I decided to do my long run yesterday (so that I could have a lazy morning with Billy today) and since it was still raining I hit up the treadmill.
Brooke wasn’t so thrilled with this idea so I had to entertain her with this puppet until she fell asleep. I am very proud that I was able to run, play with Brooke and take this picture all at the same time without falling.
I did 12 miles total. First 8 miles in a little less than an hour (with 3 miles at tempo pace of 6:50) followed by 4 miles at a 7:45 pace. It definitely worked me, it was not easy. During the run I made a lot of deals with myself in order to get myself to finish. Deals included taking an extra long and hot shower after I finished, taking a nap when Brooke took her afternoon nap (that never happened) and eating 3 pieces of cake later on in the day if I finished (that did happen).
Bangs Friend had one request for her birthday.
Going to Eduardo’s for delicious tacos.
We all met up and overtook the restaurant.
Hole in the wall restaurants really are my favorite and approximately 30 times cheaper than normal restaurants.
I had a bbq pork taco
and this beautiful carnitas quesadilla filled with cheese, meat, sour cream and guac. The birthday girl even asked for a bite and I didn’t give her one because I was not about to share this amazingness even though it was her birthday. Looking back on the situation I know kind of feel bad. Oh yeah, we also had horchata (Mexican cinnamon rice drink)… SO GOOD.
Turns out that Bangs Friend actually has a name. I made a yellow cake with chocolate frosting and decorated it with my chocolate chips stash.
Be prepared to see Brooke wearing pigtails every day for the next 5 years. I almost died from cuteness overdose.
————————————————————————–
What is your long run this weekend? Favorite day to do your long run? Anyone racing?
What are some deals that you make with yourself in order to get yourself to finish a run?
What type of cake do you choose for your birthday?
81 comments
Amy @ Writing While Running
I love hole in the wall places! My mom always put my hair in 2 pigtails throughout most of elementary school, like K-5th grade ALL of my class photos are me with pigtails.
Elizabeth @ My Neon Running Shoes
I am doing 15 miles today! Saturdays work so that Sunday can be a rest day. I usually want one cake for every day of my birth week…. Undercooked cookie cake, cake balls, brownies… All with extra frosting!!!
Sarah @pickyrunner
I totally wore pigtails for a good part of my childhood except when my mom decided to make me look like a boy and cut my hair off. That was a cute era. Your cake looks delicious! I usually run for food. Or ice cream. Either one is okay by me!
Khushboo
Promising myself a massage after is a sure fire to get in a workout!
Emma @ Culturecopia
Looks like a great birthday party! Because of my class schedule this semester, my long run days are now Wednesday. I did 10 miles and I kept telling myself “there’s nothing else to it but to do it!” hahah cheesy but it worked, and it’s one step closer to running my first marathon this spring! And chocolate cake, all the way. PS right now I’m watching Running on the Sun – have you seen it? It’s about the Badwater ultra-marathon – so intense!!
Kay @ goaloflosing
My favorite cake pick is anything from Cold Stone. They have the best ice cream cakes, hands down!
Andrea @ mainerunnergirl
My deals usually have to do with food… Or sleeping in the next day! Your treadmill running has inspired me to push a little harder on the treadmill lately- you are so fast!
I had chocolate cupcakes with peanut butter frosting for my birthday!!
HollieisFueledByLOLZ
She is so adorable. I say pigtails until at least age 10. Her hair looks great like that by the way.
Anyways-like I said on facebook, I’m glad someone else understands the pains of treadmill running 10+ miles. In Upstate NY, it’s physically impossible to run outdoors due to ice. I’d be running 11 min miles trying to avoid ice/sliding cars and the sidewalks aren’t plowed. So my mileage is almost all treadmill based right now. If I had Brooke to watch though, I might be a little more entertained then Jersey Shore LOL.
Brittany F.
