Concrete Bootcamp Class Review: The Real Deal

If I'm going to go to a group fitness class - I want to be challenged. I want to be a sweaty mess afterwards. I want to feel like a strong, bad-ass boss lady. So for my 5 for $20 ClassPass trial, I've been searching out the most down and dirty classes in New York City. 

Many of the popular studios, known as the "hardest" in Manhattan, are nearly impossible to get spots in via ClassPass unless you're setting an alarm for the minute they open up a week in advance. Personally, I'm not a fan of that. During my trial I was unable to try Tone House, Barry's Bootcamp, KORE, Con Body, or the Fhitting Room. But I did attend a class I read about on Best In Class that was conveniently located on the Upper East Side. 

CrossFit Concrete Jungle is a CrossFit box that also offers boot-camp style classes. Laura described it on her blog as,

The top 5 most torturous classes I've taken on ClassPass 

which is all it took for me to sign myself up. 

THE STUDIO 

Located inside a random building on a side street in the Upper East Side, CrossFit Concrete Jungle is a gritty, let's get down to business kind of gym. There's no bells and whistles but there is a ton of equipment - all organized and set up perfectly. 

I filled out a waiver (gulp) and class started when owner Sean Wright told us to do a warm-up on the stairs. Down 5 flights and back up 'em, we were ready to get started. 

THE CLASS 

Class was split into a few main sections which kept things from getting boring. 

CIRCUIT ONE

We started the workout with a killer 10 minute circuit. We had 60 seconds to complete the following exercises: 

• 8 14kg medicine ball slams (that's over 30 pounds)
• 6 sit ups 
• 4 burpees 

If you finished in :45 seconds, that meant you had a :15 rest. We started a new round on the minute for 10 minutes straight. 

Let me tell you - had Sean told us we were done after those 10 minutes, I still would have felt like I got a killer workout in. That circuit was no joke and I'm looking forward to incorporating that style into my personal workouts. 

CIRCUIT TWO

Next, we split into two teams and headed to the ski machine - or SkiERG. 

The what? Yeah, that's what I said too. It looks like an upright rowing machine, and you use your arms and legs to make a cross-country skiing movement. Reaching up, pulling down hard, bracing your core, bending your legs, pulling through - exploding back up to repeat the process. 

The two teams were competing to reach 2,000 meters first. Each person got 10 pulls during their turn and then had to complete 10 push-ups before jumping back in line for their next turn at the SkiERG.  

It was during this competition/team work piece of the class that I really started to get into the vibe at CrossFit Concrete Jungle. I found myself encouraging my teammates and cheering them on as we got closer and closer to our goal. 

Sean was great at giving me pointers for the ski machine which I had very clearly never used before. By the time we reached 2000 meters as a team, I was feeling much more comfortable with it. 

CIRCUIT THREE 

The team competition continued as we moved on to the Assault  AirBike - the first team to burn 200 calories would be the winners. 

The Assault AirBike is a cross between a stationary bike and an elliptical - air acts as resistance and you use both your legs and arms to power through. It looks like an easy enough piece of equipment, but after each :30 second shift on that thing - I was spent. 

Like the push-ups at the SkiERG station, each 30 seconds of biking was followed by a strength move, this time kettlebell swings. 

Sean gave me a lot of tips here - I was squatting too much instead of bending at the hips. 

200 calories sounded like no big thang but it took us awhile and we ended up dropping the goal down to 150 so we wouldn't be stuck there for the rest of class. 

CIRCUIT FOUR 

Next, we each got an ab wheel with foot straps and did :30 of hamstring curls followed by :30 of ab roll-ins. 

I assumed we would take a few seconds rest after each minute of work but nope - we just cycled through each exercise 3 times before finishing with 60 seconds of each exercise. 

I definitely had to drop to my knees a few times - I was feeeeeling the burn that's for sure! 

LAST BUT NOT LEAST 

We had about 5 minutes left and Sean had no plans of letting us off the hook early - we grabbed 20 pound dumbbells and did walking lunges to the other side of the gym, 10 Renegade Rows, and walking lunges back. 

Sean greeted us all with high fives and "Good Jobs!" and we all looked ready for a nap. 

WHAT I LIKED: 

• This was hard, and I was challenged by each portion of the class. 
• Sean was an enthusiastic and encouraging leader who pushed us throughout the hour session. 
• The class was full of people who are clearly "regulars" at CrossFit Concrete Jungle and I got a really awesome community feeling from the hour that I spent there. Many people knew each other, Sean knew many of his students by first name, and there was another class taking place in another part of the gym during our boot camp. The feeling I got at CrossFit Concrete Jungle was one that made me want to go back and be a part of it. 
• I loved that this class incorporated competition and team work - something that I thought would have improved the B|X class I took at Brick. 
• The different sections of the class made it go by quickly - I was never bored. Though I was wondering, "Oh God, what is he going to have us do next?" 
• I LOVED that even with 4 minutes to go, Sean was coming up with something for us to do. 

WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE: 

• I will be honest - not having the option to shower after class was a bummer. 
• For a beginner, this class might have been a little bit overwhelming. Everyone was super fit, and had experience using some of the more "CrossFitty" equipment. 

THE RUNDOWN

*Based on a scale of 1-10

The Studio - 8
The space was plenty large for the amount of people and there was a ton of unique equipment. I was impressed with how organized and tidy it was given the huge amount of "stuff" they have.  

Class Size - Small
There were only 9 people in my class which meant lots of individual attention. 

Sweat-Scale - 9.5
SO SWEATY which made me feel bad on the rush-hour subway commute - sorry, peeps. 

Fun-Factor - 8
The competition aspect gave it a little bit more of a "fun" feel than the typical boot camp/circuit class. Plus, Sean's personality and interaction with the class made it so I cracked a few smiles throughout (I'm usually pretty heavy on the RBF while I'm working out). 

Amenities - 5
There's a bathroom and a room with cubbies for your things - that's about it. 

Cost - $$$ 
(<$20 = $, $20-$30 = $$ and $30+ = $$$) 

BOTTOM LINE

This class is the first time I've seriously considered wanting to be a part of a CrossFit box. Sean was an incredible instructor (read more about how legit he is here) and the community vibe at Concrete Jungle was palpable. 

Since I'm currently not running or training for anything specific, pushing myself to do more reps, lift heavier things, complete a WOD in a faster time, etc. all sounds very appealing. The space was covered with white boards where people can track their personal bests and one instructor was being congratulated all morning for hitting a new mark. I love that stuff. 

But until I can afford CrossFit, I'm glad there are classes like Concrete Jungle's Bootcamp to make me feel fierce (and totally exhausted). 

I highly recommend checking CFCJ out - they offer new students their first class for free! And they offer a variety of classes in addition to CrossFit and Bootcamp - including boxing, rowing, and kettlebells.

YOUR TURN: 
HAVE YOU TRIED ANY NEW FITNESS EQUIPMENT LATELY? WHAT WAS IT? 
WHATS THE HARDEST CLASS YOU'VE EVER TAKEN? 
 

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What I Ate Wednesday: NYC & Long Island Edition

'Ellllllo! It's Wednesday, and that means I'm sharing what I've been eating. This won't be a standard breakfast lunch and dinner posted because, quite frankly, I forgot to photograph a day of #eeeeeats. 

Instead, I'm going to share some A+ food porn from the past few weeks. 

This includes a trip home to Long Island, which always means indulging and eating things I don't eat on a normal basis. It's harder to make healthy choices when you're surrounded by food that not only tastes delicious but has so many emotional ties. To be on Long Island and not eat a bagel just isn't something I can do ;)

When I head home, I try my hardest to embrace the abundance of delicious food and all of the different options in my parents fridge and cabinets instead of beating myself up over it. 

That being said, I plan on making a lot of trips home this summer so at some point I need to stop treating every weekend home like a vacation - finding that balance is something I'm working on.  

TUNA, HARD BOILED EGG, RICE CAKES

I am still all about the canned tuna these days, though I've cut back significantly from a few weeks ago. 

One day last week I realized I had failed to pack breakfast for work. I had little single serving cans of tuna in the office, my friend had rice cakes, and I ran downstairs to buy a hard boiled egg from a deli for 50 cents. Voila! Just as easy and cheap as running across the street for an egg McMuffin and hashbrown but so much healthier! 

RAINBOW BAGEL & CREAM CHEESE 

I finally got my hands on a rainbow bagel while I was home on Long Island (land of the worlds best bagels, according to FACT). Cream cheese and sprinkles added by moi. 

ENGLISH MUFFINS - 1 WITH CREAM CHEESE, AVO + DILL & 1 WITH ALMOND BUTTER, BANANA + HONEY 

Who else LOVES English Muffins? I don't usually buy them for myself, but they're often at my parent's house and I alwayssss have one. In typical Lauren fashion, I couldn't decide between sweet and savory. The surprise winner in this sweet vs. savory showdown was the combination of cream cheese and avo. It's my new favorite flavor combo! 

And I have to admit, I'm still not team almond butter. PB4L. 

Snacks

COTTAGE CHEESE + PEACHES 

How sweet & summery does THIS look? Yum. I love cottage cheese, lumps and clumps and all. 

KOMBUCHA & HALO TOP

The first thing I did when I got home to Long Island last weekend was get another gel manicure. The second thing I did was go grocery shopping to purchase kombucha, Halo Top & a sweet potato. 

To say I felt #basic is an understatement. 

BUT CAN WE TALK ABOUT HALO TOP ICE CREAM FOR A SECOND?! Because it actually tastes like ice cream and has 4 grams of sugar and tons of protein and is 34890X better than Arctic Zero. 

I was a little underwhelmed by the High Country Kombucha, but it was OK because I'm brewin' my own these days anyway :) 

WATERMELON + MINT + FETA

UHM I'm having a serious love affair with watermelon, mint & feta. I made these little skewers to bring to a friends housewarming party and they were a hit. I drizzled them with balsamic glaze which made them even better. 

FREE SAMPLES 

Julia, the nutritionist that I'm working with at The Athlete's Palate, was awesome and sent me some of these free samples.

(And say hi to my dad's Marimo Moss - he named him Gazoo like the little green character in The Flintstones). 

Lunches 

SALAD AT THE BEACH 

Summer means throwing every fruit and veggie in my parents fridge into a Tupperware and bringing it down to the beach. This weekend I got some bizarre burns on the tops of my feet and around my armpits - definitely need to brush up on my lotion-applying skills.

While I was home I also made my self a bomb.com sandwich filled with turkey, cheese, avocado, lettuce, tomato, pickles and CHIPS. Yes, I put chips on my sandwiches and I highly recommend that you try it too! 

Dinners

FONDUE 

Is there anything better than an ooey, gooey pot of straight-up cheese? Probably not. My friends and I had fondue night last week and devoured first this pot of cheese fondue followed by a pot of chocolate for dessert. 

My favorite cheese dipper was probably the broccoli or the giant soft pretzel I bought from the side of the road. My favorite chocolate dipper ended up being good old BREAD. Who would have thunk? 

MARGS + TACOS + GUAC

Quintessential summer night right here. At least if you're a marg + guac loving gal like myself. Our hunt for the best margaritas in NYC continued last week with a trip to Black Ant for a killer happy hour ($8 plates and margaritas). I loved the smoky jalapeno margarita but their regular margarita was just OK. The guac was stellar with jicama and mango and we also tried their fish tacos. The outside seating area was SUPER CUTE and set the perfect vibe for a beautiful night. 

ORTO - LAMB RIBS

For Father's Day dinner my family and grandparents went out for dinner at a local restaurant, Orto (which I've written about before). 

No one was BLOWN AWAY by their meal except for these bad boys - maple glazed lamb ribs with quinoa, pine nuts & feta. For me, they were a little fatty, but still delicious!

My sister and I also ordered a seasoned ricotta and sundried tomato tapenade for the table, garganelli with eggplant and burrata & pork with a sunchoke puree. And dessert of course - a blueberry oat crumble. 

To say we were stuffed is an understatement. 

SALMON + RICE + SWEET POTATO + GREEN BEANS

My mom and I enjoyed dinner out on the deck Friday night and it was delicious! She baked the salmon with onions, lime, dill and white wine. The white wine was a game changer and now I never want to just use olive oil every again. 

Thanks for giving my incessant food photography a purpose and happy hump day! 

YOUR TURN: 
HAVE YOU TRIED HALO TOP? WHATS YOUR FAVORITE FLAVOR? 
WHATS YOUR FAVORITE KOMBUCHA BRAND? 
HOW DO YOU FIND BALANCE WHEN YOU TAKE A TRIP HOME? 

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Bikers Beware: Things To Look Our For on Your Next Ride

As a runner, I despised cyclists. I assumed they had it easy, zooming loops around Central Park in 20 minutes while I slogged around in more than double the amount of time by foot. Wheels = easier than feet, right? 

Wrong. 

Now, as I pass runners in the park, I envy them. As I struggle up Harlem Hill on the lowest gear, I dream of running up it instead. Bikers and runners sharing Central Park can lead to some tense moments, but runners who think the bike lane is their personal HOV lane aren't the only thing that cyclist's need to be aware of while they're out for a spin.

Here are just a few of the unanticipated potential roadblocks I've encountered in the saddle. 

BUGS

Bugs in your eyes. Bugs in your ears. Bugs in your mouth. Bugs splattered on your face.  Bugs splattered on your arms. Lots of bugs. 

There's even a BUG MOUTHGUARD. 

BIRDS 

I am terrified of birds, especially pigeons - the gluttonous, fat, flying rats of New York City. There are a shockingly large number of slow-moving pigeons that I have encountered in the park and they have come nauseatingly close to my head. 

Birds of the smaller variety also love to dart out, flying low to the ground, and passing inches from your tires.

This video gives me a panic attack. 

FRISBEES 

If I were more dexterous, it would have been awesome to reach up and grab the frisbee before throwing it back to the kids playing - all while riding my bike. 

Instead, I held on for dear life and kept pedaling as it whizzed past my face so closely that I felt the breeze. 

CITI BIKES

If you see someone on a Citi Bike doing loops of Central Park - beware. They likely have no idea what's going on around them. They will weave. They will come to a dead stop out of nowhere to wait for their friend. 

HORSES 

For now, cyclists still have to share the park with horse & carriages.

HORSE SHIT 

Dodge that ish if at all possible.

TEXTERS 

People tend to think they're capable of crossing Central Park without looking up from their phones. 

IMMATURE TEENS

I once encountered a teenager who thought it was hysterical to stand in the middle of the bike lane and play chicken with cyclists. 

SQUIRRELS AND CHIPMUNKS 

They like to dart out into the path and then just stop in sheer terror. 

CHILDREN 

I once almost hit a small child who squirmed out of his parents hand-hold and went sprinting across the street. 

DOGS

Whoever said NYC was a concrete jungle with a lack of nature and wildlife has never gone for a bike ride in Central Park. Bugs, birds, squirrels, likely-rabid-raccoons and dogs have all come incredibly close to taking me out. People, I get that you want your dog to run free but we live in a world where small children are put on leashes - use one for your dog, please? 

*Side note: Once saw a man cycling with a dog sticking out of his backpack. 

POTHOLES 

A lot harder to avoid as a cyclist when you're moving at 16+ miles per hour!

DISTRACTING CHALK ART

Self-explanatory:

Runners, I feel ya, I do. Bikers go zooming by as you trudge along and you kind of want to punch them. But cyclists are people too - and we've got a lot to contend with out there. 

Let's take solace in the fact that we have the same mortal enemy - slow moving tourists. 

BIKE UPDATE: 

If you're wondering how cycling is going for me these days - it's been a little better. I don't panic as much and I had my cleats loosened so that clipping out doesn't require wrenching my foot as aggressively. 

My roommate got a bike too, and we went out for a fun little ride with some friends last weekend which was awesome. Most importantly, we have our eyes on some tris (poet) in August which is giving me the extra motivation to get in the saddle. 

Roomies that ride together, stay together!

It's still not easy and I still feel disappointed by my pace, but I'm enjoying it a lot more and getting (slightly) more comfortable. 

I'm still no pro though - after 18 miles today my legs felt like jelly and when I went to dismount I forgot to lean to my  unclipped side - spilling onto the cement while still attached to my bike. The man next to me panicked and started asking if I was OK - luckily I had been at a complete stop and was only bleeding a little bit. I assured him I was fine and that, "this happens all the time." He must have thought I was a moron! 

I told my friend the other day that, "It's better to fail at something hard than to not try at all." 

I'm taking my own advice and pedaling through the pessimism! 

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Fruity, Flavorful Salads Perfect for Summer

My mom and I are alike in many ways and growing up, we didn't have the typical mother daughter disputes. Shopping with my mom wasn't a disaster, bringing home a boyfriend wasn't dramatic. But if there's one topic we constantly disagree on it's...fruit.  I like my fruit cold (in fact, I often eat frozen fruit) while my mom will only eat fruit that's room temperature. I think cantaloupe is gross while my mom hates honeydew. And most importantly, my mom doesn't think fruit belongs in a salad while I think it elevates salads to a whole 'nother level.

Sweet, summery, colorful and cool - tis the season for fruity salads that go great as a side dish OR as a light meal.

WATERMELON, MINT & FETA QUINOA SALAD

When I was inspired to make this salad last weekend, I had to laugh at just how jam-packed full of fruit it was. My momma would not be about this salad, but I happen to think it's a perfect weekday lunch. The quinoa makes it more substantial while the feta balances out the sweetness. And isn't the flavor combination of watermelon and mint just insanely summery? I think so.

While I whipped this up, I didn't measure everything out very scientifically but it went a little somethin' like this (hit it! I always tried to be the flyest kid on the block...)

RECIPE FOR WATERMELON, MINT & FETA QUINOA SALAD

 

• 1 cup cooked quinoa
• 1/4 of a watermelon, cubed
• 1 pint of blueberries
• 12 strawberries
• 1 bell pepper
• 1/4 cup sunflower seeds
• Handful of mint, finely chopped
• 1/2 block of feta cheese, cubed
• 2 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar
• 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
• Whole mint leaves for garnish

And now, a few more fruity options from some of my favorite bloggers!

SUPER SIMPLE SPRING SHRIMP SALAD

From My Uncommon Everyday - Ellen nails the "super simple" with this shrimp salad with beautiful raspberries! 

SPINACH STRAWBERRY SALAD AND STRAWBERRY VINAIGRETTE

From So Damn Good - I think avocado belongs in every salad :)

MINTY STRAWBERRY AVOCADO WITH CITRUS

From Athletic Avocado - don't these sisters have the cutest logo ever? 

FRUITY SUMMER SALAD WITH PISTACHIO & SUNFLOWER SEED CROUTONS

From Enticing Healthy Eating - love the pistachios that Kaylin threw into the mix!

YOUR TURN:
SO, FRUIT IN YOUR SALAD OR NAH?
WHAT'S YOUR FAVORITE FRUIT TO TOSS IN YOUR SALAD?

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Restaurant Review: Seamore's Flounders

I have a question for you. If you could only eat one meal from a restaurant in your city for the rest of your life - do you know what dish you would choose? 

For me, it's a pretty easy choice - the Everything But the Kitchen Sink Salad from The Meatball Shop with veggie meatballs and pesto. Why? It's consistently amazing, constantly changing, full of vegetables and the price is more than right. 

The man behind The Meatball Shop, Michael Chernow, is a bonafide restaurateur and entrepreneur. The mini-chain now has 6 locations serving their signature meatballs and ice cream sandos in Manhattan and Brooklyn. In fact, investors have shown an interest in buying TMS and expanding it further. 

