The Running Barista

My evening in photos: 1. Grilled steak and made chimichurri to...

Thu, 13 Jun 2013 23:50:27 -0400

My evening in photos:

1. Grilled steak and made chimichurri to go with it. I grew up eating the stuff in Honduras and I haven’t had it in 10+ years. So I decided to make some for dinner tonight and it was amazing. Now my breath reeks of garlic. If you want the recipe, let me know.

2. I’ve been experimenting with coffee drinks from other parts of the world. Tonight I made some cafe bonbon, a Spanish concoction that consists of 1 ounce espresso and 1 ounce sweetened condensed milk. It is a sweet, delicious, and highly caloric treat!

3. I have also been busy perfecting my tulip pours which I find to be the most difficult of all basic latte art shapes. The shot of espresso has to be pulled just right and the milk has to be texturized perfectly or it won’t happen. I’m definitely getting better.

Not pictured: my awesome 3 mile run after work. The crazy storms passed earlier than expected and brought with them cooler temperatures (which we all know are better for running). And I discovered a tree loaded with berries on my route which is very convenient. Because who needs gels when you can snack on berries, right?

Bike Ride - Part 2

Thu, 13 Jun 2013 00:19:44 -0400

After this morning’s failed attempt at an early morning bike ride, I took my bike to one of the...

3 miles into my morning bike ride the rear tire popped. So there...

Wed, 12 Jun 2013 07:42:05 -0400

3 miles into my morning bike ride the rear tire popped. So there went my morning workout…

This Weekend in Bullet Points

Mon, 10 Jun 2013 09:29:20 -0400

This weekend was awesome because: I went running with Milo. I went shooting with a friend. Tons of...

Went to a shooting range in West Virginia today to do manly...

Sat, 08 Jun 2013 20:19:38 -0400

Went to a shooting range in West Virginia today to do manly shit. Shot at stuff and blew up some explosive targets.

Ah, I missed shooting!

This has been happening non-stop in Virginia for the past 2 days...

Fri, 07 Jun 2013 15:23:18 -0400

This has been happening non-stop in Virginia for the past 2 days and I’m sick of it. If it hasn’t stopped by tomorrow morning, Milo and I will just have to run in the rain.

Make it stop!

When the going gets tough, I need to keep this in mind.

Fri, 07 Jun 2013 10:27:09 -0400

When the going gets tough, I need to keep this in mind.

These tulips keep getting better and better!

Fri, 07 Jun 2013 00:30:13 -0400

These tulips keep getting better and better!

2.5 early morning miles with Milo.

Thu, 06 Jun 2013 07:30:22 -0400

2.5 early morning miles with Milo.

And a cappuccino after lunch.

Tue, 04 Jun 2013 13:00:33 -0400

And a cappuccino after lunch.

Breakfast of champions!

Tue, 04 Jun 2013 09:10:58 -0400

Breakfast of champions!

Whole wheat cottage loaves fresh out of the oven. So good!

Sun, 02 Jun 2013 22:59:41 -0400

Whole wheat cottage loaves fresh out of the oven.

So good!

So according to the US State Department, Honduras is the most dangerous country in the world. And my...

Sun, 02 Jun 2013 21:46:39 -0400

So according to the US State Department, Honduras is the most dangerous country in the world. And my...

I stepped on the scale today...

Sun, 02 Jun 2013 17:07:32 -0400

And was astonished to see the display read 174.00 lbs. Three weeks ago I was at 178.8. A difference...

As it turns out, Harrisonburg is the country’s cycling capital....

Sat, 01 Jun 2013 21:25:31 -0400

As it turns out, Harrisonburg is the country’s cycling capital. Or at least that’s what people around here keep telling me. And after a couple rides around here I can totally see why people love cycling so much in the area. There are tons of country roads like these with little to no traffic. Terrain is quite varied, which keeps things interesting. And the views are gorgeous. How else could you explain the fact that there are 3 bike shops in Harrisonburg, which has a population of only 35,000?

So today I went a few miles out of town to a teeny-tiny town called Keezletown (I swear I didn’t make that up) for a 17 mile loop as suggested on one of the local cycling websites. I kind of wished that they showed the elevation change profile like runkeeper does because there were a couple of hill that I thought were going to kill me. Talk about a deep burn in the thighs. Ugh. I survived, though. And I’m also realizing 17 - 18 miles is the limit my ass has for the seat. I don’t know if I’ll get used to it or if I need to get shorts with better padding…

So total for today: 17.25 miles at an average speed of 14.4 MPH in 1:11. Max speed: 33.5 MPH downhill (which is quite fun).

Definitely a good way to start June.

Amazing day for a bike ride in Harrisonburg’s virtually deserted...

Fri, 31 May 2013 20:39:48 -0400

Amazing day for a bike ride in Harrisonburg’s virtually deserted country roads. Sunny, light breeze, and 80’s.

13 miles at an average pace of 14.5 mph. Max speed: 31 mph (downhill, of course).

My legs are wobbly from all those hills!

Everyone: meet my new niece!

Sun, 26 May 2013 16:06:55 -0400

Everyone: meet my new niece!

This is a photo of the lethal storm that swept through...

Fri, 24 May 2013 13:50:46 -0400

This is a photo of the lethal storm that swept through Harrisonburg yesterday. Lethal because it killed my hopes for a nice, long, bike ride.

Five miles into an awesome ride it started pouring and we had to seek shelter underneath the roof of an abandoned gas station. By the time the rain passed it was way too dark to bike and had someone pick us up.

And this has been the case almost every day this week. Torrential downpours right as I am going out to run/bike. So annoying. I guess I have to start getting my workouts done in the mornings from now on.

This is what 2 scoops looks like in Harrisonburg.

Tue, 21 May 2013 21:45:58 -0400

This is what 2 scoops looks like in Harrisonburg.

Just because I’ve been too busy to post lately doesn’t mean I...

Mon, 20 May 2013 23:22:53 -0400

Just because I’ve been too busy to post lately doesn’t mean I haven’t been working out. In fact, these past two weeks have been amazing compared to the virtually non-existent fitness regimen of my past couple of months.

I’ve been running and biking consistently and the results are already manifesting themselves on the scale: 2 lbs of flab gone! My clothes are also fitting a little more loosely and I feel much, much better about myself. My speed and endurance still suck, though.

Last year, when my marathon training was in full force, running at 8:00 min/mile pace for 10 miles was a breeze. This afternoon, I did 3 miles at 10:00 min/mile. So starting this week, I am re-introducing my favorite speed-building and fat-scorching workout of all: Interval Training!

This summer I plan to run a half-marathon somewhere. Possibly VA Beach. And I’ll be damned if I don’t PR. It’s time to kick some ass!