20 mile hustle

As I near the end of my marathon training cycle for the 2016 Mount Desert Island Marathon (I’m two weeks from taper y’all! WOAH!), I am also dealing with some serious distance during my Saturday morning long runs. Since I’m an avid Crossfitter, my coach designed a marathon training program for me that’s a little different from what a strict runner might use. As I’ve previously mentioned, I only run once a week; my long; and the rest of the week I spend doing work to strengthen the muscles that my legs need for dealing with the marathon distance. The theory behind this is that my body is making the most of rest periods in order to recover from the damage that a long run can do. It’s a great program for me because it keeps me from getting bored. While I love to run, doing it four or five days a week for LONG periods of time can get a little repetitive. My training program keeps me on my toes and, while there is a pattern to it, it also makes sure that I’m mentally engaged in the training rather than piling on a constant barrage of “junk miles” that do nothing but needlessly tire my overworked muscles.

This weekend, I tackled my last 20-miler of the training cycle. It was my second time at the distance, and while I can’t call running 20 miles “easy,” it definitely went down a bit smoother than my last 20-miler. I tend to hit the wall right around mile 8, get a second wind, and push through. What I hadn’t counted on was re-hitting the wall (mile 18 for those who were curious). I hit it hard on my last 20, but this time it was less of a slam and more of a tap. I was able to push through much better thanks to some adjustments my coach and I made in my hydration routine, also thanks to the weather being a little less brutal.

Post 20; first you feel like this....

Post 20; first you feel like this….

All that said, it was really hard to get myself going at 5:30 AM this week. Since it’s been so oppressively hot, I’ve had to roll back my wakeup time to get some mileage in before the sun beats down. This has been surprisingly uncomplicated; it means going to bed at around 7:30 the night before so I give my brain plenty of time to shut down and then get the requisite 8+ hours. Unfortunately, it also means I don’t get the best sleep in the “early” phases of the night (before midnight or so). This week, I was asleep by 8, but inexplicably awake from 9:30 – 11:00 and suffering from some mild GI distress which wouldn’t go away no matter what I tried.

When the alarm went off, I was under slept. I was also cranky, and still thinking about the scarier bits of the “Supernatural” episode my honey and I had watched the night before. Since I’m a wicked chicken, this was pretty disturbing to me in the pre-dawn hours when it was still pitch black outside and I was all alone in a shadowy house trying not to make noise while I got ready for my run. Much to my dismay, that whole “it’s autumn and thereby daylight happens later” thing is also kicking in. I’m used to pre-dawn light starting right around 5:30, when I leave, so I don’t actually run in darkness. This weekend, it was bumped back by about 15 minutes (due to cloud cover and also the natural rhythm of dawn being later in the fall). As a result, my run started in the dark.

So I was scared, it was dark, and when I stepped out the door it was both hot and humid. This did not make for ideal long run conditions. I tried to bargain with myself; just run the first half outside and then you can come back and finish the last 10 on the treadmill in the air conditioning if it’s really that terrible. Just keep going until you feel like you should stop and then you can come in, get cool in the air conditioning, and maybe finish up on the treadmill. Thankfully, and counter to all intuition, it actually got cooler after the sun came up and turned into a nicely temperate overcast day. By mile 8 it was obvious that while I was going to suffer a little bit, I would be fine to finish the run outdoors.

Recently there’s been an article circulating my Facebook feed about how telling yourself you can do something (out loud, and in the definitive positive voice) gets you pumped up better than anything else. I tried to riff off of that and tell myself that not only can I do this, but I would feel SO AWESOME when I was done. Long runs do that; there’s something about running an unreasonable number of miles before most people are even awake on a Saturday that makes you feel like you can do pretty much anything.

Sure enough, while I was completely pooped afterwards, I felt awesome. My wonderful honey even treated us to lunch from Noodles & Company because I was craving pasta (gee, I wonder why?). This was our first time trying their food and we both gave it a rousing thumbs up. One great thing about that place is they have detailed nutrition information about all their dishes available on the website. Since I’m constantly managing my nutrition, this is key for me. I really wish all places would do this; calorie counts are useful, but not as useful as macronutrient breakdowns.

