I want to tell you a story about two different pizza places.
While at the convention in Denver, Colorado, I wanted to order a pizza for dinner one night. While I did have a rental car, parking was a bitch on Saturday night and if my roomie or I left the hotel, we’d have to pay for parking elsewhere (as our spot would be gone!) and as guests of the hotel, that just didn’t seem right. So, I pulled out my iPhone and pulled up my Find Me Gluten Free app to search for nearby places that would deliver pizza. The first place that caught my attention was the place recommended to us by the guy at The Gluten Escape Bakery on Friday. NICE! The place…Pizza Doodle. Not only did they offer gluten-free pizza…but gluten-free garlic bread too. I was one happy girl. I never get to have garlic bread while eating pizza. I mean…I was on top of the world. My app said they were about 7 miles away…so, I called in an order for the Gluten-Free Garlic Bread and a 9-inch Gluten-Free Tree Hugger Pizza (that would be pesto sauce, onion, garlic, artichoke hearts, and roasted red peppers on what their menu advertised as THE BEST GF CRUST!). I made sure to order this with vegan cheese. The lady took the order and my phone number and said it would be forty-five minutes. Cathy and I decided to go wait outside for the pizza, and ended up waiting for well over an hour. I finally called back and was told that they don’t deliver to the DTC.
IT. IS. SEVEN. FREAKIN’. MILES. AWAY!
I was starving and angry. And really pissed off that they didn’t call (even though they claimed they did…I was holding my phone the entire time and it never rang once and I had no missed calls or messages). All day I had been looking forward to gluten-free garlic bread…and now I wasn’t going to get it. Cathy took my phone to find somewhere else to have pizza and I stormed off in tears (hunger + emotional wreck because I never get gluten-free garlic bread).
Cathy apparently found a place that could accomodate my diet…though without the garlic bread. The place…zpizza!
Actually, she told the guy on the other end of the line the storry about what Pizza Doodle pulled and inquired as to if they did gluten-free garlic bread. He said they did not, but he upgraded our pizza to a large for no extra cost. They did the vegan cheese, so that was sufficient. Although…it wasn’t what I wanted.
About thirty minutes later, my phone rang as I was in my friend, Marc Gunn’s, concert. Cathy and I hurried out to meet the pizza delivery guy from zpizza, give him a nice tip, and thank him for the food. We dashed up to the hotel room to finally eat. I was so ready to dive in…but I remembered to get a picture for the blog.
Cathy ordered the Gluten-Free Napoli Pizza ($15.40 – with the cheese substitution and gluten-free crust) from zpizza. This pizza is their gluten-free crust topped with tomatoes, Parmesan cheese, Mozzarella cheese (we got vegan though), basil, and a roasted garlic sauce.
She did good.
I was really disappointed to flip open the box and see the thin-crust that I always get with a gluten-free pizza (my local gluten-free bakery, Annie May’s Sweet Café, has spoiled me with their thick pizza crust!). I might have pitched an unhappy fit over that, but I was still in garlic bread mode…and nothing was making me happy at that point. With the photo for the blog out of the way…we dug in.
While the Gluten-Free Napoli Pizza from zpizza was not what I wanted…it was really, really good. Okay, the crust was a bit of a disappointment, but I’m used to that cracker crust by now. And, honestly, it wasn’t bad. The tomatoes were fresh. The basil was a nice seasoning touch. And the vegan cheese was melted to perfection! That’s not always easy to do…trust me. The best part, however, was definitely the roasted garlic sauce. That sauce made this pizza. It was delicious. I love a white pizza, and anything with garlic involved is going to immediately be my friend. When Cathy said they upgraded us to a large, I told her the two of us wouldn’t be able to eat a large pizza. But the two of us devoured that pizza. Really…really quickly. We were extremely hungry and I was an emotional mess and was now stuffing my face with each gluten-free slice I could get my hands on. Epic pizza toppings for sure. I’d be more than happy to order from zpizza again. And, despite not being a gluten-free environment, they, like most pizza places that offer gluten-free crust, did a fine job of not cross-contaminating anything. I didn’t get sick. And the pizza was a dream come true. I wanted to hate it since there was no gluten-free garlic bread…but there was nothing to dislike about this pizza. Fantastic!
Where Pizza Doodle, although highly recommended, failed…zpizza triumphed. I thank them from the bottom of my gluten-free heart for the delivery to the hotel. I was beyond upset with Pizza Doodle and it was nice to have a place step in and make things awesome again. The pizza was stellar. The toppings were fresh. And I was pleasantly full as I polished off the last slice of my half of the pizza. Although they didn’t have to, they felt bad for what happened to us with the other pizza place and gave us an upgrade free of charge. That’s great business right there.
I’ll order from them again in a heartbeat!
zpizza’s Gluten-Free Napoli Pizza with Vegan Cheese
I have my friend, Pecos, to thank for turning me on to the newest gluten-free bakery near the Denver Tech Center in Denver, Colorado. I make a yearly sojourn out to Denver for Starfest, an annual sci-fi/fantasy convention, and am always looking for places that can safely feed me. A couple of months before I headed that way, Pecos mentioned this place on Facebook. Sure enough, it wasn’t far from my hotel at the convention at all. Insert a happy traveler right here!
As it turned out, we’d be hitting Denver at the right time to stop into said bakery for lunch. And I couldn’t be happier. Cathy and I budgeted some money (and then she added on after we settled in to eat and after purchasing a few things for later…but I’m getting ahead of myself) for this stop to be our official lunch and snack stop on Friday afternoon. It was perfect. And…after getting a little lost trying to find the place, we finally located it (under a storage awning, of all things).
The Gluten Escape. Their slogan…”Where gluten is a 4-letter word…gone!”
Love it.
The bakery itself is quite small and cozy. You see the counter with all the baked goods in the case and on top of the case the moment you walk in. To the left is a fridge, a toaster, a microwave, and coffee/tea stuff. To the right, a small dining area for those who are dining in. The back and far walls had little shelves with some of the items they had for sale…as well as cakes. Cathy scoped those out while I was preparing lunch…but I’m getting ahead of myself again.
We were greeted by a very nice gentleman behind the counter when we entered the bakery. We told him that we were from the Louisville, Kentucky area and had been told about this bakery by a good friend of ours in the area…and we were starving travelers. I was eying the brownies and bars in the case at the front when Cathy tapped me on the shoulder and said…”Bagels!”
The Gluten Escape’s Gluten-Free Onion Bagel and Gluten-Free Cinnamon Roll
SOLD!! They were out of the Everything Bagel, which would have been my first choice. The other two options were Onion and Cinnamon Raisin. I jumped at Cinnamon Raisin, but Cathy said…”Really? You want that one?” Which means…she didn’t. So, I gave in for the Gluten-Free Onion Bagel ($3.00). And let me tell you…this bagel looked AWESOME!! Even better than Udi’s Gluten-Free Bagels. All of them. So, we got the Gluten-Free Onion Bagel with the Daiya Cream Cheese (yay for vegan cream cheese!) to split as we also purchased one of the Gluten-Free Cinnamon Rolls ($2.25) to split as well.
We also picked up other goodies…but I’ll get into that in a moment.
Let’s focus on lunch. We were handed the bagel, which he sliced for us and told that the toaster was right behind us. Awesome. I got to work toasting it while he grabbed the dairy-free cream cheese and then the cinnamon roll. He handed that to Cathy and told her she might want to give it a 20 second warm-up in the microwave. Which…she did. The toasting on the bagel was taking a bit of time and I was hoping I wasn’t going to burn it. Because…FRESH MADE GLUTEN-FREE BAGEL!! HELLO!! Do you realize how uncommon that is to find??!! Trust me…you don’t see it very often. I don’t see it at all, honestly. The bagel popped and I plated it and carried it to the table. Photos happened and then I spread the bagel with the cream cheese and we each took a bite.
Holy gluten-free bagel, Batman. This was fantastic. It was light, not heavy. The flavor was amazing. You really got the onion flavor without it being overpowering. It had that nice crust on the outside, but was still chewy and bread-y in the middle. It was heaven. I cried. Seriously. Tears of joy. Because, save for the Udi’s processed gluten-free bagels…I hadn’t had an actual bagel since I had to go gluten-free. This…was life changing for me. Life affirming even. I might survive after all. I set the bagel down so I could try the cinnamon roll.
