Resolution Adventure Race

January 22, 2013 By Laura

Being pushed to the edge of your ability and beyond is empowering.

It’s a scary ledge.

This weekend I re-learned a lesson in mind over matter. I completed the Resolution Adventure Race, an 8 hour adventure/orienteering race with my cousin, Steven. It was my first time, his 6th. Luckily he was patient with me!

Freezing cold, but excited to go!

The Race

We start the day at 6am (remember I’m a not a morning person). Each team receives an orienteering map that utilize the contours and elevation changes of the course. On the map is a series of 37 mandatory Check Points (CPs). These are the locations we must find over the course of 8 hours with the help of our map and a vague clue (ex: large palmetto in the middle of a field). Each CP has a patterned stamp you use to mark your card to prove you were there. You don’t have to get them all, but each one is worth 1 point. At the end of the race, the team with the most points wins.

The points are separated into 3 categories: trekking, biking, and canoeing. They give you a punch card per leg so you can’t cheat and grab a biking CP when you’re on a trekking portion, for instance.

The first two portions were trekking and biking. We jogged through the first leg pretty easily and grabbed every point in about 30 mins. The biking was a little more challenging. Most of the paths were on sugar sand! I am NOT a strong cyclist (read: I don’t ride at all), so I slowed us down. We took about an hour to gain those points.

Then came the canoeing. The check points were along a lake, and our clues were distances and degrees. For example, on clue might say: 977 meters @ 160 degrees. You must then use a compass to find that point. I was the “engine” paddling the boat while my cousin orienteered. This portion took about 2 hours. Weight lifting pays off – my arms were still feeling strong at the end!

Transition area

From there we had a choice to trek or bike. We were almost half way through our 8 hours, and opted to trek first since ~~I suck at biking~~ that was our strong point. We spent about 2 hours and 15 mins trekking and only left 2 CPs behind. What shocked me is that I was able to jog a lot of it! The goal is not to run the whole thing – there is hiking and climbing involved. You have to slow down when you get near a CP to follow your “clue” to the point.

This was my favorite. We jogged through orange groves, swamp land, forests, and sugar sand. We did some bushwhacking, got some scratches, and emerged covered in cockleburs. It was a BLAST.

Cocklebur aftermath… and I’d picked a lot off already! Had to trash these pants.

The last section was biking. It was hour 6 and I was questioning my ability to continue after we hit a grassy, sandy, uphill trail. I did what I could, walked when I had to, and got a little edgy when my cousin got too far ahead of me. Being exhausted and limited by your lack of ability is frustrating!

We didn’t make it to half of the biking CPs before our 8 hours ended. You must be back at the check-in in exactly 8 hours or they start deducting points, so you don’t want to try to over-achieve if it’s going to make you late. We made it in 7:44.

Survivor!

The Fuel

Last week I posted my concerns about staying fueled throughout the race. Having just recovered from the stomach flu, I was especially nervous!

I started the day with my Morning Cocktail, Starbucks oatmeal, a banana, and coffee. And lots of water. Throughout the race we tried to eat and take an electrolyte pill every hour. I aimed for 100 calories per snack.

Race Fuel

What I Consumed: homemade fuel bars (recipe coming soon – these were a win), 1 Espresso GU, 1 Hammer Gel, 1 peanut butter cracker, 1/2 a Stinger Waffle (I didn’t like this – too sweet), and 3 pieces of gum.

I also drank about 40 oz of water… this is not a lot over 8 hours, but I had a lot the day before and morning of knowing that I can’t take in a lot during races due to sloshing and cramping.

Once we turned in our punch cards, we were award with subs. I don’t like mayo-soaked chicken salad… but I ate this sub like a cave person. Food. Any food. Nom. With Cheet-os. Bonus.

We drive 6 hours back to Atlanta that night. No shower, just a baby wipe cleaning and a quick change of clothing. I’m sure the people at Waffle House appreciated our ~~good looks~~ patronage.

That’s right. After burning 3000+ calories, Waffle House was my race day treat food of choice. I love gourmet food, but there is something about a chocolate chip waffle… with a Strange But Good spin, of course:

I asked that mine be topped with a runny egg. The server thought this was so weird she took a picture with her phone to post on Instagram. The movement is growing!!! Bwhahaha!

