Weekly Wrap, Week of 9.2

By | September 9, 2018

A short week, but why did summer have to join the long weekend party? I am 100% over the heat & humidity and will not regret that come February. It’s just been miserable. I had a realization on Friday though that the struggles the last two weeks have been 10% food choices and 90% heat, which was a relief. It’s not that I don’t want to run.  In fact, it was wanting to run that pushed me through “I don’t want to go outside in this awful weather”. This was reinforced by an absolutely perfect long run (finally!) on Saturday.

Munk Pack goodies!

On a positive note, I won Marcia’s Munk Pack giveaway and my box arrived this week.  All opinions are my own I haven’t had the chance to fully delve into the cookies, but I love the pouches for a pre-run snack. I’ve long said it isn’t fair that the best runner food gets marketed to toddlers. I’m not sure I’d want to carry it on a run due to size & worry that it would explode on my phone, but the peach chia vanilla was absolutely perfect about an hour before as I was deciding when and where for my Friday evening run. I was concerned it would be too sweet, but it wasn’t at all. I cannot wait to try the apple quinoa cinnamon because fall! ETA: I tried it, even better. More below.

[bctt tweet=”adventures in long runs, Munk Packs and riding the Ferry #RunTheYear” username=”travellingcari”]

In the mean time, weekly wrap with Wendy and Holly:

 

Love this city. Magic Hour

  • Sunday: the perfect beach day on the last day of somewhat reasonable weather. Still got nearly 12K steps in walking to & from the boardwalk and then to and from the ferry. I love the new Upper East Side stop and while it’s not practical to use regularly, it was the perfect summer send off. It was hard to tell because it was dark, but I think they’ve linked the ferry stop to the northern promenade and I’m excited to explore that next weekend. I’m bored with only being able to go south.

100% pure sweat. I was walking up the ramp here. No heroes

  • Monday: speaking of south. I was finally ready to quit being lazy and get off the couch when I realized my watch was completely dead. As in no battery at all. Oh yay, another hour to drink coffee and not move.  I really, really need to get to a place where I get up and go the way I do on race days. Otherwise I’m a slug. But sometimes slug is good. When I finally got going, it was 90F with 57% humidity for a real feel of 99. Yuck. But I still ran to the gym. I lie. I ran to the base of the hill at the 59th St. bridge and then started again at the top. No heroes in this weather. My watch apparently wasn’t having the weather as it turned out this happy horseshit, as my grandmother used to say. Not even close. The time was right, but the mileage was off by ~25%. Even adjusting the GPS on Runkeeper was off, but closer to reality. I knew it was going to be wrong with the distance it was tracking (I’ve split the run to the gym a number of times, I knew it wasn’t a mile), I just didn’t realize how laughably so.
  • The gym plan was two miles, but it was too hot for intervals even in climate control, and I had a feeling I might run home so I cut it short at 1.34 and headed to row and do some planks/kettle bells. Why yes, I was using their AC and dreading going back out, why ever do you ask? 😀 But if I’d seen the time I would have gone to 15m, just because this is silly. I said I’d make the decision about running home when I walked out the door, and my glasses immediately fogged. I knew I had something left and wanted to try, plus there was shade and a breeze, so I went. It’s hilly until you drop down to the river and then I changed to walk when I hit the base of the ramp at E. 79th. Running smart. I was so overheated when I got home I made & downed my smoothie before even getting in the shower, which never happens. Propel was good and even water was OK for run home. But I am over summer. Still proud of this workout. Pushing past my comfort zone in more ways than one.
  • Tuesday: step goal due to after work meetings

Poke MealPal lunch

  • Wednesday: 1,000 days in a row logged into MFP. Would have been another ~400 as I still remember the day I missed logging in. MealPal a go again after taking August off due to travel. Supposed to be a run day, but my right calf seized unbelievably about .1 mile in and I bailed. I know it’s from sleeping semi curled on futon for the AC, but yuck. So I foam rolled and then rowed my fastest 5K in a while.
  • Thursday: late start due to local meeting so I went out for a quick, short run. I decided to investigate the northern side of the ferry landing I mentioned Sunday, but it’s still all construction. And all the steps. So many steps! It’s just as well time didn’t allow for longer as it was already brutally hot & humid. If office group didn’t run (it didn’t), plan was to hit the gym after but I was full on zapped by the heat and after working until nearly 7, I just walked part way home in the refreshing rain.

