Playing with Intervals

I think I found my "sweet spot" as far as intervals go.  Today I ran 1:45 mins, walked 1:00 min.  And it cut 2 mins off my overall pace.  It's within "finishing" pace for my first marathon.

Early this year I decided that I would run my first marathon.  The half marathon distance had become "comfortable".  A few runner buddies decided to run the Rock N Roll San Diego Full.  It was time to face up to the challenge of 26.2 miles.

I've always used the Jeff Galloway Run/Walk/Run method.  In the beginning it helped me face the increasing distances with a plan.  I found that the active recovery of walk intervals helped me with fatigue and prevented injury.  I could do back to back half marathons with this method.  So I've turned to Jeff Galloway to train for the Marathon as well.  I chose the California International Marathon in Sacramento, CA for several reasons.  I needed a challenge and the 6 hour time limit is scary.  I DO want to FINISH, so I WILL push myself to be better.

The training method suggested that I run 1 min, walk 1 min.  But I was finding that I was SOOOO slow.  I'd NEVER finish the marathon at the 15:45 pace that I was ending up with.  So I've slowly increased the running interval over the last few weeks.

I also found an EXCELLENT walk/run pace calculator at Endocrinology Online.  I could put in my desired finish time,  my walk pace, my chosen intervals and it told me the pace that my run intervals needed to be.  I applied that info to the intervals today and I was faster!!!  And it didn't feel like that much more effort.

Math is a REALLY great tool when you are frustrated with your running results.  

You're not running the race? Go to the Expo anyway!

I'm a Race Expo Addict.  A large hall filled with vendors hawking shoes, gear, gu and glide is my favorite place to be.  Add to it the buzzing excitement of all the runners who are getting ready for the BIG race.  Picking up a bib and a race shirt is fun, but that anxiety of the next day's race can take away from experiencing an expo.  Should I be walking this much?  Am I going to dehydrate in this super air-conditioned room?  Is it okay to take all these supplement samples??  It's much more fun to go to race expos WHEN YOU'RE NOT RUNNING THE RACE.

The RocknRoll San Diego Marathon and half marathon happens this weekend.  That means the Health & Fitness Expo is in town!  Competitor is my FAVORITE race expo.  I've been to enough to have a "favorite", that should tell you something.  I don't even need to go with someone who IS running the race.  Although I do try since expos are always more fun with a buddy.  This time I was solo, which probably worked in my favor since I could easily maneuver the crowds quickly.

Even when I'm alone I tend
to run into friends 

Runners LOVE free stuff.  I'm sure everyone does, but not every sport or hobby has expos where free stuff is expected to be found.  I have yet to find a runner that will turn down a free sample of body lubricant or energy gel.  The Competitor expos attract the biggest and most popular vendors.  This includes the Women's Half in February, another expo that I highly reccomend attending even if you're NOT running.

As soon as you walk quickly past the runners picking up their bibs (no line for me!) and the shirt pick up (sad about not getting the BRIGHT RED shirts for this year) you stop at the SAMPLE TABLE.  This is new and wonderful!!  Young volunteers were handing out packets of STARBUCKS VIA, HYLAND'S LEG CRAMP OINTMENT and some body lubricant.  2 minutes into the expo and already I've got swag in my bag.  The next thing you encounter is the BROOKS official race gear store.  DON'T GET SUCKED INTO THAT.  It's really overpriced race gear.  Unless you're RUNNING the race, you do not need a souvenir beer glass.  And honestly, isn't your race shirt, bib AND MEDAL enough to help you remember the glory of the 2014 RnR San Diego??  Moving on, you come across the BEST expo booth ever.  The BROOKS RUN HAPPY ISLAND.  It's a runners playground, with a "bull riding" shoe, a race up a volcano and a shoe fitting station.  If you go to all three, you get passport stamps and can win some free BROOKS gear.  SOMEONE will win a FREE pair of shoes!  Some of my other favorite vendors this year were the WORLD PLANET Tuna Booth (Who fuels with TUNA?? If I smelled that on a course I'd wonder about that runner's hygiene), the TIGER TAIL booth, and the Celebration Run's booth.

        My Favorite Booths!!                     The Brooks Run Happy Booth 

Besides the awesome swag that you get at an expo, the other perk is the discounts and deals that you get.  I got coupons for supplements, kefir yogurt, sports authority, petco unleashed, and tons more that I won't actually use.  I also got a few CODES that I can share with you!

My expo swag!  ALL FREE! 

• Hot Chocolate 15k/5k on March 22, 2015 - FREE HAT with code SDHAT1
• 
  
• MarathonFOTO.com - for RNR SD photo orders use code 22350 for $10 of orders $66 and up
• 
  
• All American Hero 5k/10k Challenge August 31st - Use Code 5American for $5 off
• 
  
• Color Me Rad on Aug 23rd - Use Code RADVETERAN for free knee socks

Seeing the swag for other races is also a highlight of the race expo experience.  I was personally STOKED to see the GOLD Diva medal for the 2015 Limited Edition Diva race in Temecula.  The new salted watermelon gu was out for everyone to see.  (I personally think warm salted watermelon flavor is gross.  I went to the Women's Half expo in February and had the benefit of being part of the voting                                                                  body.  My choice, Cinnamon apple lost).  

