Curried Tofu on Coconut Quinoa

A lot of friends seem to be talking about quinoa, so I figured I'd give this a try and I searched for a spicy recipe online.  I made the second recipe, the curried tofu, so I didn't make spicy peanut sauce.  I forgot to buy the can of coconut milk but the Silk coconut milk seemed to work just fine.  The quinoa was a little bland, which I guess is expected if its a rice alternative and you mix it with spices or sauce.  I am jealous of the picture shown on the website, I am not sure how people make the tofu so perfectly cubed.  I am guessing they dry it more than I do but I am not sure.  Overall, a decent recipe, but it does feel something is lacking.  Maybe I should have used more spices or coconut milk.

http://paxye.com/blog/crispy-tofu-with-spicy-peanut-sauce-on-coconut-quinoa/

6.61 Mile Run

6.61 Miles
1:12:10 Time
10:55 Pace

While I loved the cool weather, the area behind my knee was bothering me again.  It wasn't painful but it made the run not as enjoyable as it should have been.  I also wasn't able to run as fast as I wanted.  I might take Saturday and Sunday off and see what happens Monday.  I figured I'd be in better shape with the yoga I have been doing.

Downtown pre rush hour



Ethiopian-Style Chickpea Stew

I couldn't find fenugreek and the employee at Shop Rite said I could use anise, though I got the plant not the seasoning.  From reading online, I am not quite clear how they are different or similar.  For the flatbread, I found southwestern style (with cilantro and jalapeno) but I mostly ate that while it cooked.  It seems a little messy to eat with the flatbread.  I thought it wasn't as tasty as I had hoped it would be.  I figured with all the spices it would be a unique taste.  I added some Blair's Mega Death Sauce and despite the little amount I added, it is now almost too hot to eat.

http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/recipes/recipe.php?recipeId=2441

3.66 Mile Run

3.66 Miles
44:12 Time
12:05 Pace

I just checked my spreadsheet and this is my 200th logged run.  My first is the first 5K I did.  I didn't record anything before that and after that for about two weeks I didn't record anything either, so its not my 200th run overall.  Today started out good but by mile 3 I just wasn't feeling it.  I did some walking.  I'll probably take Thursday off and go longer but slower Friday and Saturday.  I did like the cooler morning weather but it still could have been a little cooler.

Pre rush hour view of one of my favorite hills.

2.66 Mile Recovery Run

2.66 Miles
25:24 Time
9:33 Pace

Heat is my weakness and the 8:30PM run apparently wasn't late enough.  It still felt like the sun was out.  I was a little sore behind the knee at first but that went away.  My desire for some water increased as the run progressed.  I felt fine running otherwise.  I didn't push myself but I did have some speed.

Spicy Middle Eastern Pasta

I wasn't sure how this recipe would turn out.  I wasn't sure if simply putting raw pasta, tomatoes, cooked chickpeas, some liquids and the other ingredients in a pan and heating them in an oven for an hour would result in something decent.  The texture and taste were actually quite good.  I liked this dish.  I used a habanero and a jalapeno pepper for an extra kick.  Very easy to make and the preparation was quick as well.  I am little concerned the recipe said it serves six.  Not a lot of leftovers.

http://veganfeastkitchen.blogspot.com/2008/03/easy-spicy-middle-eastern-pasta-and.html

Chia Energy Bars

Since most protein/energy bars, that I have seen atleast, seem to have a lot of processed ingredients and some dairy, I figured I'd try making some natural ones on my own.  I found a recipe that seemed pretty easy and didn't require a lot of ingredients.  Whole Foods had what I needed.  I got a little concerned as I don't have a food processor, just a blender and then I noticed the recipe said the bars were mushy and suggested not taking them on runs.  The blender seemed to be ok, and I didn't use the frozen strawberries, so they really weren't mushy.  I put them in bar form and wrapped them in tinfoil and left them in the freezer overnight.  Due to the heat during my race today, I didn't really eat them as I really needed liquids and not solids.  I had a small bar before the race and a bite every now and then during the race.  The dates give them a sweet taste and texture.  If I make this again, I might consider using something else for texture or maybe less dates and more strawberries.  Not sure how much energy I got from the chia.

http://www.nomeatathlete.com/chia-energy-bars/

The Easter 3/4 Marathon Race Report (Van Cortlandt Park/Bronx, NY Trail Race)

19.65 Miles
4:34:36 Time
13:59 Pace

Race Report Summary
1. This is the 4th longest distance I have run (The marathon I ran and 2 ~20 mile training runs were longer.)
2. Heat is my weakness.  There was never a time during the winter where the cold prevented me from running outside, but today I questioned if I should do a 3rd loop because of the heat.
3. I need to correlate fueling and the weather.  I thought I was taking more water/Gatorade than I needed but it wasn't enough in this heat.  Better yet, maybe I shouldn't run in this weather.
4. I did a fair amount of walking.  That's ok in trail running, right?
5. Scott Jurek showed up!

