RED Episode 285 MCM Runcation Recap Part 2 with Tania

Tania (@this_phoenix_runs on Instagram). gave us a fantastic episode about the MCM weekend.  She’s back for a bonus discussion that we wanted to share this week from the time when we stopped recording, but there was so much more to share!   

The Penguin Award at Marine Corps Marathon
It’s in honor of Maj. Megan McClung  (KIA 2006)— it symbolizes the belief that finishing is what matters in this or any race!  Here is a link to a video that highlights this award and its history: 
https://www.marines.mil/News/Marines-TV/videoid/490355/dvpTag/run/. 

It is called that, as the video says, because Megan was reading and following John Bingham, who we have seen on several documentaries like Spirit of the Marathon.  John Bingham had a website called the Penguin Chronicles, and people can find out more about him at http://www.johnbingham.com.

We found the 2023 winner of the award on https://www.dvidshub.net/image/8094953/48th-marine-corps-marathon-penguin-award. We have requested permission to use the photo in this episode’s artwork.  Credit:  Photo In Episode Artwork taken on 10.29.2023.  Photo by Sgt. Bryce Hodges Marine Corps Base Quantico.  U.S. Marine leaders and Marine Corps Marathon officials pose for a photo with the 2023 Penguin Award winner, Soon Kim, in Arlington, Virginia, Oct. 29, 2023.  Kim completed the 48th Marine Corps Marathon with a time of 06:40:41.  The Penguin award is presented annually to the MCM’s last finisher in honor of Maj’s life and service.  Megan McClung.  (U.S. Marine Corps Photo by Sgt. Bryce Hodges)

Connect with Tania Here

https://www.instagram.com/this_phoenix_runs 

Port City Brewing Company

https://www.portcitybrewing.com/

Aslin Beer Company 

https://www.aslinbeer.com/

Big Buns Damn Good Burger Co. (boozy shakes!)

https://www.eatbigbuns.com/menu 

Cheesetique (lobster mac & cheese)

https://www.cheesetique.com/menus/ 

Busboys and Poets (fried chicken platter)

https://www.busboysandpoets.com/ 

Bluejackets (in Navy Yard; good food AND beer)

https://www.bluejacketdc.com/ 

The Museum of the American Indian (green chile bison burgers)

http://www.mitsitamcafe.com/content/menus.asp 

Transcript

Runcation Nation

Speaker 1 1:05

Hi, I'm Tanya, Proud to be part of the Runcation Nation. You are listening to the Run Eat Drink podcast.

Speaker 2 1:17

Welcome to the Run Eat Drink podcast. We feature destination races from across the country and after the race, we take you on a tour of the best local food and beverage to celebrate. So, whether you are an elite runner or a back of the pack, local food and beverage to celebrate. So, whether you are an elite runner or a back of the packer, like us, you'll know the best places to accomplish, explore and indulge on your next runcation. This is a special episode where we welcome back Tanya, who is thisphoenixruns on Instagram. Tanya, welcome back to our show.

Speaker 1 1:54

Thank you, thanks for having me.

Speaker 3 1:56

Thank you for coming back on.

Speaker 2 1:57

So you brought up some great tips to master the runcation at the Marine Corps Marathon weekend.

Speaker 3 2:06

Yeah, in the first episode where we had you on you on which, by the way, if you haven't listened to that one yet, you should pause. Yeah, go listen, yeah, and then come back, because that was a blast of an episode yes, I enjoyed it I had a blast which is why everybody should do our runcation recap.

Speaker 2 2:26

Yes, yes, let us know where to go.

Speaker 1 2:29

Because I need more to listen to. Yeah.

Speaker 3 2:32

And help us while we're injured.

Speaker 2 2:33

Yeah, info at runnydrinknet. But we wanted to have you back on because I think the minute that we stopped recording we we all started talking and then that kind of generated some additional ideas. From how many years have you done the Marine Corps Marathon weekend?

Speaker 1 2:56

Six.

Speaker 2 2:57

Six. So from the six years that you have done it, there were some additional ideas for, dare I say, some wonderful celebration, but first and foremost the celebration as far as the accomplishment, and then we'll get to the food and beverage. But I want to go back to the race itself. You talked about how to get there. You talked about how to master the course and what was really unique about the course. You talked about the Blue Mile, which is unique to this race weekend. There's something else that's unique to this race weekend that you highlighted in a follow-up email when we were exchanging emails before your episode was released, called the Penguin Award, and I'm wondering if you will talk a little bit about that.

Speaker 1 3:55

The Penguin Award, so I cannot believe that I spaced it when we were talking about it, especially for time and the back of the pack runners. So traditionally the very last official finisher of the Marine Corps Marathon gets escorted by Marines, cheered on and all the way to the finish line and they get their own special award on top of their Eagle Globe and Anchor Medal, and it's literally a stuffed penguin. It's dubbed the Penguin Award.

Speaker 2 4:32

Now, do you know the history behind this award A little bit.

Speaker 1 4:37

Okay, I'm embarrassed to say I think you probably did more research than I did.

Speaker 3 4:43

When you talk about something like that, we're like I got to learn more and God bless the internet, because the internet almost never lets you down.

Speaker 2 4:51

Sometimes it shocks you and horrifies you, but it never lets you down and sometimes there's incorrect information, but you did send us a link that started us down the path.

Speaker 3 5:02

Or the rabbit hole, as it were.

Speaker 1 5:05

And then you sent me some links and I'm like, hey, how did I ever not read this you sent me some links and I'm like, hey, how did I ever not read this?

Speaker 2 5:12

Oh no, I know. I was like, oh, that's so cool because it gave me so many ideas and connections for things that we haven't talked about. People, we haven't had on the show yet that I now want to get on the show Awesome, including John Bingham, who I hear is the inspiration behind the Penguin Award.

