Will Run 4 Tacos

If you’ve been following my blog for any amount of time, then you know that I have a slight taco obsession.

These ain’t yo mama’s tacos.

I like how they can taste so sinful, but be somewhat healthy* – lots of veggies and lean proteins.

*If you make smart menu choices.

By buddy and I about to fill our pie taco holes.

When I was training for the Dopey Challenge last year, tacos were often my reward for my back to back to back long runs.

On da left – Migas. On da right – Avocado.

A popular place around North Texas to run is called White Rock Lake.  You can get many miles in there.

9 miles around with plenty of connecting trails to add more mileage.

The best part though, is that around the lake are several taco joints!  Perfect for recovery treat right after a long run.

Marathon fuel.

Since I have experience with running on tacos, here’s my tips for the taco ordering.

Hey look, more tacos!

#1 – Avoid flour tortillas.  They ain’t good for you.  The white flour is bad for you.  The trans fats are bad for you.  I always ask for soft corn tortillas – which aren’t necessarily the best thing for you either, but it’s the better option.  Or you could always just eat the innards with a spork…like I’ve been known to do…

Rudy Rudy Rudy…

#2 – I don’t generally eat meaty things.  I pretty much stick to eggs and fish.  Luckily a lot of places offer breakfast tacos (served all day if you’re extra lucky – just ask).  And if you’re super duper lucky, fish tacos!

Mahi Mahi is goody goody.

#3 – And a lot of these tacos have plenty of veggies involved.  But I always drown mine in salsa regardless – more veggies!

I like my tacos like my women – spicy.

#4 – Enjoy.  It’s a special treat.  It’s a reward.  Savor it.

Veggie on the left – Ahi Tuna on the right.

I apologize in advance for making everyone hungry, as I’m sure I’ll hear about in the comments.  But I couldn’t help it.  I was thinking about this post as I was devouring the tacos in the following photo…

These poor guys weren’t long for this world.

Now, I would like to invite anyone reading this to join me for a run followed by tacos.  Just let me know when you’re coming to town!

Who accepts my invitation?  What’s your reward meal?  Who’s hungry now?

-Scott

PS. Looking back on this post, I think Torchy’s and I have a special relationship.  I’m fine with that.

20 Miles, Reflections, & Tacos

For my Disney Dopey Challenge Hal Higdon Training, the weekend called for runs of 5 miles on Saturday, and 15 on Sunday.  And that’s what I did, for a nice 20 mile weekend total!  The weather didn’t make it easy though.  I got running before sunrise both days, but that didn’t help much.  Saturday was around 80 with about 90% humidity.  Sunday was a little cooler – around 70, but with 90% humidity.  Both days I was a sweaty mess!  In fact, it was commented to me that it looked like I had jumped in the lake.  My clothes (and shoes) are still trying to dry.  After that, I felt I deserved a treat….TACOS!

Migas Taco from Torchy’s Tacos. Here’s 1 of about 4 that I ate!

For the Sunday run I met up with some peeps to run around White Rock Lake.  Some of them I knew, some I now know.  You get to know people when you spend a couple hours running together, you know?  And it definitely makes it easier to run these longer distances when you have people to do it with.  That’s one of the reasons I go to WRL to run.  It’s a 9 mile loop with TONS of other runners.  I always enjoy the head nods when you see people who are going the opposite direction as you, especially when you see the same people 2 or 3 times!

We also took a few little batman routes to get us some extra mileage.  I was thrilled when we finished one loop and were at 12 miles instead of 9.  I was thrilled for two reasons.  1) I only had 3 more to go to get to 15.  2) It was my one running friend’s 1st time going that far!  And we did it with a decent pace too!  Somewhere around 8:40 miles.

After the run, I went to a bench that I use to help me stretch.  Under the back side of the bench, kind of hidden, is this small plaque:

Like I said, I use this bench to help me stretch each time I run there.  And I have seen this plaque before, but this time I really looked at it.  “A place to go to think of a friend”  I wonder what exactly that means?  Is that something this Sabra Frazer said often?  Was this her spot to sit and think of friends?  Or is this where her loved ones come to think about her?

And who is this person?  What happened to her?  It says she died in 2003.  She was only 35.  Curious, I did a Google search.  I can’t find many details…except this:  It appears she ran in races.  Some of her race results popped up on pages like Athlinks.com.  But I can’t find much else about who she was, or what happened to her.  If anyone has any information about her, I’d love to hear it.  Please tell me if you know anything!

The bench that this plaque is under is curious in itself.  Instead of facing the lake, it is facing the trail where all the runners are.  Thousands of people go by this memorial every day.  I doubt not more than a handful have ever noticed it.

I’m guessing like many of us runners in the area, this is where she came to train.  I’m also guessing her family put this here so they can come and sit and watch all the runners and remember how she would run past this same spot so many times.  So I sat on the bench for a little while and did what the plaque says to do.  Yes, it is a very good place to go to think of a friend.