This was not what I was expecting when I cut the cinnamon roll in half. Honestly. It looked more like a muffin than the traditional cinnamon roll. It was way different from the gluten-free cinnamon rolls that I purchase from Sinfully Gluten Free in Dayton, Ohio and Annie May’s Sweet Café in Louisville, Kentucky. Like I said…it looked more like a muffin. But…we all know that cinnamon rolls are one of my favorite indulgences…and I was looking forward to splitting this with Cathy. I sliced it in half…a pocket of cinnamon flavoring nestled right in the center. I lifted it and took a bite. It reminded me of…apple pie, oddly enough. I think it was the spices that went into the dough and the cinnamon center. I loved that it wasn’t coated in icing, but lightly drizzled. I am not a fan of icing or frosting…so the less the better in my book. And this definitely gave it a nice level of sweetness. It wasn’t my favorite gluten-free cinnamon roll, but it was delicious. And we ended up buying another one!
This brings me to our side purchases…
For breakfast the following morning, Cathy and I picked up two of the Mini Chocolate Donuts ($1.59), the Chocolate Chip Pretzel Bar, and the Lemon Raspberry Bar as well. I would have bought one of everything if I could have afforded it. So, after I went for a run that morning, I returned to the hotel room and got our breakfast prepped. I sliced the bars in half and delivered those to Cathy, along with her donut. As I was getting the rest of my breakfast ready for me to settle in and enjoy…I hear the happiest noise in the world.
The Gluten Escape’s Gluten-Free Lemon Raspberry Bar, Gluten-Free Chocolate Donut, and Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Pretzel Bar
“You HAVE TO try the donut RIGHT NOW!” I was told.
So, I took a bite.
OMG…best gluten-free donut I have had yet. From anywhere. And, trust me, I’ve eaten a lot of gluten-free donuts…in gluten-free bakeries and the store-bought kind. Seriously…reminded me of a Dunkin Doughnuts Chocolate Munchkin. I was once again in tears. It was a cake doughnut, but without the denseness and heaviness that I often find with gluten-free donuts. These were light and airy, and amazing. The chocolate chips inside were a very nice treat as well. I was starting off breakfast with a bang. YUMMY!!
The next thing I sampled was the Gluten-Free Lemon Raspberry Bar ($3.75). This had this delicious crust and was topped with a sweet and tart lemon filling and then capped with something akin to raspberry jam or compote. Whatever it was…the flavor combination was awesome. The crust gave it a little bit of texture as well as dulled the sweetness of the berries and the tartness of the lemon. I liked this bar a lot, but found myself wishing that it was just the lemon on there. I love raspberries and all…but LEMON…is the ultimate bar. Forever.
The Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Pretzel Bar ($3.75) snagged my attention away from the brownies that were in the case. Those were tempting too. But…pretzel! HELLO! This was a lot like a blondie…but with gluten-free pretzels baked into it and scattered across the top. I’m thinking…sweet with salty. I was right. This bar was fantastic. The pretzels were slightly on the stale side, but that’s because I had bought them the day before and they were sitting on top of one of the tables in the hotel room all night. It didn’t take away from the deliciousness though. I loved the play and sweet and salty, which is my favorite flavor combination These were amazing. For real.
The Gluten Escape’s Gluten-Free Snickerdoodle Cookie
Later on that day, Cathy and I decided to have a snack. We indulged in some fruit we had picked up at the grocery store. And with it, we split the Gluten-Free Snickerdoodle Cookie ($2.50) that we also purchased while there. This was my first time ever encountering a crispy snickerdoodle cookie. But…the flavors were spot on. The sweetness from the sugar, the heat from the cinnamon. Snickerdoodles, as we all know, are my absolute favorite cookie and these were different from what I’m used to, but I loved it all the same. So, it wasn’t the chewy cookie I associate snickerdoodles with. Didn’t matter. It tasted like a snickerdoodle. That’s what counts, yes? RIGHT!
I won’t lie…the buying didn’t stop there. Nope. Not at all. Before we left the bakery on Friday afternoon, Cathy pointed out the Gluten-Free Biscotti and the Gluten-Free Puppy Chow on one of the shelves. I also found a Pumpkin Spice Granola Bar that was definitely intriguing, since pumpkin flavored everything rules! I ended up buying the Gluten-Free Pumpkin Spice Granola Bar ($2.25), the Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Biscotti ($1.95), the Grain Free Mocha Almond Biscotti ($3.25), and a container of the Gluten-Free Puppy Chow ($3.99-ish?).
The Gluten Escape’s Gluten-Free Puppy Chow
I tried the Puppy Chow on Monday morning on my way to the airport. Cathy and I needed to swing by Voodoo Donut to pick up some dounuts for a co-worker of ours. So, while there, Cathy ordered a donut for herself. As for me…it was Puppy Chow time. The Gluten Escape’s Puppy Chow is a mix of Chex cereal, puffed rice, pretzels, and corn flakes. They are dusted in powdered sugar. And it was really, really good. I loved the different textures and flavors with each bite. You got the salty from the pretzels, the sweet from the cereal, and each cereal was different, making it crunchy or softer or just snack-able by the handful. I loved it. I ate half of it before hitting the airport and brought the other half to the office with me the following day.
The Gluten-Free Pumpkin Spice Granola Bar was…lacking sweetness, in my opinion. It was good. And they definitely had the right pumpkin spice flavor down. It wasn’t overpowering. But…the bar just seemed flat. It was very crunchy, which is fine…granola bars can go either way. But I kept waiting on something that would sweeten the deal. Like chocolate chips or something. I just think it needed a touch of sugar (not too much…just something to elevate it). Regardless, it was good and I downed that entire thing at the office.
As for the two biscotti that I chose…WOW!! Just…WOW!! They complimented my morning coffee beautifully for one thing. The first one that Cathy and I tried (we split them) was the Grain Free Mocha Almond Biscotti. OH MY GOD!! So delicious. I enjoyed dunking it in my coffee and just having that flavor mingle and mix. Oh…it was divine. And totally made my morning, if you couldn’t tell. The Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Biscotti was the same way. I loved the crispness that would soften when dunked in the coffee and the chocolate chips were a nice lingering sweet touch. I was in total coffee heaven those mornings. Seriously. I will probably buy whatever biscotti they have next time I am in town. For real. That…was love at first bite for sure!
I know that Colorado is a hotbed for gluten-free companies and businesses…and I love visiting there for that reason. But, if you happen to be near the Denver Tech Center (DTC)…I strongly encourage you to take the trip up the road to The Gluten Escape and indulge in some of their daily specials and their baked goods. Everything looked fantastic. I really would have purchased one of everything had the budget and my belly allowed. But, that’s why there is always a next time. And there will be a next time.
Beyond impressed!
The Gluten-Escape’s Gluten-Free Pumpkin Spice Granola Bar, Grain-Free Mocha Almond Biscotti, and Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Biscotti
Because, somehow, without even knowing me…you created the ultimate snack. You invented my new snack crack. Because this combines two of my most favorite things in life…and then some. You take peanut butter…and popcorn…and you make it snackable. You make it…so easy to dive into this little pouch and keep on going. It’s so hard to stop. It’s just…you made my snack kryptonite.
Congratulations.
Now, you, my fellow readers…if you are unfamiliar with Earth Balance and, more specifically, P.B. Popps…read carefully. Earth Balance is a company that is committed to producing 100% plant-based, vegan, non-GMO, lactose-free, egg-free, casein-free, trans-fat-free products. I use their vegan butters, buttery spreads, and nut butters in numerous things. I keep Earth Balance products in my fridge and pantry…constantly. When a company specializes in vegan products that are created only using all-natural ingredients that are organic, and often benefit those who not only are vegan or vegetarian, but also have food allergies…well…you better believe I’m going to support them.
