Carb Loading

One of the best parts about training for a half marathon is getting to eat carbs and not feel quite so guilty about it!  I religiously participated in Weight Watchers for over a year not so long ago, and foods high in carbohydrates cost me so many points that I rarely ate them - cutting out pasta and pizza and breads was really hard for me, and in the end I only lost 10 pounds or so!  Now that I'm running on a regular basis and am beginning to run for longer distances, my body needs those carbs to finish my runs strong.  

This past Friday, Brent and I went on a double date with Will and Abby to eat at Maggiano's in downtown Houston.  It was so good-I can't remember the last time I ordered fettucini alfredo at a restaurant!  Abby took this picture of me and Brent before dinner-we were so happy to have an evening out on the town. Brent is already knee deep in summer classes and I'm trying my best to make it these last three days of school. We're already excited about "carb loading" again the night before the half marathon and talking about which restaurant we want to eat at.  Eating out is always a special treat for us.

Speaking of special treats, tonight Brent and I stayed in and made a homemade pizza together.  Okay, so it's a canned pizza crust and it's a little odd-shaped, but the reason this pizza is special is because it's the first time we've ever cooked with an ingredient fresh from my garden!  Buried under all that freshly grated mozzarella cheese and crumbled italian sausage are shredded basil leaves straight from a little basil plant sitting in a pot on my stairwell.  There's something fulfilling about eating what you grow yourself - this summer I think I'll see what other herbs I can grow in pots in our courtyard.


Three more days of school!  I better start thinking of that summer list of things to do!