I think I’m transforming into a Beach Bum.
I’ve probably alluded to this before, but lately many of our Saturday outings are dictated by the menu at Uncle Funz, a St. Pete Beach mainstay that serves a fabulous, rotating weekly menu of sandwiches, spreads, and salads. They are truly top notch, people. If the menu’s popping, we’re heading to the beach that day, no holds barred.
Honestly, I’m starting to love digging my toes in the sand and wading into the sub-75 degree water. Our spring has proven just perfect: what I think summer should be, but never is, and I’m allowing myself a bit of a preview before the sweltering season actually hits by enjoying activities most people take part in from June to Labor Day.
We passed our Saturday, thus, across the bridge. I started with a quick toasted coconut latte at Grove – though I did send the first one back because they made it in a to-go cup and I SPECIFICALLY asked for a mug, and then they got prissy about it – then we drove out to Sunset Beach, a much quieter little nook, to munch our sandwiches.
We spread our towels and munched our sandwiches, a Dr. Pepper pork for J and roasted ham pimento for me, under a clear sunny sky and a light breeze. Of course, the only dickweeds on the beach blaring their stereos parked themselves right by us, but whatever. Still a peaceful and beautiful day.
My week otherwise was pretty ordinary. On Monday I did wander to Willa’s to try their April flavor, lavender cardamom, and it was really lovely and cozy. I kind of dig lavender in hot drinks, I think it truly does have a calming effect? If ya’ll enjoy lavender I have an assload of dried lavender flowers that I can infuse into drinks and foods for you to try out? What do you think?!
Actually, there’s a recipe I might redo in the coming weeks if I’ve got time. I don’t like the old photos much and think I can do better. Hmm…
Speaking of, one of my goals this year is to reimagine recipes from before 2023 (and maybe some after if I’m not fully pleased with them in hindsight) and make them more approachable and better plated. I do have some concepts from The Old Days that I really liked but were the victims of me having no idea how to operate my camera in my lighting conditions. And the victims of me overcomplicating shit for no reason. One of my favorite recent redos was my One Skillet Apple Cider Glazed Salmon and Butternut Squash Pilaf. The OG version was from 2020, when FMG was just a fledgling derp site!
Awww, they grow up so fast.
Running this week was good, albeit slow. I’m trying to remind myself that I only started truly rebuilding my mileage a few weeks ago after a helter-skelter start to the offseason, what with my knee and other marathon recovery protocols. Plus, allergens are still absurd. Spring training never feels great and my paces are going to be compromised for awhile.
It’s so humbling, though, that a few months ago I ran 22 miles at a sub-11 pace, and this past weekend I bumbled through an 11 miler at an 11:28! The body is an odd contraption. I know, though, that this old fitness will come back. Just today I ran a lactate threshold workout that gave me a peep of my old self, and I’m hopeful I can build off that and find some more speed in the coming months.
So much good food consumed this week, so here’s a gallery of my eats! Steak frites with chimichurri (that chimichurri needs to appear in future recipes. Filed away in the mental cabinet!), crockpot seafood boil, a comfy midday zucchini bread (recipe in the next couple weeks!) and hot chocolate, and a gooey avocado grilled cheese for National Grilled Cheese Day.
Alright, gonna let you go for now. Hope you had a great week, talk next Monday!
The Fuck We Cooking This Week?
…A crispy skillet salmon dinner.
…A fresh Derby Day cocktail.
…A sweet and salty ice cream.
…The most fun and colorful sugar cookies.
A Few Things I’m Digging
Shelves…Ya’ll, I bought this set of under-vanity storage shelves and honestly I walk into my bathroom and pop open the cabinet doors just so I can stare at them. It’s amazing how big a difference such a small tweak can make!
Electrolytes…These Magna magnesium-based electrolyte packets are delicious. I use electrolyte tablets practically every day during work and, while pricy, I might pick up a box for quick pre-run slurping since you don’t have to wait for an effervescent tab to dissolve. So far I’ve sampled the Blue Ice and Lemon Lime flavors, and both are fantastic.
Notable Food Holidays
Tuesday, April 14…National Pecan Day (Brown Butter Pecan Chocolate Chip Cookies sound like a good idea!)
Saturday, April 18…Animal Crackers’ Birthday
Sunday, April 19…Garlic Day (Buttery Garlic Parmesan Dinner Rolls, anyone?)
