The first week of 2012 has come and gone. 51 weeks to go. I'd like to believe they could all be like this week--busy, but not overwhelming, full of sleep and feeling good.
This week, I ran a total of 30.7 miles. None of it was for time. Distance is the goal, not time. Keeping my March marathon goal on the horizon and thinking all the time about the Kalamazoo Marathon. Hoping I make it through all three healthy.
I had two full days of vegan eating this week...yes, including my coffee of the day. I've found that I actually like soy lattes.
And one of my biggest highlights of the week? Acceptance into the NYC Marathon in November. Deferring last fall was terrible, but receiving my guaranteed entry this week for it in 2012, yielded total elation!!!
Yesterday's long run, while not very easy, was fun in that I saw new parts of DC. I always think it's amazing that I have lived in DC for more than ten years and I can still see new parts. I also ran on roads that I have run on in years. It was fun to run in "new" territory and on paths not well trodden (by these legs).
Here's to week two...
Sunday, January 8, 2012
Spicy Tempeh and Broccoli Rabe with Rotelle
This week's recipe was chosen based on ease. But honestly, it did have quite a bit of intrigue with it's chili peppers, garlic and rapini. As we drove in the car and chose the recipe this a.m. we also thought about what we knew we had at home in terms of ingredients. We didn't want to go home to check, so this recipe seemed straight forward and relatively easy to navigate when it came to grocery shopping.So, Spicy Tempeh and Broccoli Rabe with Rotelle it was!
I followed the recipe exactly with the substitution of gobbetti pastas for the rotelle. See that bulb of garlic? All but three cloves of it were used. Another allure of the recipe.
As the pasta boiled on the stove, the directions had me make the sauce for the tempeh. It consisted of red pepper flakes, fennel seeds, soy sauce, vegetable broth, dried oregano, and tomato paste. It was quite delicious and not nearly as hot as I thought it would be. The tomato paste added a little sweetness and the soy brought out the savory.
The tempeh and sauce steamed for about ten minutes and then were put in a separate bowl. By this time the pasta was finished and sat in the drained pot, with 2 tablespoons of olive oil and a lid on it to keep it warm.
As the tempeh and sauce simmered, I chopped ten cloves of garlic. It smelled so great! Hope it helps to keep all of those lingering cold germs away too!!!
Then, the garlic was put in the, now empty, pan that the tempeh and sauce had simmered in. The garlic cooked in a little olive oil and then rapini was added.
It steamed for eight minutes with the lid on and then two without, as the final liquids evaporated.
Shazam! It was finally time for all ingredients to meet! The tempeh which had since been added to the pasta, was now poured in with the cooked garlic and rapini.
And very quickly, dinner was served!
Mark and I both liked the recipe, but I think Mark liked it better. For me, the rapini was just a bit too bitter. Also, I'm not sure if was the cooking of the fennel seeds or the combination with the rapini, but the fennel seeds really turned bitter and were somewhat overpowering. It was fun to cook and definitely a healthy dinner, but I will definitely try some other recipes from the book before making this one again.
Wednesday, January 4, 2012
My First Day Vegan
So, this is a picture of how I am ending my day, not how I started it.
I can actually say that I made it an entire day eating as a vegan! (Applause please!)
My biggest roadblock I thought would be my Half & Half in the coffee....honestly, soy milk is NOT a substitute for my morning addiction. I braced myself to be grouchy should my Starbucks order of a Venti Soy Latte with an extra shot, was not good. I got my drink from the bar, added three packets of sugar, put the lid back on and took a sip. It was actually good. I have to say, it was much, much better than I had anticipated.
Ok, I actually liked it.
The day was going to be ok.
My next dilemma was what to do for breakfast. No oatmeal from Au Bon Pain b/c it had milk in it. No yogurt from Starbucks ( a personal fave!) because, well, it's yogurt. In the end, I went hungry. :(
By 11 am, I was so hungry that I ate my vegan vegetable soup during a team meeting. But by lunch time (an hour and a half later) I was hungry again so I went out to the store to scope my options. I found dried fruit (not my fave, but I was sooo hungry). I also found a frozen Amy's Tofu and Brown Rice bowl...phew! I wasn't going to starve after all. And in the spirit of trying things (I was feeling empowered from my soy latte), I bought a bunch of bananas!
