8 Mile(s)

Sorry for the infrequent postings! I have had house guests quite a bit for the past few weeks so I keep myself busy trying to entertain them. I am actually really sad that the guests are slowing down-summer is almost over so back to school/work/whatever. It makes me so happy when people seem to have a good time here, I love showing them my favorite parks and beaches and the restaurants where I can nom nom nom into oblivion but the best part is just getting to hang out and catch up. When guests come I always make some sort of baked good-scones, muffins, cookies etc-this time I made my favorite chewy chocolate gingerbread cookies. They are so moist and full of tasty deliciousness. I could seriously eat a stack of them but luckily I gave most of them away.

Seriously make these. They are my all time favorite cookie...and needless to say, I have had my fair share of cookies.

The recipe can be found here. I like to add a bit more than 1/4 tps of salt and instead of doing so much fresh ginger, I add 1 tsp of ground ginger and 1 tsp of cinnamon. Try them, if you are a chocolate fan you won't be disappointed.
Usually when I have guests or am on vacation my workouts fall to the side but this time I have actually kept up with everything. Logan and I leave for Jamaica tomorrow so I made myself do my long run today since let's be honest- keeping up with workouts while hanging out in CT is great, running shorter distances in Jamaica is possible but running for 2+ hours on a treadmill when I could be laying out on the beach while drinking rum based cocktails? don't think so. Luckily I made myself go run 8 miles today so now I only have to do three 3 mile runs and one 5 mile run. I never would have thought that I would be saying that I "only" have to do those runs, especially while on vacation. To be honest, I will be happy if I get 2 3's and the 5 done...I'll update when I get back.

Sorry for no updates...I'm busy laying in the sun and drinking fruity drinks!

8 miles went surprisingly well today! I really love trails where I can run half the distance in one direction, it takes away the choice of quitting. I have to finish the entire distance or I am not getting back to my car. I have read that you should refuel when you run for more than an hour and I can see why. I didn't bring anything to snack on and by the end I had a pounding headache and felt gross. No surprise since my Garmin said I burned over 1000 calories! That is many banana rum smoothies! actually, it's probably not...maybe two? It sucks that burning calories is so hard when putting them on is so easy. It was a beautiful run, completely shaded and surrounding by trees, rock formations and running water (which didn't help my desperate desire to pee for the last 5 miles).

So pretty...makes it a bit easier to keep going. The path is often really soft with pine needles so it's easier on my feet.

I finished in around 1 hour and 45 minutes so it works out to around 13 minute miles. I am pretty okay with that since by the end I was really tired and feeling gross so I was barely trudging along.

Vermont weekend + running=maple syrup scented pain

Logan and I spent the past weekend at a small inn in Vermont. It was absolutely gorgeous-trees everywhere, cute (and terrifying to drive in) wooden bridges and lots of delicious cheese and wine. We booked a package deal where we got breakfast in bed, a couples massage, a dinner with yummy wine and a super nice room with a humongous jacuzzi bath tub. It was so crazy awesome and I indulged pretty much every meal...and between meals. We found this small country store where they served "maple creamie", sounds weird but imagine the most yummy pancakes on earth and then magically transform them into ice cream. So wrong but so good. On Sunday we even went to Simon Pearce-a restaurant I have wanted to go to since I read about it in this article: http://travel.yahoo.com/p-interests-37926475 Everything was insanely delicious (just picture this: dark chocolate mocha woopie pie with cheesecake mousse and poached cherries) and I think I have eaten enough cheese for cows to cower in my presence for months. I also have had enough wine to pickle my liver.

Creepy but cool wooden bridge. Yes, you drive through it...it feels like the Headless Horseman could come out any moment.

Quechee Gorge...we actually hiked down to the bottom but it was full of obnoxious teenagers. yuck.

All gussied for Simon Pearce

Pretty falls area

The delicious Simon Pearce. I am still trying to find out who I need to bribe (and where I can get money to actually bribe someone) to eat out on the deck overlooking the water.

Beautiful Vermont...so green and mountainous and full of delicious cheese and wine

Anyway, I had lots and lots of yummy food and drink. It was awesome. We got back Sunday night (briefly contemplated staying up to watch the DVRed episode of True Blood but eventually succumbed to my food coma) and got up refreshed Monday. I had an amazing run on Thursday so I felt good about running Monday. I started my run and felt a bit icky, I figured I was simply sweating out pure maple syrup and it would get better...it didn't. Ugh, it was hot, I was barely plodding along and I seriously contemplated laying down in the middle of the trail and having the police come get me. I ended up going for 4.5 miles...*shame face* in like an hour. It was bad-lots of walking and LOTS of bitching. It was the first time that I kind of got the fact that diet does matter. I am not sure if it was the food, the wine or the combo but man, it was a miserable hour. Run on the docket for tomorrow so I have hydrated, eaten normal food and I am really hoping for non-dying results.

PS. The cheese, wine, ice cream, maple syrup etc. were totally worth it :)

PPS. I saw this picture in the Plymouth, VT town message board. It made me laugh and Logan looked at me like I was crazy...he obviously doesn't appreciate my nerdiness :)

To join the Galactic Empire or the Rebel Alliance? Decisions, decisions....