Last weekend Sue over at This Mama Runs for Cupcakes ran her first marathon, the Marine Corps Marathon. Afterward, she wrote your typical recap of the race; however, on Friday she wrote the best race recap that I’ve ever read. If you don’t read any other race recap ever again, read this one, The REAL superstars of MCM.
Today I stocked up at Costco and got introduced to this little personal scanner. When you walk into the store, you scan your Costco card and get a scanner. As you go through the store you scan your merchandise as you put it in your cart. When you’re finished you go through a special line, and once an employee counts the items in your cart against your scanner quantity, you pay and leave. It seems very honor system’ish to me. For example, what was to prevent me from scanning a $9 item several times and putting $20 items in my cart? A Costco employee told me that their store is one of three in the country that is participating in this trial program. Overall, I felt it was very easy to use and kind of fun, and would choose to use it again if I happen to shop at that store (I usually shop at a different Costco that isn’t as crowded).
After a few trail runs a couple of weeks ago, Bill and I fell in love with trail running and decided that we need to try out trail shoes. We went to our favorite local running store on Sunday and we each found a pair we like. Mine happen to be the black, green, pink, and white Asics Gel-Scout. They look good and feel good, but I haven’t run in them yet. I’ll keep you posted.
While in the store I saw this headband that I thought was funny. You’ll see a similar poster when you read my 2011 Richmond Marathon recap on the the 16th. I did buy a new headband in hot pink, because I’m tired of being dressed entirely in black during the winter! I think this is the year for a new running jacket, too!
For the next three pictures, I want you to forget that I’m a personal trainer that writes a health and fitness blog… And please don’t judge me! 😉 My family has a tradition that my dad started when I was a little tiny girl. Dad volunteered at the local polling place on election day, and one year my mom just happened to make “fried apple pies” for dessert for when he got home late that night. He loved them and asked Mom to make them the next year on election day and a tradition was born! I don’t remember ever having them (or making them) any other day of the year.
Since I like you guys so much, I’ll share our secret family recipe. Purchase Pillsbury pie crust, roll it out, and cut it into quarters. Next spread apple butter, or a mixture of applesauce and cinnamon on each piece of dough. Fold the dough over and seal the edges with a little water and press it down with a fork.
Fry these little guys in butter (yes, butter), and gently turn them once.
They would probably be delicious with ice cream, but I’ve never tried that. I almost forgot them this year, but my “biggest election night fried apple pie fan” reminded me on Sunday night that he wanted them!
A few weeks ago I stopped by my clients’ house to see their new puppies. I almost got licked and nipped to death, and regret not getting a video of so much puppy love! Meet Bella…
And Millie!
And finally, I saw the most gorgeous and unusual clouds today around mid-day…
Which led to a spectacular sunset!
- Questions:
- What was the most humbling running event/runner you’ve seen at a race? ~ Team Hoyt (Dick and son Ryan) passed me in the 1998 Boston Marathon
- What family food traditions do you have?
- Who likes trail running? Do you wear your regular running shoes or do you wear trail shoes?
I used to buy trail shoes specifically for running, but they tend to be too heavy and I like them for hiking (if they are waterproof) more than running. So I throw on an old pair of road shoes most of the times and I am good to go 🙂 Thanks for the quick apple pie idea! Looks like cinnamon + sugar and vanilla ice cream and maybe some caramel and my heaven is made 🙂
These are my first trail shoes. Always before I’ve worn my regular running shoes anytime I’ve run a trail. I’ll let you guys know what I think!
Let me know if you make the fried apple pies!
Wow, thanks Deb for that amazing shout out! I really appreciate it!
No problem. I loved your focus on who our true heroes are!
Very cool recap. They definitely are the superstars. We almost lost my BIL in Iraq to a sniper, so anything to do with the military is near and dear to my heart. His “alive day” was actually yesterday. If I ever run a marathon, I’d like the MCM to be my first.
Every Easter we always have Ricotta Pie, and it’s now become an “every holiday” type of dessert. My uncle requests that my wife make extras to leave for him to eat. LOL And my aunt’s apple pie is big at Thanksgiving and Christmas.
Thank your brother-in-law for his service to our country for me! You would love running in the MCM. The marines are awesome, and they put on shorter distance races that you might want to look into before committing to the full marathon.
Our Easter dessert tradition is cannoli! Yum!
Oh that’s good to know about the shorter races! And cannolis are definitely a big YUM!
We’ve been having the most beautiful pink sunsets lately. My daughter loves to oohh and aahhh over the pink skies. Me too!
🙂
That is really cool about your Costco. I would love that at ours. The least amount of human interaction the better, I say! Thank you for sharing your Dad’s fried apple pie recipe. I will have to make it after my sugar detox.
Growing up my Mom always made sugar cookies where my brother and I got to frost them, it was the highlight of the Christmas season. The sugar cookie recipe is my Grandma’s and it has been around for a very long time. She also made spritz cookies. I hope this year my son will help me in the kitchen with the cookies. The other tradition is on Christmas eve opening up a present that had new pj’s and a stuff animal. I already started that with my son last year.
I love your Christmas Eve pajama and stuffed animal tradition! I think I’ll do that with my grandchildren someday! 🙂
I am headed over to read Sue’s recaps once I am done here 🙂 Hooray for new shoes! What are the main differences in trail shoes versus road shoes? My common sense tells me they probably have more traction, but beyond that I’m kind of clueless.
I love your Election Day fried apple pie tradition and I love upholding family traditions from when I was a kid, too. For example, we always watch Home Alone on Thanksgiving after we finish dinner. There’s a story behind that tradition that I’ll share when Thanksgiving rolls around.
That sunset is so pretty! I think I saw at least 10 pictures of it on Instagram from other people in the NoVA region.
Trail shoes also have a stiffer sole with what they call a “plate” in them to protect your feet from rocks and roots.
Becky posted a much better picture of the sunset on her Facebook and maybe her blog!
Those fried apple pies look SO good!
Your shoes have me intrigued. I’m ready to push the “buy” button over at Amazon, but I’ve had to return 4 pairs of shoes purchased online recently! In only one case was the shipping covered. Your Asics are part of Amazon Prime so I might bite the bullet. I’d love to have a good pair of trail shoes.
If you buy the trail shoes, let me know what you think!
Done! They were shipped today 🙂
Cool! I hope you love them! 🙂
One of my favorite family food traditions is Christmas Eve. Amid all the more formal gatherings and sit-down dinners of the season, my family takes time out on Christmas Eve for easy-eating goodness.
We spend the day preparing finger foods, party snacks (a killer taco dip!), and some kind of sandwich filling (eggplant parm is my fave!). We spend the whole evening munching away leisurely, as family comes and goes and we open gifts. Low stress, low pressure, no scrambling for everything to be ready at the same moment…just some of our favorite foods making their way out of the kitchen for us to share with family & friends. Mmmm……
I love your Christmas Eve tradition. Last year we had our first relaxed Christmas Eve. The year before, I tried to make a big Italian dinner and it was ready just as we needed to leave for church. Last year I make snacky things in advanced and when we got home from church we grazed on the yummies while drinking toasted almonds! 🙂 It was so relaxing!