My New Hero + Active Recovery + How to run a 50 mile race minimally trained;)

14 miles yesterday and 10-12 today.

We put the Skyester down for a nap at my mom’s house and then hit the trails.

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There wasn’t a lot of snow that we had to run through but there was a ton of mud.  At some points it felt like we had ankle weights on because of how much mud was attached to our shoes.  My mom had trash bags waiting on the front porch for our shoes when we got back to her house because she knew that we would come back looking like this ha.  The Cascadia 13 GTX were great but the Caldera are my #1 favorite trail shoe as of right now.

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We took real food with us this time for our long run.  As much as I want to just eat candy for the 50 miler, I’m learning from a lot of you that we need to train with real food for energy too.  My stomach doesn’t handle peanut butter well if I am trying to run fast but it turns out that it does pretty great for me on the trails.

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On our long runs we talk for part of it and then we listen to things.  I listened to this podcast with Camille Herron and she is officially my new hero.  Wow.  This woman is amazing and she made me even more excited for the ultra world.  She just set the world record for running 655.8 laps around a TRACK in 24 hours.  That is 162.9 miles.  She also set a record for the women’s fastest 100-mile track time (8:03 average) during the same race.  She fueled during the race with some Taco Bell… if anyone wants to bring Andrew Taco Bell during our race it will make his life:).

Such a good episode and it made the miles fly by listening to her love for the sport.

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Camille also talked about how she runs with her hair down (she has longer hair too)… I don’t think I could do that.  I did one time because my rubber band broke while I was running and it drove me absolutely crazy the entire time.

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14.07 miles @ 9:04 average with about 1300ft of elevation gain.  This was my best feeling long run of the training cycle and I felt like I could have kept going for a long time.  It was so nice outside, Andrew was in shorts and a t-shirt and I put my gloves in my pack!

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Rewind to Saturday night—>  Andrew asked about our running schedule for the next couple of weeks.  After I told him he said, “I don’t know what the heck I was thinking saying yes to this.  I don’t think I knew what I was doing when I was signing up.  Just think… at mile 20 I’m going to be saying we just have 30 more miles… I can’t comprehend this.”   I think this happens to all of us at some point along the way in our training for a big goal.  We question it and wonder what in the world we were thinking when we hit the register button on the race website.  If you feel this way during training for a big goal, just remember that we all do at some point along the way (and I’m pretty sure Andrew will be asking himself these same questions whenever I tell him his plan for the week;).

PS after Andrew told me the above statements he then googled, ‘How to run a 50 mile race minimally trained.’

We picked up some food on the way home and Skye shared with me.  My active recovery from the long run was chasing after her all day.  In the podcast I mentioned above, Camille talked about how important it is to move around after our long runs etc. to aid in recovery.

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This girl loves Beretta.

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I think Beretta is her current favorite ‘toy’.  I’m so thankful they are both very gentle with each other.

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We had shish kabobs in large pieces rather than cut up small.  Do you ever get to dinner time and wonder where in the world the day went?  Some days go by so so fast.  PS I love the grill for so many reasons especially because it means less dishes.

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And then we did the normal nighttime things.

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Including ice cream once the girls went to bed.  These two love to sleep… they inherited that from me.

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If you need something delicious to make, try this soup that my sister had for us on Sunday night.  It is beyond good.  She used this copycat recipe of Carrabba’s Spicy Sicilian Chicken Soup and topped the rolls with this copycat of Carrabba’s Olive Oil Bread Dip.  It was the perfect winter meal.

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Winners for the Run Angel giveaway!  Email me asap:)

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Do you make up your long run route before you head out or do you ever decide which way to go while you are out?  How often do you try a new route?

-I pretty much always know what route I am going to take before I leave but sometimes I throw in some random turns that I wasn’t planning on.  

When you run is your hair in a ponytail, braid, bun, down, other?

-Ponytail when running, bun when trying to run fast, braid if it is raining.