So, if you get the chance, GO to an expo even if you're not running the race.  You could walk away with free stuff, coupons, codes, and tips and tricks to make your next race BETTER.  

Check back soon!  I'll be giving away some of my expo swag!  

I run 7+ miles and win a contest! I love running!

Some runners win races.  A friend of mine, Abigail, is known to regularly place in her age group.  I will probably NEVER see the podium under my own New Balances.  However, I DO know how to find FREE races, and that's almost as good.  I came back from my 7+ miler this morning to an email from my amazing hubby that said that I had won the ZOOMA Race + Relax contest on their facebook page.

Such great news after a great run!!  I'll update more about this contest win once the Community Manager replies to my elated email.

My run this morning was one of those fantastic ones that make me glad I'm a runner.  A beautiful morning, and I felt ready to run this morning.  I planned to start off from our neighborhood, run down the rural highway, and into the a series of trails in the neighborhood behind us.  The plan worked out perfectly and I realized as I was going that I should take more pictures.  Maybe because it is Memorial Day, my mind drifted to the fact that eventually I wouldn't be here anymore, or at least be unable to run these same places.  I also thought about my momma (who is thankfully still with us and also a crazy runner) and how she probably didn't know that I regularly run in areas that she would love.  My momma loves a good dirty trail.  I prefer road races.  Along the run, you could tell it was spring.  Everything was green, and there were a ton of animals.  Snails, hummingbirds, bunnies and unfortunately a dead butterfly.  But they all served to fuel my love of running and to keep me going even when my legs were tired.  And they reminded me that I don't run to be fast, but because I love how I feel.  I love that wrung out feeling when you've trained hard.  I love the friends I've made and the places it's taken me.   I'm not fast, but I love it as much as anyone else does!  

Inspiration from my CSA box

While I was at the post-race expo for the Girls on the Go Half Marathon at Mission Bay, San Diego I visited the booth for Farm Fresh To You, a locally based CSA. For those who are unfamiliar with the concept of a CSA or Community Supported Agriculture, Local Harvest's website has a good explanation:

Here are the basics: a farmer offers a certain number of "shares" to the public. Typically the share consists of a box of vegetables, but other farm products may be included. Interested consumers purchase a share (aka a "membership" or a "subscription") and in return receive a box (bag, basket) of seasonal produce each week throughout the farming season.

In my first box, delivered on Monday I received the following:

I paid $25 and the produce was of amazing quality!  If you are in the area, I suggest that you look into this CSA and you can use my code JURI6685 and get $10 off your first order! 

The produce I got inspired me to reach out of my comfort zone to try a few recipes.
The gold chard was a new vegetable to me, and I wasn't certain how to cook with it.  A quick internet search later and I found a ham and swiss chard recipe.  The swiss chard was delicious but had a slightly slimy texture to it.  I think I'll try making soup with it the next time it comes in my CSA box.  

Ham with Swiss Chard

I ate the fruit and avocados as they were, sharing some with my family.  Others, like the cantaloupe were almost TOO GOOD to share, but I'm lucky that I'm the only one in the house that likes melons!  The german butterball and squash were eaten tonight, in a big weekend dinner.  I made PaleOMG's bacon meatballs , Oven Roasted German Butterball Potatoes with roasemary (recipe from Carpe Cibus who ALSO recieved their first german butterball's in a CSA box!) and followed the recipe for Roasted Yellow Squash from Skinnytaste.com.  

Bacon Meatballs, potatoes with rosemary and roasted squash

All three recipes used the oven, but it was a cool spring day in San Diego so I could risk letting the house heat up a little.  I also minimized the oven time, but starting the potatoes first (roast for an hour) and then half way through their cooking time I put in the meatballs (20 mins in the oven) and the Squash (15 mins).  The oven was on for only 1 hour.

I have not cooked like this in a while, due to an increased work, school and volunteer load.  But with summer approaching and all the wonderful vegetables that come between now and fall I feel the siren call of the kitchen again.  I think this CSA will be the inspiration I need to start cooking! 

Week 1 Update - Success!

As you can see from the pic I've had more success than I sought after this week.  My original weight loss goal for each week is 1.5 pounds.  That would get me to my racing weight in the 9 weeks that I had until the America's Finest City Half Marathon.  I'm working on the theory that my racing times have been directly affected by the extra weight I'm carrying around.

This week was both harder and easier than I thought it would be, as every time that you get back on the wagon is.  I already had all the knowledge about paleo so I wasn't making any rookie mistakes.  But there were a few days in which I gave in to temptation.  There was a bag of chips.  And a piece of french bread.  My body knows where those precious carbs are and when you try to switch from 50% of your calories from carbs to fat, your body doesn't necessarily get the message right away.

I read an article where endurance athletes are finding success on the paleo diet.  They are regularly eating almost 60% of the diet in healthy fats like olive oil and avocado.  I admire them, but they also have a trainer/nutritionist telling them what to eat.  If only the rest of us had that tool in our toolbox.  We only have our determination and motivation.

