Northwest Coffee Roasting Company, St. Louis, Missouri
Restaurant: Northwest Coffee Roasting Company, St. Louis, Missouri
Late to bed. Early to rise.
That’s my usual mojo, right?
Kind of. The late to bed thing doesn’t really work well for me anymore. In fact, if I go to bed late, I still end up waking up early. So, now my sleep pattern is off and I’m probably a little more cranky than usual.
Know what makes that better?
Caffeine. Usually in latte form.
This was what was needed when my roommate and I set out to St. Louis on Sunday morning after having breakfast with her aunt. Along the way, I noted that coffee might not be a bad idea, so I whipped out my iPhone and punched in where I might find some delicious coffee that Sunday morning.
I was directed to Northwest Coffee Roasting Company. We stopped at one in Clatyon, MO on our way to a few destination stops in St. Louis before hitting up a pub for lunch. We found it…a nice, quint little shop. We parked on the street and dashed inside. I knew my roommate was going for her usual…white chocolate mocha (or here, a Mocha Bianca) ($2.80). I was a little bit more difficult when it came on settling on a drink.
No almond milk here (bummer), which is too bad. I wish more cafes would offer almond milk because soy milk sometimes doesn’t agree with me. But…with the whole lactose intolerance thing, I went with soy as opposed to cow’s milk in the end. What I ended up ordering was an Almond Caffe Latte with soy milk ($3.40).
With our drink order in, we awaited the completion of the drinks. And soon…our order was up. Then we had to wait around a moment to pay. Our barista took our order, but didn’t ring us up. We probably could have walked out of there without paying, but we are honest people and got someone to ring up our order.
After having that amazing latte in Denver, Colorado, and having my delicious latte drinks at my go-to place in the area, I found my first sip to be really, really strong. I mean…bowl-you-over strong on the espresso. My roommate said her drink was much the same way. In fact, she couldn’t even taste the white chocolate. Which…is a cardinal sin for her as she hates the flavor of esspresso/coffee on its own. However, we both discovered that the more we drank, the more flavor we found. To me, that means the barista might have not mixed the flavor shots together as well as it should have been.
I did enjoy my strong latte, though. The almond flavor was one I hadn’t tried yet, and I found it to be a nice mix with the espresso. My drink was steamed to perfection, reaching the perfect drinking temperature. My roommate says hers was too hot to drink right away, but while she won’t drink iced coffee, I think she lets her coffee cool to room temperature before she finds it just right. I can’t base anything off of her coffee temperature gauge.
I found the people at Northwest Coffee Roasting Company to be very friendly. And our drinks were done as we ordered them, with any additions and substitutions per our usual mojo. I just wasn’t blown away by the drink itself. But, it did it’s job…woke me up…and got me ready to take on St. Louis.
So…win on atmosphere…and a so-so on the drink.
I love my caffeinated beverages as much as the next one, but I want a perfect pour. And this…just didn’t cut it for me.
Northwest Coffee Roasting Company’s Almond Caffe Latte with soy milk
Arrowhead Mills Gluten-Free Pancake and Baking Mix
Product: Arrowhead Mills Gluten-Free Pancake and Baking Mix – $4.99+
Nothing screams delicious, carb-a-licious breakfast like pancakes and waffles, right?
Right.
And they are two of my favorite breakfast foods to this very day. Seriously. There is just something so comforting about tucking into a small stack of pancakes or a fluffy, toasty waffle. Especially when you can make them yourself instead of buying them frozen and simply reheating.
This past weekend and then yesterday morning, I got to try out another gluten-free pancake and baking mix, which I had tucked away in my pantry. As I had just used up the last of my previous one, it looked like Arrowhead Mills was next up in the queue. I packed this up to travel to St. Louis with my roommate and I. I was going to do up a batch of Nutella Waffles on Sunday morning for the two of us and her aunt. Because in the morning…I naturally make waffles.
Then, yesterday, I had just enough left in the bag to put together a blueberry pancake breakfast for my roommate and I.
So, how did Arrowhead Mills stack up to the competition?
Well, it was…okay.
Just okay. I found that both the waffles and the pancakes had a bit of a grainy texture to them when all was said and done. And, trust me, I mixed the hell out of both of them. The waffles did cook up crispy in the waffle maker, so that was good. But they just seemed really grainy as compared to times I have made them in the past with either a gluten-free all-purpose flour or another baking and pancake mix. But, I figured it might have just been something wrong in my pre-measured additions (salt, sugar, baking powder), which I packed together and pre-measured for simplicity in travel.
So, yesterday I got out my skillet and decided that, as we had poached eggs with dinner the night previous, I would bypass the eggs that morning and run with some pancakes. I even had some frozen blueberries in my fridge so I decided to dress them up with some fruity goodness as well. I measured out exactly one cup of Arrowhead Mills Gluten-Free Pancake and Baking Mix and then added, according to the package, honey, oil, an egg, and then a very scant amount of unsweetened almond milk. It was really, really doughy when I got that all mixed together, so I added some more almond milk until I got it to a good consistency. In went the blueberries and then…onto the griddle.