A little while ago, Earth Balance began putting out some vegan and gluten-free snack options. First it was some popcorn (in various flavors) and such. But…one day they put up on Facebook that they created this amazing product called P.B. Popps. I immediately knew that if I spotted them in the grocery store…I’d buy them. It took some looking, but almost a year later, they turned up on the shelf of my local Whole Foods store. There was much rejoicing and budget breaking that day. I snagged a pouch of them and took them home.
These…have been my snack at the office this past week. And oh my GOD…they are SO good.
P.B. Popps are described on the packaging as popcorn cuddled in peanut butter and a bustle of oats. I love popcorn. I definitely love peanut butter. And oats are one of my favorite things in life. I mean…I eat oatmeal in some form for lunch every day. Yes. EVERY day! So, popcorn coated in peanut butter and oats…that sounds right up my alley.
Trust me. It was. And you’ll love them too! Each popcorn pieces is coated liberally in peanut butter, and dipped in oats. This makes the most interesting texture combination when you bite into it. The popcorn has that crunch from the peanut butter that coats it…and then the oats add a hint of softness to each bite. The peanut butter flavor is awesome on these. I mean…awesome. It doesn’t overpower…but you know it’s peanut butter. And, trust me, it’s best to put out only a serving because you could keep popping these little peanut-buttery-oaty popcorn pieces and down the entire bag. These…are beyond fantastic. These are a treat worth repeating!!
Ingredients for Earth Balance P.B. Popps are peanuts, whole grain oats, dried cane syrup, tapioca syrup, popcorn, expeller pressed natural oil blend, flaxseed, agave syrup, salt, baking soda, water, natural flavor, pea protein, and sunflower lecithin. I know what every single one of those ingredients are! That’s a bonus. The Earth Balance P.B. Popps are vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free, cholesterol-free, non-GMO, made with 100% natural ingredients, and contain 0 grams of trans-fat. LOVE.
Let’s look at nutrition for this snack…because…vegan, dairy-free, gluten-free…and all of that still comes with a nutrition label, yes? You better believe it. A serving size of the Earth Balance P.B. Popps is 28 grams (or about 1/3 cup). This serving will provide you with 130 calories and 6 grams of fat. This serving will also be giving you 80 mg sodium and 6 grams of sugar. And finally, you’ll be consuming 2 grams of fiber and 3 grams of protein.
Not bad for a peanut-buttery popcorn snack, right? RIGHT! I was very impressed with this snack. Earth Balance has never let me down. Not once. And this has made me an even bigger fan. I can’t wait to try more of their snack items in the very near future. The most difficult part now will be not purchasing a pouch of these every time I go into Whole Foods.
For real! They are that amazing. Try them yourself. Trust me…you’ll want to pop more than one!
So Delicious Dairy Free No Sugar Added Toasted Almond Chip Coconut Milk Frozen Dessert
Product: So Delicious Dairy Free No Sugar Added Toasted Almond Chip Coconut Milk Frozen Dessert – $6.99+
Mmm…ice cream.
I love ice cream. It’s the one treat I never like to say no to eating. However, being lactose intolerant, ice cream doesn’t always love me back. Even when I take a supplement to help with digestion…it doesn’t always work. As you can imagine, for someone who grew up eating ice cream no matter what time of year it was…this can be quite challenging.
But…thanks to products from So Delicious Dairy Free…I can still have my ice cream and at it too.
Well, technically, being dairy free it can’t be called “ice cream”…but more of a frozen dessert. And from So Delicious, the primary base of their products is…coconut milk.
YUMMY!
Back in April, I was running around my grocery store and my roommate said…”Did you see the no sugar added So Delicious ice cream over there?” I was all, “Um…NO!” And went tearing over to the freezer with the So Delicious and other dairy-free frozen desserts tucked inside. Over near the organic and natural foods, of course.
And there it was…a beacon of grocery store light shining down upon it. A little white container with a blue label wrapped around it declaring…”NO SUGAR ADDED!” This is my kind of dessert. Being the sweet tooth that I am, I’ve been desperately trying to cut back on sugar where I can. It’s not easy…but this…this was made for me. I didn’t even ask…I opened up that freezer door, pulled out a pint…and it came home with me that night.
And the other night…I was feeling ice cream. So, this finally had it’s moment to prove itself.
The grocery store had a few varieties in flavor to choose from, but my eye was drawn to the So Delicious Dairy Free No Sugar Added Toasted Almond Chip Coconut Milk Frozen Dessert.
Whew…that’s a mouthful.
A delicious mouthful!
But…I’m getting ahead of myself. After a light dinner, I went to the freezer and retrieved the little pint of dairy-free dessert goodness. I dished up a serving for Cathy and one for me. Since this is dairy-free with no sugar added, the ice cream was a bit…flaky. It isn’t as creamy as regular ice cream, so scooping it out was sometimes a challenge…but I measured out the serving and dished the goodness out to each of us.
All it took was one bite for me to know that this was going to be a match made in heaven. A delicious dairy-free, gluten-free, less-sugar-in-your-life kind of heaven. So, it wasn’t creamy…but it wasn’t an unpleasant sort of flaky. In fact, each spoonful would melt into creamy goodness in your mouth, and the bits of almond and flakes of chocolate would be the last things to dance across your tongue. Magic. Just pure spoonfuls of magic. I was loving it. And sad that I only had two more servings. Gone to soon, for sure. But…a delicious treat that I wasn’t expecting. I am a huge fan of coconut milk and things made with coconut milk. And the fact that this is lower in sugar makes me one happy girl. You wouldn’t really even know that it was low-sugar if you weren’t told. It really is that good!
I am out…and need more.
Soon.
Ingredient-wise…So Delicious Dairy Free uses organic coconut milk, gum arabic, chocolate flake, almonds, vegetable glycerin, chicory root extract, erythritol, natural flavors, sea salt, locust bean gum, guar gum, carrageenan (UGH!), and monk fruit extract in the No Sugar Added Toasted Almond Chip Frozen Dessert. So…not completely a clean eat…but, not the worst (by far) on ingredients. It is cholesterol-free soy-free, dairy-free, and gluten-free. It is certified kosher, vegan, and organic!
Nutritionally speaking, a serving of the So Delicious Dairy Free No Sugar Added Toasted Almond Chip Frozen Dessert is 1/2 cup. In this serving, you will be consuming 140 calories and 12 grams of fat (some of that is the healthy fats you get from coconut and almonds…so don’t panic!). You will also be consuming 80 mg sodium and 1 gram of sugar. Yes…you read that right…1 GRAM OF SUGAR!! LOVE!! In addition, you will be taking in 10 grams of filling fiber and 2 grams of protein. So much love for these nutrition facts. For real.
Love. That’s what this dessert is all about. Lots of dairy-free, tasty, ice-creamy love. The No Sugar Added variety of the Toasted Almond Chip Frozen Dessert from So Delicious Dairy Free may not be the creamiest of ice cream treats…but it brings the flavor. And the love. Especially to those of us who have problems with dairy. This is one of life’s greatest gifts to the ice cream lover in me. I need more.
Stat.
A serving of So Delicious Dairy Free No Sugar Added Toasted Almond Chip Coconut Milk Frozen Dessert
Product: WOW Baking Company Lemon Burst Cookies – $4.99+
Lemon. Lemon.
Luscious lemon.
There is something go refreshing and amazing about foods that have that lemon tang to it. Citrus has always been one of my first loves…especially lemon. Lemonade, lemon chiffon, lemon meringue, lemon zest, lemon…lemon…lemon! Give me all the lemon.
Luckily, my friends know of this lemon love…and often share it.
That goes double for my friend Jenn, who kindly stocked me up with a package of WOW Baking Company’s Lemon Burst Cookies.
I mean…what is not to love about that? LEMON. BURST. COOKIES.
I was thrilled to have these in my pantry…and after working through some other items…pulled these out one evening for a delicious palate cleanser after dinner. Dessert doesn’t have to be big…but it should always be enjoyed. I love a small touch of sweetness after a meal. My desserts at home are often just a couple bites of something, but I never deny myself that little treat.
That being said…I pulled open this little sack of cookie goodness and discovered a bag full of amazing soft, two to three bite cookies. I checked the label for the serving size…which says…2 ounces. That turned out to be around 4-5 of the little mini cookies. So…I dished up a measured serving (yes…I weighed them each time!) for my roommate and one for me. I delivered the cookies to her and she dug in. She might love lemon even more than I do…so she was happily nomming away at her batch of cookies when I finally settled in with my dessert.
