"Do one thing a day that scares you"

Until recently, I have been a wanna-be yogi. Sure I have all the stuff....the pretty mat, the block, the Lululemon yoga pants (love, love, LOVE). I am familiar with most of the poses...I have my vinyasa down and my Eagle pose kicks butt if I do say so myself! And I have previously posted, I drink a cup of yogi tea at night to help calm me before bed.

But all this time, I have been a fake yogi.....you see, I have never been to a real yoga studio. Until recently, I would go to yoga classes at.....gasp.....my gym!! Any of my readers that are true yogis understand the horror in this! Yoga at the gym was alright. I liked it when I went, but I never really felt the pull to attend class. Also there was only one class per week that was the style of yoga that I liked (it is a gym after all so fitting in yoga between the various Body Pump and Samba classes wasn't high priority for them!).

So there is this awesome yoga studio right by the exit I get off at coming home from work.....I see it daily and always wonder to myself what is behind those fogged up doors (they heat the studio to ~95 degrees!). But for some reason I was scared to go to a class. For some reason I felt like I didn't belong there....I'm a runner, not a yogi!

Things changed over Thanksgiving while I was visiting my grandparents. They just moved into a new apartment complex and my Grandma was telling me all about the classes they have for the residents. There was a water aerobics class she was interested in, but she hadn't gone yet. I asked her why and she said "I'm scared I won't fit in or know what to do." I laughed and told her she was being silly, but then a light bulb went off.....I realized that was the same excuse I was using for not going to the real yoga studio! We both had that fear of being the new person in class and standing out. I guess it surprised me to learn that even after 82 years of life, we all still have the same insecurities.

So I put on my big girl yoga pants and went to class. Guess what....I LOVED every sweaty, hot minute of it!! No one judged me, no one pointed and laughed at the new girl, no one even noticed I was there (as is the true yogi way of being within one's self and not watching others!) I have been going weekly for the past 3 weeks and definitely plan to make this part of my training schedule. I'm hoping Santa brings a multi-pack of classes for me tomorrow ;)

I'm not sure if my Grandma has made it to the water aerobics class yet, but hopefully this post will inspire her (and anyone else reading this) to take that leap into the pool (or studio or where ever).....do something you've been wanting to do, but been too afraid to try. I promise....you won't regret it!

P.S. For those of you who shop at Lululemon, you will recognize the title of this blog as one of the quotes on their shopping bags

P.P.S. This now gives me a good excuse to go shopping at Lululemon!! I heart their clothes almost as much as I heart yoga :)

Do I have to??

This is what I am looking at for my lunch run today:


I really, really don't want to go outside......at least it's sunny, right?? I skipped my run yesterday so today it is. If you don't hear back from me in about an hour, bring a bucket of warm water and look for the frozen runner statue on the side of the road!

*******************UPDATE******************
That wind was nasty!! But I made it back....5.5 miles in the books. No icicles, just some really red skin! So glad I have home made split pea soup for lunch!

Getting in the holiday spirit

For Bryan's birthday this year, I got him a new SLR camera. Since then (August) he has been having a lot of fun playing with it and has taken lots of great pictures....he even made the top 50 photos in the Boston Globe's online photo contest in November!!

Here's a video of him experimenting while we decorated our Christmas tree this year (make sure your sound is on).....Happy Holidays!!

************UPDATE*************
The final results from the photo contest were just announced and Bryan's picture won him second place!!!! Congrats to my husband :)

Christmas Tree from Bryan on Vimeo.

New Recipe of the Week: Healthy Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins

Yes, I know November is over and we are moving on from squashes and stuff, but this recipe is too good to hold off until next fall. These muffins are so yummy that I make them all year long!!

These muffins have ground flax seed in them which adds tons of health benefits. Flax seed is a vegetarian source of omega 3-fatty acids and, when in its ground form, fiber. You can add it to baked goods, oatmeal, yogurt, etc for a nutty flavor. The recipe also uses half whole wheat flour (I've used all whole wheat flour before, but the muffins turn out really dense and heavy....still tasty though!)

My running friend Jen (who is super speedy so the muffins must do the body good!) gave me this recipe....not sure where its originally from so I can't post the source. I've substituted vanilla yogurt for the pudding and it turns out great. Serve them with a hot cup of coffee or tea and you have a great breakfast or mid-day snack! Hope you enjoy them as much as we do!

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

2c sugar
2c canned pumpkin
1/4c canola oil
3/4c ground flaxseed
1/2c fat-free vanilla pudding (or vanilla yogurt)
4 egg whites
1 1/2c whole wheat flour
1 1/2c all-purpose flour
2t cinnamon
1 1/4t salt
1t baking soda
1c chocolate chips

Whisk together first 6 ingredients. Whisk together dry ingredients. Add flour mixture to pumpkin mixture and stir. Stir in chocolate chips.

Spoon into lined muffin tins or into 2 (8x4) loaf pans sprayed with cooking spray if making bread. Bake at 350 for 30-35 minutes for muffins and ~1hr.15min for bread. (May take less time depending on your oven/elevation). Cool as long as you can stand it and enjoy!

Off the lazy train

After two weeks of doing no running and little exercise, I am officially off the lazy train....not without a long layover at Eat-everything-in-sight Station!! To be fair, I did catch a nasty cold so I had to take additional post-marathon time off (aka couch time) and you are supposed to feed a cold, right?? I am back to running this week and I'm working on a couple blog posts including some new recipes!

