It was an "out and back" trip to the cities today. First off, an hour on the Stairmaster. I was awake just after 5:00 so figured I might as well get up and work up a bit of a sweat anyway. Then it was up to Edina for the MDRA annual race director's conference. I met up with some fellow race director's from the St. Cloud River Runners:
Jacki, Tim, (me) and Sharon. Lots of information was shared and we all enjoyed looking through our goodie bags. Lots of promo materials, socks, a wicking shirt (too big so I'll give it away), mints, can wrap, bottle opener key chain, pens, a couple of stick sanitizers (not sure what those are yet), and something that I can't figure out that's on a string--either a pen or a penlight ... "stuff". I did win a door prize--I'm not sure what the official name is, but it's a pleather (plastic leather) notebook thing that holds a tablet of paper. Sharon won 2 hours of free marketing advice. And marketing was just the reason she came. : ) I picked up a Women Run the Cities wicking T. They had boxes of them.
We heard presentations on charity runners, race walking/walking, promotional items, "greening" your race, and social networking. Social networking (Facebook) is what I'm going to look into first. And then "greening" some aspects of my race (Fetzer 20K--April 10--subtle plug!).
After the conference I met my oldest son Eric who lives in Minneapolis for lunch at Panera. We had a nice (but short) lunch together.
BBQ chicken salad and country turkey sandwich (You Pick Two). Eric had french onion soup and a roast beef sandwich. Thank you to the nice gal at the next table who kindly took our photo. We started chatting. She has a son at NDSU and a daughter going off to school next year, possibly Wellesley or U of Vermont.
Then it was off to pick up a sweatshirt I'd ordered and then a quick stop at Marathon Sports.
It was hopping in there. I had a 25% off coupon that expires tomorrow (30% off if you bring in old shoes). I took a quick look-see through the 50% off rack, about 2 minutes on the full-priced clothes and decided I didn't need anything so off I went. I needed to be home by 5:00 to pick up and deliver food for the Lenz/Rowekamp family (silent auction meal from last year's LUABC) and try to make 5:30 church (was 7 minutes late, which was pretty good considering).
Then home to scrounge up something for supper and make another batch of cookies. These couple weeks are pretty cookie-intensive.
Tomorrow ... morning long run then off to St. Cloud for the River Runners annual banquet in the late afternoon which should be fun. I think I have close to 70 door prizes for giving away. : )
Well, that's all I know for today. Looking forward to some warmer temps next week. I'm tired of running in sub-zero weather.
Toodles.
Friday, January 29, 2010
Cold, cold 10.3 mile run this morning. Not much wind, but the temp was -8. Ran the route I've run the last couple of Mondays--Mayowood, Lenwood Drive, Merrihills, Mayowood, home. It was quite slow. My legs are feeling sluggish today. Tomorrow morning there won't be time for a workout before heading up to Edina (8 am registration, 8:30 start). After the race director's conference, I will have lunch with my son Eric, run an errand or two and then head home in time to deliver a meal to Laura Lenz and Todd Rowekamp and family. They bought it at the Lace-Up Against Breast Cancer silent auction last year. Pork tenderloin, roasted veggies, salad, caramelized onion dip, butternut squash soup, walnut bread (me) and chocolate/mint chip ice cream cake. Then I have some cookies to bake for Sunday and Monday (I baked two batches today and 2 loaves of Walnut Bread). It's a regular bake-a-thon.
Haven't eaten a bite of any of it. : )
We could still use some course marshals at Lace-Up on 2/14. If you can volunteer, please contact Sarah Shonyo at shonyo.sarah@gmail.com Thank you so much!!
Another night at the track. Yup, mother nature put the kibosh (sp?) on outdoor running plans (though Casey sounded like she was going to tough it out) and it was indoors at RCTC once again for Byron Team R.E.D. I had to meet with a bride at 6:30 so I got in a quick 20'ish minute run (3.5 miles ... JUST KIDDING!) before heading to church. Then it was back to Brothers to meet everyone for some libations of the liquid and food sort. In attendance were Tim and Marilee ...
Mike ...
who is 33 years old and ...
still gets carded EVERYWHERE. He is also going to be a dad for the second time in late Septemter. And Jessica will be a mom again, and Benjamin is going to be a big brother!! Congratulations Familie Schmitt. : )
Paul, Wendy, Tom ...
Me and Randy ...
