T-minus 3 weeks and counting, so it’s no surprise there was a lot of wine and whining this past week! Training for this race has put me on an emotional roller coaster, and this week had a lot of adult beverages in it, to ease the ride. I know some people don’t drink when they’re seriously training, but I do. Plus, I had a lot of things to toast this week, not the least of which was celebrating 8 years of marriage with my husband, meeting some of my favorite bloggers IRL (in real life), hanging out with Team HMF (Hartford Marathon Foundation) for the first time and Mother’s Day! Bottoms up!
Running and cycling for long durations gives you a lot of time with yourself. A lot. As I’ve said in the past, your mental game can make or break your race and I’m always working on my mental game. Most of the time, I enjoy being in my own head – I can write entire blog posts, I can detail exactly what I need to do for the rest of the day, I calculate milage and predict finish times and, on those really long days, I fantasize about being in Spain with my family, and I just smile.
This week gave me a lot to smile about!
WEEK OF MAY 5, 2014
RUNNING: I got to run in NYC! This is twice in two months people and I’m starting to get used to it. I was hoping to see a lot of other runners out on the West Side Highway, however, the foggy start to the day, coupled with it being just barely 6am, made for very few other runners. I did, however get a lot of stares as I jogged down 29th street toward the water. My GPS also had a bit of trouble (it’s not used to all that stopping and starting for street crossings) that it clocked mile 4 at a 4:15 pace. Yeah, that did not happen.
Total running mileage this week: 21 miles almost all of which were outside – hooray!
Everything was perfect, except the weather.
CYCLING: I spent more time in the spin room (aka: the pain cave) this week, and I’m getting really good at it. I’m starting to think I’m going to miss being in there for 2 hours at a time each Tuesday and/or Thursday. *sigh* I also logged some great transitions (8 miles biking, 1.5 miles running x 3) outside on Mother’s Day which was super fun. Yes, this is now my idea of fun.
Total cycling mileage this week: 97 miles
My makeshift transition area. Very professional.
CROSS-TRAINING: You’re not going to believe this but I was able to swim and (wait for it…) do yoga! It’s a damn miracle. The miracle-makers were Nellie at Brooklyn Active Mama, Cassandre at Losing In the City and Kimberley at Manifest Yourself who hosted A Healthy U conference in the city this past Saturday. Of course that deserves an entire blog post in itself so…more on that later.
Love these ladies! Don’t they just look like fun?
FUEL: Wine and Vega Protein Bars! No, not together but I had a lot of both these week and enjoyed each equally. Now I can confirm I’ve gone off the deep end. But seriously,because of Sweat Pink I was able to review (and therefore eat my way through) an entire box of Vega Recover Protein Bars and I absolutely love them. More on the bars later…
Now, about the wine – I surprised my overworked, totally stressed-out husband with dinner on our actual anniversary (which was a Tuesday) and we celebrated at Vinted – a wine bar in West Hartford. It was perfect.
Cheers to (at least) 8 more years my love!
I also got to meet Brittany from My Own Balance at a very hip restaurant in the city, where I drank alone because she’s expecting her first baby in November. She has confirmed there is only one.
RACING: Oddly enough, this presented yet another wine drinking opportunity this week. Before you call family services, I only had one glass as I was surrounded by my new teammates (and leaders) of Team HMF (Hartford Marathon Foundation) at our first get together this past Thursday. I promise you I am never this social and I was in bed, asleep at 9:30 that night. Lame!
TV: I think my DVR is getting as backed up as my bloglovin’ feed. All this socializing has taken a serious toll on my couch time!
MUSIC: I’m happy to report that I have replaced my iPod and also happy to report that I have barely used it. I definitely use it as my soundtrack to teach my spinning classes, but since my running this week was either at a track, in NYC or during bike transitions – I was white-wire free and loving it!
Running around the track (wirelessly!) on Wed. And this is a picture of my quad, not my butt 🙂
THINGS I LOVE: Massage. Of course, right? Who the hell doesn’t? But, it’s the man who does the massaging that I love, Now before you start to get all creeped out, I’m talking about his calming nature and ability to read your exact state of mind before you even say a word! We call him “Jan the Man with the Magic Hands”…but he has a magic spirit.
THINGS I DON’T LOVE AS MUCH: Trying to type on my laptop, while on the Amtrak from Hartford to Penn station! O.M.G!? I may as well have been on a roller coaster trying to use a typewriter. Somehow I thought these things were much smoother. Nope.