Speaker 1 5:33

Yes.

Speaker 2 5:34

The Marines. They posted an interview with the family. It's a wonderful interview. If you want to hear the full interview, head on over to our website, runeatdrinknet. To our website, runeatdrinknet. Go to the show's page and we have linked to the full and complete video interview about the Penguin Award. The link is also in the show notes, so we hope you'll check it out. That's why the award for the Very Last finisher is called the penguin award.

Speaker 3 6:12

Yeah, why it's called that is. That's interesting, and a hundred percent I love the meaning behind it, though I think that the idea that it symbolizes the belief that finishing is more, that is, the most important part of the race, regardless of your pace, and all the links we're talking about Amy's going to have in the show notes. So that video we're talking about. John Bingham's got his own website, johnbinghamcom.

Speaker 2 6:37

Yes, yes, and he actually has a couple of different websites. The Penguin Chronicles is an older website, but then the newer website also links to the archive and he has books as well. I had to go digging into and I'd actually found a picture, an image of the very last finisher from 2023 and this penguin. It's adorable, it's so cute, and I didn't and I didn't really think about the impact of how emotional that would be to have all of the Marines run you in and you receive this and it be presented to you. And I don't think that I know right now of a race and Tanya, tell me if you do of a race.

Speaker 1 7:36

And tanya, tell me if you do that has something that is equal to this or similar to this. I can't think of it. I do lots of races here in northeast florida with the sombrero running group. He is really awesome and he does mostly trail runs, but he celebrates the last. I think I told you about this. He celebrates the last finisher by giving you the slow ass award and it's a good humor and it's not supposed to be an insult at all. It's very competitive to get one.

Speaker 2 8:05

Like, you want to be slower. You want to enjoy the course.

Speaker 1 8:09

My kind of race. You're getting the most out of your entry fee.

Speaker 2 8:13

Exactly. I think we have a shirt that says that.

Speaker 3 8:17

Run, eat, drinknet.

Speaker 2 8:18

Yeah, we do, we seriously do. We have one that says I'm not slow and then on the back it says I'm making the most of my race entry fee and I feel like you're running group in Jacksonville and this Penguin Award both celebrate. And I think that if people are familiar with the name John Bingham, they might have seen him in the documentary Spirit of the Marathon, and there are two of them. There's Spirit of the Marathon too, that chronicles, I want to say, the Rome Marathon. It's Italian because they talk about pasta and they have it's. But in the first one they chronicle the Chicago Marathon, and I didn't know that was John Bingham's hometown.

Speaker 2 9:05

I didn't either I didn't either, and there are clips of him at the Race Expo at the Chicago Marathon, talking about how you should take your time and you should enjoy the course, and I think that the Marine Corps Marathon you talked about you highlighted some of the spots on the course where that would indeed be the philosophy that I would adopt.

Speaker 2 9:35

For sure, I will have a link to all of these in the show notes. What you sent to us in that email really hit home, because our philosophy is to accomplish, explore and indulge by making the most of the race entry fee and staying on the course to enjoy the sights, the other runners, and it seems like the philosophy of this race and this award.

Speaker 1 10:02

Yeah, that's a big reason I love the award. It celebrates the people who. 26 miles is a long time, whether it's two and a half hours or it takes you six and a half plus. That's a long time to be on your feet. It's a lot of miles.

Speaker 3 10:17

Either way, it's 26.2.

Speaker 2 10:18

A lot of hours Exactly, and it doesn't even count what you do in training when no one's looking.

Speaker 3 10:24

No, people have no idea how. And we've trained for one marathon. Amy and I trained for the Disney marathon, up to 25 miles in our training runs.

Speaker 2 10:33

Because we followed a Jeff Galloway plan.

Speaker 3 10:37

Then we got the flu the week of the race. Oh no, All that training for lots of miles.

Speaker 2 10:44

Were you going to say hundreds of miles? It?

Speaker 3 10:46

might be hundreds of miles. It felt like thousands of miles.

Speaker 2 10:51

Yes, hundreds of miles. It might be hundreds of miles, it felt like thousands of miles. But yes, especially in florida summer with humidity and that I'm sure that you are like. Yes, I feel it up here in north florida too it's already here yes, it is as we speak. It's late may, and you know that so is.

Speaker 2 11:10

I would just like to say to everybody that it the medals that you have been so fascinated by, dana, the, the connection to, to all the blood, the sweat, the tears, the sacrifice. I just think, and now this award that we just didn't know about, that really celebrates a back-of-the-pack runner like we have in the Runcation Nation and in the community. So I just think it's fabulous. But that's not all that you sent to us. You sent to us a massive list, a huge list of places where the locals go to explore and indulge in local food and beverage once the running is done, once the accomplishment has happened.

Speaker 3 12:08

You understood the assignment. Yeah, and we appreciate that.

Speaker 2 12:16

This was fabulous. I just I just want to go through the list and get your thoughts about the kind of celebration that might occur at these locations, because there are some people who like to get gussied up and dressed up and wear the medals and go and have a more formal type thing. Or is it going to be mostly laid back locations? And I also actually might have perused the websites, the menus, the Instagram accounts of these locations.

Speaker 3 12:43

She cyber-stalked them all.

Speaker 2 12:45

And I might have what I think that Dana would go for on the menu.

Speaker 3 12:52

Okay, let's see if you called it.

Speaker 2 12:54

Yeah, I don't know. So let me just get my little librarian glasses on so I can read this.

Speaker 3 13:01

You want me to read the first one.

Speaker 2 13:03

Yeah, so the first one go ahead.

