Another Weekend, Another Trip

I love to travel. Exploring new places, seeing friends, trying new food, learning the history of the area, and of course, going for a run (or two). but before I went to Georgia the other weekend, I hadn’t traveled since I went to Minneapolis in March for my awesome nephew’s 5th birthday. I guess some would call our four day cross-country drive a trip, but I just call it endless hours sitting in a leaky Penske Truck.

It just so happened that the two trips I’m taking this fall happened two weekends in a row. First Georgia, then Michigan. Woody and I headed back to Michigan this past weekend and stayed with my parents for a few days.

We spent some time on campus (Michigan State University), walking around, checking out my Dad’s latest projects – he’s worked for the University for 40 years! – and of course, got ice cream at the MSU Dairy Store. I have no idea how I don’t have a picture of this, or my friend Jenny and her two adorable sons who met us there!

Of course, we timed our trip so that we could go to an MSU Football game! We happened to pick homecoming weekend and the Spartans beat the Hoosiers 42 – 28! Back in the day, I spent my fall semesters as an alto in the Spartan Marching Band. Much like being on a sports team, it taught me discipline, teamwork, leadership skills, and at a school of more than 42,000 students, I had an instant family. It also often kicked my butt. The SMB is a hardcore marching band and you had to be in shape, or you got in shape during pre-season drills. One of my favorite parts of being in the SMB was the march to the stadium, so of course, we watched the band march to the stadium before the game. I’m pretty sure I could still do The Series today if someone asked me to!

We also took a little road trip with my parents over to Saugatuck, a little town near Lake Michigan, went to the beach and watched the sun set from a state park in Holland (we weren’t the only ones with that idea!) before finishing the night off with dinner at a brewery. It was a little chilly, but a beautiful and fun day.

In between all of this we managed to find time for a run, a workout at the local Powerhouse Gym (a day pass is only 5 bucks!), a few meals with friends and family and lots of time to catch up with my parents and play with their cats! It was a fantastic, action packed weekend that I wouldn’t trade for anything. That said, I am looking forward to this weekend and having time to rest and get over this cold that decided to ruin my week. Oh, and go spectate the Rock n Roll Denver Marathon with my Oiselle teammates!

Do you have any trips planned? * Are you racing this fall? (I have two on my list that I just need to pull the trigger on and sign-up for!)

A Weekend in Georgia

Last weekend I flew off to Georgia for a girls getaway in the Blue Ridge Mountains. The four of us came together to celebrating the Lauren’s upcoming wedding – she’s marrying my brother-in-law in the Spring! We spent three days whitewater rafting, apple picking, hiking, finding our way through a corn maze, oogling over massive pumpkins and eating cheese and drinking wine. While it was still a bit warm and most of the leaves on the trees were still green, it was a great weekend and I highly recommend a visit to this region as soon as you can get yourself there! Thanks to Lauren and her gracious parents, we had a beautiful place to stay that was the perfect home base for the weekend!

A few highlights from the trip…

We survived the Ocoee River! (Me, Jennifer, our guide Acacia, Lauren & Jessica). Our guide is a real survivor woman! She spends the winter in Juno, Alaska teaching wilderness survival courses at the university!

Apple picking at Mercier Orchards

Amicalola Falls State Park

Finding our way through the corn maze

Lauren and the massive pumpkins at Burt’s Farm

What are your favorite Fall traditions?

Weekend in Review

I don't know about you, but I had a really relaxing weekend! Woody and I stayed home in again this year. This was my seventh Thanksgiving in NYC (I really can hardly believe I've been out here that long!) and I've stayed in town each year. The weekend is just too short and too hectic I think to travel home. I'd love to spend the holiday with family (my great aunt and uncle put on a great party each year) but we also like to have a stress free weekend.

Thursday: We ran the turkey trot in Prospect Park Thursday morning and had a great Thanksgiving feast in the evening (read about it HERE).

Friday: The alarm was never set and we slept and just hung out all day. The only things I did that were productive were taking a shower, writing a blog post, mailing the Fit for a Runner giveaway prize to Amber (sorry it took so long Amber) and going to a coffee shop to read for a while.

