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August 22, 2016

Long Run + Weekend Fun

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Hey guys! Matt and I had such a nice weekend – relaxing and filled with lots of friend time. My favorite! On Friday, we had a cozy night in on our own – Matt picked up a pizza for us from Lost Dog Café and I made us side salads to get in some veggie volume. It was humid but cool enough to eat outside by the time we tucked in around 8.

lost dog cafe takeout pizza

We spent the rest of the evening on the couch! We’re nearing the end of the recent season of “The Americans” – such a good show!

On Saturday morning I was especially glad for the low key Friday night because I had my long run on the agenda! I was up at 5:45 – oof – and out the door by 6:15 to meet a group of friends over at Fletcher’s Cove on the Capital Crescent/C&O Canal trails. It was very foggy and mysterious looking out!

fletcher's cove running

I met my track buddies Diane and Paul and my friend Sokphal for the adventure. Diane and Sokphal had 14 miles on the agenda, and our track coach had given Diane instructions for the run that included an out and back, various accelerations, etc. I was supposed to just do 14 to 16 steady miles, which was also what Paul was looking to do, so we all ran together until mile 4 and then split into pairs to knock out the rest of the run.

Paul and I wanted to do a simple out and back – I have a hard time coming back to the car before I’m done – kind of crushes me mentally – so we decided to go all the way up the Capital Crescent trail past Bethesda before turning back. Paul had 20ish miles on the agenda (his marathon is in a few weeks) and had already done 4 before meeting us; I was originally planning to do 14 miles, but I was feeling so good out there I said okay, maybe 15 – and then by the time we got to our turnaround at 7.5 miles I was like, what the hell – let’s keep going and turn around at 8 miles. 16 miles it was!

capital crescent north of bethesda

It was really humid out there but slightly cooler temperatures which made SUCH a difference – this was the best long run I’ve had so far this training season by far. Paul said the same thing – it was so nice to actually feel good on a long run!

capital crescent trail running

We stopped 3 times during the run to quickly stretch and fuel up. The first time was at mile 4 when we said goodbye to Diane and Sokphal. The second time was shortly after the turnaround at mile 8! Here is Paul wringing out his socks – that is a LOT of sweat! Hot tip for my gentlemen readers (or for my extra sweaty female readers – no shame) – throw a change of socks in your pack (Paul has the same Nathan hydration vest that I do, but the men’s version obvi) and change halfway through the run. When your socks are totally soaked it makes a big difference to switch out for a dry pair!

IMG_0994

We stopped one last time around mile 12 for another quick stretch and snack break. Regarding fuel, over the course of the run I took a couple clif margarita shot bloks as usual, and I also ate two of my Nut Butter Stuffed Salty Dates. Yummy – love those!

real food running fuel

So awesome to finally get a good training run in where I didn’t feel like death. And 16 miles – wow! It’s been 3 years since I’ve seen those numbers on my watch. 🙂 (I just had a fun trip down memory lane reading about the very first time I ever ran 16 miles with my friend Kathleen back in 2013!)

We had a great overall pace, too – multiple sub-9 minute miles (slight downhill on the way back = awesome), and our last mile was even faster! Thanks for the great company and the great run, Paul!

IMG_0996

When I got home, I had a quick snack (speaking of – stay tuned for my Watermelon Rosemary Popsicle recipe coming tomorrow!) and hopped in an ice bath. These help so much!

ice bath for runners

After cleaning up, I tucked into brunch. Hit the spot! Plus a latte, obviously.

post run brunch

I relaxed for a bit and then a few hours later Matt and our friend Shane came back from kicking the soccer ball around – they were hungry for a late lunch so the three of us met up with our other friend Matt and went to Texas Jack’s BBQ in Clarendon. It was a fun spot – we had the place to ourselves when we arrived at 3 p.m. (awkward meal time FTW) and the vibe was really cool – big, open space – and the waitress was really nice, too. I was already hungry for another meal thanks to my long run – I got BBQ pulled chicken + salad + beans. Delicious! The waitress liked us and brought us some pie on the house, too – it was so good!

texas jack's bbq clarendon

The four of us hung out there for a few hours before heading back to one of the guy’s places and watching “Stranger Things” – the awesome Netflix TV show. It was a fun day – felt kind of like a college weekend day in the sense that we just roamed around socializing and relaxing for most of the day. Super low key and fun!

