Twenty-Eight!

Whoa, how is it November already? This year has been so jam-packed, it has absolutely flown by. And I've doing a lot of running since my last post about the Love Run! (Side note: I must be a masochist because I registered again for next year's Love Run. Surely it can't be a monsoon two years in a row, right?)

So, here are all of the races I have done since then, stories to follow:

8	4/6/2014	Cherry Blossom 10 Miler
9	4/13/2014	19th Annual Gift of Life Donor Dash
10	4/19/2014	5k Run for Clean Air
11	5/4/2014	Broad Street Run
12	5/18/2014	Philadelphia Bar Association 5K Run/Walk
13	6/1/2014	Penn Alexander School Run for Arts & Science 5K
14	6/14/2014	Baltimore 10-miler
15	6/29/2014	Freedom 5K Run
16	7/3/2014	Red White & Zoo Fun Run
17	7/9/2014	Runbucks Christmas in July
18	7/20/2014	Stoehmann Back On My Feet in24 Philadelphia Midnight Madness
19	8/17/2014	CCFA - Crohn's & Colitis Foundation of America's Guts and Glory 5K
20	9/6/2014	The Philly 10k
21	9/20/2014	Rock'n'Roll 5k
22	9/21/2014	Rock'n'Roll Half
23	10/5/2014	XPN 5k
24	10/12/2014	Justice for All
25	10/18/2014	Runner's World Half Festival - Hat Trick
26	10/18/2014	Runner's World Half Festival - Hat Trick
27	10/19/2014	Runner's World Half Festival - Hat Trick
28	11/2/2014	Cooper Norcross Run the Bridge

Here are the highlights!
The Cherry Blossom 10 Miler, Washington D.C.
This one was pretty special. I took the bus down with friends, did packet pickup and checked in to my hotel. Got to meet up with a friend who lives in the area and his girlfriend (who I know from undergrad as well!) for dinner, which was lovely. We hung out until much too late for the night before a race, and then I hustled back to my hotel room and got to hang out with another D.C.-area friend who split the room with me to be closer to the race start. We chatted for a bit, made sure everything was laid out and ready, and hit the hay. Race morning was fun, getting ready and walking over with my friend, meeting up with my Philly friends and then a chilly but lovely run. The cherry blossoms were just starting to come out, but it was beautiful. After the race and getting cleaned up, I ventured out to Sticky Fingers (vegan) bakery for some brunch and goodies to take home. It was a really great weekend, and I would love to do more D.C. races. Running around the Mall is tons of fun, and the change in scenery makes the miles fly by!

Broad Street Run
This one is a staple for me - Broad Street was my first venture into distance running, and the spirit along the course is unrivaled, I think. The start and finish are incredibly crowded, which is the biggest downside. The crowds make a PR a challenge, but the past few years the weather has been quite pleasant. This year was extra fun as my D.C. running buddy came up and we had our own gluten-free pasta dinner the night before, a friend from Baltimore came up for the weekend and we carpooled with another Philly friend, E. The three of us started together, and E and I ran all the way together which was fun. A good day!

Penn Alexander School Run for Arts & Science 5K
The PAS run was the spring season 5k for Girls on the Run Philadelphia, and we had a great time! I think it was fun for the Girls on the Run participants to get to run with a bunch of other kids, and to run through Penn's campus and the new(ish) Penn Park. I enjoyed the race and getting to the finish to cheer on the rest of the finishers. It's always so great to see the GOTR girls crossing the finish line at a sprint - even if they've been walking parts of the race - and finish with a big grin amongst the cheers of their friends, family, volunteers and everyone else. Love it!

Baltimore 10 Miler
The folks in Baltimore know how to put on a great summer race! I took the train down and met up with my friend, and we enjoyed a nice dinner at a great Thai restaurant. I spent the night at her place so we had plenty of time to catch up, and then got to sleep for an early morning. The race starting line was not too far from her place and we got there in plenty of time to hit the porta-potties and get to the starting line with no stress. So what makes this a great race? Cold washcloths and watermelon slices as soon as you cross the finish line. Genius! The race premium is very nice as well, a lightweight Born long-sleeve quarter zip. I've been enjoying it now that the weather has turned cool! Noodles & Company was a sponsor and all the race participants received a coupon for a free entree, so after getting cleaned up post-race we went and enjoyed ours. Another great weekend!

Alright, that's enough for one go - next up the in24 Midnight Madness! Soon, I promise. Meanwhile, I'll be tapering and trying to stay fit and healthy for the marathon coming up on 11/22. My right knee has been sore, so I am trying to walk a fine line of resting it and staying in shape for 26.2. Wish me luck!

The Love Run, or Running in a Monsoon

I've been meaning to write this post for awhile. This is definitely one of the first things that slides when life is busy.
On to the story!
Race #7 (of my 30 planned for this year) was the Philadelphia Love Run, a half marathon.
The organizer is a company that has several other great races around the area, so I had a feeling it would be a pretty good race despite this being the first one. The expo was not terribly exciting, but the race premium was a nice mug (which I've been enjoying), and the tech shirt was pretty nice as well.

Race day forecast was iffy - chance of rain increasing as the day went on. It was misting a tad as I headed down to the race start, but not bad. I wore capris and my water-resistant half-zip and Goretex shoes, just in case. Temps were supposed to be in the 50s for the duration of the race.

The organizers had a nice setup with tents for teams, and I had joined another Girls on the Run team. I met up with my friend E at the team tent. It started to drizzle a bit, so we waited under there until the last minute, checked gear, and went to the start line. It started to rain a bit more significantly, but still not so bad. Once we got started running I figured it would be alright. The race got started, and off we went. Less than a mile in the wind picked up a bit. As we were passing a group of spectators under a canopy, the wind caught the canopy and started to lift it up. E and I narrowly avoided getting tangled in it, although I raised one hand to ward off a head blow and banged my wrist a bit (nothing serious). It was surprisingly heavy. Another female runner right behind us was not so lucky and got knocked over by the fly-away canopy. We stopped to see if she needed help but several spectators were quick to assist, so we continued on our way. What a start to a race!

