Bear Water Run 20 Miler

It has been nearly a month since my last post and I blame marathon training for that (less eating out, more time spent running, more napping).  It's fitting then that my first post after the marathon training hiatus is a race review for my last big run before race day.

I've done the Bear Water 20 Miler twice before and both those times it was boiling hot and humid.  So I sighed the sigh of the doomed when I signed up a couple months ago.  But evidently God was smiling on we running folk today because it was fantastic running weather, mid-50s at the start, mid-60s by the time I finished.  If marathon day could feel like that or a touch cooler, I'd be thrilled.

The race is hosted by the White Bear Lake Lions Club to support their many charities and they do a wonderful, wonderful job. For a very reasonable price of $45 (or $50 on race day) you get a perfectly supported race, chip timed, enthusiastic volunteers, and a course that winds (twice) around White Bear Lake.  They host a 10 miler at the same time so the lucky 20 milers get to watch the 10 milers cross the finish and wander over for free 5 minute massages from a local chiropractor while they get to start their second lap.

The course itself is fairly hilly, with sizable stretches of flats between rolling hills.  I like that aspect of it because the Twin Cities Marathon is so flat, I feel like White Bear is a tough 20 miles and therefore, a good practice run for the later race. There are water stops every two miles and each is manned by high-fiving, supportive volunteers.  Several stops were manned by local high schoolers in various costumes. The 50s sock hop crew was my favorite, complete with girls in poodle skirts and a cool guy leaning against an old pickup, a pack of cigarettes rolled into his white t-shirt.

The typical bananas, bagels, and oranges are waiting at the finish, as well as an impressive swag bag considering how the race price.  I've been to many $75 half-marathons that give you a shirt and not much else.  For significantly less money (and a significantly longer distance) you get a shirt plus typical race swag bag doodahs.  And I'm a sucker for doodahs.  A water bottle? Seriously? Can I give you a hug? I love water bottles.

Any year I am nuts enough to sign up for the Twin Cities Marathon, I'll be at the Bear Water Run a few weeks before. It always feels like the kick-off to my last few weeks of training, and it was a great kick-off this year.

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Endless Summer Trail Series Lebanon Hills

As I train for the Twin Cities Marathon (gulp!), midweek mileage continues to be a struggle.  Committing to a weekend long run is no problem, I can carve that time out religiously.  But waking up early for 5 milers or begrudgingly tackling them after a long day at the office is tougher.  I do it, but I'm not happy about it sometimes.

Enter, the Endless Summer Trail Series 7 miler at Lebanon Hills. 6:30 p.m. on a Wednesday night, this "race" (quotes explained shortly) makes a loop around the park, rolling over moderate inclines and enough trail switches to keep you on your toes. It takes something truly special to make me excited to run 7 miles after work, and this race nailed it. Despite a delayed start due to parking issues (hopefully that gets sorted out next year), the crowd was happy and relaxed, no whining about that extra 15 minutes standing around.

This isn't for the uber-serious racer because it starts off with a good half mile of single track, causing an instant bottleneck. If that frustrates you, maybe pass on this one, or make sure you are leading the pack. As I'm very comfortable with my slower-than-average pace, bottlenecks are just a gentle way to warm up. Start, stop, run, jog, stop. Warming up.

Cheaper than most races (you get a cute little coffee mug instead of the do-I-really-need-another-tech-shirt tech shirt), supported locally by Rocksteady Running and TC Running, beer and pizza await you at the finish.  Sure, it's Dominoes, but if you're a snob at the finish line I probably don't want to be your friend anyway. It's a casual, friendly run with wonderful volunteers and organizers. I'll give an additional plug to the race director as he did me a wonderful favor when I accidentally signed up for the race twice (genius) and canceled the second transaction before it was processed.  Such is the benefit of a small-ish, local run. The community is warm and inviting and the organizers really want everyone to have a great time (and not accidentally pay twice for race entries). The small size also makes it a great race to do solo.  Instead of being swallowed whole by a throng of thousands, I chatted with a couple women on the trail and others at the finish. No pretension, no show-offs, just a great bunch of folks enjoying a beautiful summer night on the trails.