And Bree, who also got carded. : )
Can you tell? My dream is to get carded one. more. time. Not gonna happen I'm afraid. Unless I spend a fortune on plastic surgery, at the Clinique counter, and at my hairdresser covering all the grey. Oh well ... a girl can still dream can't she? Anyway, I had the chicken sandwich. No, I didn't finish the fries. : )
Last night was book club. (Hence, I didn't get a post done since I got home at 10:45). The book, which I did not read, was The Story of Edgar Sawtelle. But I wanted to go since Pam was in Haiti during the earthquake and returned on the Saturday following. I decided to make Rosemary Walnut bread from Cooking Light magazine. It's really a delicious recipe and everyone seemed to enjoy it.
We had a nice selection of food. And wine.
Pictured below are our hostess Margo, and Pam.
She was on the second floor of a building (hospital I believe) in a room with 20 babies in cribs. She had one on each shoulder when the 30 second earthquake hit. She said it felt like she was in outer space without gravity and it was hard to get the floor. But she did and was not injured. She watched giant cracks form both vertically and horizontally in the plaster walls. All the staff and volunteers were able to get all 200 children outside into a courtyard. There were 17 adults for 200 children, 125 of whom were under 18 months old. That in itself is a job, but now they were also dealing with the after-effects of an earthquake: no electricity, severely damaged buildings, 800-900 people coming in for triage (they were at a clinic/hospital), shortages of food/water, and approaching darkness. On Thursday, they were airlifted out on minutes notice via the Coast Card, to the Dominican Republic. They had to leave everything, as 17 adults were jammed into a mini van to get to the airport. It was quite a story. I was reading People magazine the other day and there was a story about Haiti in it. And a few pages later, a spread about celebs matching lipstick and dresses. Seemed so silly and superficial.
I heard about this study on NPR and the KROC morning news. It's about the benefits of barefoot running. Might work for some people, in some climates, but won't work at ALL for this girl. Nope. No way.
The Millrose Games are on ESPN2 from 7 to 9 pm (Central) on Friday, 1/29.
Off-Season Striders will run from Panera South at 7:30 AM on Saturday. I won't be there. I'll be up in Edina at a race director's conference from 8 to 1. Leslie: Maybe I'll have a rest day!!! And then again ... maybe not. : )
I've been hearing about this massive Toyota recall. I'd hate to be a Toyota dealer right now, not being able to sell 8 of their most popular vehicles. But ... I think the Honda dealers might just be lovin' it.
Well, I think I'll close with 6 of the 64 commonsense food rules from Michael Pollan:
#11 Avoid foods you see advertised on television.
#19 If it came from a plant, eat it; if it was made in a plant, don't.
#36 Don't eat breakfast cereals that change the color of the milk.
#39 Eat all the junk food you want as long as you cook it yourself.
#47 Eat when you are hungry, not when you are bored.
#58 Do all your eating at a table.
Can't think of a snappy title for today. It is what it is.
Just got back from the track. Another good group: Tom, Tom, Trevor, Jim, Matt, Casey, Andy, Roger, Paul, me. I hope I got 'em all. And a lot of guys in the other group and I don't know them all: Mark, Peter, Andy, Pete, Ian, ...
The prescribed workout was 16x400m. I'd never done that many before, even the end of last summer when I was in shape. So I thought 12x400m would be reasonable. It turns out I actually did 13. Anyway, I kept up with Tom, Tom, Trevor, Paul, Andy for the first one (minus a second or two) and that one was 1:26. But I took my 200m recovery WAY more seriously than they did. : ) I got a drink after each lap and really dogged it jogging one lap of the track. My summertime workouts were 400m recovery. My splits: 1:26 1:30 1:28 1:28 1:27 1:27 1:27 1:28 1:25 1:26 1:24 1:24 ??? (I forgot to press LAP after my recovery lap so didn't get the last one ...) A good workout. Tom Woo always has flashy racing flats. Here is tonight's version:
Tom has VERY sharp elbows ... his right elbow and my left hip met on one lap and I think I have a stinger on that hip! He should register those elbows as dangerous weapons. : )
Yesterday's workout: 11.20 miles into a very stiff NW wind. Some hills, but not as many as last week. This morning: 4 mile run, lift, swim.
Casey Graham got a new job up in the cities so will be with us for only another couple of weeks. We will miss her! That will leave me as the only "girl" (can a 49-year old still be called a girl??) on the track most weeks. Ladies ... come join us! Please!!
I got a couple of ideas for artwork for the Fetzer 20K Ts today (April 10 ... be there). Let me know what you think. I'm liking the one on the right, but with the sun more sun-like.
Minnesota School of Business has agreed to provide 4 or 5 massage therapists for after the race. Thank you!!