But Chernow, a co-owner, recently ventured out of the realm of fast-casual Italian and into the land (or sea) of fresh fish with the opening of Seamore's in the summer of 2015. 

I was more than excited to check this spot out for my sister's birthday, especially because I love The Meatball Shop so very much. 

THE WAIT

There was about a half hour wait at 7:40 p.m. on a Monday night. In the summer's, Seamore's has "Montauk Monday's," serving up fish caught on Long Island and Montauk brews. 

Like The Meatball Shop, Seamore's will take your phone number and text you when your table is ready so you're free to wander the area or grab a drink at a nearby bar, which is nice. 

THE SERVICE 

Our waitress was personable and did her best, but it needs to be mentioned that the service at Seamore's wasn't ideal. 

First, it took ages to get our first round of drinks. Then, they were out of the bottle of wine we ordered. Next, they were out of the veggie burger we ordered. We waited well over an hour for our food. Finally, they forgot our fries and we were finished eating by the time they came out.

Clearly, these issues were not the server's fault, but they were frustrating incidents nonetheless.  

THE VIBE

Located steps from the entrance to Little Italy, this Nolita restaurant is trendy in all senses of the word. It's bright, white and airy with modern touches, a seaside vibe and lots of mint green and teal accents. There are a mix of communal and private tables. 

My sister and her friends were obsessing over the playlist in the way that 21 year old's do when "OMG THIS IS OUR SONG" comes on at the bar. 

Seamore's was LOUD. Loud to the point where we were having trouble communicating with our waitress at some points. 

THE FOOD 

POKE 

ponzu, peanut, avocado

We started with the poke appetizer which came served with bland, unsalted tortilla chips. The poke itself was OK and a good size, though it seemed to be missing seasoning of any sort. I think we were all a little disappointed, despite being starving. 

AVOCADO FRITTERS 

curry aioli

I typically steer clear or hot avocado - it's a weird taste aversion. I love avocado, but not when it's warm. That being said, apparently when it's coated in batter and deep fried to greasy kingdom come - I don't mind the taste. 

Get these if you're looking for a good grease fix - not if you're looking to savor the taste of avocado. 

SEARED FISH TACOS 

black bean sauce, lettuce, pico, avocado, crema

I am about to make a very bold statement here - this was one of my favorite tacos EVER. And I've had my share of phenomenal tacos (Taco Deli in Austin, Los Tacos in Chelsea Market and the veggie taco at Cascabel in NYC all deserve shout outs). 

What was so great about this taco was the fact that the fish tasted so fresh and despite being a light fish, the flavor of it wasn't overwhelmed by the accouterments. Also, corn tortillas. A must have for any stellar taco. 

These were by far the highlight of the meal and I would take a trip back to try their other taco options. 

THE REEL DEAL 

This is Seamore's version of the "Everything But the Kitchen Sink" salad from The Meatball Shop. 

Each day, Seamore's features daily fish options (the "daily landing"), a daily vegetable, a daily grain or mash and a daily green.  

The Reel Deal allows diners to pick a daily landing and a sauce that comes with all three sides of the day (a vegetable, grain/mash and green). The best part, it's $23! Quite the deal for fresh fish at a trendy Nolita restaurant. Chernow keeps costs low by partnering with local fisherman through "Dock to Dish" and "Sea to Table." You won't find tuna steaks and salmon on Seamore's menu - but you'll find locally caught sustainable options like Bluefish, Monkfish and Hake (the specials on the night I visited). 

We opted for the bluefish with the Romesco sauce (other choices are lemongrass aji, red curry, miso brown butter and charred scallion) along with the daily sides of sauteed spinach with garlic, roasted and pickled beets and farro with tomatoes and green olives. 

I was disappointed with the flavor of the bluefish and underwhelmed with the Romesco sauce. The spinach didn't seem particularly fresh. Overall, I wasn't really a fan despite really wanting to love the Reel Deal as much as I love it's Meatball Shop counterpart.  

SWEET POTATO FRIES 

These were worth the wait - when they came out they were hot out the fryer - perfectly crispy with just the right amount of salt. I went to town on these bad boys. 

VEGAN SOFT SERVE ICE CREAM 

For all the troubles with service our server threw in a free ice cream (complete with candle for the birthday girl). 

Seamore's doesn't serve just any old ice cream. They've partnered with OddFellows Ice Cream to create a vegan soft serve ice cream that's constantly a new flavor - we sampled the coconut and while it was clearly not "real" ice cream - it was creamy and refreshing with a strong coconut flavor. 

Is it just me, or are sprinkles stupid? Sure they look pretty but they taste like wax. 

BOTTOM LINE 

I would come back to Seamore's for the ambiance and to give their tacos another try - along with their salads topped with fresh fish. Their menu is great for vegetarians and vegans with plenty of options for those of the gluten-free persuasion as well. 

Though the prices are fair, don't come here expecting the bill to be cheap - with appetizers and drinks we each paid $50 for our meals. This makes the issues with service and not having items that we asked for even more frustrating (and unacceptable given the restaurant has been open for almost a year). 

Despite being a fan of Chernow's, I wasn't the biggest fan of Seamore's. At the end of the day, I'm much more likely to make a return visit to The Meatball Shop and stick to eating my seafood dinners when I'm home on Long Island. 

YOUR TURN: 
DO YOU EAT SEAFOOD? WHAT'S YOUR FAVORITE FISH? 
WHAT RESTAURANT MEAL WOULD YOU EAT OVER AND OVER AGAIN? 

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B|X Class Review: Buckets of Sweat

My Class Pass free trial continued on Saturday morning with my first trip to a CrossFit "box." While I've never ventured into the world of CrossFit, I'm familiar with a lot of their terminology, (AMRAP, WOD, "for time," etc.) and have always thought I would love their high intensity nature. 

But belonging to a box is not a financially feasible option for me. Luckily, BRICK offers a bootcamp-style class called B|X that's available for sign-ups through Class Pass. B|X incorporates some basic principles from crossfit without the fancy Olympic weight lifting moves that take months to work up to.

Strength-building movements, dynamic explosive movements, cardio, endurance - this class was a non-stop sweaty challenge. 

THE STUDIO 

BRICK has two locations in NYC and I visited the one near Grand Central. The space is massive for Manhattan, with three floors, a full-service coffee shop (with fancy, health-fad drinks like coffee with butter and MCT oil), protein shake bar, and tons of different gym areas for their variety of class offerings. 

Everything is very...orange - but organized, spacious and clean. Not to mention they have top of the line equipment like the TrueForm Runner treadmills that were incredible! 

The locker rooms had showers with complimentary razors, Q-tips, hair ties, etc. 

After checking out the digs I went into the room where B|X classes are held. There were about 20 of us in the class and I will say that it felt a little crowded at times - though there were plenty of machines and equipment to accommodate everyone. 

Our instructor, Scarlett, started class right on time (which is something that I always appreciate). 

THE CLASS 

WARM-UP 

A quarter of the class started on the rowers, a quarter on the treadmills, a quarter on the spin bikes and a quarter on the mats for burpees. We did two minutes of cardio before switching to another station for another 2 minutes. 

Lucky me, Scarlett came over to let me know that I was on the bike which was permanently set at the heaviest resistance. After 2 minutes of that torture device, I got to complete around 30 burpees in 2 minutes. Warm-up? I was excited/petrified for class to start. 

Next was an AMRAP (As Many Rounds As Possible). For 6 minutes we rotated through 10 alternating straight leg marches each leg, 10 alternating back lunges each leg, 20 Russian Twists, 20 mountain climbers (knee to elbow). 

As we mentally prepared ourselves for what was to come next, Scarlett walked us through the set-up for the rest of the class. B|X works by splitting the class into 4 groups who rotate through 4 different 7-minute working stations. There's a 1 minute break in between each station. 

Scarlett was great in her explanation of each station and demonstrated each movement in case there was any confusion. 

STATION ONE - COMPLETE AS MANY ROUNDS AS POSSIBLE IN 7 MINUTES

• 10 Calories on the Rower - this took around 1 minute to complete
   
• 15 Push-Ups - while Scarlett was very specific in how we should be properly performing our push-ups, I fully admit that I wasn't feeling up to it and instead floundered around on my knees in a pathetic attempt at correct push-ups
   
• 20 Later Jumps - there were different sized hurdles that we could use and I opted for the lowest one

STATION TWO - COMPLETE AS MANY ROUNDS AS POSSIBLE IN 7 MINUTES

• 10 Burpees

• 20 Sit-Ups - I don't normally struggle with sit-ups but these were brutal after Scarlet showed us how to ensure that we weren't using our hips to help lift ourselves up (bend your knees and put the soles of your feet together, forming a diamond between your legs. On the way down, make sure your hands touch behind your head and on the way up maybe sure your hands touch out in front of you). 

• 40 Mountain Climbers

STATION THREE - COMPLETE AS MANY ROUNDS AS POSSIBLE IN 7 MINUTES 

• 10 Push Press - A little bend of the knees before straightening to push dumbbells overhead
   
• 10 Kettlebell Swings
   
• 10 Wallballs - These are a typical crossfit exercise that look simple but are deceptively killer! 

STATION FOUR - LADDER FOR 7 MINUTES 

• 100 Meter Sprint
• 5 Squat Thrusts - another go-to crossfit move, this is a front squat with two dumbbells into an overhead press and they are HARD 
• 100 Meter Sprint 
• 10 Squat Thrusts 
• 100 Meter Spring 
• 15 Squat Thrusts 
• Continue until 7 minutes are up 

During this station I climbed onto a TrueForm Runner treadmill and let me tell you - those things are like MIND READERS! At first, I couldn't quite figure it out. The belt was moving slowly even though I wanted to run faster - you don't input a speed - it just intuitively knows when to speed up and slow down based on where you're standing. 

Eventually, I figured out that as you run closer to the front of the treadmill, it will speed up. After class, I spoke with Scarlett about the TrueForm and she explained that it's designed to make you run with perfect form - high knees, butt kick, almost as if you're falling forward. Even people who are extremely in shape say that it's extremely difficult to run on the TrueForm - but I found it to be pretty comfortable! Granted, I only ran 100 meters at a time, but I'm really interested in finding some other gyms and studios with these machines to give them a spin for a longer run. 

WHAT I LIKED: 

• Again, this class was a huge butt-kicking in the best way possible. 
• You get to use SO many different things - a rower, treadmill, bike, kettlebells, dumbbells, etc. 
• The 7 minute stations make each set of exercises seem possible - "I can do anything for 7 minutes!" 
• Scarlett did an amazing job at explaining each exercise, correcting form throughout the class, encouraging us to finish each station strong, giving us a heads up when the clock was counting down, and letting us know when it was time to start back up. 
• There's no way you can be bored during this class as you're constantly doing something new. 

WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE: 

• So far I'm 2/2 on classes that I've tried through Class Pass exceeding my expectations. B|X had everything I look for in a workout. 
• The one thing I would say is that the space was ever so slightly cramped. 

THE RUNDOWN

*Based on a scale of 1-10

The Studio - 9
Spacious, packed with shiny, top of the line equipment 

Class Size - On the larger side
There were about 20 people in my class and though space was a little limited, there was plenty of equipment and everyone still got personal attention from the instructor 

Sweat-Scale - 9.5
Soaked through my sports bra for SURE. 

Fun-Factor - 7
Constantly doing new exercises and only staying at each station for 7 minutes meant that you never had time to feel bored or wonder "are we done yet?" Perhaps B|X could add a little bit of competition or team-work to the stations to bring up the "fun" score. I was in a group with 4 other people during the whole class but there wasn't much encouraging each other or bonding over our shared pools of sweat. 

Amenities - 8
Very nice. 

Cost - $$$ 
(<$20 = $, $20-$30 = $$ and $30+ = $$$) 

BOTTOM LINE

If you can't commit to crossfit full-time but still yearn for a workout that will leave your feeling sweaty and STRONG B|X might just be the perfect solution for you. 

BRICK also has locations in Boston, Chicago and Los Angeles.  You can get your first class free on their website! 

YOUR TURN: 
HAVE YOU EVER USED THE TRUE FORM RUNNER? WHAT DID YOU THINK? 
DO YOU LIKE CLASSES WITH DIFFERENT STATIONS OR WOULD YOU RATHER DO ONE ACTIVITY LIKE SPINNING OR BOXING? 
HAVE YOU TRIED A CROSSFIT CLASS? WHAT DID YOU THINK? 

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Stop Yelling, Start Listening

First and foremost, the attack in Orlando was an atrocious display of homophobia by one of our own American citizens. This man, who was on an FBI watch list, legally purchased a semi-automatic weapon and committed a horrible crime.

I'm not one to plaster my political beliefs on the internet because quite frankly, I know I'm unlikely to change anyone's mind in today's extremely divided and polarized political climate. More importantly, I realize that I am not well versed or knowledgeable enough to be throwing out statements on gun control or immigration.

But today, everyone thinks they're an expert. Everyone has their heels dug into beliefs that are perpetuated by their desire to read only news sources that tell them what they already believe, to only "like" statuses that reduce complex issues to internet memes, to simply click "unfriend" when someone posts something that challenges their comfort.

Immigration, the radical and hateful beliefs held by Muslims and Christians and atheists alike, gun-control - these are extremely complicated issues that will never be solved by opponents who refuse to engage in meaningful conversation and admit that NO ONE has the right answer as of yet. If we did, 49 innocent people wouldn't be dead.

The best way we can honor the victim's of this horrible attack is to stop yelling and start listening - listening to people of every faith, political party, race, and sexual orientation. Especially the ones who are different from you.

To add a newspaper or magazine to your reading-list which challenges your beliefs. To seek out the other side to every story. To unblock the people from your Facebook feed who you don't always agree with. To read a book on a topic that you know nothing about. To love the fact that our country and our world are filled with humans that possess incredible ideas, different backgrounds, and unique experiences that when nurtured can help fix this scary time that we live in.

It's OK to say "I don't know what we should do." I just beg you not to say, "This is what we need to do" before sticking your fingers in your ears and yelling "LA LA LA I CAN'T HEAR YOU" to those who may present an alternative.

WORK Train Fight Boxing Review: WTF Am I Doing?

In Manhattan, people don't bat an eye when boutique fitness studios charge upwards of $30 for a single 45 minute class. In fact, barriers have been broken and SLT and AQUA Studio now charge $40 and $47 for a single class, respectively. 

Needless to say, when I saw the opportunity to take 5 classes for $20 in 30 days, you better believe I was signing up! Mental math check: that's $4 per class! WHOAH. 

Class Pass is currently offering a special through Facebook that allows new users to try the service for just $20 during their first month on the "base" plan - allowing for 5 classes over the course of a month. All I need to do is remember to cancel my account at the end of 30 days to avoid the recurring fee (normally $75/month). 

You know what this deal means for you, my wonderful readers? 5 more fitness class reviews will be comin' atchya! 

First stop on my Class Pass Cruise was WORK Train Fight - otherwise known as WTF. This was my first bout with boxing and I went into it with a healthy dose of skepticism and nerves. 

I'm not typically nervous before new fitness classes because I think I'm pretty well-versed in a number of exercises. I have been to classes using a wide range of equipment -  TRX, Kettlebells, Megaformer, Barre, Rowing machines - I'm not intimidated by a lot of the fitness fads out there.

Another reason I'm not typically nervous? If I need to go my own speed, take a rest, drop down a weight - I give ZERO fu*ks. I'm the girl in yoga taking child's poses up the wazoo or doing completely unweighted lunges in BodyPump. There's  no shame in my "I can't do what you're asking me to do" game. (And there shouldn't be in yours either!) 

But when I go to things like Broadway Bodies or Boxing - I have a little bit of a knot in my stomach. I know that moment is going to come where the instructor looks at me a little funny before saying, "First time?" 

That's the turning point. 

That's the moment when you can let the awkwardness of trying something for the first time lead to embarrassment and frustration OR the moment when you can let the challenge of pushing your boundaries make you stronger by proudly announcing, "YEP! How could you tell?"  

And can I let you in on a little secret? 

Letting an instructor know you're struggling, you're new, you're a little uncomfortable - it's like waving a magic wand and suddenly, you're getting a little extra attention and guidance during the class which is a HUGE help. 

The Studio

I was definitely not expecting WTF to be so MASSIVE inside. There's a boxing ring, an area where our class took place, another boxing studio, a personal training area with weights and machines AND an area for treadmills and cardio. 

WTF offers not only boxing classes but personal training and boot camp classes. The class I signed up for was Box Group which took place in the front studio and focused on boxing techniques for "a more authentic training experience."  

WTF offers the following classes as well (from their website):

Box WORK – Our signature class, boxing and fitness training with some of the hottest new coaches in the market. (No Contact)

WORK –  Hardcore circuit training class including TRX, dumbbells, kettle bells, and more to get you in fighting shape. (No Boxing)

Box Group Intermediate*- Advanced boxing technique work to take your boxing to a whole new level. (Some Contact Involved)

Fight* – The name says it all. Here, we practice what you’ve learned at WTF in a controlled sparring environment. (Obviously A lot of Contact, DUH!)

The Class 

There were about 15 of us in the class and we circled up for a 5 minute warm-up sans gloves. 

The warm-up included a lot of upper cuts and straight punches and right off the bat I was fooling no one. Instructor Alberto quickly helped me make some adjustments to my stance (I was standing like a hunchback - no need to drop it quite so low gurl) and told me to put some movement into my shoulders.

Another thing he helped straighten out right off the bat? I was standing with the wrong foot forward - OY! When asked if I was a lefty or a righty I launched into an explanation of writing with my left hand and playing sports righty and...yikes. 

The warm-up continued with a series of more complicated moves - combining straight punches, jabs, hooks, weaves and uppercuts. I followed along as best as I could and slowly started to get the hang of it (Okay, I'm not quite sure I ever really "got the hang of it.") There were also some squats thrown into the warm up for good measure along with weaves, where you pretend your ducking and weaving out of the way from your opponents punch. 

After the warm up we split up into groups, put on our gloves, and completed the rest of the class in a circuit-style. There were 3 stations which we went through 3 times each, spending 2 minutes at each station 

Station 1 was with instructor Manny - he would give us a boxing sequence and the 5 of us would take turns beating the crap out of his hands (do they get tired of getting hit all day?) Many, many times I made a mess of the sequence - but Manny always gave me an understanding smile and a chance to try again - reminding me what we were supposed to be doing and which hand I was supposed to be starting with. 

Before boxing, I thought I knew my left from my right. I thought wrong. 

Station 2 we did 10 toe taps, 10 kettlebell curl & presses and 10 kettlebell sumo squats - rotating through as many times as we could during the 2:00 minutes. 

Station 3 during the first round was a "freestyle" with the punching bag. I tired myself out pretty good and starting realizing just how out of breathe and tiring this whole thing was! During the second and third rounds, we worked with Alberto at this station - doing similar sequences as station 1. 

After going through the circuit 3 times we finished class with planks, pushups & sit-ups. I was absolutely drenched in sweat. 

