T minus twelve

What a day.  Full of a bizarre mix of emotions.  I’m not sure I can totally put it into words, so for now I’ll just stick to the photos.

Well, what do we have here? 

My last work lunch for a while included a big salad with a side of carrots and Livin’ Spoonful raw crackers, along with 2 apples, a vegan oatmeal raisin cookie from Candle, and a tupp ‘o zuppa. 

This was the other half of Amy’s Southwestern Veg soup bulked up with extra frozen veggies (corn and broccoli). 

As for the cookie, well, it wasn’t exactly love at first bite.  It was good, I mean it IS a cookie after all!  But not sweet enough for my taste buds.  I only ended up consuming half at lunch (but I had the rest later that night). 

Salad of champions: spinach, carrots, cherry tomatoes, dried cranz, pepitas, chickpeas, and raw crackers.  Holler.

Work was bittersweet.  Saying goodbye to people was such a weird feeling.  I mean obviously I will still be in touch with my close friends, but the truth of the matter is, more likely than not, I will never see a majority of these people again.  Ever.  That is so weird, and it still hasn’t totally hit me yet.  I mean, I have a few coworkers that I will definitely still keep in contact with (and hopefully see again in the future), but the rest of the staff – the people I saw on a day to day basis, the people who shaped me as a nurse, the people who witnessed a major transitional part of my life (moving to a new/foreign city, getting engaged, etc.) – will be over 3,000 miles away from me.  Odd. 

I think the reason it’s so hard for me to put my feelings into words, though, is because I wasn’t particularly close with my coworkers (in fact I did a fairly decent job of keeping my work life separate from the rest of my life).  And yet, in terms of the influence they had on me professionally…it’s indescribable.  Without a doubt, they will forever be a part of me.  But because I was leaving them (after they invested years of training to mold me into the perfect ICU nurse), I was nervous that they would see it as me abandoning them and moving on to bigger and better things the West Coast.  In the end though, I felt nothing but genuine support and happiness.  It was a really nice feeling when people were giving me heartfelt goodbyes and wishing me well.  All in all, the perfect way to bid the unit adieu. 

Don’t get me wrong though, the day wasn’t all teary hugs and kisses…I definitely worked my a$$ off all shift long (still saving lives here people!), but for the most part, it was a good last day. 

After work I met a few nurse-y friends (Kyle’s term) who weren’t working that day, plus Kyle and Ethel for drinks at SideBar (a few block from the hospital).

“What’s on tap?  I’ll take it!” – Elise (girl on a mission)

In addition to the double order of beers I guzzled down, we also ordered a few apps, including two three orders of hummus (with a side order of crispy chips) plus an order of guacamole (again with a MEGA order of chippies).

Ethel has all the photos…so once she’s back in CA she may get a post up.

Q: What’s worse than absent-minded wandering through Union Square WF? 

A: Wandering through WF when you’re a bit tippppsy. 

Talk about a difficult task!  I combined the above seaweed salad with a spiralized zucch/squash mix, baked ‘fu, and sweet potatoes.

Multiply times dos.

Followed by the aforementioned 1/2 of my vegan cookie from Candle.

And then, some late night cravings kicked in HARD core…

Which could only be satiated by a super milky tea and a choco-walla bar. 

Sadly, Ethel was West Coast bound in the AM, so I had to say goodbye to my girl.  Talk about a jam packed visit though.  We had SO much fun. 

Fortunately, parting wasn’t too tearful because in weeks (!!) we will be neighbors once again in the City of Angels. 

Oh, college.   🙂

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Wed(nesday) and Bed

For the freakin’ LIFE of me I couldn’t make it out of bed this morning.

By 10 am I just resigned to a morning in bed (why fight it).  I made coffee and snuggled back in my covers with a crossword, mug of frothy joe, and some trashy tv.  How’s that for a perfect morning?  Hump day much.

Around noon I dragged myself to the living room for some apples and computer time. 

Since it was gorgeous outside and I wasn’t hungry for lunch I made my way outside, for a walk around the neighb.  While I strolled, I was trying to think up what I wanted for lunch.  I was having the foodie version of a writers block…

I hate it when I can’t figure out what I’m in the mood for.  I managed to come up with a pretty good solution.

Pita stuffed with LightLife Honey BBQ Smart Wings, roasted red pepper hummus, and romaine lettuce. 

The humm-becue combo was fantastic, but it was the crispy romaine that added the winning magical crunch.  Definitely put this simple stuffed pita sando over the edge. 

I had a Passionberry Kombucha for dessert.  Why must these cost $4?