Kathy Z-M (River Runner) has generously agreed to donate some of her beautiful jewelry for the Lace-Up Against Breast Cancer silent auction on February 14. It's gorgeous. She is also donating a photography print.
Mike Schmit sent along this link about the Little Rock marathon medals. 1.67 pounds, 7 3/4" x 6". Ridiculously large if you ask me. Judy and I saw them in Tulsa in 2007 and they were big then, but this is HUGE.
After the track, supper was salad, a piece of bread and a bowl of minestrone soup.
Tomorrow night is book club. I haven't read the book, but plan to go. I have to decide what food item to bring. I'll look through my recipes tomorrow and come up with something.
Well, I'm dragging today. Time to wrap this up, read the paper, and crash.
It's still hard to hear the news reports, see the photos or read the stories in the paper. It shouldn't have happened. But despite all of the 'wooda, shoulda, coulda's, the fact is that the Vikings lost, or gave away, the game and the Saints are the ones headed to Miami in a couple of weeks. What a stinger. Ouch. Double ouch. Time to move on to something a whole lot more fun.
Here is Tom O'Leary's very entertaining video about their romp over hill and dale (and haybales), through streams and mud during last fall's Living History Farms cross-country 8 mile race. He took the photos using his helmet cam. : )
More news from Tom: track workout at RCTC Tuesday at 5:30 PM. And Byron Team R.E.D. Thursday at 6:00 PM at Bear's Den.
From Andy Hemenway: Grandma's marathon is moving from Ultima (virtually, barely flavored water) to Powerade Mountain Berry Blast. As far as I know they will still be offering cheap-o short-sleeved cotton Ts finishers' shirts though.
The RRCA has extended their nomination period for national running awards until January 31. Here's the scoop:The RRCA has extended the deadline for the National Running Awards nominations. Due to the fact that we launched the new website near the original deadline for the awards nominations, we determined that an extension would allow members adequate time to submit nominations. Detailed information about the award categories along with selection criteria and the new online nomination form can be found at www.rrca.org/services/national-running-awards/ . To nominate a deserving individual simply follow the instructions on the online nomination form, print a copy for your records, and click the submit button. Email or mail newsletter copies as instructed in the online form.
The RRCA will provide a $400 travel stipend and one complementary ticket for each award winner to the 2010 RRCA Annual Banquet and National Running Awards Ceremony that will be held in Lakeland, FL on April 24, 2010. Additional banquet tickets are available for purchase for accompanying family members.
The extended nomination deadline is 5:00 PM Eastern on January 31, 2010. The period of performance for the individual being nominated is January 1, 2009 through December 31, 2009 for all awards except the Hall of Fame and Browning Ross awards, which are lifetime achievement awards. All nominations will be forwarded to the appropriate selection panels tasked with selecting the final award recipients. Individuals interested in serving on one of the award selection panels should contact Eve Mills at office@rrca.org.
RRCA: NATIONAL RUNNING AWARDS CATEGORIES
RRCA DISTANCE RUNNING HALL OF FAME: Inducts individuals that have dedicated themselves to the sport of distance running.
BROWNING ROSS SPIRIT OF THE RRCA: Honors a club member who is an unsung hero and champions the RRCA tirelessly and enthusiastically at the local and/or national level.
SCOTT HAMILTON OUTSTANDING RRCA CLUB PRESIDENT AWARD: Honors an outstanding RRCA club president.
ROAD RUNNER OF THE YEAR AWARD: Honors a male and female open and masters US runner with an outstanding record of distance racing performance during the year.
RRCA JERRY LITTLE EXCELLENCE IN JOURNALISM: 1. Club Newsletter Award honors two club newsletters that demonstrate a variety of content, good presentation, informative and creative, and inclusive of the RRCA logo. One award will be given to clubs with 499 or fewer members, and one award will be given for clubs with 500 or more members. 2. Club Writer Award honors a top club writer that is an unpaid running journalist. 3. Club/Event E-Newsletter recognizes the use of technology when communicating with members. It is open to any size club or event. The e-newsletter can be emailed to members or clearly posted on a website and should be in PDF, HTML, or another format such as Constant Contact e-newsletter. The e-newsletter should look like a newsletter and not simply be a page on a club website or a text email. 4. Journalistic Excellence honors a professional writer who has made a notable contribution to the literature of distance running for the year.
ROD STEELE OUTSTANDING VOLUNTEER AWARD: Honors an outstanding volunteer (excluding the president) of a local club or event.
OUTSTANDING RRCA STATE REPRESENTATIVE: Honors the outstanding and superior service of an RRCA State Representative.