Saturday: We were back to the normal weekend schedule and I started with a very chilly and windy 4.5mile run. It was about 34' and the wind was brisk to say the least. I wore my winter running cap for the first time this season and I'm glad I did. My ears would have been frozen by the time I got home and a baseball cap would have blown away as soon as I got to the promenade. There were quite a few other runners out and I doubt I was the only one who felt like I was getting an extra workout running into the wind! When I got back, I made a call to Road Runner Sports. I had ordered a pair of thermo running tights from them the week before and they arrived Friday. Unfortunately they were too big and definitely not compressing like they should! I spoke with a guy named Dennis who was very helpful. Unfortunately they've discontinued the thermo tights and there were none left in the size I need but he helped me find another pair that will hopefully work and made sure they'd go out today as I ship back the other pair. I'm crossing my fingers that the new pair arrives before the weekend and that they fit. This is the one thing I really don't like about ordering online - unless I'm buying something I already have, I never know if it's going to fit and it just takes a lot longer than going into a store. Unfortunately there aren't any Road Runner Sports stores nearby.

After all this, Woody and I went to one of the MSU alumni bars in the city to watch the last football game of the regular season - the annual game against Penn State. After some great plays and some really horrible plays, the Spartans won in Happy Valley for the first time since before Joe Pa started coaching there. Yes, that long ago. It was the 1960's! This win also meant that MSU shares the Big 10 title with Wisconsin and Ohio State. We're used to titles in Basketball, but not so much in Football, so this has been a fantastic season! We stopped at Union Square to hit up the farmer's market and the holiday market on the way home. It was cold.

Sunday: Yesterday started with another run. This one was a little over 5 miles, I think about 5.25 but not quite sure. I decided to make a few little changes to the route as I went along and checked out a new park on a pier along the west side highway just north of Battery Park City. It looks like a great park and I'm sure it'll be packed next summer! I was incredibly productive after the run, finishing my cleaning duties, unloading the dishwasher, washing the sheets and my laundry, and having breakfast all before noon. I spent a couple hours in the afternoon reading at a coffee shop, unfortunately, I figured out late last night, around 11:30pm that they probably gave me regular coffee instead of decaf. I got about 5 hours of sleep last night, if that. Once I got home I spent almost the rest of the evening cooking. I'll write all about this tomorrow, but let me just say, while it took a while to make dinner, it was DELICIOUS! And we have plenty of leftovers for tonight, so the time was worth it.

Today: I got up at the normal time and hit the gym even with only a few hours of sleep. If I'm going to make it through the day, I need a burst of energy and a good workout is what I needed. Hopefully by the end of the day I'm still thinking that was the right decision!

On my way home from the coffee shop yesterday, I saw a choir singing in front of the Christmas tree at South Street Seaport!

I hope you had a great Thanksgiving weekend. What was the highlight for you?
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Saturday's workout -
4.5 mile run
stretching

Sunday's workout -
~5.25mile run
stretching

Today's workout -
45 min/5mile elliptical
3x40sec planks
3x10 upright row

stretching

Off To A Great Start

Like last Saturday I went to Sports Authority in Chelsea for the Asics sponsored group run. It was only 47 degrees when I left the apartment, a nice chilly fall morning! Seems word has started to spread because there were quite a few more people today than last week. My friend April came and brought along her fiance who is in his last two weeks of training for the NYC Marathon. While they went ahead with the fast pace group, I settled in nicely with a group of runners who pushed me to run faster than I would have on my own. I ended up chatting with a girl who works for NYRR who had heard about the run and thought she'd check it out. Turns out we know a few people in common, have run the same races and are both running the Poland Spring 5 mile race next Sunday. She has to work at the marathon but is training for the Knickerbocker 60K in late November, 9 loops around Central Park. I just can not wrap my head around the thought of running 37 miles and running the Harlem Hills 9 times. (for those of you who haven't run in Central Park, it is a great place for challenging hill workouts) Anyway, I had a great time chatting with her and the 5.5 miles flew by. The weather turned out to be perfect. A little cool and crisp but sunny. I love running in the fall!

On the way home I stopped at the farmers market in Union Square, which was absolutely packed, and picked up some apples, an acorn squash (I've never cooked one), a small decorative pumpkin and some apple cider.

Time to clean the apartment while I watch Spartan Football and then off to meet up with my Grandma and her friend. I've been feeling so good after my last few runs and we might have rain this week so I may run tomorrow instead of going to yoga. Decisions, decisions! It is an absolutely beautiful Fall day and I'm so glad the weekend is off to a great start!

