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Last week I visited my first ever specialty running store in Town Brookhaven – The Big Peach Running Company!
They were amazing and really took the time to figure out what shoes would be best for me. I was even taped running on a treadmill. I’ll admit watching that footage was a bit embarrassing.
In the end I went for a pair of Sauconys! Here’s a picture when my dog, Merlin, and I tested them out on Sunday.
The shoes are great, but the best part of my visit was learning about group runs! They host group runs where you can join in for free! If you’re looking to get started running I highly recommend visiting a store like this near you and finding out what your options are.
Cheers and happy trails!
This past Saturday RT and I completed my February race – an obstacle 5k called The P.I.G race. It stands for perseverance, integrity and grit.
Turns out we used all three of these things plus a good sense of humor. The race was small around 30 runners. They said people dropped out because of the cold.
The trail was poorly marked. We even ended up running a big loop in the course twice. A volunteer had to come guide the pack.
Once we were back on track, RT and I wound up leading the race. We passed a few runners who hadn’t gone the wrong way putting us firmly in first, which was a really cool feeling!
The obstacles included crawling through chicken coops, going through ropes, stepping around hula hoops, jumping over barricades and climbing over barriers. But the hardest obstacle was avoiding tripping on gum balls and horse poop – hence the good sense of humor.
We had a few running companions like the guy pictured above in blue and his friend, our photographer. In the end we finished first. It felt great! I had a few guys congratulate me after. They were impressed by our pace – ha never thought someone would tell me that.
Sadly I don’t know our exact time or distance. But the win inspired me to push myself a little harder on the next race.
Finishing always feels like a win, but now a medal (or gold pig) feels possible!
Next up:
Annual St. Patrick’s Day 5k in Piedmont Park | Sunday, March 15
(My knee is a little strained after my Sunday run. I should have rested a day because of all the strain that trail run put on my knee. So here’s hoping my knee improves quickly! Time for a few days of R.I.C.E)
This Valentine’s Day do something you love! Whether the you is double, solo or a fun group – get out side, stay indoors, cook in, eat out, go shopping or donate clothes – just do something that warms your heart!
Here are a few options of things I love:
Go somewhere you have never been –
Arabia Mountain (last weekend):
Snuggle:
My favorite Valentines always – Stella and Merlin!
Go on a run:
Haven’t found a way to take a picture of me running, so here is my upcoming race. The P.I.G Race!
Eat delicious food:
My favorite dinner this week was Monkfish at Hot and Hot Fish Club in Birmingham! I highly recommend it by the way!
What are you doing this Valentine’s Day Weekend?
Kicking off my one race a month resolution, RT and I did Stampede in the Park Saturday, January 31 at Yellow River Park.
It was beautiful! A 5k trail run with two creek crossings, water views and one horrible hill! The only thing worse than that hill was the 28 degree weather!
I set our pace. RT finished 9th in his age bracket, and I finished 8th! This was our first trail run, so I was very happy! There’s us below at the finish line:
Lessons from the run:
- Be careful where you step!
- Dress appropriately. I recommend running in similar temperatures to see what works for you.
- Invest in more smart wool socks.
- Trails are much more fun and better for you than pavement.
- Goal for next time: No stopping on hills (not even just for a minute).
NEXT UP:
The P.I.G. Race | Saturday, February 21
This year I am trying to cook more often and with more creativity. My boyfriend’s a hunter, which means a bunch of fun game meat to cook with!
Recently I was craving tacos and had some pheasant thawed out! The problem is most recipes require at least 12 hours in a crockpot. Here’s how I improvised:
Four pheasant breasts (be sure to remove any extra pellets). Homemade taco seasoning:
Heat three cups of water in a large sauce then add some butter and half of a chopped red onion:
Boil some rice then set out to the side. Mix two tablespoons of the taco seasoning in the pan and rub one tablespoon on the pheasant sliced:
Add the pheasant in the pan and cook for 5 minutes. Then add in the rice and any additional yummy veggies you have (even frozen). Let cook covered for 10 min:
Cut a bigger piece of pheasant in half to be sure it’s cooked. You can serve in tacos, pita bread over salad or plain. I had mine over spinach with ranch and then in pita for lunch the next day:
If you have any good recipes and want to share them, I’d love to test them out!
Just Getting Started 