Run.Eat.Drink. Two Out of Three Ain't Bad.

Well, it was actually Walk.Eat.Drink. followed by a one mile run. But it was a FUN walk!! Dave Duncan agreed to be my walking buddy.

I think the order in the photo below, left to right, is Annette, Dave, me (looks like I have one arm) and Erin.

We walked 2.75 miles. And did lots of laughing. : ) We probably averaged about 14-15 minute pace, but at times we were moving at a pretty good clip. Pace is in the lower left.

And ... I am still undecided about Sunday. I know I can cover the distance with a walk/run, but it also would be fun to be on the sidelines cheering for everyone doing the 10-mile ... cuz they'll all finish before me. Decisions, decisions.

There was a pretty good crowd at The Den tonight.

And food and fun inside afterwards.

A couple more RSVPs for OSS on October 9 ... Pete Martin and Marilee. Remember ... you are welcome to come even if you don't RSVP but I just want to get a handle on how much food I will need. So come on out!!

I got this bike route map from Dave Halloway, who works at Bicycle Sports. It's a route to/from Lake City. I don't know ... with all the problems with flooding and road closures, this might not work for tomorrow.

But ... maybe.

I sucked one of Eric's socks into the vacuum cleaner this afternoon (he really should pick up after himself) and in the process, broke the belt on my vacuum.

After R.E.D. I stopped to get a belt. But I hadn't brought the old one with me and got one slightly too small. I'll have to try again tomorrow. With the old one in hand.

I almost forgot ... this morning's workout was 2 hours on the Stairmaster. Went better than Tuesday.

Still awaiting news of the arrival of the little Schmitt Princess. :-) (Jessica and Mike's baby is due date-5 today ...)

Until tomorrow, sweet dreams.

Another Beauty ...

Another beauty of a day today. The clear blue sky, beautiful autumn colors, pleasant temps ... it doesn't get much better than this in the fall in Minnesota. It should be spectaular weather for the Twin Cities events on Sunday. If I were running the marathon, it would be my ideal weather (30'ish). Still undecided about TC10 ... of the 6 people I've heard from or talked to in the last 24 hours, 4 say run it. 2 say bag it. Still don't know what to do, but you will find out on Sunday afternoon!! It will be a great evening for a walk in Byron with Team R.E.D. Just finished making cookies. Cookie production has slowed the last 6 weeks. But it hasn't come to a screeching halt either.

Speaking of Team R.E.D. I registered for the Living History Farms 7 mile race on November 20. Tom O' is gathering the names of people interested in hopping on a bus for the ride down to IA and back. The bus holds 55 and the last I'd heard from Tom, 16 were on board already. Registration opened at midnight and it fills. If you're running (and you can run for the team ... choose Team RED when registered) and want to ride the bus, give a shout out to Tom O'. What a hoot this little adventure will be.

Back to yesterday's ride.

Here's a link to a map MapMyRide - Renee's 54-miler in Rochester, MN and here's a snapshot of the map and the elevation chart. I don'[t know what's up with those mileage markets. There's no way that route is less than 11 miles!! Click on the link and you should get the correct mile markers. The roughte is 54+ miles.

Not exactly flat. And as you can see, I live on top of a hill. : ) I went through Byron at 4:14 PM ...

I spotted the last couple runners from the Byron CC team heading back to the high school after practice. After almost 30 miles of heading basically into the WNW wind, I finally turned SE just south of Pine Island. What a relief. I get tired of fighting all the wind we have here. There's a flat stretch on County 3, before the intersection with County 12, that is probably one of my favorite stretches to ride in Olmsted County. Especially when the wind is a tail wind. (This shot was tricky ... one hand on the bars, looking through my viewfinder on my phone and not at the road ... I took about 5 before I got a clear one. Yikes.)

And one of my least favorite stretches for some reason, even with a tail wind, is the section of County 3 south of Douglas to Valley High Drive. No rumble strips (yet). Just don't like it and I'm not sure why. After getting to Valley High I went west again staying on County 3 and then south to Salem Corners (hilly, but generally downhill I think) and then home. Made it home in time to clean up, make my salad and get to Kathryn's for book club at 7:00. With time to spare. : ) A good ride. I'm thinking about a long ride tomorrow ... possibly to Lake City. I'll keep you posted.

