13 miles. Started in the dark and finished in the sunshine!
Ended at the beach…
And met the hubs at Another Broken Egg for breakfast!
Took some time to enjoy our balcony:)
View from our table at lunch. This doesn’t suck.
Sugar Shak ice cream at the beach is mandatory.
And, a pic before dinner:)
What’s your favorite ice cream flavor? Today, I had cake batter!
Vacation running…yay or nay? Obviously, I love running on vaca.
Have you gone back to work or do you have some time off?
#choosejoy
It was a super fun and full weekend. Here we go… Friday (5 Days Post Chicago) Tank, sleeves, and tights might just be the most magical running weather! 
Beautiful Run! 
I bought lilies for my kitchen that smell amazing:) 
And made a new granola recipe…Chewy Maple Granola (my new favorite)! 
Saturday (6 Days Post Chicago) I met my friends for a 13 mile run. I’m trying to reverse taper. I was still a little sore and 13 was a little too far too soon. On a positive note, I got to run in my new Saucony Kinvara Kona Edition (LOVE)! 
Breakfast after. 
Saturday night our friends were hosting a sushi making party. If you’ve been reading my blog for a while, you might remember that we did a smaller version of this at the Cumberland Plateau Stage Race. It was a blast, so I was so excited to do it again! Our hostess with the mostest, Dar, greeted us with Apple Cider Whiskeys…Fall in a cup! 
Cecilia made this spicy garlic edamame. YUM! 
James gave us a great lesson in making rolls. 
After our lesson, we split up into teams. Each team was supposed to make a few rolls and submit your best for judging. Dar, Laurie, and James had prepped so many wonderful ingredients. We just had to get creative. 
Making rolls is such an art. My team mostly forgot that we were competing and just ate our rolls:) 
Here are the finished products ready for judging! 
I want to send a huge THANK YOU to everyone for a fun night!! 
Sunday I woke up with a cranky knee. I knew that I shouldn’t run, so my husband and I rode our bikes to breakfast. 
Guess what? More oatmeal…yes I have a problem. 
And then went to the gym to lift. I love that he tolerates my blog. 
To end the weekend, we celebrated Lauren’s birthday one more time. 
Friends, cake, and bubbles. Life is good!!! 
P.S. Alex introduced us to St. George Spiced Pear Liqueur. We added it to our champagne and it tasted like grown-up apple cider…SO GOOD! You’re welcome. 
Have you made sushi at home? Did you race or long run this weekend? Share!!! Have you ever had a sore knee after a race? I didn’t hurt during the race, but it started to flare up a few days after. Weird. #choosejoy
First…a huge thank you to everyone for you kind words of encouragement. It means more to me than I can express. I am not an exceptional runner…I just really love running. Thank you for sharing in the joy!!!!
I have another marathon in a month, so I’m doing a reverse taper. Here’s my training this week.
Monday.
3 mile walk plus more airport walking.
Tuesday.
Sore quads. Rainy day. 3 miles of treadmill walking and lots of upper body weights.
Excited to wear some of my Chicago swag!
Wednesday.
6 rainy miles with friends. Slow but felt great…woo hoo! Wanted to run extra but decided to be smart.
In lieu of extra miles, I went to get a crepe instead…priorities:)
Evening Orange Theory Fitness class with lots of time on the bike and rower.
When the hubs is away, the wife will not cook dinner and instead get a tofu taco salad, watch hulu, and eat entirely too many tortilla chips. Such a glamorous life!
Thursday
Special Breakfast Club run in downtown Franklin with breakfast at Frothy Monkey
to celebrate Lauren’s birthday!!! Aren’t Alex and Lauren the sweetest couple?!!
5 miles with group this awesome group!
Breakfast
2.5 solo miles afterwards in my new Saucony Kona Kinvaras!
Here are some great tips from Runner’s World on When To Return To Running After A Marathon.
