Bake Cake and Run

RnR St. Louis - Gateway To Race 8

2011-10-31T18:26:00.011-05:00

I was looking forward to this race because of the roadtrip. Although we had to leave at the crack of dawn, I LOVE these long roadtrips with Kobfa, not to mention pitstopping at all the unhealthy fast food joints! *snickers*

The Expo
After participating in all these races, it only seemed right that we support the runners. Kobfa gives back to the running community one swag bag at a time.

While Kobfa was busy volunteering, I met up with fellow Rock Legend and tweep @drudawsky (am honored to be a part of her first ever tweetup!).

In Seattle when we asked John Bingham for a photo, I was totally gushing like an 8th grade girl. As I walked away (completely embarrassed), I wondered what John Bingham's friends had thought since we interrupted their conversation. It turns out she and her husband were there and witnessed the whole fiasco because THEY were the friends of The Penguin! I'm SO jealous.

She did RnRAZ, RnRNOLA, RnRDAL, RnRSEA, and RnRCHI! I can't believe it took us this long to meet up! Nonetheless, I was super excited to meet her (finally)!

Pre-race Dinner
Without a hesitation, we headed off to Meglio's after the expo. Meglio's was featured on Restaurant Impossible. I distinctly remember everything about that episode and could not wait to check it out. To our surprise, the half wall, chalk board bar, and wall decor were there. We even saw the Best Buy that Robert Irvine made a big deal about. It was quite exciting trying the menu that Robert Irvine created for this restaurant. Our server was energetic and attentive which definitely added to our pleasant dining experience. Although I wanted to try a more complexed entree, I stuck with spaghetti only because I didn't want to risk a tummy ache during the race. It definitely did NOT disappoint and neither did the garlic bread and Ceasar salad. If you did not see this show or episode, I still recommend the restaurant!

The Race
I knew going into this race that it was NOT going to be flat. It sure was far from FLAT! Throughout the run, I kept telling myself that if I could do Seattle and Dallas, THIS was not going to defeat me. I definitely felt a lot better on this race than I did in San Jose. The overcast made for perfect running conditions. Spectators were not scarce and they were at all the right places (aka inclines). In my heart, I wanted to run under 2:30, but since I have been so depressed from not going to the gym, I was embracing every single step of the way. I was feeling great and finished strong!

The Gateway Arch
We were denied a ticket the first time we tried to go up. Our luck, they sold out just TEN minutes before we got to the ticket counter. On the second try (after the race), it was a SUCCESS! *happy dance* The overcast went away and the gorgeous clear sky was out!

The Wonk-avator

Home of the 2011 World Series Champs

It was amazing to see the city from above and to see the town that I had just conquered 13.1 miles on!

RnR San Jose - No Way Jose

2011-10-15T20:01:00.004-05:00

Golden Gate Bridge

My sister lives in San Franciso and I have been dying to take Kobfa there. Although we stayed in San Jose, we drove up to San Francisco every chance we had. We even managed to get in a little sight seeing done and have dinner with my sister and her hubby. I definitely needed to get out of Chicago (especially the air conditioned office) and enjoy some warmth and sun! My spirits were definitely lifted being in the Bay Area (although it was for a short stay).

SF by Night

Sutro Baths

Bat Cave

ROCKS

Sis and Bro-in-law at Caffe Trieste

I wish we could have seen more of the Bay Area, unfortunately, this was NOT the weekend to tour the city(s). This weekend we were in San Jose for yet another half marathon.

It's been two months since the Rock and Roll Chicago Half Marathon, so I knew I was far from ready for this. I was actually nervous. I usually do not get nervous before a race, but I was pretty scared for this one.

Here's the deal. Yes, I can pump out a half marathon with little to no training. However, I cannot say it is the smartest thing or makes the half marathon the easiest thing. I definitely notice a difference in my running when I do train versus when I do not.

Pros to Training:

There is a lower risk of injury.
I am not sore for seven days straight.
I am more confident with each mile.
I burn more calories which makes me feel less guilty for consuming junk food.
Overall, I am in a MUCH better mood and more loving of life.

It was a gorgeous morning and I had to squeeze my way into the corral.

Unfortunately, the start did not do the wave system. When the horn went off they basically dropped the ropes between all the corrals and we were off.

I felt frantic. I felt like we were all running away from Godzilla or something. It was so hectic, I started out WAY too fast for my own good (but of course stopping to pose for photo ops). *giggles* Sure enough, by mile four I was ready to walk (back to the hotel).

I somehow hung in there for the next 9 miles. Whatever song was beating in my head put me in a trance and I was basically in cruise control. I honestly have NO recollection of this race or the sights and sounds and scenery around me.

However, the ONLY thing that I remember about the race (which was quite traumatizing) was just before the finish line. We were approaching the HP Pavillion. We had to go under an overpass. Just before we managed to go under the overpass, I could see in the distance that a runner had collapsed and someone was frantically doing chest compressions. I thought to myself NO WAY JOSÉ!! THIS CANNOT BE HAPPENING!

*heartbeat slows down* With every step getting closer to the victim, my heart fell lower and lower. All I could do was pray for this poor guy to survive. About 50 feet away, they had security on the course pushing runners completely off to the side. It was hard NOT to look and see the facial expression on the person doing chest compressions. They had the look of "I MUST SAVE THIS PERSON!!!".

Less than a tenth of a mile left in the race, I was beat. My brain was racing a million times faster than my feet and all I wanted to do was break down and cry and go see if the guy was okay.

GOOD NEWS: HE SURVIVED! See HERE!

I must admit that I am very truly grateful for spectators, volunteers, and good samaritans!

Frozen Assets - R.I.P. XSport

2011-10-05T16:24:00.005-05:00

Shortly after the Seattle Marathon, my office and the whole basement of our workplace flooded. You never really know what you have until it's gone. Since July, I have been temporarily located to the Administrative Office. Not only do I no longer have any privacy, I am constantly interrupted. I think some people think I have become the Adminstration Office secretary. Anyways, these are the few things amongst many that bother me. The BIG thing that bothers me is the air conditioning! Granted, back in July it was a lot warmer than it is now. Therefore, they felt the need to BLAST the AC.

First off, I do get cold easily. However, every time someone walks through the office, they always comment on how cold it is in there. Even my boss will turn on the heater in her office. Now, imagine sitting there for EIGHT hours with purple fingers! Since July, I have been wearing 4 layers in the office. I even resort to wearing my coat (even though it is 85-95 degrees outside).

I have managed to keep to myself (for the past 3 months) all the rude comments I've been wanting to make. They all think that I have some sort of issue because I am abnormally cold. Some blame it on the running and/or my poor eating habit and think that I should chill out on the running. How could it be the running when I have not been to the gym since JUNE?!?!?

Honestly, I am not sure why they don't all just say "Go eat a burrito and gain the same amount of body fat that we all have." I cannot help that I have higher metabolism and a lower body fat percentage. I am not, by any means, saying that I am a size zero (because I am not).

I would never tell you to go lose weight or run more. So I would appreciate you not telling me to run less (when I don't even do that anymore), take vitamins, or go see a doctor! Your concern is more offensive than helpful. I am sorry but I think the most logical and reasonable solution is to set the temperature office to a happy medium where we could all be happy.

Why is it the person with the low body fat has to suffer? If any of these people were to work in a sauna for 8hrs a day, 5 days a week, and for 12 weeks, something tells me they would not be all chipper and dandy and be full of energy by the end of the day.

Sure, they could strip down to their skivvies but I'm sure they would not be comfortable working like that for 8 hours. On the flipside: me wearing 4 layers is NOT the most comfortable thing either!

