On the Go - Easy Portion Size References

Courtesy of this article, today I thought I'd share a couple of quick ways to help you gauge food portion sizes when you're on the go.

Since dressings and spreads are always tricky, I thought it might be good to highlight these two first:

And just to show you how out of control portion sizes are in the US, check out ice cream.  Boo.

Feel free to check out the entire article for more quick ways to keep track of what you eat.

Recipe: Delicous Dinner - Asian Style Turkey Burgers

A few months ago, I told my husband to make turkey burgers for dinner.

Yes, he does cook!  In fact, in our house, I do most of the grocery shopping and he does most of the meal prep.  It works out well because (1) he's a great cook and (2) he gets home way earlier than I do on a normal work day. 

The only down side is that means I have to do all the dishes.  Boo.

Anyway, he must have been feeling inspired that night because he decided for some reason to make burgers based on this recipe.  Which worked out great because we always have fresh ginger in the house, and who doesn't love ginger?!

PRO TIP: if you buy a huge ginger root at the grocery store, you can save time by peeling and shredding it all at once, then wrapping it in saran wrap in a tube like shape, and freezing it.  Then, whenever you need ginger, unwrap the roll on one end, slice of a few rounds of ginger without thawing, and throw the thing back into the freezer for next time.  That's a trick I learned from my father-in-law, also a good cook.  (Hey, must be genetic).

Since we didn't have all the ingredients in the house, my husband made a few modifications (below), and we enjoyed the burgers with our usual vegetable and fruit sides. 

And since it's a pan cooked recipe, the added bonus to this recipe is that it allows you to enjoy burgers in the house now that cooler weather is setting in.  Lose, win ... right?

Regardless, we really liked them.  Maybe you will too?

Enjoy!

-----


Asian Style Turkey Burgers

 

 

 

Ingredients

• Ground turkey (we used one tray's worth from the store)
• Diced onion, about 1/2 cup
• Fresh ginger, 1-2 tablespoons grated
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• Fresh cilantro, finely chopped, about 1/4-1/2 cup (optional)
• Salt and pepper

Directions

Mix all ingredients by hand in a large bowl. Fair warning, the mixture will be very thin and somewhat messy.  Try to be patient, it's worth it.

Preheat a nonstick pan.  Form mixture into patties and carefully place into pan.  (Since the mixture is very loose, grilling is not recommended).

When the patties cook through on one side, flip and allow to cook on the other side.  Try not to flip too early, as your patty may fall apart.  Timing will vary based on how thick you make your patty and how high your heat is.  Use a food thermometer to check temps and ensure safe meat handling.

Serve your patties with your favorite burger toppings and sides. 

Optional: tastes great with a sriracha mayo (just mix sriracha with mayo to taste and spread on the bun).

Makes 6+ healthy sized patties.

Friday Funny #2

I'm guessing you wouldn't be surprised if I told you - a lot of stupid, funny stuff happens to me on a regular basis.  And usually, it's because I unknowingly set myself up for it.

In honor of my follies, I decided to start an occasional post tradition on my blog:  the Friday Funny.  Whenever something worthy of my unique brand of stupidity happens, I post a snippet about it here.

And so, with that introduction, I bring you the latest installment of the Friday Funny (courtesy of the Twin Cities / TC Marathon and 10 mile race):

Spectating the 2014 TC 10 Mile / Marathon (NOM Cookies)

You may remember that in 2013 I spectated the TC 10 Mile & Marathon.

 

Yeah, that happened.  And it was fun.  So much fun, in fact, that I decided to do it again for 2014.

Let's back up the bus a second here.  I chose spectating over racing?  Well... sort of.  I didn't so much choose spectating as it chose me.  Let's just say the folks over at "We Take TC 10 Mile Race Applications Central" made me...

Blerg.

But like my friends said - maybe the organizers valued me more as a spectator?!  (Hey, to quote my uncle: "It's my dream, I'll make it as big as I want it to be."  Let's just hope in the process that my head doesn't get too big.)

