Are you ready for the.... HURRICANE?!

Oh, Isaac. You silly hurricane. Thinking you're all cool as you blast the Gulf coast with rain and wind and similar shenanigans.

We are supposed to be getting the dwindling effects of Sir Isaac starting today here in Memphis. Thunder storms for 4 days. Honestly, I am kinda stoked. I love thunder storms. And I am hoping it will cool things off a bit, as the cool down we experience a few weeks ago was merely mother nature dangling a piece of chocolate in front of our faces, then yanking it away and pointing and laughing while she indulged. That tease.

Point of the story: I have a race in Tupelo, Mississippi this weekend, and it SHO LOOKS LIKE IMMA GET WET. This race is a bit.... unconventional. Tie-dye shirts, scull medals, and an undercurrent of humor and jest that I greatly appreciate in the running world. The Tupelo Marathon and 14.2 miler is a very small, local, friendly race. Immediately after registering back in May, the race director shot me an email to "welcome" me to the race, and to wish me a happy birthday. Them Tupelo folk sure is kind!

All this Isaac crap got me a little worried the race would be cancelled due to flying trees and flooded roads. This was on the race website this morning, and I laughed VERY hard:

Hysterical. If there is one thing I appreciate, it is a sarcastic, smart-ass sense of humor. It almost makes running in the miserable ran that much more fun. Ok, not really, but whatever.

Pizza party

I went out to this huge farmer's market last weekend and, among other amazing items, I got a giant bunch of arugula. I have been adding it to pasta dishes, omelets, and sandwiches all week long, but the bunch doesn't seem to be getting any smaller! So a few nights ago, I decided to indulge my incessant pizza craving in order to use up the remaining arugula.

Boom.

I was lazy and just didn't have the time to make my own dough, so crust-in-a-tube had to due this time around. What else do we have here?
Basil pesto
Garlic
Mushrooms
Roma tomatoes
Red onion
Arugula
Part-skim mozzarella

It was spectacular, and I am really patting myself on the back for this amazing flavor profile. Arugula has such a unique taste that many people dislike at first exposure, but it is so versatile and deserves a 2nd chance. It adds such a distinct, peppery bite to any food. And so many wonderful nutrients- tons of Vit C and Potassium!

Three cheers for ARUGULA!

Hmmmm, but something is missing, what can it be??

OF COURSE, WINE! Add an episode of Snooki and JWoww, and I am one happy camper. Cheers!

When the stars align...

I will admit- I was in a rut. 

The past month or so, I have been less than excited to lace up my shoes and set out for a run, no matter the distance. Was it the unbearable heat just finally winning our epic battle? Perhaps. Whatever the case may have been, running slipped to the bottom of my list of priorities- even below folding laundry and washing floors. Yikes!

This past Saturday, my training plan had me running 18 miles. But I was realistic with my expectations and would be fine if I made it at least 13. Having not been on a long run (anything over 6 miles) in nearly 4 weeks + dental surgery + excruciating heat, I did not want to push myself and end up hurt.

But then I saw the weather report for Saturday.

And then my mouth magically stopped hurting.

So when I woke up on Saturday morning at 5:30am, I was strangely optimistic.

I am telling you, the stars were aligned. Everything was perfect. The weather was mild, slightly overcast so the sun wasn't frying my skin off. A slight breeze keeping me cool and bringing that lovely diaper smell of the Mississippi River across the land. I felt amazing, both mentally and physically. Everything just fell into place.

I did a 9 mile loop back to my house, refilled my water bottles, downed a Honey Stinger, and set out for a few more miles, having no definite direction or distance in mind.

Dude. Check it.

DAMN! That is one sexy wrist... OH, right, the mileage, that's cool too.

No, I did not hold a 9:40 pace the whole 18 miles. Who do you think I am? A damn roadrunner?! I averaged about a 10:40 pace, which I am totally fine with. I picked up the pace those last .2 miles when I could finally see my front door and knew I wasn't going to die on the side of the road and never be found. I was excited.

This is why I'm hot.

I only have a stall shower, so I cannot take an ice bath after long runs. So I improvise. Ice pack wrapped on 1 knee. And, why yes, that IS the ceramic insert to my crockpot that I am soaking my feet in! Can't say I'm not innovative. (YES, I washed it! Don't be afraid you will get a toenail in your food the next time you come over for dinner. Besides, I don't even HAVE toenails anymore after all this long-distance running, duh.)