Anyways, the point being, the temperature in the office is ridiculous and people think that I have health issues. Unfortunately for them, all my vitals are normal. The only thing that is NOT normal is the fact that my body has to work overtime to keep me warm during the day. By the time I get off work I'm 100% completely exhausted. I am too exhausted to make it to the gym. Hence R.I.P. XSport.

I did manage to get a new gym membership that is literally across the street versus 2 blocks down from where I live (in hopes that the shorter distance would be one less reason to prevent me from going), but I still have NOT yet managed to make it to the gym. THIS IS SO VERY SAD! *sad face*

My not going to the gym has affected me on so many levels. I have become a complete grouch, unmotivated, goal-lacking, unambitious, people-hater.

I am hoping that when our office is restored and everything is back to normal that I could find some time and energy to get back to the gym and restore peace within myself.

RnR Chicago - My Kind of Town

2011-10-01T22:47:00.008-05:00

So, here I was back at another starting line. Doing back to back weekend half marathons are definitely NOT easy for me. Unfortunately, I will have to do a double header for the final two races of the Rock Idol journey.

Because this race was in my hometown, getting to and from the expo and start/finish line was easy. I did not have to worry about flying in the night before, rushing to check out of the hotel right after the race, renting a car, figuring out how to get places, where to get food, or sleeping in an unfamiliar city. THIS all made for RnR Chicago a very pleasant experience.

Like Providence, we were graced (once again) with rain during the run. It started out to be what seemed like a gorgeous day for a run but somewhere between miles 1 and 13 the rain decided to join us.

I love the rain. I don't mind the rain. The only thing that concerns me while running in the rain is ruining my iPod. Fortunately for me, my iPod survived! Woo! We didn't stick around for the post race celebration because it was starting to get cold FAST! That and we usually do not stick around for the concert for the fact that we're usually racing to check out of the hotel.

Last year at RnR Chicago 2010 when I did this race, I finished in 2:43:50. This year I finished in 2:34:55. I was determined to redeem myself on this race. Last year I had a horrible race because I had worked the night before the race. I had spent an entire shift arguing with the Sous Chef and getting off at midnight. I didn't get any sleep that night and basically crawled the entire 13.1 miles. It definitely was not as bad this time around, however, I was pretty exhausted and feel that there is STILL room for improvement! Watch out Chicago, I WILL be back!

This is race #6 out 10. I have made it over the half way point in my journey to the Rock Idol medal and am hoping that the second half of this journey is just as exciting as the first!

Hopefully, somewhere between now and the last race, I will make it to the gym...at least ONCE!

Anyways, I have not been in the mood for blogging much lately (hence the reason why it has taken me forever to get to THIS post). I do like blogging because I like documenting my journey and remembering the good, the bad, and the ugly. However, something has been plaguing my brain lately (coming to a post near you) which is making it hard for me to be motivated to do anything.

RnR Providence - Soak It Up

2011-08-13T12:04:00.003-05:00

Kobfa ran this race with me and boy was I glad he did. This was my first long distance run since Seattle and it did not take me long to get tired and sore. Before the race even began, runners stood in their corral soaked from the pouring rain. Everyone was ready to go. Unfortunately, the race coordinators weren't. I'm not sure why exactly the race started late, but once it got going, they started the first 5 corrals in intervals and then decided to completely drop all the ropes and let everyone else just take off at the same time.

The rain continued for the duration of the entire run. The first half began with many inclines and small short downhills in between. At mile 5, I could not figure out how I was able to do 21 more in Seattle. These seemed to be the longest 5 miles ever! By mile 7, my entire left leg hurt. It started with the weird hamstring issue (that I've had for almost a year now) and then just spread. Due to the rain, I decided not to bring my iPod or camera. Having Kobfa with me made the run more bearable.

Water stations kind of grossed me out. The thought of these cups sitting out there soaking up the rain water made me less apt to want to drink it. When I did see the volunteers pour water straight from the jug into a cup and right into the hands of the runners, that's when I would stop for a drink.

What surprised me most was the course support! They were out and about hoot'n and hollerin' in this dreadful weather. The bands kept on rockin'. I think if they were not out there, this race would have seemed A LOT longer than it already was. Thank you volunteers, cheer squads, curb crews, and bands for all the entertainment throughout the course. YOU'VE GOT SPIRIT, YES YOU DO!!

After awhile, Kobfa and I decided to entertain ourselves. We would run towards all the huge puddles and jump in them. The cold water actually felt refreshing on our feet. On all the downhills, we would raise our hands and pretend like we were going down a roller coaster ride.

AH! The joys of running! The feeling of being a kid again! Before we knew it, we were making the last and final turn to the finish line. But where the heck was that finish line? Someone thought it would be a great idea to set the finish line up on a HILL!!! *grumble* Nonetheless, I still got my popsicle at the finish line. Yippie!

Running in Providence brought plenty of joy to my heart, packing up to catch our flight did not. Back at the hotel, we had to wring out our clothes as much as we can and then took the hairdryer to it. To my surprise, I was able to dry out my running shoes (the only shoes I had with me) completely and wear it on our flight back home.

Before heading off to the airport, I had a wonderful surprise visit (while scarfing down my chicken from Popeyes) by Elizabeth. I was extremely bummed that I missed my chance to meet her at Cafe Du Monde during my RnR NOLA trip. She then later wrote me the best email to prepare me for what was to come in Seattle. Her first full marathon was RnR Seattle last year and she rocked it! We had plans to meet up before this race but I didn't want to risk destroying my phone in the rain so I didn't stand a chance in finding her. *sad face* However, I was ecstatic when she found me! She's witty, she's pretty, and she comes from the city (of Atlanta). Oh and did I mention? She is one heck of a runner! I am totally looking forward to meeting up with her again at RnR Savannah!

Who Run The World - GIRLS!

2011-07-24T21:49:00.010-05:00

Pause video at 1:53
See a familiar face *wink wink* cooling off and enjoying the misting fan.

It's been three weeks since my Seattle Full Marathon.

I'm not sure what's been my excuse for not getting more running in. Could it be the lack of motivation, lack of a goal, or just the fact that I'm still basking in the glorious accomplishment? Either way, this lack of running is NOT doing me any good.

When asked by fellow (ex) co-worker if I wanted to join her in the Fleet Feet Sports Womens 5K and 10K presented by New Balance, I figured this was going to be a great opportunity to get active again (plus a hot pink shirt with the registration fee was a definite bonus). Actually, Jessi and I have known that we were both runners but for one reason or another, we never did an event together.

Jessi is MEGA fast. I guess everyone compared to me is MEGA fast. But seriously, she is MEGA fast! She doesn't run distances longer than a 5K, but she rocks the 5K distance like no other. So, I decided NO WAY JOSE was I going to run the 5K with her. Instead, I decided to sign up for the 10K distance and go Savitre-pace.

Unfortunately, everything changed the morning of the race.  Temperatures were already at 75 degrees with high humidity. Since I was just trying to get out there and get active, I decided that there was no point in doing the 10K since I was just going to end up crawling it. At the last second, I switched over to the 5K. Jessi was excited.  I on the other hand was scared.

I wanted so much to run (or in this case, sprint) next to her but that was not going to happen.

We started at the 9:30 min/mi pace group. After a quarter mile, I basically told her to just GO. I knew that if I even attempted to keep up that pace for one whole mile, someone was going to have to send an ambulance for me.

So, she left and I went back to my snail pace. By mile 2, the heat was getting the best of me. If you know me, heat and sun are my worst enemies.  There was not a shortage of either at this race.  As I poked my way through mile two, all I could think about was "where the heck is that water station?"

When we got to the split for the 10K runners, I was glad I decided to change my mind.  I wanted this to be over. Lucky for me, the race ended at mile 3.1, exactly where I found the NEXT water station! YAY! I grabbed my popsical (which I've officially decided is my new favorite post race treat) and went to look for Jessi.

