A mental health day with some running and free food for YOU!

What were you doing at 4:30 a.m. this morning? (Now you are supposed to ask me what I was doing at 4:30 a.m.)  Well, if you must know I was sitting on the kitchen table eating my leftover macaroni right out of the bag with a fork.  Cold.  It did the trick except it gave the little girl the hiccups for the next 30 minutes but it was totally worth it.

I am afraid to say that the above food may be my new pre-race fuel of choice because I had an awesome run this morning.

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10 miles (with 3 potty breaks…silly bladder).  You know that you had a great long run when your computer runs out of batteries and you started with it completely charged.  I watched Extreme Makeover Weight Loss Edition while I run.  I love this show because it is so much more realistic/healthy than Biggest Loser and the host seems like such a good guy.

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You can thank me in the comments for letting you know about the best way to spend your Friday:

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A FREE Chic-fil-A meal (that includes lemonade;) if you just go in dressed like a cow.  I am meeting my family there in a few hours and I can’t wait!  Click HERE for more details.

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I really wish that I had more exciting things to share with you today of what I have been up to but I decided that today needed to be a mental health day until Billy gets home from school.  A mental health day for me means that I do nothing productive (in reality this is every day), relax, not think about anything stressful and instead just stare at the tv or the computer screen while laying down.

I found an AWESOME book list on Runner’s World with the best running books.  I have read 5 of them but I am so excited to read the others.

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What is your long run this week?  How many miles classifies your run as a long run?

-Now it is 10 miles…that is LONG for me.

Any books on that list that you are wanting to read?  Which ones on the list have you read?

Are you going to celebrate Cow Appreciation Day at Chic-fil-A?

What did you eat before your last race?  Did it work?

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57 comments

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I have been watching Extreme Makeover on so many of my runs. I love that show!! The trainer is so sweet and genuine. I love it!!! :)

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I’m gonna attempt a 10 mile run on Sunday! I haven’t done more than 9 in a while so I need to get past that this weekend :) I raced last night and had toast with PB before which did not help my legs- they felt miserable!

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My LR was this morning, 13.14 miles…ramping it up for the Marine Corps Marathon! Oh and I loove macaroni as fuel. I had some last night before my run! I need to read Mile Markers badly. Oh and Chick-fil-a dress like a cow day, now that is funny!

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You’re such a rock star.
I’m soooooo happy you posted about the books. I hate reading..these may actually make me want to read. ;)

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The bar exam is really messing with my long runs. Normally I get at least 13 miles in but this weekend I’m going to try really hard to limit myself to 10 miles. Such a bummer. I got an amazing massage last week and the masseuse told me to read Chi Running, I think that was what it was called. I also want to read Mile Markers because you love it so much!

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Planning on running early tomorrow morning – hoping for 6+ which is long for me right now. I have been in this endless cycle of starting over. Ugh….

What service do you use for watching tv? Is it Hulu or Nextflix? Or are there other options? Not sure which is best.

Don’t know how you do the treadmill, it kills me. Always get shin splints.

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Awesome job with today’s run! I think that long runs on the treadmill are also good mental training. :)

I’ve had Pad Thai before long runs before (and the night before races, too) and I think that works well as running fuel, plus it’s delicious.

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My husband read The Long Run and he really enjoyed it. I ate a big bagel and it was pretty heavy on my belly. An english muffin seems to do the trick!

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You better post a pic of u dressed like a cow :)

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You HAVE to read Once a Runner by John L Parker. It’s life changing!!

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-I absolutely love Extreme Makeover Weightloss Edition, it’s crazy (good) to see the huge transformation they each make in just one year!
-Eat & Run by Scott Jurek is on my to-read list right now.

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My long run will be tomorrow, but it won’t be that long really, once the day is said and done probably around 10 I guess. But they won’t be consecutive I am running a warm up before a 10K and then we are running home. LOL!

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Sadly I have only read two of those books. I need to get to the library and see if they have any of the others. My long run this week is tomorrow in Bryce Canyon!! So excited:) It’s been hailing and storming crazily down here. Sure hope it doesn’t last till morning.

