Allie -- The Doofy Dog

Anne took Allie to Umstead Park today. Not a whole lot of people around, so she let her off the leash to roam the trails with her. Here are three videos that resulted from the trip. Very excellent.

Allie at Umstead I


Allie at Umstead II


Allie at Umstead III

A funny thing happened on the way to Webster Street

I've always hated running. Unless it was part of a baseball game or a basketball game when I was younger, I've never been much of a runner.

It's not like I'm in bad shape or anything. For the past few years, I could get out and run three miles without too much trouble. I always felt like that was a good amount, a solid distance for a "non-runner."

Two years ago, Anne ran a half-marathon. She tried for a while to get me to run it with her. Hey, I'd say, I'm not a runner. I'll go sit at the finish line and watch. And I did. She (and two of her friends) successfully ran a half-marathon.

I watched her train, and every weekend a progressively longer long run -- up to 10 miles the weekend before the race. Just the thought of running that much -- blegh. I'd rather kick myself in the stomach than run that much.

Then last year, Anne ran a FULL marathon. 26.2 miles. Yikes. She did it though. Months of training, and she finished on race day.

Now it's this year, and she's going to do the Raleigh half-marathon. So I was thinking about it. She did a full marathon. Surely, I can get my increasingly fatter ass up and train for a half-marathon right? And then I will keep myself from, well, getting increasingly fatter.

And I have been. Training began on August 10. Four days of running, two days of strength training and rest. What I've found is this is different than just waking up in the morning and running. I'm competing against myself now.

I played sports growing up, and if you talk to me for, oh, a few seconds, you'd know I'm a pretty competitive person. Now there's a goal. I get up in the morning and try to run three miles because I have to run four on Sunday. Then I get up and run three and a half because I have to run five miles on Sunday.

I actually look forward to running now, to pushing myself and trying to surpass what I'd been capable of before.

This past Sunday, I ran five miles straight without stopping. Well, OK, I had to stop for crosswalks since I live in a city now. But I didn't walk any of the five-mile distance. I'd never done that before, and completing the five-mile run showed me that, you know what, I really CAN do this.

I mean, I knew I could do it before, but just in that, "hey you can do anything you put your mind to!" way. Now, I actually can do it, because I've done a third of the distance. This is the end of week four of training, which will culminate with another five-mile run on Sunday. Then six miles, then a 5K, then seven miles, eight miles, a 10K, nine miles, 10 miles and race day.

The thought doesn't seem so daunting anymore, and I'm excited to do it. So there you go. I'm not sure I can call myself a "non-runner" anymore. I'm training for a half-marathon.

Who knew?

Cruelty-Free Eats in Raleigh

Not everyone is vegan or vegetarian, but we all pretty much know someone who is at this point. I'm sure anyone reading this knows Anne is vegan, and here are a few places we've found where she can get a good meal (read: not just a salad), and I can also eat very well.

From Anne's blog:

Cruelty-Free Eats in Raleigh

The South is known for pulled pork barbecue, buttered biscuits, and deep fried everything. Becoming vegan in the fried chicken mecca of the world, I was nervous and a little intimidated by the thought of finding food in restaurants that I could eat. But I have come to realize that the Triangle offers tons of vegan and vegetarian-friendly options, if you know where to look. Many locally owned restaurants take advantage of NC farmers and mold their menus around fresh, local produce. With a substitution here and there, I’ve found it easy and delicious to eat vegan in Raleigh. Here are my top three restaurant picks:

1. Lilly’s Pizza, Five Points.

Ask me what my last meal would be and I would respond without hesitation, “Lilly’s pizza.” I’ll admit, I’m a pizza fanatic despite my nixing of animal products. It’s the one food I could not get off my mind when I decided to become vegan. When I heard that Lilly’s offers veganrella (it’s just what it sounds like) as a topping option, my eyes welled up with joyful tears. Ever since, Lilly’s has been a staple in my diet. They offer an abundance of super fresh toppings for their pies, and their menu also features calzones, pastas, and salads. They even have a vegan stromboli, stuffed with grilled tofu. My boyfriend, a half-Italian boy from New Jersey (and a self-proclaimed pizza snob) swears Lilly’s has some of the best pizza he’s ever tasted. The hole-in-the-wall pizza place has been continually awarded “Best in the Triangle” by The Independent. One warning: If you aren’t in the mood for close quarters, yelling servers, and thick smoke from the kitchen, call ahead and order for pickup. The place is always jam-packed, no matter what time of the day. Despite the crowd, it’s a fun place to eat. The eclectic decor and showcase of art from local artists will always keep you entertained while dining. Just go!

2. Irregardless Cafe, W. Morgan St. by Charlie Goodnight’s

Irregardless has been a Raleigh cornerstone for vegetarians long before I was born. Actually, my dad used to take my mom on dates there when he was a student at N.C. State in the seventies. When Irregardless opened its doors in 1975, it was a vegetarian-only restaurant. Since then, the owners have altered the menu to include fare for meat eaters as well. But, locally grown fruits and vegetables are still at the heart of the Irregardless experience. The owners take a trip to Raleigh’s farmer’s market daily to pick out fresh produce. The menu changes often, but always includes at least two or three vegan entrees. I am completely hooked on the portobello polenta. The portobello is grilled to give it a smokey, meaty taste, and the polenta is so smooth, it almost melts in your mouth. My mom and I had our Thanksgiving dinner at Irregardless last year. As usual, they offered a satisfying vegan alternative to the traditional turkey dinner: stuffed butternut squash with a fresh cranberry salad. And the desserts! I always save room for dessert when I go. So far, I’ve tried the vegan chocolate cake, the fresh blueberry crisp, and a vegan peach tart - all of which have been surprisingly delicious to not have used milk or eggs. Tables are tight, but the restaurant features live music nightly. If you are in Raleigh, it’s a must visit.

3. Solomon’s Mediterranean, Celebration at Six Forks

Greek food, and most Mediterranean food in general, is usually vegetarian and vegan-friendly. And when I want Greek, I always go to Solomon’s. Brian took me here after noticing a portobello pita wrap on the menu that he thought I would love. The mushroom is sliced and lightly breaded, drizzled with a generous helping of a sweet and tangy balsamic dressing, and wrapped in a warm pita stuffed with lettuce and tomato. The wrap quickly became one of my favorite meals. And of course, no Greek restaurant would be complete without my favorite appetizer - homemade tahini hummus with warm pita bread and olives. Mm-mm good.

I’m always on the look out for new, vegan-friendly restaurants to try, so if you have any tips, please let me know!

Next on my list to try: The Flying Biscuit, Cameron Village. My friend Danielle tipped me off that this popular restaurant in Cameron Village offers a variety of vegan options, including Tofu’N’Tater salad. And for those who are meat eaters, TFB specializes in non stop breakfast, and interesting entrees like Coca-Cola glazed salmon.