Wednesday, November 23, 2011
Green Chiles Potatoes and Peppers with TVP
This was so so. The ingredients seemed rather random, they didn't go together super well. I think it needs more liquids, maybe some tomato sauce. It has a nice spice level though, a nice kick but nothing too crazy. I should find another textured vegetarian protein (TVP) recipe as I have a lot left. I actually combined the leftover rice pilaf and this and had some last night. It actually went well together.
Spicy Tofu Rice Pilaf
I cooked this before and I made it again when a friend wanted me to cook this for her. This time I added the Kitchen King spice mix which has a million different spices. I picked it up at my local Indian market. I also used a ginger paste as opposed to a ginger spice though I didn't notice a big difference with that. Seemed to be decent, nothing too impressive. I didn't seem to comment on it much the last time I made it either.
We also washed it down with delicious kale/carrot/orange juice. Kale by itself is a bit strong but the orange and carrot gave it an easy to drink taste.
Saturday, November 19, 2011
Runs from November 13-19, 2011, 24.75 Miles
November 14, 2011
5.3 Miles
55:29 Time
10:28 Pace
Great turnout tonight, eight runners. Feeling great, I gave Greenwich Ave my best as well.
November 15, 2011
2.66 Miles
27:07 Time
10:12 Pace
Steve Wilkos taping earlier in the evening and then had some Indian food and beer. I cramped up around mile 2, but I did eat a lot. Technically started past 12:00 AM but counting it as Tuesday.
November 16, 2011
5.09 Miles
49:05 Time
11:23 Pace
Rainy and dark out. A little creepy, I had to look over my shoulder a few times. Feeling really good though, I think I have recovered better than after I ran my first marathon.
November 17, 2011
6.61 Miles
1:05:52 Time
9:58 Pace
First time since September 1 I have done this route. The people and cars kept me alert. I am happy with my time, even though I hit some lights and had to stop.
November 19, 2011
5.09 Miles
52:31 Time
10:19 Pace
A little chilly out, I didn't feel real loose.
5.3 Miles
55:29 Time
10:28 Pace
Great turnout tonight, eight runners. Feeling great, I gave Greenwich Ave my best as well.
November 15, 2011
2.66 Miles
27:07 Time
10:12 Pace
Steve Wilkos taping earlier in the evening and then had some Indian food and beer. I cramped up around mile 2, but I did eat a lot. Technically started past 12:00 AM but counting it as Tuesday.
November 16, 2011
5.09 Miles
49:05 Time
11:23 Pace
Rainy and dark out. A little creepy, I had to look over my shoulder a few times. Feeling really good though, I think I have recovered better than after I ran my first marathon.
November 17, 2011
6.61 Miles
1:05:52 Time
9:58 Pace
First time since September 1 I have done this route. The people and cars kept me alert. I am happy with my time, even though I hit some lights and had to stop.
November 19, 2011
5.09 Miles
52:31 Time
10:19 Pace
A little chilly out, I didn't feel real loose.
Wednesday, November 16, 2011
Ethiopian Spicy Tomato Lentil Stew
I searched "spicy vegan stew" and this was the first thing that popped up. I was excited to read all the spices, but I sadly felt this recipe was so so. There wasn't much of a kick to it.
http://www.theppk.com/2008/10/ethiopian-spicy-tomato-lentil-stew/
http://www.theppk.com/2008/10/ethiopian-spicy-tomato-lentil-stew/
Red Curry Tofu with Spinach and Mushrooms
This was decent. Nothing to get excited about. I do like mushrooms and spinach, but overall this was just so so. I think I need to get more creative in finding recipes. This one isn't super different than other ones I have made. I decided to water down the food with this juice recipe. "Juicing cauliflower, a cup of broccoli, an apple and two oranges can work wonders as well. This drink can help prevent or relieve headaches." It's listed under the "juice recipes for a hangover" but I wasn't hungover. I think I should have added another apple, it could have been a little more sweet.
