CSA Hooray! Week 2

A few weeks ago, a friend from the gym reached out to me ... for something totally unexpected.  It turned out that she was going on a multi-week road trip with her family, and needed someone to dump her 1/2 share CSA on while she was gone.

Say what?  Fresh grown produce? 

Of course I'm down!

And so, on Friday 6/27, I received my first bundle.  It was delicious!  Which meant I was pretty excited to get my second share - that actually came a day early given the July 4th holiday.  Double win!

The share for 7/3 was... drum roll please...

 

In case you're wondering, that is an assortment of: Romaine Lettuces, Pac Choi, Broccoli, Radishes, Kohlrabi, Summer Squash (Pattypan, Zephyr, or Zukes), Red Scallions and/or Green Scallions, Collard Greens, Basil, Culinary Sage, and Spinach.

Ok, ok.  Let's back track a second.  Like I said last time, above is a photo of a FULL SHARE of from the CSA.  I was willed a HALF SHARE.  Imagine the above cut in half (and missing the broccoli, since that was for full share folks only this week).  And FYI, I'm not belittling the size of my share - it was very generous and definitely plenty to eat before it would end up going bad anyway.

So, what did I do with all this goodness?  Well, here goes!

-  Made a simple romaine salad, which ended up being HUGE

- Threw the fresh basil in pasta

- Sautéed collard greens and purple scallions with garlic, salt, pepper and oil - and then added to scrambled eggs

- Roasted the kohlrabi, radishes, summer & pattypan squash - which was tossed in fresh sage and other herbs with olive oil - and topped them with garlic sautéed spinach

- Cooked up the bok choy the same way I did last week, since I liked that so well

And that was it!  In pretty much 3 days, everything was gone, shared among 6 adults over the 4th of July holiday weekend. Amazingly, nothing went bad before we could use it, which I was a little worried about - like I said last week, that is why I've never signed up for a CSA before.  But again, I think it really says something about how much my diet has changed over the last 5 years that I could eat all that produce and then some in a week, and have no problem doing it.

I'm already looking forward to week 3, and wonder what I'll get this time!  More to follow...

PS: Read more about the CSA origins at Easy Bean Farm by checking out their website or Facebook page.

Siren Freedom Five 5K 2014 (Lady Liberty)

 

 

Siren Freedom Five 5K (3.15 miles)

31:29

Average Pace 10:08/mile

You're not going to believe me when I say this, but I was really struggling with the idea of doing this race for 2014.  I've run it twice in the past (once in 2013, once in 2011), and in remembering the long, sunny, hot run ... well, I just wasn't all that thrilled about the idea of doing it again.

However, after taking such a lax approach to race registrations this year, and actually kind of missing having a race on the schedule, I decided what the heck.  I figured I'd be in Siren anyway due to the holiday, so this was kinda a gimme.  Besides, the cost of this race is exceptionally low - just $15.  You can't beat small town pricing!!

So, just before the June 15th cut off, I mailed in my registration and crossed my fingers that I could start cramming in speed work to get my 5K pace back up.  Oh, and I began costume planning, of course.

Does it surprise anyone that someone proposed I run naked? 

I thought not.

The above post went on with several other great suggestions, but since Lady Liberty is such a classic, I was pretty much sold.  I was already brainstorming ideas.

And then, disaster.  My favorite run costume seamstress was out on vacation.  The horrors!!

OK, so it was time to put my so-so sewing skills to work.  No big deal.  Well, actually, maybe a big deal.  First I had to find the fabric, which was easier said than done.  You can't exactly call up all the fabric stores in the Twin Cities and say "Excuse me, I am running a 5K this July, and need some sort of spandex or wicking material that resembles the colors of the Statue of Liberty.  Do you have anything in stock that would work?"

Their response, I'm pretty sure, would be something like this.

So it's true that I spent a fair amount of time driving to fabric stores looking for the right stuff.  Which I eventually found at SR Harris, a warehouse I begrudgingly drove 45 minutes to get to after I realized Joanne's pretty much sucked in the arena of spandex fabric selection.  (SR Harris is awesome, btw, if you're looking for a huge selection of fabrics.  But fair warning - it's a PIT.  At least most of the time their fabrics are 50% off the marked price, so it offsets the atmosphere some...  Just think of it as a Marshall's of the fabric world.)

