Happy Easter!

I hope you all had a wonderful Easter! 

Peeps, PRs & Veggie Motivation

I had a difficult time getting out of bed this morning.


Today had to be my long run day. I could not just roll over and put it off till tomorrow. It is supposed to rain and there's no way I'm running 14 miles in soaked clothes or on the treadmill.

Plus, I also had to run off these fellas from last night...


I indulged in, not two, not three, but FOUR Peep S'mores. Needless to say, they were worth every bite.

Anyway, I drove to another area of the trail today. I could not fathom doing another 14 miles on the same path. So I chose to start at mile 19 of my mapped marathon, which was in good ol' Williamsport.


I was not entirely keen on running this path since it is where I began to struggle in my failed marathon. It uncovered negative feelings. Though, I figured if I ran on this trail today, my next marathon attempt would not seem as scary when I reached this point.

Here was the view I had at my turn-around point...

Dam #5

This would have been the final destination of my marathon journey if I had completed it. Isn't it lovely?

Anyway, I tried not dwell too much on my past failures. It was too lovely out to think negatively! I finished my snack and started running back. On the way, I promised myself I would have a bowl full of veggies (what a deal, right?) with my lunch. It pushed me to run faster. What kind of motivation is that!? Veggies giving me the drive to reach the finish line? I must have been dehydrated and not thinking clearly.

It worked in my favor though. I finished 14 miles in 2:13:37, which I thought was a pretty decent time for myself. It's definitely my fastest 14 mile run. Yay for PRs! As a reward, you better believe I had my bowl of spinach, broccoli, cauliflower and carrots when I got home.


Not only did I PR on a 14 mile time, but I had a PR for most miles in a month. Without counting tomorrow's planned 7, I hit 162.97 miles today. My highest mileage prior to this was in January at 153.75.

Because of this additional achievement, I get to chill all day in my comfy slippers! Well, for some of the day anyway.


Have a great Saturday!!!

Did you have a rough time waking up this morning? What motivated you to get out of bed?

Have you ever made a Peep S'more? I would recommend it, but you may hate me for exposing you to such an addicting treat.

Any strange deals you've made with yourself during a run to get you to the finish line?

Have you had any recent PRs (Personal Records)?

Food Foto Friday!

Time to start salivating! It's Food Foto Friday!

Breakfast


I enjoyed an omelet with red bell peppers and onions. Sriracha drizzled on top is a MUST. If you have the stomach for something zesty, that stuff is the way to go! As always, I must include a grape jelly bagel on the side.

Lunch


I love me a stacked turkey and colby jack cheese sandwich. It includes pickles, onions, red peppers, spinach, and walnuts for a satisfying crunch! All on whole wheat bread. I had peas and corn on the side (not pictured). 

Dinner


If you have not yet noticed, Peter and I LOVE pizza. Our pizza this evening included pepperoni, sausage, peppers, and onions. I also top this with some sriracha. When I get to the crust, I dip it in some light ranch mixed with Frank's RedHot. Yummy!


What did you eat today?

What is included on your dream sandwich?

I Love Grocery Day!

I LOVE grocery shopping!

And I am amazed at the number of shocked expressions I receive in response. They think grocery shopping day is a chore, but I jump at the opportunity to add food to my fridge.

This is an old picture. Our fridge is an unorganized mess!

 Sure, maybe you don't like spending the money, but if you can look past prices, why wouldn't you want to add more bread to the table? A person has to eat. Why not make the meals you eat on a day to day basis something to look forward to. You can get just as excited as I do when the weekly Target grocery trip comes around.

Today, my favorite grocery items purchased were....


Carbs and sugar!!! Wooo!

...Thomas' Bagels (who doesn't love bagels?) and Peeps!

I also purchased new seeds! We now have cucumbers, tomatoes, spinach, squash, and broccoli to keep our bell peppers company. Peter and I actually potted our sprouted peppers today.



I'm very hopeful that my babies will turn into delicious produce.


Do you love grocery shopping as much as I do? If you don't, why?

What's your favorite food item to purchase?

What's growing in your garden this season?

When Life Gives You Bell Peppers...