Personally, I love these all women's races (like Disney's Princess Half Marathon). I ran this race before and absolutely loved it. For one, people around you smell better. *chuckles* No offense guys! :o) Moreso, I think it is the camaraderie and sisterhood that I love most.

Thank you so much Jessi for talking me into this. It was definitely the fun run I needed post Seattle. I look forward to doing more races with you! Well, not actually with you but with you at the same event!!!

Rock Idol Medal

2011-07-22T17:28:00.004-05:00

10 Rock 'n Roll Events =

NEED I SAY MORE?!?!??!

Okay, I will. RnR debuted this medal on July 12, 2011 at 10:10am.

Now, more than ever am I glad I committed to this madness THIS year!

See all the extra bling HERE I'll be getting on top of the finishers' medal!

I could not have asked for a better medal and words cannot describe the joy I feel.

RnR Seattle - FULL MARATHON

2011-07-11T18:25:00.011-05:00

Since this race was a GINORMOUS deal for me...I decided to do it up Savitre style for this post!

2007- After completing the ING NYC marathon, I never wanted to return to the running world (let alone the marathoning world). I quit running completely and running was to never be thought of again. Although my time for NYC was faster than Seattle, I didn't get that feeling of great accomplishment when I finished. Instead, I felt defeated. I should have been rejoicing (seeing that NYC is hard to get into because of the lottery system), but I wasn't.

2009 - After quitting my job and packing up and heading to Orlando, I decided, what better place to renew my love for running than Disney World? Now that I was going to be spending 7 months in Orlando, I could sign up for a bunch of Disney races. That's exactly what I did!!!

NOTE: The hardest part of getting back into running after a 2 year hiatus is self-motivation. It's hard to overcome the "I used to be good." "I used to be a lot faster." "This used to be easy." "Why am I struggling so much now?" "What the heck happened to me?" At some point, I had to come to terms with the fact that I was basically a newbie runner all over again. I had to be okay with my pokie pace and not overdo it on training. Because I was getting injured more frequently this time around, I had to learn to listen to my body.

2010 - I decided to up my milage and sign up for a half marathon. After returning to Chicago, I became "homesick" and missed Orlando. In order to find a great excuse to return to WDW, I decided to sign up for the 2010 Disney Princess Half Marathon. What better reason to go back and visit Mickey and the gang while prancing around in a dress and tiara? Well, one race led to another and now I had to go for the Coast to Coast Challenge medal and do the Disneyland Half Marathon.

2011 - I realized that I loved doing half marathons (and could do them with little to no training). When I heard of the Rock and Roll Marathon Series I knew there was NO WAY I was going to miss out on an opportunity to collect more bling. Afterall, isn't doing these races what it's all about? (Well, I suppose if you're a Kenyan, then it's all about winning the $500K)

Anyways, I sat down at my computer and went registration happy!!! If I was going to do this...I was going to go for the GUSTO and get the biggest medal out there! Earlier in the year, the Rock and Roll Series actually had a different heavy medal lineup. In order to qualify for the Rock Idol medal, you had to complete a FULL marathon as one of your 10 races. I really didn't want to do a full marathon but I wanted the medal so badly, I was willing to do it!!!! After signing up for Seattle, my luck, the heavy medal lineup changed and you no longer needed to complete a full. DOH!

My biggest fear for doing Seattle was that it was going to be a setup for a huge let down and that I may never EVER return to the running world EVER again! It took me two years to get motivated and the last thing I needed was my selfish desire for more bling to ruin it for me. Fortunately for me, Seattle was a HUGE success! It was not my fastest time but it was definitely the most challenging course I've done. Because I trained for a 12:30 min/mi pace but finished under a 12 min pace, I was ecstatic!!! I couldn't be more proud of myself when it was all said and done.

So without further ado, I present to you...
MISSION SEATTLE ¬ click here

Heat Stroke Half Marathon

2011-06-06T23:33:00.003-05:00

I woke up this morning, and it was already in the 7o's and extremely humid.

My first thought: Is anyone else going to be INSANE enough to run this race?

My second thought: HEY, if no one else shows up, this could be a guarantee in me winning
FIRST in a race and FIRST in my age group! *chuckles* (Wishful thinking, I know) :o)

My third thought: Hopefully this race gets canceled (*ahem* another great excuse to not go running today).

My fourth thought: How the heck am I suppose to do 13.1 miles (that I've already committed to) today and then go and try to pump out 20 miles (part of my training for Seattle) tomorrow?

Well, my second thought didn't come true. However, my third thought did! I think there were a lot of mixed feelings on this race. Personally, I couldn't care less that it got canceled and that they stopped the clock with 4 miles remaining. Because I knew I had to somehow pump out 20 miles the next day, I basically just chilled out on this race.

Prior to the race, we had received emails warning us of the weather condition. While waiting at the start, they had volunteers lead in fun warm up exercises. Bless their hearts. If it weren't so gosh darn warm out (and we didn't feel like cattle shoved into corrals), I am sure people would have joined in.

I ran the first 7 miles. Then I basically said "why bother". It was hot. Breathing in the humid air was like sticking your head in a locker full of stinky sweaty socks (not that I've done it, but one can imagine). Actually, just as I was passing the mile 7 marker, I saw the race officials changing the flag from yellow (which is what it was at the start) to red.

What do the colored flags means?

Colored flags were located at each mile marker along the course to serve as a communication device to runners and advise of weather- or course-related problems. Here's what each color stands for:

· GREEN FLAG: GO-Proceed as normal.

· YELLOW FLAG: CAUTION-Slow down, use caution and drink plenty of water due to heat.

· RED FLAG: EXTREME CAUTION-Slow down, use extreme caution and drink plenty of water due to dangerous weather conditions. Timing of the event has stopped and no awards will be issued.

· BLACK FLAG: Race has been canceled due to extreme weather or course emergency. An event such as lightning, tornado, or human disaster has or is occurring, and all participants need to seek shelter immediately.

When I saw Kobfa at mile 8, we walked to mile 9 together. He then handed me my phone (just in case I decided to hail a taxi). Actually, he drove back to the finish line to see if they were still handing out finisher medals. If you know me, you know I seriously would've hailed for that cab if they were no longer handing out the medals. Just my luck, he texted confirming that medals were still being handed out.

OY!!! With four miles remaining, I decided I was just going to go for the BLING! There really was no point in running the rest of the race. As I walked (and took pictures with my phone), I noticed that there were people walking faster than those "running".

By the time I got to mile 12, I noticed that the flag had gone from red to black. Police cars were driving up and down the course telling everyone to stop running and to walk back. They even offered rides back to the starting/finish line. I was so tempted to hitch a ride but didn't want to ruin my chances of getting this ridiculously hard earned medal.

I was hot, I was tired, I was hungry, I wanted this to be over!!! I would continually look back for the sag wagon (thinking that it was going to look like some Little House on the Prairie vehicle) to come to my rescue. No luck. However, about half a mile from the finish, I saw the SAG WAGON (aka school bus). They were shuttling tons and tons of people back. I guess they started from the back because they were full (too full to pick up lil o'l me).

That's okay. I saw Kobfa one last time just before the finish and FINALLY got my medal! Woo hoo!!!

When I got home, I heard of tons of people getting hospitalized and even a casualty. My condolences to the young lad who passed away and his family.

Here's my two cents on this. I REALLY REALLY hate when people think that all these deaths and hospitalizations occur in races because people are not properly trained or are pushing themselves to limits that they shouldn't be doing.

Of all the years of running that I have done, most of the casualties happen to veteran runners. During my first marathon, a physical education teacher who has done other marathons died while crossing the finishing line. They crossed the finish line hours before me. Because they have done marathons before, I am pretty sure they knew what they were doing more than I was. I'm not saying my fellow Back of the Packers don't get hospitalized or aren't injured.

However, it truly strikes a nerve with me when people hear of deaths or injuries at these races and their FIRST assumption was that this person was probably a Back of the Packer. Then you hear about how people don't know how to train properly, hydrate properly, etc. etc. etc. Honestly, (my opinion) I think it's the Back of the Packers that are most aware of their limits and will walk, consume liquid, go in the shade, replenish their fuel, monitor their heart rate, take bathroom breaks, do everything and anything to stay "comfortable". Heck, the last thing on their mind is their finish time. So, PLEASE, quit blaming the Back of the Packers. We run, walk, crawl and/do whatever it takes to get the same medal y'all get! (and most of us do it with a smile at the end) :o)

NEWS FLASH: death can and will occur anytime, anywhere, and to anyone.

OK. Sorry about that. Phew! I just had to get that out of my system. Care to hear more venting on heated running topics? Stay tuned. I've been doing TONS of thinking about that lately.

Memorial Day Miles

2011-05-30T21:59:00.014-05:00

What's It All About?

It’s not about winning.
It’s not about wealth.
It’s not about glory,
Or even just your health.
So what ‘s it all about,
All this running that we do?
Come join us on this journey and you will know too!

Another perfect running weather day, but I just wasn't in the mood.

So, Kobfa joined me and we basically just enjoyed a pleasant Saturday morning stroll around town (with thousands of others, of course).

This year, the race had actually gone A LOT better than last year (minus my smacking Kobfa in the face due to the excitement of being on the Jumbotron while crossing the 50 yd line in the stadium. Sorry hunny!) Last year, by mile 5, I was struggling with pain and agony. Everything and anything had gone wrong. Relive it HERE !

This year, however, not only did we get the Goal Line Glory medal at the finish line, but we also got a VERY COOL "stadium" blanket! FUN!!!

Broke Back Runner - Could This Be The End?

2011-05-29T12:00:00.019-05:00

April = One Crazy Month For Running (or lack thereof)

Who knew that everything could change overnight?

Four days after RnR Dallas, I had experienced the WORST pain of my life. Knock on wood that I never experience anything like that again or even worse.

After returning from Dallas, I was on a high from seeing Renee and was excited about my renewed feelings over my workload. I was even more ecstatic about my office renovation. However, on Thursday (03.31.11), everything about my running/training was about to change.

A week before Dallas, I finally decided to see a physical therapist about this strange pain that I was constantly having on my hamstrings since December 2010. It was not an IT band issue. It was a dull pain. It would come and go as it pleased. Sometimes I would feel it while walking to the the train station in the mornings. Sometimes I would feel it during my runs. Sometimes, I would pump out 13.1 miles and not feel a thing.

After seeing the physical therapist, he attributed it to a weak back. He also said that having tight hamstrings did not help.

SIDEBAR: I am definitely guilty of not stretching before or after a run, especially half marathon races.

He gave me some stretches to do. I was diligent about doing them before my Dallas race. Surprisingly, I rocked out the best half marathon ever. Coming off of a high and ready to be more diligent about the stretching, I was ready to conquer the long(er) runs of my training.

Unfortunately, that was not what the Running Gods had planned for me in April.

Four days after Dallas, while moving a three pound box at work, I severly threw out my back. I honestly didn't think anything of it and continued to move file cabinets and computers and printers and what not all day.

It wasn't UNTIL I struggled to get off the train after work that I realized that THIS IS NOT GOOD! The train door opened and I could NOT get up off my seat. I didn't want to miss my stop. So with what energy and determination left in me, I forced myself onto my feet and thrust myself out the door.

I live 2 blocks away from the train station. It took me half an hour to walk home when it normally takes me about 5 minutes. Once I got home, I cried in pain and agony for Kobfa to come to my rescue. I could barely stand up. I couldn't sit. I couldn't walk. I didn't know what position I needed to be in for the pain to go away. I called my PT and he said to lay on the floor until the pain subsided. I ended up taking Advil and sleeping on the floor.

The next day, I managed to make it to work (although no one seemed okay with this decision). I felt like I had spent the whole week catching up on my work that there was no way I was going to let some little back pain set me back again with my workload.

Thankfully the weekend was near. I ended up laying on the floor for the whole weekend, drugging up on Motrin, and basically not moving AT ALL! It was quite a depressing weekend. I had signed up to do the Home Team Charity 10K (where you run from the United Center to US Cellular Field). I've been pumping out so many half marathons, I was actually looking forward to a shorter distance race. Didn't happen! I cried!

I waited out a week of not going to the gym. On 04.16.11 I had another race, The Lakefront 10. This race holds a special meaning in my heart and there was no way I was going to miss it. Do or die, run, walk, or crawl, I was determined to do THIS race. As stubborn as I am, I ran the race. It was a cold spring morning. The rain would not let up. By mile 8, my back was hurting, my glutes were sore, and my hamstrings were on fire. I finished...and not in last place!

Who knew this was going to paralyze me even more? *sad face*

I was now officially out of commission. Walking was difficult. Sitting for prolonged periods of time was difficult. I lived off of wearing sneakers with EVERYTHING (fyi: pinstripe pants + sneakers = MEGA fashion faux pas; but it's what I had to do).

I basically went into a depression mode. It was sad. I would look at my training schedule and see all the miles pass me by and Seattle getting closer. I missed my 15, 16, and 18 miler. I wanted to throw in the towel for Seattle. I hated reading tweets and dailymile posts about everyone getting in an awesome workout or how fast they were all running or how excited they were about their next event. I stopped caring. I didn't want to hear it. I didn't want to talk about it. I didn't want to be a runner anymore. I kicked myself for signing up for Seattle. I considered pigging out, gaining weight, and never caring about working out ever again.

Four weeks later, along comes the Magellan Spring Half Marathon 05.15.11. I hadn't ran since the Lakefront 10. I didn't know what my body could or could not handle, but I wanted to find out.

So out I went, into the 20+ mph wind, hard rain smacking against my face, body drenched from head to toe, ankle bleeding from chafing, and waves of Lake Michigan wanting to swallow a runner whole. This was definitely NOT what I was expecting when returning to the running world. The first 6 miles I took it easy. As we turned around, it was pure HELL! You see everyone moving their arms and legs but getting nowhere fast. The 20+ mph wind was a beast to be reckoned with. I looked around. Everyone stopped running and tried to walk. Walking even seemed to defeat everyone. I wasn't alone. What I was feeling was showing on the face of other runners around me. WE WERE MISERABLE BEYOND EXISTANCE!! Sure enough, we finished. My body was soaked and frozen beyond belief that I couldn't tell whether or not my back or hamstrings were hurting.

I didn't care. It was over. I got a honk'n huge medal for it! I was proud of my effort and finish time. THIS was the catalyst I needed to get back to the gym and continue with my training for Seattle. As of today, I have 4 weeks left. Since the Magellan Spring Half Marathon, I am still sleeping on the floor but I have managed to motivate myself back to the gym with a HUGE help from @tipcan. I have even been able to do an 18 miler and another 10 miler. Stay tuned for my Soldier Field 10 Miler post.

For all of you who have been reading my blog, tweets, or dailymile posts and have continued to encourage me throughout this entire journey, I am VERY grateful and thankful for all of your support. You truly have no idea how much it means to me. *big hugs* For that, I am not ready to throw in the towel for Mission Seattle!

RnR Dallas - Reunited Run

2011-03-28T09:14:00.009-05:00

This was not just ANOTHER Rock and Roll Half Marathon. This was an opportunity to REUNITE with my BESTEST friend from Notter School...Renee!