Since Saturday was long run day, Sunday has been mobility, stretch, and rest day. The

...then you feel like this

…then you feel like this

arches of my feet have been tweaking lately and I’m hyper paranoid about plantar fasciitis. There are some really tender spots right now, so I’m subbing in a nice long walk for my recovery run in order to reduce impact and give my muscles a chance to recover from whatever inflammation is going on down there. I also made sure to do a nice long stretch and foam roll session, and I’ll get one more in before bed.

What are your favorite recovery regimes?

Things the Marathon Training has Changed

Marathon training is a huge commitment and, as I’ve found out during this (my first) marathon cycle, can change a lot in your life. Some of these changes I thoroughly anticipated and expected; while others were a little more sneaky. Here’s a run-down of how my life has changed since I started marathon training.

I’m a…. morning person?

Because I’m training during the summer months, I have to wake up early (….and I mean EARLY) to get those long runs in before the heat bakes me out. I’ve always thought of myself as someone who hated mornings, but apparently that’s not true. Apparently I only strongly dislike mornings when I haven’t regulated my sleep schedule enough to get in the requisite eight hours. Turns out if you go to bed at 7:30 PM on Friday night, a 4:30 AM wakeup call on Saturday isn’t the worst thing in the world. Who

And Sunday morning recovery runs are a thing. Forget sleeping in on weekends!

And Sunday morning recovery runs are a thing. Forget sleeping in on weekends!

knew?

I can eat a lot

 I guess I always kind of knew this, but usually there was so much guilt affiliated with the massive consumption of food that I just sort of swept it under the carpet and tried to forget about it. When you’re fueling your body for marathon training, food guilt is pretty much out the window. On long run day, I sometimes eat five full means (two of which are mostly carbs) just to get in the requisite calories with the proper nutrition balance to fuel my training. NOM!

Massages are no longer a luxury… and actually hurt more than they relax

 With the things I am putting my body through, I need to take very good care of it. One important way to do so is to make sure I keep up with my mobility: my lacrosse ball has become my best friend. I keep one under my desk at home so I can roll out my feet on a regular basis. Sometimes, the self-care regime just isn’t enough and I have to seek professional intervention. Before you go all “poor you, have to get massaged all the time,” think about this: I’m getting rubbed down because there is some muscle group (probably in my lower body) that won’t stop hurting. Fixing this problem is very painful. Massages are no longer a relaxing device, they are a feel better device… that is, after they are a torture device.

Weekends are no longer your own 

The first half of the weekend (Friday night and Saturday morning) are now sacrificed at the altar of the Marathon. I can’t tell you how many plans I’ve had to sorrowfully turn down with people I would really like to see because bedtime on Friday is so egregiously early and wakeup on Saturday means 3-5 hours of running. Saturday day might also be gone too depending on how long the Saturday morning run is. 16 miles or less andIMG_3761 I’m generally good to go after an hour or two and some serious feeding. More than that and I start to push into areas where my body just doesn’t want to do ANYTHING for several hours. I can’t blame it; it’s not like running 20 miles is easy or anything.

Post-run brain is a thing

After a long run, my IQ drops by at least 50 points. I stop being observant, I can no longer make higher-level brain connections, and forget intense conversations. My vocabulary is basically reduced to that of a five year old. This really just means that I have to plan to be out of commission. I set up my snack at the front of the refrigerator to avoid unnecessary fridge diving. I make the grocery list Friday afternoon so that I don’t have to think about it. I spend my run planning what mind-numbing television show will best help me recuperate after the ordeal of running, so that’s planned out too. Post-run brain is all about the proper planning so that you have your luxuries in place before you really need to think about them.

Alright, your turn. What are some that I have missed?

 

 

Marathon FAQ

My experience so far in marathon training has been very engrossing. I hate to use a cliché, but I really do eat, breathe, and sleep the marathon. I eat to fuel, I sleep to run, and I huff and puff my way through every single workout. As a result, those who have attempted to make small talk with me in the past few months (and those who will between now and October) have noticed a trend: I can’t really keep it to myself that I’m training to do this GIANT THING THAT FEELS SO BIG AND IMPORTANT! I mean, it’s bad you guys. “Hey, how are you?” “Oh man, I’m good, but my hamstrings are so tight from my training run!”; “Nice to meet you! What do you do for a living?” “Well I’m just TRAINING FOR A MARATHON, HOW ABOUT YOU!?”

Anyway, since it comes up a lot, I get a lot of questions about it. Here is my attempt at an F.A.Q. for those who might encounter a marathoner in the wild.