Even with the excitement, we settled into the run, and the rain wasn't too bad. Until about halfway through. The heavens opened up, and it began to pour. I discovered my water-resistant anorak was definitely only resistant, and even Goretex shoes can't hold up to sheets of water flowing down your leg. Everything was soaked. E and I were both freezing, but the only thing to do was continue on. I tried to take comfort in the fact that, at least it wasn't sleeting! I don't think I've ever been so relieved to finish a race! We made it through, shivering, and E got her hot chocolate after the finish. Despite the race organizer's best efforts with cardboard, there was a huge muddy mess getting to the gear check. I thought I was going to lose a shoe trying to walk through! We were so soaked and cold we headed home as soon as we got our stuff. I was so thankful for the mylar sheet, but it wasn't enough. I made my way to the trolley stop and got on - when I got off there was a puddle in the seat from all the water dripping off of me. At least the seat was plastic! I was so very thankful for a hot shower, warm and dry clothes, and hot chocolate and food to warm up when I got home!

This race will definitely live on in my memory in infamy. Here's hoping that's the worst weather I ever race in!

Topsy-Turvy

It has once again been far too long since I posted anything. The title pretty much sums up how I have been. My life has been extra crazy recently: my husband and I separated in February, and I moved at the beginning of March, so I have begun a new chapter of my life. It's a good thing, but not without some adjustments and growing pains. We have, so far, managed to keep things fairly amicable and have filed for divorce without the aid of lawyers. The dogs and I are getting used to apartment living - it has been awhile for me, and it's all new for them - and I am enjoying my much shorter commute to work. I think we are starting to settle into our new routines, and we're all happy the weather is finally starting to resemble spring!

Now, onto the belated race reports! Since my last report, I've knocked out three more:

Race #5: Fireside Frostbite Five Miler (2/22/14)
I had not done this one before, and was not aware of just how big it was. There were 1258 finishers, compared to Feel the Love with just under 300, or Shiver by the River with around 475 for the 5 and 10k combined. For a winter race, it was remarkably big. Even though I knew a handful of people racing this one, I never saw any of them in the crowd. I was running a little later than ideal getting out there, and parking was pretty crowded, but I managed to score one of the last spots in the parking lot of the school where the race was held. The high for the day was relatively warm, and it was supposed to be around 40 degrees by the time the race was due to start. However, as soon as I stepped out of the car and nearly slipped and fell I realized the ice had not all melted yet. The race organizers were working hard to get salt down along the course and school grounds to help melt it and prevent any injuries, and delayed the start by 15 minutes to give things a chance to thaw a bit more. But the sun was shining, and it was a nice day for a race (once the ice melted).

As I headed to line up for the start I realized there was a good-sized snow bank lining the street, between the sidewalk I was walking down and the road we would be running down. Others had clearly gone before me, so I thought I could safely step where someone else had stepped before to get across. So, I put my right foot into a shoe print in the snow bank to hop over, and as soon as I transferred my weight to that foot I sunk in, right up to my knee! I tried to continue forward by I was good and stuck and had to put my left foot back down on the pavement in order to free my right. It must have been pretty comical watching me flail around. My shin stung too, which I thought was odd - it was just snow, afterall - but I realized after I got home that it was icy and hard enough that my leg got scraped right through my tights. Attempt two got me over the snow bank and into starting position.

After that, the race was uneventful. The ice had mostly cleared and there were just a few slushy spots left. I finished in 50:25, neither my worst nor my best 5 miler. I don't remember anything noteworthy about the course, but the availability of indoor bathrooms at the start/finish (inside the school) is a definite plus in my book!

Race #6: Athlete’s Closet Winter Series March St. Patrick's Day Themed 5 Miler (3/1/14)

This one was another race I had not done before, and a bit of an adventure. A running store out in the suburbs organizes a winter series, and this was the last in the series for the year. Besides being inexpensive and closer than the Shiver by the River races, this one was dog-friendly, so I could take Pinky! My awesome friend, E, agreed to drive both of us out there. I was in the thick of packing and moving (moving day was the next day), so I almost bailed on this one. It was a nice break, though.

Race day morning she picked Pinky and I, and we made our way out to the race. Neither of us managed to come up with anything St Patrick's day-themed, but we made it out in plenty of time for the start. Pinky didn't know quite what to make of everything. Bib pickup was in the running store, and the start was around the corner in a residential neighborhood. This race was tiny, with just over 50 finishers. It was a great intro race for Pinky, not too big and overwhelming! We got to the start point and the block was lined with cars on either side, and the racers in the middle of the road. 

Just as we were getting ready to start the race, someone from the Fire Department came through and yelled at the crowd and race director that we could not be in the road. Apparently the neighbors hadn't been made aware of what was going on either, because several people in front of their homes were confused and wondering what we were doing. A hothead or two in the crowd tried to engage with the fire department representative rather than just getting out of the way until they were gone. Finally everything got squared away and we lined up again, and this time actually got underway. The course looped around through the neighborhood twice to complete the 5 miles. We made it about 2 blocks when Pinky had to answer the call of nature and made  a sudden stop right in front of E. It would have been a great moment for a video camera to capture, as E hurdled Pinky to avoid getting tripped. After that little snafu we got back to running and made it through the rest of the race without event. About a block of the course was along a pretty busy street and we were forced to run with traffic for it; that portion was a bit nerve-wracking, but we made it through alright. Pinky was thrilled to sprint it in to the finish chute, and I think we were probably quite the sight with her ears flapping and me trying to keep pace with her. The volunteers seemed pretty amused. 

Afterward the three of us returned to the running store for refreshments and the awards ceremony. Overall it was a bit of an adventure and I don't know if I would do that one again, but it was a nice afternoon and offered a chance to catch up with E. Plus, 6 down, 24 to go!

I still owe you one more race report, but bed is calling. Next up will be the story of the Race #7: The inaugural Love Run. It's too good of a story to rush. Plus, this weekend I head to DC for the Cherry Blossom 10 Miler! I can't wait for that one; the weather looks good, a couple of running buddies are taking the same bus down and back with me, and another is rooming with me which should be a great opportunity for us to reconnect (it's been awhile) as well.