I will not bore you with the details, but I had a dreadful day! I hate that I allow outside forces to influence my overall attitude. When the rug is suddenly pulled out from under me, I will fall on my ass and cry. I should be jumping right back up and dusting the dirt from my jeans. In reality, I sulk before I can stand again. It's something I need to work on, but I'm better than what I used to be.

Something that managed to turn my frown upside down was my run. I opted for the treadmill this evening. The weather is lovely, but I was in a bitter mood. No amount of sunshine was going to make a difference. I wanted to purely focus on the aggression that I developed and turn that into some speedy results.



I'm feeling pretty full after eating 18 seconds for dinner. Ha! I wanted to get under 45 minutes, but I can't exactly be disappointed when there's improvement on my time. Maybe I'll get it next week! *fingers crossed*

Another mood boosting event that occurred this evening involved my bell pepper seeds. Before Peter and I moved in to our house, we had every intention on having a full garden. I'm not sure if we are going to grow everything intended, but we definitely caught a glimpse of what we could have this summer.



The green bell pepper seeds we started germinating a few weeks back sprouted!!! Obviously, we have much more to do to keep them growing, but this definitely sparked excitement! I plan on getting soil and pots tomorrow! If this is the only thing we manage to grow this season, I will be satisfied! Though, I would love to see an avocado tree in our future (I have three seeds going at this time).

I never new germinating seeds would be so exciting!


When your feeling upset or angry, does running or a workout normally put you in a better mood?

Do you see better results when you have a bad day or have some pent up aggression?

Have you ever tried growing your own produce? What did you grow? Did it turn out?

Lettuce Lover & Speed Demon

Remember the snowy picture from yesterday's post?


Where did the snow go? I'm not complaining at all since I truly dislike snow. Yet, for such a mess of a storm, it melted insanely quick! Welcome back, Spring!

By the way, this week must be my week! Not only did I kill it on the maniac mile yesterday, but I did fabulous on my short run today too.



5 miles in under 46 minutes!? The last time I saw a number like that was in July (44 minutes and some change is my PR). This run even included hills at the end of every mile. What's really funny is that I've been pooped all day! I was complaining to Peter about how drained I felt and then I pull numbers like this. Now, my energy level is through the roof!!!

I've been all about one-upping myself this week. I wonder if I can push it to 45 minutes tomorrow? I almost want to skip my trail run just to challenge myself on speed for another day. Ah, choices! I get so bored on the treadmill, but I am able to push myself harder to finish faster! It will be a last minute decision, I'm sure.

Anyway, I've been such a salad freak this week. In the last 48 hours, I've had 3 salads, 2 of which were consumed today. I've been craving fresh veggies like crazy and I can make one hell of a savory salad!


This salad, which I had for lunch, contained spinach, broccoli, cauliflower, red peppers, onions, shredded mozzarella, chopped almonds, zesty Italian dressing, and AVOCADO (my favorite thing right now). Shortly following this meal, we were given catered food from Brother's Pizza. While everyone chowed down on cheese pizza, I grabbed a plate of salad. This one wasn't as magnificent as the one I made for lunch, but definitely helped satisfy my intense salad craving.

I probably would have made myself another one for lunch tomorrow if it hadn't been for us having spaghetti leftovers. I think I'll manage because the spaghetti we had for dinner tonight was delicious! Thanks Peter :).


What's your short run distance? 
Mine is 5, looking to up it to 6.

Do you try to run faster on the treadmill to avoid boredom and finish quickly?

What's your favorite salad?

Maniac Mile Monday & PMS

Good evening, friends! It's been a snowy day in Maryland, but hopefully it's the last one we will have this year.



My amazing boyfriend woke up at 6 this morning just to shovel our driveway. Who does that!? I sure wouldn't. That's why I love him though!

Anyway, it was my second week of Maniac Mile Monday (I named that on the fly), where I run 1 mile as fast as I can, hoping for a future goal of 6:30 by the end of the summer. Last week, my time was a disappointing 7:28. This week was definitely an improvement!


I ate those 11 seconds for dinner! If I can see a bit of improvement every week, even if it's just a second or two, I'll definitely hit my goal by the end of summer!

But now on to some more pressing issues...

Not really, but I did want to discuss a topic that may not be appreciated by all audiences (ahem...men). Though I feel it's definitely worth bringing up to the ladies in the crowd. This week is my dreaded PMS week. For me, I hit every symptom: mood swings, bloating, over-indulging, cramps, and then some. What I want to know is: Does your period/PMS affect your run or workout?