Any guesses about what the red stuff is in the last pic? I finished my last couple of bites with some hot sauce.

The Results

Team Halling Ass

We weren’t sure how we placed in the race. There were several very competitive teams that compete for national rankings, so competition was fierce. It turns out we finished 9th overall!

We received credit for 27 our of 37 points. Not a single team “cleared the course” (earned all 37 CPs).

***

Thank you to the Pangea crew that organized the race. It was a well-organized, fair race… a fantastic first experience!

Have you ever done a race like this? Would you want to?

Have you ever been pushed beyond the edge of (what you thought was) your ability?

Cramming 101: Endurance Training and Recovery

January 17, 2013 By Laura

Endurance isn’t for the weak.

It also probably should not be prepared for in a cram session.

This Saturday I’m doing an adventure/orienteering race that my cousin talked me in to. 8 hours in the woods with a GPS. They give you the start, the finish, and a couple of mandatory check points along the way. It will be running, hiking, mountain biking, and canoeing. ~~I hope I live.~~

Some of you may not know it, but before I got into lifting seriously, I was a runner. I was a decently fast 5K’er, loved adventure races (hellllloooo Tough Mudder) and ran a few Halfs. I wanted to run a full but one day my knee said no. If I ever want to run distances again I need to have surgery. That won’t be happening.

All of this to say, I haven’t been running in 8 months! Saturday that changed. My cousin recommended I get 6 hours of continuous exercise/training in before the race. Cramming.

Kat agreed to keep me company for half of that by taking me on one of her trail run/hikes.

Kat and Me

13 STEEP miles in 3 hours. We hiked up steep incline filled with wet leaves, leapt over creeks, and ran power lines. It was the perfect day for it – record high 75 degree temps and partly cloudy.

~~I was sore half way through.~~

Nutrition is something I struggle with. I have a hard time eating or drinking during a run – it makes me slosh and cramp. In our 3 hour run, I just ate a mini über Lara Bar (the one with the nuts) and sipped some water. Will have to be sure to take in more fuel while biking and canoeing this weekend.

We finished (thank you, Kat, for being patient with me) and did a little yoga to loosen up. I chugged water.

Kat dropped me at my place where I ran up to pee, change shoes, and eat. In that order.

I broke out an old favorite for fuel:

Sweet Potato “Cereal”

1/2 sweet potato, bakes and cubed
1 scoop protein powder
1/2 tsp cinnamon
Unsweetened almond milk

Place sweet potato in a cereal bowl. Mix together remaining ingredients in a separate bowl, adding milk until the mixture thins to a milk consistency.

Pour protein milk over the ‘taters and inhale.

Then I grabbed my bike, water bottle, and a GU and took off. (Note: Espresso GU is tasty!)

Gingerly set out may be a better way to describe it. I was tired. What I considered to be “flat” ground before seems quite hilly. I rode about 15 miles (had to stop for air in my tires and forgot to re-start my RunKeeper app). After I loosened up a bit, it turned into a fun ride. I followed Atlanta’s new Beltline Path and got to see the city in a whole new way. I even took a tour to ride the Krog Street Tunnel (infamous for its graffiti):

Krog Street Tunnel

I decided to get back on the path and head back when I rode past a woman on her porch yelling at her neighbor, “Don’t mess with me or I will HURT your dog!” Scary lady.

Honestly, after I got back within a mile of my place I’d convinced myself to call it quits at 5 hours. I was tired, sore, bored, and hungry. Then I ran into Carol and her sweet puppy Bailey! She was walking home from an afternoon at the dog park, so I joined her to catch up. 30 mins walking there, then another 30 back to my house = 6 hours DONE.

When I got home I was famished. I would have eaten my right hand (I’m left-handed). Instead, I stood in the door of my fridge and ate half a rotisserie chicken with my bare hands. After washing my hands, of course.

Then I cleaned my sticky self:

And finally it was dinner time. Burger topped with avocado, black bean dip, jalapeno, and pico de gallo, with a side of house-made crinkly-crispy sweet potato fries dipped in sriracha and mustard. Then… there may have been an (unpictured) apple pie milkshake. I’ve been boycotting the burger trend (I HATE Yeah! Burger), but Grindhouse Killer Burgers changed my mind.