Speaker 3 13:05

Port City Brewing Company. And then you've got this described as beer with food trucks.

Speaker 1 13:12

Yes.

Speaker 3 13:12

In Alexandria, Virginia.

Speaker 2 13:15

Yes, have you been there in a recent Marine Corps Marathon weekend?

Speaker 1 13:22

I don't think we made it last year but the year before that we did so 2022.

Speaker 2 13:28

So it's been a little bit but the year before that we did so 2022, so it's been a little bit. So what I really?

Speaker 3 13:39

yes, I did some what you call cyber stalking what I would call research.

Speaker 2 13:42

Tomato, tomato, I would. I would call it research. I actually found on their instagram an advertisement for Pizza Night Amber Lager, which is currently on their menu, and I feel like that would be a perfect post-run beer that you would enjoy, since you like amber.

Speaker 3 14:04

I like ambers and I like lagers. You're yeah, yeah, you know my my likes on beer. Absolutely, that's right up my alley. I just pulled up their website and the very first thing I see is something called joggers and loggers. L-a-g-e-r-s. On may 20th they're gonna have a weekly fun run and stick around for a beer afterward so do you ever go to any of those events? Tanya.

Speaker 1 14:32

My local brewing company here in Yulee, florida, shout out oh, say the name again SJ Brewing Company, so north of Jacksonville. But they have a Wednesday like pop day runners. So if you come and run or walk, it's your pace. You can go one mile, you can go three, six, whatever you want, and beers are half price for the rest of the night.

Speaker 2 14:59

Now, when you go to a brewery, are you typically? Do you do like a light or a dark? Are you stouts? Do you like IPAs it?

Brewery Chats and Beer Recommendations

Speaker 1 15:08

depends on how I'm feeling. But, I really enjoy a good IPA. I like better beer. I joke with my husband but it's not really a joke that like the higher the ABV, the more prone I probably will be. I like it more.

Speaker 3 15:23

You're firing for effect. Got it? The probably will be. I like it more. You're firing for effect Got it.

Speaker 1 15:25

The double IPAs, I like the triples, I like the imperial stouts. Do you like the barley?

Speaker 3 15:33

wine. I'm with you on imperials.

Speaker 1 15:34

I don't like barley wine. Oddly enough, I've had one.

Speaker 2 15:38

They are super potent, but I think they sacrifice the flavor sometimes.

Speaker 3 15:44

We rarely find one that we like.

Speaker 1 15:46

Yeah, yeah, I can only count one, and I don't remember who made it or what it was, but it was only one that I've liked.

Speaker 2 15:53

And I like your suggestion of Port City Brewing because I also saw on their Instagram for Cinco de Mayo that they had a hot sauce and beer pairing.

Speaker 1 16:06

Oh, that's awesome With a local hot sauce company.

Speaker 3 16:10

That's cool.

Speaker 2 16:11

And you can actually order their beer and have it shipped.

Speaker 3 16:15

Oh, can you? Yeah, okay, I'm looking, I'm literally looking at their yeah. I'm looking at their beer menu right now, the Pizza Night Amber. It's a 4.8% ABV, 20 IBU, so not very bitter. It says Pizza Night is your perfect go-to pizza night beer, hence the name. I added that this amber lager is a Czech-style Polot Mave.

Speaker 2 16:40

I don't know if I butchered that we probably butcher all the names of the lagers.

Speaker 3 16:42

I don't know if I butchered that we probably butcher all the names of hops. Half dark lager that is unfiltered and lagered for over three months, giving the beer time to naturally clear amber in color. Pizza Night has a medium body with a crisp and toasty malt backbone that is balanced by notes of citrus and spicy tones implemented by the use of Czech hops. That sounds lovely.

Speaker 2 17:03

Doesn't it? They have a variety though.

Speaker 1 17:06

Pizza from Lost Dog oh.

Speaker 2 17:12

It sounds like it would go perfectly. It does With pizza from your episode. Yes, yes so.

Speaker 3 17:21

Well, I dig it you chose I think you chose well on that one yeah.

Speaker 2 17:24

And I think it would be a laid back and relaxed kind of thing.

Speaker 3 17:27

Breweries are great post run they really are, I think, or at least most of them that we've been to. Yes, relaxed environment, get what you want, whether they have a kitchen or food trucks or whatever.

Speaker 2 17:48

It's usually something you can find that's going to help you replenish what you've lost after 13 miles or 26.2.

Speaker 1 17:52

Or maybe just a mile.

Speaker 2 17:54

Even 0.5.

Speaker 1 17:57

Exactly I did a 0.5K last year. A 0.5K it was a quarter mile mile and it was awesome.

Speaker 2 18:06

I love that.

Speaker 3 18:07

That is awesome.

Speaker 2 18:08

I feel like we should. I mean at our local brewery of Fort Myers Brewing.

Speaker 3 18:13

They have a beer mile, but you drink a pint every quarter mile.

Speaker 2 18:18

Yeah, you drink a pint every quarter mile? I don't know if I could do that. I guess it depends on how fast you go. Is there a time limit? I want it.

Speaker 3 18:25

I don't know. We haven't run it yet.

Speaker 2 18:27

We'll let you know. Another one you highlighted was the Aslan beer company, and I believe that Cheryl was drinking an Aslan beer in her recap of the seven, seven, 1775.

Speaker 1 18:42

K yeah. So, she's never been, so I hope by this time she has. Ooh, it's a cool little place.

Speaker 2 18:48

So what do you like about it?

Speaker 1 18:51

It's similar, in feel, to most breweries that I've been to, that like open floor plan, warehouse style. It's very casual. If memory serves me right, they do have some like gaming tables and stuff. So it's just a fun little place that you can go and get your regular beers, your pints, and then they also have package sales.