I'm on the fence on if my performance improves, decreases, or stays the same. Some months, I feel completely sluggish and I don't want to run at all during this time. However, there are many months I feel like I can push through anything. Those cramps are no match for me and my 15 mile run!


In fact, my 5 mile run felt great today, even with my impending period. I'm definitely bloated and irritable, but running felt like it thrived off of it and perhaps alleviated some of my PMS symptoms.What do you think?

Are you still experiencing any snow where you live? Are you ready for warm weather?

What's your fastest mile?

Do your runs or workouts get affected by your period? How so?

Fell Off the Food Wagon, Hoping Back On!

Real quick! I'm now officially www.runfrecklesrun.com! So excited I have an actual domain name! Celebrate!

There comes a point when you feel you've not been eating well. I've come to realize that this weekend. I can't say I've been terrible. Even my trainer at work had complimented my healthy habits last week. However, I just feel like I need to make an active effort to be a teeny bit more aware of what I'm putting in my mouth.



For those that know me, they know I'm generally healthy, but they also know I encourage everyone to eat their favorite foods, just as long as they portion properly and keep it to a minimum through out the week!!! I don't believe in cutting something out just because a diet book says it's bad for you. I think that immediately sets you up for a disastrous binge. I've been there and have done that. It's never made me feel good about myself.



I firmly believe you can eat "fun" (less healthy options) foods in controlled portions. It's the way to go! Also, try to keep your "fun" foods to a designated part of your week. Don't help yourself every day. I personally to keep my "fun" foods to 2 days out of the week. I'm not making those options apart of every meal either. The past week, I have fallen off the 2 day guideline, but I am ready to hop back on!!!

Anyway, enough food talk! Today, I ran 7 miles on the trail. I dedicated 1.5 miles to ChiRunning and 1 mile to speed work. Implementing those two practices make my run more interesting. The speed work gives me an extra challenge and it works new muscles in my legs. ChiRunning helps with my form and mentality. The last half of any run has really become a struggle for me, but when I start alternating between Chi and speed, it helps those last few miles fly by!


How often do you find yourself falling from your good eating habits?

Do you allow yourself your favorite foods or do you completely ban them?

Do you alternate between different practices during your runs to keep them interesting?

Buffalo Chicken Pizza

I love pizza. You love pizza. Let's make some pizza!

I am pretty confident in the pizzas I've made myself so I thought I'd share the recipe for the pizza I had this evening. I have yet to find a pizza crust that beats this one. I'd like to find a great whole wheat recipe, but for now, regular flour it is! Now, if you want to prepare this pizza like Peter and I do, you'll also have to start the chicken the night before. Everything is explained...

Buffalo Chicken Pizza
Pizza Crust Recipe




Ingredients (Yields One 14-16in Pizza Crust)
  • 1 pkg Yeast
  • 1 Cup Warm Water
  • 2.5 Cups Flour
  • 2 Tbsp Olive Oil
  • 1 tsp Sugar
  • 1 tsp Salt
Directions
  1. In a large mixing bowl, add package of yeast. Stir in warm water until yeast dissolves.
  2. Add flour, olive oil, sugar, and salt, beat until ingredients fully mixed. (I like to use my hands for this step)
  3. Let dough rise for 1-2 hours. (You could probably lessen the time frame, but I wouldn't recommend it).
  4. Add flour to hands and pizza pan surface (pizza stones are great!). Press or roll out dough to desired size and thickness. *Keep in mind the dough rises nicely!*
  
Pizza Recipe



Ingredients (Serves 6-8)
  • 1/2 lb Skinless Chicken Breast
  • 1/2 Cup Frank's RedHot Buffalo Sauce
  • 1-14 oz Jar of Classico Fire Roasted Pizza Sauce or any preferred pizza sauce (we were lazy to make our own but this stuff is delicious!)
  • 1 Cup Shredded Mozzarella Cheese
  • 1/2 Small Onion, Chopped
  • 1/4 Red Bell Pepper, Chopped
Directions
****If you chose to marinate chicken overnight (recommended!), cut chicken into cubes, adding to large Ziplock bag. Add buffalo sauce to bag. (We also added seasoned salt and garlic powder to our liking).****
  1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
  2. In a sauce pan, add chicken, buffalo sauce, and seasonings of choice to sauce pan. Cook on medium high until chicken fully cooked through. Drain excess sauce (unless you want extra on your pizza!)
  3. With pizza crust already prepared, spoon on pizza sauce (you may only find yourself using half the jar).
  4. Sprinkle on cheese, onions, peppers, and chicken.
  5. Bake for 20-25 minutes.

