Back in action!

Many months and miles later, I am back!  During the hectic summer and even more insane cross country season, I fell out of the habit of blogging.  However, I am returning with a purpose: to train for and document my first half marathon!  Registered for the Twin Cities Half on June second, I have begun my training and am embracing it with zeal.

My cross country coach volunteered to give me a training plan if I were to try the half.  As an elite athlete and an outstanding coach, his direction is a once in a lifetime opportunity to really compete in a longer race.  I am now following his training plan daily, and will hopefully document workouts here!

In addition, I have been considering running this half for charity.  I want to see if friends and family would want to donate money to an incredible organization, Opportunity International, based on either my miles logged in training or performance in the race.  But before I explore that, I need to get in the swing of training again!  Thus, my weekend consisted of a lot of running.

As the sun peeked itself over the frosty treetops, I set out for my first long run two days ago.  Long runs are my one true love; I could set a pace and keep it indefinitely, traversing hill and dale until some other commitment draws me back home.  With the snow and ice of the past couple months, coupled with the necessity of Nordic training, I was unable to run anything longer than 6 miles since December.  But, with the watery sunlight on my back and my icy breath puncturing the air before me, I fell right back into my old rhythm.  Surprisingly, I was able to maintain an 8:10 pace for 8 miles, clocking in at just over 65 minuted of running.  I didn't even notice the miles disappearing beneath my feet-- the entire run was a blur of pavement, hills, and houses, and I loved every minute of it.

Then, yesterday, I completed my first progression run.  I was only supposed to run about 6 miles, picking up the pace to a 7:20-7:40 in the last few miles, but excitement got the best of me and I ended up going a grand total of 8 in less than 63 minutes.  Not bad for my first real workout, but I am planning to tone down the volume to avoid the inevitable injuries of doing too much too quickly.

Finally, to recover, I have some delicious Moroccan Lentil Soup.  This high-protein, carbohydrate-rich soup is perfect for fueling my long runs.  Here's the recipe, and a picture!  I added a can of tomatoes to it as well!

INGREDIENTS

• 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 cups chopped onions
• 2 cups chopped carrots
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground pepper
• 6 cups vegetable broth or reduced-sodium chicken broth
• 2 cups water
• 3 cups chopped cauliflower (about 1/2 medium)
• 1 3/4 cups lentils
• 1 28-ounce can diced tomatoes
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 4 cups chopped fresh spinach or one 10-ounce package frozen chopped spinach, thawed
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice

PREPARATION

1. Heat oil in a soup pot or Dutch oven over medium heat; add onions and carrots and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 10 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Add cumin, coriander, turmeric, cinnamon and pepper; cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute.
2. Add broth, water, cauliflower, lentils, tomatoes and tomato paste; bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, partially covered, stirring occasionally, until the lentils are tender but not mushy, 45 to 55 minutes. Stir in spinach and cook until wilted, 5 minutes.
3. Just before serving, stir in cilantro and lemon juice.

The bigger the better!

The Griak meet has a tangible force behind it.  When I walked across the lush golf course grass I could feel the excitement pumping through every capillary in my body.  Each breath of fresh fall air, each footfall on the soft but hilly ground, each passing runner with concentrated mental energy-- all contribute to the pulsing live animal that is the Roy Griak invitational.  With five kilometers of hills, this spectator-saturated course is uniquely intoxicating.  I was fortunate enough to race it yesterday, and I have yet to come down from the rush.

Though it was hot and verging on muggy the weather really wasn't all that bad.  I started my day with a tall mug of vanilla chai mixed with caffeinated green tea, then proceeded to down the most fluids I've ever drank in the span of four hours.  When we got to the course I was raring to go but had to keep my cool dozing under the tent for two hours before the warm-up.  By the time we'd finished our routine and the race finally came around I was in an amazing mental state.  I knew I had nothing to lose going into the race and could simply get out on the course and show what I've got.  That mentality brought me up and over the infamous 3k hill and into the downhill stretch to the finish.  I even passed over twenty runners in the second half of my race!

I am so humbled and blessed to have run in such a huge and exciting race.  Yesterday was, for me, what running is all about: having the courage to step up to the line, challenging myself to go beyond what I believe I can do, and appreciating the sport for all it is.

To decompress from the emotional tidal wave of racing, I made a chocolate cake with Swiss meringue buttercream icing.  Here's a quick idea of how to make a Swiss meringue:

First, separate three eggs.  Save the yolks for a future pudding, but place the whites in a heatproof bowl over simmering water, stirring constantly.  Add to the whites one cup of granulated sugar and stir until dissolved and the mixture is hot to the touch (careful not to burn yourself!)

Then, take the mixture off of the simmering water and place on a hot pad.  Beat with an electric mixer until soft peaks form and it comes to room temperature.  Then, very slowly, add one tablespoon of butter at a time, beating constantly, until you have added three sticks total.  Make sure to beat in each tablespoon fully before adding another.

The resulting frosting should be the smoothest, dreamiest buttercream you've ever tasted.  Be careful though: because this is such a light frosting it will not keep well, especially on a cake.  Be sure to eat the cake quickly!

