Oh Boy. So I lie...

OK.  I read the NY Marathon thing wrong.
We apply FOR 2012 and if we are denied then we get in for 2013.
UGH!  Oh well...gotta try.   Who knows...maybe we'll just get in and won't have to worry about being 3x losers...LOL!

start spreading the news...

Today is the NYC marathon.
If you know me and have followed this blog for any amount of time, you know that my dream race is to run the NY marathon.  When I first decided that I would run a marathon last year, that was the one I wanted to do.  I was born and raised in NY and it seems fitting to run the race I grew up with.
Yeah, me and 100,000 people want to run it too.
So the deal is that you "apply" to run and if you get in YIPEE for you.  and if you don't get in, you apply again.  and again.  and again.
So that's where we're at (yes, i have dragged Sara into this mess with me).  But here is the exciting news:  Tomorrow (on my 29th birthday) we will apply for the 3rd time to get into the marathon.  In April, we will find out if the NYC marathon gods have accepted us into the race.  If they say yes, we are buying a plane ticket to Manhattan.  If they say "no" (again), 3 times a charm and we automatically get in!  YES!  It pays to be a 3 time loser!!!
I must have read the rules on the website over and over again, just to make sure I was seeing it correctly.
No matter what, WE ARE IN FOR 2012!


I can hardly stand it.  So while my good friend Kara is toeing the start of her NYC marathon experience this morning, I am snugly warm at home in my sweats and steaming cup of coffee.  But a year from now, it will be me and Sara, tethered together (i am not losing her!), running the race of our lives.

Happy birthday to me :)

zero week

what have i been up to since i ran my 3rd marathon, you ask? (or maybe you are not asking.  maybe you could care less.  guess what?  you are reading this blog so i guess you're gonna have to hear it anyway)
well, i can tell you what i have NOT been doing:  running
that's right.  i have been sitting my lazy post-marathon self on the couch and eating reese's peanut butter cups and drinking diet coke.  i have shoved my sneakers (yes, all 7...or 8 pairs of them) in the back of the closet and have lived in my ugg slippers.  i haven't heard the chime of my garmin in 6 days (but who is counting?).  other than a short run with my running 102 class, i have not ran since the 26.2.

and i love it.

usually i'd be all antsy and wanting to get out for a run to "shake the legs out". i'd be counting the days until i can hit the pavement again for a speed workout.  and even though hal higdeon gave me permission to run on the thursday after the marathon (he calls this "zero week"), i didn't run.  i walked on the treadmill.  WALKED, PEOPLE!

and i loved it.

i've got a date tomorrow** to hit the road running.  but for today i am going to enjoy one more guilt free day of parking it :)

**note to above:  4 mile run this Sunday morning on a beautiful crisp fall day.  still no regrets for taking a full week off of running but it felt SO good to get back out there.  friends, revel in the fact that we get to make a choice everyday if we want to run or not because I promise you, there are folks out there that wish they could.  but on the same note, it is perfectly OK to stop and put those feet up every now and again.

Are Candy Corn Carbs?

My spontaneous marathon is quickly approaching.  I guess it should be considering I signed up just 2 weeks ago!  I am trying not to think about the fact that most suckers out there running the 26.2 have faithfully followed the pearls of wisdom via Hal Higdon for 18 long weeks.
Not me.  I followed a blend of Hal, Kim, and whoever else had advice for me for 6 weeks.  A 16 miler, a 18 miler and a 20 miler thrown in for fun.  A 13.1 race.  Another 5 mile race.  Yup.  That should be good enough.  Let's hope.
So anyway, I can't control any of that right now but what I can focus on is food.  Lovely, carbo-licious food.  Today I decided I needed to bake a few of my favorites to keep me on task:

Granola (this is my favorite recipe by far)
preheat oven 250 degrees.
cover 2 cookie sheets with foil and spray with PAM

In large bowl combine:
3 cups rolled oats
1 cup slivered almonds
1/2 cup walnuts chopped
1/2 cup pecans chopped
1/2 cup flaxseed
1/2 cup sunflower seeds
1/2 cup pepitas
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg
1/4 cup plus 2 Tbl brown sugar

1/4 c plus 2 tbl pure maple syrup
1/4 c canola oil
1/4 tsp salt
whisk together and pour over dry ingredients,

divide evenly between cookie sheets and bake granola 1 hr 15 min stirring every 15 min.
cool completely and then add dried cranberries (or raisins or dried blueberries or dried cherries)

Pumpkin Muffins (adapted from Gourmet Magazine to make a little healthier)
(you can make these into 2 loaves of bread too!)

• 2 cups sugar
• 1/2 cup canola oil, 1/2 cup applesauce
• 3 large eggs
• 1 16-ounce can solid pack pumpkin
• 1 1/2 cup all purpose flour, 1 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
• 1 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 cup coarsely chopped pecans (optional- but yummy)
• handful mini chocolate chips (optional-but even yummier!)
• 
  

Preheat oven to 350°F. Line muffin tins with paper muffin cups. Beat sugar and oil/applesauce in large bowl to blend. Mix in eggs and pumpkin. Sift flour, cloves, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda, salt and baking powder into another large bowl. Stir into pumpkin mixture in 2 additions. Mix in pecans and choc chips, if desired.

Divide batter equally between prepared pans. Bake 20-25 minutes.

oh no, I didn't stop there.  I had to go ahead and make a loaf of Peg's Artisan Bread.  YUMO

and then I kept on going and made a batch of these:

peanut-butter-pretzel-granola-bars

and I cracked open a big back of candy corn.  i may tuck some of those in my spibelt come sunday...

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.