I went back to school and at the tofu and brown rice--I'd had it before and loved it. The dried apricots were also delish. The bananas? They sat there. I couldn't bring myself to eat them.
Fast forward another class and a staff meeting. 5:00 comes and I make it back to my room...again, ravenous! I eye the bananas...they eye me...
And then I take the plunge! I find the most ripe, but still unripe, banana and peel...I did it! I actually ate the full banana! It was honestly, probably my first banana in 10 years. And you know what, it wasn't nearly as bad as I remember them to be!!!
Tonight we went to Whole Foods for dinner. I went for a run after work, but before dinner and by the time we got home, I was HUNGRY!!!! So off we went to the prepared food bar at Whole Foods---tonight's dinner? Garlic noodles (entree) and balsamic roasted brussel sprouts with red onions. FANTASTIC!
We managed to pick up 10 other things from Whole Foods too--one of which is the Coconut Milk creamer. We just tried it. It too, is pretty good...I think this vegan thing might just work out... :)
Sunday, January 1, 2012
I'm the Author of Great Vegan Food!
While this post seems to not fit with the rest of the theme of the blog, let me assure you, it most certainly does.
One of my New Year's Resolutions for this year is to eat vegan for the whole day three days a week in the New Year. This means several things for me: a gradual release from my dearly beloved Half and Half in my coffee, and a concerted effort to learn how to cook vegan.
This is not a new thought for me, but this Christmas I acted on it and requested vegan cookbooks that were easy to follow and had food that was "mainstream." My brother and his fiance came through with two great cookbooks.
Tonight, I made my first vegan meal from Veganomicon: The Ultimate Vegan Cookbook by Isa Chandra Moskowitz and Terry Hope Romero.
After Mark and I perused the book, we settled on Tempeh Shepherdess Pie. The recipe seemed easy enough but incorporated new flavors and new ingredients.
So, we made a list and headed out to Whole Foods.
Our new ingredient of the day? Grapeseed Oil. Who knew? From the looks of it, it is from green grapes. I just had no idea that they had it let alone, for sale.
After our run, we set to work.
The recipe took a little bit to follow but was very clear and had concise times for everything which I really appreciated. It was my first time cooking with tempeh and I found it all very easy to do.
I love the consistency of tempeh in my food so I was so excited to work with it and see how it was cooked. Above it's in the pan, simmering with some tamari sauce and water.
Once most of the water evaporated it was poured in the collander, where it waited until the mushrooms and onions were sauteed. Then it went back in the pan with the awesome smelling onions and garlic, where it simmered for a while as spices and other ingredients were added.
As I worked on the tempeh mix, Mark mashed the baby Yukon gold potatoes, adding in soy milk, grapeseed oil, and some salt and pepper.
Finally, the two parts were ready to meet...
Into the casserole dish it went...first the tempeh mix...
And then topped with the layer of mashed potatoes....
It only required 20 minutes in the oven and an additional four under the broiler to get the crunch, crispy potato top.
Served and voila! I've made an awesome vegan dinner! It was delicious! Already looking forward to my vegan cooking next adventure!!!
Happy New Year everyone! Here's to a year of new food and resolutions!
One of my New Year's Resolutions for this year is to eat vegan for the whole day three days a week in the New Year. This means several things for me: a gradual release from my dearly beloved Half and Half in my coffee, and a concerted effort to learn how to cook vegan.
This is not a new thought for me, but this Christmas I acted on it and requested vegan cookbooks that were easy to follow and had food that was "mainstream." My brother and his fiance came through with two great cookbooks.
Tonight, I made my first vegan meal from Veganomicon: The Ultimate Vegan Cookbook by Isa Chandra Moskowitz and Terry Hope Romero.
After Mark and I perused the book, we settled on Tempeh Shepherdess Pie. The recipe seemed easy enough but incorporated new flavors and new ingredients.
So, we made a list and headed out to Whole Foods.
Our new ingredient of the day? Grapeseed Oil. Who knew? From the looks of it, it is from green grapes. I just had no idea that they had it let alone, for sale.
