I dedicate this entry to, honestly, the best meal I have ever consumed in my life. No joke. Sorry mom…but it’s true. Never before have I been treated to such an exciting and taste-defying tasting menu, all of it done by the chef’s whim. And yes…all of it done to suit any food allergies at the table. For me…being a gluten-free vegetarian. For my friend Tawn…no shrimp.
What am I talking about?
Disneyland.
Napa Rose.
Chef’s Table.
OMGTHEFOODWASAWESOME!
Okay…now that I got that out of my system…kind of…let me explain…
You see, Disneyland has a lot of nice treasures inside its gates. And, after running the Disneyland Half Marathon, Indy wanted to treat all of us, plus her hubby and her dad, to a nice meal out…which would be our Christmas and Birthday gifts. She chose Napa Rose at Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa as the scene of this adventure. After a long day, the four ladies got all dressed up and met up with Evan (Indy’s hubby) for a ride over to the restaurant. Her dad was staying there so he’d meet us there.
A few drinks in the lounge and two Joey Fatone (from *NSYNC) sightings later, we were making our way to the Dessert Counter and being seated, napkins placed on our laps, and about to be treated to one of the finest, most epic, amazing meals of our lives…complete with wine tasting. All of this…completely at the whim of the chef.
So…let’s get started:
Amuse-Bouche: Plum with Grape Relish and Gluten-Free Flatbread
Amuse-Bouche: Plum with Grape Relish and Vegan & Gluten-Free Flatbread
The rest of the counter was treated to a Panna Cotta with Great Relish…but not this girl. The chef kept is simple, elegant, and instead of the panna cotta, served me up an amazing warm Plum with Grape Relish on top. The plum was sweet, pairing beautifully with the slightly sour tones of the chopped grapes. It was the perfect way to wake up the palate and prepare it for the rest of what was to come that night.
In addition, while the rest of the counter got to share this large basket of various breads, a basket of vegan and gluten-free flatbread was delivered to me. This bread had a fresh herbiness to it. It was crispy, yet still soft. And when it was fresh and warm…there was nothing like it in the world. It was a nice change from the gluten-free rolls I am so used to getting. It’s not everyday this girl gets to indulge in flatbread. And indulge I did. Because I just couldn’t stop eating it!!
First Course: Cauliflower Tower
Cauliflower Tower
What…you may ask…is a Cauliflower Tower. Simply what it sounds like. Cauliflower…in a tower. But…it is really so much more than that. In fact, while the base of this dish was, in fact, a cauliflower mash, it was blended with couscous, raisins, pistachios, and was drizzled with a blood orange sauce. I love cauliflower, so using it as a base for this meal was sheer brilliance. The couscous gave it a bit more body. Toss in the sweet raisins with the salty nature and crunch of the pistachios and you have a meal made in heaven. Seriously. Angels eat this when they picnic on the clouds. I swear. The blood orange sauce just sealed the deal. It gave this savory dish a little zing. It was fantastic. Down to the very last bite. If this was any indication of what was left to come, I was all in. I didn’t record the type of wine any of my meals were paired with…but I loved them. All of them.
Second Course: Grilled Peach Salad with Green Beans and a Peach Yogurt Sauce
Grilled Peach Salad with Green Beans and a Peach Yogurt Sauce
The usual version of this dish is served with roasted duck. But, being that I was the sole vegetarian at the table, the chef made one with duck, which Indy received, and made mine without it. But this made me want to grill peaches ALL the time. ALL the peaches. And then consume ALL the peaches with ALL the food that I could think would pair well with them. I will say this…I never would have paired peaches with green beans. But…this worked. This worked remarkably well. The peaches had this rich sweetness to them, the green beans were cooked perfectly, so they had that crispiness to them. And that yogurt sauce just tied everything together. This was fantastic. I could have eaten plate after plate of this and been one happy girl. But more goodness was still ahead.
Third Course: Heirloom Tomatoes with Golden Tomato Essence with Fava Beans and Parmesan
Heirloom Tomatoes with Golden Tomato Essence with Fava Beans and Parmesan
I do believe either Tawn or Cathy made the Silence of the Lambs reference when I was served this beautiful, rainbow dish. I mean, the colors on this dish just popped. The sweet tomato essence was what really made this dish so savory. The beautiful heirloom tomatoes were ripe, gorgeous, juicy and the flavors danced across my taste buds with the first bite. The fava beans added a little body…and some texture. And to top it all off…shaved Parmesan cheese, which gave the dish that big of salty seasoning that just brought it all together in the end. Rich, succulent…and fantastic. Each dish was topping the last…
Fourth Course: Chef’s Creation – Vegetarian Mushroom and Tomato Plate
Chef’s Creation – Vegetarian Mushroom and Tomato Plate
Be jealous. Because the chef made this one specifically for me. His gluten-free, vegetarian diner. What exactly was it? Savory goodness, that’s what it was. Honestly…this was fantastic. From the first bite he reigned me in with perfectly cooked mushrooms, beautifully seasoned and topped with gorgeous heirloom tomatoes and greens. I wanted to hoover this dish so much, but I sat there like the lady I am and ate it like the sophisticated foodie I see on television and dream about becoming. No…really. I savored this dish. Every bite of it. And I never wanted it to end. But…my fork fell onto the last slice and soon it too was gone.
Dessert:Meyer Lemon Crème Brûlée with Blueberries and Mint
Meyer Lemon Crème Brûlée with Blueberries and Mint
Without even knowing anything about me save for my food allergies and preferences, the chef sent out the most perfect dessert for me. It involved lemon and blueberries…and that pairing is, by far, one of my absolute favorites. So, without even knowing it…the chef capped off the perfect evening with the perfect dessert. His Meyer Lemon Crème Brûlée with Blueberries and Mint was a stunning plate to start with. The crust on the crème brûlée was brilliant. And that lemon flavor was just enough without overpowering the entire dessert. Toss in the blueberries (one of my favorite berries) and the hint of mint and I was in a delicious, tasty food coma. Seriously. I dug right into this dessert and savored it as long as I could. I even ate the drizzle of chocolate letters around the plate wishing me an early happy birthday. Yes…I enjoyed it…for real…down to the very last bit. But, I’m a dessert girl…and this was one hell of a dessert.
My hat is off to Indy, for this fantastic food experience. If I were to choose my last meal on Earth…it would be this. I would want to be at Napa Rose…at the Chef’s Counter…once again receiving the dishes of his choosing for me. I loved being surprised and not knowing what to expect when my plate was carried out and placed in front of me. The company was the best I could ever be with at this venue. The food was outstanding. I’ve been spoiled. No other meal has come close to equaling this one…and I am starting to wonder if one ever will.
My food hat is off to the chef of Napa Rose…the food that is served there…the wine it is paired with (SO GOOD!)…and the good friends I shared the experience with. If any of you find yourself at Disneyland…do try to experience this for yourself. It isn’t cheap…I can tell you that…but the food and the experience is worth every dollar you put towards this meal. I promise.
Oy! What a week this has been. I’ve certainly been keeping myself busy, not just with a new position at work (and getting settled into that…which hasn’t been too difficult, but I had to move my desk and get comfortable in a new area with different people around and new stresses), turning 33, and maintaining my training schedule through a very tiring, very trying week.
When I say tiring…I do mean that I am physically tired. Perhaps it is a good thing that after my run on Saturday morning the official taper begins. I said perhaps…because while a lot of runners I know love and truly enjoy their tapers…I get taper madness. I do not taper well. At all. Cutting back on mileage will be a relief to some, but I love being out on those roads. I know that the taper is an important step to arriving to my race recharged and ready…so I will abide by it. But I might not be the most pleasant person to be around.
Fair warning.
That being said…with the taper on the horizon this week ushered in my last 20 mile run in my program (which I technically did last week…but I have a pace one in my schedule that I didn’t abide by…meaning I ran the mileage but not at the paces suggested…) so I figured I would at least attempt it. I might fail. I might fail hard. But I’m going to at least make the effort. If I fail, I dust myself off and try again another time. Pacing is not my strong point. I tend to run hard most of the time and have to remind myself to take an easier effort. This is why running with groups is good for me. But with the pace requirements on Saturday…I chose to go solo.
But…before I get into that…let’s take a look at this past week’s training…
Sunday morning meant another very early morning for me. I was meeting with the running group my friend Kelsie runs with on weekends for their long run. They were doing 18 today. And after doing 20 on Saturday, I wasn’t sure I’d be able to keep up. I also had gotten to bed a lot later than planned because I was watching Star Trek: Into Darkness, which was important, you see. So, the original plan had been to watch the movie and get to bed on time…but…yeah…not so much. I got up at 3:30 a.m. to lather on the sunscreen (for another dark run!) and eat before hopping in my car and meeting up with the Indiana contingent of the running group at the designated meeting spot. We all car pooled over to the Kroger near Papa John’s Stadium in Louisville where we met up with the rest of the group. One runner was only doing half the mileage, so we started out in Iroquois Park. We ran from the Kroger through the darkness, giving fair warning to the other runners in the group when poles in the running/bike lane cropped up. No need to have someone collide with that. YIKES! We entered the park and started on our way. Let me tell you…Iroquois Park isn’t really in the best part of Louisville…and it is really creepy in the darkness. We heard strange noises in the woods, which urged quite a few of us to pick up our pace in the end. Not being able to see the looming hills of Iroquois, for me, definitely made navigating them easier. I ran for most of these 18 miles with Lori, who is really great and pushing the pace in the difficult parts. We left the park and the hills behind and went on to the flatter roads of the city. Here, we simply ran 4.5 miles straight down a road, then turned around and headed back. The problem was, we had to change up the route due to one of the roads being one way, so when we got back to Kroger, we still had just under a mile to go. So, Lori and I decided we would run up the street until we hit 17.5 and then turn around and run back, and when we hit 18…we’d cool down with a walk back to the cars in the parking lot at Kroger. Alicia, one of the other ladies in the group, is nursing a foot injury of some sort. She was not looking good at the end of the race, but it seems like taking time off to heal isn’t part of her plan. YIKES! I hope she can at least let it heal up so that it won’t be as painful or that she puts herself out of commission. We runners do some really stupid and silly things in the name of our training…but with me being so close to my race…I err on the side of caution. Anyway…it was a cool and crisp morning that led into a really great run. I had a great time.
Monday…always comes too soon. Another later than usual bed time for me. This time because I was watching Dr. Who (the Ninth Doctor…in case you were wondering) when my phone rang. It was my mom…and sometimes we just get to talking and talking and talking…and before I knew it, an entire hour had passed. And it was beyond my bed time. SO…my roomie and I shut off the television and I went and crashed out. Because Monday morning had a 6 mile easy run on the schedule. I woke up feeling less than refreshed. On top of that…the 70° weather in the morning returned. I really had to push myself on this run. Not only was I tired…but my legs were tired too. Somehow…and I still don’t know how…I managed some negative splits. Not bad for running through exhaustion. And…as we all know by now…Monday is also my Daily Double. My fun run group meets on Monday…so after having a really easy dinner of grilled cheese…I was out the door and heading to Louisville. My roomie was driving, thank goodness, because I was falling asleep on the way over. This is so out of character for me, but I just couldn’t keep my eyes open. We got to the running store and my friend, Natalie, was talking about how tired she was too. I told her we could run easy and be the tail end of the group today…which sounded like a plan. But then, as we ran into Cherokee Park, our Ironman, Patrick, called out…”Hey…let’s do hill repeats!” Mind you, I have been pushing for hill repeat sessions with the fun run group for awhile and kept getting vetoed. He said we’d run each hill three times…which meant the hill going up to Hogan’s Fountain and Dog Hill were going to be our hill repeaters. At first I thought he was kidding, but he said we should do it. So…about 6 of us started off doing it…while the rest of the group ran on to just do the Scenic Loop. These are not easy hills to run, and I was wearing my Newtons, wanting to break them in on an easy run. HA! Well, no time like the present. The six of us regrouped at the top, just past Hogan’s Fountain when our first three hill repeats were done. From there, we took an easy pace through the park on the Scenic Loop, making jokes about running every incline, even the small ones, three times. We didn’t…but I imagine that would make one really amusing YouTube video. We grabbed some water at the water fountain and we were already 3 miles in. I’d be finishing up if I was just doing the loop, but I was only halfway there. And Dog Hill was, literally, right around the corner. There were times I felt like bailing, but I never quit on a challenge. So three times up and down Dog Hill…and I was suddenly feeling very bad ass. Honestly, these were hard…but I pushed myself through them. With tired legs and a tired body…I gave it all I had and in the end…I felt like I conquered the world. It was a light run back to the store, except we only needed .25 more of a mile to hit 6 miles, and I like round numbers. So…the four of us that remained (the other two bailed on Dog Hill) rounded the corner and ran down an alley until we could turn around and head back to the store. Another 6 miles on Monday for me. 12 in one day. Whew.
