Weekend Fun and Races to Come

I've had a fun-filled weekend, and inching closer to improved eating and exercise habits.

Thursday night I stopped at the local Latino market for a 1/2 pound of chicken fajita (chicken, onion, bell pepper and seasoning). I put a tiny bit of oil in a grill pan, sliced in an extra yellow bell pepper and some green onions and cooked it all on high. Normally I'd have this with rice or something but this time I just had it with pico de gallo. So yummy.

Friday was quite the day. I enjoyed a nice work lunch at Insalata's, a restaurant in San Anselmo that serves Mediterranean cuisine. I ordered their Herb Poached Chicken Salad with kale, beets, fennel, sunflower seeds, crispy quinoa (baked), and blue cheese. I skipped the dressing, squeezed a little fresh lemon on it and it was delicious!

Mr M was leaving on a business trip so I had an early dinner with him at an Italian restaurant. We shared a beef carpaccio appetizer and I had a small pasta dish with seafood in a light red sauce as an entree. I also had a glass of prosecco. During dinner we learned of the devastation in France, so sad and made me worried for Mr M getting on a plane, to the Middle East of all places. He left for the airport and I had plans to meet up with some friends so I rushed home to change.

We had tickets to see Wonderbread 5 at The Sweetwater, a local music hall in Mill Valley. We were going to celebrate a friend's birthday; my best buddy Michelle was also going so I was super excited.

Happy Birthday Nina!!

The celebration was underway when I heard from Mr M - he missed his flight. I wasn't disappointed. He eventually joined us and the night was a blast! Maybe a little too much drinking but you can never do too much dancing!

After all the debauchery we went in search of a late-night meal. We landed at In-n-Out burger; I had a burger, fries and a milkshake. Not exactly healthy but I'm convinced that meal is part of why I didn't have a terrible hangover on Saturday.

Speaking of Saturday, I had a nice day, including a long walk around town. I'm not running yet, but that will come. In fact, it has to come because...

I signed up for a triathlon! The San Francisco Triathlon at Alcatraz.

And I'm not going it alone, Mr M signed up too! Thank goodness because I'm going to need a lot of support...from their website:

Swimming from Alcatraz Island was once thought to be impossible. This year, nearly 1,000 athletes will (jump off a perfectly safe boat to) make the treacherous swim, fighting the strong currents and ever looming fear of what lies below the water's surface. This is certainly not a race for the faint of heart. The swim will start the journey but the hills of San Francisco may just be the hardest section on the course: it boasts sharp turns, fast descents and agonizing climbs to test the aerobic endurance and mental fortitude of every athlete. Next racers get to take in the scenic views of the San Francisco Bay and Golden Gate Bridge as they weave their way back to the finish line on the demanding run course. Throw in a beach run with a 400 step sand ladder at the end - it's a race you won't want to miss out on!

I think it's best I just put this out of my mind for now because honestly, reading that description is making me question my own sanity! Besides, I've got other things happening right now, like staying focused through the holidays to get back to my happy weight.

As far as events, last year I signed up for the SF Rock-n-Roll half-marathon, which is coming up again in April...only 139 days away! I will DEFINITELY be training for this one, especially after the pain of running the Healdsburg Wine Country Half-Marathon on almost no training. And if I don't train? I won't run it. But I'll train, this was a great race last year and I'm looking forward to doing it again.

As to the rest of the weekend, we basically hung around the house and chilled. I came down with a case of laryngitis and sound awful. The good thing is, I sound way worse than I feel. Oh, and a trip to Costco, which included playing with the largest teddy bear I've ever seen! I put it in our grocery cart and while he didn't come home with us, we shared a good laugh anyway. Closing with a smile.