Preparing for the Race

It was good having a day off this week because it gave me the opportunity to get a long run in before the 10k tomorrow. Even with the extra preparation though, some partying had to take place to throw off the rhythm. On Thursday night Esquina Carlos Gardel, one of the better tango shows in the city, put together a party for some of the travel agencies and hotels in Buenos Aires. From my office only a couple of people wanted to go, but I didn't want to pass up the opportunity, so after work I headed over to the Costanera Norte with my co-worker Pablo.

The party slowly developed into a large gathering, but it was less of a rubbing elbows function and more of a night club. With an open bar and only occasional empanadas being served, any time a waiter came by people attacked the tray like wild animals. We wound up staying until 1:30 am and I didn't get in until 2. Poor Pablo then had to drive another half hour home after dropping me off. Needless to say, Friday was a tough day at the office.

Nonetheless it was a fun night out, and I'm glad to be able to take advantage of small perks like that. However, it is the end of the month and I had visitors for a week, plus my rent for 6 months is due next month, so money is a little tight right now. I'd been eating less and less as the week went on, eating pasta at least 5 different times and running down to just cheese sandwiches and a couple of cookies for lunch. To supplement the meal you can add in some mate, which fills you up slightly. It's not ideal, but when things are tough you make due.

After eating so much pasta I've started to just throw random things onto it for some variation. I like putting a few dabs of Frank's Red Hot sauce with some red pepper and oregano over the spaghetti noodles. Perhaps this isn't what you'll find at a high end restaurant, but it confuses your taste buds for long enough to convince you that you're eating something other than the same meal for the third night in a row. I remember way back before living in Spain thinking that I wanted to know what it was like to arrive to a country not speaking the language very well, sort of like an immigrant in the United States might experience. I went through the process of learning the language. I guess now I'm on the end of making due and stretching every peso.

But it's not all complaints. I finally went food shopping today and stocked up on all of the things that I've been missing out on. I even had 3 empanadas for lunch and bought orange juice. Tonight I'll make a steak with potatoes and onions. And then tomorrow I'll run in the race and hopefully celebrate with a victory beer. Of course it won't be the same without my friends Ricardo and Amy, and not being at high altitude won't make it as much of an accomplishment, but it's something to be proud of.