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I Am A Marathon Finisher

Written on March 27, 2011 by Wannabe Chef in Miscellaneous

From the moment I checked in at the race expo, the pressure was on:

The shirts we were given(absolutely amazing shirts I must say) said “Finisher” right on the front before we even started the race. That scared me. I knew if I didn’t finish I could never in good faith where this shirt and it would haunt me from my closet for as long as I kept it. It would be my beating heart beneath a floorboard. I needed to finish for the shirt’s sake.

Marathon Map

The course was divided into two parts: The first 13.1 miles and the last 13.1 miles. The first half included marathoners and half-marathoners and was a beautiful path through Constitution Ave and down by Dupont. We experienced just about every famous monument and it was great scenery to run by.

The last half was rougher. As the half-marathoners peeled to the finish line, we looped around the stadium to go back down Constitution Ave. Seeing the marathoners keep going after 3/4 of the field finished was like watching ants march into an ant trap. The scenery also wasn’t as nice but having a good number of people around me going through the same Hellish experience made me feel better. I used the run/walk method for the second half when my legs wanted to give out.

Miles 1-10*: I felt excellent during this time. If this were a 10 mile race I would have rocked it. I knew I was between the 4:00 and 3:50 pacers and running strong. My playlist and the crowd kept me going, especially when I spotted Caitlin(who took this photo) and Emily on the sidelines.

Miles 10-16*: Mile 10 I had to stop to wait and use a restroom, which lost me a lot of time and threw off my sense of location in the crowd. I wasn’t sure what pace I was on anymore when I started running again until I saw a pacer at 13.1 and assumed it was the 4:00 group. For a while I tried to catch them but quickly realized I needed to run my race and start taking walking breaks.

Miles 16-20*: These were the 4 toughest miles of the run. I was constantly fighting to stay with the people around me using the run/walk method. I also stopped to use the bathroom again at mile 19. You never realize just how much time you lose to the clock going to the bathroom until race day; if you can hold it in for 26.2 miles of running, you deserve a whole other medal.

Miles 20-26.2*: These were surprisingly not as hard as I thought they’d be. Yes, my legs wanted to fall off and everything was cramping. But mentally these were easy to push through since there really was no where to go but forward.

*I drank fruit punch Powerade and water gratuitously throughout the race, had half a Pranabar at mile 11 and a GU gel at mile 18. If I could do it again I would probably skip the Pranabar since solid food didn’t digest easily and hydrate more throughout the first 10 miles.

My official time was 4:19:37. After only 3 months of training and a slew of injuries before that, I have to say I’m pretty darn happy. My secret goal way back in October was to beat 4 hours but life happened and I wasn’t that prepared this time around. A question I’ve gotten a lot since is “Any plans for a second marathon?” At this point the answer is no. I want to take time off for my legs to heal fully, build back up my running base, and get into better running shape. Down the road maybe I’ll try again, but for right now I’m happy with my medal(and you can bet your boots I haven’t taken it off since).

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The Road To The Marathon

Written on March 25, 2011 by Wannabe Chef in Miscellaneous

Funny Apology Ecard: I promise to stop talking about my marathon after I run my marathon.

Tomorrow I strap up my laces and set out to run 26.2 miles of Washington DC’s streets. As excited as I am that the day is almost here, the road has been anything but smooth. But then again when does anything go the way we plan it to?a

It all started back in October. I was running 40-50 mile weeks just for fun, and a few blogger friends brought up this thing called The National Marathon. I had considered doing a marathon for a while, and with this one being just 3 days before a milestone birthday of mine it seemed like the perfect opportunity. I jumped at the chance.

New 2011

But then on November 16th after lunch I stood up to a sharp pain in my right leg. I figured these things happen and that I could walk it off. Two days later I ran 6 miles before having to call it quits. That Saturday I ran again and when I was done even walking hurt. I had stupidly and unknowingly caused a stress fracture in my leg.

