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18 Miles, Canolis and Mean Old Ladies

The last couple of months I have been doing about two runs each week with my friend Julie, who is training for her first marathon this April. Although it's nice to have someone to run with, it also means that I have to coordinate my schedule with someone else. Today was our long run, but technically it was for last week...if that makes any sense. It's entirely possible that I'm not even typing coherent thoughts since I just ran 18 miles, so bear with me.

Anyway, we decided that a change of scenery would be nice and headed up to Chattanooga to run on the Riverfront. It was supposed to be 8 miles out and 8 mile back, with a little extra to make up the mileage. But did it work out like that? No, it did not. Of course not. I got lost and dealt with a few too many bridges and steps for my liking, but the best part is that now I'm done and I don't have to run anymore. Score. Time to drink copious amounts of hot chocolate and refuse to leave the couch.



I parked in Whole Foods up in Chattanooga because I figured people who can afford to buy organic groceries were less likely to steal my car. I know, I'm a stereotyping genius. Also a wise choice because once we were done we could go and spend a fortune on post-run food. I naturally gravitated toward the bakery section and started drooling at these bad boys:


I hope the cream filling in canolis has protein so I can justify it as recovery food. Anyway, while I was deciding what to get some mean old woman tried to convince us NOT to buy things from the bakery because it was just putting the calories back in that we burned off. Even after telling her that we had run for 18 miles, she was still tsk-ing at us.

Woman, DO NOT come between two very hungry runners and their baked goods. Seriously. I'm not the violent type but even I wanted to slap the lady. Apparently aggression toward geriatrics is frowned upon so I let it go.

I've got nothing left to do today but slowly consider the possibility of making dinner (slim to none unless ordering Papa John's is "making" anything) and having a little dream date with Mr. Don Draper:



People keep telling me his name is Jon Hamm but I am really not interested in the actual man, just the character. Tim gets pretty angry when we watch Mad Men and I call it the "Don Draper Show".

Do you watch Mad Men?
Yes! I love it and I'm really excited that it's coming back next month. Plus we can actually watch in on TV this season. In Hong Kong we had to wait until we could download it a few days after each episode aired. 

What is the ultimate post-run dessert?
In the summer it's ice cream, but lately I have been SO COLD after runs I can't handle it. In all honestly those canolis were only so-so. Usually it's just candy and hot chocolate all the way for me.   

Comments

  1. I can't wait for Mad Men to come back.
    Mmmm...that canoli looks too yummy.

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  2. I can't believe the nevre of that woman. I think after running 18 miles you can eat whatever you dang well please. I would have shoved a canoli up her, uh, canoli.

    It's like the time my sister and I ordered a 5 pack of fudge on Mackinac Island and some ladies told us we were crazy to eat it all. Why would we buy it otherwise - to NOT eat it? I hate judgey food people.

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  3. I'm thoroughly enjoying your aggression towards geriatrics.

    Awesome job on your run! I'd eat canolis even if I hadn't run. Those things look ridiculous.

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  4. What kind of jackhole tries to school people about their food choices at the grocery store? LAME.

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  5. King cake, all the way.
    BTW when we were in Boston last year I had canolis so good I had a dream about them the other day.

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  6. What the heck?! That woman has clearly never run 18 miles. What are you supposed to do? Work out and then NOT eat because of the fear of putting calories back in your body? Last time I checked, you needed calories to survive. I wish I was there to knock some sense into her.

    When Dean and I used to do our really long runs, we always went for vegan brunch after and had huge pancake platters!! We used to run really early so dessert would have been weird! I'd probably pick froyo though :)

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  7. I can't believe how out spoken strangers have become these days...even I would have kept my mouth shut. Besides, I save my outbursts for my blog. haha!

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  8. My favorite post-run dessert used to be a triple berry cupcake from a little shop in town but it went out of business. I haven't found a replacement yet.

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  9. ahhhh! love post LR desserts! a big huge cupcake for me! way to go on your LR :) p.s. i dont know if i could have held back with that lady. a full out fight may have taken place ;)

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  10. yeah um, i just ran 5 miles and was feeling all happy about a great start to the week, and your 18 miler popped up. SHAMED. you're fuckin' awesome. happy monday.

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  11. Great job on the run! You seem to have a knack for getting lost. :)

    Old people can be so cranky. I had an old lady at church yell at me repeatedly for letting myself go...when I was pregnant. Yeah.