Only 8 more weeks until the AFC, and potentially a Personal Record for a San Diego race.

Things that helped me stay paleo this week:

• Go Raw Organic Sunflower Flax Snax - These little crackers were the perfect movie theater snack when my kids and hubby wanted to go see a movie
• EPIC bar - The Bison Bar is my favorite and it's almost a perfect meal replacement when you're on the go
• Breakfast Hash - What do you do when you run out of bacon AND avocados and need to make breakfast?  You grab all the veggies out of your fridge, a meat (ground turkey is my fav) and eggs and make breakfast hash!
• WATER - This can't be stressed enough.  You need to drink about 75 ounces of water a day.  It keeps you hydrated, it helps flush toxins, it makes your skin beautiful, and it keeps you from feeling hungry.
• Quinoa - I know . . . it's not strict paleo.  But its not a grain and its not a pasta, but dang does it taste good.  The high protein of this sprouted seed justifies the "not-so-paleo" I feel.  And I can eat it when my family is having rice or pasta and I don't feel like I'm sacrificing or depriving myself.  

Running bored: how to put that spring back into your running gait

As runners you'll eventually come to the point where running is a habit.  You no longer have to give yourself a pep talk to get out of the door and into your shoes.  But there's something else that can inhibit your progress in training: BOREDOM.  I live in a very hilly neighborhood, which is a challenge and good for training.  But every once in a while I find myself dreading my run.  Runners love to run but we also love to run in fun places.  That's why races like the RockNRoll series holds their races in exciting places like Las Vegas and Dublin, Ireland.  There's no need to shell out hundreds of dollars to find that excitement though.  While it may seem counter-intuitive to DRIVE someone to run, think of it as an investment in your training.

When you're excited to run, you're more likely to do it.  In any city there are well-established "runner" areas.  In San Diego, Mission Bay is well known for being Runner Friendly, as is Lake Murray.  I was reminded of this topic by an article on the San Diego Military Lifestyle Blog.  In the comments on that article I posted "I have loads of favorite running spots! I live in Lakeside and its not a runner friendly area, so when I need to run distance training I have to drive. I enjoy running at Lake Murray in La Mesa, in Eastlake in the community near the ARCO olympic training center, along the Silver Strand (watch out for the triathletes! They’re in full training mode!), and along Mission Beach from the Pacific Beach Pier. San Diego has some of the best running areas!"  Is it obvious that I've fought boredom in my running?  

If driving to another area to run isn't possible, consider another solution to running boredom: apps.  Running apps come in all sorts of varieties.  There are some that change the tempo of your music to match your pace, there are some that give you feedback on your pace, and then there's my favorite Zombies, Run!  There's no way you can be bored when you're listening to a well written storyline about a post-apocalyptic world in which "Runners" are relied upon for food and supply gathering.  A great list of running apps to help fight boredom can be found at Greatist.com.  

What are ways that YOU fight running boredom?

Back in the Saddle

If anyone has noticed that I haven't been posting very much its for two reasons.  The first is that I've been busy.  I've been a half marathon running fool, having run 5 half marathons already this year.  Two of them were two weeks apart.  I really don't want to do that anymore.  The recovery is rough.  I also "went back to school" to get a degree in PR & Marketing from Ashford University.  Also, as of May I now work for the racing group that I am an Ambassador for.  I'm the new Event Volunteer Coordinator for Wiz Marketing, Inc and I have the joy of helping to organize 5k/10k/half marathons in the SoCal area.  It's been an amazing 6 months.  My second reason for not posting (at all!) is that my Paleo has been just awful.  I am stick cooking paleo-style.  No processed oils, no legumes, and lots of whole foods.  I gave in to the temptation of grains though.  As a runner, those easy carbs are so very tempting.

I am going to attempt to show that YOU CAN GET BACK ON THE WAGON after falling very hard.  For the next 9 weeks I plan to focus on my Paleo to get back to my PR weight.  The last time I earned a Personal Record I weighed 171 pounds.  That's still considered "heavy" for my height, but I look and feel great at it.  Besides, I'm pretty sure my leg muscles consist half of that weight.  So that's about 14 pounds in 9 weeks.  Or about 1.5 pounds a week.  I can do this.  And posting here is going to keep me accountable.

Yesterday was Day 1.  And I already have optimistic results . . . . but we all know its just water weight as my fat cells dehydrate.

1.5 pounds lost after Day 1

Oh, and as you can see I got a Withings scale after my old digital scale bit the dust.  It's an amazing tool for motivation when you link it to your iphone.  It also links to my Runkeeper to track my activity and can link to many many other apps and devices.  I totally recommend a Withings scale to anyone who is interested in tracking their progress. 

If you've fallen off the Paleo wagon and managed to get back on, I would LOVE to hear about it.  I'd also love to hear the REASONS that you feel off in the first place.  The key to success is knowing what to avoid and how to stay on track.

