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| 1.24.11 Snow: The Theme of the Week |
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| 1.25.11 Lazy Morning, Still in Bed |
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| 1.26.11 The Famous Cafe Lalo (think "You've Got Mail") |
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| 1.27.11 In the Jewelry Studio (not my hands) |
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| 1.28.11 Possible Kenneth Sighting??? |
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| 1.29.11 Pigeons |
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| 1.30.11 Busy Working ;) |
1.30.2011
365: Week 4
1.29.2011
Brunch With Friends: Part 2
And now for part 2 of my brunch with friends recipes. In case you missed the first post where I shared a delicious gluten free quiche recipe, you can find it here.
Next up, Breakfast Potatoes & Orange Cranberry Scones. Can you say YUM?!?
Breakfast Potatoes
1 lb of Idaho potatoes, peeled & cut into 1/2" cubes
1 tbsp Olive Oil
1 cup chopped Onion
1/2 cup chopped Green Bell Pepper
dash of Smoked Paprika (optional)
Salt & Pepper to taste
Preheat your oven to 350 F. Lightly oil a baking sheet and set aside.
Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add the olive oil. Add the onion & bell pepper, and cook for about 5 minutes until softened and beginning to brown, stirring occasionally. Add the potatoes and seasoning, toss until well combined.
Remove from the heat and transfer the mixture to your prepared baking sheet, spreading out in a single layer. Bake for 20 minutes and then turn over and bake for another 20-30 minutes, until potatoes are cooked and are slightly browned. Serve warm.
Orange Cranberry Scones
adapted from Gluten Free Baking by Rebecca Reilly
1 cup Brown Rice Flour
1/2 cup Sweet White Rice Flour
1/2 cup Almond Flour
1/4 cup Potato Starch (not flour!)
2 1/4 tsp Baking Powder
1/4 tsp Xanthan Gum
1/2 tsp Salt
1/2 stick Unsalted Butter, chilled & cut into pieces (I cut mine, then place in freezer for a bit so that they're extra cold!)
1/2 cup Dried Cranberries
1 tbsp Orange Zest
2 Eggs
1 tbsp Agave
1/3 to 1/2 cup Soy Milk
Cinammon Sugar
Preheat your oven to 400 F. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
In a large bowl, sift together the brown rice flour, sweet white rice flour, almond flour, potato starch, baking powder and xanathan gum. Add the very cold butter and work it into the flour mixture to create small crumbs. Try not to handle for too long since the heat from your hands will melt the butter. Add the dried cranberries and orange zest. Create a small well in the center of the mixture and break the eggs into the well. Add the agave and some of the soy milk. Use a fork to mix the wet ingredients together and gradually incorporate the dry. Continue mixing and adding soy milk until the dough as form. It should be soft but not too wet. At this point, you can store the dough in your refrigerator until you're ready to bake or continue cutting & baking.
Place the dough on a lightly floured surface and roll 1/2" thick. Cut out your scones, brush with a bit of soy milk, sprinkle with cinnamon sugar, and bake 12-15 minutes until golden brown.
Next up, Breakfast Potatoes & Orange Cranberry Scones. Can you say YUM?!?
 |
| Breakfast Potatoes |
 |
| Orange Cranberry Scones |
1 lb of Idaho potatoes, peeled & cut into 1/2" cubes
1 tbsp Olive Oil
1 cup chopped Onion
1/2 cup chopped Green Bell Pepper
dash of Smoked Paprika (optional)
Salt & Pepper to taste
Preheat your oven to 350 F. Lightly oil a baking sheet and set aside.
Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add the olive oil. Add the onion & bell pepper, and cook for about 5 minutes until softened and beginning to brown, stirring occasionally. Add the potatoes and seasoning, toss until well combined.
Remove from the heat and transfer the mixture to your prepared baking sheet, spreading out in a single layer. Bake for 20 minutes and then turn over and bake for another 20-30 minutes, until potatoes are cooked and are slightly browned. Serve warm.
Orange Cranberry Scones
adapted from Gluten Free Baking by Rebecca Reilly
1 cup Brown Rice Flour
1/2 cup Sweet White Rice Flour
1/2 cup Almond Flour
1/4 cup Potato Starch (not flour!)
2 1/4 tsp Baking Powder
1/4 tsp Xanthan Gum
1/2 tsp Salt
1/2 stick Unsalted Butter, chilled & cut into pieces (I cut mine, then place in freezer for a bit so that they're extra cold!)