Long version

The Holiday Marathon Series Overview

The Easter Marathon is part of the Holiday Marathon series.  For those don't know, these races are funded by a few local runners.  The races are unusual in that there are no fees (though organizers do ask for small donations) and its self timed (you put your name and time in a book at the end).  The races typically begin at 10AM, but people are welcome to start earlier and people who are late can start late.  The course is a 6.55 mile loop (1/4 marathon or about a 10K).  Many do a loop, some do 2, 3 or 4 for a full marathon and a person recently did 5, an ultra.  I have done the Thanksgiving half (the first one in the series) and the Valentines half (in snow).  I also really like how all running levels are present.  Based on prior finish times, some people run the the half faster than some people run the 10K and shortly after my second loop someone finished a marathon.

Breakfast

For breakfast, or rather during the 4 hour period between the time I woke up and the race began, I had about 2 bananas, some Gatorade, a smoothie (soy milk, juice, banana, strawberries, raspberries),  small coffee, some OJ, 8oz water and a homemade Chia energy bar.  Typically I have egg whites and cheese on whole wheat toast, but I am doing the 21 Day Vegan Kickstart.  Maybe this wasn't enough for me, I don't know.

Pre Race

Scott Jurek showed up!  Some people got their picture with him.  I hear he is a low key guy but he didn't seem to mind the attention.  I heard he was just having a casual day and did 2 loops.  I didn't see him on the course, though atleast one other person saw him.  I also chatted with my friend Tracy and some people she knew.

Loop 1 6.55 Miles 1:26:29 Time 13:12 Pace (This time should probably be about 2-3 minutes less due to a phone/timer issue)

Most of the first loop I ran with Tracy, who ran the 14.2 Manhattan Training Run with me last September.  Since that was my longest race to date, I was very nervous going into it, but it went well.  Basically the opposite of this race.  The first loop I felt great, I picked up my pace when hitting hills, and took it easy at times.  We just chatted and at times enjoyed the scenery.  During the loop, I probably had 2 8oz waters, a Gatorade Prime and 2 Cliff Shot gels.  When I was done and was at the start/finish area, I poured some water on me, had a banana, a bite or two of my homemade Chia energy bar and another Prime and then loaded my bag up.  I got a picture of Tracy crossing the finish line.  She decided to do one loop, so I said goodbye and started on loop 2.

Loop 2 6.55 Miles 1:27:20 Time 13:20 Pace (This time should probably be about 2-3 minutes more due to a phone/timer issue)

This is a small race, and according to the website 323 people signed up, and many do the 10K.  With Tracy calling it a day, the second loop was a bit lonely.  That can be ok, but I needed some support on a day like this.  The bunny ears I wore (and others runners as wore as well) did get some cars to honk and later on when the park was more crowded, some people and kids seemed to like which was encouraging.  Some of the other runners who ran past me encouraged me as well but I still was falling apart and starting to walk.  I ran most of this loop during 12-1 PM and it started getting hot.  Really hot.  When I finished, I didn't quite feel dizzy but I felt like I really needed to cool down.  I sat down and poured some water on me, had some more Gatorade and a Prime.  After sitting down for like five minutes (which is factored into my overall time) I decided to go for a third loop.  I felt since the first part of course was in the shade I would be ok.  Also, if I decided to leave, I still had a mile or so walk to do to get to the train.  I was still nervous doing the third loop.

Loop 3 6.55 Miles 1:40:47 Time 15:23 Pace

I was hoping that some music would help calm me down.  I realized I left my headphones in my bag at the start/finish area so I couldn't do that.  About a mile or two into the loop, I noticed two women like 50 yards behind me.  Except for a few people who flew by me, they were basically the only people I saw at a similar pace.  They finally they caught up with me and we started chatting which helped me take my mind off things.  One of them is doing the Bear Mountain/Northface Endurance Challenge half which I signed up for and did the Yonkers Marathon last year.  I did the half and its a small race.  I even noticed her in one of my pictures I took of Scott Jurek surrounded by people.  Pretty random.  The other apparently ran a 100 mile ultra.  Unfortunately I had to start walking and they kept running.  After walking a bit, I ran a little and then continued to walk even more.  At mile 5 or so, Michael, one of the race organizers caught up with me and we chatted a bit.  Nice guy and apparently he ran a full marathon though he started earlier.  He was clearing up some course markers.  After talking a bit he took off.  After some running and a lot of walking I finally made it to the finish.  I got a picture of me with an award (the awards were stuffed animals) by the marathon sign, chatted a bit (the two women were there,) left my donation and did the mile or so walk to the train, drank more water and headed home.