RRCA KURT STEINER OUTSTANDING YOUTH PROGRAM DIRECTOR AWARD: Honors a local club member who is dedicated to either promoting children’s running and/or coordinating an outstanding children’s running program.
RRCA OUTSTANDING BEGINNING RUNNING PROGRAM AWARD: Honors beginning running programs hosted by RRCA clubs that engage new or returning runners to the sport, regardless of their gender.
RRCA ROAD RACE OF THE YEAR AWARD: Honors a volunteer-run, nonprofit race that is safe, well organized and enjoyable and promotes grassroots running and the mission of the RRCA.
WEBSITE AWARD: Honors two clubs with outstanding website design and content. Awards will be given to small (250 and fewer) and large (over 250) club websites.
It's very easy to submit a nomination and just takes a few minutes. It's now an online process. I've done it many times. Think about it. : )
I made my first batch of cookies for LUABC yesterday. They're m&m using Susan Komen pink m&ms and the Neiman Marcus recipe.
Thank you Chris Kujath for her donations for the LUABC silent auction donations: a big wing Red Wing 2-gallon crock from 1906-1909, and 2 Hull vases from the 1940s--the small one in the water lily pattern and the larger one the woodland pattern.
Chris opened a new antique mall called Old River Valley Antiques at 3727 Commercial Dr SW (near the old Fleet Farm building). It's open M-Sat 9:30 to 5:30 and Sunday noon to 5:30.
Oh, my. What a run this morning. About a dozen brave souls showed up at Dunn Bros. for a jaunt around NE Rochester that would prove to be more like skating that running.
I wore my Icebugs and on no other day were they more useful than today.
They have built-in carbide spikes. And they work GREAT. Buy they're heavy (with my orthotics in them, they weigh 16.65 oz. each; without the orthotics. 14.90 ounces--yikes!).
I ran with Trevor. The bike path and bridge were especially slippery north of the Rec Center. We headed north on West River Road to HyVee. Running east on 37th Street, I swear it looked like Trevor was just spinning his wheels. I wasn't sure whether he was making forward progress or not. It was just comical. Water sitting on glare ice. We continued east INTO THE WIND and up the HUGE hill to Century H.S. (I just looked on mapmyrun.com and from Shopko up to the intersection just past Mayo Clinic NE it's 1.06 miles.) This was, I think, about the longest-feeling mile I'd run in a long, long time. The wind was relentless and that hill gets really steep. Oh my. We had been talking about this being a character-building run and it was all that. Plus. Then we headed down Viola Hill. The bike path was ridiculously slippery so we took the road down. Then we turned south on 11th Ave and to 7th St, around the lake, the long way. Then we decided to go around again. I needed to be back at Dunn Bros. at 9:00 to go over the LUABC route with Todd, but we had enough time left for a second loop. I'd done 1.88 miles at 7:10 before the rest of the group arrived and when I got back at 9:00 had 12.00. After sharing my chocolate chip pumpkin bread with the rest of the weary, hungry runners ...
I decided to head out for yet a third trip around the lake. I stretched it out on both the west and east sides and finally called it quits at 16.10 miles. GOOD ENOUGH. DONE. Then I went home for a warm bowl of oatmeal and a warm shower. : )
Casey asked for the low-fat pumpkin bread recipe. Here 'ya go:
1 c. packed light brown sugar
2 large egg whites
1 c. pure pumpkin (not pumpkin pie mix)
1/4 c. canola oil
1/3 c. plain low-fat yogurt
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 c. flour
3/4 c. whole wheat flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1. Preheat oven to 350. Spray 8 1/2 x 4 1/2 metal loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray with flour.
2. In large bowl, with wire whisk, combine brown sugar and egg whites. Add pumpkin, oil, yogurt, and vanilla extract; stir to combine.
3. In medium bowl, combine all-purpose flour, whole wheat flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda, and salt. Add flour mixture to pumpkin mixture; stir until just combined. Do not overmix.
4. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake 45 to 50 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center of loaf comes out clean. Cool in pan 10 minutes. Invert pumpkin bread onto wire rack; cool completely.
NOTE: I added mini chocolate chips to the batter. Also, I baked it for more than an hour (and it still collapsed).
Some sort of soup sounded "souper" for supper. : ) So it was Golden Winter Soup, a Cooking Light recipe. Butternut squash, potatoes, leeks, chicken broth, s/p, FF 1/2 and 1/2. I added a little nutmeg.
Then a broiled slice of baguette with Gruyere on top and it was good to go. Good indeed. Totally hit the spot.