What I Liked 

• Because you're moving around so much, and focusing on different sequences, the class flew by and I didn't realize until the end just how exhausted and sweaty I was. 
• I joked that I never really got the hang of it, but by the end of the class I was feeling a little more confident and even starting to have a little fun instead of concentrating like I was performing brain surgery. 
• Manny and Eric were PHENOMENAL and made the whole class worth it for me. They were so helpful and patient but didn't baby me (or anyone). Even though I was clearly struggling to remember what I was doing, it was not an excuse to not keep moving & keep trying. 
• At the boxing stations, after you performed a sequence you would do jumping jacks or squats while the rest of your group cycles through - this meant that the class was non-stop action. Jab, Jab, Cross, Cross, Weave, Cross - Squat, Squat, Squat - your turn again. Exhausting, but effective. 
• When I woke up the next morning EVERYTHING was sore. Whatever skepticism I had about boxing being a killer workout was completely eradicated by my burning shoulders, back and abs. 

What I Didn't Like 

• There's really not one thing I didn't like about this class. 
• One thing about the studio itself that I found odd was the fact that the bathrooms are outside of the studio down a long hallway and that the girls locker room was cramped with showers that didn't make me feel too clean. 

The Rundown

*Based on a scale of 1-10

The Studio - 8
HUGE with so much equipment. 

Class Size - Average
There were about 15 people in my class but with 3 instructors helping out - everyone got tons of personal help. 

Sweat-Scale - 8.5
This was "soaked through my sports bra" sweat levels people!

Fun-Factor - 8
Once it was out in the open that I was clearly new to this, there was no need to be embarrassed. This helped me relax and enjoy myself. There's just something about punching something that's straight up FUN. 

Amenities - 6
You need to leave the studio to get to a bathroom, the women's locker room was pretttttty crammed after class, and the showers weren't all too spa-like.

Cost - $$$ 
(<$20 = $, $20-$30 = $$ and $30+ = $$$) 

Bottom Line 

If you want a killer workout that's truly fun and doesn't feel like your typical class- try a boxing class at WORK Train Fight. The staff are wonderful, there's a class for every level, you're guaranteed to be sore the next day and you'll sweat buckets. 

If it's your first boxing class, I won't lie - you're going to feel a little out of place. You're going to mess up. You're going to look like the noob. But like owner Alberto Ortiz commented on my Instagram - 

You're not a poser, every boxer in the history of the world had to box for the very first time in their life. 

Aw shucks guys, you sure do know how to make a girl feel strong and brave! 

YOUR TURN: 
HAVE YOU EVER TAKEN A BOXING CLASS? 
WERE YOU REALLY REALLY SORRY THE NEXT DAY?! 
WHEN IS THE LAST TIME YOU STEPPED OUT OF YOUR FITNESS COMFORT ZONE? 

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Let's Grab A Drink & Catch Up!

Hi there beautiful people! 

I feel like we haven't had a proper chat in awhile - I've been really enjoying writing more thematic posts but once it's awhile it's nice to just throw out some of those smaller tidbits that don't necessarily warrant an entire post, but still might be of some interest. A lot of bloggers have "coffee chats" with their readers, but in reality, I'm way more likely to catch up with a friend over drinks. So grab a drink, I'll grab a drink, and we'll catch up!

Stepping Up My Nail Game

My parents beg me to keep my nails looking professional. For some reason, they don't find my constantly chipped and peeling nails to be endearing or work appropriate. While I was home last weekend, I finally got my first ever gel manicure and my wallet is weeping because I think I might be hooked!

For $39 + tip (another $8) I got a pedicure and a gel manicure. From what I understand, I got a pretty damn good deal AND my nails are still looking perfect 6 days after. Had I gotten a regular manicure - chances are they would have been chipped by the time I made it back to my house.

Now the challenge is finding somewhere in NYC to maintain this habit.

Brewing My Own Kombucha

On my way from the Denver airport to Morgan's house I asked her if she had any water in the car. She didn't, but she had home brewed kombucha. Instead of rolling my eyes and saying, "You WOULD make your own kombucha Morgan!" I asked her if I could please please please have a piece of her SCOBY to take back to New York so I could start brewing my own too. Then, I said, "You WOULD make your own kombucha Morgan!" My favorite outdoorsy hippie.

I've been spending WAY too much money on the 'booch ever since I discovered it about a year ago. And I've looked into brewing my own a few times. But I was too lazy to order a "starter kit" and starting a SCOBY from scratch seemed a little too complicated. (If you have no idea what I'm talking about, there will be a post on this to come for sure!)

Long story short - I put a piece of Morgan's SCOBY in a Tupperware, in two zip lock bags, in a shopping back and checked it in my suitcase hoping for the best. It was a success and tonight I bottled my first batch of home brewed kombucha! Once it carbonates for two days I can refrigerate it and see how it tastes! I'm nerding out hardcore over this and really hope it tastes good.

Reading

I have been reading up a STORM. I often find myself walking while reading my Kindle. I'm sure I look like a crazy person but lets be real, everyone else is looking at their phones, is it really a huge jump for me to walk around reading?

Here's what I've read recently - lucky for me, I've liked it all (Except A Manual For Cleaning Women).

Paper Towns by John Green

Infidel by Ayaan Hirsi Ali

This book completely captivated me and I haven't stopped thinking about since. Has anyone out there read it? I would love to chat. Please, don't let the introduction turn you off! But also, definitely don't check this out of the library if you're looking for a light summer read.

Me Before Youby Jojo Moyes

Yes, the movie everyone is freaking out about. Yes, you really will sob uncontrollably in your bed with tears streaming down your face. It may get so bad that you can't properly read the pages.

The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins

The Eternal Wonder: A Novel by Pearl S. Buck

Orange Is the New Black by Piper Kerman

Doing Less

I'm trying to be more OK with down time. Unscheduled time. Time to plop down on the couch and think, "Whoah - I have nothing to do right now." Unfortunately, I'm finding that this is really really hard for me.

On the other hand, I'm constantly feeling guilty when I start thinking, "Ugh, do I really have to do that tonight?" It happens for any number of things. Grocery shopping, working out, meeting up with a friend, blogging. And these are all things that I enjoy.

When I have responsibilities and plans I find myself dreading them and wanting to crawl into bed yet when I actually have that option, I feel like I should be doing more. It's a vicious cycle and one that I'm sure tons of twenty-somethings struggle with. 

I'm definitely working on finding a balance. But in the meantime, reading articles like this one let me know that I'm not alone in some of my anti-social "just want to go home now" tendencies.

A New Kind of PR

I'm on a self-imposed 1 month running break which has been a bit of an emotional adjustment. Running has become such a part of my identity and social life in the past two years that I've been struggling more than I'd like to admit. Every morning I wake up and see my Facebook and Instagram feeds full of morning miles and smiles. So why the break?

I've been constantly injured now for over a year - unable to run more than 13 miles when all I want is to train for my next marathon. The Brooklyn Half Marathon was an absolute nightmare. And I will be qualifying for the 2017 NYC marathon and I need my body to be on board- so for now, running has taken a backseat to strength training, physical therapy, cycling and swimming.

I wrote a review awhile ago on SWERVE Fitness and since then I have become somewhat of a regular at their midtown studio. I love it. And though I'm not PRing any races, my SWERVE score has been slowly climbing to the point where I have absolutely SHOCKED myself at a score of 802.

My last free class is this Friday and I'm really not sure what I'm going to do after that. Having the metrics and being able to set goals and challenges for myself outside of running has been a huge help! Also, their showers are amazing and their smoothies to die for.

If you've never taken a class with them before, they're offering new riders a free class in June and I highly suggest checking them out!

Eats

Oh come on, you knew this was coming!

In the world of food I've been to a few places worth mentioning.

Harlem Tavern

My new favorite place to go for brunch for a few reasons - jazz music, outdoor seating, reservations, drink included with your meal, $16! The menu options here are out of this world. I tried the lobster and shrimp egg white omelette (!!!) and it was FILLED with seafood. Their Bloody Mary was on point. I'm almost scared to share this place with the Internet in case it gets overrun with brunchers!

Jane

When I returned from Denver the one thing I was CRAVING was a giant hamburger. I think it might have had to do with the fact that it was Memorial Day Weekend and my social media was blowing up with cookouts and BBQs. We had Memorial Day plans to ride bikes to the Captain Lawrence Brewery but unfortunately, the weatherman lied and called for rain all day. We cancelled our plans and opted for brunch instead (and then it ended up being beautiful out).

The burger I had at Jane was pretty damn good - bacon and caramelized onion - but nothing beats one homemade by my dad!

by CHLOE.

This place has been all the rage and I finally stood in line to see for myself how good the veggie burger was. It's a tempeh-lentil-chia-walnut patty with pickles, onion, beet ketchup and special sauce.

Unfortunately, it didn't blow me away. It was a little dry and had way too much bun! There's a bunch of other stuff on the menu that I'm tempted to try, so I may be back despite a disappointing experience the first time around.

Gran Electrica

My summer mission is to hit up some of New York City's best margarita establishments. Even if it means paying a price. Shockingly, my first stop on this mission was in Brooklyn. These margs from Gran Electrica were really good, and the outdoor area of the restaurant is so beautiful! I was very excited to learn that even their flavored margaritas qualify for the happy hour pricing ($8 margaritas from 5:30-6:30). I went with the Margarita de Pepino (cucumber, lime, cilantro, lime salt).

Summers On Long Island

After going home next weekend, it's official. I need to spend MUCH more time on Long Island this summer. It was such a relaxing weekend - sitting out on the deck with breakfast and my kindle, getting my nails done, meeting friends for coffee, eating lunch on the water, listening to live music on the water, watching the hockey game with my grandparents, going to a yoga class with my mom. Family time is my absolute favorite time.

That's all for now, I think I've rambled enough :)

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What I Ate Wednesday: Exciting News!

Welcome to another What I Ate Wednesday! 

I have some exciting news on the topic of what I'm eating. I'm happy to announce that I've been selected as an ambassador for The Athlete's Palate and have started my initial assessments with Julie, a holistic nutritionist (and IRONMAN!)

My motivation behind this is to find the best way for me to fuel and get on board this triathlon train! No, I still haven't signed up for a race. But I feel it getting closer and closer to commitment time. 

My first impression of working with a nutritionist? A lot less awkward than expected, considering we were talking about some pretty personal things. Pre, mid and post-race bowel movements aren't what I typically chat about with strangers, but Julie was extremely professional while still remaining personable and I cannot wait to hear her ideas of how I can use nutrition as a way to fuel my fitness goals. 

For now, my #eeeeeats have been pretty standard, though I've been doing my best to keep things healthy and wholesome after a week-long vacation in Denver full of tacos, ice cream and craft brews.  

Pre-Work 

For a week, I've been starting every morning with some apple cider vinegar and water. To make it a little easier to get down, I add one packet of Nektar Naturals crystallized honey which quickly dissolves given the high acidity of the vinegar. 

Who the heck knows if this is doing anything at all - but I actually find myself enjoying the taste and the ritual, so why the hell not? 

Breakfast 

I've always been a sweet breakfast fan - opting for fruit, yogurt, oatmeal, protein pancakes, etc. But as I continue to cut back on dairy, I'm slowly seeing the appeal of savory breakfasts. 

These stuffed breakfast peppers with spinach, sausage and eggs have become a staple and last week I experiment with egg white muffins filled with sausage and spinach. I really liked these - but need to work on having half of them stuck to the muffin tin (silicone muffin cups perhaps?) 

Snacks

Snacks these days are pretty simple - a grapefruit, an apple, some rice cakes if I'm craving a little crunch. 

I also couldn't help but pick up a bag of these while in line at Marshall's last week. You know, all those tchotchkes they leave out and you try to convince yourself not to throw in your basket. 

But I've had these before while traveling and they are the real-deal delicious so I happily snacked on them for the whole two days the package lasted at my desk. 

Lunch 

Lunch for the past two weeks has been a pretty bizarre combination that I'm really loving. Tuna fish + salad greens + mustard + blueberries!

Last week it was arugula and this week it's with coleslaw mix and red cabbage - adding avocado to it really makes it next level. I know the blueberries sound weird, but I swear it's good (also, blueberries have been on sale at the grocery store, so...) 

It's also just super easy to throw it all in a tupperware which might secretly be the main reason I haven't made anything else lately. 

I know, I know - I should cut back on the canned tuna because of the mercury. I'll switch it up next week. Maybe. 

This beauty of an avocado came to my from California by way of my roommate and it really made my salad even better last week. 

Dinner

I finally bit the bullet and invested in some SHRIMP last week since I've been really wanting shrimp stir-fry. 

I whipped this up using the stir-fry veggie mix from Trader Joe's with some ginger and amino acids. I paired it with zoodles and spinach sauteed in coconut oil because greens are good. 

This week for dinner I'll be enjoying salmon, thanks to a trip home to Long Island and generous parents who gave me some pre-packaged 6 oz. filets. 

Again with the zoodles (and also swoodles - sweet potato noodles) and topped with a Greek  yogurt - lemon - olive oil - dill dressing that I was quite proud of! And roasted broccoli with lots and lots of garlic!

Dessert

When I saw that Skinny Cow was on sale at the store, I couldn't help myself. Buying a box of these is a guarantee that I'll be eating them on 4 consecutive nights. 

I swear they gently call to me from the freezer. 

But today is National Chocolate Ice Cream Day so I will thoroughly enjoy my mint chocolate cone! 

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How To Plan the Perfect Denver Vacation

I'm not exactly sure when I became enamored with exploring US cities - but it's something that I absolutely love.

The first trip that I planned with the goal of really getting intimate with a city and it's unique vibe was Austin, Texas. We were going for a solid amount of time and I got pretty serious about researching and plotting out our trip.

I'm a planner and a doer and I'm type-A for the most part. There are certain vacations where I am perfectly content sitting around tanning and eating. Cruises, all inclusive resorts, lake houses in the middle of nowhere - all great times for true rest and relaxation. But when I'm in a new city, I cannot sit still.

Before going to Denver to visit my best friend from high school, I planned A LOT. I did tons of research into what I wanted to accomplish during the 6 days I was there. But I was also warned by my extremely smart mama that, "Lauren you can't do everything." I don't like hearing that, but sometimes I absolutely NEED to hear it.

My Denver planning ended up being a 12-page Word doc and a Google map with 68 points of interest. In retrospect, I possibly crammed a little too much into my 6 days. But I'd rather leave exhausted than leave feeling like there was so much I still wanted to do and see.

I highly recommend a trip to Denver. And if you're a planner like me, read on for tons of ideas!

I'm sure youknow someone who up and moved to Denver. Maybe you've even dreamed about it yourself. Everyone's always talking about how the weather is great, the access to nature is amazing and well, weed is legal. So how do you know if Denver is the right place for you? Or how do you explore all it has to offer on a vacation if you have no plans on moving there? I've done all the hard work for ya.

While I was there I realized that Denver is made up of lots of distinct neighborhoods. Unlike New York, these neighborhoods don't really flow into one another and therefore, people drive around a lot. There is a bus and light rail system, but the general consensus is that driving is best (or biking!)

I've listed everything we did during my trip based on the general city and neighborhood. Then, at the end, is a breakdown of the general itinerary for each day so you can see how we found the time to make all of this happen!

Denver

Congress Park

This is the neighborhood that my friend lives in. It's pretty residential with some local stores (pharmacy, hardware store, market) and restaurants. It's close to both City Park and Cheeseman Park.

Snooze, an A.M. Eatery

700 N. Colorado Boulevard
Daily 6:30 a.m. - 2:30 p.m. 
Additional locations around Denver

Hopped off the plane at DIA and...immediately went for brunch, obviously. Priorities. When you hear about Denver, you hear about Snooze. Either that, or everyone I talked to just really loves brunch (but then again, who doesn't?) 

Even on a Monday afternoon, we waited about 20 minutes to get a table. I had heard that they specialize in pancakes and eggs benedict. The best thing about Snooze is that they totally cater to indecisive people like me who just want to try EVERYTHING. 

First, we enjoyed a Benny Duo with the Benny Goodman (lox style salmon and cream cheese served over toasted rye and topped with poached eggs and cream cheese hollandaise blended with sun dried tomato and caper relish) and the Early Harvest Benny (griddled pesto grit cakes topped with broccolini and wild mushroom ragout, poached eggs and cream cheese hollandaise with roasted pepper coulis). Our waitress told us that we picked the best two - score! 

They were incredible - each was so different with tons of flavor! I was obsessed with the pesto grits and the Early Harvest had so much broccolini and mushrooms that I almost felt healthy eating it ;) Oh, did I mention the crispy hash browns? Those were great too. 

Then, we split a pancake flight. Yep, that's a thing. 3 pancakes. All different flavors. Heaven! We got one Sweet Potato (sweet potato buttermilk pancakes topped with homemade caramel, candied pecans and ginger butter), Sticky Toffee Pudding French Toast (homemade date bread pudding drizzled with salted toffee sauce then topped with walnut streusel and whipped mascarpone cream), and the pancake of the day which was whole wheat batter filled with lemon cream and topped with a blueberry coulis and buttery crumble topping. Talk about SUGAR OVERLOAD. Everything was so rich and decadent but we didn't leave a bite on the plate. 

Denver Botanic Gardens

York Street Location - 1007 York St.
$12.50 Adults / $9 Students
Summer Hours: May 8 - Sept. 25, 9 a.m. - 8 p.m. (Grounds close at 9 p.m.)
Winter Hours: Sept. 26, 2016 - May 13, 2017, 9 a.m. - 5 p.m., daily

I have never gone to the Botanic Gardens in NYC and didn't know if I would enjoy it in Denver. But the grounds were beautiful and it was a relaxing way to spend time chatting while being outside. I also had my DLSR with me and had a great time taking advantage of the macro setting. Close-ups of flowers always make me happy.

There isn't a ton to do besides walk around - there's one building with some "interactive" pieces but that's about it. There also wasn't a ton of information on what you were looking it. But $12.50 was reasonable for admission and I enjoyed the afternoon spent there! There's a spot to stop for food and drink if you want to make more of an outing of it.

The gift shop had a ton of cool things and Morgan and I each bought an eco-friendly Swedish dish cloth that's reusable and washable up to 200 times! Mine has asparagus on it and is super cute. Denver really had me feeling my hippie-side.

Tacos, Tequila, Whiskey also known as Pinche

1514 York Street (Congress Park) and 3300 West 32nd Ave (Highlands)
Monday 3 p.m.-10 p.m.
Tue-Sat 11 a.m. - 10 p.m.
Sunday 11 a.m. - 9 p.m.
Brunch Sat/Sun 11 a.m. - 3 p.m.

We can't figure out the name, but I kept reading about it as one of the best Mexican spots in town. They have an all-day happy hour on Monday, and other happy hour specials every night from 3 p.m. - 6 p.m. which means $4 margaritas! We opted for the just food route when we went, so I can't vouch for the margaritas.

I can, however, tell you that one of the tacos I ordered BURNED MY MOUTH OFF! It was so spicy I was crying. No bueno. I also can't tell you which taco it was, sorry.

The place was hoppin' even when we got there 20 minutes to closing.

Illegal Pete's

2001 East Colfax Ave. 
Monday - Wednesday 7 a.m. - 12 a.m. 
Thursday & Friday 7 a.m. - 2:30 a.m. 
Saturday 9 a.m. - 2:30 a.m. 
Sunday 9 a.m. - 12 a.m. 

Can we talk about the fact that so many restaurants in Denver open up nice and early in the morning and apparently a lot of people go out for breakfast before work? I LOVE THAT. 

Another random thing I love about Denver (and Austin) is that all of the bars, breweries and coffee shops have giant water jugs and cups out so you never have to ask for water. You just help yourself. Ah, the little things. 