1/2 cup Dried Cranberries
1 tbsp Orange Zest
2 Eggs
1 tbsp Agave
1/3 to 1/2 cup Soy Milk
Cinammon Sugar
Preheat your oven to 400 F. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
In a large bowl, sift together the brown rice flour, sweet white rice flour, almond flour, potato starch, baking powder and xanathan gum. Add the very cold butter and work it into the flour mixture to create small crumbs. Try not to handle for too long since the heat from your hands will melt the butter. Add the dried cranberries and orange zest. Create a small well in the center of the mixture and break the eggs into the well. Add the agave and some of the soy milk. Use a fork to mix the wet ingredients together and gradually incorporate the dry. Continue mixing and adding soy milk until the dough as form. It should be soft but not too wet. At this point, you can store the dough in your refrigerator until you're ready to bake or continue cutting & baking.
Place the dough on a lightly floured surface and roll 1/2" thick. Cut out your scones, brush with a bit of soy milk, sprinkle with cinnamon sugar, and bake 12-15 minutes until golden brown.
1.25.2011
Brunch With Friends: Part 1
I'm pretty sure I've mentioned this before, but it's always been my dream to have a Bed and Breakfast. My Bed and Breakfast would be on a beautiful farm. And every morning, I'd wake up and prepare a beautiful vegetarian and gluten free breakfast for my guests. Fresh coffee, pastries, fruit, pancakes, french toast... the menus could be endless but always delicious.
Until I make my dreams come true, I need plenty of practice and I love to have friends over for meals. Brunch, lunch or dinner parties. I love them all! So the other weekend, I invited Dori and Katie over to taste test some of my new brunch recipes. After double checking for food allergies or major dislikes, I decided on a menu:
I think the ladies were a bit surprised when they showed up to find this spread unfolding on my dining room table. As Dori put it, "Um, you could've just made scrambled eggs and we would've been happy." But what can I say, I aim to please! Luckily, all the food was a big hit and we even went back for seconds after taking a break to hang out on my couch and chat for a bit. I'd say that means brunch was a success, don't you think?
I'm dying to share all the recipes from this fantastic brunch with you but am going to spread them out over the course of this week so that reading this won't take you all day ;) So here goes... recipe #1 is for the quiche! Sooooo yuuuuum.
First of all, the crust for this quiche was so easy & so majorly delicious! It's based on the Savory Pie Crust from the Gluten Free Almond Flour Cookbook by Elana Amsterdam. And by the way, if you are gluten free, you must get this cookbook. It seriously rocks! The filling is one that I made up on my own based on ingredients I already had in my cupboard or refrigerator. I'm cool (aka resourceful) like that. Like I said, this quiche was so good that we all went back for seconds. If you aren't serving it for a brunch and would like automatic portion control, you may want to consider making little mini quiches instead of one large one. Just an idea! Ok, here goes...
Gluten Free Quiche
Part 1: The Crust
adapted from the Savory Pie Crust in the Gluten Free Almond Flour Cookbook
1 1/2 cups Blanched Almond Flour
1/2 tsp Sea Salt
1/2 tsp Baking Soda
1/4 cup Grapeseed Oil
1 tbsp Water
Preheat your oven to 350 F.
Combine the almond flour and salt in a large bowl. In a separate bowl or cup,whisk together the oil and water. Add the wet ingredients to the dry and mix until well combined. Press the dough into a 9 1/2" or deep-dish pie pan. Bake for 12-15 minutes until golden and remove from oven. Allow to cool before filling.
I made my crust the night before, wrapped it in plastic and then filled it in the morning. But if you're preparing everything at once, prep the filling while the crust is cooling.
Part 2: The Filling
2 whole Eggs + 3 egg Whites
2-3 Roasted Peppers (I used Trader Joe's roasted bell peppers from the jar), chopped
1/2 cup Baby Spinach
1/4-1/2 Goat Cheese rolled in Herbs (use as much or as little as you prefer)
9 Grape Tomatoes, halved
Preheat your oven to 350 F.
In a small bowl, beat the eggs and egg whites and set aside.
Spread the chopped roasted peppers on your prepared and cooled almond crust. Sprinkle the peppers with the herbed goat cheese and top with the baby spinach leaves. Pour the beaten eggs over the layers. Arrange the halved grape tomatoes around the edges of your quiche.
Place in your preheated oven and bake for 30-35 minutes, until browned around the edges. Serve warm & enjoy!
Stayed tuned for the scone, breakfast potato & juice recipes later this week!