After our run, we set to work.
The recipe took a little bit to follow but was very clear and had concise times for everything which I really appreciated. It was my first time cooking with tempeh and I found it all very easy to do.
I love the consistency of tempeh in my food so I was so excited to work with it and see how it was cooked. Above it's in the pan, simmering with some tamari sauce and water.
Once most of the water evaporated it was poured in the collander, where it waited until the mushrooms and onions were sauteed. Then it went back in the pan with the awesome smelling onions and garlic, where it simmered for a while as spices and other ingredients were added.
As I worked on the tempeh mix, Mark mashed the baby Yukon gold potatoes, adding in soy milk, grapeseed oil, and some salt and pepper.
Finally, the two parts were ready to meet...
Into the casserole dish it went...first the tempeh mix...
And then topped with the layer of mashed potatoes....
It only required 20 minutes in the oven and an additional four under the broiler to get the crunch, crispy potato top.
Served and voila! I've made an awesome vegan dinner! It was delicious! Already looking forward to my vegan cooking next adventure!!!
Happy New Year everyone! Here's to a year of new food and resolutions!
Monday, December 26, 2011
New Equipment - New Challenges
So doing Triathlons is often all about getting better gear. I haven't done too many Tri's yet, but one thing is clear from the ones that I have done is that it often isn't about how fast you are but more about what gear you have. Ridiculously expensive bikes, special teardrop shaped helmets, special quick tie shoes, sports drink, etc. It actually is amazing what things people buy just because they think its going to make them faster.
A Xterra Vector 4 Sleeveless. I have rented wetsuits in the past, but mostly just gone without one feeling that I was manly enough not to need the boost of the suit to swim well. Now I get to look like all the other lemmings lining up at the start line (not to mention swim a bit faster).
One piece of gear that actually does make you faster is a quality wetsuit. That is exactly what Amy's family gave me for Christmas this year.
A Xterra Vector 4 Sleeveless. I have rented wetsuits in the past, but mostly just gone without one feeling that I was manly enough not to need the boost of the suit to swim well. Now I get to look like all the other lemmings lining up at the start line (not to mention swim a bit faster).The real reason I need the wetsuit however is that if I am actually going to do the Escape From Alcatraz Triathlon a wetsuit is a necessity. The water in San Francisco Bay on race day should be between 50 - 55 degrees. I bit chilly even for a hardy midwesterner. Also, you blend in better with the Harbor Seals.
Thanks Trenkles!!!
Sunday, December 25, 2011
Great Blog Site!
Passed on from a friend! Definitely worth checking out! Love the goal, the travel, the running!
50 states in under 100 hours!
50 states in under 100 hours!
Back for 2012
So, I've been absent from this blog for an entire year.
2010 was an awesome and fun year for me with running.
2011, not so much.
Without the goal of 2010, I felt a little sad and not nearly as focused.
I didn't have any problem signing up for races, but completing them, or running them, was another story.
2011 was plagued with injuries and unhappy feet and legs.
And as you probably noticed in the lapse of dates, a lack of writing--something else I missed.
So, with 2012 around the corner, I pledge to do a better job of writing and I will, by January 1, 2012, have a new goal/resolution lined up.
Since there is an absence of reports from this year, I will do a quick recap:
March 20: NYC Half Marathon: Super excited to run this race! The loops of Central Park were nice, but the run through Times Square was AWESOME! I even liked the run down the Expressway. Mark and I had an awesome weekend in Manhattan, even with a buggy ride through Central Park! I was super excited to be accepted into the race and then to particpate.
March 26: National Half Marathon: An awesome, awesome time! Ran this race with Rachel and Kristen--high school friends who I hadn't seen in years! This was Kristen's first half! It was such a terrific weekend catching up and running through DC! It was the best run of the entire year for me!
April 2: TJ Pi Miler: This race benefited Mark's school. The mile markers were fractions of pi. A hilly run through TJ's neighborhood, dorky, but fun! :)
April 3: Cherry Blossom 10 Miler: My legs were pretty tired by the time I got to this race from the race the day before. The cherry blossoms, however, were out in full bloom on Hain's Point and it was a beautiful run.