We still REALLY need volunteers (course marshals) for LUABC on 2/14 (Lace-Up Against Breast Cancer 5K and half marathon). Please consider volunteering if not running. Volunteers can contact Sarah Shonyo . We'd be ever so grateful for your help. We need runners too. Information on all aspects of the event is available on the LUABC website. Thank you.
Here's my quote for the day: "“Success is the ability to go from one failure to another with no loss of enthusiasm.” — Winston Churchill
Sounds like that's what we all will be doing in the morning. We're "scheduled" to get a couple tens of an inch of ice. Not good. Assuming it's safe to drive, I will wear my Ice Bugs for sure on the run (Dunn Bros. Elton Hills at 7:30). I just made a loaf of low-fat pumpkin bread (egg whites, yogurt) but it totally sunk in the middle. : (
I think the ends are still edible.
This morning I ran, lifted, swam, ran home. I'm going to try mixing up my swimming workout in an effort to get even a little faster. Try doing some drills or something.
Today, I made some progress on sponsorships for races I'm involved with. Culver's will donate chicken noodle soup for Lace-Up Against Breast Cancer (thank you!). Reichel Foods will donate 300 boxes of Dippin' Stix (apple slices and caramel) for the Fetzer (thank you!). And John and Ken are available to score Fetzer (yippee!! they are so conscientious). So that's all very good news. So for LUABC, we are getting the following donated: chicken noodle soup, Great Harvest bread, bananas, Dippin Stix, cheese and bottled water (I think). And I will make oodles of cookies.
This afternoon at Kwik Trip on 2nd St SW I filled up my car with gas and at the same time purchased a car wash at the pump. I put some air in my tires and then drove over to the car wash. Guess what? There's a sign outside the wash that it's "Closed for the weather". Hmmm. It's above freezing and this is just the kind of weather where every car needs washing! I was frustrated that I could purchase the wash but not use it. So I drove up to the Kwik Trip on West Circle Drive and bought another one (all the washes are also $1 more at that Kwik Trip). Oh well, at least it's clean. When I came home I cleaned the interior. I love having a clean car.
I stopped at Good Food Store this afternoon. I just love that store.
I bought ...
some thick rolled oats, 2 Delicata squash, a Sweet Dumpling squash, some garlic powder and some ground cloves. Those winter squash are my favorites. They are so sweet and microwave in minutes.
Then I went to Great Harvest to fill out a donation form for Fetzer and stopped in next door at Salvaged Treasures.
What a fun shop! I'd never been in there before. It's open Wed-Sat 11 to 5. Lots of fun stuff, new and "previously loved".
I didn't make a purchase, but it was sure fun to look around and I'm glad I now know what's inside. As runners, this sign would get us in deep doo doo:
My little scrap quilt is coming along. I'll post a photo when it's done. : )
I got this link in an email the other day. Lots of ultrarunning info.
I heard Joe Soucheray read this on the radio this afternoon:
A Viking Prayer
Our Favre who art in Minnesota, hallowed be thy name. Thy bowl will come, it will be won, in Miami as it is in the Dome. Give us this Sunday our weekly win. And give us our touchdown passes, as we forbid those who try to pass against us. And lead us not into frustration, but deliver us to the Super Bowl. For thine is the MVP, the best of the NFC, and the glory of the Purple People Eaters now and forever. Amen.
My friend Rick sent me a link to this very cute video:
It's treacherous out there today. Lots of schools cancelled or late. The parking lot at work was like an ice rink. But I stayed upright.
Congratulations to St. Cloud River Runner Tim Wolfram for being the male winner of the Marathon Sports Gear for a Year contest.
Ellen and I went out for lunch yesterday and decided on Newt's instead of City Cafe. Jean Murray happened to be having lunch there as well. I had the grilled chicken sandwich. We had a very nice lunch.
Team R.E.D. is holding their weekly get together at the indoor RCTC track instead of outside due to the weather conditions. 6:00 PM tonight (Thursday).
Off-Season Striders will meet at 7:30 AM at Dunn Bros. north on Saturday morning. Route/mileage TBD. I've decided not to go up to run the Securian half marathon in St. Paul as the weather forecast sounds like a carbon copy of today. So I'll be at Dunn Bros. With spikes on my shoes. : )
RSVPs for the Rochester Track Club banquet on February 6 are due tomorrow, Friday January 22. More info on the RTC website.
I met a gal, Kathy, at Zoom!Yah!Yah! who makes T-shirt quilts. If you're interested, here's her website: http://www.whitedogquilting.com/
Morning workout both today and yesterday: Stairmaster. Yesterday, my legs didn't need any more pounding. Today, too slippery outside. Hoping to run to the Y and swim tomorrow morning.
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