Staying flexible

How strict do you keep to your training schedule? Does every run have to take place on the exact date and exact pace, or do you change things around based on life events and how you feel?

I bring this up just because I knocked my 10-mile run out a day early this week to be able to go to a crossfit class with a friend Saturday morning. I'm missing out on the actual group run, but I still got the miles in and I'm also getting a cross training opportunity out of the deal. I'm completely okay with this, but I know some people try to stick to their set training schedules and deviating is totally out of the question.

I know I'll need to get a bit stricter when I start my training for the Saint Louis Go! Marathon in January, but until then, miles are miles!

So, I tried a new recipe that I'm only so-so on. It wasn't bad, but I don't see myself trying it again. I'll share, just in case it turns out better for you.

Sweet Potato Fettuccini with Cauliflower Sauce

Needed for sauce:
-head of cauliflower, chopped in florets
-32 ounce vegetable broth
-minced garlic
-butter

1. Sauté the garlic in butter and set aside.

2. Bring broth to boil, add cauliflower. Simmer till soft, 8-10 minutes.

You can see my sweet potatoes hanging out over there, too. I was multitasking

3. Use a slotted spoon to add cauliflower to food processor (may have to do it in batches). Add the garlic and about a cup of the broth and blend. Add more broth as desired until you reach the consistency you like. Set aside sauce.

Needed for Fettuccini:
-sweet potato
-butter

1. Peel potato and bake in microwave for about 1-2 minutes, depending on size, so it's just soft enough to cut into strips.

2. Cut into about quarter inch strips.

3. Sauté in pan in butter until tender.

4. Pour about a cup of the cauliflower sauce over the top, cook for another minute then serve.

I didn't take a final picture of this because it wasn't very pretty. It made me think of Martha Stewart's ugly food tweets and I just didn't want to do it.

It was good because I like sweet potatoes and I like cauliflower, but I don't think I like them together. You win some, you lose some.

But one last gem I need to share with you. I was at City Lights Coffee shop yesterday in Downtown Charleston and got a coconut water with pulp in it. This was my first experience with one with coconut pulp and it was delicious! Little pieces of coconuty goodness along with a great hydrating drink. Perfection.

It's getting cold out here, so put on all your clothes

How do you cope with cold weather running? In the past, I would just run on the treadmill. I hate the cold! But now that I've moved to South Carolina, the weather gently eases you into the winter months with one day in the 30's, but then the next 3 days in the 60's, so I've been sticking with running outside 2-3 times a week...and the rest on the treadmill. Baby steps!

My local running store, Fleet Feet Mount Pleasant, put on this awesome holiday run - Chase Santa, Beat the Grinch - where more than 100 people showed up, ran 4 miles, won lots of prizes (a running shirt for me) and if you beat santa you got a glass and if you beat the grinch you got 20% off anything in the store. There were also smores and other goodies afterward. How cool is that?! There's not many free events like that these days and it was a blast!

Santa and the Grinch

Group shot, can you find me? J/k.

After the run, I'm in the short sleeve pink

While that was a ton of fun, I did a 9-miler with the half marathon training group this past Saturday and it just was not my running day. I felt sluggish and heavy and just couldn't make myself go any faster. The problem is that most people in that group are really fast so they took off at an 8:30 pace, which I tried to keep up with for the first mile, then paid dearly for it later. 8:30 is a very fast pace for me. The fastest mile I've ever run was a 7:45 and my best 10k was done at an 8:45 pace, so there was no sustaining an 8:30 for 9 miles. I slowly dropped down to 9 minute pace, then 9:20, then fell into a groove at a 10 minute pace - my true, comfortable, long distance pace. However, one of the trainers noticed and slowed down with me, which is great, except I had to slow down to 10:30 at some points and he was more of a sub-9 kind of person. I really use the group on Saturdays to stay accountable and motivate me to get up and get my run in. It's okay if I run it alone, I've ran plenty of miles alone, because it just makes me feel bad when I'm keeping someone back from pushing themselves. Maybe the 10-miler this upcoming Saturday will play out better.

