Hard Core

I have found that Runner's World has the most thorough and helpful online site. Throughout my preparation to run the Napa Valley Marathon, I have become hooked on the heading Training. (And I must admit that while it's not nearly as interesting, I have more recently been consulting the heading Motivation.) So I found a great article called FAST ABS.

I have been intermittently faithful to some kind of powder puff routine of basic crunches, but as the article criticises, one really needs to work the deep core muscles to truly make a difference and provide the stability and strength that running mile after mile requires. The benefits not only lend themselves to speed, endurance, and hill work, but also prevent common injuries involving the knees, lower back, and hamstrings.

There is a detailed description and drawing of each exercise and the recommendation is that this 15 minute workout be done right before or after running, three times a week. It seems that is a minimal commitment that could produce monumental reward. I am starting today.

And to celebrate my efforts, I am going to exercise my baking skills and try a Strawberry Rose Buttercream cupcake recipe from my friend Gale. They sound delicious and they're pink.

Twisted Sister

My sister is older, wiser, taller, more focused, and did I mention wiser? Well one day she had a colossal lapse in judgement and calmly asked if I wanted to run the 2007 Los Angeles Marathon with her. This would have made sense had either of us been runners.

I had been jogging somewhere between two to four miles on a somewhat regular basis over the past several months, but my sister was more of a hiker, a fast walker, a swimmer, and a shopper.

As the younger sibling I rarely hesitate to do what my big sister tells me to do, so that was it. Still in shock and full of fear, I signed up for the marathon.

My sister joined a group called the LA Leggers , a non-profit, volunteer-run organization that offers members training and an educational program that enables individuals to attain their own personal goals in running half and full marathons. I was most impressed.

We trained for months and ran our longest run together during the Christmas holiday, and before we knew it that weekend was upon us. The temperature was uncomfortably warm, somewhere in the 80's. The race started later than usual, the sun was out, the course was hilly, and the crowds were thick. It was more difficult than I expected and I repeatedly chanted "don't ever do this again" in my head.

So now as I am training for another marathon I occasionally ask myself why on earth I am doing this. Then I remember where I got my crazy. My sister. She never ceases to amaze me. And while her running wings have temporarily been clipped due to giving birth to a beautiful baby boy, I can't wait to run the next race with her.

With one month left in my marathon training, I am dedicating all of this hard work to my sister. I would have never accomplished this without her.

A Pinot by any other name...

Upon completion of my 19 mile run on Saturday, I headed for St. Helena Cyclery, the closest source of Clifbar's Clif Shot recovery drink. Much to my dismay they were closed! So disappointing. I have yet to try this product, and while I favor vanilla vs chocolate, I am eager to sample both. My other local supplier, the Napa Running Company is a good 20 minutes away. Too far in a time of need. So I skipped across the street and consulted another local home to the "recovery drink", the St. Helena Wine Center. I purchased a bottle of Flowers Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir 2007 as my own little reward for the three and a half hour run under my belt.

My father is an amazing cook, and lucky for me, my parents live close by. He has lately been inspired by a french cookbook, The Complete Robuchon, by Joel Robuchon. All I heard from the recipe was chicken and creme fraiche and I was sold! It was amazing, and well paired with Pinot.

Tasting notes include aromas of cherry, plum, raspberry, violet, pepper, and strawberry. It's all very nice, and then they throw in something absurd but surely accurate, like black fruits, cola and leather... whatever. I very much enjoyed the wine. It is delicate but deliberate. I would almost run 19 miles for it again.


"To create a little flower is the labor of ages." - Blake, William

Oops, I did it again.

I can't say this is the first time I haven't paid attention, but it could be in the top three of paying the price.

Last weekend I barely moved through 17.5 miles of training that my Rookie Marathon Training Plan required. Knowing that the following weekend would lend me a break in mileage, I consulted the schedule to see if it suggested 14 or 15 miles, I couldn't recall. As I collaborated with my marathon partner to determine the course, it turns out I was off by one week and THIS was the weekend I needed to run an "Easy 17-18 miles." Ugh.