Yes, it’s Junk-Free January. I needed calories… and it was junk-free-ish. The meat for the burger is freshly ground by a small North Carolina producer and delivered every day, and the bun is a soft potato roll made by a Pennsylvania Dutch bakery. The sauces are homemade. The shakes are homemade. I have no regrets.

Then I crashed. And got hungry again. Banana. Cottage Cheese. Protein powder. Cinnamon. Face plant in bed.

Then, in the wee hours of Monday morning, I got the stomach flu. I think I would have gotten sick despite the cram session… but it probably didn’t help. In the future, I’ll plan better. Thank you all SO much for the well-wishes!

2 days ’til race day!!! I’m eating my carbs and doing to light workouts to prepare.

***

I was nominated for something I’m really excited about: Top Health and Fitness Blog of 2013. I’d be honored to have your vote! It’s really easy – no registration required. Click here to Vote.

How do you fuel before/during/after races?

What is the toughest race/physical activity you’ve ever done?

How to Run 50 Miles Through the Woods + Nutrition

December 13, 2012 By Laura

Strange is good.

Sometimes… I’ve had some questionable encounters…

Tomorrow’s Strange But Good link up will certainly be good! I hope you guys will all come check it out and link up a dish you’ve had lately that may seem strange, but it quite good. In case you missed it, click here for details/rules.

In the meantime, Kat is back today with her bi-weekly guest spot. This post is all about something I think is strange: running 50 miles. LOL! Clearly, a good thing. I totally admire her, and all of you endurance athletes out there!

Here’s Kat…

As I finished up my finals week and went into finishing my papers, I thought a lot about my study breaks and writing for fun. I realized that these past couple of weeks have been a lot about pacing myself and doing just what I need to keep going and do my best from start to finish. These past couple of weeks have really reminded me what it takes to run 50 miles.

Everything I say in this post will be a metaphor for life. There is ~~probably~~ definitely a way to apply every principle from a 50 mile race into life because a 50 mile race IS living. You feel every possible human emotion, even ones that you didn’t know existed or that you can’t describe, you meet a ton of people along the way who help you in some way, and you learn both your limits and how strong you can be.

I’ve only done it once, but it was awesome. September 22, this year, I ran the Georgia Jewel, the 50-mile option. When you wake up way before daylight to run through the woods, and will encounter obstacles you can’t even anticipate, there are a ton of feelings. You don’t know when the ups and downs (oh, and the hills), the obstacles yet to come will be or how long it will take you, so the only thing you can really feel is excitement, nervousness, and anticipation, both good and bad. You don’t know what kind of people you will meet, or whether you will spend a lot of time out there alone or with others, so all you can do is just… GO. (apply to life)

I mostly knew I was determined to have a great time and enjoy the ride, so I took a lot of pictures… (Editor’s note: clearly Kat was meant to be a blogger.)

It was BEAUTIFUL!

At the start of the race, you clearly need to be fueled, but not too full. It’s best to take it easy, but make sure you get a good placement so you don’t get lost in the back. I’ll talk about the nutrition and what I ate toward the end of the post… it’s vital to surviving this kind of race. Be fueled, but don’t overdo it.

So we started. It was DARK for the first few hours. You can’t see all the rocks, or even your feet, so all you can really do is be careful, and follow single-file on the single-track trail. I spent a great deal of this time listening to the voice of the person in front of me, getting to know them, and just kept going. I had to remind myself not to go too fast, even though excitement told me otherwise. I was so excited at the beginning. I was laughing, talking, and definitely had a pep in my step. Then at mile 10, we took in a little nutrition, and kept on going! This is the first time where you can really pass or fall back, make a move, hang back, get your bearings, and back onto the trails.

The next 7 miles for me were great… I met someone who I felt like I could really open up to and be real with, talk to about raw, real experiences and the depths of who I am. He was someone I could expose myself to, knowing I may or may not ever see him again. I mostly passed other people during this part of the race, while getting real with myself about how I was feeling, and what I thought my limits might be, even though I wasn’t really sure since it was early on (insert metaphor for life).

