Recipe Box: Vic’s summer salad

August 19, 2013 by vfreile

I’m obsessed with avocado. And black beans. And salad. In the summer months, I often throw together a salad a-la-random-things-in-my-fridge.

But I often come back to one recipe, which started as a recommendation of salad ingredients from a friend and has been tweaked over recent years.

Nom Nom Nom

Here’s what you need:

Ingredients
Romaine lettuce – half a head, washed and chopped
Cherry tomatoes – halved
Red onion – chopped, maybe a 1/4 cup. A little goes a long way
Corn – one ear, cut off cob (frozen will work as well)
Peas – half package of frozen peas, cooked then rinsed
Avocado – chopped

Topped with lemon juice, salt and freshly-ground pepper to taste.

Hand mix it all. That’s right, get your hands in there and dirty.

My above list is really a basic starting point – delete an item you don’t like or don’t have on hand. Try a different kind of beans or add a cucumber. Last week I made this same salad minus the onion and beans and instead added chicken.

The idea is to keep it light and tasty with an avocado base.

Enjoy!

Are you a salad muncher? What ingredient must be included in your go-to summer salad? Tell us in the comments!

Nuun – flavored hydration

August 13, 2013 by vfreile

I guzzle at least a gallon of water daily. Crisp, cold, refreshing — and oh so necessary in the summer months.

So when I heard other runners rave about Nuun, I wanted to see what all the fuss was about. I loved my water. And really, I didn’t see the need to replace it.

Last spring, I first sampled Nuun at my local running store. Employees put it out instead of water after a Saturday morning group run. It quenched my thirst, but I wasn’t used to flavor as I usually just drink plain, old water. I liked it, but promptly forgot all about it.

Months passed, and a few friends mentioned Nuun. They loved it, they raved about it, they wanted more. I knew I had tried it, and didn’t hate it, but remembered little else.

So in June, I ordered a variety pack of Nuun tablets. I’ve been sampling ever since.

A few of the chicks decided to test it out with me. Here’s what the chicks had to say about our taste test experiment.

Brooke

Hydration is important for any athlete, especially one who lives and in Florida. As my daughter would say, “It’s soaking hot,” even when one runs in the early morning.

I used to use Nuun regularly after my long runs. My favorite flavor is the Tropical Fruit, which I actually purchased because I liked the color of the tube. I’m a big water drinker, but sometimes, it’s nice to have something with a bit of flavor.

I hate to admit this, but I’ve also found that Nuun can help a hangover. We used to host a fiesta on Christmas Eve, with tacos, my mom’s fabulous enchiladas and margaritas, natch. Well…tequila and Santa do not mix, friends. My husband and I were exhausted. Lucky for us, the kids were a little too young for Christmas Morning Excitement and Nuun helped us feel much more festive. (And we’ve since moved the party to a couple of days before Christmas, haha!)

Meri

Nuun chatter is everywhere! I first heard rumblings about it on Twitter and it quickly spread to blogs that I enjoy reading. Now personally, I’m a water drinking gal, but curiosity got the best of me and I had to give it a go. The kiddo and I made our way over to the local running store (you know the cartoon characters that have dollar signs in their eyes? That’s what happens when I walk through the door) and checked out the flavors they had to offer. After chatting with the employee, I settled on tri-berry and lemon-lime.

Meri’s Nuun stash

I’m a big fan of the tri-berry and will be picking more of it up soon. You’ll notice in my picture that the tube’s gone. Yeah, used that all. Lemon-lime is decent but not my favorite. The watermelon was a gift from Victoria. Who gives tubes of Nuun as gifts? These running nerds, that’s who!

And friends, the watermelon is my favorite favorite (so good that it deserves two favorites)! Since my running store doesn’t have it in stock, I’m going to have to order more. I’m heading south to Florida soon and plan to use my Amphipod handheld bottle with Nuun during my runs down there. I’ll admit, I’m a bit nervous about hitting the pavement down there but I think that the Nuun will help keep me hydrated and balanced.

Vic

As I’m sure you already guessed, I’m a watermelon Nuun girl. I’m actually drinking a glass as I write this.

I first tried a few flavors from a mix pack. I expected to love the fruit punch flavor…you know, because I love fruit punch. Yeah. Not so much. I enjoyed the grape (it’s not purple, folks!) and was surprisingly wooed by tropical fruit. I don’t like tropical fruits, how can this be? The only thing I like about pineapples is chopping them up!