http://www.theperfectpantry.com/2010/12/recipe-for-vegan-red-curry-tofu-with-spinach-and-mushrooms.html
http://juicerrecipes.com.au/page/2/
http://www.theperfectpantry.com/2010/12/recipe-for-vegan-red-curry-tofu-with-spinach-and-mushrooms.html
http://juicerrecipes.com.au/page/2/
Saturday, November 12, 2011
Runs from November 6-November 12, 2011, 31.52 Miles
26.2 Miles
5:00:12 Time
11:28 Pace
New York Marathon
See the race report here
http://iliketorunandcook.blogspot.com/2011/11/2011-new-york-marathon-race-report.html
2.66 Miles
27:14 Time
10:14 Pace
Not too bad, a little sore, but felt ok.
2.66 Miles
25:22 Time
9:32 Pace
Feeling better. I think I will do more yoga Sunday and then try doing the 5 mile run with the Greenwich Running Company Monday.
5:00:12 Time
11:28 Pace
New York Marathon
See the race report here
http://iliketorunandcook.blogspot.com/2011/11/2011-new-york-marathon-race-report.html
2.66 Miles
27:14 Time
10:14 Pace
Not too bad, a little sore, but felt ok.
2.66 Miles
25:22 Time
9:32 Pace
Feeling better. I think I will do more yoga Sunday and then try doing the 5 mile run with the Greenwich Running Company Monday.
Wednesday, November 9, 2011
Tofu and Veggie Pasta
This was my Friday night carb loading before the big race. They say you need to carb load two days before so you aren't stuffed the night before. I searched "spicy vegan marathon pasta" or something. People tend to avoid spicy foods but not me. For the diced tomatoes I used Stop & Shop zesty mild green chiles and Del Monte zesty jalapenos. It was a decent recipe. Easy to make, some tofu for protein, pasta for carbs, veggies too. Good if you are doing a race.
http://www.keeprunningirl.com/vegan-recipes/tofu-and-veggie-pasta/
2011 New York Marathon Race Report
26.2 Miles
5:00:12 Time
11:28 Pace
13.1 Miles First half
2:15:07 Time
10:19 Pace
13.1 Miles Second Half
2:45:05 Time
12:36 Pace
I didn't put much thought into how I would run this race. I figured 4:30 would be tough but doable. I thought I could just run with the 4:30 group, and maybe if I had problems the second half I might be near 4:45.
I had confidence going into this race.
1. I ran a 4:42 marathon in less than a year after starting to run. My splits were like 2:13-2:29 and I ran that without a pace group, a watch or with the help of spectators. While I ran slower the second half, I didn't feel I hit the wall, though I did some walking and got tired.
2. I ran the Yonkers half, which is known as a hilly course, in 2:09:39 with no taper and initially intended that to be a training run. My last two miles in the race were run at a sub 9 min mile.
3. I thought I ran hills well: I logged many miles running the hilly Van Cortlandt trails, the Bear Mountain half marathon and I usually speed up the Greenwich Ave hill during my weekly running group runs.
4. I had a better base for this marathon. While I didn't train much harder (both marathons I ran like 39 miles a week in the 20 weeks prior to the races) I had averaged about 35 miles in the 40 weeks prior to this race as opposed to just 29. Maybe how much you ran that long ago isn't as important.
5. Training went smoothly, without any injuries.
Pre Race
I thought I would be getting there too early with the 6:03 train. I didn't spend much time at all waiting for the race to start. I got into Grand Central around 7. Then I got the subway down to Bowling Green and I was at the ferry line by 7:30. It was around 9:15 when I got to the start, after taking the ferry to Staten Island and the bus to the start. I went to drop my bag off and was surprised to hear them say it was closed at 9:30 with so many more people coming. Not sure if anyone had issues. I had some coffee and a banana and by then I had to go to the bridge!
Breakdown
Miles 1-2 (Verrazano Bridge) Very quiet with some nice views. I ran the lower level so I guess there were some nicer views I missed.
