Seattle the Bipolar

Good news and bad news:  

Bad News:  This weekend I ran a total of about 6 miles so I don't have much to talk about in that area.  My lack of running is mainly due to the fact that I want to really give my body a break, but I also prefer cuddling to running and I had the opportunity to do so this weekend so....heck yeah!

Good news is that I have cool travel pics from Seattle AND I think this week, I might actually run a track workout.  Imagine....=).  

Here's the deal with Seattle:  I've been going up there on a regular basis for the last 9 months or so bc the BF lives up there.  And until we invent the teleporter or cloning machine (let me know if you have one I can borrow), the regular visiting and plane flights are the best way I know how to keep up a romantic relationship.  

I know what you're thinking about Seattle....rain and 40 degree weather, right?  Well....kinda....

I have found that Seattle is the picture of misery from about November to early March.  Mid 40s, rain, and about 2 hours that are not pitch black.  But here's Seattle's bipolar secret.  From about May to August, it's freaking GLOORRIOUSSSS!    

Seriously.  This weekend, it was so sunny and full of spring flowers, I could have sworn I heard angels singing and kittens purring all weekend. 

Fremont Troll

We started out with brunch at Roxy's in Fremont.  Fremont is a neighborhood close to downtown Seattle that is famous for the Fremont Troll and has plenty of restaurants and bars to hang out in.   Roxy's is a delicious New York type deli that we go to bc it's easy to walk to and has food like this:

I forget what this was actually called on the menu, but essentially, it's a baklava pancake.  Filo, Walnuts, Pistachios,  Honey....really really good.  Anthony ordered them, but of course everything he orders is fair game, so I made short work of them =).  

We then went Seattle wine tasting.  While the ridiculously cold / rainy weather of western Washington isn't exactly conducive to grape growing apparently the weather of Eastern Washington is.  So they set up places just outside Seattle so that we can booze without driving across the state!  

Don't we look classy?  

Girly Girl Wines!

I pretty much let Anthony take the lead, since I really don't know the difference between a box of Franzia and something uhhh....better....

At one of the wineries, there was some club called the "girly girl" to encourage women to come with their girlfriends.  Since I like all things pink and targeted at women, I was super excited about by this and wished I had Seattle girlfriends to join with!  

The next day we went to the Fremont farmers market and saw this...

WHERE DO I SIGN UP??????

I also saw some really cute plant Brontosauruses:

  

So that's the story of the weekend, Morning Glories!  

And here's the Q and A portion where I try to elicit comments and make friends!    

Are any of you in Long Distance Relationships too (or ever were in one)?  

(if so comment with "heeellll yaaaaa!").  

Can you tell the difference between good and bad wine?  (I sure can't)

Also, if you had any amazing workouts or races, LET ME KNOW - I want to hear about it =).  

Happy Monday!  

The Glory Days and Blogging Friends

You know days when everything fun gets scheduled at once?  That happened to me today. 

I am usually a very low key person and prefer to sit at home watching Say Yes To The Dress and baking, but today I totally had the social life of Paris Hilton circa 2003.  I got up at 5:30AM to run with blogger friends, went to a happy hour with coworkers after work, and then hung out at a roof top pool with some school friends.  I felt like today's activities could finally give my living in Southern California some street cred!

The day started with running with the wonderful skinnyrunner and once upon a lime. I originally met these girls back before I even blogged (they and my friend Christina are kind of the reasons I even started blogging...beyond my wanting to retire a billionaire blogger)  We met up in Newport and I ran about an hour.  My legs still felt heavy but definitely felt better just by running with friends!

It was super cloudy, but let's face it...trails on the beach are pretty cool no matter what the weather is!   Beach trails are one of the things that made me fall in love with Southern California.  

G2 - The breakfast of Champions

After I got back to my car, I drank some G2 that's been sitting in my car for the last week and a half.  Hopefully that doesn't mean I'll get BPA poisoning?!?!?!  It was pretty delicious though so it might be worth it.  

I went to a happy hour after work, but the main thing I want to talk about is not the happy hour, but my coworkers ridiculously adorable puppy that I'm pretty sure is really a live stuffed animal:

This is a normal size purse and a 2 lb puppy

The day finished up at a friend of a friend's pool (soon to be much better friend if he continues having access to pool).  We got some pizza and drank some wine.  Oh yeah...and my girlfriend on the right brought straw hats to celebrate Cinco De Mayo because she didn't have any sombreros.   Close enough???  Farmer De Mayo?

I am going to live right...here....

Here's the rest of the pool area.  I forgot a bathing suit, so I just pushed my jeans up as far as they could go and put my feet in the hot tub.  Still not bad.

Sadly, Charlie told me that I could NOT move in to the top floor of his complex with the pool and that I had to go home.  