I was so full of energy after lunch that I ended up powering through a 6 mile run through Central Park.  I managed to finish the entire loop without walking once, but my time was significantly slower than previous ones.  Last year, I was dominating this loop in under 45 minutes, and I’m not quite there yet this year.  That said, at least I got through a 6 miler…prior to this run, I had yet to get through that much mileage this running season and it’s been a bit frustrating.  In short, I am still going to consider this (slower) run a success. 

After showering up, I made a snack plate with crackers and hummus.  It’s a good thing this hummus was nearly gone because I could have demolished 35 of these addictive (Whole Foods brand) crackers. 

Speaking of Whole Foods…

Hot bar action!  I swear, once I pick up those friggin’ brown boxes, I can’t seem to spend a normal amount of money…it’s like I’m overcome by some crazy desire to fit every single vegan dish in a 4×6 inch space.

This vegan chik’n salad is my all time fave.  I don’t even remember what else was in there.

Whole Foods’ whole wheat naan is another one of my biggest weaknesses.  There were about 7 pieces smashed in there, and although my intent was to save half for the next day’s work eats, (not surprisingly) I devoured them all in one sitting.

After a totally perfect (read milky) vat of tea, I packed my eats for tomorrow and hit the sack. 

Reflecting on the day, I think I was in bed more than I was out of bed.  Ha!

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Like a carry-out

*Post’s title courtesy of my lover, JT (and due to the fact that I ate several meals out this weekend).

Apparently I just can’t get my blogging self together on the weekends (or when the weather is nice).  Sooo, Happy (belated) Easter!  And now for a quickie recap of the last couple of days…

Saturday

The AM can be summarized pretty briefly:  Starbucks, shopping, more shopping, and (finally) lunch at home.

So far all the Gardein products I have tried have been fresh (not frozen) ones, so making the meat-free buffalo wings was my first time with the thawing process.

On the left: frozen.  On the right: after some micro nuking.  Below: salad-ified.

Holy hell.  I’m not a wuss, but hot damn these were spicy!  There were times I was chugging water to wash down (what I’m assuming were) pepper flakes.  Since I’ve never had real buffalo wings, answer me this…is this what they are like?  Thank the lord I had them mixed with a ton of veggies (spinach, brocc, corn, edamame, & carrots) otherwise my tongue may have lost the ability to taste.  It was good, but definitely FAR spicier than I was expecting.  Wow.

Prepare for a small shock here.  There was no snacking between lunch and dinner for me, aside from this trilogy Kombucha.

It was soooo amazingly sunny outside that Kyle and I went for a stroll and ended up having dinner out.

Hummus bar?  Yes, please :)  It had been far too long since I last dined at Nanoosh, so I was long overdue. 

How amaze-balls does this look.  I can’t help but say Nanoooooosh while dipping each fluffy pita in creamy chickpea bliss.  It’s a fun restaurant name to say.

I know I say it each time I write about this restaurant, but these pitas are freakin’ legit – Earth shattering, warm, doughy, fluffy, whole wheat carby deliciousness.  I got a side of raw veg to get in extra fiberrrr, but barely touched the celery.

Kyle got the Chicken wrap with hummus, tahini, and greens, and a quinoa salad on the side.  He was practically moaning.  I swear.  I was trying not to crack up because he was starting to sound pretty inapprope.

Back at the casa, Kyle and I watched Away We Go and I had some carob/almond dessert-ables.  The movie was goodish, but I wouldn’t have minded a bit more of a conclusion.  I’m all for open endings and leaving it to the audience to discuss, but there’s also nothing wrong with some closure.  There were a ton of fun actors in it though, and Maggie Gyllenhaal’s role was hilarious. 

Sunday

Not a very typical Easter since we didn’t go to church, get baskets, or hunt for eggs, but there was coffee, so I’m not complaining (and they spelled my name right, too!!).

Starbucks’ soy misto = my perfect Easter

After we de-groggy-eyed, we headed out for more shopping (spring cleaning + a change in weather = new wardrobe).  Kyle was (again) way more successful.  Is it just me, or are this season’s trends hideous?  Or maybe the problem is that the clothes aren’t following the latest trends at all, and the lines are just downright fug.  I found seriously next to nothing I even wanted to try on!  Apparently, if you don’t want to look like a prostitute trapped in clothes sized for a 15 year old, you are S.O.L.  Frrrrustrating. 

We hit up the Chelsea WF for lunch.  The kale/avo salad on the left totally made me think of you Gena (hello, is that not your dream meal to a “t”).  Otherwise the hot bar action was fairly similar to what I always go for…falafel and a tofu dish (so original).  The falafel was actually too hard and without any hummus to dip it in, I was kinda annoyed.  The balsamic grilled tofu dish was great though, so I was happy in the end.  Plus we ate outside, so that made everything 800 times better. 

Kyle got these…and whatever else was in his salad bar box.

