The race-weather gods are poking fun at me again. Yours truly is running the Cinco de Miler this Saturday. Check out the weather forecast:
I seriously need to figure out how to put my rainmaking penchant to better use. Sigh.
Incidentally, some other runner friends have shared their penchants for blistering hot weather whenever they race. I wonder what would happen if we ran the same races together. Would we cancel each other out? Or would we just create a veritable steambath sauna?!?
Music influences
Thanks to seeing the Blackhawks' amazing playoff pregame ice display, I've got a couple of new additions to my music playlist. No surprise where my inspiration comes from, eh? Check out the videos:
I love collecting the songs played at the United Center. Listening to them reminds me of the electrifying atmosphere at Hawks games. It's a great way to get myself fired up whenever motivation might be lacking.
Maximization
I almost always pack a lunch for work. Yesterday, though, I had a huge craving for Chipotle - so I left my lunch in the fridge and went to indulge.
Has anyone ever seen the tips on how to get huge portions at Chipotle? I don't use every single suggestion, but thanks to that list I have definitely upped my value proposition. (One other tip I would add to the list is to ask for a mixture of all the salsas instead of just picking a single one.)
Trick Questions
I am taking a training course next month on effective communication, focused on how to think on your feet.
The course prework asked us to come up with tough questions that we've frequently been asked. I have been scratching my head trying to think of examples.
It's to the point where I am actually considering submitting: "What are tough questions that you've frequently been asked?" as one of my examples. =D
Gender shoes
I have seen women wearing men's running shoes several times in the past. I've even done it myself a few times. This is mainly because I have wide feet and men's shoes are wider in general.
I've never seen it the other way around, though... until recently.
I wear these Mizunos:
Granted, these shoes are a fairly gender-neutral color. However, I still did a double take when I saw them. I wonder why he chose to wear women's shoes?
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Linking up with Amanda's Thinking Out Loud Thursdays.
Glad I'm not running the cinco de miler this weekend ;) although I have the ability to bring fab weather to running events. My MRC club and the one I ran with in Copenhagen both had amazing weather when all the days around the event were crap :)
ReplyDeleteThanks. Now I want Chipotle for lunch even though I've had Flacos 2x in a row now. Yummmmm
That's interesting to see men in women's running shoes but I guess not all that strange when I think further. Some of Nike's racing flats are marketed as gender neutral (just have to do the conversion for men's sizing) and I know Newton told me I could just size down in their men's shoes. I guess whatever fits good wins! :)
LOL. Incidentally, when was the last time that we ran the same race? Obviously it wasn't just a coincidence that the weather at F^3 was so good when you ran part of the course with me, right? ;-) I'll take your good weather vibes over my rainy ones anyday!
DeleteI've heard a lot of rave reviews about Flaco's Tacos but have never tried them! Adding it to the list of restaurants to try. =)
Interesting that some of Nike's racing flats are gender neutral - I never knew that! My current New Balance shoes are actually men's shoes (they are RunDisney, and I liked the colors) and they fit great. Indeed, whatever fits, right?
I was on the fence for Cinco for a long time but now I'm glad I didn't pull the trigger. Hope the weather holds for you! So odd to see a dude in chick shoes. Most would never. Yum, CHipotle!
ReplyDeleteHAHAHAHAHA. I was very thankful that the weather was pretty decent when we both ran the CARA Lakefront 10! Maybe you bring good weather vibes that superseded my rainy ones!?!?!?
DeleteI had to wear men's soccer cleats until Adidas came out with their first women's pair. My feet are narrow, and were more narrow when I was a kid. Not a good combo when wearing men's shoes.
ReplyDeleteOh wow, that is interesting that Adidas didn't initially offer women's soccer cleats! We live in progressive times, don't we? That would be a difficult combo to have narrow feet when wearing men's shoes. I bet you were thrilled when the women's cleats came out - they probably made a HUGE difference for you!
DeleteI try to pick songs from sporting events too! They're usually pretty good for pumping me up. I'm trying to find a download of that song from the golf masters commercial by the Bots called Beat the Best but it hasn't been on Spotify yet. What's up with that?
ReplyDeleteI don't think I've ever seen the golf masters commercial with that song! I'll have to see if I can find it. I've had similar experiences with Spotify not offering some of the music that I like - and we're even talking some classic stuff, not just the latest releases. What IS up with that? I'm going to look on YouTube to see if I can find the Bots song there...
DeleteMmmm Chipotle. That's the only "fast food" I still eat, and it's so good! I knew the tip about ordering two different types of meat (although, I actually prefer their vegan sofritas) but never thought about getting double beans!
ReplyDeleteMaybe the guy wearing your shoes has narrow feet?
I'm with you - Chipotle and Roti are really the only "fast foods" that I'll eat, too (and so many folks call Roti the Mediterranean version of Chipotle, LOL). YES on the double beans - totally worth it! Their sofritas are really good, too. I've actually thought about doing half sofritas and half meat, but have never pulled the trigger. Maybe next time.
DeleteYeah, that guy has to have narrow feet, otherwise I can't imagine the shoes would fit him!
I almost always get a burrito bowl at Chipotle but never thought to get half and half with the meats or mix my salsas. I love their food but I always feel so rushed when I go and it's busy!
ReplyDeleteMy least favorite "tough" question is always "Where do you see yourself in 5 years?" Because I don't know!!
