The Friday Five

1.  Apple iWatch. I know it doesn’t have GPS.  I know it won’t replace my Garmin.  I know it’s still 5 months away.  It still looks so cool and I can’t wait to buy one!

2.  Major Girl Crush…Vogue did an interview with Christy Turlington Burns about running the Chicago Marathon.  She is running to raise awareness for her non-profit Every Mother Counts.  She has also partnered with my favorite running brand, Oiselle to create apparel for EMC.  Guess who else is running Chicago?  Me!  Do you think she wants to run with me and become friends?!!  Read the article HERE.

3.  Every night before bed, I drink a cup of chamomile tea to unwind and I have a new favorite from Dean & Deluca.  It’s a sweet and floral herbal tea made from chamomile flowers harvested in the winter months in Egypt.  Basically…it’s really good.

4.  The sun is rising a little later and setting a little earlier.  It’s so important to run with a Road ID!  (Coupon Code Below)

I prefer the Shoe ID.  The Shoe ID is a lightweight, Velcro walking or running ID. In fact, it’s great to wear anytime and is a popular ID for kids. Includes a 3M reflective strip for high visibility. Peace of mind is standard and the ID plate is interchangeable with the Wrist ID Sport. Go!

To save 15 % off all ID Products use COUPON CODE: DU68M4N98S

5.  Teaser: I am currently baking these cookies and my house smells like Autumn! Recipe coming soon.

There’s a lot of joy in this little container.  PS. My label maker also makes me very happy:)

Happy Friday!!

Who’s racing this weekend? Long run? I love to hear about it!!

#choosejoy

Steady State

Coffee date to start the day.

Oiselle flystyle.

I broke in my new Saucony Kinvara 5’s. I have loved this shoe so much.  Today’s workout called for a 10 mile Steady State Run with my goal pace being between 8:00-8:10 pace.

The hot wind felt like Mother Nature turned on her hairdryer.  2 more sleeps until the cold front reaches TN!!!!!!!!!!!! (Can you feel my excitement?!)

From Runner’s World on Steady State Running…

After warming up for 20-30 minutes, run the workout at a continuous marathon effort. This intensity is somewhere between an easy run and a tempo run. Most runners run the steady state run too hard. It’s designed to be an aerobic workout, not a heavy breathing workout, and to fatigue you with the duration of the run, not the speed. Cool down for 20-30 minutes to make the total run last 90 minutes to 2 hours. Start with 3-4 miles at steady state pace and build to 8-10 miles by adding 2 miles to the steady state run each week. Psychologically, the steady state run develops the mental toughness to stay engaged in the half marathon as you reach the later miles.

Post run juice…yummo!

I did a quick change and headed to Orange Theory for some cross training.

I even biked (thanks to some inspiration from The Hungry Runner Girl)!  Excuse my craptastic action shot.

For lunch, I picked up a giant green smoothie and vegan raw protein bar from The Juice Bar.

My t-shirt du jour…thank you Fleet Feet Nashville!

And, I ended the day with a 5 mile 2nd run with the hubs:)

Both of these found me today.

It’s like the universe is trying to tell me something;)

Style Blueprint sent out a blog today about 10 Tips To Help You Kick Procrastination.

The 2 tips that work best for me are:

1) Use a planner

2) Reward yourself! (Although, I’m learning that my rewards shouldn’t always be food.)

Are you a procrastinator? Which tips work best for you?
Do you do juice cleanses? Are you able to run on those days?

#choosejoy

Track Tuesday

Dark, foggy, and 100% humidity at the start of today’s track workout.

3.5 mile warm-up

drills

4 mile repeats with 1 minute rest between

2 mile cool down

When the sun finally rose, I glowed like my shoes!

I can’t wait for the cooler weather that is arriving later this week!

So excited to wear this sweatshirt

and I have a crush on these Oiselle pants from today’s fashion show!

Haircut day.  Color and trim.

Goodbye roots…and grays

Salon guilty pleasure

Free weights at home

For dinner, I decided to experiment with this new-to-me black bean pasta.

I made a tex-mex spin on dinner with beans, peppers, tomatoes, corn, cumin…

And, topped it off with some cheese and avocado…tasty!