So here I am, blogsters...at the end of a long but relaxing day.  It was full of beer, wine, food, socializing, and straw hats.  

Here's MY blogging question for the day...

Have you ever had a super crazy Cinco De Mayo?  If so, I wanna hear about it  =)

  

Also...How long will you leave a plastic bottle in a car (or somewhere else) and still drink out of it?

Is there a time when I should definitely throw bottles / drinks out?  

I'm off to Seattle tomorrow  to see the BF for the weekend !   Buenas Noches! 

New Sports Drink Report!

Holla!  This morning I did some elliptical and yoga in an attempt to take it easy and keep myself from getting sick / ridiculously sore for days again.

I have also been eating huge portions of everything just in case that was the problem.  Even if it's not, I'm definitely enjoying it =)

Let's talk about all the new sports drinks on the market this year!    

I've run two long races in the last month and one things I've noticed is that when I finished, I got handed random Gatorade products I'd never seen before....I also did a race last fall (malibu half) where they gave out coconut water as the sports drink.
Add that to the G2 (Lower Calorie) Sports Drink that is in all the 7-11s, what's a girl to do?

Wassup with Gatorade:
So along with the regular Gatorade (50 cal / 8 oz), Gatorade has come out with the lower Cal G2 (20 Cal / 8 oz) as well as the the Pro series that includes the dairy based shake drink in the upper right (200 Cal, 15 Grams Protein, 30% Calcium).  The other recovery drink in the round bottle is Gatorade 3 Recover (60 Cal, 8 Grams of Protein).  They've also come out with the "Fit" series that appears to be lower calorie, as well as a Natural series (this sounds awesome!) that's in test markets right now.

My Thoughts:  I actually think that G2 is pretty awesome.  While I can't shake the feeling that I could make my own G2 at half price by just watering down regular Gatorade, I think it's super refreshing.  And unless I've just run 15 miles, I don't really need 200 calories in beverage anyways.  I've mainly purchased it at random convenience stores at exorbitant prices.

As far as the other stuff....I really wasn't impressed by Gatorade 3 Recover (I had mixed berry) or the Pro Series Protein Shake.

The Gatorade 3 has a good combination of protein and carbs, so if you actually like it, I'd say give it a try.  I thought it was way too sweet but palatable.

The Pro Series (I had chocolate) seems to have the nutritional content of a Slim-Fast Shake and it kind of tasted like one too.  Since it's got 200 calories per 8 oz, I'd definitely only drink it if I'd just run a ton of miles and had no real chocolate milk nearby.

Wassup With Coconut Water:  So I had my first run in with coconut water at the Malibu Half Marathon.  I was surprised to find that that was their sports drink of choice (only in Malibu!) and totally avoided it after one surprise cup at mile 4.  Nutritionally, it looks pretty close to Gatorade (45 Cal, 250 mg sodium), only it's a natural product and has 10% of your vitamin C.

My Thoughts:  Honestly, I don't like this stuff, but I'm pretty sure I'm in the minority with this one.  My mom loves it and it's growing popularity must count for something!  I'd say if you like this stuff, go for it!

Soooo....
Has anybody else gotten these drinks at races? What did you think?


What do you love to drink when/after you're working out?  
(I constantly crave diet coke after running even though I know it's baadddd.)

Wildflower Tri (13.1) Race Recap + I'm not 29 yet!

Hola!  Clearly this is a great day for the U S of A so woo hoo!  

But since this isn't a political blog, I'm going hop, skip, and jump to what I did this weekend:  Complete the run portion of the Wildflower Half Ironman Triathlon as part of a relay.  If you are looking for a tale of glory and victory, well folks, you came to the wrong place.  I ran a PW by several minutes, but worse still, my heart wasn't in it at all.  I knew I wasn't close to 100% but I am surprised at how unready to race I really was.  

To give a quick bit of context, Wildflower is one of the largest triathlons in the world and is located in a park in Central California.  Most people actually camp in the park along with doing the race - and that, along with the party atmosphere makes it known as the Woodstock of Triathlons!  

Groovy...

This is actually my third year of doing the run portion of this race.   The course is helllaaaa hilly and majority trails and you run in the mid afternoon whenever your biker comes in, so it's def a whole different animal!  It is a crazy well organized race with really great volunteers (some wearing sombreros!) so there is DEF a party atmosphere.  

Near Paso Robles

I drove up Friday with my friend Madeline, who was also doing the run relay.  Because she is awesome and her parents live in a nearby town, we stayed at their place.  I don't know if you guys are familiar with the Paso Robles / San Luis Obispo area, but it is BEAUTIFUL California Wine Country!  Just being in the area was a treat.  

Super Cute Running Friends! (Who are much taller than me)

We drove out to Lake San Antonio early the next day and took some pre race pics!  Because you know...that's the most important part!  

Total Random Yoga Class Going on At Expo!