The fourth of the Endless Summer Trail Series, this was the only race in the series I did this year.  But my experience at Lebanon Hills pretty much guarantees I'll be signing up for the full series next summer.

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May Day Festival

It's fitting that the first sunny, spring-like, maybe-summer-really-will-come type of day was home to In the Heart of the Beast's May Day celebration at Powderhorn Park. The trees are still brown, the grass just fighting to turn green, but you could tell from the sheer numbers of festival-goers that nobody cared, as long as summer is officially on its way. 

Kicking off with a parade and ending at Powderhorn for the May Day ceremony, complete with welcoming the sun's journey across the lake, revelers oohed and aahed at the Heart of the Beast's puppetry creations. And I, more than once, regretted wearing just a boring outfit.  If ever there was a time to braid ribbons into my hair, paint rainbows on my cheeks, and wear a lime green tutu in public, this would have been my moment.  At least half of the crowd took their outfitting seriously, bursts of color and flowers bedecking every bit of space. Even if you're not the type to go all out and dress as your favorite animal, any festival-goer would appreciate the excess of people-watching opportunities. 

Several food trucks were in attendance, as well, adding to the state fair-esque choices of corn dogs and cotton candy.  Booths line the lake set up for various non-profits and left-leaning political movements (some of which I were unaware existed), highlighting, perhaps, the population most likely to attend the festivities.  But regardless of your spot on the political spectrum, there's joy to be found in sitting on a patch of grass and watching some puppetry in celebration of winter's end and summer's promised arrival. The theater's beautiful creations alone were reason enough to brave traffic for a view of the parade and/or a spot on the Powderhorn lawn. 

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Trail Mix Trail Races

This was my third time running the Trail Mix 25K. My first attempt, three years ago, goes down in history as the muddiest of my races, and the only one where I had to sit in my car for 10 minutes afterwards with the heated seat blasting before I stopped shaking long enough to drive home. Last year's race was significantly better, drier afoot, almost humid, and I crossed the finish in a tank top. 

This year, as evidenced by the photo, was its own bag of ridiculousness.  I've never run on trails with 4-6 inches of snow and I think there's a reason for that. It wears a body out! But the Trail Mix remains one of my favorite races in town and one I know I'll sign up for every year. Hosting three races with staggered times, a 50K, 25K, and 50K relay, runner traverse four, two, or one lap around the park, respectively.  And I use the word "traverse" because I did not personally do a heck of a lot of what would be considered running on my second lap.  A rolling course with few flat patches, one lap is a doozy of a workout without snow, much less with the added friction and instability of trails packed with the white stuff.  Short bursts of paved trail at the beginning and midway through the lap allow for a quick reprieve from the trail, which I think would bother me in a non-snowy race as I prefer 100% trail, but today I was thankful for brief breaks in the unsteady, exhausting snow slogging. 

The race is well-organized, especially given how cheap it is ($37 is a steal) and the organizers/volunteers are enthusiastic, trail-loving cheerleaders for all racers.  Three water/snack stops pepper each lap, with serving of trail mix (of course), bananas, flat coke (a race fave of mine), water, and gatorade and each stop. One thing I love about trail races is how genial everyone is, how supportive.  I routinely bring up the rear in this race and was passed often but the number of runners that call out a "good job" as they speed past me is encouraging.  Road runners just do not do that. 

If you're looking for a first foray into trail running, the 50K relay would be a great place to start. One lap, or 7.75 miles, is doable for anyone who has a 10K under their belt. Just keep in mind when you sign up that late April is clearly a crapshoot. Snow? Mud? Some combo of the two? Exciting!

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Polar Plunge

I state and restate my non-Minnesotan-ness.  It probably gets annoying.  But there are certain elements of my life Up North that true Northerners cannot appreciate the foreignness of to someone born South of the Mason-Dixon. Walking on, much less jumping in, frozen bodies of water is one of these activities.