What are your guilty pleasures? I love all of the Real Housewife shows!
Has the weather cooled off where you live?
What is your speed work this week?

#choosejoy

Life Lately & Reasons To Hire A Coach

Tuesday
I had a bad case of post-race heavy legs from the Franklin Classic.

It was a not-so-exciting day of laundry and errands.

The highlight was this Mexican Brown Rice and Beans Casserole…

With my favorite white chocolate macadamia nut cookie sandwich from Christie Cookie!!!

Wednesday

Crepe Date Wednesday.  It’s a thing in our house.

Wearing my new Run 4 Others tank!

I left breakfast and headed out for my run.  Progressive 9 miles.  (9:10, 8:31, 8:16, 8:13, 8:12, 8:12, 7:58, 7:49, 7:50)

I went home, changed into dry clothes and headed out to my weights class.  Unfortunately, it was cancelled.  So… I pulled up the OrangeTheory schedule and signed up for their lunch time class. It would have been so easy to just go home, but I knew I’d feel so good after a class!

I am loving my Oiselle Hail Mary Mesh Tank.  It’s so hot right now and it’s sheer and loose. Not so sheer that I feel like I need to suck it in, though;)

Quick dinner at Moe’s. I promise there’s a salad under that cheese. I love that Moe’s offers tofu.

Reasons to Hire a Run Coach:

I’ve always been a little embarrassed to talk about having a personal coach…like coaches are only reserved for fast, elite runners.  But it’s just not the case.  Those who run with me know that I love to improve.  I’m grateful for training plans that help me be the best me I can be. Coach Mark Hadley at Maximum Performance Running has created multiple plans for me with that in mind!  I should note that he coaches some incredible runners including his daughter Alana who qualified for the 2016 Trials with a 2:41 Monumental Marathon!!!

After last weekends 10k and 5k races and this weekends upcoming half marathon, I’m feeling appreciative for my training plan.  My coach was able to work-in these races smack in the middle of my Chicago Marathon training.

No one-size-fits-all online generic plan could accomodate that.  My coach did.

Here is a great list from Coach Hadley on the benefits of a coach.

1. Knowledge – A professional running coach is someone who has studied and continues to study all aspects of the sport in great detail. Being knowledgeable about the sport and how to train for it is how they make their living, so their level of expertise in this area will usually be beyond that of a most runners. The professional running coach focuses on what we should do, and why we do it, and when we should do it, which leaves the runner to spend their energies focused on the actual doing of it.

2. Experience – The frame of reference for a running coach is larger than that of most any single runner, simply because they have seen more situations through all the athletes they have coached. Additionally, coaches are trained (or wired it seems) to analyze the various experiences they have with different athletes and different situation, and it is this analysis of these many and varied experiences that helps them continue to raise their knowledge and frame of reference in the sport.

3. Objectivity – Many runners find that they are too close to their own training and racing to stay completely objective as to what they should or need to do to be effective. But a running coach has the right blend of familiarity and distance necessary to remain objective about the situation. This point has even prompted many coaches to hire a coach themselves to handle their training.

4. Accountability – Having a running coach provides an additional level of accountability that many runners find both motivating and helpful. On days when they are having trouble getting out of bed for scheduled morning run, or are feeling impulsive and considering deviating from the training plan, knowing that they will report in to, and get feedback from, their coach provides a level of accountability that can motivate the runner and help reign in impulsive behavior.

5. Customization – Generic programs found on the internet, or in a book, generated by a computer/app, or used by large charity focused training groups, lack the individual customization that is necessary to help a runner realize their potential and meet their goals. A personal running coach can take into account the strengths and weaknesses of the runner, and make adjustments for the personal situation (work, family, travel, life, race schedule) of the runner. This is something generic programs just can’t do, that often leaves their users scratching their heads, unsure how to best adjust it themselves. The failure rate of runners on generic programs is vastly higher to that of runners using a running coach who has designed for them a custom program.