Until I make my dreams come true, I need plenty of practice and I love to have friends over for meals. Brunch, lunch or dinner parties. I love them all! So the other weekend, I invited Dori and Katie over to taste test some of my new brunch recipes. After double checking for food allergies or major dislikes, I decided on a menu:
- Quiche
- Scones served with Jam
- Breakfast Potatoes
- Yogurt & Fresh Fruit
- Freshly Squeezed Juice, Coffee & Steamed Almond Milk
I'm dying to share all the recipes from this fantastic brunch with you but am going to spread them out over the course of this week so that reading this won't take you all day ;) So here goes... recipe #1 is for the quiche! Sooooo yuuuuum.
 |
| Gluten Free Quiche |
Gluten Free Quiche
Part 1: The Crust
adapted from the Savory Pie Crust in the Gluten Free Almond Flour Cookbook
1 1/2 cups Blanched Almond Flour
1/2 tsp Sea Salt
1/2 tsp Baking Soda
1/4 cup Grapeseed Oil
1 tbsp Water
Preheat your oven to 350 F.
Combine the almond flour and salt in a large bowl. In a separate bowl or cup,whisk together the oil and water. Add the wet ingredients to the dry and mix until well combined. Press the dough into a 9 1/2" or deep-dish pie pan. Bake for 12-15 minutes until golden and remove from oven. Allow to cool before filling.
I made my crust the night before, wrapped it in plastic and then filled it in the morning. But if you're preparing everything at once, prep the filling while the crust is cooling.
Part 2: The Filling
2 whole Eggs + 3 egg Whites
2-3 Roasted Peppers (I used Trader Joe's roasted bell peppers from the jar), chopped
1/2 cup Baby Spinach
1/4-1/2 Goat Cheese rolled in Herbs (use as much or as little as you prefer)
9 Grape Tomatoes, halved
Preheat your oven to 350 F.
In a small bowl, beat the eggs and egg whites and set aside.
Spread the chopped roasted peppers on your prepared and cooled almond crust. Sprinkle the peppers with the herbed goat cheese and top with the baby spinach leaves. Pour the beaten eggs over the layers. Arrange the halved grape tomatoes around the edges of your quiche.
Place in your preheated oven and bake for 30-35 minutes, until browned around the edges. Serve warm & enjoy!
Stayed tuned for the scone, breakfast potato & juice recipes later this week!
1.24.2011
1.23.2011
365: Week 3
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| 1.17.11 Empty Shelves |
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| 1.18.11 Clown Car? |
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| 1.19.11 My Office |
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| 1.20.11 Making this tea |
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| 1.21.11 Even our dogs are fashionistas in NYC |
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| 1.22.11 Manhattan Half Marathon in Central Park |
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| 1.23.11 My Windowsill is Cold |
1.21.2011
Honey Ginger Lemon Tea
The start of this week was a good one. My mojo was going strong and I was excited to start building up some weekly running mileage again. I had even planned out my workout schedule for the week: Refine Method on Monday, kickboxing on Tuesday and Friday, and 4-5 runs mixed in. So Monday night, when Dori suggested I join her and Ben at Refine method for another tush kicking workout, I couldn't resist. And why not get my run in at the same time, right? I layered up, put on my gloves and hat, and ran the almost two miles to Refine where once again, Brynn, whipped us into shape. By the end of the hour, my legs were jello and my glutes were cramping. It felt awesome. I ran home the same route, through a cold and crisp Central Park covered with snow and I felt incredible; I felt alive. I'm pretty sure I had one of my signature "happy I'm running" silly smiles on my face the entire time. Yeah sure, I might've slipped on ice a block from my apartment and twisted my ankle and wrist, but I shook it off and finished my run home feel strong.
And then two hours later, I felt like crap. It hit me like a bus and came out of no where. Intense chest congestion and a horrible cough took over and I realized, just like that, my mojo inspired workout week would have to wait. I tried to wake up for kickboxing the next morning but decided not to go since my teacher is pregnant and that wouldn't be fair to her. I was so frustrated; my motivation was being crushed by this silly cold! I did my best to stage an immediate attack on the cold: mucinex, tylenol cold, tylenol pm, orange juice, etc... but to no avail. My cough was getting worse and my throat was now shredded and sore. Sexy, yes I know.