For the next month I didn’t see a doctor; what can I say? I’m stubborn. I quit running, took up what exercises I could do like yoga and the elliptical, and strength trained. When I finally did see the doctor, my leg had healed somewhat and I was prescribed a few more weeks of rest. The marathon wasn’t even on my mind for these 6 weeks; any amount of running would have been fine.

Pro-Tec Athletics Calf Sleeve

I had my first run post-injury on December 31st, and I ran a sore and uncomfortable 2.5 miles before calling it quits. It wasn’t a comeback; I was huffing and puffing. But it was running. I decided maybe I could shoot for the marathon with the twelve weeks I had left. Granted, no one would tell you 12 weeks is enough to train for a marathon, especially after so long a break from running, so I was mostly on my own for a training plan.

4 weeks after I started running I hit double digit long runs. 3 weeks after that I ran my best long run—a well-paced 18-miler in 30mph winds. But I noticed as my long runs got longer that my running during the week suffered. Since I really had no running base this time around, there was no consistency between runs and I turned my focus on making sure the long runs went well(Note: I was really breaking just about every “rule” that there is about building mileage at this point). I also bought compression sleeves for my knees and shins to distribute the pressure during runs to prevent any new injuries from flaring up.

And then there was the 20-miler, the long run which is supposed to mark the pinnacle of your training and prepare you for the big day. Mine went awful. I didn’t plan enough water; I brought food but had no idea when to eat it; the course I chose was flat but unfamiliar. I ended up having to stop and walk more times than felt comfortable and finished far from goal pace. I wanted to quit more so then than ever. The run taught me a lot about what to do on race day but only because I did it all wrong the first time around. Most of all, I realized I was out of shape to be running a marathon and things would have to change before the race.

In the time since that day I’ve been trying to do things right. I’ve had a few good runs which give me hope my legs won’t fall apart somewhere along the way. Most significantly I’ve changed my diet; no one tells you when you go from running 50 mile weeks to not at all you can’t eat what you want anymore, and from November to February for a variety of reasons I gained a spare tire which wasn’t helping me run any faster. I’ve packed my things, made my playlist and now I’m ready to go. All I’m waiting for is the starting gun.

Of course I’m nervous that 12 weeks wasn’t enough. And I’m nervous that my weekly mileage never got over 26 miles in all that time of running and now I have to run it all at once. But I’m counting on the magic of the day and all the things I’ve learned to push me through. And if I don’t make it all the way(but I will) I’ll be more satisfied having tried and failed than if I had never tried at all.

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Italian-Style Broccoli

Written on March 24, 2011 by Wannabe Chef in Side Dish

If this recipe were a person it would be on Jersey Shore.

If this recipe were a person, it would have a cousin Vinny.

If this recipe were a person, it would GTL(Gym, Tan, Laundry) every Saturday.

This recipe is very Italian. It reminds me of the kind of vegetables I ate growing up: Covered in garlic. The olives are a welcomed, meaty bite with the broccoli. And it’s so easy it comes together in only 10 minutes. This just might save the reputation of Italian-Americans.

Italian-Style Broccoli

Ingredients:

3 cloves of garlic, diced
1/2 yellow onion, diced
3 Tablespoons olive oil
1lb steamed broccoli florets, fresh or frozen
1/4 cup finely chopped black olives
3/4 teaspoon salt

Over medium heat, sauté the onion and garlic in the oil for 2-3 minutes until the onions start to turn color.

Add in the broccoli and lower the heat. Toss the pan to make sure the broccoli soaks up the oil.

Add in the olives and distribute evenly throughout the dish. Serve hot.

My favorite part about this is how much flavor gets soaked into the broccoli. It completely loses that off-putting “green” flavor and is filled up with onion, garlic, and olives. If this recipe were a person, it would be way too good for Snooki.

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Apricot Marathon Energy Bites

Written on March 23, 2011 by Wannabe Chef in Snack

I can’t believe the marathon is only 4 days away. I’ve had this recipe from Ashley and Steven bookmarked since I signed up way back in October and just got around to making it. Dried apricots lend this a slightly different flavor from the typical dates. Really, any nuts would be good in this but I like the combination of cashews and almond butter for that Amaretto flavor.

