Sensational Green Machine

Shall we cut to the chase?  I not only beat my best time, I also came in under 2 hours!!  Barely (at 1:59:43), but it still counts! :)

Okay, rewind back to Saturday...  I got to the check in a little later hoping the crowds would have died down.  But no such luck - the line was going down the block.  I had just gotten in line when the volunteer came by to tell us we could bypass this line if we knew our race number.  Wait, was it 2568 or 2658?  I looked it up on my phone - 2658!  Whew!  Bypass this line and on to the next line, and another line, and another and finally I was checked in and numbered.

On to the bike racking.  I parked, grabbed my bike & helmet and headed to transition.  Once I got to transition I made the discovery that somewhere between the parking lot and transition I lost my bike helmet number.  Boo!  I retraced my steps but no sticker.  The volunteer I asked said to stop by tomorrow and pick up a blank name tag as a substitute bike helmet number.  Well, okay then.  Nothing left to do now but go home and get a good night's sleep.

Thanks to my fan I did get a decent night's sleep, even with it being super hot.  And while 90+ might not be that hot elsewhere, this is Seattle and we melt, or at least I melt.  I was up bright & early, ate my banana and half a bagel and was ready to go. 

I got my name tag / bike helmet number and set up my transition area before making my way down to the water.  The good thing about the soaring temperatures - the water wasn't quite as chilly!  In fact, as I was waiting with my green caps to enter the water, one person remarked that it was much hotter than last year to which I responded that it only helps in the swim! 

We entered the water and the cheers began.  Our word was "sensational" and then it was time to count down.  And we were off!!  The sun was almost directly in my eyes and it was hard to see the first buoy.  I tried to follow the feet in front of me but they were not going as fast as I would like so I passed them and tried to find a new set of feet.  The wind had picked and the waves were coming in strong.  Keep going.  Each stroke was a fight until I finally rounded the first buoy.  Past the first buoy it was a whole new swim!  The waves weren't nearly as strong and the sun wasn't in my eyes.  I kept going and was about to get out of the water when the girl in front of me kicked me in the chest and then the nose.  Ouch!  Oh well.

I made it back to my transition area, threw on my clothes and shoes, grabbed my bike and was off.  There is one hill that I normally get off and walk up - it is short, steep and quite narrow and I'm not confident in my bike skills in such a narrow place so it is easier to get off and walk it up.  There wasn't a lot of people near me when I started up so I shifted down and started climbing.  I made it about halfway up before jumping off my bike and walking the rest of the way up. 

I love the energy of this race, especially in the tunnel where the yells and cheers echo off the walls.  I surprised myself with how many people I was passing on the bike.  I reached the turn around and started back.  The views from the bridge deck were amazing - Mt. Rainier and the very blue water.  It was beautiful!  I made it back and jumped off my bike and somehow got it back on the rack.

I was feeling quite spent at this point.  The heat was starting to get to me.  But I was still determined to run as much as possible, and only walking through the water stops.  Thank the Lord there were 4 water stops!  I stopped at all of them but on the second and fourth I just dumped the water on my head.  The hill rose up in front of me and I hung on until I was half way up before stopping for what I hoped was my last walk break.  At the top of the hill was one spectator who I swear I'd seen several times before.  He was ringing a cowbell and yelling for us.  "Go get your downhill - you earned it!"  That's right, I did earn a downhill and I'm taking it!  Down, down, down to the finish line.  More and more spectators lined the streets and the cheers were getting louder.  Come on!  My feet seemed to have a mind of their own and carried me across the finish line!!  Yay!!

Between the waves and heat I wasn't expecting to beat my time so imagine my surprise when I saw my time!  Where did I make up time?  A little here and a little there - I shaved time off the swim, bike & run.

Two down, two more to go!! 

Pre-race

Post race (with my newest medal)

Five Senses Friday

Wow, can it already be time for triathlon #2?  That went fast.  The training that I meant to keep up with?  Yeah, not so much.  But I did cram a lot into the past couple of days - pool swim, brick & a lake swim.  This is my "A" race so hopefully I am ready.  I am ready.  I am ready.  I just need to keep telling myself that! :)

Seeing

• An email come across that I had been waiting for

Hearing

• Cars, lots of cars zooming past

Tasting

• Birthday cupcakes!!

Smelling

• Vanilla soap

Feeling

• Waves crashing into me

For more Five Senses head over to Mandi or Abby Try Again.

Skirt Chaser 5K

I am fairly fortunate to live in an area where there are lots of 5Ks, all within an easy distance of my house.  And then I saw Skirt Sports was sponsoring a fun 5K in Vancouver, WA (about a 3 hour drive, give or take).  So I got some wild hair and decided to drive down and run the 5K.  I left in plenty of time to arrive early, but traffic had other ideas.  A couple accidents, some roadwork, and a slow down later all my cushion time disappeared.  It became a game - could I make up enough time?  I seriously hate being late.  I am such an early bird, I was stressing at this point, but not enough to turn around and give up.  I had come to far at this point.  I arrived with 2 minutes to spare.  Whew!! 

I ran to check in and to my dismay they had just packed up.  Was I going to be thwarted after all?  But the nice volunteers unpacked enough to give me a race number and send me on my way.  I didn't get a chip timer but at this point I was just happy to make the race.  I missed the girls' start but was able to start 3 minutes later with the boys.  Eh, we knew I was going to be passed by the boys, this way they started in front of me instead of blowing past me! :)

I was a little worried at this point that my fear of being the last one to cross the finish line was really going to come true this race.  But before long, I had caught up with some walkers, and then another set of walkers, and then some runners!  My goal was once again to run, only walking through the water stop.  Oh, and the hill.  Stupid hill.  I got most of the way up it, but as it circled around a corner and continued to climb, I lost my momentum and slowed to a walk, but then picked it back up again.  Best part about the hill?  After that it was pretty much all downhill from there!  I crossed the finish line and looked up to see what might possibly have been very close to my best time ever in a 5K, but with no timing chip we will never know... 

I hung around the post race party for a bit before climbing in my car and heading home.  It was a fun race - although I don't know if I would drive all the way down there for a 5K again (a longer distance - possibly).  But they are currently allowing people to vote for cities to host a Skirt Chaser 5K so go out there and vote!!  For Seattle of course! :) 

Water

My week of activity continued with Drinks for Drinks a benefit (really a party) on Friday night for charity: water.  After a long week of activity, I wasn't sure about another night out (I am somewhat of a homebody) but it was a chance to hang out with Diane & Nikki, plus water charities are very close to my heart.  Maybe because I drink so much water myself (at work they joke I am part camel due to my water consumption), I think clean drinking water is so important.  So I decided to go, and I was really glad I did.  The price of admission went directly to the charity and got you a drink, hot dog & the chance to listen to a great cover band.  A good time was had by me & the benefit raised over $140K.  Amazing!!