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I was actually awake at 4:30am this morning because my dog was barking it’s head off. Annoying…but it happens. HA. I haven’t been doing long runs lately and just doing the same amount of mileage everyday. My long run this week was 10.5….a quarter of a mile longer then all my other runs so therefore my long run. BAHAHA. 10.6 would be classified as long to me. ;)

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I love the extreme makeover weight loss show. The trainer seriously seems like a nice guy, and I would love them to come into my house, get rid of my furniture and put in a treadmill, weights, and bike! I was tempted to go to Chik-fil-a, but I don’t have any cow clothing or bag or anything.

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I can’t believe you can still run 10 miles as pregnant as you are, that’s amazing.

I ran 12 miles this week, very slowly, so that’s my long run, but I think anything over an hour is a ‘long run’ at different stages of training.

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Ok so I live in Canada and don’t have a Chik-fil-a close by… But if I did I would ne there so fast. So fun!

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I can’t wait to see photos of you all dressed as cows! :-)

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mmm, i love cold mac and cheese. Good call and good running! i was up at 4:30 am too. teaching spin. good sweat!

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I LOVE Extreme Makeover: Weight Loss edition!! It takes all the stupid game-playing out of it, and it focuses just on getting the person healthy. My long run tomorrow is 7 miles — for some reason, anything longer than a 10K automatically qualifies as a long run for me, even though I’m training for my first marathon (NYC, in November) and I know it’s going to get so much longer!

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I’ve read none of the books on the list but love that you put it up there. I am reading Ultramarathon Man by Dean Karnazes which I am loving. I want to read Run! by him next. Which books have you read in that list?

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Right now just a run is a long run for me. lol
I’ve read Born to Run, but I would love to read all of them! I have read Kara Goucher’s book, even though it’s not on the list. I had to add it because it’s my favorite!

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I love to use that middle of the night eating as my pre-race breakfast. It works like a charm. The first half I ever trained for, I did that for every long run too. Last time it was a piece of toast, butter, jelly, and a slice of cheese. worked like a charm.
My long run tomorrow only needs to be 7. anything 10 or more I consider a long run.
Have fun with the fam.

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I learned it from YOU!! Seriously, you are brilliant. Have an awesome 7 miler:)

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Are you dressing up as a cow?!? I expect pictures! And my long run is tomorrow and it’s only 7. It’s a pull back week before the Chicago Rock N Roll half next weekend!

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I love extreme makeover so much more then biggest loser! I also love that you are still rocking 10 miles with your due date so close…such an inspiration.

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Agreed, so much better. Thank you so much, you made my day!

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Which of those books have you read?? I’m thinking about getting mile markers to start!

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YES!! Get Mile Markers. I have read The Runner’s Body, Mile Markers, Run less Run Faster, The Complete Women’s Guide to Running and The Athlete’s Palate (it is an awesome cookbook!) They are all good and I recommend all of them.

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Thanks!! Will hit up amazon.com for at least some of those! (Amazon prime = free shipping = i buy everything via amazon as well as a ridiculous amount of unnecessary purchases. it’s dangerous).

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For me, 10 miles is my long run this week. I did an ultra in mid May and have been chilling since then. I start fall mary training at the end of the month, so have to start building back up! And I am doing it on my bday, which is my favorite thing to do on my bday – well, when combined with ice cream, that is :)

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I am running a nighttime half marathon tomorrow! This will be half #5 for me, and last year it was #1, so it’s like my half-versary or something ;)

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GOOD LUCK!! That sounds like such a blast. I really want to do one of those sometime!

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Thanks so much for sharing the reading list! I’m compulsively borrowing running books from the library. I’ve only read one of the titles on the list so far, but I’m working on another right now.
Going for a long run of–wait for it–5 miles tomorrow. I only started running three months ago, so this is a huge milestone. Excited!

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Do you know if you can you get Extreme Makeover on Hulu?

In any case, since Im unemployed every day is a mental health day for me too. Except they are starting to feel like insanity days and all I want to do is work.

A long run for me is anything over 4 miles. I know that sounds dumb but my default is about 2.5-3 mi. A short quick run is 1.5 mi. And 4-6 mi is a long run, at least until I get past the 6 mi mark in my half marathon training. Side note–I cant wait to do 7 mi because I have never done more than a 10k before!

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THe long run is a great book

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Nice run!! 12+ is long in my books but the last few months it’s been 14+. I ate pizza and mashed potatoes (weird combo) the night before my last race which was the VT marathon and I BQed there so maybe it was the food lol! And everyone needs a mental health day now and then! :)

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Right now, I consider anything over four miles to be a long run. I’m hoping some day to make six my go-to run distance!