Anyway, in the week leading up to race day, my running buddy from the prior weekend and I were starting to scheme.  What should we do this year?  What should we wear?  What should we hand out?

When I received this photo via text the Thursday night before gun time, I couldn't help but laugh and shake my head.

When the text arrived, I said to my husband: "I think I'm a bad influence on the people at the community center."

He replied, laughing and shaking his head too: "You're a bad influence on everybody."

And just to drive a point home, seconds later I received a text from another friend.  Also from the community center.  Also dressed to the nines in a ridiculous outfit.  The outfit was something she plans to run in for a future race, and she wanted to show off to me.

Can I just ask - how have I become a costume consultant?

Not that I'm complaining.

---

On to race day.

Despite having 80 degree weather just days prior, race day for the Twin Cities Marathon and 10 Mile was ridiculously cold.  Temps overnight had dropped into the 40s ... or maybe even 30s.  Luckily, the rain from the previous few days cleared, so the day was fairly dry despite being overcast. 

But - simply stated, we were glad to be wearing furry costumes:

Which unfortunately still wasn't enough to keep me warm.  Thank goodness I snagged a free pair of socks at the Fitsok spectator station. 

Double layer socks FTW.

The gun for the 10 mile race was scheduled to fire at 7am.  As such, my goal was to be at mile 8 (marathon mile 24) before 7:30.  Why?  Well, although I didn't personally know anyone running that elite of a pace, I was hoping to catch this blogger as he smoked by.

Lucky for me, we got there in plenty of time, and I got in a good cheer as he passed ... in the outfit he said he wasn't going to wear.  Way to go, Speedo.  Good thing I'm a dedicated blog reader and recognized those shorts from a mile away!!  ;-)

Since that guy is pretty much an elite runner (don't agree with me?  Check out the fact that he won the Loony Challenge this year), there wasn't a whole lot happenin' for me after he went by.  As I learned last year, most people running sub 8 minute miles are extremely focused in finishing the race.  So, the group of us cheering for racers just shook our cowbells and yelled in support of the runners as they passed.

Eventually the "fun" runners started coming through, so I held up my "Does this unicorn horn make my butt look big?" sign, and Cookie Monster held up "C is for Chafing".  We got a lot of smiles, some good reactions, and I got mostly no answers.  Mostly.  I did have one "a little bit", and one "yes" which was then corrected to "no".  HA!

Somewhere in the 10-12 minute/mile runners, we were asked an amazing question: "Hey Cookie Monster, where are your cookies?!"  WHAT!!  Good thing we came prepared!  Cookie Monster opened her first box of cookies, and I pulled out my mini bags of skittles.  After that, snacks were flying out of our hands and into runner's bellies as fast as they could go.

The cookies were such a hit, in fact, that the "officials" with microphones just a few feet down the road came walking our way asking "Where the heck are all these cookies coming from?!"  HA!

Pretty soon, the stream of runners turned into a trickle.  And then barely a dribble.  The last few "drops" passed through while we messed around.

Cookie Monster was productive during this time:

I was ... not so much:

The gun time for the Marathon was scheduled to fire a 8am, so this predictable lull was not a surprise.  I WAS surprised, however, that the lull was hardly pronounced.  In fact, before the last of the 10 milers came through, some of the first wheelers for the marathon were starting to fly by.

*Photo from earlier in the course, not my cheer station

Aside from that action, it was still fairly quiet.  And I tried to just stay patient, which was hard to do since I knew someone running an elite pace in the marathon.  I mean, even when the wheelers cruised through (well ahead of the lead marathon runner), I was immediately on the lookout for this guy, AKA Super Dave.

Not long after the majority of wheelers cruised by, I saw a spectacular sight:

 

That was it!  The lead runner had officially screamed by:

Yep!  So fast, I could hardly get a photo in! 

And just to prove how fast - his finishing time: 2:13:32.  Or roughly a 5:05 per mile pace for 26+ miles.  You know, no big deal.  LOL!

The party had officially started.  Suddenly, the streets started filling with spectators, and the roar of the crowd got louder and louder as each elite runner came through.  And got even louder yet as the first women runners came through. 