Miles 2-6 (Brooklyn) I got warmed up and into a good groove. I was running pretty consistently, like 10:20-10:30 pace. (Thank you NYRR for showing the mile by mile splits! I didn't use my phone app during the race.) I think I heard someone call "Aron" during this time. I was excited when I heard this, I knew spectators cheered for runners but with so many runners I wasn't sure anyone would cheer for me. It happened a lot during the race! The 4:30 pacer guy I was trying to follow was like a minute ahead of me. I could see the balloon in the distance.
Miles 6-11 (Brooklyn) I tried catching up to the pacer but it was tough with the crowd of runners. Then things got strange. I lost sight of the 4:30 pace guy and his balloons. Then I see the 4:20 pacer pass me. Maybe the pacer I was looking at during miles 2-6 was the 4:15 pace? I don't know. I did have a pacing card with me but I didn't really use it. I did at times toward the end of the race, but not often. When I used it then, I was seeing what my time would be if I walked the rest of the race.
Miles 11-13 (Brooklyn) I think around this time I saw my favorite sign of the race. It said "<- NYC Marthon SVU Marathon ->" SVU as in Law & Order Special Victims Unit. They have marathons like 5 times a week on USA Network. This sign beat "I got 99 problems but a marathon ain't one" and "You trained longer for this than Kim Kardashian was married."
Miles 13-15 (Queens) I saw the brother of Tracy, the blogger of the site GoTracyGo.com, one of the few blogs I read, and someone who I have run with on occasion. It was hard to miss as he had a sign for her. I said "hi" to him.
Mile 15 (Queensboro Bridge) The 4:30 pace guy flew by me. At this point I realized I would be running my own race. I didn't slow down much on the bridge. I felt like I could handle the hills. I did fine on it, but I think it drained me more than I realized.
Mile 16-20 (Manhattan - First Avenue) It was surreal to run with so many people watching on this street. You could see so many runners in front of you as well. I could even hear people cheer for me even though I wasn't too close to the side of the street. I saw my Dad near mile 19 and got a picture with him. Part of me liked Brooklyn better in the sense you felt closer to the spectators, as the roads were more narrow and some spectators were on the street but First Avenue was still awesome.
Mile 20 (Bronx) I almost slipped on a banana peel, or rather I slipped but I regained my balance. I guess running when there is ice out helped me prepare for this. By this time I was starting to feel sick. Maybe not sick, but I had a sugary/sweet taste in my mouth. I had taken like 4 gels and Gatorade at like every other stop. I didn't think it would be too much. I didn't cramp up or anything but I decided just to drink water the rest of the way.
Miles 21-22 (Manhattan - Fifth Ave) I started to get tired. Let's put things into perspective: miles 1-13 were run at a pace less than 10:49, miles 14-20 were run between 11:18-12:26 pace and mile 21 was run at 13:02 pace. Yes a 13 min pace. I don't think I hit 13 minutes during my first marathon.
Miles 22-24 (Manhattan - Fifth Ave) The wall was in full effect. It took me 44:02 to run this distance. There was some walking and some running when the spectators cheered me. Ok a lot of walking.
Miles 24-26.2 (Central Park) I got a second wind and started running again. It took me 26:33 to run from mile 24 to the finish, about a 12 min pace.
When I crossed the finish I had to sit down and drink some water. Medical and police discouraged it so I would drink a little and then continue and then sit down on the side for a minute or two. I didn't feel faint but if it was worse I would have felt that way. When I got out of the park I felt better, and had some food and a beer with my Dad.
I am disappointed I ran a 5:00:12 race but accept it as I thought it would be easier than it was. I trained well, I just didn't plan accordingly.
