I’m still here! Just haven’t been posting as frequently because, well, I haven’t had much to say… and I’ve never been one for filler posts (which is why I don’t have a “blogging schedule”). So what have I been doing lately? Running. Duh.
About two months ago I took to the blog and twitter to try and figure out my fall goal race. Obviously it was going to be a marathon (I haven’t given up on them yet), but I didn’t know where and when I wanted to race. I was ideally looking for a late-fall race in order to give myself maximum training time (and also because one of my best friends is getting married in October), so I zeroed in on November races that were within driving distance. I think in the back of my head I had an idea of which race I was going to pick all along, but I still wanted to get opinions from other runners. So after looking at my calendar, my finances, and Google maps, I decided on the Anthem Richmond Marathon on November 16th!
Prior to registering, I started thinking about training (of course). I had a ton of thoughts in my head – what training plan should I use? How many miles a week should I run? When should I start? How much build up should there be? Am I going to actually get through a successful marathon training cycle for the first time ever? What should my goal be? …and those were just a few of the questions I had. I like to think of myself as a mildly experienced runner (it’s been almost 4 full years), but I’ve only ever run by myself, for myself. I’ve done an okay job thus far, but thought it might make some sense to get a little help… especially since my marathon training has been awful up to this point.
So what do I mean by help? Well, I jumped on the coaching bandwagon! I know that I’m never going to be an elite runner, and heck, I may never even qualify for Boston. But I like the idea of having a professional that really knows the sport to guide me through training. I mean, when I was swimming I didn’t do that blindly, so why should running be any different? I know that there are a lot of mixed feelings on coaching for “average” athletes, but I say to each his/her own. The great thing about it is that I can stop at any point. So if it turns out having a coach really isn’t for me (which I doubt), I can go back to doing things on my own. I don’t really have any long-term goals with what I want to get out of coaching other than the obvious – get faster and better my marathon time!
A big reason why I decided to get a coach is that I’ve found that with every marathon training cycle, by the end I hate running. This is something I absolutely want to avoid, because as the title of the post says, running is currently my BFF and I’d like to add an AE to the end (you know, best friends forever AND EVER – welcome back to middle school). I think having the pressure of someone else waiting for my workout results that I’m PAYING will keep me in check. At least I hope so.
Between now and the marathon I have a bunch of fun summer road races planned, starting with a 5k this Sunday! I’m really looking forward to starting to work with a coach, and to have a successful marathon training cycle.
What do you think about running coaches? Yay or Nay?
I had grand plans of posting my Food Should Taste Good giveaway winner early last week, but a bout with a stomach bug kept me quarantined for a bit instead, and then I was just trying to get back to normal life. Rather than talk about how miserable my drive home from Washington D.C. was, followed by the rest of Monday into Tuesday, let’s focus on the second best part of my trip — the food! But first… the giveaway winner is…
Becky! Who gave a great suggestion for apple styled nachos… sign me up! Shoot me your address to foodosaurusrex [at] gmail [dot] com, and I’ll have chips on their way to you!
So now onto the good stuff – the food in D.C.! I didn’t have any set plans when it came to where I wanted to eat or what kind of food I wanted to try while there, except for one thing – Baked & Wired cupcakes! I had asked Krissy for some recommendations, and I remembered her stopping for birthday cupcakes there after the Cherry Blossom 10-miler a few weeks ago. While I’ve always wanted to try Georgetown Cupcakes, the thought of having to wait in a long line for cupcakes that I’ve heard are “just okay” wasn’t appealing. So I headed to Baked & Wired instead, and was thrilled with what I found. The storefront was small, but it was broken into two sections – one for cupcakes and desserts, another for coffee, tea, etc. I didn’t venture over to the coffee line, but from reading reviews online it seems like their coffee is just as good as their cupcakes. I should mention that they call them cake cups, which is appropriate since they are huge!
Chocolate Doom, Dirty Chai, Flapjack, and Tessita [clockwise]We decided to get four cupcakes – one to enjoy right then, and another to save for Sunday. We wound up with the Tessita, Chocolate Doom, Dirty Chai, and Flapjack. These cakes are amazing; some of the best I’ve ever had. The frosting was generous, the cake was moist, and the size for only $3.50 was more than enough… I had trouble finishing one! I can’t recommend Baked & Wired enough. The store is cute, the employees are super friendly, and their treats are delicious. I mean, what more do you need? Plus, if it’s nice enough outside (like it was on Saturday) you can sit right outside their shop and lounge while eating baked goods and sipping coffee or tea. Talk about a perfect afternoon.