After getting enough Vitamin D, we went home and changed into running gear and went for a walk/jog in the park.  It was pretty pathetic as far as work-outs go, and that was all my fault.  My knees have been hurting (I need new runnign shoes) and I was completely unable to get pumped up enough to get going.  As a result I ended up channeling my inner Maggie and just enjoying the sun while walking a few miles.  I liked it. 

Dinner was a big salad with Health is Wealth brand soy (chik’n) nuggets as the central ingred.

Other goodies included leftover celery from Saturday’s dinner, carrots, and corn on a bed of spinach. 

With my two fave condiments on top 🙂

And a pita & hummus plate a la mode.

Banana soft serve for dessert.  Sometimes I think frozen bananas deserve their own dedication page…right after hummus.  So good.

Pretty perfect weekend if you ask me, although, I am definitely looking forward to next year when I will be with family for the holidays. 

How old were you when you last received a basket from the Easter bunny?  As the oldest child, I was lucky enough to get it for quite some time (younger sisters are good for something…). 

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Pearly whites & snowy nights

After my sophisticated breakfast of an apple and frothy cup of coffee, I headed to the dentist’s office for a routine cleaning.  Since I was in midtown, I met up with Kyle after my appointment to show off my sparkling new pearly whites.  I owe my cavity free chompers to these babies.  Kyle and I went for a little stroll before he returned to work.

Entering through Artisan’s Gate (Central Park South and 7th Ave)…

A crossroads in The Park (if there’s ever a park to be capitalized and deemed “THE” park, it should be this one)…

Much like The Donald’s hair sitch, there was something interesting going on atop the Trump tower in Columbus Circle.  However, unlike Mr. Trump’s comb-over hairdo, the way the towers were reflecting in the sun was beautiful.  Sunlight makes the snow much more bearable. 

Pigeon perch.

I tried to put off lunch as long as possible because my teeth felt so amazing (and I wanted to prolong the feeling forever), but eventually my stomach let me know enough was enough. 

Conveniently I was in Columbus Circle at the time…which meant…

Whole Foods love.

In the bigger beast: seaweed/sesame salad, baked ‘fu, kale, swiss chard, spinach, quinoa, carrots, haricots verts, edamame, shredded squash/zucchini, and I don’t remember what else.

In the smaller: lentil dal and MORE baked ‘fu.

After lunch, it was errands time…followed by apple time…and then next thing I knew it was exercise time!

I wasn’t amazingly inspired, in fact, it’s a miracle I made it to the gym at all.  I ran a wimpy 2.5 miles and then rode 3 miles on the spin bike, and even though I felt like it was a pretty pathetic workout for a day off of work, I am literally SO proud of myself for just making it to the gym at all.  Snowy days like these are my biggest enemies…all they want to do is hinder my healthy lifestyle.  With each day being a small battle for me, it was nice to get one in the win column. 

I had the rest of the Gardein’s seasoned bites on a big salad for dinner. 

These “bites” were atop spinach, steamed broccoli, and carrots.

Kyle always saves me the heel pieces of bread because I love them so.  I don’t even need to include it in our vows, he knows what’s up. 

Talk about big and beautiful!  The end pieces have more booty than J Lo. 

Caramel apple dessert – yes please!

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The Joys of Nursing

All I wanted to do on Monday was sleep in.  After my weekend of working (mixed with boozing at the office holiday party), I needed rest more than anything in the world (including hummus).  And yet, I still woke up at 8 am.  Oh well, I’ll take all I can get.

I broke the fast with my latest obsession (cocoa coffee) and an apple and then got productive.  Laundry done before 10 is impressive for a day off…and that’s not all!  I did a few more Q&As, too.

Why did you choose nursing?  How did you know you wanted to become an RN?  If you weren’t in nursing, what would your second career choice be? 

Well, this kinda overlaps with the previous question about my dream job.  But I had SO many questions on my path to becoming a nurse that I think I’ll address that whole career move in more detail now.  It’s hard to imagine doing anything other than nursing now, but back when I started college I thought I wanted to be a doctor.  Yep, I was a bio/pre-med major at UCLA.  But before I get ahead of myself, I’ll back up a bit.

Growing up with a physician for a father, I always knew I wanted to do something in the medical field.  It wasn’t anything I was pressured into, I just loved it.  Biology was always my favorite subject in school, so it only seemed natural that I should follow that path.  Only problem was, being pre-med at UCLA was the most competitive, cut-throat, insane environment.  Ever.  Also, biology was only 1% of the major.  As you can imagine, the appeal in being pre-med was gone faster than LaLohan’s sense of smell.  Since I wasn’t exactly sure what that medical something I wanted to do was, I just forged ahead with the bio major knowing I would eventually figured it out.  I’d already killed my GPA with all the lower division O chem grunt work, so I figured I might as well get the letters and the diploma that goes along with it.

