KEEPIN’ RIGHT AT IT

It’s been a week and a half since my PR at the Colfax Half Marathon, and while other big races were followed by weeks [or months… or in some cases, years] of slacking off, I have no intentions of slowing down.

I took two days off after the half, but then I jumped straight back into running regularly. I am in love with it lately and am running for much better reasons these days.

I’ve also been indulging in delicious foods, doing fun things, apartmenting-hunting, and looking forward to a Memorial Day getaway!

ALL THE FOODS… AGAIN

[This is a constant theme in my life.]

Last Friday, I arrived to a lovely, sugary surprise in my office kitchen: Pounds and pounds of French toast, various fresh-baked breads, and pastries from Kneaders Bakery & Cafe in Aurora. This was such an unexpected gift!

After having already enjoyed a breakfast burrito early that morning, I put on my Hobbit hat and ate a big piece of French toast with whipped cream, strawberries, and syrup for my second breakfast.

I also snagged a to-go box for weekend treats!

The man and I must’ve been in sync because he snagged a giant bag of free leftover Einstein bagels and cream cheese from his work, too. Needless to say: We ate pretty well last weekend!

We put the bagels to good use: toasted and topped with eggs, spinach, cheddar cheese, and Cholula. And with a side of French toast + peanut butter + syrup. Yum!

Here’s a snippet of one of our dinners: Broccoli + Zucchini Fritters on leftover Kneaders whole wheat toast, with a side salad inspired by the Asian Pear Salad (minus the goat cheese) from our date night at Zengo.

KING SOOPERS ON STEROIDS

Have you ever heard of a King Soopers grocery store selling clothes and shoes, like a Walmart? I stopped by the new King Soopers in Parker, Colorado, and was tempted in more than the normal ways… inexpensive sandals, workout tops… HELP!

SMOOTHIE EXPERIMENTS

I’m still on my mission to perfect the Rendezvous Smoothie from The Organic Lotus cafe in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. I’ve also taken some detours in experimenting because warm weather inspires a plethora of smoothie cravings.

Here we have a Banana Almond Butter Smoothie for breakfast while blogging (cuddled up on the couch).

Here we have a Banana Almond Butter + Blackberry Smoothie for breakfast. The pup approves!

WORKIN‘ IT

All the delicious food was put to good use, as I jumped right back into running after the race. I’ve run intervals, race-pace miles, and long runs.

I gave myself a goal of 80 miles in May on my RunKeeper app, and I plan to hit it by May 31st. The man and I are going to Crested Butte for Memorial Day weekend, and we plan to get a lot of running in!

I’ve also been experimenting with a fitness app called Sworkit that walks you through certain exercises that require no equipment and can be done at home or on the go.

I’ve been doing 5-minute upper body workouts… and it’s already got me sore. I’m hoping to eventually focus on building muscle, but one thing at at time!

APARTMENT HUNTING

I’m officially shopping for a new place to move into come August! Apartment hunting has begun… and it ain’t pretty, kids. Rent in Denver is ridiculous. Landlords can afford to rent crappy basements for astronomical prices. Check out these photos from a garden-level 2-bedroom duplex in the wonderful Wash Park neighborhood.

Ew. [Nice oven mit, dude.]

Yeah, I can’t live like a vampire. On to something else!

I’m crafting a good list of what I’m looking for:

• a studio or 1-bedroom; I want to live on my own (no roommates)
• something in or near Wash Park or Glendale
• nicer quality (no mice is my goal)
• something not more expensive than what I pay now

Hoping for the first three bullet points while still expecting to pay less than my current rent is living in la-la land. I’ve decided that I’m willing to pay to live in a great neighborhood—within walking distance of some great running routes and restaurants— while also not sacrificing too much by way of my amenities, appliances, etc. Wish me luck!

A SWALLOW NEST

There is a Swallow parent-couple who’ve built a nest and laid eggs atop the emergency lights next to my current apartment door. They hang around all day, singing, and guarding their babies fiercely. Spring is finally here to stay!

They usually fly away whenever I walk past, but at night they stay still, turning in for the evening. How cute!

WHAT’VE YOU BEEN UP TO LATELY?