Five Senses Friday

This has been a week chock full of activity! I think I had all of summer in one week. I am so ready for a nap right about now! :) My plans for the weekend – nothing! Well nothing, with a little swimbikerun thrown in, next triathlon is a week from Sunday!

Seeing

• The Hangover at Redhook's moonlight cinema
• The Mariners win!!

Hearing

• Take me out to the ballgame
• Blue Angels!

Tasting

• Hot dogs, fish tacos, kettle corn, princess snacks & beer ice cream (but not all at the same time!)

Feeling

• The sun on my face (thankfully I had sunscreen on!)
• Stressed, trying to find a spot for 7 people to watch The Hangover (it was super crowded) & in typical Emily fashion, I couldn’t decide so tried to save several spots (choice #2 was the winner!).

Smelling

• Popcorn & crackerjacks 

Want more Five Senses?  Check out Mandi's!

Mid Summer All Womens Triathlon

This particular triathlon had caught my eye a few years ago, but had never worked out for me to do it until this year.  It was in Portland (about a 3 hr drive from Seattle) and my mom decided to come along for the ride.  Car loaded up, it was time to start the long, very long drive with just me and my mom in the car.  Did I mention it was a 3 hour drive?  Agatha Christie (and Hercule Poirot) to the rescue!  My mom was and is the queen of books on tape.  I remember listening to books on tape all throughout my childhood and on many family vacations.  So we popped in Death on the Nile and were off.   (You know I love you Mom - and you did get an A- for the trip!)

Traffic wasn't too horrible, many miles and several slow downs later we were in Portland.  After picking up the race packet and checking into the hotel, we drove out to the race site to look around.  Thank goodness the buoys were not up in the water because I think I would have had nightmares if I had seen where they were placed.  What did greet us at the race site were mosquitoes, lots and lots of mosquitoes.  Given a choice of Person A or Emily, mosquitoes will undoubtedly choose Emily.  I must have sweet blood or something.  The tour of the race site did not last long, but by the time I got back into the car I was sporting a handful of mosquito bites.  Which called for an emergency stop at Target for bug spray and calamine lotion. 

Dinner ended up being room service at the hotel as by the time we got back it was getting late and I needed sleep.  I was debating between margherita pizza and crab gnocchi and guess what I choose?  Wrong!  I did not choose margherita pizza, although I really wanted to, but instead had the gnocchi.  It was quite delicious.

I passed quite a restless night, which is usual in a new bed and the night before a race.  Breakfast was half a bagel and a banana.  The drive to the race site was much faster at 6 a.m.  I set up, listened to the race instructions and before you knew it, the race was about to start.  I took a quick dip in the water to test out the temp.  Oh my word, it was warm!!  This was definitely not Lake Washington! 

Swim
As I might have mentioned previously as I was starting to feel a slight bit complacent about this distance.  All that went out the window on the swim!!  This distance can still kick by butt!  Just looking at the buoys way out there started freaking me out.  Is that really how far I have to swim?  I started off to the side and near the back.  My wave started with the windmill of arms and legs thrashing through the water.  I apparently did not adjust my goggles quite right as they started to fill up with water.  I tried to ignore and keep going.  The distance to the first buoy seemed to get longer, not shorter.  One thing I do need to work on - sighting.  Finally I passed by the first buoy.  The next several buoys passed by much quicker and then I was almost to the shore.   

T1
Coming out of the water, I ripped off my goggles.  My eyes were so happy!  And then I spotted the steep hill leading back to transition.  I literally tripped my way up the hill, somehow managing to stay on my feet.  Socks, shoes, shirt, sunglasses, race number, helmet & I was off.

Bike
The description of the bike course was flat and fast.  Flat, definitely, with a couple of baby hills.  And so began the portion which I like to call "Where Emily gets passed by a lot of people, but manages to pass a few".  I did try not to draft, however in these small races, sometimes you can't avoid it!  Girls were flying by me left and well, left.  Although one did call out "on your right" before she passed on the left.  Then, for a time, no one was passing me and I started to wonder if everyone had already passed me and I was the last one on the course.  But surely I had not been passed by 300+ women?  It is funny what your mind will think.  I decided that while I was going to continue getting passed, I might as well get in on the action.  I picked one rider ahead of me and slowly reeled her in, and did the same with another and another.  I played leapfrog with one rider - I passed her, she passed me, I passed her, she passed me and as we were nearing the end and I wasn't sure I had enough time to repass, but I did!

T2
I swear the ins and outs of this course were super long!  I dismounted and made my way to my transition area.  Putting the bike back on the rack has to be one of the hardest parts of a race for me, however due to the size of this race, the racks were fairly open and easier to navigate.  I took off towards the run when suddenly I realized I still had my helmet on.  Oops!  Back to my transition area and off with the helmet.  Now I was really ready to run.

Run
My goal for the run is increasingly becoming run as much as I can, walking through water stops.  The first part of the run was through the park, with lots of spectators.  Their cheering helped keep me running at first.  And then it was the fact that no one else was walking.  Since no one else was walking, I had to keep running, didn't I?  Or so I told myself.  It was at the Mile 1 sign where I really wished I had my iPod because then it would only be 7 or 8 more songs.  But they are not allowed so it was just me and my thoughts.  And then the hill appeared.  There still wasn't anyone walking, so I still couldn't walk either.  But the girls coming from the other direction called out encouragement saying the turn around was just up the hill!  And a water stop!  I walked through the water stop and then started back up.  Mile 2 passed and I kept running.  One more to go!  This I can do!  Especially since there was another water stop, which I walked through.  And a steep downhill, which I walked down, as I was pretty sure if I didn't I would fall flat on my face.  Less than a mile now, I can do it.  I came around the corner and there was the finish chute.  The cheers were amazing and gave me energy to sprint to the end. 

And there you have it!  A new personal record for yours truly.  Where did I pick up my time?  Why in the run!  And while the elusive sub 2 hr race still eludes me, I am that much closer.  This was a fun race!  I would do it again. 

We headed back to the hotel, checked out and were back on the road towards home, trying to figure out who done it (and we guessed right!).

2:05:46

Best time in a sprint tri ever (so far!!).  More to come...

Five Senses Friday

Seeing

• My brightly painted pink nails

Hearing

• The water is warm - this from another swimmer who had just finished swimming in Lake Washington

Tasting

• Drumstick ice cream!!  It was ice cream day at work.

Feeling

• Poked and prodded as not only did the doctor take blood, but also a tetanus shot.  I hate needles!!

Smelling

• I'm drawing a blank on this one...

I'm off to Portland for my race tomorrow morning!!