I suited up with my favorite running shoes, the Progrid Ride by Saucony. Surprisingly inexpensive, this is the best, most comfortable shoe I have ever owned. I tried something new, the G2 Ice Punch by Gatorade and loved it. It packs the same powerful punch of original Gatorade with fewer calories. One of our good friends agreed to follow us along the run and supply us with the necessary water and bananas for fuel.

So Sherry and I met in Calistoga, somewhere close to where the marathon starts, and ran along the Silverado trail for 19 miles which took us all the way to Yountville. It was brutal but beautiful. The mustard is in full bloom, the vineyards are all pruned, and the weather was a kind 55 degrees. We made it!

Steel my vote

Recent studies have shown that many plastic, Nalgene, Lexan and other popular water bottles may be leaching toxins that are linked to breast cancer and reproductive mutations. I'll leave that to the scientists to determine, but in the meantime I am playing it safe and chic with the Klean Kanteen. The stainless steel is 100% non-leaching and toxin free, making it a healthy alternative to plastic or lined metal containers. I was delighted to find one in pale pink in this year's Christmas stocking. The bottle comes in six colors as well as stainless steel.

Mix it up

The Rookie Marathon Training Plan I am following delegates Mondays as cross training days. The idea is to mix it up for one day a week and the suggestions include "walking, biking, swimming, and any other activity that does not involve running." So I thought about it and I came up with baking! Does that count? Probably not.

Over the years my sister has supported and even encouraged my obsession with the color pink by gifting me with many of the fabulous, pink kitchenAid appliances. They make cooking or baking an absolute delight.

So I assembled my pink standing mixer and decided to whip up some cupcakes, another obsession, to celebrate a birthday at work. Running out of time instead of energy, for once, I must admit I cheated and used the Betty Crocker Super Moist dark chocolate cake mix. However, I did take the time to find an amazing recipe for a bittersweet chocolate frosting from the Epicurious website. It is unbelievably delicious. I would make it again and again. For a splash of color I topped each cupcake with a fresh raspberry. People cannot stop raving about them.

While it was a nice and necessary diversion from the schedule, it only took a couple of cupcakes to convince me to get back to running.

What are friends for?

Friends are for getting you up and out of bed, out the door and ready to run by 6:30 a.m. on a cold Saturday morning.

I am nearing the end of week eleven of The Rookie Marathon Training Plan, which today calls for an "Easy 17-18 miles." Sure. Just take it easy while you repeatedly pound pavement for three hours. Most enjoyable. I was about to throw in the towel when two of my running friends joined me and propelled me through most of these miserable miles. Thank-you Missy, I now call Missy Mitochondria (you have never seen anyone pull power out of a hat like this fiery Italiana) and thank-you Gale, a.k.a. Gale Force Wind (ridiculously strong, fast, and quietly persuasive).

Running 17.5 miles does not feel good. I belted up with Strawberry Gatorade which I bought because I liked the color, and have remained faithful to the black cherry Clif Bar shot bloks. So we set out in about 39 degree weather and ran through forests, vineyards, and neighborhoods for about three hours, until my vision was blurred, my feet were numb, my patience had thinned, and 17.5 miles were finally behind me!

The reward? I made myself a breakfast sandwich with the world's best english muffin from The Model Bakery, topped with egg and prosciutto. Delightful.

Just don't do it

I'm a sucker for accessories, but fool me once...

I recently subscribed to a new magazine, Women's Running. I love it. The website is also helpful and offers articles on nutrition and fitness, tips on how to find the best running shoe for you, an online store with a great (well, mostly great) variety of products, and a monthly e-newsletter.

I'm in the market for a hair band that actually stays in place and keeps loose ends and at least a portion of the sweat out of my eyes. Nike makes some very attractive and colorful bands that were featured in the last issue. So of course I had to have them. The lady modeling them looks so fit, so happy, her hair is perfectly in place, yet she looks so sporty. Sign me up. Right?

