300 Days of Sunshine

Just as I was breaking in my flip flops and mentally preparing for swimsuit season, the weather in Santa Fe has take a 180 degree turn.  AND... it's currently snowing.  Snow, combined with constant 30 mph wind, makes spring my least favorite season in the southwest.  But I'm making the best of it! Yesterday I ran a 5K in Santa Fe, The Wood Gormley Panther Run, with some of my work buddies.  It was my favorite kind of race: all uphill at the start, then just when you feel out of breath and worry that you won't have enough energy left for the second half, you are blessed with 1.5 miles of downhill!  I maintained a decent pace in the beginning and accelerated at the end.  I was excited to place first in my age group!  The race was really well organized, and I was inspired by all the elementary school students who participated and kicked butt. I think racing is a great way to work on speed and push yourself to limits you wouldn't normally approach while running a

I have been waiting literally over a year to have a weekday off so I can make a dentist appointment.  Well, I got my wish and was graciously granted a day off yesterday!  It was 70 degrees and sunny... so needless to say I didn't go to the dentist.  Instead I baked scones, did laundry, and took Kua and her boyfriend on a trail run. Kua and Sam (black and tan) on the Borrego Bear Wallows trail Vanilla Bean Rhubarb-Ginger Scones (from the Brown Eyed Baker) Some of my fondest childhood memories were formed at summer camp in northern Minnesota.  I will always remember the day my cabin buddies and I discovered fresh rhubarb growing on the camp grounds, and eating it dipped in sugar from the kitchen.   These scones (yet another amazing recipe from my favorite blog) are absolutely to die for.  They are the perfect combination of sugary and tart.   First chop up some rhubarb and let it sit in some sugar. Whisk together sugar, vanilla bean seeds, flour, baking powder and s

“I tell our runners to divide the race into thirds. Run the first part with your head, the middle part with your personality, and the last part with your heart.”  – Mike Fanelli Yesterday I raced in my first ever 10K!  It was a scenic and moderately hilly run through Pecos, New Mexico.  The race was the Amanda Lynne Byrne Memorial Run, in memory of a teenage girl who was hit by a train while running a few years ago.  The race event is a fundraiser to provide a scholarship to a student at Pecos High. Pecos, New Mexico I find the 10K to be a challenging distance: not quite the endurance event of a half marathon, yet I'm unable to maintain my 5K pace.   I have had to focus a lot more on my core and alignment , as well as my eating habits,  while training for this distance.  One week before the race I did my last long run and was incredibly disappointed to feel my long-gone knee pain making a comeback after about 45 minutes.  I dedicated a lot of time to core strengthening