It’s National Running Day!
National Running Day occurs the first Wednesday in June (last year on my birthday!) and is a coast-to-coast celebration of running.
It’s a day to reflect on your love of running or make the decision to lace up and give running a try for the first time!
In honor of today’s “holiday”, I took a complete rest day yesterday just to have fresh legs for a good run this morning.
I haven’t determined how many miles I will run but I did register for the Rock N Roll Marathon Series Fun Virtual Run where if you run more than a 5k today, you will receive a virtual medal.
I encourage you to sign up and run too! Click here for more info.
I have been working on putting together some running posts for beginners since I have received a few emails and comments with questions asking for advice and tips. If you have anything specific you would like to see me cover in these posts, please let me know!
Not only is it National Running Day, it is also What I Ate Wednesday.
Since I eat to run and I run to eat, the two go very well together….
Breakfast:
So I have this little issue.
I like to add a handful of fresh blueberries to the pot of oatmeal while it cooks but then I slowly pick them all out and eat them before they actually make it into the bowl (or jar) for the actual meal.
So why do I bother to add them? I know I can easily just eat the blueberries out of the container but that’s not as fun.
It’s just like how I enjoy picking raisins out of the raisin bread, picking raisins or granola clusters out of a box of cereal or seeking out all of the cookie dough in a container of ice cream.
No big deal, really. I just add more blueberries on top. Okay, so the big deal is that I have no portion control on blueberries in my house which wouldn’t be a problem if they weren’t so pricey. And while I am complaining, even when blueberries aren’t pricey, when you have no control and go through containers every other day, you are constantly in the grocery store for more.
Lunch:
Proof that my favorite chick pea and avocado salad really is a portable lunch that you can make in advance.
Normally when we go to the beach we walk up to the one of the restaurants for lunch (Gino’s) but on Sunday we opted to bring our lunch.
I just packed it up in the cooler and it stayed perfect without even getting all messy inside the container. It was a perfect beach meal since it doesn’t leave you overly stuffed which is the worst feeling to have when sitting outside in a bathing suit.
I usually pack fruit for the beach as well but when my son comes with me, it’s all about extra packaged snacks that are portable and not messy.
Dinner:
I told you the other day that my plan was to make the barbeque ranch salad from The Cheesecake Factory myself this week for dinner.
I have eaten this salad two nights in a row. I am obsessed. I know I have already done a post on how simple this salad is to copycat but I will tell you again.
Black beans, corn, chopped up tomato, cucumber, lettuce, avocado topped off with Trader Joe’s onion rings. If you eat chicken, just chop some grilled chicken up and throw it on in.
I honestly don’t think it needs much in the way of dressing. The flavors all combined, especially with the onion rings, is really enough. I use a drop of barbeque sauce if anything.
You need to make it. Like tonight.
Dessert:
A true friend gives you all of her overripe bananas even when you tell her she should keep them and make her own peanut butter banana ice cream.
I diced them all up, froze them in a Ziploc bag and then blended them with PB2. The ice cream is sitting nicely in my freezer where it will remain until after my birthday.
I have yet to finalize my birthday cake/dessert for tomorrow night but I think I have decided what’s taking place this evening:
I think. Don’t hold me to it just yet. I take dessert selection rather seriously especially when it involves my birthday.
I scoped out The Bakery (yes, the bakery is actually called The Bakery) and I am pretty sure those seriously chocolate fudge frosted cupcakes are calling my name.
I will let you know tomorrow!
Be sure to check out what everyone else is eating today and if you haven’t already entered my Goodie Bag Giveaway, make sure you do. Winner to be announced tomorrow!
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Finish the sentence: I run for_________________
Are you known for picking the good stuff out of ice cream containers?
What do you pack to eat when at the beach?
Cupcakes: Vanilla or chocolate frosted? Chocolate all the way but part of me wouldn’t mind a bite of the vanilla. Just a bite is enough.
I’m -very- much a chocolate girl when it comes to cupcakes, so I completely approve of your selection for dessert… as long as it’s peanut free 😉 And I definitely used to have the habit of picking the good stuff out of cereal, ice cream, trail mix, etc… I remember buying boxes of Lucky Charms when I was younger and being left with nothing but the cereal (which wasn’t very good) after picking out all the marshmallows. Oh, and picking out the raisins from breads/cookies so I could flick them at whoever tried to trick me into eating them 😆
Amanda @ .running with spoons. recently posted…. currently – june 2014 .
I used to pick the big raisins out of trail mix and of course the marshmallows out of the cereal box. I also used to buy the Rice Krispy Treats cereal which was only available for a short time just to eat the big clusters and leave the rest of the box.