Sure enough, I graduated, and still wasn’t too sure what I wanted to do with my BS.  RN, PA, PT, how could I know without ever seeing what each did?  To pass the time, I got a job in a hospital (mammography).  My job had me doing a whole assortment of things, but BY FAR my favorite part was talking to patients.  While taking their history, I felt I was able to make them way more comfortable (which was hard to do given that they were about to get their boobs smashed in a vice-like apparatus).  This passion for making patients feel at ease and opening communication with them was my first clue that I wanted to go into nursing.  Obviously nursing requires more than just chilling with patients, but you know what I mean…Nurses are the ones who are the bridge in communication between patients and their doctors.  They explain things to the family, they are the advocate for the patient when he/she can’t be that person for himself, and they are the ones who the patient bonds with during what is often the most difficult time in a person’s life. 

So, after doing some research, I decided to pursue nursing.  Since I already had a bachelors in bio, I discovered almost all of the prerequisite classes were taken care of, and I could apply for an accelerated nursing program.  Nowadays there are several such programs, but they weren’t as popular or well known when I was applying.  I continued to work at the hospital while I applied to a few schools, and ultimately, I decided on an 11 month program in Philly.

I loved it.  It was hard.  But I did well, graduated, moved to NYC, and found a job in the cardiac ICU.

Did you always know you wanted to be a cardiac nurse?  Do you think this job is forever?

No and probably not. 

To be honest, I loved almost every clinical rotation I had in nursing school, so I had no clue what field I wanted to start in once I graduated.  The best thing about nursing though, is that you don’t necessarily have to choose one field and stick with it.  Unlike medicine, picking a specialty doesn’t mean you are stuck on a path of no return.  I’m hoping to eventually return to school (some time in the distant future), and get my N.P. (Nurse Practitioner).  Since the unit I currently work on is run by an NP, I am basically being trained for the job now.  I love being proactive in patient care, determining the problem before it happens, and taking action to eliminate (or at least minimize) it.  Being able to know how and what to do requires critical thinking, and that’s one of the best parts about my current position that I enjoy thrive on.  Looking at the clinical picture as a whole is way more than just following orders, and I love knowing enough to call the shots.  So, if I can bridge the role of the nurse (with the bedside manner and passion for putting the patient first) and the doctor (with the ability to diagnose and put pen to paper orders to scripts), I think I will have found my true calling. 

Since those answers were so long winded, here’s a quick look at the rest of the days eats. 

Home-made seitan, quinoa, and steamed broccoli.

This dish was such perfection, it needed no side dishes or anything.  It held me over all through my hour and a half workout at the gym, too.

Please note the spoon in the hummus…because that’s how I roll 🙂

FAVE flavor!!!!  I don’t like orange juice, oranges, or most orange flavored things…but for some reason, this is my favorite of all the Zevia flavors.  Weird.

For dinner I met Kyle at WF.  Hot date with the hot bar.

Hotness.  Sorry about the cellphone pic.  My bberry is on it’s last legs.  The blur you don’t see above is: curry cauliflower (mouth on fire good), BBQ tempeh, balsamic tofu, steamed brocc, and dried cranz on a spinach bed.

I also had one pound of butternut squash with onions, currants, and two pounds of olive oil.  The WF chefs could really lighten up on the EVOO. 

After we got home, I had dessert while watching the 49ers win (yeah!!!).

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ABC

Apple, Blog, Coffee that is. 

As if my hospital-less days would start any other way…

Hope you guys liked the froth tutorial.  This alphabetical brekkie got me through a tivo-ed Gossip Girl episode (followed by a dance party in my PJs to Lady GaGa) and many many blogs, but eventually I needed a course two.

A [me] & goji bowl of deliciousness filled (my tummy’s) void.  Shortly after I digested, I threw on some clothes, got my hair did, beautified my face, and hit the road to get some errands done.  Runway ready?  FO SHO.

I also had a doctor’s appointment, so I packed this monster with me. 

Waiting rooms are pretty much my idea of hell, so I knew I should bring food to avoid making a bad situation worse (after all, everything is worse with an empty stomach).  It’s hard to tell how big it was in the photo, but I wouldn’t be surprised if it broke the 500 calorie barrier and then some.

Whole Foods’ fruit & nut bars seem to be getting bigger and bigger.  Has anyone else noticed this trend?  Since I can’t help but eat an entire bar once it’s opened moderation is not my strong suit, I’m not sure how much longer I’m going to be able to purchase these!!

My appointment was practically next door to WF, so how could I NOT stop in for some hot foods bar action?  I know 3 pm isn’t really a typical meal time, but I’m not a “typical” kind of girl…

Balsamic tofu, brocc, peas, and sesame ginger carrots all on a bed of spinach.  While I enjoy simple salads, I also am I firm believer in the-more-the-merrier policy (unlike Mr. Dan Humphrey), and this baby fit the bill. 