#5 is my favorite!  Sometimes I am training for a PR.  Lately, I’ve been working on increasing my mileage base worrying less about speed. Back in the spring, I emailed Coach and asked him to help me train for a fall road marathon.  (I wasn’t even sure which marathon at the time!) My request: I want to still enjoy running…I don’t want to burn out.  My plan includes track, tempos, steady states, fast finishes, surges…lots of creative workouts to keep boredom at bay. And, he gives me specific pace goals for each workout!

***I should mention that we’ve never actually met. However, coach had me fill out an extremely thorough questionnaire before we began working together.

Coach Hadley also offers some great nuggets of wisdom on his facebook and twitter accounts.

Do you work with a running coach? I’d love to hear about your experience!

Are you a frosting or cookie/cake person? The frosting is by far my favorite part!

Do you have any experience running back to back races?

#choosejoy

Drop Week…BOOM!

Because of a big Labor Day race, my Chicago Training Group didn’t have a formal training run on our schedule.  This week also happened to fall on a drop week, and my long run called for 16 miles.

I ran 4 very dark solo miles.

I love that my Cocogo packets fit in my handheld sleeve!  Lemon Lime kept me hydrated today.  Cocogo is offering free shipping through Labor Day.  AND…you can use my discount code: JENCHOOSESJOY for 10% off your order!

I met these ladies for 8 miles.

The sunrise was spectacular!

We had awesome zucchini muffins baked by Lauren…I love friends that bring baked goods to a run!!!  I brought these little bags of granola for everyone.  Apparently, food is our love language.  (I’ll post the granola recipe this weekend.)

Then, I headed out to run 4 more miles.  I got super lucky and ran into the Run 4 Others training group. They were kind enough to let me jump in with them and I ended up with 17 miles.  I’ve said it a million times, but I feel so blessed to have this incredible run community!
I loved that today’s run was so relaxed. No set pace. No preset routes. Just great company. I don’t want every run to be loosey goosey but this was a nice reprieve. Also, when did 17 miles become my relaxed drop week?!!  Progress is beautiful!

After an ice bath and shower, I propped my feet up on my porch swing in my LF Oiselle sweats.  They are so comfy!!

 

After some rest, I went to Fleet Feet to pickup my packet for the Franklin Classic.  I signed up for the 10k and 5k.  With a broken toe, I won’t be speedy, but I still plan to run it for fun.

Of course I needed to buy this cute Nike pullover. It’s impossible for me to go to Fleet Feet without buying something.  Who’s ready for crisp fall running?!!

We went to Costco and I couldn’t resist this black bean “pasta”.  I have no idea what I’ll do with it,but curiousity got the best of me.  Side note: do NOT go on a Saturday afternoon. It was a zoo.

When I got home, I had to ice my foot.  It was a little cranky from my long run:(  Just another reminder that I won’t be racing on Monday.

We had a Mexican dinner with the tastiest blackberry margarita!

And a slice of birthday cake from Whole Foods…just because.

And then…Lauren Fleshman favorited my tweet!  I am definitely a big nerd.

I hope you’re having a super long weekend!

Have you tried Black Bean “pasta”?  Let me know if you have ideas for it!

Are you a COSTCO or Sam’s Club shopper?  Those stores are always crazy and stress me out.

#choosejoy

The Broken Toe Shuffle

After an amazing time at the Cumberland Plateau Stage Race, I had a big as yo face taco salad.  I was craving salt and just wanted to lick the salt off of my chips.  That’s not gross right?

Came home, unpacked, and then I clumsily dropped my laptop so the corner landed perfectly on my pinky toe. My whole body fell to the floor. I’ve stubbed my toe before and that hurts. This was an all new pain.

It swelled and turned black. As a runner, I know black toes.  This is an all new black toe problem.  It’s a broken toe problem:(

My laptop obviously did not get the #choosejoy memo!

Oh the irony of running a stage race completely uninjured and then breaking my toe while unpacking.

I limped around, drank some wine, and unsuccessfully tried to sleep.

I woke up this morning and decided to take an easy jog with my hubs to see what I was dealing with. I’m calling my new form “the broken toe shuffle.”  It’s about an 11 minute pace, and I managed 7 miles.
Then went to Body Pump. Shoes are not my friend so I did it barefoot.  A big THANK YOU to my trainer Jennifer Nichols for accommodating my gimp toe!