Tuesday is the Cross Training Day. And with my marathon coming up, I have been taking it a little easier on the machines. After all, I refuse to do something stupid that will cost me valuable training time or knock me out of commission for my race. It is not happening. So, my early morning at the gym meant that I hit up the Arc Trainer. Because it’s Arc Trainer Tuesday. For me, anyway. This time I set it for Program 8, which is the Cardio program, and kept it at Level 5, which gave me a bunch of different inclines and resistances to work with. I ended up managing 2.18 miles with the various hills and resistances in 45 minutes. Not bad. From there…my least favorite machine…the stationary bike…was next. I don’t know what it is about the stationary bike, but I hate it. It bores me. I think it’s that I’m putting in so much effort and not actually getting anywhere. The same reason I hate the treadmill (dreadmill). But I powered through 10 minutes on that bike, which is really all I could stand to be honest, and got in 3.84 miles. Not bad considering how dead-to-the-world my legs felt. Went downstairs to do some strength training and then went into work.
Wednesday is my pacing/speed work day. This one called for an 8 mile tempo run. I am awful at pacing. And doing it in the dark when I really can’t make sure I am on pace makes it even more difficult. I had this inner voice in my head for much of the way telling me that I can’t do it. I can’t maintain the pace I was holding. But…I shut them up and pushed through those doubts and proved that I could. In fact, I ended up doing more negative splits than tempo pace. Whoops. But that last mile…I pushed out a sub-7 minute mile and that felt amazing. It was something I really needed. So, pacing needs some work…but damn…that felt good. Later that night, after work, I started a new circuit training routine. Holy crap…this one had me sweating from the start. Not easy. Nice to change it up, but damn. I knew I’d be feeling that one in the morning.
Thursday was more than just my second easy run of the week. September 19 also marked my birthday. This year…I was turning 33. Ironically, my training plan had a second cross training day in…which I would be doing. No run was actually scheduled, probably in preparation for the upcoming long run (20 miler) on Saturday. But…I had to run on my birthday. Ever since I started running, I’ve run on my birthday. Since I turned 33, and there was no way I would be running 33 miles and running 33 kilometers would be 20 miles…I didn’t have time for that either. So…I figured another 6 miles would be perfect…since 3+3=6. It seemed perfect. It was 70° that morning, but I didn’t let that get to me. I refused. I pushed through and turned out the most beautiful and perfect negative splits. A great birthday gift to myself, for sure. After that, I headed to the gym for the cross training. I ended up on the broken elliptical that day…which doesn’t configure the stride right. So, while I was probably using more effort trying to match my normal mileage, it wasn’t happening. In 49 minutes, I managed 8.57 miles. Ugh. After that, I moved on to 10 minutes on the Cardio Wave machine…and rocked out 4.14 miles. I alternated between two of the higher levels. Then it was downstairs to hit the weights for a bit of strength training before heading to the office for a long day at work. Trust me though…my Wonder Woman cake that my local allergen-free bakery made for me was consumed greedily that evening after a dinner of gluten-free and vegan grilled cheese (stuffed with kale and tomato, YUM!).
Friday is the rest day. Ah…the rest day. The rest day that I said I would respect and keep holy. I normally go for a walk…but I have these great Newtons I’m working on breaking in and getting used to how they feel…I decided I would, for the second week in a row, take them out for an easy jog. Nothing hard. No pushing. Easy does it. Just as what happened last year when I wore the Newtons…I actually turned out fantastic mileage. In fact, I ran a rather quick 2 miles in them, without feeling like I was running. I decided to cool down then with really easy running…and that actually turned out a faster 2 miles (total of 4 that morning), and it felt like a walk in the park. In fact, my last mile was, for the second time this week…a sub-7. I was shocked. It just didn’t even feel like I was working hard. But…I ended that session there, despite feeling like I could go on. I’m easing into the mileage in these because it is working my legs differently and my muscles feel it. Besides…my last (and third) 20 mile run of my training program.
Me after my epic 24 mile long run!
Saturday morning. This was it. The last 20 mile run of my training plan. After this…the taper would start. I had skipped the 20 mile intervals in my previous 20 mile run, opting instead to run it with people. But I know how important pacing and intervals are and I really, really didn’t want to ignore that run. So…as I was going on my own for my run today…I figured this last 20 miler would be the perfect opportunity to work through it. I also decided that I needed to simulate race day as much as possible…and that meant running a relatively flat course. Chicago, after all, is flat. As much as I didn’t want to do it…I chose to do my run in the flattest area I could think of in Louisville. Seneca Park. I also knew that this was going to test me mentally as well as physically. Why? First of all, the morning greeted me with rain. I figured what better way to wrap up my last long run than in the rain. This meant that I wore my old, heavy, to-big-for-me shoes instead of the ones I am wearing for the marathon. That sucked…but I figured I wouldn’t let it get me down. I’d attempt to do the training intervals, but the important thing, mainly, was to get the mileage done. But…there was more. You see, the “track” at Seneca Park is basically a 1.2 mile loop. Yes…I looped the park until I hit my mileage. My intervals as laid out by my training plan was specific. I was to run miles 1-8 at my long slow distance pace. So, I got to the park, walked a little while my Garmin found its satellites, and then was high-fived by Cathy and wished luck. My long slow distance pace when I am on my own is much quicker than my long slow distance pace when I run with a group. It’s faster. And I kept needing to remind myself to ease up and slow down. The most challenging part was to come. Before I hit mile 3, Cathy was off to run some errands and head home to get the house prepped for our friend Greg, who was visiting this weekend. I was on my own in the light rain, in the still-dark morning. There were large puddles that would cross the track, so I’d have to duck off the pavement and into the muddy grass. But, hey…I needed to do this. For the sake of my training. At mile 8, I turned around and ran the other way on the track. Miles 9-17 were to be run at marathon pace. So I picked up my pace for these 9 miles, pushing it more and keeping it as steady as I dared. My legs were tired from the first 8 miles, which should have been done slower than I ran them. But I pressed on, and I pushed. The rain stopped, but I now had some wind to deal with. And at some points it was me running right into it. I did my best not to let it phase me, but I was so happy when mile 17 hit. I once again turned around to run the other way, now in a mind to start the cool down. Miles 18-20 were to be done again at my long slow distance pace. What I ended up running was miles 8-24 at my long slow distance pace. I got so much encouragement from the runners at the park. They kept saying I was strong. That I looked good. I love the running community around here. You might not even know someone, but you still just give them a thumbs up, a smile, a compliment. It’s awesome. I polished up my run, having completed a full 24 miles. And my time…was fantastic. I couldn’t believe it when I paused my Garmin at the end of the run. And I still felt great. Which was good, because Greg was on his way. I went home to shower after grabbing some coffee and a snack (I was run-gry) and prepare for his arrival. And then…after he arrived, we were off for a day in Louisville, starting with gluten-free vegan pizza at Annie May’s Sweet Café, and then shopping. I ended up buying some DVDs at Half Price Books, but passed on the dress I was going to purchase for my birthday get-together tomorrow. Priorities…right? Right. Anyway…it was a good day. Here I am over 12 hours later…no ice bath necessary…still feeling amazing. And badass.
So…there it is. Now…three weeks until my first marathon…the taper begins. And I do intend to abide closely to my schedule for the taper because I want my legs to feel strong and rested when I get to Chicago. I don’t want any doubts in my head on marathon morning. I want all my hard work and effort to pay off in the end, which is why, while I’m sure I will become a raving maniac due to the cut-back on the mileage, I will follow my program as it is laid out. Because…I feel ready for this. I am ready for this. I can’t believe I am saying that.
So…here’s to not giving in too much to taper madness. This is recovery time. And I can’t wait to see what I can do in three weeks. Until then…hang with me…because I’m sure I’ll have some fun taper stories.
Between Disneyland and the little out-of-the-way places that we ducked into for food and anything else…I was well-fed and felt very safe in my food choices while visiting friends in California. In fact, Indy and her hubby, Evan, even went out to Whole Foods and picked up gluten-free cookies and some gluten-free crackers for me to have while staying with them. They are, honestly, the best. Nice to have people take my food allergies and everything else in stride and not totally panic. Best hosts…EVER!
So, I spent a total of three days at Disneyland and then one full day seeing bits and pieces of California. All the while…taking in food and enjoying every single bite. I’m breaking this posting down into two separate posts because…well…the dinner I had at Napa Rose needs its own little post. Honestly. Because it was the best meal I have ever had. (Sorry, Mom…but it’s true!).
So…I guess we’ll start at the very beginning…
Flo’s V8 Cafe – Cars Land – Disney California Adventure Park
Flo’s V8 Café, Cars Land, Disney’s California Adventure Park
You know…I give Disney props. Both theme parks on each coast do their best to work with people with specific diets and specific food allergies. And this was incredibly clear when I sat down to eat a “light” lunch (I was getting pizza later that evening) while out and about in California Adventure on Saturday. I hadn’t yet made it to the race expo, but I knew I needed a small bite to get through until it was time to eat my required pre-race gluten-free pizza. We were in Cars Land at the moment, so we stepped into Flo’s V8 Café and took a look at the menu board. When we got up to the register, my traveling party (Cathy, Indy & Tawn) all decided they were going to eat elsewhere…which made me not want to eat here…but…I wasn’t sure what there would be outside that would be nutritious and still filling. At the register, I mentioned that I was a gluten-free vegetarian so the cashier went to go and retrieve the chef. The chef came out a couple of moments later and I reiterated that I was a gluten-free vegetarian. She said it wasn’t a problem and mentioned the items I could get, including the Citrus Turkey Salad, sans turkey. Actually, none of it sounded like anything I wanted…the side dishes were just…eh…meh. And the salad was…well…a salad. But, I needed something…so I said I would give the Citrus Turkey Salad ($11.49), no turkey, a go!
I paid the cashier and took the receipt up to the counter. And my salad came up…gluten-free roll…but…UGH…the turkey had been placed on the salad. I mentioned that my salad wasn’t supposed to have turkey on it, so the worker at the counter sent it back to the kitchen and spoke with the chef. It took a few minutes, but my new salad came up, gluten-free roll, little dish of dressing, GODZILLA-sized salad, which was a basic mix of mixed greens, carrots, cucumbers, and yellow peppers. It came with a citrus-tarragon dressing. And trust me…this salad was HUGE. I knew I wouldn’t be able to finish it. But, if anything was certain, I was going to devour that roll. The roll, by the way, looks like the Udi’s gluten-free rolls I can buy at specialty stores around here. I think they were Udi’s. I loved the roll. I loved it to pieces…and pieces…and pieces until it was all gone.
The salad itself was fresh and crisp. And the dressing made a nice flavor addition to the raw vegetables. It was…a general salad, just taken to extreme proportion. I ate about 3/4 of it before I called it quits. It was just a lot of food. The vegetables were fresh and crisp, the dressing was served on the side instead of just being poured over the salad, and perhaps drowning the vegetables. It was good. But…let’s face it…it’s a salad I could have made at home for a lot cheaper.
Redd Rocket’s Pizza Port – Tomorrowland – Disneyland Park
Redd Rocket’s Pizza Port, Tomorrowland, Disneyland Park
It was the evening before the Disneyland Half Marathon, and Indy and I were in desperate need of some carbs. And it is a requirement…I mean one of those dead-set superstitious athlete requirements for me to eat gluten-free pizza the night before a big race. It has to happen. If it doesn’t happen…I make it happen. Somehow.
