Since we had an extended winter here in the northeast, it seemed only fitting to extend our spring break until it was actually spring. In my time away I saw Pink, a brawl at Fenway Park, Myrtle Beach, sort of overcame my fear of flying, had my longest bike ride ever and NatRunsFar stayed for a weekend. It’s been a busy three weeks!
Running on the beach is possibly the best thing ever.
WEEKS OF APRIL 16-23, 2018
RUNNING
Running on the beach in South Carolina is hands down the best thing I have done in a long time. I absolutely love running with a view and, this time, my husband and sons even ran with me. I’ve been doing a ton of long runs, speed work, tempo and recovery runs over the last two weeks so I won’t bore you with all the details. Just know, it’s been epic.
Running with my Vaughn who wanted to race! He is getting so fast that I almost don’t have to slow down anymore. Almost.
Longest run: 10.7 miles
Shortest: 5.46 on the beach in strong winds
Best: Every run on the beach, even in strong winds
Worst: 8.02 miles with pick-ups on dead legs the day after my 51.3 mile ride
CYCLING
I’m really hoping that every ride from now until October will be outside! I check the weather at the beginning of the week and schedule my rides around anything above 50.
Happiness is…
I was pretty intimidated by my first 50 miler on the bike considering I will have to do that plus a swim and run in just a few weeks but my first one was stellar!
Then I actually rode the course for the race which has a significantly larger elevation gain (3,950 feet). It was windy, at one point it rained, the sun came out for a bit and then I got lost…and it rained more. I was yelling swears into the wind, cursing my local weatherman (I’m talking about you Bob Maxon!) but ultimately, just shy of four hours alone on my bike, I made my way back to Claire (my cursed car) and then ran for 10 minutes since I had to get home for the boys. #firstworldproblems
My legs were DONE but mentally I crushed the course and rode my longest ride ever. I’m going to call that a win!
Longest ride: 58.7 miles
Shortest: 10.3 miles of active recovery after a 3,500 yard swim
Best: Anytime I was outside
Worst: About 20 minutes of that long ride when I was lost and it was raining!
SWIMMING
I thought I might be able to get in some open water swimming in South Carolina until I saw about 50 jellyfish the size of my head, washed up on the shore during a run. That, plus 15-20 mile an hour winds and 65 degree days made that a no-go.
Once back home, I made up for my time in the pool and I’m pretty sure I’m going to have to do at least one open water swim before my big race. Is it possible to get a heated wetsuit?
I decided to just drink margaritas and look at the water while I still could. Too bad my Garmin doesn’t have a “drinking” activity to track my sips.
Please tell me my arm is not as big as it appears! WTH?
Longest swim: 3,500 yards with lots of repeats!
Shortest: 2,500 yards – continuous swim for 30 minutes
Best: Does sticking my toes in the Atlantic after my runs count?
Worst: “Hypoxic” drills where I try to only breathe every 7th stroke for 50 yards. My coach wants this to simulate race conditions when you swallow a mouthful of water and can’t breathe right away. Why am I doing this again?
THINGS I LOVE
Where to start?
If you ever have the opportunity to see Pink, do not hesitate! She is an incredible performer, woman and mom. I love her message as much as her music and her show was one of the best I have seen.
Plus, there was stuff like this…
Source: Pink’s Insta
We traveled to Boston with the boys where we went to the Science Museum and took in a Red Sox/Yankee game. There was one bench clearing staring contest amongst the teams and then, another actual brawl. I mean, seriously? Why is fighting the go-to for men? I’ve never seen this on women’s teams. Dumb.
Luckily the boys only saw the first, non-physical confrontation and were in bed for the second. #nightgame
They also turned nine and it’s killing me! Stop growing please!
Then, Nat showed up! She lives in Los Angeles and had an opportunity to hitch a ride across the country on a private jet (for real!) so she could spectate the Boston Marathon. Naturally she said yes and we were happy to host her. It was a pretty cool weekend and Nat even got to see our horrible weather first hand. Lucky her.
Having a great dinner, wine and chocolate cake!
Of course Des Linden won the Boston Marathon and it was all around amazing. I was tracking her epic win on Twitter at the gym and crying while a few elderly gym members looked on. Awkward.
THINGS I DON’T LOVE AS MUCH
Hearing the words “we have a problem dear,” from my husband in Las Vegas.
The “problem” was he was supposed to be flying with me and the kids to Myrtle Beach but was stuck in Las Vegas, meaning I would be flying with the kids alone and possibly scarring them for life if I had a panic attack mid-flight.
Oh and it also happened to be the morning after a freaking engine blew out on a Southwest flight and almost sucked a human out of a window before killing her! WTH? #ThereIsNotEnoughXanaxInTheWorld
They have no idea what may happen once we get in the air.
I’m happy to report that I acted like a normal human on not one, but two flights (actually four total if you count the trip home) as if flying is totally safe. Imagine that? I think the Southwest accident actually made me feel better in an odd way. If those pilots (obviously one was a woman) safely landed a plane with a blown engine and a gaping hole in the side, then I should probably not worry too much about turbulence.
RANDOM PHOTO OF THE WEEK
I’m cutting this one a little short since you’ve probably had enough. Plus, I’m currently reading Red Sparrow by Jason Matthews and kind of just want to stop and watch the movie. The book is fantastic but I’m dying to see Jennifer Lawrence kill it on screen.
Anyway, back to this…
Apparently, squid hats are all the rage.
Here’s to getting back to reality and finally seeing some spring temperatures!