Lakes do not freeze in Arkansas. And even if they did, nobody would organize a fundraiser requiring otherwise reasonable persons to jump into said body of water.

But this is something Northern folk appreciate and, for some odd reason, encourage.  After discussing my jump at a Super Bowl party, one of the fellow revelers commented that his family had a tradition of jumping into a frozen lake up North after their Thanksgiving meal. Arkansans nap on the couch like normal folk.

All of this is somewhat tongue-and-cheek, because I rather enjoyed my first, and possibly not last, Polar Plunge.  I could say that it was due to the good cause it supported, but while I'm thrilled my little team raised $2000 for the Special Olympics, I honestly got a kick out of it because it was just so crazy.

5 degrees outside and roughly 800 people, many of whom were costumed, ignored reason, stood at the edge of a hole cut into a frozen lake, and jumped, screaming like a girl regardless of gender.  5 or so seconds of agony was coupled with a primal, desperate need to get out of that water and onto dry (albeit snowy) land. And then we all ran to various hot tubs and oohed and aahed at the best damn hot tub ever created.

If and when I am talked into repeating this experience, I will whine like any true Southerner should.  But deep down, I'm embracing the crazy.

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Surly Trail Loppet Half-Marathon

It helps to balance out the ridiculous number of food-related entries with proof that I also do a good amount of running, right?  I wouldn't want anyone to think all I do is eat cupcakes.  Although, now that I think about it, that wouldn't really be a bad life.

Cupcakes would be an excellent addition to the already fantastic race sponsored by Surly in Theodore Wirth park.  This half-marathon was the first trail half I ever did two years ago and it was the race that opened my eyes to what has become my favorite form of exertion.  I just don't think there's a better feeling (in terms of exercise) than pounding down a leaf-strewn path, hopping over tree roots, and listening to your own breath with each swish of a tree branch. It's almost spiritual to me. And Surly does a great job supporting an awesome location for a trail race.  This year there was lefse (complete with butter, sugar, and cinnamon) pre-race and spectators and runners alike were rewarded with several Surly brews at the finish line.  I'm lucky enough to have someone in my life who is happy to clap at the finish regardless of the presence of beer, but I have a sneaking suspicion that the promise of a Surly keg (or two or three) may make cheering my slow self on a wee bit more enjoyable.  And I must say, a bit of Surly Hell (my new favorite) at the finish softens the aches and pains quite well.

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Taste of Greece Festival

I'm a sucker for any kind of festival.  You could pick any food/activity/nationality and throw in the word, "festival," and I would be gung-ho for the experience, regardless of any genuine interest (or lack thereof) in the subject.

Give me a festival involving copious amounts of delicious Greek food, however, and I will turn cartwheels of joy (figuratively speaking).

The Greek festival is hosted by St. Mary's Greek Orthodox Church in Minneapolis, a locale that I have run by a million times while on jaunts around Lake Calhoun but never ventured near.  On Irving between 34th and 35th Street, you could probably find it my aroma alone this weekend, with the distinctively delicious smells of gyro meat and feta and hot pita bread wafting around every corner.

Like any summertime festival (especially when the weather is this gorgeous), it's crowded and the line to order food is lengthy.  But the enthusiasm of the volunteers and the occasional, "opa!" forgive a lot of that wait time.  Part of the wait is due to the need to stand in separate lines to purchase food/wine tickets and the food itself.  I'm not a huge fan of the buy-food-tickets-and-then-buy-food concept, but I won't whine too much when the result is a happy one. Because the food really is delicious.  My mom and I split the chicken dinner and a large salad and then splurged on three desserts to share.  As we'd completed the Taste of Greece 5K minutes before, we figured we were entitled to a substantial amount of compensatory calories.  

And while the food was definitely the best part of the evening, there was also a great deal of other activities lined up to enjoy.  Live music, traditional Greek dress with explanations, a marketplace of pretty baubles and "Greek Girls Rock" tshirts, and wine tasting in the evening.