Anyway, I found the fabric and started sewing.  Oh!  Plus, I went on Amazon to find a headpiece option that I could modify to my needs, since I didn't really know how running with anything too big on would go, and I didn't want to waste time on sewing something that wouldn't work out.

So, with that VERY long premise, I introduce to you...

LADY LIBERTY!!!!

TA-DA!

Ok - Let's run.

Fortunately, with the unseasonably cool weather we've been having this year, race day started out quite comfortably.  Which I was thrilled about, being that this is usually a cooker of a course (there are several sections on the course lacking shade, and in the full sun of July, the bounce back on the asphalt is practically hot enough to fry an egg).  The weather was somewhere in the low 60's when I started my journey to the start line, eventually warming to upper 60's/low 70's. 

Perfect running weather.  Assuming you've been training to run.

So, YEAH.  Let's address that straight off.  Yes, I had lofty goals the month leading up to this race that I would start speed work again.  And then... crickets. 

I think all of June I ran MAYBE three times.  Total.  *sad clown whistle*

That's not to say I haven't been working out.  In fact, as I said in my previous race recap, I've been quite busy teaching.  Plus, I'm starting to get back into the swing of swimming on occasion.  And I finally got in my first few bike rides of the summer. But, going into this race, I knew that my running was...

Yeah, that.

My plan, knowing that I wouldn't' be able to maintain a fast pace for long, was to start with an easy first mile and then shoot for speed intervals instead.  Because if I learned anything during Run100, it was that I can do anything for 1/4 to 1/2 mile intervals.  I figured if I could run my average 10:30/11:00 pace that I've gotten a little too comfortable running (a la my marathon training from earlier this year), and after my first mile crank out 1/4 mile intervals at 8:00ish, I might have a chance at coming in under 30:00 with a negative split.

Yeah!  My first ever negative split.  I totally go this!!  Right...?

And so, I lined up with the crowd with my strategy in mind and hoped for the best.

Speaking of the crowd, it was a little disappointing this year.  Hardly any 'Murika gear or interesting runners, at least from what I saw.  Being that it was much cooler than last year, I would have thought the opposite to be true (since it's much easier to run in goofy stuff when it's NOT hot).   Disappointing.  And also slightly awkward, given my extreme outfit.

No bother, though, because as the crowd started to line up, I was swallowed.  OH!  And lucky for me, I was RIGHT BY a woman doing forward folds to "loosen up her hamstrings".  Who was also wearing flip flops.  And very sheer white capri pants.  I was immediately convinced she would be taking first in her age category.  *sarcastic eye roll* 

The group of people she was with were equally as clueless, with one woman screaming into her cell phone during the ENTIRE NATIONAL ANTHEM ON FOURTH OF JULY.  It was so bad that several people around me were looking at me and rolling their eyes as well.  A few people even started shushing her, and she still didn't take a hint...

Regardless, the good thing about the walkers being so obnoxious was that I knew well enough to get in front of them before the gun went off, so I shimmied my way ahead of them as the national anthem wound down, silently hexing them for not lining up in the back with the rest of the walkers.  (I mean, hey, if you are openly screaming on your cell phone about how slow you're going to be and that you're walking it the entire way, maybe - just maybe - you should be BEHIND all the people that are obviously going to run this thing?  I dunno.  Just going out on a limb here.)

Anyway.  I made my way ahead of them just in time to get situated, and then the gun went off.

I was about 100 feet or so back from the first timing mat, so I slowly jogged up and looked for my husband in the crowd, who was on camera duty.  He didn't have too hard of a time finding me as soon as I threw my torch up in the air:

Just after that photo, I crossed the mat and away I went.

Right away I was made aware that it's election season in Siren for Sherriff; apparently I crossed the mat at the same time as one of the candidates.  For the first few minutes of the race, I followed a couple of folks wearing this shirt:

 

I found that brand of advertising to be quite clever, and chuckled as I ran along.  Kudos to him for being a cop that's in shape!

Eventually my entertainment ran off ahead of me.  Being that it was such a nice, cool day ... and that the race starts out on a fast and flat section of town, I decided to check my watch to see how I was doing. 