Aside from cupcakes on Saturday, we had personal pizzas for lunch at Paper Moon, followed by Santa Fe salads from Chop’t for dinner. This was my first time having Chop’t, and I really wish there was one near me. The salads are huge, and when you get avocado, they give you half of one… that’s a generous portion of avocado! I absolutely loved my salad, and on the way back to the hotel (we got them to go), we noticed the street was completely shut down. So, we stopped for a minute, and low and behold, who drove by? President Obama! I thought it was the coolest thing ever. I’m sure that it gets old for D.C. residents quickly (especially when it means road closures), but it was so cool to see the President drive by us on his way to the White House Correspondent’s dinner.
Oh hai Mr. President!
On Sunday morning after the race, Ashley and I headed to The Mad Hatter for brunch. We walked in and the restaurant was basically empty, but we were told that they really didn’t have any seats for us because they had a lot of reservations that morning. Huh? We were able to score a seat at an upstairs bar, and got to work on the most important thing – booze! I ordered a mimosa followed by a beer, and Ashley hit up their Bloody Mary bar. That’s right… your server gives you a glass of vodka, and the rest is up to you. Just look at all the options!
Hot Sauce, anyone? [Ashley’s Picture]I didn’t take any pictures of my food (post-race haze) but I had a really delicious Tex Mex burrito with home fries. When we left the restaurant was definitely crowded, but they could have seated us in the regular dining room. I mean, shouldn’t restaurants have seats for people with and without reservations? At least the food was good and our waiter was friendly. I would definitely return, but this time with a reservation!
Dinner on Sunday night was pretty epic. I spent a lot of time looking through Yelp and FourSquare for suggestions, and stumbled upon a true gem – Founding Farmers. As soon as we walked in at about 6:30pm, thinking we’d beat the crowds especially since it was a Sunday, I knew we made a good choice. We were told that the wait would be about an hour and a half, and I quickly learned that once again reservations reigned supreme. We decided to wait based on the reviews we read and the fact that it was so crowded, and I’m really glad we did. The restaurant was founded on the premise of a farm to table concept (my favorite!) and is D.C.’s first green restaurant. They filter their own water, make everything from scratch in the kitchen (down to their condiments), and have a pre-prohibition era styled bar where their bartenders make their own syrups and infuse the alcohol themselves with juices, etc.
After waiting about an hour and a forty-five minutes we were seated, and had the nicest, most informative, and attentive waitresses I’ve ever had. She really was exceptional. Our meal started with their popcorn of the day (how cool is that?!) which was Old Bay seasoned, and fried green tomatoes. They were featuring Rogue beers on tap, so we each had one of those as well. Their menu is expansive, and I was really excited to see a separate vegetarian and vegan menu. Their regular menu denotes vegetarian and vegan (as well as nut allergy) options, but they also create vegetarian and vegan specials that all sound phenomenal. I was actually confused at first when I glanced over it seeing things like “bacon burger,” “shrimp scampi,” and “turkey burger.” Obviously they were all meatless, and it was awesome to know I could choose anything.
Not the best picture… but all those options are veg*n!
I eventually decided on the cauliflower steak with broccolini and risotto… and it was amazing. The cauliflower was nice and crunchy while maintaining it’s buttery flavor, and the fried onion strings that it was topped with added some extra flavor and crunch. For whatever reason I’ve found that people either really enjoy cauliflower or really can’t stand it, and I’m obviously in the enjoying it camp. But I really believe that this dish would convert someone with apathetic feelings towards cauliflower. It was fun using a steak knife to dig into a big hunk of cauliflower! I’d be remiss not to mention the risotto, because it really stole the show for me. It was creamy, cheesy, and everything I could want in a risotto dish… I just wish there had been more.
Not the best picture, but it was delicious!
While we were waiting for our entrees, our waitress brought over their dessert menu, which I thought was absolutely genius on her part (get someone to commit to dessert before filling up on their entree). She pointed out their homemade biegnets, which under normal circumstances I would have been all over… but I knew based on how I felt before our meals even arrived that there was no way dessert could be in my immediate future. So we passed on their delicious sounding desserts, but a couple next to us got the biegnets, and you better believe I plan to order them if I’m ever back in town!