How are you spending your weekend?
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today's workout -
5.5mile run
stretching

Fall Colors

Well, I'm back home now after a nice long weekend visiting family just outside of Minneapolis. It was good to breath fresh air and see the Fall colors. I had hoped to visit an apple orchard but we didn't have time for that. I did visit the University of Minnesota Landscape Arboretum with my Mom and nephew though. It's a beautiful area that is obviously treasured by locals and visitors alike. We went on Monday morning and the place was packed with people of all ages, school groups, and volunteers. People were picnicking, walking the 3 mile drive, visiting the various gardens and checking out the more than 100 types of pumpkins and gourds (I had no idea there were so many)! I've been to Minneapolis four times now (each season) to visit my sister and her family and we've visited the Arboretum each time. While I didn't get to run as many times as I had hoped (stupid stomach ache), walking around the Arboretum was great exercise and a great way to enjoy the Fall colors!

We did stop at the AppleHouse, which is part of the Arboretum but down the road, to pick up apples on the way home. I should have taken a picture, but I was too enamoured by all the apples! I picked up a few Fireside and Regent apples, both varieties I had never tried before and both very crisp and delicious! I just love fresh apples in the Fall!

I went to the gym this morning for a workout to get back into things. Tomorrow I plan on getting back out for a run. Unfortunately with the late sunrises now it will probably be dark when I start and finish my run. There should be a lot of runners out though getting ready for the marathon which is now less than a month away!

How are your workouts going this week?
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today's workout -
10.5mile bike
3x10 cable pull twists
4x10 squats
2x35sec planks
50 hanging reverse crunches
stretching

1 Week Until Thanksgiving

Woody and I will spend Thanksgiving here in the city. I have stayed in town every year since I moved from Michigan. As far as you stay clear of the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade it is a pretty spectacular day to be here. The streets are as calm as they are on Sunday mornings. It is, in one word, nice.

One year we shared the day with Heather in my minuscule apartment. Woody moved out here the next Thanksgiving and my Dad helped him. Since our new place was full of boxes we opted for a restaurant feast. The next year it was just the two of us, enjoying a relaxed day of food and football. Last year we had Cameron and his wife over along with a friend of theirs. We shared an evening of stories, good music, and wine. This year, again, it will just be the two of us and again. A day of cooking, football, and hopefully a nice walk around the neighborhood (no Turkey Trot for me this year).

You might think it's easy when it is just two people, but no, not really. It's can actually be a bit difficult since we both enjoy the Thanksgiving feast but I have to adjust the recipes so they work for two people and we don't have enough food to feed an army!

I've become good at herb roasted turkey breasts, although I'm still not certain how many pounds to get to make sure we have enough for day-after-turkey-sandwiches but not so much that we still have leftovers on Monday! I hate throwing out turkey! We like to keep it healthy too, so last year I made stuffing from scratch using whole wheat bread, vegetable stock, veggies, and and fat free egg substitute. It turned out well and will be on the menu this year. Mashed potatoes are a must - Woody likes the tradition, no sweet potatoes in this house. Cranberry sauce from a can.

I always like changing the recipes a little to make them a bit healthier (well, except for the cranberry sauce - not much I can do there!). Thanksgiving can be a table full of food, but that doesn't mean it has to be unhealthy. I believe there is a way to change most recipes to make them a little better for you and still taste great. This year the challenge is to use less manufactured 'food' items and use more whole and natural foods. That's why I'm going to stay away from my altered version of this fantastic Turtle Pumpkin Pie and make something different this year.

This is where I am in my planning: I still need to come up with a veggie side dish (I've done green beans two years in a row and would like to try something new), and an easy-to-make, relatively healthy dessert that is also delicious.

So, bring 'em on! Suggestions welcome! What are your favorite veggie side dishes? Have any yummy and healthy desserts? What's on your menu?

I plan to pick up most of what I need at the Farmer's Market this weekend and next Wednesday (the office closes early!) so I can get fresh, local foods on our table. Hopefully they don't run out before I get there!

Sunny Days

Today was an absolutely GORGEOUS fall day. It was only 38' when we woke up and it wasn't going to get out of the 50's, but there was not a cloud in the sky and the sun was warming. Plus, the Spartans won in football today!