And as a reminder, along with the craziness of running thirty races in one year, I'm aiming to raise $3,000 for Girls on the Run Philadelphia. If you're feeling generous, please go to tinyurl.com/joy30for30 to donate. Any amount is very much appreciated, I still have a long way to go!

Inspirational Reading for Your Snow Day

If you're in the area getting hit by Winter Storm Pax: happy snow day! If not, I hope you're enjoying warmer weather and clear, ice and snow-free streets and sidewalks. I enjoyed my snow day by catching up on some sleep and making pancakes and tempeh bacon for brunch. Yum!

Sometimes the cold dark days of winter get me down a little, and I need a little inspiration. I shared some of blogger James Clear's work before, and now I want to share from another blog I enjoy: this awesome post from Nerd Fitness. This one definitely hit home for me. I am absolutely one of those people that feels the need to finish what I started, whether it's still enjoyable or not. Sometimes it is important, sometimes it isn't.

Enjoy! Come back and tell me how you're going to work on "leveling up".

Race Reviews (4 of them) with a Side of Biking

I have once again been remiss in posting, but the good news is I have four races under my belt for 2014 already to tell you about. Just 26 more to go!

Race #1: New Year's Eve 5k

As the name suggests, this race takes place on New Year's Eve, but starts right at midnight - so it was my first official race of 2014! There was an open bar and buffet at a bar by the ballpark leading up to the start of the race, and then we headed out into the cold to run a 5k through the parking lot. The course itself was pretty boring. What made this one special (besides being at midnight) was the NYE fireworks display going off right overhead while we were running. It was pretty awesome to get to watch fireworks for the duration of the race. It was quite chilly so I was highly motivated to finish quickly and pulled in a new PR (by a few seconds). One of my awesome co-workers joined me for this one, which made it all the more awesome. It was really a great way to start out the year and my 30 for 30 challenge!

Race #2: 38th The "Mayor's" Icicle Ten Miler (1/12/14)

With winter weather in full-swing (and a good dose of laziness) I was woefully under-prepared for this one. My steadfast running buddy and her partner do this one nearly every year and invited me along, so I was able to hitch a ride with them and had a buddy to run with. It's a smaller race, but has been growing. This one is in Wilmington, out of the Central YMCA, which is quite nice. Packet pickup is indoors, along with use of the locker rooms. Indoor bathrooms are definitely a plus, especially in January! We took dry clothes and were able to shower and change afterwards, which helped warm us up and made the trip home more pleasant. The course is fairly hilly, and neither of us were as fit as we would've liked so it was one of our slower 10 milers. But we made it through, and got to enjoy brunch at a nearby pub/restaurant where the after-party takes place before heading home.

Race #3: Shiver by the River #3 (2/2/14)

I had intended to run the Lehigh Valley Road Runners Superbowl 10k but it sold out before I registered. Oops! I also considered a 5k in West Chester on Saturday, which is about a 30 minute drive from home, but I joined a fun run at City Sports for the unveiling of the new Brooks shoe at 11pm the night before and it made for quite a late night. Totally worth it, but I didn't make it out of bed in time to get out there. So, I made the drive out to Reading for the third of the four race Shiver by the River series. The series is also on the smaller side, and pretty low-key, but nicely organized. I appreciate that the start is at 11am also, because it is a 1 1/2 hour drive out there. Also, it's only $15 per race, or $40 for the entire series. There is a 5k and 10k option, just two loops instead of one. I was tempted to just do the 5k (another chilly day and I still haven't been training regularly), but I figured I had to justify the long drive and stuck it out for the 10k. I wasn't aiming for a particular time since I'd been running irregularly, so I went a little slower than I perhaps could've, although not quite as slow as intended.

Race #4: Feel the Love Couples 5k (2/8/14)

This one took place in the Philadelphia Navy Yard, put on by the Bryn Mawr Racing Co. Of course the proximity to Valentine's Day makes the theme fairly obvious. This is the first time I had done this particular race. It's a twist on your average 5k: the awards are based on a "couple" team, and each person runs the loop in opposite directions. You get to see each other a few times along the course this way, and the awards are based on your combined time as a couple. You can sign up with your partner, or ask to be paired with someone, or just run as a loner (but then  you're not eligible for prizes). It was pretty cute. Another unusual feature is the fact that it started at 3:30pm. Given that it takes place in February and was pretty chilly even at this hour, I have no complaints about this, but it was definitely a departure from the normal race start times in the early morning. If you're not a morning person (like me), this is a pretty great race. Also, this one had the cutest race shirt of the year so far, and was quite affordable at $20 advance. The course wasn't the most scenic, but there was a nice stretch along the water where we got to see some of the huge ships docked out there. It's advertised as being "flat and fast", and it was indeed quite flat. I had a nice surprise with this one too, when I saw my running buddies at bib pickup before the race (the same ones I went to Wilmington with). I wasn't expecting company for this one, but they'd gotten an entry given to them at the last moment and ended up coming. So I once again had a running buddy, which was a great bonus that made it more enjoyable.

And that brings you up-to-date on my 2014 races. Next up, the Frostbite 5 miler on Feb. 22nd!

I think I'm off to a pretty good start, I just need to get back in my groove with running regularly. We've had quite the winter with lots of snow and ice and bitter cold temperatures, so I have found it challenging to get out the door to go run. I could hit the treadmill instead, but that comes with the logistical challenges of getting to the gym in the morning before work, or keeping my evening schedule clear so I can get there afterward (and keeping my motivation up). We just got even more snow this evening, and more bitter cold temps forecasted for the week, so winter is showing no signs of mercy just yet. Spring can't come soon enough! 

To switch things up a bit (and avoid the cold), I joined the T3 triathlon club's indoor "Biking for Breakfast" event today. Now, I don't actually do triathlons, so I'm a bit of a poser (although I openly admit this). I might venture into the world of duathlons one day, if I can get a decent bike. And figure out how to ride without sitting and walking hurting for the next 2 days. Okay, it hurts right now, and I'm anticipating it will take a couple of days to go away. I definitely see the utility of the padded shorts. 