Nice neighborhood, eh?
And unfortunately, that’s where our eating in D.C. stops. As I mentioned in my Nike Half recap, I woke up feeling okay on Monday morning with plans of coffee, but eventually started feeling sick. By the time I got home (about a 3 1/2 hour drive), it was only a matter of minutes before I was out for the count the rest of the day and into Tuesday. Obviously that was not the way I wanted to end the trip, but I’m thankful it didn’t happen while I was there!
A week after I completed my 6th half marathon, I completed my 7th! When I signed up for the inaugural Nike Women’s Half in D.C., I knew I would use the race as a training run (albiet an expensive one), since my goal race had been only a week earlier. It was the perfect opportunity to visit a new city, run, meet up with friends, and score myself a Tiffany’s necklace.
We arrived in D.C. on Saturday afternoon and headed straight to the expo. The line was super long, but I got lucky and found one of my college friends in line, and just hopped in with them. I picked up my bib and pace bracelet, and took a quick walk through the “expotique.” I’m not usually a fan of expos because they’re crowded and cramped, and this was no exception. There wasn’t much to it; there was a hair styling station, a Nuun station (which I would have loved to check out, but the line was just too long), a Luna bar station, and a Team in Training station all under a pop-up tent by the water. And I think that was it? It seemed like they really wanted people to head to Nike Georgetown, but I wasn’t in the market for anything so we headed out.
All bib’d up!
The race started early on Sunday morning (7am!), so I was up around 4:30a and going through my pre-race routine. Despite writing a post last week about what I always make sure to pack for races, I managed to forget a PB&J sandwich and a gel for during the race. I think I forgot because I wasn’t really treating it as a race, but it wound up being okay. The hotel was only about a mile away, so I decided to walk to the start rather than dealing with the metro. I had talked with Krissy and Ashley beforehand, and we decided to run together planning to keep it around 8:45 average, and picking it up if we felt good along the way. After snapping a quick picture we headed into our corral, got to hear Shalane Flanagan and Joan Benoit Samuelson be introduced (we couldn’t see them though), and then we were off!
Me, Krissy, Ashley, and Ritsa!
I didn’t realize it at the time, but this race had 15,000 runners!! Let me tell you, we could feel it pretty much the entire time. I’ve always said that I have never experienced a run that “just flew by.” But I can honestly say that this run felt that way. No, it wasn’t the best run ever, and I didn’t even feel that great. But running with Krissy and Ashley, sharing laughs and stories, and just doing something we love on a beautiful course was SO much fun. It made me realize that I need to run with friends more!
SO MUCH FUN
The race itself wasn’t anything special – it was hot (it looked like I peed my pants by the end of the race I sweat so much!), crowded, and in all honesty, I probably would have hated every minute of it if I had been alone. But I just kept reminding myself that a pretty little blue box and cute finisher’s t-shirt was waiting for me at the finish. We finished in 1:58:34, with our actual running pace just around 8:50, but we took a pit stop around mile 6 which put us at the 9 minute average. After the race Ashley and I headed to brunch at The Mad Hatter (I’ll have a separate post on food later!) for delicious breakfast burritos and BOOZE to round out a pretty awesome morning.
Wahoo, finish line in sight!
I’m planning on running a bunch of 5k’s between now and the fall, and I’m pretty sure I’ll be running the Richmond Marathon in November. So I just need to stay healthy… which didn’t work out so well since I came home from the trip with the stomach virus. But I’m back at it today, thankfully!
When I first started running I insisted on only running races that were within a 30 minute radius from where I lived. The thought of having to pack extra stuff, sleep in an unfamiliar bed, and travel to and from a race location just didn’t appeal to me. But as I got more into running and became a part of the running community, I realized that traveling for races is just part of the territory. Considering I did it for years while I swam, I don’t know why this concept seemed so unappealing to me. Plus, if I can add in a few days for “vacation,” I’ll gladly do it! Hence the name “racecation” (which I stole from Krissy). While I’m no expert, I’ve certainly traveled to my fair share of races since I’ve started running, and thought it would be helpful to share my racecation essentials!
