What a big difference this week’s run has been compared to my (mis)adventures last week. After this week’s 18 miles, I couldn’t stop smiling (and talking, of course), I was up and hopping by evening craving for some nachos, and my legs feel nowhere as sore as they should for the long mileage. I wish I could bottle this and be able to recreate it.

Things that were the same from last week –

• I kept hydrated and drinking all the time, adding in Nuun occasionally
• Breakfast was Oatmeal or Smoothie or Wheetabix

Things I did different this week –

• 3 days of recovery after Saturday’s races. (S, M, T – a necessary evil luxury this time, can’t repeat it!))
• Made sure that I got a good lunch in at the proper lunch time (last week I kept pushing my lunch to 2:30pm after picking up my kid from school, and then would end up eating whatever)
• Extra serving of protein smoothie shake with fruits and veggies in the evening at about 6-6:30pm, which substituted dinner; except for thursday and friday night when I consumed moderate carbs.

Things I did after the run –

• Venti chocolate milk (after I’d forgotten to take my choc milk from home) from Starbucks
• Bagel with chocolate milk (I usually skip eating immediately after and wait to come home and eat at 1:30pm)

Apart from the major difference of less humidity when we started the run, lunch time nutrition and dinnertime extra protein smoothie seems to have been the only things different. And nutrition does play a major role! So maybe I can keep this going for this week’s 20 miles too!