Although we live many states apart, nothing has stopped us from remaining close friends. Although she lives in Houston, NOTHING was going to stop her from going to Dallas to cheer me on! Thus begins the crazy adventures of Renee and Savitre.

This was a weekend FILLED with laughter; a much needed change of pace from all the craziness that had been going on at both of our jobs. I was ready to put everything behind and embrace my time (though short-lived) with her. I seriously could NOT have asked for a better weekend.

FRIDAY As we arrived, I was pleasantly surprised to walk out of the airport into the warm 70 degree weather (with my heavy Chicago winter coat). It was GORGEOUS! The sun was setting and we were getting picked up by Renee and M. Yes, no renting a car or public transportation this weekend! What more could I ask for?

"How about a pasta dinner at M's mom's house?", Renee asks.

WHAT?!?! We get picked up from the airport AND dinner? Talk about a red carpet treatment!

That's exactly where we headed. M's family was gracious enough to have us over for dinner.

As M busily slaved away making dinner, Renee and I managed to goof off and model the "Curb Crew" tee shirts made by yours truly.

QUIZ TIME: What font did I use on the tees?

HINT: Check out the "W" *wink wink* °o°

After messing around for a bit, DINNER was served!

On this evening's menu: Ceasar salad, spaghetti with homemade pasta sauce, and of course, TEXAS toast! Sorry if the plate looks messy. I completely forgot to take a picture until my second helping. I just couldn't wait to dig in. It was Mmm Mmm Good!!

Before heading off to the hotel, it was time for a litte arts and crafts. Because this was Renee's first spectating experience, we had to go all out. TIME TO MAKE SOME SPECTATOR SIGNAGE.

Hmmm...what to write?

Ahhh!!!! We got it!!!!

I think Renee's sign was PERFECT for her! *giggles*

Though y'all should've been there during our brain storming phase. I'm still not quite sure why there was a lot of Chuck Norris talk, *shrugs* but I wish y'all were there during the Math State Champ conversation. I'd like to blog about it, but it's one of those "ya had to be there" moments. :o)

SATURDAY Next day, just before we headed off to the expo, I had fallen in love with our hotel room. With a breath taking view, amenities such as eye mask and lavender pillow spray, affordability, and the proximity to everything because we were in the heart of downtown, I could not help but rejoice in the fact that I've been hitting the jackpot with picking out hotels for all these RnR races! Yay me!

Though I've been to many of these RnR expos, I was still excited to show Renee all they had to offer. [Please excuse the Texas Longhorn hand gesture. Because we were in Texas, we felt the need to do it, or in this weekend's case, OVER DO IT!] Renee was psyched to check out the expo. I don't think I had been more entertained by the "Jesus Lizard" exhibition as much as I was this time around. I know it's all because of M and Renee. Because they found it quite amusing, it was hard not to be just as amused.

We walked around, munched on a bunch of shot blocks, power bar, marathon Snickers snacks, etc. Along the way, we also picked up tons of free goodies and even tried to make a believer out of Renee with the Power Balance Bracelet.

Unfortunately, it didn't work because the fortune teller told her the secret behind it.

Anyways, I STILL have not managed to win the stuffed Brooks shoe yet, BUT, we finally got the gecko from the Geico PLINKO game. Woo Hoo!!

What WAS surprisingly cool AND different was the skee-ball game they had in the Brooks carnival-land. I guess they took away the race track runners because the little racer people would go flying off or get stuck on the track and not move. Skee ball was kRaZy fun!!! And the winner in our division was...

M!!!!!

Hey Greg: I declare a rematch in San Antonio! Be there if you dare!

We spent the rest of the day cruising around town...in style. I'm loyal to my 1st and only convertible BMW!

SUNDAY I had one physical therapy session right before this race and was given some stretches to do before and after the race. I did them in the hotel room. I was in good spirits. They were playing fun music at the starting area. They even had Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders out to entertain the crowd while we waited.

My pre-race warmup: Running From The Bulls

I was not exactly sure what happened to the 70 and 80 degree weather we had been having in past two days, but this morning when we woke up, it was 45 degrees. The warmest it was going to get was 55 with an overcast. I, personally had no complaints because that's GREAT running weather! My beloved friends, on the otherhand, forgot what it was like to dress for cold(er) weather. Nonetheless, at the crack of dawn, they battled the traffic and parked at the finish line, took the free shuttle to the start, and froze their little tushies to come see MOI! Such troopers! *feels loved* I was so excited to see them and even more ecstatic to see that M's mom made a sign for ME!!! *big hugs to her*

As we inched our way towards the starting line, Kobfa and I explained the running culture to M and Renee. We told them that race morning was a GREAT place to go shopping. Sure enough, what was a runner's trash was Renee's treasure. I was amazed at the black warmup that Renee snagged. It was super nice!! Who out there is tossing nice "throw away clothes"?!?!?

Well, Renee says "THANKS" :o)

The weekend was so much fun, the race itself seemed like minor detail. What I do remember about the race was that the first 8 miles was one ginormous incline. It wasn't steep but it was a constant climb. If you were able to endure those 8 miles, you were rewarded with 4 miles of descent and a flat last 1.1 mile finish. My curb crew had been waiting for me at mile 7.5.

I managed to stop for a photo op. It was great to see them and give my legs a break. After seeing them, I knew I had half a mile more to go, and then it was going to be all down hill from there.

There were tons of twists and turns which seemed to make each mile go by faster. I loved the suburban neighbor we ran through. I didn't think there would be a lot of spectators out, but there were. I wasn't trying for a PR but oddly enough, I noticed that my time on the mile markers were a lot faster than usual. I didn't alter how I ran. I just continued to enjoy my favorite running weather and embrace all the training I had been doing.

As I got closer to the finish, the whole left side was lined with spectators. I didn't bother looking for my curb crew because I knew there was no way to find them. After I crossed the finish line, took my finisher's photo, grabbed some snacks, I manuevered through the crowd over to find "M" (our family reunion designated letter).

When I got there, I was informed by the crew that they had not made it back from mile 7.5 in time to see me finish. Good thing I did not bother to attempt to look for them. They told me that I was running too fast and that next time I needed to slow down. I asked what my finish time was (because they had been tracking me via the text system on their cell phones) and was SHOCKED to hear a PR! Could this day have gotten any better?

BUT OF COURSE!! Kobfa and I were invited (once again) over to M's mom's house for a fajita dinner before catching our flight home! I must admit that traveling for all these races can be fun. However, having a family to hang out and have dinner with made me feel at home. I didn't feel like I was in a rush. I didn't feel like I was in unfamiliar territory (though, I definitely was). M's family was so welcoming, it was hard NOT to feel at home.

THANK YOU M and SMITH FAMILY FOR ALL YOUR GENEROSITY!!

THANK YOU RENEE FOR GIVING MY TUMMY A WORKOUT FROM LAUGHING AT ALL THE SILLINESS THIS WEEKEND!!!

Y'all have definitely made this the best race of the year!

RnR Dallas - Reunited Run

2011-03-27T21:34:00.069-05:00

"How about a pasta dinner at M's mom's house?", Renee asks.

WHAT?!?! We get picked up from the airport AND dinner? Talk about a red carpet treatment!

That's exactly where we headed. M's family was gracious enough to have us over for dinner.

As M busily slaved away making dinner, Renee and I managed to goof off and model the "Curb Crew" tee shirts made by yours truly. (QUIZ TIME: What font did I use on the tees? HINT: Check out the "W") *wink wink* °o°

After messing around for a bit, DINNER was served!