I also got this BN squash side dish, which I busted open a mere 30 minutes later (it was an appetite building walk home).  I asked the lady serving it to try to avoid the onions and she did a pretty good job.  I’ll be making my own (onion-less) version soon. 

After taking some time to digest, I was ready to get my exercise on.  Holy crap I was shocked at how dark it was!  Winter solstice much?  It was 5 pm, but I felt like I should’ve been getting ready for bed.  Very confusing.  Nobody else seemed to take issue with it though, because NYSC was packed. 

30 minutes on the machines when there is a line = gym interrupted

Kale, wakame seaweed, vegan Boca burger salad

Whole Foods’ whole wheat pita wedges with (the best) roasted red pepper hummus.  Seriously, I hate to sound sacrelig, but this hummus is almost better than Sabra.  It’s super thick (think whipped cream cheese consistency) and has some bangin’ flavor to boot. 

I am loved.  The Steaz says so, and who am I to argue with a wonderfully fizzy drink? 

Apl.de.ap!

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D.C. (part 2)

Despite our late night out on the town, we still met at 7 am for breakfast on Saturday.  Craziness, right? 

I don’t have any food pics from Saturday until dinner.  If you knew everything we did and saw, you’d understand why.

• Washington monument
• WWII memorial
• Reflecting pool
• Lincoln memorial
• Vietnam Veterans memorial
• Natural History museum
• American History museum
• Stars and Stripes Cafeteria lunch (veggie burger)
• National Air and Space museum
• White House
• Starbucks (yes, it gets it’s own bullet point)

After what felt like miles and miles of walking, we finally made it back to the hotel.

I had a Z bar and showered before dinner (there was a serious rain-induced afro hair sitch going on).

Being Halloween and all, we wanted to get away from some of the chaos (at least for dinner) so we went to Busboys & Poets, thanks to Quinn’s recommendation.  It was great that they had both vegan and carnivorous options.  I love hippie friendly places that I can take others to without worryign about what they will think of the menu.

Knowing football was going to be the focus of the night, I started with some cerveza :)  Then for dinner I got the Baked Tofu Cake with a ginger-mushroom glaze, served with rice and julienne veggies.

WHOA!  This was very salty.  I loved it, but then, I love salt.  I think the cook lost track of how many “shake shake shakes” he was doing…  Aside from that, it was awwwwwesome.  For reals, I polished off the ENTIRE plate along with the rice and veggies.  The tofu cake was almost like a soufflé in texture and flavor.  Obviously it was eggless, since it was vegan, but dang, it was tasty.

The rest of the entrees:

Cindy’s Angus Beef Burger with sautéed mushrooms, gorgonzola, lettuce, tomato and onion (and a side of sweet potato fries).

Seamus’ Homemade Meatloaf with a red wine sauce, served with mashed potatoes, sautéed mushrooms and spinach.

Kyle’s Angus Beef Burgers with cheddar cheese, avocado, sprouts, lettuce, tomato and onion (and a side of fresh fruit).

It was all fantastic. 

The rest of the night was insane.  We went back to Georgetown and saw the most crazy interesting members of society.  Wow.  Halloween brings out the freaks. 

On Sunday, the rest of our friends had to head back home (to CA) so Kyle and I forged ahead with more touristy action.

As always, the day started with a Starbucks run.  Then we made our way to the United States Holocaust museum which took several hours longer than I thought it would.  Wow.  No words.  Next thing we knew it was 1:30 pm and we were starving our a$$es off. 

I was beyond excited for lunch because I’ve heard nothing but amazing things about Java Green.  Unfortunately, I was not on top of my game, and I failed to do appropriate research.  CLOSED.  What the eff?  Apparently, they aren’t open on Sundays.  I don’t know how I messed that up, but I was so sad.  I had saved this restaurant for last, and now, because of my poor planning, I didn’t get to try it at all :(  Guess I’ll have to return to D.C. again. 

Oddly enough, back-up restaurants weren’t too plentiful in the area either because everything was closed!  I guess that part of town is not exactly weekend friendly.  My handy dandy bberry device came to the rescue, and after a quick google map search I discovered we were less than a mile from Whole Foods.  Happy hippie.

I was excited to find some new dishes in the prepared foods section, including vegan “chick’n stir fry” with veggies and a chickpea, pepper, quinoa salad.

Of course, I added in the usual assorted yummies to fill the container out. 

After lunch we decided to go back to the Georgetown area for some shopping and campus exploration.  Just for fun…don’t get any ideas…

We stopped into a sports bar to rest our feet and watch football, and then got to-go dishes from Dean & Deluca before heading to the Amtrack station.