Yesterday's run was amazing though! I felt strong and motivated, which I haven't felt in a long time, so I took advantage of it and pushed myself hard. We did half mile hill repeats, where we would run hard up a hill for half a mile, then easy back down. On the third one, the store manager ran with me up the last stretch of the hill and really had me give it my all on that last push. We were prescribed 3 sets for the workout, but since I finished a little bit ahead of the last group, I went ahead and started back up the hill till I met up with them just to give myself that little extra bit. We also had a 1 mile warmup and cooldown and then I stayed for the 30 minute core workout that kicks my butt! Overall it was just a really great workout. I've been feeling a little low lately, but that workout was cathartic and just made me feel really good.

Maybe I'll go run the bridge on Thursday to try to push some of this negativity out of my life...as long as it's warm enough outside :)

Happy holidays!

I know it's been awhile since I last posted, but I've been having some technical difficulties with my blogger app, so I had to wait till I could sit down at my laptop and update that way. It's amazing what we do on smartphones these days! I could go a month without ever using my laptop. Anyway...

How was everyone's Thanksgiving? Mine was pretty great (for the most part)! Me and the hubs hopped in the car and drove for 11 hours to visit with his family. Now, I've gotten pretty spoiled by the warm weather of the South, but Pittsburgh knocked me right into reality with 18° and snow. That definitely made for an interesting run!

After we got back home, hubs left for a military training so I've been trying to focus on my health - lots of fruit and veg and upping the workouts. I've been doing my half marathon training program still, as well as including a core class after my Tuesday night training run. It's not much and he's only gone for 3 weeks, but it just feels good to focus on myself for a bit.

Most of my recipe ideas have been inspired by the amazing Backyard Produce that I get each week, including kale-pesto salmon, carrot and potato soup, and kale and cabbage coleslaw.

Kale-pesto Salmon

Needed:
-2 salmon filets
-1/2 cup pine nuts
-2 cups kale, packed
-1 tbsp olive oil

1. Blend the pine nuts, kale and olive oil till it makes a paste.

2. Smear it on the top of the filets and let it marinate for 15 minutes.

3. Bake the marinated filets at 425° for 12 minutes.

4. Remove from the oven, seal in foil and let it sit in its foil packet for 10 minutes, then serve.

We had ours with twice-baked sweet potatoes and a veggie mix. I am obsessed with the sweet potatoes cooked this way, it's like dessert with your dinner!

Carrot Potato Soup

Needed:
-a pound of carrots, chopped
-2 potatoes, skinned and chopped
-1/2 cup rice
-onion, chopped
-32 ounces vegetable broth
-sour cream, optional

1. Simmer the carrots and potatoes in the broth for 20 minutes.

2. Add the rice and cook for an additional 18-20 minutes. The carrots/potatoes should be nice and soft.

3. Add everything to a food processor and process till the consistency you want. Serve and top with a dollop of sour cream.

This makes a pretty big portion and since it was just me, I ate on it for four days. You could probably freeze a couple portions if you get tired of eating carrots. Luckily, I thought it was pretty tasty and definitely hearty.

Kale-cabbage Coleslaw

Needed:
-2 cups kale, chopped to bite size
-1/2 head cabbage, chopped
-2 tbsp mayo
-2 tbsp Dijon mustard
-1 tbsp olive oil

1. Mix the greens together in a bowl.

2. Whisk the oil, mayo and mustard together.

3. Pour the oil mixture over the greens and mix until covered. Enjoy!

With the New Year coming up, have you started thinking about resolutions? I typically don't buy into it, because why should you only start being a better person in January? You can start any day. But me and the hubs have talked about really focusing on our relationship in the New Year - communicating more and fighting less and just trying to be more understanding of each other. After being married for 6 years, we're about due for a reminder on why we fell in love in the first place and 2014 is the year!