Panther Run

Just as I was breaking in my flip flops and mentally preparing for swimsuit season, the weather in Santa Fe has take a 180 degree turn.  AND... it's currently snowing.  Snow, combined with constant 30 mph wind, makes spring my least favorite season in the southwest.  But I'm making the best of it!


Yesterday I ran a 5K in Santa Fe, The Wood Gormley Panther Run, with some of my work buddies.  It was my favorite kind of race: all uphill at the start, then just when you feel out of breath and worry that you won't have enough energy left for the second half, you are blessed with 1.5 miles of downhill!  I maintained a decent pace in the beginning and accelerated at the end.  I was excited to place first in my age group!  The race was really well organized, and I was inspired by all the elementary school students who participated and kicked butt.

I think racing is a great way to work on speed and push yourself to limits you wouldn't normally approach while running alone.  It's so motivating to run with hundreds of other people all working toward the same goal.  I feel healthier after a race, not only because I got a really great workout, but also because I'm more conscious of my eating habits and core stability in the days leading up to a race.  And it doesn't hurt to have some friends to celebrate with afterwards!

After my race I rode my bike for a total of 42 miles.  This was probably my longest ride to date.  Besides the unrelenting wind (there were tumbleweeds!), I felt pretty strong.  I'm trying out different workout snacks and drinks in preparation for the Half Century in a few weeks.  I feel prepared but hope to get in a few more long rides before then.  Jaycob put in 70 miles yesterday and is going to kick butt in the full 100 miler on May 18th!

Today I look forward to escaping the cold in a long vinyasa yoga class!  




Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

A Pacific Northwest Bachelorette Party

Image
I just returned home from a memorable weekend in the beautiful Pacific Northwest, celebrating my sister, Katie, who is getting married in just a few short weeks.  Four years ago she, as my Maid of Honor, planned the most unforgettable and fun-filled bachelorette weekend for me:  San Francisco and Sonoma Bachelorette , and now it was my turn to do the same for her!  We gathered together a group of twelve women from Boston, Chicago, New Orleans, Salt Lake City, Manchester, Santa Fe, Denver, and Seattle to celebrate the Bride to Be.  I wanted to have some organized, pre-planned group activities, but also plenty of down time for games, lounging, and drinking wine.  While we wanted most of the weekend to be spent at a cozy cabin overlooking the serene water of Puget Sound, we wanted one exciting night out on the town, and I think we achieved that balance.  Here's the breakdown of our weekend events: 1)  Night Out in Capitol Hill We arrived...
Read more

High Altitude Baking: Coffee Cake

Image
Happy January!  I have two weeks left of my maternity leave and I'm trying to make the most of it by spending lots of quality time with Baby Ady before she starts daycare.  It's going by so fast!  While I'm home I've been using my crock pot a lot, working on some yarn projects, taking long walks with Ady and Kua, reading, and doing some baking.  I have struggled with high altitude baking since moving to Santa Fe 5 1/2 years ago.  Cookies turn out okay, but I usually have to make some adjustments with cakes, and my breads are often mushy in the middle and crispy on the ends.  I can get by okay with a few of my favorite recipes that I have practiced multiple times, but it's often hit or miss.  For Christmas, my secret santa got me this amazing cook book, Pie in the Sky: Successful Baking at High Altitudes, that explains the chemistry behind high altitude baking and gives suggestions for adjustments to make at various altitudes.  Ingenious!  ...
Read more

My Bachelorette Party: San Francisco and Sonoma

Image
I have the best Maid of Honor in the world!   Between grad school, work, and preparing to move into a new apartment, she miraculously found time to plan THE BEST bachelorette party ever (and 3 time zones away, I might add).  I had such a fabulous time being surrounded by (and loved and adored by!) all my best friends for four days. The weekend started at 4:30 a.m. Thursday when my Santa Fe friends and I drove to Albuquerque (a 50 mile trip made possible by Panera breakfast) to catch our early flight to the Bay Area.  After a 2 1/2 trip (complete with Bloody Maries, Tequilla Sunrises, Coffees with Baileys, gossip and a few bridal magazines) we landed in Oakland!  One of my dear bridesmaids from Chicago who had arrived a few days earlier picked us up and we headed into San Francisco.  We met up with the other gals, checked in early to our hotel (Parc 55 Wyndahm in Union Square) and set out to explore the city by foot.  Som...
Read more