10.10.10 - The date for redemption.

Oh yeah, it was also the date to motivate.

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Two years ago, I arrived in Chicago to tackle my second marathon. I arrived alone and unprepared, but surprisingly excited to take on the challenge. My training was horrible that summer - I lacked the discipline and motivation to properly train (I ended up only doing a handful of long runs). I don't even think I made it to 18 that summer. Terrible. In hindsight, I probably shouldn't have run that year. The only thing that got me out there was the fact that I had already paid for my registration ticket and hostel!

Flash forward to the present. I signed up for this year's Chicago Marathon for a few reasons:

1. I'm a nerd and get excited at the idea of running on 10.10.10
2. I kept reading about other bloggers signing up and it made me want to run it again
3. It's flat, it's fast and I was determined to finally drop my marathon time to under 5 hrs.

I think they're pretty good reasons, don't you?

I was determined to redeem myself during this year's race. I was sure the hill training and extra speed would pay off.

I woke up wired race day morning and headed out for my 3/4 mi walk to the start. I threw on a trusty pullover since, you know, dark mornings usually mean a slight chill in the air, right? Wrong. Had to be a least 65 at 6:30am. Wruh-wroh!

Checked my gear and weaved my way to the giant blue 4:45 Nike pacer sign. I had hoped to meet up with Val since we were planning to run around the same pace, but of course we were wearing the colors everyone else decided to wear. D'oh!

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I ended up getting trapped in the massive crowd at the start, but I told myself to chill out and just stick with my pace tattoo. I could find the pacers later. The first 1/4 mile or so zoomed by...next thing I knew we were zipping past my hotel (ha!) and nearing the first mile mark.

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One minute ahead of pace. Calm down.

I felt like I finally hit a comfortable pace around mile 2...not too fast, just a smidge faster than a comfortable jog. Enh. I was now hitting my splits consistently...4 min ahead of my pace band. I'm sure anyone running near me from miles 1-6 could hear me chanting "calm the f down. Keep a steady pace." O yeah, I was talking to myself.

I kept this up for the first 16 miles...teetering between 3 and 4 min ahead of pace. I was running strong and steady and felt like I could maintain this speed for awhile. All of a sudden between 16 and 17, it hit me. The sun, the heat, defeat. I finally hit a split. Then I watched everything go downhill. I went from hitting my splits to 1 min slow to 2 min slow, to I stopped paying attention.

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I want that puppy.

Nerves/hypochondria set in and I started taking sips of Gatorade and water at every aid station. I stepped my pace back big time and focused on what my body sounded like. Breath (huffing and puffing or calm?), heartbeat (pounding or not?). My brain went into overdrive. Why? I've been here before. I know how to run in the heat. (o yeah, that was chant number 2) I guess I was just super freaked out that I wasn't prepared. And I was bummed I wasn't going to meet my goal. The goal I had trained all summer for.

Around mile 21 in Chinatown, I looked up and saw part of my cheering section! My brother and his girlfriend drove down from Ann Arbor to cheer (slash hang w/their friends in town, obvs) and snagged an awesome spot along the median. Woo!

I got a burst of energy soon after that. Maybe it was the crowd, or the giant pink dragons, or Jamie was sending good vibes from the crowd (even though I didn't see him), or perhaps it was Chariots of Fire blasting as we turned a corner. Yeah. Could have been that. Haha.

At some point during all this (I have no idea when because I must have blocked it out) the event level went from yellow (less than ideal) to red (potentially dangerous). Seriously Chicago, cut a girl a break! This was like a repeat of 2008!

I struggled through to 22, telling myself that I had to make it to the Redhead and her awesome cheering skills! I think I ended up missing the Redhead by 20 min or so and decided it was finally time for a pee break. Guess all those liquids finally got to me. HA.

Not the best idea since I watched all my energy go down the hole. I left that porta potty surprisingly drained of all energy and I didn't think it was possible to go any further. At mile 23, I had mentally given up. I'll admit it, I also turned into a giant baby and had a silent boo hoo session as I shuffled along.

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I knew there was no way I was going to make my goal of 4:45 so I reassessed and decided I just wanted to come in under 5 hours. Slow and steady. Drink and walk through the water stops.