Check back in soon :)

Philadelphia Marathon Race Report

So you already know the punch line of this story from my last post, but here's all the details for those of you interested.


Goals for this race:
All-the-stars-are-perfectly-aligned-ultra-reach-goal: Sub 3:30
I'd-be-ecstatic-goal: 3:30-3:34
I'd-be-happy-with-a-PR-goal: Under a 3:39:03

Pre-race:
Of course there was the standard expo, packet pick-up, and checking out the booths....nothing special to report here so I'll skip any details.

Pre Race Pacing Strategy:

Based on my training, I thought 3:30 was slightly beyond my ability. But.....I already had my BQ time from last year in Hartford and I really had nothing to lose so I decided to join with the 3:30 pace group and see how things would play out. I knew this was an aggressive and risky pacing strategy.....every marathoner knows that going out too fast can lead to a major blow up and death march at the end of the race. But......what the hell....I figured this was the time to take the risk and see what I had in me! Go big or go home, right??

Pre Race Freak Out:

Upon leaving the expo, we decided to head home along the second half of the Philly course (a 6.5 mile out and back along the Schuylkill River and into Manayunk). I'm not sure why, but I freaked out in the car....what was I thinking running with the 3:30 pace group?? That's a recipe for disaster!! Maybe I should go out at a more realistic pace....shoot for something around 3:33-3:34. Bryan calmed me down and reminded me that I had a plan and you don't change your plans 12 hours before the race! Yes, I would be taking a risk, but that was my plan so I should stick to it.

Race Morning:

It was the perfect day for running.....cool (mid 40's), sunny, and not much wind. We all got ready, hugs and high fives for good luck, and then headed to our separate corrals. Bryan gave me one last pep talk and we said our good byes. I found the 3:30 pacer, Bill, who was joking around with the group and immediately put me at ease. I decided to turn my Garmin to a screen where I couldn't see the instantaneous pace and just look at my mile splits....I can get a little caught up in my pace and I wanted to keep as mentally calm and controlled as possible.

So here we go.....

Mile 1 - 8:03 We were at the very front of our wave so we got to goal pace right at mile 1.

Mile 2 - 7:45 Fast, but surprisingly this is feeling easy

Mile 3 - 7:50 Huh, usually it takes me a couple miles to settle into my pace but not today!

Miles 4, 5+6 - 8:07, 16:11 This is why I'm glad to have the pacer doing the mental work.....I just had to run and keep my eyes on the balloons he was carrying!

Mile 7 - 7:53 First significant hill of the course. I knew a running friend was going to be around mile 7.5 so I started looking for her. This was the first race that I didn't have family on the course to cheer for me since they were all running too so it was really nice to see her cheering.....Thanks Bryn!!

Miles 8+9 - 15:51 Mile 9 brought a steep uphill so I'm kind of surprised at this split

Miles 10 and 11 - 8:09, 8:01 Still feeling good, but starting to realize that I still have along way to run!

Mile 12 - 7:50 Got a bit of a boost as we came back towards the Art Museum and the half marathon finish.

Miles 13+14 - 15:47 (13.1 split - 1:44:32) This is the second fastest half marathon I have run.....good thing I didn't realize that at the time or I might have freaked out! I also got a huge boost seeing Bryan with his medal around his neck cheering for me so I knew he had a great half marathon race! I also see Bryn around here somewhere.

Mile 15 - 7:51 Ok....here starts the out and back...its just us full marathoners from here on out.

Mile 16 - 8:07 Starting to work a little harder, but feeling good

Mile 17 - 8:05 The pacer's balloons are a little farther ahead of me at this point but I didn't let that get to me. I knew I could pick it up to catch him, but with 9 miles still to run, I decided to hold my effort where it was. I had my ipod in my pocket and decided this would be a good time for some motivational music.

Mile 18 - 8:12 Yep, the pacer is even further ahead, but surprisingly I stayed within myself and focused not on them, but on what I had control over...MY race

Mile 19 - 8:15 We head downhill into Manayunk where the crowds thicken and I am tempted by little shots of beer being handed out by the Brew Pub....no, must run!

Mile 20 - 8:24 Not freaking out, but gotta pick it up a bit

Mile 21 - 8:08 That's more like it....especially since this is going back up the Manayunk hill

Mile 22 - 8:16 My feet feel like they are on fire and not in a good way! But I am passing people which is keeping me going.

Mile 23 - 8:16 During this mile a song by my running friend and musician, Greg Coplen (more on him in a future blog) comes on my ipod.....its titled "Moving On". It reminded me to thank God for giving me the ability to run and forced myself to keep "Movin on and on and on...I keep movin on"

Mile 24 - 8:23 I know I am falling off pace some but again I surprise myself by staying positive and just keep pushing. See Bryn again here......she was so great to run all over the course to cheer for us!

Mile 25 - 8:23 There's a guy on the side of the road that has roller blades on...I wonder to myself what I would give him for those roller blades right now, my ipod and my garmin sound about right!

Mile 26 - 8:16 Are you serious....a side stitch in the last mile?!?!? I run the majority of this mile holding the right side of my abdomen. I tell myself to JUST.KEEP.RUNNING!!

Mile 0.22 - 1:38 (7:32 pace) I'm looking for my family but there are so many people cheering so I focus on the finish line. Around the Art Museum....take that Rocky....this is my race.....there's the finish line!!

So there you have it....