My Montrail flip flops have been my best friend today.

After a week’s worth of travel, I was so happy to have my regular strawberries with mache rosettes salad.

I did my best to sit for a bit and ice. I hate having to sit still.

I was in the midst of a small pity party when Runner’s World featured me as their RUNootd!  Odds are that I will never be featured for my running, so I’m happy to be on their site for my outfit!  I’m rocking my FlyStyle in the Oiselle Winona Tank and Mac Roga shorts.  It was the perfect pick-me-up!

 

Like I said, I’ve missed eating at home, so I was excited to cook one of our favorite dinners. I made a quinoa enchilada bake. I’ll start working on the recipe post later tonight.  Check back tomorrow for the recipe…you guys should really make this one!

And lastly, no meal is complete without some vegan chocolate chip cookies from Whole Foods!

Have you ever broken a toe? Did you still run? How long did it take to heal?
Do you crave salt after racing?

#choosejoy

DC Day 1

For our first day, we booked an 11 mile running tour through City Running Tours.  We needed an early breakfast, so we opted for ease and ate at our hotel.

 

We had a lovely view of the Potomac.

Shockingly, I had oats with berries.  Isn’t it sweet how they tucked my English muffin in it’s own little blanket to keep it warm?

Pause to enjoy the beautiful flowers in the lobby…orchids and hydrangeas.

 

We met our guide and ran through the National Mall, Downtown to DuPont Circle, through Rock Creek, Georgetown, George Washington University, etc…You get the point.  We ran a lot!  When I travel, I always check to see if I can book a running tour.  I think it is THE BEST way to learn your way around a new city, get a history lesson, and get some recommendations for your stay.

How stunning is our Capitol?!  Awe inspiring.

Oiselle Mac Roga, Cross Top Mesh Tank, and Strappy Bra.  Saucony Kinvara 5.

We opted for lunch at the Tortilla Cafe by the Eastern Market and stopped for gelato at Pitango (espresso and vanilla…heaven).  I loved this little neighborhood and we happened to catch it when the roads were shut down for a street market.

From there, we decided to walk through the national mall to see President Lincoln.

Another 5 miles, but totally worth it.

 

A bunch of folk recommended Founding Farmers…thank you!

 

They have so many great veggie options….

 

 

 

 

Everything we had was great, but these fried green tomatoes were some of the best I’ve ever had!

 

And no vaca dinner is complete without dessert. I was too full at dinner, so I took this gigantic slice of carrot cake to go. It rocked my world!

Have you been to DC?  Feel free to share your recommendations for run routes, restaurants, activities, etc…

#choosejoy

#FlyStyle

I’m still pacing the Fleet Feet Nashville Fall Marathon Training Group for Saturday long runs.  I can’t tell you how much I love running with this group!  Some of them are running their first marathon this fall, and one of my favorite parts about running is sharing my love for it…hence this blog!

This week’s route did not disappoint!  Lots of up upness for a 20 miler in Percy Warner Park.  It’s such a beautiful park.

It also happens to be part of the Flying Monkey Marathon route with hills galore, so it was bonus training for me!  Check out our elevation from today’s run…

 

My friend JR shared this little nugget of wisdom this morning. Pretty perfect timing!

#FLYSTYLE #1: The Oiselle Kind.  I don’t usually try out new clothing during a long run, but I had a hunch that I would love the Oiselle Distance Shorts. (And by hunch, I mean that every other runner swears by them!) They have pockets for days! You can fit Gu’s, Cocogo’s, your phone, keys…everything you need to go the distance!

 

 

I paired them with my favorite Oiselle Winona Tank.

I rushed home, for an ice bath, shower, and packing.  I decided to tag along with the Mister on his trip to DC.  Most importantly I took time for lunch!  Peach season is coming to an end, so w made sure to eat these two beauties before we left.  It always makes me a little sad when summer fruit season is ending.

We headed out to the airport, but not before being properly caffeinated.

My husband thinks he’s hilarious when he puts the big straw in the little cup.

#FLYSTYLE #2: The Airport Kind.  I really wanted to wear compression socks and sneakers, but I decided to put on my big girl panties and wear “real” clothes.