Speaker 2 19:10

And they have burgers and kind of pub style food from a place called Izzy.

Speaker 1 19:18

And I can't say I ate. I did not eat while we were there, so I can't speak for that, but I'm sure it's good.

Speaker 2 19:23

I'm sure I while we were there, so I can't speak for that, but I'm sure it's good. I'm sure I'm sometimes the best. I think we were on with Anna and she was recapping the New York City Marathon and she says sometimes the best burger is the one in the hotel after it's all done, when you get there so that is very true.

Speaker 2 19:40

It's the best, but the reason I love Aslan, I really just under latest releases on their website. I want you to find Dana, if you're looking at it. I want you to find a Letterkenny reference.

Speaker 3 19:58

Oh, the D-Gens. Yeah, picked up on that immediately. Let's see, the D-Gins is a German-style Pilsner, clocking in at 5.4% ABV. Light lemon pale honey sweetness and a crisp toasted bread, graham cracker-like malt character. Again, that sounds fantastic.

Speaker 2 20:18

And they had Letterkenny social media going all over their Instagram and Facebook and it was just so. I just yeah, and I think they're really creative in their names. I can't remember the one that Cheryl was, oh, bringing Sexy Back. I think is what she had.

Speaker 3 20:35

They have interesting beer names.

Speaker 2 20:37

Yes.

Speaker 3 20:38

And their website is very different than most Colorful, very colorful, I like. It seems to be like a regional chain. So you got herndon, alexandria, the district, and then pittsburgh, pennsylvania, and they are expanding to virginia beach.

Speaker 2 20:54

on may 25th they open whoa, so you could actually go there after the shamrock marathon experience you could.

Speaker 1 21:03

That sounds like the case. That's cool.

Speaker 3 21:06

I mean no offense to our friends at Yangling who helped put that race on.

Speaker 2 21:10

That's fair. That's fair. There's this place that you have on the list, and I'm very interested in this because you had a note that said Boozy shakes.

Speaker 1 21:25

Yes.

Speaker 2 21:26

Big Bun's Damn Good Beer Company.

Speaker 1 21:30

Yeah.

Speaker 2 21:31

So what do you know about these boozy shakes?

Speaker 1 21:35

They're awesome. So the one we went to was in Ballston. I want to say that they've got at least two, maybe three locations. One may have closed, I don't know. Okay, we would always go to the one in ballston I want to say that they've got at least two, maybe three locations. One may have closed, I don't know. Okay, we would always the one in ballston.

Speaker 3 21:49

They have very good burgers I said that's what they feature front and center on their website what's that? They feature their burgers front and center on the website, which they look really good that was like our burger place when we lived out there.

Speaker 2 22:04

Look at that, tanya. There's this. Do you do hot peppers? You like spicy food? Okay, so they have this burger called the Hot and Hefe and it says it's Angus beef, pepper jack, avocado grilled, habanero and serrano house, pico de gallo and sriracha aioli I'd try it and I'm looking at the other one, the horseradish bourbon burger oh, that looks good angus beef, munster, applewood smoked bacon, bourbon mushrooms, onions, shredded lettuce tomato I'm sorry, lettuce tomato jam.

Speaker 3 22:42

Oh, and a horseradish cream sauce. That looks good.

Speaker 2 22:46

Wow, oh, okay. But now look, if you go exactly where you were on that website and you get to the sides and shakes.

Speaker 3 22:58

I'm down to the section that says booze.

Speaker 2 23:00

Oh, okay, this is the drink that I have picked out for Danaana. Do you do old fashions, tanya? So you're not like a bourbon drinker, you're okay but in the right mood for bourbon or whiskey.

Speaker 1 23:14

I yeah, me too yeah, okay, I'll have a manhattan every once in a while but, it's not my go-to.

Speaker 2 23:23

So Dana loves bourbon and I think that he would like the young-fashioned.

Speaker 3 23:31

The young-fashioned. So we're skipping down to this.

Speaker 2 23:34

You were there first.

Speaker 3 23:35

This is a kegged cocktail made with bacon fat, washed bourbon, which is basically, they take rendered bacon fat, put it in the bourbon, let it sit, and then they strain it after the bourbon, so like they'll put that in the fridge, the bourbon fat or the bacon fat. Well, the bourbon fat it becomes the bacon fat becomes a solid. They scoop that out, they strain it. So then you get this wonderful bacony smoky character to the bourbon, and then that retains a little bit of that, the heaviness of the fat, for the mouthfeel.

Speaker 3 24:08

So I feel like you would like that so bacon, fat wash, bourbon maple syrup and house barbecue bitters.

Speaker 2 24:13

Barbecue bitters.

Speaker 3 24:14

Yeah, I would give that a shot.

Speaker 2 24:15

That sounds With one of those burgers.

Speaker 3 24:17

I think it would be delicious. That sounds like it would suck.

Speaker 2 24:19

However, you said you've had every single of. You've tried all the different boozy shakes. Tanya, I haven't tried them all. No.

Speaker 1 24:28

I've had many. I think I got like the same thing over and over again.

Speaker 2 24:33

Says that they'll do a shot of bourbon, a shot of Irish cream spiced rum or whiskey. Which one do you normally get?

Speaker 3 24:44

Irish cream Kind of hard to go wrong there with a chocolate milkshake. It's so good that's that is absolutely impossible to go wrong and, if they had like, maybe a touch of espresso powder.

Speaker 2 24:54

They had to bring out the chocolate and then the irish cream. I might have stalked their Instagram people and they have a specialty shake at the time of this, recording in their recent feed, not photographed on their website, which I believe I would do as a boozy shake the churro shake. There's a churro shake.

