Rock and Roll 1/2 Marathon RECAP

Yesterday was my first Half Marathon. If you recall, I decided one day to train for my first 5K before my 40th birthday. Running was NOT something I ever did. EVER. At the time, I had a 3 and 6 year old. I worked full time. I was just getting into the swing of things juggling those boys and my life. I never, ever thought that one day I would be running a 1/2 marathon.

Well, this year, I started running with Black Girls Run, my running group. These women were so much fun. They were encouraging. They pushed me to keep going further. I went from 1 mile to 3 miles. From 3 miles to 5 miles. One day, I ran 7. Then, they signed me up for my first ten mile race. I conquered the Broad Street Run. I started training with a crew of ladies who were training for their first half marathons. Team 13.1 is what we started calling ourselves after the number of miles in the race.

Every morning at 5am, we trained hard. Some mornings, we ran hills. Some mornings we did boot camp. Some mornings, we did speed intervals. Once a week, we ran a long run. We did this for about 12 weeks. Finally, two weeks ago, one of the ladies asked me if I was running the 1/2 marathon with them. To tell the truth, I was scared that I couldn’t do it. It just sounded so crazy. In my head….I DON’T RUN HALF MARATHONS.

Finally, I realized the deadline had passed for me to register without paying a gazillion dollars. One of the teammates, pulled out of the event due to injury and I ended up with her race bib. Suddenly, I felt like the universe was conspiring to propel me to run this race. I drank the Kool Aid and got ready.

Saturday night, my stomach was killing me. I was so anxious. I think I got four hours of sleep.

I woke up on Sunday morning and started getting ready. When I got there, I found my training crew. We were all anxious but we had run the distance once before. We hugged each other and encouraged each other.

PRE-RACE laughs with my training crew….

During the race, we talked and felt good. We passed miles and enjoyed the race waving to friends and family all the way. We saw an elderly gentleman running in a POW-MIA shirt while holding an American flag on a long flagpole. It brought tears to my eyes. Around mile 7, one of my co-workers who had been reclaiming his health ran up and hugged me. He was running his first race too. We high fived and joked that we would see each other on the finish line.

Our running team had cheerleaders at every mile marker. They were awesome. They had signs and cheered for us by name. They were so uplifting. I cruised into mile ten feeling good.

THE BEST PEP SQUAD EVER!

Right around mile 10-all smiles

At mile 11 1/2, my body started to hit the wall. My breathing was not labored thanks to all of my swimming and endurance training. For an asthmatic, I used to worry about gasping for air but I have great breath control now. However, my legs were starting to feel it. My body started talking to me.

My knees said “Look here. Didn’t we have a talk not too long ago? Didn’t I tell you to sit your old azz down and rest? Why do you have me out here doing this?”

All of a sudden, I looked over and saw one of our coaches. This woman. WHEW. She was not running today but she knew that on training runs, we had all started to struggle at the end. She positioned herself right at that mile 11.5 marker and what did she yell out to us? “There you guys are. I have been waiting specifically for you.” Then she ran into the street and started yelling (with love) MOVE IT LADIES, THIS IS THE HOMESTRETCH. YOU ARE 2 MILES AWAY. LET”S GO! She then started to run next to us and push us. I told her I had to go slow at this point cause my legs were shot. She told me to “stop making excuses and keep moving.” LOL…gotta love it.

She ran the remaining two miles in with us before turning back to go run in with more of our team. BGR had almost 60 runners in the race. Amazing. She helped run in most of us. What an angel.

CROSSING THE FINISH LINE WITH OUR COACH NEXT TO US (she is on the right with no race bib on)

What was great was that we stayed next to each other for the entire race. We all finished within seconds of each other. Here we are right after we all received our post race medals. Minutes after finishing.

POST RACE PHOTO

I really did it. It is now starting to sink in.

It was a great experience. On a personal note, I also got to compete and train for all these weeks with my sorority sisters. We love each other and pushed, coached and held each other up. We all purchased special shirts to commemorate our 13.1 miles. To find them in pink and green was perfect. We showed up to our post race brunch rocking our AKA pearls and our shirts.

TEAM AKA/TEAM 13.1

Yup, Thirteen point freaking one…your girl is a RUNNER.