Q: A Marathon, huh? And how long is your Marathon?

A: Uhm… 26.2 miles. Like all marathons. Actually a “marathon” refers to the distance, not the event. If I were running less than that, I might have said “Half Marathon,” “10K,” or “5K.” But nope. I’m running a marathon. Funny story (well, more of a legend really the origins of which are questionable at best but it’s still a good anecdote): the “Marathon” derives its name from the Greek city “Marathon.” This was the destination of the messenger Philippides when in about 490 B.C.E. he was tasked to run from Marathon to Athens (a distance of, you guessed it, about 26.2 miles) to announce Athenian victory over the Persians in the Battle of Marathon. In the nineteenth century, the Olympic games were formed and since they were built to glorify ancient Greece, this story inspired the athletic event. So there you go. Marathon = 26.2 in case you were wondering what all those car stickers with numbers were about.

Q: Oh my gosh; isn’t that hard!?

A: Yes. And painful. Actually, I’m probably sore right now. Do you have a foam roller or lacrosse ball handy? Or maybe a personal masseuse? Since my marathon happens in the fall, I have to train in the summer which means I’m running outside in the heat for long periods of time. That, in turn, means I’m also probably a bit dehydrated…. Can I have a glass of water?

Q: Woah, you’re running in this weather!? That’s crazy! IMG_3497

A: Yes. It really is.

Q: How do you even DO that!?

A: You get up really early. Like…. Stupidly early. You cross your fingers and hope that it’s going to be not terrible out, and you just run until you’re done.

Q: Do you take water with you!?

 A: Yes, I have a special device that’s basically a bladder of water inside a backpack. It’s got a nifty straw the hangs out at my shoulder so I can sip on it when I want to. Incidentally, I also carry salt pills because in heat like this you need electrolytes to retain that water; running fuel because you can’t just run for four hours and expect your body not to need food of some kind; and generally a host of other gear designed to make it a tiny big more comfortable for me to be out there under extremely uncomfortable conditions. It all helps, but the task is still not exactly a walk in the park.

Q: You must be losing so much weight with all that running! 

A: Actually, no. I’m kind of gaining weight. It’s a phenomenon that most endurance athletes deal with; finding the right calorie balance and meal timing when you’re working out this hard and this often is extremely difficult. Additionally, my body just needs more calories because I burn so many of them. Once it gets them, it’s not really willing to let them go so quickly. Also I’m putting on muscle which, as we all know, will make the scale go up.

Q: Were do you even run that far!?

 A: I have a bunch of routes that I use; I try to find places that are very shady (it makes a huge difference in these kinds of temperatures), away from lots of traffic, but not entirely deserted so that in the off chance I need help I can find it. I also need to find places that have convenient bathroom stops/places to refill my water because… well… four plus hours is a very long time to go without relieving yourself. There are some very useful tools on the internet for route planning (one of my favorites being MapMyRun); and believe me the last thing you want to be thinking about at mile 14 of 17 is “do I turn Left or Right to get in my mileage and get home?”

IMG_3493Q: Cool! We should be friends! Do you wanna get together on Friday night?

 A: Do I want to? Probably. Can I? Absolutely not. I have to be in bed by 7 or 8 to make sure I get enough sleep to support my running habit. Saturday is also not really an option because I have to get up before the crack of dawn, run an obscene amount of miles, then come home and drool on my couch for a few hours before I feel sentient again. Sorry!

Alright; I should probably get back to running… or stretching… or foam rolling…. Or something….

Sandbagging Myself

This post is a cautionary tale. A tale whose moral is simple: always look carefully at your equipment BEFORE you hit the trails.

As I’ve previously mentioned, my coach has me doing sandbag hill repeats on Thursdays. I’m supposed to grab a 35 lb sandbag, throw it over my shoulders, and run up and down a nearby trail that basically consists of a mondo uphill for about 45 minutes. Honestly, this is one of my favorite workouts of the week. It gets me outside, the trail is really pretty and

As you can tell by this picture (taken post workout), I was none too pleased about the whole sandbag thing....

As you can tell by this picture (taken post workout), I was none too pleased about the whole sandbag thing….

has a lot of nature (chipmunks! Squirrels! Even the occasional snake!), and the duration of the workout is just about perfect. 45 minutes is long enough to feel like I’m going to die without feeling like it’s going to be interminable. It probably helps that this workout spikes my heart rate like (seriously) nothing else; so I burn a WHOLE BUNCH of calories which means I get to eat everything that’s not nailed down when I get home. It’s pretty much a win for all involved.