The last few miles were tough and they seemed to drag on forever. More chanting took place along the way...this time it was more like me yelling at myself. I knew I could finish. I had done it 3 times before. I knew I could run in the heat. It was all I ever trained in. Why was this so difficult?

Next thing I knew I was 800m from the finish (hallelujah!) and I knew that little speed bump was coming up. Muahahaha. The speed bump I refused to let beat me. Charged it through to the finish...4:57. Done.

I have mixed feelings about this race. I'm happy I shaved 13 minutes off my PR and that I finally dipped below 5 hours. I trained properly this time. I ran 14 minutes faster than 2008. I got my redemption.

I know there's no such thing as a perfect race or perfect conditions, but I can't help but wonder what if the heat didn't get to me. What if I stuck with my pace band?

Meh. What ifs are no fun. There's always next time...

A week of experimenting

This week I conducted a few experiments...

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I played with some brown rice pasta

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and cut dairy out.

Why? Well, brown rice pasta looked like fun. I like pasta, I like brown rice...duh. The dairy was more of a let's see if my stomach feels better without dairy thing. Happy to report both were successful experiments!

Brown Rice Penne with Sausage Peppers and Onions

1/2 bag brown rice penne, cooked according to package

2 links cooked chicken/turkey sweet basil pesto sausages, sliced

1/2 bell pepper, sliced

1/2 onion, thinly sliced

1/3 c cherry tomatoes

1 tbsp jalapeno, thinly sliced

1 tbsp olive oil

2 tbsp white wine

salt

Heat olive oil in a pan over medium heat. Saute onions until they begin to soften. Add sausage and cook for 4-5 minutes or until sausage starts to brown. Add white wine and scrape up brown bits. Add peppers, tomatoes and cook for 2-3 minutes. Stir in pasta and cook for 1 minute. Serve immediately.

I kinda love the brown rice pasta, aside from the shape (package said penne, clearly not penne). Reheating the next day for lunch made the noodles a little softer and they had the texture of rice noodles in asian dishes. I LOVE that texture...sort of gelatinous but still firm.

The only downsides:

1. It doesn't pack that much fiber.
2. It's pricy compared to regular pasta.

Ok, onto the dairy. My belly hasn't been too happy with me lately and I couldn't figure out why. Jamie convinced me to conduct a little experiment where I avoid all dairy products for the week. It was surprisingly easy. I jotted down everything I ate for the week and how I felt during the day and during runs. The only bad belly experience involved SALAD and white bean hummus. Go figure. Two things I love.

Since my experiment ended today, I celebrated by cooking dinner and topped it with some sheep's milk feta. Duh.

Sausage-y Harvest Blend Filled Squash

1 acorn squash, halved and roasted

1 1/4 c Trader Joe's Harvest Grain Blend

2 links cooked mango chicken sausage, chopped

1/2 onion, chopped

1 c spinach, chopped

1/2 c cherry tomatoes

2 tbsp olive oil

2 tbsp white wine

3 tbsp currants

1 tbsp tarragon

1 3/4 c water

salt

pepper

2 tbsp feta, crumbled

Heat olive oil in a pot and brown sausage (about 3 minutes) before stirring in onions. Cook for 2 minutes or until onions become translucent. Add white wine and scrape up brown bits from sausage. Add currants and tarragon; cook for 2 minutes. Stir in spinach and cook until it begins to wilt. Add grains and stir well. Pour in water, add tomatoes and bring to a boil.

Lower heat and simmer covered for 10-15 minutes or until all liquid has been absorbed. Scoop into acorn squash halves and top with feta. Bake for 5 minutes at 400 degrees.

I really enjoyed this meal. Usually I don't like raisins, craisins or anything like that in my savory dishes, but I've been trying to be open minded. Currants = awesome in my book. They're small enough that you only get a tiny hint of sweetness in each bite. It went well with the slight sweetness of the sausage too! Very excited about leftovers :)

I know this was a really quick post, but I'm off to bed...last long run (not including next weekend's 12k race) before Chicago! Happy weekend, everyone!