I was shocked when I saw that I was at 0.25 miles and maintaining what my watch claimed was a 8:00 pace.  Hmm... maybe my 5K mojo from 2013 was back?  I felt good, so I figured - what the heck!  Instead of intervals, let's just see how this goes.  And so, as we bended through the first few sections of town, I kept a confident pace and held my torch up at a comfortable shoulder height.

That's when I started to realize something.  I think maybe 5 minutes in.  Despite not being noticed pre-race, suddenly my outfit was very popular.  About every 30 seconds someone would see me in the crowd, or run past me, and cheer. 

"Hooray!"

"Statue of Liberty!"

"Nice costume!"

"Happy 4th of July!"

It was actually quite fun, since it felt like I had my own personal cheering section every where I went.  My head may or may not have gotten a bit swollen from all the praise.

I motored along the course at my best possible pace, and again before I knew it, I was at the water stop.  Unlike last year, this year I had a GPS watch handy, so I checked the accuracy.  Sure enough, it was at the right spot!  Plus, my pace was pretty good.  I figured if I could keep what I was running, I might scrape out a 28/29 minute finish.  Skipping the water, I continued on.

Not even 1/2 mile down the road, I immediately regretted having no water.  I don't know if I was over thinking the fact that I skipped it, or if I didn't have enough pre-race, or if I was starting to sweat too much due to the extra fabric of the costume, but I started to get REALLY thirsty.  My pace started to slow, and mentally I started to lose my edge.

A little voice at the back of my head said:

I promptly punched that voice in the throat and kept on running, albeit at what felt like was a slower and slower pace as the distance ticked on.

Somewhere around the last 3/4 of a mile, I ended up passing a man in a yellow shirt who had finally thrown in the towel and started to walk.  As I passed him, I heard a weak but encouraging "Yeah!  Lady Liberty!".  Before I knew it, he had picked up his pace again, and was running just off my left shoulder.

At this point we had come out of the more isolated country area of the course and were starting back towards civilization (AKA, comin' back inta-town).  As I ran down the road, a man standing in his yard saw me and started screaming towards his house "Hey, Helen!  HELEN!  Quick - ya' gotta come out here!"  Unfortunately for him, I ran past before Helen made it out.

Just past that house, an elderly couple in their 80's were sitting out in their lawn chairs, spectating.  As I rounded the corner by their house, I heard the woman say "Ooooh, look at that!"

Even the spectators were loving the costume!!

Coming back into town, I knew I was close to the finish line, but I was starting to burn out.  I had it in me to run to the finish, but at that point, I just didn't know how fast.  I began to commiserate with the girl in front of me, to my right, who was muttering to herself and swearing. 

Although I doubt she realized I could hear her.

The man in the yellow shirt, unbeknownst to me, was still behind me, off my left shoulder.  He was panting about as much as me, and as the girl in front of me was muttering to herself, he let out a "I know we're almost there, come on, we can make it!  You've been motivating me through these last 2 kilometers.  I know we can do it together!"

"Yep!" I said "I know we can do this!  Almost there!"

Sure enough, we started to round the bend into the park.  The finish line was a little way out yet, but I could see it in the distance.

And then - awesomeness.  A group of high school girls saw me round the corner, and inspired by my costume, they all started fist pumping and yelling "USA!  USA!  USA!"  I think even other people in the crowd got excited and joined in...?

With the finish line less than 30 seconds in the distance, my yellow shirted partner says to me "Come on, let's do it!  Let's sprint it out!!"

To which I replied "I don't think I can, I've got nothing left in the tank."

He said "I don't care - come on!  Liberty before peace!"

And he stopped, waiving me through the mats to finish first. 

He promptly followed, high fived me for a good run, and disappeared into the crowd.

In the meantime, I was sweating up a storm and getting all sorts of random high fives from other runners in the finishers chute.  Apparently, my costume was getting me some attention once people realized I ran the whole 5K with the torch.  I even got asked to take a photo with someone else who had finished (I'm guessing well ahead of me, since she looked like an elite runner in her sports bra & shorts combo).  My husband took the scene in and laughed...

Eventually, I made my way to the snack area, where I opted to skip the muffin and settled for a banana, a cup of orange juice, and another bottle of water.  After, I hobbled back to my husband and started a sad half-limp to the car.  Yes - shame.  I was wearing an old, old, old pair of running shoes that should be retired.  But, I haven't broken in my new pair that I purchased after Waconia yet, so I was stuck.  That should speak to how little I have been running lately, though.  :-(

Once I got home, I relaxed for a few minutes on the couch and then headed for a shower... followed by the traditional post race t-shirt wearing.  Speaking of, the shirt was really nice this year.  Check it out:

And of course, beyond the t-shirt wearing, the even more traditional post race performance analysis began.