As a general guideline, I suggest taking three to seven days completely off after a marathon. Sleep in, eat, and enjoy your accomplishment! After that, begin an active recovery program. Active recovery includes light exercise and even some running, if you are not sore. “Light” exercise means exercising at a low intensity level, i.e., no more than 60-65% of your max heart rate for a relatively short duration, less than 60 minutes. Activity actually helps you recover faster than inactivity because it promotes circulation. Good circulation delivers fresh oxygen and nutrients to muscles and carries away metabolic waste and, therefore, aids healing and recovery. Walking, running, riding a bike, stretching, or swimming for 30 to 60 minutes at low intensity will promote circulation and assist your recovery. Massage therapy and foam rolling can also help relieve muscle soreness and assist recovery by increasing the body’s circulation too.
Where are you at in your training? Taper, Recovering, Long Runs?
Do you run with groups? Why or why not?
Favorite Breakfast? Mine is obviously oatmeal!
#choosejoy
Does anyone remember that nursery rhyme? I had to google how to spell jiggety. Apparently, there’s an urban dictionary version of the word. Definitely not what I was looking for! I digress.
I woke up this morning with a post race swagger. Aka, I can’t walk like a normal person. My tweet sums it up…
I wanted to loosen up, so we did a shakeout walk to WildBerry for breakfast…
and a walk through Grant Park.
We went back to the room, packed, and flew home to Nashville.
When we picked up our puppies, they came home with Halloween bows and scarves 🙂 My husband couldn’t wait to take them off 😦
My new Saucony Kinvara 5 Kona’s were waiting on me!!!
I was so excited to wear one of my new Chicago Marathon shirts today!
We ran a few errands and ended the day with some celebratory froyo!
We’re having crazy storms in TN this evening!! After a very full weekend, this rain is going to help me sleep like a champ tonight.
How long do you wait to run after a race?
Do you wait to wear your race shirts until after the race? I’m kind of supersticious about it.
What’s your favorite froyo flavor and toppings? I got cupcake batter with choc. chip cookie dough on top!!!
#choosejoy
We woke up to this sunrise view of Lake Michigan and the race finish line!
We headed to the Runners World shake out run where we got to meet up with our friend and fellow Nashvillian, Al. The run met on The Great Lawn at Soldier Field. We were told to do manly, tough pose. This happened!
Al raised a huge amount of money for Multiple Sclerosis through the Chicago Marathon. It made me SOOOO happy to run a little!!! The weather couldn’t have been nicer…40 degrees and sunny!
Jason and I had to stop for a pic along the Lakeshore path…beautiful!
The run was hosted by Deena Kastor and Bart Yasso. I completely geeked out when I got to meet them!
Jason and I decided to jog back to our hotel and visit the finish line along the way. I can’t wait to cross it tomorrow!
My favorite pre-race lunch is oatmeal…big surprise 😉 We (along with the rest of Chicago) went to Yolk for lunch. It was packed. I had my oatmeal plus a side of french toast. I’ve never tapered this much or eaten this many carbs. I’m curious to see if it helps.
After lunch this happened!!!! I geeked out…again.
In an effort to rest, we rented Lucy in our hotel room.
I was going stir crazy so we left a little early for dinner to stroll down Michigan Avenue
and of course I managed to do a little shopping…loving the Oiselle Portman Pants!
Dinner was at Rosebud on Rush
Where I had this gigantic bowl of pappardelle with tomato basil sauce.
Sufficiently carbed-up, I went back to the hotel to layout my race gear and sleep! Tomorrow we run!!!
How do you carb-up before a race?
Do you run the day before your race?
Do you have any pre-race superstitions?
#choosejoy
Saturday:
This was our coolest temp in months and it showed up just in time for my last group training run before Chicago.
Lots of Saucony Vizi!!
