Thankful Thursday: Gear & Goodies!

1. Having this week off. It couldn't have come at a better time. I'm LOVING waking up sans-alarm and enjoying my morning tea while watching the Today show.  And being able to run in the daylight.  Amazing.

2.  New running socks. 

Thanks, Secret Santa!

3. No Pudge Fudge Brownies. 2 Tbsp brownie mix with 1 Tbsp yogurt (I prefer Stonyfield Fat-Free French Vanilla), microwave for 1 min. DONE! Single serve, fat-free 120 calorie chocolate heaven.

4. Woolies. They keep my noggin warm, cover my messy hair & come in the cutest styles! While I like most any winter hat, I have an obsession with Curly Hair Conspiracy, made with love by my dear friend Lauren.  :)

5. My Moving Comfort sports bra.  A bad bra will very quickly ruin any run, so this quality sports bra is a staple for me.  It holds everything in, has adjustable straps & is super comfortable.  It's a little pricier than some sports bras, but trust me-it's totally worth every penny!

I'm also thankful for you readers, and encourage you to take a minute and think about what you're thankful for today! Cheers!

Goals for 2012

With only 3 days left in 2011, I'm starting to focus on what's coming up in 2012.  2011 has been an incredible year for me, and despite some craziness, I am truly happy in my life and excited about all that is to come.  So I'm setting myself up for another year of happiness & health with these goals to keep me on track:


1. Set a new 5K PR.  Aiming for under 28:30.
2. Run my first half marathon.  (This should be accomplished on March 24, 2012!)
3. FINALLY take a spinning class. Or a bunch of them really...
4. Complete another FUN run! (RunAmuck, ToughMudder, Great Urban Race, etc).
5. Run a race for charity.  Because of my love for MJF, I'm leaning toward TeamFox, but there are SO many deserving teams out there!

And my one very important, non-fitness-related goal:

1. Graduate from my internship & GET A JOB! :)

Let's do this, 2012! 

A Healthy, Happy Holiday!

Here's hoping you all had a healthy & happy holiday weekend!  I know I sure did! 

Dad and I started our weekend off right with a nice 5-mile run along the Rail Trail in Poughkeepsie on Christmas Eve.  Dad ran in these super fun Christmas socks!

An elf...? Or just Dad?

This was followed by an entire day of eating. And the Giants/Jets game, of course.  We went out to both breakfast and dinner on Christmas Eve.  I did my best to make healthy choices with an egg white omelette, fruit & a corn muffin at breakfast.  Dinner was tough at an Italian restaurant, but I'll consider my giant pasta dish carb-loading for the Christmas day run! :)

Christmas Day started out with another run...about 4 miles this time!  Then it was time for more food & a few gifts!  Although Rocky probably deserved coal this year, Santa left him some nice toys in his stocking!

Although we "cancel" Christmas, we do still draw one name for a Secret Santa gift! Thanks to my Not-So-Secret Santa, I now have some awesome new running socks, gloves & hats! Couldn't ask for anything better than that! :)

My SIL went a little overboard with the amount of food, but it was all absolutely delicious.  I think I am still full from the veggie lasagna, mashed potatoes, pierogies, vegetable casserole, shrimp, beef tenderloin & ham.  Well, no meat with feet for me, but it sure looked good!


Linzer tarts? Don't mind if I do!

And it wouldn't be Christmas without COOKIES! Linzer tarts, gingerbread men, rum balls...oh my!  I think my party-tummy is just resolving itself now!

Overall, my holiday weekend was filled with all of the best things: family, a little running and a lot of FOOD!!!

Thankful Thursday: Food & Free Stuff!

 Happy Thursday! Here are the things I'm thankful for this week:

1. Running in SHORTS in December. Again. While I'm certain the ridiculously warm weather can't be good in the long-term, I'm thankful for being able to still run comfortably!

Shorts. Thumbholes. Thumbs Up!