Chip Time - 3:31:52

Overall Place - 1332 / 7491

Gender Place - 185 / 3118

Division Place - 51 / 787

Pace - 8:05.0

10K - 0:49:39

Half - 1:44:42

30K - 2:29:08

Mom and Dad both had PRs in the half running a 2:23:51!!

Bryan also had a huge PR in the half running a 1:39:56!!!

Yummmmm.....Peanutbutter Cups and Wawa coffee!!

(Don't worry...I shared them with Bryan)

And of course there is the Philly Cheese Steak!

In my glory!

Post Race Reflections:

I knew that success in this race would come as long as I could keep my head out of the game for as long as possible.....I know that sounds backwards, but let me explain. I have a tendency to over think things during a race and the second I start doubting myself, I am done…finished. That didn’t happen this time. As I saw the pace group slipping away, I stayed positive. As I saw a couple 8:20 min/miles, I didn’t freak out, but I accepted it and kept going. I said to Bryan before the race that I need to tell myself NOT to throw in the towel if I lose the pace group because I will still have a shot at a big PR…I know that sounds obvious, but my mind isn’t always logical at mile 22 of a marathon!

Looking back, I think that this race in not only my most successful as far as my time, but also as far as my mental toughness. Having to push myself the last 10 miles without the pace group or any of my running buddies is a hard thing to do, but I did it and learned a lot about myself in the process.

This race was also special in that my whole family was running it together…sure only my mom and dad actually ran together, but it was fun knowing that the people I love were out there on the course doing the same thing as I was! And it doesn’t hurt that we all got big PRs and exceeded our goals!!

Not sure what's next, but I'm excited about sharing it with all of you!! Thanks again for your support and for following along on this crazy ride :)

Woo Hoo!

I am now the proud owner of a new PR.......3:31:52!!

I'll write up a full race report this week, but the short story is I had a risky and aggressive race plan that ended up paying off for me. I ran with the 3:30 pace group through about mile 15-16....I knew 3:30 was a little beyond my means, but I was able to hold on and finish for a 7+ minute PR!! Plus, I realized this morning that my time should get me into wave 1 in Boston!!!

PRs were also had by Bryan and my Mom and Dad in the half......a great race for the whole family!!!

More details to follow soon :)

Its the most wonderful time of the year!

No, its not Christmas time......its CARBO loading time!!! Time to give up all the whole grains and fiber rich foods I usually eat and indulge in refined flour goodness....pass the bagels and Cheese-its please!! Man....I love taper time!!!

Gotta get back to eating :)

Channeling my inner Kara

I have a huge girl-crush on Kara Goucher....not only is she an amazing runner, but she also seems like a very down to earth and sincere person. Plus she's publicly stated that her and her husband are hoping to start a family now so I'm excited to see how she handles being a runner and becoming a mom (don't get excited.....I'm not there yet!!)

So who better to channel before running Philly?!?! I have already decided that my race outfit will be a pink top and black shorts.....its one of my favorite running outfits and it just so happens that Kara wore this same color combo in Boston this year (I swear that's not the reason I picked it and no, mine won't be as short!). So last night I sat down to paint my nails (hands and feet)...I was deciding what color to go with when I saw my really dark/almost black color (Linken Park After Dark for you OPI fans). I remembered her saying that she went "really bad ass" for NYC and painted her nails black......hey, if it works for her, it might work for me!

So let's see.....pink and black color combo, check! Phiten black cord necklace, check! Dark nail polish, check! (Kara....if you ever read this, I swear I am not stalking you!!)

Now if only I could channel her abs I'd be all set :)

Those yogis do it again!

I'm not sure how they do it, but here's another perfectly timed quote of wisdom from my Yogi Tea:

Patience gives the power to practice;
practice gives the power that leads to perfection.

I've done the practice......I'm working on the patience.......not sure I'll ever be perfection, but I'm sure going to keep trying!

4 more days 'til Philly!

New Recipe of the Week: Moroccan-Style Stuffed Acorn Squashes

In keeping with my fall themed recipes, I am very excited about this week's Recipe of the Week! I love squash.....roasted, sauteed, mashed, in soups.....you name it, I like it! What I like the most is how easy they are to prepare and how sweet they taste without having to add much seasoning. On of the other things I love are complete meals......protein, carbs, and veggies all in one dish. It doesn't get any easier than that! This recipe is just that......its like individual little pots of goodness all in one :)

In a previous ROTW (Recipe of the Week), I introduced some of you to quinoa. Today I am introducing you to Bulgur Wheat. Bulgur is a type of whole grain that is more nutritious than rice or couscous because it contains more fiber, vitamins and minerals. It cooks up just like rice and has a slightly sticky quality to it.

Leave it to the one and only Martha to come up with this easy and tasty recipe. I have made it twice (as has my mother-in-law) and we both like it. One comment we both had was to add extra cinnamon, nutmeg, raisins, and pine nuts.....I didn't measure, I just threw stuff in the pot! The smell of the baking squash and all the spices and garlic melding together will have your mouth watering......I hope you enjoy it as much as we have!!

