1/2 marathon: achievement unlocked!

Well, I did it! I ran all 13.1 miles of the Rock 'n Roll 1/2 Marathon!  I'm pretty freaking proud of myself.  :)

The day started early, and it was cold. Because I have my weird cold leg syndrome thing, I was extremely worried about the cold temperature, so I layered up big-time. On my legs I wore: cold weather gear leggings, shorts, and fleece pants. I put those disposable hand warmers in each pocket and took generic benadryl about 30 minutes before the race.  Thankfully, it did the trick - no itchy/burning legs! Huzzah! Around mile 3 I ditched the fleece pants and was pretty comfortable (temperature-wise) the rest of the race.

I started strong. For the first 6 miles I had an even pace, and a good one for me (about 13:30). I was super happy. Feeling like I could run all day! Then mile 7 hit...

At mile 7, we began a 6.1 mile incline.  Okay, so I'm exaggerating, but only a little.  Hills to power through I trained for, a slight 6 mile incline I did not.  This about killed me, and definitely killed my time and my spirit. I met my goal primarily because I played mind-games with myself.  I had run 10 in training, so when I wanted to give up at mile 8, I wouldn't let myself: "You can start walking at mile 10, but you you will be so mad if you run less than you did in training. Walk at mile 10."  Then, at mile 10: "You only have 3 miles left; a measly 5K. Are you going to walk now? You can't walk now! Push through!"  Apparently my mind is easily tricked, and so I kept plugging along, on the hellish incline,and although some speed-walkers passed me by, I technically ran the whole thing, which was my goal!

The last 6 miles weren't all bad. There were a couple of short down hills (so we could go up again), and there were tons of people out cheering on random strangers; giving us high-fives, clapping and shouting how awesome we are, and my favorite sign which read, "If marathons were easy they'd be named 'your mom'"  :)

If I ever do a 1/2 again (and I'm not saying I will!), I would probably have a time goal, and I would walk every 3rd or 4th mile (which would undoubtedly improve my time). I would also consider NOT using MapMyRun. I trained with this app, and wanted to keep track of my pace so I was sure to out-run the sag-wagon.  The problem with running a race with this app is that it exposed a dirty little secret: I did not run 13.1 miles.

What? How?? Wahhh?  Well, of course corners, running around people, running towards the water, and all that jazz bit by bit, step by step, will add precious tenths of miles to one's distance.   As a result, I had about 3/4 a mile to go after my app told me I had gone 13 miles. I was mentally prepared to go 13.1 miles, so when the app told me this, I wanted to die. I knew I had come too far, and needed to finish the official 1/2 marathon to feel accomplished, but I tell ya, I did so slowly. Really slowly.

Official 1/2 Marathon Time: 3:24:21

MMR 13.1 mile time: 3:09.08

In the end I was hot, sweaty,  in pain, my face was covered in salt, and I was exhausted, but it was totally worth it.

After crossing the finish line I was greeted with banana's, pretzels, water, Gatorade and more goodies that I happily accepted. I was also greeted by my mom, brother-in-law and two of my nieces; it was awesome to have support at the finish line.  My sister and her co-worker finished not long after me (they walked), and we had a nice celebratory meal before going home to collapse on our couches..

It was a really fun day, and a great feeling to have a achieved a goal I trained so hard for.

week 3, pin 3

Week of September 23rd:
 Blue "Crystal Meth" Rock Candy (Breaking Bad)
Pin Rating: Excellent for novelty
Cost: $20 (if you have to buy a  $10 candy thermometer, which I did)

Tonight is the series finale of Breaking Bad, so Panda and I decided to give BrBa a proper send-off by trying to make some "Blue Meth" of our own (out of granulated sugar and corn syrup, of course!) for our series finale party.

Our first cook didn't turn out as we hoped.  The recipe instructs you to remove the sugar mixture from heat when the thermometer reaches 285 degrees, but we did not quite do this in time, and within seconds we had over-cooked our candy. 

Even just slightly over-cooking it produced yellowed (or carmalized) candy, so when we added the blue food coloring, our candy turned green. Knowing Lydia would not be pleased, we decided we'd better try again.

For our 2nd cook, we removed the mixture from the heat a few degrees before the recipe called for us to in the hopes we wouldn't have the same green problem.

When we added the food coloring it looked a little green at first, so we added several more ( 5-7) drops of Betty Crocker's blue gel coloring.  We then worried it was going to be too dark, but thankfully it turned the perfect shade of blue!

After pouring the sugar mixture out on the lightly greased cookie sheet, we let it harden and cool for about an hour, it was easy to break apart. We put the broken pieces in a ziplock bag and pounded the candy with  a meat tenderizer until getting the right look.

Over all, I am SUPER PLEASED with this pin!   It was fun, easy, and a great way to send off Walt and Jesse.

half marathon training update

I'm still plugging along at a slow and steady pace. I'm up to 8 miles; tonight I try for 9. Wish me luck!

New Blogger Alert!

A friend of my recently started a blog. She talks recipes, home projects, crafts, life, and all things geeky.  So, to Danielle I give a WarmFuzzy,

"Welcome to the Blogwagon, Geek Chick!"  

