run. roam. recycle.

you'll now find me at http://runroamrecycle.wordpress.com/

please change your blogroll if you've added me! (and if you haven't added me yet - that's a big ol' hint!)

Can we talk about how great this mug is for a second? Growing up, I was pretty much obsessed with anything Sanrio. My best friend gave this to me on my 16th birthday, right before the Sanrio Store at Mall of America closed. I cried.

Today was one of those mornings when you're really alert, but for no good reason. I had like 6 hours of sleep at most, but barely even sipped on my coffee. I usually try to take a nap after my 1st class on T and TH, and I COULDN'T. I've never been a good napper, but it was super frustrating! I even whipped out my handy dandy..



ear plugs! Seriously.. after such little sleep.. and even a good hard workout and one long lecture.. I *wanted* to sleep!! But my body obviously didn't. Anyways, I got home early today because my last class was a quiz (leave when you're done!!) and I'm currently munchin on:



This picture basically gives the impression that I eat moldy mushrooms and baby food.. but I promise my life is not so sad! The mushrooms are FRESH - just bought yesterday. The brown mush is lentil dip.. and it's soooo good! I use it in all the same ways as hummus (a veggie dip.. sandwich spread.. I guess that's all you use hummus for?). Sooo good doesn't even cut it, but I can't find anything else to compare it to, so just have faith =]

To make up for an ugly picture, I will indulge you with a more appetizing looking one:


Black bean enchiladas with mole sauce and tons of red pepper flakes. I could eat just this for.. ever. YUMMMM! This is from a couple nights ago.. just never posted it. So night time wrap up - yesterday we saw Run Fatboy Run. My opinion: Good, but not FANTASTIC. It's not an inspirational movie like Spirit of a Marathon. But it was pretty damn funny. Running club tonight.. and my teacher for Nutrition and Body Maintenance is our guest speaker tonight! She's a registered dietitian, but she's doing the adjunct professor thing.

I should go get some real food so I have time to digest before the run! Adios muchachos.. hope your weather is nicer than it is here!

*BTW* I'm still MAJORLY in need of a lunch bag type thing.. so if someone has a good one - PLEASE enlighten me!

And no.. it's not on my head! It's my white nike drifit one, and I know I had it on yesterday when I came home from running club.. and I obviously took it off before I got in the shower. It didn't sprout any freakin Nike legs and run away.. so WHY CAN'T I FIND IT! I have seriously searched the entire house. And my car. GRRR!

Another crappy day here weather wise.. make that another crappy week! I had to bail on my psych today because I got halfway there, and realized I was going to run out of gas, and I didn't have my wallet! Never leave home without emergency money. Whatever.. it's been a productive day. I'm meeting my friend in half an hour for a good catch-up run, and I'm going to see Run Fatboy Run tonight with some of the crew from running club. There's light somewhere in my day!



Hahha is it weird that I drink smoothies out of beer glasses? These are like the only glasses that fit my mondo concoctions (this one being a lemon/lime/vanilla smoothie.. YUMM!) Oh.. and my cute easter starbucks travel mug?? The first time I used it, it leaked into the inside core plastic part! I brought it to a different Starbucks and explained the deal.. and they let me pick out a new one!! They were all out of the easter ones, but the ladies were so sweet! Here's my new traveling companion:



I'd like to leave you all with one of my favorite quotes. A super special prize if you can guess where it's from! (If you're friends with me on facebook.. you're disqualified!)

"If I have given my all and still do not win, I haven't lost. Others might remember winning or losing; I remember the journey."

*EDIT*
So I'm just curious.. what do you guys think about the whole situation in Tibet and the possible boycotting of the Beijing games?

I found my hat by the way.. and in time for my run too! It was hanging on the back of my bedroom door. I think I need to just wear it all the time. I keep losing my favorite hats!

Only my 3 was 13.. but who's counting? And it was actually a really easy week, since this was cut-back week. Next weeks LR will be back up to 18 miles. I really need to make a conscious effort this week to keep mileage down though, so I'll have to plan accordingly. Last week was 67, and I try to keep it at or around 55. Anything more than that, and I'm in my danger zone when it comes to injuries. I had a stress fracture back in November and had to take the whole month off - it drove me effing crazy! No need for that again. But to be honest with myself.. that funny feeling is starting to set back in right around my fibula by my ankle (where I had my sfx last time).. so as a precaution: (warning runners - avert your eyes)

Ugh that's never a sight you wanna see. ANYWAYS - its been a fun/busy weekend! We made the weekly costco trip and came back with the usuals: lots of fresh produce, and a bulk pack of Kashi Roll bars! My mom got salmon steaks and some other things too. I'm not sure if the produce sold at costco is genetically modified.. but it sure looks good, and you can't beat the price! Hahha Emma - this picture is just for you!
In the back is a big container of super big juicy plums (like 15 of them!), then a bag of 6 mixed color peppers, and a HUGE container of cherry (actually.. "splendido") tomatoes. Hahah I go through that tomato container in like 2 days though! So with this cornucopia of goodies, and the amazing weather we had yesterday - time to bust out the grill!!
We actually shovel a path out to the grill in the winter.. but today was a good grill day. Anyway, here's me (hot off a GORGEOUS 7 mile tempo with my dad biking along - 60 degrees!), scrubbing off anything that was burnt on last time =/ I only did the peppers because I was attempting to simultaneously write a paper.. so I didn't have tons time to spend prepping stuff. The picture makes the peppers look super greasy, but oh my goodness they were so good I don't care! At first I just ate the yellow pepper.. and then I realized - Who the heck am I saving the other one for!? Perfect accompaniment to a very good dinner!