Moroccan-Style Stuffed Acorn Squash

(my comments are in parentheses)

• 2 medium acorn squashes (about 2 pounds), halved and seeded (Cut a little off the bottom of the squash so they'll sit flat once filled)
• 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 3/4 pound ground chuck (95 percent lean) (My MIL used ground turkey and said they were good, but not as flavorful....I stick with the beef!)
• Ground cinnamon (I put in a couple good sized shakes, maybe 2 tsp total)
• Ground nutmeg (same as the cinnamon)
• 2 teaspoons coarse salt
• 1/2 medium onion, finely chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 3/4 cup bulgur wheat
• 2 cups water (or you can use low sodium chicken stock for added flavor)
• 1/4 cup golden raisins (I used about double the quantity)
• 1/4 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
• 2 tablespoons toasted pine nuts (I didn't toast mine but I used about double the quantity)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place squashes, cut sides down, in a 9-by-13-inch casserole dish. Bake until tender, 35 to 40 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, heat oil in a 4-quart pot with a tight-fitting lid over medium-high heat. Add ground beef, a pinch each cinnamon and nutmeg, and 1 teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring frequently, until browned and cooked through, 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer beef to a bowl or plate using a slotted spoon, keeping as much cooking liquid in the pot as possible.
3. Add onion, and cook until slightly translucent, about 5 minutes. Add garlic, and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add remaining teaspoon salt and the bulgur, and stir to combine. Add water, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and cook for 15 minutes. Remove from heat, and let stand, covered, for 5 minutes. Fluff with fork, and add reserved beef, the raisins, parsley, and pine nuts.
4. Scrape out baked squashes, forming -inch-thick bowls, and fold flesh into bulgur mixture. Divide among squash halves, and return to oven. Bake until warmed through and tops are browned, 12 to 14 minutes. (If there are only two of you, fill all 4 squash bowls but only bake two. Refrigerate the other 2 for a quick dinner another night.....just bake!)

Lovin' the 2 week taper!

With less than a week until race day, usually I am a mess.....an anxious, nervous, freaked out mess! But not this time (well, not yet at least)... so what's different? Enter the 2 week taper!

In the past I have done a 3 week taper.....last 20 miler 3 weeks before race day and then 3 weeks of decreased mileage. What that's gotten me is a lot of time to think about what I coulda/woulda/shouda done during training. While this leaves you rested, I always felt a little too rested.

This training, I decided to try a 2 week taper. That meant my last long run (22 miles) was only 2 weeks before race day and now I have 2 weeks of decreased mileage. I won't know until race day if this was a smart racing decision, but I do know that mentally I like it! Its much easier to trust my training (common running advice) not having so much time to doubt it.

6 more days and then I get to test out my new taper plan.....

The track gods hate me!

Today makes two weeks in a row that my interval workout has been foiled by the track gods! There is a great public track sort of on my way home from work that I found last spring. There are no soccer/football/lacrosse teams practicing on the infield to worry about, it's never crowded, and it actually has lights. Last Wednesday I drove up to find the lights off and a sign saying the track was closed for 2 weeks for construction.....doh!

Tonight I drove to a different track (one that is more out of my way) that I swore had lights.......I guess I was wrong as it was pitch black when I got there! Double doh!

I think someone is trying to tell me not to do my intervals! Do not fear....I ignored that someone and last week did my intervals (4 x 1200m) on Thursday after I finished coaching (a perk of being a coach is I get to used the track and keep the lights on for myself!).

Tonight I am enjoying not doing my mile repeats and instead celebrated by eating pretty much an entire bag of mint M&Ms (and I don't mean the single size bag either.....triple doh!) Guess I'll be looking for another track tomorrow!

New Recipe of the Week: Pumpkin Pie Oatmeal

I've decided to devote this month's Recipes of the Week to all things autumn!! The leaves are falling, the mornings are crisp, and Thanksgiving is right around the corner. I don't know about you, but this season has me craving hearty, warm, and comforting foods!

Until now, I've only posted recipes for dinner foods so this week recipe is a breakfast one.....although it's so yummy it could be a dessert! This recipe for Pumpkin Pie Oatmeal delivers a hearty breakfast as well as lots of good-for-you foods. We all know that oatmeal is a great source of whole grain that promotes heart health.

What you might not have known is that pumpkin also contains many health benefits. Besides carotenoids, lutein, and zeaxanthin, which are all antioxidants, pumpkins have a lot of common nutrients, like iron, zinc, and fiber. Iron, of course, is needed by red blood cells which is really important for runners. Some runners can have low iron levels due to foot strike hemolysis where the pounding of running actually causes red blood cells to break.

You can use either traditional oats or steel cut oats in this recipe.....just don't use the flavored instant stuff!

Pumpkin Pie Oatmeal

Cooked oatmeal

Canned pumpkin

Brown sugar

Pumpkin pie spice (or a combo of cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, etc if you don't have pumpkin pie spice)

Nuts (I like almonds or pecans)

Cook one serving of plain oats according to your liking either on the stove top or in the microwave (the pumpkin will add some moisture so I like to cook mine a little thicker to accommodate). Mix in ~1/2 cup of canned pumpkin and briefly put in the microwave to heat the mixture (not necessary if your pumpkin is at room temp). Mix in a sprinkle of brown sugar, some pumpkin pie spice, and a handful of nuts.

Feel free to add more or less of anything to make it your own! Enjoy :)

So much for 9 to 5

Yesterday's Schedule:

5:30am - Alarm goes off
6:30am - Out the door
7:00am -3:00pm- Work (I am very lucky that my boss is cool with me shifting my hours one day a week to get to practice in time)
3:30 - 5:00pm - Track practice (first time there were tears at practice...poor girl had a bad day but a run always makes things better....at least that's what I told her!)
5:00-6:00pm - My own interval workout (4 x 1200m repeats in the cold and a light rain.....yuck!)
6:30-7:30pm - A couple more miles on the treadmill at the gym (double yuck!) to cool down and some core work
7:45 - 9:00pm - Vinyasa yoga class
9:30pm - Finally home and eating a big burrito bowl from Chipolte!