We got a pretty decent sized vat of the avocado/tomato dish, along with a smaller container of the pasta (seen in the corner), hummus, pitas, and fresh fruit.

This hummus was sooooo good.  It was way more liquidy and had a nice spicy kick to it.  I was half way through it when my stomach started giving me a bit of trouble (to put it in blog friendly terms).  Hmmmm…

So I took a closer look.

Feta cheese!?!  In hummus???  ACK!  I stopped dead in my tracks and ate extra plain pitas to cushion the blow to my tum tum. 

Thank goodness I noticed this before I did too much more damage.  I felt pretty crappy for the next few hours, but I still had a red delicious mediocre apple and fruit salad for dessert.

There were some delays in our train departure, so we didn’t get back home until 1:45 am…so I am still playing catch up on my sleep, and Kyle is still coughing.  We are a pair of invalids. 

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It’s my birthday

I’m 27 today!!!  And I’m gonna partay chow chow like it’s my birthday!

In lieu of a birthday post (which I will save for tomorrow) I am going to instead share yesterday’s eats, as well as my offish results from the San Francisco Nike Marathon…I actually have plans for today that don’t involve working or blogging 🙂

By now, you all know I love running.  I ALSO happen to love my readers (which is a simple and very understated way to put it, but for now it will have to do).  So, when a certain commenter (ahem, Caitlin) stroked my ego and asked me to write more deets about last weekend’s race, I was happy to oblige.  Well, next thing I knew, my response to her comment was half a mile long, which made me think, maybe I have more to say on the subject than I originally thought.  Now, the LAST thing I want to do is bore you all with an “ode to running” manuscript.  SO, if you have no interest in what I’m about to share (or think I’m full of myself), please scroll ahead. 

Consider yourself warned.

My time was 1:43:43 which averages out to 7:55 minute miles.  Considering the hill factor, I was quite pleased with this.  For comparison’s sake, last month’s half marathon time was 1:42:07 which is a 7:47 minute mile pace.  I’m not a robot, I swear!  I was a little bummed since I was trying to beat that time, but that was before I realized that I would be climbing 75 degree inclines for miles on end. 

As an avid runner, I consider races to be the pinnacle of the sport for me.  It’s not just the path getting there (training, pushing myself, etc.) but it’s also the thrill of competition AND simultaneously of camaraderie.  When I’m running I feel surrounded by others who all share this passion for lacing up our sneakers and putting our best foot forward, time and time again.  At times it seems annoying to sacrifice sleep or socializing when training, but during races, it all comes to fruition and I feel a bond with others who made similar decisions to get to that place.  Crossing that finish line.  WOW.  There is NO better feeling! 

Throughout the race I felt AMAZING.  Sure there were moments in which I was exhausted (aforementioned hills), but the crowds were so supportive, and I truly felt strong and in shape and prepared for all 13.1 miles.  Never once did I feel like I couldn’t go on. 

In terms of my training, I’m not what you would consider a model athlete.  I don’t follow any organized plan, I have never done any research on how one is “supposed” to train, and I have no clue if the miles I log leading up to races are what’s recommended.  I’m pretty sure I could improve my time if I made racing more of a priority, but I have a job and a life and I consider running (not racing) my passion.  So, while I like being timed, and competing, I am also happy with my more mellow approach to events such as the Nike half marathon. 

Additionally, running that early in the morning is usually NOT my cup of tea.  In fact, most days I work out in the afternoon because I prefer to eat lunch (for energy) and allow time to digest before getting physical.  I have heard that you are supposed to train in “like conditions” to the race for which you are training.  However, for me, that would mean 5 am wake up calls on my days off of work, which in my book is NOT cool.  So I basically disregard that out of comfort.  I am NOT a morning person.  I require ample amounts of coffee to make a sentence coherent.  And for that reason I will NEVER EVER share my race photos (they are SO horrible).  Shockingly enough, I went to bed early before this race (10:30 pm is early for me), and got nearly 6 hours of sleep, so I felt pretty alert for it being 5 am.  Side note: due to the insane winds, my eyes were tearing the entire race long (no joke, I had streaks all down my cheeks), but it didn’t really even phase me…I only discovered it when I took a (rather scary) look in the mirror on the ride home with my sister.  Oh, and then I saw the photos on the Nike website…anyone know how to burn virtual pictures?  These MORE than need to be confiscated.