2. Cookies. Especially these super easy chocolate peanut butter oatmeal drop cookies!  Good for fueling my run...right? No? Whatever..still yummy.



super unhealthy. and super delicious.



3. My incredibly lazy, yet always entertaining dog.  Bulldogs have a ton of personality & health issues that are a big ole pain in the butt.  The most frustrating thing being their stubbornness.  However, he cracks me up on a daily basis.  I can't handle how he falls asleep standing up.  Or sleeps in completely random (and undoubtedly uncomfortable) positions.  He runs into things all the time and gets visibly embarrassed. I'm so thankful for his ridiculousness!



Can't possssssibly keep his eyes open...

  

4. Justin's Nut Butter. Specifically, the Maple Almond Butter. Hands down the best nut butter I've ever had. 

5. Free Stuff.  And fabulous friends who like sharing free stuff with me. One fabulous friend shared her free tickets to the Radio City Christmas Spectacular last weekend.  I've never been, so I was thrilled! As VIP attendees, we enjoyed a little pre-show party, got our picture taken with the fat man, and received NYC Rockette Christmas ornaments!

Thanks, Rose! <3

The show was incredible!  Not only did it put me in the Christmas spirit, but it really tempted me to dig out me tap & pointe shoes too! Ha...I could totally be a Rockette...

On a serious note, I highly recommend seeing this show if you get the opportunity! I think I smiled like a fool the entire time. Especially during the 3D "tour" of Manhattan on Santa's sleigh! :)



<3 the thumbs up Mr. Claus!





On that note...I wish you all a very Happy & Healthy Holiday!

 Cheers!





Thankful Thursday: A-holes & Creeps!

1. A**holes.  Some people just plain suck.  For example, the desperate a**holes who broke into my parents house and robbed them.  They remind me what type of person I do NOT want to be.  And I am reminded that things are just things.  People are all that matter, and my people are okay.  Also, I don't believe in much, but I do believe in karma. So thanks a lot, a**holes. Enjoy your new TV.

2. Giggling.  You know, that uncontrollable childish laughter?  The kind you absolutely can't stop, no matter how "serious" the sitation?  I love that. 

3. Decent December weather!  It hasn't snowed, the temperatures aren't "booger-freezing" cold, and I'm happily running outdoors without bundling up too much. 

4.  Cat-callers.  Man, are you guys creepy...What exactly goes through your mind as you whistle or holla as I run by all sweaty & looking like I'm in pain?  Maybe if you whistle at me, I'll stop my run, realizing you're the man of my dreams, and come running into your arms?  Not likely.  But thanks for the boost of confidence, however small.  And thanks for encouraging me to pick up my pace, if only to get further the heck away from you!

5. My new Road-ID.  It came in the mail today, and it will definitely make me feel better about running in the dark.  Since I watch a  lot of crime shows, I can never feel too safe!  With the road-ID on my shoe, I can now be easily identified.  Ya know, in case my pepper-spray fails me or I have some freak accident and I'm found unconscious!  (Not that I worry about these things...a lot...)  If you don't know about Road-ID, or don't have one, check them out their website.


Tonight, I'm off to dance the night away at a Christmas party! And tomorrow starts the weekend!

Happy Thursday y'all! :)

23 1/2 hours a day

Can YOU limit your sitting & sleeping to just twenty-three and a half hours a day?!

Seems like a ridiculous question, but it makes a fantastic point.

This is a very quick & cool lecture by Dr. Mike Evans which breaks down the research behind the health benefits of just 30 minutes of physical activity a day.  We can all certainly do that, no matter how busy we may be!

Check it out, and pass it along:

NYRR Jingle Jog 2011 Recap

This Saturday, my SIL and I got decked out in fuzzy Christmas socks, reindeer antlers and jingle bells to run the NYRR Jingle Jog in Prospect Park. The course was originally supposed to be 4 miles, but due to some weird construction, it ended up being a 6K (3.7 miles).  Since we planned to just have a nice fun run, this didn't bother us one bit! 



Dancer & Prancer!