Obviously the most important thing to include when packing is your race day outfit and sneakers. I quadruple check when I’m packing just to make sure I haven’t forgotten anything. All I need is to show up to a race without all of my outfit or my sneakers and break the cardinal rule of “nothing new on race day.” And of course if you’re partial to music while running or a watch, those are just as important as what you plan on wearing. I suppose the rest is negligible as long as you have what you plan on racing in, but it’s nice to take into consideration what you’d be comfortable in before and after the race… especially if your vacation involves a lot of walking (hello Disney!).
Oiselle Kit & Mizuno Wave Riders!
For any race I attend, whether it’s 15 minutes away or 15 hours away, I always bring my spike bag with the same stuff in it. I don’t always head right home after races that are nearby, so it’s important that I have things with me to make myself somewhat presentable in public (I use the term loosely). For me, that means some type of body wipe, body spray, face wipes, and deodorant. I also bring a full change of clothes. Depending on the weather and where I’m going, I may do a full or partial change, usually in the backseat of my car. What can I say, I’m a serious (salty) sweater, that has no problem changing in public.
Free Speed Stick from a race? Don’t mind if I do! I’m cool with smelling like a man.
Once I’m actually home or back at the hotel and showered, I dress based on my plans for the day. But, if I ran a half marathon or longer, I usually throw on a pair of compression socks or sleeves for good measure as well. Sneakers are usually the way to go for me right after a race, but sometimes my feet are okay with a pair of Toms or flip flops. I also bought a pair of Aspaeris compression shorts back when I was training for Chicago, and let me tell you, those things are magical. I tend to have tight hips after races, so these keep me nice and snug, and because they are SO tight, you can wear them under pretty much anything. Secret compression at it’s finest!
Why yes, I am wearing compression shorts under this dress!
Now aside from looking presentable and not being smelly, I’m also particular when it comes to my pre and post race nutrition (surprise?). For every single race I’ve traveled to (which are all half marathons or marathons), I bring my own peanut butter and bread. This may sound ridiculous because they’re pretty basic staples, but I don’t like the idea of risking not having it come race morning. I’ve found that the single serve packs of peanut butter work best, either with regular sandwich bread or a bagel. I also bring a ton of Picky Bars with me for before and after the race because I know they don’t upset my stomach at all, and they’re delicious. And now that I’m a new Nuun hydration convert, a tube of that comes along with me, too.
My favorite flavors!
I’m one of those people that packs days in advance, so I’ve been packed for the Nike Women’s Half since Wednesday. I know, it’s weird… but it goes along with my heavy planning nature. I get so excited I just can’t help myself!
I had an entire post about the Boston Marathon tragedy written, but just couldn’t bring myself to publish it. There aren’t any words or profound revelations I can write here that haven’t been said by so many already (and more eloquently, I might add) to truly express how I feel. Simply put, as a runner I feel like my friends were attacked, and as a human being I’m horrified… and I know I’m not alone in that feeling.
The running community really is something special; there seems to be an unwritten understanding between runners. We’re able to be competitive with one another, while simultaneously lamenting in each other’s pain, and celebrating each other’s success. I know a lot of other runners feel the same way, but that little nod, wave, or half smile you get from another runner while you’re deep into your own run is so much more than a simple acknowledgement. For a brief moment, it’s a shared connection with a complete stranger. I think I love these encounters because I am usually running by myself.
So when I toed the line for the RU Unite Half Marathon this past Sunday, the race’s name had even more meaning. This race was my goal race for the Spring, and based on my training and racing throughout the winter, it seemed like I would have little problem setting a new PR. The last two weeks of training were lackluster due to super tight calves one week, and an pinched nerve in my neck the second, that was still around on race day. So of course, I started to doubt myself and my ability to run as fast as I had hoped. But I knew that I needed to try as hard as I could, while also being smart about the race. I go into races a lot with “plans,” but rarely wind up sticking to them. I swore to myself this time would be different.
Pre Race!
Race day started like they all do – peanut butter & jelly, and some Nuun. The race is only about 10 minutes away, so I’m lucky that I don’t have to get up super early for the 8am start (but let’s be honest, 5:30am IS early). It was chilly, but thankfully I had a spectator with me so I was able to wear a fleece and sweatpants until I got into the corral. There is only one corral and it’s self-seeded, so I tried to position myself more towards the front than I have in past years, and wound up in front of the 8 minute pacers. My ultimate goal was to run a sub-8 average, but I did want to start out more conservatively. Remember when I said I had “plans”? Well, you can imagine those went out the window once the race started. Before we took off, there was a moment of silence for Boston and our troops, and they played “Sweet Caroline.” Of course I teared up and vowed to remind myself of that moment when the pain started to set in later in the race. Next thing I knew, it was go time.