Go check out her blog!

Week 2, Pin 2

Week of September 15: Painting door hardware/fixtures
Pin Rating: Excellent!
Cost: $25

After painting my door a beautiful blue, the ugliness of my door handle and mail slot became too obvious to ignore anymore.

Exhibit A

My first plan was to buy new hardware. Then I saw how much a mail slot, door handle, and deadbolt cost, and I decided that my teacher's salary would not adequately cover that and my student loans, so to Pinterest I went. For Pinterest has the answers to all life's problems.

I read a few pins on the subject, and finally decided on the one that takes you to Sherry Petersik's blog, Young House Love.  She had recently spray painted (yes, spray painted!) her hardware, and it worked for her. Her directions were simple and clearly explained.  When she described the motion she used to spray the paint as the motion one would use when spraying their hair with Aqua Net, I knew we spoke the same language.

This weekend, I set out to test her pin, and I am very please with the results. I followed her directions exactly, buying the exact sanding paper, deglosser, and spray paint she suggested, and there were zero snags. So far, I love the look, and hopefully she is correct that the sanding and deglosser will help keep the color.

Here is the finished product, and I am super pleased!  I'm surveying my house for other hardware I can spray paint...

  Exhibit B

Week 1, Pin 1

Week of Sept 8th: Painting  my door.

My door has been an ugly red color for years. Like 30 years. I'm sure it was a beautiful red color 35 years ago, but time has not been kind, and I don't really like the color red.  Inspired by this pin, I finally decided to repaint, and 3 coats later, am happy with the results. My door is now a beautiful blue color!

Pin review: "Meh" I don't actually think this pin told me anything I didn't already know about the painting a door successfully, but I'm glad it was on Pinterest because it's presence served as a nagging reminder that I should just paint the damn door already.  For those clueless about painting, it would be helpful.

Side note: if you get paint on surfaces you did not mean to paint, Goof Off works really well.  Even on concrete... (wa-waaa...). What's life with out a painting mishap or two?

52 Pins Project

I have  Pinterest problem.

 It's so easy to click "pin" on a project idea, recipe, or outfit, but I'm finding it more difficult to actually, you know, make the project, recipe, or outfit.  So, in an attempt to declutter my Pinterest boards, I've decided to complete a 52 Pin Project.  The rules: 52 weeks, 52 pins. Pretty simple. I'll post my projects here!

Away we go!

public art for the win

Knowing I love and all things Sherman Alexie (and therefore fantastic), Bird's partner, Melissa, showed me a piece of public art in Spokane while I was visiting. For this piece, Sherman Alexie wrote the poem, That Place Where Ghosts of Salmon Jump, which is inscribed on the spiral. Upon reading it I  was blown away by the poem itself, the placement of the spiral overlooking the Spokane Falls, and the beauty and power in such a simple design. My picture doesn't begin to do it justice, but here it is:

About the spiral, Alexie has been quoted as saying, "The design forces people to dance. The true power of it is in watching people reading the poem in that way." Which I adore.

group runs, revisited

I recently posted about my feelings on group runs, and asked "What am I missing?"  Well, I now have an answer for myself.

I've been running in my group for a couple of months now, and while I do think it is easier to forget I am running, zone out, and go the distance when I'm alone, I am starting to enjoy my group.  So, what was I missing that I now appreciate? 1- if you have a scheduled group run, then you are forced to get off your duff and run even if you don't feel like it. And then, of course, you are always glad you did. And, 2- I have one running buddy in particular who does a great job of pushing me to make progress on my pace goals, but who is still very patient about the fact that I am much slower than she is.

no escape

Said while on my phone, about to purchase a the new iPhone5: "Ugh, I freaking hate iPhones!"
To which the store clerk replied, "Buying this 5 seems like a bold choice for you, then."

Yes, and one done under protest. Origionally, I had an Android (loved it), but it broke (sadness). Since then I've been using my dad's old iPhone, a 3GS.  Everyone told me I would never go back to Android, but truth be told I do not love my iPhone. I planned to upgrade to a Galexy 3S. Unfortunately, the price was way too high for my budget; meanwhile, the iPhone 5 was only $100 if I turned in my old slow 3GS, so the decision was kind of made for me.

And so I got the 5, a bold choice, but so far I've not flung it into the sea. No doubt my Galexy would have been better, but in the end, I was not able to escape Apple's clutches.

group runs

they are not for everyone...

I recently started running in a group. The people I run with are all super nice. Super friendly. I enjoy socializing with them, but when I'm running, I don't want to talk to others. I want to listen to my music, zone out, and go. What am I missing that everyone else loves so much?

pinterest adventures: greek yogurt pancakes

This morning I made Greek Yogurt Pancakes. I like my fruit on the side, so I made these sans blueberry, and I also changed the flour from white to wheat. Note: the recipe says to use 1/4 of the batter to make the pancake, I think this is too much. I think you could easily get 6-8 pancakes out of the recipe, not 4.



