Why I love running (lately)

There have been quite a few motivating factors for running lately.

1. Carbs

I lovelovelove carbs. I could never go to the carb-free diet route. If there is bread in front of me, I will eat it. I don't discriminate against carbs. Bread, Cupcakes, Cake, pasta - i love it all. And running gives me a reason to consume it all. and so I shall.

Examples:

bread and cupcake dessert from a recent wedding

One of my most recent carb-fests was making a raspberry-rhubarb tart.

kind of disastrous looking, but so delicious. (realizing i need to work on my food photog) recipe here

Today's carb fest was this bread from Little Goat Bread in the French Market (so much self control necessary to prevent myself from going here ALL THE TIME). It is bacon gouda. say it with me, oh my freaking lord.

2. Lake Michigan

lake at dusk

I'm realizing more and more each day how much I adore the great lakes. and When I have views like this when I'm running. How can you resist? I always get the biggest grin on my face when I run far enough that I can see the lake. It is awesome.

3. running clothes

lululemon pace setter in pizzazz

I finally caved and bought a running skirt. It's orange. It matches my shoes. It could not possibly arrive faster.


4. Speedwork

I've been doing yasso 800's and seeing 7-something pace for half a mile is like the most exciting thing in the world. I think it's going to make me a better and a stronger runner. and that makes me so excited.



what makes you love running? or what makes you love what you love?

April Grocery Shopping Event - Post #3

Yesterday, is where my crazy grocery shopping kicked in. Yesterday is why I'm doing the April Grocery Shopping Event.

For some reason I felt the need to empty out trader joe's.

I think I did a pretty good job:

shelled english peas - 2.99
medjool dates - 4.49
coconut water zico x2 - 2.98
fat free balsamic vinagrette - 1.99
chocolate chips - 2.29
organic zucchini - 2.99
goat cheese medallions - 3.79
sunflower seed nut butter - 3.99
fusilli pesto pasta - 1.99
farfalle four cheeses - 1.99
tea tree oil - 6.49
organic applesauce x2 - 4.58
black beans - .89
organic frozen strawberries - 1.99
coconut chocolate ice cream - 2.99
coconut strawberry ice cream - 2.99
whole grain tortillas - 2.49
sweet potatoes - 1.79
happy days bouquet - 3.99

vola trebbiano pinot grigio x3 - 7.47
wine bag - .99

TOTAL = 67.29

I don't think I've ever spent $67 at trader joe's before.
WHOOPS.

Highlights:

so freaking adorable

English peas. My mom and I were just talking about how lame it is that I didn't have peas. Now I do!  I'm excited for these!

my life is complete

I was recently introduced to the beauty of coconut milk ice cream at Jolly Pumpkin, an awesome local restaurant. I am 110% hooked. I busted into the chocolate last night and it is SO GOOD. Also, at 2.99 each, totally reasonably priced. thank you trader joe's for fulfilling my wish for TJ's brand coconut milk ice cream.

Hello vino. Quite excited about this $2.49 italian pinot grig. One of the ladies I work with recommended it and I am so excited for it. I love fruity wines. So naturally i bought 3 bottles.

And to perk up my windowsill, an adorable little bouquet. Love fresh flowers.

So yes, my trip was a little excessive, but so many purchases were replacements for things I actually ate all of! examples: zico, balsamic vinaigrette, chocolate chips (well actually i just melted half of these on the stove -- whoops! fyi, you shouldn't leave a bag of chocolate chips on the stove when you're cooking muffins in a crappy apartment oven), applesauce, sweet potatoes.

If I can reduce my shopping next week, I think April will turn out okay in terms of food shopping, but we'll see.

I've also done some excessive online regular shopping -- whoops. See target go international dresses on clearance and j.crew 30% off sale. btw, i love being an enabler.

food shopping + weekly long run stats

Another week, more food shopping.

I went to Trader Joes' on Thursday to pick up more essentials.

This spread would include:

pineapple spears (they make me feel so tropical)
grape tomatoes
multigrain sandwich thins
chocolate chips
creamy unsalted peanut butter
creamy goat cheese
bunch of asparagus
3 bananas
 apple honey butter! (very exicted about this new product!)
 2% lowfat greek yogurt
organic garbanzo beans
chocolate chips
shredded pepperjack cheese
and a vegetarian pizza

Also, yesterday morning I baked for Relay for Life. Trader Joe's boxed cupcakes and Martha's Pumpkin Muffins.
 In other news, Half Marathon training has been going well.