Before heading off to the hotel, it was time for a litte arts and crafts. Because this was Renee's first spectating experience, we had to go all out. TIME TO MAKE SOME SPECTATOR SIGNAGE.

Hmmm...what to write?

Ahhh!!!! We got it!!!!

I think Renee's sign was PERFECT for her! *giggles*

SATURDAY Next day, just before we headed off to the expo, I had fallen in love with our hotel room. With a breath taking view, amenities such as eye mask and lavender pillow spray, affordability, and the proximity to everything because we were in the heart of downtown, I could not help but rejoice in the fact that I've been hitting the jackpot with picking out hotels for all these RnR races! Yay me!

We walked around, munched on a bunch of shot blocks, power bar, marathon Snickers snacks, etc. Along the way, we also picked up tons of free goodies. I STILL have not managed to win the stuffed Brooks shoe yet, BUT, we finally got the gecko from the Geico PLINKO game. Woo Hoo!!

M!!!!!

Hey Greg: I declare a rematch in San Antonio! Be there if you dare!

We spent the rest of the day cruising around town...in style. I'm loyal to my 1st and only convertible BMW!

My pre-race warmup: Running From The Bulls

Well, Renee says "THANKS" :o)

I managed stop for a photo op. It was great to see them and give my legs a break. After seeing them, I knew I had half a mile more to go, and then it was goin to be all down hill from there.

THANK YOU M, RENEE, and SMITH FAMILY FOR ALL YOUR GENEROSITY!!

You have definitely made this the best race of the year!

RnR NOLA - The Race (part 3 of 3)

2011-02-20T11:27:00.026-06:00

After recovering from knee, hamstring, hip, and back pain, and three weeks after RnR Arizona, I was back at the starting line of ANOTHER Rock and Roll race!

This time around, I TRIED to train (keyword=tried).

Week 1: I got a good week of running/training in!

Week 2: Mom ended up in the hospital. (She's home doing better and back at work) During this week, I went back to Skokie so I could be home to watch little Oakie. This would also reunite me with my car so I could easily go visit mom in the hospital as soon as I got out of work. This was an extremely mentally exhausting/draining week.

Week 3: Chicago gets buried by snow storm. I spent my day off from work digging with my mom. Poor Oakie had nowhere to run!

I was extremely excited for this race because Kobfa was going to be running WITH me. This was Kobfa's comeback half marathon! The last one he did was back in 2007. Other than a bunch of 5Ks and some other short distances, THIS was his first half marathon in 4 years!!! I couldn't be more proud. *gives him two thumbs up*

Between him and I, we probably make for the WORST running couple alive. Prior to this race, he hasn't ran since the Disneyland Fabulous 5K (Back in September 2010). Nonetheless, we were just going to go out there and have fun with it; afterall, this WAS our Valentine's Day weekend. GEAUX TEAM SIAMESE TWINS!!

As we headed over to the starting line in the cool brisk morning, we scoped out all the different venues that we were going to eat at after the race. "THERE'S Cochon Butcher!", he exclaimed excitedly! At the mention of that, all I could think about for the rest of the race was getting my hands on a muffaletta! *begins daydreaming about sinking my teeth into a Subway meets Arby's meets Al's Italian Beef sandwich*

It took us about 3 miles to actually warm up. I was pretty surprised at how nippy it was that morning. I had no complaints though because I'd much rather be running in cold weather than HOT! The first three miles took you through a neighborhood that looked like something out of the Old West. I LOVED IT!

At the 5K mark, we were still smiling (see video below at the 00:20 mark). Just as we crossed over the timing chip mat, the gal to my left (bib # 15510) said "you're the cutest runner here!" :o)

Was it because I was waving like a psycho lunatic at the cameras above? Probably! :o) Nonethess, that made my morning!

We continued on our journey. Miles 9-12 was a little tricky. The road was not smooth and had TONS of cracks in it. Watching the ground in hopes of not tripping or spraining an ankle made those miles go by fast. After talking to several other runners, everyone agreed that this was definitely one of the best courses to run!

photo taken at 00:16 mark on video below

The medal on a beaded necklace is not too shabby either!

RnR Dallas in less than 35 days!
ONWARD HO!

RnR NOLA - The Food (part 2 of 3)

2011-02-19T08:23:00.045-06:00

This is exactly why I CANNOT extend my stay during these RnR races.

The longer I stay, the more I eat.

The more I eat, the better I feel.
The better I feel, the more I eat at every meal!

Anyone who knows me, knows that I love eating more than anything in the world.

If eating were a marathon, I would definitely be in Corral 1 and take home The Gold.

Check out my past pigging out posts (DEFINITELY take a look at the comments) :o)

From Winter Garden to Summer Africa
Watermelon Crawl
Eat Drink and Be Extremely Full

And NOW I present to you mouth-watering goodness from N'awlins!
OOOOO-Weee! I GAR-ON-TEE y'all won't be disappointed!

HOT DOGS ON THE STREET

I love eating hot dogs on the street in NYC and was extremely tempted to get me one of these hot diggity dogs but I opted to save the appetite.

RIVERWALK

Soft Shell Crab

Seafood Courtboullion

Courtbouillon \ˈku̇r-(ˌ)bü-ˈyȯⁿ, -(ˌ)bwē-, ˈkȯr-\
is a flavored liquid for poaching or quick-cooking foods. Traditional uses include poaching fish and seafood, but it is also used for poaching vegetables, eggs, sweetbreads, cockscombs, and delicate meats.

Bread Pudding with Whiskey Sauce

COCHON BUTCHER

Gambino

ACME Oyster House

Let the waiting begin...

More waiting; getting closer...

Chargrilled Oysters! (so worth the wait)

Seafood Étouffée

Oyster Po-Boy

Jambalaya

The Market Cafe

Four attempts later...

We finally got our hands on a muffaletta!

Everywhere we went, they had sold out of their bun due to the unexpected rush of the RnR Marathon. We finally decided to set our alarm for 8am and CALL to see if they had gotten the bun in. Our luck, YES they did! Because this had been such a journey, neither Kobfa nor I had any trouble downing this honking huge sandwich at EIGHT in the morning! Now THAT'S what I call GOOD EATS!

Cafe Du Monde extremely packed at 2:30 on a Saturday afternoon.

Cafe Du Monde at 3am on a Monday morning!
This was definitely the best time to go. **Note: if you do go at this time, tell Mark I sent y'all!** :o)

Southern Candymakers

They say "prah", I say "pray", either or, it's yummy goodness all the way!
No trip is complete without getting some pralines.

RnR NOLA - The City (part 1 of 3)

2011-02-19T07:58:00.019-06:00

This was my first time to New Orleans. I knew the city had tons to offer. Unlike the rest of my RnR races, I decided to extend my stay here so that I could do as the New Orleanians do: indulge, savor, and celebrate. However, because I had a lot to write about, I decided to break this trip up into three different parts.

Part 1 - The City

Part 2 - The Food (my personal favorite)

Part 3 - The Race

Just like the front desk receptionist (at our hotel) said, "y'all travel like y'all are locals from around here!" This is CORRECT! Because we've become so accustomed to public transportation (in Chicago), we've learned to maneuver through all our RnR races without a rental car. Cha-CHING!! (saving $$$ = always a good thing)

So for this trip, we learned to take the E2 Bus from the airport to hotel and back, take the "People Mover" (aka RTA Street Cars), or walk. We were pleasantly surprised to find our hotel was located smack-dab in between the French Quarter and Convention Center/Warehouse District. CBD (Central Business District) is where it's at! :o)

Anyways, here's hoping you enjoy the city as much as I did!

