe for Baked Caprese Quinoa!  Gotta love MiFi.

The good news: I got to see my puppies and this month’s Picky Club order arrived….love the new packaging!!

The bad news: My husband is a thermostat nazi and we came home to a freezing cold house.

Are you a thermostat nazi, too?  If I move the temp, he’ll follow behind me to adjust it.  Married life for the win!

Are you having cold weather too?  Fall leaves?

Did you race or long run this weekend?  Share!!!

#choosejoy