By the time I headed home from work on Friday, I knew the weekend was going to be shot. Our annual client conference was last week and after three non-stop days, my whole body was tired and my brain was fried. I managed to get laundry done as soon as I walked in the door Friday night but after that? I spent a sweet 24 hours alternating between the bed and the couch.

At the beginning of the week I realized that there might be a chance I’d need to miss this year’s Spartan Race in Burnet. Neither of us were too upset about it considering Brad’s back has been on the verge of going out lately and my work schedule was going to slip me into a state of exhaustion that would make climbing 10-foot walls and carrying cinderblocks incredibly difficult. When I woke up Saturday morning and could barely get out of bed, I knew skipping the race was the best decision we could have made.

Gatsby and the Growler

I wasn’t exaggerating at all when I said I spent 24 hours in the horizontal position. Stupid me in my “mid-conference-the-weekend-is-almost-here” haze bought us tickets to the 10pm showing of the Great Gatsby on Saturday night. Brilliant, Melissa. Just brilliant. I finally peeled myself off the couch at 4pm to shower, only to get into bed afterwards until 8:15. And THEN I got ready to go out.

As usual, we went to the Alamo Drafthouse for the movie. It makes no sense for us to go to the movies if the theater doesn’t offer beer and fried pickles. What? You don’t bring a beer growler to the movie theater with you? You’re missing out. And doing it wrong.

From what I heard, the Great Gatsby received mixed reviews. We’ve been waiting for the damn thing to come out since last summer so we were going to see it regardless. The verdict? It was really good! I will say this: if you thought the movie itself was going to be as fast paced as the trailers they released, then it’s understandable why you were disappointed. As much as it pains me to say this, Leonardo DiCaprio (NOT his biggest fan) did a great job as J.Gatsby. Some people complained there was too much partying and too much boozing. I think it portrayed the 20s pretty accurately. Bottom line: don’t always trust the critics!

Sunday and Summer Brews

9am came awfully fast on Sunday and the only thing that got me out of bed was the beeping sound coming from the coffeemaker when it was done brewing. It took half a pot of coffee and three hours for me to finally get a grocery list together. Then I remembered we actually needed to leave the house in order to get the grocery shopping done. Super depressing realization.

Thirty minutes and $125 later, we emerged from HEB unscatched, despite the post-church crowd that nearly ran both of us over with their carts multiple times. Something very exciting came out of the trip:

Ah yes, it’s that time of year again. No, not variety pack season. That happens EVERY season, especially in our house. But it’s time for the Sam Adams Summer Variety Pack! I only had a couple and will say that Blueberry Hill wasn’t my favorite (too fruity) but so far so good on the rest.

Spoiling the Dog

While I savored the last few hours of one of the laziest weekends ever, I decided to make Bo some dog treats from scratch. On Friday night’s episode of Shark Tank there was an 11-year old boy who started a company that made all-natural dog treats. Surely if HE could do it, then I could do it too. (Make the treats, not start a company. Let’s not get crazy.)

Brad searched the internet for common ingredients while I covered the kitchen in flour and cinnamon. Why are those two so messy?!  Anyway, I used an (unmeasured) mix of whole wheat flour, eggs, cinnamon, salt, pumpkin, and peanut butter for the treats, and then baked in the oven at 400 degrees for 30 minutes.

They tasted pretty plain to me, but Bo LOVED them. He proceeded to lick the floor for 10 minutes afterwards to make sure he cleaned up all the crumbs. Think we can call that a success, yes?

Overall

As I mentioned above, this weekend might go down in history as one of the laziest ever: skipped a race, slept all day, saw a movie, and had a few beers. My body is still convinced it needs another day of recovery to make up for the lost sleep last week.

Or maybe it’s just Monday.

The post Gatsby, Summer Brews, and an Unplanned DNS appeared first on Melissa Runs.

The Long Branch Half Marathon was initially slated to be my spring goal race. I ran into an issue with my arch in March and scaled back on running so things wouldn’t get worse. Obviously it was a disappointment to realize Long Branch wouldn’t be a PR race, but I was happy to be returning to run the shore nonetheless.