Anyway, we ordered Illegal Pete's online on our drive home one night (it may or may not have been 10 p.m. and I may or may not have been drunk on life from Lakeside Amusement Park). 

I promised that in my review of Illegal Pete's I would tell if how it is - glorified Chipotle. But they were open late, so it was our only viable option. 

"This is bullshit Illegal Pete's." 

The Denver Bicycle Cafe

1308 East 17th Ave.
Beer Hall 3 p.m. - 12 a.m.
Coffeehouse 6 a.m. - 8 p.m.
Bike Shop 10 a.m. - 7 p.m.

Yeah that's right - the Denver Bicycle Cafe is part bike shop, part coffee shop and part beer hall - this place is 100% awesome. Everyone there was SO friendly, the space was beautiful, there was outdoor seating, free WiFi and even board games.

Can more places like this exist in the world? If you're looking for the chillest coffee shop or beer garden EVER - ya gotta make a stop here. Make sure you pick up your free "Bikes. Beer. Coffee." sticker.  It will look great on your helmet. Or travel mug. Or laptop. Or forehead.

More to do in the Congress Park Neighborhood: 

I didn't visit these places, but they were on my master "list" 

• Nugg's Ice Cream
• City Park (East of downtown on 17th Ave. and York St.) this beauty is 314 acres! Inside it lies the Denver Zoo, Denver Museum of Nature & Science and the Martin Luther King Memorial.
• Cheeseman Park (1599 E. 8th Street)
• Cerebral Brewing

Curtis Park/Five Points

This neighborhood was extremely unique - it has such a mixed-bag feel. There's people from every background and economic means. There are churches and abandoned lots, street art, trendy boutiques, coffee shops and breweries. I loved walking around this area.

Stem Ciders

2811 Walnut St. #150
Monday - Thursday 4 p.m. - 10 p.m.
Friday 3 p.m. - 11 p.m.
Saturday Noon - 11 p.m.
Sunday Noon - 8 p.m.

My first brewery trip in Denver, land of craft beers, was actually to a cidery. Morgan and I both got a flight for $8 and tried 4 ciders each. I didn't LOVE any of them, but I did love the space AND that they had board games and kombucha on tap!

I would recommend checking their website before you visit - they do a bunch of fun events like trivia, bluegrass music and special food pairings. Go whatever the weather - both the indoor and outdoor areas are great.

Epic Brewing Company

3001 Walnut Street
Monday - Thursday 12 p.m. - 10 p.m.
Friday & Saturday 12 p.m. - 11 p.m.
Sunday 12 p.m. - 9 p.m.

This is a common spot for my friend Morgan and her boyfriend - and any spot that's frequented by locals is a good spot in my book. It was a very basic bar vibe but with tons of beer options, obviously. Epic specializes in high alcohol content beer, so pace yourself!

I tried their collaboration brew which was the Skeptic Barrel-Aged Peach IPA . I'm trying to get into the whole Untappd app to track the beers I try - it's pretty much IPA, IPA, IPA. 

If you're looking for a cute, trendy spot this probably shouldn't be your pick. But if you're looking for a no-nonsense bar with the games on TV and some real boozy beer - you'll like it here.

Crema Coffee House

2862 Larimer St.
Open every day 7 a.m. - 5 p.m.

This spot made it onto my radar because of their fancy-shmancy PB&J sandwich. The PB is actually a blend of peanut and almonds. The jelly is flavored with dates and balsamic vinegar. And the crispy, flaky baguette it's served on is sprinkled with goat cheese.

Honestly, this sandwich was a little bit of a disappointment. I loved the flavor of the jam, but the rest was a whole lotta bread and not enough substance. The chickpea salad that came on the side was better than the sandwich. 

I can't speak for the coffee, or the rest of the menu, though things like bruleed grapefruit with field greens and a sweet potato waffle definitely caught my eye and made me think that Crema might be worth a second chance.

More to do in the Curtis Park/Five Points Neighborhood: 

I didn't visit these places, but they were on my master "list" 

• Our Mutual Friend Brewing Company
• Biju's Little Curry Shop (They also have a location in Berkeley) 
• Spangalang Brewery
• Great Divide Brewing Co. 
• Happy Hour at Work and Class (4-6 on Tuesday-Friday and 4 - 5 on Saturday & Sunday, Closed Mondays). It sounds great - there are $5-$10 plates along with $4 beers and $6 cocktails. 
• Mercury Cafe - I wanted to go here for their open mic night, but they have TONS of events constantly going on including dance classes! 

RiNo - River North Art District 

Artsy hood with lots of cool galleries, shops and restaurants. There's a lot of mixing industrial materials into chic and trendy spots. It's so "fetch."

Infinite Monkey Theorem

3200 Larimer Street
Monday - Friday 4 p.m. - 10 p.m. 
Saturday 2 p.m. - 10 p.m. 
Sunday 2 p.m. - 8 p.m. 

I would be lying if I pretended that the major appeal of this place wasn't the fact that there are MONKEYS on the wine cans. Yes, wine cans. This "urban winery" specializes in canned wine, but when you visit their space in RiNo you can also get wine on tap! With generous pours and a trendy vibe, this place was pretty awesome. I would have loved to do a tour to see how they make wine in the middle of a city! (They also have a location in Austin). 

They offer a few different touring options, with the most basic being $25 for a 60 minute tour including 5 samples (Tuesday - Saturday at 4 p.m. and 6 p.m.). Be aware - you need to book online!

Also, did I mention wine. slushies?

The Source

3350 Brighton Boulevard 

If you want to get a feel for the RiNo neighborhood, head to The Source. It's a really unique space housed in a building from the 1880's that used to serve as an iron foundry. Now, it's filled with upscale restaurants, shops, bars and other vendors. 

As soon as I walked in, I loved the space. Some might say it's super "hipster" but, I was a big fan. We spent our time at Morgan's favorite brewery: 

Crooked Stave Artisans

3350 Brighton Boulevard
Sunday - Tuesday 12 p.m. - 8 p.m. 
Wednesday - Saturday 12 p.m. - 10 p.m. 

Crooked Stave specializes in sour beers - something that I wasn't familiar with before our trip here. They tend to be fruity, are definitely sour, and overall I thought they were more refreshing than your typical beer. 

They also had kombucha on tap, which makes them automatically good in my book.

More to do in the RiNo Neighborhood: 

I didn't visit these places, but they were on my master "list" 

• GrowHaus  - Ok, technically this is next door to RiNo in the Elyria-Swansea neighborhood but this place sounds pretty awesome. It grows produce via aquaponics and hydroponics and offers fun events and food box subscriptions. They also offer free tours on Fridays and Saturdays at 10 a.m. 

Berkeley 

This neighborhood was really charming - think book cafe that serves wine and beer at night.  

De Steeg Brewing

4342 Tennyson St. 
Monday - Friday 4 p.m. - 11 p.m. 
Saturday 2 p.m. - 11 p.m. 
Sunday 2 p.m. - 9 p.m. 

This spot is a little hidden away - you need to go around the back and through an unpaved parking lot to an unmarked door - but there's a little patio and it will look brewer-y to you. 

Unfortunately, I didn't like any of the beers we tried here. But I DID like that they had games, including CARDS AGAINST HUMANITY! We played for a good amount of time while eating handfuls and handfuls of popcorn from their FREE popcorn machine. 

Lakeside 

Lakeside Amusement Park

4601 Sheridan Boulevard
Hours are a bit wonky - best bet is to check their website before you make any plans! (We asked a worker on the night we were there, "What time do you close?" Their response was, "We don't know.") 

This lake-side amusement park (hm, I wonder where the name came from) has been operating since 1908. 

Let me just repeat that. 

1908. 

And quite honestly, part of it's charm is the fact that it looks like nothing has changed. 

The rides are terrifyingly old looking. They're carnival rides that usually pop up at summer festivals in towns across the country. Except these are permanent fixtures.  

The bathrooms are crumbling. The "food" they serve are snacks purchased in bulk from Costco. The lighting and signs are horrendously tacky. The ride operators are teens who you probably shouldn't trust with your life. The patrons are mainly low-income families out for a night of fun. 

But despite all of that, Lakeside was probably the most fun I had the whole trip. Morgan and I couldn't stop laughing. Couldn't stop wondering if we had entered the Twilight Zone. It's so rare as twenty-somethings for us to just laugh and scream and let loose. My stomach hurt from laughing. My throat hurt from screaming. We were so excited to play skeeball and Hungry Hungry Hippies and to win plastic friendship bracelets. We stood at the counter counting our tickets to see which measly prize we could claim.

 Parking was free and tickets were .50 cents each. I bought 10 ($5 worth) only to find out that NONE of the employees could be bothered to collect them throughout the night. (Okay, one ride attendant eventually asked us for tickets). 

Please, please, please stop by Lakeside while you're in Denver. Ride the Wild Chipmunk. Feel like you're about to be flung into the lake. Feel that adrenaline and laughter like you're 5 again. It's worth the risk. 

Civic Center/Capitol Hill 

Colorado State Capitol Building 

200 East Colfax Avenue 

I'm a sucker for photo ops when I'm on a vacation - so I had to stop by the Capitol Building for a picture on the 13th step - placing me exactly 1 mile above sea level! 

November Project

Wednesdays at 5:30 a.m. and 6:15 a.m. alternating between Civic Center Park Amphitheater and the Capitol Building Steps
Fridays at 6:15 a.m. at a changing location

Of course I needed to check out the Denver tribe of November Project during my stay! It just so happened to be their PR day, and it was NO JOKE. The stairs at the amphitheater are pretty damn far apart for someone with legs as short as mine, so it was quite the workout!

I got my tag and was a happy girl, especially because I managed to drag Morgan out of bed bright and early to get there! 

CorePower Yoga

333 East 13th Ave. 

I lot of blogs that I read have mentioned CorePower Yoga as the class that finally convinced them yoga wasn't all that bad. Mainly, it's runners who swear that they got stronger from CorePower classes. They have studios across the country - but none yet in New York. 

Morgan and I were able to sign up for a free trial class and headed there after November Project on Wednesday morning. It was a hot yoga class, though not tooooo hot, and I just really am not sold on being so sweaty. Overall, it was a pretty good class, but still yoga to me. It didn't suddenly make me a yogi or make me want to sign up for tons of yoga. 

Liks Ice Cream

2039 East 13th Street
Open Daily from Noon - 10 p.m. 

Sometimes, you need to eat a lot a lot a lot of ice cream. And that's what I did on my last night in Denver. I had walked around all day and was pretty sweaty, so nothing sounded better than a giant cup of ice cream. I strolled up to Liks around 5:30 and there was a line out the door. 

Most people were getting their freshly baked waffle cones - some dipped in chocolate and decorated with nuts or candies. But I'm a cup gal, and I opted for a double cup for double the flavors and double the fun. Their Graham Cracker flavor was out of this world, with big chunks of Heath Bars inside. The other flavor I chose was Birthday Cake, a bright blue bursting with sprinkles. Both were exxxxtremely sweet but pretty wonderful. I definitely liked Liks ice cream way more than Sweet Actions! 

Civic Center EATS

Civic Center Park
Tuesdays, Wednesday and Thursdays from 11 a.m. - 2 p.m. (during certain seasons) 

We stumbled upon this by complete accident - but it was totally my kinda thing. Food trucks galore with picnic blankets and corn hole. I was stunned by the R U CEREAL truck that lets you take classic children's cereal and add it to bowls with ice cream, frozen yogurt, milk, oatmeal and add toppings like peanut butter and gummy bears. 

Ultimately, I got Vietnamese spring rolls and at 2 for $5 they were a wonderful, refreshing option on a hot afternoon walking around. 

Big Blue Bear

700 14th Street 

This was another touristy photo op that I was determined to make happen. There's a huge sculpture of a big blue bear peering into the window at the Colorado Convention Center. The sculpture is titled "I See What You Mean" and has been there since 2005. It was created by Lawrence Argent and stands at 40 feet tall. You can read more about it here.

City O'City

206 East 13th Ave. 
Daily from 7 a.m. - 2 a.m. 

This spot has pretty much got it all. Killer brunch. Pastries, coffee, cocktails, a bar, lunch, dinner, happy hour, beer. Did I mention it's vegetarian? 

We went for brunch and I ordered the tempeh bacon hash (potatoes and caramelized onions, seasonal vegetables, tempeh bacon and kale, seasoned with herbs and smoked paprika. Topped with green chile and an egg). Their menu is customizable for vegetarians, vegans, and gluten-free peeps. 

I also ordered a biscuit and jam on the side which was BOMB. There were carrots and zucchini in my biscuit and the jam was apricot. It made me very happy. 

They're well known for their waffles too - they have a different waffle special every week along with their standard sweet & savory waffle options. 

More to do in the Civic Center/Capitol Hill Neighborhood: 

I didn't visit these places, but they were on my master "list" 

• Jelly Cafe - famous for their donut holes filled with different flavors!
• Voodoo Doughnut - you gotta check them out if you haven't already had them in another city! They're a little over the top, but the options are endless and fun!

Highlands

We didn't spend much time in this area, but from what I saw, it was super cute and given more time, I would have liked to wander around it's shops! It may have been my favorite 'hood given how great Habit and Root Down both were!

Habit Doughnut Dispensary

1553 Platte St. 
Monday - Friday 6 a.m. - Last Doughnut
Saturday & Sunday 7 a.m. - Last Doughnut

If you've been around Peanut Butter Is My Boyfriend for awhile, you know that taste testing doughnuts everywhere I go is kind of my thing. I knew I had to have at least one doughnut while in Denver, and while everyone suggested Voodoo, I had already done that while in Austin. 

So we decided to go with Habit Doughnuts. We got there late after our day in Colorado Springs, so there weren't a ton of options. I would be lying if I didn't tell you I was a little disappointed by the selection when we showed up. I wasn't wowed by any of the choices and was struggling to make a decision because nothing excited me. 

In an odd choice, I went with the Daily Chai doughnut (Chai Glaze, Brown Butter Streusel, Cinnamon Sugar). In retrospect, it was the best decision ever. I loved this doughnut. Their doughnuts are made with honeyed brioche but aren't so fluffy (I prefer my doughnuts on the denser, cakey-er side). The glaze was the perfect thickness and sweetness - sweet but not painfully so. Two big thumbs up from me and a pleasant surprise! 

FYI - Habit Doughnuts is attached to Carbon Beverage Cafe - a unique sounding spot that lets customers use taps to customize their own drinks using coffee, wine, beer, cocktails, kombucha, syrups, salts and more. We didn't go in, but it sounds like a fun concept! 

Root Down

1600 West 33rd Ave. 
Happy Hour (bar only) Monday - Friday 4 p.m. - 6:30 p.m. 

This. was. delicious. Such a cute place (with some odd choices for what to display on the televisions...). They have a great happy hour which we took full advantage of. 

$4 beer, $5 cocktails and $6 wine. I had the Spicy Paloma because tequila + grapefruit = must order for this lady. 

We split a ton of small plates- each just $5 - and everything was delicious! Green Garlic Chickpea Fries, Jerk Duck Wings, Miso Eggplant, Organic Sweet Potato Fries, Roasted Baby Beets and BBQ Brisket Tacos. YUMMO. 

I highly recommend this spot - they also have a monthly raw food night, brunch, lunch & dinner menus. But those happy hour specials were killer. 

More to do in the Highland Neighborhood: 

I didn't visit these places, but they were on my master "list" 

• Little Man Ice Cream - heads up, they're notorious for having a line! 
• Linger - housed in a former mortuary - this place has a bangin' happy hour with $5 small plates and discounts on drinks. There's apparently a pretty cool vibe here with Lite-Brite bar tops and a roof deck but also sounds like it's packed!

Central Business District

16th Street Mall

In the heart of Downtown Denver is a mile stretch of pedestrian mall - filled with stores, restaurants, coffee shops, movie theaters, etc. From what I saw of the 16th Street Mall, it's essentially the Times Square of Denver. A little crazy, very crowded, touristy, and filled with chains and souvenir shops. That being said, it's definitely something to check out while you're there.  

There's a free shuttle that runs up and down the 16th Street Mall and while I was there, I stumbled across a great Art Fair where I bought 90% of my "souvenirs." That included a cloth headband, bookmarks made out of board games, a pair of earrings made from bike parts, and little Japanese moss balls called Marimo that are my new strange obsession. 

Dikeou Collection

1615 California Street #515
Wednesday - Friday 11 a.m. - 5 p.m. 

This was one of the things I was proudest of finding and putting on my to-do list. It's a pretty hidden spot, and I'm not normally interested in museums, but this art collection sounded intriguing when I read about it. 

It's a personal contemporary art collection housed in a bunch of offices in a random building just off of the 16th Street Mall. The pieces are engaging, interactive, and you can take a tour using your cell phone to learn about each of the exhibits. 

Morgan and I had a great time exploring the space - and we were the only ones there! We were encourage to hold 3 Babe Ruth autographed baseballs, climb over a giant wooden block, and play music on hundreds of hanging glass bottles. I would highly recommend a stop here on your trip to Denver!

Washington Park

Sweet Action Ice Cream

52 Broadway
Sunday - Thursday 1 p.m. - 10 p.m. 
Friday & Saturday 1 p.m. - 11 p.m. 

I met up with a friend for ice cream at Sweet Action one night and I really had my hopes up - they have a ton of creative flavors and the line was out the door! The street also seemed really cute - tons of shops and people out and about. 

But sadly, I was a little disappointed with the service and consistency of the ice cream - it seemed a little watery or icy to me. I got a scoop of the tiramisu and another scoop that I can't seem to remember the name of. 

I would take a trip back though just to try some of their other insane flavors like ube, goat cheese beet swirl, and brown sugar fig. With flavors like that - I think they deserve a second chance. 

More to do in the Washington Park Neighborhood: 

I didn't visit these places, but they were on my master "list" 

• Bonnie Brae Ice Cream
• Aiko Pops
• Washington "Wash" Park (Bordered by Virginia Ave. on the north, Downing St. on the west, Louisiana Ave. on the south, and Franklin St. on the east) this park has got it alllllll according to my online research. Including: two lakes, boat rentals, playgrounds, a rec center with an indoor pool, running and biking trails, a horseshoe pit, soccer field and tennis courts. Wow.

LoDo - Lower Downtown 

Union Station 

1701 Wynkoop St. 

Denver's Union Station isn't just a transportation hub - it's also the home to some fancy restaurants, shops and bars. Don't get me wrong - the inside was really nice, but, I definitely could have skipped the stop and not felt like I missed out on anything.  

Larimer Square

Located off of the 16th Street Mall, this is a historic district where Denver was founded. It's filled with independent shops, bars and restaurants that are all pretttty pricey. We wandered into

The Market

1445 Larimer St. 
Sunday - Thursday 6 a.m. - 10 p.m. 
Friday & Saturday 6 a.m. - 11 p.m. 

We stopped here for some coffee and were amazed at all of the unique food products from around the world. The pastries looked KILLER but we were full, unfortunately. 

Cherry Creek Trail 

40 miles of running and biking path?! So gorgeous. One morning I biked over to the start of the path in Confluence Park and went down for a few miles in one direction before turning around and heading back. It was beautiful and not too crowded. You go under a bunch of little bridges, where I proceeded to panic each time a bird flew underneath with me - but that's just because I'm weird.

I was shockingly much more comfortable navigating the Denver streets on bike than I am in New York City - despite the fact that I was clipped into Morgan's bike! I definitely need to get my cleats adjusted, because clipping in and out was much more doable on her bike. 

