Running & Laughing through the Garden State
I always feel like it’s somewhat cheating or boring because if you follow me on instagram, I normally post these shots and so it’s like you are seeing the same thing..over and over again…but alas I don’t think anyone is really that concerned with it.
With that I will dump some of instagram eats on you blog readers and commentary (per usual).
Question for you: What have you been eating and loving lately?
Friday was such a great day. I think I barely got any sleep Thursday night because I was so excited to see Nikki (from LifeAfterSwim). I mean cool blogger meetups is basically what I blog for. After some interesting times the day before and only having leeway to go so far, I was happy we could still meet up in one of my favorite cute little towns: Cape Charles.
Such a cute little town and it was nice to just kinda relax.
We grabbed lunch at a Seafood Place called Stingrays. I had never been for lunch, but have gone quite a few times for dinner. When we went apparently the captain of the Grumpy pants express was working and I was terrified of her.
But it happens. I got a crab cake sandwich and collard greens because who doesn’t love those? Both were extremely good.
Then we headed off to the beach, filled with walking ten million miles (or maybe 1) to go get some 11 dollar sunscreen from the local pharamacy. By local, I’m pretty sure it was the only one in town and I was not about to get sunburnt…but I did anyways…
And layed on the beach.
But not before walking by a fire hydrant that still had the hose attatched. Pretty sure that is all kinds of not allowed to still be attached. It was actually pretty heavy to lift up too. Needless to say, I had to molest erg…take a photo with it. The sad part is, I didn’t even mean for it to come out like this.
But it did, it’s quite hilarious and I’m over it.
So yes, we had a great time filled with food, beach and adventures but that is to be expected since Nikki is already so awesome!
Questions for you:
Have you had a blogger meetup?
Do you like the beach?
Sometimes people email me and ask if I exist in real life because all I talk about is running or work. Well sadly that is all my life consists of right now, minus the occasional dates with aDuBs. It was really nice to just have time to relax and not be stressed about other things. I’ll probably be posting some photos of work though and the mass amounts of joys we have there soon. :-)
We went to Applebee’s last week and it was so good. Minus the fact they had changed their menu to not include Salmon anymore (I don’t think I have been in a solid year) but anyways, but I got the bruschetta chicken salad and it was delicious.
Incase you are new to these parts, aDuBs (Anna) and I have been best friends for nearly 11 years now. Who would have though because she hated me at first…but I was weird so she had every right too…as she does now.
Question for you: Who is your best friend?
As some of you (may or may not) know-I’ve been traveling a lot lately. In this last month between coming home, going to races and visiting friends, I’ve literally been gone every weekend. Meaning eating on the road and eating out…all the time. Which is hard enough but having special (high protein and fat diet requests?) Pain the butt.
I try and be flexible though because all my travels have been worth it and so what if I get 100 grams of protein versus 102…who cares…no big deal. Flexible is key. Also-I tend to have a lot of coffee (meaning a lot of cream with a splash of coffee…when I travel). I don’t really care about the either.
Most hotels (that serve) have eggs for breakfast. If not-they have cereal…if not they have peanut butter and if that all fails they should have milk (if a hotel doesn’t have milk for breakfast…I’m just not eating there). When at a hotel breakfast I look for eggs, yogurt, cheese, milk, peanut butter…anything higher in protein. It won’t be a peanut flour protein pancake but it happens. You have to think to yourself, should I not travel because my diet will be messed up. Will I really care in a week if I had that muffin for breakfast…no, no I won’t even remember what I had for breakfast.
Really.
I normally pack a ton of snacks too. Those can come in handy for breakfast (if there is absolutely nothing you want…but honestly I can find things at Mcdonalds…I’ve had their oatmeal and added protein powder before). It’s delicious and filling. I’m not one to be a pain in the butt when traveling so I just roll with the punches.
Lunch and dinner are normally similar situations. Hotels don’t offer lunch or dinner, so I’m normally eating these things at a restaurant (fast food or not). I stick with things I know. It’s easier for me to find lunch I care for (because I go out to eat on the regular when I’m home). I love having salads with salmon, feta cheese and balsamic. If I can find one at whatever restaurant I’m at…that’s what I’m getting. Every time.
Dinner is the same..unless I’ve had a salad…then I try and mix things up to be different. I don’t really care though-I could have the same meal every single meal…please feel free to judge me.
So in short, foods I pack on vacations:
That’s all I really need to be productive.
Foods I normally gravitate towards:
Finally, I never really limit myself. Though I’m traveling, I do think-hey I am on vacation, so what if everything isn’t exactly to plan. It is okay.
Question for you: How do you eat while traveling?
Anyone else love that song by Fleetwood Mac, Monday morning? Random but it’s stuck in my head.