That aside, it was a good workout and a fun crowd. The club really is a great group of people, and we had awesome volunteers cooking pancakes and waffles for us too. I brought a vegan and gluten-free waffle batter that they kindly cooked up for me, so I even had a yummy breakfast awaiting me when I got off the bike. Philadelphia Bikesmith, who hosted us, was awesome and set both me and my brother-in-law up on bikes and trainers for the workout. It was an all-around good time. In part due to this awesome event, I decided to go ahead and renew my club membership. I didn't feel like I made great use of it last year, but the board is really on fire this year. Since I'm considering dabbling in the world of biking in the near future, and they've been doing a great job cranking out awesome events, I think it's going to be totally worth it this year.

On that note, I need to get some sleep! I'd love to hear if anyone has tips on how to bike more comfortably, or favorite cold weather workout motivation!

Spring race lineup!

Happy holidays everyone! As we speed along toward January 1st, I have been working on my race lineup for my "30 for 30" project, and I think I have my spring races pretty well ironed out.  Don't forget part of my goal for this is to raise at least $3000 for Girls on the Run Philadelphia! I really appreciate any donations, of any size, and if you have any fun ideas for fundraisers, I'm open to suggestions.  You can make online donations at my SoleMates website. I'm going to offer suggested donations below, if you'd like to donate in support of a particular race.

Here's the plan:

1. Ushering in the New Year with a midnight 5k! (Suggested donation: $5.00 for a 5k!)
2. Shiver by the River 5 or 10k - the second race in this 4 race series takes place on 1/5/14. I'll shoot for the 10k. No frills, but you can't beat $40 for 4 races! (Suggested donation: $10.00 for a 10k)
3. The 38th "Mayor's" Icicle Ten Miler on 1/12/14. (Suggested donation: $16.00, because 10 mi roughly equals 16k!)
4. I'm still on the fence for this one, but if anyone wants to join me, I'm game! The 7.2 mi "Chilly Cheeks" Trail Run on 1/26/14 in Reading, PA sounds like fun. Carpooling is welcome. (Suggested donation: $7.20!)
5. I missed on the boat on the Lehigh Valley Road Racers' Superbowl 10k (that one fills up early!), so I'll be doing Shiver by the River #3 on 2/2/14. (Suggested donation: $10.00 for a 10k)
6. On 2/8/2014, join me for the Feel the Love Couples 5k at the Philadelphia Navy Yard! ($20 if you register by 12/31!) It sounds like a fun concept where you and a partner (optional) run loops in opposite directions to cheer each other on during the race. You can also run as a loner, or ask to be assigned a partner. I haven't done this one before, but it sounds cute. (Suggested donation: $5.00 for a 5k!)
7. To wrap up my birthday month, I'm hoping to make it out to Phoenix for the first 2014 Arizona Free Half Marathon on 2/23/14. By mid-February I usually need a break from the dreariness in Philly, so fingers crossed that I can find a budget flight and get out there. Backup plan is the local Fireside Frostbite Five Miler. (Suggested donation: $21, because 13.1 mi is ~21 km.)
8. In March, wrapping up the Shiver by the River series on 3/2/14. (Suggested donation: $10.00 for a 10k)
9. Not yet registered, but most like the Caesar Rodney 5k in Delaware. (Suggested donation: $5.00 for a 5k!) I was thinking of doing the half, but I think I'll save up my energy for the next weekend. BUT, I can be talked into doing the half. If I get a $21 or greater donation for this one, I'll do the half! Just comment or send me an email and tell me you're donating and want me to do the Caesar Rodney half marathon.
10. The inaugural Love run! A new half marathon on 3/30/14, by CGI Racing. I did their Unite half marathon spring of 2013, and it was very nice, so I'm looking forward to this one. And I will be officially doing it as a SoleMate for GOTR Philadelphia! (Suggested donation: $21, because 13.1 mi is ~21 km.)
11. I'm also very excited to have gotten into the iconic Cherry Blossom 10 miler in DC, held on 4/6/14! This should be a real treat, with getting to see some DC area friends on top of a super fun race. Can't wait! (Suggested donation: $16.00, because 10 mi roughly equals 16k!)

There will be more fun to come in April and throughout the rest of the year, but that's enough for now! I'd love to see you out there either as a runner or waving from the sidelines, and welcome your financial support for GOTR. It's going to be a fabulous year!

Another inspiring blogger

I'm not feeling inspired to write anything at the moment, but I just read this great post by another blogger. It's about running, but not only that. I think it's very inspiring, and I hope you enjoy it as well: http://zenhabits.net/ultra/

Vegan Thanksgiving and getting ready for 2014

I'm having a hard time believing it is December already, and we are almost into 2014. It seems like this year has flown by. A sure sign of aging, no doubt.

I wanted to share what our first all-vegan Thanksgiving dinner consisted of. Most years we end up doing a feast with lots of non-vegan Thanksgiving, so although lots of the sides and rolls are vegan, there is still a turkey. We've just had our little turkey-substitute on the side, like a Tofurky Roast. We did not travel for Thanksgiving this year so we got to have our own little vegan feast with my sister and her husband (also vegan)! I decided I wanted to make our own turkey-substitute rather than buying a commercial product. This was our menu; sorry, no pictures because I never think of things like that!
First Course:

• Thanksgiving Salad

Entree:

• Thanksgiving Meatless Loaf
• Bourbon Sweet Potatoes with brussels sprouts - these are always a hit with the omnivorous crowd as well. Just use Earth Balance or a similar vegan product in place of the butter, or you can even omit it and they're still delicious. To add some green I threw in some brussels sprouts. Tasty! (You can check Barnivore.com to find what brands of bourbon are vegan-friendly; that goes for any alcohol. If you're curious, they also explain why some AREN'T vegan.)
• Cranberry Chutney - I prefer a cooked cranberry sauce, and I've made a version of this for a few years now.
• Steamed broccoli
• Latkes - in honor of the one and only Thanksgivvukah in our lifetime, with vegan sour cream and applesauce, of course!
• Butterhorn Rolls - this is a beloved family recipe. The original, as you may guess from the name, is slathered in butter. We've done them very successfully for several years with Earth Balance. I also attempted a gluten free batch this year - that's going to take a lot more perfecting. I still ate them all over a few days, but they definitely weren't quite right. 