And then one of my running, blogging, tweeting, facebooking and all around good guy friends, Baker, came to the rescue. Baker offered his recipe for Honey Ginger Lemon Tea, aka Baker's Magic Elixir to soothe my throat and help loosen up the gunk in my chest. Within an hour, a friend who lives in my neighborhood went food shopping for me & dropped off all the ingredients, and I set to creating this delicious concoction. I'm so happy I did. This stuff is good! At the risk of sounding even sexier, within a few hours, my throat started to feel better and the gunk started to come up in chunks (I warned you, didn't I?). Yay! Now, I'm no Dr and neither is Baker so please don't consider this recipe medical advice. But this tea did indeed seem to be magic for me. I still don't have a voice and I'm not 100% clear but at least I can breathe and swallow. That's a start right? I'm actually drinking a mug as I write this post. It's just that yummy. And now for the recipe....
Honey Ginger Lemon Tea aka Baker's Magic Elixir
makes a whole lot of tea
"You have now made the most delicious Honey Lemon Ginger Tea.
Drink it ALL day! It will soothe your throat and flush out toxins."
Thanks Baker!
And then two hours later, I felt like crap. It hit me like a bus and came out of no where. Intense chest congestion and a horrible cough took over and I realized, just like that, my mojo inspired workout week would have to wait. I tried to wake up for kickboxing the next morning but decided not to go since my teacher is pregnant and that wouldn't be fair to her. I was so frustrated; my motivation was being crushed by this silly cold! I did my best to stage an immediate attack on the cold: mucinex, tylenol cold, tylenol pm, orange juice, etc... but to no avail. My cough was getting worse and my throat was now shredded and sore. Sexy, yes I know.
And then one of my running, blogging, tweeting, facebooking and all around good guy friends, Baker, came to the rescue. Baker offered his recipe for Honey Ginger Lemon Tea, aka Baker's Magic Elixir to soothe my throat and help loosen up the gunk in my chest. Within an hour, a friend who lives in my neighborhood went food shopping for me & dropped off all the ingredients, and I set to creating this delicious concoction. I'm so happy I did. This stuff is good! At the risk of sounding even sexier, within a few hours, my throat started to feel better and the gunk started to come up in chunks (I warned you, didn't I?). Yay! Now, I'm no Dr and neither is Baker so please don't consider this recipe medical advice. But this tea did indeed seem to be magic for me. I still don't have a voice and I'm not 100% clear but at least I can breathe and swallow. That's a start right? I'm actually drinking a mug as I write this post. It's just that yummy. And now for the recipe....
Honey Ginger Lemon Tea aka Baker's Magic Elixir
makes a whole lot of tea
- In a large pot bring 2 gallons (roughly) of water to a boil.
- Peel and shred fresh ginger (equal to your fist balled up and then some) and add into water.
- Let it simmer for 30 minutes covered.
Cut 2-3 lemons in quarters, squeeze juice into mix and then throw the squeezed lemons in as well.Add in 5-10 green tea bags. - Mix in 1 jar of honey. The better quality kind of course. Do not add in the kind with the wax in it. (Crappy honey= disaster)
- Once the mix has steeped for another 15-30 strain it.
"You have now made the most delicious Honey Lemon Ginger Tea.
Drink it ALL day! It will soothe your throat and flush out toxins."
Thanks Baker!
1.19.2011
Race Recap: Ted Corbitt 15k
On 12/19/2010, I ran the Ted Corbitt 15K in Central Park. As you can see, it's taken me quite some time to put together my race recap. Simply put, this race left me confused and frustrated. I've run at least 9.3 miles countless times. So why was this race so hard?
When I completed the Philadelphia Marathon on 11/21, I decided I would take a break from races for a while. I had reached my goal and felt good, but I was also exhausted and missed my short 3 or 4 mile runs for fun. Then why did I find myself signing up for a 15k three weeks later? I think it's because I needed a push to get back out there and run. My body was finally recovering from the marathon but had gotten way too comfortable recovering. My mind, on the other hand, was itching for a run. So I signed up for what I thought would be an easy 9.3 miles.
I started to stress about this race two or three days before which is disappointing because I typically don't stress about races. I anticipate but I don't stress; running is supposed to be fun and since I'm not planning on winning anything anytime soon, no need to stress, right? But this time felt different. First of all, I injured my left foot during the marathon and it was still touch or go. And second, it was going to be FREEZING. I typically enjoy running in the cold but that usually involves starting & ending my run at the door to my apartment. Standing outside freezing my tush off in Central Park is not on my list of fun ways to start my day. Also, Mr. Weatherman was predicting possible snow and I had never run in snow before. I'm a clutz; I can barely walk in snow. And what if the water stations froze over like they did at the Philly marathon a few years ago. And what would I wear? The lots of funny layers I typically wear for cold weather runs just wouldn't be cute enough for race pictures (yes, pathetic but this did cross my mind). With all of this craziness going on in my brain I stopped, took a deep breathe, and accepted the fact that I was just plain nervous for my first longish run post marathon. I meditated for a bit, closed my eyes, and reminded myself that none of these things were race stoppers. "Suck it up Erica" is what I told myself, "you're tougher than this crap."