One bite confirmed what her appreciative chewing noises were telling me. These…WERE AWESOME!! The texture was somewhere in between a butter cookie and a cake. Seriously. They were so soft and light…I loved it. No annoying crunching. Flavor-wise, it was like eating a bit of sugar cookie dough that was kicked up with a hint of lemon flavor. Just enough to sweeten and not overpower. It was so refreshing. Each bite was a treat, most definitely.
WOW Baking Company is very dedicated to producing soft, chewy, delicious tatsting baked goods that are wheat-free and gluten-free. According to their Website, all products are produced in small batches with premium, all-natural ingredients. You won’t ever find hydrogenated oils, refined sugars, artificial flavors or wheat and gluten in any of the products they produce. Their products are non-GMO, which is always nice. WOW Baking Company produces all their products in a dedicated and certified gluten-free facility.
So, let’s discuss the ingredients in WOW Baking Company Lemon Burst Cookies, shall we? These cookies are made from a gluten-free flour blend (brown rice, sweet rice, tapioca), cane sugar, butter, eggs, corn starch, potato starch, vanilla, cream of tartar, pure lemon oil, xanthan gum, baking soda, salt and citric acid. That’s it. And what you get is a product you’d be hard pressed to guess was gluten-free if you didn’t know. Trust me.
Nutritionally speaking, a serving of WOW Baking Company Lemon Burst Cookies is, as I mentioned before, 2 ounces, or around 4-5 cookies. This serving will dish you up 260 calories and 12 grams of fat. These cookies also have 50 mg cholesterol, 220 mg sodium, and 14 grams of sugar. The Lemon Burst Cookies also have 1 gram of fiber and 2 grams of protein in each serving. So…they are a treat for sure. Don’t over indulge…but do enjoy.
I fell in love with the WOW Baking Company Lemon Burst Cookies at first bite. Chewy, soft, light, and delicious. The right amount of lemon flavor. The right balance of everything else. Real ingredients means really delicious treats. This…is a favorite for sure!
Me sprinting to the finish line at the Geist Half Marathon – Fishers, Indiana
Race: Geist Half Marathon
Place: Fishers, Indiana
Date: May 17, 2014
Time:1:38:52
NEW. HALF. MARATHON. PR.
F*CK YEAH!
Okay…so it was a PR by 8 seconds, but that’s still a PR. And given the fact that I wasn’t pushing or truly giving my all on this race and course since I’m racing again next weekend…well…this was a surprise. A very happy, welcome, great surprise. Especially since this course was quite hilly. Hilly enough that my calf muscles protested every single one of them.
Note to self…hill work is a must!!
But, once again, I’m getting ahead of myself. Let me start at the beginning of this journey…
Friday. I did a short shake-out run that morning…1 mile…in the pouring rain…because…it rained on me after I headed out on the run and at that point…I was out and wet. I then…stupidly…went to my spin class. I did not put on my heavy heavy when we were told to take it to heavy…so, that counted for something, yes? After that…a long day at the office…and finally got let loose a little early…just past 3:30 to start on the journey up to Fishers, IN…north of Indianapolis.
The car ride took forever! Seriously. First…storms. Dark clouds…rain…apparently Indianapolis had hail. The area the race was happening on Saturday morning was getting marble size hail. Because when I race…I bring the storms. Every…freakin’…time! Anyway…the weather put us a little behind…but so did the traffic! GOD…the traffic! Apparently people panic when it rains up there because we saw so many accidents. Some were roll-overs. Some were just one-car things. Some two-car things. All of them…pissing me off because it was keeping me from picking up my packet and getting to food and my friend Julia…who was meeting up with us for dinner.
UGH! But, we made it to St. Vincent Fishers Hospital. The packet pickup was being held in the visitor’s waiting area near the food court. I posed for a picture by the banner outside and then headed in. This race never has much of an expo…so this was going to be a quick stop. I think we were there for a grand total of 5 minutes. Just long enough for me to walk up to a table, get my bib and long sleeve tech shirt, check my timing chip, pick up a poster (that has my name on it!), and leave. The rain cleared up for a moment, but it was definitely chilly out. I already knew from checking the weather that race morning was getting an unseasonably cold 39°F temperature. Usually this race has killer heat…so this was different.
So…it was off to dinner. Julia was already at the restaurant with a table…and we were 10 minutes away. Except 10 minutes took 30 minutes because of traffic issues and accidents on I-69. We learned…never take I-69. HAHA!! Thanks for the tip, Julia! But…we arrived at Rockstone Pizzeria and Pub in Fishers and found Julia at the table in the bar. As we settled in, a table in the back stood up and I spotted Laura, Tammy, and Mike from my running group!! YAY!! We talked for a moment…and they headed out. It was now 7 p.m…a full hour after I would normally have wanted to eat…but that’s life for you. We placed our orders, all getting the Vava Veggie Pizza (mine was gluten-free…hers was not). The pizza was good. Cathy and I split mine because I really wanted some gelato for dessert…but in the end, as it was now past 8 p.m…decided against it. I was bummed. But…race was important. We talked some more with Julia, but around 8:30 p.m…we headed out. I needed to pick up a banana for race morning and get to the hotel to get stuff ready. And I was hoping to be in bed by 9 p.m. that night, but with all the delays…I hit the bed around 10:30 p.m. And then slept like hell.
My first alarm went off and I got up to shut it off and do my first morning ritual on race day. Then, back to bed for an hour. The second alarm went off and I was up to get changed, put on some sunscreen, and get my stretching in. At 5:30 a.m., I woke up Cathy and finished up with doing my traditional race hair and eating some gluten-free cereal for breakfast. I took in some water, took my vitamins, and then got pinned up and ready to run. We left the hotel room…and went back for the bananas…then left again and headed out to the high school where we chose to park the car.
Chris and me at the start line of the Geist Half Marathon – Fishers, Indiana
On the way, I was messaging back and forth with my friend Chris from a running group I belong to. He and his girlfriend, Becca, were running Geist on a last-minute decision. Awesome. We were planning on meeting up. He said he’d look for my “race hair” (HAHA!) and I told him that I was dressed as Wonder Woman…so he said he’d look for a superhero. Chris is truly this awesome.
Cathy and I parked and started the mile walk from the parking lot to the starting line. I kept looking in the groups of runners walking that way for Chris…but never spotted him. At 7 a.m., I broke out my second breakfast…my pre-race banana…and that was when he found me. HUGS ALL AROUND! And photos. We talked for a few minutes and then he and Becca headed back further in the corral line-up. The announcement was made that the start of the race was delayed due to unforeseen circumstances, which turned out to be a woman who was running the half marathon and on her way to the start, running in a crosswalk…when she was struck by one of the buses that was acting as a shuttle that morning. It happened at 6 a.m….and the race course hadn’t been cleared yet.
But, once the go-ahead was given, opening ceremonies began. The national anthem was sung beautifully and really set the tone of the race. I shed my hoodie and passed it off to Cathy, who went to find a spot on the other side of the start line…and I shivered for a little while and made new friends, as I always do. Everyone was so nice!
And…a moment later…we were off to the races!! Instead of a staggered start time for the half marathon and the 5K, this year, the Geist races began at the same time…on different sides of the road. I headed out, crossing the start mat and getting into a groove. I saw Cathy, waiving my sign and cheering me on, so I flashed a peace sign…and carried on. The first mile had a lot of people…but not too bad since I was up near the front. This was the first trip across the bridge…and I had two children running the half (boys!) who were trash talking their 5K friends. Acting all tough. And then I hear, “I have a cramp.” Followed by “Let’s not talk as much…” And then I moved past that disaster waiting to happen. Mile 1…and I feel a tap…and turn to find Tammy!! TAMMY!! Tammy is awesome…fresh off a fast (and Boston Qualifying) marathon in Fargo the weekend before. She ran with me for a mile before she said she was dropping off the pace because she said she wasn’t going to race this one. Crazy girl still came in 3rd in her division…and not long after I finished either. Drop off the pace, my booty! I want to be Tammy when I grow up!