Speaker 1 25:20

That sounds good.

Speaker 2 25:22

I feel like that might have been for Cinco de Mayo or what have you, but it looked like it had a churro along with it.

Speaker 1 25:29

Rum chata in it or something.

Speaker 2 25:31

Oh rum chata.

Speaker 3 25:33

Oh, that would be awesome.

Speaker 2 25:34

Yes, tanya, you're brilliant. You are brilliant. I think you could like. There's the redonkulous Reese's all the photographs they adorn the shakes with Reese's pieces.

Speaker 3 25:45

Yeah, these are like extreme shakes that have like things stuck to the outside of the glass. Uh, the Reese's shake has Reese's uh pieces on the outside of the glass. It's garnished with a Reese's cup. The unicorn shake is served in a unicorn pool floaty.

Speaker 1 26:04

I have one of those.

Speaker 2 26:05

Do you really yes? So they let you keep them.

Speaker 1 26:10

Yeah, the pool floaty.

Speaker 3 26:13

That's adorable.

Speaker 2 26:14

I want one.

Speaker 1 26:15

I can send you the picture of when I got it, please.

Speaker 2 26:18

Yes, I'm happy to still have it. We must do that Now. I want to get the unicorn shake just because I want the pool floating.

Speaker 3 26:27

Now I was going to ask you was there a particular burger that was your go-to? Ooh.

Speaker 1 26:32

I don't remember.

Speaker 3 26:33

Okay.

Speaker 1 26:34

I feel bad. It's been a while.

Speaker 2 26:35

No, it's okay, no, no.

Speaker 1 26:37

Couldn't hurt to ask. I don't know if they still have it, but the Korean barbecue burger was amazing.

Speaker 3 26:46

The first thing on the menu is limited time only. Designer burger bundles. So they might have had it I suspect that they do a lot of rotating flavors. Yeah, it's like keg and cow here locally. Yes, we have a local spot that does custom Crazy Smash burgers. Oh my God, they do a new one every month and when it's gone, it's gone.

Speaker 2 27:06

Okay, but these look amazing.

Speaker 3 27:09

But these are not smash burgers. These look like thick patties?

Exploring Cheese-Themed Restaurants and Carb Loading

Speaker 2 27:13

Yeah, they're thick. Are they knife and forkers, tanya, or do you just pick it up and you're like whatever?

Speaker 1 27:23

I pick it up and I'm like whatever I pick it up and I'm like whatever, I love it.

Speaker 2 27:26

Give me like napkins, give me Right, I don't know, is a bib appropriate?

Speaker 1 27:32

Sure it could be.

Speaker 2 27:33

Yeah, you might want to take off the metal if you have worn the metal to your celebration at this place, at the Big Buns damn burger company. But I just that it was very attractive. The churro shake is just so lovely.

Speaker 3 27:51

All right, the next one is one that kind of threw me off oh tell me I didn't expect this, because runners a lot of runners tend to find their way towards a brewery or food trucks, that type of thing. But this is this place immediately called cheese teak. Yes, how did you find this? And talk to me about the post-race experience where you're going? I want a cheese board, or there's not.

Speaker 1 28:19

Okay 5k or something. He's just so heavy, I don't't know. And after we talk about burgers, which are also heavy, but cheese is different it's a different animal, yeah I would eat this, like maybe when you're carbo loading smart, there you go they have a fantastic lobster mac and cheese.

Speaker 3 28:41

Okay, so good this looks a little bougie, and I love that, because I'm a little bougie.

Speaker 1 28:46

It's a little bougie but it's not like a super dressy-up place. I guess you can for dinner, but I always went for lunch.

Speaker 3 28:53

Looking at their menu, they clearly have a theme, which is cheese, of course, but they have things like creamy tomato soup, which, of course, goes with a grilled cheese sandwich.

Speaker 2 29:04

Of course.

Speaker 3 29:05

They have. French onion soup marinated chev, which is goat's cheese, spinach, artichoke dip.

Speaker 2 29:13

Fried cheese curds. Fried cheese curds. I'm so sorry, I just threw up with that.

Speaker 3 29:17

Then you're getting into the entrees and the, like you said, the lobster, mac and cheese, boom Shrimp and grits with cheddar and tasso ham. Oh my God, this would be an amazing spot for carb loading. You called it.

Speaker 2 29:33

Listen, I've picked out sandwiches that I think that are amazing on this list.

Speaker 3 29:37

Okay.

Speaker 2 29:38

And I think that Dana would go for something called the brie and prosciutto.

Speaker 3 29:42

I think that Dana would go for something called the brie and prosciutto Ooh silky brie, sliced Asian pears and crisped prosciutto on grilled sourdough served with honey for dipping.

Speaker 2 29:54

That is a strong possibility for me. Yes, or because of your southern roots, where your mom is from Georgia.

Speaker 3 29:58

I'm looking at it. This is actually the one I would get.

Speaker 2 30:01

The southern comfort. The southern comfort, yes.

Speaker 3 30:05

Signature spicy pimento cheese, bacon, sweet pickles served on sourdough. Sign me up.

Speaker 2 30:10

Oh my gosh, would you eat one of those? Absolutely no.

Speaker 3 30:15

So talk to us a little bit about the lobster mac, because that that's up Amy's alley there.

Speaker 1 30:23

It's creamy and delicious and rich, and you get lobster and mac and cheese. What more do I have to say?

Speaker 3 30:29

It's so good. Is it like a deep dish baked mac, or is it?

Speaker 2 30:34

more creamy.

Speaker 1 30:35

Remember it being like that it was still very creamy.

