Evolving Outlook

Happy end of your weekend!! Well, not happy that it's almost over, but, still ... it's still the weekend, so it's still good!

I totally recovered from yesterday's run both physically and emotionally. No, I didn't feel bad about walking or that it wrung me out. But, the whole of it was rough, so that does, indeed, take a little to get over so I can move on to look forward to another! This week will be a lot more fun to run because it ends in the big event for me and Pit Crew #2 and our friend Mary Kate!! That's right, that Virtual Cupcake Race is finally happening, and how can you beat a run that involves good people and ends with cupcakes? You can't!!

Today's Rest Day, however, had nothing to do with running except for the fact that I tried a recipe I might not have even considered had I not started exercising on a regular basis. And, actually, I was going to share the recipe with you, but it's from a Facebook page that's a closed group, and even though I got it in my feed from a friend, it's a closed group, and I'm not a member, and I don't know how that works and what all of the rules are when it's closed and if and when you are allowed to share, blah blah BLAH. So, forget that, I'm not going to bother because I don't like when things are that complicated. Here's a picture, though:

Get all of your savories into the pot, boil then simmer the
liquid out ...

... and, you get this!

Here's the thing about this dish -- it's not that hard to figure out. Basically, take some pasta (I used whole wheat spaghetti), throw in savory goodies, cover in about 4 cups of broth, boil then simmer the liquid out. If you're at all savvy in the kitchen, you've got it. If you're not, blow it off. It was good but not turn-a-cartwheel good (or I would have rummaged around for a recipe on the internet that was close and sharable).

The recipe itself is more of a side note to my point anyway, and that is that running has most definitely inspired me to look at all aspects of my life to see if what I'm doing in my life supports running. That's not to say running has enveloped my world even though it kind of has; it is to say, though, that running has become an excellent and immediate life barometer. So much of the whole of my world is reflected in how my runs go (humidity issues totally excluded). With a piece of that life puzzle being what I eat, I cannot deny running has almost completely changed my outlook on food. Note: "Almost" is leaps and bounds ahead of where I was when I started which is when I couldn't even think about changing my dietary patterns when I was just trying to get my feet going forward for three miles in a row.

Even as I was cooking this dish, I was a little surprised at how quickly I read the recipe and wanted to try it. It contains onions -- I usually hate onions! It has diced tomatoes -- not a norm for me! But, it called for basil, and I have a whole mess from the garden which you saw the other day. Mmmm ... mmm ... Basically, it's chock full of a healthy way to have some robust flavor in your pasta, so I had to try. Besides, I have two people (Aaron and PC#2) who love food and love trying all sorts of different dishes. It's very difficult to disappoint them! This dish got their thumbs up.

I didn't make a dish of this for PC#3, by the way. I told him what was in it because he asked. He might try it some day. He needs to think about such things for quite some time. He's equally easy to please as Aaron and PC#2; just stick to what he likes!

I'm thankful for my new, evolved outlook. I think it has served me well. But, tomorrow, it's out of the kitchen and back to the road!! Three more training runs before the big one!! We will see you after the morning run!