We are having Christmas dinner with family at our house this year… I need some ideas on what to make!!!  

What did you listen to on your last run?  A friend, podcast, book, music, your brain? 

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55 comments

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Hi!! I don’t know if you know, but Camille Herron won Comrades 2017!! She’s fantastic, I’m a big fan.
That soup looks sooo good and now I’m hungry thank you very much.
Have a great day x

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Yes!! And I can’t wait to see how she does there in 2019! I really want to come do it with you one year:) Maybe on the downhill year though ha! I hope you are having a great day and that your ankle feels 100%!

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I listened to Camille on last run and the whole time was thinking–Hope Janae listens to this one soon:))

Have a great day. All the kids are so cute!! And love your new house!

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Oh thank you for thinking of me! It really was such a great episode! Thank you and I hope your Tuesday is wonderful.

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It would be so hard to run with my hair down. I don’t even have long hair, but I think it would drive me crazy! I have yet to run an ultra, but Courtney Dauwalter is my current ultramarathon rock star/idol. I love that there are so many fantastic women to look up to in this sport. xo, Ali

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I agree… I hate it when hair touches my face while running. I am totally going to learn about Courtney and follow her. Thank you for sharing! There really are so many amazing and strong women for us to look up to. Have a beautiful day Ali!

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My mom made this for Thanksgiving and it was SOOOO good – https://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/sweet-potato-gouda-gratin

I always run with my hair up – most of the time it’s wrapped tightly into a bun but sometimes I go with a ponytail or braid. I just can’t stand it to swing around too much!

I bought a treadmill for myself for Christmas!!! I’m so excited! I got a really good deal on a fancy NordicTrac k and I can’t wait til it gets here! My home “gym” set up is pretty solid these days. I think that makes it harder for me to lose too much motivation because it’s right there in front of me.

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I need that sweet potato dish right this second. BEST CHRISTMAS PRESENT… I am so glad you did that. ENJOY and I’m just so happy about your home gym. Let me know how you like the treadmill. Have a beautiful day Rhiannon!

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Wow–I just read that “20 miles down, 30 miles to go,” and I would have to start practicing my mental messages now on how to break it down to sound logical ~ha~ Maybe “marathon down, less than another marathon to go”? Not sure that quite does it, either :)
Most times I have a set route in mind before my long run, but every once in awhile I’ll call an audible if I’m headed toward a hill and instead need something flatter, or if I have to talk myself into pushing up some hills.
I usually have my hair in a ponytail when I run, but I’ve been doing a bun more often. Last time I did a braid, my rubber band broke, and my hair was suddenly swinging around!
We’re hosting Christmas dinner, too: bacon-wrapped pork tenderloin on the smoker, mom’s cheesy potatoes, roasted brussels sprouts with walnuts, parker house rolls & big salad.
I could never get used to listening to anything while running until I got Aftershokz Trekz Air; I feel like I can hear what’s around me, instead of using earbuds and not being able to hear well. I listened to a spotify playlist that my daughters put together of alt rock songs. I just hope I didn’t really sing out loud!

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Oh that is a good idea… we will have to try that for our mental game ha. YOUR DINNER SOUNDS PERFECT… maybe we should just combine. Those headphones are incredible. I have a pair and they are really great (I just need to find the charger grrr). Have a wonderful day Corey!

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I usually make up a route for a long run before I go. Especially if it’s a bit further than i’m used to. (more than 12 km). Hair in a sort of bun, I don’t really like the bouncing of a ponytail, and I can’t braid it myself. Loose would drive me crazy too. On Sunday I ran with a friend so we talked, I’ll leave in a little while for a run on my own, so I’ll listen to the radio. The soup looks great, the link doesn’t work for the Netherlands. I already found a recipe for it somewhere else. I have a hard time deciding what to cook, so inspiration is always welcome! Have a great day!

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I’m right there with you…loose drives me crazy! Oh bummer that the link doesn’t work but glad you found another one. Let me know if you try it. You too Eva!