Speaker 2 30:40

But look in their description of their base mac. It says it's got Gouda and Asiago and it's got breadcrumbs on the top. That's going to be amazing, so I think you get a little bit From the description. I would say you probably get a little bit of the creamy and the crunchy and you satisfy both.

Speaker 1 31:00

They broil it for a minute or so.

Speaker 3 31:02

Yeah.

Speaker 1 31:03

You get those toasted breadcrumbs on top. But when you get it it's not like getting baked seedy, where it's all like the sauce was sucked into the pasta. You still get the cheesy sauce. That sounds amazing, highly recommend.

Speaker 2 31:20

Oh my gosh. Yes, it's a unique one.

Speaker 3 31:25

That might be the most unique recommendation we've gotten from anybody, because this place specializes in cheese so far I love it but to her point.

Speaker 2 31:38

Tanya is a smart runner when you talk about like carb loading for this weekend at this place with the pasta or?

Speaker 3 31:47

the sandwiches well, either one.

Speaker 1 31:49

I, if I was carb loading, I'd probably go for the mac yeah, so good you get a little bit of protein with the lobster and the cheese, then you get the fat with the cheese and then you get your carbs and your pasta. It's perfect. It's balanced.

Speaker 3 32:06

It's all about balance.

Speaker 2 32:08

You can sail right into the Penguin Award. That's right there. Now there's another one that you have on the list, called Busboys and Poets.

Speaker 1 32:21

Yes.

Speaker 2 32:22

Can you talk about that a little bit?

Speaker 1 32:27

They're so good. I have not had a bad meal there, but I usually get like their fried chicken platter, so dana might like that, since he's dana would love that I'm telling you right now. Oh my gosh, yes I would go and get that and they can do it. They do so it's an allergy friendly place.

Speaker 2 32:45

So they do gluten free and things like. They're very accommodating in that way. That's good, and I yeah. When you said fried chicken, I was like oh, two pieces of cage free chicken breast, buttermilk, herb, mushroom cream sauce, mashed potatoes and collard greens.

Speaker 1 33:06

It's so good, and these are delicious.

Speaker 2 33:12

What did you say was delicious? Tanya the greens.

Speaker 3 33:17

They're doing something right. When one of the runners goes get the greens, I'm telling you it's yeah.

Speaker 1 33:24

When they're done right, they're done right. I've had greens, too, but these ones are really good and their potato, like the whole dish, is delicious.

Speaker 2 33:33

It just feels like it would be comfort food. If you had an experience at the race, where it was particularly you know how. When we talked about we talked to Roxanne and she said it was raining the entire time I feel like this chicken dish would be like something that was very comforting afterwards.

Speaker 1 33:55

So after my first 1775, I went to Best Boys and Poets and that was my post-race meal.

Speaker 3 34:02

It was delicious yeah there's no way you go wrong there, and it's interesting looking through their menu. They have some Moroccan influence in items on their menu, so you see some things thrown in there like hummus and falafel and just interesting spice choices, and in a couple of their dishes not doesn't seem like they've tried to weave it into everything, but they have it available on the menu, which is really nice.

Speaker 1 34:30

And they do like people come in and read poetry and stuff. It's a cool little place.

Speaker 2 34:36

Oh, it warms my English teacher heart. Yay, yay, yeah, there were pictures of poets like Langston Hughes, yeah, and I was like, oh yeah, that's awesome. Yeah, and there's a what is there? A Cuban sandwich?

Speaker 3 34:54

No, there's not a Cuban sandwich. No, there's something called a Cubano, which is an homage to a Cuban sandwich, but they serve it on ciabatta bread.

Speaker 2 35:01

Oh, so it's not.

Speaker 3 35:02

Cuban bread, so it's not a Cuban sandwich.

Speaker 2 35:03

Oh, I'm so sorry.

Speaker 3 35:05

I'm very particular From.

Speaker 2 35:06

Tampa. I'm so sorry, just okay fine.

Speaker 3 35:10

But again, I'm looking at this menu. Yes, I would have gravitated towards the fried chicken, without a doubt, towards the fried chicken, without a doubt, of course. That said, crab cake sandwich with Old Bay tartar sauce on a brioche bun, their falafel, which they serve with tahini on pita.

Speaker 1 35:28

Oh.

Speaker 3 35:29

That would be fantastic.

Speaker 2 35:33

I think I there's a lot.

Speaker 3 35:34

This menu's got a lot going on and they include and here's talk about talking to my southern roots fried catfish with collard, greens, herb grits, capers and tomato coulis.

Speaker 2 35:45

Fried catfish? Yes, I don't know. Tanya, are you anti-seafood before a race?

Speaker 1 35:54

No.

Speaker 2 35:54

No.

Speaker 1 35:55

No, okay.

Speaker 2 35:57

Okay.

Food and Beer Recommendations in DC

Speaker 1 35:57

Okay, I remember really wanting a, and I don't tend to go for salmon at all. That is probably my least favorite, but for some reason I wanted a grilled salmon salad like a huge salad before my first Marine Corps marathon, and the place that we did not have one, oh, no, first.

Speaker 3 36:20

Marine Corps marathon and the place that we did not have one. Oh no, you could get that damn salad anytime you wanted it. Any other time? Oh, isn't that always the way?

Speaker 2 36:31

but we're setting people up for success with look at the wide array.

Speaker 3 36:37

I say you've chosen some really cool spots here. Yeah, I would love to check this place out. They've clearly they're fusing some things together and this is really interesting.

Speaker 2 36:47

Yeah.

Speaker 3 36:48

They have Creole shrimp blackened salmon. Speaking of salmon, there you go. Shrimp and chicken, chorizo, pasta, beans and wild rice. So they got a lot going on here. And then they make a point of their chicken is being prepared halal. Just again, looks like they're incorporating somebody in that kitchen I think probably has some Moroccan roots. Yeah, Would be my guess.