My Life List

While I enjoy my 33 Things list, the time limit can be, well limiting!  So I decided to expand and create a life list (inspired by the many life lists out there).  But no rules, no time limitations, and I can add (or subtract) at any time.  Watch this space for updates & progress!

1. Run in the NYC Half Marathon
2. Complete an Olympic (or International) distance triathlon
3. Complete a Half Iron Man distance triathlon
4. Buy a DSLR*
5. Take a class to learn how to use DLSR*
6. Purchase a Disney timeshare*
7. Buy a house/townhome/condo
8. Visit Macchu Piccu
9. Visit the Pyramids
10. Visit the Grand Canyon
11. Write a novel
12. Visit Washington D.C.
13. Visit the Northeast in the fall to see the leaves
14. Attend a Duke basketball game at Cameron Indoor Stadium
15. Attend a fancy dress ball
16. Take a month (or two) off work to travel
17. Take road trip through California
18. Ride in a hot air balloon
19. Step foot on all 7 continents
20. Walk a portion of the Great Wall of China
21. Visit Alaska
22. One I will keep to myself
23. Get down to the weight on my driver’s license
24. Take a road trip through Ireland
25. Take a dance class*
26. Visit Tokyo Disneyland
27. Finish a sprint distance triathlon in under 2 hours
28. Get a pedicure (which would require me to get over my issues with feet!)
29. Become conversant or at least comfortable speaking another language
30. Finish a half marathon in under 3 hours
31. Learn how to play chess
32. Be able to do a wheel in yoga
33. Run a 10K

* Also part of my 33 Things list. 

Swedish 5K SummeRun

I was in a fairly optimistic frame of mind when I decided to run 12 5Ks as part of my 33 Things.  And then reality sets in - I had thought to do one a month and here it is almost the end of July.  Fortunately the Swedish SummeRun was this weekend. 

I got to the race site early, in time to sign up for the race.  First time I didn't pre-register!  Registration was a piece of cake and I changed into my race shirt, stretched, used the port-o-potty and stretched some more.  The 10K runners set off to the sounds of a live band.  I absolutely love the start of a race!!  And the live band was great!

After the 10Kers had started, the 5Kers lined up.  I took my spot in the 10 and higher pace section.  We were counted down and off we went!  I do have to say, people were lined up pretty well pace-wise.  I didn't have to run over too many people and not too many people ran over me.

My goal for this race was to run as much as I could, hopefully only walking through the water stop.  To continue with the hill theme, the race basically started off with a downhill.  Oh great, this will be loads of fun on the way back.  But for now I'll enjoy the downhill.  It took me awhile to find my rhythm but then I slow and steady through Mile 1.  Okay, I can do this.  I was starting to falter when I saw what I thought was the water stop.  It wasn't, but it got me to the next downhill.  And after the downhill was the water stop!  Hooray!  I grabbed water and walked until I had finished my water and started running again.  And then it was Mile 2!!  I got this.  I knew I had it, but my mind needed more convincing.  Especially up the next hill.  At the top of the hill was when the back caught back up with the out and there was still a ton of people walking.  The cheers from the walkers helped with the convincing.  Less than a mile, less than a mile.  I can do this.  And then it was the hill from the beginning of the race.  It wasn't this long at the beginning was it?  Why did the hill grow?  I am so close - I have to keep going.  Can't I walk?  No, you are almost there, you can make it!  Right foot, left foot, keep going and then I was at the top!  And there was the Mile 6 sign (for the 10Kers).  Only 2 tenths of a mile, so got this.  Before I knew it, the finish line was in sight.  I could see the clock and it had just turned to 59:00.  I knew we started about 20 minutes after the 10Kers, so if I could make it across the finish line before it turned to 60:00 I would have finished in about 40 minutes, while not my best time, still good for me.  Now it was down to me & the clock.  I'm not sure what the exact time was, but it still said 59 so mission accomplished! 

Race done, I hopped back in my car and headed for church.  I was fairly positive God wouldn't mind if I showed up for church sweaty, but I wasn't sure about the people I would be sitting next too.  I quickly toweled off with the free towel they gave us and called it good.

Race done, church done - next up was hot yoga.  I've found hot yoga after a run really does help me loosen up and stretch out.  It was a hard class, but we did do some hip work, which was good.

What was my actual time?  I'd like to know that as well.  My time is not showing up on the results page.  I'm hoping they just haven't uploaded everyone's time and eventually it will show up and my time is not lost forever.  Another reason why I really need to buy my Garmin watch so I can keep track of my time myself.  Hmm, another car payment redirection perhaps?

Say What?

First off, I left out one tiny detail from my post yesterday.  And that would be the lake swim!  How did I forget that?  Freezing cold once again, but fortunately no fish this time!  The nagging slow feeling was still there.  The sun was out though and the sun beams cutting through the water kept playing tricks on me.

So how did I end up signing up for 4 triathlons in 8 weeks?  Yeah, I'm not sure I thought this through.  This is will be my fifth year doing sprint triathlons.  I really like the sprint distance - it isn't too far, but does require some training, at least for me.  I did find myself feeling a little complacent towards training and I'm not quite ready to jump to the next level.  So what to do to bump up the excitement level?  Add a couple of races!  The 2 in Seattle were no brainers.  It's the course I'm most familiar with and they are a month apart to keep me focused on training.  The next one I signed up for is the one taking place next weekend in Portland - I've been looking at this race for awhile now and finally decided to go ahead and do it.  Three triathlons, that is a good number.  It'll keep me busy and trained. 

When did 3 turn into 4?  Problem with working a lot is that at 10 p.m. at night when I'm still at the office, all I can think about is vacation.  And Italy is not until November.  Okay then, where to go and what to do?  Labor Day is right in the middle of my triathlon season and guess what is happening at Disney World?  That's right - a triathlon!  It was almost too perfect.  But the cost...  But I just paid off my car!!  I can direct a car payment (or two) towards a trip to Disney World before redirecting to other avenues.  Sounds too perfect!  I'll be going by myself, but it'll be fun.  And you are never really alone at Disney World!!  After all, Mickey lives there.

And that's how I ended up signing up for 4 triathlons in 8 weeks.

Hill Yeah!!

A week from today and I will be done with triathlon #1!  Which means it is time for another dedicated training post as not only is it one week from my first triathlon, but two weeks after that it will be triathlon #2 (and the "A" race), three weeks after that will be triathlon #3, and two weeks after that will be triathlon #4.  To recap, that will be 4 triathlons in 8 weeks.  Wow, this is going to be an interesting few months.  And on to the training.

The pool swim was status quo, except I was feeling slow, as though I was swimming through molasses.  I tried to shake off the feeling and power through.  It's such a mental game.  I started playing games with myself, trying to finish a length in less strokes as the one previous, which did help with slow feeling. 