I was thrilled to find tubes of watermelon at my local running store. It was love at first sip.

You want to know more about Nuun? So did I.

According to the product info on the Nuun website, Nuun is packed with electrolytes, light flavor, no sugars or carbs, and is portable.

Nuun comes in tubes, 12 tabs are inside each tube. You drop one tab into a pint glass of cold water and watch it dance!!

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bOhR9p5Cq3k&w=480&h=360]

We three chicks are sold! And there are many more flavors to try. (But not lemon-lime. Thanks for taking that one for the team, Meri.)

But don’t worry, we still love our good, old water. It’s not going anywhere.

Have you tried Nuun? What flavor are you obsessed with? What flavors do you want to try? How do you hydrate?

Flying high

August 6, 2013 by vfreile

I am thrilled and honored to announce that I’m part of the flock.

That’s right, I learned last week that I will be part of the 2013-14 Oiselle running team. And I couldn’t be more excited to be amongst this group of inspiring and amazing women.

Meri actually introduced me to the brand earlier this year when she surprised me with an Oiselle 50/50 tee. It was love at first wear. (Thanks again darling!)

Oiselle is a Seattle-based running apparel company founded BY women and FOR women. The clothes are cute, comfy and fit wonderfully! (hello Winona tank and game day shorts, I am talking to you!)

When I started penning a wish list last spring, I came across Oiselle’s Voleé Team, a group of 150 women who run for the company. I looked to see who might be near me and met Jen, who lived around the corner from me until last month.

Jen’s talented, down-to-earth and an all-around amazing person. (Plus, she’s got the darn cutest 3-year-old on the planet! Hi Currie!) Like everyone I’ve met on the team, she’s also incredibly humble. (Jen’s on the elite team – Haute Voleé, which means “high flyer” in French.)

I love the brand and the women behind the brand. They are strong, inspiring, fierce, beautiful and incredible.

I am so honored to be calling Jen, my new(ish) friend Hollie and all of the other amazing women of Oiselle my teammates and sisters.

Plans are in the works to meet up with a few birds in the coming months. (Who else is running the New York City Marathon this fall? Rochester Marathon? Let me know!)

Thank you to the entire Oiselle team, for believing in me and welcoming me with open arms as one of 250 on the Oiselle Voleé team. I can’t wait for the day I race in my Oiselle singlet. Maybe I’ll be able to inspire others as the past team members have touched me.

Until then, Head Up, Wings Out.

Do you have any Oiselle apparel? What’s on your wish list? Tell us in the comments!

Your medals and Olympic gold

July 29, 2013 by vfreile

You all have some great bling!

Last week I shared my special medals with you and learned about your favorite awards! Several of you shared some pics and stories with me as well. Thank you! Here’s our community album;

KYLE

My favorite (thus far) is my first. I ran the St. Jude Half Marathon in 2011. It was a goal to complete a half before turning 30 – and beat it by a few days – and a milestone after fighting to lose weight.

Kyle blogs as Running Large

JENN

Here’s me wearing my favorite medal. It’s from the 2013 Florida Striders Memorial Day 5K in Orange Park, FL.

It’s really nothing amazing, medal-wise, but this was my first medal for my first 5K, and so it will always hold a special place in my heart.

Jenn blogs as Runs with Pugs

LISA

This is a picture of my husband and I at the Marine Corps Marathon 2012. This was his first marathon and my third. I love this one because well, 1) it’s just awesome! 2) we ran for an awesome charity – Team Fisher House and 3) I got to run with my husband for 26.2 miles and we never get to run together.

HEATHER G.

All my medals are from rowing. I think Vic and I have a few that we earned together. Similar theme to everyone else – it was my first. Also, the ONLY medal I got in college. Four years of HARD work rowing Division 1 and that medal (and a watch) are all I have to show for it! (Don’t worry; I’ve won a bunch since this one, all in rowing.)

The medal is from the Atlantic 10 conference championships in collegiate women’s rowing. On the back it says:

Rowing
Quad
2nd Place
2000

I’ve only recently started running and have yet to get a medal for it, but I’m working on it.

KARIEN

It is from the Nike We Run Jozi 10K race in 2012 – a race that took us through the township of Alexandra – one of the poorest townships in South Africa. I initially entered this race just to be a part of the experience ( it formed part of a series of races held simultaneously in 34 cities and 17 countries, with a total of 400 000 runners taking part), but I got so much more out of it. It touched my heart.