We've got chemistry

The race today was the epitome of fall and cross country.  Set at a beautiful park full of rolling hills and multicolored leaves, it embodied the crisp, excited atmosphere of the season.  Though I didn't race I felt the energy and loved being around it.  To add to the enjoyment, the girls not running the race took a detour to Target to stock up on some snacks.  Zebra Cakes, Goldfish, Oatmeal Crème Pies, and fruit snacks all made their way into our shopping bags, to the delight of all involved. 

For our workout, we did some pretty easy shorter distances at mile race pace, first some 150’s and then a couple 200’s.  Some girls didn't even break a sweat.  My form looked a lot better as I focused on staying on my forefoot as opposed to heel striking and really tried to drive my knees.  Now all that’s left is to correct my arm motion and I’ll have officially conquered the worst of my running habits.  All around, it was a pretty successful day. 

On a completely different note, I created some alum crystals in chemistry over the past week and the process taught me a lot about my method of making caramel.  So, if you've been using my typical recipe for caramel, this is something you might want to pay attention to!

First off: before melting the sugar be sure to put in about a tablespoon of corn syrup or honey and skip the tablespoon of water.  Even this small amount will prevent the melted sugar from recrystallizing. 

Second: after the sugar mixture melts, don’t stir it as it cooks to a nice golden brown.  This will help keep the sugar from recrystallizing since stirring can reintroduce small seed crystals to the mixture or create small scratches that would act as crystallization sites.  Wait until the mixture has reached its golden stage to stir, and then make sure to quickly add the other ingredients. 

Lastly: if you decide to make a ‘wet caramel’ (one that begins as a mixture of sugar and other wet ingredients) it’s a good idea to use one that involved cream of tartar to stabilize the mixture. 

I would highly suggest trying out these tips this weekend and making caramel apple cookies.  I made them a few weeks ago, so here’s the recipe!

Caramel Apple Cookies (Original recipe!)

1 ½ sticks butter, softened

¼ cup sugar

¾ cup brown sugar

2 eggs

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp vanilla

½ tsp cinnamon

1 ½ cups flour

6 packages caramel apple oatmeal, or 1 ½ cups oats

3 tbsp caramel

¼ cup diced apples (very small)

Cream the butter and sugar, then add the eggs one at a time until smooth.  Add soda, vanilla, and cinnamon, then slowly stir in flour.  Do not overmix.  Pour in packages of oats (or oatmeal) and the caramel sauce, stir just until combined.  Fold in apple slices.  Form into one inch balls and bake on an ungreased insulated cookie sheet for 12 minutes or until no longer shiny.  Enjoy!

Falling in love

Frost speckled my window this morning when I woke up.  I was actually planning on making my way to the kitchen for some morning hot tea before school (no morning practice today!) but when my alarm went off I could barely roll over to reach it.  There was no way I'd make it all the way to the kitchen.  So, as the minutes ticked away all too fast, I lay in my new flannel sheets in a state of hazy semi-consciousness enjoying the feeling of warmth.  When I finally fumbled out of bed I selected my thickest woolly sweater for school and set off for a day full of comfort.

All these feelings are so indicative of Fall for me.  Cozy, relaxing days filled with heady scents and comfort foods.  Therefore, I decided it was the perfect day for pumpkin bread!  I used a recipe from Alton Brown because he tends to have really great classic comfort food recipes.  I made sure to use a chemical leavening agent because I have found that works best for making quick breads that aren't too light.  To keep it moist I decided on using vegetable oil in stead of butter since butter has water content which can actually dry out a cake.  Here's the recipe!

 This is the batter before adding the pumpkin seeds the recipe calls for.  I substituted them for chocolate chips because I personally much prefer chocolate to nuts or seeds, but you can put in whatever you fancy!  

 My loaves were done before the full thirty minutes was up, so check yours early!

Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour

• 2 teaspoons cinnamon (I added a dash of allspice)

• 1 teaspoon baking soda

• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 1 1/2 cups sugar

• 3/4 cup vegetable oil

• 3 large eggs

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• 3 cups shredded fresh pumpkin (I used canned)

• 1 cup toasted pumpkin seeds

Directions

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.

Sift the flour, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder, and salt together.

In a separate bowl, mix the sugar, vegetable oil, eggs, and vanilla. Combine both mixtures and fold in the shredded pumpkin and pumpkin seeds. Once the ingredients are all incorporated pour into a non- stick 9 by 5 by 3-inch loaf pan. If your pan is not non- stick coat it with butter and flour.

Bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes. At this point a knife inserted into the middle of the loaf should come out clean. Cool for 15 minutes and turn out onto a cooling rack. Cool completely. For muffins temperature should also be 325 degrees F., but bake for 30 minutes.

After much ado

I am so so pleased to say that I'm officially rekindling the blog1  I've missed it but have had my share of writing for the past couple months-- college essays provide plenty of opportunity to muse and vocalize thoughts. 