Not long into the excitement, Super Dave was nearing our station.

*Photo from earlier in the course, not my cheer station

And then, he was there.  And it was awesome!  Before we knew it, we heard the good news, too.  He finished in 2:48:21.  A 4 minute PR over his last race in Boston, and an amazing pace of 6:26/mile.  Not to mention, 6th place in his age group.  Yes, I said SIXTH!  Out of 465 males registered.  From a pool that attracts runners world wide.  Just awesome.

Back where we were at mile 24, the runners were starting to turn from a trickle into a flood.  Which unfortunately also meant the crowd was starting to expand more and more.  At first, the energy was kind of fun.  But eventually it just got ... a little too crowded for my taste.

I mean, I get that people are excited to see someone they know run.  But, a tip for you first time spectators:

(1) Do not step over the line that is supposed to separate runners from spectators.

(2) Do not RUN INTO the runner's area to hug, cheer for, or run with your friend.

(3) See #2 above, don't do that AND BLOCK THE PATH FOR OTHER RUNNERS SURROUNDING THE PERSON YOU ARE CHEERING FOR.

*sigh*

I wouldn't have even minded the crowd if they had just given others with signs and what not space.  But my whole group had been crowded out, and we were there to cheer everyone.  A little annoying when you want to put a smile on every runner's face, and someone else is blocking you out with a sign that says "Go specific runner xyz."

Frustrated, I put my sign down and took a much needed bathroom break.  Did I mention how cold it was?  Yeah, each draft of wind made my need to go exponentially worse.

The good news was that eventually after my bathroom break, the most annoying spectators left the field, and we were able to regain some of our purchase on the area we were originally occupying.  Plus, the "fun" runners were just starting to come through.  So, no harm, no foul.

Unfortunately, at this point in the race, Cooke Monster had to leave.  BOO!  Feeling alone, up went the FREE FUEL sign, and out came the first line of defense: twinkies.

Just as I saw last year, the range of reactions to the twinkies was pretty amusing.  Some yearned for one but declined.  Some retched at the mere suggestion.  But the best runners on course, at least in my opinion, ALL STOPPED BY AND PARTOOK.

Yes indeedy.  I handed out about 20 twinkies to Marathon runners.  Most of them running a 4-5 hour pace.  Impressive.

Since the weather was better this year, and the annoying spectators became less and less, a handful of us at our cheer spot hung on for dear life. 

We yelled.

We cheered.

We celebrated every racer that went by.

But finally, just before 2pm, we decided to thrown in the towel.  Having been there since about 7am, we were exhausted and ready for a hot lunch. 

So, although I would have loved to stay until the bitter end ... we did not.  But my heart was there in spirit for every runner still on course.

On the ride home, while others chatted and relived the fun of the race, I simply relished in the heat of the car.  Well, and checked in on my phone.  With 20+ notifications and handfuls of texts, I was a little overwhelmed. 

One of the many things in my news feed was this photo:

Yes, I'm sad to admit I missed a chance to race with my nephew in order to support TC again this year.  But how often can you say you knew someone who was officially racing in the "professional" corral at a marathon?  Besides, my nephew didn't mind.

One of the other flags in my feed was a note that people at the finish line / on the train back to the parking area were talking about "the unicorn at mile 8/24".  AMAZEBALLS!

I guess the Unicobb has hit celebrity status?!

Only time will tell...

Product Review: Lemon Zest Luna Bar

Typically, I'm not a fan of "sports nutrition" food items.

What do I mean by that?

Well, think of products like Gatorade, Clif Bars, Gu Gels and the like.

Why don't I like them?

I don't like them because the average person who uses them doesn't need them.  For example, I read a blog the other day written by someone who was running a 10K ... who carb loaded the night before and fueled during the run.