I just have to post this sentence from a recent email (sender shall remain anonymous). It made my day. "I've been reading your blog.  I still don't get it, but it does have  a soap opera effect.  You keep tuning in the next day to see what's new. " : )

Well, I must close. I have some bathrooms that need cleaning ...

Later.

Beautiful!

Just got home from book club and thought I'd do a quick post before going to bed. The book was Half the Sky about the plight of women around the world. I did not read the book. There was lots of discussion. And lots of good food. :-) I'll post more photos tomorrow.

There was a nice article in the Post-Bulletin last night about Ed and Peggy running TCM for their animal friends. Two VERY nice people. :-)

Workouts today: AM brought lifting (and too much talking!) at the Y followed by an hour swim. PM brought a 54.67 mile bike ride.

A beautiful day for late September. I left in mid afternoon (I just had to get a nap in) and allowed myself enough time to ride 50 miles before I needed to get home to change and make a salad and a plate of goodies for book club.

Guess what? I had 6 minutes 2 seconds to spare and got in an extra 4.67 miles (total of 54.67). I'll post my route tomorrow, but basically it was Salem Corners, Byron, Pine Island, Byron, Salem Corners and home. Windy, but there's nothing I could do about that. There's an interesting sign on County 5 just south of Pine Island.

I might go back and check it out. $4 for a bag of apples seems like a pretty good deal. :-)

Getting more RSVPs for OSS on 10/9 ... Tom O, Dave D, Dave P, Kathy T, John S, Jean M. ...

After a hiatus I am going to drop in on Team R.E.D. tomorrow at the Bear's Den. Dave D. said he will walk with me, but only if I promise to NOT RUN as he's tapering for the marathon on Sunday. I gave him my promise!! So ... walk we will, Dave. :-)

It's late and I'm tired. AGAIN. I'll talk at you more tomorrow. G'night!

Beauty of a Day

What a beautiful fall day it was! I started my day with 2 hours on the Stairmaster. My legs were TIRED so it was a tough workout. But I got it done. About 5:00 PM I ran down to the hills/track to see who was there. Dawn was running the hills and ...

Tom O' and Lori were running the track.

Tom Woo arrived a short time later to do some speedwork. Tom O' ran for the hills after doing some trash talking with Woo re: TC10. If Woo beats O'Leary, Woo buys lunch. If O'Leary beats Woo, Woo buys lunch. :-) There were some emails exchanged yesterday about some sandwiches under the seat in Woo's car ... I don't think that's considered "buying lunch!"

Slow but sure I got in 5.01 miles. Tom O' said that he could see I am getting fat. :-) Tomorrow: lift and swim in the am. Long bike ride in the pm.

I'm still unsure about TC10. Yesterday I'd have said I was going to bag it. Today I'm pondering the idea of a walk/run ... just take my time and enjoy the day. I'm sure I'll change my mind several times between now and Sunday. My race number is 11109. I'm in corral 1. I was last year as well, and it's a great place to be. It wasn't crowded at all and I was immediately on pace ... didn't have to weave around a bunch of people before finding others running my pace. However, this year if I run/walk I'll be passed by thousands of people before being surrounded by those going my pace. I just don't know what to do. For kicks and giggles I went back to see what last year's time and splits were: 1:09:45 and splits of 6:34 6:41 6:58 6:43 7:01 7:08 (hill) 7:07 (hill) 6:54 7:05 6:50. It was the race of my life. 2nd out of 251 in my age group (45-49). 41/3543 females. 226/5797 overall. Maybe next year.

Some of you might know Larry Pederson (long hair, ZZ Topp-like beard, not the clean cut Larry Pederson of Rochester fame) of Zumbro Falls who's the race director for this past weekend's In Yan Teopa 10 mile trail race in Frontenac as well as the Superior Trail races. Their house was devastated by the floods of last week. There is an article in the Post-Bulletin about him. I feel terrible for their loss, as well as everyone who lost their homes in the floods.

