February Foodie Pen Pals

A couple of months ago, through my daily Twitter stalking of foodie and fitness bloggers that I love, I stumbled upon a program called "Foodie Pen Pals." The name itself intrigued me, and the more I read about it the more I wanted to get involved.

Essentially, Lindsay from the Lean Green Bean Blog is nice enough to organize this shindig and connect people to form a network of Foodie Pen Pals. You send, and receive, a package of foodie goodies to and from different individuals each month. To read more about the program and how it works, you can visit the Foodie Pen Pal page of Lindsay's blog here.

Brown paper packages tied up with strings really are one of my favorite things. AIM, text messages, emails, Snapchat and the like all pale in comparison to the feeling of opening a letter or a package, never mind one filled with delicious treats.

I was lucky enough to be paired with Erin of Divatastic Gladiator. I checked out Erin's blog and immediately knew I would like whatever she sent my way. She had shared a recipe for a Brie Salad that I cannot wait to try, and since then has added a few more drool worthy ideas. (Umm... hi Quadruple Chocolate Mini Cheesecakes and Salty Caramel Panna Cotta, nice to meet you.)

After attempting to fend off a cold last week only to have it attack full-force after running the Hyannis Half Marathon in the cold and rain on Sunday, I was anything but excited for this week. I received Erin's package Monday morning at the office and it was the perfect pick-me-up.

Erin had read one of my first blog posts, a recipe for Slutty Brownies, and had included the dry ingredients to make them in her package. She had also written a sweet note wishing me luck with my race, adding that the Slutty Brownie recipe looked like "the perfect naughty indulgence" after such a big event. I couldn't agree more!

I'm particularly excited about the mysterious looking jar in the upper right-hand corner of the photo - homemade pickled jalapenos. Erin included a few ideas for using them in her note, and also included a great recipe for a Hot Pepper Sauce that sounds amazing. I can't wait to try them.

Erin did a great job with this package, and I loved the combination of sweet chocolate indulgence and a spicy bite. I'm definitely looking forward to digging in!

I sent a package of goodies to Mattie down in North Carolina and received a sweet thank you email from her Tuesday afternoon. I was happy to know that it put a smile on her face. 

February was my first month as a part of Foodie Pen Pals and I will definitely be participating in March. It's such a fun program, and a great way to connect with others who share the same love of delicious treats. Thank you to Lindsay for organizing!

Life Lately

Clearly things have been a little hectic since I haven't posted in ten days. Such is life, and it has been busy in the best ways - filled with snow, love, birthdays and, of course, chocolate and pavement.

So here's a quick photo update of life during the past week or so.

Here's to a productive week, a good taper and getting excited for the Hyannis half next Sunday!

Eggs a la Office

I'm not your typical morning breakfast person. I can't eat right when I wake up, the thought of it makes me nauseous. It's something I've always battled with - especially as a runner.

On a typical weekday morning I'll get into the office, weed through emails and easy-to-check-off-the-to-do-list projects and make a cup of coffee any time between 8-9am. 

Fun fact: I hate hot coffee. I can do lattes from Starbucks, but that's about as far as my hot caffeine adventures go. As a result, my cup of coffee sits in the freezer for anywhere between 30-60 minutes to cool before adding ice.

 

Around 9:30/10am I'll get around to breakfast. I wait partially because of my lack of appetite early in the day and partially because if I do eat early on, I find myself ravenous within a couple of hours. Probably not the most healthy diet decisions, I'm aware that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, but I choose to wait.

I have several go-t0 office breakfast choices, all of which are pretty healthy options. This excludes, of course, the occasional bagel Friday or rare sprinkled donut that I just can't say no to when a dozen appear in the kitchen. Oatmeal, Greek yogurt and fruit, overnight oats, whole wheat English muffins with peanut butter and eggs all make the rotation.

Eggs, you ask? In the office? Heck yes. It's possible, it's delicious, and I so wish I knew how to make them back during my college days. One of my co-workers so nicely introduced me to the concept and I've never looked back.

 

Ingredients
1 egg
2 Tbs milk or half and half (whatever you have available in your company fridge)
1/4 C+ chopped veggies
1 English muffin, tortilla or slice of bread
Cheese, salsa, ketchup or other toppings as desired

Whisk egg and milk in a bowl or Tupperware with a fork until scrambled. Season with salt and pepper as desired. Stir in veggies.

Microwave (uncovered) in 25 second intervals 3-4 times, scrambling with a fork after each interval. Once eggs are nearly cooked through, add your desired toppings. Microwave another 15 seconds if needed to melt cheese.

Top toasted English muffin, bread or tortilla with eggs and enjoy!