I am with you on how Chipotle is always so busy and they really rush you through the line! These days I try to go during off-hours (e.g. between 2:00 and 4:00. I was there yesterday at 1:45 and it was still pretty busy - but at least the line wasn't out the door! Incidentally - my team recently had a colleague from India on exchange with us for 6 weeks. We took him to Chipotle and I wonder if he was intimidated by how quickly they were trying to push us through since he'd never been there before!
DeleteAhhh, GREAT tough question! I'm adding that one to my prework file. =) Thanks!!!
I had Chipotle for lunch yesterday, too! That was actually a fairly big deal, because there are no Chipotles within walking distance from my office (there are no anythings within walking distance from my office aside from Subway, actually), and since I don't have a car, going to Chipotle means we ALL went to Chipotle, which means the boss paid for lunch :) (I then paid for lunch in a different way when I went for my tempo run yesterday afternoon :P ). But it was totally worth it. Though the last thing I need from Chipotle is a bigger portion - what I had yesterday was too much as it was!
ReplyDeleteI'm kind of surprised a man fits into women's shoes. Even with sizing up, you'd think they wouldn't fit his feet well. Unless all of this "women's shoes are designed for women's feet" business is a load of crap...which I suppose isn't entirely beyond the realm of possibility!
Can you let me know of your race schedule for the rest of the year and/or ever? Because I think I want to avoid any race you sign up for hahaha. I seriously cannot believe your rain luck! (Or lack thereof?). I guess at least you have a lot of experience racing in the rain at this point. Though the forecast does just say a shower or thunderstorm "around"...maybe that around won't be around you! One can hope, at least.
Ooooh, how nice that the boss paid for lunch! But bummer that you paid for lunch when you went for a tempo run - I know that feeling, too. I have paid for my lunch many times in that way, too. =) I know that when I eat Chipotle I shouldn't eat the entire burrito bowl in one sitting, but yet I always do. I have no self control!
DeleteYeah, I agree with you - I would think that women's shoes wouldn't fit a man's foot very well. I think I read some article once about the different biomechanics between men's feet and women's feet, but who knows. It could very well be something the shoe designers talk about because it means something to them, but the rest of us don't feel any difference!
So for your race-avoiding convenience, check out the "Races" tab at the top of my blog: http://emmers712.blogspot.com/p/upcoming-races.html. You'll be happy to know that I am signed up for the BTN Big 10K this year, which I know is a race you like. ;-P But yes - here is hoping that "around" means not around me!!! FINGERS CROSSED!!!
Wow - BIGGER portions at Chipotle?! I already feel like I'll burst when I eat there. I can't even imagine!!
ReplyDeleteAs for weather ... I thought I just looked at Chicago and the possibility of Saturday AM being rain free is looking more promising...?
I wonder about the guy running in women's shoes. Was he smaller in stature - do you think he had smaller feet? I can't imagine being a guy with smaller feet, since men's shoes are always so big. Maybe he was like "finally, some girls shoes that aren't pink or purple that fit my smaller/more narrow feet!" Lucky him!!
(notice how I am omitting any hockey talk?! heh.)
LOL - the bigger portions thing is helpful if you can save some of the food for later. But I have no self control. I know that when I eat Chipotle I shouldn't eat the entire burrito bowl in one sitting, but yet I always do!
DeleteOooh, what weather forecast source are you using? I want to subscribe to that source!!! =D
The guy wearing the women's shoes didn't strike me as being wildly unusual. He was probably about 5'8 and maybe around 170 - so he was a little more petite than average, but not overly so. But yeah - maybe he just has really narrow feet and was happy to find gender-neutral colors!
Dually noted! Please notice that I am only talking about hockey at a peripheral level, too. =)
Sounds like you should race in California!!!
ReplyDeleteYou know, I thought about that many times! But go figure that I ran two races in California last year and it didn't rain for either one. It's like the weather gods KNOW!!!
DeleteIf it makes you feel any better, it just snowed here yesterday, so I'm guessing any weather you get will be better than what we got :P And how I wish I could put those Chipotle tips to good use... but we don't have it up here :(
ReplyDeleteI saw your pictures from the snow!!! And likewise - here in Chicago we've certainly had our fair share of snow in May and even June. So I can relate!
DeleteAhhh, you may not have Chipotle in Canada, but you DO have poutine at fast food restaurants!!! Yum!!!
I couldn't get the Chipotle link to work! Wah! Last time I went was after my ultra and they stuffed it too big and wrapped another tortilla around it. YES, puh-lease.
ReplyDeleteThat IS a hard question. I'd have no idea!
Maybe he wears women's shoes cause they are typically lighter?
Hmmmmm... I just tried accessing the article and it looks like the host site is down right now. Really bizarre! Until it comes back up, here's a summary: smile at your server, get a burrito bowl, get both types of beans, ask for fajita vegetables, get half/half on two types of proteins, ask for extra rice, ask for an extra tortilla on the side, ask for salad dressing on the side, ask for guacamole on the side, ask for all of the salsas (my tip), and go right before they are about to close. =D
DeleteInteresting theory on the guy wearing women's shoes because they are lighter! I didn't even think about it from that angle!
I can't wait for your Cinco de Miler race recap. It looked cloudy on your instagram pictures, but the real question is: did it rain???
ReplyDeleteThanks, Amy! The recap is up! And... IT DID NOT RAIN!!!!!!!!!! WOO HOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!! =D
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