Busy day but I fit it all in......three more days until taper!!

Just call me coach

As you may remember, this summer I became a USATF Level 1 Track and Field Coach. I know you probably all thought "well that's great, but what is she ever going to do with that?" Yes, I thought the same thing, but then the wheels in my head started turning....how can I gain experience as a coach, not quit my day job, and find a way to give back to the running community that has given me so much?

I am excited to say that you are now reading the blog of the new Assistant Track and Field Coach at Regis College! (or for you Office fans, I'm the Assistant to the Head T&F coach...hehe) Its a small private college located in Weston, MA. I contacted the head coach and she was very excited about having me join the team one, because its a growing team and two because I was offering to do it as a volunteer so she doesn't have to pay me :) I'll be working with the 3 distance runners that are currently on the team (remember distance on a track is 800m - 2 miles....not quite my version of distance!).

I've been working with 2 of them for the past 2 weeks and I'm already seeing improvements in them. Its both of their first years with the team (one is a freshman and one is a junior but its her first year of Track). They need a lot of guidance and encouragement....not because they can't do what we are asking of them, but because they don't yet believe they can do it.

The schedule is working out that I am with them for 3 practices a week......their speed workout on Mondays, tempo run on Thursdays, and long run on Saturdays (which will turn into meets once December comes). Some days I run with them to push them and provide encouragement. Other days I stand on the side of the track with a stop watch and time their splits.

The head coach and I seem to get along really well and have similar philosophies on distance running. Plus she is willing to teach me things about the other events that I know little about. She backs me up with the girls which is helping me gain credibility with them and they seem to be trusting me. In just 2 short weeks, we've gone from "I can't do one more repeat" to "I don't want to do one more repeat but I know I can!"

Yes, its a pretty big time commitment with my real work and my own running, but I'm hoping its also fun and rewarding for both me and the team. Plus I just couldn't pass up the experience I would be getting!

Oh yeah....the cutest thing about it all.....as we finished up practice the other night they both turned and said to me "See ya Thursday Coach!" They called me coach :)

Recipe of the Week: Double Broccoli Quinoa

When I started the Recipe of the Week on my blog, my running friend Maria immediately e-mailed me three of her favorite recipes. While they all looked yummy, I've had time to try one and I must say it was excellent!!

Now I understand that some of you may have never heard of quinoa, let alone cooked it yourself, but please don't be afraid of it! Quinoa is a whole grain that cooks up much like rice or couscous does. One of the reasons I love quinoa is that it also provides protein (14g of protein per 100g serving) and it has a balanced set of amino acids making it a complete protein source....perfect if you are a vegetarian.

We all know broccoli is good for you (that includes you Mr President George HW Bush). Broccoli is high in Vitamins C, K, and A as well as dietary fiber.....Vitamin C is very important this time of year with all the colds going around! It also contains multiple nutrients with anti-cancer properties.

As if this isn't enough good-for-you reasons to eat this dish, it also adds avocado and almonds for healthy fats to promote heart health and lower cholesterol!

Now I know what you are thinking....all this healthy food so does this really taste good? YES!!! I made this recipe pretty much exactly as written. One thing I added was some left over baked and shredded chicken breast to make it a complete meal. I wanted my dish to be hot so I made sure everything I added (broccoli florets, quinoa, and chicken) were still hot when mixed together. Also I didn't have time to make the chili oil so I left that out and I used regular almonds and didn't toast them. Here's the recipe (with my comments in parentheses)......ENJOY! You will practically feel yourself getting healthier while eating it :)

Double Broccoli Quinoa

3 cups cooked quinoa* 


5 cups raw broccoli, cut into small florets and stems

3 medium garlic cloves


2/3 cup sliced or slivered almonds, toasted 


1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan


2 big pinches salt


2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice


1/4 cup olive oil


1/4 cup heavy cream

Optional toppings: slivered basil, fire oil (optional)**, sliced avocado
crumbled feta or goat cheese

Heat the quinoa and set aside. (I kept my quinoa hot)

Now barely cook the broccoli by pouring 3/4 cup water into a large pot and bringing it to a simmer. Add a big pinch of salt and stir in the broccoli. Cover and cook for a minute, just long enough to take the raw edge off. Transfer the broccoli to a strainer and run under cold water until it stops cooking. Set aside. (I wanted my dish to be hot so I didn't run the broccoli under cold water. I took half for the pesto and put the other half back in the pot to stay warm)

To make the broccoli pesto puree two cups of the cooked broccoli, the garlic, 1/2 cup of the almonds, Parmesan, salt, and lemon juice in a food processor. Drizzle in the olive oil and cream and pulse until smooth.

Just before serving, toss the quinoa and remaining broccoli florets with about 1/2 of the broccoli pesto. (This is where I added the cooked and shredded chicken....you will need to add more of the pesto if you do this to make it moist enough). Taste and adjust if needed, you might want to add more of the pest a bit at a time, or you might want a bit more salt or an added squeeze of lemon juice. Turn out onto a serving platter and top with the remaining almonds, a drizzle of the chile oil, and some sliced avocado or any of the other optional toppings.

