Weekend Warrior

Why does the weekend go by so fast? Boo.

I made the wise decision to stay home on Friday night (despite the usual drinking shenanigans going on at the barn) because I knew I would never get up on time to run for three hours in the morning. As it is, I have a hard time getting up. Drinking wine certainly does nothing to aid me and my habit of hitting snooze on my phone.

Even Instagram can't make me look good at 4 am.

Anyway, I behaved myself and went home like a good girl. I knew I would be running about 13 miles in the morning, so I carbed up. Thank you, Pinterest.

Pinterest Potato

My Potato

So, I have to admit, this was really delicious. You just cut the potato almost all the way through, drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, bake at 425 degrees and voila!

I think the recipe said to bake the potato for 45 minutes, but I had to bake it for almost 2 hours. Maybe my oven is off, but I don't think so. My slices were really thick and not deep enough, so maybe thinner, deeper slices would help them cook faster. I think sprinkling the potatoes with other seasoning, like ranch dressing mix or something would make them even yummier.

So I got up early on Saturday and drove to Sole Sports in Scottsdale for our weekly team run rather than Ahwatukee, which was so much closer to me. We ran along the canal and it was nice to see some different scenery.

Scottsdale Canal

Scottsdale Fashion Square

Waterfall Reflecting Area

Typical clear blue skies

Around mile 10, I bumped into one of the other runners, Tricia, and we chatted for the rest of the run. And by "run", I mean walk. Both of us had hit a wall and gossiping was a much more pleasant way to finish up. I was really surprised by how sore my body was. Just two weeks ago, I got a PR at the Disneyland Half Marathon and this week, I hit a wall at mile 10.

I have never run 13 miles outside of a race setting, so getting into these higher distances, I'm starting to realize just how much of a mental game distance running is. At a race, there's crowd support, scenery and other runners to push you. Out along the canal, it's just you and your thoughts. Unless you run into Tricia and discuss very inappropriate things like sex, dating and fake boobs. But hey, I gotta say, that was the best part of the run!

Afterward, I went to my favorite "gas station" that's really a pretty high end little market that happens to also sell gas.

They make the best breakfast tacos with gigantic strips of jalapeno bacon. Seriously, amazing. I would share a picture with you, but I scarfed it down before I thought about doing so.

That afternoon, I tried another Pinterest project: making dried strawberries.

Before

After

This is really easy. Just bake the strawberries for 3 hours at 210 degrees. Simple, right? Except that I fell asleep, so I baked mine for 3:45. Oopsy. They were still pretty good, though. I think next time I might try using waxed paper and keeping the strawberries whole to see what happens.


This morning, I went to the barn and rode my new little project, Louie. He don't own him, but I'm training him until he sells. Such a nice little horse.

Louie and me at the Flagstaff Horse Show in August

Then I went to breakfast with the breakfast club.

<3

Now I'm home, blogging away! I really wish that there was a Rizzoli and Isles marathon on TV, but there is a Law and Order: SVU marathon on, so I'm watching that. Next up, I think I might attempt to make hamburger soup in a crock pot. But I have to get my sorry ass off of the couch first.