One thing I will say about this mix is that it browned up beautifully on the skillet. Sometimes the pancakes just don’t brown up uniformly or cook way too fast. But not these. Not yesterday. That’s a good thing. I did find that these did make very fluffy, bulky pancakes by comparison. So, that was interesting to note. I gave them a flip, let them cook on the other side, plated them, drizzled with some warm, gluten-free maple syrup and…breakfast was served.
Again, I found that these pancakes, as compared to the other times I have made gluten-free pancakes (with various mixes and flours again) had a grainy consistency. In fact, my pancakes sort of crumbled as I cut into them. The flavor was good, but the texture just was off for me. I don’t know if I should have added more almond milk (even though I had already added more than the package said) or what.
While I do appreciate the fact that Arrowhead Mills makes their gluten-free baking and pancake mix with organic ingredients, for me, in the end, it just didn’t come together, leaving both of my favorite breakfast products tasting as though they had grainy bits of sugar lurking in them.
I might give this brand another try…maybe do up muffins and see how that works. But as of the moment…it just hasn’t won me over. And that’s too bad, because I had gone into baking with this brand with such high hopes.
Gluten-Free Blueberry Pancakes made with Arrowhead Mills Gluten-Free Pancake and Baking Mix
Product: Lucini Italia Rustic Tomato Basil Sauce – $4.50+
This was a new one for me.
Sauce…in a pouch. Yes…a pouch.
Lucini Italia Rustic Tomato Basil Sauce…packaged for three servings…in a microwavable pouch.
I’ve warmed up pouches of Indian food in the microwave, but never a pasta sauce. But, it had worked well for previous products, who was I to judge. Besides, this little pouch of gluten-free, vegan pasta sauce came as a part of a “Don’t Be A Gluten” gift basket that was full of gluten-free products for me to try. My roommate gifted it to me awhile back and I was working my way through other sauces at the time.
Then, the perfect opportunity to try this one out arose when I had to travel to St. Louis, Missouri, for a concert. I was going to be cooking dinner for myself, my roommate, and her aunt, who we were staying with while in town. Her aunt is hard at work on another degree, so she was in study and final project mode. I figured we could make her life easier if I brought some gluten-free foods that we all could eat and I could cook them up and she could just keep plugging along on her studies.
Lucini Italia Rustic Tomato Basil Sauce with brown rice penne
With the travel, this pouch was perfectly portioned. It had three servings of sauce in it and that meant…the three of us would all benefit from it. Now, I have never had Lucini Italia brand, so I wasn’t sure what to expect from it. But, let me tell you, I’m digging the whole pouch concept. For real.
It was so easy. As the pasta was being drained, I vented the pouch, tossed it in the microwave for 90 seconds, and viola!! The sauce was ready. I only had to pour it over the pasta, give it a toss, and it was ready to serve!
Lucini Italia’s Rustic Tomato and Basil Sauce was a fantastic treat for the palate. Seriously. The sauce is simply made with fresh plum tomatoes and summer basil. It seems simple enough, and it was. But the flavors were the star of the show here. The tomatoes lent a delicious, fresh taste to the sauce and the basil wasn’t overpowering, but rather complimentary to the rest of the sauce. Nothing overpowered. And in the end, the sauce was a delicious, pre-packaged for your microwave treat. I felt it paired very well with the brown rice pasta and asparagus that we cooked up for the meal.
And, despite being microwaved, this sauce wasn’t watery at all. It was thick and seasoned to perfection. Nothing felt watered down. Nor did we need bread to sop up the runny bits of the sauce. There wasn’t any of that.
I was impressed.
So, if you need an easy sauce to travel with, or just want to save some time and pans, I highly recommend Lucini’s Italia Rustic Tomato and Basil Sauce. It comes in a jar…but the smaller-portioned, microwavable pouch is even more convenient. Go ahead…try it. You’ll be surprised too.
Pasta dinner served with Lucini Italia Rustic Tomato Basil Sauce
The problem I have had since going gluten-free is finding a brown rice pasta that doesn’t turn to mush when it’s cooked. I love Tinkyáda because the texture is just like real thing. Seriously! But it seems that every time I see awards handed out for gluten-free pastas, Jovial takes the top prize.
I have seen Jovial around at the natural food stores that I shop at, but never quite picked it up. Mostly because it is a bit pricier and harder to find when others are right there at my usual grocery shopping watering holes.
But then…I went to a rather large gluten-free expo in Birmingham, Alabama and walked away with more samples of gluten-free products than I knew what to do with. Among them was a sample package of Jovial Brown Rice Penne pasta. As I was currently working my way through an open package of pasta, this sat in the pantry.