RANDOM THOUGHT OF THE WEEK: It doesn’t hurt to be alert. My sense of security shot up in the city this weekend as I was constantly reminded to “say something” if I see something. I promise, I will!
[Tweet “Cheers! The Countdown to Spain continues with W(h)ine Week. #AHealthyUcon #TeamHMF #VegaSportProteinBar”]
How was your week?
Drink any good wine lately?
woohoo I’m SO excited for you- wine makes you faster and stronger. It’s proven. I said so!
I will now quote you as an “expert” when I write about it in the future 🙂
I just found another thing we sort of have in common – we both have anniversaries in May! Ours is the 18th. Proof that one day we will have to meet IRL. 🙂
And I agree with Emma – wine does make you faster and stronger. True fact.
Now I have two “expert” sources!!
Yes to meeting IRL one of these days and so cool that we share an anniversary month! Happy Anniversary 🙂
Um, I just had my first glass of wine in like a year this weekend! My week was busy! Hoping for less busy this week. We have Am Zoff this weekend so I we are excited over here!
Woot woot!! That’s for wine AND Am Zoff. Can’t wait to read all about it!
Yes, excited that you are going to post about Healthy U and just so sad I could not attend this past weekend. Also, getting excited for you that Spain is only 3 short weeks away. Seriously time is just flying and then some now!!
Healthy U would only been improved upon if you were there. Sorry you couldn’t make it, because it was truly a great event with so many fantastic women!
“She has confirmed that there is only one.” NOT EVERYBODY is as LUCKY as you are Allie! lol 🙂 so sweet of you to surprise the hubby 🙂 I seriously can’t believe spain is SO.close! I am so proud of you, as you already know I told everyone that you represent america LOL I just love saying that!! Can’t wait your your post!! 🙂
I love that you said that – it was too funny!!! And, of course, the first thing I asked Britt was if there may be two 🙂
I can’t wait to blog about the conference. I may even have to split it into two posts – just too much goodness for one. Thanks again and so, so great meeting you!
Happy (belated) Anniversary to you!! So glad that you had a chance to spend more time in NYC and can’t wait to hear about Healthy U! I wish that I could have made it. PS loving your Oiselle shorts!
I wish I could have made it to YOUR yoga class but I didn’t get to the city until almost 6:30.
I am also loving my Oiselle shorts. Best pair I have right now!
Very cool Allie! I would love to meet up with some of those amazing women! Congrats on 8 years! You guys look so cute together! I raise my glass and toast to another awesome week for you.
Thanks Kris!! Someday we will have to meet for sure. Maybe we can run AND have a glass of wine 🙂
Happy Anniversary! 🙂 Your caption on that picture made me LOL! So excited that you got to meet Nellie…she is ADORBS!! 🙂 Lisa and I were just talking this morning about how behind we are on EVERYTHING, blog work included. Why does May have to be SO busy??!!-Ashley
May is insane and, pretty much once I leave for Spain, it may as well be September because our summer is jammed!!! It’s all good but oh-so-busy. And yes, Nellie is beyond adorbs and it was as great as I thought it would be to meet her IRL. Now, when are you southern belles going to grace us with your presence here in the north? 🙂
Three weeks- so close! One of these times we’ll have to meet up in NYC for a run… when I’m not pregnant and when you’re done and running for fun again!
That would be amazing Laura!! Either that or we meet in Hopkinton 🙂
Happy Anniversary!! I bet your husband was so happy that you surprised him. I’m counting down til this weekend when my husband and I are delay-celebrating Mother’s Day with brunch at one of my favorite restaurants. Sans kids. I think a mimosa (or three) is in order!
He absolutely was! And yes, I thought I was being a tad selfish when my husband and I went sans kids to brunch on Sunday but I KNOW you’re not selfish, so I feel much better now 🙂 And I definitely had a mimosa.
Happy (belated) anniversary! Your hubby looked like he really enjoyed your date and wine. After a hormonal, emotional weekend, this pregnant mama could have used a glass. Feel free to count one of your’s as just drinking a glass for me 😉
I will! I hope things improve for you this week. One of my fav mantas – this too shall pass 🙂
I can’t believe it is only 3 weeks till Spain…does is feel like it is coming so fast?!!! I hate typing on my ipad!!! I am threatening to go ipod-less….just haven’t done it yet. I did for awhile almost a year ago and then went back to it 🙂
My week was good….my IT band is feeling better and I was able to get 13 miles in on Sat which made me happy :)…we also went for fro yo and that made me happy too!!!!