After a quick change of socks at mile 17, I kept going. I hit mile 18 – the farthest I had ever run before – and I kept going. AMAZING. Around mile 19, I hooked up with someone else who made me feel really good about myself, and we stuck together through the toughest hill of the race up to mile 25. We hiked up to the half way point together, laughing and talking, and when we got there, we felt AMAZING. This was followed by a very disappointing first couple of steps down. We made it to the highest elevation point of the race and I all of the sudden was afraid I wouldn’t be able to finish (insert life metaphor) because my knee got in my way.

I had to make a conscious and deliberate decision to push my limits, and I kept going, on my own. Along the next 5 miles, to avoid thinking about my own pain, I spent my time encouraging every other runner/hiker/human I saw. I just kept cheering with a smile on my face, hoping I wouldn’t be able to think about my own pain (this is SUCH a me thing to do). I spent the next several miles running by myself, and running into people who were really starting to struggle, but I kept it up.

At mile 32, another rest stop, I was greeted by some amazing SAG people. They helped me to sit for a minute, and asked me what I wanted. I had just been going and going, trying to feel nothing, unsure of myself, and I had no idea. I got it together, and put in my iPod for the first time, and there was nothing to do but try to finish! This is when it got REALLY hard.

By mile 41, I really thought I would not finish. I was 10 hours into this race, and my knee was killing me. Then a stranger came along. This stranger for whatever reason, believed I wasn’t done, and basically convinced me to come with him. The last ten miles are pretty hard to believe. I can only tell you, I saw one really angry man (a friend of mine), another man I barely knew cry, another man throw up, and another man so distraught because his kids might not see him finish because he wasn’t sure he could. I didn’t feel so hot myself, and we were all in it together. It was RAW. At mile 48.5, I sat down in the middle of the trail. Yep, sat. I still didn’t think I could do it. People started to pass me. (insert and remind yourself of the life metaphor again)

Although the 12 hours of trails had gotten me down, something inside me realized I was stronger than I thought I was. I reminded myself of the light inside me and began to skip. Skipping was way less painful than running, AND it put a smile on my face. After over 12.5 hours, I skipped across the finish line with a smile on my face, and received my award. ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE. Now I know, and was able to prove it to myself.

I carry this race into my daily life, and have signed up for an even more intense challenge to learn even more about myself. The Georgia Death Race. 60 miles & 30,000 feet of elevation change. It will likely take me longer and beat me down more than the Jewel, but hopefully only to make me even stronger.

Now, probably the more informative, and less life-changing portion (or maybe it is) — the Nutrition.

For 12 hours, you have to think that you’re eating breakfast, lunch, and dinner, plus some for all the calories you burn. No, I personally don’t break it down to a science because of my go-with-the-flow-ness… BUT I fuel as I go.

Throughout the day, I ate the following:

Breakfast: Shake w/ Juice, Greek Yogurt, and Protein Power + small cup of coffee
Mile 7ish: small 90 calorie Lara Bar
Mile 10: 3 M&Ms, a handful of chips, and about 4 oz of electrolyte replacement drink
Mile 17: a couple of small potatoes dipped in salt, a few M&Ms, and about 1/2 of a fuji apple (about 4 oz of electrolyte replacement)
Mile 21.5: GU gel
Mile 25: a couple of small potatoes dipped in salt, one apple slice.
Mile 32: a full Lara bar and a couple of apple slices, some electrolyte replacement
Mile 37ish: forced myself to have about a half of a GU
Mile 41: some coconut water and a couple potato chips (I was SICK of food by now)
Mile 45: some ginger chews (I was nauseated)
WATER CONSUMPTION: approximately 20oz every 7 miles… slow and steady flow of water throughout the day. I just kept one hand-held water bottle.

Like I said, it was NOT scientific, but it felt perfect for my body giving me sugars, carbs, salt, and electrolytes, as protein is not easily digestible and used for fuel. (Editor’s note: the ginger chew idea is brilliant!) I ended the day with some simple grilled chicken with nothing on it, and a soy café au lait (Editor’s note: why am I not surprised you had a coffee?). It’s all I had in me to drink/eat.

Sorry this post was so long, but running 50 miles is long! Cheers to 50-mile life races!!

Work hard, and it pays off. Enough said. (Editor’s note: True story.)

