pump it

nothing geeks me up more for a good run than the right music.  and i am one of those people that sits in front of my itunes for quite some time concocting just the right blend of tunes for the distance.  5K?  fast songs from the start.  marathon?  first hour needs to be a bit mellow so i don't get too overzealous.  i also don't listen to the playlist until the morning of the race so there is that element of surprise.  yes, you can say it:  i am a dork...i know it.

here is my playlist for the upcoming capital city 1/2 marathon on sunday.  some oldies.  some goodies.  lots of good swear words (mental note:  do NOT play this playlist during morning kiddo carpool).

• Lose Yourself, Eminem (classic toe to the start tune.  why do i find him oddly attractive?)
• Good Life, OneRepublic
• Rhythm of Love, Plain White T's
• Saint Elmo's Fire (Man In Motion), John Parr (c'mon.  u know you love it- Emilio, Judd, Rob...classic)
• Photograph, Def Leppard (i am bringing it BACK with this one)
• Rolling In the Deep, ADELE
• imma be, The Black Eyed Peas
• Every Teardrop Is a Waterfall, Coldplay
• Don't Stop Believin', Journey (and u need to sing out loud "BORN AND RAISED IN SOUTH DETROIT!!!)
• We Weren't Born to Follow, Bon Jovi
• I Know You Want Me (Calle Ocho), Pitbull
• Moves like Jagger, Maroon 5 (i think he is so hot too!)
• In the Ayer, Flo Rida (featuring Will.i.am).   
• Forever, Chris Brown
• Rock That Body, The Black Eyed Peas
• Yeah 3X, Chris Brown
• Born This Way, Lady GaGa
• Raise Your Glass, P!nk
• Pump It, The Black Eyed Peas
• Yeah! (feat. Lil' Jon & Ludacris), Usher 
• Low (feat. T-Pain), Flo Rida  (boots with the furrrrrr)

**this is the point in the playlist where i know i am getting tired in my race.  therefore i need some get yo' @ss moving songs as follows**

• Move Bitch, Ludacris (please don't take offense if i pass you while singing this one out loud. and the lyrics are not for the faint of heart)
• 'Till I Collapse, Eminem & Nate Dogg (hands down the BEST song in my playlist)
• Higher, Taio Cruz (dare you to try to hit the high notes)
• More, Usher 
• My Life Would Suck Without You, Kelly Clarkson (wasn't she your all time fav Idol???)

**i end all of my races with these few songs.  always add an extra tune for insurance.  you'd hate to still be running and your playlist just ends.  buzz kill fo' sho!**

• The Edge of Glory, Lady GaGa
• Runaway, Bon Jovi  (yet another hottie to think about when i am on the verge of vomiting...)
• How Far We've Come, Matchbox Twenty
• Firework, Katy Perry (i know it's every second grade girl's favorite tune but i still love it)

happy running and good luck CCRR racers!

carb load, would'ya?

So it's time to carb load, right?  if you are looking for a strategic carb loading plan for your upcoming 1/2 marathon, you've come to the right place.  sort of.  just eat pasta and bread. and cookies.  now.

I have taken such things to new heights of late with loaded oatmeal cookies, sunflower chip cookies, a yummy new granola recipe (of which i am too lazy to write down but i will if you really want it) and now this:

Brown Butter Soda Bread.  Mmmmm...delicious.  This is the type of bread I am not sure you can screw up and even though i had a few issues (read: sticky dough and half the dough on my hands. which i promptly licked off.  raw.  that's raw bread dough people.  good god i am GROSS!).  This is also the type of bread that you stuff *just one more piece* in your mouth when you swear you couldn't eat another bite of anything.

And then you grab a handful of candy corn for good measure.  That's carbs too, right?

• 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter

• 3 1/2 cups all purpose flour (i did 2 cups white flour, 1 1/2 cups whole wheat)
• 1/2 cup old-fashioned oats
• 1 tablespoon sugar (i used brown sugar)
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 teaspoon ground black pepper plus additional for topping
• 1 3/4 cups buttermilk (i didn't have any so i made my own.  i used 1 tbl vinegar for each cup of skim milk)

• 1 egg white, beaten to blend

Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 375°F. Stir butter in heavy small saucepan over medium heat until melted and golden brown, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat.

Stir flour, oats, sugar, rosemary, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and 3/4 teaspoon pepper in large bowl to blend. Pour buttermilk and melted browned butter over flour mixture; stir with fork until flour mixture is moistened.

Turn dough out onto floured work surface. Knead gently until dough comes together, about 7 turns. Divide in half. Shape each half into ball; flatten each into 6-inch round. Place rounds on ungreased baking sheet, spacing 5 inches apart. Brush tops with beaten egg white. Sprinkle lightly with ground black pepper. Using small sharp knife, cut 1/2-inch-deep X in top of each dough round.