 The weather was absolutely perfect for a nice morning run!  It was in the low 40's and pretty windy, causing the SIL to lose her antlers about 500 yards past the start line!  I didn't time myself or even look at my watch ONCE, which felt absolutely fantastic! We just ran at a comfortable easy pace and ended up with an official time of 35:57 (9:39 pace).  Nothing to brag about, but it was just nice to take part in a fun run with my new sister! :)

With the socks!

As usual, NYRR put together an extremely well organized and fun event.  Each mile was marked and there were more water stations than I think are necessary for a race shorter than 4 miles.  Oh and there were red & green bagels waiting for us at the end! Yum!

Mmm RED & GREEN carbs!

My brother brought the dogs along, so we were greeted at the end by some pooches begging for our bagels! Someone was a sucker and gave in!

The pups wanted in on the red bagel action!

As soon as they're available, I'll post the official Brightroom pics, which I'm sure will be just fabulous of us! Happy Holidays & Happy Running! :)

Thankful Thursday: Presents for Pretty Girls

Good morning.  It's Thursday. It's 9:00 a.m. and I'm on the couch watching Live with Kelly! AKA I'm not interning today.  So you can bet I'm thankful today! 

1.  I'm so very thankful for a 4-day weekend.  I'm not interning today, or tomorrow. WOOHOO!

2. A nice healthy start to my day.  Hot tea, vanilla Chobani with blackberries & granola, and an orange.

yum.

3.  Presents for Pretty Girls.  Yesterday, I received some fantastic gifts in my mailbox.  I guess I can break this into 2 parts:

     a.  The first was several grocery store gift cards from my dear brother & sister-in-law.They must know how I'm struggling to get my fruit & veggie fix on my limited budget.  So I'm thankful for them and they're ridiculously generous gift.

     b.  The second package came from my father...the Adele Live at The Royal Albert Hall album.  This woman is so incredibly talented, absolutely beautiful and even funny.  This is a must-see/have. Love her. And Pops for getting it for me! :)



Thanks, Dad!

4. Rain. What's that saying? Something about if it never rained, you'd never appreciate the sun...?  Well I agree whole-heartedly.  Rain stinks, but it does make you value the good weather days!  And I kind of love running in the rain.  I seem to always feel great when I run on rainy days.  There are less people around, it cools me down, and I generally feel like a badass. 

5. Cancelling Christmas.  As you might have noticed from #2, my family is incredibly giving.  But a few years back, we decided to "cancel Christmas".  My poor mother gets upset everytime I say that, but in truth I think it's the best thing we've ever done.  We no longer have to stress out over money or figuring out what to buy each other, especially since we are lucky enough not to NEED anything.  This is not to say we don't still buy gifts at Christmas time.  It's just now we spend our money on a family who truly needs it.  We "adopt" a family and each choose one person in that family to purchase for.  This year, I have a 7-year old girl and am psyched to get shopping for that kid! Bring on the Barbies and board games!

Now I'm off for a quick run, followed by shopping til I drop! Happy Thankful Thursday! :)

Thankful Thursday-All things Holiday!

1. Having one day left of my food service rotation. Goodbye 4:30 a.m. alarm!

2. My health! My hip still aches when it's cold and/or rainy, but I'm so thankful to be able to run (mostly) pain free!!!

3. Holiday happiness.  We put up our tree last night!  I know some people have been in the Christmas swing for weeks already, but I refuse to start celebrating until now!  It's December 1st-bring on the snow, hot chocolate, candy canes & tinsel!

Our newly decorated tree!

And our decorating helper...

4. My new bed.  (Did I use that one already? Whatever. I'm extra thankful! No back pain all week!)

5. Pears! My favorite fruit is now in season and I'm loving all types-Anjou, Bosc, Bartlett...yum yum! They're low calorie and high in fiber, potassium, vitamin C and vitamin K.  And delish!



What are you thankful for today...?