Anyways, as far as my mental state during the race was concerned, I wasn’t paying attention to mile markers until about mile 6.  In past half marathons I have done (this was #3), I have had a WAY more trying time.  Psychologically speaking, it can be hard to ignore the mile markers and not keep a count down going in your head, so I really heavily on music to entertain me for such long hauls.  This race, however, had so much going on on the sidelines that I was pleasantly distracted and the first half of the race flew by.  The crowds were amazingly loud and cheerful for 7 am.  There were live choirs, bands, bagpipes, free style and street dancers, and people with cow bells and clappers.  It was crazy.  Miles 7-9 were almost all hills, though, so I was really digging in and focusing.  Not on the distance really, but more on trying to keep up my pace and not fall too behind (because I felt like I was running at a stand still)!!  Throughout these miles there were also awesome crowds, including people with trays of orange slices (don’t mind if I do!), Luna moons and mini-bars, halves of bananas, and of course water.  I think I got more orange on my chin and sleeve than actually made it into my mouth (but really, I was so nasty, who knows what was sweat and what was orange…).  Around mile 10 I felt like I was home free…the time and miles flew by.  We were in Golden Gate Park by that time, so there weren’t really many major hills left.  Next thing I knew I saw the finish line.  What a sight that was to behold!!  My goodness, there is no better view.  As I crossed it I burst into a smile (I know this based on the race photos).  I was so elated to be done and to have accomplished such a feat.  Each and every person volunteering for Nike (from the tuxedo clad man handing me my Tiffany’s necklace to the teenage kid offering me a towel) said “congratulations” in such a sincere way, it made me really proud of myself and all the other runners.

Here’s the breakdown of my time over the 13.1 miles:

5K – 24:07    10K – 48:38      15K – 1:13:37    (ummm, steady much?)

Moving on to the FOOD now.

Thinking I wouldn’t need it, I set my alarm for 10 am as a back-up.  Boy was I wrong!  I don’t actually remember turning it off, but when I finally came to consciousness, the clock said 11:00, so clearly something happened there. 

I broke the fast with coffee and donuts. 

For the record, I only bit into this to show you the texture my hideous cuticles…I popped the rest in my mouth whole.  Averie’s raw vegan chocolate donut holes and macaroon blondies were the BEST way to start my day.  Granted I haven’t had real donuts (or holes) in ages, but these were pretty authentic.  They had a more “bread-y” inside than I was expecting and they weren’t super sugary.  Who knew a light donut could exist?  The macaroons were just as amazing as last time I had them.  The coconut was perfectly balanced with the rest of the ingreds, and they crumbled in my mouth.  So good.

A bit later I got my fruit fix, while perusing the latest NY Runner mag and some trashy tv. 

Look famil?  I added some of my ‘fu fest leftovers to some quinoa and topped it with soy nuts.  I like multi-texture dishes, so this fit the bill perfectly. 

Maxed out soy intake – check!  After digesting playing catch up with the tivo, I decided to hit the gym.  It felt great to get back into the routine, but weird because (a) I had nothing to train for, (b) my iPod was is still broken so I was tune-less, and (c) the gym was eerily empty.  With the NYC marathon coming up soon, it’s very rare to find a gym with open machines, but I guess the weather was nice enough that people took to the streets instead.  7 miles later, I headed home sweaty and high on endorphins. 

I had a snack of home-made ghetto pumpkin butter (WF canned pumpkin, NuNaturals vanilla extract, cinnamon, WF vanilla protein powder, and Xagave agave syrup) with apple slices.  Not gonna lie, I was pretty pleased with this poor man’s version of pumpkin butter, especially because (unlike the canned versions), this one didn’t have enough sugar to send me into a diabetic coma.  Success!  After this snack I headed off to my hot date physical therapy appointment.  I cheated on my regular PT because my spine was in desperate need of some man-handling (and he’s only avail on Mon/Wed). 

On the way home I stopped at WF for some basic groceries, and then got home to prepare dinner.

 

Here’s the arame seaweed soaking (ironically it is ON the stove, but only because there was nowhere else to put it).  After 15 minutes, it was soft and ready, so I drained the water, and added in the rest of the Tokyo seaweed salad.  The excess oil and vinegar from the packaged salad coated the arame that I made, so in the end it was a less saturated dish. 

On the side, I had some vegan sushi.  You’ve seen me eat this several times before.  It is actually my go-to meal before races because of the perfect ratio of carbs to fat and protein, and it is very easy on my stomach.  I love brown rice in sushi and even more, I love TVP in sushi.  I wish more sushi restaurants went with vegan options aside from simple avo and veggie rolls.

How amazing does this look!!  I think I am in a seaweed rut. 

Dessert was fruit.  What else? 

OK!  I’m off to celebrate my birthday 🙂

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Alfre(don’t)

This morning there was not enough coffee in the world.  Sometimes late nights do that…

Imagine this mug times 100.  Ok, 3.

For breakfast, I practiced my vampire bite with various pieces of fruit.  Clearly I’m going through True Blood withdrawal…

I also had some Smart Balance-i-fied toast.  Had to finish up the Alvarado Street loaf to make way for my new Nature’s Pride loaves.