Ribs and coleslaw: Paleo Summer

It's been HOT in San Diego this week and pork has been on sale!  So that means ribs and coleslaw has been on the menu!  I grabbed both recipes from fastpaleo.com  but the ribs originated at the Civilized Caveman Cooking Creations Site.

Recipe Links

Paleo Coleslaw    ~~   Beasty BBQ Ribs

Race Review: San Diego Half Marathon - March 10, 2013

Can you be so distracted by having fun during a race that your forget to PR? Well, it happened to me. I ran the SD Half last year (2012) and before I even crossed the finish line I knew I’d run it this year (2013). I love San Diego and I love how this race showcases the city. The course is mostly flat (small rolling hills throughout until you get to the dreaded Washington Street Hill) and beautiful. The course points you in the direction of some of the most beautiful sights in San Diego. The course aid is amazing. I love that the aid station signs tell you what distance you’re at and how much farther to the next aid station. It helps to know that if I choose NOT to stop for a port-a-potty NOW, that I only have 3.2 miles to the next one. There were pace groups, water and electrolyte stations, first aid stations with vaseline and salt and cool towels, and there were bands. The Finish line was amazing, with a HUGE TV showing the finishers cross the finish line, and for the FIRST TIME EVER my name was announced as I crossed. Nine half marathons and I finally hear my name in triumph. There were Servicemen in uniform handing out the medals, which is such a nice way of showcasing how important the military is to this area. There was pleanty of water and coconut water (my favorite) at the finish Line. The post-race refreshments were great (bagels, cream cheese, fruit cups, bananas, CHUAO CHOCOLATE). There was a massage station and the official results were posting as we finished. We did have to climb up and down stairs to get to the refreshments and post-race which was defeating. I just ran 13.1 miles and you want me to go up a flight of stairs??

The only thing I wish there were more of are spectators. I’ve run pleanty of halfs now and funny spectator signs are something I really love.

The Pre-race expo was great. It was in a beautiful building, which made for some fun pictures. And the bib pickup was smooth. I was over the top excited to get my LEGACY bib and shirt. The expo itself had everything you’d want at a race expo. Fuel samples, Physical Therapists, Running coaches signing books, vendors selling last minute wares, and other races promoting their upcoming events. I personally picked up some new snuggbuds earbuds and I LOVE them. AND I MET JEFF GALLOWAY! His running technique of run/walk/run was what convinced me I could do my very first half marathon.

I love the SD Half. It’s so very organized and so obviously created by someone who loves running races. It’s everything I would do to organize a race. Can’t wait for my third star next year!!!

My thoughts after the 2013 LA 13.1 Marathon

The review for my race this weekend follows, but first you have to bear with me as there are a few things I'd like to share.

I've been running since 2008, and in the last 5 years I've found that theres at least one unshakable truth about running:  It will always surprise you.  Each route is never the same twice, each race is never the same experience, and you will always have farther and faster to go.
Running the LA 13.1 was a first for me because it was the first time I'd run a race a second time.  Approximately the same course, same weekend of the year, same goal of "doing better".  Only this time, I had a Personal Record FOR THIS RACE to beat.  I had all the confidence of it being my 7th half marathon.  None of the pre-race anxiety that I had the year before.  I knew that my diet didn't have to be EXACT to do well.  I knew that I could function well even on poor sleep.  I was excited and pumped up about race day but it wasn't tearing me to shreds.  But in the back of my mind there was that  clock time from the previous year.

2:56:28

I love the course of the LA 13.1, and have replayed it in my head a thousand times as one of those GOOD race memories.  Running past the iconic Muscle Beach, through the eclectic town of Venice,  down to the paved beach path, the hilly turn around, the desolate stretch of 3 miles that tests your resolve, and the downhill finish line that suddenly jumps out at you.

As I ran it this year, I was greeted by memories.  Mile 1:  The farthest I had ever run without stopping to walk.  Mile 5: The path down to the beach, where a tornado of seagulls had surprised us.  Mile 6: Stop at a beach bathroom Mile 8: Cursing the slow incline that forced me to walk  Mile 11: Pain in my feet so bad that I wanted to cry Mile 13.1: Crossing the finish line with cramps in my calves and the feeling of victory as I completed a sub-3 hour half marathon for the first time.  

I had said in the past that I didn't think that I'd want to run the same race twice.  That the excitement of a new and different race each time was too enticing, that there are too many races in Southern California to stick to the same ones over and over.  But now I get it, I know why some people run the SAME race every year for decades.  Some courses just speak to you as a runner.  Some have such special memories to you that its like seeing an old friend.  And each race can be better than it was before.  

And, by the way?  I totally blew my old Personal Record out of the water.  2:42:56  

150 Days Paleo + Football carnitas

Today is my 150th days since I committed to a new way of eating.  I did it to combat a slowly increasing weight gain despite training for and running 5 half marathons in a year.  I did it to be a better runner.  I wanted to be stronger, faster and experience more rapid recovery.  Amazingly, Paleo has done all those incredible things.  150 days ago I held SUCH doubt that cutting out whole food groups was even good for you.  I was willing to join a friend on a journey, test it for 30 days and then make a decision.  I'm glad I did.   Those days where I just want pizza, or a cinnamon roll or fruit snacks . . . . I think about if I want to go back.  Back to bloated, frustrated and not satisfied with my results.  Nope, 150 days later and I still believe in Paleo.  I fall off the wagon and succumb to temptation but Paleo is forgiving and totally helps me drop those insta-pounds that come with eating forbidden foods.

