Too Eager + NOT Allowed to Run…

I love garden-fresh veggies. This recipe is really good
https://iowagirleats.com/summer-vegetable-gratin/

My worst running experience was 2 years ago at a July 4th run. The run was at 8:00 in the morning but it was already super hot and humid. One long stretch of the run was on a trail that ran along the bottom of a hill with a lot of trees so there was no breeze at all. I made it to the end of the run but got sick afterwards and was super dizzy the rest of the day.

I have never encountered an animal during a run however when horse back riding I am forever running into black bears, especially in the spring with cubs, moose, deer, and any other crazy array of animals (raccoons, possums, bees, snakes etc). I am much more confident on an animal that can outrun them, but still nerve-wracking when they want to give chase!

I didn’t see it, but one time I mis-timed my trail run and it got dark before I finished. Something very close to the trail started making a noise similar to a woman screaming. I’m sure it was just a fox, but I was alone in the woods at dark which made it 1000x scarier.

I have had quite a few close encounters with wildlife, including bears (our neighborhood is adjacent to a state forest). The scariest, however, was a recent run in with a turkey. I was running down the road and I saw a turkey hen up ahead crossing with her babies. I slowed down and began to run nearer when I thought they all had crossed to the other side. When I was about fifteen feet from where they had crossed, mama turkey and I both realized at the same moment that she was short two chicks when they popped out of the grass ahead of me. I froze. She hissed and then without any other warning flew feet first straight at my face. She hovered in the air two feet away from me, while I yelled to try to scare her away. She backed down, and then did it again. This time, I think I did startle her because she let me back away. I definitely got my adrenaline up during that run!

My favorite summer recipe right now is a variation on the run fast eat slow pasta salad- grilled red pepper, eggplant, yellow squash, and zucchini plus pasta, fresh herbs (whatever we have a bunch of in our garden- oregano, parsley, basil, etc.), lemon juice, olive oil, and parmesan cheese. I like to add a bit of crushed red pepper to mine when I eat it. It is great as a side, or add a protein to it and you have a whole meal (grilled chicken would be great mixed in, as would cannellini beans, or even canned tuna).

Where I run I am much more afraid of the animals I might encounter than people. I see deer and unleashed/unfenced dogs on nearly every run, I came across a mamma moose and her baby once (I stopped and hung out for a bit to wait for them to leave), pretty sure I caught the tail end of a mountain lion as it headed back up the hill (yikes!), I saw a coyote once, but hear them all the time, I see garter snakes every once in a while, but my least favorite are skunks! I have gotten way too close to them for comfort, but thankfully they have never seemed to care.

Right now I run 3/4 days a week, I wish it was more, but with early mornings for work I just can’t make myself get up and running after a 10 hour day just isn’t going to happen. On non-run days I go for a walk around the neighborhood after work.

-So scary about the eyeballs on the dark trail! I recently learned we have bears near my trails, so I have to figure out if I avoid them altogether or just after dark. Or bring a whistle or something.. Glad Andrew got home safely!
-Skye’s faces are amazing. :)
-Here’s a summer recipe you might already have some version of:
2cans black beans(rinse,drain),chopped red onion, 1 bag frozen corn, 4-5 chopped tomatoes, about 3 limes(juice of), 1-2 chopped avocados, hot sauce (optional), a big handful of cilantro(chopped – OR sub italian parsley), and salt&pepper to taste. Mix it up and let it sit at least until the corn thaws. Or if you sub fresh/canned corn, let it sit in the fridge for a bit – it tastes better, even overnight. I eat this as a meal as often as possible in the summer & it’s also good to add to green salads or sweet potatoes – especially if you add hot sauce.
-Those almond joy energy bites look aMAZEing!
-My injuries are always lack-of-strength-related (frequently hips!), so I have been working hard to not forget about strength training. I try to run 5-6 days a week (off on Sun) because I like consistency.

Growing up on a ranch and having to train for long distance running I was always on random gravel roads. I always had music in my ears (walkman…anyone remember?) but one day I happen to catch a shadow behind me and it was a badger. That made me kick it into high gear. Needless to say I stayed away from that area.

Generally the scariest thing I run by are rattlesnakes. But during one memorable Ragnar Relay, we learned W ran by a bear (without seeing it in the bushes – the guy running behind her saw it, stayed by her, and told us at the exchange), S ran through flying bats, and K worked her way gingerly around a very large, very not moving out of the way cow.

Besides the painful trail run where I tripped, fell, and broke my hand rolling down the mountain (short term pain), I had an allergic bronchiospasm reaction to pollen and pesticides/herbicides during a marathon (long term pain). By FAR the worst 16 miles of my life to finish…It was so hard to breathe that my ribs were sucking in and I kept getting full body, calf to neck, curl inward cramps. I stopped a LOT to stretch and breathe and walk and even hid out in the port-a-potty at mile 21 until the aid station volunteer banged on the side and told me I had to leave so others could use it. I think I laid on the ground, curled in a ball, in the middle of the sidewalk for 20ish minutes after I finished. It was awful.