Summary
I have no plans to run NYC again. I actually didn't plan on running it, I got in via the lottery by chance. If I run another marathon it will probably be a smaller one. Maybe not 800 finishers small like Ocean Drive, but running a non mega marathon with a scenic course would be nice. I am happy I got to run NYC, the spectators are amazing, its just I would rather experience something new next time. I will say I am concerned with the direction the New York Road Runners is going, as they are trying to be more international and less New York. Not sure it will be a two day 100K runner event like the organizer wants, but there is such a thing as being too big and people are already complaining they weren't happy running a race with this many runners.
I am happy other people could relate to how I felt. This are the highlights from this race report.
"Guys, I have to say that after 7 marathons, including 2 run as a charity runner, that was by far the toughest race course I have run...I swear that I felt as though I was running uphill all race...My goal was to break 3:30 and I see now that goal was totally unrealistic, not knowing the course at all."
http://www.runnersworld.com/community/forums/races-places/new-york-city-marathon/one-tough-mother
I am also happy I wasn't too sore the next day. I walked about a half mile to get some breakfast and the New York Times. Then I took a nap. I so hungry when I woke up. I don't eat much meat and I often go vegan, but I got an Italian combo, chicken caesar salad, fettuccine alfredo and a two liter bottle of soda, which *is something I rarely drink. That was my lunch and dinner, and possibly my lunch Tuesday as I didn't finish the alfredo. I plan on running easy again later in the week. We will see how it goes!
Congrats to all the other finishers!
More race pictures
http://www.flickr.com/photos/59540935@N08/sets/72157628093680668/
5:00:12 Time
11:28 Pace
13.1 Miles First half
2:15:07 Time
10:19 Pace
13.1 Miles Second Half
2:45:05 Time
12:36 Pace
I didn't put much thought into how I would run this race. I figured 4:30 would be tough but doable. I thought I could just run with the 4:30 group, and maybe if I had problems the second half I might be near 4:45.
I had confidence going into this race.
1. I ran a 4:42 marathon in less than a year after starting to run. My splits were like 2:13-2:29 and I ran that without a pace group, a watch or with the help of spectators. While I ran slower the second half, I didn't feel I hit the wall, though I did some walking and got tired.
2. I ran the Yonkers half, which is known as a hilly course, in 2:09:39 with no taper and initially intended that to be a training run. My last two miles in the race were run at a sub 9 min mile.
3. I thought I ran hills well: I logged many miles running the hilly Van Cortlandt trails, the Bear Mountain half marathon and I usually speed up the Greenwich Ave hill during my weekly running group runs.
4. I had a better base for this marathon. While I didn't train much harder (both marathons I ran like 39 miles a week in the 20 weeks prior to the races) I had averaged about 35 miles in the 40 weeks prior to this race as opposed to just 29. Maybe how much you ran that long ago isn't as important.
5. Training went smoothly, without any injuries.
Pre Race
I thought I would be getting there too early with the 6:03 train. I didn't spend much time at all waiting for the race to start. I got into Grand Central around 7. Then I got the subway down to Bowling Green and I was at the ferry line by 7:30. It was around 9:15 when I got to the start, after taking the ferry to Staten Island and the bus to the start. I went to drop my bag off and was surprised to hear them say it was closed at 9:30 with so many more people coming. Not sure if anyone had issues. I had some coffee and a banana and by then I had to go to the bridge!
Breakdown
Miles 1-2 (Verrazano Bridge) Very quiet with some nice views. I ran the lower level so I guess there were some nicer views I missed.
Miles 2-6 (Brooklyn) I got warmed up and into a good groove. I was running pretty consistently, like 10:20-10:30 pace. (Thank you NYRR for showing the mile by mile splits! I didn't use my phone app during the race.) I think I heard someone call "Aron" during this time. I was excited when I heard this, I knew spectators cheered for runners but with so many runners I wasn't sure anyone would cheer for me. It happened a lot during the race! The 4:30 pacer guy I was trying to follow was like a minute ahead of me. I could see the balloon in the distance.