I stopped by Rochester Cycling & Fitness today after work. Skirt Sports attire is 50% off (though there's not much left in size small if that's what you're looking for) and all clothing, socks, gloves and shoes are 20% off. I don't know how long the sale lasts. I picked up some "lobster" gloves and leg warmers (so I can continue to wear shorts with the warmers and don't have to buy tights!).

I picked up a My Panera card within the last couple of weeks. It's like a frequent flyer/buyer card. You accumulate points with your purchases and get something free every now and then including your birthday ... (Jacki Devine from St. Cloud emailed me today ... we share a birthday!). I registered mine online today and just for doing that you get a free sweet of your choice. I was at HyVee so I went next door and got a cinnamon roll. I tore off a bite-sized piece but didn't care much for it. Not worth the calories so I don't think I'll finish it. Should have chosen something different. Live and learn.

Got my teeth cleaned today (and no cavities :-) I love that smooth feeling of freshly scraped and polished teeth. :-)

I saw this recipe in the Penzey's Spices catalog. It sounds delicious, and healthy. Sometimes these bars are just loaded with oil.

Granola Bars
Judy says, “This recipe is great for using leftover fruit or nuts or whatever is in season.”

2 Cups old-fashioned or instant oats, uncooked
1 Cup flour
2⁄3 Cup dried cherries/blueberries/craisins/raisins
1⁄2 Cup chopped almonds/pecans/walnuts
3⁄4 Cup packed light brown sugar
1⁄2 Cup toasted wheat germ
3⁄4 Cup ground flaxseed meal
1 TB. chopped CRYSTALLIZED GINGER (optional)
1 tsp. CINNAMON
1⁄2 tsp. salt
1⁄4 Cup vegetable oil
1⁄2 Cup honey
2 Cups finely chopped apples or pears (optional)
2 tsp. PURE VANILLA EXTRACT
1 large egg

Preheat oven to 350°. Grease very well (or spray with non-stick spray) a 9x13 metal baking pan. Glass works, but the bars are a bit harder to cut. In a large bowl, using a spoon, mix together the oats, flour, dried fruit, nuts, brown sugar, wheat germ (if using), cinnamon and salt until well-combined. Stir in the oil, honey, apples or pears (if using), VANILLA and egg until blended. Get your hand damp and use it to pat the mixture into the baking dish. Bake at 350° for 25-30 minutes or until the edges turn pale golden. Cool completely in the dish on a wire rack. When cool, cut into 12, 18 or 24 pieces. Wrap the pieces in plastic wrap or foil and put in zip-top bags and freeze. To eat, unwrap, place on a microwave-safe plate and thaw at high for 1 minute.

I have one R.S.V.P for O.S.S. (Off-Season Striders) at my house at 7:30 on Saturday morning, Oct. 9. Nacho!! RSVPs aren't required, but it would be nice to have a general idea of how many to cook for. If it's like other years, it'll be 35-40. Email me if you're thinking about coming. All are welcome whether or not you run!! Future dates: October 16 (Panera South), October 23 (Dunn Bros. on Elton Hills Dr) and October 30 (Brothers--my personal favorite).

Let's hope the Twinkies can pull out a win this evening. They're in a mini-slump of sorts. Go Twins.

Good night.

Tri As I Might ...

I completed a triathlon of sorts today. It started with lifting at the Y followed by a one hour swim. Then late afternoon a 31.25 mile bike ride (windy from the SW). Then about 8:00 this evening a 5.27 mile "run" (my pace is hardly a "run" but I'll take what I can get). This was the best I've felt running in the last 5 weeks. If I was really ambitious I'd get on the Stairmaster, but I'm not that ambitious. : ) Came home and stretched and iced.

I rode through Rock Dell. Sometime I'm going to check out this creamery. They sell some dairy products.