More to do in the LoDo Neighborhood: 

I didn't visit these places, but they were on my master "list" 

• Cruiser Ride - this sounded AWESOME and we attempted to fit it in but it just didn't happen. Throughout the summer, these "Cruiser Nights" are organized on Wednesday nights where hundreds of bikers dress up, meet at the Gin Mill or Little Machine Beer, and ride through the Denver streets to a secret location followed by music and beer! 
• Wynkoop Brewing Company - known as being one of the first craft breweries in the area!

Boulder

I took two day trips outside of Denver during my trip and I knew that Boulder for SURE had to be one of them. To me, Boulder is the best of both worlds - small city AND steps away from nature. There was a ton to do and we made the most of our day.

Chautauqua Park & Flagstaff Mountain

9th Street & Baseline Road

We went here to trail run but that really turned into some casual jogging and mainly hiking - the trails were a lot steeper than anticipated and elevation is no joke - I was SO winded and having trouble catching my breathe but it was worth it for the view at the top of the Woods Quarry Trail. When we got up there, people had built a lounge chair out of stone slabs which we lounged in for awhile looking down at Boulder below us.

Chautauqua Park has tons of amenities and trail options and the real draw are the incredible views of the Flatirons.  I obviously made Morgan take lots of (posed) trail running pictures but she did a great job, don't ya think?

After our jaunt we drove up up up Flagstaff Mountain to try to find "Lost Gulch Lookout." The parking situation and map were a little confusing, and we didn't end up getting any spectacular view, but the ride itself was beautiful and we went for another little hike and discovered a wheelchair hiking path which was pretty awesome!

You can definitely use trail maps ahead of time to plan out your Boulder outdoor adventures better than we did - but it was also fun to just explore and see where paths took us.

Also, we saw TWO DEER so close to us! Yay, nature! 

Rush Bowls

1207 13th Street
Monday - Friday 8 a.m. - 7 p.m.
Saturday & Sunday 9 a.m. - 7 p.m.

Basic betches get acai bowls when they're in Boulder. These were pretty tasty, although I should have splurged on the additional $1 for sliced bananas on top. They had a huge menu with a variety of bowls and smoothies but just a heads up - there's no seating inside.

This street was packed with cute places and is close to University of Colorado's Boulder campus.

Innisfree Poetry Bookstore & Cafe

1301 Pennsylvania Ave.
Monday - Friday 7 a.m. - 9 p.m.
Saturday & Sunday 7 a.m. - 6 p.m.

We stopped in here because I needed to do a little bit of work and it was a cute bookstore/cafe mashup. They also serve food. Pretty standard, but it was close to Rush Bowls which is why we ended up there.

Celestial Seasonings Factory Tour

4600 Sleepytime Drive (We saw prairie dogs as we turned in!) 
Free Tours Monday - Saturday 10 a.m. - 4 p.m., Sunday 11 a.m. - 3 p.m.
Free Samples/Art Gallery Monday - Friday 9 a.m. - 6 p.m., Saturday 9 a.m. - 5 p.m., Sunday 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Tea Shop Monday - Saturday 9 a.m. - 6 p.m., Sunday 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.

This was great! We opted for the 45-minute tour and though it was nice, Morgan taught me more from what her first tour guide told her months ago than what our tour guide told us.

The coolest part was the fact that the factory was operational as we toured it. And the mint room was pretty crazy. The mint is kept in a separate room because the scent is so strong that they can't let it contaminate the other ingredients and tea leaves. We stood in the room for a few minutes and as soon as you walk in, your sinuses clear, your eyes start to water - it was pretty intense!

Afterwards, you can shop around the gift shop where everything is less than retail price - it was so tempting to buy EVERY FLAVOR. But I wasn't sure what I wanted yet, so we went out to the free sample area and spent about 45 minutes trying everything we could ever want to try. You can really try EVERY FLAVOR! It was great. We were blown away by their chai lattes (made with whole milk and a concentrate) and I was surprised to find that I really enjoyed the ginger turmeric tea. After tasting to our heart's content, we headed back to the store to make a few more purchases.

I definitely recommend a stop at Celestial Seasonings if you're in the area - it's crazy how many different flavors they have and I did learn a lot about the differences between black tea, green tea, oolong tea, etc.

Avery Brewing Co. 

4910 Nautilus Court
Monday 3 p.m. - 11 p.m. 
Tuesday - Sunday 11 a.m. - 11 p.m. 
Tours Monday at 4 p.m. & 5 p.m. 
Tours Tuesday - Friday at 4 p.m. 
Tours Saturday and Sunday at 2 p.m. 
*Tours are free and should be booked online

This may have been my favorite brewery that we visited.  I loved the outdoor area - we sat on Adirondack chairs on some fake turf and played catch with the cutest little girl. They had soo many beers on tap (around 30!!) and I naturally drank only IPAs. Morgan was happy because they had sours. Apparently I only managed to check in 1 of the beers on Untappd - the Summer's Day IPA. 

They had corn hole and a fun, laid back attitude plus, a food menu!

The Boulder Dushanbe Teahouse

1770 13th Street
Daily from Monday - Friday 8 a.m. - 9 p.m. 

The story behind this tea house is pretty cool - it was constructed in Dushanbe, Tajikistane completely by hand as a gift to their sister city, Boulder. Then, it was disassembled, packed up, and sent to Boulder where it was rebuilt.  

Though we were pretty tea'd out after the Celestial Seasonings factory - I knew I wanted to see the inside of the tea house which is famous for being beautiful and intricate. We figured we could order an appetizer. 

We were seated and I was a little underwhelmed. Yes, it was pretty, but it was smaller and less magnificent than I had anticipated, not to mention it was just plopped in the middle of a regular old street. I had pictured it having beautiful Boulder nature views. 

To top it all off, we were completely ignored by the waitstaff. After 15 minutes we decided, "Heck we don't even want to eat here, we just wanted to see the inside!" And got up and left. 

If you're actually looking to sit down and do a typical tea with scones this would be a beautiful place to do so. Otherwise, I wouldn't put it on your list. 

Pearl Street 

Pearl Street is a really cute street with shops, bars and restaurants and Morgan and I walked down it for a bit before hunger overtook us and we ducked over a block to find something a little less expensive. After dinner, we went back onto Pearl Street and though most of the stops were closed, it was pretty to see it all lit up. We went into a book store where we ended up browsing for wayyy too long. I bought a card that says, "You're like really pretty - Regina George" and I love it. 

The Mediterranean Restaurant

1002 Walnut Street
Open daily at 11 a.m. with Happy Hour from 3 - 6:30 p.m. 

Dinner in Boulder came as a recommendation from a friend and it couldn't have been more perfect. This space was gorgeous and also GINORMOUS. They had tons of outdoor seating, though we opted for a table indoors. 

The Med specializes in tapas-style dining which is my all-time favorite way to eat. Although we missed the happy hour specials, this whole dinner came to $18 each which blew my Manhattanite mind. During happy hour, tapas range in price from $3.50 to $8.95. There's a ton to choose from - Spanish, Greek, Italian, French and more. We went with the following: 

Pincho Moruno de Cordero - grilled lamb skewer / onions / peppers / tzatziki / flatbread

This was a pretty basic lamb skewer. Not anything special. 

Pastilla - phyllo wrapped chicken / pine nuts / cilantro / raisins / Ras el Hanout / cinnamon

These came out late so they took them off of our bill which was really nice. They were by far our favorite part of the meal. SO DELICIOUS and with the cinnamon and raisins plus phyllo dough it almost tasted like a dessert! 

Also, in case you were wondering, Ras el Hanout is a North African/Moroccan spice mix that translates to "head of the shop" meaning, the best spices at the store! It contains cardamom, clove, cinnamon, coriander, cumin, paprika, mace, nutmeg and peppercorn. 

Med Sampler - falafel / garlic hummus / baba ghanouj / mixed olives / tomato & cucumber salad / marinated feta / artichoke tapenade / paprika flatbread

Oh damn was this a sampler to end all samplers. I was happy as a clam with the Greek god of a dish. 

Soup of the Day - chick pea / seafood

I'm not one to pass on soups when splitting with a friend and I'm glad - because this was very tasty and had a good amount of seafood in it! 

Polenta con Funghi - crisp herb polenta / wild mushroom ragout / julienned turnips and scallions

The elements of this dish didn't necessarily go together all that well for me - but I love polenta and I love mushrooms so I just accepted it. It's all going to the same place anyway, right? 

More to do in Boulder Neighborhood: 

I didn't visit these places, but they were on my master "list" 

• Our Labyrinth

Manitou Springs and Colorado Springs

This was the second day trip that I planned for my week in Colorado and I had no idea that I would end up liking Manitou Springs as much as I did. It's 6 miles west of Colorado Springs, so you can definitely combine the two really easily. 

Manitou Incline

Our first stop was at the Manitou Incline, another lesser known spot that I'm proud of myself for discovering. It ended up being one of my favorite parts of the trip. It was exactly what I imagined while I day dreamed about a trip to Colorado - outdoor adventure, challenging myself, feeling super outdoorsy and fit. Check check and check after our adventure at Manitou. 

I was a little nervous on our hour and a halfish drive there - I was feeling pretty sleepy and didn't know if I had it in me. Manitou Incline is no joke - you climb 2,744 stairs that brings you up over 2,000 feet in elevation over the course of less than 1 mile. 

The Manitou Incline used to be a railway track but once it washed out and closed as a railway in 1990 it became a fitness destination.  Seriously, people from the Army and Air Force bases along with athletes from the US Olympic Training Center down the road all come here for the cardio challenge.  

We saw the incline from the highway and I starting freaking out just a little bit. 

When we got to the trial head we were told that there was no parking due to the Pikes Peak Cog Railway in the same parking lot. We parked in the center of town and a free shuttle took us back up to the trail head. 

As we drove through town I couldn't stop freaking out about how cute it was. We didn't end up having time to walk around, but with touristy things like museums, zip-lines, shops, restaurants, etc. Manitou Springs is clearly a place you could stay for days exploring. 

Once at the trail head we stopped into a little cafe/gift shop to use the bathroom and started our trek to the top. It took us a little under 1 hour to climb the 2,744 stairs and let me tell you it was NOT EASY. At some points, the stairs are at a 68% grade and the next stair was up to my knee. My glutes and hammies were BURNIN' and I couldn't stop marveling at how one triathlete, Mark Fretta, made it to the summit in just 16 minutes and 42 seconds. BONKERS. 

There were very few people running up the incline, though I tried for one section. We took breaks every so often to breathe, turn around, and take in the magnificent view. There's a place about halfway up the incline where you can choose to bail. And beware, at one point you think you've reached the top only to see another HUGE portion of stairs up ahead of you. It was slightly traumatic... they call it the "False Summit." 

When we finally reached the top, it was chilllllly up there! It's considered bad form to walk back down the incline (plus, I would have been petrified of tripping and tumbling my way down all 2,000 feet) but when you reach the top you can connect to the Barr Trail which takes you down a much gentler 3 miler path.  

On our way down there was suddenly a loud crack of thunder and some rain and then...HAIL! It was kind of scary, but Morgan is the queen of the outdoors and she didn't seem to nervous so I didn't panic. 

We still had about a mile to go so we picked up the pace, running down for a while. The hail was a little painful at times, definitely chilly, but overall it wasn't too bad and we made it to the bottom in one piece. By then it wasn't actively raining or hailing but we were wet and frreeeezing as we waited for the shuttle to bring us back to Morgan's car in town. 

As soon as we got there we sprinted to the car and cranked the heat as high as it would go as we defrosted. 

Like I said - this was definitely a challenge but I felt so accomplished afterwards and LOVED seeing so many people of all shapes and sizes trying to conquer the incline. I highly recommend it! Just check the weather forecast before you start your way up - we really lucked out that the storm hit when we had already started on the way down! 

Ivywild School

1604 S Cascade Ave. 

This is an awesome community space that resides in what was once an elementary school. Don't ask me how I stumbled upon it, but it was the perfect spot to stop for lunch as the rain continued to fall. 

We were STARVED after the incline, and though there were less food options at the Ivywild School than I had imagined, we would have gladly eaten anything at that point. Luckily, what we got ended up being delicious. We ate at the Old School Bakery and ordered an appetizer of herbed goat cheese and lahvosh with pieces of apple and drizzled with honey that was YUM. As my entree I ordered and inhaled a chicken salad croissant with a side of amazing roasted veggies. 

We wandered around the space for a little while - there's also a brewery inside (Bristol Brewery), a little craft shop, a coffee shop, and a "gym" where community events take place. We couldn't tell because of the bad weather, but there's also a public square outside where things like farmer's markets take place on the weekends. 

This was written in my bathroom stall! 

It still felt very much like a school inside, and certainly looked like one from the outside. The bathrooms were covered with children's art and the stalls even had school-esque scribbles. A neat little space for sure. 

Garden of the Gods

1805 N 30th St. 
Winter Hours - 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. 
Summer Hours- 8 a.m. - 7 p.m. 

If my trip taught me anything, it's that I LOVE RED ROCKS! The red rock formations are just so interesting and beautiful to me. 

We drove through this park and while there is a TON to do (rock climbing, a visitor center, hiking trails, biking, guided tours) we toured Garden of the Gods the lazy way. I sat and took pictures out the window while Morgan drove around. 

We were crunched for time and the weather wasn't making us too excited by the prospect of walking around - plus we were still hurting from the incline. We did get out for a picture with this cool "Balancing Rock." 

You should definitely check out their website and figure out how you want to tackle this gorgeous park. They even have a running group on Thursday night!

US Olympic Training Center

1 Olympic Plaza
Summer Tour Hours (June 15 – Aug. 15)
Monday - Saturday 9 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. 
Tours are conducted each half hour with the final tour departing at 4:30 p.m. 
Winter Tour Hours (Aug. 15- May 31) 
Monday - Saturday 9 a.m. - 4 p.m. 
Tours are conducted each hour. The final tour departs at 4 p.m. 
Cost: The website lists the tour cost as $12 but we only paid $5! This may have to do with the fact that when we were there, the visitor center was being renovated - typically the tour begins there with a video. 

I have a slight obsession with the Olympics. As a kid, that was the dream. I didn't know what sport I was going to the Olympics for, but I wanted IN. 

Morgan and I were both pretty excited for this tour, though we had been warned not to get our hopes up. Despite the pouring rain, we enjoyed our time walking around the complex and I wasn't at all disappointed. I think anything Olympics-related would make me happy! 

First we went into the gift shop where I freaked out about all of the gorgeous Team USA Nike gear. I left with a $5 Road to Rio headband instead of the $200 jackets that I wanted ;) 

The tour started off in the giant gym where athletes do their strength training. At the time, there were around 140 resident athletes living on the campus. These athletes' stays are typically funded by corporate sponsors of Team USA. While there, they train full time (some may be home schooled, too) with coaches on-site. The youngest an athlete can be is 16 (which is why the women's gymnastics team doesn't train here - they're all hopefully competing by 16 and have done the bulk of their training) and the average athlete is in their mid-twenties. 

Colorado Springs is used as the site of this training facility for one main reason - elevation advantage! This helps athletes make more effective use of the oxygen they're taking in as they're training at higher altitudes which = less oxygen. Or something like that. Science. Meh. 

We also saw the pool (no Michael Phelps unfortunately), a wrestling practice going on, and the shooting room. Did you know that the size of the "bulls eye" of a shooting target is HALF OF A PERIOD?! And Olympic shooters can hit it around 95% of the time. Crazy. 

I would have loved to check out the dorms and dining facilities but that wasn't part of the tour. We did see the athletic training/PT clinic which of course contained an Alter-G treadmill. I still want to try one of those out! 

If you like the Olympics as much as me (aka when the Olympics are on you are watching them 24/7), I would definitely add this to your list! 

Littleton 

The Big Wonderful

Check their website for schedule and locations
Tickets $5-$15

We drove a little bit outside of Denver to Geneva Park in Littleton (about 25 minutes) to check out "The Big Wonderful." It's a collection of different vendors, crafts and food trucks and you can listen to live music and drink (everything from wine, beer, cocktails, seltzer and kombucha!) 

We saw a ton of unique products - like Morimo moss balls (look it up), beautiful hammocks (when we both took a turn towards one we were disappointed by the "display only" sign), Wisconsin cheese curds, and candles that turn into hand cream when you burn them! I got a giant thing of kettle corn that was devoured in 2 days. 

When we went, it was the opening weekend and therefore, free. I would only recommend purchasing tickets for this if you are intending to stay and enjoy the music/drink/eat. We didn't go for any of those reasons, more to just look around, and I would have been  upset if we'd bought a ticket. There weren't that many vendors. 

Morrison 

Red Rocks Amphitheatre

18300 W. Alameda Pkwy 

When there's not a concert happening at the Red Rocks Amphitheater, chances are it's being used as a giant outdoor gym for tons of fitness fanatics. 

On the morning that we drove to Red Rocks, I was feeling pretty sluggish after a big brunch at City O'City. I told Morgan I probably wasn't going to be doing a whole lot of exercising which was fine by her. We had finished climbing Manitou Incline less than 24 hours ago. 

But yet when I found myself at the bottom of the amphitheater I knew there was only one way I was getting up - running. 

What I loved about the layout was that you don't need to run up the stairs. You can run up one stair and then across - zigzagging your way up and across. I did some research and apparently Red Rocks' 69 rows of seats = about 3 miles of running this way.

I felt like a kid in a candy shop - which is so pathetic. At the end of each row I would pick a new exercise - dips, push-ups, planks - the options were endless! It was so fun watching other people get their sweat on and seeing how they chose to tackle the stadium. 

I wish I could work out there every day! 

After I made it to the top (and after I made Morgan have a photo shoot) we checked out the visitor center which had some interesting info but wasn't a must-see. By the time I left "See a concert at Red Rocks" was firmly planted on my Bucket List. 

Miscellaneous

I didn't do these, but read about them and was intrigued!

• Casa Bonita - roadside attraction/tourist trap that sounds like it could be an entertaining trip! Their gimmick is a 30 foot waterfall that people jump off of and dive from, performing "shows" throughout your dinner. (Don't go because you're expecting quality Mexican food).
• Bishop Castle - a bit of a drive but another roadside attraction.
• Coors Brewery Tour in Golden - there is a light rail train that can take you there.

Daily Itineraries

As promised, here is how we broke it down day by day!

Monday

1. Brunch at Snooze
2. Denver Botanic Gardens
3. Stem Ciders
4. Epic Brewing
5. Dinner at Tacos, Tequila, Whiskey aka Pinche

Tuesday

1. Breakfast In
2. Chautauqua Park & Flagstaff Mountain trail running and hiking
3. Lunch at Rush Bowls
4. Coffee & Work at Innisfree Poetry Bookstore & Cafe
5. Celestial Seasonings Factory Tour
6. Avery Brewing Co.
7. Pearl Street
8. Dinner at The Med

Wednesday

1. Run to November Project
2. Class at Core Power Yoga
3. Run Home
4. Breakfast
5. Capitol Steps
6. Convention Center Bear
7. Dikeou Collection
8. Lunch at Civic Center EATS
9. Larimer Square
10. Coffee at The Market
11. Union Station
12. The Source - Crooked Stave
13. Happy Hour at Root Down
14. Ice cream at Sweet Action

Thursday

1. Breakfast In
2. Manitou Incline
3. Lunch at Ivywild School
4. Garden of the Gods
5. Habit Doughnut Dispensary
6. Infinite Monkey Theorem

Friday

1. Brunch at City O'City
2. Red Rocks Amphitheater
3. The Big Wonderful
4. De Steeg Brewing
5. Lakeside Amusement Park
6. Illegal Pete's

Saturday

Saturday Morgan left bright and early for her flight to her sister's graduation. I took the day to wander around by foot.