The last thing to post (before this becomes a freaking novel!) is that yesterday I sent in my housing and tuition deposits, and did the little roommate matching and housing preferences for Northeastern. IT IS SOO OFFICIAL! Honestly.. I just can't stop thinking about it! There's a welcome weekend on the 12th but I wont be able to go since I flew out there in January=<

Well so long for now! I have to meet with my group for an arch project. Which means driving ALLL the way over to campus. In the rain. Yuck. I'm all about field trips.. but not in the rain.

Freebies. Why else would I pay money to run when I can do it for free? $35 bucks for a 5K? Psh.. that's like $11/mile! So unless a race is offering some sweet goodies, post race food, a shirt, a mug, or stellar age group winner prizes (OK.. or if the money benefits a good cause), chances are I'm not signing up.


This is the fruit of my labor - what I bought with my $25 gift certificate to Run N Fun for winning my age group at the Securian Frozen Half marathon. I was really struggling to pick between this and a different nike sports bra, especially since this is that weird midriff length. (Is that how it's spelled? I've never had to write it before..) Anyways, I have about a bajillion sports bras, and this looked really pretty.. so midriff it is! And yes.. that would be Mrs Martha's magazine in the background.

Run today was 9 miles easy with a friend. My shins were feeling crappy from that DAMN TREADMILL I was forced to run on during the storm last Monday. I was not made to run on a moving sidewalk. My head says yes - my feet say no.


Dinner tonight - Eggplant Parmesan. The picture doesn't do justice to the holy goodness of this plate. Were there more, I would have had more. And probably more. Instead I'm putting a pretty good dent in an ice cream float right now =]

Still looking for lunch tote suggestions. I went all over the freaking city - Twin Cities Green, Linden Hills Natural Home, the Co-Op, Whole Foods, Sur La Tab, Trader Joes.. no one has what I'm looking for!! Grrr. Ok - homework time. Maybe.

So whaddya know.. it's been a complete turn around from my bummer of a day yesterday! It felt good right from the start.. despite only having 6.5 hours of sleep I felt unreasonably rested - so go I did! T/TH are almost always a gym day in the morning, because it gets me awake and energized for my loooong day of classes (9:45 - 3:45). In my first class, I got my big field report back - a sweet grade.. but sweeter still, an "outstanding work!"


Hah this is everything I have to lug around on T/TH. The mail tube is full of trace for drafting in my Arch. Studio, and yes - thats a T-square sticking out of my bag!

My friend made plans to bike with me for my run today.. and I knew I wouldn't have time to eat lunch first when I got home like usual. SO.. I stopped in the student union for a tide-over to fuel me through the run.

Hahha how's that for pre-run fuel? At first I thought I was gonna regret it around oh.. mile 3.. but it was actually fine! I ran like 30 minutes after downing this bad boy. It was the new Honey Frappuccino.. it was stellar.
BUT NOT AS STELLAR AS THIS LIL GUY! There was a basket of clearance stuff from Easter.. and I have this terrible obsession with to-go coffee mugs. Trust me - I did NOT need another one. But CLEARANCE! And look at that little bunny down on the bottom! There was no price sticker on it.. so the lady gave it to me for FIVE BUCKS!! Annnnnd she gave me my drink for FREE!

This is my friend Sarah and I down at the lake. It was 55 degrees today!! Ahhh it just made me so anxious for summer to come! I love this girl more than life - she's still in high school but we've been friends since I was like 6. She's a trooper too - she's always willing to bike with me. I might be solo for my LR coming up in two weeks.. so she offered to tag along for 18 miles! Like I said.. TROOPER. Today was a 6 (n some change) tempo run. I could have gone for forever with that sun shining!

So I was all ecstatic this morning. Despite making the mistake of wearing a watch, and trusting the thermometer in my window that read 10 degrees warmer than the actual temperature, I had a nice 7 mile run. Then:

- I dropped a shampoo bottle in the shower, and spit open my toe.
- I got killer stomach pains. Thanks endometriosis.
- Got a B+ back on a midterm, which being raised in my family is considered "sub par".
- Talked to prof about said midterm, and was in turn 5 minutes late getting to my car..
- only to find a $34 parking ticket on my windshield.
- It started raining on the way home.. and I started to cry =<

The rain eventually stopped.. and being with the crew at running club made me feel better. Hill repeats helped me get my frustrations out.. and I guess I should stop crying now.

How's that for a colorful plate Ellie Krieger? This was part 2 of dinner last night: smashed cauliflower in the mug, and a green pepper/tomato/salsa/soy cheese mixture on the right. For those of you vegans out there.. I'm telling you - Teese soy cheese is the ONLY way to go! I didn't melt it here.. but trust me - it's freaking fantastic. And in the background is my BFF: the camelback.

Do any of you have a good lunch bag suggestion? I tried asking over in KERF town.. and someone told me she got it from reusablebags.com but I can't find it! I had to throw my old one out because it grew MOLD in the basement. Gross!!