 

Surprisingly, despite my mind games, it appears that I kept a very smooth and even pace.  Although, I'm not sure how much I trust my report, since the elevation was definitely NOT anywhere near as challenging as the chart would lead you to believe.

Also surprising is the fact that I have hardly been running at all in the last month, and I was still able to keep a respectable pace.  Although 31:29 is nowhere near my PR, and is definitely not elite status, It is still almost 2 minutes faster than what I ran this course in 3 years prior.  When you further take into account I'm carrying a few extra pounds right now (ok, more like 10) and ran in costume with a torch, my time seems less and less shabby.

And as for the meat of the analysis per the race organizers:

     You finished 172nd out of 460 women (37%) and
     39th out of the 80 (48%) Women 30 - 39.

Well, hot dang.  I can not train, gain 10 pounds, and still come out above the 50th percentile in a random group of almost 500 women.  I'm not saying I'm glad to be where I am with my running right now... but given the circumstances, I'm ok with that result.

So I guess that's it.  That's the story of how race bib # 44, and yet another wacky workout costume, joined my collection. 

Here's to another race soon - which may be sooner than you'd expect!  Stay tuned...

CSA Hooray! Week 1

A few weeks ago, a friend from the gym reached out to me ... for something totally unexpected.  It turned out that she was going on a multi-week road trip with her family, and needed someone to dump her 1/2 share CSA on while she was gone.

Say what?  Fresh grown produce? 

Of course I'm down!

And so, Friday 6/27 I received this beautiful bounty (queue singing angels):

In case you're wondering, that is an assortment of: Kale, Panisse Head Lettuce, Pac Choi, Vitamin Greens, Cilantro, Summer Squash, Scallions, Kohlrabis, and Spinach.

Ok, ok.  Let's back track a second.  The above is a photo of a FULL SHARE of from the CSA.  I was willed a HALF SHARE.  Imagine the above cut in half (and missing the spinach, which I'm guessing I didn't get due to a bum crop or something).  And FYI, I'm not belittling the size of my share - it was very generous and definitely plenty for my husband and I to eat before it would end up going bad anyway.

So, what did I do with all this goodness?  Well, here goes!

- Made a wonderful salad of panisse head lettuce, turkey, blue cheese crumbles and a yogurt based Blue Cheese salad dressing made by Bolthouse Farms (read more about that dressing here)

- Using this recipe as a jumping point, I asked my husband to use the bok choy in a chicken stir fry (served with rice).  Despite seeming amazingly simple, this turned out to be quite delicious.  I would actually make it again, and expect it to become part of my usual dinner rotation

- Made a dinner of grilled brats served with steamed/sautéed vitamin greens with garlic, and kohlrabi sliced and grilled with a little bit of olive oil, salt and pepper
     **note - I recommend peeling the kohlrabi prior to grilling,
          the skin was a little tough/woody and was not very appetizing

- Finished off the summer squash and scallions by tossing them in olive oil and Italian seasoning and grilling them in a basket

- Had a breakfast smoothie that included ALL of the kale, a banana, a green apple, hydrated chia seeds, 2 cups of unsweetened almond milk and two heaping spoonfuls of natural peanut butter,

And that was it!  In pretty much 5 days, everything was gone. 

Amazingly, nothing went bad before we could use it (except the cilantro, which unfortunately didn't fair well and was already wilted day 2).  I was truly worried about using everything before it went bad - and quite honestly that is why I've never signed up for a CSA before.  But, obviously, that was NOT a problem. 

I think it really says something about how much my diet has changed over the last 5 years that I could eat all that produce and then some in a week, and have no problem doing it.

I'm already looking forward to week 2, and wonder what I'll get this time!  More to follow...

PS: Read more about the CSA origins at Easy Bean Farm by checking out their website or Facebook page.

Rainbow Run 5K 2014 (FREE BANANAS!!!)

 

 

Rainbow Run 5K (3.15 miles)

38:29

Average Pace 12:33/mile

Let's just get something out of the way here, shall we?  This is the 4th year that I have run this race.  Yes, I'm officially a rainbow pro. 