I finally took advantage of the beautiful weather we've been having and rode my bike after work.  I knew it was time to start working on hills so it was off to what I consider my "hill" park.  Besides lots and lots of hills, this park has the added benefit of being part of the actual course for 2 of my triathlons.  The first three hills feel like one long ginormous hill.  My motto became shift down, shift down (said in a way as to exaggerate the daaoooown).  A short downhill and a flat and then it was my personal nemesis uphill.  It is long and windy and doesn't seem to end.  Last year I had to stop each time for a breather before finishing the hill.  Not this time!!  I started off and 20 revolutions later I shifted down, 20 revolutions later I convinced myself to go another 20 revolutions before shifting down.  This pattern continued until I was at the crest of the hill!  Woohoo!!  That's enough hills for today right?  I can turn around and go home now, can't I?  I did seriously consider it for a second (or 3) but kept going.  After all, I only had 2 more uphills and all these downhills to enjoy on the way back.  So I kept going.  Down the hill and across the bridge, and up the final hill before turning around where I paused for a picture (pausing for a picture is code for taking a break).  It was on the way back that I started feeling slow again.  On the second uphill, the slowness really kicked in.  I stood up and started pedaling.  I normally try not to stand up since someone once told me you get more power from pedaling sitting down.  But the burst of energy propelled me to top of the hill.  My reward?  Mostly downhill back to the car!!  Slow or not, I did manage to conquer some hills which was the goal. 

Today it was another brick.  Normally my long trail day is Sunday, but I switched it this week to run a 5K on Sunday and so it was interesting being there on a Saturday.  My observation was that there was a lot more recreational people, as opposed to serious people.  There were times where I was feeling quite slow on the bike, but then others when I was feeling really good.  Evidence that I was slow - lots of recreational people blowing by me.  Evidence that I wasn't - I finished right on time.  Again, I think it is a huge mental game and for whatever reason I was in a very slow frame of mind this week.  The run went well.  I went the opposite way than I normally do because it was much more shady in the opposite direction!

Add in hot yoga and kickboxing and you have my week.  So other than the feeling of slowness that infiltrated my training, it was a good week!  As per usual, the nerves are settling in and will remain for the duration.  This isn't my "A" race, and I know I'll finish, so what is there to worry about?  And since I haven't done this one before, it'll be fun trying out a new course!

Five Senses Friday

Seeing

• Lots of deer
• I swear everywhere I look lately I see Mt. Rainier
• Very good friends for a GNO at Azul!!

Hearing

• Coyotes howling

Tasting

• A very yummy cheeseburger made by my BIL, topped with lettuce from my sister's garden
• Roasted corn & avocado dip at Azul!!

Feeling

• Much more in line after my visit to the chiropractor

Smelling

• Wildflowers

For more Five Senses, head over to Abby Try Again!  Happy Friday!

Savasana

We've already done what goes on in Emily's mind during a run, and now let's see what goes through Emily's mind during a hot yoga class.

Yes!  Got a spot near the door!

I really hope I drank enough water before class...

Maybe I shouldn't have eaten that granola bar though - it has been a couple of hours, I should be okay.

Child's pose.

Really, why do the teachers tell us to back off the posture if we can't breathe in and out through our nose?  Don't they know I wouldn't be doing any poses?

Yes I'm the only one doing the modified chaturanga.  Oh well, yoga is individual - no judging, no comparing.  Please don't judge me.  Which also means me - focus on me and my mat.

What's my intention for class?  Mm, it's a surviving kind of night.  I will survive class.

Stupid chair, I hate chair.  I seriously think it is my least favorite pose (or my most hated).

Twist.  Nope, shouldn't have eaten that granola bar.

Another twist.  Wow, shouldn't have had that last sip of water either.

Dolphin to forearm plank.  Joy.  Plankety plank plank.  Yep, down on my knees.  Only 10 more seconds.

Shaking is good.  Isn't 10 seconds over already?

Yeah, I'm skipping this chaturanga.

Seriously, another chair?  With a twist?  My thighs are burning!!  Which, like shaking, is supposed to be a good thing. 

Dear Teacher, please, please, please open the door!  Love, Emily

Oh yeah!  Standing series.  I am going to make it. 

I like eagle! 

I like tree!  And it's the last one!

Wait, what?  You said tree was the last, why are we doing more?  Why aren't we on the floor?

Okay, I know this is hot yoga.  But really, it has to be a gagillion degrees in here tonight.  And no I'm not exaggerating..  At all.  Seriously - a gagillion degrees.

Whew she opened the door.  Okay, I can do it - hold on, hold on, hold on!  Right side done.

If I did the right side, I need to do the left.  Dig in, only standing split left.

Are you serious?  More flow?  Okay, if it results in half pigeon, I can do it.

I like half pigeon.  Well not really, but wow, it is helping my hip. 

Breathe in, breathe out.  Through the nose.

Yeah, the granola bar was not a good idea.  My tummy is not happy.

Onto abs.  Yay!  Almost done.

If it is super humid in here (which also means it probably isn't a gagillion degrees - it's just super humid), can't you please open the door again?  Just a smidge?  Pretty please?

Air, nice cold air!!

Add bicycle to the list of things I hate.

You said only 10 more!!  I don't know that I can go another 10!

You said only 10 more!!  Seriously, I don't know that I can do another 10!  And for the record that was 30 bicycles.

Bridge.  You know what?  I think I'm going to add wheel to my Life List if I ever get around to finishing it. 

Bridge pulses - I can do this.

Well I can do 8 of them. 

Oh thank goodness!  Savasana!

Go Jump in the Lake

I'm not sure why I decided it was time for a training only post, but here we go.  Maybe it was the reality of my first triathlon being just 2 weeks away!!  Two weeks away, really?  Time to get swimbikerunning!

The training week started off with a run on the treadmill.  Next up was a pool swim.  I was about half way through when someone asked to share my lane.  No problem.  Until she left behind in her wake.  I had been feeling a little off my normal pace, but I didn't think I was that slow.  And then my highly observant self finally realized she was wearing flippers.  Okay, so I wasn't that slow.  Sometimes sharing a lane can be helpful in pushing me.  After she blew by me, I decided to see if I could finish before she passed me again.  She kept creeping up on me until she was right on my tail with 3 lengths to go.  Somehow I was able to dig deep and find some afterburners to finish just ahead of my lane mate.

There comes a time to say goodbye to the pool and hello to Lake Washington.  Friday morning was that day.  My boss thought it was hilarious that I told her I was going to go jump in the lake.  I am not a huge fan of swimming in the lake what with the lake grass and the fish.  The lake was cold.  I did my usual slow slide into the water and then it was time to get down to business.  There was one obnoxious fish (although I'm sure he felt the same about me).  He got way too close a couple of times and I jumped out of the water each time.  I finally figured that if I avoided this one area we were good.  So I kept to my side and didn't see the fish again.

