TGI Carb Night: Recipe - Chicken Tenderloins with Spiced Tomato Sauce

Protein is one nutrient that I’m rarely sure if I’m consuming enough during training. And, now that my Meatless Mondays have become Meatless Most of the Week, finding alternate sources of protein has become very important. (Thankfully, Fage yogurt has 15 grams of protein per serving.)

But, in the spirit of getting more protein into my belly, I decided to cook a meat-based dish and prepared a spiced tomato sauce with chicken tenders (served with rotini). This recipe comes from Cooking Light, but I omitted from and added to the recipe with delicious results.
 

Adding to the 2011 Calendar

Okay, folks, new plan! Instead of heading to Virginia Beach in March, I decided to register for the 2011 CareFirst National Half-Marathon in DC.

I considered entering the full marathon at some point back in October, but I was discouraged when I saw that my finish time from Baltimore did not meet the qualifying standards. So, I put the entire event out of my mind --- until this morning when I learned that I could use my results from December’s 10K to qualify. I opted for the half marathon instead of the full so that I would have no problem treating the 10-miler (two weeks later) as a race. I’m really excited about the course, which covers a good portion of the city.

The distance should not be a problem, so my training will focus on improving speed. Each week, I’ll weave in one speed workout with runs of three to five miles during the week (longer on the weekends), cycling, and strength training.

I estimated a finish time of 2:14:00 on my registration form to give myself a bit of wiggle room should something go wrong. My actual goal is a finish time that is under two hours, and 1:59:59 is perfectly acceptable.

Week 1 kicks off tomorrow (why waste time?):

Monday – Cycling and Strength Training
Tuesday – 3 miles
Wednesday – Tempo Run: 30 Minutes
Thursday – 3 miles and Strength Training
Friday – Rest
Saturday – 6 miles
Sunday – 3 miles

Let the wild rumpus begin!

Hey there, 2011!

New Year's Day 2010 doesn't seem all that long ago, and now I am very happy to welcome a new year and a new race calendar. For the record, I probably should not be allowed to read other runners' blogs; it only serves to fill my head with crazy ideas and wagers about the maximum number of races that I can run in one year before my body decides that it hates me.

It's only now that I'm starting understand exactly why I like running in races -- besides the sweet t-shirts, finisher's medals, and competition. To be completely honest, I enjoy the goal-setting (and goal-accomplishing) that comes with running races. Don't get me wrong, I have plenty of goals to work toward (including that whole doctorate thing -- by the way, folks, I've decided that it's GWU School of Education or bust), but the prospect of crossing a finish line and the glory that comes with it are great motivators to keep this crazy train moving.

In 2011, I hope to run at least one marathon (two maximum), one half-marathon, and several local races. The problem is deciding which races to run:

March 20, 2011 - Shamrock Marathon: Virginia Beach, VA: I'm seriously considering running this race. However, one potential challenge is that I'm committed to running the Cherry Blossom 10-Miler in DC on April 3, 2011 (two weeks after the marathon). Then again, I can always run the half-marathon for a great weekend getaway in March.

May 1, 2011 - Gettysburg North-South Marathon: Gettysburg, PA: Combines my love of American history and running. One of the cool things about this race is that, although it’s a single event, there are two courses: "North" and "South." Plus, there's something wonderfully awkward about running a course based on the side your state fought in during the Civil War.

May 1, 2011 - Cox Road Races Providence Marathon: Providence, RI: One of my good friends from college mentioned this race to me a while back, and -- according to Facebook -- he's already registered. I took a quick look at the course map and elevation, and I imagine this would be a great place to shoot for a personal record. (The elevation peaks near mile 7, and the rest of the course is relatively flat after that.)

October 15, 2011 - ING Marathon: Hartford, CT: This is one of the few marathons held in my home state, and it would be awesome to run a race so close to home. Like the Providence Marathon, the course is flat after Mile 5.