Also, this race has been around for 4 years.  Which means I've been in it from the beginning and I'm a true legacy to this race. 

As such, you should now call me...

THE LEGEND. 

It's true!  Don't believe me?  Let's do a 4 years running / Rainbow Run costume review.

 

2011 - rainbow shorts & hair extensions

 

 

 

2012 - rainbow running dress, rainbow veil

Best year so far, PRIZE FOR BEST BRIDE COSTUME!!!

 

 

 

2013 - rainbow running skirt

AKA the first year I wrote a recap

 

 

 

2014 - coordinating socks/headbands,
plus a witty tank from Etsy
"Seems like a lot of work for a free (banana)"

After 4 years in a row, can you believe I've been able to keep rainbow costume ideas coming?  I sure can't.

And speaking of 4 years in a row - it's pretty awesome to be able to say I've run this race since the very beginning.  Despite the ups and downs the race has had in the last four years, I'm glad I've hung with it.  Why?  Because this year's location made up for it.  I mean, look at the view from the start line!!

So, you may wonder - what do I mean by "this year's location"? 

Well... unfortunately, every year I've ran this race, we've run a different route (with last year's even straying far, far away to St. Paul!!).  And, each year we've had a different finisher's area.  So I have to admit, the inconsistency of the course is a little frustrating from a runner's perspective.  You never really know how to train or what to expect on race day, and that can be disconcerting.

Not to mention, this race overall has had very little consistency from year to year.  Each year the finisher's shirt varies in quality, the post race party offerings are VERY different, and the method that the race is put on has changed.  I've had performance t's, cotton blend t's, and light weigh t's.  I've seen the organization seem really great one year and willy-nilly the next.  Some years I've had great post race experiences, other years... well...

So, you might be wondering, given the inconsistencies ... why do I keep running this race?

Well, because ... I mean really ... how can you get any more fabulous than Minneapolis Pride?  Who else would start a 5K race by having everyone line up at the start, and then proceed with having the policewoman guarding that street entrance throw out full sized bags of skittles?!

BTW, I am still trying to figure that one out.  Was the cop so happy to see us running that she bought a case of skittles?  Or did the race organizers ask her do it?  Either way, it was fantastic.  And although I didn't take a bag myself, the woman's dog who was starting just in front of me was more than willing to accept any free food donations... (said his eyes, anyway - the owner kept telling him that they weren't treats for dogs - hahahahaha).

Anyway, on to the details of the race.

For 2014, the Rainbow Run started at Boom Island by the pavilions.  Being a Twin Cities native, I was dumbfounded that this park existed, and that it was so beautiful.  To be within walking distance of downtown Minneapolis, but to feel like you are in a river oasis... just fantastic!

To add to the beauty, my sister and I had parked at the ramp near the Basilica and caught the bus down Hennepin, which dropped us off right by the river.  No, I'm not implying the bus ride was beautiful - public transit never is.  (Although we DID have a very friendly and helpful driver.)  What I mean is, the bus dropped us off about 1/2 mile away from the race start.  The rest of the way, we were able to walk along a beautiful wooded path that ended in a tiny rustic bridge that took us into the park.  The entire walk, I just couldn't believe we were within eye shot of the giant sky scrapers and noise of the city.  It was so beautiful.

When we first arrived at Boom Island, though, I was a little confused.  Since there are multiple pavilions, and there were no signs, it wasn't quite clear where we should go.  It also didn't help that we were about an hour early, and appeared to be the first to arrive.  But, no worries.  Eventually we found the check in table and got our numbers.

Me - #22.  My sister - #6....1.

Aw, boo!  We both almost thought it was 69.  I so badly wanted to say my sister 69'd at pride.  HA!

(Hopefully I didn't make you blush with that one.)

After check in, since there was quite a bit of free time, my sister and I simply enjoyed the beauty of the park.  It was a wonderfully cool day and the breeze coming in off the river made up for the fact that we both woke up at 6am on a Sunday. 

Plus, the park had flushing toilets and a sink ... WITH SOAP!  A fantastic pre-race amenity not often found.