Happy National Running Day! I have planned a run date with my husband to celebrate 🙂 Your eats look delicious!
jill conyers recently posted…Get Gut Happy: Do Less and Nourish More
Enjoy your run!
Enjoy your run! I’m taking the day off (again) due to a weird foot pain that creeped up on me but I’m going to live vicariously through everyone else 🙂 Those cupcakes are calling my name, so I hope you get at least one of them to kick off your birthday celebrations. It just means you’ll have to work really hard to top it tomorrow on the actual day!
Sarah @pickyrunner recently posted…Beyond the Blog
So smart to take another rest day if something is bothering you. Especially since I believe you will be in Boston this weekend for the RUnner’s World races? My rest day yesterday did wonders for me this morning where I suddenly just ran 10 miles without thinking. That sounds weird to say.
Those cupcakes look soooooo good! I’m normally a vanilla girl, but when I go for the chocolate I go all in!
Right? The vanilla look good but I can’t choose vanilla over chocolate. It would have to be a case of ordering both.
I do the same thing when planning my birthday eats! I take dessert seriously as everyone should. I’m usually one extreme or the other – I pick everything out of my ice cream or I eat around it and save it for last. I’m getting that salad this weekend!
Heather @ PrettyHealthyMostiftheTime recently posted…WIAW #10 Food Picture Problems
You must tell me how you liked the salad! And you must make it at home as well. It’s so good and simple.
yup I’m a picker! I pick off anyone’s plate and will go for the best parts…always. It drives the boy and my fam crazy!
I am sooo the same but if anyone tries to come near my plate? Forget it. Unless they want my olives. They can have my olives.
Haha, I’m such a picker. One time back in HS, my mom bought a container of Moose Tracks ice cream, which is my little sister’s favorite. I proceeded to pick all the chunks of PB&chocolate candy out of it. She. was. ticked. I still laugh about it 🙂
Jaclyn @ BumpSweat recently posted…Seventh Meal {WIAW #2}
I totally did the same thing with that Moose Tracks (I think it was Edy’s Frozen Yogurt?). It has the mini peanut butter cups I think?
Yep, that’s the one 🙂
Jaclyn @ Bumpsweat recently posted…Seventh Meal {WIAW #2}
I run for a sense of accomplishment and because it makes me healthy inside and out!
Hilary recently posted…What I Ate Wednesday On Saturday
You have so much fruits on hand at home I have so jealous! I used to get away with just having my parents stock the fruit but now living on my own, it is quite a chore! Seeing your blueberries are making me regret not picking any up during my last grocery haul!
As for why I run … I run for all the food I constantly shovel into my mouth! I always want to eat 😉
Carmy recently posted…[BG8] Tips to Selecting Your First Race!
Happy National running day! I run for myself. Because it should only be up to you to go out and do something that makes you happy. Enjoy your run today!
ChickGettinFit recently posted…WIAW #20–Same Old, Same Old
I didn’t know it’s National Running Day! That’s awesome 🙂 Your avocado chickpea salad looks awesome, I need to give it a try!
Leslie @ florafoodie recently posted…Cold-Brew Kahlua Cafe Au Lait
i run for my family. A lot of cardiac disease and diabetes run in my family so with eating right and healthy dose of exercise i’m trying to show them these things can be avoided(sometimes). Perfect beach meal btw 🙂
I run for redemption.
The chocolate chunks out of vanilla chocolate chunk ice cream.
Haven’t packed real food for the beach in a while. Usually, just Gatorade/Powerade and a Nature Valley Peanut, Almond & Dark Chocolate Protein Chewy Bar; I mostly go to Robert Moses to run.
Chocolate frosting, golden cake.
I just tried your chickpea/avocado mash with a tiny bit of Dijon mustard (like you said though, it really didn’t need it) and oh my! It is heaven! I only had a rice cake available but you better believe I am trying this on my beloved Ezekiel Bread next- Maybe even Cinnamon Ezekiel Bread since your initial suggestion was SO good.
Oh I am sooo happy you tried it and loved it! It really is so simple yet so delicious that I could eat it every single day. Let me know how you like it with the cinnamon raisin bread.
I run so I don’t have to “run away” from life when I get the urge!
Chocolate frosting all the way. Cream cheese is my all-time favorite, though.
Jess @ Keeping It Real Food recently posted…Thinking Out Loud
I can only tolerate a little bit of cream cheese based frostings. I am more of the chocolate fudge frosting lover, whipped cream buttercreams and ganache.