Then, this past weekend I had to travel to St. Louis, Missouri, for a concert. My roommate and I were staying with her aunt, who is currently hard at work on another degree. I put out the offer to bring food and prepare it so she didn’t have to feel the need to entertain and could focus on her studies. I figured everyone liked pasta, so I packed up the two sample packs of Jovial Brown Rice Penne along with some gluten-free pasta sauce that I got in my “Don’t Be A Gluten” gift basket my roommate bought for me. It was perfect, safe, and hopefully it would be delicious.
Jovial Brown Rice Penne tossed with Lucini sauce and asparagus
Cooking Jovial pasta was so easy. Boil the water, add pasta, allow to cook for about nine minutes until al dente. It’s that easy. All you do after that is drain, add sauce, and toss. No rinsing with cold water to improve texture or any of that. You cook and it’s ready to roll.
We all really enjoyed this pasta. It was cooked to the perfect level. In fact, my roommate’s aunt (they share a name, so I can’t refer to them as such or it would be Cathy and Cathy…LOL!) complimented me on how perfectly I cooked up the pasta. This was her first time having brown rice pasta and she said it tasted just like the real stuff that she’s used to having. It held up with the tomato sauce I added to it, and the addition of asparagus to bulk it up. It was a delicious, yummy treat for sure. One that we just gobbled up until it was gone. Even the dog had a little helping when we were all stuffed and only a small amount remained.
Jovial’s Brown Rice Penne is definitely one of the sturdier versions of brown rice pasta that I have tried. I didn’t have the opportunity to refrigerate and then attempt a reheat to see if the noodles were soggy the following day, but for a fresh-from-the-stovetop perspective…this brand is awesome!
And it’s no wonder. According to Jovial’s Web site, the brown rice pasta recipe they use was developed by Master artisans in Tuscany, Italy, who wanted to develop the most authentic gluten-free pasta out there. The company didn’t want those who had to eat gluten-free to feel like they were sacrificing texture and flavor to keep themselves healthy. And they did a bang-up job. Honestly. Bite after bite the pasta stayed perfectly al dente and equally yummy.
If you have to eat gluten-free, or if you are just looking for a healthy alternative to pasta, I highly recommend using Jovial’s brown rice pasta. I can’t speak (yet) for the other brown rice varieties in their lineup, but they won me over with the Brown Rice Penne.
Come on…have pasta night and do it gluten-free. It’s May. It’s Celiac Awareness Month. Treat yourself to some gluten-free goodness this month. You’ve earned it.
A plate of pasta goodness featuring Jovial’s Brown Rice Penne
Food Should Taste Good Jalapeño with Cheddar Tortilla Chips
Product: Food Should Taste Good Jalapeño with Cheddar Tortilla Chips – $2.50+
Spice up my life.
No, really. If something has a bit of a spicy kick to it, then I am game. I love to feel the heat when it comes to snacks and meals. The spicier…the better…just as long as it doesn’t burn. I love a little heat in my meals. This is why I had hot sauce to eggs and red pepper to pizza and spaghetti. Honestly.
So, when I spotted Food Should Taste Good’s variety of tortilla chips that is Jalapeño with Cheddar…I knew I had to try them. I’ve had a couple of the chip varieties from Food Should Taste Good, my favorite being the Sweet Potato Chips. Mmmm. Well, these may have just trumped that.
Here’s what I love about them. Aside from being kosher, gluten-free, cholesterol free, trans-fat free, and all natural, these chips really will wow you with their spicy flavor. You know when you go to a ball game and you get the nachos and you hate yourself for loving them? Well…that’s what these chips taste like. They taste like a good version of those ballpark nachos that come with the cheese-like substance and jalapeños. And they are really, really delicious!
Every bite is a blast of heat from the jalapeño and crushed red pepper that is infused in these little tortilla chips. Each chip is dusted with a light coating of white cheddar. And the combination is flavor perfection in my book. Just the right amount of heat so as not to kill off your taste buds, but still tame enough for the cheddar flavor to shine too. It’s the perfect bite.
And, at only 140 calories for 12 chips, you get a really great serving without any of the guilt. And you don’t even need a dip because this tastes like it has been dipped.
If you are a lover of spicy foods and, especially nachos, these are the chips you have been looking for. Find them, if you can…and take a spicy bite of something delicious.
Food Should Taste Good definitely lives up to its name!
So…does everyone remember my favorite meal of the day?
I’ll give you a hint:
It’s usually the first meal you eat.
Yeah. Breakfast. Oh, how I love breakfast. How I crave breakfast. I can eat breakfast for every meal of the day and be a happy, happy girl. It is the most diverse, most delicious, most creative meal that can be baked, cooked, toasted, sauteed, fried, poached, or done however you like it with a variety of different ingredients. And the combinations…are endless.