Indy knew that this was a must coming into the trip, so she asked around at Disneyland about good places to get a gluten-free pizza. She was directed to Redd Rocket’s Pizza Port, which is a cafeteria-style, quick service joint in Tomorrowland. We got there just before a flood of people and we spoke to one of the people manning the counters about gluten-free and vegetarian options. She said she would go and fetch the chef. I ended up standing there for around 10-15 minutes waiting on the chef, long enough for a couple of employees to ask if I needed help. Indy and Tawn had already gotten their pastas and were now waiting with me. Cathy was waiting because we weren’t sure if this was going to be a personal pizza or one we’d need to split. You just never know.
After the wait continued, I told Indy and Tawn to go and pay and eat while their food was still hot. I didn’t want them to settle in with cold pasta. Gross! So, they finally agreed, and just after they walked away…the chef finally emerged to talk to me. I told him that I was a gluten-free vegetarian, and he said I had two options…a gluten-free personal cheese pizza…or gluten-free rice noodles with a tomato marinara. Night before the race…it has to be pizza. So, I put in my order for gluten-free cheese pizza ($8.99). I was told it would take 10 minutes so to go ahead and pay and then come back to the counter in about 10 minutes. I did just that, grabbed some plastic dinnerware, napkins, and some crushed red pepper packets and went to join my friends. Cathy had gotten one of the pizza slices and some breadsticks and joined them in eating. And I watched them eat for about 5 minutes as it took me awhile to pay. When 10 minutes was up, I got up from my table and made my way back to the counter to, hopefully, get my food. But my pizza wasn’t up yet. There was a group of four ahead of me. And that took about 5 minutes for them to get their gluten-free pizzas served to them. Then…it took another 3-5 minutes waiting on mine. By now Indy and Cathy were done eating. When my pizza was sliced and finally put on a plate…I went to rejoin my friends and only Tawn was still nomming on her pasta.
The pizza was nothing to write home about. It was the same gluten-free cheese pizza I ended up getting while at Disney World in February. Just a small, personal-size pizza on a gluten-free crust (at least the crust was fluffy), with tomato sauce and cheese. It was…okay. I mean, I have definitely had worse…but I have most definitely had better. I seasoned it with some red pepper flakes and just wolfed it down. At that point I was starving and we had World of Color Fast Passes and the clock was ticking. Nothing to write home about. Just…pizza. Eh. Not impressed.
Hungry Bear Restaurant – Critter Country – Disneyland Park
Hungry Bear Restaurant, Critter Country, Disneyland Park
It was the afternoon after I ran 13.1 miles through Disneyland and Anaheim, California. It was just three of us. Indy, who also ran, said she needed to rest and recover. Poor thing. So this meant our new guide for the day was the great, the epic, TAWN!! And she knew all the places to hit. We had a busy and very stressful morning…between race logistics, running, cheering, and finishing…then heading out to the park…
We rode rides and soon we knew we needed to eat something small before we hit the hotel early to rotate through showers and start getting ready for the most epic meal of our lives…courtesy of Indy. But…that gets it’s own post. For now…we focus on what I ate for “lunch” the day of the Disneyland Half Marathon.
I had heard tales and rumors that Hungry Bear Restaurant did gluten-free sweet potato fries. Sweet potato fries are one of my most favorite things in the world. Honestly. Sure, fries probably aren’t the best recovery meal…but they were what I wanted. That was it. It was all I needed. Tawn walked me over to Hungry Bear and I headed up to go place my order. I reached the cashier and told her I heard they could do gluten-free sweet potato fries. She confirmed this and said she’d go and get the chef.
The chef emerged a few minutes later and said that fries could certainly be done gluten-free. I said that was all I wanted and went ahead and put in the order – gluten-free sweet potato fries ($3.99). I was sent up to the counter and I passed off the receipt and was told it would be a few minutes. I politely stepped aside, knowing this would be the case. But a few minutes turned into 5. Then 10. Soon the staff was shouting back to the kitchen about the gluten-free sweet potato fries because it had been on order for 15 minutes. The manager came out to apologize to me, saying that there had been a mix-up in the kitchen and it would be a few more minutes. He offered me a free dessert, but none of their desserts were gluten-free so I passed. After just over 20 minutes, my one little serving of sweet potato fries came up and I snagged them, went to grab some ketchup and finally went back down to meet Tawn. She had been waiting a long time. We had left Cathy at a table with her lunch, and it was long gone by the time we returned. Tawn went off to find herself something to eat and I finally dug in.
To their credit…the sweet potato fries were perfect. Crispy on the outside, soft in the center. Warm. Hot. Seasoned well. And just what I wanted. They were phenomenal. Definitely better than the oven baked ones that I make at home. I mean, I love making my own, but there is something so fantastic about sweet potato strips that are literally fried to perfection, seasoned well, and served up piping hot and fresh. So, while I think I aged a little standing in line waiting on an order the kitchen at Hungry Bear Restaurant forgot about…it was well worth the wait.
Tiki Juice Bar – Adventureland – Disneyland Park
Tiki Juice Bar, Adventureland, Disneyland Park
DOLE. WHIP. Need I say more? Let me say it one more time. DOLE WHIP! I love Dole Whip and ended up coming to the Tiki Juice Bar twice during my 3-day stay in Disneyland.
The second time I contemplated getting a Dole Whip Float…but wasn’t sure I had enough money for one. So, both times I ended up getting the standard Soft Serve Dole Whip ($3.69). LOVE.
It’s pineapple goodness in a cup. One that I will always take time to indulge in whenever I roam at Disney. Yeah…Dole Whip is an experience. One that shouldn’t be missed. EVER!
Carnation Café – Main Street, U.S.A. – Disneyland Park
Carnation Café, Main Street, U.S.A., Disneyland Park
The only other request that I made for while the four of us were all at Disneyland was simple. I needed gluten-free Mickey waffles in my life. So, Indy, as always being the rockstar, sought out a place that served them. She’s awesome like that. So, after a late night and an early morning (for me…as I went running for 7 miles for my marathon training), we headed into Disneyland for our last meal together as a group of four. Tawn was leaving that afternoon to head back to Fresno.
We arrived at Carnation Café just ahead of our reservation time. We were asked if we wanted to sit outside or inside. It was such a gorgeous morning that day that we chose to sit outside, as long as we were somewhere shady. The hostess found us the perfect spot and we all settled in and started to look at the menu.
When our waitress came over to the table, she explained that we actually had a different server, but he was on his break so she’d be taking care of us until he returned. We went ahead and told her that I couldn’t have gluten, something they were already aware of because Indy mentioned this when she made the reservation. Of course none of this was an issue. She said she’d go to get the chef and he would go over some options with me. He did emerge a few minutes later and asked what I was interested in having for breakfast. I gave him the hopeful eyes…Mickey waffles? He said he wasn’t sure they could make gluten-free Mickey waffles due to the surface they were cooked on…but he might be able to do regular pancakes (not Mickey shaped). But he said he’d go double check. He returned after everyone else placed their orders and said that he could make me gluten-free mini Mickey waffles safely. I was a happy girl, because I really, really wanted Mickey waffles while at Disneyland. Dreams really do come true.
I went ahead and ordered gluten-free Mickey waffles ($10.49) with fresh fruit instead of the sausage or bacon side…since I am vegetarian. They were happy to make that substitution for me. I also had this with fresh brewed Joffrey’s Coffee ($2.99).
The coffee was really good. Not too bitter. I sweetened it with real sugar…as my coconut sugar was left back in Indiana. After a short wait…out came our food. Only Tawn and I kept with the plan to get waffles. Indy ended up getting the Huevos Rancheros and Cathy got the All-American Breakfast.
My mini waffles were…delicious. Definitely not the golden crispy goodness that Tawn got out of her Mickey head waffle. But…the miniature Mickey waffles tasted amazing. I poured a little pure maple syrup over them and dug right in. I was given four Mickey waffle heads and ate all four of them without any shame or guilt. The fruit was gone in a flash. I am a fruit monster. They were able to accommodate me and get me the item on the menu that I truly wanted. Carnation Café was made of win.
So were the waffles…for the record. Epic…gluten-free…WIN!
Trader Sam’s Enchanted Tiki Bar – Disneyland Resort Area – Disneyland Hotel
Trader Sam’s Enchanted Tiki Bar, Disneyland Resort Area, Disneyland Hotel
Trader Sam’s Enchanted Tiki Bar is like no other bar you have ever experienced. The food they serve is unique bar food. The drinks they serve are fun. The manner in which some drinks are served are SUPER fun and invoke chanting and lights flashing, ships going down, all of that. It’s a place you have to go to grab a drink. And, as this was our final day in Disneyland…we chose to do just that.
Food choices, for me, were rather limited. But, Indy was telling me about this amazing Green Papaya Salad ($?.??) that they served. We inquired with the bar tender about the ingredients and he went to check with the chef to see whether it was gluten-free and vegetarian. Turns out…it was. So, while Cathy and Indy split the Panko-Crusted Chinese Long Beans, I was served up a refreshing and quite delicious Green Papaya Salad.
No trip to Trader Sam’s is complete without having one of their famous drinks. As I’m always iffy and careful with alcohol…I decided to go with one of the non-alcoholic beverage specials served at the bar. My choice of Sam’s No Booze Brews was the Jungle River Sunset ($4.49) which is a mix of orange juice, falernum, and hibiscus grenadine, all topped off with soda water. And, yes…I ate my garnish.
Boardwalk Pizza & Pasta – Paradise Pier – Disney California Adventure Park
Boardwalk Pizza & Pasta, Paradise Pier, Disney California Adventure Park
It was getting late and our plan to see Fantasmic that night was about to be put into action. That being said, our appetizers from Trader Sam’s were long gone and we were definitely ready to eat some food. We ended up coming to Boardwalk Pizza and Pasta…because we were just really wanting Italian or something. Because originally I was going to get something else, but when they kept mentioning the pizza and pasta place…it just sounded better.
So, we entered Boardwalk Pizza & Pasta and it was another counter service sort of thing. I went up and mentioned that I was a gluten-free vegetarian and they sent for the chef. He was out in no time. Honestly. And when I told him I was a gluten-free vegetarian, he immediately mentioned the two standbys that the Italian restaurants have on hand at Disneyland…a personal-size gluten-free cheese pizza or rice noodles with a tomato marinara sauce. I’ve done the pizza. It’s the same as always…and not really worth the repeat. So, I went with the Gluten-Free Rice Pasta with the Tomato Marinara ($9.49). He said it would take about 10 minutes. And when he went back behind the counter, he immediately changed his gloves to start preparing my food. I breathed a sigh of relief. Cathy ordered a regular Spaghetti With Meatballs and Indy went with the Five Cheese Ravioli. They were both made to order, but Cathy’s came up way ahead of ours. We sent her outside to get us a seat. About 5 minutes later, my spaghetti arrived. And this serving was HUGE. We’re talking the King Kong of spaghetti dishes. Holy crap!! I figured I’d get maybe halfway through it and be done. Indy’s was the last to come up…so she was the last to join us at the table. Cathy had already started eating…I was just starting…so we had timing. At least none of us were left without food when all was said and done.
The rice pasta was really al dente. Not bad…but not as soft as normally rice pasta would be. The tomato sauce was rich and delicious and really made the dish, in my opinion. The spaghetti really would have been lackluster and disappointing without it. I sprinkled a bit of crushed red pepper onto the pasta to give it that slight kick that I like. Me and spicy food make for a loving relationship. Honestly. I like it hot. So, the spaghetti, like the quick service pizza, was…just okay. Nothing to really write home about…or go on any longer in this blog.
Indy’s Egg Scramble of Awesome
Indy’s Egg Scramble of Awesome
When you have fresh ingredients in your garden…what happens? You make your husband and your friends one of the most epic egg scrambles ever. Honestly…this was amazing. So delicious. So yummy. I still think about it. That’s why a homemade dish is being put into my blog. None of you, unless you also know Indy, will be able to taste this dish. None of you will get to enjoy it for the low cost of FREE…at her kitchen table…while drinking fresh and really delicious coffee. It’s just not going to happen.
