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.Β  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!Β  Bottoms up!

CountdownWhineWeek

Running and cycling for long durations gives you a lot of time with yourself.Β  A lot.Β  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.Β  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:Β  I got to run in NYC!Β  This is twice in two months people and I’m starting to get used to it.Β  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.Β  I did, however get a lot of stares as I jogged down 29th street toward the water.Β  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.Β  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.

Everything was perfect, except the weather.

CYCLING:Β  I spent more time in the spin room (aka: the pain cave) this week, and I’m getting really good at it.Β  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*Β  I also logged some great transitions (8Β miles biking, 1.5 miles running x 3) outside on Mother’s Day which was super fun.Β  Yes, this is now my idea of fun.

Total cycling mileage this week: 97 miles

My makeshift transition area.  Very professional.

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!Β  It’s a damn miracle.Β  The miracle-makers wereΒ Nellie at Brooklyn Active Mama, Cassandre at Losing In the City and Kimberley at Manifest YourselfΒ who hosted A Healthy U conference in the city this past Saturday.Β  Of course that deserves an entire blog post in itself so…more on that later.

Love these ladies!

Love these ladies! Β Don’t they just look like fun?

FUEL: Wine and Vega Protein Bars!Β  No, not together but I had a lot of both these week and enjoyed each equally.Β  Now I can confirm I’ve gone off the deep end.Β  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.Β  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.Β  It was perfect.

Cheers to (at least) 8 more years my love!

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.Β  She has confirmed there is only one.

RACING: Oddly enough, this presented yet another wine drinking opportunity this week.Β  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.Β  I promise you I am neverΒ  this social and I was in bed, asleep at 9:30 that night.Β  Lame!

TV: I think my DVR is getting as backed up as my bloglovin’ feed.Β  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.Β  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 :-)

Running around the track (wirelessly!) on Wed. And this is a picture of my quad, not my butt πŸ™‚

THINGS I LOVE:Β  Massage.Β  Of course, right?Β  Who the hell doesn’t?Β  But, it’s the man who does the massaging that I love,Β  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!Β  We call him β€œJan 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!Β  O.M.G!? I may as well have been on a roller coaster trying to use a typewriter.Β  Somehow I thought these things were much smoother.Β  Nope.

RANDOM THOUGHT OF THE WEEK:Β  It doesn’t hurt to be alert.Β  My sense of security shot up in the city this weekend as I was constantly reminded to β€œsay 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?

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