Friday, May 17, 2013

The Secrets of my Recent PR Streak

The past few weeks, in spite of my sickness, have been awesome running wise. I posted a new 5K PR, then a few weeks later, took five minutes off of my best half marathon time. This is quite miraculous as these have not been my primary goals - I'm currently a little more than two months out from the Racine 70.3 Half Ironman, which is my big goal race.

So how have I come back from a horrific half marathon earlier this year to post two consecutive PRs? Here's what I've done differently that have contributed to my recent success.

1. Run less. I haven't been running as often, perhaps two or three days per week. But the days I do run, I run hard, adding intervals, speed play and time trials at least once a week. I focus on intensity in these sessions.

2. CrossFit. I am consistent with getting to my CrossFit Endurance sessions twice a week.

3. Cross train. As a triathlete, cross training is basically all I do. I'm working different muscles every day, so I don't fatigue as fast, but I am working hard most sessions.

4. Weight control. I was never that big, but every pound helps. I'm much leaner now than I was this time last year, thanks in part to the previously mentioned training techniques.

5. Pacers. Dan really helped push me to my PR on Sunday, for which I am very grateful.
Homemade running fuel

6. Visualize. I spend a little bit of time before I fall asleep most nights thinking about my upcoming race. I picture my desired pace displaying on my Garmin while I feel comfortable and in control.

7. Nutrition. I've nailed the night-before meal, and the answer is pho. It's a Vietnamese dish that's comprised of a salty broth with noodles and a bit of meat. It agrees with my system and doesn't seem to weigh me down.

8. Ditched purchased fuels. I've decided that my tummy just doesn't like the gels, chomps and bites that I used to enjoy. Instead, I've been making my own fuel at home with ingredients that I know agree with me. Come back tomorrow and I'll share the secrets of my new favorite running fuel.

Thursday, May 16, 2013

Three Things Thursday

1. Congratulations to Erica on winning my Bestowed giveaway! Don't be super bummed about not winning, though: use discount code 5OFFBSTOWED02 to save $5 on your first box and get excited about getting the mail. As always, I have more fun giveaways in the works, so stay tuned.

2. This weekend, I'm heading to Peoria for the Run River City Marathon. I'm doing the relay with college buddies Jackie, Rachael and Amber. We're going to dominate that race, no doubt. I haven't been back to the home of my alma mater in several years, so it will be interesting to see what's changed. This will be the first time I've run in Peoria, too, because back in college, if you saw me running, you better start running, too, because something was clearly amiss.



3. I'm hosting a fun run tonight on behalf of the Fort2Base Race. Join me at 6:30 p.m. at Fullersburg Woods for swag, gossip and running. I might just has a few of these duds to share.

Tuesday, May 14, 2013

Take Time Tuesday

Live Half Full
Katie tweeted a few weeks saying that if she could make one food zero calories for the rest of her life, it would be peanut butter. I concur 100 percent, of course, because I love peanut butter. I eat it every day. The rate at which my household consumes the nutty food of the gods might some people blush. But I take it as a point of pride.

I've actually been on a quest for the perfect peanut butter for some time, and am very thankful for a series of glorious recent events. In my odyssey, I was searching for a product that had the right flavor and texture without a bunch of junk in it. Just peanuts and salt, please. I tried jar after jar before finding the ambrosia I was looking for in the form of Krema, an all-natural variety made in Ohio from one specific type of peanut. And that's in. No crap, no oil, nothing. I may not have found calorie-free peanut butter, but this goo is worth every delicious calorie. It is a healthy fat and has no added oils, which is why every jar requires a bit of stirring to combine all the good stuff into the creamy concoction we all know and love. Hence the company's slogan, Stir for Your Health.

After I tasted this spreadable piece of heaven, I tweeted and e-mailed the company my praises. These compliments don't come lightly, since I've eaten my way through all types of jars at the supermarket and specialty foods stores.

So why am I so thankful? The company sent me a box of the stuff, which was just as awesome as winning the lottery in my household. So get ready, readers, for all kind of peanut butter recipes. We're in for a delicious ride.

Monday, May 13, 2013

Motivational Monday

I'm not feeling too hot, folks. I have a sore throat and some congestion, so I'll be peacing out for a while to recover. This is not quite the PR afterglow I was hoping for, but oh well. In the meantime, here are a few images that made me think this week:


And this, friends, is currently the gas in my training tank.

Sunday, May 12, 2013

2013 USRA Aurora Fox Valley Trail Half Marathon Race Recap

Blergh, I'm not really sure how to write this race report. Here's the deal: I had a decent race and posted a new half marathon PR. I'm not sure if I was more excited to PR or that reader Bill recognized me from my blog while we were waiting this morning and introduced himself. I feel so legit - I'm Internet famous!
However, this race is what I expected, which isn't a good thing. Also, it was not at all as promised.

Let's start at the beginning. After my disappointing Egg Shell Shuffle race, I was on the search for a redemption race. Groupon just happened to be advertising a half marathon for $35 per person, boasting bathrooms, a post-race party, tech shirts, medals and age group awards. I jumped, and didn't hear a peep from the race company, USRA, for weeks. Dan, the creator of the Western Cook Running Group, also signed up and found out the skinny on this race company. The guy behind this race series, Dean Reinke, has a slew of accusations leveled against him by people all over the Internet (read here, here, here and here). So up until this morning, I wasn't even confident a race would happen, based on others' previous experiences with the USRA series.