November 6, 2011 - ING New York City Marathon: New York, NY: I imagine that running a marathon through New York City would be an incredible experience, but I can't say with certainty that I'm going to run this race because there is a lottery for bib numbers. I think that I'll just enter and hope for the best. (P.S. I love that there are video checkpoints at this race. The stakes are pretty high for elite runners, but little old 9:13-minute mile me isn’t going to win any prize money or be named the top female runner in the world as a result of this race.)

I've spent some time clicking through the Washington Runner's Report Race Calendar to come up with a list of options for 5Ks and 10Ks to fill in gaps between the longer races, but there is also a chance that I'll find some awesome races on the Potomac River Running Race Calendar once it is updated for the new year.

Readers, I welcome your comments and suggestions if you have any experience with any of the above races or other favorites.

No matter what, I am looking forward to whatever this year brings. I hope you will forgive me for quoting Jack Dawson, but I think it is fitting considering my one resolution for this year: "I figure life's a gift and I don't intend on wasting it. You don't know what hand you're gonna get dealt next. You learn to take life as it comes at you...to make each day count. "

Happy New Year, folks. Here's to making 2011 count.

TGI Carb Night - Recipe: Linguine with Shrimp and Tarragon Sauce

Ah yes, Friday. The one night that I know that I plan to put carbs on the dinner plate. When I trained for my first marathon, this dish (which I saw in Cuisine at Home) appeared often on Friday nights before my long runs. I'm not a huge fan of shallots, so I cut back on those just a bit.

You'll need:
1 shallot, minced
a handful of tarragon leaves
1 pound shrimp (the original recipe calls for medium but small shrimp increase the amount of shrimp per bite; I also use cooked shrimp if I'm in a hurry)
1 28-oz can of whole tomatoes
crushed red pepper flakes (to taste)
salt (to taste)
linguine for serving
crumbled goat cheese
olive oil

Cook the pasta according to your tastes. Saute the shallots in oil until softened. Add the red pepper flakes, tomatoes (with their water), and tarragon and simmer for ten minutes. Season with salt. (If you're using raw shrimp, add and cook until pink.) Plate pasta, top with sauce and sprinkle with goat cheese.

Music for Running (3)

I decided against attending tonight's Holiday Light Run and, instead, opted for a short run in the comfort (read: warmth) of my apartment complex's fitness center. There's a part of me that wishes that I had gone, but there's another part of me -- the part that is desperately clinging to the little sanity that is left -- that is pleased that I did not run in tonight's weather. But, I digress...

My indoor runs involve a special kind of sensory overload, so I created a new running playlist to keep things interesting at the gym.

"X Gonna Give It To Ya" - DMX
"Mortal Combat"- Theme from Mortal Combat
"K.I. Feeling" - Theme from Killer Instinct
"Sandstorm" - Darude
"Pump It" - Black Eyed Peas
"Blind" - Ke$ha
"Take It Off" - Ke$ha
"Only Girl (In the World)" - Rhianna
"One More Time" - Daft Punk
"Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger" - Daft Punk
"Givin' U All That I've Got" - Robin S.
"Rude Boy" - Rhianna
"One, Two Step" - Ciara
"Welcome Home" Coheed and Cambria
"Through the Fire and the Flames" - Dragonforce
"Whatever You Like" - T.I.
"Remember the Name" - Fort Minor
"Oops, I did It Again" - Britney Spears

I tested this list during today's run, and there is a nice mix of awesome guitar solos and fist-pumping beats. Plus, who doesn't love DMX's love of barking?

Jingle All the Way 10K Round-Up

The second of my December races is in the bag, and I have one more running-related event to go.

I spent most of last week checking the weather for the slightest chance that the rain would miss DC -- or, at the very least, not rain in the morning. DC did get its rain, but it never was more than a light drizzle during the race.

I decided to take a cab to the starting line, which worked out well once I flagged one down. (I really don't understand DC cab drivers. I want to give you money, and you just have to drive me to my destination. Don't you want money?) I arrived at the starting line with ten minutes to spare and had some time to stretch and figure out a race strategy.

