Foodie Pen Pals Post

Last month I joined Foodie Pen Pals, created by Lindsay over at The Lean Green Bean. My pen pal this month was Katie at Happy Lini. If you aren't familar with Foodie Pen Pals, each month bloggers and readers are matched up and send a foodie package to their pen pal, then blog about it on the 30th. So today is the day!

A few days ago I received a sunshiny package from San Diego, full of delicious goodies...

First up, chocolate peanut caramels. I am a sucker for anything chocolate and these are delicious!

Followed by dried mango slices...I haven't had these since our vacation in Hawaii and I love them!

Ginger mints - I've never had these, but I love ginger candy so I am excited to try them.

My husband has claimed this next food as his - pale ale honey mustard. He loves it!

A selection of luna bars! I am definitely a luna girl so these are pefect. I don't know this picture is smaller than the others.

 Strawberry lemonade, yum! (And unpictured regular lemonade). This will be perfect as it starts to heat up, strawberry lemonade is a summertime staple around here.

Thank you Katie! I love my foodie package and am looking forward to eating everything in it (as long as my husband doesn't get to it first ;)

If you want to join Foodie Pen Pals, head on over to Lindsay's blog here and sign-up!

6 Months From Today

I will be making a big check mark on my bucket list!

Silver Lining

Like about 100,000 other people, I did not get into the NYC Marathon. But, I am looking on the bright side - I probably wouldn't be able to do an ultra on 10/27 if I was running a marathon on 11/4. So, I am taking this as a sign that I am meant to do the ultra this year instead. And I'm ok with that. Hubby said he would do it with me, if I do the 50k. I am trying to convince him the 50 miler is a better option. We'll see who wins.

I will leave you with random pictures from our vacation that I just found on the computer.

Lombard Street

Jelly Belly version of Harry Potter

Changing table in the bathroom of the Budweiser Factory. This just seems wrong.

Happy Wednesday!

10 Miles, a Fashion Statement, and Fake Samoas

Today was my first double-digit run since taking time off. I was cautiously optimistic, and it ended up going pretty well. The first 2/3rds of the run was good, and the last 1/3rd was character building. You know those types of runs. I am a little OCD and didn't want to stop at 1 hour and 50-some minutes, so I kept going to make it 2 hours exactly, 10.52 miles.

I don't know why this picture is so small...just one of life's mysteries I guess.

I usually only eat a Power Bar before long runs, I don't like to run on a full stomach, so after my run I sat on the couch in my pjs eating my new favorite cereal - cinnamon Cheerios!

Ignore the sweaty post-run hair. I was doing yard work after this so I didn't see the point in washing it. Now that I have done said yard work, I still haven't washed it. We'll see what happens.

I love this cereal because it tastes so good that it feels like you are eating something "bad," but actually it is really healthy. Very low fat and 5g of fiber per serving! Yes I sound like a commercial for cheerios now, but I can't help it. I would eat them every day if I wasn't afraid of becoming addicted. So I save them for Sundays only.

After indulging in cheerios and an episode of Dance Moms Miami (I have no shame), I went outside to do some weeding. I really did not feel like it but I promised myself I could come in after 1 hour. I am pretty sore from TRX on Friday. Like maybe the sorest I have ever been from a workout. So I figured an hour was good. It was hot out so I put on an old pair of capris, but I kept my compression socks on since my calves have been so tight lately. I know I looked super cool with my baggy capris, faded race t-shirt, compression socks, and sweaty post-run ponytail. Clearly I am a style icon.

This is fashionable, right?

Now it is my favorite time of day - bad movie/couch/treat time! Usually I go for chick flicks since hubby is at work, but today FX is having a disaster movie marathon and I could not pass it up. I have an embarassing affinity for disaster movies. I am back in PJs, diet coke to my left, and these amazing cookies to my right.

My very favorite Girl Scout cookies are Samoas, and for years I was so sad that I could only enjoy them for a few weeks each year. I saw these in the grocery store a few weeks ago and thought they looked suspiciously similar to my beloved Samoas. Turns out they are basically the same thing! So these have become a regular in my post-long-run/cheat-day rotation.

What workouts did you do this weekend?

Do you have a favorite Girl Scout cookie? I also used to love Lemon Chalets, but they don't make them anymore. I was a little heartbroken when I found out.

Wish me luck!

Saturday Stuff

I can't believe it has been over a week since I blogged! This past week has flown by I guess.

I have been building back my running and so far it has been going good. I am beyond excited! For the first few runs, I was paranoid my ankle would start hurting so I was just waiting for the run to be done so I didn't have to worry. Now that I have a few pain-free runs under my belt I am starting to enjoy running more again. These were my runs/workouts last week:

Sunday - 6 miles @ 11:19 pace
Monday - rest
Tuesday - Zumba
Wednesday - 4 miles @ 10:54 pace, and physical therapy session (that always feels like a workout!)
Thursday - Zumba
Friday - 4 miles @ 10:54 pace, and personal training session
Saturday - arms and abs strength training, and 20 mins of a Zumba class

Before I got tendonitis, I was running at a 9:41 pace. I was happy and comfortable with that, it's not fast to most runners but its fast for me. Then I had to slow down to an 11+ pace to keep my ankle from hurting. Now I have to slooooooowly build my pace back up. I think I am just going to keep it between 10 and 11 until after my half-marathon, then increase the speed.

It is frustrating having to slow down so much! I start to have negative thoughts while running, comparing myself to how I used to be. I know I should just be grateful that I can run again! So I am trying to focus on the positive.

Tomorrow I have a long run of 8 miles so hopefully that goes well. Last Sunday's 6 miler was good, except I was totally out of energy. My body is adjusting to running again, it is surprising how fast you lose endurance!

Hope everyone is having a great weekend!

Slowly but Surely

My PT gave me the green light to keep running and building back up to where I was. I have never taken time off from running before so I don't know exactly what I am doing...before my break I was at a long run of 18 miles, and running 5 miles 2-3 times during the week. So far I have run 3 miles on Saturday, and 4 miles yesterday. It seems so little compared to where I was, but I am just thankful to be running again!

Now of course I am getting ahead of myself and planning all sorts of runs and races. Hubby and I are registered for the Rock n Roll Portland half-marathon on May 20th, which gives me about 7 weeks. We registered for it the day it opened so I really hope I can do it! I found an 8 week training plan that starts with 3-mile runs during the week and a 4-mile long run. So, I think 7 weeks is doable. I may be walking some, but I should be able to finish the race.

Can't wait for my first "long" run this weekend - 5 whole miles! :)