rileduprunner

Raisin D’être

My sister and I have disagreed about many important things in life. Peanut butter: creamy or crunchy? (My sister: “Of course creamy. Butter doesn’t come with chunks of cow in it.” Me: “Mmm but it should.”) Empire Records’ emo heart-throb A.J. or lovable goofball Mark? (Let’s just say I married an Ethan Embry lookalike onContinue reading “Raisin D’être”

Runner Vs. Team Sports

My parents encouraged team sports all childhood long, but like wearing my retainer and eating less butter, the pastime never really stuck. Sure, I chased soccer balls in the fall and struck out looking each spring, but it became clear pretty early on that I wasn’t really of the team sport variety: I wasn’t aContinue reading “Runner Vs. Team Sports”

On the Rocks

There are a couple tenets of my workout policy that I’d thought were non-negotiables: always hydrate before a run, carry a $20 in case of emergencies, think heavily about stretching (though don’t actually do it) and wear a hat when the sun’s shining bright: But the most sacrosanct principle of my fitness routine was alwaysContinue reading “On the Rocks”

Chicken Broth, Part Deux

Congratulations! You’ve now made your own chicken stock! (That is, assuming you treat my blog like a life coach and did exactly what I suggested in last week’s post. And if you DO do everything I recommend in my blog, you should probably rethink your life choices… and return that golden doodle you stole.) ButContinue reading “Chicken Broth, Part Deux”

Taking Stock (Well, Making Stock)

Anyone can make something from something. It’s making something from nothing that really impresses me. That, and octopuses that can unscrew themselves from the inside of jars. You gotta admit that’s impressive, even with the eight-leg advantage. When I say making something from nothing, I’m not talking about Kardashian careers or some dubious reporting onContinue reading “Taking Stock (Well, Making Stock)”

Run Down Runner

If I were to compile my most-searched phrases on Google, it would probably look a little something like this: Weather at 6 a.m. in Queens tomorrow Crockpot meals that can cook for 12+ hours because who honestly is only gone from home for 7-8 hours a day? Photos of sheep in sweaters And, of course,Continue reading “Run Down Runner”

Keeping the Weight Down (Down Under)

Starting a piece of writing with a dictionary definition is a carnal sin in journalism, but I’m going to commit it anyways. Here goes. The dictionary defines “honeymoon” as “a vacation spent together by a newly married couple.” Honey, I imagine, refers to the sweetness of time passed together. Moon, I assume, refers to theContinue reading “Keeping the Weight Down (Down Under)”

Guest Post: Felix, I’m Telling You, I See the Irony

Note from the real RiledUpRunner: Below is a guest blog post from a family friend Vaughan, who has forgotten more marathons than I’ll ever run and who writes the best race recaps this runner has ever read. Vaughan came and cheered me on at the Philadelphia Marathon in 2014, but he’s actually been my cheerleader for 31Continue reading “Guest Post: Felix, I’m Telling You, I See the Irony”

Ho-Ho-How to Avoid Santa’s Belly

Growing up, I never thought I had a sweet tooth. Sure, I liked Klondike bars with the rest of the 80s kids (and I guess I’ve already revealed my propensity for cereal) but set me free in a candy shop and I’d usually gravitate not toward the jelly beans but to the single bag of saltContinue reading “Ho-Ho-How to Avoid Santa’s Belly”

Cereal Girl

Although my wonderful parents undoubtedly hoped fun family outings and visions of sugarplums would dominate my childhood memories, I’d wager at least 40% of my youthful remembrances are about none other than cereal. Yes, you heard me right. That crunchy, processed, sweet breakfast staple of the 80s and 90s was a huge part of myContinue reading “Cereal Girl”