The Food Lover's Challenge: Colorful Meals

This week, the food lovers (Kate and Carrie) challenged themselves to eat seven of the most colorful meals they could think up. They were to take a photograph of their most colorful meal each day and compile them into a series of e-mails to another coworker. Said coworker (Julia) would choose the winner. And then Carrie would blog about it. Here's how it went down.

Kate ate:

Carrie ate:

And the leprechaun with the pot of gold (get it? rainbow reference) goes to yours truly.

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After seeing my photos, Kate said "I still think I should win. But I will admit that if I had to choose between eating only my meals for the rest of my life or yours, I would definitely want your meals." She does get major props for the rainbow she created, using blue cheese to make the roygbiv complete. And I realize that my phone takes better pictures than hers. But I put a lot of thought into some of these meals and I think I deserve the gold!

This week, Kate has challenged us to write down everything we consume that is not water or air. I will say that was motivation enough not to eat an extra two cookies after lunch yesterday. Talk about holding yourself accountable. I'm not sure I'm going to like this but I will try.

If anyone wants to join the fun, send me an e-mail! And, by fun, I mean serious ultra majorly competitive food challenge.

Weekend Recap: NYC Marathon and Other Sweaty Things

Don't let the title of this post fool you, I did not run the New York City Marathon this weekend. I have never run any marathon but I now want to even more.

I left work early on Friday for a doctor's appointment and afterward, took a long walk through residential DC to the Wilson Aquatic Center. I read what seemed like a million tweets about the #INGNYCM but wanted more. I soaked up the sunshine and stopped to take many iPhone photos of the fall foliage.

I got to the pool and thought about how strange it was for me to be there. Nine days earlier, I had never really swum laps. And for my entire adult life, I have been opposed to working out at any indoor, gym-like facility. I still prefer to exercise outdoors, and showering before a workout seems backward, but I am being open-minded and trying something new. And my swimming experience on Friday was so much more encouraging than last week's.

Coincidentally, the cross training section of my new Run Less Run Faster book has information about swimming for runners. I roughly followed it's suggestions and swam for 45 minutes swimming one lap (50 meters total), resting for 15 seconds, kicking one lap, resting for 15 seconds, and then repeating the cycle. In that time I did 24 laps total. I am pretty slow and I did it in the "Water Walking Leisure Swim" lane but still felt lightyears better than I did on my first try.

My feet had provided for a great mode of transport earlier in the afternoon so I spontaneously decided to walk home. Then Josh and I walked to Adams Morgan to meet our friends for drinks. I ended up walking 6.3 miles through the city for the day and was excited to see the Zoo Lights up. They're free in case you were wondering!

Saturday, after lounging and watching the Florida Gators dominate their homecoming game, Josh and I drove back to Wilson High School, which is quickly becoming one of my favorite places to sweat, for a double header soccer game. The games were long, challenging, and frustrating at times but they were fun. We won the first and lost the second. Josh took a hard beating with a knee in the ribs, a cleat on the toe, a kick in the head, and an even further sprained wrist. But Ingrid and I, playing soccer together since 1993, were together again. We both have bruises to show for it too.

I woke up Sunday morning, opened Twitter, and realized that the 42nd Annual NYC Marathon was underway and that I could watch live coverage on Universal Sports. So I ate breakfast and spectated the race from my couch.

I had plans to run with Ingrid so I left before it was through. Both feeling sore and beat up from Saturday's games, we ran a relaxing 5.6 miles in the chilly sunshine.

By the time we got home, the winning women had finished the marathon. Ethiopians Dado and Deba stole gold and silver, respectively, and Mary Kearney, who held a significant lead from miles 1 to 25 fell to third at the very end and took the bronze. I watched the men finish, as Geofrey Mutai, who set the world marathon record at Boston in the spring, set a new record for NYC at 2:05:06.

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Among eating, cleaning, and admiring Josh's fall photography, I spent the rest of the day soaking up all things NYCM. Reading tweets and watching videos online were nothing like being there, as a spectator or runner, but they were still incredibly inspiring.

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This race means so much to so many runners. It is one of the greatest in the world. And watching it unfold struck a chord with me in a way that watching the world series or the super bowl never could.