I started out conservatively with my first mile at 8:05, while trying not to weave and expend any extra energy (though cut-offs make it inevitable). As with most longer runs, the first few miles flew by and when I checked my watch at mile 3, I realized I had definitely dipped under the 8 minute pace earlier than I had wanted. I felt good enough, though, so I decided just to go with it. The next 7 miles were a combination of me running too fast, then slowing down too much, and having waves of feeling awesome with waves of feeling like death. I’ve run this race every year since it started (in 2010) and it was actually my very first half marathon… so I have a special place in my heart for the course. So you would think I’d know how to best pace myself.
Homestretch Pain Face!
By the time I got to mile 10, I wanted the race to just be over. The thought of another 5k made me cringe. But I powered through the park I’ve spent so many summer mornings doing marathon long runs, and over to the final stretch. I actually saw Oiselle Teammate Jess right around mile 11, and she was the push I needed for those final 2 miles… with the most hills. Mile 11 was my slowest (well over 8 minutes), but by the time I got to 12 I tried to dig as deep as I could – especially once on College Avenue. Of course the home stretch felt like it went on forever, but once I crested the hill and saw the finish line I knew it was only a matter of seconds to get there. I couldn’t spot a clock near the finish, so I crossed and stopped my watch – 1:43:01 (which turns out was my official time, too)!
My time works out to be a 7:52 average, which I’m very happy with. After running my PR 10k race at the end of March, I plugged in my results to the McMillan calculator, which projected a 1:43:22… so I did a little better than expected! This wound up being a 4 minute and 42 second PR… and quick math made me realize that in the last three years since I started running half marathons (I’ve run a total of 6), I’ve managed to shave off 20 minutes from my first half marathon! The next big thing I need to tackle is my marathon time… hopefully I can get a good training cycle in this summer and rock out a killer PR in the fall.
After the race I headed to a newish (and new to me) coffee shop a town over with Oiselle Teammates Jess and Kate to talk running and enjoy a latte. Of course I headed to Red Robin a few hours later for my celebratory veggie burger, a tradition I’ve kept since I started running this race back in 2010! All in all it was a pretty great day, and I’m SO thankful to be part of such a great community. It might sound cheesy, but running and its community really is something special.
I’m running another half marathon this coming weekend, the Nike Women’s Half in Washington D.C., and I’m planning to enjoy the race with Krissy. Can’t wait for the Nuun aide stations, post-race Tiffany’s necklace as a medal, and post-race delicious cupcakes and museum visiting in D.C!
So tell me… Who raced this weekend? PR? Anyone racing this weekend? Anyone running Nike?
You know, when I signed up to run a 10k this past weekend, I assumed I’d be running in a t-shirt and shorts, relatively comfortable. I giggled at the cute name of the race, Middle Earth’s Run From Winter 10k, and snidely said to myself “Spring arrives three days before the race, so I don’t know how much of a run from the previous season it’ll be.” Well mother nature, you shut me up. This past week has been cold (I remember boasting about it being in the upper 70’s this time last year) and race day was no exception. After waking up and checking the forecast, I ditched my hopes of finally getting to wear arm warmers, and threw on a long sleeve shirt (Oiselle lux layer). I still insisted on wearing shorts, and while a wise decision overall, those first few moments of bare-leg had my skin screaming.
This is my cold face.
This particular race actually takes place in a park right by my office, where I do a decent amount of post-work runs in the Spring and Fall (it’s a little too muggy in the summer since it’s near water). I was excited for two reasons: first, I know the course like the back of my hand, and second, it’s flat. I’ve been a bit wary of the 10k distance ever since my first one, because it was basically run down hill, run up a steeper hill, run down hill, run up an even steeper hill. I figured based on those two factors alone a PR was looking pretty likely. I actually raced last weekend, but because my alarm didn’t go off and I barely made it to the start, I didn’t have a bib and therefore no official time (which is why I didn’t do a race recap). According to my results from that, I knew a 46:xx would be doable, assuming there were no surprises.
