Happy Friday! I hope your week was a good one and you have fun plans for the weekend.
I am working at the store (Skinny Raven Sports) this weekend, but I can hardly call it work. I don’t have to sit at a desk, I get to talk to and interact with all sorts of different people, and help people finding running shoes and accessories. Saturday morning I am also coaching the Raven Run Club training group through Skinny Raven. I have wanted to help coach the training groups for a while, and I’m glad it has finally worked out for me to do so!
Photo from our 6 a.m. Wednesday training group this past week. What a great group of people, and it is so cool to see people of all abilities out there trying to better themselves.
Photo courtesy of Coach Ivy
I am finally not nearly as sore today from the marathon. I did an incredibly slow 15 minute shuffle-run on Monday after the marathon, but since then I have not run at all. And I don’t plan to run for the rest of the week. I have always taken the week off after running a marathon. Marathon training is intense, and I am more than ready for a break. Usually a week is all it takes, but we’ll see how I am feeling next week–maybe it will be a longer break this time. In the meantime, I am enjoying my break! (I get to sleep in every day!)
Pre-marathon selfie
It dawned on me that today marks 8 years in Alaska! Craig and I drove up from Minnesota August 2007 in 3.5 days logging 15 – 17 hours of driving most days. It feels like forever ago we did that, and I didn’t think we would be here past a year, but 8 years later. . . . .
This is a picture during my first full summer in Alaska (2008), when there were only 3 days above 70 degrees. It was cloudy and rainy nearly every day, and I kept thinking, “You guys call this summer!”
I get weekly e-mails asking me about moving to Alaska. While it is hard for me to say whether or not Alaska is right for you, here are some posts I’ve written about living in Alaska. The transition for me living here hasn’t always been easy, but I have done my best to accept it for what it is.
Things I Wish I Had Known Before Moving to Alaska
Things I Wish I Had Known Before Moving to Alaska, Part II
And now for a few random photos and highlights I haven’t shared with you guys.
After the marathon on Sunday, we went over to our friend’s place to play a bunch of random, silly games. (Similar games like on Minute to Win It.) Cullen and I hung out most of the time because I was in too much pain to do much of anything.
Craig participated in a strawberry cream roll eating contest.
Craig has been tending our garden this year. (I attempted last year and failed miserably.) He loves kale and decided to plant about 20 plants. Let’s just say I don’t think he realized how much kale he would reap. He’s been freezing the extras, which is perfect for smoothies such as this one.
We have been making all sorts of awesome meals lately. I made these Spicy Sweet Potato Black Bean Burgers, and they actually stayed together when I was cooking them and when we ate them. I have tried a lot of vegetarian burger recipes before and most of them crumble when I try to cook them. The avocado crema sauce was a great addition. Even Cullen loved them.
Craig made blackened halibut tacos a couple times for dinner, which were fabulous. Of all the types of fish, halibut is definitely a favorite of mine.
Other recent winning recipes:
Cranberry Walnut Chickpea Salad Sandwich
Oh, and P.S., if you are looking for something to do this weekend in Anchorage, check out the Greek Festival going on at our church today through Sunday. Baklava, gyros, live music, dancing. . . . .and many “opa’s”are sure to be heard!
Three not so connected comments:
I was so very close to buying that purple Skinny Raven hat myself last month.
Those bean burgers look yummy.
2008 was my first summer in Alaska too. I didn’t realize it until now, but I’ve been gone almost five years. Wow, does time fly.