Goals for December

I really can't believe that tomorrow is December 1st! I guess time really does fly when you're having fun...er, working a lot. Before I reveal my goals for the whirlwind month of December, let's check in on my November goals...

-Strength training? CHECK. I brought those dumbells in and have been working in a weights session at least once a week! :)

-New running playlist...Donezo!  I'm especially loving Florence & The Machine's "Shake it Out" right now.

-Minimum 7 hrs sleep? Not so much. :(  But I only have 2 more days of working the 6am-2pm shift, so that should help! Hopefully..

-Positivity? CHECK.

-Stretching more? Kinda...

And finally, I finished a whole 94 seconds faster than last year's TT!!! :)

A job well done if I do say so myself! So, on to my goals for December...

1.  Get rid of all holiday baking extras, IMMEDIATELY!  This time of year always means more baking--especially lots of yummy cookies-but I need to get them out of the apartment ASAP!

2.  Take lots of pictures! I'm anticipating lots of holiday fun with my friends & fam this month...so I want to have photographic evidence!

3. REALLY get more sleep.   

4.  Map new running routes.  I'm starting to tire of loops in and around the park, despite how beautiful it is. 

5.  Leave my watch at home for at least one run a week.  I like running just to run the distance sometimes, and I am easily tempted to see how fast I'm going.

That's all! Tonight is the Christmas Tree Lighting ceremony at Rockefeller Center, which is super exciting because it means C and I are decorating our little home and singing holiday tunes all night! Fa la la la laaaaa! :)

Food Consumption by Country

We all know Americans take in way too many calories as compared to what is recommended for their height, weight and age.  So when I came across this study by the Food Service Warehouse, I wasn't surprised to see the U.S. is the #1 country in calorie consumption. 


Below is the link to the interactive results from the study...take some time to click around and check it out! Of course, developed countries consume the most calories, but it's interesting to see the percent of income these countries spend on food.  If you focus on the countries taking in the least amount of calories, they are spending about half of their income on food.  On the other hand, countries consuming the most calories per person are spending 25% or less of their incomes on food.  Insane!

Source: Food Service Warehouse

MHRRC Turkey Trot 2011

I guess I should've read last year's TT post before Thursday, to remind myself of the dang hills in this course! I remembered the biggest one, right off the bat, for about a mile up Cramer Road.  It's pretty ridiculous, and I when I checked my watch after Mile 1, I'm pretty sure it said something close to 11:00!!! Not cool.  And then the rolling hills continue over the 4 remaining miles.  The only thing about an out-and-back course...if you go up a big ass hill, you know you'll be flying back down it!  Which I did...I think mile 4 split would be something like 8:30 if I'd timed it. 

I didn't spot the photographer along the course (thankfully, as I wasn't lookin hot along this pain in the butt course!), but he did catch me in a few pictures..the only clear one I posted below. 

Almost to the finish...not lookin great!

 I do love the idea of starting Thanksgiving with a nice healthy run, but those hills are killer! I honestly don't know how the people do the 25K race, with even MORE hills.  No, thank you!  I guess I'll be back next year once I forget how tough this run is!  Oh, and btw my official time was 46:14, so a 9:15 pace.  Not bad for me...and it was a minute and a half faster than last year! Woohoo! :)

Thankful Thursday: THANKSGIVING edition!

Happy Thanksgiving y'all!!! Due to crazy schedules, my family is doing the big Thanksgiving meal this Saturday.  But that didn't stop me from starting my day with a 5-mile Turkey Trot followed by watching the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade with Mom & Rocky.  AKA I'm a very happy girl.  And here's what I'm thankful for this week, and always:


1. First and foremost, FAMILY. Some people are not so lucky as to have the support & love of a family like mine.  We may not get along perfectly, but what family does?

2. My new BED! Wahoooo!!! My parents are oh-so-generously giving me the bed from the guest bedroom in their old house! I'm looking forward to waking up without back pain every morning.  (Oh, and we're also getting a "new" couch & kitchen table. Honestly, where would I be without these people?)


