Halloween Love.

...The decision is actually slutty DEVIL, just so we are all clear.

Halloween weekend.

In addition to getting the work done before my race, and dressing up for my very best friend's engagement-costume party, there are two very important things that need to happen this weekend:

First, these:

Recipe via, picture via

Then this (with marshmellow on top, thankyouverymuch):

Happy (Early) Birthday to me :)

I've been lusting over the jewelery designer Elva Fields for months and months, but it is just is out of my price range - even for a splurge. Was so happy to happen upon these two beauties, which fit the bill perfectly!!

both via

Back in the Saddle....

...literally.

An easy two hours this morning, steady and aero. Was about 49 and gusty when I started - fingerless gloves, capris and a vest definitely not sufficient. But watching the sunrise makes the , pitch black 5am wake up call worth it. I actually love fall riding, and needed this morning to find my mojo again.

Not sure what was up in the park today, but there were two riders down with ambulances and groups around them. My prayers are with them. They say it's not 'if' but 'when' a bike crash will happen, and I feel like Central Park, especially during fall marathon training season, can be an especially hairy place to ride, and I really do count my blessings every time I roll up to my front steps safe and sound.

Crying Uncle

I love a routine. And a schedule. And crossing things off lists. While updating Training Peaks doesn't quite give me the satisfaction of crossing things of a schedule as a big, red sharpie, marking a work-out 'complete' is usually quite satisfying.

However, this week, I am crying Uncle.


Leading up to Syracuse, I committed 6 weeks to fully be in the moment with my training. The hard work payed off, and I never felt over the edge. For some reason, leading up to Clearwater, I feel this sense of pressure that there are 'only' 7 weeks between Syracuse and Clearwater. About 1-2 weeks of this was deemed 'recovery' from my race, which still leaves a solid block of training to work on my fitness and some limiters we identified in my race at Syracuse.

I feel the need to make every weekend and every work out 'count' in a way that I didn't feel leading up to Syracuse. Combine this with stress at work, coaching 2-5 hours per week, a long distance relationship, and you have a recipe for me crying Uncle. At 13+ hours last week, I felt GREAT - comfortable on the bike, highest run mileage all year, and my long 'easy' run was at a pace that surprised me.

Monday, not so much. I had trouble getting my heart rate up on a trainer workout. I was a walking Zombie yesterday, and not surprisingly, my easy hour run turned into a walk/jog/stretch slog. I texted coach 'I need a day off.' I realized it had been almost a full two weeks since my last full day off, and that I NEED to listen to my body. I am actually really proud of myself for admitting this, as I have a tendency to just push through in order to 'cross things off the schedule'. I don't want to see any RED BOXES in coach's training peaks calendar!!

But I realized last night, with the help of the boy, that getting every last bit out of the weeks leading up to Clearwater INCLUDES rest. Letting my body (and mind) recovery and absorb the harder efforts is just as important as the mile repeats that I slept through this morning. In the end, this season has been about finding the limits with my training, pushing these limits, but also discovering just how much my body and mind can take before falling over the edge.

So maybe 'Crying Uncle' isn't the best description - I'm not giving up, or admitted defeat. I'm learning more and more about training cycles, my body and what I can mentally handle and I KNOW I'm going into Clearwater more prepared than any race before.

"If I didn't live in NYC..."

I love this city I have called home for almost the past 5 years, but there are just some days I find myself daydreaming about all the things I could/would do if I didn't live in this damned city.

Yes, the obvious things, such as car/house/yard/dog all pop into mind, but it's the little things that I find myself longing for more often:

1. A Kitchen Aide Mixer. I love to bake. Almost no one knows this about me, because we have about 1.23 inches of counter space in our lovely kitchen.

via

2. Pretty non-practical shoes. My daily commute, WHICH I LOVE, includes roughly 2 miles of walking *unless the bus comes or it's raining or I ran 10 miles that morning*, but it doesn't lend itself to cute shoes: of the heeled or flat, non-supportive variety.

via - um hello, these are CROCS!?

via

3. A grill. A monster one. If I had a grill, I think I would do a majority of my cooking outdoors.

via

4. A TRUNK! Now, this may seem silly, but to a multisport athlete trying to fit multiple workouts in during the day all over the city, you end up carrying your life around in a bag.

What I wouldn't give sometimes for a trunk, or backseat, just throw all the extra stuff: the running shoes, the bike shoes, that extra pair of googles, my make up bag, etc etc, the list goes on. Too many mornings I am left with one sock,two left shoes, and no googles.

OK, maybe I am channeling my 'dream car' want into this item, as well :)

Day in the life...

It's sad that the highlight of my work-week is receiving my long-anticipated lumbar and butt support.


Even sadder is that I was TOLD to leave the office early today (by 5pm at the latest). Why sad? Oh, it's because they are exterminating the bed bugs found in 'various' offices on my floor. (Not my office....yet.)

Ugh.