To celebrate my 150 days, I've got a recipe for you!!!  This one comes from Momgonepaleo.com and its the BEST CARNITAS recipe I've ever tried.  Great for football games and I recommend topping it with a bit of mashed avocado mixed with Frank's Red Hot Sauce.  (Frank's Red Hot Sauce is my current obsession).  I did make a few changes to the original recipe, so if you'd like to see how it was originally suggested that you do check out the link.

CROCK POT PALEO CARNITAS from momgonepaleo.com

Ingredients

For the rub:

• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 1 tsp ground pepper
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1 tsp oregano
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon

For the Crock Pot:

• 3lb pork shoulder
• 1 sweet onion sliced in thin strips
• 1 small can of mild green chiles
• 1 cup chicken stock
• 1 bay leaf
• A few shakes of sea salt and ground pepper

Instructions

1. Mix your rub together and rub onto all sides of the pork shoulder. 
2. Place the sliced onion, and bay leaf on the bottom of your crock pot.  Place the spiced up pork shoulder on top. Add the green chiles and the chicken stock along the sides of the meat. Avoid rinsing the spice off the meat. Sprinkle a bit more sea salt and pepper on top. 
3. Cover and let cook on Low for 10 hours or on high for 6 hours.
4. Once done, remove pork from crockpot and shred with forks. Place in bowl of holding dish
5. Strain remaining crockpot contents, SAVING BOTH THE LIQUID AND THE SOLIDS. 
6.  Return the solids (consisting of bits of pork, and the cooked down onions and chiles) to the crock pot. 
7.  If you have a gravy separator, use it to separate the fat out of the liquid.  If you don't have one, allow the liquid to sit a bit and it'll separate.  Carefully skim off as much fat as you can.  
8. Put the PORK back in the crockpot and use the remaining liquid to add some flavor back into the carnitas.  I used just about a cup of liquid, you should use all of it.  
9. Serve on a bed of lettuce or however you wish to enjoy your carnitas!  

Books

The only thing I have more passion for than Cooking, well is Running. But I have a third passion and that's reading. And if it's writing about cooking or running then I'm over the moon. Right now I'm reading Best Food Writing 2012 Edited by Holly Hughes.

Food writers have it rough. They have to sum up the sensory experience of cooking and eating foods in words. How many of us can say that we can do that and still convey the way that food has affected us?

One piece of writing affected me quite a bit, and that was "Sweet Spot" by Paul Graham.
An excerpt from the piece:
From Sweet Spot by Paul Graham

We have only the one tree, a haphazardly-trimmed 60-footer that turns orange in October. I’d never have thought to tap it if our old neighbor, a poet who worked in an Adirondack sugarbush with several hundred trees, hadn’t tapped his one tree. One, it turns out, can be more than enough and not nearly enough at the same time. I’ve tried to picture the yield from 1500 taps and can only get as far as a fleet of tanker trucks and an acre of fire.

The holes go waist-high on the western side, which receives more sun and delivers more sap. I sink two taps with a rubber mallet. I reserve a third in case one dries up. Immediately the juice starts running, dribbles to the metal lip and trembles in the sunlight before falling into the bucket with a flat plunk. It seems impossible that I’ll empty these buckets twenty, thirty times, but I will.

The sap, when I lift a drop to my lips, tastes of the purest, cleanest water.

I highly encourage you to pick this book up. It's already been a treat and I'm only 55 pages in.

How can I say NO?

I'm a mother of two, which means most of my daily actions involve fulfilling the needs of those who I have created.  One of my children is extremely picky due to food sensitivities of autism.  As a foodie and someone who loves to cook, that's difficult for me to deal with at times.  Life blessed me with a second child who loves food just as much as I do and often has cravings.  HOW CAN I SAY NO when the fruit of my loins asks for a Manwich?  If she's asking for it, that means there's a positive emotional connection with that food.  And honestly, I want her to look back at her childhood and remember amazing meals that her mom used to make.  And when she asks me about it, I'll hopefully have a recipe book already made for her to use when cooking for her own family.  But enough about my musings of a perfect future . . . . HOW AM I GOING TO FEED HER A MANWICH?  It's loaded with high fructose corn syrup and other NON-PALEO ingredients.  After much musing, I plan to try a paleo version of a sloppy joe that the internet has kindly provided.  I'll definitely report back on my success/failure later.

This was the second meal requested in the same week.  The first request was for "Soft Meat".  That's what my adorable 9-year old calls Asian Beef Short Ribs.  I'd previously used a recipe from a friend that called for soy sauce, brown sugar and corn starch.  I don't blame my little one for loving that recipe so much.  I made them in a crock pot and the whole house would smell delicious all day.  So when she asked when I'd make "Soft Meat" again, I asked myself HOW CAN I SAY NO?  Not only does that meal mean something to her, it reflects the friendship I had with another person.  Emotional food connections mean a lot to me, obviously.  So off to the internet I went, hoping that someone had replicated the salty, sweetness of the recipe I had.