Aside from the craziness, some valid questions did emerge. For example, did I have to think about nutrition and hydration during a 9 mile race in the cold? I had never run more than 5 or 6 miles in this kind of weather. Would I sweat just as much and need just as much water? I knew how to fuel appropriately for a 10k and for a Half Marathon. But what was my strategy for a 15k? I decided I wouldn't bring fluids but would drink at the water stations as I felt necessary. I found an old GU from marathon training and decided to bring it along just in case I needed it. My last bit of preparation was to buy foot warmers as per a fellow blogger/runner's suggestion on twitter. BIG mistake, but we'll get to that later.
I woke up early the morning of the race and ate one of my usual pre-run breakfasts: gluten free oats with almond milk, banana and a spoon of almond butter with a cup of coffee. I then got dressed in my many layers: running tights, running capris over running tights (my running tights are too big & fall down. Yes, I need new ones), a long sleeve dry fit shirt, a running jacket, gloves and a headband/ear warmers, running socks and my insole foot warmers which I peeled from the package and placed on the soles of my socks. I topped it all off with a really old fleece sweatshirt that I would throw away once I started the race. I headed out to the upper east side and along the way, saw lots of other runners heading to the start line. Heading towards the start with my fellow runners is always a favorite part of racing. I love the energy and camaraderie; it gets me psyched every time! Before the race, I was happy to bump into Theodora and recognized Robin @rlk_117 who I finally met for the first time. I visited the porta potties (yuckity yuck yuck ew), made my way to my corral. The race start was on the east side of the park at 102nd street. It would take us through two loops of the park, a 5 miler and a 4 miler. I stood and waited until it was time to get going, trying to stay warm and ignored my shivering body and chattering teeth. I would be warm in a few minutes, right?
Then I got going... and I sucked. I tried to keep it slow the first two miles, to warm up my legs and get my breathing right. My legs felt ok but my lungs just wouldn't cooperate in the cold. I reminded myself that the first three miles can be the toughest for me so I stayed positive and kept going. By the time I approached Cat Hill at approximately mile 4, my legs were already getting tired and I couldn't believe it. For those of you who have never run in Central Park, Cat Hill is on the east side of the park an although it's not the toughest one, it's still pretty tough. So I'm running up Cat Hill and thinking "you're already tired and this is just the first lap. You have to get up this hill again. Suck it up Erica and just keep going. You ran a marathon exactly a month ago! You can run 9.3 miles." So I kept going and began to feel better. I passed the start line and was excited that the race was more than halfway done.
And then the blisters on the soles of me feet started. You know that little rule that you should NEVER try anything new the day of a race? Well, it's a rule for a reason. Although my feet were nice and toasty, the Toastitoes foot warmers were beginning to rub my soles the wrong way and I could feel juicy blisters growing by the minute. Awesome. NOT. I did my best to ignore the blisters, headed across the 102nd St Transverse for the second loop and up that first little hill on the west side of the park. No more ignoring it, I was sucking bad and decided to just embrace the suck. It's ok to have a horrible race, right? The horrible ones just make the great ones even better. Sometimes I suck, but I never quit, so I kept on running as best as I could, ignoring my feet and my lungs and watching the miles pass by way too slowly. When I approached Cat Hill for the second time, my legs refused to keep running so I stopped to walk for a minute, remembered my GU and figured I might as well see if a little chocolate flavored ooze might help my effort. And it did! I was able to power through the last few miles of the race and complete with a 1:36:16, a respectable 10:21 pace. Certainly not my fastest or happiest race, but one during which I learned many lessons. And as a bonus, I got to meet Idiot Runner just after the finish line. There's something about meeting awesome runners after a shitty race, even if just for a brief minute, that makes it all ok, you know?
FYI, this picture is a giant lie. This was probably the only moment I actually had a smile during this race. I saw the camera, looked up & faked a big one. I was still freezing and miserable, I promise.