So I’ve been at my current box for about a year now. Some equipment, like the barbells, we use pretty much daily. Other stuff, like the sandbags, we almost never touch. As a result, there’s still plenty to learn about this equipment. Like, as I learned yesterday (the hard way), the sandbags come in DIFFERENT WEIGHTS! They all look exactly the same, but we have 35, 45, and even 50 pound sand bags that live in the same pile and are nearly identical.

On Thursdays, I swing by the gym to pick up my sandbag, throw it in my trunk, then drive out to my trail. Yesterday, I was having a hard time getting the sandbag off the ground (you’re supposed to clean it and throw it over your head so it lands on your shoulders). I was thinking that I was just having an off morning. You know how some mornings the bar just feels heavy because you’re tired/caffeine hasn’t kicked in yet/you’re sore from yesterday/whatever? I mean, as far as I knew there was no reason for this to be any more difficult than usual. So I sucked it up and told myself I was being silly. It was just a sandbag. Like any other sandbag. Like any other sandbag that I always trained with on Thursdays.

Threw the thing in my car, got to my trail, set up all my music and sunscreen and hydration belt, and went to pick up the sandbag to head out to the trail. That’s when I saw it. The label; sticking out of the side of the bag. Taunting me because I had been too stupid not to check it before I left the box. The darn thing was 50 pounds! Not 35 pounds; 50! No wonder it had been so difficult to clean!

IMG_3451I momentarily thought about swinging back to the box to get a bag of the correct weight, but the morning was already dragging on, it was hot (and not getting any cooler), and I had appointments scheduled for the afternoon. I really had to get my workout started. So I sucked it up. I sucked it up, picked it up, and the gods be damned if I didn’t kill that workout (slowly and with fewer repeats than usual because 15 pounds is apparently ridiculously heavy if you’re doing hill repeats).

I guess you can say I had my “Spartan up” moment for the week. I definitely felt like a total badass when I was done. I can’t say that it was a pleasant experience, or one that I will voluntarily repeat, but as my coach said when I reported back to him what had happened “well now you know you can do the workout with a 50 pound bag….”. Yup. I totally can. But I will definitely be back to my 35 pounder next week.

Any fun plans for the weekend?

Narragansett Bay Half Marathon Recap

On Saturday, my honey and I ran the Narragansett Bay Half Marathon in East Providence, Rhode Island. Let me start by saying this: marathon training is tough; but it is FAR easier to motivate for a long run when there’s water support, a pre-planned route you don’t have to think about, a bunch of other runners there with you, a tee shirt, finisher medal, and ice cream at the finish line. Technically, I was programmed for 10 miles this weekend (pull back week; my training plan runs in cycles like this), but I decided it would be WAY easier on my sanity to get the half in and take it easy. So I did.

Obligatory start line selfie!

Obligatory start line selfie!

The race was well organized; packet pickup was a breeze and there were plenty of bathrooms (every runner knows this is key for a good long run; pre-race bathroom lines can get nuts at these things). I only realized when we arrived that there would not be free beer at the finish line, but there would be free ice cream…. So I guess that worked out okay. This is particularly true because it was a 7 AM start. As I’ve previously mentioned, I’m a very slow runner… realistically I was going to be in the 2:45 range for a finish in the kind of heat we were dealing with (this was about my finish time on the nose). As much as I love beer, drinking it before 10 AM on a Sunday is not really my idea of a good time. Ice cream was far preferable.

The start was on time (YAY!) and the first few miles were pretty hilly. It was not a closed course, but it was well executed; we always had a nice wide shoulder for running and there was an ample police/volunteer presence to ensure runner safety. The only kind of off-putting thing was the amount of road kill; at least one significant piece per mile for the first 4 miles. Ew. I was grateful that I was paying enough attention to where I put my feet that this didn’t wind up being a trip hazard.

There were 11 water stations along the way which was really good because we needed it! It was hot and muggy, and though a breeze did eventually kick up that wasn’t entirely sufficient to keep us cool. Gatorade and ample fuel (gels, chomps, and honey stinger waffles) was offered along the course. A+ on aid stations!

