run this amazing day

And October goes out with a bang. The weekend started with 14+ big ones on a ridiculously gorgeous DC morning... With my bicycle-got-sucked-into-running-with-me-partner-in-crime. I picked up the girls and we proceeded directly to the expo. And the weekend deteriorated pretty rapidly from there. There was a lot of squealing and hugging and eating and drinking. And....I mean, I'm not even sure what some of this is, but I'm certain that a good time was had by all. I know there was a pillow fight...but you'll just have to trust me on that one.   Getting up to spectate the next morning took some oomph, but we rallied hard to cheer on the marathoners, who lucked out with a pretty perfect day. I hopped in a few times to run with a few girls on their way to some pretty serious PRs.  Christy is in there... And I've never had as much fun in a race as I did pacing this pink girl , who took no prisoners and about 30 ridiculous minutes off of her PR.  No one deserved an

I know, I know, I created this mindless internet meme and then ignored it for a month. I suck a fatty. 1. I'm afraid of most of the popular healthy-living-blogger foods.  Grill me up a cheese sandwich and get the hell outta here with your strange little seeds and stinky plants.  I eat tofu, that should be enough. 2. I will plant a flag in the ground and firmly declare that I will NEVER wear a running skirt. 3. I like the idea of farmer's markets a lot but can never get my act together enough to actually go to one while they are open. 4. The Puppy Cupcake Palace is at capacity for the next few months.  I'm pretty excited. 5. I am a semi-mature (snort) responsible organized competent woman.  Whenever anything goes wrong with my car, I immediately call my dad.   6. I've basically been sitting on my couch reading trashy historical fiction (I'm looking at you, Diana Gabaldon) and eating bonbons for the past 2 weeks, with a side of lots of easy miles.  I

1. Maybe for the first time in my life, I ran three days in a row this week.  IN A ROW, you guys.  My injury-prone ass usually doesn't even like two days in a row.  Actually, the best thing is if I go out and run and then climb directly in a sensory deprivation chamber full of healing blue light - shit, wait, no light in the chamber - until at least 48 hours have passed.  And I still would somehow manage to break something.  Or a limb would fall off or I'd get hit by a meteor (very common running injury).  The word you're looking for here is ANYWAY....I ran easy on Monday, track on Tuesday, easy on Wednesday, and I feel basically like a normal human being.  None of my limbs have cracked and fallen off.  Let's hope this continues as I have my long run planned for tomorrow morning and I'm actually really looking forward to it. 2. However, I haven't been in the pool for almost 2 weeks, and since it was raining and I didn't want to get wet couldn't ride, I

My very first bicycle ride. I can't believe no one told my dad that only noobs leave the reflectors on.  And where are the helmets?!  At least he's not talking on his cell phone while riding.

Otherwise known as, more food less running!  Running is going pretty well.  I feel like I'm starting to get some of my pep back.  I ambiguously decided to do this morning's interval workout at my current estimated tempo pace since I won't get in a tempo this week, and it was solid.  Not remarkable, but not terrifyingly slow at 98% of my max HR like last week.  I also did my first double-digit run since the race a few days ago and was more than pleased with the effort level (easy) and execution (not a total hot fricken mess).   I don't think I'm going to be in fast shape by Richmond but I feel solid and I'll be happier to hang onto my base without any little twinges popping up.  I'm happy with where my running is right now.  I feel like I'm recovered from Waterman's and now just want to keep pumping out mostly easy miles. Onto the food!  A few weeks ago, I decided that I wanted to try and make this recipe for apple honey challah bread , but it did

I've been looking forward to this ride for weeks.  Last year, it was one of my favorite fall rides - the route winds through Warrenton, which has fabulous cycling terrain, with the addition of pumpkin- and Halloween-candy-flavored rest stops.  Plus, it had been almost 2 months since I had spent most of my Saturday morning staring at this: The morning was a rushed-around over-slept lost-keys stopped-traffic disaster.  We pulled in and parked just in time to see the pack roll out.  However, I remembered the initial part of the route from last year and we were able to catch up to some people fairly quickly, plus I stopped and picked up a dropped cue sheet.  I'd only been on the bike once since Waterman's, and my legs felt slow and heavy and didn't want to wake up.  I was glad to pull into the first rest stop and stretch out a bit.  Plus fill my stomach with this: After a not-quick pit stop (wearing bibs+50º weather+going to the bathroom=some pretty serious portapotty gym