Ha…I’m from Upstate NY and the first/last time I tried to run outside this winter I brought my Garmin for amusement. 11:30 min miles…sometimes slower if I was leaping through snow banks…
Katie @ msfitrunner
I have to do 17 tomorrow – and we are under about 3 feet of snow! Treadmill;-/ hopefully I’ll be able to get to the gym because that one is so much better than my home one . If I have to do it at home, I might die.
Awesome long run!! And all that food looks delicious!
Erica
I tell myself if I stop I have to go do housework for the remainder of the time I would have been running. I will run, even when not motivated to, any day before housework.
Karen @ Runner Girl Eats
I choose red velvet all the time. It’s my absolute fav. My long run is tomorrow. Can’t wait for some quality run time!
Katie H.
My long run is 14 miles, which I’m doing today. (It’ll be my longest run EVER!) I’m bribing myself with thoughts of frozen yogurt and time to lay on the couch and read :-)
Kristy @ Kristy's Health Revolution
Yellow cake with chocolate frosting! Bangs will always be bangs to me, but she has good taste in birthday cake. That is the best combo, and what I always pick for my birthday!
Brooke @ Running In Heels
OMG Brooke!! Too much cuteness for one picture!
Totally agree about hole in the wall restaurants.. you always get the best food for the best price!
Amy @ Sweaty & Sweet
My long run is the Rock ‘n’ Roll St. Pete Half Marathon tomorrow! Woop! With my variable work schedule, I try to get my long run done anywhere from Friday to Monday. I’ve never tried making deals with myself (but think I will now!) for hard workouts, but I always use positive self talk saying things like “you’ve got nothing else to for the rest of the day but relax, PUSH IT Amy!” Lol! My favorite type of cake for my birthday (less than 2 weeks away!) is ice cream cake! Mmmmm!!! Brooke looks so adorable with those pigtails I can hardly take it! Enjoy your weekend!
kim@hungryhealthygirl
I always make deal with myself when I’m running; like pancakes, coffee, relaxing and coffee….oh yeah, I already said that! Little girls in pigtail are the cutest. I have a 7-year-old and she wore pigtails just this week! ;)
Allee @ Griselda Mood
I always, always bribe myself with baked goods when I’m working out! The harder I run or the longer I work out, I tell myself I can indulge a little more later on. Cake, cookies, brownies…always give me motivation!
TorontoRunner
oh my, that is an AMAZING treadmill run. wow , girl!
You made that cake?? look at the chocolatey goodness :D
Love Brooke’s little pigtails!!
Nicole @ Curly Mommy
I still put my 4 year old’s hair in pigtails almost daily- it never stops being super cute, and I’m sure Brooke will be no exception!! :)
I did my long run today- 15 miles on the TM, with the last 3 at marathon pace.
Dessert is ALWAYS part of a bribe to get myself to finish a run :)
Gillian
Long run of 7k tomorrow (just started half marathon training).
I have a 3mo old baby girl and she has barely any hair but I cannot wait until I can do pigtails on her!
Your so speedy I am constantly amazed :).
Oh and I’m a confetti cake girl all the way…with white icing.
Mallory
LOVE the pigtails! Too cute. Looks like a fun night. Great job on your long run. The furthest I’ve ever done on a treadmill is 11 miles and it was rough! I make deals with myself too. Sometimes it’s that I can get a candy bar after or a new pair of running shorts!
Suzanne @ Fit Minded Mom
Yellow cake with chocolate icing is the best cake ever!!! It is so simple but so very delicious. I think it may have to do with my mom always making that combo when I was a kid so I knew nothing better. Yummo!!!
And yeah…..you had better go buy Bangs friend her own carnitas quesadilla since you didn’t even let her have ONE bite on her birthday. It looked so good though, I might have been tempted not to share, too ;-).
Dagmar
Brooke’s so cute with the pigtails!
Maria
So cute! I had my daughter in pigtails until she was old enough to run away from me doing her hair…lol! I ran 8 miles inside cause it was 0 degrees out when I got up this morning. We do ice cream cakes for b-days cause the hubs doesn’t like cake. Enjoy your day with the hubs. ;)
Ashley @ My Food 'N' Fitness Diaries
I love this chocolate fudge cake that my stepdad should be famous for – it’s amazing. Otherwise it’s Funfetti cake! Love that stuff. A bunch of my friends and I would all make them for each other in college for our birthdays.