Burn out and stock pot

I'm not entirely sure what's going on, but I was too burnt out to get my run done this weekend. I had an AMAZING run on Tuesday (I can't remember if I mentioned it already). I was feeling particularly speedy and the weather was nice and crisp. I whipped out a mildly hilly 4.36 miles in 37 minutes. Jeebus! 8:38 pace! It felt awesome! So why o why was I too tired to get more than 4.5 done this weekend?? UGH.

Maybe it's this random cough I've had since Thursday. Or maybe it was the discovery of this tasty treat...

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O yeah, that was dessert on Friday.

Or maybe it was the introduction of something new?

Allow me to introduce you to my gummy vitamins. Yep. GUMMY. Vitamins were discussed for some reason during our last book club meeting and I mentioned that no matter what brand and no matter how much food I eat beforehand, I always feel pukey. Apparently I wasn't the only one! Someone suggested I give gummy vitamins a try, so I picked up a bottle this week. So far, so good!

Or maybe it's just burn out. It might be burn out. I really feel like I need to get this 20 in, but maybe my body just doesn't want it to happen. I'm fairly comfortable at this point going into Chicago with a few 16-18 milers under my belt. I mean, I maxed out at 18 last year before MCM because of my achilles and I was fine. I know I'm capable of doing the distance...maybe I just need time to clear the head and legs. We'll see how this week goes...

More running fails, means more kitchen successes. This evening, I experimented with fideos...well, I made my version of the dish. Far from the traditional version, but tasty.

I grabbed some items from the cabinet along with more mystery box items and got to work.

Kitchen Cabinet Fideos

2 c cut spaghetti

1 large onion, chopped

1 clove garlic, chopped

3 tbsp adobo sauce

2 tbsp olive oil

1 can diced tomatoes in chiles

1 bay leaf

juice of 1/2 a lime

2 tbsp white wine

salt

pepper

handful cilantro, chopped

2 1/2 c chicken broth

3 small carrots, sliced

1 pepper, diced

Heat olive oil in a stock pot and saute onion and garlic for 1 minute. Add spaghetti and cook for 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Stir in wine for 1 minute, then add adobo sauce, stirring to coat.

Pour in diced tomatoes and cook for 1 minute before adding carrots and peppers.

Add broth, bay leaf, lime juice, salt and pepper and bring to a boil. Lower heat, cover and simmer for 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Sprinkle in cilantro and cook until most of the liquid has evaporated. Serve immediately.

I thought it was pretty tasty for a random attempt. I'd like it to have a richer/deeper flavor...beyond just tomato. I think maybe some smoky chili powder? Some cheese? Cocoa? Hm.

Quasi deep thoughts by yours truly

As I wrote all those Labor Day weekend recaps, referencing previous visits to San Francisco, it dawned on me how many times I flew out here before moving. It was as if I jumped at every opportunity to visit the city that would soon be my home. Wait a second, who am I kidding? I DID jump at every opportunity.

It's now edging on 5 months since the big move and I've had a few friends ask me if I'm happy I moved out here and oddly enough, this question always shocks me. Do I seem unhappy? I mean, I guess my transition has been pretty mellow with a few "I miss DC" moments popping up here and there. It's expected though, right? I did leave everything comfortable back east for an unfamiliar city where I only knew a couple of people.

It's a tough question to answer. I can't give an emphatic yes or no. Maybe it's because I've been so caught up in work and running or maybe it was just too gradual of a transition (with all the previous visits) to affect me? I don't know. I feel like I've fallen into a somewhat comfortable, busy routine. Sure, I wish I knew more people and had more close friends to randomly call for an impromptu dinner/drink/veg out session, but I know all of that will come in due time.

Yeeeaah, I think I'm pretty happy I moved here. It's the first city I chose to live in. It's not somewhere my parents picked, it's not a city I had to move to for school, it's not a city I lingered in out of comfort; it was my pick and I like it.

I like that a 17 mile run (that should have been 20) excites me because of all the new sights I can look forward to.

I like the fact that if a running buddy and I want some banh mi post-run, there are a ton of nearby options.

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I like being able to picnic in Golden Gate Park in the middle of September in a tank top in front of the gorgeous Conservatory of Flowers.

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I like having fresh, local, cheap produce all the time.

A lot.

So yeah, I think it's safe to say I'm happy.

