Too many pastries

After a weekend of 4th of July festivities and eating too much and drinking too many bottles of wine this week before we leave for Hawaii has been about getting things done and not eating a diet that is 100% based on sugar.

I ran a nine miler for my long run Sunday. It was a cut back week. This week I run 4-7-4-14 for a total of 29 miles. A 14 miler in Hawaii isn't sounding too awesome right now. Me and humidity aren't really BFF's. I may break up my 14 miler and four miler into two nine miler runs. One on Friday and one on Saturday. Let's hope I can get my 14 miler crossed off the training plan. Maybe I will tempt myself with a massage if I can get done with all my workouts. I am feeling like even with yoga 2x a week and foam rolling almost daily I still can't get rid of some aches.

Next week I run a 15 mile run and have already planned it out. I am actually super stoked for this one and am running to Sausalito and taking myself out to brunch afterward and hopping on the ferry home to SF. It will be SO fun and a treat for finishing those 15 miles.

After my run tonight we are going to a birthday party at Bix which I have been dying to try. (I know, I just said no wine!) I am excited. Here's two photos from the weekend. We picnicked in Washington Sq. Park on the 4th, had oyster happy hour then went to a BBQ on the 5th, and Saturday I did yoga, tried a new bakery called La Marais, got mani pedis with Lo and we hit up Napa. It was a fun filled day. Sunday after a Tartine trip and my run I was so exhausted I slept the rest of the afternoon. Yikes! I managed to wake up and grocery shop and cook a fabulous farmer's market skillet dinner that night. Recipe to come!

Hawaii bound in two more days, Aloooooha!

Strolling one of the gardens at Cakebread Cellars in St. Helena

Bread pudding with seasonal berries from Tartine!

Case of the Fridays?

It's cold and cloudy in SF today. The only thing I want to do is browse my favorite bookstore on Fillmore, eat mac and cheese with a glass of cab at the Grove and see Before Midnight at the Clay Theater.

I ran a six-miler yesterday before our fourth of July festivities kicked off and today my quads are shot. Not sure how that happened. Hoping the pain goes away later. Back to work and hoping my fowl mood goes away before I get home.

24 miles

Last week I successfully went to two days of yoga and ran all four of my running workouts.  I have nothing bad to say about any of these workouts and even had a blissful time on my 12-miler where I ran over the bridge and back Saturday before the temps soared.

But, today I kinda feel crappy about my training. I think reading all these running blogs with girls who have run marathons before or even ran in college make me feel discouraged. I'll never (probably) BQ nor will I be someone who starts their marathon training with 35 miles a week. Maybe, someday? But, really I doubt that. I was actually feeling proud of my 24 mile week until I read about someone's second week of their training cycle who was running 34 miles.

It's really dumb for me to compare myself and I need to be more proud of my hard work and the time it takes along with all the other stuff I try to do. It's just difficult to work hard for those 24 miles that don't clock in at sub 9:00 miles like their week's seem to.

This week I have a cut back on my long run, just 9 miles, then we start getting really serious until marathon tapering at the end of September. I am excited, nervous, and filled with questions as I continue on the journey.

Fueling has been a big question for me. I know I need to be eating more but I don't know what I can add. I don't feel overly hungry yet and I also have been bad about pre-planning meals. I have been trying to incorporate protien shakes 30 minutes after my run to aid recovery. So far so good? Though they aren't my first choice in refueling as I must rather eat watermelon and a pancake. I also am getting really nervous about being injured. I have had two injuries and know how terrible they are and I want to avoid that at all costs. I've been rolling and stretching like a boss. Let's hope this helps.

As far as other things go? Good. Excited for Hawaii next week and relaxing while traveling, not cramming my schedule and zippinf around like a crazy woman.

Happy Monday, friends.

Wednesday Reflections

I am super excited to run my six miles tonight. Weird. I kinda wanna soak up the feeling of humidity and summer as it makes me nostalgic for Boston summers. (Remind me of this at mile three) Typically, I do not enjoy evening runs because I have to be super cautious with what I eat all day as my sensitive stomach rejects most things that aren't bagels or oatmeal before a run. Hopefully my egg burrito with avocado and a whole wheat tortilla will be OK and digested by 5:30.

I bought a two-week pass to a new yoga studio on Monday. It was an odd vinyassa power flow class with a little less mindfulness than my usual studio. I definitely prefer my home studio better but it's fun to try new places. I didn't feel like I got as much of a good stretch but I definitely did feel a burn.

Other notes: I have been wanting a beer after all my longer runs lately. So odd as I have never been a huge beer drinking even though I do enjoy a beer every so often.

Trying to incorporate protein powder into my morning routine. Meh. Bleh.

Hawaii two weeks from tomorrow!

Tentative Fourth of July plans made with two BBQ's and a Napa visit.

Twelve miles Saturday followed by dinner in Sausalito and a visit from an old roommate Sunday!

Oh, and I found this gem today. Someday I will take a good race photo. I look like a gleeful idiot in this one. 

Sundays

Sunday nights that happen to fall on slightly gloomy days are made for cooking French suppers (coq au vin), reading books on the couch and lavender baths followed by dark chocolate. 

Onto marathon training week five: 24 miles on the schedule. Also: desperately in need of a yoga class. Maybe tomorrow morning. Happy Sunday, friends. 

After four weekends of not being in San Francisco I am SO happy to be home. Ten miles of perfection along the water, a gorgeous day of celebrating summer, dinner at our place drinking some of our favorite wine while eating pulled pork (I bought this BBQ sauce and it's too delicious), arugula watermelon and feta salad, corn on the cob and angel food cake with berries. I love you, California.

Miles this week: 19

Wednesdays

6 miles

Free avocados

Need desk nap time