Running Lisa is back from Barcelona and let me tell you, I sure had a lot of adventures! Unfortunately none of them were running adventures. There was eating, drinking, walking, sightseeing, yoga, bicycling, even hiking, but no running. I wanted to run, but wasn’t quite sure where I could find a place without hoards of people. Every time I got somewhere that looked like a perfect spot to go for a jog, I never had my tennis shoes. So I just silently cheered on any runners I saw in the parks. I’m sure they could tell and found it very helpful.
I’m sure you want to hear about all of my adventures, but that would take up too much time. Let me just say that Barcelona is an amazing city with great food, a relaxed lifestyle and tons of stuff to see and do. It’s like someone took New York City, sprinkled in some Ancient Rome, and put it on a nice beach. The architecture is beautiful and unique. The people were very friendly. I had so much fun. I’ve included a few pictures here (yes, REAL pictures) that sum up my whole trip.
The tippy top of Monsterrat. I highly recommend making the trek.
Chickpeas with sauteed spinach and pancetta, salad with Iberian ham and goat's cheese, pan con tomate, and chorizo. Yes, I single-handedly ate this ALL.
I rented a bike and just followed the people in front of me. When the trail ended, they made their own trail. The Spanish are bad ass.
Sadly, the vacation is over and it’s back to reality and reality is I have to run a race this Saturday! I’m doing the Bronx Zoo Run for Wild and I feel so unprepared. It’s only a 5k, so I’m hoping the fact that I haven’t run more than a mile and a half in 6 months will be ok. It’s just a fun run, so there’s no pressure. I’m sure I’ll have exciting stories to tell from that one!
Well, I’m SUPPOSED to be training for my first official race of the year at the end of April. Sure, it’s only about 3 miles, but when you haven’t run in months, that requires some training. But no. I’m sick. So no running. We had one of the most amazing days we’ve had all year, and I was stuck inside with a fever. How lame is that?
You know what else I’m supposed to be doing? Raising money for penguins. Yes, seriously. Penguins. The race is the Bronx Zoo Run For the Wild and every year they pick a wildlife conservation project. This year, they’re raising money to find out why some baby penguins are losing their feathers, leaving them bald, very cold, and not at all adorable. Plus if I raise $30, I get a super awesome free t-shirt! You should donate a couple bucks if you can.
Click Here to Donate
Finally, boys and girls, I’m going on a well-deserved and long-awaited real vacation next week. A friend and I are heading off to Barcelona, where I’m planning on sampling every pork dish I can get my hands on. I’m told those Barceloneses love their piggies. (It’ll be hog wild!) And if I’m feeling extra crazy, I might even go for a run in the city (ie get really really lost in a city where I don’t really speak the language). Sounds like a super fun adventure to me!
Monday truly was a wonderful day. It was forecast to rain all day, but it turned out to be sunny and warm and glorious. I figured today was the day. I broke out the running shoes. Put on my new running shirt, my favorite running pants, and my new socks. I strapped on my watch and iPod holder, and I was ready to go. I literally felt like a kid on Christmas.
I stepped outside, put one foot in front of the other and lo and behold, I was running! It was wonderful to be outside again after my long winter hibernation. But I seemed to forget how hard running really is. I was SO SLOW, sweating and panting, but I had a huge smile on my face every second. It seemed impossible that I ever ran 26 consecutive miles. I finished my run in about 20 minutes and I was SO SORE. But oddly enough, I love every second of it.
I also really liked the stick figures, so here's another...