1. Breakfast In
2. Bike along the Cherry Creek Trail
3. Walk around Curtis Park
4. Lunch at Crema
5. 16th Street Mall Art Fair at the Pavilions 
6. Walk to Denver Bicycle Cafe
7. Walk to Liks
8. Fly home on a red eye!

I hope this guide helps you make the most of your vacation in Denver, Colorado. 

Denver was an awesome city and you can tell that it is very up and coming. There's a ton to do within the city, though it seems that for many people, the real draw is being able to embrace nature on the weekends with trips to ski, hike, climb, etc. 

I didn't love the feeling of being landlocked or the reliance on cars, but there is a lot to like and it's no wonder so many people are moving there to start careers and lives.

6 days was definitely enough time to accomplish a ton - but this place is rich in unique experiences and you could be there for years without getting to it all. I hope this guide helps you narrow down some of the great things there are to do in Denver. Also, none of these experiences cost much (eating and drinking can add up, but it's possible to keep things relatively low-cost).

If you're thinking of renting a car while you're in Denver I caution you - be comfortable parallel parking on the street and carry lots of quarters for the meters - though often you can avoid paying for parking if you're willing to walk a few extra blocks.

If you have any questions or need any help planning your trip, I would be happy to help :)

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The Race That Broke Me Down: Brooklyn Half 2016

Going into Saturday’s Brooklyn Half I was admittedly, a big old grump.

Thursday and Friday I didn’t work-out at all – which left me feeling tired and cranky. Add to that the fact that I had to cancel plans to see Missy Higgins in concert with my sister because the logistics just weren’t feasible with a 4:00 a.m. alarm – and I was Miss Sassy.

PRE-RACE

As I’ve done the past three years on the morning of the Brooklyn Half Marathon when my alarm went off at 4:00 a.m. – I swore to myself that I would never sign up for this damn race again.

A missed bus and a taxi later we were settled onto the subway for a 45-minute ride to Brooklyn. At that point I had downed a cup of coffee and was happily eating my peanut butter and banana toast and things were starting to seem a lot less miserable.

Right off the subway we checked our bags and entered our corrals. Bag check closed at 6:10 yet the race didn’t start until 7, so there was lots of waiting around and waiting in the porta-potty lines.  Despite the 27,000 runners, I felt that everywhere I turned there was someone else from November Project to say good morning too and wish good luck.

Luckily, the rain was going to hold off and though I kept a throw away long sleeve on in the corral – the weather was pretty warm which made the hour wait until the start pass pretty pleasantly.

I may have laid on the ground and done some glute bridges. Maybe.

Spoiler Alert: This girl got her PR!

I ditched the long sleeve shirt right before starting and ran in my favorite Saucony shorts with a black Under Armour top and was a perfect temperature the entire time.

FIRST HALF

Melissa and I crossed the starting line at about 7:10 which made mental math pretty easy along the course (a bunch of mile marker clocks weren't working though - double-you-tea-eff?) We were shocked at how spacious the course was even from the very beginning. That was definitely a pleasant surprise.

Ready for this? I was running watch-free. The goal was just “stay comfortable” the whole time. It’s been 1 full year since I ran anywhere near 13.1 miles and I was in no way aiming for any sort of time goal.

I love the first half of the course. There’s a long, steady hill that doesn’t seem too bad since it’s part of an out and back and you can scan the speedy runners ahead of you for friends. Then you go through Prospect Park and it’s green and beautiful with rolling hills and one pretty large hill around mile 5. There’s spectators all along this part of the course with fun signs and even a blowup “Punch Trump" was spotted.

Throughout the park I was successful in “staying comfortable.” I felt really good. I was having fun. I wasn’t stressing. I felt like I was moving pretty quickly (Based on my splits I was actually running a lot slower than I thought, but again, didn’t matter at all).

SECOND HALF

When you head out of the park around mile 8 you find yourself on a big ass, flat, boring highway. The spectators become non-existent. And at least in my experience, there is little to distract yourself from the moment your body starts saying, “Why are we still running?”

This year, for me, that was around mile 9. At mile 8 I was feeling tired so I slowly took a Huma gel. By mile 9, things were starting to hurt. By mile 10, I had a little more energy from the gel kicking in, but the pain was only intensifying.

At this point, I was starting to think that walking to the finish was a viable option. But I’m stubborn, and walking an hour sounded pretty miserable. So I kept going. The pain in my groin got worse and worse but that wasn’t all – it seemed that every part of my upper legs and knees were screaming at me to stop.

It pretty quickly escalated from “Ouch can we stop now?” to “WE HATE YOU.” Hip, knee, IT band, that weird bump on the side of your ankle – none of them were happy.

By mile 11 I could feel my face crumpling in pain. The 8:00 mile pacer passed and when I tried to run with them it seemed as if they were sprinting. I was reduced to a limping jog and it took all of my mental strength to keep myself moving.

Like the previous two years, the end of this race seemed to last forever. I was so happy when Melissa came running by me, knowing that she was going to get her PR! I wanted so badly to run through the finish with her but I just couldn’t move any faster. There were tears in my eyes purely from the pain.

When these race pictures come out – it will probably be pretty obvious how I was feeling as I crossed the finish line.

POST RACE TEARS

I hugged Melissa and pulled over to the side of the boardwalk where I dug my palms into my eyes as the tears started to fall. They started from the pain but then when I stood up and gave Melissa another hug they turned into big, actually crying, emotional, frustrated, sad, emotional tears.

I had been focused on finishing, getting one foot in front of the other, convincing myself that the end was near. It’s hard to do that for an hour.

I was also thinking about how much running means to me, and how frustrating it is that I know I need to stop for a while until I can figure out what’s up with my legs.  

I was angry – not only do I love running but I feel like it’s something that I’m good at – and want to get even better at. I’m willing to work for it but my body just doesn’t want to. It feels like a big betrayal.

I was not disappointed at not PRing or not running a certain time. I knew going into this that I hadn’t trained at all and that it wasn’t going to be a great race. I had hoped to enjoy it though – and for the last 5 miles I certainly didn’t accomplish that goal.

Another NP friend saw my tears and gave me some encouraging words, a hug, and some water and soon the tears dried. The pain went away almost immediately after I stopped running, which was a relief.

It was overcast and we were on the water and I was instantly freezing. I was informed by the medical tent that there were no heat sheets. I spent the next 4 hours freezing cold. One of my fingers went numb. Even though I changed into all dry clothes! GRR. 

We got our bags from the bag truck (of course ours had theeeee longest line), and hung out for a bit at the after party. It’s a really awesome set-up. Then we stopped by the beer garden next door to say hello the November Project crew and check in on how everyone's races had gone. 

13.1 miles by 9:00 a.m.

A group of us made the long trek back into Manhattan for brunch at Gotan (obviously). We got a beer next door and when I got home I took the hottest shower before passing out in bed for over an hour.

The only reason I got out of bed was to have the dinner of half marathon champions – 16 Handles. And lucky for me, I had rewards on my card and only had to spend 84 cents.

So what now?

Lots of swimming, biking, yoga, arms, and GLUTE STRENGTHENING. No running. Scheduling an MRI. Seeing where this goes.

Not really processing it all very well, but it’s obvious after a year of not being able to run 13 miles that something needs to change.

Finish – 1:53:07 // 8:38 pace.

I think a trip to Denver for a week will be a great distraction - I leave this morning to visit my best friend from high school and I cannot wait :)

Leave any Denver/Boulder/Colorado Springs suggestions in the comments please & thank you!!!!

Gotan Gives Life to Midtown Lunch Scene

Sunlight flows through the skylight, illuminating exposed brick and greenery. I need to pinch myself when I remember I’m still on 46th Street in Midtown Manhattan. A mere .1 miles from my office building. 528 feet from my glum desk and cubicle, I’ve found a unicorn – a healthy, relaxing, delicious coffee shop with reasonable prices. A respite from Chick-Fil-A, Pret a Manger and Europa Café.

I stopped one afternoon and as I peered into this West-village-esque coffee shop, I was waved in by a friendly employee and welcomed to look at the menu. I took a copy, took a business card, and told them I would love to write about them on my blog. A few days later, I found myself shaking hands with Avi Camchi and Arnon Magal, the two Israeli’s behind Gotan.

The first stop was the barista’s bar. While the food at Gotan is something special – the coffee is the focus. Gotan is a coffee shop first and foremost, with an emphasis on coffee culture. Baristas wear bow ties and most of them are notably handsome. I’m not a coffee snob by any means – but after spending 10 minutes with Chris as he prepared me my first pour-over, I couldn’t help but be impressed by the process and the passion behind it. Chris was a full-time chef who made the decision to become a barista. He tells me tons of interesting information and I smile and nod, trying not to betray the fact that I typically order a $1 McCafe in the morning. Chris’s favorite is drip coffee or a cortado.

Gotan serves Counter Culture coffee from a bar that is visually pleasing, allowing customers to watch the entire process. My mind is blown by the exactness necessary to brew the perfect pour-over. Both water and coffee grounds are measured in grams – 24 grams of ground to 360 grams of water according to Chris. The temperature is also closely monitored for optimal brewing, though a pour-over can be tasted best after it has cooled down a bit. The problem with your coffee pot at home is that when you turn it on, it isn’t hot enough to fully extract the coffee.

When I finally taste it, it’s without cream or sugar but full of bold flavor. Notes of chocolate and cherry come through and the caffeine hit is certainly more noticeable than what I’m used to. $4-$5 for a cup of joe suddenly seems much more reasonable afterwards. And as co-owner Arnon explains – paying for a pour-over is paying for more than a cup of coffee.  You’re getting 6-7 minutes of valuable time with the barista during which dialogue, an important aspect of the coffee culture Gotan is trying to promote, takes place.

If you’re a fan of coffee shops that also serve fabulous food – you’ve probably heard of Little Collins Cafe, the Australian coffee-shop that kick-started the Aussie-coffee movement in NYC three years ago. I was delighted to learn that Little Collins was Arnon’s first venture out of real-estate and into hospitality and restaurants. He worked managing the kitchen, but was blown away by the “coffee culture” that he discovered there.

Soon, he was looking for a new space that would serve as an inspiration for his next project. He found that space in Tribeca, and opened the first Gotan. Arnon explained that as soon as he opens one place, he’s already looking for the next. The new location on 46th Street, across from SWERVE’s recently-opened midtown location, is in a building erected in 1938.

Just 40 days ago, Gotan was undergoing intense renovations when they discovered the skylight that now serves as a visual highlight of the space. A layer of bricks in the dining area were brought over from Calabria by a man who works with bricks “like a baker works with dough.”

While the space is visually stunning – it has some competition from the dishes flying out of the kitchen. Each day, the bar serves around 1,500 cups of coffee while the kitchen serves around 1,000 plates. With complex dishes requiring upwards of 15 ingredients – it’s no small feat.

These stats make the Instagram-worthy nature of each and every dish even more impressive. The natural lighting seals the deal – this is every #foodie’s dream come true (and every #instagramhusband’s  worst nightmare).

I had the pleasure of sampling 4 dishes at Gotan, and two the next day when I returned with friends for lunch. You could honestly order me any item on the menu and I’d be 100% happy.

Fattoush

Feta, cucumbers, tomatoes, radish, carrots, red peppers, mint, parsley, pine nuts, pepperoncini, lemon herb vinaigrette, pita

Sharing each dish with general manager Avi and co-owner Arnon was such a unique experience because I got to see first-hand how much tweaking and conversation goes into the taste and presentation of each dish. While eating this traditional Israeli salad, they discussed how the ingredients should be diced and sliced and how large the pieces of parsley should be.  

The ingredients were fresh and colorful and the overall taste was refreshing and full.

Daily Breakfast

Two sunny-side eggs served over sautéed kale, sweet potatoes, chorizo and cauliflower puree with multigrain toast

This was the standout for me. While Arnon explained that not all of their ingredients are organic or locally sourced – they pay special attention to their eggs – which are all organic. These were cooked perfectly, and the yolk oozed satisfyingly over the vegetables beneath them.

It’s a shame that their Daily Breakfast is a special which changes every week – because this was incredible! The details – like black sesame seeds atop the cauliflower puree, add an incredible depth to the dish visually and texturally.

Tuna Avocado

Tuna salad, avocado, frisee, tomato, crostini, parsley pest

It’s hard to pick out my favorite part of this dish – aside from how gorgeous it is. I love the use of frisee (although I don’t recommend it on a date – I felt like a slob eating it), of course I love avocado, and the addition of craisins to the tuna salad was superb. And parsley pesto? Wow.

Avi cautiously took his first bite of their most popular dish – explaining that there are two things he typically won’t eat – mashed potatoes and tuna. It’s a texture thing. (His favorites at GOTAN are the acai and chia bowls).

Brooklyn Cured Ham

Ham, swiss, cornichons, mayonnaise, mustard

Though I wouldn’t typically go for a ham sandwich, it’s Arnon’s favorite – and understandably so. The French bakery bread is the perfect consistency – crispy without being impossible to bite into. The ham is from a Polish mom and pop butcher shop in Brooklyn and the cheese is from the Chef’s Collective.

My favorite part was the cornichons!

PBJ

Peanut butter, house made jam, banana dust, multi grain toast

Wow. When this dish came out, I’m pretty sure I momentarily morphed into the heart-eyed-emoji.  

Thick, perfectly toasted multi grain bread topped with mounds of peanut butter and bright dollops of sweet, sweet, homemade fruit jam. Sprinkled lovingly with coconut flakes.

What a time to be alive.

I asked Arnon his favorite way to eat peanut butter and found out that in Israel, they never mix savory and sweet flavors.

“American cuisine is the first cuisine I encountered that mixes sweet and savory in a very brutal way, really. Now, there are aspects of the American cuisine that I don’t appreciate and there are aspects that I respect very much. One thing that I really respect is American breakfast. It’s very comforting. It’s not good for you in a way but you still feel good after eating it which is nice. So I do love peanut butter and jelly, but it took me years to appreciate it. It’s like growing up on parsley and then one day switching to cilantro,” Arnon explained.

Avocado Feta Toast

Cherry tomato, mint, sunflower seeds, chili flakes, multi grain bread

You first eat with your eyes – and this dish is a stunner. Served with a big old steak-knife, you know it’s time to get down and dirty with this overflowing ‘cado toast.

Get it with an egg, bacon bits, or both to bring it to the next level!

I always say that a restaurant that does vegetables right is a great restaurant. Gotan respects veggies. Though their menu features vegetarian and carnivorous options, fresh vegetables are definitely the stars.

I asked Arnon how they developed the menu (did they break into my dreams and know exactly what I wanted?) and got much more than an answer about food. I learned about his past, his relationship with food and dining out, and a glimpse into the genius behind his model of coffee-shop.

Arnon grew up with a German mother and Russian-Romanian father in the middle of Israel.

“The table itself was an important event. The family sat around the table. Your mother cooked for you. If there was one thing I would take to fix this horrible world of ours it’s that mother’s would cook for their children. And have this family dialogue.”

Going out to a restaurant, regardless of one’s financial situation, was a form of celebration and saved for one or two times in the course of a year.

“Me and my brother – it was our favorite thing, going out, and we went to French restaurants. And they were very very good, there were French Jews who immigrated and it was the real deal.  I don’t remember a greater pleasure from my childhood and I think that affected me and touched me in a way,” said Arnon.

In those days, breakfast was chopped salad, light bread and eggs. Dinner was the same as breakfast and lunch was the heavier meal.

After moving to the United States in 1999 and working in real estate, Arnon started to notice a trend – this style of eating was taking hold in America. Gotan serves breakfast all day for this reason.

“It makes a lot of sense to have your meal towards the middle of the day and something very light towards the evening,” said Arnon.

He also noticed something else that has been a huge cause for the success of places like Little Collins and Gotan, “an immigration of budget if you will,” he says.

“New Yorkers are very funny. They would spend $4 on a nasty breakfast like watery coffee and a dry bagel and then they would drop $100 on dinner and they wouldn’t say a word for a bartender charging you $18 for a cocktail. And now, treating yourself to breakfast for around $20, deducted from your dinner budget, is something that we see that is happening more and more.”

Lucky for Arnon, he was able to convince some serious chefs and restaurateurs to buy-into this concept.

Previously, Avi worked in hospitality for 25 years – owning and managing Thalia for 17 years along with artisanal pizza spot Annabel.

“You have a really serious restaurateur doing a coffee shop. It attracts very serious people from the industry and I think there are going to be some really exciting establishments coming.”

Coffee, food, and atmosphere are all spot on at Gotan but the most impressive part of the operation is the hospitality behind every cup of coffee.

“We try to be a very accessible and approachable business – we are truly nice to everybody.”

During my time at Gotan, multiple patrons came up to personally thank Arnon and Avi – something that you don’t see every day in Manhattan.

As I left, I found myself thinking less about the amazing flavors that had just had a field day on my taste buds and more about the powerful concepts of family, childhood memories and space and how they play such an important role in our culinary experiences.

I know you’ll have an incredible meal at Gotan. I know you’ll be buzzing after your caffeine fix. But I challenge you to stop by and have a meaningful moment here – embrace their hospitality, engage in dialogue. Then take your kick-ass #insta

While at Gotan, I noticed they had a killer playlist going on. So naturally, I recreated it for you to enjoy.

Want to learn more about the 'coffee culture' and Australian coffee-shop trend in NYC? Check-out these really interesting articles:

• Australian Coffee Culture Is Inspiring a New Wave of American Cafes
   - Eater
• Flat Whites and Avo Smash Drawing New Yorkers in to Embrace the Aussia Cafe Vibe
   - ABC
• Australian Cafes Arrive In New York - New York Times

YOUR TURN:
HAVE YOU TRIED TO GET INTO THE 'COFFEE CULTURE'?
DO YOU KNOW OF A RESTAURANT WITH A MENU THAT JUST 'GETS YOU'?
WHATS YOUR FAVORITE CHILDHOOD MEMORY ABOUT FOOD?

Free & Cheap Things To Do In Boston As Told By A New Yorker

As a New Yorker, I'm required to dislike Boston sports teams. The Bruins, Red Sox, Patriots and Celtics get a big 'ol BOO HISS from me. 

But the city itself? Since first visiting in 2008, I must admit it has grown on me. 

I'm not an expert by any means - I've barely scratched the surface of all this historic city has to offer. But here are some of my favorite Boston activities that I've checked out these last couple of years. 

BONUS: All of these activities are cheap or FREE. 

Boston Public Garden

This is like the Central Park of Boston, at least through the eyes of a tourist. It's where college kids, families, and the rest of the city gather on warm days to frolic in the grass, play frisbee and soak up the sun. 

There's also the option of taking a touristy "swan boat" ride around the "lagoon." Each ride is around 15 minutes and costs adults $3.50. 

Faneuil Hall

Food food food! This indoor market down near the water is filled with different eateries and stores and is a big go-to for tourists. Not to mention, Faneuil Hall is home to lots of important historical stuff.