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Camille Herron is amazing!!! I listened to that podcast on my Friday run. What an inspiration!! Although, I don’t know that I would be able to stomach Taco Bell while running ?. Ha ha
I always plan my route for long runs. I like to know where I’m going before I head out. And my hair is always in a ponytail of some sort when I run. I don’t like to have it in my face.
We’re also hosting family for Christmas Eve and Christmas day. Our Christmas Eve tradition is a classic turkey dinner. For Christmas day we’ll be doing steaks, along with some yummy sides. My husband makes a great steak rub, so we’ve made all our family a jar of the rub as a gift. Then they can taste it first during dinner.
Great job on your training so far, both of you! I’m sure it feels like an impossible task at times, but you’ll get there! One of my favorite motivational quotes, “Run when you can, walk when you have to, crawl if you must, just never give up.
Have a great day ?

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Hahah yeah I definitely don’t think I could eat taco bell while running (I can’t really eat it when I’m not running haha)! I hope that you have an amazing time with family at your house this holiday! That steak sounds amazing! And the perfect quote… I’ll send it to Andrew right now (He is out doing his second long run). Thanks Wendy, have a beautiful day!

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This pork tenderloin is heavenly: https://food52.com/recipes/22841-crock-pot-brown-sugar-balsamic-glazed-pork-tenderloin

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That picture is BEAUTIFUL. I need that tenderloin in my life right now. Thanks Amanda!

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We are having a burger bar for Christmas Eve.
Pork roast for Christmas Day.

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Those both sound heavenly… can we come?

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I’m adding have a holiday meal together to our bucket list.

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I usually map out my long runs cause I’m trying to hit a certain mileage.

My hair is shorter now (just barely holds a ponytail), but when it was longer it was always a ponytail and usually a bride too cause my hair is thick and tangles easy.

My mom is making lasagna for Christmas, the rest of us are doing the sides and appetizers. I’m making a spinach salad and probably some appetizer i haven’t figured out yet. My sister is making crab stuffed mushrooms, yum!

If I’m running alone, I go thru spurts where I’ll listen to music or podcasts. Last podcast i listened too was Conan O’Brien, it was pretty funny.

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LASAGNA… the best meal ever:). I wish I could talk everyone into lasagna again this month. Your meal is going to be amazing! Oh I love Conan. He is so funny to me for some reason. I hope you have a beautiful day Laura!

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I run alone, so I pretty much always plan my route and let the hubby know where I am going, just in case ?

50 miles sounds long, but when you say “30 more miles” after running 20, it sounds sooo much longer! I talked my husband into a half marathon once, and that was it for him. LOL.

There is no possible way I could run with my hair down! I can’t even do a ponytail without braiding it!

Important question: what type of kitchen faucet do you have? I really like it!

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So smart to let your husband know exactly where you are running before you leave. Thank you so much… I’ll text the girl we bought the house from right now. I have no idea… she did such a great job remodeling it. Have a wonderful day Annemarie!

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I can barely function in daily life with my hair down. Definitely NOT while running ha. Speaking of hair! I am trying to grow mine out and it is taking foreverrrrr. Your hair is absolutely gorgeous! Any suggestions? What is your routine/do you take any supplements (like biotin or collagen)?

And for Christmas: https://www.gogogogourmet.com/pumpkin-cinnamon-roll-french-toast-casserole/
Highly recommend.

Hope you have a wonderful day! :)

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I have never seen anything like that pumpkin cinnamon roll french toast. I must have them asap. Oh thank you so much Rachel! The only thing I take for my hair (I use Costco shampoo and conditioner these days) is this vitamin: https://amzn.to/2R2Gk12 . I notice a big difference when I take them! Also, I put collagen in my smoothies whenever I have them (which isn’t often right now). Have a beautiful day Rachel!

