Hood to Coast 2011

I completed my 5th or 6th Hood to Coast at the end of August. I've tried to rack my brain to remember how many years I've done it but they all blend together. This year however, with the exception of the worst traffic in the history of the race and 90 degree weather, was a blast! I felt prepared, had a fabulous team and the best van, got really great legs (not the ones connected to my feet), and finished at the beach in time to get home and crash by 8 that night. I'd heard that Hood to Coast is a lot like childbirth in that it is so hard and miserable, but somehow you still want to do it again. Now that I've had a baby I understand...actually not really. The race, I'd like to do again, but I'm still trying to convince myself that we need more than one baby!

 

I really enjoyed being able to squirt people in the face while they ran.

Agression channeled in an appropriate way, I think.

It was so dang hot, I hope they appreciated it.

-

One of my teammates wore these awesome sequined shorts to commemorate

his last run. Everyone loved them. People asked him if he lost a bet.

Here we are trying to pretend that we were happy that  the port-a-potty

line was 45 minutes long (after sitting in a car for 3 hours).

And here we are at the blessed finish line!

And my fabulous van (and our driver...what a luxury!) doing our team salute.

It's supposed to be a swordfish, however it looked more like 'Heil Hitler'. Unfortunate.

Now I'm training for a Halloween themed half marathon at the end of October.

So little time, so many races to run.

See Ambam Run

I celebrated my independence this 4th of July by running a half marathon on Sauvie Island.

I felt great the whole time, it was the first time I've actually felt energized while running.

I'd like to thank the peppy cheer squad I had along the race and at the finish!

I left this race with:

Sauvie Island-made strawberry shortcake

The determination to train for speed and hills

Excitement for Hood to Coast

The desire to find another great race

An insatiable appetite

the faintest hint of a tan

and the satisfaction of knowing I run slightly faster than a 70-year-old speedwalker

13.1

I have adopted a new mantra after my trip to the land of milk and honey (and big hair, fake tans and great shopping) .

No, it's not "wow, I am so pasty!" but an entirely different kind of thing.

It is:

I can do hard things.

The Salt Lake City Half-marathon was a blast.

I thought for sure I was going to die because of a number of things (in no particular order)-the altitude, lack of training, a giant unforeseen hill in the middle of the course, a non-cooperative knee among many other things.

I instead found myself really surprised by how fun all 13.1 miles were.

Don't get me wrong, there was some panting, sweating and a very long mile 11.

But I think the hardest part of the whole race came before it even began.

My Mom (like most) can't leave any place without taking a trip to the ladies' room.

The race was no exception.

Unfortunately this routine stop turned into 45 minutes waiting in line for a honey bucket.

I watched her line crawl ahead as runners zoomed past me to start the race.

15 minutes after the race officially began my blood was boiling.

I was ticked.

But I had to make a decision-

be mad at my for Mom for 2+ hours for something that wasn't her fault

OR

get over it and get pumped for the long road ahead.

I chose the latter and was blessed!

I'm so glad it's over, but I feel so empowered.

I encourage all of you to do something like this.

You may be surprised with the result.

I now know that I can do hard things.

All of us at the finish line. Rach and Kristina did the 5k (woot!woot!)

Kudos to our dedicated cheering squad for getting up at 4:45am to go with us.

An apple [fritter] a day...

