The last few days. A recap.

Ah!  Where has the time gone?!  I really want to be committed to posting my workouts, but man, it's hard to carve out the time some days.  So... here's a recap of the last few days: Saturday - Long Run Day!  I woke up bright & early and ate a sandwich thin with peanut butter on both sides... and drank plenty of water.  Then I packed my Gu Chomps and headed to the gym around 7:45.  My scheduled run was for 12.0 miles at a HPM + 30 seconds.  I set the treadmill to 6.4 mph and started out.  My legs felt good & rested and the run felt pretty easy.  The frustrating part of this run was my stupid treadmill.  It kept resetting!  It reset at (roughly) 30 minutes, 32 minutes, & 25 minutes.  At this point, I switched treadmills.  The treadmill that I was on doesn't display the distance you've run unless you push a certain button... so I just had to guess how far I ran!  Ah!  Not easy to do when you're running.  I had to stop at go to the bathroom 11 minutes after I started on the new treadmill and when I jumped back on, I decided to finish the run with 19 minutes, knowing that would bring me to at least 12.0 miles, and probably a bit more.  Yeah!  I finished and really felt good.  I calculated (conservatively) that I ran about 12.48 miles.  Really made me feel more confident about the half marathon! Monday - Cross-training!  I decided to cycle on a spinning bike.  I warmed up with an easy 8 minutes, cycled harder for 30 minutes, and then cooled down at an easy pace for 7 minutes.  Cycling really works different muscles, so this workout was challenging, but felt doable.  A plus of cycling was that I was able to catch up on a little magazine reading. :) Tuesday - Key Run #1 - Intervals!  After last week, I was feeling a tad concerned that I wouldn't be able to finish this full workout... but I did!  The scheduled workout was 10 minute warmup, 2 x (6x400 w/ 1:30 RI) (2:30 RI sets), 10 minute cooldown.  I warmed up for a mile, slightly less than 10 minutes, completed all the intervals (YEAH!!!), and cooled down for 10 minutes.  My interval speed was set at 8.2 mph (7:19/mi.).  I jogged at 6.5 mph in between intervals.  This definitely was a challenging run, but the time flew by and I finished 7.0 miles in 58:43. Today's workout... cross-training... planning to do it after work. :)

tempo.

M flew to ATL this morning for his office's Christmas party.  I was really happy for him that he was able to get a direct flight from ATX to ATL.  And happy that he got an early flight so that he was able to spend most of the work day in the office.  I wasn't so happy that I had to get up at 4:40 to take him to the airport.  I'm not sure when I've felt that tired.  I planned on going to straight from the airport to the gym, and it was literally only because I didn't have anywhere else to go at 6am that I actually walked through the doors of the gym.  Today's scheduled workout was key running workout #2 - a tempo run.  I successfully completed it!  I ran 5 miles at a tempo pace of 8:32 and warmed up for a 1/2-mile before and cooled down with a 1/2 mile as well.  Felt nice to have accomplished a goal by 7:15am. :)  And I rewarded myself with my favorite muffin treat - a blueberry bran muffin made at Quack's Bakery, but bought & enjoyed at Lola Savannah Coffee Lounge with a cup of house  coffee. Tomorrow: Rest day!!

row, row, row your boat.

The three modes of cross-training that are recommended in Run Less Run Faster are cycling or spinning, swimming, and rowing.  After spinning on Monday, I decided to try rowing today.  I was pretty sure that my gym close to home had a rowing machine and the prescribed rowing workout was only 30 minutes.  Now, let me say that if you're looking for a low-traffic time to workout at Gold's Gym, 7:30am is it... kind of nice when you're trying out a new machine for the first time.  I cut to the chase and asked the guy behind the desk where the rowing machine was right when I walked in.  He directed me to the further most part of the upstairs cardio area.  To the one rowing machine.  Apparently, rowing is not super popular.  I mean, really, who rows?  I guess I do.  I definitely got some weird looks.  But my workout was good, didn't feel super intense, but did produce a couple of blisters on my palms.  And, right now sitting down, I can feel my tailbone.  My workout went something like this: 3 minutes easy rowing, 1 minute hard effort, 1 minute easy effort, 2 minutes hard effort, 1 minute easy effort, 3 minutes hard effort, 1 minute easy effort, 4 minutes hard effort, 1 minute easy effort, 3 minutes hard effort, 1 minute easy effort, 2 minutes hard effort, 1 minute easy effort, 2 minutes hard effort, 1 minute easy effort, 1 minute hard effort, 2:30 minutes cool down.  Total: 3o:30 minutes. Tomorrow workout: Key Running Workout #2 - Tempo.

