Pierogies, Parallax, and Two-A-Days

So initially I wasn't going to write this post because I was not pleased at first with the end result.  However, I am the type of person who loves turning a negative into a positive and that is what I did.

As many of you probably have read, this past Saturday was the July meetup of the Cleveland Chapter of the Ohio Blogging Association.  We were participating in the Parma Area Relay for Life "Run for the Pierogies 5K."  Lately I have been determined to run a sub-25 5K at a 8:00 pace.  Saturday seemed like the perfect day to do so.  The course was for the most part flat and it's always motivating to see so many friendly faces on race day!  And, there were pierogies at the finish line.  What more could a foodie/runner ask for?

Photo from the OBA Facebook page.
CLEgal, Morgan, Courtney, Alicia, Jess, Kali, Steph
not pictured here: Ryan, Molly, and Amanda

I woke up a little more excited for this race then most other 5Ks.  I was very happy when I got into my car at felt mild temps and little to no humidity.  If I only knew what Mother Nature was planning as the morning progressed.  After picking up my packet and finding everyone, I noticed something...hello humidity!  I was not going to let it get into my head though.  I found a place towards the front/middle of the pack, set the iPod and watch, and took off as soon as the bell rang.  I did the first mile in 7:55 which on a non-humid day would have been PR pace.  However, by the time we reached the water stop at the half way point, I knew that second loop was not going to be pretty.  I was starting to feel fatigued and starting to slightly cramp.  Just I was ready to give up and walk a bit, slightly past mile 2 or so, Kali caught up with me and we made sure we both finished the race together!  After crossing the finish line, I quickly grabbed water and found shade.  I felt so lightheaded and the thought of food was not appealing at all.  No pierogies for me.  I even did not feel up to joining the other bloggers for brunch as originally planned.  I felt defeated.         

Since I was in Parma, I figured a stop at Honey Hut would cheer me up.  Even after waiting in the parking lot for them to open, I opted to take my Blackberry Chocolate Chip home for later (sidenote:  It is delish and a limited time flavor).  All I wanted was water and a do-over of the race.  By 5:00, I was still in a mood but finally regained my appetite.  The bf and I headed down to Tremont for dinner at Parallax.  Finally checking off stop #1 on my Tour de Bruell put me in a much better mood.  I went with the Japanese Udon noodles since  we also decided to go for a late night run too.  (Blogger fail, no picture).  Everything about this dish, even the melts in your mouth pork belly, brought a smile to my face.  The noodles were not too heavy and they were the perfect way to enjoy the soup which pleased my excess of umami receptors.  For dessert, the sorbet trio (mango, blueberry, and raspberry) was the perfect palate cleanser for a hot July evening.

Two or so hours later with our dinners properly digested, we took to the streets of Lakewood for a late night run.  By this time, the sun had gone down and the humidity was greatly reduced.  Maybe it was the feeling of revenge I wanted or maybe it was the determination to prove something to myself, but that 4.75 miles was one of the best runs I have had in quite sometime.  I really wish I timed it too.  I need to figure out how I can work a two-a-day run into my schedule now.  Monday morning also brought a pleasant surprise for me.  Despite my bad time and the humidity, I managed to finish 11th in my age group out of 36.  Another 5K goal I have is to be in the top 10 for my age group. One passion driving another passion.  I really will run for food.

Until next time...follow your heart, fulfill your hunger!   

Where I've Been and Where I am Going

"As we drive along this road called life, occasionally a gal will find herself a little lost.  And when that happens, I guess she has to let go of the coulda, shoulda, woulda, buckle up and just keep going." ~Carrie Bradshaw


This quote from "Sex and the City" pretty much sums up my feelings towards blogging and such the last month or so.  I found myself lost and struggling to set myself apart from all the other great blogs out there.  In the past month, I have been to many fun events, ate alot of great food, and had some crazy culinary adventures.  However, as I was writing these up, I realized something was lacking.  Heart.  I end each post with "Follow your heart...fulfill your hunger" which I have adapted as the motto or tagline or whatever for this blog.  Writing and posting something that lacks heart is just not acceptable for me.  Blogging should not feel like a job or an obligation.  It takes the heart out of it.

I am here to share my love of Cleveland and love of food with my own personal twist.  I have two rules:
1: Give credit where credit is due
2: Fulfill my hunger to share my passions with you

There may be an occasional non-food related post every now and then but I will never forget the main concept of this blog.  Hopefully, a little more of ME comes through in my posts too.  It is time to go back to passions and inspirations which make me WANT to blog.  I guess this could be considered my "Declaration of Blogger Independence" in the spirit of Fourth of July.  Have a great weekend friends!  Enjoy the food, beer, fireworks, friends, family, picnics, baseball, and just being free!

Until next time...follow your heart, fulfill your hunger!