Days Of Our Lives

Typically, you will not hear me discuss anything work-related in this blog. But it does take up a HUGE chunk of my life so there may be times, like today, that I bring it up.

Currently, I'm training for a new position within my company and our facilitator wanted to do an ice breaker with us (even though we all know each other). The activity was called "Days of Our Lives". Simply, we were given a piece of paper and were asked to draw am average day of our life. Afterwards, we were to switch our paper with others, leaving them to tell the story of our day. My drawing is below....

I make myself flat chested, even in drawings!


If I had an hour to do this as opposed to 10-15 minutes, it would've been a little more thought out.

Today, I shortened my long run to a little over 12 miles today. I know, so short, right? I just figured I should shave off just a couple of miles to save myself from the exhaustion I experienced last week. I ultimately do not want my runs to become a chore or something difficult and painful. Lessening my mileage today should help my overall attitude and energy level for the week.

During my last mile, since I did take it nice and slow, I played with speeds. I picked a tree to sprint to, then I picked another tree to jog to and cycled through till I reached my car. It was challenging, but it felt great! A big goal I want to achieve over the next year is improving my speed. I've got distance in the bag (other than the marathon mile marker), but distance isn't enough for me. I used to be faster, not by too much, but seeing my times grow instead of shrink hurts my running ego.

I do have a book Runner's World: Run Less, Run Faster, but I wanted to finish ChiRunning first. Form is more important right now, not speed.

Anyway, I have a big day ahead and must not lounge for too long! Have a great Saturday!!!


If you were to draw or explain a day of your life, what would it consist of? Pictures are welcome!!!

How long is your "long run"? Did you do it today? Do you do "long-short runs"? Ha.
-Today was a long-short run for me. My ideal long run would be anywhere from 13-16 miles.

What is your primary focus or goal in running? Speed? Distance?

Food Foto Friday

Happy Friday!!!

If you love food as much as I do and celebrate Fridays with delicious meals, then you may (or may not) appreciate this post! Since I don't run on Fridays, I don't have too much to discuss other than the food I stuff myself. I gotta have sufficient fuel to make those long runs happen on Saturday mornings!

So without further ado, here are the main courses of my day!

I always think the bagel halves look like eyes


Like most Fridays, I want to start my day off right with eggs in any form. Whether it's omelets, scrambled, sunny-side up, raw (kidding), I must have eggs. Today, I opted for scrambled, adding sharp cheddar cheese with red peppers and onions. Once complete, I topped them with some Sriracha. I don't think I could eat eggs for breakfast without hot sauce. I always pair my eggs with a bagel. The type varies. This morning I chose a whole wheat bagel with grape jelly.

It's appetizing, trust me!

For lunch, I prepared myself a chicken wrap. Usually, I grab something quick on Friday, like a Lean Cuisine, but since I'm currently in training at work, I don't know when I'll have access to a microwave.

The tortilla itself is whole wheat. I added mustard and sriracha. Then, I pile on sliced carrots, onions, peppers, and dill pickles. Next, I used an all-natural chicken breast patty. On top, I added spinach, shredded cheddar and chopped almonds. I had a strawberry cheesecake yogurt on the side.

I was beyond excited for dinner....


CHIPOTLE! It's been a while since I've been there, but Peter lost a bet and owed me a burrito bowl. Mine included brown rice, chicken, veggies, pinto beans, green-chili salsa, cheese, and lettuce. The picture above was actually my leftovers so I have plenty more to plow through! Yay!

The one food item that was not included on this list was a dark chocolate Snickers bar for a snack. Delicious!


What did you eat today? 

Do you normally eat larger meals prior to your long run days?

Have you ever had Chipotle? If so, do you prefer burritos, bowls, or tacos?

