Monday FunDay

I returned from Minnesota last night exhausted and very full from all the eating. Came home, unpacked and went straight to bed. Who knew walking all over the fair eating all kinds of foods would be so exhausting.

This pic to the left is a piece of cheesecake dipped in chocolate. it was so good. I don't normally love cheesecake but for whatever reason this was delish.

I am now into workout week #3 of my FIRST training plan. Here is how it's gonna go down.

Monday: Total Conditioning

Tuesday: 1 Mile warmup followed by a downhill ladder...typically I am used to going "Up" a ladder. But hey, I am not going to discriminate and starting with the longest interval first sounds kind of nice =)

         1x1200, 1x1000, 1x800, 1x600, 1x400 and 1x200

Wednesday: Swim for 1 hr. I typically ride my bike this day but I have been feeling my IT band while biking and felt it a little on my run last Saturday so I am going to give the bike a rest.... I may need some kind of strange adjustment.

Thursday: 7 miles with 1 mile warmup 5 miles at 8:05 pace and 1 mile easy

Friday: Not sure yet... either total conditioning or another swim.  

Saturday: 17 Miles around a 9:00 minute mile. My 15 miler felt so good last week I am interested to see how this one feels. I hope all my long runs feel great but as most of us runners know some just feel like crap.

I am also going to be cooking a lot this week (now that I have a menu) so hopefully I cook up some good treats! For dinner tonight, it is Roman Style Chicken. I haven't made this recipe before so I'll let you know how it is. But I typically find Giada recipes delish.

Happy Running and may you Monday be a funday.  -Jen


What is everyone else cooking for dinner?

How did Hurricane/Tropical Storm Irene turn out for everyone?
-We are SO glad Sarah and Scott are A.O.K and the only damage they have are water bubbles in there wall.... which apparently have shown up during previous rain storms.... Sarah, maybe call your landlord? that doesn't sound too normal.  Check out the pic here.

Is everyone ready for Fall?
-I am, I am ready for cool crisp air and pretty leaves. I love fall

Long Run and The Great Minnesota Get-Together

I am about to run out the door and do my 15 miler. I woke up at 4am today in order to blog, eat breakfast and be on the road running by 5:20. I have to be back no later then 8 and then I have to hurry up and shower and be ready to roll to the airport by 9. I am off to Minnesota to enjoy The Minnesota State Fair. It is definitely one of a kind. You can find pretty much any food on the planet deep fried and put on a stick. There is also your fair share of non-fried foods but alas I would not consider most of them "healthy choices". =) Realizing I was going to be totally overdoing it food wise this weekend I thought it would be a good idea to get my hard workouts done early in the week. That way I hopefully avoid making 20 bathroom stops while on my 15 miler.

Here is the low-down on my workouts so far:

Monday: Total Conditioning class
Tuesday: 12x400's with 1:30 recovery between each one. I averaged a 1:36 for all repeats with my fastest being last. (I always like the fastest to be last, so when it happens I am happy =))
Wednesday: 22 Mile bike ride with some pushups and pullups
Today: 15 miler @ around a 9:00 mile. I would like to run this a little faster, but we'll see how I feel. I am not too worried about it.

Then I leave for MN. Friday I'll be doing some cross training.
Saturday: 7 miles with 5@ 8:20

On a side note, food has been on my mind lately and I am happy because I finally created a menu for myself that is gonna last me through September. If I don't have a menu then all bets are off and for dinner it is cereal or PB&J. Here is some stuff I have made in the last few days.

I realize Sarahs Egg Sandwich looked delicious in the previous post but I would have to say.... this might be better.  Hickey smoked bacon and Buttermilk Pancakes smothered in peanut butter topped with maple syrup. Delish. (Heather is who taught me to put peanut butter on pancakes and waffles and if I haven't said so before, THANKYOU)

Crock pot roast beef sandwich. Along with fruit and a grilled asparagus and tomato salad sprinkled with rock salt and pepper. Oh, and some baked chips =) Delish #2.

Spinach salad with all the normal veggies, grilled chicken and to sweeten it a bit I grilled pears and apples with a little bit of rock salt and sprinkled with cinnamon. Delish #3. (I really like rock salt lately. I also have a weird infatuation with my grill....)

Now go enter the Giveaway if you haven't already and eat some treats. I surely will be doing plenty of that the next few days.

Happy Running -Jen

Does anyone else out there have an amazing state fair they attend?
They call this one, The Great Minnesota Get Together =)


Who else needs a menu in order to cook?
If I don't have one, I wait until 6 o'clock when my family is starving and wonder what to do...