3. Grape Gatorade.  I think I have a problem. I almost threw a tantrum in the store the other day when all I saw was "Glacier Freeze" and not my "Fierce Grape". :) I hope they start making Prime & Recover versions of Fierceness too...I'm not a fan of the strawberry kiwi stuff. Yuck.

Happiness in a bottle.


4. Tea. Hot, iced, black, green, whatever. I love it. 
5. My new foam roller. If for no other reason than to crack my always stiff back.

6. Beating my time from last year's Turkey Trot! :)  Official time is still to come, but I think it was around 46:10, so that's at least a minute faster than last year.  Woohoo to accomplishing goals!


Today is the day to be THANKful...and to GIVE.  So try to do a little of both.  It'll send good vibes out into the world & make you feel good inside. Promise. :)

Motivation Monday

Ugh. Monday. 

I'm 2 1/2 months into my internship now and I'm busier than ever.  I "work" full-time and then have a ton of assignments to do when I get home @ night and on weekends.  I've forced myself to stay on track with running by signing up for races and penciling (ok, highlightering) a training schedule into my dayplanner.  As the days get shorter, it's definitely hard to stay motivated to run.  Which is why I'm so glad I have twitter, and that I follow so many inspiring and motivational people! It seems like every other tweet in my timeline is a fellow runner sharing their running stories & tips.  Someone shared this the other day, and as I find myself complaining about how busy I am, it hit home.  So I figured I'd share:



That's a true story..

 On that note...I'm going to head out for a quick run.  Bye! :)

Thankful Thursday #2

Thumbs up to thumb holes!

1. Thumb holes. I love zip-ups with thumb holes! Your hands are free but sleeves are "pulled down" over your fingers a bit!

2. My iPod. My music is my instant motivation to get through big hills or long runs (hey, 6 miles is still long to me..)!  My playlist features artists from DMX to Bruce Springsteen to Florence & the Machine. 









3. Amazing views of NYC.  What could be more inspirational than the backdrop of the city that never sleeps?









4. Nail polish.  I might be one of the least girly girls I know, but I have so many bottles of nail polish.  I paint my nails at least twice a week and love changing the colors! I currently have my eyes on OPI's "What's Brooklyn Good Lookin?" from their Manhattan minis collection.

5. Lots of fun running coming up! Turkey trot, Jingle Bell Jog, Ringing in 2012 with a 4-miler through Central Park!? Sounds like a perfect way to stay healthy through the holiday season! :)

What are you thankful for this week?

Thankful Thursday

Once again, I'm snagging great ideas from my fellow health bloggers! To keep up with my goal of staying positive and being thankful, I'm going to start writing "Thankful Thursday" posts.  This week, I'm eager to start because I feel like I have a lot to be thankful for!




Not so easy to leave this guy snuggled in bed to go for a run!



1. My snuggly dog.  This is Rocky's blog debut!  Many people use their dogs as an "excuse" to workout, but with my English bulldog, this doesn't work for me.  Most days I have to persuade him to get out of bed to go on a walk, so he may not be my running partner, but he's always a bright spot in my day!

 

2. Mini Clif bars! I always have these on hand in my bag, car, etc. as my go-to snack whenever I'm in a pinch! Just 100 calories and they're so darn cute!



My life.



3. My dayplanner. And Post-it notes. OK, all things organizational (highlighters, pens, folders..you name it!)  I might be a tad OCD, but I'd be a disaster without my planner to tell me when I'm working, running, having fun, etc.



what a handsome man!



4. My dad.  I have him to thank for not seeing the NYE Times Square ball drop until I was probably 10 years old and countless Thanksgiving mornings spent freezing my butt off because I was out cheering him on for a road race.  I also have him to thank for my love & passion for running.  Whether he knows it or not, he's taught me so much about hard work and determination.  He may not be an elite runner and has never won a race, but he inspires me everyday.