Dessert:

• Pumpkin Pie
• Apple Pie

The pies were a bit experimental, and I can't say I am entirely happy with the way they turned out. I attempted to make a vegan/gluten free crust by simply substituting for an ordinary pie crust recipe. It was not very successful. The pumpkin pie filling however, was delicious. I have to track down a link to the recipe we ended up trying. The original plan was to use a recipe that I had made before substituting MimicCreme for the evaporated milk it called for. I wasn't able to find MimicCreme*, so plan b was to use full fat coconut milk (canned) - you can also use the cream layer off of coconut milk to make a whipped topping. But the store was also sold out of full fat coconut milk when I was doing Thanksgiving shopping; I'm imagining all of the other vegans were doing the same thing! In the end my sister found a recipe online which called for cashews blended in with the pumpkin and other filling ingredients. It was very tasty, and I would absolutely make that one again - just with a better crust next time.

Aside from not being thrilled with the pie crusts, everything was tasty. This was the first time we tried the "meatless loaf" and I thought it was really yummy. DH wanted gravy, so he made some later on to go with leftovers. The rest of us were happy with the cranberry chutney over it.

Now that we're through Thanksgiving and Hannukkah, and rolling right through December, I imagine a lot of people are starting to think about the New Year along with me. If you like to set ambitious goals or resolutions, let me recommend checking out another excellent blog post from James Clear. As I was reading I was reflecting on how this seems to be true for me - the habit and identity of being a runner definitely went hand in hand. I love the concept of setting your identity and then working toward it, and I think there are a lot of reasons why this is more likely to work than just saying "I want to lose weight" (or whatever it is you may want to accomplish).

What identity will you choose for yourself? I think mine needs to be, I am a person with an organized home! 

* I just figured out why I couldn't find MimicCreme when I went to the company's website. Apparently they are going out of business. So sad! They made some wonderful products.

Philadelphia Marathon Recap

This last week flew by! I've been enjoying some R & R post-marathon - no running for a week or two. I feel pretty back to normal now. October and November have been pretty crazy for a lot of reasons. For one, my mom has been in town helping with a bunch of projects around the house, which resulted in things being pretty topsy turvy around the house. The end result is nice - a pretty little powder room from the disaster of a half bath in the basement, finally baseboard and base shoe all around, the stairs down to the  basement are nicely finished and now have a hand rail, and pretty new interior doors throughout. There was lots of organizing as well. Now that my mom has flown off to her next destination, things are a little quieter.

So, I'm just now getting around to doing a race recap. The 20th anniversary Philadelphia Marathon was my third full marathon. I have mixed feelings about the outcome. My plan was to start with the 4:45 Clif Team pace group, which I did. The race got off to a good start, I stuck to the plan of fueling with my Tailwind Nutrition drink I was carrying in four 8 oz bottles on a waist belt, and hung with the pace group. The pacer was aiming for 10:30 miles, and walk through the water stops. This felt slightly challenging, but was doable...for the first 30k. At that point, I started to drop back. My neck and shoulders were tense and sore, and I couldn't seem to relax, and my hip flexors and IT band were also hurting. I tried to convince myself I could hang in there with the group, but it just wasn't happening. My splits went downhill pretty fast after the 30k mark. At this point I gave up on a 4:45, but was still hoping to break 5:00. I was doing some walking, but still a good amount of running through Manayunk and up until the last few miles. I definitely struggled at the end. There were a few bright moments, with the crowd cheering in Manayunk. One of the best pick-me-ups was when a fellow tapped me on the shoulder around mile 23, I think, and said he'd been following me for a while and it was keeping him on track. I told him I was struggling myself, but I was happy to hear I was helping him out in some way. It definitely kept me going for a bit!

My finish time was 5:01:35, not quite what I was aiming for. However, compared to 5:24:32, it was still a big improvement over last year. A few things that I think went "wrong" or I could improve on:
1. My lower back had been bothering me the week leading up to the race. Maybe the tension there led to the early onset of neck/shoulder pain and the hip flexor/IT band issues. I did not have nearly as much discomfort during my 18 or 20 mile training runs, and this set in around the halfway mark if I recall correctly. I did some stretching during the week, but maybe a good massage or some serious foam rolling would have helped release some of that tension and set me up for a better race.

2. I did drink all 32 oz of the Tailwind Nutrition drink, and had about 1/2 a citrus Clif shot (all I felt I could stomach at the time). Late in the race I mostly just wanted water, but all told I only took in about 450 calories - around 111g carbs. For a 5:00:00 run, with 30-60 g of carbs recommended/hour, or 150-300 g carbs total, that was on the low side. It was also warming up late in the race (around 60 degrees!), which was lovely, but also contributed to dehydration I'm sure. I'm not great at hydrating in general, so I suspect I was somewhat dehydrated going in, and certainly didn't improve during the race. I probably need to work on both my endurance to improve my ability to burn fat for fuel while running, as well as refining my fueling and hyrdation during a race. In general, I feel like I've done pretty well in training with a beverage for fuel since it seems like a big hit of sugar all at once from a gel is too much for my stomach, and I can meter it out better with a drink. I've tried the Clif Bloks in the past and liked them pretty well, but I'm not great at remembering to take them as often as I should, and now with my current mouth bling (i.e. braces, yes, at almost 30), gummies are a problem. I think fueling and hydration might turn into a separate blog post or several.

3. There's a fine line between challenging oneself and overreaching. The 4:45 goal was definitely a stretch. My 18 mile training run was strong and I completed it at around an 11:00/mi pace. My 20 miler was not quite so good. I had a little niggle of doubt that I could pull it off. Maybe if I had been more confident it would've helped. Maybe if I had started out a bit slower, I would have had some gas left in the tank for the finish and could've potentially finished in under 5 hours, if not the 4:45 I was shooting for. Maybe one or two more 20 mile training runs would help me feel more prepared (and perhaps build endurance as noted above). Lots of maybes.