Miles 6-11 (Brooklyn) I tried catching up to the pacer but it was tough with the crowd of runners. Then things got strange. I lost sight of the 4:30 pace guy and his balloons. Then I see the 4:20 pacer pass me. Maybe the pacer I was looking at during miles 2-6 was the 4:15 pace? I don't know. I did have a pacing card with me but I didn't really use it. I did at times toward the end of the race, but not often. When I used it then, I was seeing what my time would be if I walked the rest of the race.
Miles 11-13 (Brooklyn) I think around this time I saw my favorite sign of the race. It said "<- NYC Marthon SVU Marathon ->" SVU as in Law & Order Special Victims Unit. They have marathons like 5 times a week on USA Network. This sign beat "I got 99 problems but a marathon ain't one" and "You trained longer for this than Kim Kardashian was married."
Miles 13-15 (Queens) I saw the brother of Tracy, the blogger of the site GoTracyGo.com, one of the few blogs I read, and someone who I have run with on occasion. It was hard to miss as he had a sign for her. I said "hi" to him.
Mile 15 (Queensboro Bridge) The 4:30 pace guy flew by me. At this point I realized I would be running my own race. I didn't slow down much on the bridge. I felt like I could handle the hills. I did fine on it, but I think it drained me more than I realized.
Mile 16-20 (Manhattan - First Avenue) It was surreal to run with so many people watching on this street. You could see so many runners in front of you as well. I could even hear people cheer for me even though I wasn't too close to the side of the street. I saw my Dad near mile 19 and got a picture with him. Part of me liked Brooklyn better in the sense you felt closer to the spectators, as the roads were more narrow and some spectators were on the street but First Avenue was still awesome.
Mile 20 (Bronx) I almost slipped on a banana peel, or rather I slipped but I regained my balance. I guess running when there is ice out helped me prepare for this. By this time I was starting to feel sick. Maybe not sick, but I had a sugary/sweet taste in my mouth. I had taken like 4 gels and Gatorade at like every other stop. I didn't think it would be too much. I didn't cramp up or anything but I decided just to drink water the rest of the way.
Miles 21-22 (Manhattan - Fifth Ave) I started to get tired. Let's put things into perspective: miles 1-13 were run at a pace less than 10:49, miles 14-20 were run between 11:18-12:26 pace and mile 21 was run at 13:02 pace. Yes a 13 min pace. I don't think I hit 13 minutes during my first marathon.
Miles 22-24 (Manhattan - Fifth Ave) The wall was in full effect. It took me 44:02 to run this distance. There was some walking and some running when the spectators cheered me. Ok a lot of walking.
Miles 24-26.2 (Central Park) I got a second wind and started running again. It took me 26:33 to run from mile 24 to the finish, about a 12 min pace.
When I crossed the finish I had to sit down and drink some water. Medical and police discouraged it so I would drink a little and then continue and then sit down on the side for a minute or two. I didn't feel faint but if it was worse I would have felt that way. When I got out of the park I felt better, and had some food and a beer with my Dad.
I am disappointed I ran a 5:00:12 race but accept it as I thought it would be easier than it was. I trained well, I just didn't plan accordingly.
Summary
I have no plans to run NYC again. I actually didn't plan on running it, I got in via the lottery by chance. If I run another marathon it will probably be a smaller one. Maybe not 800 finishers small like Ocean Drive, but running a non mega marathon with a scenic course would be nice. I am happy I got to run NYC, the spectators are amazing, its just I would rather experience something new next time. I will say I am concerned with the direction the New York Road Runners is going, as they are trying to be more international and less New York. Not sure it will be a two day 100K runner event like the organizer wants, but there is such a thing as being too big and people are already complaining they weren't happy running a race with this many runners.
I am happy other people could relate to how I felt. This are the highlights from this race report.