Post Race

When I got home I felt drained.  I was also hungry and I had some leftover pasta.  My legs were burning earlier but now they are ok, though I still feel drained.  I also still feel hot.  Maybe its a sunburn, though my skin isn't sensitive to touch, but we will see on tomorrow.  I could also be somewhat dehydrated.  I am not a person who runs well in the heat.  I felt fine doing the Valentines half in the cold.  I was wearing a jacket, gloves, hat and pants.  I couldn't overheat.  I actually ran the Thanksgiving half faster than the first 2 loops in this race.  The heat was a factor but I still might not be fully recovered from my marathon a month ago.

Conclusion

I am happy I got 3 loops.  I really wanted to get 3 loops and I think if I didn't I would have regretted it.  I pushed myself but I also was somewhat cautious.

Pictures I took (the websites have others)
The Easter Marathon
The Valentines Marathon
The Thanksgiving Marathon (the quality isn't good)

Scott Jurek

Start

The Easter Bunny

Spicy Southwestern Pasta

I used to find recipes by searching terms like "spicy pasta stir fry" and now I use terms like "spicy vegan pasta stir fry."  I have a race Sunday so I figured I'd carb up and make a pasta dish.  The cumin and chili powder give it a good kick.  I could only find mild enchilada sauce but it seems a spicier one wasn't needed.  It also has some veggies, so a complete meal in my mind.  I will have plenty of leftovers as well.

http://vegweb.com/index.php?topic=8051.0

3.66 Mile Speed Workout Run

3.66 Miles
34:24 Time
9:24 Pace

I went a short distance for a speed workout, though considering some of my 5+ mile runs have been at a similar pace, I am not too excited by the results.  To be fair, I didn't really eat anything beforehand and my legs were probably tired because, don't laugh, I tried a Zumba class yesterday.

I really love running up hills.

8.2 Mile Run

8.2 Miles
1:30:04 Time
10:59 Pace

According to my splits, I started out with a 9:36 mile and mile 8 was 11:22.  I would have assumed I would have needed to warm up to go at a 9:36 pace and I thought I finished stronger.  I guess my sense of pace isn't as good as I thought.

Spicy Skillet (fake) Chicken

Nice and spicy.  You use cumin, chili powder and for the salsa, I used roasted habanero salsa.  Maybe next time I will try making my own salsa with real habaneros and see if I can handle it.  I didn't have any beer to use, so I wasn't going to add a splash, but I saw Blue Moon Blonde Wheat Ale at the store and decided to get a six pack.  I do like the regular Blue Moon.  Not sure how it helped the recipe, and I drank the rest of the bottle and didn't care much for it.  I left out the avocado and the cilantro.

http://www.meettheshannons.net/2010/06/betty-crocker-project-spicy-skillet.html

Stir-Fry Vegetable with Shirataki Tofu Noodles

This is about the third time I have made this recipe.  I discovered this recipe using the Healthy Recipes Android app.  I didn't find the tofu shirataki noodles at my local supermarket, so I used Nasoya Asian style noodles instead.  I love the taste of the shiitake mushrooms.  They almost have a meaty texture, as they are thicker than typical mushrooms.  I think the first time I made this recipe was the first time I tried those mushrooms and the bamboo shoots.  The bamboo shoots don't have much of a taste though.  I stopped using soy sauce and instead I used Bragg Liquid Aminos as an alternative.  This was quick to make, filled me up, and great with some hot sauce.

http://recipes.sparkpeople.com/recipe-detail.asp?recipe=203243

11.39 Mile Long Run

11.39 Miles
2:11:50 Time
11:34 Pace

Nice morning run before the rain comes.  I wanted to get in some extra miles before the trail race this Sunday.  I ran this just a little faster than my 11.51 mile run on Saturday, but I felt much better today.  Overall it was a similar pace, but I started out slower and finished faster, as opposed to finishing feeling weak.