Spoiler: Don't stop running.

There were more than 4,000 race participants today, so it took some time to cross the start check-point after the official call. I imagined how beautiful the run would have been on a clear day. But, even with the rain, there's something amazing about running on a cold and rainy Sunday morning with that many other crazy people.

The first half of the race felt a lot slower than I planned, and I felt like kicking myself when I reached the 5K checkpoint with 37 minutes on the race clock. Today's race was never about winning; honestly, five-minute miles only happen in my dreams. But, I still felt like I didn't perform as well as I could of in the first half.

During the second half of the race, I made a decision to quit BS-ing and give it my all until I crossed the finish line.

My race by the numbers:

Net time: 63:49
Gun time: 68:47
Average pace: 10:17
Age group: 255/383
Women: 1476/2537

Not bad. Not bad at all...

Before the month is over, there's one more event on my calendar.

It isn't a race, but it's certainly one of the most awesome ways to go a-wassailing that I've ever seen:


DC Capital Striders Annual Holiday Light Run

Carols + running + happy hour = a damn good way to spend a Tuesday night.

Santa Shuffle 5K Round-Up

One December race down. One to go.

But, first, a note of thanks:

Dear Red Line,

Thank you for being you. Because even when I think I've factored in any and all possible delays and leave with what I think is enough time to make it to my destination, you still shine, run trains every 19 minutes toward Shady Grove, and create a need to sprint to the race with just enough time to dash across the starting line so that my timing chip is able to record my results. You are the best.

With love,

Alisha

Okay, fine. It actually wasn't that big of a deal, and I got a great warm-up before the race...

..which went extremely well. There were approximately 500 runners from what I could tell from the registration list, and so many went the festive route and ran in fantastic costumes. I -- totally waiting until the last possible minute to think of a costume and giving up -- decided to go the warm route. I'm very happy that I made the decision to pick up a light jacket from Fleet Feet last Thursday. With the newest addition to my running wardrobe, running in today's below freezing temperatures wasn't a problem at all. Plus, I finished with a time with which I'm very happy. I'll post the official time once PR posts the results. UPDATE:My chip time for the race was 31:14:8, which works out to be an average 10 minute mile. Of the female runners, I placed 130 out of 327 and 15th in my age group.

I have a six-mile run planned for tomorrow and my usual speed workouts in preparation for the Jingle All the Way 10K on the 12th. (Running addictions are the healthiest addictions, I'm sure.) By the end of the month, I'll start final preparations for my second round of marathon training -- and desperate prayers that the mid-Atlantic region avoids Snowpocalypse Now, Redux.

Because my run is my drug...

The 12 Steps of Runners Anonymous
by John Farrow

1. We admit that we are powerless over our character flaw and that our lives seem to others to have become unmanageable, but we sort of like it that way.

2. We have come to believe that a power greater than ourselves can restore us to sanity, and that power’s name is Runner’s High.

3. We have made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the pursuit of the perfect Runner’s High and to travel near and far in our quest for the perfect race and a new PR.

4. We have made a searching and fearless inventory of ourselves, and find that we need to increase the mileage on our long runs, intersperse our training with fartleks and tempo runs, do a track workout now and then to increase our speed, add cross-training to our weekly routine and always get enough carbs in our diet.

5. We have admitted to ourselves and to another human being the exact nature of our
shortcomings that we have occasionally taken a day off from training, indulged in fried foods, failed to consume at least eight servings of pasta per day, failed to use the most up-to-date heart rate monitor and that our fridge contains nothing but
beer and running shoes.

6. We are not entirely ready to have all of these character flaws removed until we qualify for Boston one more time.

7. We humbly ask others to lighten up and get off our case with respect to our character flaws so that we can go out for another run.

8. We have made a list of all persons we have harmed and are willing to make amends to them when and if they find the time to accompany us during our weekly 20-mile run.