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I know I'll never be running with the Kearneys or the Dodas of the world but I'd like to have a go (a much slower one) at that course one day. Much of the territory that the race runs over, especially the bridges, I have experienced on a bike in the 5 Boros Bike Ride. Somehow I think that running those streets would be more amazing, and I imagine more organized. Until I do, I plan to continue spectating. Maybe next year I'll get off my couch and cheer, with two million others, from the streets of New York.

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Really, the only bad thing I can say about this weekend is that we fell back. It is now dark at 5:20 pm and my after work runs are going to get scary. I guess that just means more indoor swimming and quality workouts with my favorite running buddies!

I hope you all had great weekends and congrats to everyone who ran New York!

Racing my first 10K

Today I finally bit the bullet and registered for a race I've been eyeing for a long time, the YMCA Turkey Chase. I have been hesitant to do this because I like to be cozy (read: lazy) on Thanksgiving morning and I have plans to play a hardcore game of football with my friends that afternoon.

But, when I put "Run a 10k and PR" on my list of November goals, I was committed. I realize that it's impossible for me not to PR but when I say "PR" in this instance, I am not talking about setting a personal record for the 10k distance. I am talking about setting a personal record race pace which means I have to run faster than an average of 9:04 minutes/mile for 6.2 miles.

My real goal is to really push myself and run fast. When registering, I had to enter my expected finish time and I selected "53 minutes" which means I have to run 6.2 miles in 8:31 minutes each. Now that it's in writing, it is something I have to work toward.

The question is: how do I work toward this goal? Luckily, my new Run Less Run Faster book has a detailed 10k training schedule. Unluckily, the schedule starts 12 weeks out from the race and mine is in 19 days. So that won't exactly work but it has helped me form my own quick plan. Here is how I will run less and run faster in the next nineteen days.

Once I feel that I really understand it, I will post more about the Run Less Run Faster program but the premise is that doing only 3 key runs (track workout for speed, tempo run, and long run) a week, and mixing in 2-3 non-weight bearing cross training sessions, will help your fitness and speed and will reduce the impact and stress on your body.

As someone who feels, and fears, the impact that running has had on my knees, I am very intrigued, and nearly sold, on this training plan. I'll see how it works over these short three weeks and then maybe take it more seriously for a future race.

Whatever my pace ends up being, the best thing of all about this race is that it runs within two blocks of my parents' house. So, while they're hard at work in the kitchen, they can take a little walk down the street to see me run by. I just made this discovery today and, let's be honest, that's really why I gave in and registered.

Can't wait for thanksgiving and for my first official (non-virtual) holiday race!


Have you ever run a holiday race? Do you have any good advice for last minute 10k training?

Happy Friday

Here are some things on my mind going into the weekend...

1. I won my first ever giveaway, thanks to Vanessa of Gourmet Runner. I got a $25 gift card to planetgear.com and my indecisive self is going to have a really hard time deciding on something. But I'm very excited about the possibilities!

2. Nikki posted the long awaited recap of her Baltimore Marathon (26.2 on her 26th birthday). This post made me so happy and at times even made me want to cry. And more than anything, it made me want to run 26.2 miles sooner rather than later. This terrifies me tremendously but it is real and it's something I'm thinking about. You have to read her post.

3. I ran four something miles last night and passed Obama's motorcade. It was hard and my muscles felt tight but, somehow, I pulled this off among some of my favorite hills:

4. I got a present in the [electronic] mail yesterday. It is already hanging up at my desk and on my fridge.

5. And I got this in the snail mail. I hope to be running faster and smarter in no time.

6. Post-workout chocolate milk has been replaced by post-workout hot chocolate. I normally make swiss miss with water because it's fewer calories but tonight I used real milk. Actually, I normally don't even drink hot chocolate because I'm not such a fan. But for health and recovery's sake, I think I can handle some warm cocoa beverages this winter.

7. I am going swimming tonight for the second time and I'm going it alone. Hopefully I will come out alive and with less chlorine water up my nose than last time. Tomorrow, I have two soccer games back to back and I am determined for us to win both. Hopefully we won't be playing in the snow this time.


Happy Friday! Any exciting weekend plans?

