Sometimes it’s the little things that make me happy. Completing my first 20-mile run of this particular marathon training plan felt great, but for some reason, the fact that my mid-week 8 mile runs have come to an end made me ecstatic!
At this point in my training, an 8 mile run isn’t all that bad, but it’s the mid-week part that gets me. My schedule goes something like this: race out of work at 5 p.m. on the dot. Pray the trains aren’t slow or backed up. Race off the subway to our apartment. Change. Gulp down some water. Hit the bathroom. Try to head out by 6:00 p.m. Run my 8 mile run at a decent clip. Get home by 7:15 or so. Stretch, stretch, stretch, and drink some water. Hop in the shower. Get out and get dressed. Race to the kitchen to throw together some semblance of a dinner. Try to be done by 8:30 at the latest so that I can maybe relax for an hour before exhaustion strikes.
Phew, just writing that tired me out. I feel like my 8-mile run nights are kind of fast forwarded or played at super sonic speed. I often think of the warp speed mode in Space Balls…I’ve gone plaid. I try to squeeze everything in and get it all done at a decent hour. And then I collapse. So when I updated my mileage on my training plan last night and saw that it was the last mid-week 8 miler, I did a little happy dance. Next week, my highest mid-week mileage is 6 miles, which is very okay with me. 🙂
Do you ever feel like in your quest to fit it all in your time is super compressed or your rushing around like a mad woman?
Or maybe it’s just me and I do it to myself. I’m one of those people who gets upset if I don’t maintain or beat my commute time to work. That’s kind of sick right? I’m constantly early. For every job I’ve ever had I’ve been “the early girl.” At my first job, a co-worker once called me when his car broke down on the way to work and asked me to tell the boss once he got in. He said he called me because he knew I’d be the only person at the office already. My early-bird ways worked out great when I was getting paid by the hour, but at this point in my career it really doesn’t matter.
Anyway, I have no food photos from yesterday since besides being on warp speed mode, I was apparently on totally forgetful mode as well. But here are my stats from my last mid-week 8 mile run!
Mile 1 – 9:09
Mile 2 – 7:52
Mile 3 – 8:27
Mile 4 – 8:04
Mile 5 – 7:56
Mile 6 – 7:44
Mile 7 – 8:09
Mile 8 – 9:59
Total mileage – 8:00 in 1:07:02. Average pace – 8:22 minute miles.
After my run I threw together a chicken, pasta and broccoli dish that also involved chicken broth, lemon juice, white wine, cheese and butter. It turned out pretty good and I will be enjoying some of those leftovers for lunch today.
I managed to catch the last 1 1/2 hours of Biggest Loser too. And I would like it noted that I became pretty peeved when I saw the new Yoplait Greek Yogurt plug. Sure, I can understand why Yoplait is jumping on the Greek yogurt bandwagon. I’m sure their sales have taken a hit as the Greek yogurt craze took off. But, if you’re going to enter a new market, at least DO IT RIGHT!! There are plenty of other Greek yogurt producers out there that are making natural products that taste amazing. Why would you create a brand new product that is less than the best? Why create a product with Milk Protein Concentrate (MPCs) and other unappealing and unnatural ingredients and try to sell it as being as good and as “healthy” as all the rest. Seems like cutting corners and producing it cheaply to me. And it seems like they put very little stock in consumers being able to tell the difference. They think consumers will see “Greek” in giant letters on the side and dump it in their cart.
I’ll pass thanks.
Sorry for that little rant. I think I gave Biggest Loser a little more credit than that. Their product placements are always a little out of control, but my recent taste-test and ingredient look-up of this new yogurt only fueled my annoyance with this plug. And I’m sure a lot of people out there will try it and like it ,and that is completely fine with me. I certainly don’t eat all natural and/or organic all the time, that is for sure. I’m just saying – why not at least try to make your new product as healthy as possible? Oh if only I were a billionaire CEO. 🙂
Hope you all have a happy hump day!
Eat, Read, Run 
Yeah, I’m really not down with Yoplait anymore. I used to live off that garbage during my diet food riddled lean cuisine/fat-free/snack wells days. Blugh.
Your 8 mile post-work run routine left me impressed (I can barely summon the energy to pick up a remote control after work), but also tired! I can easily see how that type of compressed routine would wear you out!
Yeah I went through the ingredients list of the light Yoplait with my husband last night – absolutely terrible. The Greek version seems a little better, but they should just go all the way.
Yes! I constantly feel like my time is LITERALLY non-existent Between social life, work, exercise…there’s nothing left even to schedule ‘me’ time!! 🙂
Sara
http://eatmanhattan.wordpress.com
Woohoo for no more 8 milers! I know just what you mean about running after work. I stand up for 8 hours at work plus no lunch and it makes it so hard to run when I get home! I’m tired and hungry and my legs feel heavy!
Looking at your stats I’m feeling pretty good about your marathon…I think you’re gonna get that BQ! You’ve been consistently on pace and you’ll probably speed up a little on race day. Are you getting excited about it yet?
Thank you – I really hope so. I have days when I can maintain a fast pace for a while and feel good and then I start to feel confident. But when I have slower days I get a little nervous. Crossing my fingers and gonna give it my all! I’m getting nervous and excited. Just typing about it made my stomach flutter!
I give you major props on the mid-week 8 milers. I think the most I did mid-week during my training was 7…. I think. Awesome job though!
Yeah the product placement on BL sucks. If you notice though… Jillian rarely does any food related products now and when she does its usually something good…. like Larabars. I got into listening to her podcast, which she doesn’t do anymore, but she really crapped ont he show for some of the products they tried to get her to push. She got fed up and refused to do plugs she couldn’t believe in….. so now Bob does most of them. I remember Jillian on her radio show being a big Stonyfield fan….. which makes MUCH more sense!
No more 8 miles….YAY!!!! 🙂 I loved the tapering part of my marathon training! haha!
Knew when I saw that Yoplait segment on BL it would get a response from you!!
I thought of your post about the Yoplait yogurt last night when they showed that. I even told my husband and sister about it. They agreed that it was unnecessary.
And I definitely try to cram in too many things and end up rushing around like a mad woman. I can totally relate.
Hooray for no more mid-week 8 milers! It’s just so much to fit that in in the middle of the week, especially after a long day at work. I know all the training will pay off though, just keep the eye on the prize!
Also, LUDICROUS SPEED!!!