Category Archives: General Ramblings

A Tasty Weekend Recap: 5 Reasons to Love It All

13 Monday May 2013

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There are some weekends when I sit down to write about all of the healthy, run-tastic things I did, and my thoughts flow as furiously as the flash floods we experienced here in New York this past Saturday.

And then there are some weekends when I focus on other, more important parts of life. Like loving the little things. And family. And food. And fresh air. And all that good stuff.

As you can probably guess from this long-winded intro, this was one of those weekends. Did I run? Sure, on Saturday. After a solid 5-miler on Friday, Noah and I logged somewhere over 4 on Saturday morning before spending the rest of the day in Brooklyn.

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On Sunday, I rested my tendinitis-ridden toe — unless you count scooting around town picking up ingredients for my family’s annual Mother’s Day BBQ. Calories burned, zero. And yet somehow, as I sit here writing this, I feel as though I’ve put my body through a freaking marathon. Errands are tiring!

Anyway, like i said, this is one of those moments when I’d rather focus on the fun — not fit. Herein, the 5 little details that lent to a lovely spring weekend in New York. I hope yours was as delicious (and adorable; you’ll see) too.

1. Homemade breakfast. There are very few mornings when Noah wakes up and says, “Want me to cook something up?” I’ve recently gotten really, obsessively (don’t judge) into keeping potatoes around the apartment. They’re cheap. They’re filling. And they come in incredibly handy when you’re all, man, I could really devour some hashbrowns right now. They made for great fuel before our little 4-mile East River run too.

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2. Funfetti. Need I say more?

Ok, I’ll say a little bit more. I kicked off the weekend with a little funfetti cake in a cup. Probably not the all-time healthiest way to start your Saturday, but then again, not the worst either. It’s not fried, so that counts for something, right? Plus, it’s so pretty. How can you say no to that?

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3. Champagne cocktail. Nothing says it’s the weekend like a fizzy, sugary beverage sipped gingerly on a rooftop in Brooklyn post-mini Saturday run. Cheers.

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4. Fresh mango. Really not sure why, other than the fact that it’s delicious, but I ate an obnoxious amount of mango for some inexplicable reason this weekend. Everywhere I went, I bought mango. Maybe it was to counteract the cake and champagne. And maybe, just maybe, it worked.Picture 5

5. Family time. Aren’t they the sweetest? On Mother’s Day, Noah and I went back to my parent’s house on Long Island, where got the chance to have a little family fun. I love this picture of my dad teaching my nephew about how to pick radishes. Even more amusing was trying to convince him not to unearth plants that were too young. Never tell a 3-year-old not to do anything.

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  • Whether family, run or a massive Carvel cake, what made your weekend sweeter than pie?

Weekend Running Along the DC Canal

06 Monday May 2013

Posted by in General Ramblings, Uncategorized

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This was no doubt a wonderful weekend, filled with decent runs, great friends, and delicious food.

Noah and I left early on Friday to make it down to DC before sunset. The drive wasn’t as bad as it could have been, and after 4 1/2 hours on the road…

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…we found ourselves pulling up to the lush neighborhood in which his family resides. While a somewhat long journey for just a 36-hour escape, the views and fresh surroundings were completely worth the ride. On Saturday, I felt calm and at ease — a mini-escape from the city I love and hate all at the same time so much. (For perspective, see below for one of the many parts I love.)

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As always, my trip to DC involved a lot of sweat. Noah comes from a family that very much values a healthy way of life, and I’m never too worried about veering too far from my regular routine on these intermittent trips down south.

Saturday was the perfect day to get outside and enjoy the season, but naturally, I forgot to bring my sneakers (actually, I left an old pair last time we drove from DC to the Outer Banks in a garbage bag outside of the house we stayed in).

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First thing’s first, we woke up to the sound of birds singing. Do you have any idea how much more pleasant that is than the sound of trucks coming out of the Midtown Tunnel?

After finishing our coffee, we hopped in the car to hit up the local sneaker store, R&J, in Bethesda. Fortunately, they were fully stocked with the sneakers I was looking for — a new pair of the Saucony Triumph 10′s I’ve been loving so much as of late. And as an added bonus, they also had racks of running clothing at 50% off, so I managed to nab a couple of pairs of great brightly colored shorts for spring. I am so excited to try these guys on.

With my new shoes in hand (or on foot?), Noah and I kicked off the day with a short hike on the Billygoat Trail with his parents and dog, Paris. It wasn’t long, and it certainly wasn’t arduous, but it was nevertheless a fabulous way to get moving and enjoy the sun.

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Right after the hike, Noah and I decided we could use a bit more movement, so we ran back 5 miles along the canal to his parent’s house. Straightaways have always somewhat bored me, and Saturday was no different. But on the bright side, a few elements were working on my side.

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  1. New sneakers made a huge difference in how I felt from start to finish. I’d been in dire need of new ones for a while, so my body was definitely happy about that.
  2. I ran all 5 miles with Noah — and at a pretty decent pace at that. If I had to guess, we were probably clocking somewhere around 9-minute miles — fast for me! And to top it off, I spent the whole time telling him how bored the straightaway was making me feel, which managed to make the run go by more quickly. It’s sometimes nice to have a partner to complain to.
  3. The scenery was breathtaking, and I squelched a bit of my boredom by counting turtles on passing logs.

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Then, I lost count.

Anyway, no bad day ever started like that, right? The rest of Saturday was spent wandering around Georgetown, having a nice dinner with his parents, and then celebrating our engagement with some of his best friends from home.