The Food Lover's Challenge: A Salad a Day

The challenge for this week was to eat more salad. Specifically, to eat a salad once a day. We both failed but, luckily, that means we both won because we each ate five days worth of salads.

We bent the rules a little but I think it's fair to say that if my chicken salad on a sesame bun counts, then Kate's cucumber and peppers on a plate also count. I'll give her the granola with fruit on top but I think that's questionable.

I regret not getting more creative with my salads. The best one I had was made by Sweetgreen. It was mesclun with quinoa, butternut squash, pears, walnuts, almonds, and goat cheese. I kept planning to make Sarah's recommendation but I have never made hard boiled eggs before so I shied away.

Instead, I had many days of spinach and threw some almonds and lemon juice on it one day. She's right- the lemon was awesome! Here is my pretty, and very green, assortment of meals.

On Wednesday, I e-mailed Kate a picture of my amazing Sweetgreen salad as she ate the one she brought from home. This is how she felt about that.

So the competition continues. This week we're doing the opposite of eating as much green as possible. We are competing for who can eat the most colorful meals. This was my idea and was inspired by my bff Nicole, who never fails to point out when someone's (usually, it was Josh's) food is all one color.

Winner gets a pot of gold and a leprechaun!

Monkvember- November Goals

My friend Sarah participates in something called Monkvember every year. As she puts it, "Monkvember is a time to sacrifice, better, and challenge yourself for the month of November." She and her friends each create a list of at least five tenets of self-improvement and self-denial that they'll adhere to for the month. My favorite one of Sarah's each year is to "blog every day" and, luckily, that's on her list again. So when her tenets for Monkvemeber 2011 popped up on my reader yesterday morning, I considered participating for the first time. And when I sat down to write out my November goals, I couldn't help but be inspired by the monks.

So here goes nothing... the tenets for my first Monkvember are:

1. No candy
2. No Facebook stalking
3. No saying sorry unless I truly am
4. Pack a lunch every day for work
5. Email my best friends (the ones outside of DC) at least once a week
6. Stretch and foam roll every day
7. Swim once a week

Other goals for November include:

1. Run my first 10k and PR (yeah... it's impossible not to)
2. Take at least three yoga classes at STROGA
3. Buy "Run Less, Run Faster". Learn it and live it.

Happy November everyone and thanks for spreading the Monkvember trend, Sarah!

Virtual Halloween 5k

Kiley of The Daily Vitamin F recently came up with the wonderful idea of hosting virtual holiday races this year to encourage people to get out and be active, even on the holidays. It is pretty easy- all you have to do is run, bike, walk, etc. a 5k or more and take a picture of yourself with the certificate. Then you can enter to win some very cool prizes that she's giving away.

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For my virtual holiday race, I put in a little more than 3.1 miles. I had plans to meet up with Nikki to return the key I used to cat sit for her this weekend so we decided to just combine our runs and catch up on our weekends. She ran to my apartment to pick me up, we ran back to hers, and then I ran home myself. There is no requirement to race in festive gear but I wore orange and black since I didn't have any run-worthy costumes.

She got to me around 6 and we took the long route to her place so we'd have a little longer to talk. The sun was setting and we were speeding along admiring the many kids in costume. Seventeen minutes later, we were at her place and had lots more to catch up on. We stood there for another ten or fifteen minutes and then I left in the dark, scaring her by saying "I'll text you when I get home. If you haven't heard from me in 20 minutes, call Josh." Nothing was going to happen but we are both paranoid and it's better to be safe than sorry!

I ran a quick and easy 1.5 miles home and finished my "race" at 3.44 miles in 30:04. I ran my Halloween 5.54K in an average of 8:44 minute miles.

Here I am with my bib, which I had to wait until today to print at work. Hopefully running the race on Halloween but photographing the bib the day after still counts!

I'm so excited to have participated in this first virtual race and can't wait for more! I recommend that you head over to The Daily Vitamin F to read about the holiday races and find out how to participate in the rest. If you'll be in DC for any holiday and want to run a virtual race together (is that an oxymoron) then holler!


Have you ever done a virtual race? Or a holiday race in general? Did you run on Halloween?