On Sunday, we slept in and then got some things done around the house. I also watched the Olympic men’s marathon race – did anyone else watch?!

olympic men's marathon

It was incredibly inspiring to see those guys out there giving it their all. The paces they are doing for a full marathon are absolutely mind boggling. So impressive!

IMG_1940

I was also really impressed by my favorite, Meb, who had a disappointing race day but was still incredibly gracious in his post-race interviews. Also – he slipped and fell RIGHT before finishing and rather than falling apart or getting mad, he popped up and did a few pushups before standing up and finishing proudly. We can definitely all learn something from Meb in terms of turning failures into opportunities and learning experiences – and being gracious and kind even when we don’t get what we want.

Anyway! The rest of yesterday was all about eating. Matt and I met our friends Kathleen and Zach for a late brunch at DC Harvest on H Street. It was great to see them – especially since Kathleen is due any day now, so it might be a little while before we get to hang out again!

dc harvest brunch

Their brunch is so good – I had the lamb sausage egg scramble with kale, onions, and peppers, and it comes with a side salad and roasted sweet potatoes. Delicious!

We spent the afternoon getting some work done, and then for dinner met up with friends Stephanie and Alex! We decided to hit up Bangkok Golden in Falls Church – a Laotian/Thai place that is the sister restaurant to popular Thip Khao on 14th Street in DC. We were planning to hit Thip Khao, but it’s closed for a summer holiday week, so we decided we’d check out Bangkok Golden instead! It was also delicious – unique and flavorful. Loved the woven containers the sticky rice came in, too!

bangkok golden falls church

We also loved catching up with Steph and Alex. Fun night!

And now, it’s Monday and time to get back to work! Rachael, Alex, and I have been working on updating and improving our Joyful Eating Program by adding some additional worksheets and resources to the mix – we have a call in a few minutes to discuss more changes. We’re excited about how the program is shaping up for the next round, which will be in October! Don’t forget to get on the email list if you’re interested in joining us in October – we’ll be sending out a special one week only discount code to our email subscribers next week!

How was your weekend? Any great workouts or delicious food to report?