Apricot Marathon Energy Bites

Ingredients:

1/2 cup dried apricots
1 cup pitted dates
1/2 cup cashews
2 Tablespoons almond butter
1/2 teaspoon salt

Combine all of the ingredients in a food processor.

Blend until a paste begins to form. If your dried fruit was stale to begin with, you might have to add a few teaspoons of water to get it malleable.

Press the dough into a square pan and cut into 10 equal portions.

These couldn’t be easier and pack a flavor punch. I think I liked them even more after a few days of sitting on the counter when they were a little firmer, but you can freeze or refrigerate them to keep them softer. And the ingredients sure beat the hell out of store-bought energy bars.

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5-Ingredient 3-Bean Salad

Written on March 22, 2011 by Wannabe Chef in Side Dish

Bean salad is a great side dish for outdoor parties now that the weather is getting warmer(or so they say), or for dinner when I don’t really feel like cooking anything. Lucky for me this makes a lot so I can ~~eat a lot~~ spread it across meals! Now before you go and think I can’t count, yes, I know this has more than 5-ingredients. But only 5 of the ingredients are key players and you’ll never be a comfortable chef if you can’t get used to eyeballing olive oil, vinegar, salt, and pepper into every dish you make. There’s just no two ways about it with those ingredients. Oh, and the name is more appealing that “9-Ingredient 3-Bean salad”.

5-Ingredient 3-Bean Salad

Ingredients(Makes 4-6 servings):

1 can chickpeas, drained
1 can cannellini beans, drained
1 can kidney beans, drained
1 large cucumber, diced
1 can of pitted olives, drained and halved
2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 Tablespoon white vinegar
3/4 teaspoon salt(omit if your beans are already salted)
1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Start by mixing together all of the beans. If you haven’t already, prepare the olives and cucumber.

Add in the olives, cucumber, salt, pepper, olive oil, and vinegar.

Toss the salad until it’s all mixed thoroughly. Serve cold or at room temperature.

I love how simple but flavorful this is. The cucumber is refreshing and the olives are deep in flavor, but the beans are the star of the show all the way through. It’s great as a side dish but also on its own from a bowl.

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Peanut Butter And Potato Chip Truffles

Written on March 21, 2011 by Wannabe Chef in Dessert

Things have gotten a little crazy around here. I have this week to wrap up all of my midterms while preparing to fly to DC on Friday for the National Marathon and let’s just say I’m starting to lose it. This recipe is proof of that.

Popchips asked me if I’d like to take part in their Munch Madness recipe contest and I happily agreed. I know nothing about basketball, as proved by the fact that I’m dead last in my brackets group, but I know a whole lot about cooking and eating. I’m not sure what convinced me potato chips, chocolate, and peanut butter would all go together—I guess you have to be a bit mad—but they do, and these are deliciously addicting! A perfect way to wow and alarm your guests.

Peanut Butter And Potato Chip Truffles

Ingredients(Makes 12 truffles):

6 Tablespoons natural peanut butter
2 Tablespoons butter, softened
1 cup confectioners sugar
1/2 cup crushed original popchip crumbs + more for dusting(or any other salty treat)
1/2 teaspoon salt
8oz chocolate chips

Mix together the peanut butter, butter, and confectioners sugar. Once mixed, add in the popchip crumbs and fold in until evenly distributed.

Roll the dough into 12 balls and place them on a baking tray. Freeze for 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, melt the chocolate chips. Once ready, individually roll the peanut butter balls in the chocolate until they’re completely covered. Put them back on the baking tray and top with a little popchip crumbs.

I know these sound crazy. I know I am crazy. But my taste buds aren’t crazy, and these are gooood.

If you happen to agree, please go to the Munch Madness photo album on popchip’s fan page and “like” the photo of my recipe. That would be great! And Happy March Madness! I’m sure no matter who you chose to win you’re probably doing better than I am.

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I Cater

Written on March 19, 2011 by Wannabe Chef in Recipe Round-Up

This is why you should invite me to your parties.