[Tweet “The Rundown is back from the longest spring break ever with @pink concert, a Boston brawl and visit from @natrunsfar”]
How have you been?
Tell me about your spring break!
I like your thinking lady – extend spring break till spring arrives. Too bad there was ice on my windows this morning. Why?!? And watch Red Sparrow! Saw it over the weekend. It was crazy good!
I saw it was snowing in parts of NY so I’m So glad for our “nice-ish” weather right now!! And I can’t wait to see the movie so I will probably ditch the book soon 🙂
I’m pretty sure that if you wear a squid hat on a plane that it is forbidden by the universe to crash. JSYK
I’ve been to one NFL game and will never go to another because it wasn’t enjoyable at all and we essentially saw enough white trash to fill a city dump. Include a woman fighting a man in the mens restroom.
You are filled with useful info my friend!! Thank you! And I so hear you on sporting events with the masses. It’s a disgusting business.
Well you know that I am Yankees obsessed and when I saw the brawl on TV my first reaction is “OMGGGGGGG Allie is there that is soooo coooooooooool” hahahaha I grew up watching yanks/bos brawls sooooo to see one live is on my life bucket list!! So amazing that you got to see Nat!! That weather was something else!! Kudos to you for not losing your marbles on your flights home with the kiddos!!
LOL! That is too funny!! It was kinda weird watching it in real time, especially since we were WAY up in a booth. And yes, seeing and hanging out with Nat was so fun but I felt so badly for her with the weather for the marathon. She’s a delicate L.A. flower, after all 🙂
Glad you’re back in the blogosphere–I missed your rundowns! I’m kinda jealous that you were able to have an extended spring break. This year I only had 5 days! boooooo!
How fun that you had Nat with you–I saw her photo of that private jet. Pretty sweet! That’s the way to travel, if you ask me. I also cried when Desi won and my husband thought I was a total weirdo.
Also glad you managed your anxiety very well on your flights– it’s amazing how we can pull it together when we have to, especially when our kids are around.
Thanks Wendy!! And, if you felt a burning sensation in your ears it was not your RA but Nat and I talking about how awesome you are 🙂
If Nat had not been with us for the marathon, my husband would have been completely unaware of it.
Thank God we had nice, smooth flights when I was with the kids because I lost it on the flight home from Cuba last year and had to move seats quickly!! But yes, we can pull it together when we have to!
Those high-mileage bike rides!!!!! And I love your kids running with you…. I can’t get running to stick with any of my kids more than for a short time… maybe eventually my youngest will revisit it.
Those rides are insane!! Luckily this week I will have some company because I am DONE with the solo 3+ hours on the bike.
My fingers are crossed that at least MILES will run all the miles with me someday…
Squid hats ARE awesome lol. What a great spring break! Pink is seriously amazing and she does not get enough props for her performances. Way to get in that long ride outside and for persevering even after the rain and getting lost! Traveling is already stressful so you get bonus points for doing it with two kiddos and keeping your cool!
Those hats were too funny and made the kids so happy. Win/win. And yes, that ride definitely tested me but now I feel like I can handle anything on race day…hopefully.
I have a serious flying phobia and regularly have panic attacks in the air, so I was doing everything to keep it together. Luckily we had a very smooth flight to Detroit where my husband met us before flying to Detroit.
Welcome back!! I missed your posts! I’m happy you had a fantastic spring break and can’t wait to see how your 70.3 goes soon!
Hey woman!!! Thank you!! I’ve been missing your posts but I know there is a big fat awesome recap in your future. Congratulations on the NJ Marathon!!!!
I love that you were “yelling swears”, such a Mom way of phrasing it, lol! And big kudos on holding it together on those flights with the boys solo!!
Glad to see that you’re back with the entertaining posts! Sounds like some good training there…bring on the 70.3!
I totally understand about the flying thing. I am a nervous flyer and not only flew to and from Boston a few weeks ago (3 hours each way), but also had to fly to and from San Francisco for Big Sur this past weekend (over 5 hours each way). I was so ready to get off of the plane every time. Better than driving, I guess.
I always tell myself it’s better then driving but sometimes, on a rough flight, I would much rather be on the ground!!
what an awesome 3 weeks!!! running on the beach with your family sounds like a total dream come true 🙂 i’d love to check out South Carolina and North Carolina come to think of it! your training looks like it’s going super awesomely well! I can feel the burn in my ass and my crotch just looking at your cycling route and stats LOL. oh yeah feel the burn. you will definitely rock it out.
what have i been doing, what i have NOT been doing. left one job, started anotehr job, found an apartment for us to move into in 1 month from tomorrow, hubby starting new company… still in negotiations… shit is just happening all around us and it’s great. no time like show time! carpe dieming the f$ck outta life
LOL – you are “feeling the burn” in all the right places and it’s not pretty! I also got a ridiculous sunburn on my back from being out in 90 degree heat for 3 1/2 hours 🙁 And omg – what are you NOT doing is right!? Keep going strong because I know you love it and somehow keep it all together!
It’s great to have you back! What an awesome three weeks – those are some intense long bike rides! I can’t handle professional sports games for that reason – fans and the players are too rowdy. That is so great you got to spend time with Nat! I really wanted to see her after CIM this year but I felt like warmed over crap after that race (even though the race itself went super well). I wish I had bucked it up!
Thanks Laura and yes, the rides are long and intense but confidence building!! And spending time with Nat without a race involved was kinda amazing, I have to say!!