Luckily Paleo Spirit had done this feat.  I am so glad I found her blog.  I'm sure you'll see me replicating MANY more of her recipes on my blog (as I was writing this blog, I was distracted and inspired to make her Paleo Shortbread Teabag cookies).  I altered a few ingredients and I changed some of the prep and cooking to suit my needs.  To see the recipe in its original form, please visit the link to the Paleo Spirit website.

Asian-Style Beef Short Ribs (Paleo)

Ingredients

• 5 lbs beef short ribs (ideally from grass-fed/finished cows)
• 1 teaspoon fat/oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 5 cloves garlic
• 1 hot pepper (I used serrano)
• 2 inches of fresh ginger root, peeled (about 2 tablespoons)
• 2 cups beef stock
• 2 cups water
• 1/2 cup coconut aminos
• 1/4 cup rice wine vinegar (make sure it is gluten-free)
• 
  
• 10 ounces fresh shiitake mushrooms 
• 1 orange, zested and juiced
• 3-4 spring onions (scallions), thinly sliced
• salt and pepper

Instructions

1. Season the beef ribs lightly with salt and pepper.
2. Heat a large, oven-proof pan on medium-high heat and spread a thin layer of fat/oil to keep the ribs from sticking.
3. Sear the ribs for about 1-2 minutes on the meaty sides. You will probably have to do this in batches. Remove to a platter and cover with aluminum foil.
4. Sauté the chopped onion for about 10 minutes in the same pan you used to sear the ribs.
5. Mince the garlic, ginger and pepper (or use a food processor as I did) and add to the pan with the onions, cooking while stirring for about one minute.
6. Place the beef ribs in a crock pot and add the stock, water, coconut aminos, and vinegar. Make sure the ribs are just covered in the liquid.  Cook on low for 6 hours
7. Remove the short ribs to a separate platter and cover them with foil to keep warm. 
8. Allow the sauce to cool somewhat and strain it through a mesh sieve. I like to use a spoon to press the juices out of the solids. Dispose of the solids. (You might want to skim some of the fat off the sauce at this point, especially if you are using conventional beef.) THIS PROCESS WAS MADE SUPER EASY BY USING MY PAMPERED CHEF GRAVY SEPARATOR.  I highly suggest purchasing this or something similar.  All I did was pour the crockpot contents through the top sieve and the fat separated out nicely.  
9. Bring the sauce to a simmer and reduce to about 1 1/2 cups. It will be very rich. 
10. Add the shiitake mushrooms and juice of one orange and continue simmering until mushrooms are softened – 5-10 minutes. 
11. Pour sauce over short rib.  Serve the ribs warm, with the mushrooms and garnished with orange zest and sliced scallions. 

I served myself this as a salad, with the meat shredded and the sauce used as a dressing.  

A look back at 2012

My blog is only 4 months old, but all the cool kids are doing recaps of 2012. 2012 was a year of big things for me as a runner. It's the year that I really proved to myself and the world that "yes, a chubby girl can do great things". I really focused on educating myself about running and nutrition. I set lofty goals and did really adventurous things. I wanted to reach out to other runners and I wanted to inspire non-runners.

I wanted to run 3 half marathons in 2013. I ran five. I wanted to make running less expensive for my family's budget. I found groupons and deals, signed up for memberships that offered discounts and was awarded a sponsorship with The Girls On The Go race series. I wanted to move on from the run/walk/run method and run an entire half marathon. I ran the entire Silver Strand Half marathon.

I wanted my children to experience the rush of crossing a finish line. They ran their first races as 1ks and 1 milers. And I wanted to instill a sense of personal pride in taking control of their health. They both look forward to running 5ks with the whole family now. Running is part of who we are now. I've run 2 halfs with my momma, my first race with my husband by my side and both kids have a wall of ribbons, medals and bibs. What could be expected of a family descended from a man who ran over 700 miles of races last year. That's my dad, the crazy ultra runner and my biggest motivation during my runs.

I also ran with friends. I discovered that runners are the best people out there. Giving, enthusiastic about life, and real. I helped a friend run her first half marathon when she needed a race morning sitter. I've helped friends with training plans and through running issues. But they've given back tenfold this year. I signed up for two extra half marathons because they wanted me too. I ran faster with them by my side. And one special running buddy volunteered at the Finish Line to award me my medal. Running Buddies are special.

Late in 2012 I started my Paleo Diet. And about a month after, I started this blog. It's still young and I'm still uncertain of what I'm doing with it. But a few people have said that I've helped them start their paleo journey. I hope to continue to do so by sharing my own journey.

For 2013 I want to do it all over again. I I'm shooting for 8 halfs in the new year. Our family will be running the Firecracker 5k in LAs Chinatown to earn cool Year of the Snake medals. And I'll be running the SoCal Triple Crown to earn the challenge medals with my friend Dave. And I plan to continue to cook and eat like a caveman, since it's only brought good things to me and my running. Good Fortune to all of you in 2013! And I hope you're back here reading next year's recap with me!