I know a few of you have also made some big moves and life changes recently. Are you happy with your decisions?

The accidental vegetarian meets race week...

And it should be an interesting party.

I'll get into the whole 'accidental vegetarian' bit later on. Let's start with the fun stuff, shall we?? RACE SWAG!

So this Sunday I'll be running my first race in my new city...

No, I didn't sneak one by you guys. I'm just running the half. The second half to be exact. Yep, you get to choose which half you want to run! How fun is that?? Apparently the first half sells out pretty quickly since it takes you over the Golden Gate Bridge, but I'm more than ok with passing on that.

The second half marathon starts in Golden Gate Park and winds through Haight-Ashbury, the Mission, Mission Bay, past AT&T Park and finishes at the Ferry Building. Conveniently, all the neighborhoods I haven't yet explored. Very excited!!

I scooted out of the office around 2 to pick up my bib and check out the expo goods. If I wasn't so flustered, I would have busted out the camera to take a picture of the crowd. INSANE. SO thankful for half day Fridays.

I grabbed my bag, bib and shirt (as shown in the pic above) and flew past the official race merchandise (my new thing is I will only allow myself to by 'official' merchandise if I'm doing the full) and into the expo area. O my...holy overload. I'm happy to report that I only bought a few things:

Pace tattoo (I only bought it b/c I couldn't find the free ones). Yeah, that says 2:02. I know I said I was going to take it easy on this one, but I mean if I happen to cruise in at 2:02, I won't complain ;) I also vow not to be miserable if I don't finish in 2:02.

Nuun and portable Nuun (yeah, that's an individually packaged Nuun tablet. I'm a sucker.) to replenish my stash.

Double Espresso Clif Shot Gels! Do you know how long I've been looking for these?? I forget the first time I had one of these, but I thought they were awesome. Unfortunately most stores don't stock them...maybe it's the 100 mg of caffeine! haha. I picked up 2 just in case I ever have a tough time waking up pre-Saturday run ;)

Check out some of the expo/bag surprise highlights:

Joint Juice (plus some powdered packets) - I keep seeing ads for this stuff. Will definitely report back after I try it.

Itty bitty Larabars - how cute are they? Finally snagged a PB&J one...can't wait to try it!

Balsamic Vinegar and Olive Oil? I found these at the very bottom of my bag. Kinda random, yeah? Maybe not so random? They did have a pho table set up at the expo. WTF??

So today was also supposed to be couch delivery day, but that didn't happen. I'll spare you the story. All that matters is I'm getting free delivery on Monday now. Score.

Since I didn't have to wait for the delivery folks, I got to work on dinner - Broccoli Rabe with Tofu. I know...you can barely contain your excitement. I was psyched to see broccoli rabe at the farmers market on Sunday, but I didn't have a chance to use it until today.

Broccoli Rabe with Tofu

1/2 bunch broccoli rabe, cut into 1.5 inch pieces

2 tbsp olive oil

2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced

1/2 block high protein tofu, cubed

1 tbsp mirin

1 1/2 tbsp oyster sauce

1 tbsp chili garlic sauce

1 tsp unagi sauce

Heat 1 tbsp of olive oil in a pan. Brown tofu over medium heat and set aside. In same pan, heat 1 tbsp olive oil over medium high heat, saute garlic for 30 seconds, add mirin and broccoli rabe. Saute for 1-2 minutes or until broccoli rabe begins to wilt. Add oyster sauce, chili garlic sauce and unagi sauce. Cook for 2 minutes before stirring in tofu. Cook for another minute and serve over rice.

I ate this over some brown rice (totally rocking the brown carbs tonight, white carbs tomorrow in the form of sushi rice!) and thought it was pretty good for being so simple. I've made this dish, in some form or another, many times before but this was one of the better versions!

Just a couple observations:

1. These were super leafy. Usually when I get broccoli rabe in the store, the leaves aren't that big and there are a few little florets poking through. Not the case here.
2. The stems were pretty thin. I've usually gotten ones with thick stems. These were closer to watercress thickness.
3. There was more crunch going on. Less of a broccoli stem crunch, more of a watercress stem crunch. Yes, I listen to how my food crunches in my mouth. I know, I'm very strange.

