Food, in Instagram

Lemon Chicken and Spinach Parmesan Crepes. I followed this recipe for all intents and purposes but due to my failure to take a grocery list to the store and need for multiple meals out of one chicken, I made a few changes.

• I am too cheap to buy ricotta so I pureed cottage cheese. I like the texture of cottage cheese better, anyway. 
• I didn't add lemon to the slow cooker since the chicken also served for stir-fry and barbecue sandwiches. When I pureed the cottage cheese, added in True Lemon and dried sage to the food processor.
• Roasted red peppers. In the crepes. Do it.

By the way, I was the only one who ate these. Mark ingested two out of pure hunger (his words) and Miles ate just broccoli, and both of them requested "something else" as I cleaned up. However, I liked them - though I shouldn't have skimped on the salt - and ate them twice.

Overnight Oats in a Jar. How the judgmental have fallen. Really, I saw Chobani pineapple on sale at Kroger and couldn't resist. And, my jar of homemade peanut butter was to the scraping stage. I had 1/3 cup oats, a container of Chobani 2% pineapple, half a very ripe banana and what ever almond milk I could fit in the jar. I loved how it sort of bubbled up.

Avocado Egg Sandwich. My other breakfast this week has been an open-face dippy egg sandwich with avocado and "grilled" tomatoes. On plain, non-wheat bagels that Mark bought for himself but didn't eat. Insanely good and filling.

Let's go shopping: Old Navy Activewear

Disclaimer: The following is a post about a sample and share opportunity via Crowdtap. I received a coupon good for free activewear but otherwise was not compensated for this post. I was not required to write about my experience though a good report may qualify me for a higher score and top award.

I started clicking my mouse furiously when the email came through my inbox. Because if I have learned anything through my Crowdtap membership, it's speed that counts.

And counted it did as I was recently selected by the marketing website to get Fashionably Fit in Old Navy Activewear. I received two coupons, each good for an active bottom and an active top. My drawers might be overflowing with workout gear but as I add on new classes (and spend more time gardening than doing laundry), fresh, fashionable gear is a must.

I headed to the store after BODYPUMP this week, "twisting the arm" of my friend C to join me. If there was someone who liked to look good while working out more than me, it is her. She always has the greatest clothes in class and fun shoes to boot. (We even have matching Brooks Ravennas.)

Our Old Navy recently remodeled to one of the new concept models, and I was worried that the smaller space would mean less clothes to peruse. We were both happy to discover that not only did they have plenty of pieces but ample selection of sizes.

Bright colors lined the racks, and it was like kids in a candy store ... but healthier. Had I not done some pre-shopping online, I might have lost it. However, I knew I wanted to check out the printed compression capris to jazz up my BODYPUMP repertoire and look for tanks that would be good for Piloxing.

While I didn't find the message tees I loved so much, I did find a black version of the capris and a knotted tank that wasn't online. Done and done.

Or maybe not. As I helped C shop, I found more and more that I wanted. Printed shorts, padded sports bras, foldover yoga pants. Many in bright colors and fashionable prints.



I was debating the options and decided there's no better way to make a selection than talk it out. In a completely staged and rehearsed manner. Obviously.

So what did I get? Well, you'll have to wait and see. My stylist hasn't been able to come over to help me get ready for a photo shoot ... or I'm dressed for the imminent run No. 2 for the day and didn't want to change.

Do you wear workout wear from Old Navy? What do you think I got?

Weekly training update: 5/13-5/19

The week, in training:

Monday: 3.1 miles (with the stroller!)
Tuesday: 4 miles +  BODYPUMP (taught)
Wednesday: Rest
Thursday: 5.35 miles
Friday: ~12 miles on bike
Saturday: 7.38 miles + BODYPUMP (taught)
Sunday: 3.17 miles

◊ ◊ ◊

My outfit had been painstakingly selected - and reselected. Teeth were brushed and mouthwash was swished. My hair was smooth and deftly pulled back into a low ponytail. My favorite BIC Band was slid on.

It was my first date. My first rundate, and I wanted to look my best.

I don't normally run with people or a group - strangely, people don't like to show up at my house at 5:20 a.m. to run my neighborhood routes - and I've become accustomed to the solitude of I found on early morning jaunts and the long run. I can punk out on pace when I want or go balls to the wall if the spirit moves me (though it usually doesn't). I don't have to look nice, smell nice or even be nice.