I always like to treat myself to one good breakfast/brunch out when I’m on vacation. Last year, my roommate and I hit up a restaurant that specialized in crepes (which we revisited this year and I think I had the most perfect gluten-free crepe of my life!) while in Denver. This year, after a little hunting around, I chose a different place to try. And, we happened to visit it on the day we were flying out. One filling breakfast would be really good before boarding a flight from Denver back to Louisville, yes?
That’s what I thought.
So…we took a short little drive to the Cherry Creek area of Denver and hit up this little breakfast/brunch/lunch joint called Syrup.
What really got my attention when I was researching restaurants in the area was that there was a gluten-free menu. Actually, I’ve come to find out that Colorado is like…some gluten-free haven, so pretty much anywhere you go, there is something gluten-free on the menu…or a separate gluten-free menu if you have to avoid gluten. It’s awesome. Is it any wonder I want to move out there?
This is a little unassuming little place located on the bottom floor of a building. This meant walking down some stairs to enter the restaurant. My roommate and I were shown to a table immediately. The waitress was alerted of my gluten sensitivity and she immediately pointed out that they could make waffles, pancakes, and English muffins gluten-free for me, so, whatever I desired…I could have.
Awesome!
After much consideration and back and forth, I finally settled on a waffle. A nice Belgian waffle sounded awesome. So, order in, I went with the Strawberry Fields Gluten-Free Waffle. This is a delicious Belgian waffle that is covered with freshly cut strawberries that have been sauteed in Syrup’s own handcrafted Strawberry Syrup. Yeah…as we all know…if it has strawberries…it wins.
My roommate opted for a traditional Belgian waffle with traditional butter (because, yes…you do get an option on a flavor of butter) and originally went with the Buttermilk Syrup. She was told that it was a cold syrup, so she changed it to the handcrafted Apple Cinnamon Syrup. And we decided to split an order of the hash browns.
Syrup’s hash browns (half order)
With our orders in, we settled in to discuss our trip, some of our favorite things, and drink in the atmosphere. We saw some dishes come out to other diners…fluffy, huge pancakes, and even some lunch-type items as well…sandwiches and the like. It all looked really good.
Before we knew it…our plates were set before us. Let me tell you…not only did my gluten-free waffle look amazing, but it smelled amazing too. The strawberry syrup just sort of brought out everything good and awesome (which is…everything) about strawberries. Especially on waffles. YUMMY!! I love fresh fruit on breakfast goodies like pancakes, french toast, and waffles. This…was heaven for me.
My roommate’s waffle was done to the perfect crispy, soft texture you want in a Belgian waffle. She loved her whipped butter. But, more importantly, she fell in love with the apple cinnamon syrup (which was green, btw!). I tasted it…yeah…it was awesome.
As for my amazing Strawberry Fields Gluten-Free Waffle…all I can say is that I was in a happy, happy place at first bite. I just wanted to savor it. The fresh strawberries were an amazing touch. They were only enhanced by the handcrafted strawberry syrup, which…was a sweet, delightful topping on my waffle. It was swimming in a sea of strawberry flavor and I just wanted to soak all of it up. And I tried to with every bite of my waffle.
The hash browns were lightly cooked. I topped mine with a bit of hot sauce and enjoyed their soft texture with just an outlying crunch on the edges. Very nice and a great compliment with the sweetness of the waffle. I was stuffed by the time I was done eating, but not to the point of feeling too full. It was just the right amount of food. And it was prepared with such care, skill, and done to perfection. Nothing overdone or underdone. The waffle had the right texture, the right crisp, the right amount of sweetness. Yeah…I was in gluten-free waffle heaven.
Whether you wake up for breakfast or just love having a nice breakfast treat, I highly recommend Syrup. Not only does their menu offer pancakes, waffles, and french toast done in a variety of ways, but sandwiches, burgers, eggs, omelets, fruit, oatmeal, salads, etc. are also offered. There is a little something for everyone.
But if you are wise, when you eat at a place called Syrup…order something with one of their specialty handcrafted syrups. I promise, it’s totally worth it. I’m already planning to return next year. I was that impressed.
Denver is lucky. It has a wide variety of fantastic places to eat. But this one…takes the pancake…gluten-free…with a nice topping of…handcrafted maple vanilla syrup.
Restaurant: Espressolé Caffe, Greenwood Village, Colorado
Nothing makes me happier when I am out and about than a latte, cappuccino, or a mocha from somewhere local. Granted, Caribou Coffee (YUM YUM) and Starbucks will do in a pinch, but there is something so amazing and special about independent, local coffee houses.
So…I tend to seek them out.
(For the record, I sought out Caribou Coffee at the Denver airport upon flying in and before flying out, LOL!)