Cookie Dough Ice Cream & My Leopard Slippers

When it comes to my two weekly days of rest, I never complain that I'm not running! I take full advantage of laziness and a healthy (not so much) serving of calories. After my exhaustion kick this week, I know I needed these days.

So I put on my Snooki's Leopard Print Slippers....


....and indulged in some chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream.


I NEVER buy ice cream at the grocery store. However, it's been calling my name from the Target freezer aisle for quite some time. Gaze into the creamy, cookie dough sweetness!



It's not my healthiest choice, but hey, it's okay to have some overly processed "frozen dairy dessert."

Rest Day 2 (tomorrow) is going to be a lot more interesting. I'm sure my blog post will be more food pictures than actual words tomorrow. I'll call it Food Foto Friday. Stay tuned!

Does it ever freak you out that it's not actually called "ice cream" but "frozen dairy dessert"?

Do you indulge on your "off days"?
-I only take 2 rest days, but I usually have indulgences 3 out of 7 days in the week, whether it's a big meal one day, some drinks another, a sugary dessert one evening...or a mixture of all 3 :)

What's your food related guilty pleasure?
-Mine is ice cream and Nutella.



Pizza is Motivation Enough

After clocking out from work, I went to Peter's office, moaning about how I truly did not want to run today. Like any time I lack motivation, he says, "You want to run! Once you get out there, you're going to love it." Peter tries to further convince me, mentioning how nice the weather is and how it's a beautiful day for a trail run. This does not make a difference to my attitude.

Like yesterday, I was still exhausted and cranky, but somehow, I was able to find strength to make it to the trail. During the drive, I made up a song about my lack of motivation and how crazy I was for not just staying home.

Once I parked, I knew I had to just get 'er done.

I only somewhat posed for this picture. I legit had a hard time getting out of my car.
Fortunately, I was able to gather up what little desire I had left to run and hit the trail.

The first half was brutal. I was tired within the first mile. Though, I managed to make it 2.5 miles before turning around. I knew something had to change at that point to make it back in one piece. So I put all I knew about ChiRunning into play.

I focused on my feet first, knowing that they had to simply fall limp. The tension was really killing my ankes. They felt like they were on fire! Once I managed to relax my feet, "peeling" them as Danny Dreyer calls it, I felt immediate relief. Next, I slowly began tilting my body forward, letting my legs circle behind me. Suddenly, my hips began to loosen up. It was almost scary how I was taking a break from my run, even though I was still going at it.

What was even scarier....


...that's the best 5 mile running time I've had in months. In fact, that's probably the best 5 mile running time I have on the trail period. Though, some of my speed may have came from knowing there was pizza waiting for me at home, which is why I decided to all out sprint during the last quarter mile. Totally worth it too because that pizza was delicious!


What gets you through what feels like an impossible run?

Have you ever felt like you had the worst run ever, but ended with an amazing time?

Does food ever motivate you to finish a run strong? If so, what food?

Hungry, Tired, and Cranky!

I'm completely off my a-game. I'm exhausted, moody, and wanting to eat everything in site (not PMS, surprisingly). I should probably take an extra rest day this week, but I'm far too stubborn. I'm not injured, so why not keep running? Terrible idea, I know, but I'm sure I'd be far crankier if I didn't run.

Do you really want this cranky chick in your presence all day?

Anyway, it was a lovely 50+ degrees out. I original planned to do a treadmill run, but I opted for the trail and did 5 miles instead.

C&O Canal!

I began my run thinking I'd complete 6 or 7 miles, but my body was not having it. I also forgot my headphones. First world problems, right? What is it about music that helps with running? My pace doesn't necessarily change whether I have music or not. Though, I do feel much more focused and energized with noise blasting in my ears.

Once I returned home from the trail, I was starved! Actually, I was hungry far before I even began my run. I recently had increased my daily meals to 6 and now I'm wondering if I should be having 7. Over the past month or two, I've actually dropped a few pounds. I don't need to lose weight. I'm pretty satisfied with what it currently is. Three months ago, I was 5 pounds heavier and happy. I have to take control before I lose more.

But speaking of food and weight, I am going to go indulge in my favorite snack: Rice cakes, peanut butter, and bananas! Maybe some chocolate too. ;-)


Do you have trouble committing to an extra rest day because of exhaustion? Or do you attempt pushing through?


