Falling Leaves Road Race

I’ve discovered that when I run I am truly lost in the moment.  Last weekend I traveled to the homeland (Utica, NY) to run the Falling Leaves 5K.  I’d signed up much earlier in the year at the motivation of my cousin Dana and friend Traci.  I need to sign up for races or I’d never motivate myself to get out there and run.

It turned out to be a family thing.  Race day was cloudy with intermittent drizzle.  It was about 10 degrees, so it was cold when I arrived in downtown Utica.  I knew it would feel good once we started.  Also running that day was Dana’s husband and daughter.  Her youngest was participating in the kids’ fun run.  Before the race I looked around for my cousin Tim and his wife, and sure enough they were there too! 

But the best surprise was when my cousin Kim showed up unexpectedly.  Her husband had just had some surgery the day before and I wasn’t even sure if she had signed up.  But there she was all of a sudden, sneaking up behind us!  This was Kim’s first 5K.  She’s been the most religious exerciser out of all of us for sure.

The race started soon after she arrived and immediately we took off fast.  There were only about 800 people running, which seems like a lot, but is not really.  So it was pretty open from the start.  I ran fast my first kilometer, but reminded myself to slow up in the middle so I would have energy to go as fast as possible at the end. 

This race to me felt so spiritual.  I had a big happy smile on my face the whole time.  We ran up Genesee  Street past all these Utica landmarks.  Maybe it all felt like the ancestors were watching, I don’t know, but I felt light on my feet.  As we came up on this apartment building, a woman was out on her balcony watching.  I looked up at her and waved like I knew her and she waved back.  That’s what I mean, it felt so much like our souls had connected.  There wasn’t much of a crowd watching, there was too much drizzle.  So having any spectator felt good.

Right after seeing the woman and her beautiful soul, I thought of my cousin Dan and my eyes got all misty.  It was hard to tell that mist from the rain, but I took deep breaths and got back into the moment.

My legs felt great the whole run, only my lungs hurt some from breathing so deeply.  At the end, I ran as light and fast as I could, but it was slightly downhill on wet pavement, so I was careful too.  I finished at 31:39, which is not my personal best, but is really respectable given I don’t practice all that much.  I felt all energized after running and so I took off up the sidewalk to find Kim.  I wanted to cheer her on.  I ran with her a bit until she got near the end and then I headed inside for treats.

My reward at the end was Hemstrought’s half moon cookies!

And knowing I ran with family, and I finished well!  Lots of fun!

Groceries

Here's what $ 80 bought me today.  I'm not sure if this is good or bad.  I had made out a menu ahead of time and also made a list that I stuck to.  My goal is that this lasts easily for 2 weeks given what I already have at my house.  I don't buy nor eat much meat.  Buried in that pile is a pound of turkey burger which I will be making into a meat loaf next Sunday.

$ 80 of food

Things I will make from the pile are a Buddha Bowl (it's couscous and spinach with a bunch of veggies), a carrot salad with chick peas and feta, a breakfast casserole that I can make into ready to eat pieces and freeze.  Some of these items are for snacks over the next two weeks.  Many will go towards breakfast.

I try to make a main meal for lunch and then have something more simple like a salad at dinner.

I bet if I put my mind to it I could go three weeks on this and all the food already in my cupboards and freezer.  Want to see me try?  I'll start by listing some of the "stock"  I have and then the menus to support them.

In the freezer:  Two servings of chicken (enough to create 6 servings of a meal).
                      One serving of shrimp (enough to create 1-2 servings).
                      4 veggie burgers, and several veggie morning sausages.
                       Peas, corn, spinach, asparagus, onions and peppers
                        brussel sprouts
                       Peaches, blueberries, mixed fruit
                       One loaf of bread

In the cupboard:    6 cans of various beans
                               1 can chicken
                             4 large cans of tomatoes
                             3 cans tomato sause
                            2 boxes of cereal
                              4 things of rice
                             4 things of quinoa
                              couscous
                              a pound pasta
                               9 snack sized bags of smartfood popcorn

In the fridge:         18 eggs
                           3 litres milk
                              big bag spinach
                             feta, parmesean, cheddar cheeses
                              10 yogurts
                              two peppers
                                lettuce
                                various dressings and marinates
                                olives
                               carrots shredded
                               parsley
                                10 individual packs of hummus


Wow!  Making the list was eye opening.  When you have that much food, it's time to get cooking...not shopping.  I've no doubt I can do 3 weeks.

Here's this weeks basic menu outline:

Week One:  Breakfast = cereal
                    Lunch = gnocchi with shrimp and asparagus
                     Dinner- salad with tuna, feta, a few olives and my garden fresh tomatoes

Later in the week I will make the carrot salad and eat things like an egg fried in a diced tomato base, tomato and cheese sandwich, a buddha bowl.

Week Two:  Breakfast Casserole
                 Lunch = meatloaf and brussel sprouts, snacks of yougurt
                  Dinner= could be any of the following: salad, yogurt, eggs, cereal, hummus, buddha bowl, quinoa                   with beans....etc.....


Week Three:  Breakfast:  There are still eggs and veggie sausage to eat with fresh tomatoes
                      Lunch :  Quinoa with chicken
                         Dinner (see above)

As always, there is smartfood, cheese, hummus, fruit, yogurt and bread with peanut butter and homemade jam to snack on.

So here goes nothing!  Three weeks, no grocery store!  Wish me luck!