Race day started super early with a 3:30am wakeup call. The half kicks off at 6:45am and traffic starts to build pretty early on local roads. I made sure we were out the door, hit Dunkin Donuts (one of the 35 trips I made while visiting NJ) and on our way to Oceanport by 4:45am.

We hit traffic. It wasn’t terrible. I read plenty of complaints on the Facebook page about how traffic was horrendous and some even said they’d never run the race again because of it. Had they been paying attention to the many race director emails and daily (seriously, DAILY) posts on FB to arrive early, maybe they wouldn’t have had that problem. Just sayin’.

My longest run prior to race day had been 10 miles during the Austin 10/20 a few weeks earlier and I was oddly okay with it. Usually I’m antsy at the starting line of a race I don’t feel particularly prepared for. Instead of antsy and nervous, I was completely at peace and actually excited to hit the streets and run 13.1 miles through Monmouth County.

By 6:35 I was tucked into my corral, thankful for body heat from fellow runners that kept me warm on the chilly 40 degree morning. Starting around 6:50 (slightly late start), each of the five corrals were sent off with the traditional bugle Call to Post (since it started at Monmouth Racetrack) followed up with Sweet Caroline (for Boston) and Born to Run (by Bruce! for Jersey!).

My race strategy was to run 3:1 intervals and simply take it one mile at a time. No need to go crazy and push the pace. My only goal was to enjoy the miles and wrap up spring race season with a smile on my face, on the Jersey Shore where I grew up.

Most of the half is on residential streets…

and over a couple small bridges.

The course support was great! So many families were out very early Sunday morning to cheer us on, offer us screwdrivers/mimosas/jello shots, and blast Bruce Springsteen + Rocky from huge speakers at the end of their driveways. Race volunteers were amazing as well, positioning themselves before each water stop with a megaphone letting runners know which tables had water and which had Gatorade.

My father works near Mile 10 so my family was able to park there and walk to the mile marker to wait for me. I thought I’d be sad to have to wait so long to see them but it actually helped since it gave me something to look forward to! By that point my Nuun water bottle was empty and I was DONE carrying it. I tossed it to my mom, thanked her, and kept running.

The half/full split. I let out a little sigh of relief to be heading to the left of the barricades as we made the turn onto Brighton Ave.

Once on Brighton I knew it was only a matter of minutes before I’d see the wrath of Hurricane Sandy. The boardwalk portion of the final miles was no longer intact, the beach had shrunk, and many homes had been destroyed due to the massive storm that hit my home state last October.

The headwind on Ocean Boulevard was pretty brutal so I tried to keep my head down and hold a steady pace.

Half marathon #13 – DONE!
Spring race season – DONE!

After last year’s DNF in the full marathon, I really had no desire to return to this race. This year’s race had a different feeling to it. It could have been returning to the hometown race post-Sandy. Or maybe it was the way all of the runners banded together that day dressed in blue and yellow, with “Boston Strong” and “Run for Boston” shirts, singing the lyrics to Sweet Caroline. Maybe it was that I toed the line without an ounce of stress weighing on my shoulders. The only thing that showed up that morning was my desire to run.

And for all those reasons, I ran one of the best races I’ve had in a long time. This is probably the worst time of year for me work-wise to take a vacation, but I’m almost positive I’ll be back to run this race again in 2014. And if the stars align, I will be running alongside my sister during her first half marathon! Ahem, Kylie, go register. NOW! Please and thank you.

Long Branch, I hope to see you next year.

Run. Restore. Rebuild.

Jersey Strong.

The post 2013 Long Branch Half Marathon Race Recap appeared first on Melissa Runs.

The first time I laced up a pair of running shoes I was unaware of the amazing, tight-knit community I’d become a part of. Runners are incredible people, as are the spectators that line race courses across the country. I can’t help but think of the many times friends and family have waited for me at the end of my races. Never in a million years would I have thought a horrifying event of this magnitude would occur at the finish line, a place normally reserved for overwhelming joy.

I can tell you this for sure:

I will not quit racing.

I will not stop running.

I will NOT be afraid.

If anything, what occurred on Boylston yesterday has ignited a fire in me to run stronger, to run faster. I will run for those who can’t and run for those who lost their lives.