This Week’s Menu
Meatless Monday…Herb Roasted Cherry Tomato Pesto Pizza
Taco Tuesday…Crispy Salsa Verde Jackfruit Tacos
Wednesday…One Skillet Lemon White Wine Shrimp and Orzo
Thursday…One Skillet Crispy Salmon and Asparagus with Lemon Risotto
Friday Happy Hour…Frozen Coconut Lemonade
Saturday Baking…Rainbow Funfetti Cupcakes
Sunday snack…Spring Beet Hummus Crudité Platter
Five Sunny Springtime Lemon Recipes
1. Toasted Coconut Lemon Layer Cake
4. Baked Triple Lemon Doughnuts
5. One Skillet Creamy Lemon Butter Salmon Piccata
Shops & Wish List
Etsy…Eyeing a few prints for my bathroom and, probably, my bedroom too once I start fishing through there. Thinking this cherry blossom garden print, sailboat, or pastel scene for the former and this cute watercolor bookstore for the latter.
Target…Ahhhh a strawberry mug! Really pining after that dude since I’ve been on the hunt for a strawberry mug for fucking ages! Also adore this tomato mug.
Week in Training
Monday, 4.6: 8.41 miles, 9:52 pace + 25 minute upper body & PT
YAY SPEEDWORK! It was a warm morning, about 70 or 71 with a 69 dew point, and I don’t think I was quite ready for that smack of heat. Nonetheless, my workout went fine (albeit way harder than a few months ago) and my knee felt great. 2 mile warmup, then 7 x 800m at half marathon pace with 75 second recovery. Splits were 8:18, 8:15, 8:15, 8:15, 8:10, 8:17, and 8:06. 2 mile cooldown. A good starting point for my training especially in this base phase.
Strength:
- 2 x 8/1 x 7 shoulder press 20#
- 3 x 12 triceps pushdown 24#
- 3 x 8 row 35#
- 3 x 12 triceps extension 25#
- 2 x 15 ea. single leg squat
- 3 x 8 ea. split squat 10#
- 1 minute plank
Tuesday, 4.7: 4.5 miles, 11:17 pace + 26 minute upper body & PT
I fucked up my upper back somehow yesterday, probably doing rows, and wow was it smarting today. Perhaps pinched a nerve or just wrangled a muscle the wrong way. Thankfully it didn’t much bother me during my run or my gym session. What DID bother me during the former, though, was the wind! 25+ mph gusts. Woowee.
Strength:
- 2 x 8/1 x 6 biceps curl 20#
- 3 x 10 chest press 25#
- 3 x 10 narrow press 20#
- 3 x 12 narrow lat pulldown 50#
- 4 x 8 ea. leg extension 40#
- 2 x 15 ea. banded lunge hydrants
- 2 x 20 ea. banded standing hydrants
Wednesday, 4.8: 8.1 miles, 11:05 pace + 23 minute mobility & PT
5 miles -> 5 x 100m stride -> 2 miles. A workout but not a workout. Hit a 6:05 max pace which isn’t bad for the wind, some 20+ mph gusts and 10+ mph sustained, and for the prolonged warmup. Until I’m ready to add workouts twice a week I think I’ll stick with a stride day to get my turnover back and work on my running economy. Knee was great today, too!
Thursday, 4.9: 60 minute elliptical intervals + 32 minute leg day
Fun workout this morning! Ramped up my tempo intervals for 3 x 8 minutes, with 1 minute recovery. Hit a good heart rate and felt the effort throughout.
Strength:
- 2 x 8/2 x 12 rea. leg press 90/80#
- 3 x 12 plie squat 50# SS 8 low narrow squat 25#
- 3 x 12 ea. single leg deadlift 25#
- 3 x 12 deadlift 80#
- 3 x 6 ea. banded single leg squat 15#
- 2 x 20 ea. banded standing hydrant
Friday, 4.10: 6.55 miles, 11:32 pace + 27 minute full body
Windy morning but cool, my legs felt heavy but overall a nice trot!
Strength:
- 3 x 6 thruster 20#
- 3 x 8 ea. single leg deadlift row 20#
- 3 x 8 front raise 25#
- 4 x 8 alt. curtsy lunge press 15#
- 2 x 12 ea. reverse lunge curl 10#
- 4 x 20 calf raise 70#
- :35 ea. Copenhagen plank
- 50 crunches
Saturday, 4.11: 11.01 miles, 11:28 pace
Very slow, annoyingly so, but a nice run overall. Took a Honeystinger gel 2.5 miles in and felt pretty smooth the rest of the way!
Sunday, 4.12: 25 minute elliptical
Total running mileage: 38.6