14 Minutes is on my list of must-read books!

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I’ve run Run! (eh, he’s kind of full of himself), The Athlete’s Palate (great recipes and info), Run Less Run Faster (fantastic), and the Long Run (despite the fact that he literally SHOVED someone to get out of his way at the finish line it is an interesting book).

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I would dress up as a cow if there was a chic-fil-a nearby, but sadly the closest one is an hour away…. clearly everyone in the san francisco bay area is missing out! How do they live??

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I hope you enjoyed your mental healthy day, if anyone deserves it, it is definitely you! :)

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I’m going to attempt a 7 mile run this weekend. It’s been awhile. I love Extreme Makeover Weightloss Edition!! Is it bad to say that I’ve teared up during the episodes? Haha I’m lame! :) but it’s such a good show & I love the trainer!

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My long run is in the morning and it will be 4 miles. I’m still building up my endurance. We celebrated Cow Appreciation Day as a family this evening and everyone of us dressed up like cows. I posted the pictures on my blog. The kids had so much fun.

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Wonderful reading list! Thanks for sharing. I’m currently reading ‘Can’t Swim, Can’t Ride, Can’t Run: From Common Man to Ironman’ which is highly entertaining.

I’m half marathon training for the first time so my long run this weekend is 6.5. Every long run is a new longest run! It’s really fun and encouraging. :D

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At 4:30 this morning I woke up in a cold sweat because I had a nightmare that I would sleep in through my 10km race tomorrow morning!!!

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Ahhh good luck at your 10k tomorrow! I want to hear all about it!

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You HAVE to read The Long Run. It is so inspiring and will make you cherish each and every one of your runs. I read it in two days because I couldn’t put it down.

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Hi there, I’ve been lurking on this blog recently, and I love it! Anyway, I’m a huge Biggest Loser fan, but I’m watching Extreme Makeover too, and I can see pros and cons of both shows! Wow, I’ve never been pregnant or had kids, so I cannot imagine having a little person inside hiccuping for 30 minutes! As for running books, I am currently reading Scott Jurek’s new Eat and Run. In the past 6 months, I’ve also read Born to Run, Hal Higdon’s Marathon, Ken Bob’s Step by Step Barefoot Running and the fictional Once a Runner. I’m loving Scott Jurek’s book, and I’m not even that far yet. That guy is crazy inspirational!

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Hey!!!! Thank you so much for commenting! I am totally going to get Scott’s book! Thanks so much for telling me you love it! I can’t wait. Have a great night!

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You HAVE to put up a pic of u dressed as a cow..please! At 4.30 am I was either in snooze land or peeing!

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Oh my goodness!!! My boys wanted chicken noodle soup yesterday so we stopped at Chickfila and sooooo many people were dressed like cows!!!! It was crazy and entertaining all at the same time! My kids said no way would the ever dress as a cow.
At 4:30 am I was holding a baby I just delivered at work!
My long run is going to be 11 miles this weekend.

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I always eat oatmeal before my long races. It is the best. I think I would be super sick if I tried mac n cheese! Which book is our favorite on the list?

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My long run this morning was a little over 15 miles. It was great, my mom biked with me while I ran. I’m trying to bribe her into doing it for all of my long runs.

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Love this book list!!! It just became my Christmas wish list. I’ve read the Complete Book of Women’s Running (which is a go-to for me) and Mile Markers, which I LOVE. My book is all marked in and highlighted just like yours!

My long run is going to be 9 miles tomorrow. It’s my first long run for my FIRST marathon plan. So excited!

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I LOVE extreme homemakeover weight loss because of Chris Powell. He seriously seems like the nicest, most encouraging coach ever! He and the contestants inspire me, every, single, show :-)

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I can vouch for the mac and cheese being excellent running fuel. I had several servings of my mom’s last weekend and ran my fastest 400s the following day! So eat up Janae! Not only does it taste delicious, but apparently legs love it. :-)

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You should do a post reviewing your favorite running books! I just finished Kristin Armstrong’s Mile Markers and am looking for a new running book to read. I know you’ve mentioned various running books on the blog before, but I’d love to see them all in one post… =)

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