I think the best and worst part of Wildflower is the festival that's going on during the races.  This is the best expo of food, gear, and random stuff for miles around but since we were running later, you can't partake in a lot of it!  For example, there was a yoga class going on (right pic).  

Before it was time for me to run, I basically waited in the bike area when I expected the biker on my team to come finish.  He arrived, gave me his chip, that I put around my ankle, and off I went.  

The funny thing about running a relay when many others are doing the whole triathlon at the same time, is that I feel kind of...lame.  On the run, I was passing people who had just swam 1.2 miles and biked a really difficult 56 course.  They were cheering me on, and I would sheepishly say "uh...I'm relay...".  And they'd laugh...knowing that I was totally un-legit!  

I was planning to run this race as a bit of a "tempo" because my legs are still kinda shot.  But honestly, if I could have gone fast I totally would have.  But...I just couldn't go!  The first few miles are all trail and definitely the toughest.  Hot...dusty...but beautiful...

About at the half-way point, I was somewhere about at a 1:55 pace.  I passed a tent of people that I knew and decided I'd just stop and go to the bathroom.  I have never stopped to use the bathroom in a race before!   But this was how apathetic I felt.  The only thing that kept me going was knowing that I was on a relay team and that any performance was better than a DNF!  I couldn't shake the feeling that I was letting them down...

Around mile 10, I passed a guy with one leg who was doing the entire half ironman.  FREAKING AMAZING.  

Gelato...the post race solution to all problemz

The race ends with a crazy 400 foot drop in the last 600 meters or so...the course opens up to a beautiful view of the lake.  I finished...somewhere in the 1:55 range.  A good 8 minutes slower than I've ever run this course and about 16 minutes off my best.  

As I finished, the announcer read my name and then... "29 years old from California!"

Waaaaa?  

Folks.  I'm 28! But born in 1982.  The event rounds up your age, but I don't know if I'm ready to get an extra year announced!!  

The next day, we headed back to Southern California, tired and semi-sunburned.  

Despite my negativity about the race, it was all just me and my body that were the problems.  Wildflower is AWESOME and if you're looking for a unique race experience, I totally recommend it!  

Annnddd...I even found a way to counter feeling old!  

BUYING SHORT SHORTS FROM TARGET!!!!

(Hey man....thirty is coming up quicker than I thought, I gotta buy while I still can!).  

So if you made it this far and want to comment (please do I LOVE to hear from you), tell me this....

1) How do you deal when your body refuses to perform?  

2)  Do you own any age-inappropriate clothes like these booty huggers to the right?  

HAVE A GREAT MONDAY!!

William and Kate - Marathon Edition

I have a running goal, blogsters.  

No no...it's not an elusive PR, or to run 10 marathons in a year (although a PR would be awesome!).  My dream is to get the most searched...most talked about couple...to embrace the coolest sport in the world. (Long Distance Running, of course!)

Possible Race Photo of Kate

As we all prepare for the wedding of the century, I can't help but think that all this hoopla would be a lot cooler if we were speculating not only on what designer would make Kate's dress but also on which brand of shoe Kate was going to wear after her wedding:  Mizuno or Brooks.  

I am convinced I can make Kate love running as much as we do and here's why:

Bike AND Cell phone?

1)  Kate is already active and clearly coordinated.  On the left is Kate riding a bike while on her phone!  Talk about coordination....

2)  She clearly has the patience and determination of a long distance runner.  Girl waited for like 9 years for a ring!

3)  She is accustomed to crowds.  I am certain that the paparazzi in London are nothing to deal with after you've gotten through the lines for a port-a-john  at a poorly planned race.

London Marathon 2012?

4)  As a fashionista herself, she'll be pleased to know that there are an array of fashion choices available such as the running skirt, the compression sock, and the arm warmer.

5)  Unlike yours truly, Kate can't take a bad photo.  For example something like the race photo monstrosity to the left would never happen to her.  

6)  For her, doing race calculations in kilometers will make perfect sense.

7)  I want to see if her hair is still perfect after running 17 miles in the rain !

That's all I've got!  Hopefully she is a reader of my blog (likely) and has been convinced.  :).
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On a slightly different note (if you made it through this ridiculous entry), Active.com "Schwaggle" has a pretty good deal this time - $45 for $85 at TriSports.com!  They have running shoes online so it's a great time to get a good running shoe discount!
Schwaggle Link

I'm off to Central California tomorrow to run this (Avia Wildflower Triathlon Relay):

Should be a lot of fun though...it may be more of a tempo than a race for me, but my semi competitive nature may get the better of me :).
Peace out and good luck to anyone racing this weekend!
xo.

Running Recovery Tips and Ducks

Hi hi!
Two things today!
1) The cute family of ducks I saw yesterday morning while on my run.   There is mom, dad, and three baby Mallards.  If there's any justice in the world, one day in the year 3000 I will come back to life as a baby duck.  