So, I was out on the course now on my own, runners beside me, runners in front of me, and runners behind me. I was taking it all in. We were now in a small neighborhood and people, despite the cold air, came out to cheer at the end of their driveways. As I rounded the corner, I got my first WONDER WOMAN shout out…and then the woman started doing the Batman music. That made me giggle. I knew this part of the course. It was the 5K course all the other times I ran this race (I did the 5K twice before…but not the half marathon. Nice change!). So, as we headed across the reservoir, I got a shout out from the photographer. Also was told I had the best running outfit ever. HA!
So…the race turned out to be a challenging one. This was a brand new course for the Geist Half Marathon, making the 5K and the half marathon an out and back instead of a point-to-point as it had been in the past. NICE! But, with this new course came some new challenges. Those are called hills. And those hills are what I need to really work on this coming summer. And not just talk about it…do it.
The first part of the race had some minor climbs…but after I hit the halfway point, that’s where the challenging hills really came into play. I took in some fuel, even though I didn’t think I needed it (trying to get back into good habits!), at the halfway mark and continued on. My legs were really fighting the hills. They slowed me down because my calf muscles wanted to protest every climb. But…I had a goal…and that was to try to keep as even a pace as possible on this run…even with all the hills.
TONS more shout outs for my Wonder Woman outfit happened along the way, and I soaked up the atmosphere, the beautiful surroundings, and just the feel of the race. My hands were so cold that it was hard for me to hang onto the water bottles from my fuel belt, but…again…trying to get back into good habits…I made sure to hydrate throughout. Even if it took some effort to get the bottles back into my fuel belt. My hands don’t work well when they are cold. In fact…they don’t work at all. And I didn’t think to pack gloves…because…it’s May…
Mile 10 came into view and I was still feeling good. The legs were still feeling strong. And I knew I was a 5K away from my finish. I was happy with the way I was feeling…challenged for one thing…but not tired. I came into a turn at Mile 11 and was sent up a hill in through another neighborhood. That hill slowed me down a little, but I powered up it, feeling it in my calf muscles. But as I crested it and hit a flat road, the legs adjusted and I kept on. Mile 12….another trek over the reservoir. I had been hearing tales of the “hill at the end” and wasn’t sure what to expect.
It was…KILLER! I thought Chicago was evil for putting a hill at Mile 26 of the marathon. This was the half marathon equivelent. Not only do you climb this hill…you then round a corner and the finish line is right ahead. So, with legs screaming at me…I got up the incline and took the turn…and there it was…the finish.
With no clock. I had no idea what my time was. Not at all. Yes…I know I was wearing a watch…but I never glance at it. If I pay attention to my pace, I struggle. When I am a zen runner…I do better. That’s just how it works for me. I saw Cathy screaming at me and I put on my barely-there kick to get across that finish line. I passed the photographers (who were all shouting WONDER WOMAN!) and paused my Garmin. Since there was no race clock, I glanced down…and saw 1:38:and change!
Cathy came over to the rail and I said, “Um…I PR’d.” She didn’t seem surprised at all. This was the second time in as many weeks to PR in a race. And both times, I wasn’t trying. I wasn’t setting out to PR. I was just running. I do better when I “just run” for enjoyment and all. Seriously. It’s when I start to put pressure on myself that things go to hell. I should really focus on the joy of the run more often than the competitive part.
So…I headed into the recovery area. There was a power outage at the results tent, so it wasn’t going to be set up. We meandered about for a moment, and as we turned around, I saw Laura, who had just finished up. We talked about the run…and the evil hills…and took a picture together. Then, she and Mike went to walk around and Cathy and I went to do the same. We were waiting on result times so I could get an official time. But it was taking awhile. So…I got a post-race massage! And it was awesome. My massage therapist was a really nice guy who thought I had a fantastic time for the half marathon. He asked about my upcoming races…and I told him about them and he said that if I wanted a traveling personal massage therapist…he’d love for me to hire him. HA! After my massage, I hopped down and went to find Cathy again before we wandered off for a little more. I did notice that the jeweler in the recovery area was doing medal engraving for $9,95…so we thought we’d do that when they opened. Why not?
Me striking a pose with my finisher’s medal after a fantastic race at the Geist Half Marathon – Fishers, Indiana
Results finally posted after many times of scanning my bib. It showed my official time and I was THRILLED! A new PR!! The jewelry store opened early and we went in to see about getting my medal done. They asked for my results, and I said the results tent was down and no slips were printed. This was aggravating…so he went to pull the results up online. It took some time to find the page, but he did…and found me. The race was still running, so my overall status would stand, but the number of finishers was still unknown at this time. He said that he could at least engrave my name and finishing time…and he’d do it for free. AWESOME! He said to give him 15 minutes, so we went to walk around a little bit more and stretch out the legs. We picked up my medal and took the hike back to the car…then…drove back to the hotel so I could take a nice hot shower. We left the hotel and went to my required stop for lunch…Cheeseburger in Paradise…because I can get a gluten-free veggie burger on a gluten-free bun…with gluten-free fries. I devoured the entire plate. HA!
So, the official results of the Geist Half Marathon was that I finished in 1:38:52, setting a new half marathon PR for myself. Thrilled! I was 87/1506 finishers overall. That’s amazing! I was 14/703 women to cross the finish line. And I was 4/??? (the race results don’t have the divisions for female up…just division female) in my age division. If they ever get that posted, I’ll put in the number. FOURTH! That’s fantastic, I think. I was beyond proud of these results. I mean…it was hilly and cold (two of my least favorite things!), and I was focused more on keeping an even pace (THAT…was a success) than my finish time. And BAM…magic! Even better…my distance was actually 13.24…which means I PR’d running past the half marathon mileage. I need to take corners tighter! So happy!
I am starting to feel so much more confident and better about my running after these last two weekends of running. I’m coming back…and coming back strong.
I definitely would love to run this race again! I love running Geist. Third year back…first time doing the half. BOOM!
As many of you, my dear readers, know by now…one of my most favorite things in life…and truly my drug of choice…is peanut butter.
Yes.
Peanut butter.
I can’t get enough of the stuff. I eat it by the jarful. When I’m stressed out…it’s what I turn to for comfort. After I workout, it’s what I grab to get some protein. I eat it on sandwiches, in cookies, and…best of all…right off a spoon straight from the jar. Yes…if we all have that one food that is our kryptonite…for me…it’s peanut butter.
I do try to keep it as natural as possible. I don’t mind having to stir my peanut butter or store it upside down. Nope. It doesn’t matter to me at all. Because peanut butter is one of those perfect foods that balances my love of sweet and salty…all at once.
Well, while in Birmingham, Alabama, I discovered little sample packets (and the jars) of nut butters from Wild Friends Foods. The cute, winking squirrel on the label was what caught my eye first. Then…the unique and different flavors. I originally snagged my (still) favorite so far…the Vanilla Espresso Almond Butter. But the next chance I had at Organic Harvest in Birmingham, I snatched up a few more…and one of them was the Chocolate Coconut Peanut Butter. Let me say that again…
Chocolate. Coconut. Peanut Butter.
Is that not heaven in nut butter form? Of course it is. These packets only sat in my pantry for a very short time. Very short. Because I was without vegan cream cheese the other day and wanted to finish off the gluten-free bagels that were sitting in my freezer. So, I chose both of the chocolate varieties I had in the pantry (the previous reviewed Chocolate Sesame Seed Almond Butter was the other) and kneaded the packets so that when the bagels were done toasting in the oven, I could split each flavor between the four halves for my roommate and I to try.