5. All things pumpkin.  Bread, muffins, pie, PANCAKES! Try this recipe from Fit Chick In The City! YUM!

Try to take some time today, this week, this month...and think about what things (however little or big) you're thankful for! Tune in next week for more things that make me happy! :) 

Going for my Goals: November

It's a few days into November and the kickoff to the holiday season, where it's so easy to fall off track from your health and fitness routine.  So many of the bloggers I follow have been posting their monthly goals, so I am inspired to follow suit.  It's so important to set goals and hold ourselves accountable in order to be successful!  I set goals for myself all the time, but have never written them down to be sure I achieve them before.  So here goes:

1.  Get back to strength training.  I may not be able to afford a gym membership right now, but I have awesome adjustable dumbbells that haven't been touched since I moved almost 3 months ago.

2.  Create a new running playlist.  My iPod always gives me a much needed boost, but it's time to switch up my tracks!

3.  Be sure to get a minimum of 7 hours of sleep each night! This will tough since I now have to be up at 4:30am to get out to my internship by 6!

4.  Continue to focus on positive people & things in life! Be thankful everyday.  (Lately if I'm struggling to get through a workout, I take a step back and remember that I am lucky to be able to do it, when so many others can't.)



 5.   STRETCH more. And maybe finally buy myself a foam roller!?

6.  Beat my time from last year's Turkey Trot! I'm not a competitive or fast runner, and this is a fairly hilly course, so I'd just like to be faster than last year's 47:48 (9:34 pace).


That should be more than enough for me to work on this month! In December, I will reflect on my achievements and set new exciting goals going forward! :)

Rock N' Roll New York 10K

Yesterday I ran the Inaugural Rock N' Roll New York 10K race in Prospect Park, Brooklyn.  It was my first official 10K and my finishing time was 58:25, averaging a 9:25 min/mile pace, so I'm very happy! I just wanted to be at or under 1 hour, so that was successful! 



Sweet sparkly finisher's medal! :)



The Rock 'N' Roll crew by Competitor is a well established company, so I was expecting a smooth operation.  This was not necessarily the case.  From checking out their facebook page, many other runners are angry and seeking refunds.  I didn't have that bad of an experience, but for the price of the entry fee, I can completely understand why so many are enraged.  The first complaint I would have is with the big claim to fame that this race is filled with "Rock and Roll" music along the course.  There were 3 DJ's along the 6.2 miles, each playing some version of pop/dance music.  As a 25-year old girl, I listen to some of this and don't mind it as I run, but I definitely wouldn't classify ANYTHING I heard as Rock and Roll.  The other major complaint I have is with bag check.  They required you to use their "swag bag" to check your items, which were seemingly efficiently organized in large moving trucks according to runner's last names.  However, fast forward to the finish line and the bag pick-up was a nightmare.  Bags had been tossed on the ground outside of the trucks and there was absolutely no organization to finding your bag.  Not to mention no security as anyone could have walked off with anyone else's bag.  A few participants quickly took charge and started calling out bib numbers to distribute bags.  I was lucky enough to be called quickly and got out of there ASAP.



Nice & Sweaty post-race!





On a more positive note, I personally had a good run!  The nice thing about running a certain distance for the first time is that it is automatically your PR!  :)  I felt strong through the first 5k, but mile 4 was not fun.  My legs suddenly felt tired and I had to force one foot in front of the next.  For whatever reason, I picked back up at mile 5 and finished strong!  The course was 2 loops through the park, with small rolling hills.  I had to laugh at anyone I heard complaining about these "hills"...I guess they haven't actually run a real hill.  Most of the course was downhill and the hill inclines were almost not noticeable!





So, would I run this race again? Maybe. I enjoy runs in Prospect Park, but I'm not sure the lure of the "Rock N' Roll" name (or pricetag) was worth it!  In the end it was a beautiful fall day and the sucess of my first 10k! :)

Billy Goat 5k 2011

This past Sunday October 16, my dad and I ran the Billy Goat 5k trail run at Baird Park.  It was my second time doing the Billy Goat, and I just love this run. 