This is exactly what I needed to pull myself out of that RUT. Not the ice bath, the run. The ice bath is torture. But the run, THAT WAS EPIC. I know running isn't completely a "use it or lose" it practice, but I still tend to panic even if I miss one training run. Something comes up, I miss a mid-week 4 miler, and it's all "I'M NEVER GOING TO MAKE IT 26 MILES! I MAY AS WELL QUIT NOW! I HAVE TO START FROM SCRATCH! I AM A FAILURE" No. That is just my fantstical mind being stupid, once again.

7 weeks till Chicago. B-b-b-b-b-b-b-bring it.

I gotta show you this...

You ready for this? Drum roll please.....

Thank you, isolated t-storms. You are my new bff.

Would you LOOK AT THAT?! It is going to be less than 110 degrees in Memphis this weekend! Ya know what THAT means? I don't have to wake up at 4am for my long run tomorrow morning!

Yup. I just did the Carlton Dance...

Gimmie muh teef! Excuse #285

The day after I got back from San Fran (which I will tell you aaaaall about in a later post), I had the joy of getting my wisdom teeth out!! Whoohoo!!!! Doesn't that sound like the most amazing "welcome home" present ever?! Trying to convince myself it was a blast by using excessive exclamation points!

The procedure itself went pretty well. I had never been under anesthesia before, so this was quite the trip for me. They stuck the needle in my arm and said, "Ok, now just relax...." The next thing I remember, I woke up on Kevin's recliner 4 hours later in a puddle of drool. I have a cloudy memory in there of them waking me up- I demanded to see my extracted teeth, then got belligerent when they would not let me keep them. Because of course, everyone wants to keep their bloody, rotten, cracked wisdom teeth, right? Make a necklace out of them? Put them in a scrapbook or shadowbox? Who do they think they are! Gimmie muh teef!

More often than not, I try to abide by the "shut up and run" motto, not letting the plethora of excuses persuade me to lay on the couch with a box of Cheez-Its and watch 4 episodes of LOST rather than venture out for a run. But yesterday, I am sorry, I just couldn't do it. We all have our limits, and this wimpy gal couldn't fathom putting on running shoes while my entire face was throbbing. Also, my limited diet of mashed potatoes and soup has left me feeling a bit empty. So I did indeed go home, curled up with a nice bowl of pudding, and watched TV... for 5 hours. Booyah.

Today, no excuses...

Westward expansion

Do you know how many songs there are about California? A lot, that's how many. I am listening to them all today in anticipation of my long-awaited journey to the West coast. I have been to New Mexico and Colorado, but never far enough West to dip my toes in the Pacific Ocean or look out and pretend I can see Japan. Tomorrow I am heading out to San Fran and Napa for a college friend's wedding, and I AM SO EXCITED OH MY GOD I CAN'T SIT STILL ANY LONGER THIS IS BETTER THAN CHRISTMAS! I am going to make the most out of ever... single... second.

Picture it: 3 days of college friends, wine country, perfect weather, and a new city to explore. Ya can't beat it.

This runner is stuck in the 1990's (is it sad that is considered "a long time ago" now?!) and doesn't have a smart phone OR an iPad, so no updates while I am gone. But I will surely share pictures and stories upon my return!

That's my jam, yo! Alex Clare- Too Close

Thank you, Internet Explorer commercial, for the latest addition to my running playlist. If this beat doesn't pump you up, I don't know what will.



Alex Clare's first album, The Lateness of the Hour, is pretty decent as a whole. Very eclectic. Definitely not all running-playlist worthy, but a good find nonetheless.

Sweat Your Thorns Off 5k

Let's just jump right in with a race report. Why waste time with the boring get-to-know-you chit-chat. It is only our 1st date, we have plenty of time to get to those details.

This past Saturday was the 3rd Annual Sweat Your Thorns Off 5k- a "virtual" 5k hosted by one of my favorite bloggers, The Boring Runner. (Note, you know you are an official running nerd when you begin taking part in virtual races. I am one step away from the runners version of World of Warcraft.) So as part of my long training run on Saturday morning, I dedicated the 1st 3.1 miles to Adam and his toasty event.

Straight reppin' Memphis, Tennessee! 

Please remember that the only time it is ok to be a white girl dropping a lame gang sign like this on Riverfront Park in Memphis is at 6am on a Saturday. Any other time you will be shot. But I embraced my gangsta side (and put on some Three 6 Mafia) to add some Memphis spice to this race.

I sure did sweat my thorns off with this slow 30 minute 5k... A nice mild 89 degrees and 85% humidity at 6am- quite chilly for Memphis in August, right?

Dear Winter- I promise I will never curse you again. I miss you. I love you. Please come back soon. Love, Amy Mary

Welcome!

Well, you found me! Moved over from my old blog to this new happy home. Be patient as I get up and running once again!