Just up from the Denver Marriott DTC there is this little shopping center. And in this shopping center is this really amazing cafe called Espressolé Caffe. Attached to this little coffee shop is a cooking school. If I lived in the area, do you realize where I would be, like, all the time??!! Well, I wasn’t there to attend the cooking school that Sunday morning…I was there for some caffeine.
It turns out that Espressolé has been voted the best coffee in Denver. Seriously. And considering how many coffee houses exist, that’s no easy task. That being said, my roommate and I ducked inside that morning to sit in some chairs, relax, and have a morning coffee boost. She ordered a white chocolate mocha with a hit of hazelnut (one of her favorite things to order). I got the Maple Latte with almond milk. (YES!! Almond milk is in every little local cafe in Colorado it seems, making me one happy coffee drinker.)
It took a moment for the drink orders to be made, and I never mind waiting around in coffee shops. We were taking these to drink there, so they would be in mugs and everything. Awesome. Cathy’s White Chocolate Hazelnut Mocha was up first and I went to retrieve it. It smelled awesome and she was quite happy to sip from the foamy top for a moment and savor the taste. She said that it wasn’t bitter at all (perfect espresso pour!) and that it was just rich and creamy and yummy. Yes. Yummy.
My Maple Latte with almond milk was up next. The latte art was very pretty. I love latte art. And the foamy top was done to a frothy perfection. Foam is one of my favorite things on an espresso or cappuccino so I love it when it’s done to perfection. I was hooked on this drink. I wish more places offered a maple latte because this was beyond delicious. It was sweet, without being too sweet, with that little maple flavor that reminds you of fresh syrup on pancakes. The espresso was a perfect pour, very smooth. And it all came together in a caffeinated beverage that I wanted to savor for as long as I possibly could. I did so too, until it started to cool down and I knew that I needed to polish it off before it got cold.
YUMMY!! No…for real. I can see why Espressolé Caffe has been voted the best coffee in Denver. It’s honestly the best coffee I have had…anywhere!! In addition, their pastry case even offered quite a few gluten-free breads/pastries/goodies. WOOHOO! I was gearing up for gluten-free crepes later that day, so no gluten-free goodies this time, but I intend to be back next year and perhaps I’ll indulge then…with another amazing maple latte.
Oh, if I lived in Denver I would be in SO much trouble. Believe me when I say I’m hitting up Espressolé Caffe every morning next time I’m in Denver. It’s just a short walk from my hotel and a whole lot of caffeinated goodness…so close to my home base.
Rocky Mountain Popcorn Company Cinnamon Sugar Popcorn
Product: Rocky Mountain Popcorn Company Cinnamon Sugar Popcorn -$1.50+
Popcorn is awesome.
No, seriously!! It really is. It is a naturally gluten-free food. And…oh yeah…it’s delicious.
While traveling to, ironically, Colorado, I stashed a couple bags of Rocky Mountain Popcorn Company popcorn in my luggage for snack purposes while away from home. Why? Because I eat popcorn every night. Air popped, delicious popcorn rounds out my evening. Healthy and a great snack to help with digestion. Honestly.
But, bringing a popcorn popper was out of the question, so I settled for something I had on hand at my apartment…these bags of popcorn that I picked up on sale at Big Lots. I had two kinds, and the one that I busted into first was the Cinnamon Sugar variety.
I had never had cinnamon sugar popcorn before, so I was a bit excited about tasting this. And I was not let down in the slightest. You know when you used to toast up a piece of bread, spread a bit of butter on it, melt it down and sprinkle it with a cinnamon and sugar topping…that’s what this reminded me of. It was sweet with that little bit of cinnamon heat that made the flavors honestly, and forgive the pun, pop.
I was hooked. The first night my roommate and I had a small cup full and we ended up going back for more. And for only 150 calories per 3/4 cup, that’s not bad at all when it comes to flavored popcorn. Nothing will quite match the healthy factor of air popped, but…you work with what you have when it comes to snacks.
I was blown away by the flavors of this popcorn and now am contemplating making a variety of it with my air popped stuff at home. It was like no popcorn I ever had before…and now I am pleasantly hooked.
So, go grab a bag and see why cinnamon and sugar makes popcorn a sweet treat.
Okay…second to breakfast foods, one of my next favorite things to savor and enjoy in life for a meal is soup. Why? Because soup can be flavored differently, contain different ingredients, be creamy or chunky or even just brothy. It can have noodles, or vegetables, or whatever in it.
But nothing…nothing…ever compares to a good tomato soup.
It is one of the simplest soups out there, but so many times it just falls flat or tastes…like the can it came out of. And sure, I could go ahead and make my own…but I’m trying out some new things I’m finding at the market. And when Amy’s Organic soups went on sale one day…you better believe I stocked up on some.
On an evening where I didn’t have much time, nothing is easier than to make a gluten-free/dairy-free grilled cheese sandwich and pair it up with a soup. And nothing compliments a grilled cheese sandwich better than…tomato soup.