Out of the oven came the bagels and two halves got the Chocolate Sesame Seed Almond Butter schmeared on them. The other two halves…got the Chocolate Coconut Peanut Butter treatment. I served up one half of each for each of us and settled in for breakfast. I tried the Chocolate Sesame Seed Almond Butter first…and loved it. But when I took a bite of the Chocolate Coconut Peanut Butter…I knew which one I preferred. Seriously. I had recently fallen in love with a brand of almond butter that mixed in coconut pulp. I mean…it’s crack. But this…this went beyond crack. This was amazing. The sweetness of the chocolate blended well with the texture of peanut butter…but that little tang of coconut is what made this. Amazing. I said it before…I’ll say it again…who needs Nutella when this exists? I’d eat an entire jar of this without stopping if I could. Probably best I had this in the sample packet only!! It’s really good. In fact, I was waiting on my roommate to comment that she didn’t like it as much as the Sesame Seed version…but she surprised me, saying she preferred the Chocolate Coconut Peanut Butter variety. WOW! That’s definitely saying something as she adamantly declares her dislike of coconut often. WINNING!
Ingredients in the Wild Friends Foods Chocolate Coconut Peanut Butter are simple and clean. This particular nut butter of chocolate and coconut goodness contains peanuts, coconut, organic agave, chocolate liquor, and sea salt. Yes. That’s it. No unnecessary oils or preservatives. No strange additives or white sugar. Simple ingredients that offer big flavor. Wild Friends Foods Chocolate Coconut Peanut Butter is all-natural, non-GMO, non-dairy, kosher, and this particular flavor contains no gluten ingredients. It is also cholesterol free!
Nutritionally speaking, a serving of Wild Friends Foods Chocolate Coconut Peanut Butter is 2 tablespoons. In this serving, you will be consuming 190 calories and 15 grams of fat. Don’t panic over the fat content. That comes from the nuts and the coconut. A serving also has 35 mg sodium and 5 grams of sugar. Only 5 grams of sugar in something that is chocolate. Yes. You read that right. This serving will also dish you up 2 grams of fiber and 6 grams of protein. You will feel full…and that is only a good thing. You don’t want to overindulge…which I tend to do when it comes to nut butters.
Three distinctly different flavors of Wild Friends Foods nut butters have been sampled. All of them have been enjoyed for various reasons. It is so nice to have a brand that puts so much pride in the flavors they create and the product itself. You can tell from the first bite how much love goes into the production of these nut butters. And…if you like something a little sweet and nutty…the Wild Friends Foods Chocolate Coconut Peanut Butter is a fantastic choice. Keep this in your pantry for always!
Wild Friends Foods Chocolate Coconut Peanut Butter (on a gluten-free bagel)
Remember that Vanilla Espresso Almond Butter that I raved about not too long ago?
No? If not…refresh your memory here. If you do…welcome to me sampling some more flavors from Wild Friends Foods. Because the delicious awesomesauciness of the Vanilla Espresso Almond Butter was enough to drive me to try some more options. And while I was in Birmingham, Alabama a couple weeks ago, I picked up some more sample packets of the Wild Friends Foods line of peanut and almond butters. I only hoped they would live up to the one that really blew me away.
So…I came home with three flavors…and had some gluten-free bagels in the freezer.
See where I am going with this?
So, one morning, I toasted up these bagels…and realized I used up all my vegan cream cheese.
Never fear. Never. Because where cream cheese fails…nut butter comes through.
My roommate and I sampled two different flavors that morning, as these are the small sample packs. But…in this blog I am focusing on the Wild Friends Foods Chocolate Sunflower Seed Almond Butter.
Yes…
Chocolate. Sunflower Seed. Almond Butter.
Three epically delicious things in life all combined in one plastic jar with a cute winking squirrel on it. How could this be bad?
In truth…it can’t!! And…it wasn’t.
The Wild Friends Foods Chocolate Sunflower Seed Almond Butter is crazy good. It isn’t too sweet, so they’ve managed to strike a nice balance between the amount of chocolate and the salty-savory flavor of the nuts. It was creamy and amazing. And who doesn’t like something chocolate for breakfast, right? This was really good on my gluten-free bagel. I was noshing it happily and enjoying the blend of flavors. Almond butter is the most prevalent, but it leads off with that sweetness of the chocolate. And the sunflower seeds…nice touch that adds great texture. It is like nothing you have ever had before…but you will totally want it again.
Delicious!
Let’s talk basic and simple ingredients, okay? That’s easy to do…because Wild Friends Foods only uses real ingredients in their nut butters. The Chocolate Sesame Seed Almond Butter contains almonds, organic agave, unsweetened dark chocolate, sunflower seeds, sunflower oil, and sea salt. That’s it. Basic. Simple. CLEAN! Wild Friends Foods uses only all-natural ingredients, no white sugar, it’s non-GMO, non-dairy, vegan, and kosher. Also, this product has no gluten ingredients. YAY!
Nutritionally speaking, a serving of Wild Friends Foods Chocolate Sesame Seed Almond Butter is 2 tablespoons. This serving will provide you with 180 calories and 15 grams of fat…all of which are is the healthy fats you get from nuts. YAY! This product is cholesterol free and contains only 40 mg of sodium. Nice. Additionally, you will be consuming 3 grams of fiber and 6 grams of protein. Trust me…it’s filling. Especially on a bagel.
LOVE…is nut butters from Wild Friends Foods…and why choose between a sweet or a salty spread when you can have the best of both worlds? Yeah…now you don’t have to. Forget Nutella. Eat something so much better for you!
Wild Friends Foods Chocolate Sunflower Seed Almond Butter (on a gluten-free bagel)
Me crossing the finish line of the Throo The Zoo 5K – Louisville, Kentucky
Race: Throo The Zoo 5K
Place: Louisville Zoo, Louisville, Kentucky
Date: May 10, 2014
Time:23:45
Less than 12 hours after arriving back at home from the Pro.Active For Life 5K in Frankfort, Kentucky, I was awake, dressed in running clothes once again, and heading out the door to run another 5K. Hi…I might be addicted to racing…again! HAHA!!
My legs were feeling a little tired, but good when I woke up early that morning so I could get in my physical therapy leg stretches prior to the race. I also brewed up a cup of coffee because…I gotta have my coffee. It’s required. Anyway, I stretched and enjoyed a leisurely morning…listening to the sound of the rain outside.
Wait…
Rain.
Dammit.
Ugh.
But…after eating some cereal and finishing the race prep stuff, there was a lull in the precipitation. I threw on a rain jacket though and Cathy and I headed back out to hop in the car and make our way to the Louisville Zoo…for another one of the races I seem to have a habit of running…the Throo The Zoo 5K.
The drive over was uneventful and rather easy. And, for once, we weren’t stuck in the long line of cars streaming into the zoo. Nope. Not this time. Cathy went some back way into the Louisville Zoo…and that worked like a charm. We were into the zoo and parked without any problems. As we got out of the car to find packet pickup…the rain kicked in again. We donned our hoods on our rain jackets and made our way toward the zoo entrance, where packet pickup was happening at some tables that were under cover.
Packet pickup was a breeze. I got my race bib and some safety pins at one table and then was sent over to another table to get my t-shirt. The shirt this year was light blue with a white tiger on it. LOVE! Cathy and I then walked back toward the car to toss the t-shirt in there and get me pinned up. Now, normally I would have just sat in the car for a little while and waited on the rain, which was now falling harder to pass…but this, apparently, wasn’t even crossing Cathy’s mind. She pinned me up and was up and walking toward where the start of the race was going to be. There were some tents set up…for Whole Foods (who were dishing up yogurt, berry & granola parfaits), and McDonalds (they had apple slices) and a table with bananas…and the Fleet Feet tent…which was PACKED with people. Cathy and I ducked under a tree…which wasn’t keeping us dry. And that’s when the lightning started. I made some comment about not being under trees during lightning and she got all miffy at me for the comment and…then Fleet Feet’s tent cleared out momentarily…so we ducked under that.
I spotted Laura and Mike from my local running group, as they took cover under the Whole Foods tent. The starting line was still being inflated, but the lightning was very active. Finally, as people started to line up at the start…the announcement came that the race would be delayed for 30 minutes. If there was still lightning, they would make the call on whether the race would be cancelled and rescheduled. After all, the zoo had to open and all at some point.
So, Cathy and I moved over to the Whole Foods tent to talk with Laura and Mike while we waited the official word from the organizers. I always like hanging out with these two. They are so much fun. Anyway…the lightning did stop soon after the race was delayed…and with the rain lightening up, Mike and Laura decided to try to get a light run in prior to the race. So, they headed out.