With race day fast approaching, it was also time for my first brick* of the season.  The wind on the out was not fun, but on the way back it was even worse.  I'm a little worried about the bike this year - my normal ride doesn't have a lot of hills, and the hills it does have are baby hills.  I decided to work on my non-drafting.  While I understand not drafting in theory, putting it into practice is a little more difficult.  I am not the best judging spacially and three bike lengths is hard.  I mean the point is to not be on the wheel of the person in front of you so as long as I'm far enough back it should be okay.  I'm a rule follower so I like to be in compliance with the rules.  I didn't have to worry about people passing me since they flew by and were way more than 3 bike lengths ahead in no time.  But I did pass a few people and tried to keep 3 lengths behind until I passed and then pass within 15 seconds.  Hopefully I'll remember this all during the race!

I finished up the bike, threw it in my car, and was off on the run.  The wind hadn't diminished.  I walked from the parking lot to the trail, shaking out my legs and then I was off and running.  I ended up running most of the 2 miles.  I feel much more ready with a brick under my belt.

(*A brick is when you do two different sports during the same workout.)

Sprinkle in a few hot yogas and one kickboxing class and you have my week.  Up next week?  More lake swim, more brick, and hopefully some hill work on my bike.

Five Senses Friday

Seeing

• Eclipse (in IMAX) - after reading the books I leaned towards Team Jacob, after seeing New Moon, I was definitely Team Jacob, but I do have to say after watching Eclipse I'm liking Edward better.

Feeling

• Still a little run down, but much better than last week!

Tasting

• Coffee, lots of coffee - it has been a coffee kind of week

Hearing

• My alarm too early in the morning

Smelling

• Not much since my nose is still cranky

No training this week as I'm planning on doing a real training post later on...

For more Five Senses, check out Mandi and Abby Try Again.

Hello Run

Hello run, swimbike has missed you!  Work has lightened up and I was able to leave before 7!  Woohoo!!  That has not happened in awhile.  What to do with all this time?  Go home and sleep?  Or go for a run?  Since my "run" has been basically non-existent, I decided it was about time to kick it back into gear (especially considering my first triathlon is in 2 weeks!!).  The sun was shining and I really wanted to go to the park but it was much easier to walk across the parking lot and hit the gym.  So the treadmill it was.  My plan was 2 miles or 30 minutes, whichever came first.  The 2 miles came first - whew!  I haven't lost all my running skills.  Instead of running X songs and walking 1, I decided to mix it up and run 5 minutes, walk 1.  The 5 minutes quickly turned into 6 and I was still feeling good after 2 miles.  Time to start building the base back up again.

Usually what happens when I work a lot, my vacation dreaming increases as well.  And with no real vacation to look forward to until November (Italy), an advertisement about a triathlon in Disney World can seriously attract you and then you do things like sign up for it, because you want to go on vacation and the triathlon is in Disney World (yes, I realize I have a severe Disney addiction and might need an intervention).  I haven't actually signed up (yet) but I am seriously considering it...maybe after I sleep some I will be a bit more rational.

List #9 My Favorite Ponts (aka Bridges)

I'm taking a break for moment and thought it might be time for another list.  And since my travel plans for this year are shaping up to be Italy, which is the home of my absolute favorite pont and also my seventh favorite pont (or bridge, most or ponte - I just really like saying my favorite pont) I thought it would be fun to list my favorite bridges.  I have walked (or biked) across every single one of these bridges, except for the 25th of April Bridge.

1.  Ponte Vecchio (Florence, Italy)

2.  Pont Neuf (Paris, France)

3.  Charles Bridge / Karlov Most (Prague, Czech Republic)

4.  Tower Bridge (London, England)

5.  Brooklyn Bridge (New York , NY)

6.  Golden Gate Bridge (San Francisco, CA)

7.  Rialto Bridge (Venice, Italy)

8.  Chain Bridge (Budapest, Hungary)

9.  25th of April Bridge (Lisbon, Portugal)

Much Ado About Nothing

For those of you who have read my blog for awhile, you might have noticed that I complain.  A LOT!!  Seriously, I can find just about anything to complain about - my favorite topic lately?  The office move and now that we have moved, the new building.  Speaking of which (yep, another complaint!) is it too much to ask that the bathroom be stocked with toilet paper and paper towels?  I am not a fan of the new building.  If there was a "dislike" option for the new building, I would select it. 

Beware when I’m tired. The complaints flow out of my mouth like lava, swiftly and continuously. Just ask my co-workers. Common “Emily” phrases when I am tired (and sometimes when I am not)? Stupid this. I hate that. The thing is I don’t really mean anything by the complaints. For the most part, I don’t expect anything to come of them. It’s cathartic on my part. Once I’ve complained, I feel better. I’ve expressed my frustration, or made my point, and I can move on. Done, end of story. I like to complain. There I said it. I like to complain.

What brought on this foray into complaining?  We have been working late and usually when we are working late, there is some sort of theme or contest or phrase that will get picked up.  This time, it is an Oscar competition. We earn Oscars for being overly dramatic.  How did this start?  I was complaining about something, and apparently being very dramatic in my complaining and I earned an Oscar.  I earned two more in quick fashion, I think about a meeting or a workpaper.  At the moment I am tied for first place with 4 Oscars. We’ll see what the final tally ends up being.

Five Senses Friday

This week was not the most stellar of weeks.  And although I can complain with the best of them, relatively it wasn't that bad.  I had what I thought was a bad case of allergies but in actuality was a summer cold.  I think I was blowing my nose for 3 days straight (maybe 4).  I indulged in coffee today as the cold medicine I took last night knocked me for a loop.  No training this week - late nights at work and the cold saw to that. 

Seeing

• Another beautiful sunset (this time from the patio outside my cube - one of the only good things to come out of the move)

Hearing

• The whirring of the fan that now sits on my desk

Tasting

• Lemon cough drops
• Pizza!!  When you don't have dinner planned and it's almost 8 p.m. and you are still at work with hungry people, pizza seems to be the best option (Pizza Hut Veggie Thin Crust)

Feeling

• Crummy, with a very sore nose

Smelling

• Not much of anything due to my nose

To be a Princess

Well folks, it is time to test my new “cleansed” eating habits. We are entering a two week stretch where I will be at work for most of my waking hours. Ah, the joys of being an accountant. I can plan for it, so it isn’t too bad. But the downside is that the gym, training, and normal eating are usually thrown out the door for walking the stairs, coffee and pizza (and sometimes diet coke and/or diet dr. pepper). So we’ll see how it goes. Jessica and I are planning on taking turns making and bringing in quinoa for at least one meal.