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Thanks Janae! I’ll try the gummies :) and yes you must have them! Hope they make a lovely addition to your Christmas!

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I also plan my long runs but usually throw in little bits as I feel like it.

My last run was my marathon ha… I’m fortunately not even tempted to run for a while yet because my quads are still insanely sore! I listened to nothing for miles 1-12, a theology podcast from miles 13-16, and music for the last 10 miles.

I’m pretty much only ever responsible for dessert and bread-type things at holiday meals… I’ll be making cranberry cake and cookies for Christmas Eve and cinnamon rolls for Christmas morning.

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Good job taking time off after your PR marathon, you rocked it! I love how you split up your marathon with nothing/podcast/music! I never listen to music for the first half either! I want that cranberry cake and cinnamon rolls right now:) Have a great day Grant!

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I’m really into treadmill running right now because it holds my pace. I’m really feeling lazy. I love it though because I watch Netflix and the time flies. I love to watch crime shows and am really into Criminal Justice. I used to do ponytail, but now I really love the bun because it keeps my hair up and away and it doesn’t get tangled. I just bought a knit cap with a hole for a bun at the top for my next race!
Soup on a cold day is the BEST!!

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I love crime shows and that’s the best part about the treadmill, it holds you to the pace you need to stick to! I need that cap.. that sounds perfect. Have a wonderful day Lisa!

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I listened to the same podcast this morning and it was so good! Sometimes I listen to running podcasts, sometimes football podcasts, sometimes music. My hair is always up. I have no idea how she does hair down running.
I love this recipe for holidays but I skip the roasted apples. https://www.bonappetit.com/recipe/prosciutto-wrapped-pork-loin-roasted-apples

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The picture of the pork loin legit made me drool a little haha! That looks amazing! I don’t either… it would drive me crazy! Have a beautiful day Ali!

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Maybe the strategy I use for myself on a long that for whatever reason feels long and tough might be good for Andrew: approach it like what I call the “carbon half-life system”–when you reach a point that feels LONG, break down the distance that’s left by half, and tell yourself “I have to get to THIS point…” and once you reach that point, break down what’s left in half…and keep on doing that. The distance that is in the “I have to get to THIS point…” always winds up getting smaller, and by just focusing on that, I have always, at least, found a big shift in my mental game!!! Maybe it will help Andrew and help him shift his focus away from what feels like a long distance left but on the smaller distances within (and if he has run 20 miles and says to himself “15 miles to get to THIS point…” then he knows he can do it since he just ran longer than that…)?!? No matte what, tell him I have faith he can do this! You don’t need to be a runnergirl to be able to do hard things! RunBros can also do hard things!!!

As for hair, I have been a ponytail girl. Especially over the last year, I have been wearing Brooks sherpa hats and they’re perfect for ponytails. Except I started wearing the power bun when I teach spin class after your marathon power bun awesomeness, and I love it so much that I bought myself a pair of goodr sunglasses so I can try the power bun on a run. Just waiting for a day that’s sunny enough to wear them!!!

Our traditional christmas meal is the one I grew up with–prime rib and roasted potatoes (and spanakopita since I am Greek and spanakopita must always be there). Tom and I wind up having prime rib leftovers for SO LONG afterwards (and mix together cut up prime rib with shredded gouda, goat cheese crumbles, and carameilzed onions inside tortillas and make yourself the best ever quesadilla that’s distinctly not tex-mex…). We get our cut of meat from Costco because the meat is always huge and the price is right and we trust that their butcher department cuts the meat really well.

That’s my story and I’m sticking to it!!!!

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The carbon half life is going to help both of us, thank you Stephanie! Great idea to use the power but to teach spin.. I wish I would have done that when I taught! I would get so sweaty in spin! We might have to copy you with the Costco prime rib…
Have a wonderful day!!!