can i really do this? and hot cocoa.

Work wasn't stressful today.  In fact, it almost had an element of rest to it.  I didn't eat lunch until 2pm, but when I finally did, it was a delicious brown rice tofu & veggie teriyaki bowl from Pei Wei... yum!  And perfect pre-workout fuel.  I arrived at my super awesome gym at 4:05 - particularly thankful on this freezing & rainy day that my employer pays for my membership - and hit the treadmill a few minutes later.  Today's workout (key workout #1 for week 11) called for: a warm-up, 6x800m with 1:30 minute rest in between & a cool-down.  Based on my past 5k performance, my pace for the intervals was set at 3:44, or 8.0 mph on the treadmill. I warmed up for 10 minutes, thinking how amazing a cup of hot cocoa would be for a post-workout snack on my drive home.  I turned up the speed to 8.0 and the hard part started.  That first interval was tough, but seemed somewhat manageable.  The 1:30 in between didn't feel long enough, but this is training, right?  It's supposed to stretch me.  The next couple of intervals felt really, really hard.  I rested for 2:30 between interval 3 & 4 and hoped I had all 6 intervals in me.  But.  I didn't.  After the fourth interval I truly felt like I just could not make it through another interval and decided to listen to my body and stop at 4.  I completed a 10-minute cool-down and finished at 4.75 miles in 40:35 minutes.  I felt like I gave it my best and I hope that in the future I can complete the full interval workouts. By far the best part of my workout today was that as I was leaving the gym, I saw that there was a basket of bananas, a plate of Hershey's dark chocolate kisses, and a carafe of steaming hot cocoa.  A gift!  I poured a cup of hot cocoa for the road.  Best recovery drink ever.

xt #1.

Last night M & I did everything right.  We turned off the TV by 8:30 to get things ready for the beginning of the week.  Got completely ready for bed by 9:00.  We laid out our workout clothes for this morning's spin class.  And I turned out my light by 9:27.  We were set.  Except... we couldn't sleep.  Seriously - sleep would not come.  I don't know if it was that cup of afternoon French Roast at 3:00 (doubtful), or the fact that my alarm was set for 4:55am in an effort to be early to the 5:30am RPM class, or just that I was not that sleepy after having such a restful holiday weekend.  Whatever the case, it was frustrating.  I think I finally fell asleep around 11pm and proceeded to sleep somewhat fitfully, dreaming random dreams about workout classes.  I kid not. When our alarms when off this morning, M & I both contemplating rolling over for an extra hour or so of shut-eye.  What really got me out of bed was the thought, "what else can I do for my cross-training? "  A class is such an easy way to fulfill that requirement and to be done before 7:00 in the morning is always a good thing. We arrived at the gym at 5:20 (did I mention that it was exceptionally cold this morning, obviously dark, and it was raining).  I ran inside and asked if there was a sign-in sheet for RPM.  The guy said there was.  But.  The.class.was.already.full.  Huh?  Really? We opted for our own 35-minute spin workout on the spin bikes that are on the outside edge of all the other stationary bikes.  It was a good, sweaty workout - definitely felt muscles used that I don't normally feel.  We finished by 6am and headed back to the house, relieved that in spite of many obstacles, XT #1 was checked off the list. Tomorrow's workout: Running Key Workout #1 - Intervals.

training for a half.

