First let's talk beets.  There is something I love about root veggies, especially beets.  It is a very humble root that packs a punch in the flavor department when cooked properly.  Here I have used it as the main ingredient for super simple salad that has a lot of flavors into one plate.  Add some avocados, tangerines, and basil drizzled with a quick and easy champagne vinaigrette and you have all the components of a superb salad. 

Hello everyone!  Today I am linking with Jill Conyers for Fitness Friday, and have a few things to share.  First...the marathon.  That elusive long distance that has eluded me for such a long time...

Hold on, I'm going to stop trying to be all politically correct here for a second because the marathon just annoys me.  This is the one distance that pisses the heck out of me.  Why?  Because since two freaking thousand ten I have been tying to run it and midway through my training I get some type of injury that keeps me from finishing.  Stupid injuries!  I hate them! Ugh... ok, I'm back. 

Last year, the husband of my friend Amy was getting ready to run the Disney Marathon and he bought these crazily flashy running shoes.  I was instantly in love!  They were bold, colorful and looked like fun. I knew I had to get a pair.  Never mind that I did not know if they were the right running shoe for me.  They were the Asics Gel- Noosa Tri 6.
  

Luckily for me, they fit awesomely and are my favorite shoe to run, especially here in the South where it is so bloody hot!  As you can tell, these are no longer wearable and the sole is plain flat.  Nothing left.  That's how you know you love a shoe!   After the last few runs I knew I needed new shoes and wanted to stay with this model.  

I was actually surprised to see that since I bought the Noosa 6, two newer versions (Noosa 7 and 8) have come out.  I chose the Noosa 8 and upon trying it at the store, I knew I had the same comfortable shoe I had before except, this one was not as flashy (which is one of the reasons I loved it in the first place. So sue me, I'm a girl!). 

That is how every journey begins... taking a single step. Whether you choose to take another it is up to you. I once took the steps and then stopped.   Many circumstances influenced this decision but in the end it came down to me.  Years later it was up to me again to take that initial step again.  And I did.

Welcome to Asphalt & Trails!  This is my little corner of the world where I document my love for running and food.  It is said that food is one of the key components of peak performance, and whether you are an elite athlete or not (hello me!), you have to admit it: if we run or exercise, we think about food throughout the day.  Sometimes, obsessively.  What we put in our mouth is as important as the amount of training we subject our bodies too.  To not pay attention to our nutrition is to waste all that training time.  Which is what I found out the hard way.  And so, this past April, I took that proverbial step again and slowly but surely started shedding weight, increasing in strength and improving my performance.  I want to continue this trend and share with you what has worked for me, what did not work and how to make the most of what we eat, to reap the benefits with our performance.

There amount of information on what to eat and what not to eat is overwhelming, and can be very discouraging.  Here is my personal position: 1) everything in moderation, unless you have food allergies and cannot consume certain types of food.  2) eat with the seasons, which is not only good for you and also for your pocket.  But it is just fun!

One of the greatest things about seasons is the anticipation of the next one.  Each brings their own appeal our minds automatically remembers images and memories of the changing seasons. This winter season I am thinking of Summer and the bountiful of produce that come out to greet us from the farmer's market stalls.  For  the past few days I have had images of plump ripe tomatoes, sweet basil and fresh herbs.  And today I am sharing with you the fruition of those thoughts with this lemon orzo salad.  It is bright, fresh and very pretty. Here is the simple recipe, which I cannot claim because it is not mine, but honestly, I forgot where I found it.  May it brings you as much pleasure as it brings me when I eat it.