The festival runs all weekend and I can't think of a better way to enjoy the sunshine than with a big, fat gyro and a Mythos beer in hand.

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Minnesota State Fair Food

I came, I saw, I ate well. Is there really any other point to the fair besides eating? Are there other things to do and spend money on? Aside from a free show at the Leinie's bandstand, I spent the entirety of my visit test-driving curious, sometimes delicious, food inventions.  Details as follows:

This, my friends, is a hot dish on a stick. That's right. Because the hot dish itself was already a bastion of healthiness so we needed to batter and deep fry it to balance things out. This was my dad's purchase and as I never would have bought one of these myself, this is proof that it's best to go to the fair with at least four people. Four stomachs, four levels of curiosity, four wallets. The hot dish on a stick had a layering of meatball and tater tot and was battered in a pronto pup-esque batter and deep fried.  As if that wasn't enough gluttony, you dip this monstrosity in gravy. Heavens.  But honestly, it was pretty tasty. I'm glad I was only responsible for 1/4 of the damage, but I probably could have eaten the whole thing.

The Australian potatoes are a classic.  They've been around for several years and they're always near the entrance.  One serving was enough for four of us and we still threw a couple slices away.  There is no redeeming health value here, which means the product is absolutely delicious.  Slices of potato deep fried and smothered in cheese and ranch, it will sit heavily in your stomach for a week but we need that extra dose of grease for the winter months ahead, right?


The Pickle Dog was a surprise hit.  When I first heard of this concoction, I pictured a dill pickle battered and fried like a corndog (and I still think that would be an excellent idea).  But this is not battered or fried and probably winds up being one of the healthiest options at the fair. You have a pickle spear smeared with cream cheese and then that heaven is wrapped in pastrami.  That's right, it's just like those little ham-and-pickle appetizers everybody has had at every Super Bowl party North of Missouri. I would definitely get this again (and will probably be making these at home to bring for lunch).



The Risotto Poppers were another new food at the fair and my expectations were pretty high given their French Meadow pedigree.  These were a gluten free option, for those worried about such things, and it was good to know that all those poor people who have to avoid corndogs can have something yummy like this waiting for them.  The poppers were full of a black bean and rice mixture with a hint of spice and we dipped them in a creamy, somewhat tomato-y sauce.  They were a great companion for the wine smoothie (below).





Ah, my sweet favorite.  I had my first sweet corn ice cram last year with the maple bacon sauce.  This year, having already had our share of bacon with the bacon ice cream (maple ice cream with chunks of bacon...interesting...), we opted for the wild blueberry sauce and that introduced me to my new favorite fair food. The ice cream is topped with sugared, quasi-popped kernels of corn and the sweetness of the ice cream and the tartness of the blueberries was just unbeatable. I will always want this when I come to the fair. Always.




Hm. The lamb fries. Hm. We opted for the grilled version because I read a review that said the fried version was low on flavor.  Well. I wish we'd ignored that review.  The grilled version was high on flavor but it wasn't a flavor I was particularly fond of and the texture was difficult to get past.  Lamb "fries" are actually lamb testicles, and I expected to enjoy them because I had testicles a couple times when I lived in Morocco.  But after a handful of bites we tossed the rest and started desperately searching for beer (and thankfully the craft brew exhibit was nearby).

Following our craft beer stop (pretty cool exhibit and nice selection of flights) we wandered in the direction of ice cream and found the wine smoothie on the way, another new invention we'd had high hopes of trying.  This was delicious and I plan on trying to whip something like this up at home.  The smoothie was a mixture of wine, ice, a bit of sorbet, and raspberry puree, and it was the perfect chilled beverage for a warm summer evening.

I'm headed back to the fair this evening and am currently torn between a classic corn dog and a pork chop on a stick.  As this is a problem I face exactly once a year, I always forget how to make this very difficult, very important choice. Coins will be flipped, I imagine.