Race morning started like the all do, me questioning myself, devouring a Picky Bar, and trying to drink the right amount of water to keep me hydrated, but not make me have to pee mid-race. After I arrived at the park, I picked up my bib and set out for an easy mile. Thankfully it warmed me up enough for the start, and before I knew it we were lined up and ready to go. I can honestly say that lining up for a race is one of my least favorite things. I can’t tell you how many people I overhear at almost every single race talking about how they’re “going to get run over” and “should probably move to the back” … but they never actually move. I usually take it upon myself to move in front of them if I can, but it’s so frustrating – why would you want to do that to yourself or other runners?! But I digress…
What, you don’t throw up jazz hands while you race?
The first two miles of the race aren’t anything to write home about. I stayed controlled, didn’t waste energy weaving, and averaged about 7:30’s. I couldn’t help but notice some of the other runner’s labored breathing, and gave myself an imaginary pat on the back for not taking it out too fast (which is almost always the case for me). After the first two miles, everyone seemed to really spread out. Because the course is through a park on paths basically in the woods, it was quiet. There weren’t many spectators, and the race volunteers didn’t make a peep. I actually felt badly for the volunteers at the water stations; I really didn’t see many people taking any water, and they must have been cold! At mile 2.5 we started to see the first finishers on their way back from the turn-around point. I started counting each woman I saw, and figured I was just within the top 10. My original plan was to run the race in 2 mile increments, but decided instead to run it more of a 3, 2, 1.2 mile split.
Pain face.
I wound up slowing down a little during the 5th mile in order to save some energy for a final kick. Between miles three and five I passed about three women, and spent the final mile and a half pretty much alone. Once I hit mile five I started to pick up the pace, and by mile six, I heard an older man coming up behind me. Once the finish line was in sight, I realized he was using me as his final kick motivation, and I could tell he was doing everything in his power to pass me. Being the quiet competitive person I am, I pushed it to puke-pace, and made sure didn’t get in ahead of me. I wound up finishing in 46:22 (7:28 average): a solid 2 minute PR! As it turns out, that put me at 1st in my age group, and the 8th woman overall. Waiting around for the awards in the wind was brutal, but worth it because I got a medal!
My medal and a side of my Oiselle spike bag
Races like this make me really confident in my running; it’s nice to see your hard work paying off. Not every run is wonderful, sometimes things hurt, and I’m often tired, but I love this sport. I’m so happy that after years of always wanting to run, I’ve finally started doing it and am actually enjoying it. Sure I’ll never make it to the Olympics or place outside of small hometown races, but that post-run feeling is addicting! I’m starting to really look forward to my half next month – I’m hoping to PR, and I think things are really lining up for me to do so.
For those of you that follow me on Instagram and/or Twitter, you’ve probably seen quite a few #oisellelookbook tagged pictures, and probably wondered what I was doing, and if I’d ventured into the world of modeling (you can stop laughing now…). While my modeling days are behind me (yes, I was in Macy’s catalogs as a toddler), when I saw that the wonderful ladies at Oiselle were hosting a fun contest to pair Spring ’13 pieces with older Oiselle pieces, I was in. Still being new to photography and not being the best at taking “selfies,” I enlisted the help of my photo savvy husband to take my picture, multiple times.
I thought it would be fun to put all of my entries in one place… especially for those of you ladies looking for new workout gear. I’m serious when I say that these threads are the best… and that’s why I have so many pieces, and am constantly looking to add more! So without further ado, here are my magazine cover worthy photos (come on, laugh a little).
The first picture I took was above, wearing the oh-so-fabulous Lux Layer ($76, and worth every penny) and Distance short ($38).
Here I’m channeling my inner hipster rocking the Peacenik Sweatshirt ($74), and Lesley Knickers ($60). Reusable Starbucks cup, sunglasses, and Toms sold separately.
I like to call this picture “the right amount of creepy” as I rock the Runfinity scarf ($22), Lesley Knickers ($60), and an old Aero Tank (no longer available).
Trying to channel my inner speedster, here I’m wearing the Winona Tank ($48) and the infamous Roga shorts ($46).
Even though cats aren’t efficient runners, I still like mine… and thankfully they like my Oiselle clothes, and maybe more importantly, haven’t ripped holes in any of it. This is the Stripey Scoop Neck ($44) and no longer available Lori short.
Last but certainly not least, the outfit (and pose) above may be my favorite of the group. I’m obviously channeling my inner Fast K8 here rocking her Fan Tee ($25), along with the Mesh Tank ($42) and Distance Shorts ($38).