5.34 Mile Running Store Group Run

5.34 Miles
49:55 Time
9:21 Pace

Fantastic group run.  I have run between 5.00 and 5.99 miles 49 times.  Today I ran that distance at my fastest pace.  I wanted to go a bit slower the first few miles but I didn't want to fall behind the faster runners.  The last mile I gave it everything I had and I ran it in 8:52, which was my best mile.  This mile includes a very long hill with a gradual incline, and the first time I ran the route I had to walk some of it.

I was running so fast I didn't really get a good picture.

Sweet Potato Curry

This is probably my favorite recipe of the few I have tried from the No Meat Athlete site.  It has a sweet taste because of the coconut milk, but not too sweet.  I also love tofu, though I usually use tofu in stir-fry recipes which can get boring.  If you like Greek yogurt like me, you might like to make the Falafel with Tahini-Mint Sauce or the Buffalo Tempeh Wraps.

http://www.nomeatathlete.com/vegetarian-recipe-sweet-potato-curry-with-tofu-bok-choy-and-carmelized-shallots/

Thai-Style Vegetable Curry

My friend Randi, who introduced me to the 21-Day Vegan Kickstart, suggested this website for recipes.  I made the Middle Eastern Wraps about a week ago but I didn't really care for it.  I really like the Thai Vegetable Curry, and in fact I have made it twice.  Not much preparation involved.  I simply cut up the broccoli, sweet potatoes and mushrooms while I heated the chickpeas in the oven.  Then I mixed them up with some spices, cooked it up and I was ready to eat.  I'll probably use some hot sauce when I make it again for a nice kick, but the coconut milk does it give it a good flavor.
http://www.greenyourdiet.org/recipes.htm#thaicurry

11.51 Mile Saturday Long Run

11.51 Miles
2:14:14 Time
11:40 Pace

I was hoping to do a little better.  I did this route like 5 months ago and ran it about 5 minutes faster.  I guess I was a little cocky and started out too fast.  According to CardioTrainer, my first mile was done at a 10 minute pace, which is a little fast for me.  Of course I don't check my splits until I am done.  I started feeling a bit sluggish around mile 6.  At mile 7 I had a Cliff Shot energy gel (these are Vegan, I checked) and a Gatorade prime.  Mile 8 took me over 13 minutes to run as I started walking a bit.  I did pick it up and ran my last few miles around a 12ish pace.  I did enjoy running to Interpol "Turn On The Bright Lights" and Smashing Pumpkins "Siamese Dream" and I do feel ready for my trail half marathon next weekend with Tracy.  We probably aren't going to race it the way others do but I was also hoping not to have to walk either.



I really love running up hills.  Not the greatest picture, but its hard to take a good picture of a semi long hill with a gradual incline.

3.81 Mile Run with Alison

3.81 Miles
40:57 Time
10:43 Pace

I ran with my friend Alison who I met from my running group a few months back.  While I tend to run alone, running with others can be fun as I don't really focus on time or distance.  Apparently she took some time off of running, but she still has a lot of endurance.  We talked socialite parties, inexpensive interior decorating techniques, family and of course running and cooking.  She got me interested in Newton running shoes and I learned she also takes pictures of what she cooks.  Maybe she will start blogging as well.  Good conversation and we also run at a similar pace, so hopefully we run more in the future.

Alison lives in a nice area.  My favorite pic from the run.

Ambrosia Salad

Another recipe that was suggested as part of the 21-Day Vegan Kickstart.

I discovered I love the sweet smell and taste of almond extract.  Not sure if I have ever used it before.  I don't really bake or make fruit dishes like these, so there is a chance I haven't.  I did forget to buy the coconut, which I also love the taste of, but I was still happy with how this turned out.  Another very easy dish to make.

http://support.cancerproject.org/site/MessageViewer?em_id=4721.0

8.20 Mile Run

8.20 Miles
1:27:53 Time
10.43 Pace

It went well.  I actually did yoga earlier in the day so I felt loose and confident that I would be able to run the distance without much difficulty.  This had been the case with some of my recent runs but I guess I have recovered from my marathon in late March at this point.  I wasn't trying to push it in terms of pace but I wasn't really going slow either.

This is a scenic view from my run.

Barbeque-Style Portobellos

I made this as part of the 21-Day Vegan Kickstart.

It was easy to make.  I cooked with rice, though next time I'd probably use spinach as the site suggests, or another vegetable.  The chilli powder does give it a nice kick.  It came out well, and it would probably have come out even better with some other spices.  I am just not that creative to think of good ones to use.
http://www.nutritionmd.org/recipes/view.html?recipe_id=132