The downside to cooking all these delicious things is that I'm kind of stuck in a bit of a food rut, but that's for another day.  Also, I generally can't manage to take pictures while I'm cooking but I think you guys all know what it looks like when you stir cheese or put something in the blender. Lasagna This is maybe the most awesome thing I know how to cook.  It's heavy and cheesy and delicious and reheats incredibly well for as long as it survives in the fridge (usually not long).  It's easy to substitute or add ingredients (I've made it with spinach/white sauce) and cooks well even if you are missing a few ingredients.  And it doesn't take that long to make. 1 onion 1 package ground turkey (I usually get 99% lean in a weak effort to make this more healthy) 1 large jar of tomato sauce (my favorite is the sweet basil Ragu) 1 pint of ricotta (I usually get low- or no-fat, see above) 1 large package of shredded mozzarella (part-skim) 1 packa

1. Good morning, everyone!  I got back on the bike this morning for the second time since the race and I'm just so happy about it.  It was sunny, windy, chilly, and fabulous, and I got to catch up on 45 minutes of chit-chat with my bicycle partner in crime.  I also managed to take our picture without crashing: How cute are we?  Yes, I only remembered to bring one eyeball with me.  I love fall riding.  Actually, I love all riding.  It just makes me happy.  I think I need want a new helmet though, a sexy red/white/black one to match all the rest of my cycling stuffs. 2. I bought a pair of Asics last week and have run in them a few times now, and they are damn near perfect.  Which leads me to ask...why did I even switch away from them in the first place?  No idea, stop asking stupid questions.  I'm going to keep switching them out with the Ravenna in hopes that I can move into a lighter stability shoe, but my legs are real happy about the 2160.  They are less than thrilled ab

MONSTER QUAD EATS MANHATTAN! Also, I got my hair done for the first time in 11 months, but am a huge failure at taking a self portrait. And I've got a big recipe post coming up, but here's a sneak peek... It has secret protein in it.  Other than the 3 handfuls of cheese!

I went back to track this morning for the first time since....July?  At least?  But the last time I was consistently doing track workouts was March, so it's been a long time.  I wasn't sure whether or not I would want to talk about this in detail but now that I've been through it and seen the carnage, I think that it's important to only so that in a few weeks/months I can feel a bit better about the progress that I hope to make (and quickly!!). I've spent the past few months rebuilding my running base, but my "easy" pace has gotten slower and slower.  I've done almost no speed work at all, and while I have come to a bit of an understanding with how HR training works and that it is a process, I also think that my zones weren't set up properly 2 months ago when I started down this road.  Because of that, I think I've been doing all of my interval work far more slowly than I should have been - 3x8 minute Z4a intervals should not be a 9:40 pace,

This " doing another race the week after a half Ironman with a giant hangover " thing is starting to be a pretty cool trend, I think.   Too bad I couldn't follow this one up with a week in paradise . Last week this girl hit me up to join her at a Sunday-morning 8K as part of some crazy "race every single day" plan she has going on this month.  This race actually lined up nicely with the "45 minutes easy run" I had on my schedule.  After doing my first extremely creaky recovery run on Thursday morning, I decided that the very nice race tee-shirt was worth my very inexpensive race fee, but warned her that I would be rocking a pretty serious 10 minute-mile recovery pace and that if she ate all the finish line bagels before I got there, our friendship might be over. This was also going to be my first 8K race.  I have a problem with racing 8Ks because it's about 13 (or 45) seconds short of a 5 miler.  Why can't we just race the full 5 miles?  I l

Dear Graham,  I feel like you just turned one ! Probably the best thing to happen to you this year was having all your hair grow back. Sorry about that. You've had a pretty busy year.  We brought home Molly, and you were so curious about that wiggly barking monster that went rampaging through your quiet life. But you were patient and let her steal your toys, and you guys are great friends.   You love to wrestle and chew on each other's ears. But your favorite thing to do, above all else, is go outside. And play. No matter where you are, if someone says "outside," you are instantly at the back door.  You like to remind us where it is (in case we forget). Your best friend is Nigel. You still hate swimming at the dog park, but you'll go in after Molly every once in a while. You ran your first 5K this year, and then PR'd a few times. You love running with your dad. You keep your mom company all day at work. Your dad loves giving you a peanut bu