She cooked and diced and sauteed potatoes in coconut oil, added fresh vegetables from her garden, and then scrambled up some eggs. Simple…but highly, highly delicious. One of my favorite breakfasts I’ve ever consumed. And it was filling. Perfect way to start off a day that took us to many glorious sandy locations!
The Local Peasant – Sherman Oaks, California
The Local Peasant, Sherman Oaks, California
This gastropub has no sign hanging up outside. There is no neon flashing the name of the pub. This is one of those places that if you didn’t know it was there, you would walk right on past it. Thankfully, it turned up on Find Me Gluten Free…and it just happens to be one of Indy and Evan’s favorite dining spots in their area. And I picked it. All by myself!
It was our last night in Los Angeles, and it was also Indy’s birthday. So, we went out to eat…although she told me to find somewhere. I was mainly focused on finding Cathy a place to have some fish and chips, so I focused on that first. The menu for The Local Peasant had not only vegan options marked, but also gluten-free options marked. And my requirement to eat something with avocado while in California would definitely be fulfilled.
It was a special night, so I went against my usual abstaining from alcohol for training purposes…mostly because it was Indy’s birthday and we were celebrating. But, they also had Green’s Quest Gluten-Free Triple Ale ($15.00). I’m not a beer drinker…at all…but it was a celebration. And, besides, Micky Dolenz of The Monkees was at the table next to ours. I needed something to take the fangirl edge off.
Where there is beer…there is also food. Our waitress just happened to also be gluten-free (in fact, her entire family is)…so she was a huge help. But…as I said…I had my heart set on something with avocado in it. I had to eat avocado while in California. It had to happen. So, when it came to dinner, my choice was obvious…the Edamame Vegetable Salad ($11.00). Why was that obvious? Because this salad was composed of edamame, corn, jicama, green beans, roasted peppers, avocado, toasted pepitas, and cashews with a rosemary and ginger vinaigrette.
It sounded like no salad I have had anywhere else. It had avocado on it, and really…it just sounded awesome. When it arrived, it was in a huge bowl…and I happily dug in. The vegetables were so fresh and awesome. I loved the texture the cashews and pepitas gave the entire dish. The green beans still had that nice, fresh crispness to them. The edamame is always one of my favorite things…and it was super good. Loved the depth the roasted peppers gave. The avocado, however, gave it this amazing creaminess. It was topped off with that really flavorful vinaigrette that really just brought everything together. It was the meal I needed to have. It was the last thing I would eat in California. It was…fantastic.
I’d go back to this gastropub in a heartbeat. And I hope to…the next time I find myself in California!
~*~*~
So…there it is. What I ate in California. I didn’t blog about the fries from In-N-Out Burger…because I did that back in 2011. But I did go there…and their frier is dedicated to just potatoes and makes their fries completely safe for me to eat. Part 2 will be all about the fantastic dinner that Indy treated our party to at Napa Rose. Trust me…that was a dining experience I wish I could relive over and over again. But you’ll read about that in the next blog…
Can pizza be a vegetable? I mean…it’s normally made with tomato sauce…but tomato is a fruit. You can put vegetables on pizza (and I often do)…but it’s still…pizza right? Probably. In most cases. But thanks to Garden Lites…pizza is now a vegetable. For real.
Last year, I discovered and worked my way through the flavors of Garden Lites Souffles that were currently out on the market. Since then, more have been added and a few of those new flavors have actually been sitting in my freezer since I finally spotted them at the grocery store…MONTHS ago. Why hadn’t I pulled them out sooner? No clue. But that changed tonight. And, given the expiration dates, the first souffle to get sampled by my roomie and I was…Pizza.
Yes. Pizza Souffle. Hey, there have been stranger things in life. The “crust” isn’t a heavy dough like you would get in a normal pizza. Remember…this is a souffle. Therefore, cauliflower and brown rice make up the base, lending that crust-like flavor to the souffle itself. So…that cauliflower crust pizza that keeps turning up on Pinterest isn’t so new after all, eh? HA! Anyway, bound together with egg whites and topped off with tomato sauce and melty, gooey Mozzarella cheese and you have quite an interesting take on a souffle. And pizza for that matter.
Cooking this up is simple. Three minutes with the plastic wrap still on. Let it sit for a minute. Then remove the plastic and heat on 50% power for another minute. Enjoy. My roommate and I actually had ice cream for lunch (HAHA!), so we split this for dinner. But we both found that the smell and flavor was reminiscent of cafeteria pizza or pasta. You know…it has that lingering sweetness in the sauce that you just breathe in and it takes you back to grade school or…in the case of my roommate…some mess hall with some army thing-a-ma-jig. (Technical term!)
Garden Lites Pizza Souffle (cooked)
You know what? The flavor and taste sort of reminded me of cafeteria spaghetti too. Not saying that is a bad thing. I mean, whenever spaghetti day at school (from 1st grade through 12th grade) rolled around, you better believe that was the tray I grabbed from the lunch lady. Spaghetti was always my favorite thing to eat growing up (and still is now, although rice and corn noodles are now my noodle of choice due to the whole Celiac thing). Cafeteria food isn’t always the best tasting…but it is decent. It’s good. And that’s how I felt about this. It was like…eating a mix of my high school’s spaghetti and pizza. The sauce was very sweet, seasoned well, but sweet. More sweet than I usually like a tomato sauce. The cheese was a gooey mass on top, which I’m okay with. At least it was melty and gooey. Most packaged items don’t get to that point. Especially when nuked in the microwave. I don’t mind the cauliflower and rice base at all. It was actually a nice, crumbly texture that worked. The sauce was just…okay though. Thankfully the sauce and cheese weren’t heavy on the dish at all. In fact, there wasn’t too much of either of them. A nice balance that worked.
Let’s talk ingredients and nutrition now…
The Garden Lites Pizza Souffle is made from cauliflower, pasteruized egg whites, onion, low-fat milk, brown rice, crushed tomatoes, mozzarella cheese, red pepper, green pepper, corn starch, tomato paste, a natural spice mix (dehydrated onion, spices, corn starch, natural flavors, tomato powder, potassium chloride, autolyzed yeast extract), evaporated cane juice, canola oil, sea salt, lemon juice, garlic, basil, oregano, pepper, and a blend of locust bean gum, gaur gum, and xanthan gum. This souffle is gluten-free, soy-free, and nut-free.
As for the nutritional aspect of the Pizza Souffle…one serving, which is the entire bowl, will provide you with 200 calories and 4 grams of fat. That is AWESOME for a meal. That is awesome for pizza! That’s just awesome! It does contain 650 mg of sodium and 6 sugars. But you also do get 3 grams of fiber and a whopping 12 grams of protein. So, you won’t feel like you need to eat more on top of this little souffle dish. I mean, I filled up on ice cream and was only mildly hungry when I heated this up for my roomie and I…and I still felt full after eating just half of the dish.
It isn’t one of my favorites, but I would eat it again. Honestly. It wasn’t bad…but it wasn’t knock me off my seat delicious either. I love the healthy take on the traditional pizza and the use of cauliflower and brown rice as the base. It’s ingenious. And it works well. If anything, I only wish the sauce tasted more fresh and less fake-sweet. Aside from that…totally devourable in every way.
Udi’s Gluten-Free Salted Caramel Cashew Soft-Baked Cookies
Product: Udi’s Gluten-Free Salted Caramel Cashew Soft-Baked Cookies – $5.99+
For all my loyal followers up to this point…you know it doesn’t need to be said…but I will state it one more time.
I. LOVE. COOKIES.
They are, in fact, one of my favorite indulgences. Especially after dinner. I don’t know what it is about cookies, but they just seem like the perfect way to end your day. Dessert at its finest, especially when the cookies are crumbly, soft, buttery, sweet and delicious.
HOWEVER…this combination doesn’t always fall into place when gluten-free cookies are concerned. Too often, the packaged cookies at the store are hard, crunchy, crumbly (and not in a good way) paper weights of wrongness that just don’t work for me. I’ve found some decent enough cookies in the past…but at a price. They are expensive for a reason. That reason being…they are GOOD!
Well, at Expo West this past year, Udi’s Gluten-Free unveiled a bunch of new products. And while Udi’s already has a line of cookies out on the shelves (the bite-size Snickerdoodles being my favorite), they introduced three new flavors in what they are calling a “Soft-Baked Cookies” line. These include Peanut Butter Coconut (yes please!), Maple Pecan Chip (yum!), and, the one that caught my attention immediately…Salted Caramel Cashew. Why did this one stand out? Because Salted Caramel whatever the thing is will always win in my book because salted caramel is one of my favorite flavors. It’s that sweet and salty combination. Add my favorite nut in the whole entire universe…the cashew…to the mix and you are totally Charlie Sheen WINNING!
I was afraid these products would be scarce in my area for awhile. This sometimes happens, especially when I get excited about a new product that is introduced by a brand I trust. But…I was at Walmart of all places one day and there they were…shining at me from a lower shelf…begging me to purchase it and devour ALL the cookies. I have no willpower when it comes to cookies, so they were in my arms and in a shopping bag in record time.
But I didn’t devour them all at once. In fact, I had other dessert items that needed my attention first. But yesterday marked the magical date where I ripped into the box, opened up the package and removed one of Udi’s Gluten-Free Salted Caramel Cashew Soft-Baked Cookies. I breathed in the smell that came from the packaging itself. It was so familiar. In a good way. I handed off one cookie to my roommate, took one for myself…and then put everything away to devour another day. I stick to serving sizes even when I don’t always want to.
These cookies are amazing for processed goodies. Trust me on this one. The familiar smell…well…the taste made it all fall into place. These cookies taste like butter pecan ice cream. NO JOKE! They are perfectly balanced in sweetness and saltiness, lending that bit of savory flavor to each flaky, buttery bite. And these soft, chewy cookies are just a delight on the tastebuds. I honestly had to remind myself that I was eating a cookie…not butter pecan ice cream. Either way, I was one happy cookie monster. Oh yes…that cookie was gone in no time flat and I enjoyed every single delicious bite. Soft throughout, these cookies are just what I love when I bite into a gluten-free treat. Nothing tasted off or fake. Nothing crumbled. Nothing crunched in a loud and obnoxious way. These were sheer perfection in flavor, texture, and everything else. I was one very, very happy gluten-free cookie.
So…now the science of things…
Ingredient wise, these cookies are baked up by using tapioca starch, dried cane syrup, palm oil, brown rice flour, cashew pieces, eggs, tapioca syrup, toffee bits, potato starch, molasses, salt, natural flavors, vanilla extract, xanthan gum, baking soda, and caramel color. So, every ingredient is definitely something I recognize and might have even used myself. I have quite an eclectic blend of flours going on…especially as I’ve been doing some paleo baking recipes as one of my runners on Saturday is doing a paleo diet. Regardless…the fact that nothing sounds like a chemical or like a chemistry experiment makes me feel even better about eating these.
Nutritionally speaking…a serving of Udi’s Gluten-Free Salted Caramel Cashew Soft-Baked Cookies is one cookie. This one cookie will cost you 120 calories and 6 grams of fat. These cookies are much bigger than the two-bite Snickerdoodle, Chocolate Chip, and Oatmeal Raisin cookies that they originally put out in their lineup. And the eclectic flavors of the new soft-baked varieties definitely tempt the palate. Anyway…these cookies also contain 130 mg sodium and 7 grams of sugar. Seven grams of sugar isn’t bad for a cookie! That’s quite impressive. These cookies do not provide any fiber to your diet and only 1 gram of protein, so not filling…but definitely a nice sweet way to end your meal.
So treat yourself to one of the most amazing cookies out on the market. The sweet and salty combination of flavors will entice and liven up your taste buds and leave you wanting more. And if you love butter pecan ice cream, you will especially fall in love with the butterscotchy flavor of the Salted Caramel Cashew Soft-Baked Cookies.