office snacks

  • Friday: pretty much a 20 degree temperature drop and it was lovely. Our Office Services team have been keeping us in fresh fruit & veg and with fall comes all the apples. Yes, fall is for apples, not pumpkin. Luckily a colleague has an apple corer because I’m still afraid of knives. I had the best laid plans of leaving at 5 and tackling Central Park, but it was more like 7 and on top of it getting dark early, the Run Center closes at 8 so I decided to drop off my bag at home and make this an all East River weekday week. The route was slightly off my normal because I decided to head up East End when I hit the light since there was way too much traffic to jay walk err. run, but it’s still basically my 3ish mile East River loop. It felt good, even if it wasn’t super fast. It was nice not to be a disgusting, dripping mess when I came home.
  • What I like about this route even at/just past dusk is it’s pretty busy and well lit. There’s a section under scaffolding down near the hospitals/Rockefeller University that I really don’t love at any hour. It smells of weed and urine and it’s just generally unpleasant, but I can run on the river side of the scaffolding. Tonight I found myself thinking of Mollie Tibbets, probably because I read Happy Fit Mama’s post this afternoon. While there has been some ugliness around her death that isn’t worth going into here, I find most of the reactions to be people disheartened that this is still happening in 2018. It shouldn’t be unsafe for women to go out in daylight. After dark? Well it depends on the area, some parts of the world wouldn’t be safe for men or women alone. I’ll probably never walk or run in Central Park after dark, although it’s many times better than it was at the time of the Central Park jogger, I still have the ghosts of those days in my head. Curiously, I think the city’s growing homeless problem is less visible in Central Park than it is on the streets of midtown.

Great Pumpkin Run

Nice surprise in my email when I got home. I’d totally forgotten about this Strava challenge. Followed that up with a delicious smoothie, which might have had a little too much berry?

  • Saturday: plan was to get up and go, but then I decided to make coffee. Oops. I headed out mid afternoon after fuelling on something slightly more intelligent than coffee and Cheerios: coffee and the apple cinnamon quinoa Munk Pack pouch. Delicious!  The weather was absolutely perfect, if a bit chilly as I walked to Central Park. The plan called for 6.5 but considering my last long run was August 18 and even that was a run/walk due to the photos, I wanted to go longer. I headed out on my 15K loop, which I wish NYRR would adopt: go all the way down to the bottom of the park on the first loop and then cut over on the 72nd St. Transverse the second loop. The first two miles were mentally slow as molasses, but then I got into a groove and it was a really good run. I have the same question about Mile 1 as I did previously when I ran the loop. I think it might be legit, maybe? Overall I felt strong, even on the hills. Didn’t walk at all. Fun reading back on the last time I did this loop, also my last long run in Central Park and first outdoor long run since the Brooklyn Half. Eek.
  • Overall goal of this run was to see how I was feeling ahead of Bronx. Not starting was never a possibility because I need it to qualify for the NYC Half, but I really wasn’t sure if I’d be running or run walking. Although I didn’t quite get in ten miles, I’m confident that I can on race day if the weather is reasonable. It’s flatter than Central Park and I’ll have the adrenaline. Nice to see that although long runs have suffered in the heat, my running fitness hasn’t terribly. Original goal after Brooklyn was to focus on speed but stay in half marathon shape. While I’m not quite there, I’m not far off. My lungs were fine, it was my knee and hip slightly that weren’t. I’m optimistic for a good run at the end of the month. The pouch was perfect fuel amount for the long run. I think part of the reason my time was better too was fewer water stops. And, no photos. Also, love the new belt — and the way the water pouch is, I think it won’t suffer the same death as the prior with bottle bouncing.

rocking my Sarah Marie Design Studio replacement shirt to dinner

I almost ordered in, but siren song of sushi worth quads on the stairs

 

  • Sunday: rest day. New York Giants game so there will be steps. Could I have cross trained? Yes. But need day off after three days running in a row.

28 thoughts on “Weekly Wrap, Week of 9.2

  1. Liz Dexter

    A good week; we are having varied weather still, too, which is quite stressful, never knowing what it’s going to be like!

    Reply
    1. cari Post author

      I think/hope we’ve turned the corner to fall or at least not peak summer. Yesterday was slightly drier but otherwise mirror to temps we ran in. <3

      Reply
  2. Marcia

    Yay! Glad the Munk Pack stuff arrived so quickly AND that you’re enjoying it. I love the Oatmeal Squeezes pre-run too but yeah, too big to carry with on a run.

    Reply
    1. cari Post author

      They’re perfect. Have a cookie packed tomorrow for work snack. Meant to bring to game today but I forgot

      Reply
  3. Kimberly Hatting

    I had to laugh (and nod in agreement) at your comment about refueling before your shower. I do that all the time, no matter how sweaty I am (and there’s been lots of sweat in recent weeks). Sometimes, I do a quick change into something dry…but save the shower for after my posts-run refuel treat. #priorities

    Reply
    1. cari Post author

      When I changed on Monday I thought of your recent post re: a splash from the sweat. It is seriously insane. Plus I try to do a light wash of running clothes in the shower and let them dry before putting in hamper — they will not dry in this humidity. There are times I’ve made smoothie to drink in bath, but I think this was the first make & drink before shower.