I will run to remember. And I will never forget.

Boston – you are in my thoughts and prayers.

The post Boston :: Run to Remember appeared first on Melissa Runs.

The expo opened at 11 and I arrived shortly after that. There wasn’t much of a crowd at all which made getting in out extremely easy. Once you entered the conference center, you picked up your bib (or register, if you hadn’t already) in the room on the left.

Then you headed across the hall to the expo, where you pick up your shirt. When I registered I went up a size to be safe, but for once a race had shirts that were true to size and it ended up being too big. The volunteer swapped sizes out for me without a problem and then hit the expo.

The vendors were the usual suspects: SPIbelt, Spartan Race, CEP, A-Line, Marathon Charms & Gifts, and Active Sol Eyewear. Texas Running Company was there selling shoes and apparel.

I made two loops around the room to make sure I didn’t miss anything and then headed out.

I really liked the shirt this year. Honestly, I’m not that picky – as long as it isn’t white, I’m okay with it. They had gender-specific shirts, which is always a nice perk.

Now I’m on a mission to update my playlist. My iPod has been loaded with the same songs since January and I’m pretty sure I’ve beat it to death. This one already landed a spot:

Completely unrelated to running, but after seeing them perform at ACMs I need to get tickets to see The Band Perry ASAP.

The post Austin 10/20 Expo appeared first on Melissa Runs.

And after that, I’ve got nothing on my radar.

SO! It’s time to think about the fall. Every year since I started running I’ve done a fall destination race. 2010 was Disney’s Wine & Dine Half, 2011 was Marine Corps Marathon and 2012 was Philly Marathon.

I had a few half marathons in mind for 2013: Hartford, Wineglass, Mohawk Hudson River Half, OUC, ZOOMA Cape Cod. But after mapping out our travel schedule for the rest of the year {with Nuun Hood to Coast tentatively penciled in *fingers crossed*} we realized a fall destination race probably isn’t in the cards.

The plan for the next 13.1 is to stay semi-local. I’m 90% sure we’ll be heading south in November for the 2013 Shiner Beer Run.

This race combines two of my favorite things: running + Shiner beer. 4 complimentary frosty beers at the finish for each runner? A medal that doubles as a bottle opener? A race that starts and finishes at the Spoetzl Brewery? I’m having a hard time coming up with reasons NOT to run this race.

My sub-2 goal might get pushed to the beginning of 2013 considering the arch issues I’ve been having lately. Long Branch is not going to be a PR attempt and I’m absolutely okay with that. It’s part of a vacation to New Jersey to see my family and I’ll just be happy to see how far the area has come since I was up there in November post-Sandy.

If I had to guess, I’d say my sub-2 attempt will be at 3M in January 2014. But that’s REALLY far away, so we shall see!

Do you have your fall goal race picked out yet? Is it a destination race?

The post Fall Racing Decision :: Will Run for BEER appeared first on Melissa Runs.

My secret weapon is procrastination. Whenever I leave something to the last possible minute, I seem to get the best results. A huge case of anxiety and maybe a panic attack, but the best results nonetheless. Nuun had tweeted last year about not waiting until the last minute to submit so the app could be viewed with fresh eyes. I liked the sound of that! So I rushed to throw together my app and sent it in.

And then I wasn’t chosen. I knew I should have spent a little more time on it and turned it in last minute like the original plan.

So this year, that’s exactly what I did. I started brainstorming early, compiling a list of ideas, consulting internet friends, taking photos, doing research, driving all over Austin, and teaching myself how to use Movie Maker. The completed video is a labor of love. I spent a lot of time tweaking it, getting it exactly how I wanted and making sure my love for Nuun was properly conveyed.

On Sunday evening, just a few hours before the deadline, I uploaded the video to YouTube and clicked ‘Submit’ on my application for a chance to run Hood to Coast with Team Nuun in 2013:

Nuun’s 2013 Hood to Coast Team will be announced on April 17th. Wish me luck!

The post Keep Austin Hydrated {2013 Nuun Hood to Coast Application} appeared first on Melissa Runs.