Woody and I went to the gym and the grocery store this morning, a usual Saturday morning routine (when I'm not running).

My non-running workout:
50 minutes on the recumbent bike
10 minutes on the arm bike
Light free-weight arm routine
30 side bends (each side) with 20lb weight
200 crunches
Stretches

After having brunch at home, we headed down to the Union Square Farmer's Market. Anyone in NYC, whether you live here or are just visiting, should go to this farmer's market at least once. There are many others around the city, but this is the largest and most popular. Vendors from all over the tri-state area converge on the busy plot of land 4 days a week - Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday. Some vendors are there every day, some only a select ones. Anyway, I thought I'd share a few pictures from our trip today.

We purchased kale, green peppers, tomatoes, brussel sprouts, butternut squash, onions, apples, and apple cider. I can't wait to start cooking up these great fall flavors!

We stopped at Barnes & Noble where I picked up Michael Pollan's "In Defense of Food." I've heard it's a great book and can't wait to start reading it now that I've finished "Mindless Eating" by Brian Wansink. I highly recommend Wansink's book and will write a post about it soon. So many interesting findings.

Well, time for me to heat up a cup of apple cider!

Back from Michigan

I’m back!

Sorry for being MIA for a few days. We were in Michigan enjoying the chilly fall weather and Spartan Football! We got back pretty late last night – our flight was delayed 1.5hrs – so this will be a short post.

I stopped by Playmakers, a local running shop on Friday and picked up some new gear, including two pairs of socks and a new top. I’ve been reading a lot about graduated compression socks and how they do wonders for preventing leg cramps and getting the blood flowing back where it should after long runs. Well, I picked up a pair of Oxysox and asked one of the salespeople if they’re any good. He highly recommended them and mentioned some people wear them while running but he prefers not to because they look stupid. I picked up the pair and decided to wear them with my Nike capri’s on Saturday for my very early run.




















I was on the road at 6:15am so I could get my 15 mile run in before the noon game. It was 27 degrees and DARK in Okemos so I was very glad to have a small flashlight my mom lent me and the battery powered red light flasher from my dad. Definitely important to be safe and have lights or reflective gear when you’re running in the dark. I enjoyed my run, going by tailgaters grilling and drinking, and feeling good. The rest of the day though, I had pretty brutal stomach cramps that were a bit frustrating. This happened last week too after my 20 mile run but I hadn’t experienced them before. After a bit of research I believe they were caused by dehydration. Because the weather was cooler I didn’t feel the need to drink as much as I had in the past and I didn’t take as many walk breaks. I think those two changes were big mistakes. I don’t have any more long runs left before the marathon (two weeks away!) so I will just have to be sure to take more walk/drink breaks during the race and hopefully that will help my stomach later in the day.

I still had a great time at the game, and cheered the Spartans on to a 24-14 win over Northwestern!
















Well, now I have to head off to work. I have a feeling that a big coffee is in my future!

The Many Ways to be "Spartan Green"

We are taking our annual fall trip back to East Lansing for a Michigan State Football game this weekend! I've been going to campus for events, classes, games, or to visit my Dad's office, since I was a baby. My amazing husband and I met, fell in love, and got married at Michigan State. MSU is part of my heart and soul. We bleed green and can’t wait to go back.

We have certain restaurants we have to go to (Lou & Harry’s), friends to visit with, and the Student Book Store to stop by to load up on new MSU gear (this year I'm in search of a dry-fit tank I can wear for the marathon). A large project my Dad has been working on for years is being dedicated on Friday and we get to go to the ceremony. It is also his Birthday so we're excited to be able to celebrate with him.

This year we are going back for the Homecoming Weekend and the theme is “We’ve Always Been Green!” For several years now MSU has been working hard to be more ‘green’ than it already is (our colors are green and white). The administration has made a concentrated effort to reduce energy usage while increasing sustainability, conservation, and recycling efforts. They have asked students, faculty, and staff to participate. The most recent issue of the alumni magazine focuses on the sustainability efforts being put into practice and researched on an academic level.

MSU is a large school. There are 579 buildings, 5200 acres (I don’t think that includes land in other parts of the state), and approximately 58,000 students, staff, and faculty. Campus uses 1.3 billion gallons of water per year and operates over 2000 vehicles. Last year, several departments worked together to consolidate evening classes into fewer buildings in order to cut down on energy use. They determined that approximately 211 electrical megawatt hours fewer were consumed and the university saved $16,904.00. Not only did it save energy and reduce carbon dioxide emissions, but it also saved money, which is extremely important.