April 17: BAA 5K: A great and fun run with Mark, Jon and Leslie in Boston! I ran in my Vibram 5 Fingers and loved it! The day was perfect--overcast and cool. And the next day--for a treat, Mark and I got to watch the Boston Marathon!
May 8: Kalamazoo Marathon: And here is where there is a decline in my running. Actually, it happened right after our return from Boston. My legs were heavy and unhappy. My calf muscles were so tight I could barely walk. I couldn't loosen them no matter what. Even after a professional sports massage. I was super excited for the marathon and a return to Kzoo--Mark and hadn't been in 8 years or so. It was the inaugural marathon for Kalamazoo and I was so excited to be a part of it. But, no matter how badly I wanted to finish it, it was not in the cards for me that day. At mile 14+ I made the decision to drop out. My legs were just not happy with me. Despite my training, I didn't feel ready and my legs were unhappy. This was definitely a sad race and a sad day for me.
May 15: Capitol Hill Classic 10K: My legs were still tight by this race, but we made it to the finish line in under an hour. I just couldn't figure out why my legs were so tired and tight. We were both happy to run and support my school.
June 5: Zooma 10K Annapolis: This was a race that I had been looking forward to running for a few years now. I decided to run the race in my Vibram Five Fingers. All was good for three miles--the weather was amazing--drizzle, cloudy and cool. But my legs slowly started to tighten up. At mile five, going up the bridge my right calf muscle just "popped" and I couldn't walk on it any more. I tried to run and just couldn't. I hobbled back to the finish line where Mark and Dad were waiting for me. My calf muscle bruised and I had trouble walking--I knew something wasn't right.
June 18: Baltimore 10 Miler: Despite my injury I really, really wanted to run this race. The last day of school for the kids was on 6/17. I was exhausted from the end of the school year rush. Mark's triathlon was the next day. I wasn't sure how my leg would do. While my time was anything but stellar, I did finish. My leg wasn't very happy, but I was able to run/limp through the race (and the humidity!) I decided to give my legs a break and moved to biking and gym workouts.
Jul 10: Mad Marathon/Half Marathon: Earlier in the year, I signed up for the full, inaugural marathon, but when my legs started to be weird I switched to the half. Unfortunately, with the calf injury, I decided not to run the half either. :( We had a great time cheering for Jon, however, and a fantastic stay at the Von Trapp Family Lodge!
July 30: Friends of the WO&D 10K: A very warm day, but a race, I really, really wanted to run. Primarily, because I just wanted to run and I figured if I could make it through the 10K, I would be on my road to recover. It was almost 6 weeks after the Baltimore 10 Miler and I could wait no longer. It wasn't a fantastic race, but it was awesome just to be out there!
August 9-11: Biking the C&O Canal: This was our most fantastic summer adventure! 184 miles down the C&O Canal--while it wasn't running, it was a test of endurance and a great time!
September 11: Parks Half Marathon: While I started running again just before our C&O Canal bike trip, I didn't feel that I was ready to run the half marathon. It was a tough decision because I really wanted to run it (it's one of my favorite races!), but I just didn't feel like I was physically ready for it.
October 2: Run for the Parks 10K: Mark and I both ran this race. It was the dreaded Haines Point 10K route, but the morning was beautiful. We also ran into Polly at the race! And... as we left the race, we were greeted with a gorgeous, vibrant rainbow stretching over the Potomac River and the Lincoln Memorial.
October 9: Boston Half Marathon: This was a last minute lottery entry on FB and surprisingly I was selected. However, it was too short of notice and the bib went to waste. :( However, it was this race that I realized I had not be consuming enough iron and started to take iron pills. (Two months later I can attest to what an amazing difference iron makes!!!--my legs are no longer heavy and tired!!!)
October 15: Baltimore Half Marathon: This was my first half marathon distance since May. I loved this race the year before and was excited to be at the start line again. Whether it was selective or not, I did not remember many of the hills on the course. While it was one of my slower times for a half marathon, it was wonderful to run and to be back!