*Sigh*

Calorie wise, they likely took in more than they burned:

     Average 10 calories burned per minute running
     X
     Average 60 minute 10K =
     600 calories

     Average pasta dinner (500) + garlic bread (200) + wine (100)
     +
     energy gel (100) =
     900 calories

Most people don't see through all the marketing hype of these types of products and realize that unless you're a high endurance athlete, you don't need the stuff.  Take me for example:  I always thought I needed an energy gel around mile 8 to get me through a half marathon ... until one day I figured out that taking sips of the on course provided energy drink and water was more than enough to get me through a run - even on the hottest days.  After that, I started testing and realized: most days, I could make it through a 10-12 mile training run with no fuel and very little water (disclaimer - always drink plenty of water on hot days).  That's when I came to the conclusion that I'd been over doing it for a long, long time.

Don't get me wrong, these items do have their place.  Marathoners and endurance athletes who are going non stop for 2+ hours definitely need the convenience of portable calories and electrolytes/salt.  But the rest of us average joes who are just trying to work out for an hour or less at a time to keep the jelly belly off... not so much.

So, with that intro, you're probably wondering why the heck I'm doing a product review for an energy bar.  Well, let's revisit something I said in my previous paragraph: convenience and portable calories.

To set the scene, awhile back I was on the way to the gym to teach my usual Tuesday night aerobics class and I realized something - I was so hungry, I felt like I was going to gnaw my arm off.  For the previous few weeks, I had been dialing back into my healthy eating habits, so feeling a tad snacky was nothing new... in fact, I had been trying to play off that exact hunger all afternoon at work and just focus on drinking water, figuring that was my issue.  But as my car exited the highway and the idea of me putting a workout on top of this hunger hit me, I thought my stomach might jump out my throat and run away from me.  That's when I knew I had a problem.

Counting in my head as I drove, I realized what my issue was... I had gone too far in the other direction of eating awareness for the day and had only consumed about 600 calories.  And, I was about to burn almost that much teaching an aerobics class.  I needed to eat pronto.

Having 20 or so minutes before students were going to start showing up for class, I knew my only option at that point would be to pick something from the vending machines at the gym.  Yeah, I know - that doesn't sound too appealing ... but thankfully, they at least had a few "healthy-ish" options in there to choose from.  I looked at a few different bags of nuts and energy bars, when something caught my eye:

I thought to myself: Hmmm.  I do love those lemon bars that end up on cookie trays at the holidays... and I haven't had one in years.  Maybe it would be comparable? 

The $1.75 vending machine price did make me guffaw a little, but what could I do?  I was stuck.  In went my cash, and out came the bar.

Of course, before I even took a bite, I had to look at the nutrition info.  Why, I don't know, because I wasn't going to NOT eat the thing at that point.  Habit, I guess.

In case you're curious, here's what the website says on a high level about the bar:

How can something so good for us be so delicious? It’s simple. Start with the best ingredients possible (nothing artificial, 70% organic) and nutrition that matters most to women. Mix with flavors that make mouths water and the rest is sweet (and healthy!) history.

High in calcium and folic acid
Rich in antioxidants A, C, E
9g protein, 3g fiber

And here's what the details are:

Overall, the bar didn't look THAT bad (as compared to the other vending machine options of Sour Patch Kids, Doritos, Snickers and the like).  Unfortunately, the amount of saturated fat in the bar put me off a little, since I would have hoped something "healthy-ish" like this would be a little leaner in that department.  But, when I thought about it from the perspective of a dessert replacement... well, not so bad I guess.

And speaking of dessert, I have to say - the thing was pretty good!  I mean, it wasn't exactly the lemon bar I was thinking of, but given the size of bar and the nutritional content, it was a pretty fair trade off.  The overall flavor was similar to the lemon bar, and although the texture was different, it was still nice and light, a bit crunchy, and a tad chewy.  Think of a cross between that lemon bar on the cookie tray and the rice crispy treats you grew up loving as a kid.  Pretty tasty.

Not having much time to spare, I couldn't exactly savor the bar, so I ate it fairly quickly and chased it with a bunch of water.  Then I crossed my fingers, changed into my workout clothes, and hoped the citrus choice wouldn't literally come back to burn me later. 

And then I promptly forgot about the bar.  Which I find pretty impressive.  Why?  First, the fiber (or something) in the bar really took the edge off my hunger.  Second, the bar was mild enough that I could eat it less than 30 minutes prior to a high impact and strength training based aerobics class and not suffer any ill effects.