1. I probably can’t even explain to you how excited I am for The Great Gatsby to hit theaters. (May 10th!!) Which is surprising considering my excitement to read the novel back in high school was pretty much nonexistent. The second trailer was released yesterday, but I think the first one is still my favorite. So I’ll show you both.

2. I’m back to square one with running shoes. I know, you’re probably not surprised. Despite what most may think, I’m not constantly buying new shoes because of my desire to always own something new. It’s simply because the ones I buy? Don’t work for me. I trained in the fall in a pair of Brooks Adrenaline 12s. They worked fine up until Philly Marathon and the Decker Half. After that point, my arches ached and required icing after every single run. I then transitioned into a pair of Mizuno Wave Inspires and the pain went away… until the week before ZOOMA. This time it seemed to travel from arch to the outside of my leg. Took a few days off and ran again – same problem. So I dropped from the half to the 5K at ZOOMA and ran in a pair of Pure Cadences that I use only for short runs. SO! I’m back on the hunt for a pair of shoes. The never ending saga. I’ve probably talked about this eleventy billion times on my blog but I promise once the problem is fixed, I’ll shut the hell up about it!

Any recommendations for a flat-footed runner with a penchant for pronating?

3. I’m in love with the new Nuun flavors. At first I thought I loved Cherry Limeade the most. I highly recommend mixing 1/2 tab of this one with 1/2 tab Kona Kola – it gets me through the afternoon slump at work. Then came Lemonade and it just tasted like SUMMER. It won me over with its effortless pairing with vodka and fresh lemon wedges. That is, until I tried Watermelon. It slightly edges out the other two. Unfortunately, that was the only flavor of the three that I DIDN’T buy a 4-pack of. Well until yesterday. Should be arriving by EOD on Monday. Whew, crisis averted.

Haven’t tried any of them yet? For a limited time, Nuun is offering a Summer Sampler that includes one tube of each new flavor.

4. I’m running the Austin 10/20 again this year.
My 2013 racing schedule started out really heavy and by the time the Austin Distance Challenge had wrapped up, I was ready to sail off into the sunset on a racing hiatus. I had roughly a month between the Austin Half and ZOOMA but apparently that was all I needed to want to race again. I was bummed that I had to downgrade to the 5K at ZOOMA and after some thought, decided to squeeze another race between now and the Long Branch Half Marathon next month Enter the Austin 10/20. I ran this race last year and it. was. AWESOME. I shouted its praises on pretty much every social platform I’m on because I enjoyed it so much (and even made it on to their Participant Feedback page!) So I signed up again.

5. BASEBALL IS BACK!!

The post Five Things Friday appeared first on Melissa Runs.

*bonus points if you know where the post title came from

This week’s topic [Soundtracks] was realllllyyyy hard for me. The first song that popped into my head was Bruce Springsteen’s “Hungry Heart” from the first bar scene in The Guardian. Not quite a running song per se, so I decided not to use that one. I seriously struggled with every category, especially Something New. And I probably broke a few rules along the way. Oh well, wouldn’t be the the first time.

Okay, I’ll shut up now. Here are my picks…

Something Old {at least 5 years old}

Artist: Cam’ron
Title: Hey Ma – END OF WATCH
Side Note: The movie may be new, but the song is old. Like oh-man-this-reminds-me-of-college old. Fun fact: this actually wasn’t part of the script. The song came on Jake’s iPod during a road trip to Vegas. Writer-director David Ayers pulled out his camera, stealthily filmed it and the scene ended up making it in to the movie.
Quotable: “I told her I’m 18 and live a crazy life, plus I’ll tell you what the 80′s like. And I know what ladies like. Need a man that’s polite, listens and takes advice.” (nearly impossible to pull [clean] lyrics from this one!)

Something New

Artist: Hayden Panettiere
Title: Telescope – NASHVILLE
Side Note: This is the official music video for Telescope because I couldn’t find the clip from the actual show. I kinda wish I hated this song because she’s not my favorite person, but for some reason it weasels its way onto my playlist every time.
Quotable:

Something to Consider

Artist: Alex Clare
Title: Too Close – TAKEN 2
Side Note: This song may have only made it into the credits but the video below is a montage of the whole movie. So it still counts, right? I thought so too.
Quotable: “You know I’m not one to break promises. I don’t want to hurt you but I need to breathe. At the end of it all, you’re still my best friend. But there’s something inside that I need to release.”