Kryptonite

Mr. 1969 has started a rigorous new job. He is in hardcore training for a year, at the end of which, he will own his own business.  I fully support him in this endeavor and know that the long term outlook for our family could be huge. I never blogged about it but the last year has been a challenging one for our family. My hubby was laid off from his job last year. While we weren’t affected too hard financially due to a good package and unemployment, it was a hard adjustment for him personally. I didn’t share it on the blog because some family stuff is simply private and I didn’t need my hubby’s business out on Front Street as he dealt with that transition.

I can’t lie, I was so spoiled having him home for that time. Our house was immaculate, he dropped and picked up the boys every day so I could work, train, etc. All I did was cook dinner. With him undertaking this new endeavor, my life of leisure has come to a screeching halt. SCREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEECH.

Mr. 1969 has to now leave the house by 7:30am. The boys have to be at school at 8am. I have also started the Triathlon training schedule. Most mornings, I am up at 4:45 and at the gym by 5-5:30am. I swim laps or run or bike for a good hour then roll back in at 6:30am. I have to come back, get the boys dressed and make breakfast and then drop them to school. After which, I come home and get ready to work.

While I do work from home, I usually have appointments and sales calls daily. I now have to be back by 4pm to pick up the boys, do home work, make dinner, etc. Mr. 1969 works till 6pm most evenings and till 8pm two days a week.

Right now, I am doing EVERYTHING. While I am not complaining because I am so excited for my husband to have this opportunity and I will support him 100% in this endeavor so he can focus on what he needs to do to be successful…..can I just share that Superwoman is TIRED?

Yesterday was the 2nd day of my training calendar. The first day I swam 1,o00 yards and biked for 30 minutes. Yesterday, I swam 1,250 yds and then got out of the pool and ran 3 miles. I worked all day. I came home and whipped up a Valentine’s dinner for the men. I also baked red velvet cupcakes. When I finally stopped moving, I laid in my bed and stared at the ceiling and realized I was completely and utterly exhausted.

I know that two weeks from now, I will be used to the flow. You know me, I will just make it work. I have been spoiled for months by a great hubby who did everything for our family. Getting back into Superwoman mode is taking longer than I thought.

As I type this, I am about to get ready to head into the city for a lunch appointment and a meeting with my boss. *sigh*

I take on too much. Usually it’s because I want to. This time, I have to.  This is what sacrifice is all about. I am focused on the long term goals for my family and when my hubby comes home late and still has homework, I know that it’s worth it to have his back and keep our house running smoothly.

I just needed to tell someone….I really am tired.

There, I said it. Off to work. Somebody get my cape!

Gone Fishing!

I am officially on vacation until 2012. Somehow, I am still waking up at the crack of dawn, still working out early, still running errands like a crazy woman. There is no leisure time in the 1969 household.

In the last three days, I have baked mini cheesecakes for the Tali’s Holiday events at school. I have been doing my VERY LAST MINUTE holiday shopping. I finally got my cards in the mail. I did the Holiday meal shopping (Prime Rib Roast, Grilled Salmon, Roasted Asparagus and Potatoes). Whew, vacation is wearing a sister out!

I have managed to swim twice this week and both times, I completed 41 laps of a 25 meter pool.That’s 1,025 meters. I need to be able to swim 860 meters for my race. Of course I stop and take some breaks but I am at least now able to swim that distance pretty consistently. I am the dolphin!

I also finally got a chance to run with Black Girls Run, the Philadelphia Chapter. What a great group of ladies! We ran at the track near my house and did 3.45 miles yesterday. The women were just like me, moms, working women and they all were trying to get their fitness together. If anyone lives in Philly and wants to start running, I highly recommend you join the Facebook page and get started. The ladies range from walkers to runners and no runner is left behind.

I am about to run back out to look for stocking stuffers to complete my Santa’s TO DO LIST. I plan on spending tomorrow ice skating with my boys and taking in some of the holiday sites downtown.

Have a safe and Happy Holiday everyone….from our home to yours!

 

Tri update

How is training going? Glad you asked! With about 6 weeks to go, it’s going as well as can be expected.

SWIMMING

I have been swimming twice a week. No more trainer, I learned all of my stroking techniques and now I am working on building up my endurance for the 1/2 mile. I think *gasp* I will be in decent shape for the race. The key is to learn different strokes so when you are swimming and you get tired of freestyle, you can switch to another stroke with ease and keep moving. The key is to never stop swimming. I was extremely anxious and I still am. I think it will be the toughest part of the race but I will feel so good when I complete it. Last week, I swam with my friend The Good Dr, who is training with me. We hadn’t done any swimming together since the very beginning when we first started. Back then, I would swim 1/2 the length of the pool and stop. We swam 20 laps last weekend and she was amazed at my progress. Now, I am still no Michael Phelps but I am sure I won’t be the worst swimmer out there.