I’ve run up on a opossum once at night on a sidewalk and it scared us both–he hissed at me! Let’s just say that mile ended up being much faster than my others, lol. We also had a family of coyotes set up camp in our backyard last year(at the edge of our property–about 50 yards from my back door). We live in the middle of a small town, but there are wooded areas and they liked our back yard. It COMPLETELY freaked me out. They would stalk back and forth in our yard at night and I was leaving early morning for runs. We tried loud noises and clapping to get rid of them and they didn’t even startle. Thank goodness they moved on a few weeks later.

I love anything with fresh veggies and fruits right now. Shalane’s superheromuffins and kale recovery salad are on repeat. My family’s favorite strawberry dessert is this:
First, make a strawberry glaze(so easy and better than store bought: take 3/4 cup sugar, 2 T cornstarch and mix until combined. Add 1 cup cold water and cook over medium until thickened, stirring constantly. Stir in a small box of strawberry jello and whisk constantly until smooth. Set aside and let cool.
Meanwhile, mix 8oz softened cream cheese with 1 1/2 cups of sugar. Fold in one small container of cool whip. Tear apart one angel food cake(Kroger’s are the best but I don’t know if you have those where you live) and fold in to cool whip/cream cheese mixture. Spread in a 9×13 pan. Top with sliced strawberries and pour glaze over the top. Store in the refrigerator.

I am wearing a knee strap right now, basically as a security blanket, but it seems like I can go without it for about a month and I start having pain again. Maybe summer is a good time to test it out again:)

I upped from 32-35ish miles a week to 40 since the stay-at-home orders, and bumping my long run from 10 to 12 miles, with one day off a week. I’ve been by myself and I’m getting kind of tired and bored, lol, so I might be backing that up to 10 again with the heat coming in strong.

That is a huge NOPE on the bright eyes on the trails! What does he think it was? Are there mountain lions around there?! One year when my brother and I were doing a long training run along the PCT in Oregon we were nearly finished and at the Willamette Pass ski area. A couple was hiking towards us and let us know they had seen a large mountain lion across the hwy. I was terrified and when I said “well, I am guessing it wouldn’t cross the highway” my brother was *silent.* I was really wanting to just be done instead of doing this add on and then I tripped and fell on gravel. Luckily we turned around shortly after. (He wanted to make it an even 5 hours so hence the add on out and back which was like heading straight to mountain lion-ville!)

Skye has the tennis stance nailed!!! I have a hunch she’s going to be tearing up the ball fields and courts (with her ruffly socks and bandaids) very soon.

Best summer salad. Now, don’t freak out until you try it: boiled and cooled cheese tortellini, sliced strawberries, blueberries (a pint of fresh, less if blueberries aren’t your fave), canned mandarin oranges, slivered almonds, and bottled poppyseed dressing (Brianna’s is best!) Mix all together gently. I’ve also used grapes if there are no blueberries. This salad appears at all spring and summer baby showers, picnics, family gatherings. We make sure *someone* is bringing it. If you have questions, just ask.

most painful race was high temps/high humidity. BLECH!!!! And last november at NY marathon I got a random blister on my big toe that stung so bad-so what I did was finagle my toe a bit and changed my gait briefly to max pressure on it to pop. Temporary solution that got me through the remaining 17 miles of the race!

I’m loving cross training with mountain biking and strength training right now. Summer is usually when I lower my running miles (unless doing a fall marathon, which I am registered for but figuring it’s cancelled) and increase my cycling, swimming, yoga, etc. I know it’s weird but I really do not love running in the heat.

Happy Mid-Week! I don’t know about you, but I have to remind myself what day of the week it is!

You’ll have to share Skye’s expression while in binky weaning………We’re here for you!!!!

Came across a wolf once when I was on a trail… it was a small distance away but nerve-wracking for sure! I posted one of my favorite veggie pastas this week – zucchini is my favorite addition and the goat cheese takes it up 5 notches. — http://www.mylifeasmrs.com/2020/06/15/veggie-packed-rigatoni-pasta-with-goat-cheese-recipe/ — hope your pregnant tummy agrees with this! :)

This morning I saw a mountain lion on my ride. We live in the mountains so it is not totally unexpected, but it was in the middle of an open field and crouched down in the grass. Only slightly terrifying and happy I was on my bike and not on foot. I rode faster after that!

I have – thankfully – never seen anything scarier than garter snakes… but I still get scared!
Best fresh summer food is, without question, caprese salad! Fresh garden tomatoes, fresh basil, fresh mozzarella, drizzle of olive oil, dash of salt and pepper. YUM.

I found the most delicious bowl recipe a couple days ago! The sauce is incredible! Mojo black bean bowls: Roasted, quartered potatoes (I used mini gold ones), sauteed swiss chard and then stir in a drained can of black beans once it’s all wilted, and brown rice, then top with a sauce you blend: 1/4 cup olive oil, 1 jarred roasted red pepper, juice of 1 lime, 1 tsp smoked paprika, 1/4 tsp garlic powder (or a roasted garlic clove), 1/4 tsp salt