I’m always sad when the training ends. I love the journey so much more than the race. And, my favorite way to run is pacing a group. I love that Fleet Feet gives me so many opportunities to pace 🙂
Every time someone uses a search engine that sends them to my site, it shows up on my blog stats page. Normal searches revolve around running and recipes. This happened…
I’m not sure what is says about me or the person searching! FYI: I never know the identity of the person, so if it was YOU, your secret is safe.
I finally bought mums for my front porch. Lots of yellow for my planters!
After the Depot, we went to Chuy’s for my favorite guacamole taco salad.
We were both worn out and decided to stay in and use our new outdoor fireplace for the first time. I was giddy and bought the jumbo marshmallows for roasting!
Miss Caroline enjoyed the fire, too.
I will now imagine a French Cat every time I read LMAO!
Sunday:
We woke up to this temp…what?!!! Perfect running weather.
I did a nice easy paced run to Puckett’s where my husband met me for breakfast!!
Strawberry goodness on my oatmeal and french toast! (Yes, I ate it all)
We hit the gym together afterwards.
After roasting marshmallows on veggie skewers, we went to REI to up our roasting game…they telescope and turn at the touch of a finger!
Dinner on the Burger Up patio: Salad with a quinoa burger on top and
Check out Jason’s onion ring tower!
At the Whole Foods we discovered Rambutan.
Of course, I bought one. It tastes like a sweet grape.
Lastly, we ended the day with a post dinner bike ride through our hood 🙂
Do you love the training or the race more?
Onion rings or french fries?
Did you race this weekend or long run? Tell me all about it!!!
#choosejoy
My schedule has been so kooky these last few days, but just to recap…
I had to move my long run to Thursday, because I was taking a Red Cross class on Friday and the RRCA Coaching Class on Saturday and Sunday.
I celebrated my long run with Mexican!
Spent all day Friday in this class
With this man.
I am now Adult and Pediatric CPR/ First Aid/ AED certified! (Please don’t ever make me use my training. Cool? Ok. Good!)
Celebrated with this man! (It totally makes sense to celebrate Red Cross certifications with wine, yes?!)
His and hers
Burger Up Cool Springs
Saturday:
The RRCA Coaching Certification Course! It was such a big deal that we were able to get one here in Nashville. I’ve been wanting to take this class for a few years, but they were never offered nearby and the classes in desirable locations filled up quickly.
A HUGE THANK YOU to Fleet Feet Nashville for sponsoring and to Chadwick’s Fitness for hosting!!!
Preface: I don’t have any plans to start coaching, but I wanted the knowledge. I love running, and especially pacing and helping with training groups.
Day 1 Agenda:
Celebrated completion of day 1 (I’m detecting a trend)
Sunday
After eating way too many sweet, snacky foods in class on Saturday, I planned ahead with oatmeal and berries.
Day 2 Agenda:
And bubbles to celebrate completion!!!
I’m worn out. The toughest part was getting a classroom full of runners to sit for two days from 8-5. It was also a challenge to work my run schedule around theses classes. I had to run two-a-days on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. I’m really proud of myself for getting the miles in, and I was rewarded Saturday night with this beautiful sunset.
These classes gave me an even greater appreciation for my coaches. So much work and thoughtfulness goes into helping their athletes.
My next step is to take the final exam. Wish me luck!
Have you taken the RRCA Coaching Course? What did you think? Are you coaching?
Or, do you want to take it?
Did you run/race this weekend? Tell me all about it!
#choosejoy
First things first…I just finished my longest long run in my Chicago training cycle…woo hoo!!!!!!! I was actually really excited for this run and I enjoyed (almost) every minute of it:)
My incredible friends met me at 5am and ran the first 12 with me at 9:20 pace.
I ran the next 11 solo and tried to pick up the pace.
My last mile was at 7:39.
Today’s run gave me the confidence boost that I needed for Chicago.
I can home and drank my cherry juice…great for recovery!
Took an ice bath,
And ate the breakfast of champions: oatemeal with cinnamon and bananas and an English muffin with my Gran’s homemade pear preserves!!!