Yesterday was the 7-miler, which was good. I ran to the Arboretum, which was great. It was so nice to run on ground that had some give to it - instead of just hard concrete.

See that nice 22 minute break between Lap 3 and 4?  That's getting to be a pretty consistent problem.
It's mostly because I forgot to turn off my garmin the other day which sucked all the battery life, but I have yet to actually run longer distances (5+)  without stopping for a little bit. I haven't stopped because it was absolutely necessary, but rather that it was a nice break, so my next longer run I think I'll make sure not to stop.  Although that means I need to get some sort of water holding device. Still determining which one to get -- any tips crazy long distance runners?

Camelbak? Amphipod? Nathan?


I need some advice!!

April Shopping Event

So Happy (beleated) April bloggies!

This April I'm deciding to take a page from Stacy and do a grocery event where I track everything I buy and whether it gets used or wasted (which happens more often than I'd like to admit).

So last Friday, after lululemon complementary yoga was cancelled, and i bought ANOTHER pair of groove pants (its an addiction.  but omg unicorn tears is incredible!), I took a trip to trader joe's, my grocer of choice.

It was more of a pick up a few random things trip rather than a "here's ingredients to make these meals" trip, but thats okay.

Anyway, here's what I picked up:

Zico Coconut water x2 (for the impending 7 mile run this weekend, and the 8 mile run the following weekend) - 1.49x2 = $2.98

Pineapple spears - $3.29

Kerrygold butter (THE BEST BUTTER EVER.) - $2.79

Pure florida orange juice - $5.49

Asparagus - $1.99

Organic Gala Apples - $2.49

Sourdough bread (which actually went home for my parents to eat most of, but that's okay) - $1.99

+ Daffodils (because they're 1.69 and make me smile when I see them) - $1.69

Grand Total? $25.80

I also went Costco shopping with my mom over the weekend, and while I didn't snap a picture of everything I bought, here's the highlights:

ORGANIC strawberries 

       costco always has tons of huge containers of strawberries, but they're rarely organic. and since strawberries are near the top of the dirty dozen, i always go organic for them. this time they had them and i stocked up

Annie's Bunnies

huge container of organic spinach

Those strawberries were the star of my pre- and post-run breakfast this morning.

TJ's plain greek yogurt, sliced strawberries + udi's vanilla granola

so delicious.

Celebration Shopping

After the law school acceptance packet on Monday, I thought a little celebratory spending was in order.

Although my original intention for the trip to the mall was to return a few things for my mom, I ended up in a few stores, spending much more than anticipated.

My most exciting purchases:

Glee Nail Polish - Sephora by OPI

I am a GLEEK.  i love love this show, and although I recieved an email about some glee nail polish, I didn't actually look that much into it and therefore was completely shocked when I arrived at sephora to see this on the nail polish display.  I also recently became nail polish obsessed - I never painted my nails before last spring, but now I'm sad when they chip or are bare.  Although suzi skis just made its way onto my nails on thursday morning, I'll be doing one of these babies (either miss bossy pants, the rachel berry-esque pink or the gleek out lime) tonight.  don't worry, I'll post pics!
This mini-pack comes with 3 exclusive colors (the glittery topcoat - celebacy club, the navy blue - sue vs shue, and the coral - express yourself to yourself), and there are also four other colors to complete the collection - a pink, purple, glittery grey, and peacock green.  I didn't realize that I was missing 4 colors when buying the little one, so I might have to go back for more.  We'll see ;)

Reebok EasyTone Reeinspire

I'm always interested in things that claim to do this thing for your health or that thing for your health (see PowerBalance bracelets) (also if you really want to buy one of these, order it from amazon where they are WAY cheaper.  dont be dumb like me).  I always take their claims with a grain of salt, but I'm still always drawn in, just enough to justify the purchase if its something I want.  So now, see the EasyTones.  Luckily these are pretty cute for tennies, and a steal of a deal (1/2 off at von maur!), and I think that their weird circles will at least help with my balance, even if they fail to actually shape my buns.  and with the power balance band, I should be a yoga queen.