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You know, I really got sick and tired of the sweat from my ponytail whipping around at the end of class. I’m a really big bad sweat-monster, btw–I think that Greek people were made to feed people and to sweat like the swarthiest of people out there…it’s ridiculous.So I am starting the Power Bun Approach To Life (or at least physical fitness). I’ll have to see if running with that and goodrs makes me feel as good as my beloved sherpa hats (I have way too many of them to give them up for good, btw…), so we will see.

ANYHOW–Prime Rib. It’s amazing and very easy. There are a zillion recipes out there, but all your actually really need is salt, pepper, and garlic powder. For a good cut of beef, if you also have a nice gravy, it’s really all you need. Just remember this formula: ~450 degrees for 30 minutes (put the prime rib in at room temperature…), and then take the oven down to ~325 degrees and cook about 15 minutes per lb of the package of meat you’ve got (accounting for bones and all), according to my mom. Because Tom and I like our food more on the medium/medium-rare side of things, we knock that down to 13 min per lb and it’s PERFECT. Super duper easy!!! Throw some potatoes in the oven at some point (or maybe cook a bunch of smaller sized baked potatoes in the crock pot overnight before Christmas and then set up a baked potato bar so the ONLY work you really need to do is set out a series of toppings for everyone to personalize…), make a salad, put out a cheese tray, and you really have an amazing meal. With minimal work. Yay.

:)

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My favorite fuel on long trail runs include: Untapped Maple Syrup packets and Untapped Maple Waffle (I get them from the local bicycle shop); Clif Z-bars; and organic fruit snacks from Target. All very much like real food but easy to shove in a running vest and easy to open on the run. Dried apricots are also a good option for natural sugar/carbs!

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Thank you thank you thank you Annie for the ideas… I’ll be grabbing those ASAP! Have a wonderful day and thanks for the help.

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Ponytail all the way. Can’t do a bun to braids or down. The ponytail keeps it out of my face but doesn’t bounce too much, causing a headache. ;)

Okay, so my mother-in-law grew up with a mother who ran a catering business and then my MIL also had a catering business for a while. By the time they got to Christmas they (all the family helped) were so sick of traditional holiday foods (turkey, ham, rolls, etc) that her Dad would grill steaks while her mom steamed lobsters. That was their reward every year for a hard worked party season. Sounds good to me! :)

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That sounds amazing to me!! I love that plan. All of the thanksgiving cooking and leftovers made me need something different for Christmas ha. Have a wonderful day Michelle!

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If I’m doing a long run, I plan my route in advance – I don’t want to be too close to home when I still have miles to go – too tempting! For shorter runs I tend to just wing it based on how I feel after the first mile and how windy it is.

My hair is always in a braid when I run and two braids when I’m cycling so my helmet fits properly.

I have a bunch of really good side dishes on my blog (https://mcmomentsandmemories.blogspot.com/p/friday-foodie.html ) but I think my favorite is this Butternut Squash Bake (http://mcmomentsandmemories.blogspot.com/2010/01/friday-foodie_29.html) scroll down past the Minestrone soup.

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I really just need to come over and celebrate with you… you make the most delicious food! I want the bake and the soup in that post ha. I hope you are having a wonderful day Kathy!

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Come on over! Today would be a great day – all my Christmas baking is done and I’ve got Cajun Red Beans and Rice in the crock pot (http://mcmomentsandmemories.blogspot.com/2014/03/friday-foodie.html)

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I 100% of the time have my long runs planned out :) I don’t mind taking some different turns, but I definitely need to have a plan first!

I usually braid my hair on race day but pony or bun during training runs, but when I ran St. George this year it took me at least 30 min to get my braids out! It was awful so I haven’t braided my hair for a run since.

We have Christmas lunch at my house and the hubs smokes a turkey and I make roasted veggies. This year my kids are in charge of macaroni and cheese, stuffing, a charcuterie board, and pizza rolls! I love that they are old enough to be able to and to still want to help!

