Sore!!

Yes, I'm sore today. I lifted weights yesterday, and I hadn't done that in 3 weeks. Then I swam this morning, then this afternoon raked 10 bags of leaves, all of which adds up to ... sore shoulders. I must be more diligent about lifting!!

I bought a beautiful bunch of alstromeria today, $3.27 + tax. Totally worth it.

Off-Season Striders: Will run from Panera South on Saturday at 7:30 AM out on the Mayowood Trail. Jean says that mileage depends on who shows up. :-) And as always, socializing afterwards.

Lost-n-Found: Pete Martin has is still holding a long-sleeve t-shirt that was left behind at one of the long RAC runs where (left behind at the aid station near McDonalds on west Mayowood trail bikepath). The shirt is Chicago Lake front marathon, or something like that. Contact Jean Murray or Pete Martin Pete if this your shirt or please pass this along if you think you might know who it belongs to.

Dan Strain posted some Whistlestop photos on his blog. I am most unphotogenic.

The next generation of my favorite running shoe (asics 2100 series) is now out. Hip, hip, hooray!! I'll have to get a pair in the near future.

I'm running the North Face Endurance Challenge half marathon (trail) on Saturday. My friend Cindy from St. Cloud is running the 50-miler, her first. I'm excited for her. She is very ready for this challenge. I think she'll rock it. We're going down on Friday and coming back late Saturday. The weather doesn't sound too wonderful, however--rain/snow combo. Yuck. I'll have to bring lots of layers.

Dinner tonight was a wild rice dish. I doctored it up a little bit.

Wild Rice Cranberry Bake

1 cup uncooked wild rice

2 1/2 c. water

1 Tbsp. butter (I used olive oil, maybe a couple tsp.)

1 medium onion, chopped

3 oz. mushrooms, sliced (1 c.)

2 1/2 c. chicken broth, heated

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1 c. dried cranberries (Craisins; I used some chopped dried apricots in place of some of the raisins; I also added some toasted pecans, freshly ground pepper and some chopped, cooked turkey)

Heat oven to 350; grease 8x8 square baking dish.

Rinse rice; heat rice and water to boiling in 2 quart saucepan, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer 30 minutes. Drain.

Melt margarine (or put olive oil in pan), cook onion and mushrooms until onion is tender. Stir as needed. Add garlic near end of cooking time so it doesn't burn. Mix wild rice and onion mixture in baking dish. Pour heated broth over the top.

Cover and bake 1 1/4 hours. Stir in cranberries (and apricots and chicken/turkey, if using); cover, and bake an additional 15-20 minutes or until liquid is absored.

Stir in toasted pecans, if using.

Also made a spinach salad. Yummy supper.

Quote for the day: "It doesn't take a lot of muscle to give the heart a lift."

Carry on.