Speaking of quinoa – I tried a new recipe (from Epicurious).

Quinoa Risotto with Mushrooms and Thyme
 • 1 cup quinoa, rinsed
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 1/2 cups chopped onion
• 1 garlic clove, pressed
• 1 8-ounce package sliced crimini (baby bella) mushrooms
• 6 ounces fresh shiitake mushrooms, stemmed, sliced
• 3 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme, divided
• 1 cup dry white wine (substituted vegetable broth)
• Grated Parmesan cheese

Bring 2 cups salted water to boil in medium saucepan. Add quinoa, reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until tender and water is absorbed, about 13 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and sauté until onion begins to brown, 5 minutes. Add garlic; stir 30 seconds. Add mushrooms and thyme. Sautée; until mushrooms are tender, 6 minutes. Add wine; stir until wine is reduced and liquid is syrupy, 2 minutes.

Mix quinoa into mushroom mixture; season with salt and pepper. Pass cheese separately.

It turned out good (if you like mushrooms!) but maybe not as risotto-y as I would have thought. Alas, no pictures – I wasn’t at home and didn’t have my camera.

So, registration opens today for the 2011 Disney Princess Half Marathon. I had been gung-ho to run it again, and then my knee started giving me problems (and really I think it is my hip more than anything). The doubts started plaguing me – do I have it in me to do another? Do I want to put my body (especially my hips & knees) through that much stress again? And while I had an absolute blast, it was a time commitment.  But all of these thoughts really go by the wayside for several reasons - it is an excuse to visit Disney World, and I can wear a tiara!  Sold!  I will be signing up.

And one random thought for today – my 2010 World Cup boyfriends?  Wesley Sneijder and Manuel Neuer

Five Senses Friday

No training section this week, as I fell off the training wagon so to speak...

Seeing

• Pink hues in a lovely evening sky (and at 9:30!  I love Seattle in the summer)

Hearing

• Drip, drip, drop - where has summer gone?

Tasting

• Food!!  Real Food!!  Strawberries, pineapples, grapes, quinoa, avocado, and yesterday - chicken!

Feeling

• Tired

Smelling

• Tropical lotion

Summer Color Week: Blue

I'm a little blue summer color week over at Poppytalk is at and end.  But it was great fun while it lasted!

Summer Color Week: Red + White (Canada Day)

It's Summer Color Week over at Poppytalk.  Tomorrow's color: Blue

Post Cleanse

Okay, so I lied!  One more cleanse post - I must have gotten in the habit. 

So today was the first official day off the cleanse and I think it was the hardest day yet.  Now that I don't have a plan to follow, can I continue to eat healthy without the structure? 

The morning started off fine with an all fruit smoothie from Jamba Juice.  Strawberries, grapes, & apples for mid morning snack.  Still not doing too bad.  And then lunch time rolled around.  Crunch!  Someone snacking on a chip.  Mm, chips.  I'm usually not a chip person, but right then they sounded so good!  Crunch!  Time to go to the grocery store to pick up more grapes, avocado, and yogurt!  Yes, we can eat dairy now!  Oh but all the sights and smells of the grocery store.  But we stuck with quinoa for lunch.  And then came afternoon snack time and the smell of popcorn wafting through the office.  Carrots, I like carrots.  And grapes.  Not popcorn, grapes.  So yeah, it was a tough day, but I made it through.  I don't know about all this healthy living stuff! :)  I know I'll slip up all over the place, but for now I'm trying to respect the fact I have "cleansed" my body and keep it somewhat clean for awhile longer.

So jumping topics, there are a lot of things I don't like about the new building we moved into, but number 1 on my list (at the moment) is the parking!  There is not enough parking and the spots are super tiny.  Normally I am someone who parks, if not in the same spot, in the same general vicinity every morning and now I can't do that.  Grr!!  And forget leaving during the day - most likely you will come back to no spots and have to park at another building (this is from personal experience).  Ah, change.  They say it is good for you...

Summer Color Week: Green

It's not easy being green over at Poppytalk's Summer Color Week.

Summer Color Week: Yellow

Orange you glad it's Yellow over at Poppytalk's Summer Color Week?  Tommorrow it is green!

Summer Color Week: Pink

I'm late to the party once again, but over at Poppytalk they are doing a Color Week. I've actually been thinking about doing one as well so I'm joining in! The schedule is:

Monday: Pink
Tuesday: Yellow
Wednesday: Green
Thursday: Red + White (Canada Day)
Friday: Blue

Cleanse, Day 7

I thought I could, I thought I could, I thought I could!  The cleanse is officially over, and I made it.  Today was very similar to yesterday - except with a little more quinoa!  And pineapples.  I love pineapples.  I did a lot of searching for quinoa recipes to try after, so now that it is basically after, I am going to get to cooking.

Fruits & veggie days are a lot harder than liquid days.  I was running around all morning and didn't get to lunch until later.  As I was walking towards the lunchroom, someone walked out with a slice of pizza.  PIZZA!!!  You know what sounds good?  Margherita pizza in a cafe in Roma, sipping on Chianti, with a stop afterwards for gelato!  I am drooling as I write this, imagining the taste and the smell. 

Do I feel better?  Eh, debatable.  Have I stopped craving things?  Not hardly (as evidenced by my daydream above).  And it has been a week since I have had coffee - we'll see how long I go, but I don't think that is a habit I have kicked.  Will I think about food differently?  Hopefully!  Would I do this again?  They recommend you do it 4 times a year, and while I don't think I'll do it that often, it wasn't as horrible as I thought it was going to be, so yes, I may do this again.

Cleanse, Day 6

Okay, there is light at the end of the tunnel!  After tomorrow daily updates on the cleanse will cease as I will have successfully made it through!  Today it was back to fruits & veggies and it was a lot harder than the liquid days.  I think in part because it takes thought about what to eat and work to wash and cut up the fruits and veggies!

• Breakfast - back to my smoothie (no milk this time), just a banana, frozen strawberries, blueberries, and water and blended together
• Lunch - carrots, nectarine, blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, and an apple (are we sure cool whip isn't a fruit or vegetable?  I love blueberries, strawberries & cool whip - it is my favorite 4th of July dish!!  Good thing cool whip will be allowed by the 4th.)
• Dinner - quinoa (a day early, so slightly cheating, but still not bad), avocado, and pico de gallo

We didn't have much of the quinoa, to test out how our tummies would handle food after 3 days of liquid.  So far, so good.  Nilufer decided to join the cleanse late, so she is on Day 1 of fruits & veggies.  I think she hates us right about now. 

