Morning workout: ran down to the Soldier's Field pool and swam for an hour. Judy was there too. I was happy about that! Coach Sfire gave me some more pointers on my form, these having to do with balance. I seem to be keeping my head down a bit better now. I tell you, there is a whole lot of technique involved in swimming. I have to think constantly while I'm swimming. Head down. Roll. Kick. Shoulder position. Arm position. It's just not natural for me. I hope that someday it will be so I can just get in the pool and swim and not stress out about every little part of the freestyle stroke! I talked with Tom Jaeger for a few minutes afterwards. He said that coach Sfire has the patience of Job, which is a good thing. 'Cause I hear what he says, but it's sooooo hard for me to put it into practice. Anyway, then I ran home and dropped off my backpack and ran another mile. Seen out running on the path around the pool: John Shonyo and Mike "Why Aren't You In The Pool?" Schmitt. :-)
After work it was so beautiful outside that I decided to go for a bike ride. Salem Corners to Rock Dell to High Forest and back into town on County 8. Very nice ride. I felt a little feisty so it was a relatively hard ride. There was definitely a NW wind, but not as strong as it has been on recent rides so that was nice. 37.04 miles. Still need to do more bike shopping. SO much to do ... SO little time!
My friend Stacy and family were in town visiting so they came over for dessert this evening. More on that tomorrow. :-) (Pictured are Stacy and daughters Emily and Miriam.)
There's a story to it, but I ended up with two of these New Balance running dresses, size small. If someone wants the other one, new and still in the package, let me know. It's $54.99. Otherwise, I'll send it back. Very comfortable and you could certainly wear it "out and about" as well.
Happy August birthdays to the folowing RTC members: James Bennett, Haraldur Bjarnason, Pat Brown, David DeLone, Trevor Distad, Dean Ferber, Alan Fritsche, Lin Gentling, Rosemary Harnly, Tom Harwood, David Jones, Madison Benton, Joey Keillor, Kathy Kenny, Sonja Kranz, Suzanne LaPalm, Kelly Lyndgaard, Mark Massaro, Colette Miller, Marilyn Monson, Laura Nelson, Bill Oehler, Pam Setera, Deb Thomford, Roger Vos, Francis Whalen, Mike Willard, Fred Woolman.
I'm doing registration (and race number assignment) for the Half Marathon and 5K on August 22. If anyone has a special request for a number, let me know. Steve DeBoer has already requested 23. It's his 23rd running of this event. :-)
From Paul Christian: Goucher wins half-marathon in Chicago
By Kevin Pates
Duluth News Tribune, Minn.
Aug. 3--Kara Goucher did what she planned Sunday: use the inaugural Rock ’n’ Roll Chicago Half-Marathon as a significantly hard workout and push hard over the final three miles -- to victory. She followed coach Alberto Salazar’s plan to a T and was the outright winner, leading all men and women in a field of 14,400, in 1 hour, 8 minutes, 5 seconds. It was her third half-marathon win in three tries, and the first in the U.S.
Goucher, 31, a Duluthian now residing in Portland, Ore., had run a U.S. record 1:06:57 in England in 2007 and 1:08:30 in March in Lisbon, Portugal. She’s preparing for the World Championships women’s marathon on Aug. 23 in Berlin.
“I believe I wouldn’t be running the marathon 1/8in Berlin 3/8 if I didn’t have a shot,” she told the Oregonian newspaper Sunday. “If I run fully committed, I do have a shot.”
Goucher stayed conservative early, running behind designated pacer Mike Donnelly, and then made a push over the closing miles. She ran 5:09 for the 10th mile and 5:05 for the 11th. Chad Ware, 24, of Chicago was second overall, and the first man, in 1:08:24, while Connie Abbott was the second woman in 1:21:50.
Goucher took the overall lead with more than two miles remaining in the 13.1-mile race.
As the only elite runner in the field, she was followed throughout on a Webcast by Competitor.com on what was dubbed “Kara Cam.”