***

I’m convinced there’s nothing Kat can’t do… and I’m REALLY excited to be one of her SAGs for the Death Race!

What challenges have changed your life?

What is your favorite metaphor for life?

Pumpkin Tempeh Chili

December 1, 2011 By Laura

I am a wuss.

There is a reason I live in the South – cold weather and I are not friends. I showed up to run the Thanksgiving Half Marathon wearing fleece-lined running pants, a long sleeve shirt, a jacket (with thumb holes!), a fleece scarf, fleece gloves… and a body warmer attached to the inside of my jacket. I couldn’t feel my toes until mile 4.

Suffice it to say that my soup cravings are now out of control. Kind of like my pumpkin obsession.

The logical conclusion is to make soup with pumpkin. Wait. It’s too cold for a simple soup. I need a bone-warming chili. Pumpkin chili! (No, I haven’t actually tuned orange. Yet.)

This was my first time ever making chili, so the recipe evolved as I went. I thought the black and white photo would ~~hide the fact that is was dark and I have poor kitchen lighting~~ make me look classic like Julia Childs.

This chili is vegan – using tempeh rather than ground meat. Even if you are accustomed to tempeh, I strongly advise you to steam or boil it before you use it in chili. It removes the bitterness, allowing the other flavors to shine.

With the tempeh and black beans, this is one helluva a fiber-rich, protein-filled meal!

Bad lighting combined with brown food = picture of the year.

I like strong flavors in chili, and the slight sweetness combined with heat. When creating my chili, I wanted to really feel the heat and the warmth from the cumin and cinnamon. Cinnamon may seem like an odd choice, but try it out! It gives savory dishes a fantastic depth and brings out the subtle fruitiness of the tomato.

Cinnamon also works well with pumpkin. I had about 1/2 a cup of the canned stuff leftover from my Pumpkin Rum Bread Pudding, and into the pot it went! I loved the creamy texture it added… next time I may try using even more!

Cocoa also went into the post. It was almost an afterthought… I tasted the cumin with the black beans and thought a mole twist would be just the thing to make the dish pop.

Top it all off with avocado and – if you really love fire – Sriracha.

Guaranteed to warm you right down to the toes!

______________________________________________________________________________________

Pumpkin Tempeh Chili

1 T extra virgin olive oil
1 package (8 oz) tempeh
1/2 large yellow onion, chopped
1 red pepper, chopped
1 celery stalk, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 dried arbol chili peppers, re-hydrated and minced
2 tsp cocoa powder
1.5 tsp ancho chili powder
1 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 T apple cider vinegar
1.5 C (1 can) black beans, rinsed and drained
1.5 C diced tomatoes (I used fire-roasted)
1/2 C pumpkin puree*
1 C vegetable stock
1 tsp Xylitol (or sweetener of choice, if needed)
S+P, to taste
Optional toppings: avocado, sriracha, sour cream, cilantro

Steam tempeh 10-15 mins to remove bitterness.

Meanwhile, saute veggies over med-high in large pot (~10 mins). Add garlic at the end to avoid burning. Next add in spices, stir to combine, and saute another 1-2 mins. Stir in apple cider vinegar to deglaze.

Add tempeh, beans, tomatoes, and pumpkin. Stir to combine. Cover and allow to simmer for ~20 mins, stirring occasionally.

Remove cover and stir. Taste and adjust flavors. This is where I added Xylitol. Allow to simmer 15-20 mins more until liquid is reduced and flavors have melded.

Makes 4 servings (4 cups).

Note: If pumpkin ~~in chili creeps you out~~ isn’t available, try using a winter squash or sweet potato puree. You could also omit.

Approximate nutrition: 320 calories, 9.5g fat, 36.2g carbohydrates, 13.6g fiber, 5.9g sugar, 17.1g protein.

***

I want to try white bean next. Possibly orange white bean with pumpkin…

Are you a white or black bean chili person?

Do you make large pots of food to eat throughout the week? What is your staple?

Grateful Thanksgiving

November 28, 2011 By Laura

Grateful as in Grateful Dead.

I had a post-race “Friendsgiving” at one of my favorite local restaurants – Rosebud. How is that related to the Dead? Rosebud is named for one of Jerry Garcia’s guitars, the one he played in his last show in July of 1995.