I have to give a shout-out to Team Philly for the great support and coaching throughout the season, particularly the weekend long runs.

Did you run long recently? What have you found does or doesn't work for you in training and fueling?

Eek, I'm turning 30 soon

It's not really a secret: I'm turning 30 in February. In honor of this milestone, I decided to do something that some people might consider crazy. I might even admit it's mildly crazy, and maybe slightly scary - which is why I think it needs to happen. What am I talking about? "30 for 30" - that is, my goal is to run 30 races in 2014 to mark each of my 30 years. Not necessarily original, but it seems appropriate.

It doesn't count if someone else runs a race for me, but there is something you can help me with. To up the ante and make this worthwhile, I want to raise $3000 for Girls on the Run Philadelphia. I have the pleasure of serving on the board and coaching at one of our school sites this season, and really love what Girls on the Run stands for and what we're trying to do. If you'd like to learn more, please visit my fundraising page.
I have some ideas for how people might want to link donations to race completion, for instance. So to enable that, I'm going to commit to race reports here on this blog. You can also check up on my progress on athlinks.com  I hope you'll follow along and cheer me on either in person or electronically. Even better, come run a race (or 10) with me!

Have you ever done something crazy or scary to celebrate a birthday?

Inspiration for your Tuesday

I guess I am on an inspirational kick. Maybe I just need all the inspirational wisdom I can get right now. Regardless, I've been enjoying this blog, and this is an excellent post that I think applies to EVERYTHING in life, so check it out: http://jamesclear.com/good-disappointed

This is Pinky, trusty sidekick #2, after a 14 mile run:

Even so, I think she would've been up for longer. Perhaps this spring we'll get a chance to test the theory.

Also, I am about to run my third marathon this weekend. You would think by now I would be past any anxieties, but I never fail to get butterflies leading up to a race. It does not seem to matter that I'm not racing for a place on the podium, just for fun and to hopefully beat my time from last year. If you're out and about in Philadelphia on Sunday morning, please cheer for all of us runners. We'll be very grateful for the support!

Times, they are a-changin'

I have been a lousy blogger. I decided it was time to change things up, and my new goal is at least one blog post a week. The topics might be random, depending on what is currently inspiring (or irking) me.

Let me introduce my Trusty Sidekicks:

Loki and Pinky, on the lookout

Loki and Pinky are my faithful running buddies, kale stem disposals, and floor cleaners. For good measure, here is a picture of them being cute and cuddly.

My goals for this blog are to talk about running, about awesome vegan food (recipes, reviews), and interesting things related to the environment. Yes, this is a broad range, but I think I can tie them together a little bit. ;)

I know I don't have many (any?) readers, but if you're out there - what would you like to read about? Do you want vegan recipes that will satisfy a marathoner? Training and race updates, or advice I come across? Book reviews? More cute pictures of my dogs? Environmental news? Do tell!

I am a marathoner!

I officially finished my first full marathon yesterday. The first half was fun, then it started to feel like work. And then my running partner for the race and I fell apart at mile 20. We "ran" that mile in about 15 minutes (according to my Garmin splits). Ouch! But we pulled it together and improved our pace ever so slightly for the last few miles. They were slow, but we did cross the finish line! Official chip time was 5:42:05. Though my main goal was just to finish and not get hurt, I was hoping for a 5:30 finish time. I'm not sure yet if I'll do another, but I suspect I will want to take another shot at it next year and get a better time. :)

I had a plain bagel for breakfast with some blueberry preserves (from a local farm - delicious!). I can't stomach too much before a race, so that was about the most I could handle. I lost count of how many gels I had during the race, but it felt like a million. Probably around 10, though. Sometimes I feel gross after a long run, from all those gels, but I recovered enough to start eating shortly after the finish line. I got a bag of pretzels and water going through the chute, and then headed to the Four Seasons hotel for the Runner's World Challenge Post-Race Reception. My wonderful group of friends met me at the finish line and accompanied me to the reception.

After a great tandem massage (two people doing a gentle massage and stretch, legs/feet only) I got some more snacks. They had smoothies - though they were using yogurt, they made one up for me with just fruit and juice - peanut butter banana sandwiches, some other dairy items and some dried fruit and nut mix. I stuck with my smoothie and some of the fruit and nut mix, along with a cup of green tea. Once I got through that (though I shared most of the fruit and nut mix), we all headed out to lunch. We settled on Chinese, since there is generally something for me to eat and close by. I got buddhist vegetables with tofu and brown rice, which was quite yummy. After lunch I headed home to get cleaned up and put my feet up for a bit.

For dinner I steamed and then sauteed some kale with a little cider and maple syrup, heated up some leftover root veggies I had cooked in the crock pot the day before for dinner, and cooked up a veggie burger to have on a whole wheat bun. Oh yeah, I baked up a few waffle fries I unearthed for the freezer, because I was really jonesing for some fries. haha Not the healthiest, but delicious!

Dinner hit the spot, but I still wanted dessert. So I melted up a 1/2 square of unsweetened baking chocolate with some vegan semi-sweet chocolate chips (maybe 1 tablespoon?), and 1-2 T of unsweetened coconut milk, in the microwave. Sliced up a banana, and bingo - delicious dessert.

 I am still working on re-hydrating, which I'm not very good at. Pretty sore and stiff, but that should get better in a few days. Overall, it really was a great race experience. I think I learned some lessons, so maybe if I do it again I can improve. But, as I was told, once you've done one, you're a marathoner for life!

I can't say I have been very productive today, but I have been plotting what comes next, and looking back over my training. Since July I have run 454 miles! I know that doesn't sound like much to hardcore runners, but it's pretty exciting for me. This is definitely the longest stretch that I have run regularly, and obviously the most weekly mileage I have ever put in. Though I definitely plan to rest for this week and ease back into running to give my body time to recover, I don't want to lose my momentum. I'm afraid, based on my history, that I will revert to a couch potato now that my big goal is done and winter is approaching. So I have been collecting gear to keep my nice and warm, and hopefully motivated to run even in the cooler weather. I definitely want to focus more on strength training as well, but I think I will sign up for a 5K or two over the winter so I don't completely stop running.

