Running Update

This is really what my run was like. Boo.
Picture from http://www.boatnerd.com/news/newpictures02/SH-wave-A%20-202.gif

Did you think I was done training because I hadn't posted a running update yet? Well I wish. Less than 3 weeks to go, and I can tell because 1) I'm exhausted, 2) I have ferocious appetite, and 3) I'm having a difficult time dragging myself out of bed every morning (at least since yesterday...which totally counts). Anyway, my weekly mileage total was...........54.4 miserable miles. It really wasn't too bad of a week, I did a great hill workout with a friend, hit all the times on my sets, but what made it was suck was my last 20 miler that I did on Saturday. Did I mention how much I dread and despise 20 mile runs? On Friday night, that was all I could think of, and I wanted to puke. Saturday rolled around and I had to push my run until around 1, because I went to the cannery (I'm working on my food storage). So I headed outside after that and ran up and back (5 miles each way) 2x because there was a storm coming and I didn't want to be 10 miles from home. The wind was horrendous, and during those hours, I really hated life. But I did it. It was probably a good simulation run for Boston, weather sucked, I was tired, and hit the hill (overpass) at mile 19 (which equates somewhat to heartbreak hill). But I'm done, now I've got 1 more week to crank out and then taper time!!! Oh hallelujah!

Spring Break, St. Louis Style

We went to St. Louis for spring break, isn't that where everyone goes? Anyway, we had a great time. We drove down on Friday and came home on Sunday, and it was a much needed break.

Poor cat, he had to stay home. We found him a babysitter and he gave us these depressed eyes. He was upset, but was very excited to see us when we got home. Doesn't he sit like an old man?
Our first stop in St. Louis was the Del Mar Loop - a street that has lots of restaurants and shops nestled in between Washington St. Louis, and St. Louis University. We bowled. It was fun. We smelled like smoke the rest of the night. Missouri seems to be one of the only states that allows smoking in public places so we were smoked out at dinner too.

Saturday, we headed off to the arch.

Bill in the gift shop reading "Triggernomitry". Looks fascinating.

We rode these elevator pods to the top. Very cozy.

View from the top.

The top.

Clark, this is for you!

Us in front of the Arch.

Next stop, the Anheuser Busch factory. Yes, we are still good Mormons. But it was interesting, and free. A post will be coming on this. But here is a teaser, I love the smell of barley, it made me want to eat cereal. (hot grape nuts= yummy), but the smell of beer makes me want to retch.

Last stop for the day, Union Station.

Sunday, we made it over to the St. Louis Temple. Did you know it was built in 1997? I thought it was newer then that. Very Pretty Temple.
And then we headed home. A great time was had by all. Can we just stay students forever? I know we have no money, but we also don't have a 90 hour a week job to race home to. Life is so simple right now.

Running Update

I fell apart this week. This was supposed to be a about 57 mile week. I really wanted to break 60, unfortunately, but still fortunately, I got up to 51.8. I think my problem was the half marathon I raced, then on Tuesday, I did a big hill set with a friend from work (hills on an overpass, sounds like fun hu?). So I didn't really get time to recover. Then I had a 20 miler for Friday morning and I did 10 on the treadmill and 10 outside (can't run in the dark here) and I bonked at mile 11. I love to run, but I don't love 16 weeks of intense marathon training. 4 more weeks to go. I can do this. Our weekend trip for spring break has helped. I feel revived.

So stay tuned for our spring break gone wild....St Louis style.

Good Food Friday

This wasn't mine, for some reason, we didn't take any pictures.
From freshorganicofficedelivery.com

It is good food Friday. If you live for this, I apologize for never doing this anymore, but if you hate these posts, bare with me.
So for this week, I've got Shrimp tacos. But the biggest reason to share this recipe is the mango salsa you put on top. Oh it is so good. Basically I made this to get rid of the pre-cooked shrimp that was purchased, and the dinner was a success! (We've also been trying to find a recipe that is similar to the shrimp tacos at Bajios, and though these aren't quite there, they are still great.)

Shrimp Tacos

Ingredients:
1 mango- peeled, seeded and diced
1 ripe avocado - peeled, pitted, and diced
2 tomatoes, diced
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/4 cup chopped red onion
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp salt
2 Tbls lime juice
1/4 cup honey butter
1 lb salad shrimp
4 (10 inch) flour tortillas, warmed

Directions:
1. Toss the mango, avocado, tomatoes, cilantro, onion, garlic, salt, and lime juice together in a bowl. Cover and refrigerate for 30 min.
2. Melt the honey butter in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the shrimp, cook and stir until pink and opaque, 2 to 3 minutes.
3. To serve, place a few shrimp into a warm tortilla, top with mango salsa and fold up.

My only advice is, don't buy pre-cooked shrimp. And I didn't have honey butter so I just threw some butter and honey in a pan to heat up my shrimp. We loved loved loved this recipe!
Try it, you'll like it!

