Guiness and blood sausage - the perfect race-recovery meal

It was a fairly normal friday - I of course had no classes to attend, so I simply spent the day wandering the streets Galway, taking advantage of the overcast but rainless weather! I was initally in town to buy an umbrella (my 3 euro one broke in the wind in Belfast - so I have been walking around all week with a dented umbrella, looking quite cool I must say) but as I was lurking around the isles of Dunnes, I recieved a text message from my athletics (running) team captain, saying that I was entered in a 10 mile race tomorrow at Galway Bay with the athletics team! The race was called Galway Bay 10 - and its name pretty much explains it all. It is a 10 mile (why they decided to use miles instead of kilometres is beyond me) race all along the Galway Bay area. At first I was pretty excited - a good motivator for an easy long run on a calm Saturday morning.

me stretching with our team captian Laura >>>>>>>>>
However, calm was not the case here! Right along the ocean side there was an enormous red and white striped tent (think circus style a bit here) and inside was a huge venue with a stage, bar, and massage tables! Plus we all got bright orange shirts to wear, adding to the vibrant environment. However, I now realized that this was 'kinda a big deal' - so I started to get a bit nervous! It didn't help either when I decided to go outside for a little warm up jog, because the wind was so intense! At one point I actually think I was running backwards for awhile....

So we all lined up at the end of the bay, ready to run straight into in the wind for 2 miles. The mayor of Galway, wearing rather flashy gold necklaces (I don't know if it was just for the race, or what) sounded the gun and off we went! Yes, the wind was terrible - but I think that my cross country captains and my father would have been proud - I found two older (and a bit bigger) men running next to each other, and I simply ran right behind them - so the majority of the wind was literally over my head! So after those two miles, I enjoyed my calm long run, and finished quite happily! To check out my race, go to this website:

http://www.galwaybay10.com/

Afterwards I rewarded myself with a massage, a guiness from the bar (we got 3 free drink tokens!!), and about 14 bananas which I took home to my roommates - I love being a poor and starving student!

Then later that night I went to a party with friends, and we all decided to meet the next morning for a traditional Irish breakfast at a local bar. So sunday at 11 I once again rewarded myself by gobbling up eggs, potatoes, mushrooms, ham, and blood sausage (aka black pudding). I actually really liked it!

And now a time for my mother to be proud...that night I cooked for my roommates, along with a new pal Bastian: good ol beef stroganoff!! it worked out well and everyone enjoyed it! And in turn, Bastian promised us some home-made german pankcakes! I cannot wait!

Ok, so I think I have written enough! But some updates I should fill you in on: I'M GOING TO PARIS TOMORROW! well actually I am going to brussles first, then making my way via train to Paris for two nights! I am so thrilled! I even have a little book of french that Sybil gave me, and I am giving myself the 4 hour bus ride to Dublin tomorrow to learn!

Anyways, I'll let you know how my weekend goes... I love it when people ask me what I am doing this weekend and I say - oh ya know, Brussels, Paris...;)

until next time!

xoxoxoxo
Vanessa