Where's the Beach?

I haven't done a Tasty Tuesday in a while, but I have made a few new recipes actually. I'll admit to not always taking pictures though. Well, I have taken some pictures with my phone to share on instagram, but it really looks like a sloppy mess, though it tasted fantastic. Maybe I should do a roundup of sloppy, ugly, messy but amazingly tasty recipes? This one isn't ugly, it might be a little messy, but it was really tasty. Even better, not only is it Tasty Tuesday , but it works for Taco Tuesday as well. I have finally figured out the art of cooking tempeh - poach it. I use a lot of garlic with no-salt vegetable stock to poach the tempeh. I can then add in seasonings of my choosing and later bake it or grill it. This time, I decided to try poaching crumbled tempeh for tacos. I love cumin and chili powder. They are both very earthy, smoky, rich flavors, but they aren't hot spicy, just flavor spicy. If that makes sense. Lime & Cumin Tempeh Tacos Ingredients...

While I'm in Long Beach with my sister and bestie, I decided that it might be a nice time to do something different - a guest post. I wasn't sure what our internet access situation might be, or if I'd even have much time to long onto the computer. And let's face it, I should be relaxing right? So, I asked one of my dear friends, Jessica, to do a blog post. I immediately thought of her (and one other friend you'll hear from on Wednesday) when I decided to do guest posts. I know some people do them often, others never, some people won't read them. I've shied away from them before, but I know so many of you know these two ladies who will be posting, so I hoped that mean you'd all be more inclined to read their words. Jessica was one of the first people to comment on my blog. In fact, we started blogging within a week of each other. Never in a million years would I have imagined how much our friendship would grow and how much she'd mean to me. So, wi...

Right about now I'm trying not to completely stress myself out about the fact that I have not packed for my trip to Long Beach. I have pulled out what I'll sleep in/lounge in, my lifting gloves, iPod, and oatmeal. That has to count for something right? Because I have travel on the brain, I almost went with travel/vacation for Fun for Friday . But I thought I'd probably end up repeating myself from previous pre-travel posts. Mostly rambling about anxieties and silliness like that. You know, things I can't control and should let go of.  I decided to use Friday as my inspiration. As in the letters. So here is my week in FRIDAY. F oodie - While I didn't take time to take pictures other than on my phone for Instagram, we had some really good eats this week. Concoctions thrown together mostly because I haven't had time to make it to the store - like roasted veggies baked with homemade red sauce, quinoa, tofu ricotta, and Daiya. Ugly but tasty! An...

Packing Woes I don't know why, but this week is feeling crazy long. Anyone else feel that way? I am leaving Saturday for Long Beach, CA, so maybe the impending travel is making the week seem sort of off kilter. I'll admit that I've already been stressing about what to pack, which includes food. The room doesn't have a microwave or mini-fridge. I know I can heat up oatmeal with water from the coffee pot, but I don't see that helping me out with any protein sources. Being a vegetarian, I am often limited when I go to restaurants. So I almost always bring my own protein source to add to meager salads and sad piles of steamed veggies. When I travel, this can get trickier though. How do I store an open can of beans or tofu? How can I heat it up if needed? I know that Laura at Sprint 2 the Table is a pro when it comes to food and traveling. I may be scouring her blog for some better ideas, and may be investing in a super cheap, throwawayable cooler for our room. ...

I imagine most of you have seen #BostonStrong events being posted around the blogosphere, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram worlds. On Friday , I shared that Little Rock would be involved in Brian's, aka Pavement Runner , global event #BostonStrong - basically,   A Boston Run in Your City . Brian said: I’m organizing a global event:   #BostonStrong A run for us to unite and show our strength. A run for those that were unable to finish. A run for those that may never run again. A run for us to try and make sense of the tragedy that has forever changed something we love. To say that the event was well-received here is an understatement. I mentioned the idea and shared the link and one incredibly enthusiastic runner (Jesse) stepped up to help me get this going. He started the Facebook event and took on the task of collecting donations and putting together shirts to be sold, all money going to charity of course - The One Fund . 180 runners signed in last...

Wow, Monday again? How'd that happen so fast? Rhetorical of course because Monday always happens way faster than Friday. It was a pretty good weekend around here. Nice weather certainly helped. It usually does of course. I'm still trying to wrap my head around warmer running weather though. Saturday we set out for our run around 10 and it was about 60 degrees, sunny. But, I was going for 10 miles and knew it'd warm up significantly. Jason ran the first 5 miles with me. They were nice. We don't usually talk too much, well....I do, but then stop because I realize I'm annoying him. Even not talking, it's always nice having someone by your side. We hit the house at 5 miles. I took a quick potty breaks before heading out for the last part of my run. I assumed Jason was going to stretch then clean up. I had a great 2nd half to my run. I ran into several people who wanted to chat. Kind of awkward, but really pleasant too. I had several fun conversations on my r...

