I am in a mood today.
Happy Monday, peeps! I woke up and was just not having it this morning- as the kids say nowadays, “it be like that sometimes.” I felt no enthusiasm; I wanted to slip back into slumber and avoid everything I planned out for the morning and beyond. But, being me, sticking to routine trumps my desire to blow up the schedule, so I rolled out of bed and begrudgingly started my day.
I am really tired of the heat. We’ve experienced heat advisories for the past week or so, and I think the sweltering conditions are finally seeping into my psyche. Running hasn’t been great for awhile but it really sucked over these last 7 days. Not to mention, every night I toss and turn trying to find a blast of cool air and a comfortable position. I snap awake sweating. I feel drained before I even move.
This morning I was eager for my workout to end before it even began. I didn’t run well, I was very inconsistent, and more or less gave up during my long final interval. I wonder if I’m even cut out for any kind of running right now, since no type of workout has clicked for me in quite awhile.
I’m trying to pass through the morning, let it be what it was, and go about the rest of my day with some sense of enjoyment. I’ll grocery shop (ayayay Trader Joe’s!), work on a new recipe, eat some good food, and I think I need to get some splash time in. Ironic, considering my diatribe above about how awful the weather has been.
Little Miss Ba and I did share some pool time last Tuesday. I was off work at random and able to set aside an hour by the water, which was so peaceful despite the conditions. No one else commandeered the pool area, and it was nice and quiet as a result. My kind of environment.
Saturday was my beloved mommy’s birthday! I worked on her cake that morning – I was SO happy with how it turned out, and the recipe will be posted soon – then drove out for a couple hours of lunch and chats. We talked about a lot of random subjects while sharing a little caprese salami board I whipped up, a simple affair, then I lit a comically long candle and presented dessert to her. Mom and I are very similar in our love for lowkey celebrations, good food and talks and quality time. My heart was joyful and even thinking back on our lunch a couple days later fills up my soul.
Sunday, after a long and kind of annoying day at work, J and I wandered over to Chill Bros for ice cream. I was real tired of being outside after sweating aggressively for the 10 minutes it took me to vacuum Polly (she’s nice and clean now, though!) but the Alpine Cake cone I had and our little chats was worth the stroll.
Good eats…The cooking frenzy continues! A little s’mores yogurt bowl for a Monday snack; an epic turkey focaccia sandwich with pesto, provolone, and slow roasted tomatoes; chimichurri steak with twice baked potatoes; a pesto sausage and gnocchi skillet; chicken Caesar flatbreads; and a fun little cheeseburger bowl!
Hoping my brainspace today improves and things go a smoothly as they can. Take good care, peeps!
The Fuck We Cooking This Week?
…FMG’s take on a classic autumn side dish.
…A fun twist on brownies!
…A cozy spiced iced tea.
A Few Things I’m Digging
R/BLAHAJ...I kind of discovered this Reddit thread by accident while perusing something else. We have a Blå Haj ourselves and seeing how people interact with their stuffy is just the cutest, most heartwarming sight. Certain mood booster!
Flatbreads…Trader Joe’s flatbread pizza crusts are bomb for a quick fix dinner. I topped mine the other day with lots of melted mozzarella, tossed Caesar salad, and their crispy breaded chicken breasts to make a Caesar flatbread. Amazing, effortless supper.
Triangle pose…One of my favorite yoga stretches that I’ve been doing after my workouts! Can’t explain why, it just feels nice.
Notable Food Holidays
Tuesday, August 18: National Soft Serve Day (technically my no-churn ice creams are akin to soft serve, so try out my Chocolate Chip Ice Cream!)
Wednesday, August 19: National Potato Day (Feeling cozy? Creamy Bacon Potato White Bean Soup. Holding onto summer? Loaded Baked Potato Salad.)
Thursday, August 20: National Bacon Lovers’ Day (peep below for 5 bacon-forward recipes!)
Friday, August 21: National Sweet Tea Day (loving my Triple Berry Iced Sweet Tea!)