October 30: Marine Corps 10K: Another fave. The weather was perfect. If anything, the freeze the night before caused some course difficulties. Sections of the 14th Street Bridge were frozen as we ran! Runners literally had to stop and walk to keep from slipping over a few sections of the course! We finished, at a comfortable pace in exactly an hour.
November 6: NYC Marathon: I made the decision early in the fall that I would be unable to run the marathon this year, despite winning the lottery. :( Luckily, after double checking, triple checking and checking a zillion more times, I read that I could defer for guaranteed entry in 2012. Sooooo....2012 here I come!!!! While it was a sad Sunday, I did take comfort knowing that I would be able to run it in 2012!
November 20: Philly Marathon: Ditto to my entry for the NYC Marathon, except no guaranteed entry for 2012.
November 24: Turkey Chase 10K: An annual tradition that we shared with Jon and Leslie! It was a great day and, after almost 6 weeks of iron pills, a return to a better finish time: 55 minutes! :)
December 3: Run for Chocolate 15K: Epic fail!!! Where do I begin. I'm not even sure this race warrants space as to what went wrong on this blog. Suffice it to say, I will NOT run another race with RAM Racing again. We did have a great run across the Woodrow Wilson Bridge though. :)
I announced after the Run for Chocolate that I was done with running in races for 2011. It was NOT a good year for running. I try to keep perspective and remember what an awesome year I had the year before. You win some, you lose some.
I am definitely ready to move onto 2012 and leave 2011 in the past....
2010 was an awesome and fun year for me with running.
2011, not so much.
Without the goal of 2010, I felt a little sad and not nearly as focused.
I didn't have any problem signing up for races, but completing them, or running them, was another story.
2011 was plagued with injuries and unhappy feet and legs.
And as you probably noticed in the lapse of dates, a lack of writing--something else I missed.
So, with 2012 around the corner, I pledge to do a better job of writing and I will, by January 1, 2012, have a new goal/resolution lined up.
Since there is an absence of reports from this year, I will do a quick recap:
March 20: NYC Half Marathon: Super excited to run this race! The loops of Central Park were nice, but the run through Times Square was AWESOME! I even liked the run down the Expressway. Mark and I had an awesome weekend in Manhattan, even with a buggy ride through Central Park! I was super excited to be accepted into the race and then to particpate.
March 26: National Half Marathon: An awesome, awesome time! Ran this race with Rachel and Kristen--high school friends who I hadn't seen in years! This was Kristen's first half! It was such a terrific weekend catching up and running through DC! It was the best run of the entire year for me!
April 2: TJ Pi Miler: This race benefited Mark's school. The mile markers were fractions of pi. A hilly run through TJ's neighborhood, dorky, but fun! :)
April 3: Cherry Blossom 10 Miler: My legs were pretty tired by the time I got to this race from the race the day before. The cherry blossoms, however, were out in full bloom on Hain's Point and it was a beautiful run.
April 17: BAA 5K: A great and fun run with Mark, Jon and Leslie in Boston! I ran in my Vibram 5 Fingers and loved it! The day was perfect--overcast and cool. And the next day--for a treat, Mark and I got to watch the Boston Marathon!
May 8: Kalamazoo Marathon: And here is where there is a decline in my running. Actually, it happened right after our return from Boston. My legs were heavy and unhappy. My calf muscles were so tight I could barely walk. I couldn't loosen them no matter what. Even after a professional sports massage. I was super excited for the marathon and a return to Kzoo--Mark and hadn't been in 8 years or so. It was the inaugural marathon for Kalamazoo and I was so excited to be a part of it. But, no matter how badly I wanted to finish it, it was not in the cards for me that day. At mile 14+ I made the decision to drop out. My legs were just not happy with me. Despite my training, I didn't feel ready and my legs were unhappy. This was definitely a sad race and a sad day for me.
May 15: Capitol Hill Classic 10K: My legs were still tight by this race, but we made it to the finish line in under an hour. I just couldn't figure out why my legs were so tired and tight. We were both happy to run and support my school.