A celebratory glass of sparkling with our (now empty) app plates

Ron Eyester, the chef and owner, put together one incredible (and HUGE) Thanksgiving feast.

We began with an appetizer consisting of Pimento Cheese, Trail Mix, Smoked Trout Pate, Housemade Pickled Vegetables, and crackers dusted with something spicy (cayenne?). The Pimento Cheese was our favorite, with the trail mix in a close second (I love those wasabi things). The Trout Pate was the only miss of the meal.

Next up was the main event. The way the special menus worked you could choose Sage, Apple & Honey Roasted Turkey or Housemade Berkshire Ham with Mexican Coke Glaze. Then you chose 3 sides from a list of 12. There were 3 of us at lunch, which meant we could try all but 3 sides. And so we did.

I chose the turkey with Brioche & Herb Stuffing (yes it was as good as it sounds), Cider & Maple Braised Brussels, and Red Wine & Balsamic Braised Mushrooms. It was all wonderful. The stuffing bordered on being bread pudding – a good thing in my book! Turkey has never been my cup o’ tea, but Ron’s turkey was nearing perfection. Not the least bit dried out and perfectly flavored. I loved the sage!

Carla’s also chose the turkey and brussels, but ordered the Buttermilk Whipped Potatoes and Baby Carrots with Fennel, Citrus, and Cardamom. The carrots were one of my favorite sides; they were left fairly crisp and the hints of fennel and citrus made for a fun flavor.

Corinne chose the ham. It was good, but I’m glad I didn’t get it. A little too sweet as a main for my taste, but if you like honey-baked ham you would love it. Her sides included the Whipped Sweet Potatoes with Ginger & Sweet Chili, Green Beans with Fresh Garlic and Sea Salt, and Mexican Coke Braised Local Greens with Smoked Ham Bone. I don’t even know how to choose a favorite. Maybe the beans?! I really appreciated how they kitchen left the veggies with some bite rather than cooking them to the point of soggy (all too often the case).

Since all of this clearly wasn’t enough food, Ron sent us a plate of the 3 sides we didn’t order (he really is the nicest angry chef in ATL). Our last 3 tastes: Mac n’ Cheese, Duck Fat & Thyme Fingerling Potatoes, and Truffled Cream Corn. The mac and cheese was done with Tillamook Cheddar and couldn’t have been more delicious. We all agreed the corn was also pretty amazing – and none of us are big on creamed corn!

Everyone had a favorite potato – I don’t know if he did it on purpose, but Ron offered the 3 major potato “types” so there was something for everyone. I was all about the whipped sweet potatoes.

My favorite course is always last – dessert! Chocolate Tart, Bread Pudding with Dried Cherries, Salted Browned Butter Cookies, and Apple Cake with Cardamom Cream. I love chocolate… but those cookies are my favorite. I’m convinced he puts crack in them.

A “Friendsgiving” lunch at Rosebud was the perfect race recovery meal. But I had to get home to make the treat you saw in Friday’s post to bring to a Thanksgiving potluck dinner (big revel tomorrow… suspense, I know). Because one gluttonous holiday meal is never enough. 😉

______________________________________________________________________________________

Speaking of gluttony… it’s Monday recap time.

Last week brought 2 big accomplishments – the Thanksgiving Half Marathon and I did my 100 push-ups EVERY DAY. That’s 700 push-ups last week!!! 3 accomplishments if you count the fact that I took TWO rest days.

Looking ahead, I’m ready cut back on the running for a while. My focus will be more on weights and kickboxing – just in time for the arrival of more winter-like weather (I can’t stand to run in the cold).

Workout Recap (11/21-11/27)

Monday – 30 mins stationary bike intervals, Biceps/Back, 100 push-ups
Tuesday – 2 mile run, 2 mile walk, 100 push-ups
Wednesday – Tris/Chest, Ab Ripper X, 100 push-ups
Thursday – Half Marathon, 100 push-ups
Friday – 100 push-ups
Saturday – 2 mile walk, 100 push-ups
Sunday – Kickboxing, 100 push-ups

***

I promise some healthier foods are coming… after tomorrow dessert post!

Have you ever eaten your Thanksgiving meal at a restaurant?

Do your workouts change in the winter months?

