Rave Run
I've been confined to the treadmill again. There was one day last week when it was warm enough (double digits) to run outside, but my schedule didn't allow it. My thoughts drifted to some of my favorite warmer weather runs and I landed on this one as my rave run this week:
I took this picture this past October, just a few steps from my front door. It's pictures like this that remind me that I do like Minnesota. Some days.
Fab Food
This week's Fab Food share is an easy and healthy Turkey Chili. This is a quick meal to put together after a long run - I mean day - and it's met with a five star rating at my table. The lean turkey and beans give it enough protein to satisfy a hungry runner (or swimmer, at my table), and the veggies add some crunch and color. You can find the recipe over at Busy Girl. Good Food.: Turkey Chili.
Great Gear
I am all about socks. It's no wonder my sock drawer needs some extra encouragement to close! My go-to sock is the Thorlo Experia Multi-Sport sock. These socks are padded in the ball of the foot and heel; they aren't considered "thick," and actually aren't thick by Thorlo standards. But they are comfortable in all the right places, and the padding on the forefoot helps with the cold factor for winter running. They are not designed as a winter sock, but I find them to work amazing well in cooler temps (as well as warm ones!). They're not inexpensive (about $15 a pair), but I think they're worth it. And they come in so many colors!
Words of Wisdom
Because sometimes we have to remind ourselves.
Best Blog Post
And because I've been going on about having to be inside on the treadmill to anyone who will listen, I thought it only appropriate to share some treadmill inspiration. Here are some Treadmill Tips from Heather over at Through Heather's Looking Glass.
That's my Friday's Five for this week! Loving life, one day, one mile at a time.
The Today Show shared the top 20 fittest cities in America this morning and it came as no surprise to me that two cities I love to run in as a visitor and two cities I have called home appear on the list. Have to start with the obvious: three cheers to Minneapolis, my hometown, for being at the top of the list. It's true: we have parks and trails, and a (mostly) bike-friendly culture. Farmer's Markets are everywhere and the number of restaurants capitalizing on our local products for healthy, innovative meals keeps climbing. We've been in Minny for ten years and still have so much to explore; I plan to do as much as I can on foot or on two wheels.
My other faves on the list? Seattle comes in at #8. We lived there for four years and it remains, hands-down, my favorite city for being active, raising a family, and eating well. I'd move back in an instant if the right opportunity came around. Boston (#3) and Austin (#10) round out my top picks. Love, love running in both cities and completely appreciated the amazing fresh food and healthy attitudes I encountered there.
What's your favorite city on the list? Is there one missing that you'd add?
Rave Run
Last Sunday I was able to run outside after a long stretch of treadmill days. You may have heard that it was a little bit chilly in Minnesota last week - so cold that the Governor closed all the public schools in the state on Monday, January 6th! That hadn't happened since 1997, and let me tell you, it was the right call. We moved to Minnesota in 2003 and I learned a new definition of cold. It takes a lot for a Minnesotan to stay inside in the winter. Last Monday it was cold enough to stay inside. Anyway, back to my run. On Sunday of this week, it was 19 degrees when I headed out for my run. I was at the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul for a swim meet with my daughter and I had 90 minutes between when we arrived for warm up and the meet start. I headed out and found myself on a path along the Mississippi River. It was beautiful; there was a light dusting of snow, but not enough to slow me down. It was early and quiet, and all I could think was how lucky I was to be able to run outside on that morning. An hour later I found my way back to the pool, refreshed and happy. And why not? I was fresh off a run.
Fab Food
My original blog is called Busy Girl. Good Food. It's my collection of original recipes and tales of feeding two teenagers who also happen to be swimmers. I found my recipe posting to be a bit sporadic in the last year, mostly because I was trying to figure out how to evolve from just cooking to a broader scope of my world - and that's why Raspberry Running was born. Still, I have some great stuff over on Busy Girl, and I'll be sharing some of those posts here. This week, I was particularly happy to have created this simple recipe for Weeknight Pasta. Even when life is crazy - which is most of the time - I still work hard to put healthy meals on the table. In our house, we don't swim, bike & run to eat - we eat so we can fuel our performance. We're not perfect, but I like to think we do pretty well.
Great Gear
This week's gear is not a piece of equipment, but one of my "can't live without" apps. If you are just getting started running or walking, or you're looking for a new app to log your workouts, give Map My Run a try. This is definitely my go-to: it serves as a workout log and map, gives mile splits, integrates music, and even says nice words of encouragement along the way!
Words of Wisdom
Posted just today by Women's Running Magazine, this says it all!
Best Blog Post
And finally, for this week's best blog post, I cross over into my not-fulltime job world to a post about some people and small businesses that are making the world a better place: Odd Businesses that are Changing the World.
That's my Friday's Five for this week! Looking forward to getting in some miles this weekend and spending some quality time as a swim mom cheering for my swimmers. Loving life, one day, one mile at a time.
One of my favorite things about social media is that I have learned so much from others' experiences. I continually learn more about my world - professionally and personally - through blog posts, tweets, and Facebook status updates. Thanks to Twitter, I have found a great little breakfast place in Boston (Mike & Patty's), a fabulous recipe for Christmas dinner (Linguine with Clams & Chorizo), and my most favorite socks ever (Thorlo's Experia Multisport socks). I could go on - and I will, sort of. On Fridays I will share my Friday's Five - five favorites of the week from five categories: rave run, fab food, great gear, words of wisdom, and best blog post. It's my way of sharing my own content and some of the great posts I come across during the week. First Friday's Five coming up!
Welcome to my life. It's a little crazy, always busy, and never perfect. I'm a mom, a wife, a runner, and an aspiring foodie. I'm a little bit of a perfectionist, a lot of an optimist, and entirely dedicated to the people I love. This is my space to share my musings about food, running, and life. Welcome to my world.
