Blogging

Well, we’re back from Nashville!

So I’m sure you’re expecting a recap of the race, right? Sorry, you’re not going to get it. At least, not today. I’m going to drag this thing out and make you wait until Wednesday to hear details.

I’m so sweet, aren’t I? Angel

I’ll tell you one thing: That race kicked my booty.

But that’s all the information you’re getting for now. Instead, I want to talk today about everything BUT the race. You know, the stuff that happened before and after the hardest 2 hours of my life. Winking smile

On Friday, we got in to Nashville around 3:00. I immediately headed over to the expo to pick up my bib, because I knew it was going to be crowded.

And I was right. It was super crowded. The line to get bibs actually went down two flights of stairs and around multiple poles before anyone could even enter the room.

We looked like cattle being herded into a barn. Eye rolling smile

After picking up my bib number, race shirt, and goody bag …

… I wanted to explore the expo a little, but it was so hot and so crowded, that I quickly gave up and just started searching for the exit.

Besides, I had more important things to focus on:

Food!

We met up with our friends at The Old Spaghetti Factory. We actually got there right when they opened, at 4:30, and there was already a line for a table! Surprised smile

Obviously, all of Nashville was wanting to carbo-load before the race!

After dinner, it was still super early, so Ali and I (the only racers from the group) hung out with the rest of the gang for a while.

After listening to a few country bands …

… and taking a few pictures with Elvis …

… it was time for Ali and me to say good-night and head back to the hotel. When you have a 5 am wake up call, an early bedtime is essential!

Like I said, I’ll share details about the race on Wednesday.

But fast forward to Saturday afternoon …

… after the race, a shower, and some down time at the hotel, we eventually met up with our husbands for a late lunch.

Jack’s Bar-B-Que is very well known in Nashville, and for a good reason.

It’s delicious. End of story.

We were all so hungry, we each got the “Three Meat Platter.” For my meats, I chose the ribs, pork shoulder, and chicken. On the side, I had green beans and mac and cheese.

Then we decided that a huge plate of meat just wasn’t enough food. So we had to get ice cream, too. Winking smile

My ice cream of choice?

Cake batter ice cream in a chocolate chip cookie cone. Oh, yes.

Later that night, we met up with the rest of the group and spent some time at the Wildhorse Saloon.

The Wildhorse Saloon is a cool tourist-y place, because they have live country music AND line dancing lessons all night, every night.

Brandon and I actually visited the Saloon during another Nashville trip …

… and we may or may not have learned a few new dance moves that night. Winking smile

But on this visit, we just sat upstairs and watched everyone else get their groove on.

And instead, I focused on our late night snack:

Buffalo Chicken Dip. Not quite as good as the version I make, but still pretty tasty.

Around 10:30, Brandon and I headed back to the hotel. We needed to get a good night’s sleep, because we had a very special brunch date the following morning!

That would be Natalie, from Southern Fit Foodie!!

Natalie lives in Tennessee, and she and her husband (Daniel) drove over to Nashville for the weekend. And one of their main reasons for the trip was to see ME! How special do I feel??

(Natalie’s pic … thanks, girl!)

Natalie was just like I imagined she would be … sweet, southern, and super fun! We had such a great time chatting, while our husbands just sat back and watched with amusement. Winking smile We hit it off immediately, and we’re already planning our next visit. Hooray for blogger friends!!

Our brunch eats also deserve to be talked about. We ate at Mad Donna’s, which is in the eastern section of Nashville.

First we enjoyed “two for one” mimosas …

… before enjoying our delicious meals!

I got the “East Side Wrap,” which had spinach artichoke dip, fresh spinach, tomatoes, cilantro corn hash, and avocado. I also had a side of sweet potato fries. Yum!

Brandon chose a meal that would normally be more up my alley … French toast crusted with Cap’n Crunch cereal, served with whipped cream, syrup, berries, and bacon!

I stole a quick bite, and let me tell ya, it was delicious. I’m so proud that my sweet tooth is starting to rub off on my husband. Winking smile

After a couple hours of talking, we said our good-byes. But Natalie couldn’t let me leave without giving me a little gift:

A jar of homemade strawberry jam!!

Natalie actually has a tutorial on her blog about how to make jam, and it looks super easy. But it’s certainly not something I can make in our hotel room. So she was sweet enough to bring me some of hers! I can’t wait to dig in! Thanks again, Natalie!!! Smile