Ok, so onto the accidental vegetarianism. There's no denying my love of meat. I could probably give up chicken in a heartbeat, but red meat could never leave my life. I've never had random chicken cravings, but you bet I crave juicy steaks and burgers. Lamb shank? Hell freaking yes.

Unfortunately, good quality meat isn't exactly cheap and apparently chicken isn't cheap these days either? Meh. Damn good thing I appreciate soy and soy products.

Have I noticed anything different? Why yes, yes I have:

1. When I do get around to eating meat (usually when I'm out), I end up eating less of it. Not because I don't like it, but because my stomach starts to feel weird.
2. I tend to feel bloated more often (I've even tried to not eat dairy with lots of soy or ruffage, but that doesn't seem to help)
3. General weirdness when it comes to digestion. I will refrain from sharing TMI.
4. I still crave meat, I wish my wallet did too.

So I guess I've become a quasi-vegetarian (an at home vegetarian??) for financial reasons. Anyone else find themselves in the same situation? Is there a secret butcher somewhere that had good, reasonably priced meat? A secret Safeway?? :(

Cold = no motivation

That's right. It's cold out. In July. So not helping motivation.

Ok, it's not frigid...just colder than my wardrobe is prepared for ;o) I decided to pass on tonight's KnockOUT Pilates class so I could get back in touch with my kitchen and crash early. On the menu: Israeli Couscous Salad (for lunch/dinner tomorrow) and a Roasted Potato Salad (for dinner tonight). Sometimes I like making two things at once :)

Israeli Couscous Salad

1/2 package Trader Joe's Harvest Grain Blend, cooked according to package directions

1/2 japanese cucumber

1/3 c smoked fontina, diced

1/3 c grape tomatoes, quartered

2 tbsp scallions, chopped

2 tbsp basil, chopped

1/8 c Monday Vinaigrette (see below)

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and mix well. Refrigerate for at least 20 minutes before eating.

Monday Vinaigrette

3 tbsp olive oil

2 tbsp sherry vinegar

2 tbsp rice wine vinegar

splash balsamic vinegar

1 tsp honey

pinch salt

pepper

Whisk or shake ingredients together.

You like my creative dressing name? Seriously, random mix that ended up tasting pretty good. Will report back on how the couscous turned out tomorrow. I used the harvest blend because I thought I had a package of Israeli couscous in the cabinet, but no. I did not. Figured the harvest blend was the next best thing! I'm sure this would work well with just the couscous.

Tonight's main event was the Roasted Potato Salad. Last Sunday I picked up a handful of German Butterball Potatoes and I knew I wanted to roast them for a salad...I just never got around to it.

These cute little balls got cut in half and tossed with a little olive oil, salt, pepper and rosemary. The standard roasted potato recipe, minus garlic (because I forgot it). I roasted them at 350 for about 20 minutes before plopping them on my large salad

I'm not kidding when I say large. That's a mixing bowl.

I ended up tossing some little gem hearts, mixed greens, hearts of palm, grape tomatoes, fontina, japanese cucumber, scallions and avocado with the remaining Monday Vinaigrette and it went really well with the potatoes. Who knew it would work out so perfectly??

So here are a few things I've noticed since I started buying my produce at the weekly Fort Mason Farmers Market:

1. Peaches and nectarines go bad faster than store bought ones. Must buy firmer ones to last me through the week.
2. I will always have to stop at Safeway to fulfill my banana fix.
3. Basil is plentiful, cheap, and has lasted me over a week.
4. Everything just tastes fresher and better.

I realized this as I nibbled on some of my grape tomatoes. I've never had grape tomatoes that were this sweet until recently. Plus, they're not ridiculously expensive as the pints at the grocery store! My cucumber was equally delicious. I've had weird cucumbers before that tasted slightly bitter and this one definitely did not have that trait. I heart you, farmers market! Do you have a farmers market near you? Have you noticed any differences between the farmers market and grocery store produce?

I came home with some broccoli rabe this Sunday, so keep an eye out for its return! Very excited. I'm thinking an asian-y tofu stir fry for half the bunch and a simple garlic, olive oil and salt mix for the other half. Any suggestions? I'm hoping for non-pasta...trying to branch out from that broccoli rabe safety.