Serves 4 - 6. (I served this as a main dish so we got 3-4 servings out of it....you'd get more if it's a side dish)

*To cook quinoa: rinse one cup of quinoa in a fine-meshed strainer. In a medium saucepan heat the quinoa, two cups of water (or broth if you like), and a few big pinches of salt until boiling. Reduce heat and simmer until water is absorbed and quinoa fluffs up, about 15 minutes. Quinoa is done when you can see the curlique in each grain, and it is tender with a bit of pop to each bite. Drain any extra water and set aside.

**To make the red chile oil: You'll need 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil and 1 1/2 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes. If you can, make the chile oil a day or so ahead of time by heating the olive oil in a small saucepan for a couple minutes - until it is about as hot as you would need it to saute some onions, but not so hot that it smokes or smells acrid or burned. Turn off the heat and stir in the crushed red pepper flakes. Set aside and let cool, then store in refrigerator. Bring to room temp again before using.

Pop Quiz

Multiple choice question:

At the track last night, which stunk more?

A: The port-o-potty
B: The skunk that was hiding under the bleachers
C: Sarah's ability to run intervals
D: They all stunk equally as bad

And the answer is........C

Not sure what was going on last night, but I was having an off night! Last week, my combo of 1200m and 800m repeats went really well so last night I was planning to do 8 x 800m repeats. After a 2 mile warm up, I started off on the first 800m and my legs felt like someone had poured lead into them! I did another 800m and still couldn't shake that dead-leg feeling. I know sometimes it feels like you are running really slow but then your times are actually pretty decent....well, not last night!! Both repeats were about 3-6 seconds slower than I was last week. I know that doesn't sound like a lot, but that's a big difference over 800m!

I decided rather than sludging through 6 more 800m, I would shorten the length of each repeat.....not the same training effect as running the 800's but better than nothing and I still got some speed in (if you can even call my pace speed!). So here's how it shaped up:

2 mile warm up
2 x 800m with 400m recoveries
3 x 400m with 200m recoveries
6 x 200m with 200m recoveries
cool down to get me to 8.3 miles total

I haven't run 200m repeats since high school track but they were actually kind of fun :)

So yes, I stunk at my original interval plan but managed to turn it into a slightly less stinky run with a few adjustments. I figure I had some left over fatigue in my legs from doing my long run (that included MP miles) on Sunday rather than Saturday so I only had one day recovery. Let's face it....some days you have it, and some you don't!

Now how many of you got the pop quiz correct?

A Sign From The Yogis

I just finished making my nightly cup of tea and tonight I chose an herbal Yogi Tea. On the tag of each tea bag, there is always a little saying....almost like a fortune cookie :) I thought tonight's saying was just perfect and wanted to share it.

"Joy is the essence of success"

Many times I have said to my running friends (and to myself) "if you aren't having fun, then why do it??" So I'm not quite as eloquent as the yogi masters, but you get the idea.

Namaste

Kicking it up while trying to keep the Gatorade down!

As I said, the BAA Half Marathon helped me to gauge where I am in my training. This week marked 5 weeks until the Philly Marathon.....that means 3 more weeks of hard training and a 2 week taper. My motivation to train has been so-so this time around but I am really kicking things up knowing that there is a light at the end of the training tunnel.

This week has been a good one for me as far as training goes. Here's how the week went:

Monday: Rest day....I usually put these later in the week, but I had a lunch meeting and a massage after work (aahhh....hurts so good!)

Tuesday: 10 mile intervals.....thought about cutting the # of repeats short, but really happy I didn't!

3.2 mile warm up

3 x 1200m (5:13, 5:18, 5:16) with 400m recoveries
3 x 800m (3:27, 3:28, 3:28) with 400m recoveries
1.7 mile cool down

Wednesday: 8.3 Goldilocks miles (not too slow...not too fast....just right!)

Thursday: 5.4 miles over lunch with a coworker. I wanted to take it nice and easy but we got talking and averaged 8:39 min/miles on a fairly hilly route. Legs were tired!

Friday: 10.8 miles on the Newton Hills at an easy peasy pace

Saturday: 4.15 naked miles :-0 Yes, I was wearing clothes.....just no watch, ipod, Garmin....technology naked!

Sunday: 18 miles with 7 at around marathon pace (7:57-8:10). I was planning for 10 at MP, but was really windy when I started heading back west from in town and I just didn't have it in me. Plus my fuel belt was digging into my right hip...ouch!

Overall I had 56.7 miles for the week...not too shabby for 5 weeks pre-marathon! While my legs are feeling good, I've been having these pukey feelings during ad after some of my runs. Its not the normal "runner GI distress" but more of a "if I don't stop running soon, I might just throw up this Gatorade all over Heartbreak Hill!" I think its coming from this head cold I've been fighting for a couple weeks.....whenever I run (especially if its cold out) my sinuses have been draining into my stomach creating a not so pleasant feeling :( Luckily the Gatorade has stayed down (with a few close calls!) but the pukey feeling lingers for a while post-run.....blah!

Hopefully the cold will clear up soon, my legs will continue to feel good, and the next two weeks of training go as well as this one did!

Running Snobs....ugggg

My mother-in-law sent me this article today from the NY Times online titled Plodders Have a Place, but Is It in a Marathon? It debates whether so called 'plodders' or slower marathoners should be allowed to race. Are you kidding me with this?!?!