(Fangs marks not included)

As usual, on my day off I worked on re-stocking the kitchen/fridge for my work days.  This included making: quinoa, chickpeas, black beans, steamed veggies in bulk (broccoli, cauliflower, etc.), and chopping veggies for easy salad construction.

As a result, by the time lunch rolled around, my creative juices were dried up and my inner chef just wanted a break.  Sometimes laziness can result in greatness…

WF vegan “chicken” salad + a fistful of spinach = YUM

The best part about this was the extra creamy mayonnaise-y sauce in the chicken salad coated the lettuce so I didn’t need any dressing.  Full flavor maximized while each bite was saturated with yummy flavor flaaaaave!!

Lunch dessert?  Obvi.

I had been wanting to eat cantaloupe with something in the middle for SO long (I just think it looks fun and pretty), and at long last I finally remembered!  It was everything I hoped it would be and more – haha.  I’m such a dork.  I washed it all down with a massive mug of Tazo chai tea (and the latest Rachel Zoe Project episode). 

After triple checking that the oven, stove and errrthang else was turned off, I hit the road for the gym.  It was a bit later than I usually go, and to be honest, my energy level was dragging a bit.  I pushed through 6 miles thanks to The Who’s best album ever, and then called it a day.  Sure, I stretched and did some ab work too, but it was pretty weak, so I don’t think it counts.

I showered and munched on 365 stoned wheat crackers while pondering what to make for dinner. 

Pasta and broccoli with (vegan) Alfredo sauce.  Obviously, REAL Alfredo sauce has dairy, so I made a few changes to my white UN-cheese sauce and drizzled it all up in this motha!

Ok, the main change was I used more plain soymilk, WAY more nutritional yeast, and a bit less tofu.  We’ll call it AlfreDON’T.

For dessert, I made fake ice cream using frozen fruit (strawbeezies and nanners), ice, more ice, soymilk, and half a scoop of Jay Robb protein powder.  Don’t mind that freezer burn, just means you use less ice 😉

I tossed it all into the magic bullet and blend blend blend…voila!!

Are you drooling yet?  I had twice the amount shown, which left me feeling delightfully full, so I packed my lunch and got ready for work tomorrow. 

FYI, this month’s Fitness mag has a sh!t ton of great soup recipes in it (all are easily veganized), so check it out.  What are some of your fave cooking or exercise magazines?

I try not to spend my $$ on too many magazines, but I do get a few (one was a NYRR race registration subscription gift and the others were holiday gifts). 

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International eats

For the record, this is Thursday’s food (behind much?)…so forgive me if this is brief.  My recollection of the day’s happs is a bit foggy.

Nothing too complicated about this.  Coffee with mega froth.

I broke the fast with fresh melon and blueberry Chobz.  Fruity, no?

Pretty sure I gymed it up after breks.  Nothing like working up a sweat to Little Miss Narcissism (aka She by Sheree).  Seriously, WHO gets a life size portrait of their own bust?  Those ATL b!tches will never cease to amaze me… 

I wanted some good old fashioned comfort food when I got home. 

It shouldn’t surprise you that I think of hummus as comfort food.  Nor should it surprise you that I decided hummus would be the PERFECT topping to pizza.

PIZZA!  (or my hippie version at least). 

On top of a toasted wheat pita, I added tomato chunks, Nate’s (vegan) Italian meatless meatballs, and big ‘ol blobs of delicious humm-daddy. 

Get in my belly!

I sliced it in half and DUG IN.  T’was heaven in my boca.  I have a feeling this will reappear mucho in the future Kyle will demand I repeat this for him. 

I sliced up one apple and several strawbeezies for lunch dessert.  After getting my face and hair did, I peaced out to play in the sunshine. 

Kyle and I decided to do a little dinner and a movie mid-week date, so I met Kyle for dinner at the Columbus Circle Whole Foods before we headed to see (500) Days of Summer.

No, it’s not Pandora’s box, nor is it my attempt at artsy-fartsy photography…this little peep show view was the best I could do while getting some bizarro stares (you can’t be too picky when you are wedged between the masses in the dinning section of the store). 

From the hot-bar: 3 pieces of wheat naan (omg, so good, I DIE!!!), Mediterranean seasoned tofu, quinoa, soy nuts, falafel, and a 4 bean salad.  I was kinda all over the place with the international eats, huh?!  Reel it in Elise!

Anyways, the movie was…hmmm…good(ish).  I liked some parts, but also was annoyed by other aspects of the plot.  C’est la vie.

The walk home built up my appetite for dessert. 

CHOCOLATE MOUSSE dessert hummus.  These flavors just keep getting better and better.  Long after the side platter of strawberries and apples was gone, I was still downing dessert hummus by the spoonful.  No joke, this sh!t was bananas good.  BUY it NOW.  Thank me later.  🙂

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