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Music in the Zoo

This was my second time venturing across the river for the Music in the Zoo and this time around I did said venturing having never heard of the bands playing.  But as is often the case where Minnesota music opportunities are concerned, I was super grateful that the chance arose despite my ignorance. Robert Randolph and the Family Band and their opener, JJ Grey and Mofro, were absolutely fan-friggin-tastic!

Having moved here from New Orleans, I am of the opinion that there's a certain need for humidity and a touch of heat for certain types of music.  If there's a pedal steel guitar involved, there really needs to be a cold beer somewhere nearby and a thin sheen of sweat on most foreheads. Minnesota can leave a bit to be desired on the humidity front most years (which native Minnesotans would disagree with but the bulk of Minnesotans have not spent ample years in Arkansas, Missouri, Virginia, and Louisiana).  But the last few weeks have been pleasantly sticky and last night as just humid enough to really feel like summer but not so humid that you just wanted to lay on the concrete and play dead.  And that was a very good thing, because the music last night was definitely fit for dancing.

The venue is wonderful, big enough to draw a crowd that can get raucous but small enough to feel intimate.  We had seats at the very top, which I definitely recommend.  As a person of painfully short stature, I am frequently plagued with the Tall-Guy-Right-In-Front-of-Me issue. But if you're up top, you can stand on the benches to your heart's content without worrying too much about blocking any views behind you.  It's the perfect spot for people who are 1) short or 2) itching to dance or 3) a bit of both.

Perfect summertime music in a perfect summertime venue.

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The Beer Dabbler at Highland Fest

If you're going to be sweating buckets in the sunshine, at least have the decency to be sipping something delicious while doing so.

The Beer Dabbler at Highland Fest introduced 49 breweries (most with multiple beer selections) to a crowd of sweaty, happy beer-lovers yesterday.  Advance tickets were available at a few area liquor stores and we managed to acquire ours at the Ale Jail and Wine Thief in St. Paul.  I'm sure they have their reasons, but why the insistence on paying in cash? Very 1987, I think. Time to get crackin' with the charge card. That minor annoyance aside, I'd never been to the Ale Jail and it definitely looks like a locale worth revisiting.  I poked at the wines (at the connected Wine Thief) longer than the beers and was impressed by their selection.  My being impressed probably doesn't mean a whole lot as I tend to go for wine with pretty labels, but I admire shops that ooze happiness with their product and a desire to teach.  I saw signs up for tastings, classes, etc., and that is what will bring me back.

Back to the Dabbler...

For $30 (in advance, $40 at the door), you received a handy dandy quarter pint glass (right? bigger than a shot glass?  less than half a pint?) and a map that listed all the breweries.  The booths themselves were shaded so it was a crowded mess at points as people took a break from the 95 degree heat to refill their glasses. One lesson we failed to pick up prior to attending: pretzel necklaces.  Genius.  Evidently everyone ELSE knew that the proper way to enjoy the dabbler was to make a necklace out of pretzels (and fruit loops and beef jerky, according to some pretty emotionally invested attenders).  Next time, we will be prepared.

There were some brewery inclusions that seemed a bit out of place.  Sam Admas? Such a small, up-and-comer, to be sure.  And I was surprised not to see any Surly representation given the plethora of local brews, but Surly has a well-established local following and may be focusing their attention elsewhere for good reason.  I was thrilled to see my dear Abita, my favorite beer while living in New Orleans, but sad to note they didn't bring any of their seasonal strawberry Harvest with them.  A girl gets lonely for certain things while living Up North, the least they could have done was visit with my favorite beer in hand.

That disappointment notwithstanding, the day was great.  I tossed out a couple tastings, which my companion noted probably gave someone license to attack me but luckily I avoided the Thou-Shalt-Not-Dump-Beer police.  We were given beads to hand to our favorite brewery for the coveted Lord Dabbler's Cup.  My friend's beads were given to the good people at Harriet Island Brewing, and I don't think he was very conflicted about it.  We tasted Harriet Island early on and it inspired enough affection to stay at #1 after several rounds of other yummy things, which says a lot of this local brewer. After tasting several I enjoyed, notably Cold Spring Brewery's John Henry 3 Lick Spiker Ale and Boom Island's Hoodoo, I handed over my beads to Third Street Brewhouse for their Lost Trout Brown Ale.  Having done a bit of reading about Third Street, I found out that they're actually a new craft beer brand owned by Cold Spring Brewery, home of the John Henry that so impressed me. So I suppose my tastebuds enjoy whatever is coming out of Cold Spring.

