Tuesday, January 19, 2016

BQ

I'm happy to report that I ran a BQ (Boston Qualifier) marathon on Sunday (!!!!!!!!). In case you didn't know, qualifying for the Boston Marathon is one of my dreams. I can't really pinpoint when exactly it became a dream; however, I know that it was sometime in 2010 after I first experienced the greatness of Marathon Monday.



Why do I want to run it so bad you ask?

First of all, qualifying for the Boston Marathon represents an impressive achievement for runners in general. It not only means you're tough enough to withstand long training sessions, painful workouts, or the vicious mind-game that starts somewhere after mile 15--a toughness all marathon runners have in common. It also means you went the extra mile (pun intended) to become physically faster and mentally more powerful. It means you are in the slim category of runners that meet the stringent qualification times set out by the BAA.

And for me it means more.



No, I wasn't born in Boston; I wasn't even born in the U.S. However, I did live in Boston for four and half years. I also watched the marathon five times, each time thinking to myself, "how awesome would it be to be one of those runners who we're all out here cheering for?"



Then 2013 came along. I want to keep this post a joyous one, so I'll just say that it was in April 2013 when I finally decided to go for it. I would run a marathon and qualify for Boston.

And so I ran my first marathon in July 2014. Even though I enjoyed the experience immensely, I didn't manage to run fast enough. I was 12 minutes short of my age-group cutoff. I decided I would take a long break. I would qualify for Boston some day.



Well that day came faster than expected! I'm still experiencing the bliss that results from months of training and honestly I hope it lasts until I cross the finish line on Beacon St.

Anyways, moving onto food, here's a quick recipe for a delicious chickpea salad spread. It goes great with toast or naan; I'm sure it also pairs well with crudités or crackers. Enjoy!



Chickpea Salad Spread (adapted from Food & Wine)
Makes about 4 servings.
Active time: 20 minutes; total time: 20 minutes.

  • 1 teaspoon coconut oil
  • 1/2 small red onion, minced
  • One 15-oz. can chickpeas, rinsed and patted dry
  • 2 tablespoons Tofutti
  • 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
  • 1 tablespoon chopped dill
  • 1 avocado, sliced (optional topping) 
  1. In a small sauce pan, heat coconut oil over a medium-high heat until just melted. Add onion and cook until fully cooked and slightly browned, about 5 minutes. Make sure to stir constantly so as not to burn. Set aside. 
  2. In a medium bowl, mash chickpeas using a fork. Add cooked onion and remaining ingredients and mix very well. 
  3. Season with salt and pepper; add more lemon juice or mustard as desired. Serve with toast, naan, or crackers. 

Tuesday, January 12, 2016

Carbs carbs carbs

I never thought I'd say (or write) this, but carbo-loading is difficult. Or at least doing it properly is.



It seems my perpetual fear of gaining weight while abroad--a fear that started when I was 15 and moved to France--has caused me to always seek out the low-carb option. As unhealthy ridiculous as this may sound, it has become my reality.



And so, when I began my carbo-loading this week--I have a marathon coming up--I didn't realize I would have to constantly remind myself to skimp on fats and protein and go for carbs, carbs, and more carbs. But not just any carbs. Proper carbo-loading requires some thought: easily digestible carbs, even if refined, over fiber-heavy ones; naturally sweetened or homemade snacks (fruit-based, etc.) over candy (which may actually come in handy during the race).



Anyways, to make it easier, I decided to bake goodies from my favorite running cookbook (Racing Weight Cookbook) so as to have carb-heavy snacks up for grabs. So far so good.



Apple-Craisin Bars (adapted from Racing Weight Cookbook)
Active time: 20 minutes; total time: 40 minutes.
Makes 8-12 bars. 
  • 3/4 cup nonfat plain Greek yogurt
  • 1/2 cup egg whites (4 egg whites)
  • 1/4 cup water 
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 tablespoons coconut oil, melted
  • 1 large apple
  • 1/4 cup craisins
  • 1 1/2 quick oats
  • 1 cup whole wheat flour
  • 3 servings vanilla whey protein powder
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 3 tablespoons chia
  • 1 tablespoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  1. Preheat oven to 350F. Line a 9x13-inch baking pan with parchment paper.
  2. In a medium bowl, combine yogurt, egg whites, water, and vanilla. Set aside; let rest at room temperature. 
  3. Chop apple into fine pieces. In a small bowl combine apple pieces and craisins. 
  4. In a separate large bowl combine oats, flour, protein powder, sugar, chia, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt; stir to mix well. 
  5. Add melted coconut oil to wet ingredients and mix well. Stir in apple pieces and craisins. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and stir until uniformly moistened. 
  6. Spread batter into prepared pan. Bake for 15-20 minutes until center is just solid. Cool completely, about 20 minutes, before cutting into 8-12 bars.  


Sunday, January 10, 2016

Drowsy Mornings

WARNING: part of this post was written under the delayed influence of a "pm" pain medication.



8:47 a.m.: Last night I took one of those over-the-counter pain turned sleep-aid medications. I'm not talking about a hardcore sleep aid, or a doctor-prescribed medication. This was a run-of the-mill naproxen (pain reliever) combined with some sort of "sleep" substance.



I took the pill at 9 p.m. thinking it would help with back pain and (really) hoping it would give me a 10-hour (or longer) sleep. My back pain is more-or-less gone, but my 10-hour sleep is still lacking. And, I now find myself feeling tired and not fully sober; I'm drowsy and all I want is a large cup of coffee and a large pasty.














9:05 a.m.: coffee is in hand and scones are in the oven.



1:32 p.m.: breakfast was delicious, and after a long morning of binge-worthy tv (namely Homeland and Young & Hungry), my body has seemingly assimilated the sleep-aid substance. I'm no longer feeling stupefied or lethargic.



I've decided to only take sleeping pills when my mind is prepared to really let go. Otherwise, on days like today when I'm anxious about anything--for example an upcoming marathon--I should avoid such pills at all costs. If I don't I not only won't get the rest I long, I'll also have a dazed aftermath during which I can't rest or be productive.



Blueberry Scones (adapted from Racing Weight Cookbook)
Active time: 15 minutes; total time: 40 minutes.
Makes 8 scones.
  • 1 1/4 cup whole wheat flour (use white whole-wheat flour if you want more traditional looking scones)
  • 1 cup quick oats
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 5 tablespoons melted coconut oil (or butter)
  • 1/3 cup almond milk, at room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon lemon juice, at room temperature
  • 1/4 cup egg whites, at room temperature. *Make sure to have ingredients at room temperature so that the coconut oil doesn't harden. 
  • 1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries (or other berry)
  1. Preheat oven to 400 F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  2. In a large bowl, combine flour, oats, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and ginger; stir to mix well. 
  3. In a separate bowl, combine melted coconut oil, milk, lemon juice, and egg whites; stir to mix. Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients bowl and mix well. 
  4. Gently fold in berries just until combined with batter. Spoon batter onto prepared pan in 8 equal mounds. 
  5. Bake for 20 minutes or until tops and edges of scones are golden brown. Cool scones before serving (but still serve warm!).