Lucky for me, I happened to have a can of Amy’s Organic Chunky Tomato Bisque in my pantry. Out it came. The can opener did it’s duty and before I knew it, it was simmering in a pot on the stove. What I noticed immediately was the rich, beautiful, vibrant color of it. Deep red. And it had chunks, not bits, not tidbits, but chunks of tomato swimming in it. Even better…it smelled amazing. Like…homemade goodness from the fruit itself amazing.
I love Amy’s products. The company makes great vegetarian products, but a lot of their options are also gluten-free. This soup is one of those. What I love even more, is that this soup contains only half the sodium of what most brands contain. Gotta love that. No high fructose corn syrup is even in this soup, no MSG, nothing unidentifiable or unnatural. Okay…it might be a little more expensive than that store brand, or Progresso, or Campbell’s, but you are getting quality.
And let me tell you, Amy’s Organic Tomato Bisque soup is a true delight for the taste buds. Honestly. I was enamored with the full flavor. You can tell that the tomatoes included in the soup were ripe, fresh, and delicious. The bisque is the perfect consistency. And it honestly was just the perfect thing to dip my sandwich in while watching some Top Chef one evening after a long day at work.
Yeah…this is going to end up in my pantry again soon.
If you love tomato soup, then I highly recommend going to the grocery store and paying that extra dollar for a quality soup, made with the finest ingredients, with lower sodium, and just an overall better flavor. Go find your natural foods section and find the Amy’s Organic soups. Buy them. Enjoy them. Especially the Chunky Tomato Bisque. Now. Do it. Go.
What are you waiting for?
This soup is one classic treat that tastes homemade without all the prep.
Me with my finisher’s medal at the OneAmerica 500 Festival Mini Marathon – Indianapolis, Indiana
Race: OneAmerica 500 Festival Mini Marathon
Place: Downtown Indianapolis, IN
Date: May 5, 2012
Time: 2:04:51
It was going to be hot. That’s all I knew coming into the OneAmerica 500 Festival Mini Marathon. That and this is the largest half marathon in the country. One reason it was on my bucket list of races to run in my lifetime. *places a check mark next to that one* And, I’ll be honest, if it weren’t for a slew of other races that run this same weekend that I’m interested in, I’d be back again next year. It was that amazing of a race.
But let’s get back to the heat.
All week the weather had said rain. Then no rain. Then…possible rain. I’m no stranger to running races in the rain. A majority of my races have been in the rain. I just, really, wasn’t feeling 13.1 miles in the rain. It would mean being wet the entire time…and the need for brand new shoes at the end of it all. Then…the weather changed again. Now…a high of 85 degrees…humidity of 97%. In other words…HOT.
The gross kind of hot. That sticky, humid, you just always feel moist kind of hot. The worst kind of hot.
Time to dig out the race outfit I wore in Chicago (it was hot then too) and give it another spin. And that’s what I did on Friday night when I started packing up my race clothes for this event. I’d go to work that day, leave around 3 p.m. and hit the road to Indianapolis. I’d arrive around rush hour (joy), attempt to find parking downtown that didn’t cost an arm and a leg (I didn’t have any to spare), and get into the Mini Marathon Race Expo to pick up my packet and check out the vendors.
It took a bit of lapping around the convention center, but my roommate and I pulled into a parking garage, parked, and headed into the expo with the hope of it taking less than an hour. That would mean parking would be $5.00, not $10.00. So…one hour. It took us about 10 minutes or so to get from where we parked, inside the convention center, and to where the expo was being held. Honestly, I think we parked as far away as humanly possible without even realizing it. But, we got there…and ducked inside.
Now, my first half marathon was last year’s Chicago Half Marathon (which I ran in 2:20:59, fresh off of two very bad and debilitating injuries and in heat/humidity of orange flag proportions), which had a really, really big expo as well over on Navy Pier. But this one dwarfed that one. Honestly. It was crazy big. Lots of vendors. Lots of races. Lots of races that sounded really awesome to run. This is the place for a runner to get inspired. But first thing was first…packet pick-up.
I went all the way to the back of the expo center where the booths were lined up for racers to pick up their packet. It was done by bib number. I had just a short wait (2 people ahead of me) before handing over my postcard, receiving my swag bag and race number, and stepping away. I was giddy with excitement and did a little happy dance of joy when I walked over to where my roommate was waiting for me. Yeah…I was now getting into the mood.
We did a quick stroll around the expo, starting at the very end and wending our way up and down the multiple aisles. As we started up one aisle, we spotted the booth for Tap ‘N Run. And there, on the backdrop of the booth…was a photo of me. So…we asked if I could get a picture of myself with their promotional backdrop as I was the girl in the purple. The guy looked at the backdrop, looked at me, invited me back, high-fived me, and I got the picture. I should be in race modeling, just saying.