Oh, and I'm playing around with a few new colors, backgrounds, etc.  So bear with me as I experiment!

Cleanse, Day 5

Day 5 is almost at a close.  I was running around a bit today, which I was a little nervous about - not having the lemon juice always at hand.  I survived the liquid portion and now its on to fruits tomorrow!  Yippee!!  (and maybe quinoa - but this time it was Jessica who suggested we cheat)

This morning started off with England v Germany (wow - gotta give it up to the Germans!).  Should I even bother to say my last two teams, since my top two are now out?  Germany & the Netherlands.  I'm sure another team will capture my attention - it usually happens (last time it was France).

Next up was the 5K.  I left in plenty of time to arrive early, but what do they say about the best laid plans?  The directions on the race website were horrible and my GPS had me going too far.  I should have looked it up prior to going, but I had an idea of where it was so I relied on the GPS & the directions.  All of this resulted in me arriving at the race just as it started.  Fortunately, it was a super low-key race.  I met my co-worker Teresa and her dog Hooper and we started out.  The trail was really nice - along the water.  Our pseudo goal was to keep our time around 15 minute miles, but that didn't quite work out.  It might have been close if you subtract out the bathroom stops (once for us, once for Hooper).  But it was still nice to get out.

And then it was off to church, with a pause to drink some lemon concoction and water.  From there it was time to get a massage!!  Ahh, so relaxing!

In between all the activity were sips of lemon mixture and water.  Do I feel better?  Eh, I'm not noticing a huge difference.  A cheeseburger still sounds so good.  I'm finishing up my lemon for today and then it might be time for bed.  Because when I'm asleep, I'm not thinking about food! :) 

Night, night!

Cleanse, Day 4

Wow, am I really 4 days into this thing?  Each day continues to get a little easier.  Day 2 of liquids is almost done, with only one more day to go!!  I continue to have a headache, but it has diminished.  Thank goodness! 

I slept in the morning, which doesn't normally happen on Saturdays as I usually go to an 8 a.m. kickboxing class.  But with the lack of food I decided to skip this weekend.  In fact I haven't done much of any exercising in the past few days.  I am signed up for a 5K tomorrow, which I am planning on doing, even if I need to walk the whole thing.

It's a good thing I slept in today (besides the fact it was a couple extra hours I didn't have to think about food) so I can get up and watch England v Germany tomorrow morning before the 5K.  This will be another game where I am conflicted in who to pull for.  In the end, I'm for England, but I won't cry if Germany wins.  And either way, I'll have a team in the quarterfinals!  Go Three Lions!! 

Yes, my World Cup fever has not diminished even though the US is out.  It was great fun while it lasted!  I forget how much I enjoy watching soccer (or football) until the World Cup rolls around. 

Anyone else really craving a cheeseburger?  I have done a better job at pacing my lemon mixture today.  I did make a colossal mistake today - I changed the brand of maple syrup, and my palate is not loving this one as much.  I should have stuck with what I knew worked.  But yes, even though today is easier, I would still really love a good cheeseburger right about now.  After this is over I will be very interested to see if my cravings really do subside. 

Cleanse, Day 3

I had been planning to write that today actually hadn't been that bad.  And then I finished the last of my allotted lemon juice concoction and my tummy started grumbling.  But really, I was surprised that today went as well as it did considering today was the first day without solid food.  Nope no real food - water and a lemon juice/maple syrup mixture only.  On the happier side, the headache was much diminished today. 

Why lemon juice & pure maple syrup?  According to my book, the lemon juice is a good cleansing agent and the pure maple syrup contains many minerals and vitamins and is a balanced natural sweetener. 

I wasn't sure how this first day of liquids was going to go, but I continued drinking water and tried to spread my lemon juice mixture throughout the day.  And one thing that probably did help is the fact my new cube is not anywhere near the kitchen so I wasn't bombarded with smells.  Oh, and that no one brought in donuts to celebrate Friday.  Also I think I knew I was on liquid today, while the previous days I knew I could eat food, I was just limited.  Whatever the reason I am thankful to be through the first all liquid day.  Only 2 more days and then I can eat fruit again!  Woohoo!!

Five Senses Friday

If you were thinking there might be a theme to my five senses this week, you would be correct!  It is the start of Day 3 of the cleanse and the day that the lemon mixture starts.  I do have to say, I might have pushed through something, as I am not starving this morning.  But the day is still young.  Check back later to hear how Day 3 went.

Seeing
* cupcakes that I can't eat - the box is sitting in my cube mocking me
* wildflowers blooming along the side of the road

Hearing
* The low roar of cars speeding past - my new cube overlooks the freeway and it'll be awhile before I learn to tune out the cars
* The US pull out an amazing victory!!!  This is in the hearing section as I listened on the radio to the second half game, rather than watching it.

Feeling
* Hungry
* Sore from unpacking boxes

Tasting
* Fruit, lots and lots of fruit

Smelling
* The aforementioned cupcakes (but I haven't given in yet, well given in again yet)

Training
* Swim - 1 pool swim
* Bike - An extremely wet and windy ride – I am not a cyclist but any means, I usually bike in my running shoes and by the end of this ride they were soaked!!
* Run - nothing.  I need to pick up my run.  Maybe next week.

Cleanse, Day 2

Dear Cleanse,
I think I hate your guts!
Love, Emily

Okay, you might infer from my note above that the cleanse is not going so well and you would be right.  While the hunger is somewhat manageable, the headache is not.  And per the literature this is normal, and we are advised to not use any over the counter pills to aid the headache, but instead let the body detoxify.  We'll see.  I may have to break down and cheat with some ibuprofen (not shocking - I've already cheated a few times today). 

Today was better food-wise.  We had a meeting at work today and I had a little bit of the salad (with a tinge of dressing) because sometimes it is easier to eat with the group, rather than answer the questions of why aren't you eating.  And then came the end of the meeting and cupcakes.  Cupcakes are pretty much my personal kryptonite.  Actually there are several things - m&ms, gelato, cupcakes.  Sensing a sugar theme?  Why yes, I do heart sugar!!  Oh and bread.  I heart bread too.  Walking by a bakery is heaven.  Especially walking by a bakery somewhere in Europe.  I wish I was in Paris, walking by a bakery.  Doesn't that sound nice?  I'm thinking another side effect of the cleanse is daydreaming - especially about food.  You know what else sounds good?  Mickey ice cream!!  Ooh, I wish I was in Paris, walking by a bakery, on my way to take the train to Paris Disney to see Mickey & eat ice cream!

So where were we?  Oh yes, end of the meeting and cupcakes.  And I'm sure not a huge surprise - I cheated and had a baby cupcake.  Jessica was strong and did not cheat.  We also had quinoa later to throw some whole grains into the mix.  Quinoa, avocado & pico de gallo (which is also probably cheating a bit).  Oh and yummy fruit salad that Jessica made. 