This Week’s Menu
Meatless Monday…Spicy Buffalo Chickpea Sliders
Taco Tuesday…Chipotle Shrimp Tacos with Jalapeño Peach Salsa
Wednesday…Harvest Honeycrisp Kale Caesar Salad with Parmesan Breadcrumbs
Thursday…Sheet Pan Maple Dijon Salmon
Friday Happy Hour…Island Peach Rum Spritz
Saturday Baking…Giant Gooey Stuffed S’mores Cookies
Sunday Snack…Whipped Honey Ricotta Caprese Toasts
August Home Refresh
Five Bacon Recipes (Sans the Pig)
1. Tuscan Bacon White Bean Soup
3. Pesto Egg Bacon and Avocado Breakfast Wraps
Week in Training
Monday, 8.10: 6.5 miles, 11:43 pace + 26 minute legs
Don’t let the average pace fool you for this session: thems were HARD intervals. 2 mile warmup, then 2 x (4 x 300m) at 85-90% effort. 3 minute recovery between reps, 5 minutes between sets, which felt SO long and I think I lost my legs a little bit on the second set (wind might not’ve helped). Ran an average of 6:19 with the following splits: 6:20, 6:23, 6:12, 6:13, 6:23, 6:24, 6:17, 6:18. Tad disappointed with how inconsistent I was, but at least I averaged within range!
Strength:
- 3 x 8 squat 90#
- 3 x 6 depth jump
- 3 x 15 plie squat 45#
- 3 x 10 ea. leg extension 60#
- 3 x 6 jump squat 50#
- 3 x 10 front raise 30#
- :65 wall sit
- :60 squat and alternating lunges
- 5 minute stretch
Tuesday, 8.11: 3.5 miles, 11:30 pace + 21 minute back & bis
Rounded the corner out my bedroom to the sight of a massive bug just fuckin sitting there like he owned the place. Woke poor J up to chase after the fucker for 10 minutes. Kinda threw my morning rhythm but thankfully a lower key workout today. 1.25ish warmup, 10 x 100m builds, 1ish mile cooldown. Topped out at a 5:14 pace in my slow shoes.
Strength:
- 1 x 5/2 x 10 biceps curl 25/20#
- 3 x 10 lat pulldown 50#
- 3 x 12 wide grip curl 15#
- 12/10/8 narrow seated pulldown 54/58/62#
- :35 ea. Copenhagen plank
- 2 x 15 ea. lunge matrix
- 50 crunches
- 6 minute stretch
Wednesday, 8.12: 4 miles, 11:19 pace + 24 minute legs
First true sprint workout of this training plan: 1 x 500m, 1 minute rest, 1 x 100m. I’m a tad disappointed in the 500, I was really hoping to maintain a sub-6 pace, but I got SO damn close. Ran a 1:52.2, which averages at a 6:01, and it was HARD. My watch claimed my 100m was at a 6:01 average as well but most of it I was under 5:40. Better luck next time?
Strength:
- 3 x 10 elevated deadlift 80#
- 3 x 8 ea. single leg deadlift 50#
- 4 x 10 ea. single leg bridge 20#
- 3 x 10 ea. side lunge 20#
- 50 lateral hops
- :65 plank
- 6 minute stretch
Thursday, 8.13: 4 miles, 11:57 pace + 24 minute chest & tris
Recovery workout today, a simple 300-200-150-100 at about 75% with 200m walk in between. My legs would not turn during the 300, but the other three reps felt smooth! I lost my second hairtie during the 300 and a fully-swinging, sweaty ponytail was not fun to comb out later.
Strength:
- 3 x 15 shoulder press 15#
- 3 x 12 triceps pushdown 32#
- 3 x 9 chest press 60#
- 1 x 8/2 x 10 Svend press 25/20#
- 3 x 6 triceps extension 35#
- 2 x 20 ea. hydrant
- :65 plank
- 6 minute stretch
Friday, 8.14: 4 miles, 12:09 pace + 15 minute mobility
Slept like HOOEY the prior night – I was hot and every noise was bothering me, not to mention a weirdly pulsing calf muscle. I was also out of my normal routine since I worked until 7 or so, which is much later than I’m used to. But, it felt good to get some max efforts in! 6 x 50 hill with a 4:45 top speed, 3 minute jog, then 4 x 100 builds with 100m walk, with most of those intervals around a 5:40 pace.
Mobility and stretching was relaxing and calming. Really enjoying that Friday ritual.
Saturday, 8.15: 8 miles, 11:27 pace
Felt like a slug, ran like a slug. My body was okay overall but my legs were not enjoying the attempt at speediness – I don’t think wearing my “slow shoes” helped either. 16 x :20 on/:40 off, very slow in the 7s and 8s, then 5 x 100m fastish down to around a 5:40 pace. Clearly very tired from a week’s worth of workouts!
Total running miles: 30