Speaker 2 37:14

Now there is another place with some good food and beer called Blue Jackets. That's in the Navy Yard.

Speaker 1 37:26

Yeah, so it's across town.

Speaker 2 37:28

Okay, so across town. How do you mean?

Speaker 1 37:30

Across DC town.

Speaker 2 37:32

Okay.

Speaker 1 37:33

But it's accessible through the Metro.

Speaker 2 37:39

You just get off at Navy Yard and that's a little bit of a block, a couple blocks maybe so it's not too bad, it's not no not at all if you are there's, so you know if there's the running store, if you forgot something, you can get something there so it's near the running store, so just in case you might have lost luggage and you need socks or um anything, or goos or beans, or you know anything that's good to know. So so blue jackets is the navy yard and I just ah. So there's their burgers and they also have their own beer.

Speaker 1 38:16

Yes, yes, their brewery.

Speaker 3 38:19

I'm looking at a photo of the interior. What a cool space.

Speaker 1 38:24

It is cool.

Speaker 3 38:25

It's got that kind of industrial brewery, look to it, but it looks like it's a little upscale.

Speaker 1 38:31

Yeah, and again, though, I've never dressed up going there, but you know, you could do what you want to do after you do 26.2.

Speaker 3 38:44

You could put that on a shirt.

Speaker 2 38:46

I think that I well, there are okay so you can look at the drafts, and there are many original drafts there. But then there's also there's a brunch menu that I might have scoured and I and the beer menu and I actually Tanya I don't know if you went light or dark when you or if you had any of the brews there, but I gravitated on the list towards something called mexican radio, which is a sweet stout with chocolate, vanilla, cinnamon, ancho chili and milk sugar at eight percent I'm sure I would enjoy that very much I know I would it sounds like it would be sweet and spicy.

Speaker 1 39:39

I'm not a fan of chili in my beer, but it depends.

Speaker 3 39:43

This would be Mexican hot cocoa done as a milk stout is what this sounds like, and 8%, a couple of those and you're feeling good Right as rain. Right as rain.

Speaker 2 39:55

But they also have hoppy selections, they also have fruity selections, they have.

Speaker 3 40:00

I like the way that their menu is divided, the way that they organize their flavors, and it looks like they have probably three, four, probably 20, roughly 20 taps. They divide it according to, like a flavor category hop forward tart and funky roast, and that's where Mexican Radio falls.

Speaker 2 40:24

Yes.

Speaker 3 40:25

Then they have a guest beer section, then they go with their classic, and then they have crisp, hop, fruit and spice, roast, smoke and cask.

Speaker 2 40:35

So I think you could find something for everybody there.

Speaker 3 40:38

Yeah, what a neat way to organize the menu. That's super smart.

Speaker 2 40:42

And I feel like their brunch menu. Their brunch menu is where it's at because I gravitated to it. Now I know that I said I was investigating the menus for the producer here who's off camera, but I might have looked at the brunch menu. Yeah, bring that up. Click on that, because there are cinnamon rolls that I think that I would be in love with, with brown sugar, molasses, orange buttercream, frosting.

Speaker 3 41:14

Ooh, that probably wouldn't sit there for dinner.

Speaker 1 41:18

So that sounds I might have to do brunch next time. So you've been't for dinner, so that sounds I might have to do brunch next.

Speaker 2 41:23

So you've been there for dinner.

Speaker 3 41:23

Do you remember what you had by chance?

Speaker 1 41:26

I don't remember. I think, I had one time and couldn't hurt to ask at another burger.

Speaker 2 41:34

I mean, you can't go wrong with that.

Speaker 1 41:36

No, and they just sounded really good.

Speaker 2 41:39

Yeah.

Speaker 1 41:39

But one of those places where you get seated and you can like, pay as you go, like order and stuff. It's an interesting place.

Speaker 2 41:51

You, you. How do you feel about shrimp and grits? Tanya.

Speaker 1 41:56

I don't like grits.

Speaker 2 41:58

You don't like grits, but it's okay, Alright this interview's over. Oh, my god, you, I love grits. Okay, so I think you would love the shrimp and grits brunch selection.

Speaker 3 42:12

Oh, I've been eyeballing it Stone ground, grits, creole, spice, andouille, corn manchego, poblano, red pepper butter, parsley crisp, andouille corn manchego, poblano, red pepper butter, parsley crisp and a sunny side up egg. That would speak to me right there I would try it.

Speaker 1 42:26

It's just polenta and grits, they just. I don't like the texture too much.

Speaker 3 42:30

It's a textural thing If you didn't grow up with it. I had a college roommate. He was from New York city and he he's. He went to college with me at emory and atlanta and he's like what's a grit? And I had to get it was like the whole scene out of my cousin vinnie. I'm like I'm having to explain to him what grits are, oh, and say try it. And I had to introduce him the correct way, which is savory, not sweet. We do not put sugar on our grits here in the south, oh my god sugar is for cream of wheat, not for grits.

Speaker 3 42:59

Wow.

Speaker 2 43:00

But there are. Like you said, you went the burger route. Tanya on there.

Speaker 1 43:07

I did. But we tried other things too, like a friend got a salad, so I think I took a bite of that. We had fries. We got a bunch of things.

Speaker 2 43:15

It's. I just think there's a fried chicken sandwich. There's a falafel sandwich there's reuben which, and then you could get small plates too and share them like a la the, the cinnamon rolls like tapas style yeah, yeah, that would be.