I placed an order last week that’s en route including a much anticipated sports bra, so if it arrives before the 3/22 contest end date, rest assured you’ll be seeing a few more “looks” from me. And in all seriousness, if you haven’t checked out Oiselle yet, you really should. Their pieces are made for women runners, by women runners… it doesn’t get much better than that!
I think “slumps” are a natural progression of life. I can’t tell you how many different kinds of slumps I’ve experienced over the last 26 years, but in that time, I’ve learned how to deal with them. They can be frustrating, time consuming, and disheartening (depending on the situation). Swimming was where I experienced most of my slumps – losing the groove of a stroke, trying a new distance, being burnt out, or in the early years, still getting used to my body and adapting to it in the water. Even though they can be a pain, the good news is that slumps aren’t forever. Enter: the blogging slump.
This blog is something that I really enjoy. It’s opened me up to a world that I really don’t think I would have experienced otherwise. I’ve met and connected with some really amazing people and companies, and have been able to fuel and embrace passions of mine in a like-minded community. Similar to slumps, interests change, and come and go over time. Recently I’ve found myself less and less interested in food blogging, and much more passionate about running and life in general. Now don’t get me wrong, I still think about food pretty much all the time and love spending time in the kitchen, I just have come to a stand-still when it comes to recipe creation. Most of my weekly meals come from cookbooks or other blogs, or are recipes I’ve already shared. So in that situation when you have a blog that’s dedicated mostly to food, content becomes tricky.
One of the key components of writing a blog is finding your niche, which is something I’ve been struggling with lately. I’m not really a “food blogger” like I had once set out to be, nor am I a running blogger (though I do blog about it quite a bit), and I’m certainly not a healthy living blogger (pass a cupcake, please). I have plenty of ideas to blog about, but I usually get a few sentences or paragraphs in and jump ship. Most of the time I think that’s because I care too much what other people think. To an extent I should because this is a blog that I want people to read and enjoy… but at the same time, it’s mine! A big reason why I’ve been so hesitant just to post what I want is because of my blog name; I mean, hello, it’s called FOODosaurus Rex… so there should be some food element. And really, that’s why my posting has been so sporadic. One week I’ll spend a lot of time in the kitchen and dream up some share-worthy recipes, run a race, and boom – content. Another week will be less than exciting, with running and maybe a note worthy (but not newly created) meal here and there. It leaves me unsure on what I should post – there’s nothing I loathe more than a junk post (i.e. a photo dump, posts round up, etc.).
So as I continue having a blog identity crisis, I’m looking for some input from you, the reader! In the meantime I’ll be carrying on with business as usual, posting running and food related things, when and if the mood strikes!
What would you like to see more of on the blog? Less of? Any tips to help get me through the slump?
It’s that time of the year – fall marathon registration time!
I’m having a hard time deciding on a marathon to run this fall. My original plan when first starting out on the marathon bandwagon was to run as many big races as I could (Chicago, NYC, Philly, LA, etc.), but I quickly realized that bigger doesn’t always mean better. While I would love to run Chicago again this year, I’m really glad that wasn’t my main focus considering the registration issues they had. I’ve also realized that while traveling far and wide for races is fun, it isn’t always kind on my bank account. So this year (the year of a Disney World and Disneyland racecation), I’ve decided to try and keep it local.
I have a few qualifications for this fall’s marathon. My main focus is a PR. But not just any PR, a big one. No no, I’m not looking to qualify for Boston, I just need to get under 4 hours… I don’t care if it’s a 3:59:59 (though with my luck it’ll be 4:00:00)! So that means flat(ish), and fast. I don’t mind net downhills since they don’t seem to bother my legs too much, but I’m obviously not looking for “rolling hills” which really means a giant hill at mile 9 that will make you almost cry (I’m looking at you, Philly Marathon). Next on the level of importance is location – as I said, I want to keep it local. This means no more than a 6 hour car ride from New Jersey. And finally, timing. I’m looking for mid-October to early December, which I realize takes quite a few marathons out that have previously been suggested to me.
So this is where you come in, my fellow runners! I’ve narrowed it down to 8 marathons, which is hardly “narrowing it down;” I really need to get it down to 2 or 3 in order to make a logical decision. Here’s what I have:
Atlantic City Marathon (NJ) – 10/13
Mohawk-Hudson Marathon (NY) – 10/13
Steamtown Marathon (PA) – 10/13
BayState Marathon (MA) – 10/20
Marine Corps Marathon (VA) – 10/27
Manchester City Marathon (NH) – 11/3
Richmond Marathon (VA) – 11/16
Rehoboth Marathon (DE) – 12/7
I’m looking for anyone that’s run any of these particular marathons (or knows someone that did) to share their insight, as well offer up additional suggestions if there are some I’m missing. Who knew that picking a marathon could be as difficult as running one? Ok, it’s not at all, but you get my point. Help me out! Please? 🙂
Whenever I make a recipe that provides enough for leftovers, my appreciation for the recipe doubles. Why, you may ask? Because it gives me either a delicious option for lunch the next day, or even better, a night off in the kitchen! A lot of recipes I make suggest that they are at least 4 servings, but I rarely find myself with leftovers (between the two of us in the house). So, whenever there’s a huge casserole or Dutch oven meal on the week’s menu, I can count on that providing me some type of leftover; whether it’s enough for one or two people is another story.
As always, I try to make sure that my meals are as balanced as possible; vegetables, protein, healthy fats… you know the drill. Since I take medication daily, my gastroenterologist likes for me to have blood work every so often just to make sure the medicine isn’t affecting anything negatively. I actually just had some routine blood work last week, and they mailed me a copy of the results. I’m happy to report that pretty much everything was within the “normal” range! I’ve got plenty of blood protein, calcium, and all the other goodies that people often swear vegetarians don’t get enough of. So even though my gut doesn’t work properly, my blood is in good shape! At least I know I’m doing something right.
But now that we’ve talked about my blood, let’s get back to food… I’m currently trying to ramp up my mileage (only a little) and intensity (a little more) for a half marathon in April. I’m actually running two half marathons in April – the RU Unite Half Marathon that I’ve run the last 3 years (and was my first!), and then a week later the Nike Women’s Half. I’m hoping to PR at the first, and then enjoy the second. I would love to run a 1:45 (or faster, of course), and I think it’s possible since I had to walk a few minutes due to a side cramp last year and finished in 1:47. As always, running has seriously increased my appetite, which is huge to begin with. So, when I found a big ‘ole strata recipe on Martha Stewart’s website, I knew I had to make it.
I had to make some changes to the recipe, most notably because one of the main ingredients was sausage. I’ve been completely obsessed with soy chorizo the past few months, so I knew that would be a perfect replacement. I’ve had the soy chorizo from both Trader Joe’s and Stop & Shop, and they are both equally delicious, and easy to use in anything from a burrito to an omelet. This particular recipe includes things I love; spicy chorizo, eggs, bread (yay carbs!), cheese, and a solid dose of leafy greens. It’s perfect to whip together before work and then cook when you get home, make the night before having brunch, or do all at once (since it really doesn’t take that long). I love the versatility of stratas, and this recipe is no different!
Vegetarian Chorizo & Chard Strata adapted from Martha Stewart – Serves 4 –
Ingredients: 1 package of Soy Chorizo (or 1lb. of regular chorizo) 1 tbsp olive oil* 1 small onion, diced (can be yellow, white, Spanish) 1 bunch of Chard (Swiss or red), roughly chopped 1 baguette (day old is best), sliced into 1/2 inch pieces 1 cup of smoked Gruyere or Gouda cheese 7 eggs 2 1/2 cups of milk (any dairy or non-flavored and unsweetened non-dairy kind will do) Salt and pepper to taste
Directions: 1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. 2. In a medium sauté pan, cook the chorizo and set aside. 3. In the same pan, add the olive oil and sauté the onion until translucent, about 5 minutes. *If you are using real chorizo, you do not need to add the oil – you can use the fat from the meat. 4. Next add in the chard, salt, and pepper, and cook until just beginning to wilt, about 5 minutes. 5. In a 9×11 greased baking dish, layer half the chorizo, followed by the chard and onion mixture, then sliced baguette. Follow with another layer of chorizo and then chard. 6. In a medium bowl whisk together the eggs and milk. Pour over the casserole dish, doing your best to distribute evenly. Top with cheese. Let sit for at least 30 minutes, but can go up to overnight. 7. Bake covered with foil for 45 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for an additional 10 minutes. Let sit for at least 5 minutes before slicing and serving!
Do you have any favorite dishes you make that always give you leftovers?
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