Nap time

I have become the nap queen over the break. I have adopted Blanca's leisurely lifestyle and was just starting to enjoy it when I remembered that nap time is over. It's back to work tomorrow and I unfortunately don't have nap time in second grade. Boo. Anyway, here's a pic of Blanca getting her nap on and some more motivation!

Her favorite spot over the break has been my basket of blankets in between my couch and chair.

6. FORGET TIME. Shane Bogan, who coaches distance runners in the Washington, D.C./Baltimore area, advises leaving your watch at home once in a while. "It's liberating not to be worried about pace," Bogan says.

7. SIGN UP NOW for a winter marathon in a warm state. Every training mile you log takes you closer to that winter getaway in toasty Phoenix, Florida, or Las Vegas.

8. THINK FAST. The runners Christy Coughlin coaches in Wilmette, Illinois, always get a boost from this simple negative-splits workout: Run for 20 minutes as slowly as you want, then turn around and run home faster. "The long warmup helps you feel great and run faster on the way back," says Coughlin.