I just hate that daylight savings time has ended: now it gets dark before I even get home from work. This past week I had to jog in Carson City during the week, right after work, and only for 30 minutes, before it got too dark. Oh well, at least I got to see nice sunsets every time.

Cotton Candy Clouds

On Sunday though, we had great weather in the 60’s and bluebird skies, so while I had planned on running for 13.1 miles, I ended up doing 14. That last mile was really tough, but it just made the chocolate milk and cookies I had later even sweeter. Even though I used the roller stick my dad bought me, my muscles were a little sore the next day, but maybe it’s because on that day I also had a record number of steps on my Fitbit: 40,000 / 20 miles!

Fitbit 40k

The week started with a snow storm, but I still had to get out and run. By the weekend, the weather had warmed up a bit, but was still cool enough to do my 12 miles without breaking a sweat. Well, I’ll admit I just didn’t have it in me to go too fast (I had eaten too much at the buffet earlier that day), but hey, at least I completed it. I’m very surprised I’ve been doing 10-12 miles every weekend for the past 4 weeks without any soreness. It’s just kind of my routine now. One thing I’ve been doing differently than last year is that now I am stretching before and after my long runs. I really hope my training continues to go this smooth. Less than two weeks until race time!

October Snow

October Snow

This week I had to take my dad to the doctor’s, my dog to the veterinarian, and my car to the mechanic. I was able to fit in my little jogs throughout the week and even a 12 mile run on the weekend (well, being without a car, I was forced to jog to Wal-Mart and back), but unfortunately I couldn’t go to yoga for my cross training. I actually tried, but I got there so late they didn’t let me in. I absolutely loved my long run this weekend, even if it was against a hurricane level wind, but I’m getting a little burnt out with all the extra activities I have going on. I really really really need a break. It’s not even Halloween yet and I’m already counting the days until Christmas (56…)

How did I manage to go to Iddlewild in the middle of all the craziness?

Last glimpse of fall

Incredibly busy week again… and then again, so I’m a little behind on… everything. Last week the weather was gorgeous and I was able to enjoy a few nice short runs during the week, except on Wednesday when I took my dad to a Bryan Adams concert. Then during the weekend, Slick’s birthday came around and a massive hangover prevented me from doing my long run (more on that later). Finally I got better and did 10 miles, which felt really great. The hardest part of running is putting my shoes on and getting out of the door, but once I start, it’s hard to stop. Unfortunately the days are getting shorter and shorter so I had to get back home before it got too dark.

Bryan Adams Concert

They kept following me around. It was scary!

Last Monday I made an awesome meal with gluten free pasta and butternut squash, but cooking is still such an ordeal for me that we ate out the rest of week. We went to tons of good places and now that I’m writing about them and looking at the pictures, I’m actually disgusted at how much I ate this past week. But everything was so delicious…

I’ve been meaning to write about “The Seed Café” for a while because it’s one of my favorite places in Reno. It’s right below the place I do yoga (same owner), so I eat there a couple of times a week. They serve raw organic vegan food. That’s right: nothing there has been cooked. I’m always so impressed with their dishes: the falafel and their “chili” are amazing. Just don’t take the name of their dishes too seriously: their pizza is not really a pizza, and their lasagna is far from a lasagna as the “noodles” are made from zucchini and the “cheese” is from cashews. Personally, I think they can call their dishes whatever they want because no matter what, the taste is always great.

So last year I went to India with my friend S. and after that trip I could not look at any Indian food without feeling it would give me diarrhea, but I’m finally cured because I was able to go to “India Kabab and Curry” this week. My opinion of Indian food hasn’t changed: all the dishes taste the same and are so spicy that after a couple of bites I can’t taste anything anymore. As with the real India, the lassi (yogurt drink) saved me. Gosh, I could have 10 of them right now!

Mango Lassi

Vegetable Korma

The 1862 Restaurant at the David Walley’s Resort  in Genoa is one of the best kept secrets in the Reno/Tahoe area. Hands down, their steak is the juiciest and reminds me of how meat tastes back in Brazil. They also have a three course prix-fixe menu for $35 that is well worth it, but of course my dad and I added a fourth course. Thank goodness we were staying at the resort and I didn’t have to drive that night, because I went into a food coma afterwards.