And yes, LOVE those pigtails! Just adorable.
Kari @ Running Ricig
My long run was 20 miles. I did it yesterday, too, since last night and today we had a ridiculous blizzard. We are now snowed in for the foreseeable future with over 2 feet of snow. Yikes!
Amanda @ .running with spoons.
Aww gush. Cuteness overload for sure. My mom put me in pigtails for a good part of my childhood as well. And when it comes to cake, I’m going to have to go with Black Forest. Chocolate, cherry, and whipped cream? Swoooon. My mom usually makes one for special occasions, and it’s like having a little slice of heaven.
Lori @ sporadicrunner.com
I’m a big fan of Saturday races and have recently switched my long run days from Sundays to Saturdays. I like having the extra day to recover before the weektime craziness starts. I’m making a food related deal with myself to get through 16 miles today! I haven’t decided what it will be yet, but I end up with the most random cravings towards the end of a long run.
Brooke is adorable! Have a great day with your family!
Pam
love the way Billy is looking at his baby girl in the last pic!! great job on your LR yesterday!! you’re soo speedy! ;)
looks like a fun night! AND great job on the cake. :)
I’m having my coffee, catching up with you & heading out the door for my LR. Not sure how many miles I’ll do, I guess I’ll go by feel. :) Sat. are my LR days & Sun are rest days (unless there’s a race scheduled). It might change though because the kids are starting their sports.
I love Costco cake!! love ya my friend!! enjoy your weekend. looking forward to catching up soon!! xo
SRoberts
I need a bang’s friend explanation- im so confused all the time!
The Hungry Runner Girl
Hahaha I just call her bangs all of the time but her real name is Katie! She is my really good friend here!
Lauren @ Dallas Duo Bakes
My LR is only 1 hour at 8 min pace. I’m slowly working my way up! Birthday cake… It changes every year – chocolates cake with chocolate frosting or Oreo cheesecake… Yum! Have a good Saturday!
Jennifer V.
All that food looks amazing!
Ramblings of a Suburban Mom
Jenn @BeYOUatBeMe
Love hole in the wall restaurants and pubs.
Laura @ Live, Run Sparkle
I make deals with myself all the time to get myself to finish runs, when I did my 1st half marathon I promised myself that I would get a Wendy’s bacon cheeseburger afterwards. It probably undid most of the good that I did, but it was worth it.
As for cake, I choose Betty Crocker Rainbow Bit with hot pink icing every year. Rainbow bit is my absolute favourite, I’m still 5 years old in my heart.
PS. Brooke’s pigtails are so adorable!!
Lauren @ Eat Like An Elephant
I always choose vanilla on vanilla! Super boring for some, I know, but I love it! Also, the pigtails are too cute.
Natalie @ Free Range Human
Food always looks so good on your blog! I usually request some kind of cheesecake concoction for my birthday!
Sara
Always do my long runs on Saturdays! Today was 11 miles :)
Holly KN
Who put the pigtails in…you or Billy? ;-)
We did 9 miles. And yes, I’m always bargaining with myself when the going gets tough. But I, too, stink at following through (this is probably good, at is saves me time, $, and calories). :)
I used to get strawberry shortcake for my birthday. I later realized that this was a major waste of a chance for chocolate, and have rectified the cake flavor situation.
Stephanie
I did my long run during the week bc I promised my boyfriend (who ran track in college) that he could kick my butt at the track today. We are about to go and I am very scared…and excited
Sharsti@theblondehairblueeyedrunner
That cake looks so delicious! Great job on your run, speedy lady!
