Where we're going there are no roads

Infinity of thanks to all my parts because they have been working like champs, letting me have all the adventures I want. Like last week's 2 workout Tuesday (AM speed work on the track and PM trail run. I haven't done a 2-a-day in so long, it was the best!), a couple road runs, 7 miles of hilly trails on Saturday, loops up Cobb's Hill, machete-ing (my backyard is a weed jungle. We're talking weeds on steroids. But I am now the proud owner borrower of a machete! I think I may have found my calling. I bet it's hard to feel anything except straight up badass after a day of machete wielding), and empanada making (Mike taught me how to make empanadas and I was all like "Look at me, I'm cooking," even though my part was really more assembling than cooking. But the stove was on, so it totally counts. And then I ate all the vegetarian empanadas. Great success!)

I'm really hoping I get better at trails because trail running reminds me of everything I loved about being a kid - running through the woods, climbing trees, playing catch with Dad when he would throw the football or frisbee really far and then I'd run as fast as I could and try and jump up and catch it. (Note to self: find someone who wants to play frisbee sometime. But not in an organized way like Ultimate. More like a barefoot, fun, disorganized way. Or something.)

Another note: buy bug spray. A lot of bug spray. I have become an all-you-can-eat buffet for mosquitoes. It's very itchy.

It's officially summer and I want to get dirty and sweaty. And then get clean and enjoy some air conditioning.

So body parts, I'll bring the bug spray and you bring the awesome sauce. Because where we're going there are no roads.

Lyric of the moment: "Things they go my way, I'm back together again. I'm staring in the mirror and it's been so long since I've seen you my friend..."

Impossible things for breakfast

I like vegetables. I really do. (Except you Brussels sprouts. You're the worst.) But I like them better when they taste like dessert.

Enter the Ninja.

It's a fancy blender/food processor jobber that I received as a gift for some long past holiday and which had languished in my pantry unused. Until today. I guess I was hoping that actual ninjas would sneak in with their swords and chop me up a smoothie all stealthy-like. I even opened the box and left the Ninja on the kitchen counter for a few days as a giant hint. But alas, delicious smoothies never materialized. Apparently if you want some ninja-ing to go down, you have to do it yourself.

So this morning I finally got around to commencing Operation Smoothie. I threw in some spinach, a few baby carrots, vanilla soy milk, a frozen banana and cinnamon and ended up with a smoothie that looked rather gross but tasted most excellent. I prefer my vegetables to taste like cinnamony-banana goodness. Mission accomplished. (Though the Ninja is not stealthy at all. That thing is loud. But bonus points for being able to make a smoothie in a single serving takeaway cup.)

I think my forearms may even be getting bigger from all that spinach. Watch out vegetables. I'm so going to Ninja all of you!

Lyric of the moment: "Nobody's gonna see me coming. Nobody's gonna hear a sound. No matter how hard they trying, no stopping me since I've found my inner ninja..."

Fast times

Photos taken by Sheila, one of my favorite fast women

My legs have been feeling good (knock on wood or whatever else I can knock on for continued good luck), but I couldn't shake the feeling that I'm still not in decent enough shape to run with other people. Then I was like screw that, I really, really miss running with other people. Plus, last Thursday night it was raining and I just felt like getting muddy. So I went to the Medved trail run to splash through puddles and jump over logs and play in the rain. Good times.

I am not a trail runner. I don't have the grace or confidence or attention span for it. I always think I'm going to be the one who face plants or sprains something or falls in a ravine. (To date, I have fallen in zero ravines, but it's good to have goals.) I think maybe I'm too cautious sometimes, too hesitant, afraid of taking the wrong step and getting hurt. But there are moments on the downhills where I can feel myself letting go, my legs taking off as if they had a mind of their own. And it's the best.

And yes, I would love to be fast and get better and stronger. But mostly I just want to have fun and keep running for as long as I can. I want to run all over the place with awesome people and dress up and climb on things and take ridiculous pictures.



Fast times in the Total Sports Experience parking lot

I hadn't raced in over a year, but Saturday was the Fashion Week 5K to benefit the Center For Youth. And I really wanted to wear this dress I thrifted a while back but hadn't yet worn because the slit in the back makes it indecently short (and that kind of view is invitation only). But with running shorts and a sports bra underneath I'd be good to go. I'm of the mindset buy the dress and the occasion will arise. And so it did. I put on my lace dress, laced up my running shoes and tried to keep up with the fast guys. The course itself was boring, basically 3 laps in a parking lot. But it was flat and I was really there for the outfits and bagels anyway. I ended up in 4th place overall (technically 3rd but only because Eric waited for me and let me have it) with a time of 22:25. It felt good. I mean I was definitely working hard but I wasn't in any pain. I'd like to see what I could do with a little training. I'm hoping to get in some speed work, trails and distance runs this summer and see what happens.

The weekend's other adventures included watching Now You See Me (at the AMC Theater in Webster where the seats are recliners!), Hibachi, taking Polaroids, chillin' on my new front porch listening to records (randomly, an orange cat and a black cat came over and were hanging out on my porch. I don't care about cats, but if any dogs come over I'm calling finders keepers), watching the Red Wings game from a suite (Thanks to some guy my dad knows from work. I would totally watch more sports if I could do so while eating Dippin Dots in a suite. Also, I learned that there is such a thing called a beer bong. I was like "Why is that beer in a tube?" and Dad told me "It's called a beer bong."), and playing euchre. It's like all of my loves in one weekend. Sooooo good!

Lyric of the moment: "And our dreams will break the boundaries of our fear..."