I lined up at one of the two port-o-potties and joked with Tim that I had to lower my expectations to the $35 level. And that's what I did.
As I warmed up at the start line, which was a duct tape line on the pavement, Dan caught me and said, "So 1:50, huh?" I was so psyched to see him!

We were off and Dan chugged along with me for 10 miles. We chatted and swapped stories. It was a welcome distraction and quite pleasant. I had a few tough moments, but generally kept pace and avoided stomach issues.

I ate some homemade fuel around 6 and 11. There were port-o-potties on the course, thankfully, but I didn't need them this time. Homemade fuel for the win!

There were only two water stations, so I was glad I brought a handheld water bottle.

I couldn't quite hold on for the final 5k and didn't quite make it to the 1:50 I had hoped. My knee was killing me in the last mile and I just couldn't push, and I swear the finish line kept moving further and further. Still, at 1:151:07, it's a five-minute PR!

I collected my medal, then waited with Dan and Tim for an hour for the awards ceremony because the instant timing said that I was third in my age group. Looking at the Web site now, it's ambiguous as to how many deep the awards went:
So I went up to Dean and asked. He handed me an award and said, "Here you go," which seemed very unceremonious. The award was also this glass thing that just said "Age Group Winner" with the date. I don't really feel comfortable posting a photo of it because it feels like I wasn't supposed to get it.

Let's compare what was promised versus what went down:
Accurate timing: There was no start mat. I hear the 5K was long, and I think the half was a bit long, too.

Tech shirts: Well, let's take a look. They're cute, but cotton.

Post-race party: It was a dude with a boom box, bottles of water, unwashed apples and 90-calorie generic chewie bars. I'm not hating, but I was hungry. Also, the signage had Miller Lite on it. There was no beer. There was also no on-course food or fuel.

Finisher's Medal: I got one, but not everyone did. I also hear that for the late finishers, they ran out of food, which wouldn't be hard. By the time I rolled in, the food was already scarce.

I think I got what I paid for, but this was little more than a semi-supported training run. It wasn't that well-marked and the aid stations were scarce. Nothing to write home about, other than my shiny new PR, thanks to Dan's superb support.

Bowie pulled a Napoleon
Cost: $35 through Groupon

Pros: Super cheap, free and accessible parking, bathrooms, small race and extremely beautiful course

Cons: Cheap medals, not enough bathrooms at the start, underwhelming/confusing award ceremony, lackluster post-race food, no start timing mat, the race ran out of food and medals for later finishers, no on-course fuel, very little support, no real post-race party, no medics anywhere

Would I race this again? No. It sucks to finish a race with an awesome new PR and feel less than stellar about the whole situation. I wanted to celebrate a bit, but there was nothing there.

Stand Mixer Sunday: Salty & Sweet Pretzel Chocolate Cowboy Cookie Recipe

Nom nom nom. I make my mom a little treat for most holidays, and Mother's Day 2013 is no different. I couldn't figure out what to make her, but I know she loves cookies. I have yet to meet an individual who doesn't love cookies. If they say they don't, they're lying.

So I came up with something new and novel for my mom this year. I remembered a recipe for cowboy cookies, but decided to add my own twist. I've been meaning to use rice krispie cereal in cookies since my mom and I made chocolates with them at our chocolate-making class. Plus, I hypothesized that the crunch and salt of pretzels would set off the sweetness of the semi-sweet chips. I also had a bag of milk chocolate Lindt eggs from Easter that made an appearance, too.

The key to making these cookies a real success is freezing the dough before baking. This prevents the cookies from spreading too much in the oven, and allows the ingredients time to meld together. Another key to this cookie is to not overbake them - remove the cookies from the oven when they still look a little underdone. I'd personally rather have underbaked cookies than overbaked cookies, so I baked these exactly 15 minutes, then allowed them to cool on the pans for another three minutes.
An optional finishing touch is adding a sprinkle of kosher salt, but the pretzels alone might be enough for your palate.

What I ended up with was a salty and sweet cookie packed with oats, crispy bits and a creamy interior. I think my mom will love these cookies, and if she doesn't, I already do.

Salty & Sweet Pretzel Chocolate Cowboy Cookie Recipe
1 cup old fashion oatmeal
1/2 cup rice krispie
1 cup lightly crushed pretzels, divided
1 3/4 all purpose flour
1/4 cup whole wheat flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
1 cup butter, room temperature
1 cup packed brown sugar
2/3 cup white sugar
2 eggs, room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 cup roughly chopped milk chocolate

Mix together the oats, cereal, 1/2 the pretzels, flours, soda, powder and cinnamon. Set aside.

Using a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter and sugars until they're light and creamy. Add the vanilla and eggs and whip together until incorporated, then gradually add the dry ingredients. Finally, add the chocolate and mix.

Using a large scoop (3 Tablespoons), portion out the cookies and roll in remaining pretzel bits. Place the portioned out cookies onto a tray and freeze for two to three hours.

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and place no more than eight cookies per baking sheet - these guys spread out in the oven. Bake for 13 to 16 minutes, depending on your oven, rotating the trays halfway through the baking process. Remove from the oven and dust with kosher salt, if desired, and allow to cool on the trays for three to five minutes so these guys set up.

Place on cooling racks for the remaining time until they're completely cool, then store in an airtight container.