The announcement came that the race was going ahead, so I got out from under the tent and stepped into the rain. I kept my rain jacket on until about 5 minutes before the official start…maybe closer to 2 minutes…I won’t lie. Finally, I shed it, stepped away from my roomie and got into the starting line. I wasn’t up front, but I wasn’t too far behind it either. I knew my legs were shot from not only spin class on Friday, but also my hard race through Frankfort (with my new 5K PR!), Kentucky the night before. This wasn’t going to be a speedy 5K, but I was going to get these legs moving the best I could. We were all awaiting the horn to send us on our way…in the rain…and through the zoo.
That came soon after…and we were off.
Now, in the two previous years I have run the Throo The Zoo 5K, the course has been mostly through the surrounding streets and neighborhoods, with the last bit going into the zoo, and up Gorilla Hill, before sending us out of the zoo and around to the finish. So, usually it was maybe about the last mile and a half or something. But this year…they changed the course again and MOST of the race was actually done…inside the zoo. This made me so stupidly and incredibly happy.
The start of the race was damp, but we went out fast. I eased up immediately, knowing that my legs were already feeling the night before. But, I pressed on, because I was going to still take this as a challenge. This was not a course to PR on, because there would be narrow areas where only a few people could be across…and some steep inclines to deal with as well. This wasn’t a PR attempt for me, so I was okay with that. The first part of the race happened on the neighborhood roads, for less than half a mile. Then we made a left turn to enter through the back part of the zoo. Mike was standing on the corner cheering as I ran past. That was awesome. Into the zoo I went…where I encountered something akin to mud running. The path was a complete mess…mud everywhere. I was sad that I wore my new compression sleeves because I could feel the mud being kicked up on them already. Ah well…part of being a runner, I suppose. At least I wore my old Newton’s and not my new ones for my shoes that morning.
The next half mile was spent in the zoo itself. I could see quite a few animals as I ran past, which only made me smile. At Mile 1, we left the zoo to wind our way through a couple of the parking lots, past a water station, and then just after Mile 1.5…go back into the zoo for the next mile and a half. This was fun! I loved the variety of animals and the people I was running near or around. One thing that did peeve me off, however, was this dad who was running with his little girl. She was struggling and he turned around and told her that if she wanted to PR, she had to move it! She said her shoe was untied…so she stopped to tie it. I thought he was going to blow a gasket. But I ran past them and didn’t hear from them again. Who knows how that turned out.
After making a few climbs, and some downhills too, I wound my way out of the zoo, hitting Mile 3. The finish line was just ahead, so I put on the afterburners as much as I could, moving as quickly as I could to get across the line. I managed…with a much slower time that last year, indeed. By about a minute and a half. Back to back races are tough, man!
Me…all muddy and damp after the Throo The Zoo 5K – Louisville, Kentucky
Cathy came over to congratulate me and I went to snag some water from the recovery area. I had a raffle ticket to deposit at the white tent, but Cathy told me to grab water while she dropped it in. I did just that and went to find her afterwards. She wasn’t sure if I placed or not in my age group, so we decided to hang around for a little while. This turned out to be a long, long while…actually. But at least at this point it had stopped raining.
As the race was finishing up, someone did come over to the tent to remind runners to get their raffle tickets into the drawing as that would start soon. I was now getting hungry, so I snagged some apples from the McDonalds table and Cathy got a parfait to at least keep the hunger at bay before we could go get gluten-free crepes at The Flea Off Market from our favorite food truck, Sweet ‘N Savory. They called over everyone in costume for the costume contest and then began some raffle drawings.
I didn’t win. Anything.
That pretty much sums it up. Finally…it was time for some awards. YAY!
They gave away the overall female, male, master, and grandmaster awards…and then…passed it off for the costume contest. At this point, I was starving and really ready to go get some food. But, we cheered those in costume to help decide the winners. The Incredible Kermit…FTW!! And the awards then came back…and I didn’t place in my division either. So…we decided to go get some food…finally!
Except…The Flea Off Market was postponed…so instead…we went to Annie May’s Sweet Café for breakfast sandwiches and some take-n-bake cinnamon rolls and take-n-bake mac & cheese. We ate our sammies…and then headed out to do some grocery shopping and some regular shopping…while killing time. We were meeting up with my good friend, and running buddy, Kelsie, at The Comfy Cow for ice cream at 2 p.m.
Anyway…the experience and the thrill of this run was what made it. The weather didn’t even dampen my spirits too much in the end. I actually found the challenge of back-to-back 5Ks difficult…but one I was really ready to just test myself on. Since the ankle injury, I haven’t been pushing my pace or myself much on my runs. This was a way to test my will to actually push myself…at least a little.
So, the official results of the Throo The Zoo 5K is that I finished the race in 23:45. I was okay with this time. Much slower than last year, but I ran hard just over 12 hours before this one…so…yeah…this was good for me. I was 55/1252 finishers overall. I was the 14/765 female finishers. And I was 5/130 people in my age division! I’ll take that!
It’s good to be back to running races again…of varying length. The 5K distance is not my strongest race because I’m not a sprinter. But…these back-to-back 5Ks were a great challenge and a good exercise for me. I can’t wait to run Throo The Zoo again next year. Preferably without the rain.
Me crossing the finish line of the Pro.Active For Life 5K – Frankfort, Kentucky
Race: Pro.Active For Life 5K
Place: Downtown Frankfort, Frankfort, Kentucky
Date: May 09, 2014
Time:22:01
SO CLOSE!!
I was so close to hitting my sub-22 minute 5K goal on this race. It’s a bit of a letdown to be that close to my goal and to fall short. By two…freakin’…seconds.
However, I don’t feel that this is a disappointment at all. In fact, I still count this as a victory. Not only did I clock a new 5K PR by 26 seconds…but I did this…on my recovering ankle. Yes…the very ankle that has been plaguing me since February. The very same ankle I rehabbed…and that has mentally left me feeling nervous and, yes, scared, to really push on the roads. I don’t want to damage it again. I don’t want to push too much too fast and end up back to square one on the recovery. I can’t afford another round of physical therapy…that’s for damn sure!
Anyway…that being said, I went into the Pro.Active For Life 5K (the second leg of the Frankfort Trifecta) with only one thing in mind…and it wasn’t defending my title. Nope. Not one bit. It was to just…have fun. That had been my goal all along. After not even placing in my age division during the Good Shepherd Run For The Gold 3K (the first race in the Trifecta), I didn’t even consider defending my title I won last year. Nope. And it still isn’t even a glimmer in my eye for the next race in June. The entire goal this time…was to enjoy the run. To have fun. To…maybe test myself a little.
But first, I had to get through the workday. And in order to make sure that I could leave on time to drive to Frankfort and deal with any traffic…I wore my running skirt to work. I will probably never do this again, because I got teased unmercifully over it. And…while I am a good sport about things…this really bothered me. Probably because it was my place of business. None of my bosses had a problem with it. But, some of my co-workers made some comments that just…bothered me. So…yeah…I’ll just stop what I’m doing even if I don’t have the time to do so, and change like I normally do. So much for trying to streamline the process, right? It was also supposed to storm. Like…right at race time. I watched the weather all day, because, as we know…if I run in Frankfort, Kentucky…it will either rain before, during, or after I do so. I was so not looking forward to running in the rain…and this meant I had to wear my old shoes for rainy conditions…MEH! But…it was time to stop watching the weather and pack up to get on the road.
Cathy and I actually left a couple of minutes early and we hit the road. About half an hour later…she was ready for her peanut butter and jelly sandwich that I had packed for our dinner. I wanted to wait a bit longer, but was told we would make our usual Kroger stop for snacks as we got into Frankfort. This is also where I go and use a real bathroom instead of a port-a-potty! There is a method to this madness. HAHA! So, I gave in and removed the sammie from the cooler, along with the last of our paleo cookies and our water bottles. And we commenced the noshing.
The food died a messy death. I think I was hungrier than I thought I was. And, soon, we were pulling into the parking lot of Kroger. I went to throw away the baggies that held our sandwiches and go to use the restroom while Cathy went to grab snacks for us (Doritos for her…a banana for me!). We were back on our way to the race in no time. And, for some reason beyond even her knowledge, Cathy turned the wrong way. So, we had to pull over and wait for a break in the traffic to turn around and head the right way to the parking garage where we normally park for Frankfort races. We parked in the same spot we always park in before stashing some of our stuff in the trunk and heading up to the street level to get to packet pickup.