Running for My Supper

November 25, 2011 By Laura

Literally.

I spent a good 9-10 miles of my 13.1 thinking about lunch. My inner fat kid knows no bounds. Plus it entertained me while I ~~struggled~~ ran.

Once I remembered I had a body warmer in my jacket which was making me want to pass out, the first 4-ish miles flew by. Somewhere between 4 and 6 I had to stop to tighten my laces and lost my 1:45 pace group (not too devastating – 1:45 was a bit ambitions).

Stopping apparently caused me to miss the 5 mile marker, so I was pleasantly surprised by mile 6. Things were still ok until about mile 8. My legs were cramping and I had to stop for 30 seconds and stretch. After that it got hard – not a shock since I really only trained for up to 8.

Seeing my Aunt Teresa somewhere near mile 9 was a huge pick-me-up (thanks Teresa!), and I got another push around 10 when the 1:50 pace group caught me. I knew I didn’t want to finish far behind them so I ignored my screaming legs and cranked out the last 3 to finish with them.

HUGE thanks to the Atlanta Track Club for organizing the event and providing pace teams

Official time: 1:49:52. PR! I looked back at my 2009 Half time – it was 2:17:12! HUGE improvement in 2 years!

My younger cousin Molly also ran and finished seconds ahead of me. Congrats to Molly!!

My mom and sisters were there at the finish line with lots of hugs. It was really great to have a support group after a hard-fought race.

More to come about the fantastic Turkey Day eats (see little taste below), but for now I’m off to the grocery store. It shouldn’t be crowded… everyone is stuffed and at Wal-Mart… right?

***

I’m participating in this month’s YBR with Spicie Foodie. Click here if you’d like to join up too!

How did your races go?

Did anyone brave the Black Friday crowds?

Gobbling Up 13.1

November 24, 2011 By Laura

If I don’t like turkey, what exactly am I earning?

Wine is more like it!

By the time you are reading this, I will (hopefully) be done with Atlanta’s Thanksgiving Half Marathon. I am starting in the first group at 7:30am and – if I manage to stay with my pace team – I will be done by 9:15am.

Forget turkey; I’m earning Waffle House!

Rather than wax poetic about the millions of things I’m thankful for (really, I am), I thought I’d offer you something a bit different.

3 Tips for Thanksgiving:

1. Don’t sit in you great aunt’s chair. Trust your instincts (and your nose). That can’t be clean.

Source: happyplace.com

2. Watch out for the beans. You don’t want to be mistaken for that chair, do you?

3. Don’t make yourself miserable.

Bite #367 of that pie will not taste any different than bite #1. You’ll be trying to get rid of those leftovers for days anyway.

Click here for a few tips on keeping the gluttony under control… and an idea for using some of that leftover pumpkin puree. 😉

In conclusion…

***

Happy Thanksgiving!!

How did all the runners do?

What is/was the BEST dish of the day?

Rockstar Riff On Spaghetti + WIAW

November 23, 2011 By Laura

My sister is a rockstar.

Which is the goose and which is the fox?

Alli played a local venue on Monday night with her boyfriend, Noah. It was an open mic contest (well-known for launching John Mayer’s career). They didn’t win but I think they were one of the best. There is just SO much talent in Atlanta.

Alli and Noah’s band is called Goose & Fox. Check them out on YouTube! Shameless plug of one of my favorite songs:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D-gxzyUd51U

Given that we have a huge food-focused holiday one day away, it seems funny to be posting a tame WIAW… but at least it involves balls!

Check out Peas and Crayons to see how everyone else pre-gamed Thanksgiving on Jenn’s What I Ate Wednesday.

Pre-Breakfast:

I made a late-night post-concert trip to Kroger for melting chocolate so I could coat more Red Wine Cake Balls! They looked so pretty and smelled so good… they were calling my name! So I may have pre-gamed breakfast with balls…

Don’t judge me.

The winner so far has been these Red Wine Balls, but the Sparkling have received a ton of votes. It comes down to preference. Do you prefer your… desserts… sweet and white or dark and rich?

Pass the dark and rich over here.

Breakfast:

In preparation for the Thanksgiving Half, I’m loading up the carbs and protein. This morning’s oatmeal with egg whites hit the spot.