Overall Flavor Rating: A - Oh my god, these were delicious! They tasted almost exactly like regular home-made pancakes.
Time/Prep-Rating - A+ - Super easy. It took about 3-5 minutes to mix everything, then just normal pancake cook time.
Things to change for next time: nothing! YUM!

adventures in pinterest recipes

The adventure continues! For dinner I made crockpot teriyaki chicken and spicy, garlicky, green beans, served over quinoa.

Overall Flavor Rating: A -- Delicious! 

Time/Prep Rating:  A+  --Super easy. I threw the teriyaki in the crockpot to slow cook while I watched some T.V. and went for a run. When I got back, I made my green beans while the quinoa was cooking, and viola! Dinner. 

Things to change next time: use pre-minced garlic to save time. I would also throw the mushrooms in the crock instead of cooking w/ the green beans, and throw in some peppers as well to get this up to an A+ rating for flavor.

Crockpot teriyaki:

1 lb of chicken

1 cup chicken broth
1/2 cup soy/teriyaki sauce
1/3 cup brown sugar
3 minced garlic cloves

I modified the recipe because I made my own teriyaki sauce, and as such felt no need to add more sugar and garlic (my home-made had plenty). So, I threw the chicken, 1/2 cup chicken broth, and 1 cup home-made teriyaki in the crock pot on low. It smelled divine.

A word about teriyaki sauce. I have found every store-bought bottle I've ever made to be complete and utter crap, so a friend of mine gave me her family's recipe. I don't give out family recipes, but I've perused on-line and have found several that are comparable (example). It took no time at all - or it would have taken no time if I'd bought minced garlic instead of mincing my own. If you have an extra 45 seconds when making dinner, I HIGHLY recommend making your own sauce instead of buying it.

Spicy, Garlicky, Green Beans:

I love green beans. In fact, I love them raw, but they can get boring. This recipe gave me the added pizzazz I've needed. I followed the cooking directions but added some mushrooms that needed to get eaten, and I could not be happier with the results. The beans were crisp and flavorful (it was spicy!), and complimented my main dish fabulously.

after months of hoarding recipes on pinterest, i'm actually trying one out

Today I tried out The Burlap Bag's oat banana cookies as seen on Pinterest.

Ingredients:

2 bananas

1 cup quick oats.

Optional: ch. chips, nuts, etc...

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350. Mix ingredients (mashing up banana), put on cookie sheet in cookie form, and bake for 15 minutes.

I had one banana and rolled oats (which are the same as quick oats, only not crushed up), so I made a half order. In the comments several people said to add vanilla. Yes, of course that will make these better, but  I added the chocolate chips (yes, I had to), I opted not to add more calories and sugar that (hopefully) isn't necessary. 

Oh my god, these are baking right now, and the smell so freaking good!

They are out of the oven, and cooled & tasted!  I would give this a solid C+ rating, but think it could be an A with alterations.

Overall, this is a super easy and quick way to use up those bananas (I always seem to have one I can't get to in time) that is less of a production than baking bread & doesn't use flour. The flavor was appealing, but the consistency was a bit of a turn-off. Because I used rolled oats, I think the banana mush had too little to mix with & as a result these are a big ball of mush and oats. If I chopped the oats, I don't think I would have this problem. Additionally, the chocolate chips did nothing for me. Next time, I would skip those and just add a pinch of cinnamon (maybe a dash of vanilla).  If you like walnuts (I don't), they would compliment this well. 

Next Up: Greek yogurt pancakes & crock-pot chicken teriyaki

highs and lows

This morning's high:  I started a meet up for runners who run closer to my pace & the first meet up was today. The gal who came was super nice (even though I still felt bad for slowing her down), and I have 5 people signed up for a run later this week. YAY!

This morning's low: I reverted back to my ultra slow-poke running. I don't really mind (I'm cool with slow), but I guess I thought once I started running 12/13 min miles, I'd sustain that. Apparently not. Not today, anyway.

Another high: I feel great & had a good work out and feel like my body was pushed to a good limit.

it's official!

I registered for my first half last night, so I guess there is no turning back!

What's even better is that when I mentioned to two friends I was going to do it, they immediately jumped on board (they both done 1/2s before; one has run a marathon) and registered as well. YAY! Running buddies. :)

few things

Few things make my dog happier than a new collar.

half-marathon training: the rest day

Today is my 1st rest day since beginning the training. My biggest fear is that I will loose my momentum with this rest day. That I will remember how wonderful lazy days can be.

i remember at time...

when "thong" mean "flip-flop."

It was a simpler time.

the year of the tick

That is what this year is shaping up to be, at least in Missouri.  After a camping trip wherein I recieved 4 tick bits, I decided to re-evaluate my position on Deet before my sister and I headed out on our hiking trip Sunday. I've gotten to the point where I am now more worried about lyme disease than I am about having 3 headed babies. So, covered in head-to toe clothing, tucked into my socks, I sprayed (me and the cloths) with bug-spray containing deet. Spray was reapplied during the hike and my sister and I conducted tick-checks every 20 minutes or so. Although I have no tick bites, I did have 4 ticks on me, one of which I found after I got home. That little bugger was moments from sucking my blood and giving me lyme disease, I just know it!

Ugh. Ticks. I have a bit of a phobia regarding them, and I don't ever remember them being this bad. :(