It was a short walk, and I stepped inside to a madhouse. It was packed and busy and buzzing. YAY! Energy! It took a few minutes, but I finally worked my way up to the table and gave them my name. I was asked if I was doing the Trifecta, and I said I was…so the volunteer helping me when to find my bag. While I waited, I snagged four safety pins. The man returned with my bag with my tech shirt (I paid for an upgrade!) and my bib and a few goodies and informational handouts tucked inside. I thanked him and removed myself from the building, heading outside to meet up with Cathy and get pinned up for the start of the race. I ate my banana and we moved to stand on the lawn of the old Capitol building so I could do some stretching. I promised my physical therapists I would be good about stretching…and Cathy has been holding me to it.
I even did some strides. Nothing hard and fast. Nothing all-out. Just an easy jog down and up the road. I did this for a few paces…until the cars were becoming bothersome (the roads weren’t completely closed yet) and went to stand on the sidewalk opposite the Capitol to do a few more stretches and await the official line-up portion of the race. This came to be moments later, and Cathy gave me a hug and told me to have fun before going to find a place to stand to spectate. I moved to the starting lineup, staying rather close to the front, wanting to avoid the children that would, inevitably, crowd the front of the start line. I love this race, but that is the most difficult part of this race. Some of the kids can hold their own…but some are just trying to be up front…and that can be dangerous. And, wouldn’t you know it? I blinked and suddenly was in a sea of children, one with a dog on a rope, lining up near the front. They weren’t the contenders you would expect at the front…I could tell from the conversation. The, “My goal is just to keep up with the dog,” comment was a dead giveaway. But, this is their race too…and everyone signs that waver.
Debbie Brown got on the microphone and began to give some instructions. Unfortunately, the running crowd wasn’t quieting down…so I heard none of this. She did get us ready to run though, faking us out with an “On your mark…” And then making us stretch. HAHA!! EVIL! But soon, she gave the word…and the starting gun went off!
And I was off. Kind of. Because those I was pushed and elbowed by the woman standing next to me, hard enough that her arm shut off my Garmin watch. I had to restart it. And all those kids that had lined up near the front…I saw a little girl go down in the fray…and Cathy said another kid, a boy, was also pushed down. Dangerous…see. I know it’s exciting, but I hate seeing kids get hurt at the start of a race because they lined up in the front, where the competitive runners are trying to position themselves.
That being said…I moved onward, heading down the street and making the left turn on the course to start on the path toward the Capitol. My legs felt heavy and tired. I guess going to spinning on Friday morning probably wasn’t the wisest thing I had done on a race day. I pressed on though, and felt that I was moving at a good clip regardless. I made another turn and was heading up the street toward the incline that would take us over the bridge and toward the Capitol where we would make our turn to come back toward the finish line. About halfway up the street, just before the water stop, I hit my first mile. My watched beeped a moment later, and apparently I went out hard…hitting that first mile in 6:54. Whew. But, the rest of my race was certainly more conservative. I passed up the water and made my way up the small incline to dash around the annex area and come back around. There was a nice downhill awaiting the runners there, and I slightly pulled up so as not to strain my quads. I passed up the water again and carried myself through to Mile 2. Just over a mile to go. I pressed on, passing some people and being passed by others. The legs were screaming at me, but I kept going. I headed back over the bridge and, this time, down the steep incline to make my way down the street to make the final two turns before the finish line would come into view. It was when the street leveled out that my legs really began to feel fatigued. I was determined though. I might have slowed down, but I was still moving forward.
I made the final turn and headed up the ramp that would carry us to the main street where the finish line was waiting. I couldn’t make out the clock at the moment, but I was pushing as much as I dared. I just wanted to get to that finish. As I got closer…I saw…21:57…21:58…I tried to kick it into gear, and I crossed the finish line at a point I couldn’t tell if I hit sub-22 or not. I had to wait for official results. But I was worn out, tired, thirsty, but feeling rather awesome at that point. Cathy came rushing over…declaring…”You were third female!” I was shocked by that too, as I wasn’t aiming to win, place, or show in this race. I just wanted to run it…and do the best I could. I guess I had more gas in the tank than I thought.
I moved through the finish area, being handed a bottle of water and then went to just walk around as we awaited results. I didn’t care where I placed…I wanted to see if I hit that sub-22. It was going to be SO close. Cathy and I decided to walk to the other side of the square and cheer on runners as they came down the street before making their final turns to the finish. That was fun. I love cheering people on…I know it lifts me up while on the run, so I wanted to lift them up. We moved on to go cheer at the finish line…just walking back and forth. As I was heading back to the finish line, I was stopped by a nice lady with a stroller who asked how I did. I told her that I did well…I beat last year’s time if nothing else. She said she knew I had been worried about it with my ankle and was glad to hear it. YAY!! BLOG READER!!
Me with my bronze medal and bag of goodies for being the 3rd Overall Female at the Pro.Active For Life 5K – Frankfort, Kentucky
Soon after, results were starting to get put up, so we meandered over there. Cathy moved up ahead of me and looked at the results before I had the chance to do so myself. She said…”You finished in 22:01!” “SO CLOSE!” was my response. I was just 2 seconds away from a sub-22 minute 5K. SO close!! Finishing in the top three females was an added bonus and not something I was even shooting for. I love an added confidence booster.
So, this meant we needed to hang around for the awards…which was fine…just not something we actually had planned for. A much later return home now…but I wasn’t going to complain. I was feeling so much better about my running now. And, after a moment, I went to chat up the winner of the 5K, not Kendall…she came in second this year…a nice woman who is a teacher in Frankfort…Robin Lawhorn. Why randomly go chat her up? Why not? Well…one reason was she was wearing Newton’s. Just like me. We have great taste in shoes and since I know how hard it is to find Newton’s in this area…well…I had to talk to her. Turns out she picked hers up at a triathlon store in Lexington. Going to have to look that up next time I head to Lexington, for sure!
Cathy and I went to walk around the old Capitol building a little bit to pass the time before the awards. But we soon just went down toward the street to watch the last of the walkers come in and to dance with the music that was being played. After a little while, Debbie grabbed the microphone and asked if any children wanted to help pass out the medals. She was consumed by a bunch of volunteers. So…it was medal time. And they started with the overall males and then moved to the overall females. And as I came in third…I was called up first…and handed the wrong medal…and a very nice gift bag. My picture was taken I then went to track down someone to give the gold medal back to and exchange it for the bronze. I finally got that cleared up, and after some photos with Kendal and Robin…I got my stuff together to head home.
I normally would have stayed for more awards…but…I had another race on Saturday morning in Louisville. So I needed to get home…and storms were apparently coming. And, true to form, it stormed on us pretty bad on the drive back to Louisville. Never fails. If I keep running in Frankfort, they will never have a drought.
That being said, the official results of the Pro.Active For Life 5K are that I finished in 22:01, setting a new PR for myself. I know I can hit that sub-22 goal this year…I’m just really going to have to work hard for it. I intend to do just that though…for sure. I was 28/843 finishers overall. I was 3/509 female finishers. And, would have been 1/70 in my age division. But, as I came in 3rd Female Overall…no age division award for me. I’m okay with that, because I totally exceeded all expectations of myself. I don’t know where that came from, but I’m so glad that somewhere inside…my body remembered what it felt like to fly.
Another year of running the Pro.Active For Life 5K behind me and I’m already looking forward to next year’s race. I swear, there is something so near and dear to me about this race. It’s a challenging, but fun course…and I was able to run it better this year than I did last year. I hope to continue to come back to Frankfort for not only this race, but the Trifecta, year in and year out. As it stands, I’m feeling a little better about pushing myself a little harder. I’m still tentative…my mind not quite overcoming the natural fear of getting hurt again or doing further damage. But…this race proves that I’m getting there. And I’ll only continue to get there…as long as I run smart and run with all my heart.
The Celiathlete 