Speaker 3 43:31

That's the way to go, I think if you have, especially if you have a bunch of people like say, you all went and did a runcation together yes, yeah, so I just yeah I love their menu, I love their space.

Speaker 2 43:42

That the beautiful picture of the like, say you all went and did a runcation together.

Speaker 3 43:45

Yes, yeah.

Speaker 3 43:45

So I just, yeah, I love their menu, I love their space, that the picture of the space is gorgeous. So they've got the brewery tanks right there behind the bar and you've got plenty of bar space and bar seating. Plus, they've got these long tables that you can sit at. These are these look like each one looks like about an eight top and then banquets on one side so you can have a little more of an intimate group if you wanted to. This is gorgeous Good find. We were complimenting you on your find here.

Speaker 1 44:10

Yeah, I'm so glad you have my friends to thank, Brendan and Mary Beth if they're listening.

Speaker 2 44:17

Aw shout out to the friends.

Speaker 1 44:18

They introduced us to it. And we've gone every time we're in DC. It's a good place.

Speaker 3 44:23

Very nice. It looks like we have one more place that you shared with us, and this is the Museum of the American Indian.

Speaker 1 44:32

Yes.

Speaker 2 44:34

And you went there for something called a green chili bison burger.

Speaker 1 44:39

Yeah.

Speaker 3 44:42

I'm only saying that I keep literally. We have ground bison in the house pretty much at all times.

Speaker 2 44:47

I love bison. Yeah, I do too. I make bison meatballs like Italian meatballs. Yum oh, they're so good, so good. But I and from what I understand in in their, in perusing their menu, that they rotate seasonally according to what's fresh.

Speaker 1 45:05

That makes sense.

Speaker 2 45:06

Yeah, but the pictures of the dishes, like the chili and just the salads, they look so fresh and so delicious. I really I I have to say I don't know. Do you remember what you had there?

Speaker 1 45:24

The green chili bison burger.

Speaker 2 45:26

Yeah, and I don't remember.

Speaker 1 45:29

I want it would have been in the South, if memory serves me right, because it's been years since I've actually been there, since I don't live there anymore. They have the cafeteria set up to where in different regions of the us, so you can go and eat things that are more southwest, or prairie, or east, or pack northwest things like that, and they'll have different dishes oh, that's cool yeah those places. So I was in the southwest because I am am from New Mexico and we put green chili on everything.

Indulging in Local Flavors

Speaker 3 46:03

I went to a school for work several years ago and I was marveled at the fact that even at the drive-thru at McDonald's you could get your burgers with red or green chili sauce.

Speaker 1 46:16

Yeah, at McDonald's.

Speaker 3 46:18

Yeah, at McDonald's which.

Speaker 1 46:19

I've never, ever seen At McDonald's, yeah, at McDonald's.

Speaker 2 46:20

Which I've never, ever seen. That's amazing.

Speaker 3 46:24

And every time you go someplace, they would ask you red or green, red or green, red or green?

Speaker 1 46:28

I say Christmas. Okay, what, what do you pick? I do Christmas Generally.

Speaker 3 46:35

Red and green.

Speaker 1 46:36

Oh, they get both yeah.

Speaker 2 46:38

Okay, Okay. I was looking at their menu and I totally went for a dessert for Dana. Oh, For a grilled peach shortcake with port wine sauce, vanilla ice cream and cornmeal biscuits.

Speaker 1 46:54

Yep, that sounds amazing, that is 100%.

Speaker 3 46:58

That would be killer yeah.

Speaker 2 47:02

It looked like they had a nice lobster roll from that region. It looked like they just had it all looked so fresh and appetizing. But I just went straight to the dessert for you.

Speaker 3 47:16

I appreciate that.

Speaker 1 47:18

Life is short, eat dessert first, exactly.

Speaker 2 47:22

And I want to have this green chili bison burger too.

Speaker 1 47:27

I hope you can get it. If nothing else, make one at home with all the ground bison you have.

Speaker 2 47:33

That's true.

Speaker 1 47:33

Go to the international food section at Publix. Mm-hmm, tiny little yellow cans for like two bucks a piece. Get the hot ones, they won't be super hot.

Speaker 3 47:45

Exactly.

Speaker 1 47:46

But get a couple of those. Put that on your bison cheeseburger. It'll change your life.

Speaker 3 47:53

They're currently showing on their menu a campfire buffalo burger with green chilies.

Speaker 1 47:59

There you go. That's probably what I got.

Speaker 2 48:01

Yeah, oh, that looks good Aged cheddar, I mean, I'm hungry.

Speaker 3 48:11

Oh yeah.

Speaker 2 48:11

For it all.

Speaker 3 48:12

Well, these were absolutely phenomenal recommendations, and we are so thankful that you took the time after we talked.

Speaker 3 48:22

And it's so funny, you know pre-roll before we start recording and after when we stop. A lot of times the conversation you're like damn it. I wish I'd have recorded that. But we are so thankful that you took the time to jot some things down and send them to us and let us live vicariously through your experiences here. We hope that everybody out there in the Runcation Nation is just as tempted as we are and you know you're. If you're looking at doing Marine Corps, you're going to be up in the Metro DC area. These are going to be some spots you're going to want to check out, I think for sure.

Speaker 2 48:55

It doesn't even matter whether you're there for the Marine Corps marathon proper, like the 1775. Whether you're there for the Marine Corps marathon proper, like the 1775. If you're there for anything, I think that this is a dynamite episode to show you a wide array that will satisfy any palate and quench any thirst, absolutely. So, tanya, thank you for coming on once again to talk about the Penguin Award, to talk about local food and beverage, to accomplish, explore and indulge at the Marine Corps Marathon.

Speaker 1 49:29

My pleasure. Thanks again for having me.