The Longer The Run, The Sweeter The Fig

The most gentle alarm sounds become anxiety provoking after just a few days of being subjected to the snooze ritual. At 4:45 am, when the gentle strumming of the harp function buzzed from the bedside table, my heart lurched into my throat. Time to get up. The next half an hour took place in the dark: Feed the cats, running clothes, shoes, ipod, headband, guzzle coffee, teeth brushed, lucky socks, kiss goodbye, out the door. I headed to a small nearby suburb to do a 20 mile training run with a half marathon race in the middle. The race started and finished in an outdoor mall with a gigantic parking lot. Since I didn't want to miss the start, I ran a slow pre-race 3 miles in circles around the parking lot while watching the runners arrive. It was the sort of cool morning that brings to the imagination the smell of fall leaves and fires burning, being that it is August I am certain these smells were imagined.

One woman stood out from the rest of the crowd at the starting line. She was tall and lean yet bumpy with muscle. She had a long limbs, short wispy hair, and wide round glasses, giving her the appearance of a gazelle. No doubt she would beat the rest of us, but maybe I had a shot at second. I looked around and tried to guess who I would be chasing, and who I might try to pace with. The sound of the star spangled banner interrupted my crowd scan. My stomach began to turn. The gun went off and almost instantly we were separated by pace, there was no competition in the woman's race. Within minutes the gazelle was out of sight, and I watched as second place's ponytail gradually bounced out of view. She was surrounded by a group of men who were desperate to hold pace with her at all cost. I ran a steady 6:54 min mile placing me in 3rd. After the race their was bagels, and pizza Gatorade and coffee, followed by another slow 4 miles around the parking lot.

I am always shy at these things, except when I am running. I don't really engage with anyone before or after the race, I listen to music and avert my eyes when walking through the crowd. It is an interesting phenomenon, the instant my legs begin to turn over, my mouth won't stop motoring. Running is like alcohol for me, it cures me of all social phobia.

After the race, Christina and I went to Meritage for breakfast. This restaurant has a wonderful menu, and it's patio seems to attract an interesting international crowd. The tables are set close together, encouraging table to table interaction. Having brunch at Meritage feels like dining at a luxury hotel, though the prices are very reasonable. I ordered the pork rillette with fig puree, though I have to confess I wasn't exactly sure what I was ordering. The pork rillette came in a little glass jar and the fig puree was spread on top. Rillette, it turns out, is a meat spread similar to a pate. It is salty and rich and perfect for replacing calories after 20 miles of running. It came with old fashioned mustard and grilled bread, on which to spread the pork and fig mixture. I wanted to drink the sweetness right out of the fig puree. Perhaps it was my ravenous hunger, but I truly understood why figs were historically considered a food of the Gods.

Fresh figs are a delightful treat. I feel that they pair particularly well with arugula, which can be found in the herb or the greens section of the grocery store, or at the farmers market around this time in Minnesota. I like to slice the figs in half, to showcase their beautiful figures, and use them to decorate arugula salads dressed in a sweet vinaigrette.