Now you may ask why on earth I would take the time over a month after this race to recap it if it sucked so bad. Because I'm hoping you can offer some advice on how to better approach those in between distances in the future. In case you didn't notice, I didn't write anything about pacing myself and that's because once I started running, I realized I had no idea what pacing would be for a 15k. And I obviously didn't plan on when I was going to GU it, but the GU did help and I wonder if I should've taken it earlier. So many questions.... So dear runners, I would truly appreciate any advice you can throw my way. How do you prepare for, dress for, fuel for, hydrate for, pace for, etc for those in between distances? Any comments or links to posts with advice would be greatly appreciated. I'm planning on participating in NYRR's 9+1 program again for automatic entry into NYCM 2012 and would love to add more of these longer distance races into my calendar. Let's hope my next recaps show some improvement.
When I completed the Philadelphia Marathon on 11/21, I decided I would take a break from races for a while. I had reached my goal and felt good, but I was also exhausted and missed my short 3 or 4 mile runs for fun. Then why did I find myself signing up for a 15k three weeks later? I think it's because I needed a push to get back out there and run. My body was finally recovering from the marathon but had gotten way too comfortable recovering. My mind, on the other hand, was itching for a run. So I signed up for what I thought would be an easy 9.3 miles.
I started to stress about this race two or three days before which is disappointing because I typically don't stress about races. I anticipate but I don't stress; running is supposed to be fun and since I'm not planning on winning anything anytime soon, no need to stress, right? But this time felt different. First of all, I injured my left foot during the marathon and it was still touch or go. And second, it was going to be FREEZING. I typically enjoy running in the cold but that usually involves starting & ending my run at the door to my apartment. Standing outside freezing my tush off in Central Park is not on my list of fun ways to start my day. Also, Mr. Weatherman was predicting possible snow and I had never run in snow before. I'm a clutz; I can barely walk in snow. And what if the water stations froze over like they did at the Philly marathon a few years ago. And what would I wear? The lots of funny layers I typically wear for cold weather runs just wouldn't be cute enough for race pictures (yes, pathetic but this did cross my mind). With all of this craziness going on in my brain I stopped, took a deep breathe, and accepted the fact that I was just plain nervous for my first longish run post marathon. I meditated for a bit, closed my eyes, and reminded myself that none of these things were race stoppers. "Suck it up Erica" is what I told myself, "you're tougher than this crap."
Aside from the craziness, some valid questions did emerge. For example, did I have to think about nutrition and hydration during a 9 mile race in the cold? I had never run more than 5 or 6 miles in this kind of weather. Would I sweat just as much and need just as much water? I knew how to fuel appropriately for a 10k and for a Half Marathon. But what was my strategy for a 15k? I decided I wouldn't bring fluids but would drink at the water stations as I felt necessary. I found an old GU from marathon training and decided to bring it along just in case I needed it. My last bit of preparation was to buy foot warmers as per a fellow blogger/runner's suggestion on twitter. BIG mistake, but we'll get to that later.
 |
| Big Mistake!!! |
Then I got going... and I sucked. I tried to keep it slow the first two miles, to warm up my legs and get my breathing right. My legs felt ok but my lungs just wouldn't cooperate in the cold. I reminded myself that the first three miles can be the toughest for me so I stayed positive and kept going. By the time I approached Cat Hill at approximately mile 4, my legs were already getting tired and I couldn't believe it. For those of you who have never run in Central Park, Cat Hill is on the east side of the park an although it's not the toughest one, it's still pretty tough. So I'm running up Cat Hill and thinking "you're already tired and this is just the first lap. You have to get up this hill again. Suck it up Erica and just keep going. You ran a marathon exactly a month ago! You can run 9.3 miles." So I kept going and began to feel better. I passed the start line and was excited that the race was more than halfway done.
And then the blisters on the soles of me feet started. You know that little rule that you should NEVER try anything new the day of a race? Well, it's a rule for a reason. Although my feet were nice and toasty, the Toastitoes foot warmers were beginning to rub my soles the wrong way and I could feel juicy blisters growing by the minute. Awesome. NOT. I did my best to ignore the blisters, headed across the 102nd St Transverse for the second loop and up that first little hill on the west side of the park. No more ignoring it, I was sucking bad and decided to just embrace the suck. It's ok to have a horrible race, right? The horrible ones just make the great ones even better. Sometimes I suck, but I never quit, so I kept on running as best as I could, ignoring my feet and my lungs and watching the miles pass by way too slowly. When I approached Cat Hill for the second time, my legs refused to keep running so I stopped to walk for a minute, remembered my GU and figured I might as well see if a little chocolate flavored ooze might help my effort. And it did! I was able to power through the last few miles of the race and complete with a 1:36:16, a respectable 10:21 pace. Certainly not my fastest or happiest race, but one during which I learned many lessons. And as a bonus, I got to meet Idiot Runner just after the finish line. There's something about meeting awesome runners after a shitty race, even if just for a brief minute, that makes it all ok, you know?