Either way, it's been a great couple months of running and baking.  I've decided that since I've posted on many of my running passions it may be the time to switch to more of an emphasis on baking.  Don't worry, there will still be plenty of both to go around, but I'd really like to post more recipes!  So, without further ado, here's the update:

Since you heard from me last, I embarked on and completed a 400 mile training plan this summer.  predominantly long, base-building miles, this foundation has gien me the strength and development to endure longer, harder workouts this season.  In addition I attended CC camp where activity after activity wore down my body but invigorated my summer.  From there, some of my teammates came with me to my cabin in Montana where we hiked, ran, and horseback rode.  The altitude was tough but after returning to thicker air we were all able to sustain a stronger pace for a longer time with much less huffing and puffing.  Overall, such a great experience. 

The team is looking so good.  As the leaves crisp up and form a crunchy surface for out fall training, we continue to move up in the MN state rankings.  We've made our way from 10th to 5th in a matter of weeks, and it seems our trajectory is dependable  All we need is some team love and affection and a little bit of passion and I think we can really make it onto the podium. 

With such a good team, though, comes a disadvantage for a runner like me  I'm definitely not the fastest, and with so much improvement from everyone, my spot on the team has seriously taken a beating.  However, I keep my head up by remembering that I'd much rather be a member and captain of one of the best teams in state than a top runner for a mediocre team.  What is happening now on my team is bigger than just me; we are laying the groundwork for a legacy, and that fact is very humbling. 

On the baking front, I continue to try my hand at new and ever more complicated recipes and techniques  I've mastered the art of caramel and made some caramel chocolate crunch brownies tonight!   They were delicious.  I also made mozzarella cheese which I baked onto homemade pizza for a delicious dinner after this weekend's homecoming extravaganza.  altogether some great exploits.  I'll have a recipe post next, but I feel I've overwritten already, so I'll sign off with the promise of tantalizing food to come.  Happy fall, everyone!

Summer running

As the humidity sets in and the heat descends like an inescapable fog, the epitome of summer running in Minnesota is about to arrive. We had a three day cool spell to ease us into the summer running months, but with over fifty days still to go we will receive our first true picture of what we're in for. And, of course, I love it. I love the solitary early runs to beat the heat, the relaxed team runs filled with flowing conversation, and even the sweaty long runs that seem to last forever. Sometimes I even wish they really would. We've been running as a team. These first weeks are all easy miles as we adjust our bodies to the wear and tear of distance running. This is a crucial part of training because the body needs ligaments, tendons, bones and muscles that are strong enough to withstand pounding in order to complete training and ultimately get faster. The thing to remember is that these runs are not for speed, they are for strength. No muscular strength, like weight lifting, but for bodily strength in all ways. They should be run at a comfortable but strong pace, resulting in increased stamina and better tissues. They also help with mental strength. Distance runners need to train themselves to simply run, even when it's not desirable. Getting out of the house on a stifling summer day teaches the mind to push away the excuses of bad weather, sore legs, or general discomfort and just put one foot in front of the other. I'm very excited to see where this summer takes me and all the girls I run with because many seem very dedicated to this notion of paying summer dues for fall payback. Hopefully we'll see the fruits of our labor come the CC season!

Still (not) going

I am officially going stir crazy! I haven't run in so long and it's finally getting to my head. I was walking around the park that I usually run at and saw three people from school on runs. This madem e surprisingly jealous; all I wanted to do was fall into step and go for a nice, long run. Alas, I'm forcing myself to complete the non-running assignment my CC coach gave me. It's maddening in the moment, but his cocaching proved amazingly effective last year so I'm choosing to trust his judgment. For the time being, the distraction of my garden is very enticing! It's been expanded to about twice it's original size so I'm choosing some new vegetables to plant in it. I was advised against zucchini and squash because they take over, but I really want to grow cucumbers. We'll see what ends up getting planted. I used the basil to make a pesto that I put over pasta. I started with about a cup of basil leaves and three tablespoons of pine nuts, which i began to puree in my food processor. I streamed in two and a half tablespoons of olive oil and a tablespoon of water, then finished it off with two tablespoons of parmesan cheese. My own personal twist was to add another two tablespoons of dubliner cheese, which brought a nice richness and tangy flavor. It turned out very nicely! I also made Rosemary flatbread that I stuffed with the leftover chicken salad. For flatbread, I warm a cup of water and two tablespoons of orange juice to 110 degrees farenheit. Then I dissolve about a teaspoon of instant dry yeast in the water and let it sit until it's foamy. Then in my mixer (but you can also just use a wooden spoon) I still in a cup of flour and two tablespoons of chopped Rosemary and a pinch of salt, then gradually add more until it's at a dough like consistency. From there I merely knead it with extra flour and then cut it into two inch balls. After rolling each ball out into a disk and set it onto a greased griddle on the stove on medium high heat. When the dough starts to bubble up I flip it, then only leave it on for about a minute. When the flatbreeads come off the stove, they have nice little air bubbles inside that can be stuffed with just about anything! Altogether it was a successful cooking day! Now I'm just looking forward to the day where I can run again.