(of course you still have to experience it for yourself)

Un-BULL-ievable Experience

2011-01-24T23:29:00.010-06:00

As one can imagine, I am no longer working vampire hours.
I no longer slave over 300 covers a night.
I don't go home smelling like sweaty grease.
Most importantly, I'm NOT stressed!!!! *happy dance*

Work has been good.
Good? I mean GREAT!
Actually even "GREAT" is an understatement.

I am slowly approaching my 90 days at this new job.
click here -> THIS is what I sounded like one year ago when approaching my 90 days at Roy's.

“Never continue in a job you don't enjoy. If you're happy in what you're doing, you'll like yourself, you'll have inner peace. And if you have that, along with physical health, you'll have more success than you could possibly have imagined.” -Roger A. Caras

Just when I thought work couldn't get any better. IT DID! I was invited (by boss) to a Chicago Bulls game. Girls' Night Out = FUN!

Now, if anyone knows me, I'm not big into watching sports. I'll watch the occasional Bears game just to aggrevate people but that's about all. For the non-sports watching fans, THIS was why they created reality tv.

Sidebar: I actually grew into loving basketball in college. Actually, I developed an obsession for one of the Purdue basketball players my freshman year. I spent the rest of his (because he graduated before I did) time at Purdue trying to meet him, know him, and/or even talk to him. I guess one could say it sounds quite stalkerish or obsessive. I say, I was his #1 fan! :o) Nonetheless, this story actually has an INCREDIBLY HAPPY ending. *reminiscing*

Anyways, I couldn't tell you the last time I went to a Bulls game. All I remember was freaking out when I saw the Bulls shooting "on the wrong side". It turns out, it was after the half and the teams had switched sides. I was a teeny tiny person back then so everyone around found it rather endearing. I, on the otherhand, wondered how the stadium could be filled with so many people and yet the attention was focused on me (or so it seemed) instead of the game.

Well, this was my chance for redemption.

My chance to NOT make a fool of myself.

A chance for an experience like no other.

Our incredi-BULL-y amazing, almost unreal, seats (courtesy of our insurance broker) were in the Harris Club (click on link for brochure) or view virtual tour HERE.

We got there extra early (after going through five different security check points) and scoped out all the goodness the section had to offer.

Parking spot couldn't be more Rock Star.

Unlimited food and drinks were awesome.

Seats were a table for four.

Server was sweet as can be.

View was spectacular.

Game was ridiculously fun!

We were so excited (and hungry) we didn't even wait for "the guys" (our insurance broker). *giggles* They didn't mind when they saw us pigging out. Actually, they encouraged us to pig out some more when they eventually got there. It truly was VIP treatment at its best.

RnR Arizona - Not Giving Up Without A Fight

2011-01-23T08:11:00.069-06:00

You have a choice. You can throw in the towel, or you
can use it to wipe the sweat off your face.
-Gatorade

First race of the year!
A race of inspiration.
A race of triumph over tribulation.

A couple of weeks prior to the race, I had severly hurt my hamstring. I would like to say it's from all the strenuous training, but we all know I don't train, so that wasn't the case. Was it from dance class? Was it from frantically running after the train while getting to and from work? *shrugs* Til this day, I still can't quite figure out how the pain occurred. Nonetheless, the pain made sure I knew it was there!

EXPO EXTRAVAGANZA

A little friendly competition before the race.

Julie and I being silly.

PRE-RACE TWEETUP

At Thai Elephant (Phoenix) with my new Twitter friends, I felt inspired and motivated. I sat quietly (shocking, I know) and listened to the conversations around me.

Julie was out to set a PR. CONGRATULATIONS sis for doing so! *high five* Read more about her glory moment HERE and how much we have in common. It was sisters at first sight!
Trevor (only one doing the FULL marathon), shaved his head to accomodate for temperature differences. This time of the year, us midwesterners know nothing but cold. Shaving one's head also brings the aero and sexy back. *wink* NOTE TO SELF: make sure to add this to list of things to do before the next Rock and Roll Race.
Kristy told us of the time she ran in Cancun in 100 degree weather. WHAT?!?!?! Remember when they had to cancel Chicago Marathon 2007 half way through the race because 1 died and people were getting heat strokes? YES! It was a scorching 88 degrees!!!
Terra has a heart of gold. It's people like her that we don't thank enough! Although she was not running, she was helping out at the Medical Tent. I think some of us take for granted (yes, I am guilty) the medical aid we have on hand. It's because of them we could run with ease knowing that we're in good hands.
Tony, my running buddy in crime (even though he denies the criminal part), helped me organize the tweetup. :o) Days prior to the race, he helped me get psyched up for the race. When we first exchanged tweets, it went a little something like this:

@tipcan: 2 weeks until I run a half marathon in AZ. Don't know if I'm ready. But I'll run it #RnRAZ
@funegrl262: I hear ya buddy! Am in same boat :o)
@tipcan: lol hold me up at the end I'll hold you up? Lol
@funegrl262: DEAL!! Haha :o)
@tipcan: we say that now but last half marathon I was out for a week. LA was my first half marathon and rnr series. Finish time 3:12. That's my time to beat :)
@funegrl262: oh no! R U doing more RnR races this year? I'm a groupie for the heavy medal series...but with very lil to non-existent training :o)
@tipcan: liar! Your blog says you train :p
@funegrl262: :o) i don't consider making it to the gym once a month training. Nor does utilizing 1 RnR race for the next, silly man! :o)I don't go for time. I go for being alive at the end :o) That's my goal! *giggles* guess I'll be seeing you in San Jose too! :o)
@tipcan: lol fine but the faster person has to wait for the slower one with a snickers bar!

READ ON TO FIND OUT LATER WHO GOT THE SNICKERS BAR

PRE-RACE MEETUP

A quick hello, goodluck, goodbye to Tony and Julie.

Bee Happy!Bee Excited! That's What The Buzz Was All About.

As I stood at the starting line and watched corral after corral take off, FEAR SMACKED ME IN THE FACE! Was my little body equipped for going through another grueling 13.1 miles without proper training (or ANY training for that matter)? Because I was feeling extra discomfort on my hamstring, I made a last minute executive decision to throw on my knee brace. Better safe than sorry, eh?

Sidebar: I usually don't get scared. I'm usually more excited than anything. I think about the medal that I get to add to my collection. Afterall, isn't THIS why people torture themselves? However, due to my lack of training, I know there's always a huge chance for injury to occur. Ergo, at the starting line, I always take a moment to pray for safety.

I took it easy on the first 7 miles, which surprisingly went by rather quickly. I was completely zoned out listening to Katy Perry's Firework (recently discovered and had replayed over 9 times in the first seven miles).

Kobfa had taken the light rail and met me on the course just before mile 9. I was ECSTATIC! We walked for a little bit together. He said he would jog with me, but I WANTED to walk. He asked me how I felt. I said I was in pain and wasn't doing well. He said "you're doing awesome, just take it slow and walk if you need to". We soon parted. Tears began to well up. I wanted to be done. I wanted to jump on the light rail and leave with him.

With four miles remaining, I threw on my headphones and continued on my journey. Moments later, at the start of mile 9, I see a sea of runners climbing up a GINORMOUS hill. Yes, in many of my posts, I have mentioned how I hate hills. Coming from Chicago, any form of incline is considered a hill. However, THIS was not just a hill. It was a mile long hike straight up. If you could see runners up ahead of you, you KNOW you're going up a hill.

I tried not to think about it. I just kept my head down and stared at the lines on the road. Half way up the hill, I looked up and saw there was still a ways to go. *sigh* Flashbacks of the ING NYC Marathon started to creep up in my head. I let the bridges in the Bronx and Harlem defeat me then. THIS HILL WAS NOT GOING TO DEFEAT ME NOW!! I continued to push through.

Finally reaching mile 10 and a descent, I rejoiced! Tears began to well up (again).

