How we spent our ANNIVERSARY! + 2 running questions for you!

One year down, a billion more to go!  Last year when we were planning our wedding we were originally planning an October wedding.  And then we decided that August sounded like a lot more fun.  Finally (in June) we decided, nope… let’s get married on July 8th.  We put together a wedding in just a few weeks and got our family started:)  Somehow it has already been a YEAR since then (time has FLOWN BY… until I got pregnant, then time went reallll slow;) and I couldn’t be more grateful for him.

Let’s talk about how the day went.  Beretta for some reason woke up insanely early to be let out (she never does that?) so I was awake.  My allergies are a lot better than they were in June but once I’m awake in the morning (no matter how early it is) I have two options… sneeze and sniffle while laying there or go for a run and my head clears up.  Going for a run usually wins.

8.5 miles and I got home right when Brooke woke up.  My pace was a 9:43 average and it was hard but good at the same time if that makes sense.  Maybe it wasn’t hard and good at the same time… more like it went back and forth from this is really hard to this is great.  AKA just a normal run ha.

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After my run we took Brooke to a little duck pond because Brooke is in love with animals so I try to find as many as possible for her.

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Andrew asked me what I wanted to do for our anniversary and I had 3 things on my list:

1.  A hotdog for lunch.

2.  A massage.

3.  Cheesecake Factory.

As we were leaving Costco I said to Andrew, ‘wow, that lunch hit the spot for me… it was amazing.’  He stopped walking, looked me in the eyes and told me that he never would have dreamed that I would enjoy a good ol’ hotdog at Costco with him in his lifetime;)  This might just be a short lived thing but he is sure soaking  in some of my cravings.

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From Costco we went over to my parent’s house.  My mom watched Brooke while we went out to celebrate our anniversary!  They went all over town together, including the splash pad.  They have quite the bond.

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Our first stop to celebrate was a massage.  Massages are one of my absolute favorite things ever and this place had an awesome deal for you if it was your first time there.

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Then after that we went to the Cheesecake Factory (because of course I was hungry not that long after lunch at Costco;).  We started with artichoke dip.

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I had the chicken madeira (chicken topped with cheese and asparagus) and it was heavenly.  Food is becoming more and more important for me with each week now… I get more excited than ever for a good meal.  As we speak I am already thinking about what we are making for dinner tonight (… corn on the cob especially).

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Andrew had the guacamole salad and he said it was amazing.  Who goes to the Cheesecake Factory without getting dessert?  Us.  I was there for the FOOD.

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After our meal we went straight to the movie theater to see Wonder Woman.  I stayed awake for the ENTIRE movie (a first in a while)… this movie was incredible.  I loved every second.  PS a few of our movie theaters here only have recliner seats/couch things now… the one we went to yesterday was one of them.

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Then we went to pick up Brooke and talk with my mom for a bit before going home.

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I hope your Sunday is a great one!!!  I’m looking forward to a rest day, a nap and of course dinner.

Photo on 7 8 17 at 9 06 PM 3

Right now about 100% of my runs are done at conversational pace.  During my run yesterday I was thinking about how many of my runs are done at this pace during my normal training.  When I used to get injured all of the time I think about 10% of my running was done at this pace but over the years my percentage of conversation pace miles per week got higher and higher.  I would say it is usually around 70% though (pre-pregnancy) in the last few years.

Gotta love all of those benefits of running at this pace… I’m happy to still be getting them for 100% of my runs right now.

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(source RRCA)

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Do you ever run your different workouts/paces based off of your heart rate?

What percentage of your weekly mileage is done at conversation pace?

What was your best run of your week?  Your hardest run?

What was the best thing you ate yesterday (please remember, food is very important to me right now:)

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40 comments

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I am not a fast runner, but most of my paces are about the same, guess I should do some slower runs every now and then. Best run last week was Wednesday, when I finally got to run in the rain for 7 glorious miles! Each day prior to that I had tried to get out during the rain, but I would just miss it and end up running in the most humid and hot part of the day. The hardest run (mentally) was Friday’s treadmill run………I can’t do the treadmill, it drives me bonkers! The hardest run physically was probably Monday’s because of almost 100% humidity and it was 90 degrees outside.

Best thing I ate recently was this amazing watermelon and corn on the cob and burgers at a cookout we went to Friday night!