The course is essentially 1.5 miles uphill on a trail and 1.6 miles back down, all the while winding through rocks, streams and plants.  I really wish there were more places to do trail runs nearby!  It was a beautiful morning and I felt great!  I will complain about those who don't follow running/race etiquette.  It drives me crazy to see people start out up front at the start line, sprint out for 1/2 mile, only to slow down and WALK.  Get out of my way! I am by no means a fast runner, but I will always get out of the way for anyone attempting to pass.  This is especially important on a race like this, because at some points the trail is only wide enough for one or two runners.  Most of these things are common sense!

The old man kickin butt!

Me following behind!

Like father, like daughter?

My dad finished 97th of 133 (33:55) and I finished 100th with a time of 34:01.  This was slower than our times last year, but I felt strong and good.  I'm not one to worry about places or times...I'm proud we completed it and look forward to another one next year!

 Next up: Rock'N'Roll New York 10K this Saturday in Prospect Park! As always, happy running! :)

Happy Vegetarian Day!

Good morning! Today is World Vegetarian Day, the kickoff to Vegetarian Awareness Month.  As I do everyday, I'll be celebrating with another meatless day! 

Eating a vegetarian diet can reduce risks of heart disease, stroke and cancers.  A plant-based diet also helps the fight for animals suffering and being slaughtered in factory-farms.  The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition reviewed several studies that examined the health benefits of vegetarian diets.  (Read this review here!) In short, they concluded there is significant evidence of vegetarian diets leading to lower risk of coronary heart disease.  This is likely due to lower incidence of obesity, diabetes and hypertension (all risk factors for heart disease). 

So what can you do to celebrate World Vegetarian Day (or month)!?

• Eat meat-free today, or all month! :)
• Host a vegetarian potluck meal with your friends/family
• Try this yummy vegetarian chili from Cooking Light
• Visit a vegetarian restaurant or try meatless options at your favorite restaurants
• Visit http://www.vegguide.org/ to find vegetarian restaurants near you!
• Swap meat for "fake" meat products (Morningstar Farms, Dr. Praeger's, Garden Burger)
• Encourage others to go meatless for the day!

Oatmeal Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins

Finally! The weather has cooled down and we are entering fall (my favorite season!).  Fall always inspires me to run more and bake/cook more! :)  Amazing fall foods that come into season include apples, pears, pomegranates, pumpkin, squash, and dates! See my previous posts on Pumpkin Oat Bars and Apple Crisp.  Yum!

Just as I was contemplating what delicious pumpkin recipe to kick-off my baking, I came across this recipe from FitSugar.  These were super easy to make and absolutely delish (not to mention healthy)! Enjoy!

My Daily Mile

I recently came across the Daily Mile website and I was intrigued! I'm looking to increase my mileage and was delighted to find a way to track miles without writing it down.  The Daily Mile is such an easy and fun way to stay motivated! Check out my profile here! :)

Great Urban Race- Manhattan

On Saturday August 20th, my roomate and I took part in the Great Urban Race adventure in NYC.  I had been looking forward to this since the moment I discovered it, as it combines my love of fitness and puzzles!  Essentially, the Great Urban Race is a race where 2 teammates must travel to different locations throughout a city by solving 12 clues (well, 11-as you are allowed to skip one!).  Oh, and the teams must be wearing matching costumes!  There is a 5-hour time limit to complete the puzzles and get back to the finish line.  We finished in 4 hours and 23 minutes, and would have finished in less time if not for an entire subway line being down! Here's a photo recap of our race:



NY Yankees @ Starting Line!



High-fiving a stranger in plaid shorts!

Donating food to a charity on the UWS

Posing with a bird @ Fauna, NYC

Nederlander Theater

We found Edible Arrangements on St. Marks Place!

Tompkins Square Park, dressed as a strawberry!

Brady's Bar (UES)

Feeding Carrie pizza @ Luigi's (UES)