- anne
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26 comments
  • Heather @ Polyglot Jot
    August 22, 2016 · 10:33AM:
    I had some delicious food this weekend too! :D I think peanut butter and dates are one of my favorite combos lately!
    Reply
  • Shel@PeachyPalate
    August 22, 2016 · 10:34AM:
    Oh I don't think I could handle the ice bath!!! Did you make the sweet potato waffle?
    Reply
    • Anne
      August 22, 2016 · 10:58AM:
      No, it's one of the savory waffles I mentioned in my day in the life post!
      Reply
  • Kori
    August 22, 2016 · 11:16AM:
    You are so inspiring! 16 miles is crazy awesome. =D We made Kylie's (Immaeatthat) latest baked oatmeal recipe on Saturday morning, and it was amazing. We also grilled Aldi's natural jalapeno beef brisket burgers with friends yesterday for dinner, and they were fantastic. I did hit up the gym on Saturday before coming home to hold down the couch. Haha We received quite the amount of rainfall, so it was the perfect day for both movement and relaxation.
    Reply
    • Anne
      August 22, 2016 · 11:46AM:
      We got a ton of rain yesterday too - good afternoon to be indoors!
      Reply
  • Allison Keskimaki
    August 22, 2016 · 11:24AM:
    I participated in a team marathon relay on Sunday. It was really fun! There were 5 of us and we all started and ended at the same spot, which was nice. While one member was running, the rest of us could just hang out and chat. Also attempted a 13 mile long run on Saturday but only made it 10; so much humidity! (and I hadn't run in about 3 weeks...)
    Reply
    • Anne
      August 22, 2016 · 11:46AM:
      That relay sounds like a blast!
      Reply
  • Laura
    August 22, 2016 · 12:30PM:
    What do you think of Stranger Things? We loved it and had to re-watch the entire series after we watched it the first time! I am a scaredy cat though and had to cover my eyes at some points!
    Reply
    • Anne
      August 22, 2016 · 1:47PM:
      SO GOOD! We loved it. Can't wait for the next season! I love the old school feel to it.
      Reply
  • Coco
    August 22, 2016 · 1:33PM:
    What a great run and weekend adventures. I've never run with others. I wonder how do you run with someone else when your paces are different? I'm also thinking to join a running club to meet other runners to keep up the motivation to run during winter. Any suggestions?
    Reply
    • Anne
      August 22, 2016 · 1:47PM:
      I would definitely join a running group! I love running with other people, clearly - I think it's way more fun. Basically a social outing where you happen to be running too. :) If you are different paces you end up going closer to the slower person's pace, usually.
      Reply
      • Coco
        August 22, 2016 · 3:56PM:
        sounds good. Any running group you'd recommend? How do you find them?
        Reply
        • Anne
          August 22, 2016 · 4:00PM:
          A couple places to check to find running groups -- local running stores usually all have running groups - both training program groups for specific races that usually cost money as well as evening and weekend fun runs that are free. My coached track group program is through a local running store. You can also find a ton of running groups on MeetUp.com. I'm not sure if you're in DC or not, but there are tons here -- Capital Striders, Washington Running Club, DC Road Runners, etc.
          Reply
          • Coco
            August 23, 2016 · 3:35PM:
            I live in close to Dunn Loring metro station. I have PR store close by but they usually have evening runs. I can't do it in the evening only mornings. I'll check out the others you suggested. Thank you.
            Reply
  • Sarah @ BucketListTummy
    August 22, 2016 · 2:26PM:
    I was sad for Meb! Proud of Rupp for repping the US though and earning a medal. I did 15 on Saturday and I concur about the soaked, wet socks, haha - no shame!
    Reply
    • Anne
      August 22, 2016 · 2:52PM:
      Rupp crushed it! I can't believe that was only his second marathon! So awesome.
      Reply
  • courtney @ eat pray run dc
    August 22, 2016 · 2:27PM:
    Sounds like a fun weekend! I thought I spotted you on CCT on Saturday! My group was right behind you when you stopped to break off. We did 16 as well and I definitely took an ice bath. I always enjoy long runs on the CCT because then I get to say I ran in DC / MD and VA in one run :)
    Reply
    • Anne
      August 22, 2016 · 2:52PM:
      I know right?! Too funny to be in so many places in just a couple hours! Way to go on also running 16! :)
      Reply
  • Amanda S. August 22, 2016 · 2:44PM:
    Hi Anne - I thought I recognized you on the Bethesda section of the CC Trail on Saturday. I haven't checked out the blog in a while but I see you're running the Marine Corps Marathon. I was also out on my long run training for the same race, which also happens to be my first marathon. Here's to many more cool Saturday mornings (cool being a relative word, of course)! Next time I'll wave hello!
    Reply
    • Anne
      August 22, 2016 · 2:51PM:
      Awesome! Next time please do say hello! Hope you had a great run, too. Good luck with the rest of your training and with MCM - so exciting it's your first marathon! :)
      Reply
  • Roadrunner August 22, 2016 · 2:47PM:
    Great run and a great weekend and a great post! Thanks. Yep, sorry to see Meb in the marathon, but a class act, as always. Well done! In turn, had a pretty intense 32-mile bike ride in horse country; 20.4 mph, which is not bad, considering the hills and humidity.
    Reply
    • Anne
      August 22, 2016 · 2:53PM:
      Wow - sounds like an intense one!
      Reply
  • Lauren K August 22, 2016 · 4:53PM:
    It's so cool to hear that you felt so good you went even further on your long run! You deserve a run like that! I also totally agree about Meb's grace and sportsmanship -- so cool!
    Reply
    • Anne
      August 22, 2016 · 5:25PM:
      Wish you'd been out there with me my friend! xo
      Reply
  • Ellen @ My Uncommon Everyday
    August 23, 2016 · 8:30PM:
    The weather turned into perfect running weather this weekend, just as my body decided it didn't feel up to running. Hopefully, my hip chills out so I can take advantage, but I got in a few nice walks anyhow. Congrats on a great 16 miles! :)
    Reply
    • Anne
      August 24, 2016 · 9:33AM:
      I hope your hip feels better soon!
      Reply
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anne mauney fannetastic food
Hi, I’m Anne! I'm a Washington D.C. based Registered Dietitian, mother, runner, and lover of travel, adventure, and the great outdoors. I've been blogging since 2009, sharing a mix of lifestyle content, recipes, and fitness tips. Come for the recipes – stay for the fun!
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anne mauney

I’m Anne, a Registered Dietitian and mother. I've been blogging since 2009 and love showing others that eating nutritious foods and staying active can actually be fun rather than overwhelming!

When I’m not writing or cooking for fannetastic food, you can find me running, coaching nutrition clients, or on an adventure with my family. Feel free to reach out - I'd love to hear from you!

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