FYI, this picture is a giant lie. This was probably the only moment I actually had a smile during this race. I saw the camera, looked up & faked a big one. I was still freezing and miserable, I promise.
Now you may ask why on earth I would take the time over a month after this race to recap it if it sucked so bad. Because I'm hoping you can offer some advice on how to better approach those in between distances in the future. In case you didn't notice, I didn't write anything about pacing myself and that's because once I started running, I realized I had no idea what pacing would be for a 15k. And I obviously didn't plan on when I was going to GU it, but the GU did help and I wonder if I should've taken it earlier. So many questions.... So dear runners, I would truly appreciate any advice you can throw my way. How do you prepare for, dress for, fuel for, hydrate for, pace for, etc for those in between distances? Any comments or links to posts with advice would be greatly appreciated. I'm planning on participating in NYRR's 9+1 program again for automatic entry into NYCM 2012 and would love to add more of these longer distance races into my calendar. Let's hope my next recaps show some improvement.
1.17.2011
1.16.2011
365: Week 2
What is 365?
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| 1.10.11 Getting over my fear of mustard |
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| 1.11.11 72nd Street & Central Park West |
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| 1.12.11 Working on new designs |
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| 1.13.11 Sledding in Central Park |
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| 1.14.11 Working on pictures for my website |
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| 1.15.11 Photoshoot |
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| 1.16.11 Sugar Snap Peas |
1.12.2011
Refine Method Rocks
It's been a week since I returned from vacation and I'm finally getting back into the swing of things. Especially with my running. During my time in California, I spent 10 days eating, drinking wine and doing things to my body that a runner should probably never do. I don't regret any of it cause I had an incredible time, but my first few runs back in NYC were ridiculously difficult for someone who just finished a marathon. Major wake-up call that I needed to get my ass back in gear, and quick.
So as I usually do when I need some discipline, I sat down last night and put together an action plan. I'm going to approach my fitness as I would training for a marathon, with a workout schedule. Except for some flexibility, I'm going to take it week by week and create a new plan every Sunday night. This week's schedule involves plenty of running and two kickboxing classes. But for next week, I'm dying to also add in a Refine Method class which I hope will become a regular part of my routine.
Refine Method you ask? Refine Method is a class introduced to me by Dori of Dori's Shiny Blog. Founded by former New York City Ballet dancer Brynn Jinnett, it's a circuit workout in which both cardio and strength training intervals are incorporated to strengthen your core and tone your entire body. Brynn and her trainers hold classes in a cozy and intimate studio on NYC's Upper East Side which is lined with mirrors and pulley systems that are used as part of the workout. When I first read about the workout on Dori's blog, I knew I had to try it, so she encouraged me to join her at a class right away.
The class was incredible and Brynn was fantastic! Aside from being a complete sweetheart, she's a fantastic teacher. Since the classes are limited to a few people at a time, she's able to give everyone individual attention and walked around to adjust us, helping us with proper alignment and focusing on specific muscles. I found out that exercises I had been doing for years could have been so much more effective had I just shifted my hips a bit or made other slight adjustments. We did lunges, planks, ab work, bursts of cardio and a whole host of moves that forced me to use my core to keep my balance. When I walked out of the class, the first thing I said to Dori was "that's the kind of class that makes you realize you can have the body you want as long as you work hard enough." My entire body was sore for days after the class, the sign of an effective workout, and I loved it!
If you live in New York City, I highly encourage you to check out Refine Method for an incredible workout. The first class is free and after that, Brynn offers pay-per-class, class packs and membership options.
I have a feeling Refine Method will become an important part of my marathon training. I can't wait to watch as my body transforms!
So as I usually do when I need some discipline, I sat down last night and put together an action plan. I'm going to approach my fitness as I would training for a marathon, with a workout schedule. Except for some flexibility, I'm going to take it week by week and create a new plan every Sunday night. This week's schedule involves plenty of running and two kickboxing classes. But for next week, I'm dying to also add in a Refine Method class which I hope will become a regular part of my routine.