Surprisingly, despite Pride being such a draw for downtown Minneapolis, the crowd running this race has remained quite small for the last few years.  As people started checking in, I noticed we'd be a small group again in 2014.  My guess was that there were about 200 runners - all of whom were tremendously fun and friendly.  (Another reason why I keep running this race... the overall love and acceptance of the crowd here just cannot be beat.)  My sister and I enjoyed the crowd by people watching, engaging with folks on occasion, and anxiously awaiting directions in regards to where we would start.

Eventually it was time, and a person with a megaphone directed us to the start.  There we all lined up to get skittles... I mean, to start the race, which mapped out to be something like this:

After one more short megaphone announcement, a gun was fired, and we were off!

To make the race a "full" 5K (yes, one year, it was actually short and turned into a 4K), we started the race by taking a left out of the park and running up a bridge.  Not my favorite part of the course, for two reasons.  First, it meant immediately starting your run with a fairly good uphill incline that was also fairly long.  Second, it meant doing a hairpin turn at the end of the bridge and heading right back up/down that same incline.  Ugh.  But I understand that permits for road closures are tough, especially on Pride weekend, so I'm willing to deal with that.

Since my sister is just getting back to running after a stress fracture (which took her out a few race recaps ago), and this was her first race post-injury, running was tough.  We started out strong, but her leg wasn't quite ready for hill running, and the pounding up and down the hill in mile one started to inflame her shin muscle.  We made it to somewhere around mile 1.5 or 2 and decided to walk a second hill rather than pound out another incline and decline.

Not gonna lie...I was OK with that.  I just came off a week of teaching 5 - yes, FIVE - aerobic classes, so I was feeling it too.  Not to mention, my last of the 5 classes had just taken place the day before and was followed up by my throwing a bridal shower and spending about 5 hours going shopping (IE walking non stop) afterwards.  I was more than happy for a walk break.

Besides, it's a fun run with no chip timing.  So, no harm / no foul.

Post hill walk break, we started up again with a slow jog, with Hennepin Avenue just in the distance.  We almost made it to Hennepin before we decided to take another injury induced walk break. 

A conversation ensued that was laced with frustration (by my sister) and reality (by me).  Overall, my sister's leg was hurting, and I didn't want her to over do it and re-injure it on her first major run post-recovery.  After a lot of talk, which included me mostly encouraging her to walk the last bit we had left, we decided to just enjoy the day and finish out with a walk.

Given the fact that we were well along the course at this point, already going down what was soon to be Pride's parade route, you would never know that we were walking instead of running.  People were cheering, clapping and waving left and right.  For us.  Two dumb girls in rainbow socks and banana tank tops.  There was a lot of "nice socks", "great job" and "whoo" yelled our way.  The positivity was amazing.

I have to say, the encouragement and crowd support at this event is second to none for any Twin Cities 5K.  It really is an amazing experience.  (Another reason why I keep coming back.)

Despite the route being fairly straight forward, things got a little seedy here and there.  The biggest concern I had was that there wasn't much on course race support in terms of people directing runners where to go.  I wasn't always clear where we should go or what was going on.  I didn't even know exactly where the finish line was.  So, each time we passed an archway of balloons, we hoped that wasn't the finish, and just continued on with what was our best guess.

Eventually, I could see in the distance the Lucky Charms rainbow arch from last year, and knew we were almost done.  I searched for a clock and was immediately amazed that we had kept such good time, given all the walking we had done.

Nearing the finish line, we could hear the post-race party music blasting.  (I may or may not have had a one woman pre-finish dance party while my sister rolled her eyes at me.)  And then... it was all over.  We had passed through the arch and were headed to our post-race pot of gold, also known as a finisher's shirt pick up booth.

The shirt was a nice, soft and light weight cotton blend with an updated version of the above rainbow footprint logo printed on it.  Although it's a bit on the thin side, I think I like it... but the jury is still out, since I'm worried it might pill easily.

What I for sure didn't like was the post race party.  Again this year there were no fresh fruits or healty food options.  There were plain potato chips, single serve bowls of Lucky Charms (without milk) and protein bars.  Processed food heaven.  :-(.  The only thing I partook in was the bottled water.  Well, I also accepted a BOGO coupon from Noodles.  Regardless, the food offering was disappointing.  Even more so given our race costumes because... NO BANANAS!!!!! 

Seriously, though, post race food at TC Pride's Rainbow Run needs major improvement for 2015 - please offer some sort of FRESH FRUIT, race planners!  PLEASE!!!!!

