a bagel on a plate full of onion rolls.

I like how my post titles have just devolved into random musical references. Oh well.

You guys. This morning I walked 4 miles before work. Which was awesome and I'm super proud. But that is not what this post is about. This post is about The Best Bagel I Have Ever Had.

This morning, I walked up 8th Avenue and passed Murray's Bagels. Now, look. Here's what. I'm trying to lose weight. Aren't we all. But I've also learned that that will never happen eating raw carrots and celery 24/7. I don't remember the last time I had had a bagel. I mean really just gotten a freakin bagel and schmear and chowed down. So I rationalized it by deciding I'd have half for breakfast and half for lunch, and I walked into Murray's. I knew I would go with the whole wheat everything variety, as Murray's is one of the few places in the city with that option. What I did not predict, though, was the discovery of Maple Brown Sugar Raisin Walnut cream cheese. That is literally everything I love in the world. It's like Mr. Murray was like "Hmmm...you know who I like? That Kaitlin Fine gal. She's so delightful. I'm going to make a cream cheese that combines her favorite things ever. I won't tell her, so it'll be a super great surprise when she walks into one of my successful bagel shops one day. I'm tempted to name it The Kaitlin, but that might just get confusing." I saw past the subtle name to Mr. Murray's intentions and realized it was tailor made just for me. I excitedly ordered my bagel and large iced coffee with skim (it was early). I put it in my bag, saving it until I got to work and could truly sit down and savor the goodness.

Little did I know what a life changing event this would be. From bite one, I knew I had found The Best Bagel I Have Ever Had (TBBIHEH). The cream cheese had just the perfect hint of brown sugar sweetness, complimented by the crunch of the walnuts and the delightfulness of the raisins. It was heaven. Usually I have a hard time eating half of something and saving the other half (I obvi have mad self control issues), but it was no problem with TBBIHEH because I knew, come 2pm, I would be able to enjoy its glory once again.

Now it is gone. My calories are counted (and were less than I had expected...) and all I have left is a boring old banana for my mid afternoon snack. But TBBIHEH lives on in my memory. And in my heart. And now in this blog post.

I think there's a lesson here, though. A lesson in guilt. I felt guilty yesterday when I ate 300% my recommended sodium intake in mediocre Olive Garden food (despite the amazing company...). I felt guilty the day before when I ate approximately one billion peanut butter filled pretzels at my office (I swear to you they are like crack). But this? TBBIHEH? No freaking way. And part of that was because I walked 4 miles before 9am, which helped to balance out my caloric intake, but most of that is because it was a damn good bagel.

I think this has both nothing and everything to do with the 3Day. The connection is somewhere in the idea that the 3Day is all about the experience. Sure, it's walking 60 miles in 3 days, and it's athletic in that way and it's important to train and read the rules and blah blah blah, but I have a feeling none of that will matter when I start The Best Walk I Have Ever Taken on August 6. Those first hours, like my first bites of TBBIHEH, will melt away any concerns about calories, blisters, hydration, or rain, and it will just be about the experience at hand. And if it's anything like my experience this morning/afternoon, it's gonna be freaking amazing.

LOVE and TBBIHEH,

KFine

FUN(draising) update: I am literally $30 from 50%. This is EXCITING! I'm a little nervous about the second 50, but I'm starting to think creative thoughts and I'm sure I'll figure it out. Hellooo pink-themed bar night...