Refine Method you ask? Refine Method is a class introduced to me by Dori of Dori's Shiny Blog. Founded by former New York City Ballet dancer Brynn Jinnett, it's a circuit workout in which both cardio and strength training intervals are incorporated to strengthen your core and tone your entire body. Brynn and her trainers hold classes in a cozy and intimate studio on NYC's Upper East Side which is lined with mirrors and pulley systems that are used as part of the workout. When I first read about the workout on Dori's blog, I knew I had to try it, so she encouraged me to join her at a class right away.
The class was incredible and Brynn was fantastic! Aside from being a complete sweetheart, she's a fantastic teacher. Since the classes are limited to a few people at a time, she's able to give everyone individual attention and walked around to adjust us, helping us with proper alignment and focusing on specific muscles. I found out that exercises I had been doing for years could have been so much more effective had I just shifted my hips a bit or made other slight adjustments. We did lunges, planks, ab work, bursts of cardio and a whole host of moves that forced me to use my core to keep my balance. When I walked out of the class, the first thing I said to Dori was "that's the kind of class that makes you realize you can have the body you want as long as you work hard enough." My entire body was sore for days after the class, the sign of an effective workout, and I loved it!
If you live in New York City, I highly encourage you to check out Refine Method for an incredible workout. The first class is free and after that, Brynn offers pay-per-class, class packs and membership options.
Refine Method
340 East 71st Street
New York, NY 10021
info@refinemethod.com
(646) 820-3463
(646) 820-3463
I have a feeling Refine Method will become an important part of my marathon training. I can't wait to watch as my body transforms!
1.10.2011
Pot of the Week: Heavy on the Veggie White Bean Soup
I made this soup the week before my California vacation. It was bitter cold here in NYC, and as I rummaged through my fridge searching for something to eat, I realized I had lots of veggies I needed to use before I went away. I threw them all in a pot with some white beans, veggie stock, and fresh parsley and a short while later ate a giant bowl of a new favorite. So good. And even better? I froze half of it and when I returned from California, my delicious bean soup was waiting for me and I could spend my time unpacking and getting back into the swing of things instead of spending time cooking.
This is another one of those recipes that you just can't mess up. Don't you love how easy soup can be? I used a can of canellini beans and a can of white kidney beans because it's what I had on hand. But feel free to experiment with whatever is in your kitchen. Also, no need to worry about exact measurements of the veggies. The more the merrier! Chop them as small or as large as you'd like; I was in the mood for a chunky soup as you can see in the picture.
Heavy on the Veggie White Bean Soup
1 tbsp Olive Oil
1 large Yellow Onion
3 cloves of Garlic, chopped
4 Carrots
4 stalks of Celery
1 Russet Potato (no need to peel unless you're not a fan of the skin)
1 cup of assortment Mushrooms (unless you don't like mushrooms. Then leave them out)
2 can of Beans (like I said, I used canellini & white kidney), drained
6 cups of Vegetable Stock
1/2 cup fresh Parsley
Salt & Pepper to taste
In a large stockpot, heat the olive oil over med-high heat. Add the chopped onion & garlic and saute for about 4-5 minutes, until they begin to turn translucent. Add the chopped carrots, celery, potatoes & mushrooms and cook another 5 minutes. Add the beans, vegetable stock and parsley and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, cover, and simmer for about 45 minutes to an hour until the vegetables are cooked to your liking. You may want to check occasionally to make sure that there is still plenty of liquid in the pot. If not, add more vegetable stock or water as needed. Season with salt & pepper to taste.
Enjoy!
1.09.2011
365: Week 1
When I read about project 365 on The Design Girl's blog, I wanted to do it right away. I mean, I carry my camera everywhere anyway, right? For more details about project 365 click here.
I'll be posting 7 pictures every Sunday night. Sort of like a weekly recap. Each picture will be from a different day of the week. But since I'm starting a bit late... here's week 1!
I'll be posting 7 pictures every Sunday night. Sort of like a weekly recap. Each picture will be from a different day of the week. But since I'm starting a bit late... here's week 1!
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| 1.1.11 The Pacific |
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| 1.2.11 Sonoma Vineyards |
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| 1.3.11 Sailing in the Bay |
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| 1.4.11 Farewell California |
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| 1.5.11 Mask |
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| 1.16.11 Swiss Chard |
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| 1.7.11 View From My Bedroom Window |
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| 1.8.11 Another Snowy Night |
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| 1.9.11 I Made Quiche |
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