sidebar | life and training 6.30 – 7.6

Aaaand it’s race week again!

Happy Monday, folks. My second 5K of the summer series for which I signed up lies on this coming Saturday. Am I ready? Who knows. But I’ve certainly put in the effort over these past few weeks and feel as prepared as I can be for the fight.

Last night I was considering how, before the June race, I bribed myself with a big fat lobster roll after the race if I executed it the best I could. I need another bribe this time around but can’t figure out what. Tacos and margaritas? Nachos? Pizza? I guess I could go generic and tell myself I can have a big fat plate of something post-race if I give it my all.

Oh well. I’ve got the whole week to think about it.

I enjoyed a lovely, relaxing week. Wednesday, Little Miss Ba and I visited Oxford Exchange again for our favorite muffin and a cappuccino. Nothing new there, but always a chill, lovely time.

The 4th of July (which I’ve already forgotten about and almost didn’t mention here, heh) was pretty nondescript. Our weather was volatile, threatening rain the entire day but not really doing much until 9pm or so. Fucked up the fireworks, though. I can hear the big shows from my house and I noticed that a) the booms started early, and b) they didn’t seem to last very long or be very dramatic. I don’t love fireworks anyway, so it didn’t much impact my experience, but J said a lot of people missed the brunt of the display since no one announced the earlier start time.

I worked in the morning on the 4th and in the evening J and I enjoyed a big ole homemade seafood boil. SO good. We got crab legs, mussels, shrimp and andouille for him, used a premix for the broth, and poured over an assload of Cajun Old Bay butter. We propped up on the couch and watched 50 First Dates. just something easy to have on.

Saturday I met up with my best friend and his wife for beers at Sesh. We hadn’t hung out since April so it was absolutely lovely to see them and catch up. I had a banana cream ale – didn’t taste like banana at all but it was so smooth and crisp – and a teeny little pilsner, and we shared some fried pickle spears for a snack.

J and I walked over to Chill Bros in the evening for our weekly ice cream date. They released a Bonfire S’mores flavor so I knew I had to get it, and it did not disappoint. He got a scoop of mint Stracciatella, which wasn’t bad.

Finally, Sunday we walked to Anchor & Brine for an al fresco dinner. I wasn’t feeling too adventurous so I ordered a shrimp Caesar salad and a side of fries. He got a blood orange margarita that was phenomenal, and definitely something I want to recreate around the holidays since blood oranges are impossible to get right now.

Fun meals I enjoyed: BBQ shrimp with smashed cucumber salad and rice, crispy beef and black bean tacos, pesto shrimp and asparagus (making again this week because it REALLY hit the spot!), and a morning shot of ‘spro with maple syrup because Amazon fucked up my delivery and I didn’t get my pre-workout gels on time.

This upcoming week will contain quite a lot of downtime. I have an extra day off work (summer hour cuts) so I plan to use it for recovery, sleeping in, and a well overdue everything shower. Friday is packet pickup for the race and probably a coffee date with Ba, and Saturday is showtime. If you’ve got any ideas for culinary bribes I can use during my race, give me a shout!

Have a great week, friends!

The Fuck We Cooking This Week?

…Sweet and spicy shrimp skewers.

…A unique and briny margarita.

…FINALLY a peach crisp!

This Week’s Menu

Meatless Monday…Quinoa Avocado Caesar Salad Wraps

Tuesday…One Skillet Blistered Tomato Basil Marsala Salmon

Wednesday…One Pot Lemon Ricotta Asparagus Pasta

Friday Happy Hour…Spicy Strawberry Mojito

Thursday…Peach Ricotta Tarts with Lemon Thyme Honey

Saturday Baking…No Churn Bourbon Salted Caramel Ice Cream

Sunday BBQ…Smashed Hot Honey Cucumber Watermelon Salad

Shops & Wish List

Fashion

Target…Liking this sweater tank (fall preview? Too fucken early, man) and eyeing these cozy jersey jogger pants (moss green or pink.) I’m in the market for a red sports bra for my final two Watermelon 5Ks and am thinking this longline one or this strappy one.

Week in Training

Monday, 6.30: 8.5 miles, 9:33 pace + 35 minute legs

Maybe it was the ice cream the prior night or the 10 hours of sleep Saturday evening, or the 71 dew point against our usual 75+, but I felt awesome this morning. Really surprising. The protocol: 10 x 600m with 90 seconds recovery in between. I was inwardly hoping for 7:20-7:25 as my goal range but kept my watch set at 7:20-7:30, and I nailed each interval. Averaged 7:25 over the 6k of work and ran the final rep at a 7:21 average. Very encouraging!

Strength:

• 3 x 10 squat 80#
• 4 x 10 wide stance leg press 170#
• 3 x 12 curtsy lunge 60#
• 3 x 12 ea. eccentric step down 10#
• 3 x 20 ea. single leg bridge 25#
• 3 x 20 walking lunge 40#
• 3 x 20 ea. explosive single leg jumps

Tuesday, 7.1: 4.25 miles, 11:15 pace + 30 minute upper body

Slow easy miles, actually felt alright outside!

Strength:

• 2 x 10/1 x 8 bench press 70#
• 2 x 12/1 x 10 narrow lat pulldown 60#
• 3 x 12 incline press 40#
• 4 x 10 triceps extension 30#
• 3 x 10 T raise 15#
• 3 x 12 ea. diagonal leg extension
• 2 x 5 eccentric pullup
• 2 x 10 ea. airplane
• 3 x 22 Russian twist 20#

Wednesday, 7.2: 7.5 miles, 9:23 pace + 34 minute legs

2 x 3k at threshold was the protocol today. The first rep was a STRUGGLE since I was going against the wind, but the second felt worlds better. Averaged 8:02 for the first rep and 7:55 for the second, for a total of 7:59 average…which is exactly what I did during last week’s 3 x 2k session. Hey, at least I’m consistent!

Strength:

• 4 x 8 ea. single leg deadlift 60#
• 3 x 8/1 x 8 shoulder press 25/20#
• 3 x 12 ea. single leg press 90#
• 3 x 15 ea. single leg squat 20#
• 3 x 20 ea. under leg dumbbell pass 10#
• 3 x 12 ea. sit squat

Thursday, 7.3: 6 miles, 10:53 pace + 31 minute core

6 x 100m strides this morning. I am TIRED and so ready for tomorrow’s rest day. Ran two intervals under 20 seconds which is a big accomplishment for me!

Strength:

• 3 x 12 weighted pushup 10#
• 3 x 15 triceps dip 30#
• 3 x 20 swing 40#
• 3 x 12 ea. extended abductor
• 4 x 30 mountain climber
• 3 x 20 deadbug 20#
• 3 x 12 ea. lunge adductor
• 30″ Copenhagen plank per side
• Stretching

Friday, 7.4: *HAPPY 4TH!* 3.18 miles, 11:01 pace

Nice little sleep-in in the morning and an easy tread-trot after work.

Saturday, 7.5: 11.5 miles, 10:48 pace

Surprisingly pleasant morning weather-wise, only 73ish and a 71 dew point. It was very quiet out due to the aftermath of the holiday, but no real piles of trash or drunkards to report and that was a nice change. Got into a nice groove and felt good throughout!

Sunday, 7.6: 3 mile walk (45:35)

Total running mileage: 40.9