9. We have made direct amends to such people wherever possible, except when doing so would interfere with our training.

10. We have continued to take personal inventory of all miles run on a daily, weekly, bi-weekly and monthly basis according to each shoe worn, as well as to constantly monitor our heart rate, respiration, fluid consumption and leg turn-over rate during our runs and when we were wrong have promptly taken the necessary steps to get
back on track.

11. We have sought through visualization to improve our running technique and ask only for strength and endurance when next we hit the wall.

12. We have had an awakening as a result of these steps and have redoubled our training as we have tried to carry this message to non-runners everywhere and to practice these principles throughout our training.

ARR News, May 2002
Albuquerque Road Runners Club

There's no place like....

I completely checked out of work on Monday (both mentally and in the Holy-cow-it's-the-holidays-and-I-get-to-go-HOME sense) and took a train to beautiful New Haven, CT. Yes. Beautiful. In fact, when the British landed in West Haven in 1779 and were forced to march through the city (because the colonists awesomely decided to destroy every bridge leading into New Haven), the Red Coats decided not to burn the city because of its beauty. They, instead, decided to torch Hamden. But, I digress...

It's so wonderful to be home! Yesterday included a three-mile run, a Yale hockey game, and a trip to BAR where Nate, Jane, Mark, and I enjoyed a delicious, delicious mashed-potato and bacon pizza and Toasted Blond beer. OM NOM NOM NOM. (At some point before I leave, I'll also visit Claire's Corner Copia for Lithuanian coffee cake.)

But, the highlight of this trip so far was getting my daddy to commit to running a 5K with me and introducing him to the joys of running. We ran a mile today, and he did extremely well! My dad has never been much for cardio, but has spent the last decade or so working on strength training exercises with the free weight set we've had for as long as I can remember. Tomorrow, we're going to run again --- but I'll add on three miles to keep my weekly mileage where it needs to be in the weeks before I start seriously training for my next marathon.

By the way, does anyone have any brilliant ideas for my costume for the Santa Shuffle 5K? I'm thinking that, for the first time, the "sexy" versions of costumes might actually be appropriate (with running tights and a base-layer, of course) I'm thinking elf. Or reindeer. I think I need at least one shopping trip while I am home.

Happy holidays!

She's Going the Distance (Again)

Call me crazy.

It’s been four weeks since I crossed the finish line in Baltimore, and I’m ready to commit to a second marathon. I have a date (March 20, 2011), a race (Yuengling Shamrock Marathon), a goal (shave one hour off the Baltimore Marathon time), a new pair of running shoes, and a colorful training schedule that will carry me until the race in March

Race recovery went well, but not having a set running schedule after months of having running be such a huge part of my life prior to October 16th felt strange. I loved the extra time, but I definitely felt antsy on more than one occasion. But, the antsy-feeling meant that I had more time to think about how I could approach the next couple of months and set some fitness goals.

Daft Punk said it best: “Work it, make it, do it, makes us harder, better, faster, stronger.”

My newest training spreadsheet is divided into two phases. Phase One started earlier this month and will take me to the last week of December. The goal here is to lay the groundwork to build a better body and increase my speed. Mixing speed workouts with strength training and longs runs of seven or eight miles has worked out well so far. (I’m starting to find that a nine-minute mile pace is comfortable for more than a few minutes. Sweet.)

To add spice and make all of this work worth it in the end, I decided to run shorter races to keep me on the path to reaching my speed goals. I’m most excited about the Santa Shuffle 5K Race – but only because I’d get to dress up as a holiday character. There’s also Jingle All the Way, a 10K where I would get to wear bells while I run. Both races are in December, and I’m also looking into races in 2011. (Most importantly, I’m trying to justify flying to Orlando for the Disney Princess Half Marathon in February. It would be against my love for all things Disney Princess if I didn’t run this race. And, we wouldn’t want that.)

Around the last week of December, I'll start my official training with long runs starting at 13 miles. Winter training will bring its own set of challenges, I'm sure. In any case, it should be a rockin' good time.

There'll be more updates along the way -- more hilarious running stories, recipes, and kick ass playlists.

Are you ready for Round 2? I sure am.