Austin Adventures

Two weeks ago, we took an impromptu, 48-hour vacation to Austin. Since moving to Texas two years ago, we’ve only seen a handful of cities in our new state. We decided to explore Austin before I headed back to school.

Brook was a bit concerned we’d forget to pack her (like when we went to Lubbock), so she was sure to pack herself into the wagon.

I love road trips, especially when the whole family is involved and T-Hubs drives the entire way. My favorites are coordinating the snacks, taking all the pictures, and choosing the audio books. The lack of A/C this time around was a bit of a downer, so we were thankful our trip was a few short hours.

Sleepy pup!

1. The Hotel

We stayed at Hotel Van Zandt, a Kimpton hotel, and couldn’t have loved it more! Did I mention that it was dog friendly at no additional charge? Brook wasn’t sure what to think of being on the 9th floor, but she definitely loved the bed! Our good-looking dog fit right in at this fashionable and chic hotel.

Hotel highlights included:

• Social hour — free drinks!
• Coffee hour — all the coffee options and little muffins
• Great lighting
• Our hotel restaurant breakfast
• The fabulous service we received every time we went in or out — it reminded me of Disney hospitality!
• The workout room
• Courtesy bikes for riding around the city
• An amazing rooftop pool that we only got to look at, thanks to the rain (next time!)

Hotel bummers:

• No free breakfast (I packed oatmeal for Ty and chia seeds for me)
• An unwelcome and surprisingly overnight parking fee
• Nothing else!

Record player playin’ tunes

Bikes for riding!

Zoom in to see the material on these chandeliers!

Social hour day 1

Hotel restaurant

Elevator rides

Someone liked the shower 🙂

Social hour day 2

Loved this wall decor!

2. The Workouts

It was pouring when we woke up Monday morning, and my dream of two laps — 20 miles total — around the Lady Bird Trail was looking more and more unrealistic. And our hotel bed was looking more and more comfortable by the minute! We braved the elements to let Brook out, made a game plan while we drank our coffee, and then hit the gym to set our plan in motion. Ty ran alongside me for ten “dreadmill” miles, and then we hit up the rainy and muddy Lady Bird for “lap two.” He rode a hotel bike while I ran Brook, and we had a blast once we just embraced the fact that we were going to be wet! 🙂 The rain let up for about half the time, and we only got soaked on the last few miles. We both loved the fact that it wasn’t 100+ degrees for the first time in over two weeks.

The second morning, I hit the workout room for an indoor recovery ride. 40 minutes of spinning and some good stretching later, my legs felt incredibly better!

 

Treadmill running with my date!

Hydrating on the run!

Ty’s hot ride!

On the Lady Bird Trail!

Beautiful Austin in the background!

3. The Food

As mentioned earlier, our hotel didn’t include a complimentary breakfast. With a scheduled twenty-mile run, you can bet that I also had some creative breakfast plans. I simply packed instant oatmeal for Tyler and chia seeds for me. I bought one large cup of milk from the hotel cafe and split it between my two mornings. I soaked my chia seeds overnight and kept my pudding cold in our mini fridge.

Where we ate:

• Frank’s — the perfect hot food after a 20-mile run and a rainy walk through downtown
• Via 313 — some of the best GF pizza I’ve ever had. Pricy, considering it was from a food truck, but amazing nonetheless!
• Our hotel restaurant — we chose to try out their breakfast menu, and it was sublime!
• Guero’s Taco Bar — the best LEGIT Mexican food I’ve had in Texas yet!

Nosy Weim wants my breakfast!

Gluten-free Pizza from a food truck?

The best thick crust I’ve ever had!

Loaded chili cheese waffle fries from Frank’s! Get in my belly!

Quite a unique menu!

My hotel breakfast! Those potatoes were especially amazing!

Ty choose the french toast!

Tamales from Guero’s!

4. The Sights

• Lady Bird Trail — can’t wait to go back and run this again when it’s not raining. I loved seeing so much of the city, and the lakefront view did my soul good!
• 6th street walking, shopping, exploring, and coffee drinking!
• Congress Ave driving — we glimpsed the State Capitol from the car (darn rain!)
• Congress Ave Bridge bat watching — 1.5 million bats live around this bridge and at dusk they wake up to feed. It was a cloudy evening, but we still loved this!
• Lake Bonnell — beautiful view of the city!

Seen on 6th Street

Capitol drive by!

View from Congress Ave bridge

 

Waiting for the bats!

Bat crowd!

Steps up to Mt. Bonnell

Too many steps after 20 miles! 😉

Storm is a’comin’

Beautiful Brook on Mt. Bonnell!

The houses on the water were gorgeous!

 

The whole fam damily!

While the weather certainly was a disappointment, we simply embraced the rain and then enjoyed relaxing in our lovely hotel. We can’t wait to go back again!

Have you been to Austin? What are your favorite places to visit there?
Do you run when you travel? Where are you favorite places to run?

My First Friday Faves

Hi, friends!

I’ve decided to try something new on the blog: Friday Favorites!

This will give you a glimpse into all things training, life with a Weim, and what we’re collectively excited about over here at Brook’s house!

#1 Lady Bird Running Trail in Austin, TX

• Stay tuned for a full blog post, but suffice it to say that we made the most out of a rainy stay in Austin — which included this girl’s first 20-miler this season! Can’t wait to revisit this city in the future! Maybe even race there?? (Ugh, the hills!)