This is also why I will never succeed on any diet, but that’s another story.

Like any good Classicists, some friends and I got together on St. Patty’s Day to celebrate The Ides of March since green beer and jello shots clearly weren’t in our future. I offered to bring the entertainment(HBO’s Rome. Horribly inaccurate but highly entertaining) and a slew of baked goods.

Outrageous Triple Chocolate Brownies, which got a “really chocolaty” vote for itself.

Better-Than-Boxed Brownies, which got a few nibbles.

And Coconut Blondies with Lemon Drop Frosting, which definitely had the most crowd appeal.

Lucky for me it’s not hard to please people who live off cafeteria food. After the show we sat around talking, eating brownies, and translating Latin. I know—we’re a wild bunch.

My point? Invite me to your parties and I promise to bring enough food to feed an army. And if it’s a toga party, well I’m already dressed for that.

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Chocolate Peanut Butter Mousse

Written on March 18, 2011 by Wannabe Chef in Dessert

Chocolate + Peanut butter

Milk + Cookies

Ross + Rachel

Everyone knows these things just go together, right? Right. I’d been wanting to make a mousse with tofu since I saw a chocolate one on Jenna’s blog. When I saw a peanut butter version in this month’s Food Network magazine, I knew it was a sign.

These were shockingly easy to make and as delicious to eat as you’d imagine. Now, I’m not going to lie: These do have a slight soy flavor to them, so if you have one of those picky eaters who points out any and every funny flavor, it’s not for them. But overall I loved them and didn’t mind the taste at all. The only question was what to put on top?

Chocolate Peanut Butter Mousse

Ingredients(Makes 4 servings):

1 pack of silken tofu
6 tablespoons creamy peanut butter
3oz bittersweet or semi-sweet chocolate
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons powdered sugar, separated

To make the chocolate layer, start by melting the chocolate in a microwave or over a double boiler. When the chocolate is hot, stir in 1/4 cup of powdered sugar and 1/2 of the silken tofu. Continue stirring until the mousse is smooth and uniform.

To make the peanut butter layer, take the other half of the tofu and mix it with the peanut butter and remaining sugar. Continue mixing until there are no lumps.

To assemble, scoop a later of chocolate mousse in the bottom of a parfait glass. Do this for 4 glasses and evenly portion them out. Make sure the top of the layer is flat.

Next, scoop on the peanut butter mousse over the chocolate layer. Again, take care to portion them evenly and flatten out the top.

Then you just have to choose your garnish, like chocolate chips:

Or whipped non-dairy cream:

Or fudge sauce, peanuts, peanut butter chips—whatever your heart desires! Serve these at room temperature for the best flavor but store in the refrigerator if there’s any leftover(there won’t be any leftover).

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Irish Green Beans

Written on March 17, 2011 by Wannabe Chef in Holiday, Side Dish

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Happy St. Patrick’s Day! I thought long and hard about what green recipe to make for today. By luck, I also had a bunch of green beans to cook with and this dish sort of came together itself. You may ask yourself what makes this Irish, to which I would answer the butter, potatoes, and simple seasoning. If that’s not stereotypical enough for you, I apologize that I couldn’t somehow work Baileys into the recipe; know that it’s there in spirit.

Irish Green Beans

Ingredients(Makes 4 servings):

2 Tablespoons butter
2 medium sized potatoes, diced and cooked
1/2lb green beans
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper

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Prepare your ingredients by dicing and cooking the potatoes through. You can boil, bake, or microwave them.

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Heat the butter in a large pan over medium heat until melted.

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Add in the green beans and potatoes and sauté lightly for about 10 minutes until the butter has coated everything and starts to brown.

Season the pan with the salt and pepper and toss. Serve hot.

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Just when I thought I’ve eaten potatoes every way, there’s a new way to cook them. The butter and black pepper really help to make all the ingredients come together. It’s a hearty side dish that stacks up well against any main. So break out the lamb with steamed cabbage and start celebrating St. Patrick’s Day(or more likely just these and a beer).

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