Check out that nut butter good-ness!

In my Oats:

1/2 C oatmeal
1/2 C unsweetened almond milk
1/4 C water
Shake of salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp vanilla
1 egg white
1/4 C blueberries
Scoop of Cinnamon Cacao Nut Butter

Prepare oatmeal according to package instructions. When almost done, quickly whip in the egg white. Add blueberries. Transfer to bowl and top with nut butter – I used Cinnamon Cacao Nut Butter I made yesterday.

Delicious and super filling thanks to the protein and “good” fat.

Lunch:

Just before lunch, I jogged to the Thanksgiving Half Expo to get my number. Only 1 more day – eek! I signed up with the 1:45 pace team. In hindsight, that may be a little ambitious. Guess I’ll find out tomorrow.

On the way back I passed Evos, a small chain that claims to make a healthier burger.

Their fries are air baked, burgers are made with naturally raised beef, milkshakes use organic milk and sugar – they even offer fruit shakes!

I settled on a Veggie Garden Burger. The vegetarian patty was pretty good (they also offer a vegan variety) – plenty of veggie and bean chunks in it (a must IMHO).

I really enjoyed the avocado spread, but the BEST part was the ketchup. They make their own flavors – Original, Cayenne, Mesquite, and Garlic. The garlic was pretty fantastic. 🙂

The problem was the bun – it was one of those sticky, chewy grocery store buns with the sesame seeds on top. Change the bun and I’ll come back, Evos.

The lady at the counter was really ~~patient~~ nice and let me sample an air baked french fry. I didn’t order my own, but they were pretty good! They tasted a lot like McDonald’s (which I haven’t had in years… but they remain my favorite) but only have 170 calories and 5g of fat. No, it’s not a health food but it is a healthier option when you want to indulge.

Dinner:

One of the most creative bloggers I know, Sarah @ The Smart Kitchen, created this vegan, “adult” version of Spaghetti-O’s. Sarah is also the queen of repurposing items to create the coolest dishes (airplane bottle of V8 –> tomato-vegetable soup?!).

Eying the last of a carton of Trader Joe’s Tomato and Roasted Red Pepper Soup, I channeled my inner Smart Kitchen and went to work.

See my ~~bastardized~~ modified version at the end of this post.

Snacks:

Lucky (pre-race moment of brilliance?) me scheduled a late-afternoon massage! It was one of the best I’ve had in a loooong time.

I made a quick pre-massage protein shake to tide me over until dinner. It was my basic: spinach, protein powder, almond milk, almond extract, and banana (trying to get the potassium in).

This is all that was left when I remembered to take a pic.

A massive Asian Pear and pomegranate made up a great “dessert.” I cut the pear into bite-sized pieces and sprinkled it with fresh pomegranate seeds, freshly ground cinnamon, and a teensy bit of paprika.

Normally I scoff at the idea of fruit for dessert, but this was shockingly satisfying.

Saucy Soup & Spaghetti

1.5 C TJ’s Tomato & Roasted Red Pepper Soup
2 T nutritional yeast
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp ancho chili powder
1/4 tsp dried oregano
1/4 tsp dried basil
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
Freshly ground black pepper
2 servings pasta (I used a veggie-laced fettuccine)

Prepare pasta according to the package.

Meanwhile, combine first 6 ingredients in small pot and warm over med-high heat.

When pasta is cooked, drain and pour into 2 bowls. Top with soup-sauce, garnish to taste with red pepper flakes and fresh black pepper.

Makes 2 servings.

***

Things will probably be slow going in the blog world over the next few days. I hope everyone has a wonderful holiday filled family, food, and fun. Safe travels and successful turkey runs!

What are your holiday plans? Travel? Races?

What dish are you most excited about tomorrow?

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The Race

The Fuel

The Results

Cramming 101: Endurance Training and Recovery

Sweet Potato “Cereal”

How to Run 50 Miles Through the Woods + Nutrition

Pumpkin Tempeh Chili

Pumpkin Tempeh Chili

Grateful Thanksgiving

Running for My Supper

Gobbling Up 13.1

Rockstar Riff On Spaghetti + WIAW

Pre-Breakfast:

Breakfast:

Lunch:

Dinner:

Snacks:

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