Friday was a momentous day.
I ran TEN miles.
More than I have ever run in my life.
The only thing that got me through that run was the thought of a rendez vous with an apple fritter.
Not just any apple fritter-a Voodoo apple fritter.
They're so good you may just Liz yourself.
The Pants affectionately calls them "crack doughnuts".
All day I thought about that doughnut.
As we finished a dinner of Japanese Curry I was giddy for that doughnut.
Giddy and fatigued.
REALLY fatigued.
We braved the inevitable line at Voodoo Doughnut and when we got to the counter the unthinkable happened.
They were out of apple fritters.
A minor meltdown occurred.
It was the closest I've ever come to throwing a hissy fit in public.
I looked to The Pants as I searched for something to say.
The Pants sensed my fragile state and asked for 3 french Kruellers.
But I didn't run TEN miles for mediocre french Kruellers.
I made him eat them as I sulked on our walk to the car.
"Are you sure you don't want one?" he asked gingerly.
"NO! All I wanted was an apple fritter! Why couldn't they just make more?" I barked.
The Pants suggested Papa Hayden's on the way home from renting two stellar movies.
Twilight and Labyrinth.
I only allowed a small grin to show as I agreed.
Chocolate banana cream pie would do.
After waiting in line at the bakery counter for 10 minutes and nearly crashing into every waitress carrying someone else's dessert I decided to call it quits.
I must have looked dejected because I could see the pity in the onlookers' eyes as they waited their hour turn for a table.
The Pants had the same look when I returned to the car empty handed.
I couldn't give up though, even if my body was telling me it was time to.
Defeated at last I went where anyone would go--the ice cream case at Safeway.
Straight to the Haagen-Dazs Pineapple Coconut Ice Cream and a jar of fudge sauce.
David Bowie and Edward Cullen consoled me as I drowned my sorrows in that pint and dreamed of a tomorrow filled with apple fritters.

Tomorrow brought a dream fulfilled. Just a day delayed.

I can only imagine what crisis this Friday's 12 miles will bring.
The Pants can only imagine what pregnancy will bring.

I don't want to Brag

BUT I ran 9 miles today and I'm pretty proud of myself
(and Lyndsey and my Mom and little Halle).

We ran on the Johnson Creek trail through some sketch neighborhoods.

Best part (besides when it was over): Three men [possibly inebriated] yelled from their bench:
"Hey lady, that's some beautiful silver hair!"
And then on the way back:
"Wow, these ladies with their baby strollers today. Way to go! Woot...Woot!" [Hollering continued]

Worst Part: Happening upon some thuggish ruggish kids in the middle of tagging a light pole and taking a picture of their "work" (while smoking pot). Awesome.

A picture of beautiful silver-haired Mama:

Fartlek and Chocolate Cake

First off, my Dad and I have decided to take the plunge and run the Salt Lake City Half-Marathon in April. I started training today and it felt great. My friend, Lyndsey, recommended a training schedule that includes Fartlek runs. When she first uttered the word I thought it was some kind of slang, as in a "butt-kicker" or "so many hills you may fart uncontrollably" kind of run. But it's an actual term that describes a sporadic, pace-changing run.
Who knew?

Secondly, I had my first attempt at baking a from-scratch chocolate cake yesterday. It turned out really good. It made a perfect "Welcome home to the Pants" cake. I halved the recipe to make a small round cake, added chocolate chips and came up with a chocolate whipped cream frosting on the fly--you know the kind. It's the Oh Crap! It's Sunday, What do I have in my fridge? That'll work, kind. And it did. Oh, Blessings!

The moral of the story is: I am going to need some major encouragement in the coming months to do this:

(Pretend this is me--6 inches taller with an effortless stride!)
Carrie, I hope you don't find this creepy.

And even more encouragement NOT to eat this:


Oh by the way, I've decided to combine this blog with my cooking blog.
From now on I'll just post recipes here.

Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Whipped Cream Topping
(this recipe makes a small round cake.
x2 and it will make a 9x13 cake)
Cake Ingredients:
1/2 cup margarine
3/4 cup and 2 tablespoons white sugar
1-1/2 eggs
3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup milk
1-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup chopped semi-sweet chocolate chips

Whipped Topping Ingredients:
1 cup whipping cream
2 tbs fudge sauce (for ice cream)
2 tbs powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour a round cake pan. Sift together the flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
In a large bowl, cream together the margarine and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in the vanilla. Beat in the flour mixture alternately with the milk, mixing just until incorporated. Add chocolate chips. Pour batter into prepared pan.
Bake in the preheated oven for 40 to 45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Allow to cool. Turn pan upside down onto a large plate. Tap around bottom of pan to loosen cake. To transfer cake on to serving platter, place serving platter on top of cake (with plate underneath) and flip.

Topping:
In a mixing bowl whip whipping cream and powdered sugar until light and fluffy.
Add fudge sauce and whip until combined.
Frost top and sides of cake once completely cooled.

Hood to Coast