Twelve of us River Runners (Anita,Linda, Renee, Molly, Jason, Rick, Paul, Shannon, Wanda, Buddy, Jackie, Val) are dining at La Cucina Di Nonna Rosa's Ristorante (Nonna Rosa's for short) on Saturday evening. Should be fun!! Bloggable for sure. Lots of people from Rochester are running either the 10 mile or the marathon as well. There will be lots of familiar faces on the course.

One of my River Runner friends, Lisa, had a nice article in the St. Cloud Times. It's about training. Read it here.

I went to Sam's Club after work. They're remodeling and stuff has been moved around. My purchases ... totally healthy. Totally delicious.

John Shonyo has been working on the Lace-Up half marathon route. Here's the latest incarnation: Lace-Up Half.

I tried a new recipe for dinner tonight. A Cooking Light recipe called Golden Corn Salad with Fresh Basil. Very good. Very easy. Potatoes, fresh corn, cherry tomatoes, red bell pepper, salad greens/basil and a dressing containing shallots, white balsamic vinegar, olive oil, s/p.

Delish! And healthy. That and some honeydew melon and strawberries and a slice of whole wheat bread with plum jam ... fab.u.lous.

I'll leave the rest for tomorrow. Time to hit the hay. Good night!!

Finally ... A Win!!

And they're now 1 - 2 on the season. The Vikes beat the Lions 24-10 at the dome today. Eric and I met up with Tod and Mitch Belrichard between the 5 and 10 yard lines in row 6. Good seats!!

Tod, Mitch, Eric and I

Even the walk from the parking ramp was interesting. The tailgating was more intense that I could possibly have imagined.

The Vikings entered the field with a literal bang. Favre, of course, got lots of cheers.

 It was yet another sellout crowd. 63,000+ loud, cheering, purple-clad fans in attendance.

 And the cheerleaders, of course.

It was fun to see the players up close on our end of the field.

Adrian Peterson had the longest run of his career.

It was a fun afternoon, and fun to finally get that first win of the season. : )

Matt rode in his first bike race yesterday. I can't remember the name of it, but it took place east of Alma, WI and was 50 miles. He said it had 3 climbs about the equivalent of Garvin Heights and he rode it in 2 hrs 35 minutes and was happy with that. I am very proud of him!!

The Section 1A is taking place Thursday, October 28 at Northern Hills golf course. John Resman is the meet director and is looking for volunteers. You need to be there about 3:30 for 2 hours. I've helped him out for many years at the finish line doing tear tags. It's a lot of fun (especially if it's not raining : ) And I will be there again this year. If you would like to help out, you can email John.

Several of my St. Cloud River Runner friends ran in Akron, OH this weekend. And they ran VERY well. Check out their results on the River Runner website.

I'm most likely not going to run TC10 next weekend. I could probably walk/run the distance, but my time would be a total embarassment. But I'm going to road trip it in any case. My St. Cloud friend Anita has a room and Anita, Val, Shannon and I will be sharing it. I'll be going to dinner with all of them (there are others racing as well, staying separately) and cheering for all my friends, from St. Cloud and Rochester, if I'm not running. Cheering for the marathoners in either case. It will be fun no matter what I decide to do.

Well, I'm absolutely beat today and feel the need for sleep. Good night.

Gone

Well ... it finally fell off. First toenail I've ever lost, though I have 3 other pretty nasty looking ones (including the one right next the one that fell off).

Off to the Vikings game today. Go Vikes!! They better win this one ...

Later.

Gross. Me. Out.

This ...

is how my toenail looks right now. And it's grossing me out. It's hanging my literally a thread. But I just can't yank the darn thing off ...

This morning brought a 5 mile walk/run (more walk than run) but that's OK. Also a swim. Hammie was pretty sore. It feels much better when I am consistent about icing and stretching. But being consistent is proving to be hard for me. Maybe I should just set my sights on Boston 2011 and hope for the best ...

This afternoon I made some bread. In one loaf I added some diced Asiago cheese. It was DELISH.

Also made some pesto pasta with fresh and frozen veggies ...

and a salad of course. :-)

Guess that's about it. I wonder if Team R.E.D. is swimming or running tonight ... ??

Toodles.