Is it an absolute must for you to run with music?

How many meals do you eat a day?

2 Rounds of Running and Dumbbell Hell!

I know for a fact that it wasn't this cold in March last year. It definitely was not snowing either. Though, snow and cold don't bother me too much anymore ever since I got my treadmill.


 I would still opt for a trail run though. The same view out the window can get pretty boring.  I can't wait till we get a shelf built so I can utilize the laptop for entertainment when I'm stuck indoors.

After my 5 mile run, I did some strength training. I truly dislike anything that has to do with  dumbbells, kettle bells, or using my own body weight to build muscle. I never have motivation to do it. I must have enough to at least complete my workout as planned, but it really is a task to get me started. As a runner, I know that building muscle and strength has it's benefits, but I still hate it when it's weight time. Wish there was another way.

Anyway, not long after I finished Dumbbell Hell, I came back for round 2 of running (this is the first time I completed 2 running sessions in one day! Obsession!!!!). This time, I decided to run as fast as I could for 1 mile.

I wasn't entirely happy with my results.


Just this past summer, I was able to do a mile in under 7 minutes. Maybe I was slow because I had already run 5 miles for the day. Maybe it was because my muscles were tired from strength training. Regardless, I'm going to attempt a fast mile at least once a week. Just not on days I do more than 7 miles or have strength training. My ultimate goal is a 6 minute mile. However, if I can get it down to 6:30 by the end of summer, I'll be happy.


What do you do to entertain yourself on a treadmill run? Do you listen to music, watch TV, count your steps...?

Do you strength train at least once or twice a week? How much time do you devote to it? Do you like it?

What's your fastest mile time?

Drink Recipe for Saint Patrick's Day

If you know me personally, then you know what my favorite alcoholic beverage to make is. If you are going to celebrate Saint Patrick's Day tonight, then ask your bartender to make you an Irish Trashcan! Or if you are staying home, here is the recipe for one of these potent, but tasty, drinks.



The Irish Trashcan

Ingredients
  •  Ice
  • 1 oz Vodka
  • 1 oz Rum (we prefer clear rum, like Capt Morgan Silver)
  • 1 oz Gin (Amsterdam or Bombay Sapphire is my preference)
  • 1 oz Peach Tree
  • 1 oz Triple Sec
  • 1 oz Blue Curacao 
  • 8 oz Can of Red Bull (I always go with Red Bull Zero)
Directions
  1. In a cocktail shaker, combine alcoholic ingredients with ice cubes, shake vigorously. 
  2. In a tall glass filled 1/3 with ice, pour in shaken alcohol.
  3. Open your Red Bull Can less than half way and turn upside down into glass, allowing Red Bull to fill glass. Gravity will do the rest. Should not overfill.
  4. Add straw and enjoy!

Hangover/St Patty's Day Run

I attempted the "hangover" run as I mentioned in yesterday's post.

It was cloudy, but the sunglasses seemed completely necessary

It wasn't bad as I sure looked. I'm not sure what my fastest 7 mile trail time is, but it went quite smoothly and with no increased effort due to the alcohol binge. I also focused on my ChiRunning form for 2 miles out of the entire run. I'm getting better!

Now, to last night, which was a BLAST!

Some of my favorite girls: Ashley, Me, Bethany, and my sister, Ashley.


We had our Saint Patrick's Day Party and it was a great success! Everyone drank, ate, played games, and more. Oh, how I wish every weekend could play out like this. Minus my food binge. There were so many delicious snack foods. My personal favorite were the cheesy stuffed peppers my friend, Misty made. Also, Ashley's husband, Ben made amazing mint brownies. I must harass them for the recipe!

Peter and I contributed a few things ourselves, like the famous Buffalo Chicken Dip. If you've never tried/made it, you can find a recipe on any Frank's RedHot bottle. Like always, our recipe is different. Here's our variation.