ATTACK OF THE LEFTOVERS

Anyone else have a fridge FULL of leftovers?  I made BOTH a turkey and a ham for Christmas Dinner and now I'm paying for it with a fridge too full of food to justify eating out.  Luckily the internet is full of great ideas for leftovers, and a lot of them come from the paleo community.

I always serve Turkey Soup the day after I make a roasted bird.  It's something that most of my family loves and its easy to make, although takes all day because I make my own stock from the carcass, neck and giblets.  But the day of Christmas, while everyone is glued to their new gifts, there's no rush to be anywhere.

My favorite homemade stock recipe was posted by a Ms. Polcyn on allrecipes.com.  It makes use of the parts of a chicken or turkey that I dislike using, which makes me feel better than tossing them out.  It REALLY makes a difference when you use homemade stock in a dish than store bought.

Ingredients

• 6 cups water
• the neck, giblets and leftover carcass (I usually just use the wings from my cooked turkey)

• 1 stalk celery, sliced
• 1 carrot, sliced
• 1 onion, quartered
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 tsp peppercorn

Directions

1. In a large saucepan, combine the neck and giblets (excluding the liver), 6 cups water, celery, carrot, onion, tangerine rind, bay leaf and peppercorns. Bring mixture to a boil, reduce heat and continue to cook at a simmer, skimming the froth occasionally for 1 hour. Add liver and continue to cook at a bare simmer for an additional 30 minutes.
2. Strain the stock through a fine sieve into a bowl. There should be about 3 cups of stock. If there is more, simmer the stock until it is reduced to about 3 cups; if there is less, add enough water to measure about 3 cups.

MAKING YOUR OWN SOUP 

Making soup used to be a bit of a mystery to me, until I had used several recipes found online.  I realized that there are ___ steps to making a soup.

1. Cook your aromatic vegetables in fat.  These would be your onions, garlic, and celery.  These vegetables release their full flavor when they've been sauteed in butter/bacon grease/olive oil.  
2. Add your other vegetables in: tomatoes, potatoes, carrots, green beans, zucchini, broccoli and cook for just a few minutes.  This is also the time to add your COOKED meat.  Leftover turkey, ham, chicken, beef strips all work well in soups.
3. Add your additional spices (sage, thyme, rosemary for Turkey) (rosemary, oregano for beef) (I prefer nothing for ham soup) AND ALWAYS A BAY LEAF!  This is when you add your broth/stock too.  Enough to cover the ingredients.
4. Bring to a boil, then reduce and simmer for 30-40 minutes.  
5. Remove from heat and taste.  Add your salt and pepper now, that way you have control over the saltiness and pepper levels.  Flavors concentrate in the soup making process and you can end up with a VERY salty or peppery soup!

Soup making is as easy as THAT!   You can experiment with different vegetables and broths and seasonings and make it exactly how you like it.  

A new one I'm trying is inspired by the Cabbage Soup with Leftover Ham from paleodietlifestyle.com.  I usually like to use my leftover ham in breakfast dishes, but a Christmas virus had me craving hot soup.

Ingredients

• 1/2 head cabbage;
• 2 tbsp fat (butter, ghee, bacon grease, olive oil, you pick)
• 1 onion, chopped;
• 1/2 lb green beans
• 2 carrots, chopped;
• 1 lb cooked ham, cubed;
• 2 cloves garlic, minced;
• 2 bay leaves;
• 4 cups vegetable stock
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste;

Preparation

1. In a large saucepan over a medium-high heat melt the cooking fat. Sautee the onions and garlic in the cooking fat for 5 to 7 minutes, just until the onions are translucent and tender.
2. Add the cabbage, green beans, carrots and ham and toss with the onions and garlic. Cook for 3 to 5 minutes, frequently stirring to prevent anything from burning or sticking to the bottom of the pot.
3. Pour in the stock with the bay leaves. Allow the soup to come to a simmer and cook partially covered for 35 to 45 minutes. Season to taste with freshly cracked black pepper, but taste the liquid before adding any salt, as the ham will most likely give off enough saltiness on its own.
4. Remove the bay leaves and serve.

Santa Came To Town

All the prep and good behavior worked and the Jolly 'ole elf visited us last night. He apparently loved the paleo cake pops we left for him, although his reindeers made a glittery mess outside.

Kris Kringle was very good to the paleo Mommy, bringing me a Kitchenaid Mixer in Onyx Black, a book of Paleo Desserts and Chuao Chocolate (a San Diego local chocolatier and a sponsor of the SD Half Marathon)

I wish all of you a Merry Christmas, filled with time with your loved ones and full bellies.

Christmas Eve Feast

My Christmas Eve feast took 2 days to prep and 20 minutes to eat. But having a special meal that was homemade and paleo was worth it. Not to mention all the yummy leftovers I get to eat for the next few days. This paleo mommy also achieved a small victory. My 11 year old son, diagnosed with autism, consented to trying his first bite of turkey EVER. And he LIKED it!!! Small steps towards big goals.