“I felt I could run in the 67- 68-minute range,” Goucher told Competitor. “The race was great, better than my preparations for 1/8the Boston Marathon in April 3/8. It was awesome to be the first finisher and I wanted to enjoy the crowd. I really liked how the course changed up, there was never a stretch where it was dull, and you are going through the city, going over bridges and along the water. I really liked the course.”
Goucher and her husband, Adam, were due to fly to Europe later Sunday and arrive in St. Moritz, Switzerland, for 15 days of final marathon preparations.
Ware, who beat his personal best by more than a minute, ran cross country and track at Butler University. He was runner up at 10,000 meters in the 2007 Horizon League Championships. “It was cool. It was different being right there with a woman,” said Ware, the runner-up in May’s Green Bay Marathon in 2:20:56. “I was right on the pace I was hoping to run and having Kara there definitely helped me get my PR.”
I feel so behind on these posts, especially in the recipe department. Here's what I made last night for dinner, very much favorites of the boys.
Wild Rice Pilaf with Pecans and Dried Cranberries
From Cook's Illustrated
Serves 6 to 8
1 3/4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
2 bay leaves
8 sprigs fresh thyme leaves , divided into 2 bundles, each tied together with kitchen twine
1 cup wild rice , rinsed well and picked over
1 1/2 cups long grain white rice
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 medium onion , chopped fine (about 1 1/4 cups)
1 large carrot , chopped fine (about 1 cup)
table salt
3/4 cup dried cranberries , sweetened or unsweetened
3/4 cup pecans , toasted in small dry skillet over medium heat until fragrant and lightly browned, about 6 minutes, then chopped coarse
1 1/2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley leaves
Ground black pepper
1. Bring chicken broth, 1/4 cup water, bay leaves, and 1 bundle thyme to boil in medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add wild rice, cover, and reduce heat to low; simmer until rice is plump and tender and has absorbed most liquid, 35 to 45 minutes. Drain rice in mesh strainer to remove excess liquid. Return rice to now-empty saucepan; cover to keep warm and set aside.
2. While wild rice is cooking, place white rice in medium bowl and cover with 2 inches water; gently swish grains to release excess starch. Carefully pour off water, leaving rice in bowl. Repeat about 5 times, until water runs almost clear. Drain rice in mesh strainer.
3. Heat butter in medium saucepan over medium-high heat until foam subsides, about 2 minutes. Add onion, carrot, and 1 teaspoon salt; cook, stirring frequently, until softened but not browned, about 4 minutes. Add rinsed white rice and stir to coat grains with butter; cook, stirring frequently, until grains begin to turn translucent, about 3 minutes. Meanwhile, bring 2 1/4 cups water to boil in small saucepan or in microwave. Add boiling water and second thyme bundle to rice; return to boil, then reduce heat to low, sprinkle cranberries evenly over rice, and cover. Simmer until all liquid is absorbed, 16 to 18 minutes. Off heat, fluff rice with fork.
4. Combine wild rice, white rice mixture, pecans, and parsley in large bowl; toss with rubber spatula. Adjust seasonings with salt and pepper to taste; serve immediately.
Chicken in Sour Cream
2 c. sour cream (I use light)
1/4 c. fresh lemon juice
4 t. Worcestershire sauce
2 5. celery salt
2 t. paprika
1 clove garlic, pressed
1 t. pepper
12 boneless chicken breasts
16 oz. box Italian bread crumbs (I use Pepperidge Farm stuffing and roll it with a rolling pin. It's not as fine textured as the bread crumbs)
1/2 stick butter or margarine (original recipe called for one stick)
Combine sour cream, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, celery salt, paprika, garlic, and pepper in a large deep bowl with lid. Add thawed chicken breasts and coat the chicken well. Allow to marinate in the source cream mixture overnight in the refrigerator, covered. When ready to cook, remove pieces of chicken from the sour cream sauce and roll in the bread crumbs.
Arrange in a single layer in a 13x9" pan sprayed with vegetable spray and drizzle the butter over the chicken. Bake uncovered at 350 for 45 minutes or until done.
There's more, but it'll have to wait 'til tomorrow. I'm having lunch with Betsy Baartman and Judy Weller tomorrow. Fun, fun, FUN!! Then canning peaches. Then doing TNT. What a great day!!
See 'ya.
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