That is great about your long mileage – awesome!!…and the fro yo of course. I’m definitely getting used to no music, especially as Spain rapidly approaches (yes, it’s coming way too fast!) so I can focus on my breathing and mental game!
Sounds like a great week and you are almost ready to taper! Woo hoo! You are going to have an awesome trip! I could barely get my butt out of bed this morning and then when I got outside, I walked instead of running! Not good! I need to get my butt in shape…we just opened the pool!
Hey – at least you walked. You could have canceled the whole thing and sat by the pool in this balmy weather!!
Yes, I’m actually tapering a bit this week for the Duathlon on Sunday. I have to admit – I hate tapering.
You are a machine! And I totally want a massage from the magic hands!
Anytime you come to CT, I will gladly hook you up!
Sounds like a great week! I’m sorry, isn’t ANY wine a good wine? 😉 So excited for you and this race!!
Um, yes. Next time I want some with one of those chocolate cupcakes I saw on your post today – WOW!
Haha. Aliie you crack me up! So glad we got to meet up on Friday! You’ll have to come back when I can share a glass of wine with you! 🙂
Also, I hope you had a very happy anniversary dinner and happy mother’s day!
You are on!!
Thank you so much. It was so, so great meeting you and being able to have dinner. I’m still thinking about that shrimp and pizza…and noodles, and scallops…just keep the plates coming 🙂
I am dying to hear about HealthyU, and more importantly, meeting Nellie! Since I know how awesome you are in real life (IRL) and I imagine how she is, I’m sure it was awesome for you two to meet. And get healthy!
The “not a picture of my butt” comment cracked me up. I honestly didn’t think it but I more thought along the lines of, “I don’t know what that is, but mine doesn’t look as good.”
I had a busy week trying to finish the murderous data entry, which is now done! Now to collect my paycheck and use nearly all of it for baby shower/wedding shower/birthday gifts for my pesky family.
Nellie is as amazing as you think and then a little bit more! Truly, so great.
I posted that picture to my Instagram account and someone commented “nice booty!” and I was like no!!!!!! Your comment was a lot funnier 🙂
I’m so happy that you’re done with your data entry. I know that was a beast!! You should really try to spend at least a little on a treat for YOU.
I’m so tired reading this! I can’t wait to read more about everything you talked about. I hardly ever apply for any opportunities with any of the ambassadorships I have any more. I have review overload.
“Review overload” can so happen! I try to only pick ones I know I will use (of course) and very few. I don’t want to be “selling” on my site all the time, ya know? There’s a balance in there somewhere that I know you get 🙂
With all that you do, a little wine and socializing – TOTALLY NEEDED!
Agreed! It was just weird that so much of it happened all in the same week!
We have a May anniversary too! Happy happy to you. I don’t drink wine, although I did have a glass of prosecco at dinner last night. Because a gin and tonic seemed like overkill at a family dinner. One of these days we’ll have to have a drink together! I’m still willing to hide in your duffle and hitch a ride to Spain…
Yes we will Dana!…and a gin and tonic seems right on at a family dinner to me 🙂 I guess it depends on the family – ha ha.
YES ON THE ALERT!!!
Im always on high high as I walk through Oakland in the dark too.
Good for you – especially at night!
OMG – 3 week?! You are going to be incredible!!!
So cool that you got to attend Nellie’s event and meet some fantastic bloggers IRL!!!
Love that you still have a glass of wine even while training so intensely!!!
It keeps my mental game in check. I won’t drink the week leading up to the race…of course I’ll be in Spain so that may be hard!
SHIZZZZZ son! I wish I were doing a Skinny Girl Cocktail GIVEAWAY on my blog this week because I would TOTALLY rig it and MAKE YOU WIN! You deserve this wine! 😉
So do I!!!!
Yep! I have been whining…..in the grumpy sense quite a bit as I question my fitness for my race this weekend, but I did not accompany it by wine….does eating a lot count instead? hahaha! I am glad you have been going without music for your runs, that really is the best way to be! Excited for you! It will all be worth it 🙂
I also have a big race this weekend. Maybe we can feed off each other and get in a better mood for race day!? Good luck!!! 🙂