I couldn't believe that people would be so condescending about other runners! I think its ridiculous that other people feel the need to judge and put others down for being slower than them.....who do these people think they are saying that others aren't good enough to race?!?!? Personally, I don't feel like my accomplishments are any less important because someone behind me finishes 3 hours after me......and really, my accomplishments are only important to ME....let's face it, the rest of the world DOES NOT CARE!! Running snobs.....uggg :(

Rant over.....time to move on!

Paula, Kara, and.....ME??

What do marathon world record holder Paula Radcliffe, American marathon debut record holder Kara Goucher, and I have in common?

No, its not our marathon pace or ripped abs....its our taste in jewelry! Or its that we are all suckers for gimmicks! Notice the simple black cord necklace we are all wearing? Its a Phiten Titanium necklace. Paula started wearing it first and Kara followed after her lead (yes, I am on a first name basis with them) so who am I, a 3:39 marathoner with no World or American records to my name, to argue?

So why are we all wearing this necklace? From the Phiten website:

Phiten products work with your body’s energy system, helping to regulate and balance the flow of energy throughout your body. Proper energy balance helps to alleviate discomfort, speed recovery, and counteract fatigue. Athletes find that they tire less easily and recover faster from intense physical activity. Further benefits of Phiten’s exclusive technology are more relaxed muscles leading to less stress and a greater range of motion that can be of great benefit to an athlete or anyone in any walk of life.

Titanium in a necklace to help me recover faster, feel less fatigue, and heal my injuries?? I know what you are thinking....'sucker!' But.....remember that tendinitis I had in my left knee earlier this summer? The nagging injury that bothered me every time I ran more than 7 miles and that I iced every night? Well, that nagging injury went away within a week of wearing this necklace.....and I was running more miles and longer long runs at the same time. Coincidence? I think not! (OK so maybe it is a coincidence but does it really matter? I've been running pain free since then and its not going to do any damage, so why not?!?Sometimes the placebo effect is all we need!)

Like I said, if its good enough for Paula and Kara, then its good enough for me!

New Recipe of the Week: Chicken Chili

Even though it's only October, the snow was falling in Boston today (yikes)!! Nothing makes me feel warm and cozy on a snowy Sunday than a big bowl of chili! Today I made one of Bryan's favorites that his mom has passed down to me. Rather than the traditional beef with kidney beans version of chili, this one has roasted chicken and lots of peppers. Its healthy and yummy....perfect! Served with some corn bread and tortilla chips and its a perfect meal! Enjoy :)

Chicken Chili (from Maureen)

Serves 6 (it often tastes even better the second or third day!)

2 onions, chopped
Few tablespoons of olive oil
4 minced garlic cloves
1 red pepper
1 yellow pepper
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp cumin
¼ tsp dried red pepper flakes
¼ tsp cayenne pepper
2 – 28oz cans diced tomatoes in juice
¼ cup basil leaves, chopped
2-4 split chicken breasts (bone in, skin on)

Cook onions in oil for 10-15 minutes. Add garlic, peppers, and all spices (you can add more or less spice depending on your taste). Cook 2 minutes more. Add tomatoes and basil. Bring to a boil then simmer for 30 minutes (you can add either water or chicken stock if you need more liquid).

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Rub chicken with olive oil and place on baking sheet. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast for 35-40 minutes. Let cool slightly. Separate meat from bone and skin. Shred or cut meet into chunks.

Add chicken to chili and summer, uncovered for 20 minutes.

Serve with sour cream, cheddar cheese, and tortilla chips.

B.A.A. Half Marathon Race Report

Last Sunday, Bryan and I ran the B.A.A. Half Marathon in Boston. Yes, you read that right.....Bryan ran it too!! He has run one other half marathon in 2006 so I was really excited this summer when he told me he wanted to run another. Coach Sarah put him on a personalized training plan that he followed (almost) to a T. We knew that he would get a PR in this race as his only other half marathon was run in 2:08:xx. The only question was 'how much would he beat that time?'

The weather for the race was perfect....about 40 degrees at start, no wind, and sunny. I was hoping to run around 7:45 pace and Bryan decided to run with me. The course was very pretty...starting in the Fens (by Fenway Park), weaving through the Emerald Necklace (a string of parks and ponds through the city), going through Franklin Park and the zoo, and back to the Fens. The course was largely rolling with ~4 significant hills.....a little more hilly for my liking.

I'll spare you all the mile splits but we ranged from 7:35-8:04 (hill) pace for the race. We ran the entire race together (although with the hills we didn't do much talking!) and finished in 1:42:54 (average pace = 7:51)....a 2:30PR for me and a 26 minute PR for Bryan!!! Although it was a little slower than I wanted, I am happy with how my race went and it showed me what I need to work on in the next couple weeks before Philly. I am so excited for Bryan as he ran an awesome race and has a great PR to show for it!!

Here's a few pictures from the race:

Bryan reminded me to smile for the cameras :)

Working hard....no energy for smiles!

Happy about our PRs!

Looks like Bryan has caught the running bug....he's also signed up to run the Philly Half Marathon. Guess I'll have to get over the fact that his half PR will soon be faster than mine ;)

New Blog Feature: Recipe of the (almost) week!

If you are like me its hard to work all day, come home and run for up to 2 hours, make dinner, and have some time to relax. Dinner is often the thing that suffers and we all know how important nutritious food is for our bodies....especially as runners! Crap in = Crap out :)

So I've decided to start a new feature on my blog....A recipe of the (almost) week! I'll try my hardest to post a new recipe each week. I'll focus on runner friendly foods (think carbs and protein) that are easy to prepare and are as healthy as possible. In return, please send me some of your favorites and I can feature them one week. (either e-mail me or post them in a comment) We can all use some new recipes in our rotation, right??