1862 Restaurant

Steak

Salmon

The next day we went to “19 Kitchen”, on the 19^th floor of Harvey’s Lake Tahoe. I worked there for 5 years, watching the sunset every weekend, but I still get excited about eating there. First of all, I always feel like a VIP because everybody knows me and stops by to say “hi”, but most importantly, as far as fine dining goes, the food there is still the best. I had the wild boar in a fig and cinnamon sauce, while my dad had the always wonderful sea bass with lobster and shrimp risotto. Have to get back up there soon for another sunset before my dad leaves.

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I actually had time to do my 4-mile weekday jogs this week, and everything went on without a hitch, but I was worried about my 9-mile run because last time I did 9 miles, I got a hip injury. Besides having to stop at mile two because of an annoying side ache, everything else was fine, and I really enjoyed miles 5 and 6 when I got to see deer and llamas. This weekend I was in Genoa, Nevada’s first settlement, so after my long run, I soaked my legs in the hot water pool and got a one hour massage at 1862 David Walley’s Hot Springs and Spa. Yeah, life is hard 🙂

Thank goodness my weekday runs are only 4 miles long, but some weeks even that is hard to fit in. The good thing this week is that I got to run in 4 different areas: by the river in Carson, by the beach in Tahoe, by my house in Reno, and finally by the river in Reno, where I did my long run of 8 miles in 1h30. A little slow, I know, but I have such a hard time during the first couple of miles that the only way I can get through it is by going slow. By the time I get to mile six, I feel really good and don’t want to stop anymore, but I know I should keep following the plan and not overdue it.

By the way, I got a Fitbit for my Dad and on his first day he got to 25,000 steps. He is pretty much walking more than half of my co-workers every single day!

Carson City Run

Tahoe Run

Another busy week, but at least I got to run in Yosemite National Park before the closure! I woke up early (yes, at 7 am!) and went on a 5 mile jog to Mirror Lake, but the lake was dry 😦 Nevertheless, it was an awesome run with views of Half Dome and some wildlife.

Ps.: Does going to a concert with your personal trainer count as a workout?

This week at work we got Fitbits to track our steps. It’s been fun to try to reach the minimum of 10,000 steps a day. I basically found out that’s what I walk at any given day anyway. Sometimes before I go to bed I’m only a few steps away from my goal, so I just walk to the kitchen and back to get some water. On the weekend I even reached 20,000 steps because of my long run, which was a 6-mile one.

Not only busy life, but also weather was in the way of my runs this week. One day I had to go at night, but that wasn’t a problem because it was a beautiful full moon. Then for my long run, I had to go in the rain… At least there were some faint rainbows along the way. It even snowed here on the last day of summer! My 6-mile run was a breeze this week, but the shorter ones were killing me. I think I was just trying to go too fast, keeping the pace I used in NYC, but 9-minute miles are still out of reach for me in high altitude.

Full Moon Run

Faint Rainbow Run

Summer Snow Run

About 10 years ago, when I wasn’t even a runner yet, I would watch HBO’s “Sex and City” with Charlotte jogging in Central Park and think “I want to do that one day.” Then, when I became a runner my goal was to jog in Central Park just like Charlotte. This year alone, I got to do that twice!

First, my dad and I decided to go for a stroll along the Brooklyn Bridge. My idea was to jog on the bridge and meet my dad halfway, but that didn’t happen because there were so many people on the bridge it was hard to walk, let alone run. When we got to the other side, we went to the Brooklyn Bridge Park with amazing views of Manhattan. The dozens of wedding photographers agreed. Alongside the water I was able to go on my 3 mile run, and it was so perfect! The lack of altitude actually does help: I did 9 minute/miles without breaking a sweat.

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The next morning I just had to go to Central Park though. It was a beautiful breezy summer day, unlike the cold spring weather I got when I was there in April. There was a race going on that weekend and the whole park was filled with runners. Without a clear path, I just ended up crashing their race and running with them. Three miles later, I had crossed the finished line 🙂 The race was an 18-mile New York City Marathon Tune-Up and the people nearing the finish line were slow and exhausted. And there I was: still looking good, cruising at a good pace, and crossing the finish line at 3:35:33. I certainly applaud those people for running for 3 hours straight. Will I ever be able to do that?

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