June 5: Zooma 10K Annapolis: This was a race that I had been looking forward to running for a few years now. I decided to run the race in my Vibram Five Fingers. All was good for three miles--the weather was amazing--drizzle, cloudy and cool. But my legs slowly started to tighten up. At mile five, going up the bridge my right calf muscle just "popped" and I couldn't walk on it any more. I tried to run and just couldn't. I hobbled back to the finish line where Mark and Dad were waiting for me. My calf muscle bruised and I had trouble walking--I knew something wasn't right.
June 18: Baltimore 10 Miler: Despite my injury I really, really wanted to run this race. The last day of school for the kids was on 6/17. I was exhausted from the end of the school year rush. Mark's triathlon was the next day. I wasn't sure how my leg would do. While my time was anything but stellar, I did finish. My leg wasn't very happy, but I was able to run/limp through the race (and the humidity!) I decided to give my legs a break and moved to biking and gym workouts.
Jul 10: Mad Marathon/Half Marathon: Earlier in the year, I signed up for the full, inaugural marathon, but when my legs started to be weird I switched to the half. Unfortunately, with the calf injury, I decided not to run the half either. :( We had a great time cheering for Jon, however, and a fantastic stay at the Von Trapp Family Lodge!
July 30: Friends of the WO&D 10K: A very warm day, but a race, I really, really wanted to run. Primarily, because I just wanted to run and I figured if I could make it through the 10K, I would be on my road to recover. It was almost 6 weeks after the Baltimore 10 Miler and I could wait no longer. It wasn't a fantastic race, but it was awesome just to be out there!
August 9-11: Biking the C&O Canal: This was our most fantastic summer adventure! 184 miles down the C&O Canal--while it wasn't running, it was a test of endurance and a great time!
September 11: Parks Half Marathon: While I started running again just before our C&O Canal bike trip, I didn't feel that I was ready to run the half marathon. It was a tough decision because I really wanted to run it (it's one of my favorite races!), but I just didn't feel like I was physically ready for it.
October 2: Run for the Parks 10K: Mark and I both ran this race. It was the dreaded Haines Point 10K route, but the morning was beautiful. We also ran into Polly at the race! And... as we left the race, we were greeted with a gorgeous, vibrant rainbow stretching over the Potomac River and the Lincoln Memorial.
October 9: Boston Half Marathon: This was a last minute lottery entry on FB and surprisingly I was selected. However, it was too short of notice and the bib went to waste. :( However, it was this race that I realized I had not be consuming enough iron and started to take iron pills. (Two months later I can attest to what an amazing difference iron makes!!!--my legs are no longer heavy and tired!!!)
October 15: Baltimore Half Marathon: This was my first half marathon distance since May. I loved this race the year before and was excited to be at the start line again. Whether it was selective or not, I did not remember many of the hills on the course. While it was one of my slower times for a half marathon, it was wonderful to run and to be back!
October 30: Marine Corps 10K: Another fave. The weather was perfect. If anything, the freeze the night before caused some course difficulties. Sections of the 14th Street Bridge were frozen as we ran! Runners literally had to stop and walk to keep from slipping over a few sections of the course! We finished, at a comfortable pace in exactly an hour.
November 6: NYC Marathon: I made the decision early in the fall that I would be unable to run the marathon this year, despite winning the lottery. :( Luckily, after double checking, triple checking and checking a zillion more times, I read that I could defer for guaranteed entry in 2012. Sooooo....2012 here I come!!!! While it was a sad Sunday, I did take comfort knowing that I would be able to run it in 2012!
November 20: Philly Marathon: Ditto to my entry for the NYC Marathon, except no guaranteed entry for 2012.
November 24: Turkey Chase 10K: An annual tradition that we shared with Jon and Leslie! It was a great day and, after almost 6 weeks of iron pills, a return to a better finish time: 55 minutes! :)
December 3: Run for Chocolate 15K: Epic fail!!! Where do I begin. I'm not even sure this race warrants space as to what went wrong on this blog. Suffice it to say, I will NOT run another race with RAM Racing again. We did have a great run across the Woodrow Wilson Bridge though. :)
I announced after the Run for Chocolate that I was done with running in races for 2011. It was NOT a good year for running. I try to keep perspective and remember what an awesome year I had the year before. You win some, you lose some.
I am definitely ready to move onto 2012 and leave 2011 in the past....
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