I guess this is one of those non-normal weeks for posting. I think everyone is sort of feeling that too. So, rather than a typical Fun For (or Facts) Friday, I want to just mention something I will be a part of on Monday. Maybe mentioning it will inspire you to participate as well. I have a feeling so many of you are already planning to be a part of this.   I can't say enough how inspiring Brian (Mr. Pavement Runner) is. He's always so upbeat, enthusiastic. He's also an amazing runner tackling one major race after another. He's a proud father and loving husband. And if you don't read his blog, you should. Oh, and he's done it again. Brian suggested a fantastic idea, one that is really catching on too - A Boston Run in Your City . The events are all happening on Monday, April 22. And, basically, the idea is that each city unites runners to all run together in tribute/honor/memory of Boston, one week after the horrible tragedy. Brian says: I’m organizing a...

I opted not to do a Way to Go Wednesday yesterday. I didn't feel like I could do everyone justice. How do I give a shout out to every single person who ran Boston; or to every single blogger who wrote such amazing, beautiful tributes; or to the millions of runners who have been running in honor this week? I just couldn't. There's just so much inspiration out there right now. It is a little overwhelming, but such a wonderful thing to witness. But, it got me to thinking about the things I'm loving and enjoying this week. I think that's so important - remember to enjoy the little things, the moments. So, here's my list of things I'm enjoying this week. Bike ride with hubby on Sunday. Checking out this cookbook that a good friend gave me. Also enjoyed that I skipped a lunch workout and enjoyed lunch with her instead.  Watching these baby doves in our backyard.   Running with this crazy lady despite the heat and humidity we've ha...

My post yesterday had been about loving, living, enjoying. It was about running and cycling, moving. But after the events in Boston, I chose not to promote the post like I normally would - twitter, Facebook.  While the tragedy at the Boston Marathon is simply horrific, it doesn't mean we shouldn't continue to live, love, enjoy. In fact, shouldn't we do those things more? Maybe use the tragedy as a reminder that life is short, you never know what might happen at any given time. So let's make the most of each moment.  And I think that runners are good at that. That time we spend with our feet on the pavement (or treadmill) is time spent enjoying. We enjoy the surroundings, feeling of being alive. We often enjoy the time solo, to clear our minds, to re-set. But we also enjoy the time with friends or spouses.  What I've learned is that the running community is not some elitist group as I had once imagined. I guess I always thought they certainly ...

We finally had a weekend that was full of gorgeous weather. Not just one day, but both days. It wasn't too warm, either, so it actually felt like spring. Jason decided to run with me Saturday morning. He's not been running much, so he was going for 5 miles. I planned on getting in another 3 after he dropped off at the house. I ended going for another 5 though. My first double-digit run since my half marathon (aka foot blow out) on March 3. It was one of those run-all-day kind of runs. Everything was just clicking and it felt great. My foot held up as well, so that made me feel incredibly accomplished. After the run, I decided to do a little yard work in the form of trimming hedges. Holy back pain. Running 10 miles then trimming hedges is probably not the smartest move. But, I rewarded myself for all my hard work of course! We hit up Pizza Cafe for pizza and to enjoy their nice patio. Perfect spot for relaxing and just enjoying the fresh air. Pizza Cafe - Awesome pizza ...

Spring always makes me feel itchy to travel. Maybe it's the warming of the weather, the desire to explore, the need for a break, but I always start dreaming of vacations this time of year. I have a couple of trips lined up soon. But I have so many other places I'd love to visit. If only travelling didn't require so much time off from work, oh, and money. Yep, that too. California In a few short weeks, my first vacation of the year will take me back to California. My first trip to California was San Diego back in October. I certainly didn't imagine I'd be returning again so soon. But, I am! I'll be travelling with my sister and bestie to visit Long Beach. I'm super excited, but also clueless as to what we need to do there, what we "must" see. Other than the beach of course. And it just so happens that a good friend, Jolene , will be there at the same time. Talk about luck! I haven't seen this girlie in nearly 3 years - since the Cathe Ro...