Once again, Udi’s Gluten-Free…you impress me with your products. Another winner in my books.
I admit it. I struggled last week with running. Not so much with the race at Disney…but all the running at altitude really sapped my energy level. In fact, I ended up with a mild case of altitude sickness due to jumping into 12.5 miles in Boulder the day after I arrived. Not the smartest thing I ever did, and unfortunately, the runs I did after that one all sucked…mightily. It was a struggle to push through them. I found myself stopping often, downing water, continuing, and stopping again…to catch my breath…to just rest…my body was not enjoying a moment of any of those runs.
And it really messed with my head.
But…I continued on my training plan and rounded out another week, only to have to start this one still at altitude. And, I think I did okay with it…but it was still a struggle to get through the miles before getting on a plane and heading home. The difference I felt though…made me confident once again that I hadn’t lost anything while in Colorado, save for lung capacity or something.
Let’s take a look at how this week unfolded!
Sunday was the day I was going to be leaving Colorado and heading back to Louisville. However, I wasn’t due back until very late due to the flight schedule. So, I got up early (I never sleep in…ever!) and went to do one final run in Denver, Colorado. I kept an easy, slow, steady pace, but continued to struggle. My energy level just never got back to normal after that run in Boulder on Thursday morning, so the proceeding runs all just felt…awful. This one was a little better, but I was still fighting for air, for strength, for anything to validate that I could still, indeed, run. I ended up managing 11 very tough miles, earning one last merit badge in the trials of running at altitude. I was proud of myself for that and headed back up to the hotel room to shower, change, devour a good breakfast, and then get ready to fly back to Louisville, Kentucky in a couple of hours. The important thing was…I got all my necessary runs in…even if they were slow, and hard, and made me feel like a failure when it came to running.
Monday…was…in a word…interesting. No…seriously. Here’s why. The flight in from Atlanta ended up arriving later in Louisville due to waiting on a couple of passengers whose flight was running late. So, our ride picked us up later than anticipated and we got home later than planned. I still needed to get a few necessary items for lunch and snacks at the office from the grocery store. My roomie went to bed and I went shopping. By the time I got home, it was after midnight. And all the travel on Sunday and the long run in Denver hadn’t worn me out enough because I was wide awake. Being that it was now officially Monday, I slipped into my shorts, a tank top, and laced up my shoes. With all my reflective gear on, this weary traveler went out and did her 6 easy miles for marathon training. Instead of waking up at 4 a.m. to do so, I just got it done a little past midnight. What a difference the (albeit humid) river valley made. I felt like a rockstar out there running. My breathing was easy. My strength felt like it was there. And I churned out a great run in the end. I headed back upstairs and took a shower. This put me climbing into bed around 2 a.m. I got up to get ready for work around 4 a.m. to bake cookies for my first friend I made in the running community as he was moving to Dayton, Ohio for a girl…and a new job. I also had to get breakfast ready and finish putting together lunch and snack items. So, running on fumes all day, I, naturally, have to do my Daily Double as is tradition on Monday nights. My fun run group was meeting and it was Keith’s last night. And I made amazing gluten-free chocolate chip cookies in his honor. I also chose this run to be my first time running in my new Newton’s I bought while in Boulder, Colorado. I LOVE THESE SHOES! They do take some getting used to and my calf muscles were feeling them for the next few days. Apparently, I shouldn’t be rocking out 3 miles yet in these shoes. Instructions I later read in the box said to start with a mile until they feel comfortable and then gradually add on. Whoops. Needless to say, I felt, for the first time in a long time, that I rocked the fun run. And I was taking it easy due to fatigue and everything. But another 3.3 miles felt amazing that day. After enjoying a cookie and wishing Keith well with his future endeavors…I went home to shower (again) and get some rest.
Tuesday morning didn’t mean sleeping in. Nope. It was cross-training day. And I hit up the gym as always…except as I am now a month away from my marathon, I ease up on the cross-training intensity because I don’t want to get injured pushing it at the gym. How embarrassing. So, while I finally took my first day off from running in a week, I wasn’t taking a day off yet. Since it was Tuesday, this meant it was the day of the Arc Trainer. I love this machine and hate it at the same time. For some reason, the gym was stupid hot that day, so Cathy turned on the fan behind the machines and it was a great boost with some cool air. I did 2.3 miles on the Arc Trainer on Program 7 – Strength – at Level 5 in 45 minutes. Not bad considering how difficult the resistance gets at that level setting. Yikes. Then, it was over to the rowing machine for 10 minutes. I managed 1.17 miles rowing, which isn’t bad given how tired I was. Then it was downstairs for some strength training before heading into the office for work. After work I would normally do my circuit training, but my body was telling me that wouldn’t be a good idea. And I listened and gave this exhausted body a break that night. Actually, I made a deal that I would not circuit train at all this week and get back to it this coming week. So, game on. The plan was to go to bed early…but that didn’t happen.
Wednesday morning, as always, brings about the speed work/pacing portion of my weekly training schedule. This week I was to do a 5 mile tempo run. Doesn’t seem too bad, right? Nope. Except with how humid and hot it was in the morning, my legs felt like they had no energy at all. I knew by body was tired, my legs were really pushing it, and while I ran faster than I thought, I didn’t quite nail that tempo pace. I wasn’t all over the place, but I wouldn’t call the paces for each mile close enough in speed to be at tempo pace. Ah well…you win some, you lose some. Given the circumstances, I was happy with what I managed. I, once again, intended to go to bed early…and once again…that didn’t happen. Hey! The Master Chef finale was on and I wasn’t going to miss that!! Priorities. Anything with Gordon Ramsay is a priority!
Thursday morning came with another early rising. I had another 6 easy miles to put in and I got up and out the door in good time. Once again I was greeted with stifling heat and humidity. It was just nasty out there. My legs, once again, felt heavy and just completely wiped of any energy. I started off slow and just tried to maintain that, fueling (because I really needed it) halfway through. I hydrated every mile, alternating water and my electrolyte drink. When all was said and done and I pushed through to my full six miles, I discovered I actually ran it faster than I did on Monday. And I hit negative splits. Sometimes the body just surprises you. I felt on top of the world after that run. After that…it was the second day of gym time. Thursdays always means the ellpitical, so I set it for Level 7 as always and just did my best to get through the 49 minutes (I do a 4 minute cool down) I do every week on that machine. I managed 9.06 miles on Level 7 this week…which isn’t my best by any means, but I’m taking it easier and keeping things at a decent intensity to stay healthy and on my feet. After that, it was over to the Cardio Wave machine, where I did an impressive 4.04 miles in 10 minutes. I guess my legs liked the change of movement, not going forward and back for once. After that…downstairs for strength and then into work. Once more, I intended to get to bed early…but, of course, it didn’t happen.
Friday is the rest day that I am to keep holy. And…I did. Sorta. Kinda. Not really. I KNOW!! BAD!! BAD ME!! Normally I take a walk in the morning, just to take the edge off of not being able to run. But this morning, I wanted to break in my Newton’s a little more. So, I justified that by taking an easy jog in them. I did 2 miles at a comfortable pace, then slowed it down for one more mile. It felt good and I wanted to be out there longer. Maybe it was the gorgeous 66° weather that morning. Maybe it was the way I was easily finding my stride. Either way…it was the perfect morning, but I stayed to the 3 miles I intended and then went upstairs to get ready for a busy day at the office. I knew I was getting up early for my long run on Sunday, so I thought to go to bed early…but I got wrapped up in watching Dr. Who…and once again, that didn’t happen.
Saturday is the morning of my long run. This week, it was supposed to be 13 miles. But…no one in my running group was really doing that mileage. But, there was a group doing 20 miles…so I joined three fabulous ladies at North End Café on Frankfort Avenue at 6 a.m. to rock out my second 20 miler. It was 51° this morning and I was loving the brisk, cool air. It just made the run feel so much easier. I kept it slower than I normally would, which is what I should be doing on these long runs anyway. And I had some great conversations and enjoyed getting to know Nikki, Lindsay, and Abbey in the process. We ran a route I had never done before, starting and ending in the same place and having one of the most incredible 20 mile runs. We ran the last 4 miles of it with better speed, getting faster with each one. None of us felt like we were about to die at any point during this run. It was fantastic. I enjoyed the company, the distance, and the way I felt while running and after running. It was just the 20 miler I needed. After walking it off a little afterwards, I headed out to grab some breakfast at Annie May’s Sweet Café, order my birthday cake, get groceries for the week, and treat myself to some ice cream before heading home and collapsing for a little bit. It’s been a busy week…but my adventure continues tomorrow with another early start.
No rest for the trainee…
Maybe a nap tomorrow. But…unlikely. I am not good at napping.
Anyway…my return to the Ohio River Valley made me feel confident again in my fitness level, my running, and all the miles I’ve been logging for training. This coming week I have some challenging runs ahead of me, but I’m feeling good about what I’m doing and accomplishing. Some days are easier than others, and not having adequate rest this past week has definitely drained me in some ways. But I feel so good after coming back to this area. I just got a boost from getting out of the high altitude. So…it all just seems to be falling back into place.
And that’s good. Because after next week…I start to taper. And that might not be pretty…
I love pizza. I really do. Give me a good gluten-free pizza and I just might become your best friend ever. Not only has gluten-free pizza become my food of choice before a long run or a race (it unleashes my endurance, I guess!), but I have always, always loved pizza. Nutrition be damned…nothing is better than a flaky crust with gooey cheese and some great vegetable toppings. Right? RIGHT!
So, a couple of weeks ago before I headed out on vacation, my local grocery store was having a closeout on Glutino’s Gluten-Free Spinach & Feta Pizza. Now, my roomie and I had been dying to try these for awhile, but just couldn’t justify the price. But, with the closeout going on, the pizzas were only $1.99 each. So, yeah…we grabbed two. We would have grabbed more…except we didn’t know if we would like them or not…and we were getting ready to head out of town and we didn’t want to stuff our freezer, which we have been working hard on whittling down the products inside, full once again.
But we should have known better. After all…this is a Glutino product and they have never done us wrong. We haven’t met a Glutino product that we haven’t liked or loved. Stuffing our freezer full of these pizzas would have been the best thing to ever happen to our kitchen. For real!
Let me tell you why…
Glutino Spinach & Feta Gluten-Free Pizza (frozen)
The spinach to cheese ratio is amazing. More spinach…less cheese! I love that. As much as my roomie loves cheese, even she was thrilled by the amount of spinach on this pizza. Honestly…healthy greens that provide key nutrients. Yes. All about that. The crust. OH. MY. GOD. Yes…this is one of those thin crust gluten-free pizzas that turn up everywhere. Yes…sometimes I do miss having that amazing chewy crust. But…the crust on this Glutino pizza was flaky and crisp and still soft so it was everything I wanted in a pizza crust. The flavor was so delicious. Nothing that tasted off or gritty or anything. It really was a wonderfully golden flaky crust that crumbled against my tongue when I bit into it. Savory goodness right there. It’s rich and buttery and…I’m suddenly craving it again. GAH! The cheese doesn’t just stop with crumbles of feta. Nope. Add to it shredded mozzarella and ricotta cheese and you end up with a blend of amazing flavors that don’t overtake the crust or the spinach that is also part of the mix. It was SO good. My roommate usually takes forever to eat her food and she was done eating this pizza before I was. And she’s not even a Celiac. All she could do was rave about it. And for the same reasons I am. It is, honest to goodness, a whole lot of…well…goodness!! And it only took a short 15 minutes in the oven to bake before it was ready for prime time…or at least our bellies.
Let’s talk ingredients and nutrition…because it needs to be done! Starting with what makes up this pizza. The box lists off all the ingredients, which include: pizza crust (composed of water, brown rice flour, rice starch, potato starch, olive oil, sugar, tapioca starch, potato flour, yeast, cellulose, salt, spices, and garlic powder), spinach and cheese sauce (composed of water, spinach, milk, cream, feta cheese, ricotta cheese, mozzarella cheese, Monterrey jack cheese). It’s very straight forward and very, very delicious when all put together and baked up. Trust me…when I pulled it from the box and removed the paper, I wasn’t too sure it was going to be any good…but it’s amazing what a warm oven does to a product.