Bake breads until deep golden brown and tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 45 minutes. Cool breads on rack at least 30 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Baker's Wisdom:
You'll get the most tender soda bread by kneading the dough gently and briefly, just until it comes together, so the gluten is minimally developed.

Read More http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Brown-Butter-Soda-Bread-233910#ixzz1Y4HTGQ00

C is for cookie

Now that I am training for a marathon it is only natural that I make baked goods in mass quantities.   Oh boy Mr. IT band...hang in there...i need to keep running if i keep eating ALL of this...i also made sunflower seed cookies w/ sunflower butter and chocolate covered sunflower seeds (think peanut butter cookies...not as yummy as these though but still tasty)
i am thinking white cheddar rosemary scones and whole wheat soda bread in my future too :)

super duper loaded cookies...

1 and 3/4 cup old fashioned oats

3/4 cup all purpose flour

1/2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1 egg

1 stick butter, softened

2 tsp vanilla extract

1/3 cup toasted chopped pecans

1/2 cup dark chocolate chips (ghiradelli ones were awesome!)

1/3 cup dried cranberries

Preheat the oven to 375.

In a medium sized bowl, stir together the oats, flour, salt, baking soda, cinnamon, walnuts, cranberries and chocolate chips. Set aside.  Cream together the brown sugar and butter until light and fluffy. Add the egg and vanilla and continue to beat until smooth. Add the dry ingredients and beat only until combined.  Scoop out tablespoons of dough on a lined baking sheet. Flatten a little with your fingers (works best if your fingers are wet so the dough won’t stick as much). Bake for 10 minutes, or until golden brown.  These didn't stand a chance...and the dark chocolate chips REALLY make it.

i heart my running friends

do you have running buddies?  if not, you need to get yourself some pronto.  here's just a few reasons i love my running pals...

-they are your biggest cheerleader when you say "i think i want to do another marathon...in six weeks", even though they probably think you are insane.  some may actually even say "i think i'll do it too!".

-even if they are injured and can't race, they will stand on the sidelines, hold all your crap, and cheer you on, even though deep down inside they are so sad they can't do it.  (xoxo Sara)

-they don't make fun of you when you wear your compression socks with your short shorts.

-they obsess over the weather with you, they obsess over running clothing with you, and they obsess about what to eat before a long run/race with you, they obsess over going to the bathroom pre-run with you.  and, they don't think you are weird for doing so.

-speaking of which, talking about going poo is a normal conversation starter.

-over the course of a 10/12/16/20 mile run, you can solve yours, your neighbors and the world's problems.  what is discussed on the run, stays on the run.

-after said problems are addressed, food recipes and alcohol beverages are the next topic of conversation.

-no matter what, someone is always up for a run.

-they find nothing the matter with squatting behind a bush, tree, sign, tall grass, etc. to relieve oneself.

-if you are tired there is always someone that will slow down, walk or rest with you. you want to run speedy?  someone will do it with you.  and if you are bordering on dehydration, she'll speed ahead to go grab water for you so you can finish your run (thanks Staci!)

-during a long run they will talk to you if you need to talk, shut up if you want them to shut up (and not get mad if you say so), go ahead of you if you are not feeling it, or stay behind with you if you ask.  somehow, they just know (or it could be the desperate pleas...)

-they are always plotting the next race even before the last one is over.

-it is never a race.  it is always a run.

-they start out as just your "running pals", but turn out to be the greatest friends a girl could ask for:

 our first long distance race 2gether:  the mint city 10 miler aug 2009

then the capital city 1/2 marathon sept 2009 

the jingle belle 5K dec. 2009

25K in grand rapids may 2010

post Relli's after our 20 miler

baltimore marathon expo oct. 2010

 at the finish baltimore marathon oct 2010

martian 1/2 marathon March 2011

 kalamazoo 1/2 marathon mother's day 2011

at the finish bay shore marathon may 2011

looking forward to many more ladies :)

An abrupt end

Well, I dragged ya'll into this detox and I'm bailing out on it.
But, I have a good reason.  I swear.
I'm running another marathon.  And, I'm sorry, but when I am training for a marathon I need to let my body eat what it wants, when it wants it.  I have no control of the situation.  Honest.

So expect to see some complaining about long miles, recipes involving pasta, quick breads and the like.  It ain't called carbo-loading for nothing, people.

But those of you continuing the detox, press on!  You are on week 3 and 4...the weeks of maintaining those good habits and drinking coffee again, yippee!  I am still on the quest to cut back on caffeine for the long haul...not give it up, mind you, but cut back.  So don't judge if I have a diet coke every now and again, OK?

Did I mention this marathon is 6 weeks away?  Why, one sane individual might ask, would you decide to train for a 26.2 mile run when you only have 6 weeks to do so?  Originally I was going to run the 1/2 marathon.  And then I saw that the marathon was only $10 more.  The sane individual would say, "who cares" and sign up for the 1/2 marathon, right?

My twisted mind says "why not run the marathon for that price?"
It's a sickness, I know.