But when a professional acquaintance asked whether I wanted to meet on the Greenway, I said yes, doing my best to mask my enthusiasm. Even if it meant I would feel inclined to put in a bit more effort. I was going to run! With people! Who were faster!

So at 6:30 a.m. Saturday, I drove to a new-to-me section of the trail and met B and her friend. They had 12 miles on deck but I was going to join them for just a section - 4 out and then do the 4 back on my own. I got a bit nervous as the ladies chatted, strapping on fuel belts. B is a Boston qualifier and was recounting a 5K win the previous week after a "warmup" of 10 miles.

Yeah.

We set out along the trail and I did my best to quell my nerves. And keep up. B's friend asked about pace and B checked her watch, saying it was a manageable 9:00. I checked my watch and saw it was a less than manageable 8:20. The MOTOACTV can be a bit funny when showing current pace, tending to fluctuate more than a Garmin, and I hoped that it was just a quick minute because I most definitely cannot hold an 8:20 for long - especially after a long Wisconsin recovery.

But it wasn't just a quick minute. It was a quick mile - 8:38. I did my best to hang on, laughing as the ladies swapped stories, and reminded myself that I could do my own thing once I hit my turnaround. I stopped just shy of the 2-mile mark for nuun, urging the ladies to go ahead and that I'd catch up. Really, I just needed to breathe.

And good thing I did because as we turned the corner, the hills came. Oh, the hills. They make you stronger, yes, but after mile 2 clocked in at 8:33, I was in no shape to make strong climbs. I leaned forward, took small steps and drove forward as best I could. I knew, though, that I was done and when I hit the third mile (a 9:01) I said a quick goodbye and made an even quicker exit. Too bad there wasn't an "emergency" call to get me out of it.

I ran a bit down the trail before stopping for more nuun. As I paused between sips, I inhaled deeply and exhaled even more so. Heading back so early had not been in the plan for the rundate, and I couldn't help but be a bit bummed. Like so many before me, I made the mistake of letting my imagination go wild with expectation. I was going to totally click with the ladies, garnering regular invites and becoming crazy speedy in the process.

While it's probably not going to pan out that way, I will say that I'm thankful for the miles I did get. I found a bit of speed in my legs and discovered that, in fact, Fort Wayne does have hills. It's a handy thing to know as I work toward Hood to Coast.

More importantly, I learned that I need to start speaking up when I'm having trouble. Yes, B and her friend knew I'm not the their speed but I never asked them to hold back because I was embarrassed. And that's just dumb.

Poppin' wheelies

Friday was Bike to Work Day so I decided to bike to work.

Sort of. Well, I mean I did bike to work but first, I had to drive my car with Miles in tow, dropped him off at daycare, drove home and then biked to work.

It definitely wasn't the greenest option but I did take the long way to work and biked slowly to take in the lush fragrance of the blooming lilacs. Plus, it was my workout for the day.

And taking Green Envy to work made me feel legit when I told Mark that he had to meet me at Fort Wayne Outfitters and Bike Depot for the Bike to Work After Party. Yes, he had to.

I have no idea why I was hell bent on going to this thing but I was and when my in-laws requested to take Miles overnight, it was a done deal. (Yes, I am lucky to have people who actually want to take my child from me so I can go to bed at 9 p.m. without worrying about whether flushing the toilet will wake anyone up.)

There was food - chicken salad sliders, cheese, bruschetta, fresh fruit and these canapes things - and live music. All free, which had me totally stoked.

Mark and I sat around for a bit, sipping nuun and enjoying the tunes, before heading back out on the Greenway. It's been forever since we've been able to ride our bikes together, and I forgot how enjoyable it is. A lot different than running together, which I do like, but I tend to be more carefree on the bike.

As we were child free, we decided that we should stop at the neighborhood cafe for more goodies. And conversation. And a cookie because cookies are apparently a requirement of cycling.

Excuse me while I find a century to register for.

Odd tangent: One of the things that struck me as, let's say, odd about Bike to Work Day as it was all such a novelty for me and I'm sure some of the others who participate. Yet, as I biked to work, I saw many who do it regularly because of financial and/or legal reasons. And they don't get celebrated with chicken sliders, music and cookies.

Odd tangent, part two: I think I want to ride my bike regularly to work come summer when I don't have to take Miles to daycare.