At the end of class, on my way home, I thought... huh.  I kinda liked it.  Maybe energy bars aren't a product of the devil after all?????

So where does this leave me?

To be honest, I still don't think anyone really NEEDS a "sports nutrition" item.  A healthy, balanced diet heavy in fruits and vegetables will replace anything you burn in a typical, every day joe type of workout.

However, if you're ever in a pinch and need something last second, the Luna bar wasn't too bad. 

Just don't over do it.

And, as an added bonus, it makes a decent substitute for a dessert you probably shouldn't eat anyway... so if that's your trade off, I guess I can handle it!

Some Days Are Tough

It's been almost 5 months.

For the last few months, I felt like I had grieved and moved on.  But there are occasions lately where things have been tough.  Especially when I have that moment of clarity where I realize... I would have been due soon.

Every time I see another pregnancy announcement, or see someone who is about as far along as I would be right now, or see someone carrying a newborn around... I feel like I want to scream.

It should be me.
It was going to be me.
It isn't me.

The most frustrating part is not being pregnant again.  I think I would feel differently if I was.  I think that's a big part of my problem.

I say this because for me, my entire life has been about working hard towards an ultimate goal, and knowing that all my efforts will yield some sort of accomplishment at the end.  Career, fitness, weight loss, personal life ... I always got the results I worked towards.  My drive pushed me there.

Getting pregnant doesn't work that way. 

Getting pregnant isn't like ramping up for a race, for example.

In race training, if I run all the base miles I need to, I'm pretty much guaranteed to get to that finish line.  It may not be the PR I was shooting for, but I'll still get there.  Even with an injury, I can still drop down to the 5K distance, limp my way across the mat, and claim that medal.

But with pregnancy, it's not like that.  You can "ramp up" and do everything right, but you can't control what's happening (or not happening) inside your own body.

I guess it just takes patience.

Which is not my strong suit.

Especially because the last time, I basically said "let's try", and it was done.  I was pregnant month one.  Now I'm on month four of "let's try again" and it's not happening.

I also know I need to remind myself of statistics. 

There is only a 15-25% chance of conceiving each month.
Only 40% of couples conceive in the first three months.
And more importantly, over 70% of couples conceive in the first six months.

For now, I just need to let go.  I need to acknowledge that sometimes in life you are handed a fate that you cannot control, and you need to accept it.

I must accept it, have patience, and find peace.

Women Run the Cities 5K 2014 (50th Bib!!!)

 

 

 

Women Run the Cities 5K (3.15 miles)

38:11

Average Pace 12:07/mile

In looking for some new and interesting races to run for 2014, one race kept popping up in discussions with my Minnesota friends as a must do - Women Run the Cities (or as I prefer to call it, Women Run the TWIN Cities, since it's St. Paul and Minneapolis that we're talking about here).

Seeing that this race offered a 10 mile option with a medal, I thought for sure this would be the race to get me back into half shape prior to Mankato in October.  But then, plantar's fasciitis struck, and I knew 10 miles was not likely going to happen.  Or if it did, it may result in some season ending injuries that I just couldn't afford to have, being an aerobics instructor and what not.

After lots of himming and hawing about how I really still wanted to do this race's 10 mile distance for the medal, I was told by a friend in my run club that even the 10K and 5K finishers got a medal in 2013.  Say what?!  Well, that sure made my decision easy! 

So, with less than 12 hours before registration price breaks kicked in over labor day weekend, I registered for this race.  As did two other friends. 

Whoop!  Away we go!!

---

To make life easier for everyone, I offered go to packet pickup on the Friday prior to race day and nab our goodies.  Not having done any packet pickups for a "chain" type race since the Bacon Chase, I was a little worried about how packet pickup would go.  In fact, this is one of the reasons why I'm not a fan of the really big races.  The cattle call at packet pickup can be kind of a drag.

Not to be left out (or maybe dying to go, knowing how crazy the Bacon Chase packet pickup was), one of my race buddies tagged along. 