No wonder today was better food-wise!  I cheated all over the place. 

Yum, tomorrow on to the lemon juice mixture.  Oh joy of joys.

Cleanse, Day 1

Jessica somehow convinced me to join her in a cleanse (not sure what moment of weakness led to this...I believe it has something to do with the scale creeping north, rather than south).  It seemed so far into the future that I was able to put it out of my mind - yes I'm doing a cleanse, but not for awhile.  And Jessica had the box of herbal supplements so it wasn't staring me in the face reminding me.  And yet the days kept moving until today - Day 1.  Dun, dun, dun.

The benefits of a cleanse?  I'm not seeing any right now as my stomach is grumbly and all I can eat today are fruits, vegetables, and whole grains.  But according to the literature, the benefits will be an increase in energy (yay!  more energy is a great thing!), digestive tract can rid itself of accumulated waste (sounds messy, but probably another good thing), dependency on things such as refined sugar are greatly reduced (wow!  that would be amazing considering my sweet tooth, but again a good thing), and bad eating habits are broken (and yet another good thing).  So here I am.  

A brief outline of my eating habits for the next few days:

Day 1 - Fruits, veggies & whole grains

Day 2 - Fruits, veggies & whole grains

Day 3 - Detox mixture (water, maple syrup, & lemon juice) 

Day 4 - Detox mixture (water, maple syrup, & lemon juice)

Day 5 - Detox mixture (water, maple syrup, & lemon juice)

Day 6 - Fruits & veggies

Day 7 - Fruits, veggies & whole grains

So far today I have eaten my normal fruit smoothie for breakfast (although it includes milk - shh, don't tell Jessica), 2 bananas, 4 oranges, 4 strawberries, a plateful of carrots, and a bowlful of raspberries & blueberries.  Let me tell you I would have killed for some Cool Whip to go on my raspberries & blueberries.  But Day 1 is mercifully coming to an end.
 
Stay turned for Day 2. 
 

Oh and did you see the USA today???   Holy Cow I didn't think we were going to pull it out!!!!!  I was having a dilemma of who to watch in the morning - USA or England - I watched England score & then flipped to the USA and watched/listened until we scored.  Best outcome for me!!!  And I'm proud to say I now know an equal number of USA & England players (when the World Cup started I could name way more England players than USA - sad, I know).

 

And in celebration of the World Cup - a picture of a few members of the German World Cup team from 2006.  I was in Germany at the time and ran across the players doing a photo shoot outside of Cologne Cathedral!

 

Pad Thai

As you might remember, a while back I attended a cooking class with my sister.  And this weekend I decided to try out the recipes from the class.  First up, Pad Thai.  I love Pad Thai!!  Well, I love Pad Thai from a restaurant, I wasn't sure about Pad Thai from my kitchen.  My quite frequently bare part of the kitchen has been slowly accumulating different ingredients so I didn't have to buy the entire recipe for once!  My first stop was the grocery store.  I decided quite early on to buy the sauce instead of try and make it on my own.  Next time I think I will actually try to make the sauce.  I also didn't quite follow the recipe exactly, even though it was actually a fairly easy recipe, but it turned out okay.  Not nearly as good as Nit Noi (my fave Thai restaurant in Houston!), but not bad at all.

And for the actual recipe:

Two handfuls soft Chantaboon Rice Noodles

3 tablespoons oil

2 eggs, beaten

1 cup prawns or chicken (optional)

3 garlic cloves, minced

1/3 to 1/2 cup Pad Thai sauce

1/3 cup diced fried tofu

2 tablespoons sweet radish, optional

3 tablespoons chopped chives or green onion

1/4 cup ground roasted peanuts

1 cup bean sprouts

Sauce:

2/3 cup tamarind concentrate

2/3 cup white vinegar

1/3 cup light soy sauce

1/3 cup fish sauce

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup palm sugar (or brown sugar)

3 tablespoons garlic powder

1/4 cup Sriracha chili sauce

• To prepare the sauce - place everything in saucepan and bring to a boil on medium heat for 15 minutes or until the sauce becomes thick.
• Soak the rice noodles in a large bowl of warm water for 30 minutes, or until soft.  Drain and set aside, covered up with a dishtowel.
• Pour 1/2 tablespoon of oil into a large skillet, and add eggs. Scramble into medium-sized pieces, and transfer to plate. Set aside.
• Add in garlic and cook for about 10 seconds. Add chicken; cook, stirring constantly until chicken is cooked through, 5 to 7 minutes.
• When the chicken is almost cooked through, stir in noodles, followed by the pad thai sauce.  Let the sauce boil and cook the noodles at the same time; mix well until the sauce is absorbed.
• Stir in the tofu and radish.  Check the noodles, if they are not done add some more sauce.  When they are done, stir in chives, sprouts and peanuts before removing the pan from the stove.
• Serve with fresh sprouts, limes wedges on the side, and extra peanuts on the top.

Sarah's Key

Okay, so it has been a long time since I have done a "book report" so bear with me, and really it isn't that much of a book report at all.  The WWII era has been a fascination of mine for awhile, I think a lot of what draws me are the stories of resistance, ordinary people who helped their fellow man in spite of the consequences.  The cover of the book attracted me (hello Paris!) and then when I realized it was set in WWII, I was sold.  The story drew me in immediately - Sarah, a 10 year old Parisian Jew locked her brother in a closet as they were being rounded up, thinking she would be able to come back and save him.  Sarah's story was intertwined with the present day story of Julia, an American married to a Frenchman, living in Paris.  The pages kept turning and turning as I raced to find out what happened to Sarah's brother.  I was reading this book on a plane and at one point had tears streaming down my face.  Fortunately the person sitting next to me wasn't paying too much attention.  This was a very moving story, I really liked how it moved between the two time lines.

Five Senses Friday

Seeing
Mayonnaise on the ceiling. You may be wondering exactly how that happened... So Jessica & I were making lunch in the kitchen and I went to put away the condiments. The lid on the mayo jar wasn’t fully on and SPLAT! It fell on the ground, and mayo went everywhere, including on the ceiling. How did we find out it was on the ceiling? Because it dropped off onto the floor. We were cracking up!!  Fortunately not too many people were in the kitchen and did not witness our mayo debacle.

Hearing
Lots of noise due to the fact we are packing up the office to move to another building

Tasting
Cinnamon goldfish

Feeling
Raindrops

Smelling
Not much – not sure if it is the dust being resettled from packing or a summer cold, but my nose is not a happy camper

Training
Swim: 2 pool swims
Bike: A fairly flat ride along with Sammamish River Trail, with no iPod - it was actually nice to listening to all the other sounds