Rachel @ Undercover Diva: A Sitcom
My long run was 12 miles today! I like to do my long runs on Saturday so then I can be dead on Sundays and not feel bad. The deals I usually make with myself include: more food during the day, a bigger piece of dessert, or more beer. That always serves as a motivation for me! My fave type of cake is Funfetti I think :D
P.S. I think that picture of Brooke while you’re on the treadmill is the only time I’ve ever seen a picture of Brooke when she wasn’t 100% smiles. She’s still so cute no matter what.
Coco
Oh my.. The pigtails.. so cute.. I die
Nicole@TheKidlessKronicles
Long run of only 5 tomorrow. Maybe something else today.
Yellow cake with chocolate frosting. Thank you.
The Kidless Kronicles
Mila @ Simple Harmonic Motion
I’m hoping for 10-12 miles tomorrow, although Nemo has us under TWO FEET of snow. This might be my first running date that moves onto a treadmill x)
As for birthday cakes, if you can surprise me, you’ve pleased me! Past favourites have included maple sugar cake (or rather frosting with a lil cake on the bottom) and Kladdkaka – Swedish chocolate cake so dense it could be flourless <3
Beth @ Miles and Trials
Love those pigtails! I ran 7 this morning and that might have to be my long run for the weekend. I’d love to do more, but am coming back from a calf injury, so I probably shouldn’t push it, which is hard with Boston only 9 weeks away!
Katie @ Peace Love & Oats
Um, bangs friend has the BEST NAME EVER! And my long run was 2 miles… Coming back from an injury and still not up to par, but this was my longest run in about 7-8 weeks and I did a lot of speed intervals so it was pretty much a blast.
Leetra@runningmylife
That has to be the most impressive mommy multitasking ever! I thought I was good when I did a puppet on my foot while cooking standing on the other, but adding a camera and a treadmill? Wow! Just wow!
Hayley@PBrunnergirl
Her pigtails are adorable! My mom would do it in a high ponytail during my childhood, and my hair was so long so it would look like a fountain. Thus we called it the fountain, I probably looked ridiculous! I did 11 on the treadmill today! My favorite day to do my long runs is Saturday, because Sunday I like to do yoga and rest! Usually that I can relax the rest of the day! My favorite cake is most definitely red velvet all the way!
Beth @ Running with the Sunrise
All of that Mexican food looks so amazing. Maybe I can talk my fiance into getting Mexican with me for dinner tonight. :) My long run plan is a 14 miler on Sunday. When I get bored on my long runs, I definitely also think about all of the food I can eat when I’m finished. It’s one of the best parts of being an endurance runner, right?
Em
For my birthday cake, I have an equal opportunity policy. Won’t discriminate, will eat whatever deliciousness you put in front of me.
Bri @ Back to Bliss
I always choose funfetti with extra frosting for my birthday. Love Brooke’s pigtails!
Amy N.
What? Bangs has a real name?
Pigtails on Brooke – holy freakin’ cow! Adorable.
My long run is probably 10-12 miles, who knows. Depends on what I feel like doing when I get out there.
Meagan
This weekend I did 6 miles and my favorite day to do my long run in Saturday. I’m running a 10 mile race next weekend!
I usually make a deal with myself for a hot shower and typically some kind of food. During a long run it’s usually an omelet with cheese, black beans, salsa, and hot sauce.
I love the traiditional funfetti cake!! My wedding cake was actually a vanilla funfetti and the top layer was a strawberry funfetti :)
Anne
Hahaha oh Brooke’s pigtails are too much!
Chocolate cake with chocolate icing please and thank you!
I totally agree with you on hole in the wall restaurants, they are always the best home-grown places!
michele
I’m getting ready to tun with my brand new Brooks PureFlow sneakers! I’m relatively new to running (and crazy slow). Doing my first half in Disney in two weeks!!!
The Hungry Runner Girl
Ahhhhhhh wahoo for the flows! My favorite! Good luck at the half, let me know how it goes!