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I’m a slow poke — and I’m proud to do the chubby kid shuffle! My normal pace is around a 12 min mile, but for long runs I’ve been known to take an even more leisurely pace. I’m all about the conversational pace!!! It just makes my runs more enjoyable. Lately, I’ve been pushing my pace to the 9-10 min per mile pace for shorter distances to work on sprints — but they aren’t as fun!

At this point about 30% of my weekly mileage is done at conversational pace, but the rest is speed work. My favorite runs are the hardest runs which are repeats — I’ll do 100m sprints ten to a dozen times with recovery in between. So hard but over so quickly!

Yesterday I had the best lunch! Turkey burger on a multigrain bun with bacon and guacamole! Tater Tots on the side and later in the day a brownie sundae for dessert! MMMM!

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All of my runs are done at conversation pace, lol. Because that’s just my pace where I enjoy it, so I stick with it. Best thing I ate yesterday was something similar to a strawberry shortcake dessert but way better. My neighbor made it for me, and because of my strawberry addiction, they double the strawberries in it. It’s amazing, they must really love me. Strawberries go straight to my heart. lol Funny how it’s hard to remember what else I ate yesterday. Either the memory is going bad, or strawberries just fog everything else out.

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I try to mix up my paces, but I’ve never used my heart rate to gauge. I don’t think I did enough running at an easy/conversion pace this past spring, which is part of why I’m injured now:( I was running at a fast pace once or twice a week, then a moderate pace for everything but my long runs. Not a great idea!!
Best thing I ate yesterday was a smoothie!! I blended up a scoop of Vega vanilla protein, frozen berries, a spoonful of peanut butter, and some vanilla almond milk, and it was SO DELICIOUS!

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SHOOT… I am so sorry that you are injured right now Kerri! After each injury I learn so much and come back stronger than ever… you’ve got this. Okay, I need that smoothie RIGHT THIS SECOND!!! Enjoy your Sunday.

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Thanks:) I’ve got a stress fracture on my tibia; I was really bummed out at first, but injuries like this really do force you to reflect on all your routines and make positive changes!

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happy anniversary! love Cheesecake Factory :) Most of my runs are at conversation pace, especially in the summer! I’m sure I could run faster sometimes but I am happy at a relatively easy pace most of the time and I think it’s one of the reasons I have always run injury free (knock on wood!)

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Ha, that was such a huge eye opener for me at the RRCA course and honestly one of the biggest mistakes I made during marathon training. About 90% of my runs are CP right now, until about August when I start my winter marathon plan.

I’m in TX visiting my bff so it’s all about the Blue Bell ice cream right now, especially coconut fudge and two step cookie!

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RIGHT?!? I was totally shocked too! I hope you are having the best time in Texas and enjoy all of the Blue Bell for us too!!!

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My run yesterday was the same way! At first it felt good, then I had to pick up the pace and it was hard then back to good. Once I’m home and done lying on the floor, I forget the hard parts and think it was great. Have a great Sunday!

https://maureengetsreal.wordpress.com/

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Same. I used to never ever care about food! Lately, feta cheese has been my crack of choice. Ours is pasteurized–not to worry. I buy the herb flavour in the Kraft bag and I bring the whole bag to the couch and eat it with a soup spoon. Hot dogs were more weeks 20-25. Feta was actually weeks 25-30, and I feel like I’m just phasing out of feta right now. Okay, okay, you’re not going to like hearing this but I’ve had morning sickness lately. I threw up yesterday and the day before. :/ I’m hoping it goes away soon so that I can go back to my hot dogs and feta.

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Feta cheese is probably next for me!! Isn’t it crazy how our food becomes so important and changes so much! I am SO sorry that you have been sick again… please keep me updated with how you are feeling Suzy… thinking about you!

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Happy anniversary! Looks like you guys had a fun time celebrating! I would say I get about 50% of my runs in at a conversational pace. I probably need to be better about it, I just have to get them done before work in the morning and sometimes I don’t have as much time, so I have to get moving! My best run was also my hardest…if that makes sense. I ran 12 miles yesterday and I felt wonderful (minus getting attacked by some birds – literally clawed at my head!) all the way up to about mile 9-10. All of the sudden I was very aware of every sore part on my body and I had some mental hurdles to fight through. But I did it! I even managed to pull off faster paces for my last 2 miles (after a brief stop at a bathroom and water fountain) and I felt like a rockstar when it was done. I had an amazing food day yesterday (I like to reward myself on long run days lol) but the best thing was this chipotle mushroom torta sandwich I had…the perfect amount of spicyness and I even added guacamole to it. SO. GOOD.