Do you have winter running plans? Know of any fun winter races in the Philly area?

P.S. In the winter spirit, Vegan Heartland is hosting a giveaway with So Delicious. I always loved egg nog, so I am a sucker for a good vegan 'nog. I'm excited to try the new So Delicious flavors! Check out the giveaway!

Tapering!

I am very excited: marathon day is only16 days away, which is hard to believe. And I am officially at the "tapering" stage of training. That is, running less and resting up to toe the line healthy and energetic on race day. Running has taken up a huge chunk of my time the last several weeks, so I am looking forward to catching up on some things during these "found" hours. Also, I'm tired, so the rest part sounds great. My last 20 mile run was last weekend (in the most horrendous weather, I was afraid my fingers were going to get frostbite, and I am pretty sure I was at the beginning stages of hypothermia by the time it was done), and this weekend's "long run" is only 13 miles.

With race day coming up quickly, the topic of carb-loading has been on my mind. Of course, that sort of sounds like every day for me. ;) Regardless, I don't think I have a solid plan for what I will eat the day or two leading up, and the morning of the race. So I have been thinking about that.

Also, I have been trying to figure out what's next. It feels like everything I have been striving for culminates in this day, Nov. 20. For awhile "after" has been a very vague thought, I have been so focused on being ready for this one event. But now I think I need to start working on a plan for "after" so I don't revert to couch potato status. I've worked way too hard to lose all my running fitness, and I don't want to completely backslide. I need a new goal to keep me on target after the marathon.

I've also been adding things to a "bucket list". It's pretty fun to come across these grand ideas that would be awesome to do "someday" and have a list to put them on. I tend to forget things, so this will help me remember all those really cool things that I would like to do. I am trying to figure out how to share the "bucket list" widget on here, so keep an eye out.

Related to the carb-loading topic, I'm thinking pasta with swiss chard for dinner. Both because I have a long run tomorrow, and I really like pasta. And the swiss chard from our garden was looking a little wilted from the cold weather, so DH picked most of it for us yesterday and there is a bunch in the fridge. If I come up with something awesome I will be sure to share it.

18 miles down, 20 is next! And a chocolate smoothie

My 18 miler today went well, with lots of Clif shots (4) and some electrolyte/carb beverage. The company helped a lot, also. :) I did have a teensy bit of tummy upset,so I don't know if I'll be repeating my pre-run smoothie before a run again, but it was tasty! Here's what I put in:

Chocolate Protein Smoothie
1 c. almond milk
1 scoop vegan  chocolate protein powder (I used the Clean program stuff, but use your favorite)
2 bananas
1 T. milled chia seeds
chocolate Amazing Grass GREENSuperFood (or use the version w/protein and skip the protein powder)
ice

Blend it all together, using more or less ice, to taste!

I also had 1/2 cinnamon raisin sprouted english muffin prior to my run. I think I need to do more muffin, less smoothie next time. I also found some yummy raspberry fig newtons at the co-op tonight. I am thinking of carrying a few of those with me next long run and trying those in place of 1 or 2 of the gels. The calories and carbs work out to be very similar for 2 fig newtons. I have heard of people doing this successfully, so I may give it a shot. Next weekend is my first of two 20 mile training runs before race day!

Monster Month!

I am officially over halfway through marathon training! This is Week 10 (out of 16). I cannot believe the big day is only a month and a half away. This month is the bulk of the training miles. Last week was 30 miles, this week is 32, with an 18 mile long run. I am realizing how true it is that this kind of running is 90% mental. But fuel is key, also. My first half marathon was the Philadelphia Rock'n'Roll Half Marathon in September. I had a great time and while running 13 miles still isn't "easy" to me, it felt really good. Yes, I was tired at some points during the race, and after, but never doubted that I could finish. My finish time was 2:34:57 - not breaking any speed records, but I'm really happy for my first half! There was Cytomax provided along the course, as well as gels at mile 8. I also had a few Clif Shot Bloks at the start, so I was well-fueled throughout.

The next weekend I attempted to do a 13 mile run on my own and had a completely different experience. I felt tired, dead-legged, and doubtful. I had about 12 oz of eLoad (another Gatorade type drink), and 3 Chocolate #9 gels throughout, and had some smoothie and 1/2 a sprouted english muffin beforehand. I ended up walking most of the last mile after my phone died (i.e. my music player). This run lead me to re-evaluate my fueling for long runs. Part of me had been wanting to train my body to burn fat more efficiently during long runs (http://team.firstendurance.com/page/low-carbo-training-1), which I still think has some merit. However, I was paying for it with dreadful long runs where I hit the wall. When I analyzed my carb intake and consulted the Runner's World Challenge nutritionist it became clear that I was taking in a much lower amount of carbs than recommended. While it might be a good training measure in some cases, it really drained the fun out of long runs.

So, last weekend I did two things differently: I managed to recruit company for the first half of my 16 mile run, and I made sure I had a bit higher carb intake. My Fuel Belt only has two bottles, holding about 12 oz of fluid total, but I filled both of those with eLoad. I had a couple of Shot Bloks at the start of the run, and I carried a bottle of plain water in addition to the Fuel Belt. And I carried along 3 Clif Gel Shots (in Strawberry Banana - no caffeine). I also had an additional 20 oz of eLoad in the car, which I looped back by twice. We took in a gel around mile 3.5 (about 45 minutes into the run), and again around an hour and a half in. I drank plenty of water with these, and sipped some of the eLoad in between - though it was a cool day and I wasn't feeling very thirsty most of the time. The last gel I took around mile 13. My legs felt very tired the last few miles, but I was able to carry on running at a steady pace without too many walk breaks. In all I drank about 20 oz of eLoad, the 2 Shot Bloks, and 3 gels. I estimate that to be around 170 grams of carbs, and the recommended intake is 30-60 grams per hour of running. Considering I finished in around 3 1/2 hours, this was pretty close to the guideline. I had a hot chocolate (made with coconut milk) and the other 1/2 of a sprouted english muffin as soon as I got back to the car, along with water. That seemed to help restore some energy (at least enough to get home) - I think hot chocolate is my new miracle recovery drink. ;)