BIKING

I was doing spin class and biking on a stationary bike for much of the winter. I have started the outside riding now. 15 miles should take me about 45 minutes or less. Trust me, when I first got on a bike, it was not a pretty sight. I haven’t been on a bike since I was about 12. When the bike would pick up speed, I would get panicked like I was going to crash. Riding in traffic gives me heart palpitations. However, on open road, I am straight. I actually enjoy the bike. Now, running after biking? *cough* That’s another story.

RUNNING

While I have never run more than 5 miles. Last week, I ran two 5Ks. I ran one on Friday morning up Kelly Drive. I ran on Sunday in the Susan Komen Race for the Cure. I am not worried about the run portion. I am confident I can run a 5K and if I get super exhausted, I can walk. My goal is to not have to walk at the end. I seriously want to complete it but as long as I cross that finish line, that’s all that matters.

On a positive note, I have lost 12 pounds (which is exactly what I needed to lose) and I am down a complete dress size. I feel strong. I feel like I can do or try anything. I know that I am open to new challenges and that’s so important to me as I get older. At the 5K on Sunday, my boys were at the finish line with a sign that said “Go Mommy Go”. That’s exactly what I intend to keep doing.

Tali 1′s Baking/Recipe Project

Since everyone in the other class who presented their food last Friday seemed to make cupcakes, brownies, jello etc… we decided to do something a little different.

Voila….Mini Cherry Cheesecakes

As much as I love to cook, I am not keen on baking. I like to create and baking is so exact. I love to bake recipes that I can’t mess up. This is one of them and they always look way more impressive than they are.

Recipe:

2 pkgs softened cream cheese

1 cup of sugar

2 eggs

Tsp of Vanilla extract

Nilla wafers

1 can of your favorite pie filling (we like cherry).

Heat oven to 350. Line your cupcake pan with foil cupcake wrappers. In each one, place a Nilla wafer, flat side down.

In a mixing bowl mix cream cheese, eggs, sugar and vanilla until smooth. Pour into each cupcake cup. Bake for 20 minutes.

When you remove them, they will be fluffy like cupcakes. As they cool, the middles will sink down. Once cool, spoon your favorite fruit topping onto each one.

Voila! 30 minutes to mini cheesecake.

It’s Game Time

I have been working out and preparing for this triathalon. Well, the official training program is 13 weeks long and it’s where I have to adhere to a strict workout schedule until the day of the race. The first day of training is Monday.

I have spent the last couple of months trying to get myself to where I could start this schedule and already be pretty used to the demands of the workout. I wanted to be comfortable in the water. I wanted to be ready to bike and run.  It’s game time and I think I have done a good job getting ready for the training. Come Monday, I will be getting it in!

I can’t lie, it’s exciting but scary. Last night, I had a dream that I was swimming in the water and all I could hear was my swim coach yelling “high elbows”! *sigh* I keep telling myself to work through the fear.

I took a long look at myself in the full length mirror at the gym today. My body shape has changed but the best part? Not getting skinny….it’s all about getting stronger. Mentally and physically. I love taking on a challenge and working towards a personal goal. I love pushing myself.  You can only fail when you try.

Recipe for Spicy Cocktail Meatballs

This is the recipe for the meatballs I make. It’s from Food Network. I usually make them with ground turkey and they have been fine. Enjoy!

For the meatballs:

• 1 pound ground beef
• 1 pound ground pork
• 1 cup plain bread crumbs
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/2 cup finely chopped onion
• 2 eggs
• 1 chipotle pepper in adobo sauce, finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons adobe sauce (from can of chipotle peppers in adobo)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1 tablespoon canola oil

For the sauce:

• 2 tablespoons canola oil
• 1 cup finely chopped onion
• 2 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes
• 2 cups ketchup
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

Directions

To make the meatballs: In a large bowl, mix together all the ingredients, except the canola oil. Shape heaping teaspoons of the mixture into 1-inch balls. In a Dutch oven, heat a tablespoon of oil over medium-high heat. Working in batches, wiping pan in between, saute the meatballs, turning frequently for even browning, until cooked through, about 4 to 5 minutes. Place on a paper towel-lined plate.

