Just Keep Climbing

I feel like since the last time I wrote a post, it's as if someone hit the weather switch from off to on. As I type this, my weather monitor (yeah, I'm a weather geek) reads 85°F. Now, you may be thinking, "Holy Hades, that's hot!" but take out the midwest humidity, and you have the most comfortable setting. I've heard on multiple accounts from people who are born and bred here that I have yet to survive my first summer but let's just enjoy this while it lasts. When was the last time you got tan lines in early March that wasn't from a vacation?

So, what was on tap for running this week? I sort of started a modified "half marathon" training plan on Monday. When I say modified, I mean I'm really just going to follow something that tells me when to run so I can keep getting milage in and not become deadweight. As mentioned before, I won't be race training for a little bit but that doesn't mean the goals stop. Let's take a look at this week's line up:

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  3/17 - Sunrise Trail

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  3/15 - Lake Outlook Trail

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  3/11 - Easy Miles

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  3/14 - Easy Miles

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  3/13 - Easy miles w/strides

Clearly, I'm still trying to learn how to correctly place photos but this is what you get for now. Kept it easy most of the week. Tuesday was a total washout with rain all day and insane winds. The rain lingered on Wednesday so I had to take it to the dreadmill. Any more runs after this week that end up there, I'm not using my Garmin anymore unless I change my mind about investing in a foot pod. Time to just play with the numbers on the machine and manually input the data afterward. Friday was a little chilly in the morning but it was great to hit the trail again. This was more of a test run to make sure everything felt good for my run on Sunday. I filled my hydration pack to the brim (2.5L) and set off for a down and back. Kept it easy and was able to push longer than I normally can. Sunday came and I was more than excited to run. One of my fellow Nuun Ambassador buddies just moved into town and she had an 80-minute training run to do on a trail. I suggested Sunrise so we set out. It clearly kicked our asses with the steep climb to start but it was so rewarding. This was also the longest run I've done since training for Detroit last year. While we didn't run the entire time and did some power-hiking, it was still a thrilling workout. It felt really good to get some more elevation and to really test out the Saucony Peregrine shoes. They are still rocking! Also, still not tired of the views I get from some of my runs. See below:

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No filter on those babies. Simply beautiful. This next week brings some more miles. We will be traveling but I still hope to lace up and get a few runs in while juggling other things.

Speaking of traveling, this is the first time I will be doing so as a vegetarian. We like to pack healthy snacks to take with us to not only deter from the crap you walk past in the terminals but also to keep more money in our pockets. Let's be honest, once you're past TSA, you're paying prime dollar for little to nothing. I normally pack my daily superfoods, some Larabars, and trail mix. Another brilliant idea popped in my head. Queue 'Run Fast, Eat Slow' by Shalane Flanagan.

Don't let the title fool you. If you are not a runner or athlete, you should still stop what you're doing right now and go buy it. It's on Amazon too if you prefer the ease of not driving or dealing with the public. Her recipe for Superhero Muffins will knock your tastebuds out of this world. Seriously, I could put away like five of them in one sitting and then maybe five more. Did I just challenge myself? They're packed with nutrients that will satisfy your hunger and get your engine going. They're great for on-the-go, hence why I made them for this trip. You probably already have half the ingredients in your pantry right now. I opted to add dates since I had some. They're my favorite long run fuel source. The muffins almost have a carrot-cake taste to them and that is mine and my husband's favorite dessert. You can find the recipe by clicking here. If you whip some up, I'd love to know what your thoughts were!

We're going to end it here, folks. I have something fun in the works with my fellow blogger friend, Stephiee Cowan, so you can expect to hear more about that in the future. As I mentioned, I will be out of town but I still plan to throw up something short and sweet sometime next week. Thanks for stopping by!