Anyways-I normally don’t have very eventful weekend recaps because I don’t do very much. Well not much interesting stuff that is. This previous weekend was a bit more exciting so I decided I would chat you guys up about it.
So Friday I had my interview for a possible internship. I was super nervous and no I did not wear leggings…though I’m sure I would have gotten the job immediately if I did. I can tell you that it went really well.
Later that evening, I went to dinner with Jenna (a good friend of mine) at my favorite restaurant to celebrate. They have the most delicious salads in the world and I got my typical goat cheese salad with grilled chicken and all the other random veggies.
Then at about 10pm (after watching America’s Next Top Model online with Laura!) I was inspired to make chocolate chip cookies. I’ll be starting a somewhat series of recipes on the blog. They will be easy because for those of us who cannot cook (ie me) we start out slow. My main man loves cooking and baking so hopefully he will help me out with that….
Moving on….
Saturday was a rather lazy (but fun) day. I was able to get a run and a swim in. And not just any swim-my longest swim post collegiate swimming of 4200 yards.
It went something like this:
3X1000 pull (to work on my arm muscle)-3X400 IM (because I like that).
Later that night Jenna and I also went to see the movie the Vow. I won’t post spoilers incase you are interested but I really enjoyed it. I would certainly recommend it to anyone.
And now on to Sunday-
Sunday was a little bit more layed back and of my typical demeanor-I literally slept and worked on homework all day long-I also wrote a few good blog entries I think too.
During my long run (11.4 miles yesterday)-I did manage to stop at roughly the 5.5 mile spot and see my best friends were out and about. Isn’t 15 degrees too cold for you guys? I wonder why they didn’t respond to me…weird.
Questions for you:
How was your weekend?
What is your favorite animal?
Okay so maybe you can relate to me and maybe you can’t. I’ll get to the nitty gritty. My parents eat out a lot and so when I’m at home, I eat out a lot. Since Sunday, I’ve been out to eat every single day and sometimes more than once per day. Since really I suppose I could make food at home instead of going out with them, but that would imply not going on whatever adventures lead to eat out. I also tend to eat out with friends a lot to catch up. That way after dinner I can be like oh uhhh…gotta go. Instead of making an excuse of why I need to leave when we are other placed.
Kidding of course.
For instance, on Wednesday my parents and I went to the book store then just ate at Boston Market since after an hour in the bookstore we were hungry. I was nervous-I had never eaten there before but went with possibly the greatest fast food salad I have ever had.
Thursday I also had a date with the famous aDuBs in which we explored Panera (because it’s our fav). They have a salmon salad now! Who is responsible for not telling this? Rude.
Thursday evening, was the day the rents promised we could carb load for my big race tomorrow. Ie: the 20k. I carb load two days before yes sir. I tend to have a lighter meal the night before a race.
On the way there though-there was an accident in the tunnel a few cars ahead of me. So I got stuck in the tunnel. I’m pretty chlaustrophic so I spent my time reading blogs and taking myspace style photos until it was done…
I couldn’t even remember where I went on Monday until looking at my trusty iPhone and seeing the sushi/sushami I had for dinner. It was so good.
The manager was OBSESSED with my table (boarderline creepy) she kept telling me to tell her when I ate the Octopus. She also said adding wasabi was the greatest thing ever. ( already liked wasabi a lot though).
It was.
So too make matters short-I eat out a lot and here are my favorite foods of the week. Ie: the meals I ate out. Well I’m off to relax until my big 20k race tomorrow. It’s not so much big, but just big for me. It has given me something to train for without waiting until March for a decent half marathon.
Question for you: Does your family eat out a lot?
I hear that it is like snowing in Northern New York.
Reasons why I love not going to a school in the same state as I go to school.
I digress.
I suppose you might want to know about my weekend? Or if you don’t, well I’ll still ramble away because I’m highly fascinating.
Let’s see here as I mentioned in my last blog, Justin came down to visit and run a 50k. So we drove (by we, I mean me) drove Lorraine down from college to home (a 12 hour drive).
Along the way we got some salmon that was cooked in guiness! Yeah…we stopped at an Irish Pub while lost in Pennsylvania. It was like I was destined to get lost there (if you know me I like one and one beer only…take a guess ;))
We stopped along the beach and went for a lovely run (I guess there isn’t those in Upstate New York). In easy runs sometimes we stop and take photos. Duh. Justin wore his garmin and we trucked along at roughly at 8:30 pace. Not too shabby for stopping and taking photos and wondering a beach.
Like I said yesterday, Just did really well for his ultra debut. 4:07 in a 50k which is fantastic. This was a real kick off to his new training so he is super happy.
After a year long nap (um..I was more tired from my 18 miles than Justin was from his 31), we went to go look at Christmas lights along VA Beach boardwalk. You drive along the beach boardwalk with festive lights. Please enjoy my terrible photos. True story.
Question for you:
