Sweet Sixteen

This morning started off bittersweet. All week I knew that Saturday morning would approach quickly and that I had to mentally prepare myself for a 16 mile run with our running group. The most we have run at one time is 14 miles so in my head adding that extra 2 seemed like quite a bit! Even after going to bed fairly early, the 5am alarm went off much too soon. After making sure I was dressed and ready, I got Colby's food together and took her outside.  Not only were we running longer this week, we also had the Jacksonville groups meet us by the beachfront. I remember somehow falling in to the wrong group last year when the big group came to meet us so I knew what not to do this time around! Finding a group that moves at a similar pace is very important and I knew I did not want to push myself too hard throughout the run. With marathon training, I've been following the "slow and steady wins the race" motto instead of trying to break new records. If I'm going to be running longer than a half marathon, I want to finish strong and feel good on the longer run days!

Photo credit goes to a fellow Galloway Runner

I'd say overall this morning was a huge success! Thank goodness for such a strong and supportive group. I also realized that going off on tangents and talking about everything under the sun makes you forget about how far you are going and allows you to have fun and enjoy the route!
A shout out to my fellow runners this morning for making the run that much more fun! After finishing that last mile, it was safe to say that the morning ended on a very sweet note. Onward and upward my friends! Enjoy your weekend!

Rise and Shine

6am scenic run in Portland, ME during a business trip

After logging a few miles this morning with my run and dog walk, I started thinking about the benefits of starting my morning's earlier. Of course when you are in a deep slumber and the alarm goes off, the last thing you want to do is spring out of bed in excitement but after shutting off the alarm and slowly making my way out of bed, I think about what I can accomplish in the next couple of hours before starting my work day.
I do realize that not everyone out there enjoys getting up early to go for a run or tackle house hold chores before the sun comes up but as a morning person, I'm always happy to accomplish whatever I can in the quiet hours of the morning.
For starters, my morning runs usually consist of the same 1.5 mile loop and realizing that if I get out there early enough, I can dodge any foreseen traffic and get the run done with minimal stops.
Secondly, when it is still somewhat dark out and the temperatures are cooler, Colby can walk further at a more comfortable pace without getting overheated. While I love the Florida sunshine, a black lab can get very warm in the hotter temps!
After the morning workouts are complete, I have enough time to throw a load of laundry on and make a hearty breakfast to eat alongside my cup of coffee! Fortunately, I work from a home office so I don't have to worry about a morning commute every day, but waking up early certainly has its perks! So get out there and do something great this morning! Happy Friday everyone!

The Second Cup

Is your second cup of coffee in the morning ever as good as the first? For me, the first cup is always the best. It always seems by the time you go for your second cup, the coffee pot is almost empty and the flavor changes. Either I don't add enough milk the second time around or I add too much. After a 5 mile run this morning, I felt like a little extra caffeine was necessary.
A typical morning is never complete until I've had a full mug of coffee. Today, I decided to spice things up a little and add some of our Torani sugar free hazelnut syrup to my hazelnut coffee and yes I'm one of those flavored coffee fanatics. This little change made a huge difference! Thank goodness for an espresso machine that produces wonderfully frothy milk to add even more pleasure to my morning brew!  I suppose I felt like a Starbucks Barista this morning because my little technique made me feel like I was drinking gourmet coffee that would cost me at least $5! I added a drop of the syrup to the milk before frothing, then poured the frothy milk on top of the hot coffee. Yum! I will definitely do this again. Today, the second cup proved me wrong! Turns out it can be just as good, if not better than the first. Enjoy your Hump Day and try something new with your morning coffee, you might surprise yourself!

Walking in the Rain

 It's a good thing that we own a Labrador. This morning when I was about ready to step foot outside with my furry companion, I could see the rain coming down so I immediately jumped back inside to grab my rain jacket. Lucky for me, there is no amount of rain that can stop a water loving puppy. She welcomes weather like this and I've decided to adopt that mentality as well! Normally, I would see the rain as an obstacle. Either it was an excuse to hit the snooze button a couple of extra times or to skip my outdoor work out altogether. Now I look at the rainfall as an opportunity to wear my super cute and bright rain jacket (thank you North Face for making waterproof jackets fashionable) and to enjoy another quality walk with the cheese! In case you are wondering about the nickname, we oftentimes will call Colby "The Cheese" to mock "Colby Cheese." Haha.. funny right?! We like to have a sense of humor when it comes to Colby, because she can be a big goof just like the rest of us.
After we get back inside from dodging the puddles during our walk, Colby starts running in circles around the kitchen because the water makes her a little itchy. Somehow she has discovered that running in quick, small loops helps alleviate the itchiness! I'm also glad that I got her a pink microfiber towel with paw prints all over it to wipe her down after a little morning rain. I somehow managed to get her to pose with the blanket as well for your enjoyment. I promise that no treats were used to keep her still during the photo taking process..
Moral of the story is, don't use the rain as a crutch. Our dogs need exercise as much as we do, so don't avoid the rain, embrace it!! Also make sure you wear a rain jacket because we can't all be as fortunate as Colby to get dry with a couple of shakes! Happy Rainy Tuesday everyone!

Palate Pleasing Pizza Crust Alternative

Cauliflower Crust
Makes 4 individual pizzas (or 2 large pizzas)
2 eggs (egg beaters work too)
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
2 cups riced cauliflower (grate the raw cauliflower on a cheese grater or in a food processor)
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup fresh basil or fresh rosemary
Pizza Toppings - get creative!
I prefer white pizza and leave out the marinara but you can add any sauce you want
1 tomato, thinly sliced
A sprinkle of rosemary and basil on top
A handful of shredded reduced fat mozzarella cheese

Other toppings I have tried on the cauliflower crust:
large black olives sliced or chopped
minced clams
sliced zucchini

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper, spray with non-stick spray.
In a medium bowl, combine riced cauliflower, basil, eggs and mozzarella. Divide into 4 amounts and press evenly on the parchment paper.
I recommend baking the crust before adding toppings for at least 5 minutes or until edges are brown. Once you add the toppings, place the pizza back in the oven for at least 12-15 minutes. The firmer the crust, the better it will hold your toppings.
The possibilities are endless! While it does not taste exactly like your typical pizza dough, it has a nice texture and it's completely guilt free if you load it up with tons of veggies! Now who doesn't like the sound of that?!

Before

After

Top 10 signs you know you're a runner..

You plan your weekends around your Saturday morning training runs
You will get up early on your day off to avoid missing a training run
Your first stop is always the active wear department when you go shopping
You buy running shoes to match your running outfits and vice versa
You log the mileage on every run no matter how short or long the run is
When you travel out of town, you map out the nearest running route around your hotel
Hydration is taken to a whole new level (especially the day before your long runs!)
You start taking supplements you thought were designated only for people "older" than you
Your happy hour starts at 5 "AM"
You start allocating more space in your closet to accommodate your running gear

I'm sure all of you runners out there can agree on at least one or more of these revelations! Happy running my friends!

Running on Color

There are very few times in life where you can get away with wearing every color of the rainbow on your skin and clothing and have it be socially acceptable. This morning was one of those rare moments where I allowed myself to get completely doused in colored powder! I did it to be RAD of course! The Color Me Rad 5k is unique not only for the color bomb stations, but the concept that they don't time a single second while you are on the course.
 It's all about the camaraderie, laughs and ability to let go of the fact that your white tshirt and socks are not going to be pearly white by the time you hit the finish line.
Overall, I'd say it was a very fun and memorable experience. I loved seeing such large groups of friends and family gathered together at an unusually early time for a Saturday morning. I exempt myself from that scenario seeing as Saturday mornings always begin around 6am! Nonetheless, a race that doesn't require you to hit a new PR or finish in a required amount of time takes a lot of the pressure off and allows you to have fun with the people you came with. I also have to give a shout out to the men who showed up wearing tutu's! They were few and far between, but I suppose at the end of the day, anyone can rock a tutu. It's all about the attitude! A fun Saturday morning for the books and looking forward to continuing this long weekend! Happy Saturday folks!