The winner this year of the Lord Dabbler's cup, however, was not either of our picks.  Stone Brewing Co., out of California, took home the cup and I don't even think I tried anything from their booth. *smacks forehead* Add one brewery to the shopping list, I suppose...

Shakespeare in St. Louis Park

Outdoor theater can be dicey.  It can be hot (as it was on Saturday). The mosquitoes can be brutal (as they were on Saturday).  And sometimes an open air venue is simply not the best environment for soft stage whispers and Shakespearean dialogue (not the case at all this Saturday).

I don't remember how I found out about this performance.  An invite on Facebook? A conversation overheard at the Guthrie? I don't know who to thank but I'm happy to have somewhat-stumbled on the opportunity to experience an excellent production of Romeo and Juliet at Wolfe Park in St. Louis Park, performed by The Public Company of Minnesota.

Minnesota has no shortage of fine actors/actresses.  With the U's fantastic fine arts program, the Guthrie's prowess, and the family of smaller, independently fantastic theaters smattered across the Twin Cities, I've been awestruck by how much talent is pooled in this not-huge city. But that being said, I still had low expectations for the production on Saturday.  It was free, it was in a small outdoor ampitheater in the suburbs, and I'd never heard of the Public Company.  But low expectations sometimes yield happy surprises, and the Public Company is a perfect example of that serendipity.

The young cast was articulate and thorough in their understanding of the dialogue.  There were no awkward stumblings over clumsy iambs, leaving the audience to assume that the actor had no clue what he was talking about.  The actors made the dialogue lively and understandable, and Mercutio and Romeo in particular were exceptional in their roles. Mercutio's Queen Mab speech has to be one of the most difficult monologues to perform, but even with a somewhat sparky microphone, Mercutio was able to deliver the speech as I believe it was intended: sarcastic, patronizing, and at its heart, foreshadowing.

The chemistry between Romeo and Juliet was believable, if not palpable. Romeo's love was easier to believe than the young Juliet's, but that's partly Shakespeare's fault. While I wish Juliet had been a smidge more engaging, I do think her portrayal was pitch perfect in terms of Juliet's wide-eyed innocence and final desperation.

A fantastic way to spend an evening, especially with a grassy lawn perfect for a couple of lawn chairs, bottles of wine, and a hearty picnic.  The show continues until July 22nd, so make sure to head over to St. Louis Park this weekend!

Summertime Free Stuff: Minnehaha Falls

A dear friend, Sandy, came to visit me this weekend.  Sandy and I met here in Minneapolis shortly after I moved to the Cities from New Orleans.  Sandy was a fellow Southerner and we bonded instantly.  She moved back home to Virginia a few years ago but we stay in touch via email and with excellent long weekend trips like this one.

Sandy requested a trip to Minnehaha Falls as it was a destination she failed to experience while living here.  I was 100% game in large part because I'd only been once before, which seemed rather embarassing for someone who'd lived here for five years.  We met up with another friend, Sharon, and ate some fish tacos (soon to be reviewed, promise), sweated a good deal, drank some beer, and wandered down the steps to the bridge below the waterfall for some pictures.

I had NO idea there was such a lovely walking path down there! I didn't even realize (before sitting down for lunch) that there were stairs.  Sandy and I wandered down the path (mostly dirt) with the creek running to our left and marveled at how fantastic a place this would be if you had kids (or, in the alternative, if you were just a person-who-likes-sitting-in-small-rivers-when-it's-hot-outside).  Scores of munchkins were splashing around at various points in the creek and making the most of a 95+ degree days in Minnesota.

Next time, I'll wear clothes I can wade around in, it seemed sad to just putz around on dry land.