Nutritionally speaking, as far as personal pizzas go…this is a good one. The entire pizza only costs you 370 calories and 17 grams of fat. That isn’t bad for a frozen pizza…or a gluten-free pizza for that matter…frozen or not. You will also be consuming 530 mg sodium and less than 1 gram of sugar. Nice. Not bad for something packaged and frozen, for real. This pizza does have 30 mg of cholesterol, but it has no trans fat in it at all. You also get served 2 grams of fiber and 9 grams of protein. Awesome!
I am so in love with this pizza. I normally am not a huge fan of frozen pizzas…but this one hits flavor, taste, texture, and everything right on the money. The regular price seems pretty steep, but buying it on sale and enjoying it this much makes me want to purchase it again, price tag be damned. In fact, I’m trying to talk myself out of rushing to the grocery store to pick up another one for dinner tonight. Must…behave…even if I don’t want to!
Must…resist…grabbing car keys…
Trust me…this pizza really is that fantastic. I was grocery shopping earlier and really, really had to resist buying a cart full of these. It wasn’t easy. I walked away without any more but the temptation still lingers. Which means…this is one hell of a frozen pizza. Try it out. Even those of you who don’t need to eat gluten-free…you might find you love this even more than those who do have to eat this way. It is frickin’ amazing!
Product: Love Grown Foods Cocoa Goodness Oat Clusters – $4.99+
Gluten-free granola is becoming a staple in my apartment. Why? Because it is so versatile…and personally, I love the texture and flavor that it adds to my morning breakfast parfaits. Honestly. The most important part, for me, however, is to find one that is more nutritious than it is indulgent. Indulgent is all fine and good, but I’m trying to cut down on sugars in a lot of goods…and my breakfast shouldn’t be just a wash of sugar. I’ll burn through that in no time and then need to snack more. So, I’m very particular about the granola that finds its way into my pantry.
That being said, I have always…always trusted Love Grown Foods when it comes to their Oat Clusters. I find that they use real ingredients and cut back on things like sodium and sugar and still manage to put out one of the most fantastic products on the market.
I’ve reviewed quite a few of their products before…but somehow had never blogged on their Cocoa Goodness Oat Clusters. What’s up with that? I mean…HELLO…chocolate for breakfast?! Yes please. Even better when you don’t feel bad about what you are eating. And when it comes to the products that Love Grown Foods puts out on the market…I never feel guilty.
And when I am able to pronounce every ingredient on the package…well…it’s a safe bet that I’ll feel comfortable putting it in my body. At Love Grown Foods, founders Alex and Maddy create delicious foods that are full of nutritional benefits that everyone can enjoy. Everyone. Even someone like me…who is gluten-free. In fact, they believe that kids (and adults) should have access to a healthy, wholesome breakfast…and that belief is what helped them create Love Grown Foods…a company with a passion to make true change when it comes to making changes in the food world and, in the bigger picture, improving kids’ nutrition.
As I am running the Chicago Marathon for Action For Healthy Kids, a non-profit charity organization that emphasizes nutrition and exercise to children, you can see how passionate I am about this cause. Love Grown Foods hits on the exact thing I am running for next month. It’s a worthy and important cause. Children are our future and so many of them go without good nutritious food, nor are they learning about proper nutrition. Processed and unhealthy foods (fast food, etc) is cheaper and more affordable…and that’s what these kids are growing up on. That…and game systems, computers, and anything that makes them live a more sedentary lifestyle. It needs to change. And thanks to the options provided by Love Grown Foods…it’s happening.
With that being said…let’s talk about chocolate for breakfast! Mmmm. Doesn’t sound very nutritious does it? Sort of sounds like the complete antithesis of what I just rambled on about. But, guess again. We’re talking about Love Grown Foods here…and they actually get their Cocoa Goodness Oat Clusters a healthy dose of important nutrients. And with the subtle, sweet flavor of real dark chocolate…kids will be eating healthy and thinking they are totally getting dessert for breakfast.
I thought that too when I opened up my bag of Love Grown Foods Cocoa Goodness Oat Clusters. For real. Sweet, indulgent chocolatey goodness was inside. I had to try some on its own for the sake of the blog. But after a couple of pinches, I knew it was time to build my breakfast parfait. And I was making a new one. With PB2, vanilla Greek yogurt, a drizzle of honey, fresh slices of banana, and now…Cocoa Goodness Oat Clusters. With the initial tasting…I knew this would be one epic breakfast parfait. And it didn’t disappoint.
Here’s the fantastic thing about this granola, aside from being made from real ingredients, Love Grown Foods Cocoa Goodness is a sweet indulgence that you don’t feel bad about eating. Not one bit. Yes…it is chocolate. But who doesn’t like chocolate for breakfast? I live for chocolate for breakfast. And this is a much better and healthier way of doing it than say…chocolate chip pancakes or a high sugar chocolate cereal. These oat clusters are little chunks of gluten-free oats that have been sweetened with agave and honey instead of refined sugars or (even worse) artificial sweeteners. To hit the sweetness right on the money, 63% dark chocolate chips are added to the mix. So, with no junk this is really a guilt-free chocolate indulgence that you can feel good about eating. So…it’s sweet, but it comes by it honestly and naturally. And it isn’t “give-me-a-cavity-with-each-bite” sweet either. It’s subtle…savory…and decadent without being too much. And that’s a very fine line when it comes to chocolate. Trust me…I’m a chocoholic. I could eat this straight from the bag (and have!) and not need it with anything else. Seriously…it is that super good. Mixed in with the contents I chose for the parfait and it was a nice, rich, and deliciously filling breakfast treat.
Ingredients are simple and understated. Nothing is processed and everything is real and something you would recognize if you were walking down the aisles of your grocery store. Certified gluten-free oats, honey, organic agave syrup, expeller pressed canola oil, coconut, 63% chocolate, sunflower seeds, pure vanilla, milled flaxseed, 100% pure cocoa powder and sea salt. Ten simple and recognizable ingredients and you get BIG flavor and epic deliciousness without feeling bad about taking a little more than intended.
Now…down to the nutritional nitty-gritty! A serving of Love Grown Foods Cocoa Goodness Oat Clusters is 1/4 cup. In this small, but filling serving, you will receive 130 calories and 4.5 grams of fat. In addition, you will be served up a scant 35 mg sodium and 8 grams of sugar. These chocolatey oat clusters also provide you with 2 grams of fiber and 3 grams of protein. Not bad at all!!
We all like a sweet indulgence every now and again. With Love Grown Foods Cocoa Goodness Oat Clusters you can indulge all you want and never, ever feel guilty. Love Grown Foods serves up nutritious and delicious products with a whole lot of love.
And that’s why I keep buying the brand. I believe in what they are selling and the mission they have set out for their company and products. I’m a believer. And I’m totally hooked.
“Chunky Monkey” Breakfast Parfait made with Greek Yogurt, PB2, banana, and Love Grown Foods Cocoa Goodness Oat Clusters
Me leaving the start of the Disneyland Half Marathon – Anaheim, California
Race: Disneyland Half Marathon
Place: Disneyland, Anaheim, California
Date: September 1, 2013
Time: 1:42:39
If you recall…back in February, I participated in the Disney Princess Half Marathon, which is held at Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida. That being said, I also know that Disney does this fantastic thing where if you run a half marathon at one of their parks and then, within the same calendar year, run another half marathon in the other park, you get a reward for going “Coast To Coast.” In this case…an additional piece of bling.
A dear friend of mine who also ran the Disney Princess Half Marathon was running the Disneyland Half Marathon as well. In fact…we both signed up within minutes of each other. And the planning stages were on for a reunion. But this time…with all four of “THE GIRLS!” It was going to be a trip to remember. Aside from being the first visit to Disneyland for Cathy and I, it would mark the first time the four of us had gotten together since…2011. Needless to say…I was nervous…and excited all at once.
Here’s the deal though…I’m in full-fledged marathon training mode currently. And with that being said, it meant that I had to mess around with the training schedule a little bit to fit into the travel plans. For one thing…rest days were moved…and, keeping in mind where I was going after the California portion of the trip was over (Cathy and I went to Colorado for the last part of the trip), I also wanted a more convenient spot than a city to do my long run. So…the schedule was shifted around a bit and made to fit. It wasn’t perfect…but it was doable.
On Friday, August 30, I was up at 3 a.m. to get in a 7 mile training run, which normally I would have done on…say…Sunday or something. Friday is a usual rest day, but the rest day was coming on Saturday instead. I guess. Because I knew that there would be lots of sightseeing at Disneyland…so a lot of walking…not so much resting. But…at least no running. So, up super early, out the door getting work done. I showered…finished packing (and took a risk by packing my running shoes in my luggage instead of taking them carry-on like I did for Florida…I kept my running outfit in my carry-on, but the shoes went into the suitcase because I figured I could replace the shoes at the expo…but not my costume)…ate breakfast…and headed into work a little early to get that kind of work done. Haha! A co-worker drove us to the airport and dropped us off, negating the need to park our car in the extended stay lot and pay an ungodly amount of money for the pleasure. We arranged with a different co-worker to pick us up late Sunday night when our flight came in. We had it handled. That being said, we checked our bags (LOVE flying Southwest) and headed to our gate. We actually had some time before our plane was due to depart, so we settled in to read…snack on some dark chocolate covered acai berries…and wait.
Before we knew it, the plane was boarding. I was at the tail-end of the A group so when I got on the plane, I found the closest two seats with a window to the front of the plane that I could find. We were making a hop over to Chicago, but not getting off the plane. When the passengers disembarking in Chicago moved off the plane though, Cathy and I moved forward. Then…the never-ending 4 hour flight into Sacramento happened. It was such a long time to be sitting…and my body was not happy with it. I did a lot of reading (at the time, polishing off Restaurant Man by Joe Bastianich) and a lot of whining about being uncomfortable. So landing in Sacramento was a relief. I could move and I could find something to eat. Which…for me ended up being this little salad of spinach, tomato, and feta cheese. It was…eh…as it came from one of those stands inside the shops and not a restaurant. It was something though, and that’s what mattered. I made a comment about what was for dessert but I think Cathy thought I was kidding and just laughed it off. Hmm…you’d think she’d know better. Anyway, we were soon on our last flight from Sacramento into Burbank and soon we were meeting up with Jenn (also known as Indy) at the airport, piling luggage into the car, and heading to her house to drop it off. Once that happened, we were back in the car heading out to the train station to pick up Tanya (also known as Tawn), who was coming in from Fresno for the weekend. SO thrilled. The four of us were back together again.
And, despite having been awake at this point for over 24 hours, I didn’t feel the least bit tired. We gathered at Indy’s house, watched The Mighty Boosh, ate a gluten-free chocolate chip cookie (Evan and Indy went out to Whole Foods for gluten-free snacks…because they are that awesome!), and eventually decided that we’d have to be up by 5:30 a.m. in order for all of us to cycle through the shower before heading to Disneyland. And Disneyland was important. So we said goodnight and all went to sleep.
Pirate Mickey Ears on…LET’S DO THIS!
My alarm went off super-early the next morning and I staggered off the air mattress and into the kitchen. Tawn was going to hit up the shower first…and Indy was up and asked if I wanted coffee. OF COURSE!! She made some of the best coffee ever, for the record. I caffeinated myself while Tawn showered…and eventually Cathy staggered out and headed right for the fridge for a Diet Mt. Dew. That’s her caffeine of choice. Soon, I was showering, and we were figuring out breakfast afterwards. We finally just had bananas, I think. It worked. It was something in the stomach to start. And then…we were “Tetris-ing the shit out of the trunk” trying to fit all our luggage in for the journey and two night stay (hey, in our defense, Cathy and I had to pack for 9 days, plus one fancy dinner!). Indy is a rockstar and managed to make it work. And then…the drive to Disneyland!