After that, we continued on…picking up a couple of race brochures, seeing what races were represented, checking out the BlueMile running store booth, and other booths. And making good time. Until I hit the booth for BondiBand. BondiBand and I have a race history. I bought my first one (it simply says 13.1) when I ran the Chicago Half Marathon. Since then, I have acquired quite a collection of them. They (and colored hair extensions) have become a part of my race uniform on race day. So…most of my one hour was spent pawing through the stacks, piles, and cases of BondiBands, and finally purchasing four new ones. I couldn’t resist. So…look for them in future races.
We walked through the rest of the expo…then figured it was getting really, really close to time on our parking, and exited. A check of the watch did show that our time was almost up on the parking garage, so we hurried as much as we could back, took the stairs down to the level where you paid, searched for the pay booth, found it, and got the ticket marked and paid for…with only two minutes to spare. We were two minutes away from paying $10 for parking. Whew. That was close. From there…we were off for dinner at Don Pablos before picking up a couple of bananas at Kroger and heading to the Fairfield Inn and collapsing for the night. When we got checked into the hotel and up to the room, I set out everything for the race the following day, changed into my pajamas, read the information packet in my swag bag, then turned in. My alarm was set for 4:30 a.m.
It arrived way too soon.
Race morning!!
Race morning is, as usual when on the road, a frantic hustle-bustle to get dressed, get fueled (this morning it was dry gluten-free EnviroKidz Gorilla Munch cereal), drink some water, brush teeth, put hair extensions in, put hair in pigtails, take a couple pictures, pack up water and protein shake from fridge, pack up post-race snacks, pack up luggage, check out of hotel, get to the race. So, it was a bit frantic, but we managed it all in and hour, and hit the road as planned. In the car, I snacked on a banana with peanut butter as we headed into downtown Indianapolis again, parked for only $5.00 (yes…event parking that cheap) at an easy-access garage for post-race, and took a stroll toward the race site.
And it was during that walk that the butterflies finally hit. The magnitude of this race was really starting to hit home. I have a half marathon goal this year. This is the first of four of them that I’m running. That goal…is to hit sub-2 hours. If it wasn’t so freakin’ hot at 6:00 a.m., this might have been the race it happened at. But it was already sticky humid and the sun hadn’t even come up yet. This was not the race to set a new PR at. This was a race to run smart and finish.
We took a couple pictures at the start line then went and sat down at a table to watch the runners, the news crew, the helicopters, and take it all in. At one point, they started the music up and we glanced up to the hotel windows where curtains snapped back, giggling a little at the ones we could recognize as not being in town because they are running. Check the event calendar, folks. This is a BIG deal here.
After a little bit of lingering, we decided it was time to head down the corral line and find Corral O, also known as, my home until the race began. But, as we were walking, I thought to travel down to Corral T, where my friend Julia was to be, as this was her first half marathon and I really wanted to give her a hug and wish her luck. I got down to T and couldn’t find her. So I texted her, but she was over at Military Park, where the post-race party was going to be held. So, I headed back toward Corral O and slipped inside and began to stretch out.
No sooner had I done that, Keith from my Monday night fun run group arrived. So, at least now I knew someone. He introduced me to his running partner, Carrie, and we all stood around and talked while we did some last minute stretching. The 5K race kicked off during all of this, but we were so far away from the start line that all we really heard was the countdown. Most of our talk was about training and the upcoming run. We took some pictures, stretched out some more, and then they removed the dividers for the corrals. The wheelchair race kicked off at 7:30 a.m. sharp. Again, we were too far away to see anything, but heard the countdown. This meant the start of the OneAmerica 500 Festival Mini Marathon was just three minutes away.
I gave my roommate a hug, wished Keith luck, and we heard the official countdown to the start of the Mini. Lots of clapping and cheers. And now the slow shuffle toward the start line began. This part is actually really exciting. Your heart is racing, you’re smiling, and the atmosphere is just electric. No one is hurting or dehydrated at this point. The mood is uplifting. And you can lose yourself in it so easily. The people I was around kept changing. However, my “GO KAREN GO” sign that my roommate had kept appearing at various points of the long shuffle up to the start line. The runners I was around tracked it the entire way. One group I was near said, “There is that Karen sign again!” and laughed because they had seen it a ways back. I turned and replied, “I’m Karen…and that’s my friend!” Cathy was bobbing, weaving, and hurrying on ahead so I’d continue to see the sign as I made my way toward the start. And soon…I had. Twenty minutes after the official start. And as Keith said at the fun run last night…I hit the start and was gone.
