Summer Donut Dash: Dixie Donuts Edition

Next up in the Summer Donut Dash Series is the fabulous Dixie Donuts!

All photos from Dixie Donuts' Facebook page

While Sugar Shack's signature style is the yeast donut, Dixie Donuts has cornered the market on cake donuts. Since Dixie opened in 2012, I can't even count the number of times I have stopped in for one (or a dozen) donuts, my favorite of which is the Dulce de Leche - dubbed salted caramel by me. I can safely say I've eaten 50 or more of them.

Other tantalizing flavors include (but definitely aren't limited to!) the Aztec, the Oreo, Key Lime, Dixie Sugar Spice, German Chocolate, Samoa, French Toast, Maple Bacon, and the O.M.G:

O.M.G. is really the only name that could be appropriate for these beauties!

There is hot debate about donut types - most people fall into one camp or the other. As for me, both yeast and cake donuts have their merits. I adore Sugar Shack, but Dixie is equally wonderful. In my humble opinion, the Dixie donut is perfectly sized for flavor testing. I always get my standard flavor, accompanied by a new taste sensation. They aren't so big that eating two makes you feel guilty; instead, two Dixie Donuts (in the immortal words of Goldilocks) are juuuuuuust right.

The other thing that I love about Dixie Donuts is Donut Artist, Carol Brown.

I don't know what is about Carol, but when I see her in her trademark bandana behind the counter, it always makes me smile. Not to mention, girl has talent. Not only do Dixie's donuts taste amazing, but they are also fun little works of donut art! She and her team really go above and beyond.

So now that I've made you extremely hungry for a donut, here is the info about the Summer Donut Dash Series: Dixie Donuts Edition!

When: Sunday, July 20, 2014. Group departs promptly at 8 am.

Where: Dixie Donuts at 2901 W. Cary Street, Richmond, VA. Plentiful free street parking; please do not use Dixie Donuts' small surface lot.

Course: After covering the historic Fan district and Monument Avenue last time, we are going to go check out Byrd Park. Tour sights will include Carillon, Dogwood Dell, Vita Course, the Lakes, and Maymont.

How: Register online here. Pre-registration and completed waiver required; payment in cash or credit can be accepted on site. Please arrive early if paying on site. PLEASE NOTE that if you don't get a confirmation email, you aren't registered - make sure you follow through to the last step to ensure proper registration.

Full information about the series can be found on the Running Food Tours! Tab.

The Road to Steamtown - Week 5

... otherwise known as the week of novel experiences.

 

3 runs for 21.8 miles
Spin class, guesstimating 15 miles

Running miles logged so far: 231.4
STLY: 192

Training highlights:

• Miserably humid run on Wednesday led to my first ever #fullonBarch run. Let me explain: running buddy GB is one to take off his shirt when it gets too hot and sweaty, a practice that our group/team has taken to calling the "Full On Barch" which basically just means running without your shirt. I have never been brave enough to do so, mainly out of concern that my neon pale skin tone will blind other runners, causing a safety hazard. For whatever reason, I got over it this week. I'm also happy to report that it didn't cause any accidents.

#fullonBarch

• Participated in my first ever Spin class with Katie on Thursday night. I'm not entirely sure how I feel about spin (the dark room, excessively loud music, and sweaty people remind me of some kind of underground club or cult a la the beginning of The Matrix), but it was definitely a work out.
• MTT polled the Saturday runners and ended up moving the long run to Friday this week because of the holiday - which was awesome for me because it meant I could run with the team instead of doing 10 solo up in Hagerstown.

Training lowlights:

• Mysterious random foot pain continues to plague me. It is very similar to what I experienced in the week leading up to the Raleigh Marathon, so I am not panicking about it... yet.
• I once again failed to incorporate two days of cardio cross training. I don't understand why it has been so hard for me to get my groove on when it comes to this.

I was hoping that two days off from running over the weekend, along with ice and flat shoes in lieu of heels would help my foot feel better but alas, it's still bothering me today. Against my better judgment, I went out and did my scheduled Monday speed work this morning. I wouldn't say it made my foot feel worse but I would say that it was incredibly difficult - probably thanks to a food hangover from the weekend festivities. Needless to say, there was not any kind of proper "fueling" going on July 4, 5, or 6. At any rate, I'm going to forgo Wednesday's tempo for an easy 7 miler and cross my fingers that things feel better in time for Saturday.

I'll close with a few pictures from the Salute to Independence at Antietam Battlefield - which is my most favorite way to spend the 4th of July. We have gone in thunderstorms, in 100+ degree heat waves, and on just plain old hot, sticky days. But this year, the weather was absolutely picture perfect, making for a transcendental experience. The orchestra sounded beautiful, the big guns were back to lend their booms to the 1812 Overture after an absence last year thanks to the stupid sequester, and the mountains were appropriately purple as the sun set.

The Road to Steamtown - Week 4

I'm late. Things have been just a little bit crazy lately.

4 runs for 27.95 miles (seriously... .95???)
1 mile swim

Running miles logged so far: 209.6
Same time last year: 170

Training highlights:

• First ever REP RVA Running Food Tours Donut Dash on Sunday was a hit! And so much fun! Really looking forward to the Dixie Donuts edition on July 20th.

Photo credit: Random lady in the Sugar Shack parking lot!

• Speed work on Monday went rather swimmingly.
• A huge group showed up for a very very sweaty Wednesday mid-week run. Afterwards we took a smiling group picture and then I suggested that we all express how we REALLY felt about running 7 miles in 95% humidity.

Photo credit to GB

• Team Midnight post-run mimosas and brunch social on Saturday was an awesome time. The amount of food that showed up was quite shocking. Also shocking was the fact that a post-run mimosa is in fact pretty refreshing and not sickening.
• On Sunday the Steamtown Contingent (+ Husband) celebrated our teammate Lauren, who made it through hell month and survived taking her boards. The fact that she juggles med school alongside being a fantastic marathon runner is awe inspiring. We all headed out to the Swift Creek Reservoir on Coach Shawn's boat where we spent the afternoon eating, swimming, and just relaxing. It was the perfect way to spend a beautiful summer Sunday afternoon.

Training lowlights:

• Can't think of any, other than that my foot is acting up ever so slightly. This is interesting given that apparently this very same week last year was when my foot flared up big time and I had a complete nervous breakdown and took a week off of training. Last year it was related to that glass in my foot; this year I think I just wore high heels for one too many days in a row last week.

I have SO MUCH to write about - especially the Donut Dash! - but things have just been insane lately (oh hey that's the THIRD TIME I've said that this post) and I'm trying to keep swimming for now. Maybe I'll find time this weekend.

In the meantime, I hope everyone has a great 4th of July. Personally, it's my favorite holiday so I'm super excited.