Working Out I haven't really talked a whole lot about my workouts lately. They're getting done though. My mileage has dropped back considerably from 35 miles a week to only about 25 right now. This is really due to my plantar fasciitis not a lack of desire to run. Prior to my half marathon March 3, the plantar fasciitis issue was acting up. But it wasn't a show stopper. I was still able to get out there and run my miles. After the half? Total show stopper. So, while I baby my foot, my miles are down. I am getting in more cross training right now. And that's not a bad thing. I do enjoy lifting weights and doing a variety of DVDs (typically Cathe Friedrich workouts like MMA Boxing , MMA Kickboxing or her new XTrain Tabatacise ), or taking a spin on my bike (on it's trainer still). Variety can be a really good thing. But, I still love my running. I miss being outdoors when I'm doing some other workout. And, even with the pain in my foot, most of my runs ha...

While I don't have a new recipe to share, I've been pinning plenty of them that have caught my eye or made me hungry. I thought I would share those with you. What recipes have you been checking out lately? Have you made any of these? Laura at Mommy Run Fast posted this fantastic looking Warm Lentil and Wheatberry Salad with Roasted Sweet Potatoes and Apple recipe. I love wheatberries and the combination of the apples and sweet potatoes. So this one called out my name. Source: mommyrunfast.com via Heather on Pinterest Amanda at Run to The Finish shared this tasty sounding recipe for this Slow Cooker BBQ Tofu and Slaw . Might not be pretty, but sometimes the best tasting dishes are those that look the worst. Though, this one doesn't look all that bad to me! Source: runtothefinish.com via Heather on Pinterest Heather at Better With Veggies posted this fantastic recipe for Vegan Kale Sausage Balls . Being a huge fan of kale, this one caught my eye. ...

Saturday morning I ran my first 10K. I've done my share of 5K races, which I can't stand. Then I moved right into half marathons because I fell for the longer distances. Around here, we don't have many half marathons or 10K races actually. Oh and I really don't like racing, so I've never had the urge to sign up for a 10K. But this year, well, it was different. I've never done one, my pace has gotten better, and I felt the need to prove something. Finding out that I had a blood clot in December has definitely changed my perspective on so many things. First off, I wasn't sure I'd run again. Not just the coming back from being idle, but the blood clot ordeal itself, my overall health. It was hard. Beyond hard. Not only physically, but mentally. I question every single twinge, possible pain, even shortness of breath. I worry that I have clots forming constantly - like they are invading my body. So to have already run a half marathon means so much more than...

I've touched on this before , but I have a sneaking suspicion that a lot of non-runners or newbie runners have this notion that running is always a state of euphoria and perfection. It's running on air and all sunshine and rainbows. Then, they get out there and try to run and don't feel like they're running on air, or even breathing in air for that matter. I used to be a non-runner, someone who hated it, couldn't understand it, thought all runners were both crazy and amazing at the same time. I expected it to be fun. Super duper fun. Why? I think runners tend to sort of romanticize running. Not on purpose, not trying to be untruthful. We are always talking about that amazing run, that feeling of being free, our "me" time, it's our zen, runner's high, etc. Yes, it is all of that to us. But, often we gloss over that crappy run. Or we forget to mention that, while basking in our runner's high, we might be icing down an ache, or applying a ...

Not sure how, but it's already time for the next 5 by the 5th Virtual Race Series run. I am so glad I signed up to do this series. It's really been a lot of fun, and I will be kind of sad when it's over in June. I definitely hope that this becomes an annual tradition. I think it's a great way to keep on track or even set goals. I know several people are using this series as a way to increase 5K speeds. For me, I was just trying to get back on track after my blood clot. I didn't realize how much I would end up looking forward to making sure I logged those miles for the race though. Yesterday, I did suck it up and head out for a run after work with my friend. I was really contemplating the dreadmill because the forecast was really bleak. It was gray, gloomy, crazy windy, but at least the rain was holding off. It was cool, but I think it only felt cold because it was that damp air. Oh, and the wind. But, as usual, we both ended up way warmer than we expected. ...

Weather and Running I hope everyone is having a good week so far. Monday started off with great weather - actually felt like spring. Jason and I got in a good, quick 4-mile run at lunch. It was sunny and about 70 degrees, which felt insanely warm considering the week before I had been running in tights, long sleeves, gloves, and ear coverings. Though, it was a much needed, mood-boosting run so it was worth it. Definitely nicer than my run on Friday or Sunday. Friday morning's run looked like this: And also included a run-in with a goose that has it out for me, similar to this My dad sent this to me as a cruel joke. There is this one white goose near a park I run through that has run after me 4 or 5 times now. Friday I was so focussed on the storms rolling in that he almost got me. Sunday's run was stuck inside on the 'mill because of storms. So Monday's run was a nice change of pace. Today I have a run planned with my running partner. But the skies are loo...