For the first several miles we were running through residential areas which was really nice because East Providence has some extremely cute houses. It was a sleepy Sunday

View of the bay from along the course

View of the bay from along the course

morning, so we didn’t see much by way of spectators (though those who were there were out in full force; always a nice thing to see en route). A couple of the members of the community, knowing their yard would be on the race course, even left their sprinkler on facing the street so we could cool off on our way through. That was so kind of them and we definitely appreciated it. Thank you, masked strangers; whomever you are.

There were at least three bands along the race route (I kind of lost count because… like I said… it was HOT). Live music is really cool to run to and can pump you up when you’re in danger of hitting that dreaded wall, so I was super happy to see them out there. Thank you for the music, bands of East Providence!

At about mile 7 the course diverted onto a nearby bike path, which was really nice because it had shade, was flat, and had basically all the amenities of a closed course. Bikers came by now and again, but they were very polite and always signaled (some even cheered!). The course took us past the local fire station and the firemen were out on the driveway giving high fives to runners and shouting encouragement; there are few things in life quite as awesome as being told you’re awesome by a fireman.

Triumphant at the finish!

Triumphant at the finish!

While the course is kind of an out and back, it doesn’t loop back on the same roads it uses to go out so there was plenty of fresh scenery as your ran. On the whole, the course was challenging without being impossible and had some spectacular views. There was a race photographer at the finish line, so I’ll be looking forward to seeing my official race pics.

This was a great little race. It was small, local, cheap (only $50 if you pay attention and register with the early early registration), had ample race support, and an impressive finish line spread. The course was safe and lovely with some beautiful views of the harbor. Despite the early start, I would run it again if I can finagle a night in Providence the evening before. In terms of summer half marathons, you really can’t get much better than this one.

A Tale of Hills and Sandbags

Mount Desert Island is a hilly marathon. And when I say “hilly,” I mean quad-killing, think I’m gonna die hilly. Check out this monster:

mdi_marathon_course_map_profile

In order to train for hills like this, my coach has me doing a number of things. One of them is sandbag hill repeats. The exercise is Neanderthal in its simplicity: grab large sandbag, place on shoulders, run up and down steep hill for about 45 minutes. The principle is that this will strengthen my legs far more effectively than normal person hill repeats (since my legs now have to accommodate the weight of the sandbag; in my case 35 extra pounds).

While this exercise is incredibly difficult to do (seriously, according to my Fitbit I burn more calories doing this than almost any other activity…. It’s because my heart rate spikes in the first sixty seconds or so and never really comes back down until I’m done), it’s also something I’m really enjoying for a variety of reasons. Reason one: I get to go run a hill on an awesome, shady path through some Endor-style woods. Seriously. My first time out there, I couldn’t help but think of this the entire time:

IMG_3278

I remember wondering, as a kid, what kind of sadist Yoda was. I think I have sufficiently answered that question in my adulthood. Luckily my coach only makes me carry a sandbag and not piggyback him (my coach is a six-foot-something man built entirely of muscle; in my head I refer to him as “Gaston”).

Reason number two: there is something really viscerally thrilling about hauling this sandbag around in the outside world. It seriously makes me feel like the baddest M-Fer in the world. The added bonus is that the trail I use is a pretty popular one around here for runners (especially those of us doing hill repeats because… well… it’s a giant hill; about half a mile up an insane incline which is a pretty great split if you’re actively trying to run hills for your workout). I pass other runners frequently on the path. Every time I do, I get looks from them. The looks vary in purport; from the pitying “oh my gosh who the heck did you make angry to deserve this treatment?” to “oh my gosh, you’re the baddest M-Fer in the world!” Sometimes, other runners even cheer me on or say admiring things about me. Let me tell you how AWESOME that makes me feel as a girl who, up until her adulthood, was not “athletic” by any sense of the world and was always picked last for any sports team. It also reinforces to me how seriously awesome the global running community is; where else would you tell a perfect stranger how awesome they are simply because they’re doing something similar to your task but with an added degree of difficulty?

Reason number three: the view at the top is absolutely spectacular. I’m not sure I’ve managed to capture it in its glory, but I’ve tried on each occasion that I’ve been out there. Check this out:

IMG_3338

IMG_3268

What’s your training schedule look like?

Weekend Running Recap

Weekend running recap!

It’s been hot hot HOT here in New England. I have to be honest, I’ve already asked myself over and over again why it was that I chose a fall marathon rather than a spring marathon. My coaches tell me that fall marathons are easier (since running in the heat is so difficult, the adjustment to fall temperatures from summer temperatures makes your run way awesomer…. As opposed to a spring race during which you basically cross your fingers and hope against hope that you get a nice day and then, thanks to Murphy, wind up running a marathon in 75 degree muggy weather). I’m not really sure that the word “easy” can be applied to marathons at all.

Speaking of training, I suppose I should mention that I’m not on a conventional marathon training plan. Since I do Crossfit several times a week, I’m getting the leg muscle development and cardio recovery threshold work from those workouts. The result? I only run one long run every week (with a little recovery the day after). Oh, don’t worry, I spend the rest of my time doing other equally horrifying things to get in shape for this marathon; nobody really escapes the torment. I’m simply varying my training so that I don’t just run all the time. And before you ask yes, I am doing this under the oversight of a few very experienced coaches; some of whom are marathoners themselves. They know what they’re doing and I trust them entirely.

It's not actually true if Garmin doesn't record it....

It’s not actually true if Garmin doesn’t record it….

This weekend, I had my first 17 scheduled. My first 17…. Ever. As in the longest I have ever run in one clip. It was slated to be a sweltering 92 degrees at the height of the heat on Saturday, so like any self-respecting runner I woke up at the absolute crack of dawn (literally… it was dark outside when I got up) so that I could start and, hopefully, finish before it got too hot.

That didn’t really happen. Yes, I started running in a temperature that was the high end of sustainable, but it quickly got muggy and I am very slow. Additionally, I made the brilliant mistake of forgetting my electrolytes. As a result, I had to alter my planned route to stop at a nearby Walgreens in order to pick up something that wasn’t water to get my body hydrating properly. You know that you’re in serious trouble when water stops making you feel better and, no matter how much you drink, you’re still thirsty. You also know you’re in serious trouble when Gatoraid actually tastes good (yuck). I thank all applicable cosmic forces that the Walgreens was equipped with a pinpad card swipe thingy so that the poor cashier didn’t have to touch my debit card (which, by the way, lives in the sweatiest pocket of my shorts when I run…. Sweatiest of course because it’s the closest to my body because who would run with their debit card and ID in a pocket that wasn’t close to their body? Isn’t that how you get mugged and robbed!?).

After my electrolyte stop I felt much better for a bit, but as it got later and later and hotter and hotter, I became slower and slower. As I’ve previously espoused, I’m already a slow runner so I can only imagine that it looked like I was doing some kind of slow-motion movie crawl to my finish line. Honestly, I couldn’t care less; I was so close to finishing the training run. The distance, I knew, would get easier the next time; all I had to do was keep going.

So I did. And that’s that. When I got home, I nearly did the unthinkable (drink a pint of pickle juice). I then remembered that I had a tube of Nuun tablets I had been meaning to try (free from my gym because apparently whomever originally purchased them hadn’t realized that they were the caffeinated kind). Let me tell you: it takes a special kind of dehydrated to make the Kona Cola Nuun tablets taste like something you want in your mouth. Apparently, I was just that special kind of dehydrated because it was AMAZING. Like… heralds of seraphim sang down from the heavens kind of amazing. I was pretty sure that some cosmic television showed me slow motion running through a field of daisies towards this Nuun drink.

My poor fiancé, on my recommendation, threw a tablet in his water bottle later that day and it was only then that we discovered the truth. Long story short: stay away from Kona Cola Nuun tablets…. Unless you’ve run 17 miles through the heat and you’ve got salt literally flaking off your face from the sweat. Then it will taste like ambrosia.

Sunday I did a 20-minute recovery run (also in the heat) that really helped loosen things

Foam rolling is the BEST! ....what, too much?

Foam rolling (or, as pictured, lacrosse ball massage) is the BEST! ….what, too much?

up. I also spent about 45 minutes foam rolling every inch of my legs and hips just to get those tissues good and unstuck. As a result, I woke up today feeling perky enough to get to leg day at the box. While I can’t say I set any PRs this morning, it did feel good to get the proper recovery in.

Alright, folks; what did you do this weekend?

Also: Have you ever drank a pint of pickle juice?

Also also: What’s your favorite Nuun flavor? I’m thinking of grabbing a tube or two of something not Kona Cola….