I typically don’t listen to anything when I run with a group, which is often, but on my treadmill I love listening to books :)

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Wait… was it awful because of the rain?!? Can we come over for your meal? That all sounds delicious! Send me any great book recommendations:) Have a wonderful day Marissa!

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I see Knox in that photo of Skye in the sink! So cute!

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ME TOO!!! Thanks Stacy, have a wonderful Tuesday!

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Good afternoon!
I always try to plan my routes so I can be sure of the distance ahead of time. I have a question for you though – I am also reading Krissy Moehl’s book and really like her training plan for 50k. Her hill workout that has 2,4,6 minutes etc….are you lucky enough to have trails near you where you can run uphill for that amount of time? Near me its more short, steep hills and not many long climbs so I am afraid I will need to do hill workouts on the treadmill (yuck!).
Anyway, I always run with my hair up, its super long and thick and I cannot imagine it just loose!!
I am always in charge of dessert for Christmas – I love baking/decorating cookies!
I have a playlist on Spotify I listen to, or podcasts. Currently working my way through Training for Ultra :)
Have a great day!

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Hey Laura… oh that is tough. So we have a road here that I could actually run up fast for about 12 minutes and it is a hill the entire time. If I were you then I would definitely modify the workout and do the same amount of minutes of climbing (usually around 18-20 minutes for her workouts I think) but maybe faster since the intervals are shorter (yet they are steeper so maybe not any faster) and jog back down for recovery. What 50k are you training for? You are going to have to keep me in the loop with how it is all going for you… this is no joke ha. Have a beautiful day!

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Ohh thats a good idea, to just get the equivalent minutes of uphill, even if its in smaller chunks. Thank you! I could probably find some long hills but I’d have to drive about an hour to our mountains. Doable once in a while but not on a regular basis. Thanks for being so helpful! :)
I am training for a road ultra in the fall of 2019 (I like to start planning REALLY early, not sure if you can tell ;)) in central New York. We have a region that is called the Finger Lakes that is SO beautiful, very steep hills and beautiful lakes and gorges. The 50k runs half way around the lake and the 50 miler goes all the way. I am shooting for the 50k this year…I have been dealing with an incredibly persistent and frustrating overuse injury over the last two years and I think it is FINALLY under control and I cannot wait to get out there and see what I can do when I can really train properly. Maybe 50 miles next time ;)
I am following your training with great interest and really appreciate you sharing so much! And all your good advice :) Have a wonderful day!

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White Chocolate Bread! It is easy and amazing, if I show up at a party without it people aren’t happy. You will wonder how you went this long without having it in your life.

https://www.geniuskitchen.com/recipe/club-med-white-chocolate-bread-346431

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I have never heard of this type of bread before and I adore white chocolate and bread so this sounds perfect. THANK YOU LISA!

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I just cut my long hair off because I got sick of all the dreadlocks that formed during long runs!! So now I can just wear it down or in a tiny ponytail and no annoying-ness. Before that I would have wear it in a bun to minimize tangles.
Brussel sprouts roasted with hazelnuts and maple syrup is a good side dish. Or roasted carrots with rosemary and honey. Basically I just like to add sugar to my vegetables and bake them ?

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I just signed up for my first 50 miler (it’s not until August), but I also signed up for The Belgian Waffle Ride which is in May in SoCal and is 136 miles of bike riding with 12,000 feet of climbing. It’s all endurance, right?? :)

I loved the Calderas, but literally put a hole in the heel on my first run down my gravel driveway. The cushion is great though!

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I was at Target this afternoon and thought of you when I saw Hershey Kiss Hot Cocoa flavor. Instantly bought them to try and they are awesome!! My oldest son and husband are on board. I know your love of all things hot cocoa, so I would recommend them…..highly!!!!

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Do you and Andrew run together/the same pace? Are you planning to run the Ultra together/together (i.e. side-by-side sort of thing) or just run it at your own paces? Tell Andrew he can do it!!! I don’t know it but it seems like he’s taken on a lot of challenges in life and came out the other end alright :)

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