In September, I signed up for a half-marathon.  It's on Valentine's Day 2010.  Almost immediately after I signed up, I started feeling less motivated to run.  It was an odd thing.  Usually I can pump myself up for runs and really enjoy getting up early even on weekends to fit in my runs.  But for the last few weeks, I haven't felt that way.  I've continued running, but I've taken more days off than usual.  I've done more yoga and gone on more walks.  And frequently I 've wondered if I jumped the gun by signed up for the half. I decided that I needed a training plan to jump-start me.  Google produced a multitude of training plans for half marathons, but the one that intrigued me the most was the FIRST training plan.  It's a three day a week plan and seemed doable.  I ordered the book, Run Less Run Faster, which details the plan.  I started this week, a few weeks behind but determined to catch up.  What I like about the plan so far is that it is made up of three key running workouts that each have a strategic purpose.  These runs are supplemented by 2-3 crosstraining workouts.  Every workout is spelled out, intensity based on past race times.  It takes the guess work out of each day, enabling me to be mentally prepared for what the workout will entail. I'm planning on blogging about my training for the next 11 weeks.  I'm actually excited about the challenge of each key workout!  I completed a long run yesterday that left me feeling pumped up and inspired for what the coming weeks hold.  I know that I can complete 13.1 miles and I'm excited at the possibility of running a truly strong race. Yesterday's scheduled long run was 10.0 miles at HMP (Half Marathon Pace) + 20 seconds.  For me, that was a 9:13 pace.  Before my run I fueled with a half a sandwich thin with peanut butter & 1/2 a banana on top, plus plenty of water.  During the run I listened to two teachings on my iPod and the miles went by relatively quickly!  I tried Gu Chomps for the first time, take two chomps at the 60 minute mark and two at the 80 minute mark.  I really like them - they didn't stick to my teeth and gave me a little burst of energy... always a good thing. :)  I finished the run in 1:32:50 and felt strong afterwards! Tomorrow's workout: Cross-training.  I'm planning on an early morning spin class at the gym!

Cuban Black Bean Soup.

I love soup.  Not just on cold days.  Not just when it’s dreary outside.  Though on those sorts of days, soup is just the ticket.  I love soup almost any day.  As long as it’s good soup.  I think this partly stems from the fact that growing up my mom made the best soups: chicken ‘n’ dumplings, buffalo chili, oven beef stew, vegetable soup, corn chowder, baked potato soup… everyone loves her soups.  I found this recipe for Cuban Black Bean soup in a cookbook my mom owns, simply titled Soup & Bread by Crescent Dragonwagon.  It’s a great cookbook!  This recipe is very simple, but there’s something compelling about the flavors.  We topped ours with a simple tomatillo salsa, flavored with plenty of jalapeno, lime, and black pepper!  The leftovers get better & better everyday and by the time you get to the bottom (it makes a LOT of soup!), it’s become thick enough that you can make a pretty tasty taco with it. :)

Cuban Black Bean Soup adapted from Soup & Bread 5 cans black beans, undrained 2-3 quarts vegetable stock 2 bay leaves (crucial ingredient!) 1 fresh jalapeno, chopped 1/4-3/4 cup olive oil (I used 1/4 cup – don’t use less – this gives the soup tremendous flavor!) 3 large onions, chopped 2 green bell peppers, stemmed, seeded, & chopped 4-6 garlic cloves, minced Salt to taste Brown rice for serving Onion for serving Pour beans into a heavy soup pot.  Add stock, bay leaves, & jalapeno; cover the pot & bring to a boil.  Turn down the heat and simmer on very low, partially covered, for about an hour. Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.  Add the onions & green peppers and sauté for 3-5 minutes.  Add the garlic and cook for about a minute more. Add the onion/pepper mixture tot he beans, season with salt, and simmer another 20 minutes or so.  Serve over hot brown rice, topped with onion or tomatillo sauce.  Sour cream is great on top too!  This truly is a soup that gets better everyday!

Super Good For You Bread.