We ran past shanties and shacks, with the poorest of the poor lining the streets and cheering us on with all they had. Old ladies were dressed in their Sunday best for the occasion; little kids dressed in threads shrieked with delight as runners high-five’d them; and grey-haired old grandpa’s shook their heads at the passing spectacle. This the medal reminds me to count my blessings and celebrate life!

Karien blogs at Running the Race.

SUZAN

My first one, Suzan said of the September 2011 Jailbreak 5K race. I had no idea how good that thing would feel. I had only been running a few months and from that moment on, I was hooked.

Suzan blogs at Welcome to the Nuthouse

HEATHER B.

It was July 11, 2010 it was at Angels Stadium, The Big A in Anaheim it was called the MLB All-Star Game 5k.

I’m a life long Angels fan so getting to run through the stadium was awesome. The atmosphere was fun, I mentioned to a fellow runner that it was my first run, she told her friends and they were all super excited for me. AND my bestie drove up from San Diego to cheer me on.

Heather blogs at Heather in the Middle

MER

I’ll admit, one of the first things I look at when planning to do a race is whether it has a medal. No shame at all, that’s how I roll (not that a lack of medal dissuades me).

One of my favorites is from Philadelphia’s Broad Street 10-miler in 2013. I heard about this race when I was new to running and it was the first ever that I placed on my bucket list. There were many emotions as I ran that day and it easily ranked as one of my favorite races that I’ve done thus far.

Mer blogs at Scoot and you can find her on twitter too!

Look at my shiny new medal! Just kidding. This gold medal from the 2012 summer Olympics in London belongs to Jenn Suhr, who lives just outside Rochester, NY, and last fall came to visit the paper I work for to speak about her Olympic experience and thank us for our coverage. She graciously allowed reporters and editors to hold and pose with her medal. It’s really heavy, by the way.

Oh, and she congratulated me on running Chicago Marathon 2 days prior, telling me how incredible she thought that was. Did I mention Jenn Suhr is pretty darn awesome?

(Side note. I really look short in this pic. I’m not. Jenn is incredibly tall and lean!)

Have you ever run a race just for the medal? Did you ever dream of going to the Olympics, like Jenn? What sport was your dream sport? (me? Swimming!) Tell us in the comments.

Shiny happy medals

July 24, 2013 by vfreile

Some runners wear their medals with pride for days after the big race. Others toss them in a bag- or in the bin- never to be seen again.

I fall somewhere in the middle. I often wear my medal home from an event – a road race, regatta or (throwback) swim meet. But they all wind up in a shoebox or a basket a day or two later.

Meet the basket

Of course I have favorites – often because the bling is beautiful. But typically it’s because I loved the race.

Here are a few of my faves, and my reasons why.

Mardi Gras Half Marathon 2010

I ran the inaugural Rock ‘n’ Roll Mardi Gras half several years ago, which has since been renamed the Rock ‘n’ Roll New Orleans. I loved everything about this event, it was my second-ever half marathon and I was incredibly well-prepared. The course was beautiful, I ran solo and paced myself well, besting my previous PR by more than 7 minutes.

Love the beads!

Philadelphia Marathon 2010

The 26.2-course through the City of Brotherly Love was my first marathon, so this race will always hold a special place in my heart. Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter high-fived me as I crossed the finish line, moments before this bad boy was placed around my neck. Like the course, the medal did not disappoint either. Isn’t it pretty?

First is the best!

ScotiaBank Waterfront Toronto Half Marathon 2011

This race has my standing PR, and my heart. I felt like I flew as I ran along the northern edge of Lake Ontario on that crisp, fall day. Part of the course runs through downtown Toronto (and the CN Tower), much is along the waterfront, hence the name of the race. The year I ran, a 100-year-old man completed the full marathon course, held alongside the half. He was such an inspiration.

Nice medal, eh?

Random 5k 2012

The medal is tiny, but I earned it all by myself. I placed third in my age group at a small 5k race in Rochester, NY and received this medal. It was a surprise that definitely made me smile.

a teeny, tiny prize

My runDisney week of medals – 2013

I affectionately call this batch my runDisney Ultra. I raced 52.4 miles through Disney parks over an eight-day stretch in January. I ran the Goofy Challenge – that’s the half marathon through Walt Disney World on Saturday followed by the full marathon on Sunday. Then I flew to California, where I ran the Tinkerbell half marathon the following weekend. It was an incredible experience, which I tackled in memory of two local firefighters killed in the line of duty several weeks prior. Ironically, my third race was by far my fastest of the trio.

