I’m back!!! Suck it, sickness!
The last time I was this sick was on our honeymoon. Actually, I was even more sick then. That was a huge bummer, but at least I wasn’t sick for the wedding.
That reminds me that I need to write a honeymoon recap. We did go to the Ironman World Championship, which was amaaaazing. I’ll put one up in the next week!
Anyway, I finally ran again yesterday — just an easy three miles on the treadmill to see if I’d be able to do my long run today — and I felt fine.
Side note: Thank goodness for headphones, because there were some guys at the gym lifting weights and grunting/moaning so loudly with every rep. Is that really necessary?? If you sound like you’re going to die, mayyyybe your dumbbells are too heavy? Maybe I’m just being judgmental…
This morning, I made my favorite pre-long-run breakfast — a big ol’ paleo pancake — and it was so very, very delicious.
If you haven’t tried this recipe yet, get on it. It’s just a banana, eggs, flaxseed, vanilla, and a dash of cinnamon. (You can just use a banana and two eggs for super-simple pancakes, but I like the extra heartiness and flavor that the other ingredients add.)
The banana makes the pancake naturally sweet, so I just add a tablespoon or two of almond butter on top right before eating it. So filling and yummy!
My nine-mile run was surprisingly great, given how crappy I felt earlier this week. It was fairly hilly, but I finished with a 9:30 average pace and felt good the whole time.
Mile 3 was a beast of a hill. I used to be able to run up it easily while I was training for the Eugene Marathon, but today I had to stop to walk three times. The key is to keep moving! I’ll get it back with some practice.
In contrast, here is the elevation profile of an eight-mile run I did while training for Eugene. Ha. Ha. HA!
It feels good to challenge myself more. Plus, running hills just makes a long run that much more interesting. (Remind me I said that when it’s time for my 20-miler.)
After my run, I had — wait for it — a MASSAGE. Best thing ever.
Our insurance covers several massages per year, so Aaron and I have both started taking advantage. I like to have the therapist focus on my back, neck, and legs, and it seemed like she spent most of the hour today on my legs. Ah-mazing after a long run!
One last thing before I go: I made paleo sweet potato chili earlier this week, and it was soooo delicious to have all week long! Here’s the recipe if you want to try it —-> Paleo Sweet Potato Chili
Note: I halved the amount of chili powder, and I thought it was perfect.
You can make it in a slow cooker, but I wanted it sooner, so I just did it on the stovetop. Very simple and quick! And the flavors kept developing throughout the week, so my last bowl was by far the best. (You might get this deliciousness on the first try if you go the slow cooker route.)
Enjoy!
Dev on Running 