My first Disneyland experience started in…the parking structure. But soon we were taking the escalator down to the shuttle that would take us to the park entrance. We were starting with California Adventure. Indy and Cathy went to go stand in line for Fast Passes for the Radiator Springs Racers (which I’m glad they did…because they ran out quickly) while Tawn and I went to go start off the Disneyland trip right with some Tower of Terror fun. We met up after that…went and did Soarin’ Over California…walked around Radiator Springs…rode Luigi’s Flying Tires and Mater’s Junkyard Jamboree…and then hit up Ariel’s Undersea Adventure. We paused at this point to eat lunch…where we all sort of did our own thing. I was pretty much limited to a salad with a gluten-free roll. But this salad was the size of Godzilla. Seriously. I ate what I could and called it quits. From there…Radiator Springs Racers…then Tawn and I went on California Screamin’…and then we took in a water show that was conducted by Goofy. At that point…we decided it was time to hit up the Fitness Expo. After all, I had a packet to pick up. We wound our way through the resort, heading down to the packet pick-up area, where I headed to the first booth, as my bib number was for Corral A. Lead corral once again! I flashed my ID and turned in my waiver and I was handed my bib and tagged with my Coast To Coast bracelet. Sweet. Then…over to the expo where I would get my swag bag and t-shirt. I really wish I had held up my t-shirt before leaving because this thing is a small…but it is a TENT!! Holy crap! Oh well. It still works and I will still wear it (sometimes…as it is orange and that’s not one of my best colors). Then…shopping!! I ended up buying two additional bottles to hook onto my fuel belt (per my sports nutritionist) for extra hydration and then I bought the Castle To Castle t-shirt from one of the vendors. There was so much more I wanted…but I was just starting vacation and didn’t want to spend all my money in one place. The ONE item that I wanted most though was the official Disneyland Half Marathon pin (I collect pins), but they were sold out and you can’t order them online. I was seriously bummed out and sad for the rest of the day. After listening to Sean Astin talk and finishing up some more shopping, we all departed the expo to head back to the hotel to unwind a bit before dinner. We crashed…munching on some gluten-free crackers with hummus and just…laying about. We all were wiped. A lot of it being from how hot it was outside…and little sleep. For me…VERY little sleep.
After some downtime, we were back at it, heading out to Disneyland. Indy had to head back to the expo to meet up with an old friend of hers, leaving us with Tawn as our guide. We hit some highlights, like the room where Walt Disney stayed when he was in the park…the statue of Walt Disney with Mickey Mouse…Sleeping Beauty’s Castle…and finally the carousel, where Indy found us and was able to join us for the ride. I was having the time of my life. We had been discussing an early return to the hotel so we could get some rest before the race on Sunday morning…but Indy saw the Fast Passes for World of Color and we (meaning she and I) decided we had to do that. And that started at 9 p.m. So, the original plans were scrapped and we were locked in with fast passes for the show. We hit up Buzz Lightyear’s Astro Blasters (I sucked!) before heading over to Redd Rocket’s Pizza Port for dinner. Why there? Gluten-free pizza of course. It is my night-before-the-race required meal. It had to happen. Cathy got a slice of regular pizza and some breadsticks. Tawn and Indy each got pasta and split some breadsticks. I waited for about 10 minutes to place my order with the chef…then had to wait another 10 minutes for it to be made. And it took an additional 5 minutes to actually get it. So, by the time I joined my friends at the table, only Tawn was still eating. The other two had finished. The pizza was very much like the one I got on the fly at Disney World…so…not horrible…not fantastic. Just…gluten-free pizza. And that was enough. We then booked it over to World of Color and watched the colorful water show before calling it a night. That took a little while too because I was trying to lay out everything I would need in the morning…costume…hair accessories…shoes…race bib…fuel belt…fuel…etc. Finally climbed into bed to snag a few restless hours of sleep.
The alarm sounded loud and clear way, way, way too early. It was 3 a.m. and I was now getting on my outfit to be Belle from Beauty and the Beast. Why Belle? Because my niece, Kaytlynn, loves Belle. She is her favorite Disney princess…and I promised her I would run as her. I am an auntie of my word. So into the gold sports bra and sparkle skirt I got…did my hair up with little red rose accessories and red hair extensions. Slipped into my black compression sleeves and got my fuel belt loaded with Sports Beans, GU, and one bottle of water and one of NUUN (for electrolytes). Indy was in the process of getting dolled up as Lilo from Lilo and Stitch and we both opted to step outside to see what the weather was like. The first words out of my mouth where, “It’s gross out here! UGH!” It was gross out there. High humidity and temperatures already in the 70s. BLECH! Cathy quickly made up some signs as Tawn got dressed up as a makeshift Snow White. And…we of course had breakfast. I had brought some of my gluten-free cereal with me from Louisville…so I ate that while I got ready, snagging a banana for 30 minutes before the race. When we were fed, dressed, and prepped…we headed out the door of the hotel for the long trek to the staging area for the race. We wandered through the empty park, making our way to where we needed to be. We even passed the finish line. The race jitters were starting to hit.
Me as Belle and Indy as Lilo at the staging area before the Disneyland Half Marathon
We took some pictures at the staging area…then were bombarded by MarathonPhoto people wanting our pictures. I swear we were asked at least 20 times for pictures. And not just of Indy and I…but also of Cathy and Tawn. How epic!! Now they are part of the race memories. But, really, Indy and I were trying to shake off fatigue, stretch, and mentally prepare for the race. I did some walking lunges, some butt kickers and a lot of active stretching to get the muscles loose while I could. I ducked over to the port-o-potties to use the bathroom one more time. Washed my hands. Ate my banana…and had to go get into my corral. I was in Corral A…Indy was in Corral F. So we told each other to have a good race and went our separate ways.
Not as much was happening at the start line as there was at the Disney Princess Half Marathon. The Disneyland Half Marathon, however, is not focused mostly on women, so the corral definitely had more testosterone in it this time. Cathy came over to tell me that she and Tawn found a great spot about 20 feet from the start on the left side, so I moved to the left so they could see me when I left the gate. A marriage proposal happened on stage at one point. They brought up some guests to the stage including The Biggest Loser’s Allison Sweeney (LOVE HER!), Sean Astin, and NSYNC’s Joey Fatone. Now, Tawn had been dying to meet Joey so when he was on stage, I was totally thinking about her. Then the small amount of downtime occured and this is where I found myself literally dozing. I was falling asleep on my feet. I think, combined, I might have gotten 5 hours of sleep in 2 nights. Fatigue had moved to complete exhaustion. Not good when the race hasn’t even started yet. I tried to shake it off…but just couldn’t seem to keep my eyes open. The National Anthem played…and then they sent off the wheelchair racers. My corral was next…so we all moved up. And when the horn sounded, I started my Garmin as I crossed the start line, saw Cathy and Tawn, giving each of them a wave, and hit the roads of Anaheim.
For the first mile I was with a guy dressed up as Woody from Toy Story. He was even carrying a Woody doll with him. People kept saying, “Hey! It’s Buzz!” And he would, in a perfect Tom Hanks voice, reply, “I’m not Buzz! I’m Woody!” It was awesome. But he soon dropped behind and I was now entering California Adventure. It is still dark at this point, and as we run by the Paradise Bay, where World of Color was done, the lights and fountains are on, greeting runners as they go by. The music was even playing. It was very uplifting, actually. Just what I needed. From there, it was out of California Adventure and into Disneyland. Sleeping Beauty’s Castle was lit up and the runners made their way up the street and through the castle. This all happened within the first three and a half miles…so, after that, it was back out onto the roads for the rest of the journey for the most part. It was “blink and you miss it” through the parks, really. But I always get such a rush when I run through the castles at Disney. I was starting to wake up now.
Miles 4-8 were all done on the road. So, not much to look at…until you hit Mile 7. Here you get treated to the most amazing car show. People brought out all their beautiful vintage cars and are displaying them for the runners, taking away the monotony that the highway roads would normally offer. Some honked their horns, all of them were cheering and clapping. I loved that part of the race. If I wasn’t already feeling uplifted, that helped.
Mile 8 led me past The Honda Center, which is where the Anaheim Ducks play hockey. Very cool little stretch of the run there. This lead into the unpaved mile of the run, along the Santa Ana River Trail. Loose gravel. Wasn’t expecting that in Anaheim. But, there it was. In fact, one of the wheelchair racers was struggling with her racing chair in the grooves of the gravel. She managed to regain momentum afterwards though, because she passed quite a few of us up on our way to Angel’s Stadium.
Yep…Angel’s Stadium. Home to the Los Angeles Angels baseball team. I was looking forward to this part of the run. I am not much into sports, but I grew up on baseball. I played softball. I went to baseball games. I love the sport. So, the opportunity to run through the stadium…across home plate even…was thrilling. And the stands were packed with people…and the roar of the cheers was incredible. They even had an announcer there listing off names as you passed over the sensor. I couldn’t stop smiling. This was epic! Just ahead of me, I noticed the wheelchair racer had taken a tumble out of her chair on the corner leading out of the park. She had some volunteers helping her out. She was a little scraped up…but seemed fine and eager to get back into her chair and on the move. Trust me…it didn’t slow her down any.
Three more miles to go after I left the stadium. I kept telling myself…just a 5K left. I knew I wasn’t going to PR…and I hadn’t set out to do that on this race. I made a promise to my sports nutritionist to treat this as a training run, and that was how I ran it. It was horribly humid and hot out…but I was still having a great time. I still felt good. I felt as though I could run more…which is always a good sign. So, I ticked off Mile 11, giggling at the sign that said “$175 for a half marathon…Smile only $37.40 to go!” So clever. So awesome. At around Mile 12, I got passed by a guy running and juggling. RUNNING AND JUGGLING!! AND PASSING PEOPLE! He had to be super human or something. Geeze. I knew I was getting close though. I didn’t once glance at my watch…I just ran…and as the finish line came into view, I couldn’t keep from smiling. My name was called as I slapped hands with Mickey Mouse and crossed over the finish line. Yes…I had to high-five Mickey. I had to!! I was all smiles. And I saw Tawn and Cathy flagging me from the crowd. And the smile got even bigger.
They were going to meet me in the staging area, so I made my way over to receive my Finisher’s medal…then some water…and then to get my Coast To Coast medal as well. From there, I made my way over to where they were handing out goody boxes full of mostly gluten-free options. And soon, I was heading out of the recovery area. And there they were…right at the gate…Tawn and Cathy. Both gave me hugs, not minding that I was slick with sweat. My official time beeped over my phone and Cathy told me. We high fived and I went to get a bag of ice and settle in to eat my banana. Hydrating and keeping to the shade, we decided that we had some time before Indy came in, so we made our way back to the hotel, where I showered, changed, and got ready to head back out to the park to cheer for Indy as she crossed.
It was hot…especially with the sun up now…but we were eagerly anticipating her arrival at the finish line. I had a vague notion of when she would be in thanks to the live updates I was receiving to my cell phone. Two minutes after the last update said she’d make it to the finish…there she was. Apparently she was a mess at the finish line…crying…hurting…and just happy to have it done. Poor thing. We went to go meet her at the designated area (Lilo 14), but I decided to go to the gate she’d have to come out of while Tawn and Cathy waited where we arranged before the start of the race. She finally made it out. I got a sweaty hug. She looked completely out of it. I got to meet her dad. We got the other girls over to where she was and we moved toward a shady spot where she could sit down. She needed to rest.
She slipped into her Disneyland Half Marathon shirt, rearranged her medals, and just let everything roll off. She looked completely spent. Her dad asked if she was ready to do it again and she shook her head and said “NO.” Yeah…I think this one wiped her. But she bounces. She does.
We started back to the hotel, but she said we should just go and enjoy the park. She needed to rest. So, we walked as far as we could with her, and she left to go recover, sleep, and do what she needed to do. The three of us hit up the parks hard…up until we needed to head back to shower and get ready for the most amazing dining experience ever. Seriously.
Anyway, Disney…as always…put on a spectacular race. My official results are that I ran the course in 1:42:39, making this my second fastest half marathon to date. WOOT! I was 288/15,868 finishers overall. I was the 59/10,017 female to cross the finish line. And I was 9/1923 in my division. You cannot believe how thrilled I am with these results. The best part was…I wasn’t even trying. I was just running. And, after hitting that finish line…I still felt good. I still felt like I could keep moving. That’s a good sign that my training and my fueling efforts have been paying off. Disney magic was back again on this one.