Dick's Last Resort 

Within Faneuil hall is a restaurant called Dick's Last Resort that is kitschy for sure but also lots of fun. The waitstaff fashion hats out of paper place settings and scrawl insults across them. 

Winnie the Pooh's Door 

On Harvard's campus, you can check out this "tubby little cubby all stuffed with fluff's" house! The story behind this is a little vague, but it's certainly a cute photo op! 

Say Hi To The Seals 

Why pay to go to the aquarium when you can watch the seal feeding outside for free? 

Watch A Red Sox Game at Bleacher Bar

Bleacher Bar has a window that looks right out onto the diamond at Fenway! Sure, it's crowded, but it's a cool sight. 

Once you've checked it out, try to snag some last minute bleacher seats from Will Call or head to one of the surrounding bars for drinks! 

The Beanpot 

Whether or not you follow college hockey, the Beanpot is an awesome experience. Tickets get you into the TD Garden (where the Bruins play) for a double-header of college hockey. The torunament is played between rival colleges Boston College, Boston University, Harvard and Northeastern on two consecutive Mondays in February. 

The crowds are loud, the hockey is great, and it's two for the price of one! What more could you want?

Run Around the Charles 

There's not better way to see a city than to run it! And this scenic path around the Charles River shouldn't be missed! A mix of concrete and "trail," you're sure to see tons of other runners, bikers and walkers out and about. 

Bonus: Watching the Harvard and MIT crew teams glide gracefully down the river! 

Boston Public Market 

Think Smorgaburg but INDOORS with vendors that not only sell ready-to-eat treats but "bring it home for your fridge and pantry" as well. Plus - can you say free samples? The Boston Public Market opened in 2015 and is a real treat for foodies with over 39 local food vendors. 

There is also a "Kitchen" space within the market that offers unique programming like cooking demos, lessons, lectures and more. 

When we stopped by, I couldn't help but try this cannoli donut from Union Square Donuts. While it didn't blow me away, I liked the light, whipped consistency of the filling and the addition of pistachios as a topping! 

History

While in Boston, you GOTTA appreciate the history. Each trip I feel like I'm back in high school history class but it's really remarkable to think about just how much happened here. The Boston Tea Party, The Boston Massacre, and so much more. A ton of these landmarks and sites are free throughout the city - so keep your eye on the sidewalk for the "freedom trail" - it's sure to lead you to something historic. 

Sam Adams Brewery

Aside from all the important American history - Boston is synonymous with SAM ADAMS BEER. Sure, you'll wait for your tour at the Boston Samuel Adams Brewery, but it's FREE and includes three samples in their tasting room at the end! They suggest a $2.00 donation for local charities and tours + tasting lasts about an hour. The brewery is busiest on Saturdays so it's best to arrive early (it's off the Orange Line). 

Harpoon Brewery

One of my personal favorite beers is Harpoon - which also has a brewery in Boston! Though I didn't go on the tour - they're large attached beer hall is where it's at for flights and DELICIOUS PRETZELS! Expect a wait to get in - but it's worth it. Tours + tasting costs $5. 

Salem

Hop in a quick 40 minute car ride or even go by train to this small town outside of Boston that's infamous for the Salem Witch Trials. There's history, there's food, there's shops, there's kitsch (you can find tons of "haunted" walking tours, "haunted" houses, psychics, etc.). 

Beer Works Salem

Flights here will set you back $7-$9 and include 4 samples. 

Far From The Tree Cider

This place alone is worth the trip outside of Boston. Far From The Tree Cider's tasting room opened in 2015 and is located in the unheated cellar of a building. It's got charm, it's got take-out food menus, it's got board-games, and it's got BANGIN' hard cider. 

Their cider has SUCH GREAT FLAVOR. A flight of 5 samples sets you back just $10 and is well worth it to sample their creative flavors like mint and strawberry basil. 

At the tasting room, you'll always find flavors that can't yet be found in stores like PINEAPPLE JALAPENO. Heck yes. 

These aren't overly sweet ciders. More like wine, honestly. The flavors are subtle yet bold and you definitely need to go visit. And you can bring your dog! (*Outdoor seating available in spring and summer as well). 

Eat

Come on, you didn't think I could go an entire post without a restaurant recommendation, did you? 

Brookline Lunch

I have an obsession with Brookline Lunch's brunch and you should 100% stop by if you're ever in town. I'm just going to let the pictures do the talking for this one. (9 Brookline St, Cambridge, MA 02139) *CASH ONLY

Tip Tap Room

The food here was good, but the beer list was great. And, if you're a fan of exotic meats, they feature specials like kangaroo, ostrich and boar. 

Workout With November Project 

If you haven't heard me talk about November Project, you must be new around here. It's a free fitness movement that's taking over the world and it started in Boston, MA. Brogan Graham and Bojan Mandaric promised to hold each other accountable to early morning workouts for the month of November. After posting about it on social media, more and more people started showing up to their works and a movement was born. Now, hundreds join tribes across the country, continent and WORLD to exercise as the sun rises. Did I mention it's completely free? And there's a book?

You can workout with the OG Boston tribe on Mondays, Wednesday and Fridays.

YOUR TURN: 
WHAT'S YOUR FAVORITE THING TO DO IN BOSTON? 
HOW DO YOU USUALLY FIND THE FUN THINGS TO DO IN A NEW CITY? 

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Next Level Snack Ideas To Beat Mindless Munching

While I don't have a What I Ate Wednesday for you this week, I do have something related to the foods I've been eating lately.

Here on Peanut Butter Is My Boyfriend (PBIMBF?) I've been writing a lot about biking, running, racing and group fitness-ing. The result of all this physical activity is being constantly hangry. 

It seems that I'm always sitting at my desk reaching for another snack. 

"Just one more handful of granola..." 

"Ok, after this apple I'm D-O-N-E." 

"Just a little piece of this Cliff bar." 

It's ENDLESS and a lot of the time, it's mindless - which is the worst kind of snacking! 

So I'm trying to step up my snack game by focusing on nosh that is NEXT LEVEL. 

What do I mean by next level? A next level snack strives for these 4 characteristics: 

• Filling
• Mindful
• Delicious
• Substantial 

FILLING 

Snacks can be empty calories, or they can be FUEL. Fuel is better than filler. Fiber and protein are KEY when looking for a snack that's going to keep you satiated. 

MINDFUL

No more taking the easy way out when it comes to snackage. Grabbing a handful of dry cereal or breaking off a piece of a meal replacement bar is wayyy too easy to do mindlessly.

This results in eating when you're not hungry, having no idea how much you're really eating, and not stopping when you're full. 

I've found that if my snack requires some assembly - simple, but hands-on - it's much more fulfilling, rewarding and mindful. 

DELICIOUS 

Uh, obviously ain't nobody got time for a snack that doesn't satisfy your taste buds! 

SUBSTANTIAL 

I don't know about you, but I'd rather have a 100 calorie snack that takes me 5 minutes to eat vs. popping a 100 calorie chocolate into my mouth. Food is meant to be enjoyed - plus it's been psychologically proven that having more pieces on your plate makes you feel more full. So snacks that include multiple pieces/bites/etc. are my preference. 

THE SNACKS

RICE CAKES + CUCUMBER + HUMMUS 

Alright - so rice cakes aren't jam-packed with nutrients. But there's something to be said for a snack that has some CRUNCH to it, and a rice cake (preferably whole wheat or brown rice) is a great low-calorie vehicle for a healthy spread like hummus. 

Hummus packs a powerful protein punch - with 4 grams per 1/3 cup. There's also 4 grams of fiber and healthy fats! 

Cucumbers add a refreshing dose of greens to the snack.

POPCORN 

No, I'm not recommending that you go to a movie theater and get buttery, chemically popcorn to chow down on at your desk. 

But homemade popcorn has surprisingly good nutrition stats - and it's oh so pop-in-your-mouthable! Something about popcorn feels so snacky to me. 

According to studies, popcorn (a whole grain snack) is bursting with antioxidants. And 4 cups has 5 grams of fiber meaning it will fill you up!

My favorite way to make homemade popcorn is with coconut oil which adds a hint of sweetness. You by no means need to add salt, but I like a little sprinkle of sea salt to make it taste like kettle-corn! 

There are tons of flavor combos you can try with popcorn - cinnamony, spicy, rosemary - with kernels fairly cheap, you can try it all! 

My favorite version that I've made so far wasn't exactly  low-cal, low-sugar, fat-free - but it sure was damn good! I used this recipe from Two Of A Kind Cooks to create ooey gooey PB popcorn for Superbowl this year! 

If making your own popcorn stresses you out (it scared me for awhile too!) or just takes too much effort - my new pre-packaged popcorn obsession is Crunchy Rob's. 

The first time I tried their Brazilian Coconut popcorn, I died and went to heaven. They have three other flavors and I've tried them all. Brazilian Coconut is definitely my favorite, but there's also Pineapple Habanero, Bangin' Cheddar and Himalayan Sea Salt. These are non-GMO, 100% whole wheat and loaded with fiber. They're low in sugar and also have some protein. 

CARROTS + PB 

This might not sound like the greatest combination, but trust me - it's great. Maybe it's because I have a passion for both carrots & PB - but I swear these two go together phenomenally. Carb-free snacking with lots of protein from the PB and beta carotene and fiber from the carrots.  Just be sure to pre-portion out your PB if you're anything like me - I could eat half the jar in a sitting. Okay, the whole jar. 

APPLE SLICES + CREAM CHEESE & HONEY 

Don't ask me how this craving popped into my head, but after a recent race in Central Park, I got home with my free apple and found myself giving it a good old schmear of cream cheese. I drizzled some honey on it and went to take a bite - fully expecting it to either be awful, or amazing. I'm happy to report that it was the latter and that this has become one of my favorite snacks - it's even been my dessert a couple of nights.  If you want to get fancy, you can sprinkle some toasted coconut flakes on top or change it up with fig jam instead of honey. Oh la la. 

EPIC Bars

At the Bear Mountain North Face Endurance Challenge Trail Race, I cautiously approached the EPIC tent, sampling bites from their meat-bars. I still get a little queasy when I think of them as meat-bars - but, that's what they are. 

And it turns out, they're delicious, with a GREAT nutritional make-up that blows a granola bar out of the water. I'm so glad I gave these a chance, because I'm hooked! 

My favorite flavor that I've encountered so far is definitely the Bison Bacon Cranberry. The cranberries add some sweetness to the smokey, meaty flavor that distracts me from the whole...meat-bar thing. 

Any snack that has 200 calories, 11 grams of protein and just 8 grams of sugar is good by me! Oh, and only 10 grams of carbs? 

The Pulled Pork Pineapple was also delicious with just 130 calories, 15 grams of protein, 5 grams of carbs and 3 grams of sugar. 

Truly Epic. 

CHIA SEED PUDDING 

Make this at home ahead of time and store it in your fridge at work when hunger strikes - it feels like you're eating a sweet treat - but it's actually loaded with fiber and protein!

The key to making chia seed pudding is the ratio - 1 cup of liquid to every 3 tablespoons of chia seeds. I like to make mine with coconut or almond milk and you can get creative with flavorings by adding honey, cocoa powder, almonds, fruit, vanilla extract, etc. 

Two tablespoons of these little guys has got 4 grams of protein and 8 grams of fiber - plus, the way they expand makes you feel full for much longer! 

YOUR TURN: 
WHAT'S YOUR FAVORITE MID-DAY SNACK? 
HOW MANY SNACKS DO YOU EAT ON AN AVERAGE DAY? 
WHAT'S THE MOST IMPORTANT CHARACTERISTIC OF YOUR SNACK FOOD? 

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Personal Rest: Healthy Kidney 10K Race Recap

I had a really eye-opening realization last week. The 2015 Brooklyn Half Marathon, a full year ago, was the last time that I ran 13 miles. 

For one full year my body has been pretty damn finicky when it comes to running. I've had 2 double-digit runs since last May and it blows my mind to think of how great I felt going into the Pittsburgh Marathon a year ago to how I feel now. 

I wish I could say I knew why it's been such a struggle, but your guess is as good as mine. I'm frustrated and I'm sad. I swing pretty drastically from, "Running is the worst and I should just quit forever because clearly my body hates it," to "What am I going to do if I can't be a runner anymore?" Anger to total sadness to fear - pretty much I feel all of these emotions simultaneously. 

Needless to say, the goal for Saturday's Brooklyn Half Marathon is to get myself across the finish line and to run 13.1 miles for the first time in 12 months. 

In preparation for that goal, I knew I needed to slow my roll during last weekend's Healthy Kidney 10K in Central Park. Operation: Save Your Legs For Brooklyn was in full effect. 

The night before the race, my best friend from high school came to NYC for the weekend. I cooked us a Blue Apron dinner and we got to sleep nice and early. 

PRE-RACE 

The Healthy Kidney 10K was a 9:00 a.m. start so I got to sleep in until 7:00 a.m. 

FUEL

Friday night, I actually said to Allison, "I've been excited for my pre-race breakfast all week." So pathetic, but true. Ezekiel toast smeared with PB, topped with 1/2 a sliced banana, drizzled with honey, sprinkled with coconut flakes and a cup of jo. 

GEAR

I raced in my pink Asics shirt again - it's my new favorite for sure. That and my Asics spandex + Saucony Rides + SPIBelt - the usual. 

It was supah dupah balmy out there Saturday morning which was fine by me - I hate being cold before a race and really don't mind the heat all that much. 

STRETCH 

My stretching was a little lax on Saturday but I did get in some one-legged deadlifts (not weighted) while my bread toasted and some glute bridges and side planks. 

WARM UP

Non-existent. I wasn't looking to race this or go over the 6.2 miles so I took the bus with Allison and met up with November Project at Tavern on the Green before heading to my coral. 

THE RACE 

By the time I was crossing the start line, my watch hadn't synced and I didn't worry about it. My mantra throughout the race was "stay comfortable, stay comfortable." I repeated this as people whizzed by me and I repeated it when I found myself charging up hills and I repeated it when I felt good and knew I had more in me that I shouldn't necessarily give. And I'm proud to report that it worked. I didn't push it and I didn't cross the finish line feeling like I had given it my all - but that was the goal. 

I love racing, but this was not the day for a race. 

The Healthy Kidney 10K is run in the opposite direction of almost every other NYRR race in Central Park which was a nice change. Going up the west-side of Harlem Hill and coming down on the east is SO much nicer, but then you have a pretty long and steady incline all the way up to Engineer's Gate. No matter how you run it, Central Park is just damn hilly - a fact that never ceases to surprise me or my legs. 

The November Project cheer squad + special guest Allison were in the perfect location - 200 meters to go and a pretty steep incline to the finish. I didn't really kick ("Keep it comfortable") but it certainly put a smile on my face. 

Thanks for the picture, Alex! 

It was damn hot out there and I took water at every station. When I finished, I chugged 4 cups which is a lot for this non-water-drinker over here. I met up with Melissa and Allison and we hung out at the finish for a little bit before making our way home across the park for free juice and brunch. 

But not before taking a picture with Sidney the Kidney! 

It wasn't until much later that afternoon that I even looked up my finish time - 51:12 for an 8:15 pace. I was happy that that felt comfortable :) 

Up next, Brooklyn. Gulp. 

Why My First 5 Boro Bike Tour Was A Bust

In my short time as a bike owner, I've come to realize that New York City is not the most bike-friendly city - especially for someone just starting out. Sure we have miles and miles of designated bike lanes - but these lanes are part of busy streets where cyclists are forced to dodge buses, pedestrians, taxis and more. 

In 2013 there were 6,328 reported bicycle/motorist crashes in NY. So when I read that NYC is ranked #1 in "Bike Friendly Cities" I am verrrry skeptical of the criteria. 

But once a year, in the spring, 40 miles of NYC roadways become a playground for cyclists. In it's 40th year, the TD Bank 5 Boro Bike Tour is a chance for biking fans of all ages to ride all day with no fear of cars, buses, tourists or taxis. 

It's just you, your bike and open road. Oh, and over 30,000 other participants. 

For years I've heard how wonderful the TD Bank 5 Boro Bike Tour is. I know many people who insist you have to do it at least once, while others sign up year after year. 

Once I had a legit road bike, I knew I wanted in. I paid the steep entry fee (around $100) a few months ago and before I knew it, it was time to start preparing for the ride. 

TRAINING? 

I didn't do a lot to "train" for this bike ride. The 40 mile distance was intimidating, but in the end, I knew that it was a no pressure, casual ride and I could likely make it to the finish. Especially after my journey over the GW Bridge and into the Palisades, a ride that ending up totaling around 38 miles, I knew I had it in me. 

I attempted to do one more long ride the weekend before the tour, but I ended up falling off my bike and quitting. 

BYE CLIP IN PEDALS 

I had been told to expect some crowded areas during the ride, as cyclists of all skill-levels are out there. There are people with carbon fiber tri bikes and there are also people out for a joy ride on their Citi Bikes. 

I was expecting a lot of stop and go and to be surrounded by some people even more  uncomfortable on their bikes than I am - so I had my platform pedals put back on my bike before the ride. 

No thank you to clipping in and out and being petrified for 40 miles. 

Biking is NOT a cheap hobby, I'm coming to learn, nor is it convenient. I now need to get my bike back to a shop to have my clip-less pedals reinstalled. Will the headaches of cycling never end? Sorry, I'm being a grouch. 

BIKE EXPO 

In order to pick up my ride packet, I made my way over to South Street during my lunch break, where the expo was being held.

It was almost exactly like any running expo I've been to which meant sampling a lot of granola bars and taking any free thing that I could only to get home and say, "I HAVE NO USE FOR THIS WHY DID I TAKE A FREE PENCIL!?" 

As per usual, I spent unnecessary money on something because, "It's SUCH a good deal!" And workout clothes are my weakness. I walked away with my first cycling jersey - the Giro Ride short sleeve jersey in WILD LIME. It's retail price is $100 and I snagged it for $30 so I don't feel too guilty. 

As part of each participant's packet you get a bib to pin to yourself, a bib to twist-tie to the front of your bike, and a helmet cover that says TD 5 Boro Bike tour! No ride shirt BOO HISS. 

THE FORECAST 

Once I was done frolicking in the sunshine at Bear Mountain on Saturday it was time to face the facts - the forecast for Sunday's bike ride was miserable. Starting at 8 a.m. there was a 50% chance of rain throughout the morning. And it was a cold, windy rain too. 

My professor from grad school, who I was supposed to meet up with at the start, decided that it wasn't worth it. But I'm poor, and the fact that I had spent $100 for this bike ride made me feel obligated to at least give it a try. 

PRE-RIDE

In order to get more rain-free miles in, since I didn't expect to slough it out for all 40 miles, I rode to the start from my apartment. It was about 7 miles total, and the fact that I wasn't clipped in made it a whole lot less stressful. It also helped that it was 6:45 a.m. and the roads were basically car-free. Plus, as I got close to the start, there were tons of other 5 Boro Bike tour participants headed to the corals that I could follow. Directions aren't my specialty, so I was happy to have people to guide me. 

I found my way to the coral and waited for Wave 2 to be sent on our way at 8:10 a.m. 

As I sat in the corral waiting to start, I looked around and realized that thankfully, I was by no means the only cyclist without fenders on my tires. I knew going fender-less would result in lots of wet, muddy spray from the ground, but the price tag just wasn't worth it to me. $50+ to buy them and have them installed is a lot when I don't plan on making rain-rides a regular occurrence.