Running Update

My usual glare of death, post race, and lucky me, I even have the pleasure of my hair looking like a crazy mane.

Time for my weekly running update. Sorry I'm late, Bill + finals = no computer for Kate :(
So I'm making up for lost time. This week I did a total of 51 miles. It was a lower mileage than I hoped for this week because I ran a half marathon. But, the race was great, killer but great. The course was full of horrible huge and long hills. Who would have thought there were so many hills in the state of Illinois. But because of the hills in the race, I'm beginning to feel more confidant for Boston. Anyway, the race went well, I placed 16th for the women in the race and technically 2nd in my age group. Don't bother looking me up, I had to buy someone else's registration to get into this race.

Random Video

My coworker sent me this video today. I'm not allowed to write her name or first initial. She cried when she watched it. I laughed. She said she is premenstrual.

Does anyone else think this is funny?

P.S. I used to love this song by Whitney Houston. I thought this song was so romantic, but I could never listen to it when my siblings were around because I knew they would mock me mercilessly(I was 7 or 8).

I'm going to do a Good Food Friday....maybe tomorrow. Get excited!

My Day

Today has been a crazy day. We have a grant going in which means lots of running around and chaos. The madness all began this morning, I had to track down an individual and have her sign a new letter of recommendation. We were in a time crunch folks. No time for crap like this. So I'm speed walking/running down the halls of the hospital when I get stopped by a clown. He stops me to say "Oh my, your sweater is the same color of purple as her (the other clowns) hair!"
What, why is he stopping me, I'm not a pediatric patient. Doesn't he see my official hospital employee badge? Boo. I gave the dumb laugh he was waiting for and sprinted on. Anyway, everything is done. Hurray, and to make it all better, my girl scout cookies arrived.

Oh how I love you my little thin mints, and peanut butter sandwich cookies. You are so good to me. I think I'll have to try to make these puppies some time. They can't be that hard, right? If you have a good recipe for thin mints, please pass it on to me please.

No, I won't be sharing!

Running Update

This was the pose I hurt myself in. Just kidding.

This was my rest week and so my mileage is low. I topped out at 20.4 miles. Well it is really low because I hurt my achilles tendon, or something around there. There is a nice little bruise. Bummer. I talked to one of the doctors at work who runs, he asked me some questions, gave me some exercises to do, and told me if it isn't feeling better by Monday, that I should see a doctor. Luckily, it is feeling better. So I'm hoping to resume my running, for 3 more weeks of high mileage, and then I'll start my taper! I can't believe it is so close!
What was the culprit? I'm not sure, but I think it started after yoga on Tuesday. I think I might have strained something in one of the poses. Stupid I know. But at least it isn't a tear or fracture. My challenge for the next 6 weeks is just to stay healthy. Hear goes nothing.

Bump It UP

Have you seen this thing. It is advertised as "Bump It". It scares me. But really, it brings me back to my days in Provo, well who am I kidding, back to good ol' Utah Valley, land of the high maintenance and high hair.
I never even thought about the hair in Utah until I left it. Don't get me wrong, I miss Utah, big hair and all, but looking back, the hair is hairlarious. (get it, hardy har har).
I mean really, I've read some random blogs of girls who live in Utah, and they are blond, and all have big hair. (you know what I'm talking about) Please see picture below.


Picture from: hannah-heartbeat<3
All you have to do is google "utah big hair" and it will come up with pictures, same with flicker.

It was weird to move here and see other girls with flat hair, like myself. Or girls that don't do their hair, because they are too intellectual to care about such trivial things (thank you Uof C). But ultimately, I'm glad to know that there is a tool to get such huge hair...the Bump It. But like wearing padded underwear for a fuller butt, wouldn't you feel stupid with a contraption hidden in your hair?
I suppose it could be handy at times, like during church. You are feeling hungry, and you have 45 minutes left of a long talk from a high priest, and you just pretend to scratch your rats nest - hair, and voila, you pull out an Oreo, or some grapes. I'm changing my mind, this contraption is genius!

Running Update

Tis time for my weekly running update. I know you all look forward to this post. This week I hit 55.8 miles. Stupid me, I should have done .2 more and I could have hit a mileage high of 56 miles. Oh well, that was poor planning. Anyway, I tried out a new location out in the suburbs, with hills of course, (see image above for Boston elevation map) and only did half of my long run there because it was too scary. The location was a forest preserve with a loop of 9.6 miles, and it was scary and gray. And the city that Drew Peterson, the guy whose 4th wife mysteriously disappeared, lives in the city around this forest preserve, so I felt creeped out by the fact that there could possibly be a body in the forest (I'm sure the police have checked there, but I couldn't stop imagining the worst since I was by myself). So I left after 1 loop and ran the rest of the run on the lake shore path, which was freezing and windy. I'm determined not to do any of my long runs on the treadmill this year. And hopefully, I'll be able to run with the club on Saturdays. This week is a rest week, hallelujah.