So, I’m on a bread kick.  As I mentioned in my last post, I’ve been making sandwich bread every week.  My mom & I recently had lunch at a tea room in Fredericksburg and we split their “Super Good For You Sandwich”.  I don’t know how good for me it was, but it sure tasted great!  The filling included chipotle mayo, avocado, red onion, garden ripe tomatoes, spinach, and Gruyere cheese.  Yum!  My mom owns the tea room’s cookbook and I decided to make a batch of the Super Good For You bread once I got home.  This is a slightly more expensive loaf since it includes a lot of nuts & seeds, but it’s a tasty treat!  It’s also a time consuming recipe, taking over 6 hours (minimum!) from start to finish.  Instead of making two loaves, I made one loaf and a dozen sandwich rolls.  For the record, I’m not sure how much of this bread was used for sandwiches – it’s just too good warmed up with some butter on top!

Super Good For You Bread adapted from The Peach Tree Family Cookbook 3 cups whole wheat flour, divided 2 Tablespoons yeast 1-1/2 cups water 1/2 cup honey 1/2 cup sunflower seeds, coarsely chopped 1/2 cup pumpkin seeds, coarsely chopped 1/2 cup walnuts, coarsely chopped 1/4 cup flax seeds 1/2 cup raisins 1 Tablespoon salt 1 cup oats 2 cups milk, scalded & cooled 3-4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour Oil Melted butter In a large bowl, combine 1-1/2 cups whole wheat flour, years, water, & honey.  Mix well and cover with plastic wrap; let sit for 2-3 hours or overnight, until a spongy dough forms (don’t refrigerate). Combine seeds, walnuts, raisins, salt, oats, & milk.  Add to flour/yeast mixture  and mix well.  Ad the unbleached flour & the remaining whole wheat flour; mix well.  Turn out onto a flour surface and knead for 10 minutes, adding more flour as needed. Form dough into a large ball and place in an oiled bowl.  Cover with a towel and let rise until doubled, about an hour.  Turn dough onto floured surface and divide dough into two parts.  Form into loaves and place into greased bread pans.  Let rise again until doubled, about 45 minutes.  Preheat oven to 375* while dough is rising and bake loaves for 40-45 minutes.  Remove from pans and let cool in a wire rack.  While cooling, brush tops with melted butter.

100% Whole Wheat Sandwich Bread.

We’re about a week out from moving into our new house.  M & I are so ready to be there!  We went yesterday to do a walk through with the builder and the house looks incredibly good… like so good I feel like it’s more than we deserve! 

I’m starting to imagine where I’ll put our furniture and what colors I want to use in the living room.  I’m planning out how I want to arrange my kitchen cabinets & panty, and of course, I’m also looking forward to baking & cooking in my new kitchen! 

One of the things that I’ve been doing while we’ve been staying at my mom’s & waiting for our house to be finished is making whole grain bread for sandwiches every week.  I’ve found a couple of recipes that are easy and have beautiful results!  I really want to continue to make bread every week once we move into our new house!  Here’s one of the recipes that I really like – it only has one rise, so flour to finished baked bread takes a little under 3 hours. 

I used King Arthur white whole wheat flour and found that I really had to watch how much flour I added towards the end.  The dough stays pretty sticky and if I added too much flour, the end result was that the loaf dried out too fast.  I think that one of the reasons that it seemed to need more flour was that the white whole wheat is slightly less absorbent that regular whole wheat.  I experimented with a batch using King Arthur regular whole wheat and it did seem to need less flour, but the overall color was darker and the flavor was a tad heavier.  My favorite loaf so far has been the one where I used the white whole wheat flour, allowing the dough to remain pretty sticky (which just made kneading more tedious!), resulting in a light but still 100% whole wheat loaf.  (Note: my KitchenAid mixer is in storage right now, but I’m looking forward to letting it do the kneading in the future!  I think that will help with the sticky factor.)  Experiment on your own and let me know of any great results you come up with!

