Epically HOT Workout

Let me tell you a story about the workout I did on Tuesday night. Because I’m not going to lie, it was kind of epic. More due to conditions than workout assignment…but still – on a scale of 1 to 10 of uncomfortableness, it was up around an 8.5/9. And that’s saying something!

After last week’s workout, I knew I needed to mentally prepare for this. A measly 6x400 meter repeats doesn’t sound that hard. But after last Tuesday’s shenanigans, oh my bejeezes those one-lappers had me re-evaluating my life in more ways than I’m willing to publish on the internet.

With that in mind, you will understand that the prospect of doing the exact same workout, but this time in 97 degrees (real feel 99!) and 75 degrees dew point, was not too appealing (to say the very least).

6x6 G-chatted me early in the day:

6x6: Do you think George will cancel? He has to cancel, right?

Me: No. The only time he’s canceled was when there was 3 feet of snow on the track. 

6x6: Are we really going to do this???

Me: Yes we are. Don’t think – just do it.

I got myself psyched while sitting at my air-conditioned desk. I can do this - this going to be great! I kept telling myself. I love a challenge! No pain no gain! What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger! When the going gets tough the tough get going! Every morning in Africa, a gazelle wakes up…etc. etc. etc.

And then a little after 6pm I changed in the bathroom at work, took the elevator downstairs, and walked out the door.  The air hit me like a ton of bricks. It felt like walking right behind a city bus (you know how that really hot air/exhaust blows on you?) but all around me. And I wondered, Wait, maybe this isn’t a good idea…all the aforemenitioned inspirational sayings aside, this is going to really hurt. Do I really want to do this? Should I do this? Is this even safe???

But I was already on my way. I had published on facebook that I was psyched for the workout, and basically, I will never whimp out. If I can, then I will. Therefore off to the track I went. 

And surprisingly, it wasn’t that bad! I questioned our sanity, but pretty much everyone came to the track to participate in that hour of crazy together.

I only warmed up for 10 minutes (haha, “warm up” as if I wasn’t already HOT). Then got ready for my first 400. And by “got ready” I mean did plyos, stretched, and filled my sports bra with ice cubes. There is nothing better than ice water dripping down your stomach mid-400m! (Except for running when the weather is nice. I suppose that would qualify as “better.”)

As the sun set I felt better, and my 400s got faster. I only did 6 because I’m still just getting back into workouts. (My in shape teammates did 12.) Then I actually felt alive enough to do a long cool-down (also, I had some gossip to catch up on!), so I ran 35 minutes.

The general consensus after working out on a day when DC is hotter than the Sudan: We are badasses.

The end.

For tips on running in the heat go here. And the humidity. And running on vacation. 

Literary Bite: The Help

Ok, here we go - it's a trendy book. If you've walked into a bookstore in the past couple months, odds are you've seen this one prominently displayed. And if you read book blogs or newspaper articles, odds are you've seen it reviewed...

And if you're like me, you may have ignored it. I'm too much on my own program to pay attention to everything that comes up on my Amazon recommendations. (This could also be due to the fact that Amazon recommends math  and economics textbooks (thank you school), and mega-disaster and fish DVDs (thank you work).)

But a few weeks ago I was at a party chatting with a friend when this book came up. He said that he and his mom loved it, that I should read it, and that he would lend it to me. Ok - sounds good to me! (At the time I was struggling through Country Driving and The Satanic Verses, so a fun book was right up my alley.)

And trendiness aside, The Help by Katheryn Stockett is good. It's about black maids working in Mississippi in the early 1960s, told from the perspective of 2 maids and one white woman. I don't want to give too much away, but the basic gist is that one young white woman (Miss Skeeter) decides to write a book that tells what it's like to serve the white women of Jackson, Mississippi. 

When I first started reading I didn't realize that it was so recent. I mean really, the '60s weren't that long ago. Mississippi may as well be a foreign country to me...

Anywho, my favorite character is Minny - I wish there was more of her story. She loves to cook and is the sassiest woman in Mississippi. But she's also a real and well-developed character. They all are, and I appreciate that. 

This book is part Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood, part Gone with the Wind. It address racism (obviously), domestic violence, alcoholism, politics, etc. But the problem that it only glazes over is the question of exploitation. Is Skeeter exploiting the maids? By her publishing a book they get their stories told...but then Skeeter (presumably) goes off to New York and makes a life for herself, while the maids are all stuck in Jackson. And Stockett only glazes over that problem...a little questionable if you ask me...

Either way, it's a good book - worth your time - read it!

Check out this review.

And the NY Times review. 

This is an interesting oped from the Washington Post about "Black Literature" published by white authors. 

Family-Style 4th of July

I know I already posted about this 4^th of July in DC. You may remember that I mentioned being kinda bummed to be in our nation’s capital for the 4^th, so let me justify that statement.

My family is really good at holidays. I mean, you know we do it right.

When I was growing up, my family spent large chunks of the summer at out house in Lake Tahoe. And we spent every 4^th of July there. We don't do exactly the same thing every year…but pretty darn close (there are only so many options). So here’s how it’s done:

The crew: Me, Mama, Dad, Sister1, and Sister2.  Most years my aunt, uncle, and 3 younger cousins come along too.

In the morning my parents go for a trail run. When we were younger, my sisters and I sometimes joined for a bike-ride or a hike, but often we preferred to stay home and amuse ourselves. This amusement could include anything from melting crayons in the microwave (my science teacher dad: That’s so cool that you’re experimenting! My mama with an eye-roll: Oh Mollie…) to “building” in the backyard (hammer + nails + shingles from the shed roof = hours of entertainment). But once I hit Junior High, I started joining the parents and Sister1 for the run (that’s another story for another post).

After our morning’s activities it’s time for the Fireman’s Pancake Breakfast in King’s Beach. They do it every year to raise money for the firework show. Breakfast overlooking Lake Tahoe = omg yum! Especially after a hard trail run – load me up with a plate of pancakes and strawberries, and do not hold back on that whipped cream!

After breakfast we usually meander around the King’s Beach Craft Fair, testing out smelly hand lotions and debating spending our minimal savings.

Then it’s off to the beach! A cooler of lemonade and snacks, a bag of books and travel scrabble, and a towel and inner tube for everyone. That’s all we need for a day of happiness.

When we get home from the beach, we usually grill a quick dinner – hamburgers and/or hot dogs and a salad are enough for us. (Sidenote: this picture is from my rooftop grilling this year. A burger with tomato, onion, avocado, mustard and ketchup, and cheddar cheese on a whole wheat bun. You know you're jealous!)

Then the important part - fireworks! There are actually three nights of fireworks in Lake Tahoe: King’s Beach on the 3^rd, Tahoe City on the 4^th, and Homewood on the 5^th. By the end we are pretty pro at firework oohing and aahing. We get to the beach early to claim a good spot. And then we wait…and wait…and wait for what feels like forever! My aunt is good about bringing treats to placate us as our anticipation builds (Here, stop whining and have a Starburst.).

And then finally the show starts as fireworks are shot off of a barge out on the lake. Beautiful! (A younger cousin usually cries and my dad makes excited-kid comments – Wow! Look at that one!)

All too soon it ends, and we make the excruciatingly long trek back to the car. 

And that is how we do 4^th of July!

Cake of the Week: Chocolate Cream Pie

This weekend went and saw a great Israeli film, called A Matter of Size. It's a comedy about 4 friends who decide to ditch their weight-loss club and form a sumo wrestling team instead. 

An Israeli sumo wrestling team is kind of a big deal because apparently there are no fat people in Israel! Who knew? In a land of hummus and shwarma and Jewish mothers - no fat people? Really? (All I'm saying is that in those conditions there's a pretty good chance I'd be sumo-sized!)

So I thought it'd be fitting for me to post about something, ahem, kinda sorta fattening...Chocolate Cream Pie. But DAMN. This pie is totally worth it! Forget running, I wouldn't mind getting sumo-sized for a slice of this chocolately fantasticness. It's velvety and rich and de-freaking-licious!

As I said last week, I had some cream left over from the Double Chocolate Tart. So there I was at work, researching tsumanis and simultaneously daydreaming about what I could make...and then it struck. DUH! I have cream...I want to make something with it...*Lightbulb!*...Cream pie! 

And surprisingly not as bad for you as it could be...I mean, I used non-fat milk, so that counts for something...right? 

You will notice in the pictures (welcome back Photoman!) that the pie looks kinda melty. That's because he came to take pictures the day after I made it. If you decide to make this chocolatey beast (which omg you should!), I suggest making the pie two days before you serve it. That gives the pudding/creamy goodness time to set. If Photoman and I had been able to resist the temptation of eating this pie asap, we probably could have taken some pictures that did not look  like blobs of pudding in a pie shell (though there's nothing really wrong with that!). 

So without further ado. Here it is.

Chocolate Cream Pie (from Lost Past Remembered)

For crust

1 1/3 cups graham cracker crumbs or chocolate wafer crumbs

5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

1/4 cup sugar

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Stir together crumbs, butter, and sugar and press on bottom and up side of a 9-inch pie plate. Bake about 15 minutes, and cool on a rack.

Filling

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 1/3 cups semi-sweet chocolate, chopped

1 teaspoon vanilla extract (I used almond extract)

3 Drops Jasmine Absolute from Aftelier (optional - I didn't use it)

2/3 cup granulated sugar

3 tablespoons cornstarch

2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

1/8 teaspoon salt

3 large egg yolks

1 cup heavy cream, divided

2 cups milk

Topping

1 cup heavy cream

1/4 cup confectioners' sugar

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1) Place the chopped chocolate, butter, and vanilla extract in a 2-quart mixing bowl; set aside.

2) In a medium saucepan away from heat, whisk together the sugar, cornstarch, cocoa and salt. Whisk in 1/4 cup of cold heavy cream until the mixture is smooth, with no lumps. Repeat with another 1/4 cup of the cream. Whisk in the egg yolks

3) Place the saucepan over medium heat, and gradually whisk in the remaining cream and milk.

4) Bring to a boil, whisking constantly as the mixture thickens; boil for 1 minute

5) Remove the pan from the heat and pour the mixture over the reserved chocolate and butter.

6) Whisk until the chocolate is melted and the mixture is smooth.

7) Pass the filling through a strainer into a bowl to remove any lumps.

8) Place plastic wrap or buttered parchment paper on the surface to prevent a skin from forming, and chill thoroughly.

Topping


1) Place the heavy cream in a chilled mixing bowl.

2) Whip until the whisk begins to leave tracks in the bowl.

3) Add the sugar and vanilla and whip until the cream holds a medium peak.

Transfer the cooled filling to the cooled crust. Level the top with the back of a spoon or an offset spatula. Let it chill thoroughly. (OMG I just realized that I did this wrong. Whoops! Way to go me and reading a recipe! I poured my filling into the crust when it was hot instead of after it had cooled. It worked ok, but maybe if I did it the right way the crust would have stayed crunchier...)

Serve with the whipped cream on the top of the pie or top individual slices with the cream. I also garnished with finely chopped dark chocolate. Just to make it prettier!

Would you like a piece of pie?

The Weekend Report: Happy 4th of July!

Happy 4th of July! I started this weekend pretty bummed, just because my family is in Tahoe doing our usual 4th of July thing, and I'm in DC, totally forgotten. (Ok, that may sound a teeny tiny bit over-dramatic, but really, I quote: "Oh yeah Moll, you should have come...you're so far away, we just forget that you're our kid...didn't even think of it. Sorry honey!" Is this my bitter face? YES. But it's ok because I'm going home for Labor Day!)Anywho, so like I said I wasn't totally stoked about the weekend, but it ended up being really fun!

Saturday evening I went to a fabulous dinner with 6x6 and her parents at Sea Catch on the Canal in Georgetown. It was quite the fancy and delicious. I mean, can you go wrong with scallops and risotto? No, I really don't think you can. And then we hit up Baked and Wired, the best bakery in DC. I got a Texas Chocolate Cupcake, which is (to from their website)

Texas Sheetcake
Chocolate cake with a hint of cinnamon. While the cake is still warm we slather
it with chocolate-pecan frosting that oozes into the cake to make a praline-like
topping. 

AKA - YUM!

On Sunday I got up at early'o'clock (i.e. 7:45am), and ran to meet my track team at Fletcher's Boat House on the Potomac to go kayaking. Fun! Kayak rentals are $10 per hour, which is just about exactly the right amount of time for our distance running arms. I always forget how beautiful DC can be! Just 3 miles outside of Georgetown and it's gorgeous. Being the annoying person I am, I was sure to get Just Around the River Bend stuck in everyone's heads (and now yours - you're welcome)!
In the evening we grilled on the roof (Photoman manned the grill - let me tell you, the guy has more skills than just taking pictures my friends!). A little after 8 we migrated down to the Mall to see the fireworks. It was spectacular! They were so sparkley! The past two summers I've seen the fireworks from a distance (the far end of the mall and a rooftop), and thus was less than impressed. But when you're on the Washington Monument lawn, overlooking the Lincoln Memorial listening to the Navy Band playing in the background with a bajillion other people and the fireworks are exploding right above your head - oh man, that's pretty epically awesome. Happy Birthday America!

Another Pizza Party

Remember the first Perfect Pizza Party?

Well it was so good that we just had to do it again. And this time, things got fancier. Carmelized onions...pesto...smoked gouda cheese - yum yum and yummmmm!I don't usually like cooking with other people, but in the case of pizza decorating, I enlisted one of my roommates to toss on a splash of this and a dash of that.Lessons learned from the first time: sometimes rolling out the dough can be tricky! It wants to stay in a ball, but I want it flat as a pancake (or as pizza...duh!). So I rolled it out. Then weighed it down. That's what I call resourceful! Like last time, I bought ready-made pizza dough from Trader Joe's. I like the whole wheat crust best - it's so easy to just buy it and start rolling!

We made 3 pizzas:
Pizza #1 - Smoked Gouda Half-and-Half Pizza
This was a 2-part pizza:
- Whole wheat crust
- Red sauce
- Pesto Sauce (See my recipe here. I froze the extras from when I made it the first time, and de-frosted it for the pizzas!)
- Smoked gouda cheese
- Caramelized onions
- Cherry tomatoes
- Olives
- Mushrooms
- Spinach

Pizza #2 - Chicken Everything Pizza - was the same as #1, except that we used mozarella cheese, and added sliced chicken meatballs for the carnivores of the group. Have you tried the chicken meatballs from Trader Joes? They're so good! Pizza #3 was a Pesto-Less Pizza (because maybe some people don't like pesto???):
- Regular crust
- Red sauce
- Mozarella cheese
- Red bell peppers
- Olives
- Mushrooms
- Caramelized Onions
- A sprinkling of spinach
- Half of it had chicken meatballs

It was, again, a perfect pizza party!

I hope you all have a fantastic 4th of July weekend! Maybe make some pizza on the grill? I mean, what's more American than pizza? (I realize the ridiculousness of that statement...but I stand by it. Pizza to Italy as hamburgers are to Germany...aka Americans have kinda sorta taken them over!)

Morning Reading

Every morning I get up and do pretty much the same thing. (There are only so many options in the getting-ready-for-work department, and I am quite the creature of habit.)

I wash my face, start brewing coffee, and put on my makeup. This all takes a grand total of maybe 15 minutes. Then I spend the rest of my morning reading the front page section of the newspaper while eating breakfast. 

Breakfast is exactly the same every morning: yogurt with frozen berries and Grape Nuts for crunch, and apple slices with peanut butter. And I’m not going to lie, if available, a breakfast cookie is totally acceptable as well.

After breakfast/newspaper, I get dressed, brush my teeth and hair, throw some lunch-ish food into my purse, and head out the door.

Except for some mornings, when inexplicably my routine doesn’t take as long as normal. In which case I may make the very dangerous move of lying down and reading my book for a bit before leaving.

This is not dangerous in the way you may suspect – there is absolutely no way I can fall back asleep after drinking the amount of coffee that accompanies my yogurt. The danger comes in the “reading my book” part. Because if it’s a good book, then those precious 10 minutes can stretch into 15…and then 20…and before I know it I’m running out the door to get to work on time.

That’s what I love about reading a good story – it can suck you in and make you never want to leave. I have quite the multi-tasking mind, so often while I’m reading a so-so book, I catch myself thinking about other stuff (what to bake next? What do I need to get done at work? Should I run today or tomorrow? How far? Do I need to do abs? What about my other job? What am I going to blog about next? What’s going on this weekend? Have I called this person/sent this email/etc? Welcome to the inside of my head. It’s a scary place!).

So I know a good book when my mind doesn’t wander at all – when I’m totally transported to wherever that story takes place and I’m 100% engaged.

Is this escapism? Maybe. But everyone needs a little escape sometimes. I take mine in the form of good literature!