We arrived, checked in, and made time for some bubbles and cheesecake!

 

 

 

Did you race or have a long run today? How was it?
Do you have any exciting weekend plans?

#choosejoy

Fly Your Flag!

Be you.  Be the very best and happiest you that you can be.  In our house we call it “flying your freak flag!”  We are all weird and I’ve learned that I am  most joyful when I just own my weirdness.

That said…here are a few of the little joys from my day:)

I drive past this farm daily, but it was especially lovely at sunrise today.

I kicked off this beautiful morning with a recovery-pace 6 miles with friends.

Post run Breakfast of Champions. I drink this green smoothie every morning (unless I have a breakfast date). It’s based on Kimberly Snyder’s Glowing Green Smoothie.  Her recipe is my base and then I add whatever strikes my fancy.  This one has bee pollen, sunflower sprouts, a peach, and some pineapple added to the mix.

To take advantage of this lovely morning, here’s where I’m doing my blog “work”. I have a major crush on my front porch swing.

Super awesome mail day…

I am extremely loyal to the Oiselle Mac Roga’s, but I thought it was time to try out their Distance Shorts.

And, I received my new calling cards from Pixelimpress!!

Do you still use calling cards or business cards? It’s such an easy way (especially when I’m training a run group) to pass along all of my contact info.  I’m finding that most people think they’re antiquated.  Oh well…they make me happy!

Snack time…is there a sadder sight?

No worries, because I have plenty of backup! Yes I have a problem.  Check out Coco-Nut Butters from You Fresh Naturals!!

It was also my free Starbucks day…woo hoo!  I spend entirely too much at Starbucks so I love when it’s time for my reward.

It’s always a soy misto for me.  My friend Corrie orders a dirty skinny Oprah.  Just another reason why we’re friends!

This evening I headed back to OrangeTheory Fitness because:

Today’s “all-out” was 12% incline at 10 mph…holy sweat!!!

I seriously love that they email you your heart rate data from the workout.

The mister had to work late, so takeout for one.  Chipotle rocks!

2 workouts today=a late night trip to sonic with the hubs to split a cherry limeade!! Our eyes were bigger than our stomach. Between the two of us, we couldn’t  finish the big gulp.

Most importantly, I ended the day with this sweet girl who lives for belly rubs.

Go forth. Fly your flag, and have a wonderful Friday!!

What’s your coffee drink of choice?  Do you always order the same thing or mix it up?

Are you racing or doing your long run this weekend?  I love reading about your run plans!

#choosejoy

 

 

 

 

 

Rap Music Makes Me Feel Invincible

Those that subscribe to my blog received the draft of this post yesterday. Oops…sorry about that. Here’s the full post. I will probably make that same mistake again in the future. Bear with me.

Let’s talk about today.  It is GLORIOUS!

With my husband out of town, I had my crepe date with Oprah.

She says that the ideal sleep temperature is 61 degrees.  What?!!  I would freeze!

 

Can you believe it’s August?  We are having gorgeous weather in Tennessee today.

 

I couldn’t waste this beautiful weather, so after breakfast I headed out for a TEMPO RUN.

9 miles.  Here are my splits:

Warmup: 9:20, 8:51

Tempo: 7:49, 7:44, 7:39, 7:41, 7:39, 7:41

Cool Down: 8:54

 

My favorite Oiselle Winona Tank! (BONUS: it’s on sale right now…woo hoo!)

 

Seen on my run:  Are these baby turkeys?

After my run, I took a Body Pump class…boom!

 

Trust me, the irony is not lost on me that I am a suburban housewife wearing this tee.  Rap is my jam when I run, so this was a MUST!

 

 

Kara Groucher knows who I am!  Well…not really, but this happened last night.  I totally geeked out!

 

 

And lastly, I have  new item on my wish list: Oiselle posted a pic of these pants…a must purchase for me!!

Do you guys still subscribe to magazines or do you read everything online?  My husband keeps telling me that it’s antiquated to get physical magazines.

Do you listen to music when you run?  What kind?

Do you like it that cold when you sleep?

#choosejoy