Racing, ecstasy, and cleaning out the fridge.

Yesterday, while the rest of the country (as well as others) was sleeping in and still throwing up liquor from the night before, I got up and ran a 5k. I was having one of those mornings where my only thought was "why did I think this was a good idea?" I wasn't hungover (I didn't even drink on New Year's Eve), but I just wasn't feeling it. It was strangely warm for Massachusetts in January (about 58 degrees fahrenheit), and I'd wanted a seriously cold run. But Jake and a couple of our friends came to Salisbury with us to support me, so it wasn't the time to bow out. So I raced.

I accidentally got two personal records. My first mile was 10 minutes - this may seem long to some, but for the kid who started running in September, this was a PR. In my second mile, my back started killing me. I'm still not sure why, but it just seriously hurt. I struggled through and finished with a time of 40 minutes. This is NOT my fastest 3.1 ever, but it IS my fastest race to date. And it ended with an ocean plunge - a very cold ocean plunge. But I got a free glass for doing it, and a little bit of Budweiser (which I had no desire to drink).


(Not the best picture ever, but just goofy enough to be awesome.)

Today I gave myself the best Christmas present anyone could ever give herself. NEW RUNNING SHOES. I've been thinking about getting new ones, and after the race yesterday, I knew it was time. My feet were achey afterwards - and not just because I walked back to the car with barefeet and walked on snow with the barefeet as well (ow). It was time. Now allow me to formally present my new babies:


Aren't they beautiful? I can't wait to run tomorrow. I've been twitching ever since I bought them, but it'll have to wait till tomorrow. Sigh.

Lastly, after a linner of a-mazing sushi, we didn't get hungry till like 8 pm. I decided to make "cleaning out the fridge pasta" - i.e. some of my high protein multigrain pasta plus ALL of the vegetables in the fridge. These are all of the veggies that went in.



1.5 zucchini(s?)
1.5 green peppers
5 off the vine tomatoes
1/2 of a red onion

I cooked the veggies with a little olive oil, black pepper, a pinch of kosher salt, red pepper flakes, and a little garlic powder (for lack of real garlic) then poured it over the pasta. Then I added a little feta cheese. Yum freaking yum. SO good. Jake's response? "Wow, you weren't kidding about it being heavy on veggies." I never joke about vegetables - it's not in my herbivore nature. Anyway, this is what it looked like all together.



I'm becoming increasingly obsessed with zucchini. I have the newfound desire to add it to everything I eat - a little strange. But I suppose there are worse things to be obsessed with. Such as pizza. The past couple weeks I literally can't eat too much pizza. I'm wondering what my body is trying to tell me other than "pizza is delicious," but I'm not too concerned. I don't eat it nearly as often as I crave it.

Tomorrow I will let y'all know how the first run with the new shoes goes. I'm thinking it will be magical, but I'm trying not to get too excited about it... like that's possible. Also, back in the pool tomorrow. Hopefully all of the extra people who were there last week are back at work or something - I don't care where they go I just want them OUT OF MY WAY. My broken toe thanks you for staying out of my lane.