My friend corrie sent me this hilarious list last night: 15 Things That Only Happen When You’re An Athlete. It’s just what I needed the night before a long run!
I picked a few of my favorites…
When you talk to your friends/ family after a loss
When my favorite teammates reunite after a break. (Side note: my friends and I do this even if we saw each other yesterday!)
When coach is paying for dinner
When the athletic department distributes the new gear.
When my athletic trainer wants me to do rehab after practice.
When I get in the ice bath.
When I finally get food after practice.
When I’m trying to sleep the night before a death workout. (This is me the night before a track time trial!)
When my coach finishes his pre-game speech.
How’s your fall marathon training going?
How far do you run for your longest long run?
What’s your favorite post-run food?
#choosejoy
I spent the weekend visiting with family in Prestonsburg, Ky at the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains.
I wanted to get this run done early, so I would have as much time as possible with my family…and breakfast! I did my long run before leaving town, so I only needed 9 recovery miles. With the fog, the sunrise looked like a fire.
Sunrise isn’t until 7am. I don’t know how you eastern time zone folks do it!
Luckily I packed my reflector vest and I wore all of my bright clothes in the hopes of not being run over by a coal truck.
Also, I sweated buckets! The cold front didn’t arrive until Sunday.
Here are a few pics from my run…
My Nana lives downtown, so we just rolled her down to breakfast. Seeing my my husband with her just warms my heart like you wouldn’t believe.
Even found some oatmeal for breakfast
After breakfast we took a drive around the lake. It’s such beautiful country!
For an afternoon snack and coffee, we stopped by Lizzy B’s…my favorite find!
Smoothies, coffees, desserts and lots of vegetarian options which is a rarity in an area known for it’s country cookin’. They even have a veg sandwich called the Happy Hippie:)
And spent the afternoon watching the University of Kentucky Wildcats…when in rome…
Another yummy meal for dinner at the new McGuire’s Brickhouse.
This was a portobello mushroom sandwich on a crossoint bun with crinkled sweet potato fries…SO GOOD!
Followed by a DQ dip!!! What is it about being in a small town that makes me crave Dairy Queen?
I found this pic in my Nana’s house. Obviously I wasn’t thrilled at the time, but now…my heart is happy.
I hope you all had a WONDERFUL weekend!!
#choosejoy
A huge group of my friends are racing the Franklin Classic 10k/5k on Labor Day. The course has changed, so we wanted to check it out this morning. It was a great opportunity to eat at Frothy Monkey. I wish every run ended with breakfast.
Oatmeal with strawberry and banana…
and a soy cafe au lait.
I stopped by my house to put on dry clothes and ran a few more miles before taking a GRIT class.
I’m a little embarrassed by this pic, but does anyone else’s bathroom look like this after running?
We like to stay at the Watercolor Inn a few times a year (it’s my happy place). These hooks are intended for beach towels and swimsuits, but they are perfection for runners. If we ever remodel our master bath, I want a wall of hooks.
After GRIT class I did my regular Post-Run Routine.
1. After every run, I drink some Tart Cherry Juice Concentrate. I first tried it after reading this article from The No Meat Athlete.
2. I also like to drink some Svelte Cappuccino Protein Shake. Post-workout protein helps speed recovery. It’s vegan, no mixing is required, and it tastes great!
3. After a long run, I drink Vega Recovery Accelerator. Apple Berry is my favorite flavor.
If I’m home, I’ll mix it into my Glowing Green Smoothie. If I’m away from the house, I pack it in my Cyclone Cup and mix it with water.
The bottom unscrews for dry storage of the Vega powder and the cyclone technology mixes better than any other shaker bottle.
I tried to rest a little this afternoon and ice my broken toe. I can tell that the swelling is getting better…yes!
I met my husband for a sushi dinner.
And ended the day with a cupcake from IveyCake.
Do you use any recovery products, shakes, etc…?
Is your bathroom covered in sweaty runner clothes?
#choosejoy
Jen Chooses Joy 