Plan for the Week, and weekend round up

Last week:
I did something new-to-me, and ran 4 days last week.

Shockingly, I didn't die. I KNOW, right?

Tuesday: 6 miles, random hill program, 1:05:12, 10:52 avg pace.
Thursday: 5 miles, 3x1600 at 9:21 (actual 9:17, 9:14, 9:10), 800 RI. Skipped my cool down, since someone was eyeballing my treadmill.
Saturday: 9 miles, last 3 at half goal pace (10:41). 1:37:40, avg pace 10:52. Actual splits: 11:23, 11:23, 11:13, 11:19, 10:54, 10:56, 10:32, 10:21, 9:49. Oops.**
Sunday: Had an extra day of 3 easy that I was supposed to do Friday, but I was (a) lazy, and (b) planning to watch Top Chef Saturday, so I pushed this to Sunday and called it recovery. This was my first excursion with my new Garmin, so I learned that I need to push the lap button at each mile to get my actual splits. Lesson, taken. I also learned that I can't pace myself for isht. I'm all over the place crazy. Anyway, 4 miles 43:20, 10:50 avg pace.

DONE.

And this week...

Saturday: Eat pizza, drink beer, and bunk up with internet strangers in Anaheim.
Sunday: Tinker Bell Half

Oh, I'll also run this week too.
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Saturday, after my 9 miler, I took kid #1 to a local bakery, 85*C. The chain originated in Taipei, and has locations all over Asia, and what looks like 2 store fronts in the US. One of these happens to be down the street from me. So the goods are decidedly Asian, and it's all delicious. I don't think I've ever gotten anything there that I don't like.

The set up is kinda weird, because it's insanely popular, and there are fire codes obviously restricting the number of people who are allowed in at one time. So there's a queue, outside, and a dude standing guard at the door, asking how many in your party, and letting you in when they're ready.

It's like Disney, but with no ride.

So you go in, pick up a tray, and some tongs, and walk through the shelves, trays, baskets of baked goodies, and grab what you want, collecting it all on your tray, before heading to the checkout queue.

The checkout line gives you plenty of time to review their cold-case desserts (tons thereof), and drink menu. All of which I didn't take a picture of, sorry. But I promise, they have delicious salted iced coffee. DELICOUS.

This thing was devoured on the way home - some baked ham and cheese stick. So good.

I can't imagine how I don't just drop those 12 lbs...

Next on our agenda, was a failed attempt at making dinner. We don't eat out tons, but unfortunately, what we planned to make for dinner wasn't happening (frozen chicken is remarkably hard to cook, take note). Buuut, lucky for me, The H opens my mail and this had arrived a few days earlier.

Success!

So the Chili's Lighter Choices Menu schtick is that everything is under 750 calories and 25 grams of fat.

The bad thing about this, is the menu is pretty... meh.

I dunno. There are tons of ways to produce healthy choices that aren't boring, but I suppose that's a harder task when you're mass producing food. So, whatever. It is what it is, and at least there are choices to be had.

I tried the 110 calorie skinny margarita...

and holy ishtballs, no WONDER it's 110 calories, I sweartogoodness it's straight Patron.

It's been a lot of years since I drank straight Patron. Lord.

I ordered the chicken wrap, with steamed broccoli.

So, yeah. There's that. I'm not sure what the barbecue sauce is doing there, either.

I asked the dude about my broccoli (I seriously adore french fries, Chili's, why would you make me do this?!), and he says, "Oh. Do you want the broccoli?"

Um.

Also missing was the low-fat ranch, which is an abomination anyway, so good riddance. Full fat, or go home!

Anyway. Unimpressed, and bummed that I wasted a night out on meh food, too much tequila, and wasting french fries. I guess the lesson here is, accept Chili's for what it is, and don't ask it to do something outside of that box. Normally I adore Chili's, so now I know.

Sunday, Kid #2 and I headed down to spectate the Carlsbad Marathon. Of which I took zero pictures. I know, blogger of the week award here.

But, I saw Skinny Runner PR, and ChaCha KILL her previous PR by, like, 35 minutes or something INSANE (which, incidentally, is about equivalent to the amount of time it took me to get out of the parking lot, holy traffic).


{photo lifted from SR}

Afterwards, we headed down to Longboarders in Oceanside and I have no idea why #2 is being a creeper. ChaCha is obviously still riding high.

And, that's a wrap. I ran, I ate, I spectated. The end.

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**of note on my long run - I always do long runs with a run/walk interval - always have. Just for kicks, I tried running without. And I didn't die. I know, I was surprised too. In FACT, dare I say, I felt good. ALSO of note, this is the first long run I've done with sub-11 average pace. Fascinating. And yes, I totally understand this is probably on fascinating to me, so that's cool. I am not offended by your non-interest.