100% Whole Wheat Sandwich Bread

1 Tablespoon honey
1/2 cup warm water
2 Tablespoons yeast
2 cups milk (I used non-fat and it worked great!)
2 large eggs (optional, though I used them)
1 Tablespoon salt
1/4 cup honey
1/2 cup oil (increase to 3/4 cup if not using eggs)
8 cups whole wheat flour

Dissolve 1 Tablespoon honey in the warm water; sprinkle with yeast and stir.  Let stand for 7-10 minutes, until foamy. 

Heat milk to lukewarm.  Meanwhile, mix eggs, salt, honey & oil in a large bowl; stir in milk + 3 cups of flour. Add yeast mixture and stir for 200 strokes with a wooden spoon (this step would be easier with a KitchenAid!).  Add remaining flour one cup at a time, mixing well after each addition.  Save the last cup of flour for kneading into the dough.

Turn out dough onto lightly floured surface and knead for 10 minutes.  Work in remaining flour as needed, adding additional flour to the counter to work in instead of adding it on top of the dough.  Shape dough into a loose ball and cover with the bowl; let rest for 15 minutes.  After the dough has rested, knead dough for additional 10 minutes. 

Grease 2 bread pans.  Divide dough into two equal portions and shape into loaves; place in bread pans.  Cover with a clean towel and let rise in a warm, draft-free area for 40 minutes or so. 

Preheat oven to 350* while the bread is rising.  When the bread has risen about 2” over the top of the pan, bake for 40-45 minutes.  Remove from pans immediately and let cool on wire rack.

Squash Muffins.

We're settled in at my mom's house in the Hill Country... well, I'm settled in.  M had a trip planned to his home office in ATL scheduled and will be gone for the next week.  I've been adjusting to life in the country - enjoying my morning cup of coffee on the back porch swing and peace & quiet at night with no traffic on the road.  My mom's summer garden is starting to die out - the tomatoes are barely producing and the melon vines are starting to look a little leggy.  But the squash!  The squash is as prolific as ever!

Growing up, one of my all-time favorite comfort foods was squash casserole that my mom made.  It had a creamy, cheesy squash filling and was topped with crunchy, buttery bread crumbs.  I couldn't get enough of it!  These days we grill squash to go with almost every meal.  But no matter how much we eat, there's still more that is ready to pick.  Today I decided to experiment with making squash muffins.  I figured that surely if zucchini works in bread, that yellow summer squash could too.  Here are my results: Squash Muffins 1 3/4 cups whole wheat flour 1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves 1 egg, beaten 1 Tablespoon ground flax 3 Tablespoons water 1/3 cup sugar 1/3 cup vegetable oil 1/3 cup applesauce 3 tablespoons sugar-free apricot preserves 1 3/4 cups unpeeled shredded yellow squash Seeds or nuts for topping Combine flour + next 7 ingredients (through cloves) in a mixing bowl.  Set aside.  In a large mixing bowl, combine egg + next 6 ingredients (through preserves), mixing well.  Add in the shredded squash.  Gradually mix in the dry ingredients.  Spoon into greased muffin tins and top with seeds or nuts of your choice – I used a combination of sunflower seeds & slivered almonds.  Bake at 350* for 20-23 minutes.  Cool in the pan for 10 minutes and then remove from pan and let cool on a wire rack. Running I've been trying to maintain my running schedule here, but the hills in the Hill Country are killing me!  They are not the gentle Central Texas inclines that I've been used to.  No, they are beasts - seemingly alive & growing!  One of the hills on the main road that I've been running on is 0.8 mile long... it just goes on and on.  My legs feel like they've been beaten up.  I'm hoping that they're getting stronger & that I'll adjust?  Is it possible to adjust to these hills?  I certainly hope so.  Today I ran about 3.2 miles at a super slow pace.  I’m used to pounding out 4-4.5 miles on weekdays, but I needed something a little less intense today.  I went a different direction than I’ve been going the past few days and found slightly less hilly territory.  I also saw two herds of deer!  Love running early in the morning as the sun is rising. Other News My mom got a toy poodle puppy recently.  Meet Ruby. She & our poodle, Norah, have been playing almost non-stop!  They wrestle & race & play-fight.  And then they crash hard.  It seriously feels like they're a couple of toddlers racing around the house!