I’ve been noticeably absent on the ole blog over here the past 2 years - life got busy, what with finishing grad school, joining the BAA, getting hurt, getting a puppy… also, I’d mostly switched away from long-form content on the blog to sharing shorter running updates via Instagram. So, the blog has been laying dormant…
But with the Olympic Trials Marathon just 7 weeks away, it feels like the right time to bring the blog back for a bit for the few of you still reading (hi Mom!). Inspired by my friend Ali’s return to writing, I thought I’d give it a shot too. So here we go - I’ll be sharing a bit more inside the final weeks of preparation for the Olympic Trials — for the marathon, on February 29, 2020, and hopefully for the 10k Trials in June too!
Training
With the Marathon Trials just 49 days away, training is in full swing right now. On Wednesday I ran my biggest marathon workout in over 2 years — 5 miles at marathon pace, followed by 2 x 2.5 miles at a few seconds/mile under MP. I’ve been lucky with the New England winter weather so far and had sunny skies and clear roads for this workout — the dusting of snow we’d gotten the night before had melted by the time I hit the road on Wednesday. I ran the workout on one of my favorite loops in Providence — it incorporates a nice little climb on Cole Street that will be much like the hills I’ll face in Atlanta. The workout was a tough one, but I ran by feel and was very pleasantly surprised with the splits I hit. Training is rockin’ and rollin’ and I’m excited for where I’m at right now. A 20 mile long run on tap this weekend!
On the Menu
I’ve been trying to do some more cooking every week to change up A and my usual dinner of giant salad + some sort of protein. I got a dutch oven on Black Friday and it has inspired me to experiment in the kitchen more, which has been a lot of fun! This week I made Coconut Milk Braised Chicken with Sweet Potatoes and Spinach over Rice from Half Baked Harvest and it was a hit! The turmeric and ginger are both good anti-inflammatories post-long workout. Her recipes are a bit more adventurous than I usually get with my cooking but it’s been good to get outside my comfort zone.
When I’m running high mileage, I’m also craving ALL THE CARBS so this easy sweet potato treat has been my go-to. Simply microwave a sweet potato for 5 minutes (pierce it with a fork a few times and wrap in a damp paper towel). Once cooked, top with butter, cinnamon, a little honey, and Trader Joe’s candied pecans and ENJOY!
What I’m Reading/Watching/Listening To
This week I watched the Lindsey Vonn documentary on HBO and wow did it resonate with me! It chronicles Lindsey’s final season of downhill ski racing and the physical and emotional challenges she endures battling back from injury. Prior to watching I didn’t realize how much her journey would hit home with me — I found myself in tears at times, as my injury-plagued last year and a half shares many similarities with Lindsey’s. It’s a great documentary for any sports fan, but especially so if you’ve gone through a devastating injury. Highly recommend!
On runs and on the bike, I’ve been blasting Spotify’s Confidence Boost playlist - it’s a good mix for dreary sweaty spin bike sessions and grey overcast runs.
Thanks for reading! More from me next week :)