D'awwww!

2) Let's Talk Race recovery, Well, it's Spring racing season (unless you live in Texas or Nigeria) and I don't know about you, but sitting on the couch exhausted after a race is only cool for a couple hours...we're all busy peeps with stuff to do, right? 
And my body doesn't recover well - I'm no SkinnyRunner (girl ran 1000(2) marathons in three dayz!)
When I finish a race, the last thing I want to do is stretch or eat something healthy.  


My inclination is to sit down for several hours and eat ice cream.  I read somewhere that chocolate milk is a good recovery food due to having lots of protein and carbs, so I started drinking that post race...bottom line, I'm still trying to find what works for me!  

Not Optimal Recovery Food

How do you recover from a race? Any tips? 

Here's some tips from the elites:

On Nutrition
"It's important to get something in your system as soon as you stop running"

-1993 World Championships marathon gold medalist Mark Plaatjes


On Taking It Easy
"It happens at least once a year,I get busy or impatient and I justify it, saying, 'I'm getting in the workouts, I'm checking the boxes, that's what's important.' I let the recovery aspects go, and I wind up sick or injured. I realize then that it's time to get focused and do the little things right. Sometimes I just need a kick in the butt."
 - Lauren Fleshman - U.S. champion at 5,000m in 2007.


Ice Baths (or just water)
"For me, hydrotherapy is an absolute must," she says. "During my heavy training I don't go more than once a week, but that weightless time just helps flush everything out." If you can't make it to the pool, take a cool bath. Ice is nice, but not necessary--just run cool water from the tap deep enough to cover your legs for a recovery boost."
- Olympic 10,000m bronze medalist Shalane Flanagan

HOW many milks?? (Tres Leches)

I can't lie to your faces, blogworthies...I am kinda pleased right now.   After years of searching (ok maybe three recipes over the last 8 years worth), I have found a decent Tres Leches recipe (most delicious cake in the world:  Cake Description from Wikipedia).

Tres Leches AND Strawberries!

An added bonus is that I was able to use about 5 strawberries of the 500 that I purchased yesterday at bargain basement prices!

Truth be told, I should have tried this recipe a long time ago...it IS the highest rated one on Food Network...but the recipe looked hard, so I settled for lesser Tres Leches.  For this recipe, unless you are crazy and love to spend 10 hours getting egg whites to peak, you'll need some form of electric mixer :).

I set off making this cake yesterday because the cake should actually soak in the milk mixture overnight.  I have been fighting off a bit of a cold lately, so I took extra care not to breathe on the cake to avoid bringing a cake of death into work tomorrow.  

Cake 'o Death

Alright enough talk, let's get to the goodz!

The Recipe

Basically I followed Emeril's Recipe right off Food Network with a few adjustments...

You'll need for the Cake:
6 large eggs
2 cups sugar
2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking power
1/2 cup milk (recipe says whole but I used 2% and it was fine)
1 teaspoon vanilla


For the "Three Milks" to Soak the Cake in:
1-14 ounce can evaporated milk (different than condensed milk!)
1-14 ounce can condensed mlik
1 cup heavy whipping cream

For the Frosting (This is where I deviate from the Emeril recipe)

1 cup heavy whipping cream

A couple tablespoons of powdered sugar.  

Get a 9 x 13 baking pan and spread a little bit of oil in it to keep the cake from sticking when you add the batter later.  

Preheat oven to 350 F

Separate the eggs (this is pretty easy, spoon out the yolks).  Beat the 6 egg whites until soft peaks form.  This takes a long time so hang in there!!   This serves as a base of a VERY fluffy cake and is the key to success in this recipe.  Add sugar as you continue mixing and then add the egg yolks, one at a time, while continuing the beat the mixture.   

Mix the flour and baking power and then add to the egg / sugar bowl.  Alternate adding the flour mixture with adding the 1/2 cup milk.  Add the vanilla.  Do not let the mixture to sit or settle...add instantly to the baking pan and bake for 25 minutes or until golden- delicious.  

While the cake is cooking, make the "three milks".  Just mix together the evaporated milk, condensed milk, and cream.  

When cake is done, remove from the oven, and let it sit for about 5 minutes.  Then pour the milk mixture over it and let it sit in the fridge for at least 4 hours.  This is when the magic happens.....

After the cake has sat in the fridge, pour out any extra mixture (without pouring out the cake!).  Now whip the cup of whipping cream and powdered sugar together for the frosting.  Once it has thickened, spread the frosting on cake.  

If you want, you can add fruit as a garnish to the cake.  I added strawberries because (if you read yesterday's post), I have a billion of them.  I'm sure almost anything else would be awesome too.  

Success!!

Heaven in a pan