First, as promised, a recipe!
Sweet Potato and Black Bean Chili for Two
Ingredients:
2 tsp. extra virgin olive oil
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 small sweet potato, peeled and diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbsp chili powder
2 tsp. ground cumin
1/4 tsp chipotle
1/8 tsp salt
1 1/3 cup water
1 15 ounce can black beans, rinsed
1 cup canned diced tomatoes
2 tsp lime juice
2 Tbsp chopped fresh cilantro
Cooking method 1: Put it all in a slow cooker for 4 hours and enjoy.
Cooking method 2: Saute onion and sweet potato, add seasonings and stir/cook till fragrant, add water, bring to simmer, cover, reduce head, simmer 10-12 minutes, add beans, tomato and lime juice, increase heat to high, return to simmer, reduce heat to maintain simmer and cook until slightly reduced. Remove from heat, add cilantro and serve!
I prefer cooking method 1!
Now on to the rebirth! My time at Paige's is the measure of what I can calculate a realistic goal for Empire State! I even chose a new plan of attack to train for Empire State. Less is More! Three days of running, Two days of cross-training, Two Form Drills, Five Strength exercises and Five Stretches! Did I mention that this means two recovery days every week? Totally excited about the plan and my ability to keep up with it!
Let's rewind a month. The day of the Mountain Goat, I was doing a training run and injured myself. I took 10 days off, then have tried to run 3 or 4 days a week since. Key word was tried! Some weeks, only ended up being twice. In that time, I actually ran 5 km in 25:20 in a neighborhood training run. I took it really easy last week because of my upcoming race (Paige's Butterfly Run). My goals were 1) 25:00 (very unrealistic) 2) 26:00 (doable) and 3) 26:49 (3 minutes faster than laster year). I felt really good and did everything the way that I was supposed to going into the race. I even had fresh shoes on! 28:09!!!! Are you kidding me?????? Prior to may, I worked my rear end off since November! This time was meant to set the paces for my half-marathon training.
The words, "I'm never going to race again!!!!" ran through my mind. Of course, I would still run with people and train, just NEVER race! That lasted about 19 minutes! Then, I started processing to positives. 1) It was for a great cause 2) I ran into some friends 3) I kept a constant pace the whole time and 4) I beat last year by almost two minutes! I didn't meet any of my goals, but I took something positive from the race.
So, then we hop in the car and get ready to go to Geneva to check into the hotel and proceed to Keuka College for packet pick-ups for Honor. The GPS maps get completely wiped out. We manage to drive right to the hotel without the Garmin! Then, we use their business center to print directions to the tri site! We made it there.... 2 hours before registration and pick-ups began. It was raining, there wasn't any open swim. What to do? Tri workshop on running? Who was the speaker? Nick LeHecka, winner of the 2011 Skinnyman! I actually watched him start and finish that run! I knew we were in for a treat. There are many running books out there, but none of them even address form properly. They mention it and pass on. Many coaches won't even touch the issue! Nick actually spent a whole hour on it! Heel striking and improper for in general cause many runners to injure themselves, repeatedly. He actually explained scientifically why this was so and why PROPER running form makes sense. Then, he gave us a tip and had it make sense to us! Can you say GENIUS????!!!! Nick actually offers classes on the subject at the Fingerlakes Running and Triathlon Company in Ithaca for $30/group session!
With my new plan, my new tip (which hopefully will lead to my new form) and my new outlook on the situation, I have set my goal time for Empire State Half. I have adjusted from 2:00 to 2:10. I have a long run every Saturday from June 18th all the way into October for anyone that wants to join me! My pace will only be about 10:28/mile starting with 8 miles and going up to 15 miles! I will most likely run with the Lake Effect Runners! I will run rain or shine, sleet or hail!!! I have been re-born as a runner!!!!
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