Tips

• Chop your veggies and round up your ingredients the night before. It's easier to grab a tupperware of everything you need an go rather than fuss with prepping it while you're trying to get out the door.
• Prep in bulk. If I'm chopping veggies, I'll usually make enough to last me 2-3 days of breakfasts. Similar with cheese and other toppings. I'll prep enough for a few days to make it even easier to grab and go.
• Store in one place. I'll store all my ingredients, eggs included, in a bigger Tupperware container rather than try and grab 5 different things.

Egg, chopped carrot, green and red pepper, salsa, low fat
cheddar cheese and a slice of whole wheat bread.

What are your go-to office breakfasts?
Do you eat early in the morning or later on?

A Weekend Home

When I was applying to colleges (cringe) 7 years ago, I had  decided that I only wanted to seriously look at schools that were close enough to home that I could visit when I wanted but far enough away that I gained new experiences and felt independent. Bentley allowed me that freedom, as has staying in Boston post-graduation.

I'm very close with my family, and I love that about my life. I value their opinions, enjoy spending time with them and couldn't imagine things any other way. As a result, when I get the chance to escape the craziness of Boston for a weekend and head out to western Mass, I take it. This was one of those weekends.

It was filled with dinner, laughs and hugs with grandparents. Treadmill miles, car repairs, lunch with Mom and grocery shopping for Super Bowl snacks. Bruins hockey, watching my little sister get ready for a school dance and walks through the woods with my Dad, stepmom and puppy.

 

My weekends home are the definition of hectic, they always have been and always will be, whether I like it or not. From the minute I drive over the mountain and into the Pioneer Valley the rest of my time there will be spent doing something. It's both exciting and exhausting - before it even starts.

 

Having divorced parents means trying to spend time equally with both families. For me, it often means feeling guilty when I'm leaving one to go see the other, or when my time is cut short with them because I have somewhere else I need to be. Being home makes me feel both whole and happy, while at the same time feeling a little empty because I can never seem to manage my time well enough to make it all work.

The sisters and I before Anna's 1st Dwight Night dance.

Yes, I know I can't make everyone happy. Yes, I know they're just grateful to spend time with me. Yes, I know they love me regardless and understand that I can't do it all. Unfortunately, that doesn't mean I don't still feel bad that I can't be in 100 places at once. I'm working on it, it's a constant battle. Remember? I'm a people pleaser.

Lucky for me, being home always puts things in perspective. As busy as I am while I'm there, there are those moments that make you slow down, step away from everything else and just appreciate how lucky you are. I got a full hour and 45 minutes of that perspective on Sunday afternoon during my run.

Sometimes I forget that the elevation factor is slightly different at home.

Overall a great run and 3 weeks out from half marathon number one of 2013. I was happy with my pace, given that it was much hillier route than I've run in awhile. My legs were also tired from the 4.7 miles on the treadmill from Saturday and the 5 miles of walks through the woods with the pup.

Truthfully I didn't know if the long run would happen this weekend. After a failed attempt Saturday morning due to nearly negative temperatures and my hatred of the treadmill, I almost opted out. As always, I'm glad I went, if only for the peaceful time and the views.

How can you not appreciate places like this?

Like all of my whirlwind trips home, I was happy to get back to Boston last night. I was exhausted, but in the best way. I unpacked, rallied, and enjoyed the commercials, the blackout and, of course, Beyonce and Destiny's Child. I think there may have been a football game as well.

One Hundred and Seventy Percent

I stumbled upon a pretty cool infographic via Women's Running on Twitter yesterday of "The Running Boom", or the awesome increase in the popularity of and participation in the sport of running.

It highlights some pretty fantastic statistics and effectively illustrates how more and more people are joining the ranks of one of the fastest growing athletic communities.

Here are some of my favorite stats:

170%

The competitive road race has seen a 170% increase 

in participation since 1991, from 5.2 to 13.9 million.

42%

Half marathons are the fastest growing racing event, 

comprising 10% of the top timed road races in 2000 and 42% in 2011.

47%

Since 2000, the number of U.S. marathon 

finishers has increased by 47%.

720

The number of marathons has more than tripled in the U.S. 

since 1985, surging from just 200 races to 720 in 2011.

You can see the full infographic here. 

I think it's so cool to see how popular running has become, and how fast the sport continues to grow!

What was the first distance race you completed? 

My first official race was the Virginia Wine Country Half Marathon in June 2011.

VA Wine Country Half Marathon
6/4/11 with Team Challenge

 

The Best Week Ever

Have you ever had one of those weeks where it seems like nothing can ruin your good mood?

Fitful night's sleep? Oh well. Incompetent drivers on your commute? No big deal. Last minute meetings you didn't have time to prepare for? I've got it covered. Keurig broken? It's cool, I've got like 6 chocolate bars in my desk.

