Weekend Wrap-Up: West Coast Edition

Saturday: Smile…it’s the weekend!

This was the first Saturday in 4 months that I didn’t have a Saturday long run obligation.  Guess what I did?  Woke up and got out to run at the crack of dawn.

Then we headed to the Girls On The Run 5k to volunteer at the Fleet Feet water stop…so much fun!

It was a gorgeous day so we took our bikes out for a spin through the park.  Pink beach cruiser with a basket…safe to say I’m not on my way to being a triathlete!

My kick-arse massage therapist, Robin Frazier, celebrated the 5 year anniversary of Franklin Massage with a fundraiser for Steps of Faith.  It was a huge success and fun party!

I’ve been working with Amy Dutton at Ah Ha Creative to redesign my blog (woo hoo!).  She sent me a congratulatory Boston mug.  How cool is that?!!

Sunday:

AND…Jason had a work trip to LA planned for the week.  I made a last minute decision to tag along for a little west coast R&R.

Airplane survival kit: Starbucks, fruit, and a travel mag

@natrunsfar (natrunsfar.com) sent me so many great Santa Monica recommendations, so we headed straight to the beach!

Shopped on the Promenade

Chowed down on some mexican food…

Followed by Froyo (aka my excuse to eat a cup of cookie dough and brownies)!

Who raced this weekend?  How did it go?!

What are your favorite froyo toppings?

Do you ever take last minute trips without a lot of planning?  I typically research and plan ahead of time.  This trip…not so much.

#choosejoy

Friends & Sushi & Bubbles…Oh My!

It was a super fun and full weekend.  Here we go… Friday  (5 Days Post Chicago) Tank, sleeves, and tights might just be the most magical running weather! Beautiful Run! I bought lilies for my kitchen that smell amazing:) And made a new granola recipe…Chewy Maple Granola (my new favorite)! Saturday (6 Days Post Chicago) I met my friends for a 13 mile run.  I’m trying to reverse taper.  I was still a little sore and 13 was a little too far too soon.  On a positive note, I got to run in my new Saucony Kinvara Kona Edition (LOVE)! Breakfast after. Saturday night our friends were hosting a sushi making party.  If you’ve been reading my blog for a while, you might remember that we did a smaller version of this at the Cumberland Plateau Stage Race.  It was a blast, so I was so excited to do it again! Our hostess with the mostest, Dar, greeted us with Apple Cider Whiskeys…Fall in a cup! Cecilia made this spicy garlic edamame.  YUM! James gave us a great lesson in making rolls. After our lesson, we split up into teams.  Each team was supposed to make a few rolls and submit your best for judging.  Dar, Laurie, and James had prepped so many wonderful ingredients.  We just had to get creative. Making rolls is such an art.  My team mostly forgot that we were competing and just ate our rolls:) Here are the finished products ready for judging! I want to send a huge THANK YOU to everyone for a fun night!! Sunday I woke up with a cranky knee.  I knew that I shouldn’t run, so my husband and I rode our bikes to breakfast. Guess what?  More oatmeal…yes I have a problem. And then went to the gym to lift.  I love that he tolerates my blog. To end the weekend, we celebrated Lauren’s birthday one more time. Friends, cake, and bubbles. Life is good!!! P.S. Alex introduced us to St. George Spiced Pear Liqueur.  We added it to our champagne and it tasted like grown-up apple cider…SO GOOD!  You’re welcome. Have you made sushi at home? Did you race or long run this weekend? Share!!! Have you ever had a sore knee after a race? I didn’t hurt during the race, but it started to flare up a few days after. Weird. #choosejoy