Despite my fears, when we got there, packet pickup wasn't too bad.  The line was a tad long, but things went pretty smoothly and without event.  Plus, the Shops at West End are pretty swanky, so that helped make the experience more enjoyable.

In 15 minutes or so we were in and out, and walked away with this cute shirt. 

Full length sleeve, wicking, half zip, embroidered logo AND a zippered pocket in the back?  Love!!!

---

On to the real challenge of this race - wardrobing.

Being that this was a women's themed race, I did some thinking about what I wanted to wear the week or so leading up to the big day, but was coming up short.  I didn't want to do just a passé tutu or glitter skirt, but didn't want to go spend money on something new either.  That meant time to recycle something in my ever growing workout / costume inventory. 

Lacking inspiration, I did some discussing with my partners-in-crime for race day.  As soon as I heard one of them was shooting for Super Girl, I knew which way I had to go.

Yep, Wonder Woman.

I was super excited with that concept, because I thought it might also mean I could wear this creation from my sister's Etsy shop:

 

 

But then I saw the forecast for race day was sunny and a high of 82.  Typical Minnesota fall.  One day it's 40 and freezing cold winds, the next day... not.

Knowing that 70-80 degrees would be too hot for a hand crocheted hat, I decided to hold back on the accessory and just keep it simple with my Wonder Woman dress from MicksMakings.  I guess there's always next time, Wonder Woman hat.  (That being said, my sister's having a Halloween sale, so if you need something for your fall running costume go check out her shop.  There is tons of new stuff to peruse... plus get 20% off $20 or more, coupon code: SPOOKY ).

Accessories aside, even without the hat, we looked pretty good ... amIrite?!

Yeah, you may have noticed that I forgot my sunglasses for this race.  One of the bummers of fall races - the sun comes up after you're en route to the race, so you don't have a build in reminder to grab them.  Dang.

Oh, and if these girls look familiar, this might be why.

Anyhow!  Although Super Girl and I were running the 5K, our other race buddy was running the 10K.  That meant we had to arrive at the start line with plenty of time to spare for the 10K start - 8:00am.  (Despite the 5K scheduled to start at 8:30).

Knowing that parking in the vicinity of Minnehaha can be a total PITA, we opted to drive to a nearby light rail park and ride, and catch the train the rest of the way.  That worked out really well, actually!  I was quite pleased.

Since the train ride was flawless, we arrived at the race start around 7:30.  With lots of time to kill, we decided to putz around and took some selfies.

It was sometime during our putz fest that I heard a laughing yell and a "NATALIE?!?!"  Followed by a bear hug.  It was my family from the Waconia race recap, who informed me that my outfit definitely made me stand out in the crowd. 

Which is saying something, being that we were in quite the sea of people!!

Of course, more photos ensued.

Side note: I may or may not have left a deodorant mark on someone's black V-neck run shirt.  Whoops.  At least she was cool with it, admitting she'd likely need the extra help on her run anyway.  HA!

After a few more photos, it was time.  All of the 10K and 10 mile runners went to line up, and Super Girl and I went to the porta-potty lines for one last hurrah.  There were plenty of potties, so that didn't take too long... and the timing was about right after we were done, so we went to line up for the 5K start.

While we waited in the corral, it became even more apparent how popular our super-duo was; we were getting a lot of complements for our costumes, and smiles.  And of course, I loved it.  That is why I dress up after all - to make things more fun for everyone else too!!

Eventually there were the standard pre-race announcements, with a few minor errors that were immediately corrected, and then the air horn.  We were off!!

Super Girl and I were glad even from the beginning that we decided to line up at a pretty aggressive start point for this race.  Even though we planned to run at a slower pace (Super Girl is just getting back into running post having a baby, and I decided to run easy with her on account of my foot issues), we were hardly being pushed from behind or being passed by anyone.  And the added bonus to that was that there was never really any congestion for us to push around.  That was certainly a first for me in a race of this size, and I loved it!

