el jaliciense feast, followed by 15 miles

Hello and happy weekend! I can’t wait until Monday to share all the Mexican food and miles I’ve racked up in the past two days, so here you go.

On Friday I picked up Anthony from the airport (he’s back!), then picked up his parents at our house, and drove the crew straight to El Jaliciense.

I’d heard that this hole-in-the-wall taco shop was really authentic and delicious, so had to give it a try.

We started off with some guac and drinks. Have you ever tried a michelada? It’s a beer/lime/spicy thing — sort of like a bloody Mary. It was fun to try, but I think I’ll stick with plain beer in the future.

Especially because El Jaliciense serves “familiar”-sized beers that ginormous in size. Look, there’s a lizard on Anthony’s head!

Back to the beers: Anthony’s parents are loving American (or Mexican, I guess?)-sized drinks.

The FOOD.

We went a bit overboard and basically ordered the whole menu. Everything was so, so good! Fresh cilantro, lime, and avocado was on top of everything — and warm, soft corn tortillas were stacked high next to each plate.

The ceviche tostada was delicious, as Yelp reviews said.

The real star of the night was the tacos, though. They were so flavorful (and a total steal, at less than $2 each!) Chorizo was our favorite.

El Jaliciense, I love you. We’ll be back soon!

All the beer and tortillas made for a wonderful long run the next day

I met up with the PR Bandits to explore the beautiful Belle Meade neighborhood. We set off bright and early before the heat set in, making our way through some shady back roads.

Around mile 4 we entered Radnor Lake park, which was so gorgeous. You actually can’t run or bike on the trails around Radnor Lake, but you can run on the road right alongside the park!

The park was so peaceful and… natural? I sort of want to take a yoga mat and some Enya there and find my zen. Or just go back and pound out more miles under the huge trees that line the streets.

Anyways. At mile 5.5, my running buddy Rayna and I stopped for scenic shots of Gu…

and then headed back until we finished the 11-mile route.

Then I parted ways with the Bandits to tack on four final miles solo. The last mile was a bit hot and slow, but I felt pretty good overall. Done!

Thanks for a great run, PR bandits!

Now it’s time to see what Sunday has in store. I know there’s a Costco trip on the agenda, and I am way too excited at the thought of buying paper products in bulk.

• Did you do a long run this weekend?
• Locals: Favorite Mexican restaurant?
• Ever tried a michelada?

El Jaliciense on UrbanSpoon: