Who Knew Running in the Snow Could Be Fun!?

January 5, 2010

While I haven’t singed up for it yet ($500 is a big registration fee) ,my big goal for 2010 is to do the Rev3 iron distance triathlon in September. I did well enough training on my own for the 70.3’s last season but I know there is a huge step going up to the full distance so I thought it would be best to get a coach. I recently signed up to train with Carrie McCoy for the 2010 season. Not only did Carrie come highly recommended but she also has plenty of experience and a passion for coaching.

So I made it through my first week of training just fine. It’s just base building right now and I haven’t been slacking too much so it’s not too tough. However, this past Sunday was our first group workout of the year (A nice touch so you can interact with and get to know some fellow triathletes). This first workout was scheduled to be a run workout… Outside… In the cold… I hate the cold.

Let me repeat that: I HATE the COLD. Anything less than 60 and I am miserable (just ask Tani). I thought I might luck out and get descent weather but as the day got closer, the forecast looked worse and worse. Expected high for Sunday turned out to be about 7.

I went to the store and bought a new micro fleece hood that covers the head and face as well as running tights to wear under my looser running pants. Final outfit was running tights with heavy polyester running pants over top – short-sleeve dry fit shirt with a long-sleeve thermal shirt and a wind jacket – full face hat with another cap over that – gloves and sun glasses. As I pulled into the park I noticed several other runners dressed similarly so I felt good about my choices.

As we started off on the warm-up run, I was frozen; My fingers were numb and the rest of my wasn’t much better off. But the strangest thing happened; I actually warmed up enough that I started to enjoy the run. The sun was out and the trail was snow covered and I was actually having a good time in the cold. I was truly amazed. As we moved from the warm-up and into the main practice, it almost felt like any other workout. We alternated between running and core workouts laying on the parking lot asphalt and I felt so good I actually pulled the mask off of my face.

I guess the moral is that with the right gear, you can manage anything. Looks like I still have plenty of gear to buy. ;)

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Posted by Aaron

Chipotle Sweet Potato Salad

January 3, 2010

Another favorite recipe!  We first tasted this recipe at the COTT summer potluck (Thanks Sarah!).  This recipe almost didn’t make it to our recipe box.  I almost didn’t try it because it had red peppers in it (I hate peppers…the eating part, not the tasting part)…but I did anyway since EVERYONE raved.  And man, is it good!!

I hope you’ll like it!  Aaron is obsessed with this.  He gets this gleam in his eyes when we put it on the menu for the week. (Don’t believe me? Go ask him about this recipe and see what he does!)

A couple of notes…don’t let the potatoes get mushy, we go 8 minutes.  The chipotles are HOT! – adjust dosage to your heat tolerance.  There were a bunch in the can that we bought; so we laid them out individually on freezer paper and froze them…we thawed them out and used them without a problem.  We also didn’t use a food processor and just mixed everything up in a bowl.  It worked fine.

(HEY AARON!  Put a picture in here, will ya?!)

Go. Try. This. Now!

Chipotle Sweet Potato Salad

Ingredients:

  • 2 pounds sweet potatoes
  • 1 medium red bell pepper, chopped
  • 1 can black beans, drained, rinsed
  • 1 Celery rib – chopped
  • 6 Green onions — thin sliced
  • 2 tablespoons Chopped fresh cilantro
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 1/3 cup Fresh lime juice
  • 1/4 cup Canned chipotle chiles
  • 1 tablespoon Ketchup
  • 1 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • 1 clove Garlic – minced
  • 1/3 cup Extra-virgin olive oil

Directions:

Peel the sweet potatoes and cut into bite-size chunks. In a large pan of boiling salted water, cook the sweet potatoes over medium-high heat until tender, 10 to 12 minutes. Drain the potatoes, rinse them in cold water, and drain them again. Set them aside to cool briefly.

Place the bell pepper, black beans, celery, green onion, and cilantro in a large bowl. Add the potatoes, mixing lightly.

Combine all the dressing ingredients, except for the oil, in a food processor and puree together. Drizzle in the oil and continue to process until thick.

Pour about three-quarters of the dressing over the potato mixture and toss to combine. The result should look moist but not runny. If it seems dry, add the remaining dressing. Taste and adjust the seasoning.

Cover and chill for at least 2 hours or, even better, overnight.

Serve cold. The salad keeps well for several days.

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Posted by crankygrrrrrl