Well I made the purchase and when the package arrived I couldn't get to the gym fast enough to sport my new look. I chose a pink and orange striped band and had it perfectly in place. I hopped on the treadmill with a new confidence, thinking this was going to be best looking run I had taken in a while. I don't think I even made it to 30 seconds when this thing shot off the back of my head and landed on the shoulder of a less optimistic gym member who was taking his shoulder presses a little too seriously. How embarrassing! I apologized, feeling like a prize idiot, then placed the band just one more time to make sure. Yeah, no. Not happening. These hair pieces DON'T WORK. Save yourself the six dollars, time, and humiliation. I'll let you know when I land on something legit.

Oh baby!

I have missed running with, or rather behind my speedy friend Laurence, who has taken a pregnancy leave of absence from my running group. So I was most excited to join my friends in throwing her a baby shower at a beautiful local and favorite spot, Stony Hill Vineyard. Their chardonnay is exceptional and the views are spectacular.

The ladies wisely decided to join forces and rather than leave it to the individual's better or less fortunate taste, we presented her with a gift we knew she would love and use. The BOB jogging stroller . The baby jogger is really quite sharp looking. It comes in a variety of colors and several different styles to accommodate specific needs and uses, it only weighs 22 lbs, and claims to turn on a dime. I highly recommend it.

I learned of a new, creepy wives tale. To determine the sex of the baby Laurence had to rip out a strand of her hair, tie it around her wedding band, and hold it approximately three inches from her belly. If the ring moves hip to hip (side to side) it's a boy. If it moves head to toe (up and down) it's a girl. Well it kind of moved in circles and I don't really know what that means, but I DO know that as soon as they announced the baby shower games were starting, I took one look at the BOB stroller and called shotgun.

Training Day

I am in week ten of my marathon training. My running homework for yesterday was to cover, and I quote, an "Easy 15-16 miles." Is that possible? This is having put in 90 minutes of cross training one day, two days of 8 miles of speed or hill work, and another "easy 5 miles" day. I am following The Rookie Marathon Training Plan and all I can think is, What the hell plan are the seasoned runners consulting?

My friends and I chose a beautiful but hilly and strenuous run up an old and winding road out to Lake Hennessy. The course is an all-time favorite of my sister's and mine, though we first experienced it in 28-degree weather. I suited up with the necessary fuel belt. I am loving the Helium 2 pink fuel belt. It is really comfortable and what is more important than comfort is that it's ridiculously cute. I tried the black cherry Clif shot bloks at mile 8 and they are really quite good.

So the weather was perfect. And as far as the challenge, I have discovered the best way to tackle the steep hills is to imagine my rear end in a bikini. Truly a motivation for pushing through the pain.

And with every long run I do, something special awaits completion. My friend and I celebrated her birthday at Bistro Jeanty- one of my favorite local restaurants. We kicked off the celebration with a glass of Allimant Laugner Brut Rose, which was nothing spectacular but refreshing and pink. I particularly love their appetizers so we shared the duck foie gras pate, some mussels steamed in red wine, frites, a butter lettuce salad, and calamari, along with a bottle of Andre Vatan Sancerre. It was a delightful lunch that came to a close with a lemon meringue tart the size of my head, served with an over-the-top orange candied sauce. An unseasonably warm day for January, we spent about trois heures out on the patio. A perfect afternoon.

Most women would take the opportunity of running 16 miles to get ahead in terms of caloric intake versus burn. I, however, chose to break even.

Whenever I prepare to run an official race I ask myself two very important questions. What am I going to wear? What will I drink to celebrate this accomplishment?

I am currently training for the 31st annual Napa Valley Marathon. I cannot complain. I live here, and as far as beautiful surroundings in which to train, I feel that competition has already been won.

This year I am going for a PR (I'm about an hour and a half from qualifying for Boston). I am thinking my personal record will most likely happen if I'm wearing something pink. Actually I have never run a race without it. While I am in love with the Nike Dri-FIT seamless running shirt in raspberry, I'm open to looking for something new.

As my liquid light at the end of this tortuous tunnel, I'll be enjoying a 2006 Williams Selyem Rochioli Riverblock Vineyard Pinot Noir to accompany my celebratory carbo extravaganza of the world's best mac and cheese, which is really why I run.

Wish me luck.