After dropping our shirts off at our car, since the garage was just a block away, my sister and I started walking down a side street to get lunch.  We've seen the parade several times now, and were more interested in just getting a fun lunch and heading home rather than watching the spectacle.

We walked down the street on our way to lunch, just chatting and enjoying ourselves, when suddenly I saw something in the distance.

I think my actual quote was: "WTF!  Is that person dressed like a BANANA??!?!!!"

To which my sister said: "OMG!  You have to get a picture taken with them!"

So we approached the banana, who was extremely cordial and enthusiastic about having a photo op - even more so when they saw our shirts.  It wasn't until I walked up to the banana to pose for a photo that I realized the dog they were walking (which enthusiastically greeted me with a lick to the shins) was dressed as a banana, too.  LOVE!!!

 

After the photo we exchanged information about my blog and THE BIG EPIC SHOW and then we continued on our way. 

Side note - that show is me to a t ... hip hop, fashion, comedy, dance parties, and something fun for kids too...?!  AWESOME!  Anything that includes me doing the "Wobble" while I'm there, I'm down with.

Consider going to a show some time, yo!!

Back on topic.

Just as we thought the craziness was over, we showed up at Brit's Pub to find out they were hosting FIFA viewing parties on the lawn.  Wow.  Just ... wow!  Soccer fans put even Pride revelers to shame.  If you can impress me with an outlandish costume, that's quite a feat.  Enough said.

Unfortunately, the pub was PACKED due to the game(s), so we were unable to get our ideal table upstairs / lawn side, which is what makes Brit's unique.  But, our disappointment was quickly washed away when our lunch arrived... which included the chicken pot pie I've been craving ever since the Minneapolis Du last year, and Scotch Eggs, which I've always wanted to try:

Although they look odd, I have to say, the eggs were delicious.  If you ever have a chance to try these in the future, do it!

Finally, finally, it was time to go.  After a fun run, a "free banana", and some Schwety Balls Scotch Eggs, our adventure came to an end with a quiet walk back to the car and a ride home...

And that's the story of how race bib # 43 joined my collection. The only other thing I have to say is: I hope that this race can finally stabilize next year with more a less a repeat of how it went for 2014 ... but with a few bananas added to the finish line.  :-)

Here's to another race soon!

Celebrate Wisely, My Friends

Did you ever wonder what the most calorically dense holidays are?

Well, have no fear!  This article helped me create the following info-graphic!

Holiday	Average Total Calories Consumed
Fourth of July	1352
Halloween	1809
Thanksgiving	3242
Christmas	1814
New Year's Eve	726
Super Bowl	1212
Valentines Day	840
St. Paddy's Day	821
Easter	2989
Cinco de Mayo	1385

The best part?  Where the Fourth of July calories usually come from:

- 155 calories per hot dog
- 317 calories per cheese burger
- 277 calories per slice of apple pie
- 358 calories per cup of pasta salad
- 150 calories per beer

I'd like to contest the above list.  Where the hell are the s'mores?!

With our without the extra sweets, I just have one word of advice.  Don't partake in the 150 calorie option above and then light off fire works.  It won't go as well as you'd imagine it to be:

Happy 4th of July.  Celebrate wisely, my friends.

I'm Blowin' Sunshine #3

Awhile back, I was asked to do some more Q&A type posts ...

Since I tend to get a little long winded (no - really?!), I decided to chop up some "typical" Q&A posts into multi part segments to make them a little more digestible.  In the next few weeks, I'll randomly be incorporating some of those questions into a post. 

Today, I'm continuing with the below.  I've taken my inspiration for this series from the Sunshine Award Q&A format (see part one of this conversation here, and part two here).  Below are questions 7-10 from that. 

Yep, 4 questions today.  You get a bonus!

Enjoy!

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7.     What’s the most worn item in your closet?

 

Speaking in terms of ... "costumes"... I think you've likely noticed by now  that I've worn my unicorn outfit quite a bit.

 

 

 

It's true, I always meant the unicorn for skiing - not running.

How nice that it's ended up being multi functional!

 



 

If you've got a keen eye, you've noticed I've worn just the skirt quite a bit, too.

 

 

 

Unfortunately I can only find one photo of me

wearing it as a non unicorn right now.