#2 DIY Trop Tronic

• A local store, Simply Fit Meals, has this delicious Trop Tonic that I just love. In an attempt to save my wallet, I decided to make my own. As a person who often forgets to hydrate, this is an easy way for me to get in my daily fluids and simultaneously boost my immune system.
• Recipe:
  • 4 cups water
  • 8 TBS apple cider vinegar
  • 1 inch fresh ginger
  • 1 lemon or lime, juiced
  • 1/4 cup frozen or fresh pineapple or mango
    • Toss all ingredients in the blender! Chill in an airtight container, and serve over ice!

#3 Mocha Chip Lara Bar

• Lara Bars have been my go-to travel snack for over five years, but I just recently discovered this amazing pick-me-up flavor! I’m even more excited that I combined a manufacturer’s coupon with a Kroger coupon and got a wicked deal on my week’s supply of these goodies! Perfect post-run refueling or on-the-go snack!

#4 This stretch/strength routine video

• I’m staying committed to adding in stretching and strength training to my marathon training routine, and I love this video for a quick extra oomph in my week. It’s short enough that you can do it before or after a low-mileage run. And those standing hamstring stretches are amazing!

#5 Thai Chicken and Veggie Quinoa Bowls

• T-Hubs called my take on this recipe, “Killer,” so we’re calling that a major win at Brook’s house — especially since he’s not generally a lover of all things Thai like I am.
• My subsitutions:
  • Omit cabbage (couldn’t find the right kind at the store, so had to get creative!)
  • Add green onion, extra cilantro, seared red pepper
  • Omit cornstarch — my sauce was plenty thick without it!

Be sure to check back next Friday for new discoveries. After this week’s 20-miler, next week is a recovery week — and just in time for the start of the semester. Stay tuned for that Austin post, too!

 

What’s your favorite go-to snack?

Best recipe you made this week…go!

What are you training for right now?

Tips for Summer Running with Your Pup

Summer in Texas is no joke. Born and raised in Florida, I thought I could reckon with the Texas summers. And for the past two summers, I did. Everyone said they were remarkably cool summers. I just rolled my eyes and said I was used to the heat. After all, I’m a Florida girl. Now I understand.

While Florida summers are indeed hot and exceptionally long, there is something uniquely Texan about 100+ degrees every day. To top it off, we’ve had an unusually humid summer combined with those hundred-degree temps.

Not to worry — your summer running fun need not be restricted by the Texas sun. And for those of you who also need to #wearouttheweimaraner like I do, here are my top five tips for safely running through the summer with your pup.

#1: Go Early!

Or very late, if you’re so inclined.

It’s not fun running past 8:30AM, and it’s really not fun once you reach 9AM. This morning the temps were already in the mid-90s by 9:30. That’s hot, folks! Even if it means rolling out of bed before the sun and forgoing that late summer sleep, you’ll be glad you did! And besides, who ever regrets a gorgeous sunrise run?

White Rock Lake at sunrise

#2: Stay Close to Water!

Or keep the water close to you!

Summer is definitely not the time for exploring new trails miles away from the nearest water fountain. I dislike carrying water while I run, so I always plan a route that has water every mile or so. This is especially important while you’re traveling. Know your route and don’t get stuck in the wasteland without water! Pups don’t know when to stop, so give your dog the option to drink as often as possible.

One of many water fountains near White Rock

#3: Run Slower!

And take breaks when you (or your pup!) need them!

Don’t force your pup to keep up with breakneck speeds if he/she isn’t up for the challenge. It’s important that you don’t force your own goals onto your pup and therefore endanger his/her health. Or, if your pup is like mine, sometimes you need to set a slower pace so he/she doesn’t take off too fast! Remember, too, that breaks are a great time to hydrate and stretch! Even four-legged runners need to stretch their hip flexors! Hit up the track with a friend for your speed sessions and just enjoy the easy miles with your pup.

Break from the heat!

Track workout with MA!

#4: Find the Shady Spots!

AKA: the sun will kill you.

This advice wouldn’t have helped much in Florida, as the humidity is certainly not confined to the corners of the sun’s reach. I’m convinced the sun actually is hotter in Texas, and the shade makes outdoor life about 50 times better. Yes, you may have to run off course a bit to find the shady patch — but hey! You might even make some cool new designs on MapMyRun. Shade is worth it. And it also keeps the surfaces cooler for your pup.

#5: Check Surfaces!

AKA: the ground is HOT!

Brook actually has a pair of shoes (check them out on our Favorites page!), but we mostly use them on tough terrain. If you’re smart about the time and location of your run, you and your pup can get along just fine in the summer without these. As hinted at above, the pavement can reach alarmingly high temps! If sidewalk or asphalt is your only option, be sure to feel it first with your hand. If it’s too hot for you, it’s too hot for your pup! Summer is also a great time to run on alternative surfaces like padded trails or grass. It’s helps protect your four-legged runner’s paw pads and helps your joints, too! Win-win!

Padded surface on the Katy Trail

14-miler with my four-legged running buddy!

And don’t forget to refuel and rest after hard, hot summer runs!

Green smoothie for me!

Peanut butter bone for Brookies!

Tired Weim = happy Weim 🙂

 

How do you stay cool through the summer?

What is your favorite way to recover from a hot summer run?

Does your running partner have four legs?