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On Sunday, all of Saturday’s activity made me kind of want to sleep in. Like, forever. Thankfully, Noah’s mom (a runner too!) needed a bit of motivation, as did we. So, we all used each other to light a fire under our asses and mustered the inspiration to log a short, 3-mile run along the canal. Nothing fast. Nothing impressive. But just enough to feel omgsomuchbetter about ourselves.

Forgive me for keeping this weekend recap short, as I’m exhausted from my day of travel back home and still somewhat asleep from last night. All that’s kept me going until now is the nutritious meal I whipped up to enjoy while watching Game of Thrones (John Snow = swoon)…

 

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…and this tasty ramp mustard I picked up at the farmers’ market that I can’t wait to eat up.

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  • Straightaway runs: like or dislike?
  • Ever forgot to pack your sneakers for a trip, so you just bought a new pair?

3 Running Accessories Now That It’s Spring

30 Tuesday Apr 2013

Posted by in General Ramblings, Healthy Living, Running

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I really dislike gloomy mornings these days. Whereas the me of yesteryear could launch my body out of bed in rain, sleet or snow, these days, I’m having more and more difficulty motivating myself to get my lazy bum out of bed at the first sign of a drizzle.

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Man, am I getting old, or just allowing myself to submit to excuses? I mean, I did turn 26 this weekend, but holy crap, I ain’t 80 just yet.

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Like I said, this weekend, I turned 26 years young. A baby, to some. A giant, to others. I suppose, it just depends what point of your life you’re entering right now. Either way, it doesn’t change the fact that I’ve been struggling to keep up the level of enthusiasm I once had for banging out 10 miles on any given Saturday.

This weekend was incredibly low in terms of mileage. For one, Noah and I had to wake up extra early on Saturday to go out to Long Island, grab a car, and drive to my Connecticut House — which turned out to be a blast.

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Still, despite a 9:18 train, we managed to sneak in 25 minutes outside — me, because I couldn’t bear the idea of not running on my birthday, and Noah because he didn’t want to bear the consequences of my attitude if the former should have occurred.

So we ran. It was a short, 2-3 mile run, but it was better than nothing, and so that was that. It was pretty and sunny and full of spring flowers, but 25 minutes later, it was also  over.

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After taking a day off Sunday (I’d deal with a day of rest because I’ve been so good otherwise), I became determined to complete a solid 5 miles around the lower loop of Central Park on Monday. But then Sunday night came. And I, immersed in the crime novel Gone Girl, didn’t go to sleep until after midnight — quite late for a school night. (Editor’s note: If you love Law & Order as much as I do, then I highly suggest you go pick up this book right meow.)

Anyway, by Monday morning, I was toast. You literally couldn’t bribe me out of bed with blueberry pancakes if you wanted to; and when my alarm went off at 6:37 and I opened my eyes to gray, drizzly skies, I decided to press snooze three times, and wound up waking up at 7:13 instead. Morning run, fail.

Then I got to thinking.

Fortunately, on Monday morning, I managed to convince myself to crunch, squat and bend for at least 45 minutes. It wasn’t the sweatiest workout I’d ever had, but it wasn’t nothing either. Sometimes, you just have to swallow your pride and take what you can get.

With an eye toward the future, I got to thinking. I need motivation. I need inspiration. I need a reason to want to wake up and run, like on Friday, when I knew my new Reebok Zig Carbon sneakers were able to lure me from my slumber.

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Save for this morning, the rest of the week looks fabulous — perfect for any spring-loving runner like myself. With a hopeful heart and a conscious mind, I’ve decided to convince myself to get out there; to convince myself to enjoy the weather; to convince myself to be prepared, determined, and of course, trendy as all hell.

So, without further ado, my list of the 3 must-have running accessories for spring 2013. Runners: On your marks, get set, shop!

Oakley Frogskin Sunglasses

I fell in love with these shades from the moment I saw some stranger run by me on the East River wearing the reflective, totally bad-ass specs. I mean, can you say running swag? These things freaking radiate running awesome and cool.

I just had to have the Oakley Frogskin sunglasses once I had them in my mind, and since purchasing, I’ve convinced myself that I made the right choice. A few reasons why you might consider them: They do a great job of blocking the sun, meaning no squinting on my way back east early in the morning; the shades don’t bounce, so they stay snug and comfy for the duration of your excursion; and you’re actually protecting your eyes, as the sun can cause damage over time.

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Sparkly Soul #BostonStrong Headband

If ever you needed an excuse to purchase a glittery headband for yourself, your friend, or a loved one (um, not that we needed an excuse), then consider this proposition. Until May 15th, Sparkly Soul — the beauty and brains behind the coolest non-slip, glittery headband ever — is donating 20% of sales from their blue, gold, and blue/gold headbands, all in the name of justice and peace. The New York-based brand is sending some serious love to its brothers and sisters up north. Stay classy, look cool, and be Boston Strong.

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Hot Pink Handheld Water Bottle

You guys, if you think you can get away with running around on increasingly warmer days without properly hydrating yourself both before, during and after your run, then you need to reassess your plan. That’s dangerous!

Because it’s not insanely warm, spring can be tricky. During summer, you practically have to run with a water bottle in hand. During spring, it’s not as obvious.

I’m not a big fan of the running belt at all, and by not a big fan, I really mean that Noah bought me one three years ago, and it’s been sitting in my closet ever since. But the handheld water bottle is cute, easy to wash, and doesn’t wiggle on your mid-section. If you’ve been wondering how to comfortably carry water or gatorade or electrolytes with you on the go, this little guy is definitely it.

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  • What are your spring running accessory must-haves?