The Run Club

One of my good friends joined the LA Leggers running club two years ago and really enjoyed the commitment and community she found there. So, at the beginning of their new year (August 2010) I joined with her. Their goal is to train for the LA Marathon, which I did last year, and wasn't considering doing again this year, but I thought it would be great to have a community of runners and to be held accountable for getting faster and doing some long runs for no good reason. I was comfortable running long distances at a 9:30 to 10 minute mile pace, but I also knew I wanted to be faster. I can run 5-6 miles at an 8 minute a mile pace, but my goal is to do a marathon under 4 hours and that's just not going to cut it. So, I joined the 9 minute mile pace group. And I quickly found out they run some of their miles sub 8 minute! And it feels great and painful at the same time (masochism, I guess that's a running thing?). The beginning was pretty easy, a few 5, 6 and 7 milers every Saturday morning. I have to admit It was nice to get the long runs out of the way and have the whole rest of the weekend to relax and not worry about fitting it in.

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Winter Fruit Salad with Zabaione

Fruit salads are usually reserved for those hot summer days when you don't want to turn the oven on to bake something. But I found that January is also a perfect time to re-visit the fruit salad. It's fast, no-cook and a healthy dessert with which to start the New Year.

This recipe came to me out of the need to bring a dish to my monthly book club meeting. This month I thought this salad would be the perfect contribution for a fulfilling and healthy dessert, because I was sure we had all been depriving ourselves since the New Year began a few weeks ago.

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Friday: Moving Day

So, I knew blogging would not be easy, and it would invariably take up a bit of time. but what I didn't know was exactly how long my motivation would last. I was determined to write a post on something design related by Wednesday (two days ago), obviously that did not happen. It seems a little more difficult to write a blog on design. Why is it so much easier for me to write about running than on what I do day in and day out? I finally came to the recognition that I was fearful of other designers and creative types judging me, criticizing me. Running is just a hobby, I am not aiming at being the best, it wouldn't be possible. I am fine with that. But design, that's my bread and butter. Here I feel like I might I might actually have something to lose. What if people find out I know nothing about design or even worse, have poor taste? Then what? What am I to do? How will I pay my rent?

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Music Monday

I am so excited to present to you my first Music Monday post. So, I will start with a little music background for you, so you know what to expect and where I am coming from. Music is such a huge part of my life. There are very seldom days when I don't have a pair of headphones in my ears. Luckily for me, I have a job that allows me to be able to listen to music as I work. So I literally can listen to music 24/7, beginning when I wake up to KCRW's Morning Becomes Eclectic with Jason Bentley, to my iTunes at my desk, then out the door with my Shuffle on my run and in the car to work.

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A Running Mission Statement

I often get asked by non-runners, among others, why I run. I find that lately it's been a pretty standard, monotonous response. Something like, "I started about 10 years ago to lose weight and get in shape. Now, I run to stay in shape and explore the outdoors. It's really become an addiction. A sort of meditation and self-therapy."

So, I thought I would write my second blog post on this idea of a mission statement to running and expand on these ideas of what running means to me.

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