 

 

 

Aside from the unicorn stuff, I also love my Ink-n-Burn skull tee.

 

 

 

 

 

But I suppose the point of this survey is to expose me BEYOND working out, so we can talk my day to day fashion.

 

*Yawn*  Be prepared to be bored.  There is definitely much less glitter and sparkle in my everyday life.

 

Anyway.

 

This might come as a surprise, but I really love to wear dresses.  I didn't always used to, but when I started losing weight and changing sizes all the time, I realized the huge benefit in a dress that fit you in the shoulders and could be a little more free hanging around the waist (unlike pants, which become very obvious when they don't fit correctly).

 

A few of my favorite dresses right now are from the Jessica Simpson collection:

 

 

 

 

And the Free People collection:

 

Obviously not me in either of those photos.

 

 

I like that I can wear all these dresses with cowboy boots, since my runners feet don't exactly love high heels anymore.  (Which, btw, is weird that I love cowboy boots - since I really hate country music).

 

As you can tell from the dresses, I like a feminine / bohemian look.

 

 

 

8.    What’s your favorite breakfast food?

That all depends on the day and what I have going on afterwards.  For example:

If it's a race day, or a day where I am going to teach a morning aerobics class, I keep it light.  Bananas are my go-to, or if I'm tired of the same old I might do cantaloupe, honeydew or an apple.  Sometimes I'll add a regular cup of coffee (although less and less so these days since I quit drinking caffeine months ago - here's the before and after of that).  If I'm extra hungry, I might throw in a piece of whole wheat toast with peanut butter, too.

Just don't expect a smile that early in the morning.



If it's a normal day at the office, I might have a banana and a bag of instant oatmeal (low sugar or plain versions, since the other stuff can really be packed with sweeteners).  Sometimes I'll switch that out for a sliced apple with natural peanut butter smeared on it.

If it's a guilty day at home or if I'm out to brunch with friends, I have to admit ... I love me some biscuits and gravy.  Or corned beef hash.  Or, my husband makes a mean sweet potato hash brown with scrambled eggs.

And can't forget the SOS my FIL makes if it's a cabin weekend.  Don't judge.  (SOS = chipped beef on toast).

You might notice the obvious breakfast sweets missing - donuts, pancakes, French toast, etc.  I don't know why, but I've never really been a huge fan of sweet breakfasts.  The sweetness that early in the morning actually seems to upset my stomach, even.  So I usually avoid them.  Or eat them very rarely.

One last thing.  I go through cycles where I really love making green smoothies for breakfast.  I took a break on those for awhile because I felt like I had OD'd on them.  But now that I think of it, I'm kind of craving one...


 

9.    If you could live anywhere in the world right now, where would it be?

Oh man, this is so tough.  There are so many amazing places in the world.

For the longest time I really wanted to live in Hong Kong.  The fast paced lifestyle there mixed with being right in touch with the ocean really made me happy.  And I love riding the Star Ferry and the Peak Tram.  When you think of it, it's a good thing I like it there so much, since it wasn't uncommon for me to be there for weeks/months at a time while I was traveling for business.  I don't think I'd mind ending up there if it came down to it, but I doubt that would happen now, since I don't really do any work overseas anymore.

A close second might be the pacific north west.  Think north of Seattle, heading towards Canada.  I've done a handful of sailing vacations up there and really enjoyed the laid back lifestyle the locals seemed to lead.  I just don't know how the rain would do me ... but I think I could manage.

Regardless of fantasy, I actually like living in Minnesota.  Despite the cold, harsh winters filled with snow and ice, the metro has a lot to offer.  We've got some of the best bike trails and public parks of any metropolis in the USA, we've got tons of lakes within a stone's throw of any major city, and we've got a good balance of big city living with small town safety. 

It's true, there really is such a thing as Minnesota nice... in both people and surroundings.  And I like it.


 

10.   If you could do anything over what would it be and how would you do it differently?

The only thing I wish is that I would have found my joy in fitness years sooner.  It's an amazing feeling when you start to really enjoy working out rather than seeing it as a chore.  It really changed my outlook on life.

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And that wraps up the Sunshine Award Q&A!

AH! A BEAR!

Thanks to this blog, I don't know if I'll ever be able to trail run again... I'm having flash backs to my bike ride at the cabin last summer and my own black bear encounter. 

 

Scary!!