My runDisney Ultra stash

I have another medal that doubles as a bottle opener (so awesome!) and several with broken clasps. Meh. There’s even one I tried to dodge when I had a particularly cruddy race. And this fall, I hear I’ll be getting one made from a real horseshoe.

But I want to hear all about YOUR favorite medals!

Tell me all about your top bling in the comments below. What’s your favorite and why?

What races – and let’s face it, which medals – are on your wish list?

Please send along photo of your fave medal (wearing it or not) to scootadoot AT gmail.com and your reason why, and I will create a follow up post next week! Please also include your name and a link to your blog or twitter handle.

What an (Iron)woman!

July 16, 2013 by vfreile

Over the weekend, I watched a friend and colleague achieve an impressive long-term goal. Those of you who already follow me on twitter know my news: Jessica is a half-IRONWOMAN!

That’s right. Jessica set her sights on her goal and worked steadily toward the prize, which in this case was among one of the coolest, greenest medals I have seen in a long time.

Yes, those are bicycle gears. What an incredible medal!

For folks not familiar with Ironman and half-Ironman races, this was the Musselman. The triathlon includes a 1.2-mile swim in Seneca Lake, a 56-mile bike ride in the northern Finger Lakes and a half-marathon (run) in and around Geneva, New York.

I headed to Geneva Saturday afternoon and quickly met up with Jessica, who had headed to the race site one day earlier. Despite what she may say, she appeared to be pretty calm about her pending race the following morning.

At dinner that night, we learned that a local man, Michael Coyle of Irondequoit, died from injuries he suffered in a crash while racing the mini-Mussel, a sprint triathlon that was part of Musselman weekend. We were shocked. Race organizers announced the news and told everyone they would hold the Sunday race as scheduled.

I won’t give you a detailed rundown of Sunday — Jessica is going to share her thoughts with you all next week! Instead, I’m going to share a few high-lights and photos.

First: Here’s a cool Storify of tweets from race weekend! You might recognize my name — as a few of my tweets are in there.

The day was incredible. We arrived shortly after sunrise and were greeted to this stellar view:

Sunrise in Seneca Lake State Park

I managed to catch Jessica at each of her transitions. The swim to bike and the bike to run, and again at the end. Here’s my fave pic:

Jessica waves and smiles as she bolts from the water

I brought my phone charger and found a plug. As a result, I could tweet like a madwoman. And I did.

Saw and chatted with a few friends from Rochester as they cheered along others and volunteered.

I spent a good chunk of time lying by the lake. Ah. What a day.

What a view (and my legs look huge)

And I managed to snap a shot of the race winner Doug MacLean of Ithaca. He was impressive to watch (and fun to chat with later!). Congrats Doug!

Winner! Doug MacLean From Ithaca, Ny. Finished in 4:20 #musselman @musselmantri @GenevaNYFLX pic.twitter.com/1h32gl55PI

— Victoria Freile (@vfreile) July 14, 2013

I had a lot of down time while Jessica rode her bike so I volunteered in the food tent. One woman donated more than 1,000 HOMEMADE chocolate chip cookies for the athletes.

(Side note- Red Jacket Orchards‘ apple juice is incredible. Tri it. Haha, I’m funny.)

See? My shirt and pin.

I’ve never been thanked by so many people in my life. You are welcome. You are all the inspiration.

Check back to Scoot next week for a recap of Jessica’s race!

Have you ever considered or completed a triathlon? What entices you? What scares you? Tell us in the comments!

Recipe Box: Aunt Martha’s Strawberry Pie

July 7, 2013 by vfreile

I love strawberries. They are my favorite summer treat. Strawberry jam, strawberry scones, strawberries with cream, homemade strawberry ice cream, … the possibilities are endless!

My dear Aunt Martha makes an incredible summer berry pie. Heck, her desserts are amazing. PERIOD.

After I shared homemade pie pics earlier this summer, Aunt Martha encouraged me to also share her simple recipe, which we both regularly tweak. I should note, while it’s lighter than most pies, it’s definitely not considered low-fat. It’s a treat.

To make the graham cracker crust, combine one packet of crushed graham crackers with 3 Tbsp. sugar and 3 Tbsp. of melted butter. Firmly press mixture into 9-inch pie pan and BAKE at 350 degrees for 10 minutes.

Set aside to allow crust to cool.

Dice 1 quart of strawberries. Cut them small. For real. It takes longer, but it’s worth it.