It’s hard not to find your happy pace and place at the Disney runs. They are super expensive when you factor in the cost of the race itself, travel, lodging, food, souvenirs, passes for the park, etc…but I keep wanting to go back. And it keeps drawing me back for more. I need to come back to Disneyland again…and soon. Because I already miss it.
Celebrating a strong finish, another half marathon under my (fuel) belt, and going Coast To Coast!
This week has brought about a lot of excitement, very little rest, some really great times, and then…a mild, mild case of elevation sickness. But, I guess that’s what happens when you travel from a river valley to one of the Happiest Places on Earth (Disneyland), to the gorgeous mountains of Colorado. Yes…this week has definitely served me up a wave of emotions and feelings. But…every single moment has been worth it. The challenges that have come with each different experience has only served to show how strong I truly am…or how much I really need to focus on certain things that might affect my training.
In the end, what came out of it all was an amazing and very tiring week of emotional highs and lows. But I feel that it was just what I needed to show me what needs to really be worked on and what I’m doing right. Knowing this with a month to go before my marathon gives me much a much better perspective and enough time to make any changes that will be necessary in the end.
So…let’s take a look at this insanely trying and exciting week…
Sunday was an emotional high! I mean, I was running in the Disneyland Half Marathon! How could I not be a happy girl while running in one of the Happiest Places on Earth. It’s Disneyland! And by completing the Disneyland Half Marathon, not only was I walking away with a finisher’s medal for the half marathon itself, but because I also ran Disney World in February (Disney Princess Half Marathon), I would also be receiving a medal for the Coast to Coast Challenge. Amazing. My friend Jenn (Indy) was also running for the same thing. And yes…we were both dressing up. I promised my niece, Kaytlynn, that I would run as Belle…so I managed to pull that together with a gold Sparkle Skirt, a gold sports bra, and rose pony tail holders. Indy dressed up as Lilo from Lilo & Stitch, complete with grass skirt and a stuffed Stitched on her back. She was very adorable. As with all Disney races, this one also came with an extremely early wake-up call. Like…3:00 a.m. I set my alarm and tumbled into bed late. Why late? Because Indy, myself, Cathy, and our good friend Tawn all went to watch the World of Color water show Saturday night. Keep in mind, on Friday, I was up at 3 a.m. to get in my training run before work and my airplane trip to Los Angeles. Then, with all the excitement of all four of us girls being together again, I was up beyond 24 hours that day…finally settling in on an air mattress for a couple of hours. That morning was a 5 a.m. alarm to work through showers and get ready to head to Disneyland for a fun-filled and very active day. This involved not only rides and a ton of walking around, but also the race expo. I figured at that point…why not stay for World of Color. We were catching gluten-free pizza at Redd Rocket’s Pizza Port…or…I was. Cathy went for a slice of regular pizza and the other two girls got pasta. So…the late return to the hotel (which was a walk)…then getting everything laid out for the race meant that early morning alarm felt like it came way too soon. And I was restless anyway. What this lead to, however, was me falling asleep on my feet in the start corral. No joke. There I am in Corral A…the lead corral…and I’m dozing off. But, as soon as that starting gun went off…and I was leaving the start gate, I perked up. It was a hot and humid race…which you can read more about in my race report, but I pushed through without pushing too hard. I was not to PR…so I stuck to my guns and didn’t. I finished up my second fastest half marathon to date, which I’m proud of given the hot and humid circumstances. Jenn was not as happy at the finish line when she came in, but she survived and while Tawn, Cathy and I hit the park that afternoon, she went back to the hotel and rested up. Disneyland Half Marathon…complete success in 1:42:39. I’ll take that.
Monday morning I knew would be an interesting run. For one thing, I was still at the hotel in Disneyland, and unlike the resort I stayed at in Disney World, there were no running trails and there wasn’t even a fitness center. So, I got up again at 5:00 a.m. to get dressed and ready to do an easy training run. My plan called for 7 miles easy and I definitely took it easy. For one thing, it was still dark outside. I was in an unfamiliar city. And I wanted to make sure I was hyper aware of my surroundings. The hotel was near a bus stop, and there was someone sleeping on the bench. Some of the parking lots had people walking through them, sometimes almost lurking…so I was taking it slow and easy and not straying too far from the hotel. What this meant was a lot of running to the end of the sidewalk, slowing, turning, and running back. I would loop the parking lot at the hotel as well. So, this was a very, very deliberate training run. I didn’t care. I finished it up with enough time for me to shower and get packed up and help load the car up before heading back into Disneyland for gluten-free Mickey waffles for breakfast. The rest of the morning and afternoon was spent wandering around Disneyland and making the most of our time…save for the hour we had to take to drop off Tawn at the train station and say goodbye as she headed back to Fresno. Sadness. But…we took in Fantasmic that night and enjoyed a carby-good pasta dinner before we headed back to Indy’s house.
I changed up my training schedule at this point, using Tuesday as my rest day. This meant the rest of my running would be done in Colorado. With this being our final full day in California…and also Indy’s birthday, we were going to take in a few adventures of Indy’s choice. And what this involved was some great car rides out to Vasquez Rocks, where we climbed on the same rocks used in Star Trek episodes. Geek out!! We’re such nerds! From there, we headed to the beach, stopping at a roadside stand for a watermelon and some fresh strawberries. We hit up Will Rogers State Beach, which is where they filmed Baywatch, believe it or not. That afternoon was spent lounging on the beach, playing in the surf, and eating some delicious, ripe fruit. I did a small amount of running on the beach…just to say I did it. But as the sun was starting to go down, we packed up our stuff and headed back towards her house. We changed and went out for her birthday dinner, where I enjoyed a fantastic Edamame Salad that had fresh vegetables and avocado, fulfilling my requirement to eat something in California with avocado on/in it. I went out of my training plan for the special occasion and enjoyed a gluten-free beer. And…to make the LA experience complete…celebrity sighting at the table next to ours…Micky Dolenz of The Monkees. Amazing! It was a perfect California day.
Wednesday morning came too soon and Cathy and I packed up our suitcases, ate some melon and strawberries, then Indy took us the Burbank airport. We checked our bags, got through security, and spent over an hour just walking back and forth. We wanted to keep busy at the airport because we’d be sitting on the plane for over 2 hours. We did eventually board our plane and make the 2 hour flight to Denver, Colorado. We landed, grabbed some Caribou Coffee, then headed out to claim our luggage. Then…get our rental car. We ended up getting a Prius, which is AWESOME. We hit the road up to Boulder, Colorado for the first night. We were staying at the Twin Lakes Inn, which has housed elite runners that come into the area. Shalane Flanagan has stayed there. SO cool. We settled in, went to a local pizza place for gluten-free pizza, and then got a few items from the grocery store for the next morning. When we got back in, I changed into workout clothes and we headed out to the local fitness club that allowed guests from the Twin Lakes Inn to use their facility for free. I chose to just use Wednesday as my cross training day, so I rocked out 3.25 miles on the elliptical, using the aerobic setting which had me working my arms more in some sections, just my legs, and reversing directions in the midst of the strides. I did that for 45 minutes. Then managed 3.6 miles in 10 minutes on the stationary bike. And to polish off the cross-training for the night, I did 5 minutes, or about 0.45 miles on the stair climber. It was a successful workout, I felt, for being so physically exhausted from travel and from lack of sleep since leaving Indiana on Friday.
Thursday I swapped out an easy run in order to do my long run. What better way to introduce myself to Colorado than with my 12 mile run? And I was away from the city, so it meant I had beautiful scenery and a gorgeous morning to do that with. I figured that I would enjoy 12 miles outside of Boulder, Colorado than through Denver. It took me longer than it normally would, but running in higher elevation is difficult. For real. The air is thin…and it made running feel 10 times as difficult as it normally would have been. And this was also a hilly course I was running. I was determined to do it though. Call me stubborn. Maybe I just wanted the bragging rights…but I did 12.5 miles in the same amount of time I have done a half marathon…but I expected this to be a difficult run. I just wasn’t prepared for how difficult it would feel. I fueled and hydrated throughout the entire thing. I was proud of myself for getting the long run done under those circumstances and Cathy and I hit up our favorite breakfast spot in Boulder that morning…The Buff…where I got an omelet as big as my head, some carby-good breakfast potatoes, and gluten-free toast. Yes…I ate the entire thing. But it was the big and main meal of the day. After that, it was shopping in Boulder, then a drive down to Denver, Colorado. Got checked into the hotel and enjoyed a light gluten-free dinner at a dedicated gluten-free deli. Food choices haven’t been the best on this trip, but I feel I have at least been feeding my body and giving it the fuel it needs. I did feel very tired and sluggish the rest of the day though.
I woke up just after 5 a.m. on Friday morning to do some more easy running. I still felt a little off and rather tired…but I had a run to do before getting into the Prius and heading to Colorado Springs for the morning. There were gluten-free crepes waiting for me. This was one of the most difficult and hardest 7 miles I have run yet. It took much longer than I would have liked, but I had to stop every half mile to catch my breath and drink some water. I just didn’t feel right. I eventually just started pushing until I was stopping every mile to hydrate and catch my breath, but it was just zapping my energy and I felt like my endurance was just completely gone. I finished up the run, went back to the room and ate an orange and showered. The entire time I was in Colorado springs, I felt sluggish and tired. After a bit of research and lots of water drinking, I think I might have a mild case of altitude sickness brought on by the 12.5 mile run in Boulder. Ugh. After enjoying a great morning in Colorado Springs, Cathy and I returned to the hotel where we took time to drink more water and just relax. Just what I needed. I immediately started to feel better. I have a salad lined up for dinner and then some delicious fro yo for dessert before relaxing for the night at the hotel. Hoping I can get through my required 7.5 miles of speed work before heading up into the mountains on Saturday.
Saturday, due to the whole mix-up-the-training-schedule scheme to fit everything in on vacation meant…speed work. SPEED. WORK. Speed work at elevation sucks just about as much as I figured it would. I once again got up early…around 5:30 a.m. knowing that I had 7.5 miles to work in before hitting the road to meet up with Sharon and head up to the top of the world. My training plan called for 1.5 mile warm-up, followed by 6 x 800 meters with 5 x 400 meter recovery, then a 1.5 mile cool down. I also knew that these would not be as fast as most speed work I do would be because I was still feeling the effects of my slight elevation sickness. I managed to get through it in under an hour though, so I was proud of that. A few hotel employees did compliment me on my running and a random woman said that I was up early to work out and when I said I was in training she said, “For a marathon?” I told her that I was…in fact…Chicago. She wished me good luck and it made me feel really, really good. Which is what I needed after this very trying and very difficult week of training at high altitude. Kudos to the athletes who train like this on purpose.
Tomorrow is the final day of my vacation and much of it will be spent in airports as I make my way back to Louisville from the beautiful state of Colorado. I have to say, training at altitude can be very disheartening. I have felt like I lost a lot of endurance each time I have run in Colorado. Maybe I have. I’ve been attempting, for the most part, to keep up with my clean eating and my restriction on alcohol. I made exceptions for the special celebratory dinner at Disneyland after the half marathon and at the pub for Indy’s birthday…but those were special occasions and worth the straying from my plan. But it’s back on track this coming week. Some of me dreads the training runs upon returning to Louisville…but it’s mostly because I feel like I’m off…that I’ve lost some fitness, despite not really straying from the schedule. The runs in Boulder and Denver have just messed with my thinking and I just need to remember that running at altitude is way different than running in the Ohio River Valley. So, I will focus on breaking in my brand new Newton’s I bought in Boulder from the main factory store and seeing what they do for my running form. That is my mission this week. That…and returning to my long runs on Saturday with my group. I have missed them.
So…here is to returning to real life…as much as I would much rather stay on vacation forever. Hell, I’d stay in Colorado if I could. Maybe one day. Maybe…
The Celiathlete 