That last one ALMOST was beat out by Dropkick Murphy’s “Shippin Up to Boston” from The Departed, but that song is so hit or miss for me when I’m running. “Too Close” is a staple on my playlist lately.

Okay, time to make me feel dumb: what super obvious song from a movie or tv show did I miss?

edited to add: I JUST thought of Icona Pop’s “I Love It” from Girls. Add that to your playlist!! You will (duh) LOVE it.

The post Playlist Thursday :: From the Screen to Your Stereo* appeared first on Melissa Runs.

Race day started at 4:30 for me since I wasn’t staying on property. I definitely recommend staying at the Hyatt Lost Pines if you can! The resort is gorgeous and you can stay cozy in your bed right up until the last minute on race morning. If you don’t stay at the Hyatt, there are several parking options for you.

I parked at Cedar Creek High School around 6am and hung out in my car for a bit to stay warm. The forecast has called for a warm, humid day with a chance of thunderstorms. However, it was a windy, chilly (for my Texas blood!) 50 degrees that morning. I dressed for the former, which would come back to haunt me later. Close to 6:30 I hopped on a shuttle over to the Hyatt.

A few of us met up at the information tent pre-race for a photo op:

Caroline, Erika, me, Kelly, Rhonda

Before we knew it, it was time to head to the start! Everyone (with the exception of Ashley and I) was running the half so they jumped into the starting corral and got ready to go.

About a week before the race I made a decision to run the 5K instead of the half. After a hill workout on the treadmill my right arch was giving me a little trouble. I had the same issue after Philly and Decker, but fixed the problem by changing shoes. Then it came back. So anyway, I dropped my race distance down to the 5K just to be safe.

The 5K course isn’t nearly as hilly as the half, but still enough to be challenging. It obviously wasn’t going to be a PR day with my angry arch so I took it easy. It’s been a long time since I took on such a short distance – last summer maybe? I actually kind of miss it. In fact, this resulted in a 5K race registration for Brad and I on April 21st.

Anyway, back to ZOOMA…

When I made the right onto Pope Bend, I saw someone in the not-so-far-off distance pickup the Mile 1 sign that had blown away and put it back on the side of the course. I don’t think this was exactly where it was supposed to be because when I passed the marker, my watch registered 0.75 miles. Now I know there are all sorts of things that can alter Garmin accuracy, but to be off a full quarter mile seemed a bit much.

When I passed the Mile 2 marker, my watch beeped simultaneously. So we were back on track! Just in time for this beautiful hill.

After that it was pretty much flat for the remainder of the course so I cruised along and rocked out to my music.

Passing the start line on the way to the finish…

Done! Official finish time was 39 and change. Not my fastest showing but I really enjoyed the race. The atmosphere of ZOOMA races just can’t be beat!

I positioned myself at the finish line with Erika and watched for a few of our friends to come through.

Here comes Carmen, a member of last year’s HEB Girlfriends Program:

And fellow ambassador Ashley:

The wind was really whipping at this point and after stopping running, it was really cold (again, it’s all relative – my southern blood has a different interpretation of “cold”). It was time to hit the post-race refreshments and grab a cup of coffee.

But I got distracted on the way…

If you’ve been reading my blog for awhile, this shouldn’t surprise you in the least bit.

Wine at 8:30am? Don’t mind if I do!

And THEN I made my way to the coffee. My priorities are certainly in order.

I downed two cups in attempt to warm up a bit before heading out to spectate the half marathon but with no luck. T-shirt and shorts was perfect to race in, but not so much for hanging around afterwards!

Erika and I camped out near mile 10 near the entrance/exit of the golf course so we could see runners at both spots.

Lisa, from Growing Up Mo

Once all of our Muscle Milk athletes and ambassadors had come through, we headed to the finish.

Love this shot of Nora’s daughter
running in with her!