Buffalo Chicken Dip

Ingredients
  • 1 Cup Chicken (recipe calls for canned, we used fresh chicken breast)
  • 8 oz of Softened Cream Cheese (we used one regular and one with 1/3 less fat)
  • 1/2 Cup Ranch Dressing (we used the light)
  • 1/2 Cup Frank's RedHot
  • 1/2 Cup Mozzarella Cheese



Directions
  1.  If you are using fresh chicken, cut chicken into cubes and cook on an oiled skillet. Cook until middle is no longer pink.
  2. In a large bowl, combine cream cheese, ranch dressing, Frank's RedHot,  mozzarella cheese, and chicken. Stir until creamy.
  3. Pour ingredients into a Crock-Pot and set to low. Once cheese is melted and the dip is warm, you may enjoy! (We prefer leaving in for 2-4 hours, allowing the chicken to sop up the flavors).

You can enjoy this with crackers, pretzels, by itself...we always choose to serve with the Tostitos Multi-Grain Scoops. We have never ended a party with leftovers of this so it's also nice to double the recipe, which is what we did for our party.


Have you celebrated St. Patrick's Day yet? Have any good eats/treats/drinks?

 What is your ultimate must-have party food? Post the recipe if you'd like!

Does Drinking Improve Performance?!

I changed my running schedule all around to avoid rain and the treadmill. Today is a planned rest day because they were calling for precipitation in the morning AND there hasn't been any. It is taking everything inside of me not to run. I know I need to rest. I ran 23 miles a week ago and I only took a day off. A DAY! Though, I am a running addict and when I don't do it, it's like withdraw from drugs (not that I would know what that's like).

I don't know how to avoid feeling like a slug on a rest day.

My boyfriend loves to take pictures of me when I'm passed out


Although your body needs days off from intense exercise, I still feel like a couch potato...especially after a night of binging on Skittles and Starburst Jelly Beans. I guess I'll make up for it tomorrow. But if it ends up raining tomorrow morning when it's NOT supposed to, I'm going to be ticked! I really want to get another trail run in before Monday gets here.

I'm also going to have to work off my Irish drinking binge that's going down tonight.

The Irish Trashcan!


I find that I run better after a night of drinking. There are actually studies that say a few drinks the night before enhance a woman's running performance.

...Runners were given beer to drink until the alcohol level in their system measured 70 milligram alcohol per 100 milligram blood (for most individuals that came down to drinking four beers). The next morning the subjects were asked to participate in the ‘The exhaustion run’ and run at 80 percent of their ability for as long as possible. Quickly, scientists found that the five women had a much better ‘running time’ after drinking beer the night before.

You can read the full article HERE. Runner's World also discusses the same study HERE. So ladies, when you have that Green Beer this weekend, remember, you're more likely to improve your morning run. :o)


What do you do on your rest days? Do they make you feel like a tub of lard?

Have you ever done a "hangover" run or run after a night of drinking? Was it harder, easier, etc?

Busy Little Irish Bee!

I must apologize for my lack of post yesterday, but like any day I skip, it's because I become super busy after work!

Yesterday, Peter and I had to immediately run errands once we both clocked out. Mine was simply a liquor run (BIG surprise) and Peter had to get some gadgets to finish building our bookshelf. It's been a high priority project since we moved in. We haven't been able to fully unpack until the bookshelf was completed. So I sorta helped him put the boards together that he himself sanded, stained, and glossed.

Now we have PLENTY of space for more than just books.



I wish I had before pictures of this room prior to the unpacking process. It was covered in boxes. There was only enough room for Peter's desk and my treadmill. Now that we have the bookshelf and devoted a few hours reorganizing books and unpacking stuff to put on it, we have very few boxes left to deal with. By the end of it, I was happy to hit the bed.

This morning, despite my original plan of 10-12 miles, I took a 14 mile trail run.



For one, I missed running outside as I had spent Monday-Wednesday on the treadmill. Two, why the heck not!? It did give me plenty of time to ChiRun, which was very interesting, to say the least. When I attempt to run as they instruct, I end up running faster with the same or less effort. Not sure if I'm doing it right, but it felt right. Does that count?

I was plenty exhausted afterwards. Yet, for being so lethargic, I was still able to grocery shop, make dinner, clean, AND make jello shots for our St Patty's Day Party tomorrow.


Lookin' tasty! They smell even better! I have to celebrate my Irish Heritage and making these seemed very appropriate!


How long did it take you to fully move into your current home or apartment?

Did you do a long run today? Was it on a trail, treadmill, or road?

Do you celebrate St. Patrick's Day? Do you make sure to wear your green?
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