That said, all those gels are pure sugar, in varying forms. I don't love that, but they do seem to work. The Chocolate #9 gels are nice because they are agave nectar and cocoa, but because agave nectar is lower on the glycemic index you don't get that nice bump of energy. I might try them again though, making sure to be more proactive in taking them. I also want to try the homemade gel recipe from Thrive Fitness again. I first tried it a few weeks ago on a somewhat shorter run, and used whole chia seeds instead of ground. It wasn't really liquid enough to easily consume, and I need to analyze the recipe to get an estimate of the carbs (primarily from dates) and plan accordingly. I know Clif gels will be available along the Philadelphia Marathon course, so if I don't want to carry stuff with me, I need to train with those to be accustomed to them. At least I've got plenty of long runs coming up to use to figure this all out!

I love this guy!

I just read this great article from the LA Times. I couldn't agree more on the point that vegan food can and should be delicious! Half the fun in cooking, for me, is figuring out the right vegan substitute to make a good and delicious approximation to a traditional omnivore dish. And anytime I am in the area, I will definitely try to visit a Wynn hotel restaurant and check out the vegan menu options!

Follow-up to Chia Pudding

Check out this blog, for a lovely picture of one way to serve the chia pudding, as well as a more formal recipe. Looks delicious! http://thehealthseekerskitchen.blogspot.com/2011/06/raw-chia-seed-pudding-parfait.html

Back to running - food as fuel

I have decided to reinvent myself as a distance runner. "Runner" might be a bit of a stretch, since my pace wavers between walking and jogging, but joggers don't do races, right? Regardless, thanks to Team Philly, I made it to and through the 10 mile Broad Street Run on May 1st this year. My goal was just to finish, which is good because my time was nothing to write home about. But I felt really good during the race, like I could keep it up all day. And it's a really great course, so it was tons of fun. I was beat at the end because I decided to push the speed a little in the last mile (which might mean I approached a 10 min/mile pace at times), and that finished me off pretty well. But I felt really good that I had "juice" left to do that. Prior to the race the longest we ran was 8.4 miles, so my distance PR is now 10.

But I think I've caught "the bug". I really like longer distance runs. It almost seems like a run just isn't worth it if it isn't at least 5 miles now. Not that shorter ones can't still be tough, and I definitely have bad days (lots of them), and it's work. Somewhere along the way, though, it became very true that "it's all relative". So, I decided this is the year. I'm registered for the Philadelphia Rock'n'Roll Half Marathon (in September), and as soon as I finish scraping together the dough I'm registering for the Philadelphia Marathon - the full one - in November. Am I crazy, you might ask? Why would I want to run a marathon? Great question. I am sure I should do some soul-searching and come up with some excellent, motivational answers to keep me going through the tough times. But at the moment, it just seems like the time is right and it is something awesome to do. To prove to myself I can do it? It might take me 5:30 to finish, but hey, I'd consider it an accomplishment to cross the finish line. After all, not everyone can say they've run 26.2 miles at one time. And I'm confident I can run 13.1 now (or at least, by the time I finish training, since I've slacked off since Broad Street), but I'm only pretty sure I can do the full 26.2. Plus, I really need a big goal to keep me on track. Lacking that, I've realized I don't really exercise. The pull of the couch/tv/book/crafty things/home things/whatever just gets too strong and I don't make time for it. It's too easy to fake it for a 5K, so it needs to be a substantial distance for me to keep on track. I think 26.2 miles ought to do it....

What, one might ask, does any of this have to do with food? I thought I was reading a food blog? Well, everything! Because to do (what some might consider) crazy things like run 13+ miles, one must fuel one's body! So I have been thinking a lot about foods to fuel running. Not that I didn't already think a lot about the quality of food I ate (though I still love my desserts, mind you), but this is a bit of a new spin. I picked up a copy of Brendan Brazier's Thrive Fitness, which has some recipes to try. In case you're not aware, Brazier is an awesome athlete, who happens to be vegan. He has put tons of thought and effort into excellent plant-based fuel for athletic endeavors, so his books are a great resource. Incidentally, he also has his own line of products, but the many of the recipes in the book are "from scratch" and don't require anything from his line - just good, whole foods. I have also been reading the No Meat Athlete blog which has some more great recipes and tips.

In this vein, I will finally share a (rough) recipe. It's not original, many people have version posted online, feel free to search and get more variations. But it is easy, super healthy, requires no cooking, and is delicious!

Chia pudding

1/4 cup chia seeds (Salvia seeds, also Salba)
2 cups non-dairy milk (whatever is your favorite!)

That's all you really need. You stir the seeds and the milk together, and let it sit for at least a 1/2 hour in the fridge. It will magically thicken, turning into a puddingy/gel texture, and the seeds get soft. It is sort of reminiscent of tapioca. Now, to make it more exciting, you can add any chopped dried fruits or nuts you desire, or fresh fruit, cocoa (I've been sprinkling on some Ghiradelli drinking chocolate mix which is basically cocoa with a little sugar), whatever you desire. I've blended up some pitted dates with a little of the milk and stirred that in to make it sweeter. Dates are an excellent way to sweeten things healthfully and offer great instant energy for exercising! Chia seeds are wonderful - an excellent source of omega-3's, easily digested but high in fiber, and a good protein source. So basically, perfect running fuel. I've had this "pudding" for both breakfast and dessert, often with a sliced banana.

Give it a try, and I hope to be reporting on lots more delicious vegan recipes that fuel my running - or an everyday active life!

It's been awhile, but check out another blog's giveaway!

I know I have not posted in quite some time (again). Lots of stuff has been going on, but as it relates to this blog, the most important is switching to a vegan diet back in January! Share my adventures in learning how to make delicious vegan eats. Stay posted!
Meanwhile, check out this awesome giveaway over at Vegan Heartland. Lots of yummy treats!