Muscle Milk Athlete Nora and ZOOMA Ambassador Lisa

ZOOMA Ambassador Missy

Kelly, Rhonda, Shannah, Nora, me, Lisa

I am so proud of all of the Muscle Milk Light Athletes and Ambassadors. Every single one of them has inspired me over the past few months and I’m so thankful to have met them. They are all amazing!

Please check out their ZOOMA Texas race reports to hear how it went:

Nora In the Books
Missy Race Report, Sort Of
Lisa ZOOMA 2013 Race Report – A Calling
Leigh Ann ZOOMA Texas Half Marathon Recap: Battling My Demons to the End
Caroline ZOOMA Texas Half-Marathon – I did it!
Jennifer Race Recap: My Take on ZOOMA Texas

And a huge congrats to fellow ambassador Jennifer Fisher who won ZOOMA Texas!

It seems this year’s ZOOMA training and race flew by SO fast. While I ran the half last year, the 5K was a fun change of pace. I’d highly recommend either race distance. Don’t be discouraged by the hills – I saw quite a few women walking around with PR medals.

What other race will give you a water bottle AND a yoga mat in your race packet? This year’s tee is an awesome color and the fit is PERFECT (not too short or super tight). I’ve been using the cute bag to carry my lunch to/from work.

Grab a few of your closest girlfriends and register for the 2014 race!

The post 2013 ZOOMA Texas Race Recap appeared first on Melissa Runs.

Executive Chef Benjamin Baker led a group of five of us in Jean’s Kitchen during the “Breakfast in Bed” themed culinary class.

We each had our own cooking station and immediately got down to work. First up on the menu: Almond & Cranberry Scones with Honey-Banana Cream Cheese and a salad comprised of Blueberries, Strawberries, Cinnamon Honey, and Fresh Mint.

Scones are a baked good I’ve steered clear of in the kitchen so I was excited to learn how to make them. They were much easier than expected!

Next was Seared Steel Head Trout with Grilled Heirloom Tomatoes, Asparagus, Basil and Toasted Pine Nuts.

Trout isn’t my favorite fish and asparagus is a vegetable I never eat, but I devoured every bite. We kept the flavors very simple (salt, pepper, white wine, lemon juice) and everything came together perfectly. This is definitely a recipe I’d recreate in my kitchen at home.

Huge thanks to Ben Baker for opening his kitchen to us Saturday afternoon and showing us how to prepare this sweet and savory breakfast in bed menu!

After the cooking demo we headed down to The Spur for our wine tasting.

Our master sommelier (or as he preferred, “wine geek”), Edward, was AWESOME. He was super knowledgeable, had a great sense of humor, and really kept the conversation flowing throughout the class.

We tasted two sauvignon blancs: Sancerre (France) and Jules Taylor (New Zealand). I preferred the latter, which is considered a New World wine.

New World: The Americas (United States, Canada, South America), Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa

Old World: France, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Germany, and Austria

I’m a sucker for strong grapefruit notes in my SB and generally lean towards the bottles from New Zealand.

Next we tasted two reds: Chateau Laplagnotte-Bellevue (Bordeaux, France) and Deerfield Ranch “Merlot Cuvee” (Sonoma). Again, I preferred the latter, as did the majority of the room. It was a very smooth, rich red. (We were planning on ordering a bottle of the Deerfield with dinner but later decided on a bottle of malbec instead.)

Edward provided each of us with a packet of information that included the distinction between Old and New World, common questions + answers, detailed notes on each of the bottles we tasted, wine region maps, and a scent wheel.

Our discussion throughout the class ranged from glassware to sulfites to why wine hangovers can be so painful. For a reason I can’t remember (I blame it on the wine…) the conversation turned to Riesling and then Edward decided there was a bottle we needed to try. So we did.

Look at all those wine corks, we did some damage!

This was the first real wine tasting we had ever attended (there were a few informal ones I went to while bartending in Florida) and we were both really impressed. At first I was nervous it might be a bit too pretentious but once Edward introduced himself, my worries disappeared! He was very personable and is incredibly passionate about his job. I would love to attend another wine tasting out at Travaasa since their wine list is pretty extensive and unique. I highly recommend putting this on your to-do list during your stay.

The post Breakfast in Bed + A Few Bottles of Wine appeared first on Melissa Runs.