Boil 1 cup of water, 2 Tbsp. cornstarch, 1 cup of sugar. Mix well. Once it’s clear, add one small box of strawberry jello mix. Let boil a few minutes. Move entire pot to the fridge.

While jello mixture cools in fridge for 10-15 minutes, place diced strawberries in the graham cracker shell.

Pour the jello mixture over the berries and spread it evenly without overflowing the sides of the crust. Move the pie back into the fridge to chill for at least 2 hours. I usually let it chill for 3-4 hours before I dig in.

The pie falls apart on me if I dig in too early. Doesn’t bother me since it all goes down the same. But if that’s something you care about, note that it will likely crumble if you don’t let it properly chill.

Serve with whipped topping. I use light cool whip, but any whipped topping will do.

Dig in and enjoy! Hope you all like this pie as much as we do!

What’s your favorite homemade summer treat?

ENERGYbits review and giveaway

July 2, 2013 by vfreile

I’ve been hearing about ENERGYbits for months, but I really wasn’t sure what to expect.

I knew the bits are 100% Spirulina algae – and a power food with more than 60% protein. In short, it means consumed ENERGYbits quickly turn to glucose after taken…. And as a result give you a steady stream of energy sans chemicals.

I knew they were completely natural – organic, vegan and gluten-free. All of which really appealed to me since so many seemingly healthy products add chemicals or sugar to the mix.

And I knew people raved about them.

Enter the ENERGYbits social media team, who were kind enough to provide me a sample to try and a second sample FOR ONE LUCKY READER! (More on that below.)

My sample tin contained enough bits for two tests.

ENERGYbits in my hot little hand

I decided to test two scenarios – a long run and at the start of a potentially long work day. After all, these would likely be two scenarios I’d be using said bits.

I tested both out last week, and I wasn’t disappointed.

A serving size of ENERGYbits is about 30 tabs. Each bit is a speck smaller than an Advil. They went down pretty easily for me when chased by water. I split them into two handfuls.

On the run
I swallowed a handful of bits at about 30 minutes before my long run last weekend, a hilly 6-miler in Mendon Ponds Park in suburban Rochester, NY. Since this was my first attempt in swallowing bits before exercising, I was a little concerned they might not stay down. (They did, for the record.)

I knew I’d need a little extra oomph as I ran Saturday since I tackled rolling hills with my running pal Traci and a large community running group. For me, it was the first week of my fall marathon training plan, hence the short mileage.

We headed off and I felt great. I was chatty, which as my running pals know, is a sure sign that I am feeling strong.

As we hit the halfway point of our route, I was still feeling fantastic! I was strong, steady and on a mission. I actually passed our group’s pacer twice. He politely reeled me back in with some wit and a smile.

Once finished, I was still feeling good. Yes, of course I felt like I ran 6 miles, but I felt as though I could keep running. Since the skies were about to open up, we drove back home. And the skies opened up moments later.

I had an abundance of energy though, so I ran errands!

On the job
I ate the bits at the start of what ended up being a rather long work day. I’d love to tell you I has super strength and laser-like focus all day, but I’d be fibbing. I DID however, not feel tired or interested in a second cup of coffee. I also didn’t snack all morning. I felt very full, which is not my norm.

Ask my colleagues, I’m a snacker.

So… score two for the bits.

A tin of bits, hanging on my keyboard

I was pleased with my test experiments and am definitely planning to buy more ENERGYbits. The lone drawback is the price. It’s $115 for a bag of 1,000 tabs. That said, that settles out at 33 servings of bits for about $3.50 per serving.

When I do the math it seems way more reasonable.

Plus, discount codes are aplenty. For a 10% discount, type BLOG into coupon box at checkout.

Still too rich for your blood? The company offers a sampling program. Just reach out to them via Twitter and tell them of your interests (and that the Scoot A Doot chicks sent you). Or send a note to Jonathan at jlevitt AT ENERGYbits.com and he’ll share the details.

The giveaway

One lucky reader will receive a sample tin of ENERGYbits. Just click on the Rafflecopter image below to enter.

Click the pic to enter

Scoot a Doot’s ENERGYbits giveaway begins 7/2/13 and ends 7/10/13 at midnight. Winner will need to provide their name, address and email to us so we may pass it along to ENERGYbits.

What do you eat for fuel before a long run? Have you ever tried eating algae? Tell us in the comments!

We are Family

June 27, 2013 by vfreile

My cousin Kristen and I are a decade apart. But as we grow older, we also grow closer.