For whatever reason, any "negative" stuff this week has just rolled off. I don't hate it. 

Maybe it's the unseasonably warm 50 degree weather we've had the past couple of days. Or the way Pandora keeps playing the right songs. It might even have something to do with the way workouts have seemed effortless this week, even the tempo run. My guess, however, is that it has a lot to do with the unusual amount of time I've spent with my favorite boys this week.

1/29/13 Bruins vs. Devils

I'm lucky enough to know some pretty awesome people. Some pretty awesome people that know how much I love hockey and how crazy much fun I am when I get to go to games. So thanks, guys, for indulging me and not looking the other way when people say, "who the heck is that chick?".

(Source)

I'm spoiled this week, and went to the Bruins vs. Devils game on Tuesday night and am headed to the Bruins vs. Sabres game tonight. You could say I'm a pretty happy camper, considering it's pretty much impossible to get tickets to Bs games nowadays without forking over some serious $$ or forfeiting your first born.

Looking forward to shenanigans tonight and hopefully celebrating a birthday win with Boston's most eligible bachelor.

Captured this gem at the 2011 Stanley Cup Parade.

#LetsGoBruins

Winter Running in New England

New England is not for the faint of heart. What's that totally cliche saying? If you don't like the weather, wait five minutes. You laugh, but it's true. A couple of weeks ago it was 61 degrees. In January. Now? Try 15-but-feels-like-negative-2. That's more like it.

The weather here changes more often than Taylor Swift changes boyfriends. So go ahead and make that training schedule, but don't expect every long run to be without challenges from the elements, especially not during winter. I'm not making fun of you, because I do the same thing. Every Saturday during training has a long run, and every Wednesday I start biting my nails, checking weather.com to see what might be in store.

Today we had 10 miles (t-minus 4 weeks until the Hyannis Half) to pull off. The longest distance I've run since November. And this is what we had to work with:

 

Lovely.

So I layered up, dragged myself out the door, and tackled 10 very long miles along the Charles with Molly.

At least the view doesn't suck.

It was windy. It was freezing. My legs felt heavy and like they couldn't possibly move any faster than they were going. I felt slow, and tired and blah. I seriously contemplated who would be the closest option to come pick me up if I decided to call it quits.

But guess what, Sarah? You lived. Shocker.

 

Slower than our past few long runs but for today, I'll take it.

I'm far from an expert, but here's what I've learned about winter running in New England:

1. It's cold. Get over it.

I don't know anyone who says, "Oh look, it's 16 degrees, let's go for a run!". If you're one of those people, more power to you. I'm not. My reaction to heading out into this weather is, "Someone get me back to my couch and snuggie ASAP!". It's cold. You'll live. Your snuggie will be there when you get back. Just go.

2. It's 99% mental.

I'm a true believer in the idea that running is primarily a mental vs. physical challenge. Cold weather running is almost all a mental challenge. Getting yourself out the door and getting through a run is that much harder in cold weather because you have that many more mental excuses as to why you shouldn't or can't go. Don't let it get to your head.

3. Be smart and layer up.

I know I joke, but cold weather running is serious stuff. Don't be dumb and go unprepared. Both Runner's World and Active have written articles on layering suggestions. I tend to go with a fitted, moisture-wicking base layer and then build up from there depending on the temperature and wind chill.

This week has been Pro Compression marathon socks, regular socks, and Nike running leggings on the bottom. Under Armour compression mock, New Balance long sleeve (similar) and thick Asics half-zip on top. Under Armour gloves and headband (similar) as accessories.

Everyone is different. Test your apparel choices on shorter distance runs and see what works best for you.

4. Adjust your expectations.

Personally, I tend to run better when it's cooler. BUT, there is a difference between cooler and cold. I don't know what I'll get from myself in cold. Thursday night we did a 4.8 miler in 20 degrees with an average pace of 9:30. Today, our average pace for 10 miles was a 10:20. It could've been that 4 degree difference, it could've been the additional wind chill, it could've been the mental adjustment that comes with a long run. I don't know. What I do know is that I'm happy to have just completed 10 miles in the cold, because most people would simply opt out.

5. Have fun and be proud.

Running is a challenge. Add in cold weather elements and it becomes that much harder. It's not the end of the world and if you go, try to have fun with it (read: don't have the attitude that I clearly had today). It can be refreshing and invigorating to tackle a run in the cold. Plus, like I said above, most people would opt out. Be proud, give yourself a pat on the back, and brag to all of your friends about how badass you are.

For more winter running tips, I also liked this article by Active. 

What is your favorite piece of cold weather running advice?

What temperature do you consider "too cold" to run outside?