Heather
So glad to know I’m not the only one that decorates cakes by spelling out words with chocolate chips…but I only do it because I lack the skills to actually use icing (which I’m sure is not the case with you) :)
Katie
Sounds like a fun birthday night! Bangs friend has a good name! ;) And that cake looks yummy. fyi my bday is June 26th.
p.s. Brooke in pigtails?!?!! Too much cuteness!
xo
Courtney
Haha does Bangs read the blog? You should have put “Bangs” on the cake as a joke :)
The Hungry Runner Girl
Bahahahahah she does! I should have done that! Next year:)
Kate @ SoCal Runner Gal
Gosh– I wish my friends would choose hole-in-the-wall places for their birthday dinners! they always choose super trendy restaurants and I’m pretty broke so it kind of hurts the wallet.
Brooke in pig tails = BEST THING EVER!
I am not running long this weekend — cut-back week! 8 miles max. :) Boston is so soon… I wish you were running it and we could finally meet! :(
Katherine
Great job on your run!
http://therealfoodrunner.blogspot.com
Cori P
I have 15 miles to do tomorrow. I’ve been doing them on Sundays with this training program but I prefer Saturdays.
FROZEN YOGURT is my motivation.
Shari
Ah, the pigtails! SO CUTE!
Danica @ It's Progression
those pigtails!
All of my deals with myself to finish long runs or other hard workouts always have to do with food. :)
Laura
She just doesn’t look like a Katie to me now…only Bangs will do! Haha!
The Hungry Runner Girl
Agreed!
Fizz @fizzsbizz
Hi HRG!
I just found your blog and I’m so glad I did! I am not doing a long run this weekend (serious knee issues happening) but next weekend will be a 12 miler!
I just read your post about Davenport which was perfect timing since the hubs and I are going there today for an adventure day (we live in SF) and now I know where to eat…that’s happiness to me right there!
Nicole
I agree with you on hole-in-the-wall restaurants! I love them too!
My favorite day for a long run is Saturday. That way on Sunday I can either rest or do another workout such as spinning. Also for some reason the first day of the weekend I feel more motivated to get in a long run.. just because it’s the weekend.
I have done a few long runs on the treadmill, the longest being 10 miles. I was on vacation in the south and it was HOT, and the area we were staying was extremely hilly. I thought I had no choice. I didn’t want to overwork my legs on very very tough mountain-like hills.
I am not much of a cake eater but love some german chocolate cake! MIL makes a good caramel cake too!
Kristen @ notsodomesticated
The pigtails are killing me with adorable-ness. Love it!
Marijn
6:45? That’s fast! Bravo ;)
And Brooke is definitely the cutest thing with her pigtails :)
Lyric
Lemon Chocolate Cheesecake or Funfetti with lots of Vanilla Frosting. I have to go before I die of cuteness overdose after seeing Brooke with pigtails.
Kay
I would’ve fallen right off that treadmill so fast… Haha!
Mmm dinner looks great! This morning I just went to a panel at the museum of American history in DC about Mexican food history, it was v. interesting! The taco trucks outside the museum helped too haha
Renae @ MissFit Mixed Chick
That food looks amazing. The hole in the wall places always are the best. I think it’s because they really take pride in their food over the appearance of the restaurant.
Naomi
My uncle makes this delicious chocolate amaretto cake that would be my first choice, otherwise FUNFETTI!! :)
Stacey @ DErunningmom
I had a 20 miler on the TM today and boy was it rough…The first 16 flew by then I accidentally hit the emergency stop butt and had to restart for the final 4 miles…Bummer!
LOVE Brooke’s hair!!!!! She is the cutest little girl!
Holly
JANAE! I saw that pick of Brooke & literally said AWWWWWW out loud for a good minute.
Kayla @ kpLovingit
OMG, that food looks AMAZING, and those pigtails are ADORABLE!
Sonia the Mexigarian
Awh, my gawd. Those pigtails kill me. Brooke is so damn cute!!! And now I want a slice of cake. I always love chocolate on chocolate on chocolate for cakes. Or cream cheese with carrot. :) Did 8 miles on Sunday. First 7 miles rocked, the last one really hurt. It was back up hill :( took me about 1:28 to do the full 8.