I’m very much taking advantage of this being a rest day today and embracing my lazy side!

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It sounds like the perfect anniversary. I seriously cannot believe it’s been a year. Most of 2016 and 2017 really flew by.

I really like massages as well. Especially deep tissue. It’s always helped me and released my muscles.

We have a Cheesecake Factory around here too but I haven’t been in a year or so. I just saw they came out with a cheesecake for the end of the month and I was actually eying it up.

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I absolutely loved Wonder Woman!! I’ve seen it twice now. It was long but good!! (Did you notice that Buttercup from Princess Bride was in it? Love her!!)
Fun fact: my husband HATES movie theaters with recliner seats. Why?? Because he likes to lift the middle arm rest & we cuddle the whole movie & you can’t do that in recliner seats. Lol! He’s a keeper!
Happy Sunday!

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AHHH YES… seriously so cool! I want to go see it again too. Okay, that is adorable about your husband… definitely a keeper! Enjoy your Sunday Lisa!

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I almost always talk while I run but I think my BPM is always over 140.

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I want to run together.

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Happy Anniversary! Looks like you guys had a great time!

Best thing I ate yesterday – Buffalo chicken dip. Had been FOREVER since I’ve had it and it was just as delicious as I remembered it to be!

It has been so hot and humid this last week in Chicago so every run has been especially terrible. As much as I love summer, I miss fall running!!

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The best thing I ate yesterday was a breakfast sandwich at the farmer’s market: whole wheat bun, fried egg, cheese, bacon, tomato, kale. So incredibly good.

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THAT SOUNDS AMAZING… I guess I’ll be searching for one (maybe without the egg;) this week at the farmer’s market! I hope you are having an amazing day Ali!

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I have been thinking about this a lot. I also used to run all my runs at a fast pace and I was always injured and hardly ever doing well in my races. The past few years I’ve been doing better to slow down a little bit so I can stay healthy!

The best food yesterday was probably a hamburger at lagoon (my husbands work party!) that hamburger settled my stomach after countless spinning rides in the kid section at lagoon. We had a blast though.

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I think 100% of my runs lately have been done at conversational pace. I am trying to build up mileage and in a few months from now I will incorporate speed work.

I don’t usually measure my HR when I’m running. But based on my tastes 5K I do have an idea on how to calculate my paces based on my heart rate. I have to say those are pretty accurate.

Best thing I ate yesterday was sausage en veggies for dinner. Now I’m having serious cravings for hot dogs thanks to your pictures lol. But my boyfriend is on a diet and I don’t want to make his life harder by eating that in front of him.

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I would like to try some heart rate training, but don’t have the equipment for it, but that is Ok! When I go (infrequently) to the gym I check once in a while.
I do almost all my runs at conversational pace, I should really try to do more speed workouts, ha!
We had grilled corn on the cob yesterday and it was delicious!!! Brats too.

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I remember when I was pregnant with Annabelle and I went through a phase where I wanted hamburger every single day. Ross loved it so very much.

I think food becomes so very important because for the last 12 weeks all food sounded so gross or you were so sick. So when it is finally good again, it’s all you can think about. I will never take you for granted again, delicious food. ;)

Happy Anniversary. I am glad you guys had a great day celebrating together!

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Happy Anniversary!! That sounds like a wonderful way to spend the day. I LOVE eating lunch at the Costco food court. Chris and I have literally gone there to just have lunch – not even shop. The pizza is so, so good. And my sister is obsessed with the hot dogs. I saw a Buzzfeed article that some Costco’s are starting to have burgers in their food court now??