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  12. Mad Men...I have never watched it...I think I should. I will look if it is on Netflix.

    Dessert...if I could eat some I think it would be Cinnamon rolls..WITH icing.

    Mean old ladies....booo hooo

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  13. Can I just say... I hate when people have to comment on other people's food choices?!? HOW is that necessary or, you know, beneficial to society??

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  14. i am cracking up at your car stealing comment! and that beeotch doesn't know what she's talking about! crazy people.

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  15. In the summer I love homemade sorbet! In the winter- I usually just have a glass of chocolate milk and a banana.

    And your first picture looks like you are in one beautiful place! I think I could lounge there ALL day!

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  16. Hot chocolate for the win!! In the summer I love making smoothies. :)

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  17. After I workout I tend to crave peanut butter, unsure why. My new combo is frozan bananas and pb.

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  18. So excited for Mad Men! It feels like I've been waiting forever!!
    I usually crave candy or chocolate after a long run. I have been big into Hot Tamales recently. Weird.

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  19. You are a better person than I am... I would have gotten the biggest cream pie I could find, and smashed it in her face just to see the reaction. (Or at least I'd like to think I would.) ;)

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  20. Ooh it was chilly here today so I can only imagine how cool it was in Chattanooga. Hope you had a nice run minus the steps and bridges!

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  21. I cannot imagine offering food advice to someone. I might comment that something looks good but other than that, NOT. And I am amazed that someone would tell you not to put back a few of the several hundred calories you just burned. Weird. And by the way, that cannoli looks great!

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  22. It's all I can do to pound a protein shake before I hit the shower. I'm usually frozen by the time I get home and eating is the last thing on my mind. Why I didn't think of hot chocolate before is beyond me. Frozen brain? Most likely.

    And what is up with that old lady?! I would think that tsk-ing people anywhere NEAR the baked goods section is uncalled for. I mean, aren't people usually there for a reason???

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  23. Sounds like a crazy lady.. Is she a runner?! You guys earned those canoli's and then some! I've never seen mad men but I have heard it is a fantastic show!

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  24. i guess i don't feel like i deserve a post run dessert, since my long runs are only about 5 miles...what is wrong with me? i gotta get some motivation to run LONG distances...help??

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  25. That is hilarious! I am actually shocked that someone would comment on your food in take. (no offense intended) but if that was said to a larger woman all hell would break loose and that lady would have been labeled a hater ;) Maybe off topic but I saw this cool picture in the Body rock contest that Christina won that was a photo of a super skinny girl and she had these sayings on her pic saying "why is it you can tell me to gain weight but I can't tell you to lose it" and such. I am not either of the two extremes....pretty average over here but I am always BLOWN away that people can think so negatively about one action but then do it to a different race, body type, sex and it's ok?!?!?!

    oh and I love canolis :) I would've told her to get me more :P lol

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  26. Great job on the miles!!! Never watched Mad Men but I've heard it's an awesome show.

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  28. How rude! After 18 miles I'm pretty sure you can eat just about anything and feel justified (at least I can). I'd have been pretty upset if anyone had tried to stop me too!

    And never seen Mad Men, but he is a delicious looking man ;-)

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  29. Nice fresh-off-the-grill cheeseburger, after a cup of coffee (I'm usually drained so I need the caffeine)...good choice on parking!

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  30. Oh man, I can't believe someone had the nerve to tsk you for eating after 18 miles - EIGHTEEN MILES - that's crazy awesome and I would probably have bought you the dang treat had I been the woman at the counter!!!! Screw her, but good job on keeping from punching her (ha!).

    18 miles - you're just incredible. I'm really really impressed. Really - that's awesome. Great job bloggy friend!

    I don't watch Mad Men - sorry!

    I love a milk shake after a long run in the summer - but there are sooo many calories - sigh!

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  31. People laugh at stereotyping but there is a reason for a certain stereotype to exist. So, smart move there, Vanessa.

    People need to just leave other people's diet choice alone. :) If I can run 13 miles, just let me eat. If I get fat, oh my stars .... the fat is going to be hanging off my rear end, so let it be my problem.

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  32. i can't believe that lady would say anything in the first place- none of her business

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  33. how rude!!! i love cannolis.

    and don draper... mmmmm.

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