Our mothers are sisters, and like Kristen and me there’s a large gap between them — 8 years. But as they aged, their bond has strengthened.

Kristen and I have much in common — our hair color, posture, body type and other family traits. Our love of Harry Potter, dark chocolate, hiking and good wine are also not to be forgotten.

But most importantly, we’re family. We share an unconditional love that sees one another through tears and laughter. I often describe Kristen and her brother Keith as my younger siblings rather than my lone first cousins.

Opening Christmas gifts with Kristen in 1989.

Hiking with Kristen in 2003.

With Keith and Kristen at my 2005 wedding. (I look tired.)

Kristen turns 21. Kristen, Keith and me toast with a legal drink (2009)

Hiking in 2011 with Keith’s wife Laura and Kristen

Cousins, 2013

We tease one another and confide in each other. We spar, we hug, we cook and eat (a lot) and we travel together. We share the good and bad, even when we feel alone.

After all, who else understands what it’s like to head to our grandparents’ house for Easter dinner where succotash and sliced ham are divvied with military-style precision? And who else comprehends a family throwdown mid-vacation that ends by baking bread then breaking bread?

And of course there’s the family tradition of stuffing the fridge to the gills, mainly with freshly-picked veggies from the garden.

We do.

Kristen was actually born while I celebrated my 11th birthday with friends at a roller rink. I was thrilled to share the day with her and even more excited to meet her several weeks later.

Last weekend, our family gathered in Bethlehem, PA to celebrate Kristen’s wedding. She married her best friend Erik and we welcomed him to our slice of insanity with open arms. Kristen was a stunning bride – confident, happy, gracious and glowing.

Aunt Martha, my mother Barbara, me and Kristen

We don’t see each other as often as we’d like. But when we do gather, we have a great time.

I feel so blessed to have such incredible, strong and loving women in my family. Sure, we all trip and make mistakes, but we learn from those errors. We evolve, we grow, we become who we are today.

What’s the last family gathering you attended? Are you like me, with a close family that lives far away? How do you cope?

Middle of the pack

June 20, 2013 by vfreile

Apparently, I’m pretty consistent.

I never would’ve predicted it, but at my last two 5k races I placed fourth in my age group, with an 8:26 pace. Both events were small, local fundraisers in Rochester, NY.

Teenage me would scoff at this pace. But adult me is pretty damn proud.

For years, I couldn’t drop under 27 minutes for a 5K race. I hovered just above, as the elusive 26 taunted me. I’m not a sprinter, but tend to hold my own as a distance runner, swimmer or rower.

So to find myself flirting with the edges of the winner’s circle is a bit exciting, and unexpected, especially for a self-proclaimed middle-of-the-pack runner like me.

My goal at the start of the summer was to beat my best previous 5K PR, 26:56, set last June at an evening 5k race that took us through random and unmarked athletic fields for the last mile. It was hot. And I know from experience that I don’t run my best in heat or humidity.

My best-ever 5K time is in the low 24s. But its been years – 18 years since that day. If my PR was a person, it could vote this fall.

My first summer race was on May 25 and produced perfect running weather. Temps were in the 40s when we set off and my legs felts great. With just 80 people running the course that morning, I finished with a sprint up a hill and smile on my face knowing I did my best.

I finished 26:10, fourth place in my age group. I was freezing, but thrilled. I reached my goal straight out of the gate.

On Sunday, I ran the 5K to Cure ALS, which started and ended at Frontier Field, home to Rochester’s minor league baseball team, The Rochester Red Wings.

Zipping by at mile 2

I wrote a detailed race recap on my work blog – But my race highlights included running my first mile under 8 minutes and rounding the bases on the baseball field before crossing the finish line, right behind home plate.

That’s me in the bright green skirt, about to round the last turn into the finish at Sunday’s 5k. (I passed the dude in the blue shirt, by the way!)

Of 650 runners, I again finished fourth in my age group, with a time of 26:11. This was extra special since the race was one day after I ran a 6-mile loop through suburban Rochester with the local women’s group, Rochester Moms in Motion.

I actually learned my place I went to check my time on the race website Monday morning. I had hoped to get my chip time, but one wasn’t listed. Instead I got a better surprise!

I’ve got one more 5K race planned for the summer before I move into marathon training mode. So who wants to guess how I’ll fare at my next 5k race on July 4? Will it be a hat trick?

Who else plans to run a race on July 4? Have your ever surprised yourself by running faster than expected at a race? Tell me in the comments!

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Author Archives: vfreile