First Post

I have recently realized that many people I know write and update a blog. I love reading blogs and thought this might be a fun activity to engage in. So here goes:

Food:

For a while now I have been using Facebook to post my cooking adventures. This doesn't really work the way I want it to, so I will be posting those adventures here now instead. I love to cook and I love to eat. My newest favorite recipe that I will be recooking is an African dish. It's from a blog that I enjoy immensely called FatFree Vegan Kitchen (Note:I am not vegan nor do I care about the fat free bit). The recipe is African Peanut Pineapple (and Kale) Stew over couscous. It sounds crazy but it's seriously amazing - creamy, spicy, salty, and sweet all at once!

Running:

Last summer I started running outside for a more convenient form of exercise. I had regularly been going to the gym for about 3 years. However, since we moved, I missed the gym classes and teachers at my previous gym and motivation started waining. Toward the end of fall 2009 I had reached a max distance of 3.1 miles running (a 5k range) and then it started snowing and I didn't want to freeze. I still ran some but started losing endurance and range.
In April my grandparents hosted the 7th annual Red Shoe Run - a 5k in Illionois. I had been wanting to go out to Illionois and visit my extended family for a long time and this was the perfect opportunity. I barely made it back up over the 3 mile mark before I went to Illionois and ended up finishing the race in a little over 37 minutes. Not great, but still a PR being my first 5k. I can only get better from here! I plan to run the Red Shoe again next year with a better time.
I have been running more and more since April. I went on a run on Thursday thinking I would do a 2-3 miler and ended up running 4 miles of 4.5 traversed! I just started running and then decided to keep going and took another road that would make it longer and just kept on until I got home. I run again tomorrow and plan on doing another couple runs and then a long run again next week, can't wait.

Travel:

The husband and I are going to Cali next week for his brother's wedding. It should be a lot of fun and sun. I'm hoping to eat some delicous food and get a couple runs in while we're there. I also get 12 days of work off in a row (not all in CA)! Afterwards my schedule changes and I will actually be able to get up early and have a decently normal schedule after a year of eating breakfast at noon and dinner after 9. Ya!! Should help with the hot summer running too.

P.S. True Blood S03e02 tonight and new iPhone 4s on Thursday!!