The weeks seem to be ticking along at an incredibly rapid rate as we head towards Christmas. It doesn't quite seem like Christmas is that close since we have yet to see any snow around here. But I know it's coming! In the mean time, I am enjoying the fact that I haven't been forced into the middle of the road by growing snowbanks and have yet to don my balaclava. This December has been kind to New England runners!

Jingle Bell Half Marathon

This weekend I'll be running my first half marathon since November 2013. I was supposed to run the Maine Half Marathon in October but opted out due to a linger cough (that turned out to be bronchitis). I'll be toeing the line of the Jingle Bell Half Marathon this weekend. I have no expectations for the race, I'm just excited to sleep in and not run 13 miles solo in the dark. It should be a great day, since the weather forecast is calling for unseasonably warm temps (this race has had notoriously bad weather the past few years...as in sub zero temps and crazy wind chill).

Run to the Top Dick Beardsley Interview

Last week I listened to Tina Muir's interview with Dick Beardsley, professional runner who famously finished second to Alberto Salazar in the 1982 Boston Marathon. In the interview he recounts that race in detail in a way that had me sitting on the edge of my seat running at the edge of my treadmill. It was insightful, as he described the mental game that occurred and not just the physical aspect of the race. He also talked a bit about his struggle with addiction and his recovery, which were equally inspirational. Listen to it yourself HERE.

Decorating

For a little while I wanted to go to school for interior design, way back when I was in high school. That never really materialized, but I still love to decorate. I was seriously lacking motivation to decorate for Christmas--mostly at the thought of things I've spent lots of hours making by hand, being destroyed at the hands of an overly curious three year old boy. I decided to just go ahead and do it anyway since a lot of the things I made, I made with the intention of them being part of our family Christmas tradition. If it breaks it breaks. I'd rather have well-worn things that I've used, loved and enjoyed than still-nice things that sit on a shelf or stay in a box. So we decorated and the house feels cozy and Christmas-y and the kids love it!

New Training Phase

I'm on to a new four week phase of training. After eight weeks of "base building," the next few weeks will focus on hill work and speed. I've got two hill runs each week now and a track session. My weekly mileage will drop during this phase, which is a new thing for me. Typically I build weekly mileage towards a goal race, with only a few step-back weeks where my mileage drops. I'm trusting that this type of training will continue to build long term fitness that I can tap into when I start to race in the Spring.

Soupsational

Lately our weekly meal plans have had a lot of soups, like chili. I've been beefing up the recipes by adding a whole grain, like Quinoa, during the cooking process. It seems to have transformed some of the soups from a light "snack" (as my husband calls it) to a hearty meal. Plus a big pot of chili goes a long way through the week as leftovers for lunch and another dinner. You can find of my soup recipes HERE and HERE and I'll be adding some more in the coming week.

What's been on your radar this week? Running any winter races?

-Sarah

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