About a quarter of a mile out of the gate, we were impressed - the course was proving to be a beautiful out and back.  It started out with a slight downhill, and then was a slightly winding but mostly flat run along the river.  With it being early fall, and having a great canopy around us, we really enjoyed the fall colors on course.

I did notice within the first mile that things weren't going so great for me personally.  Unfortunately, due to arriving at the race so early and having no place to sit, standing around stagnant on my feet really irritated my bad left foot/heel/plantar's issue.  In fact, it had become apparent that I was already having issues pre-race when my 10K friend asked if I was limping - which at the time, I didn't think I was ... but apparently I was.  Fortunately, though, running at the slow pace allowed me to relax into the run, and somewhere around 0.75 to 1 mile my foot muscle felt like it had stretched out and was starting to feel better.

Aside from that and the fact that my Nike+ sensor almost fell off my shoe (which forced me to stop mid run to fix, and then sprint up to Super Girl in order to keep up with her), the race itself flowed uneventfully from mile 1 until about 2.75 or so.  Which says a lot at a race like this given the mix of runners and walkers, children through elderly, and beginners to experienced runners.  I was really impressed with how well things were organized and how smoothly things were going.  Plus, the out and back made it especially fun for Super Girl and I as runners started to double back on us.  We got lots of cheers and smiles for our outfits as people passed us, or as we passed them.

Eventually, the course started to wind down and we approached the final stretch.  That's when things got really fun.  At around the 2.75 mile mark or so, we happened upon a young girl who was running the 5K by herself.  She couldn't have been much more than 5-6 years old, and she was doing a fantastic job, but had petered out.  Super Girl and I cheered her on with a "Come on, you can do it!" and a "We can see the finish line already, you're almost there!", and that was it - she took off like a flash and thundered to the finish.

Which meant that duh, we had better do the same.  So with less than a quarter mile to go, despite a slight uphill battle, we opened up our gait and sprinted in. 

And that was it!  Super Girl at 38:10 and Wonder Woman at 38:11.  We had finished!  Oh, and we each got one of these, of course:

Even more super was our 10K friend - who was already in the finisher's area when we rolled in.  Apparently, she had placed 15th out of 89 in her age group, and received a Master's title.  WHOOP!  We were so thrilled for her!

Since we had finished with plenty of free time before we had to get back to the train station, the three of us roamed the post race party and enjoyed all sorts of freebies - even more than the standard post race water/banana/energy bar snacks.  I really liked the mini parfaits they were handing out at the granola booth, and Super Girl snagged a bunch of hot pink terry wristbands to take home to her two young daughters.  It was a fun time, and the scenery was beautiful:

Eventually we hit our limit and headed back to the car.  At which point, my imaginary limp pre-race had turned into a fairly noticeable, yet slight, limp.  I told my friends not to worry about it, and that I'd be fine after a few stretches.  It honestly wasn't that bad.

But apparently it was bad enough, because on Monday morning when I went to kiss my husband goodbye for work, he even said "Maybe you should take a break from running for awhile?"

Ugh.  I know what that means.  Time to get serious with treating this plantar's thing and buy the sexy sock.  I know someone in my Facebook feed that will be thrilled to hear that.  (Yes Patty - I'm looking at you).  But, God honest, my foot's really not that bad.  It just gets a little tight in the early AM when I first get out of bed, or sometimes after I've sat for a long time and get back up.  Please don't get nervous for me!!

Going back to the race - this is a well run event that features a beautiful course to enjoy the fall colors.  And, it has a reasonable registration fee and decent swag to boot.  Although I'm not a huge fan of exclusive (meaning women oriented) races, I would highly recommend this race to anyone who was considering it. 

And don't buy into the scuttle-butt that's been surfacing in the last few days.  Apparently several runners complained that the course measured long/short.  A tip to inexperienced runners: your GPS will never exactly register the advertised mileage when you cross a finish line.  Unless there's a discrepancy of a half mile or greater, just chalk it up to human error and move on.  Especially when a race is on a certified course.  Besides, who cares once you get that medal in hand?!  :-)

And that's the story of how race bib # 50 joined my collection.  Here's to another race soon!