Girls on the Go Races

One thing I have neglected to mention on my blog is the fact that I'm a Girls On The Go Race Series Ambassador.  A race series created by Debbie Adelman and Rosemarie Gibson, these races are "every girl’s chance to commune with mothers, daughters, sisters, grandmas and friends in a run, walk, jog or samba to the finish line.  This is not just any race. This is a celebration of women of all ages and fitness levels. The finish line includes a Girlicious medal, stylish T-shirt, festival, and so much girl time fun!"  The Race Ambassadors were found through a facebook essay contest and chosen for their experience, love of running, and passion for motivating people around them to get up and be active!  I am VERY proud to be a part of the Girls On The Go family.  

As a race ambassador, I promote the GotG race series at expo booths, by wearing the series gear during my training runs and races and by encouraging people to sign up for races!  The upcoming GotG races that you can sign up for include

Girls On The Go Sacramento 10k/5k 

Sunday, Feb 10th, 2013

Crocker Park

Sacramento, CA

Girls On The Go San Diego Half Marathon/10k/5k

Saturday, May 11, 2013

Fiesta Island - Mission Bay

San Diego, CA

Girls On The Go San Dimas Half Marathon/10k/5k

Sunday, Sept 22, 2013

Bonelli Park

San Dimas, CA 

Another Ambassador responsibility is providing inspiration for "girls on the go" and I get to do that through the Girls on the Go Training Tips page.  I just posted my first blog entry yesterday, so please go check it out!  This entry is focused on Running Moms who now have kids at home for the holiday breaks.  

You might be wondering about the PERKS of being an ambassador.  Well, the BIGGEST perk is getting to meet other like minded women.  The other Ambassadors have just as much enthusiasm for running and racing as I do.  It's always great to meet other women who don't mind when you talk about PRs or race day nutrition or gear.  I also get free tech tees from my sponsors, to wear to promote the race series.  It's definitely a perk since the race series color is raspberry pink . . . my FAVORITE color.  And the last and most beneficial perk is that they allow me to race the series for free!  

Men are welcome to run the series, but are ineligible for prizes.  If you are interested in any of the Girls on the Go races and want a discount code, please ask!  I'm usually able to get discount codes from the race directors.  Come join me in a fun, woman-centered, race with all the girly perks you could ask for!

Twofers, marathons, and Wheat Thins

The Hubby and I are both runners.  He prefers the mud covered intensity of Obstacle Course Races (OCRs) like Tough Mudder, while I'm a dedicated Road Racer.  With two racers in the family though, we have have to have a MASTER calendar of all the events we're signed up for.  "Check the Calendar" is an often heard phrase in our house, and it's an instruction to go check the desk size calendar that's attached to our brag wall.  Imagine my surprise when I discovered that I'm running TWO races in the same weekend.  I often get carried away by race sign ups when they offer discount codes or when a bunch of fellow racers are all signing up.  That's what must have happened when I managed to sign up for BOTH the Electric Run in Del Mar, CA and the Cardiff Kook in Encinitas, CA on the same weekend.  I've never run a two-fer before, but there's a first time for everything.  And luckily my two-fer is just two 5ks.  Some day I might feel up to running a 5k followed by a 10k or even a half marathon the day after.  Right now I'll stick to accidentally registering for two small races.

During Thanksgiving Break my Daddy (a 100 mile Ultramarathoner) told me I'm ready to run a marathon.  Since I'm like him in every way (except for that crazy 100 mile race thing he's got going on), he must have known that his comment would circle around in my head until I couldn't ignore it.  I found myself checking the most "walker friendly" marathons at MarathonGuide.com  Perhaps this time next year I'll be planning to do one of those . . . if I haven't worn out the legs running 8 half marathons in 2013.

Runners need carbs and lately I find myself fighting against eating conventional processed carbs.  I miss the crunchy saltiness of crackers.  My flaxseed crackers are great, but they're quite delicate, which makes them useless for dipping.  Thank Goodness for inventive cooks who make low carb/paleo versions of brand name crackers!  This recipe for "ALMOND THINS" was found at a website called lowcarbfriends.com, a message board for those following the gluten free or low carb lifestyles.  And I am EVER grateful for this recipe!

Almond Thins

Ingredients: 

• 1 cup almond flour
• 1 packet of Splenda
• 1 egg white
• pinch of salt, garlic powder, & onion powder

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven 325. 
2. Mix ingredients well. 
3. Place mixture onto a well greased piece of tin foil. Lay a piece of saran wrap over top of mixture. Use a rolling pin to roll out to a cracker thickness. Gently remove saran wrap. 
4. Sprinkle more salt on top if desired and press lightly into dough. Score with knife or pizza cutter into 1.5 inch squares. 
5. Lay tin foil on rack in oven. Bake until golden brown about 10 minutes. Makes around 30 crackers.

Nutritional info: serving size 7 crackers fat 13.1g  sat fat 0.9g  cholesterol 0mg  sodium 12.8mg  carb 5.7g  fiber 2.8  protein 6.4g