This past summer MSU opened a new recycling facility which will have the ability to triple the amount of recycled materials from campus. They purchased 53 Ford Fusion Hybrids that get 41 miles per gallon in the city. The custodial department uses chemical free cleaners in the buildings. A Doctoral student created a way to use glass in cement. MSU Bikes rents and repairs bikes for students, faculty, and staff, while promoting an environmentally friendly way to get around the large campus. Back to Homecoming, the university is providing tips on how organizations can ‘green’ their parade float by using bikes or people to pull floats instead of trucks, use eco-friendly products to decorate, and purchasing local products or using items from the Surplus Store to reduce the carbon footprint.

Faculty members are also doing their part to research new techniques and alternatives to reduce our environmental impact. One professor has patented a way to reduce the production costs of processing gasoline. Others have determined a way to capitalize on unused land in areas of the state to grow crops to produce biofuels in an economically sustainable way.

This is just the beginning. The “Be Spartan Green” campaign focuses on the R’s: Reduce, Reuse/Recycle, Research/Reeducate, Redesign, and Rethink. It’s fantastic to see a world class University taking these forward thinking steps that take advantage of all the assets and talent they have available. Hopefully this is just one example of countless others like it. I can’t wait to get back there and celebrate Spartan Football with thousands of other Spartans this weekend!

Be Spartan Green

An Apple A Day

Fall is one of the best times of year. The crisp air, watching leaves change color, pumpkins, football season, fresh apples… it is a great luxury to be able to experience the changing of seasons. Both Michigan and New York are fantastic places to be when the weather turns cooler. Even though it may rain a significant amount of the time and you know snow is not that far away, it’s still such a relief when the heat breaks and the leaves start to fall.

One of my favorite things is biting into a crisp apple, hearing the crunch and tasting the juicy freshness. Not only do apples taste fantastic, but they can be used in so may different recipes, each variety has a distinct flavor and they are good for us!

Most apple varietys are harvested in the fall and for many people in Michigan, that means apple cider and donuts! Uncle John’s Cider Mill near St. Johns, is frequently visited by many in Mid-Michigan and I have made my fair share of visits over the years. Not long after we started dating, my husband and I drove up there one Sunday afternoon to take a walk on their paths, check out the press and enjoy some fresh cider and hot donuts. Another year, when we returned home for our annual MSU Football game, we took a few hours and drove up with my Dad to satisfy our craving. I don’t think my Dad minded too much. When we moved out here, people would give me strange looks when I would mention that this is a Fall staple. When you live in the city without a car, it’s difficult to get to an apple orchard. But one Fall we took a weekend trip up to Connecticut in part to find an apple orchard, some apple cider and donuts. We found them at a cute family run orchard just outside of Mystic. We were in Heaven! Many stands at the Union Square Farmer’s Market sell wonderfully fresh Apple Cider, but only a handful have donuts and they aren’t quite as fresh as I’m used to. But, it still works when you’re in a pinch. It’s strange that I get this fall craving for Apple Cider and donuts because I really never eat donuts the rest of the year and really, I’m completely satisfied with just one or two in the Fall. I guess it’s just one of those traditions, like watching the Spartans trudge through another Big Ten football season.
















Apple growers in Michigan have reported higher than usual harvests of Honeycrisp apples this year than in years past. This is fantastic news since Honeycrisp apples are FANTASTIC! While the variety has already hit shelves in the state, the Michigan Apple Committee believe that supplies of this juicy apple may last through the end of the year. A few of the other Michigan grown varieties available now or soon include Jonathan, Jonagold, Ida Red, and Braeburn (late October). Check out this site for more information on Michigan apples, including a list of orchards!

New York has a great apple industry as well. There are plenty of orchards around the state supplying bushels of Crispin, Ida Red, Macoun, Northern Spy, Newton Pippin (there’s an interesting story around this variety right now, I may get into that in a future post), Stayman/Winesap, and many others. Here’s a great site to check out if you’re interested in NY apples.

Both sites are great resources for cooking and storing tips, recipes, and other apple tips. Apples are great additions to any meal or a perfect snack with a little bit of peanut butter!