There were a lot of people at the start who seemed to have plastic bags or shower caps around their feet which would have been a good call - I'm clearly not a seasoned pro when it comes to dressing myself for 40 mile bike rides. 

Looking back, I probably would have lasted longer had I dressed warmer, but, c'est la vie!  I wore: 

• Icebreaker Merino Wool Beanie under my helmet
• Long Sleeve Dri-Fit Shirt 
• Fancy Shmancy Nike Winter/Rain Jacket 
• Northface Fleece Lined Winter Running Leggings 
• High socks over my leggings 
• Buff
• Winter Bike Gloves 
• SPIbelt

After some speeches from TD Bank execs (I have a strange obsession/love for TD Bank) and race directors, we were off! 

THE RIDE

I noticed lots of people with interesting things attached to their helmets in an effort to keep their sights on people in their groups. There were pineapples and beers that made me laugh.

The ride started up 6th Avenue and it was awesome riding through midtown with not a car in site! Hellooooo Bryant Park! Hey office! Lots of TD Banks that we passed had employees out cheering the riders on. 

Though the rain started promptly at 8:00 a.m., I was surprised at how high everyone's spirits seemed. There was lots of "Woo"ing and laughing and jokes around me. And for awhile, I was really diggin' the ride more than I had expected. 

While there were certainly tons of other people out there, it wasn't ever horribly congested - especially since I wasn't looking to break any records with my speed!

We made our way up to Central Park and I considered ducking out at Engineer's Gate to go to my apartment but decided to keep going. 

There were a few parts where you had to stop at crosswalks to let pedestrians through, but nothing too obnoxious. Everyone seemed to be having a great time which confused me a little because the weather was so miserable but, maybe those people were dressed warmer than me! 

Up in the 100s I started getting more and more cranky and after a quick stop to use a portapotty I decided that when I approached 96th Street on the FDR I would peel off the route and head home.

But before that, there was a quick roll through the Bronx (I can't believe how short the course in the Bronx is!) and over two bridges which was again pretty darn cool. 

FINAL THOUGHTS

I headed home after about 12 miles on the course for a total of 20ish for the day. Though it was cold, lonely and wet (not to mention uncomfortable considering all the bruises I got at Bear Mountain) I was proud of myself for doing it at all. I was just bummed that the weather had ruined what would have been an awesome, fun day in the sunshine! 

I guess there's next year? (Except not really, because I've sworn off paying lots of money for bike rides that could end up with a forecast like THIS - not worth it to me!) 

When I got home, I scrolled through Instagram and realized just how many 10K, half marathon and marathoners had trudged through the rain that morning as well. Special shout out to my best friend Allison for running her second half marathon in those conditions! 

YOUR TURN: 
WHAT'S THE LONGEST BIKE RIDE YOU'VE EVER BEEN ON? 
DO YOU LIKE RIDING IN THE RAIN? 
WHAT ABOUT RUNNING IN IT? 

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26 Reasons My 26th Birthday Was Rad

On Friday I turned 26 years old. I'm not yet at the point of dreading birthday's because they mean I'm getting "old" but it does seem a little crazy that 10 years have passed since my "Sweet 16" weekend in Montauk with my friends. I vividly remember so many details from that weekend.

As a teenager, as a college student, and then as a twenty-something there's this "Birthday Week" mentality that has really started to bug me in my old age. Call me Ebenezer, but people think they should be celebrated for a week just for existing for another year.

I'm all for having a wonderful day on your birthday. But it doesn't need to last a week. And it doesn't need to guilt other people into showering you with attention.

Not to mention, a birthday, up until a certain point, is really a celebration of your parents successfully getting you to live another year.

This year I toyed with some extravagant birthday ideas. Living in Manhattan, there's pressure to put on something big and exciting with 100 of your closest friends. But in the end, I couldn't shake this big voice in my head that just kept saying, "I wanna go home."

Eventually, I listened. I told my family I would be home for my birthday this year and they were thrilled.

Here are 26 things that made me smile while I was home:  

1.) My parent's new kitchen. If there's anyone who deserves a brand spankin' new kitchen, it's my mom. She's put in hundreds of hours of work for this (watching HGTV). But really. It looks AMAZING and I hope it keeps my mom smiling for years to come.

2.) Sushi for dinner.

3.) Curling up on the couch and watching the Islanders game with my parents.

Biggest fans!

4.) The feeling of waking up in your childhood room.

5.) My dog thinking it was time to play as I did 7 Minutes of Planks on the living room floor.

6.) Reuniting with high school friends and feeling that not even a day has passed.

7.) Really really bad photo bombs that make you laugh until your stomach hurts. 

8.) Exploring cute new cafes and getting that perfect Instagram picture (sorry, not sorry).

9.) Peach Kombucha.

10.) Breweries with no bathroom.

11.) Having a Dad and Grandpa who beat you to the brewery.

12.) Tasting 11 beers for $10.

13.) Being able to request dinner two nights in a row and feasting on homemade paninis.

14.) Mint chocolate chip ice cream cake from the ice cream shop I walked to as a 6th grader after school.

15.) Sisterly gossip sessions.

16.) Getting a haircut and having at least 5 mutual acquaintances with your hairdresser.

17.) Grandparents who will gladly host your 26th birthday party with a beautiful fire in the backyard.

18.) A crazy family that has my high school friends crying with laughter.

19.) A damn good cocktail made by Mitch.

20.) Going back to my favorite weekend gym class and getting my ass kicked.

21.) Sharing the weekend with Mother's Day and celebrating the incredible momma's in my life.

22.) The sun coming out for the first time in a week.

23.) Giant "Party Bagels"

24.) Taking a mid-day NAP.

25.) Saying "screw the earlier train" because the Islanders are playing their last game of the season and there's no one you'd rather watch with than your mom and dad.

26.) As cliché as it sounds - having friends and family that make saying "bye for now" so damn hard.

I get a little emotional thinking about how incredibly lucky I am. My family (and my friends) make me feel so damn loved that my heart could explode.

(Before I made it back to Long Island on Friday night, I spent the morning running a sopping wet six miles with Melissa, working out with November Project, and enjoying the OG Avo Toast with Melissa and Kaitlin at Cafe Gitane! So - there's another 3 reasons to be grateful!) 

YOUR TURN: 
CAN YOU EXPLAIN THE "BIRTHDAY WEEK" TREND TO ME? 
WHAT'S YOUR IDEA OF THE PERFECT BIRTHDAY? 

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WIAW: Some Successful Cooking Experiments

Back at it for What I Ate Wednesday!

After a long, gluttonous weekend home - I needed a slight detox from processed, sugar-laden foods. I've been having bad indigestion for a week or so, and I have no idea what's causing it. This week I'm attempting to focus on eating more protein and less dairy. I've completely switched up my typical meals and experimented with some new ideas for breakfast, lunch AND dinner. 

 Here's what I ate on Tuesday to get back in the swing of things.

Breakfast

Trail Mix

On my way out the door I grabbed a handful of some super delicious trail mix that a friend discovered at Costco. It's packed with dried fruits like cherries, golden berries (crack!), strawberries, raisins and mulberries along with coconut chips and pepitas.

Stuffed Peppers

I typically start every morning with a Greek yogurt and half a banana with honey. I struggled to come up with a dairy-free alternative since I looove my yogurt.

I stumbled upon the idea of breakfast stuffed peppers while browsing some Paleo websites and made it my own. I added frozen spinach, a chopped up chicken and apple sausage, and sautéed veggies (pepper, onion, tomato, mushroom) into the bottom of the pepper and topped it with an egg. Popped it into the oven for about 40 minutes and VOILA. This was a really satisfying breakfast and something I'll definitely be adding to my rotation!

Snack 

Fruit Salad, Yummy Yummy 

Casual "The Wiggles" reference. 

Near my office, there is a magical fruit stand where you can buy a "small" fruit salad for $4 that's bursting with whatever fruit your heart desires. This includes pineapple, watermelon, mango, kiwi, strawberries, grapes, apples, grapefruit, orange, cantaloupe, honeydew, banana and papaya. 

I try to limit myself to buying this once a week ("Fruit Stand Fridays") but I'm not always successful. I also try to limit myself to eating only half in a day because it's a lot of servings of fruit but - also unsuccessful on that front! 

Lunch 

Tuna Salad 

I always forget how great a can of tuna is. 22 grams of protein and 100 calories? Obviously, slathering it in mayonnaise is not ideal. So even though I'm trying to add dairy, I mixed a dollop of plain yogurt into my tuna, mashed 1/4 of an avocado and added a hint of mustard and black pepper. Then, I chopped up some romaine hearts and voila - protein packed salad! 

Snack 

Hummus and Carrots 

Classic combo. I'm a big lover of carrots. I used to eat precisely 9 of them every day before field hockey practice in high school. OCD much? Now, I can eat more or less than 9. But I still eat them almost every day! 

Dinner 

Turkey & Asian Veggie Tacos 

I impressed myself with this dinner - inspired by my scrolling through more paleo recipes. I sauteed a bunch of Asian-themed veggies with amino acids (tastes like soy sauce), ginger and garlic powder. I used peppers, onions, tomatoes, mushrooms, snap peas and broccoli. 

Next, I cooked lean turkey meat in the same mixture of amino acids, ginger & garlic powder. Then, mixed the meat with the veggies and served in romaine lettuce heart "taco shells" with some all-natural ginger peanut sauce from The Ginger People. 

When I took a bite, I was blown away by the flavors! So satisfying. 

Dessert

Apple Slices

Nature's dessert? I topped some apple slices with a little bit of plain yogurt + honey and PB + coconut flakes before crawling contentedly into bed. 

YOUR TURN: 
WHAT'S YOUR FAVORITE FRUIT? 
DO YOU EAT DAIRY? 
HOW MUCH PROTEIN DO YOU AIM FOR EVERY DAY? 

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Running My First Trail Race: UnBEARably Epic

It's time for a confession. 

I am without a doubt that annoying runner who claims: 

"I'm not going to be fast today, I'm so out of shape," before throwing down a pretty speedy race.

"I'm taking it easy today, I haven't been feeling great," before setting a new PR.

"This race is going to be ugly, I'm so sore," before marveling at how fresh and fast my legs felt.  

"I don't care about my pace today, I just want to enjoy a run in the park," before sprinting through the finish line after giving 100%.  

I swear, I don't make these comments because I'm fishing for complements or kind words of encouragement before my races. Many times, I truly go into a race not expecting much, trying to set my expectations low, only wanting to enjoy the day and not worry about the outcome. 

But time and time again my competitive side comes out the second I find myself in a race atmosphere. 

I'm sure it annoys people. I'm sorry! 

Last weekend, before facing my first ever trail race and first ever relay race, I was full of these types of statements. I told people I was going to walk. I told people I was terrified. I told people it was going to be ugly and slow and hard. 

And for once, the outcome was what I had predicted. 6.5 slow miles. Walking breaks. And the added bonus of a super clumsy wipe-out. 

But I loved every second of it. 

SIGNING UP

So, how did I find myself registered for a marathon relay trail race? Good question. I have always been uneasy about trail racing. It seemed like a great way to twist an ankle, and besides, no one sets PRs in the woods. 

But after seeing how much fun the North Face Endurance Challenge Series at Bear Mountain looked last year, and realizing that SO MANY November Project friends were signing up, the FOMO took over and I knew I had to be there. Plus, my very best friends wanted to form a relay team. I couldn't say no to that. 

So we signed up - paying just $40. Looking back on the experience, it seems like the biggest steal EVER. 

THE SQUAD

One of the most fun parts of running a relay is feeling like you're part of a team. We immediately started brainstorming what our team name would be. We landed on AVOCARDIO. Because we love avocados, and we love running. 

We bought really awesome tank tops as our squad uniform and anxiously awaited race day. 

Really - we were anxious. None of us had ever run a trail race before. Nor had we gone out for any training runs on trails. EEK. 

BUS TO BEAR MOUNTAIN 

November Project organized two school buses to bring us all from NYC to Bear Mountain. City kids getting out into nature. For $25 round trip, it brought the total cost of the day to around $90 ($40 entry fee, $25 tank tops and $25 transportation). 

After just 60 minutes we had arrived at Bear Mountain and I was stunned at how beautiful it was! 

We walked over to the starting village and I was immediately impressed. 

THE SET UP 

There were tons of vendors setting up their booths with free samples of coconut water, incredibly delicious nuts, EPIC bars, cold brew coffee and more. 

There were picnic tables, wide open fields to set up camp, giant water jugs to fill up your water bottle, and even a table where you could get November Project tags spray painted onto your race gear. 

Everywhere you looked there was someone from November Project. Even though I didn't know half of the people there, it felt like a big family reunion. 

We spent a little while walking around, getting things tagged and pinning on our race bibs. 

Before we knew it, it was time for Rebecca to set out on leg 1! 

PRE-RACE PREP 

As is my new routine, I prepared for my leg of the race by doing some glute bridges, toe raises and side planks while trying to loosen up my forever-tight calves with my Addaday massage roller. 

Then, it was time to get into the transition area and wait for Rebecca to return. As I stood there waiting with some other November Project ladies I found myself getting butterflies in my stomach. Suddenly, everything that could possibly go wrong was popping into my brain. 

• The transition area was crowded. I wasn't going to be able to see Rebecca coming. 
• I was going to put the timer/chip on my ankle totally wrong. 
• Everyone would be watching me as I ran out into the woods. What if I looked funny running? 
• I didn't even know which way the first turn was! Where did I go when I got to the end of the grass?! 
• Why were people coming in one at a time? I wanted to have company out there, not be all on my own! 
• Ah shit, someone who is really fast just came back and said it was harder than she remembered... 
• I have approximately 0 sense of direction. What if I get lost? 
• Should I be running with my phone? Really, what if I get lost out there? 
• What if I fall? 
• Is it okay to walk? I'm going to have to walk. 

And then suddenly, there was Rebecca. I was putting the timer around my ankle and I was running down the grass onto the gravel path and I tentatively turned right and up and no one told me I was going the wrong way so...

Then, I was running my first trail race. 

THE RACE 

Pretty quickly, the trail started going up. 

At this point, runners like myself who had just started were on the right side of the trail while runners on their way back to the transition area were passing on my left. Everyone was really friendly and encouraging and until the two groups split there was a lot of "Good job, finish strong" and "Have fun out there" exchanged. 

I found myself focusing on taking little, quick steps and paying attention to my footing, especially on the uphills. Eventually, the rocks became too hard for me to navigate while running and the incline too steep so I walked to the top of the hill and then picked up the pace again. 

Everyone was spread out a good distance - I had room to move and navigate but never felt like I was completely alone out there. 

I continued to walk when my footing became an issue and run when things were semi-flat, downhill, or a short uphill. 

Sometimes, the downhills were also too tricky with all of the rocks and I'd say I slowed down the most on those downhill portions because I was scared of ending up on my butt sliding down the mountain. 

I was aware that my surroundings were beautiful, but it was a little difficult to take it all in when I was so focused on not taking a tumble. 

Erin took this beautiful picture while she was out there!

I made it to the first water station and chugged two waters. I hadn't anticipated it being so warm and sunny out - which was such a pleasant surprise while hanging out the rest of the afternoon! 

After the water station I walked a big uphill and then things flattened out. The path was fairly rock free and I found myself thinking, "Wow this is really incredible. I'm having such a great time, I would totally do a second leg!" 

That's when it happened. Those few seconds where I let my thoughts shift off of the trail, my foot caught on a rock and I found myself sliding along the rocks as if I were trying to slide into home plate. 

Everything stung and I was aware of two runners behind me stopping and asking if I was alright. I was up and brushing myself off fairly quickly - giving them the thumbs up and insisting that I was fine before I had really even had a second to think about whether or not that was true. 

I re-pinned my bib onto my shorts (I couldn't bear to cover the cute little avocado on my shirt) and when I realized all I felt was stinging from scratches and nothing muscular was astray, I continued on without taking full stock of the damage. 

I'm not a fan of blood. I knew I couldn't do anything about it until I got back to the finish anyway, so why make myself queasy looking at it? 

BLOOD!

The rest of the race, especially on the downhills, I was more cautious. But I still enjoyed every second out there in the woods. 

We jumped over tree trunks, we saw a river. I heard birds. 

I had to stop at one point and wait for another runner to come along because the trail got a bit iffy, but otherwise I didn't get lost and I didn't beat myself up for walking. I still pushed myself to pick up the pace when possible, but it was such a nice change of pace to truly not care that I had run an 11+ minute mile. 

Growing up, I loved hiking. We would go to the Pine Barrens on Long Island and I would purposely try to get my family lost in the woods because I didn't want to go home, I just wanted to be out in nature. 

This trail race made me feel like a little kid again, just running through the woods, embracing nature. 

THE FINISH 

When I neared the end of the race, I did some cheesin' for the photographer, dodged some little kids crossing the path, and found myself on a paved path for the first time in over an hour. I focused on finishing strong, kicking it up a notch as I passed the November Project people lining the finish chute. I was so in the zone that I almost missed the part where I had to veer left to get into the transition zone! 

I saw Erin and as I took the chip off my ankle and put it around hers I told her, "THAT WAS AMAZING GO HAVE SO MUCH FUN!" 

I bypassed the finisher's medals and water bottles, grabbed a cup of water and made my way to the medical tent where a nice woman helped clean out my cuts and put antibiotic cream on them. I bandaged up some of them (mainly my elbow) and left the rest to air out. 

Then, I backtracked to get my medal and water bottle along with some free Olomomo Nuts (check them out, the flavors are crazy good!) and ORANGE SLICES. I couldn't stop with the orange slices. I didn't feel like drinking water, but the juicy oranges were really hitting the spot. They also had pieces of banana and bagels. 

CHILLAXIN' 

The rest of the day was spent enjoying the beautiful scenery, the amazing company and the incredible set-up that North Face had going on. Rebecca and I wandered around to some booths, winning free socks, free bandannas, free beers and taking lots of fun pictures. We ate snacks, we chatted, we cheered on lots of runners finishing a trail 50K and marathon (crazy) and I was so happy that the 237489 layers I had packed were completely unnecessary. 

When the time came that we thought Melissa would be finishing up, we walked a ways from the finish line and waited. When we saw her coming, our whole team jumped in and sprinted through the finish in perfect unison. It was so fun and none of us could stop smiling afterwards! 

We hung out for a little while longer and then it was time to head back to the concrete jungle. 

HOMEWARD BOUND 

I left Bear Mountain with lots of scratches, bruises, blood and dirt. But most importantly, I left feeling like I had been on a vacation - even though I was out of Manhattan for just a few hours. 

I can't say exactly what it was about those 66 minutes in the woods, but it completely invigorated and refreshed me and I can't stop thinking about

We wrapped up the night with homemade onion/pepper/mushroom/basil pizza and a round of Bananagrams.

Every way I turned around in bed that night, I couldn't get comfortable. So many bruises! But it was so worth it!! 

WHAT'S NEXT 

I'm itching to do another trail race, and I'm happy to report that there's already one penciled into my calendar. The Paine to Pain half marathon at the end of September! 

I've also been finding some crazy adventurous sounding trail races. So far, I'm intrigued by the Ragnar Trail series and this incredible sounding Trailfest that takes you to Bryce, Zion and Grand Canyon! 

YOUR TURN: 
HAVE YOU EVER RUN A TRAIL RACE? WHAT DID YOU THINK? 
DO YOU HAVE ANY RECOMMENDATIONS FOR EPIC TRAIL RACES I SHOULD LOOK INTO? 

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