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If I’m talking, all my running is at CP. If a couple of others in my group are talking, it’s faster…they speed up when they talk. :) Yesterday’s run was very hard because one of my running group members did much of the talking. It was a good tempo run for me.
Best thing I ate = spaghetti-o’s

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Happy anniversary to you and Andrew :)
I like to use heart rate as a guide for pacing – especially on cooldown runs…I try to keep my heart rate low. The problem is I’m not really sure what my heart rate should be, or what my “zones” are – I should probably do more research since everyone is different!
I try to run maybe 2/3 of my weekly mileage at conversational pace, which is super slow compared to what I’m used to ;)
My best run was probably trails with my puppy … and my hardest run was 5 miles this morning (longest run I have done since March)!

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Happy anniversary to you and Andrew!

The best thing that I ate yesterday was a taco salad. Lots of lettuce topped with olives, cheese, sour cream, and salsa. To be completely honest, it was the salsa that made the salad.

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Happy Anniversary! When I was pregnant, I craved all of my husband’s favorite foods up through week 24. It was really strange, but I kept joking with him that there was no mistaking that he was definitely the father of this baby!

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I don’t run based off heart rate. I wear a HR monitor but don’t pay a lot of attention to it. I had heat exhaustion a couple years ago running a race in Hawaii and did notice that the symptoms went away when my HR was under 130.

Best and hardest run happened this morning – 10 mile Tantalus loop. I had my 3rd best time on the entire loop and my second best time on the second half which is all downhill (over 1400′ of descent.)

I ate 2 really good things yesterday – Subway rotisserie chicken with bell peppers, pickles, lettuce, olives and Chipotle sauce. I know you would hate the olives, but I love them ;) Leftover spaghetti for dinner – it’s always better when the sauce sits in the fridge for a couple days.

Happy anniversary! We’ve been married 26 years and it just gets better :)

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PRaline turtle ice cream….just a small dish. But delicious!

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Happy Anniversary! Best food was watermelon from Costco and Mexican street corn salad (I think you would love it!!)

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Happy anniversary! The best thing I ate yesterday were mozzarella sticks dipped in.. both ranch and marinara simultaneously! It’s the weirdest combo but so delicious.

My favorite run was today’s recovery run along the river. I did a hard, humid 14-miler yesterday and today was a nice reward of cooler temps and a nice easy pace.

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Best food-my friend made this tonight, Taco Spaghetti. Make a box of spaghetti, add corn and taco seasoning and ground beef if u want it, top with whatever u would put on a taco-lettuce, salsa, tortilla chips smashed up, sour cream, cheese, avocado, chilli’s etc sooooo good

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Happy 1st Anniversary, you two!! So happy you found each other!!!

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Happy anniversary! Ours is July 11 (tomorrow)! How was the massage? I have never run in training at a different pace for heart rate. I am a very slow runner/walker, so all my long “runs” are at the slowest pace possible. I make the most out of any race entry fee, which makes me wonder if I’ll be able to run when pregnant, like you. You are my inspiration for that. I ate pork tacos with homemade guacamole. Yum!

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Fajita taco salad! I think they enjoyed our cravings as much as we do! I did not really crave crave food but I did want more red meat like ribs.

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Happy Anniversary to you and Andrew!!! Your day sounds very fun and relaxing and delicious.

Since I run by myself 99% of the time, technically every run is a conversation pace because I talk to myself ;) I guess the days where I am not doing a post hill heavy dramatic sigh or saying “ahhh” outloud are the conversation pace days. Today I ran trails and my bf rode his mountain bike and I realized just how dramatically I can sigh going up those hills.

Best thing I ate was coconut milk ice cream with sliced nectarine and granola.
Best run of the week was actually the “worst” one, too. I set out to do a nice little 8km loop, got lured by a path and ended up going at least 18km Over half was in no man’s land but once I got cell service I could pull up google maps. Added bonus-it was a bazillion degrees (and I had literally gotten up, gulped a small bit of water and headed out) and we were out of town so I really didn’t know any way back. I was so grateful that I could run that distance easily and keep running, although at one point I wanted to flag down a motorist but then there’s the whole language barrier issue ;) Towards the end I was laughing because I had decided to run hard in the middle section because it was shady and a great trail….little did I know I had A LOT of hot and hilly km ahead of me. So the 2nd best thing was a toast bagel and cream cheese with cucumbers from Starbucks a few hours after that run.

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Happy belated anniversary!

My next training cycle for the OBX Half in November doesn’t start until July 23rd so all of my runs are at conversation pace right now. :-)

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