It was already sticky hot and nearing 8 a.m. at this point. I was glad I carried a water bottle with me. But there were tons of water and Gatorade “Pit Stops” along the way. I started off much slower than I normally do at races, because I had 13.1 miles to cover. So, slow and steady, especially in this heat. The first mile ticked by quickly, but I still noticed the elephants on parade at the zoo. That was cool. As we turned onto Michigan, mile 2 came into sight…then three. When I hit the 5K mark, I checked my GPS watch for the first time. Definitely running slower than I had thought I would, but I wanted to beat the heat and not fall victim to it. I would have other opportunities to break a 2 hour half marathon. Today was not that day. Today was a day to run smart.
The next two miles were a blur of bands, runners, and me focusing on breathing, pace, and what would be next. As we came into the sixth mile of this, we would be running the track of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, home of the Indy 500 race. Awesome. And when I ran down a ramp and then back up to enter the speedway, I knew I was now entering my favorite part of the race. For the first time, and only for a few moments, the sun was shielded by clouds. And I managed to pick up my pace a little. My roommate told me that at the 10K mark in the Speedway, I was on pace for my 1:59:00 finish. But it was too fast for the heat of the day and I knew it…so I slowed down as the sun crept back out. Two and a half miles were spent running this famous track. It was awesome. Runners were taking video, taking pictures, and just soaking up the occasion. For some reason, this part of the race felt like it went on forever. I felt like the track portion of the race was never going to end, but soon, I was exiting the Speedway and hitting the pavement once again for the last five and a half miles.
I want to say a big thank you to the people who lived on the streets we ran down, because some were out there with their hoses just spraying down the runners. It was awesome and just what we needed. There were rigs set up for misting that the runners could go through as well to cool down. Very smart. But all this time the flag on the mile markers stayed green. I was surprised, because the heat was really intense. I hit Mile 10 and decided to check my watch again. I was about where I was on my training run, and only a few minutes behind where I was on the Papa John’s 10 Miler. Ideally, that was the pace I wanted. Realistically…that wasn’t happening today. I was proud of where I was and told myself I only had a 5K to go. Then…victory.
I didn’t want to hit the wall like I did in Chicago the previous September, so I dug out my package of Annie’s Organic Summer Strawberry Fruit Snacks (vegan & gluten-free), which I brought along for fuel as I didn’t have time to get beans and I don’t do the gels or gu. So…I downed these as I went and then focused on the task at hand. Mile 11 cruised by. Then…VICTORY MILE!
After hitting Mile 12, you enter the home stretch. This happens on New York Street. The Victory Mile is adorned with banners in the infamous black and white checkered flags. The crowd was awesome, just encouraging you onward. “You’re almost there runners!” “Good job, runners!” “You can do this!” Actually when someone shouted that, a runner right behind me replied, “I never doubted myself for a moment.” And yes…I laughed. Loudly. It felt great.
I admit…running that last mile was emotional. The checkered flags, the crowd, the cheering, and that final sprint when you know you are so close to the Finish. You can see the finish line and you know if you just put all your heart into it, you’re going to get there. So, you just give it all you have…and that’s what I did. I pushed. I could feel the finish with each footfall. And as I got close, my roommate was right there with my sign, screaming at me to go, to push, to finish.
And I did. Just five minutes shy of my goal. In the heat and humidity. Yeah…I’ll take that. Any day. I was so damn proud of myself for finishing as well as I did. I was hot, I was ready for some water. I needed my cold vegan chocolate protein shake. But it would be a moment before that happened. I had to get through Runner Services first. No problem. Just go with the crowd. First…the finisher’s medal. YAY! Then…a plastic bag for you to put all your goodies…bananas, fruit cups, fruit strips, dehydrated fruits, cookies (I skipped those because gluten is the enemy)…and of course my bag ripped when the banana (the first thing I got) went in. So I was juggling more than I wanted to. But, that’s what happens with me. I just laugh it off. I made it to where they were taking photos of runners, got mine, then proceeded to Military Park and toward the Family Reunion Area. I had to find the marker labeled B. That was where Cathy was going to meet me.
She was already there. And said, “Come here you sweaty runner person and give me a hug.” I did. I was still smiling. I got my cell phone from her, laid down on the ground, propped my feet up on her and called my mom. We talked for a little bit, then I stretched, stood up, and downed my protein shake and polished off my water. I got my Smart Water from Cathy and downed that too. She handed me the last bottle I had and I nursed that one as we went to the Convention Center to use the bathroom so I could get changed out of my damp running clothes.
When I was in the bathroom, I pulled open my bag to change and found a new t-shirt in there for me. Cathy got me a “I Finished” t-shirt. Which I wore proudly that day. After changing, we walked around, then it was off to lunch at Cheeseburger in Paradise, where I was able to pick up my veggie burger and eat it like a real human does for the first time in ages, thanks to the gluten-free buns they have there.
And yeah…I was still smiling.
As for the official standings of the OneAmerica 500 Festival Mini Marathon, I finished in 2:04:51. Overall, I was 7271/31,129 finishers. I was437/2737 runners in my age division and 2191/16825 female finishers.
The Celiathlete 