"Guys, I have to say that after 7 marathons, including 2 run as a charity runner, that was by far the toughest race course I have run...I swear that I felt as though I was running uphill all race...My goal was to break 3:30 and I see now that goal was totally unrealistic, not knowing the course at all."
http://www.runnersworld.com/community/forums/races-places/new-york-city-marathon/one-tough-mother
I am also happy I wasn't too sore the next day. I walked about a half mile to get some breakfast and the New York Times. Then I took a nap. I so hungry when I woke up. I don't eat much meat and I often go vegan, but I got an Italian combo, chicken caesar salad, fettuccine alfredo and a two liter bottle of soda, which *is something I rarely drink. That was my lunch and dinner, and possibly my lunch Tuesday as I didn't finish the alfredo. I plan on running easy again later in the week. We will see how it goes!
Congrats to all the other finishers!
More race pictures
http://www.flickr.com/photos/59540935@N08/sets/72157628093680668/
Saturday, November 5, 2011
Runs from October 30-November 5, 2011, 18.37 Miles
October 30, 2011
2.66 Miles
26:48 Time
10:05 Pace
Nice night run, but it looks like I missed running with the few die hards that still ran at Van Cortlandt despite the race being "officially" canceled...From a race report..."It was slow going through treacherous downed trees and calf deep water. Muddy and slippery forced us to a crawl at some points." Fun indeed.
October 31, 2011
5.3 Miles
56:10 Time
10:36 Pace
I finish my 18th month of running with 144.43 miles. Tonight at the running group someone mentioned I ran in front of their car two weeks ago, but they weren't going full speed. It's the second time I heard something like this. I should be more careful.
November 1, 2011
2.66 Miles
27:28 Time
10:20 Pace
sent me like 3 Droid Xs that all had the reset issue, which often caused my CardioTrainer program to crash and I would lose all my information, and I sent them all back. They finally sent an X2 and I haven't encountered the issue. I am hoping I will be able to record all my splits and other pacing info at the race without a problem. I don't really check it during the race, but its nice to check.
November 3, 2011
5.09 Miles
57:55 Time
11:23 Pace
Second to last run before the big race. I will run again on Saturday, and then hit the NYC Marathon DailyMile.com brunch meetup and the EXPO.
November 5, 2011
2.66 Miles
30:33 Time
11:29 Pace
26.2 hours and counting.
2.66 Miles
26:48 Time
10:05 Pace
Nice night run, but it looks like I missed running with the few die hards that still ran at Van Cortlandt despite the race being "officially" canceled...From a race report..."It was slow going through treacherous downed trees and calf deep water. Muddy and slippery forced us to a crawl at some points." Fun indeed.
October 31, 2011
5.3 Miles
56:10 Time
10:36 Pace
I finish my 18th month of running with 144.43 miles. Tonight at the running group someone mentioned I ran in front of their car two weeks ago, but they weren't going full speed. It's the second time I heard something like this. I should be more careful.
November 1, 2011
2.66 Miles
27:28 Time
10:20 Pace
sent me like 3 Droid Xs that all had the reset issue, which often caused my CardioTrainer program to crash and I would lose all my information, and I sent them all back. They finally sent an X2 and I haven't encountered the issue. I am hoping I will be able to record all my splits and other pacing info at the race without a problem. I don't really check it during the race, but its nice to check.
November 3, 2011
5.09 Miles
57:55 Time
11:23 Pace
Second to last run before the big race. I will run again on Saturday, and then hit the NYC Marathon DailyMile.com brunch meetup and the EXPO.
November 5, 2011
2.66 Miles
30:33 Time
11:29 Pace
26.2 hours and counting.
Wednesday, November 2, 2011
Spicy Southwestern Pasta
This was pretty easy to make, not a lot of ingredients but a fair amount of spices. I enjoyed it but I still felt there was something missing for it to be considered a great meal.
Tuscan Kale and Chickpea Pasta
This was a decent recipe. I didn't use parmesan cheese and instead of the white wine, I used some marsala wine and apple cider vinegar, as that was all I had. I also used capers for the first time. I don't think I had even heard of capers until I read this recipe. All in all this was a so so recipe. I do like my kale and chickpeas but I wouldn't rave about this.
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