This first recipe came from the New York Times Online. It was billed as being a good comfort food for people that like baked mac and cheese....If you know one thing about me, you know that I loooove mac and cheese! The best parts of this recipe....it's so easy, can be made a day in advance, and it's healthy....what more can a runner want! I've made it three times and love it! My comments/substitutions are in parentheses. Enjoy!

Baked Orzo With Tomatoes, Roasted Peppers and Zucchini

1/2 pound orzo (about 1 1/8 cups) (I used whole wheat orzo from Whole Foods this time and loved it)

Salt to taste

1 large red pepper, roasted and diced (for ease, I get the jared ones)

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (I use less)

2 medium zucchini, sliced about 1/4 inch thick (I've substituted various squashes and they work well)

Freshly ground pepper to taste

1 pound tomatoes, peeled, seeded and diced; or 1 14-ounce can diced tomatoes, with juice (I use no salt added canned tomatoes....again, its easy!)

1 or 2 plump garlic cloves (to taste), minced

2 ounces freshly grated Parmesan or 2 ounces crumbled goat cheese (1/2 cup, tightly packed) (I've only made it with Parm cheese so far but a coworker has used the goat cheese and likes it too. We both use more cheese than it calls for....calcium and its yummy!)

1. Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil, and add the orzo. Cook eight minutes, or until it is cooked through but still firm to the bite. Drain and transfer to a large bowl. Toss with the diced roasted pepper and 1 tablespoon of the olive oil.

2. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Oil a 2-quart baking dish. Heat another tablespoon of olive oil over medium-high heat in a large, wide skillet. Add the zucchini and cook — stirring and turning over the slices, or tossing them in the pan — until just cooked through and lightly colored, about five minutes. Scrape into the bowl with the orzo.

3. Return the pan to the heat, add the final tablespoon of oil and the garlic. Cook just until fragrant, 20 to 30 seconds, and add the tomatoes and salt to taste. Cook, stirring from time to time, until the tomatoes have cooked down slightly and smell fragrant. Taste and adjust seasoning. Scrape into the bowl with the orzo, add the Parmesan or goat cheese, and mix everything together. Add freshly ground pepper to taste, and adjust salt. Transfer to the baking dish.

4. Bake 30 to 40 minutes, until the top is just beginning to color. Serve hot or warm.

Yield: Serves six. (yeah right......after a long run Bryan and I could polish this off ourselves...but we don't!)

Advance preparation: You can assemble this several hours, even a day, before baking.

Maybe I should actually post about my training!

I realize that I haven't actually posted about my Philadelphia Marathon training recently. Things are going well and my body seems to be responding as I would like it to training. I'm self-coaching my plan this time around.....I hope I can trust myself :)

Here's how the last two weeks played out:

9/21-9/27: I took the runs this week pretty easy to let my body heal up after Reach the Beach. My quads had really taken a beating and my hips were tight from sitting in a van for 28 hours!

Monday: 4.15 miles at a super easy pace to shake things out
Tuesday: 10.4 miles fairly easy....legs were definitely feeling this one!
Wednesday: Rest day.....my calves were really tight after Tuesday's run so I took it easy.
Thursday: 7.25 miles easy with 8 x 100m strides....yep still feeling it! Also did yoga this evening which really helped loosen me up!
Friday: 4.15 miles easy
Saturday: 20.25 miles....my first 20 miler of the training. My body took a little longer to get into the groove, but by mile 5 I was feeling good. Ran negative splits and was happy to find some extra speed towards the end.
Sunday: Recovery 4.15 miles....sloooow!

Total: 50.4 miles

9/28-10/4: I decided to keep my total miles about the same as last week but added in some more quality. Legs were feeling pretty good this week!

Monday: 3 mile tempo run at lunch (avg 7:38). I ran with some of the guys I work with and they are pretty quick so this run turned into an impromptu tempo run.
Tuesday: 11.2 miles on the Newton Hills at a comfortable pace (avg 8:53)
Wednesday: 3 miles at lunch...only the fast guys showed up for our work running group this day so I was again running about tempo pace (avg 7:45). I also ran 4.8 super slow and easy miles after work before a yogalates class (combo of yoga and pilates.....didn't love it as much as my vinyasa yoga class, but not a bad substitute)
Thursday: 7.5 miles at a pretty decent clip. My body was tired and I didn't want to run, but I went out with Bryan and ended up with a great run....negative splits with the last couple miles at goal marathon pace (avg 8:19). I LOVE these surprise good run days! Finished up with a 60 minute yoga practice....streeeeech!
Friday: A much needed rest.....after running 8 days in a row, but body happily sat on the couch all evening!
Saturday: 4.5 slow and yucky miles....just felt terrible!
Sunday: 17.6 soupy and hilly miles. Where on earth did this humidity come from in October?!?! Ran 6.4 miles on my own and then grabbed Bryan and we did 11.2 miles together on the Newton Hills. We were both not feeling the run but stuck it out to average 9:03 pace....not bad given the conditions.

Total: 50.0 miles

This week Bryan and I are both running the BAA Half Marathon on Sunday. I'm still undecided on how I want to pace it, but I would like a nice new PR so hopefully that's in the cards! I'll bump the miles up a little more in the next few weeks as I peak for Philly.....legs don't fail me now!!