To make the sauce:

Heat oil in the same Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the onions and saute until golden brown, about 8 minutes. Add the crushed red pepper and cook 1 minute. Stir in the remaining ingredients and reduce heat to low.

Add the browned meatballs to the Dutch oven and toss gently to coat with sauce.

Cause I don’t have enough to do

With a husband who lives and dies for the Pittsburgh Steelers, you already know what is happening at Casa de 1969 this weekend right?

Two snaps if your guess involved a whole slew of frat brothers, two kids under 8, a buffet of game food, beer and well, me. Before you say anything else, please know that I have a sorority meeting on Superbowl Sunday at 3pm. Now I love my Sorors but clearly, they are not thinking. I remember the year we had a meeting and the Giants were in the Superbowl. Uh yeah….guess who was in charge of a committee, needed to give a report and never showed up? *hand raised*

So yeah, I will be doing a whole lot of prep work on Saturday so I can just cook on Sunday and throw the rest of the stuff in when I return (I am only going for one hour, I swear! My exit strategy is TIGHT!)

I am developing my menu. My husband is asking for jerk chicken wings, fried chicken wings and buffalo wings and my chipotle meatballs *blank stare*. What happened to ordering pizza and some hoagies? I am sooo not feeling up to it this year but as a good wife, I will get it together before the end of the week.

Does anyone have any Superbowl recipes they would like to share? If so, send them over. I have the Steelers by three. Who ya got?

P.S. Why am I a friend of “Troy Polamalu’s hair on Facebook and Twitter? LMAO!

The Christmas Meal

As I told you earlier, I decided to tackle my first standing Prime Rib Roast and it came out absolutely perfect.  I have to admit though…once I put it in the oven, I had a moment of sheer panic and called Erica B to ask how long she cooks hers. LOL All, in all, I cooked it for two hours and it was exactly right.

Step One- Let the roast sit oustide of the refrigerator for two hours in your roasting pan covered by a paper towel for two hours prior to cooking.

You want the meat to be devoid of moisture when you start and at room temperature.

STEP TWO: Season the roast. I used Kosher salt, Frehly Ground Black Pepper, Cayenne Pepper, Garlic Salt, and finely diced Rosemary. I mixed all this in a bowl.

Then I rubbed the roast with a light drizzle of olive oil and patted the spices all over it. This will look like a lot of salt but it forms a crust on the outside and does not seep into the meat…I swear!

Voila…seasoned roast ready to go in the oven. See?

STEP THREE: Cook it! I cooked it for 20 minutes at 450 degrees so the outside could get crusty. Then I lowered it to 325 degrees for another hour and 40 minutes. All in all, two good hours of cooking time for a three bone, seven pound rib roast.

STEP FOUR: Ahhhhh!

Since I no longer eat meat, I also baked a salmon. Easy and ready in 20 minutes. See?

Rounding out the meal? Wild Rice, Mushroom and Cabernet Gravy and Spinach with garlic and lemon. Here’s the final holiday plate.

The roast met with rave reviews from Mr. 1969 (who ate two plates and is currently knocked out on the couch like he did a few rounds with Pacquio).

I will probably make another roast if we have folks over. It was really easy and looks great for presentation. People will think you really did it up.

I am going to try and post more recipes this year per reader requests. Hope you are enjoying your Holiday meal with your family.

Merry Christmas!

Christmas Dinner 2010

This year, I am going out on a limb and doing something a little different. Since, Mr. 1969 eats so much chicken and seafood due to my non-meat/pork lifestyle, I have decided to make him a fabulous MEAT lovers meal.

The menu involves this:

A Prime Rib Roast. What could be better for my steak loving husband on Christmas day? The problem? Uh…I’ve never made one and right now, this is what I have sitting in my fridge:

So, I am online studying recipes and techniques so I can take the basic premise and run with my own version come Jesus’ Birthday. I am probably going to utilize a combination of Ina Gartner/Martha Stewart and Emeril Lagasse’s Prime Rib recipes infusing the 1969 twist.

I plan on taking pictures as I go so I can share the outcome. Don’t be afraid to try something new and take on new challenges. That’s my mantra for 2011!

What are you having for Christmas Dinner?