      Reply
  4. Wendy

    Amen to Kim’s comment and an additional comment: I’ll change into dry clothes after my run and refuel and do yoga. Then shower. I mean why not?

    Reply
    1. cari Post author

      if I had in-house laundry I absolutely would. As it is, running clothes killing my laundry bill because I have to do it so more frequently. I think the reason I usually change first is I hate sweaty clothes

      Reply
  5. Happy Fit Mama (@happyfitmama)

    Thanks for linking to my post! I hate that it was something I felt the need to write about but I’m glad it’s getting people thinking. I want to be able to run everywhere but I know that there’s just some spots that I need to avoid during certain times. And I live in a small town. Sad but it’s the way it is now. Sounds like your weekend run was great overall!

    Reply
    1. cari Post author

      You said it perfectly here & there. It’s sad the things we have to think & write about.
      What I love is the running community. One time I was just walking and I was getting verbally harassed b y a homeless man. I waived down a runner and he stayed with me until we were to a main avenue. No thought to his paces.

      Reply
  6. Coco

    I did my long run just BEFORE our humidity broke this weekend, so it was a struggle! I’ve run in Central Park at o’dark-thirty in the morning, and while I definitely stay on the road I think the biggest danger is getting hit b a cyclist if you don’t look before crossing the bike lane. 😉

    Reply
    1. cari Post author

      I saw that when I read your post. Poor thing. And yes, especially now that the park is car free, cyclists have more space to roam. Saturday I was dodging bikes, pedicabs and horses. Beautiful day where everyone is using the park
      Saw your comment on Darlene’s re: nuun/lululemon, need me to check out something here? Happy to.

      Reply
  7. kookyrunner

    Like you, I am so ready for the heat and humidity to be over. I love cold weather running so I always look forward to Fall and Winter.

    I would like to try the Munk Pack products, I’ve heard of them before, but never tried them.

    Reply
    1. cari Post author

      Keep an eye out for a giveaway. Marcia’s was the second one I saw so maybe they have a relationship with one of the networks? I didn’t look too far. I highly endorse the pouches.
      I don’t love winter, but I take cold over heat any day because it’s easier to get warm than cool down

      Reply
  8. Lesley

    Yes, fall is for apples. I miss Massachusetts and going apple picking. I had a baking mix for apple cider donuts and I made those last night. I definitely filled the molds too much, but they’re delicious nonetheless.

    Reply
    1. cari Post author

      Apple cider donuts are the absolute best. I was in Vermont this summer and that may or may not have been one of our first stops. Did you post the recipe? I’d love to see it if you have

      Reply
  9. Melissa Carney

    YAY! I am happy to have the humidity done with but I’m not ready for summer to be over. I prefer fall for running (okay, and apple picking and apple cider etc.) but that’s it 🙂 I’ve never heard of Munk Punk!

    Reply
    1. cari Post author

      I like the idea of summer, and beach days but this one has been too brutal to enjoy
      I love all things fall that you mentioned. Plus football and some reasonable temperatues.

      Reply
  10. Chocolaterunsjudy

    Yes, this summer sucked big time weather wise.

    And yes, I’m with you on the apples.The nice thing about visiting my parents is that we pass several orchards so we’re always stopping to pick up apples. And they’re mine, all mine! My husband doesn’t eat apples. I don’t get it. I do use a knife on mine, though.

    This weekend, even though cooler than I’d really like in the beginning of Sept, made for some really awesome running weather!

    Reply
    1. cari Post author

      Yes. Apple picking is one of those childhood loves I never grew out of either

      Reply
  11. Deborah Brooks

    I know my struggles this summer were all humidity related. Bring on fall! I always have a snack before showering bc running makes me hungry

    Reply
    1. cari Post author

      I think if there’s anything unanimous about us Wrap participants is that we’re done with summer running

      Reply
  12. HoHo Runs

    I ate a few apples this week for the first time in a long time. They were so tasty! I’m so glad you had a great run in great weather on Saturday! It will still be a while before we get a break here. I’ve run in Central Park with my sister and it’s a favorite memory of mine (I’ve probably already told you that!). I haven’t heard of Munk Pack. Sounds delicious! Thanks for linking!

    Reply
    1. cari Post author

      Apples are my favorite sign of fall along with leaves changing. They’re just the perfect snack especially for my sweet tooth

      Reply

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