"THREE MORE MILES SAVITRE!", I kept telling myself.

The last three miles were constant rolling hills. My left leg had gone numb. My right hip began to hurt because I was compensating for the lack of left leg usage. I pushed through.

Mile 12, we ran across a (flat) bridge in Tempe. A bridge that I've been admiring since we've gotten to Arizona. I wanted to run on that bridge. Now, here I was, running on The Bridge. Tears began to stream down my face. I was happy. I was proud. I was sad that I didn't train properly. I was enjoying the bridge. I was grateful to make it through another race. This had been an incredible emotional rollercoaster.
When you come to the end of your rope, tie a knot and hang on. ~Franklin D. Roosevelt

When I saw the finish line in the distance, I knew the end was near. "YOU'RE GONNA FINISH!", I repeated. And I did!! I PERSERVERED!! *pats self on back*

As much as I needed to seek medical assistance, I figured they could not do anything for a complete body replacement. Instead, I went over to Med Tent 5 and met up with Terra! I can't begin to express how comforting it was to see her face. I wanted to tell her about my journey and how I thought of her often during the race and about my upcoming Seattle Full Marathon. However, we had to rush back to the hotel and catch our flight home. I'm so glad I met her and was forewarned about Seattle. This race was a rude awakening, but definitely a catalyst for training!

Post race goodies were SPECTACULAR! We even got frozen yogurt and it was still frozen!! That was definitely the icing on top!

SO, did I get my Snickers? I looked around the finishers' area. No Tony in sight. *frowns*. He must have already finished and gone home and decided not to wait for my pokey achy butt. Of course I was not going to let a good candy bar go to waste...*takes a bite* MMMMMMmmmm...EXACTLY what I needed after this exhausting 13.1 miles!

20 more days until the NEXT Rock and Roll Half Marathon in New Orleans. I'm super excited because a special someone will be running alongside me. Stay tuned to find out who! *wink wink*

Spread Loving Kindness

2011-01-01T19:53:00.003-06:00

I don't come from a family full of traditions.

However, I guess we (my mom and cousins) are trying to start a tradition of going to the Thai temple on New Years followed by dim sum at Furama. My favorite dish? Definitely the beef fun roll. Yummers!

Anyways, at the temple, we pray before giving our offerings to the monks.

This year, they handed out a slip of paper that had the English translation. (lucky for me)

I thought it was nicely put so I wanted to share it with you.

May I be happy and free from suffereing and always like myself.

May my friends, neutral person, and the hostile be happy too.

May all beings in this village, in this state, in other countries, and in all the world system be good to themselves, love to do good for each other, and be ever happy.

Hope everyone has a healthy, wealthy, happy new year!

Holiday Goodies

2010-12-25T10:06:00.003-06:00

Since I'm no longer stressing over a hot stove (or oven), I decided to treat some of my coworkers to some holiday cookies.

I didn't think it would take me as long as it did, but after making approximately 14.5 dozen (180 cookies), I was quite content with the turnout.

** Note**

Lebkuchen (or Pfefferkuchen) - a traditional German cookie product baked for Christmas, somewhat resembling gingerbread finished with white chocolate and all spice sprinkled on top.

Rock n Roll Las Vegas

2010-12-20T19:43:00.003-06:00

Hello Friends: Yes, I'm alive and well. Work has been great. I've just been busy settling into my new office, meeting some new friends, and adjusting to normal people schedule. Training, as usual, has been sparse to non-existent but as long as I can still walk, I will still Rock and Roll. :o)

LIVIN' LARGE

AND NOW a quick recap of Vegas (er, well, as quick as I can do it) :o)

The night before our departure, I received a call at 8pm from our friendly folks at American Airlines saying that our flight has been cancelled due to an expected snowstorm. WAIT! WHAT?!?! Of course I don't get this message until about 10pm because I was too busy gorging on all you can eat sushi (which I seem to be doing a lot lately). NOT GOOD! *frown*

Our original flight had a layover but our newly rescheduled flight was non-stop. SCORE! Unfortunately, because it was still snowing when we boarded the plane, we ended up sitting on the plane while they hosed down the plane with some defrosting fluid; resulting in a one hour late departure.

Once we arrived though, everything seemed to be moving rather quickly.
We checked into our hotel, met up with a friend, picked up race packet at the expo, ate dinner, and got a good night's rest.

Some were more pumped than others!

Rewind: One night while working at Roy's, a young gal sat alone at the chef's counter in front of the pastry station. It was one of the slower nights where the crew were just goofing off. I decided to strike up a conversation with this gal. She seemed to be enjoying her dining experience and entertained by us. By the end of the evening, she and I had swapped emails. We kept in touch and I told her of my blog. She found out that I was running the half marathon in Vegas and was excited to join me. I was THRILLED!!! I later found out that she had never run such a distance before BUT was extremely excited to do so. I am always for newbies to join the running world. Thus began a beautiful friendship. Yes, I'm referring to YOU, Cat! :o)

The race was fun. I think I expected different though. When I think Vegas, I think bright lights, show girls, and serious entertainment. Because the race happened during the day, no lights were to be seen. Though, I guess the bands along the course would be considered the entertainment.

During the first half of the run, I kept putzing around with my new iPod Nano. Because I hadn't been training, I didn't know how long this gizmo was going to last. I'm not 100% certain that I had it fully charged. Sadly, at mile 4, I saw that the battery had only half its life remaining. So now it was a matter of time and not messing with the device so that it would last me to the end.

Don't know what to tell ya. :o)

As we ventured off The Strip, I was awakened by the actual community that existed in Vegas, the homeless community. There was not a shortage of spectators, but spectators seemed homeless or had spent one hour too many in the casino.

Along with water stations there was also a non-official beer station. I've done a beer run in Milwaukee before and that was fun, but something told me NOT to take the beer from here!

Shortly after the turnaround, I caught a huge waft of illegal odor. I'm not sure if I ended up being high for the rest of the race, but I honestly can't remember the second half of the run.

After crossing the finish line, all I could think about was FOOD!!! I was hungry. I was starving.

We met up with Cat (and company) and then headed back to our hotels to clean up, pack up, and do what any other Vegas goer would do: HIT UP A BUFFET! *smile of satisfaction*

We then went our separate way and I, of course, could not leave Vegas without hitting the slot machines. Lucky me, I doubled my earnings!!! A WHOPPING $2 *giggles* (I only play penny slots and I only put in a dollar to see how long I could play on just one dollar.)

As for the race, surprisingly, I walked away injury free and little to almost non-existent soreness. I KNOW I can't keep doing this non-training stuff but I seriously don't know what my problem is. My next race is mid-January. Hopefully, I'll be able to get some more milage in before then. *fingers crossed*

I guess I'm just feeling a lack of motivation. *sigh*

Until then...

****BREAKING NEWS****

I have finally signed up to do a FULL marathon. June 25, 2011 - SEATTLE (my second favorite city; Orlando being my first, of course). This will be my comeback race since ING NYC MARATHON 2007. Am nervous, am excited, do or die, am READY!!!

Hawaiian Roller Coaster Ride

2010-11-15T03:21:00.008-06:00

Here I am (one year later) saying what I had said before in my previous post Not Good-Bye...:

"So, what now? What lies ahead for me now? I believe that when one chapter comes to an end, another one begins."

November seems to be the month for change. Just as I had settled into doing pastries at Roy's, an opportunity came up that I KNOW I cannot miss out on. Approximately 5 months ago, a former boss (my first in accounting) called me up and asked if I was interested in working for her again. WAIT! WHAT?!?! With the economy the way it is, many left unemployed, how could I possibly pass up the opportunity to work for someone that wanted lil o'l me?

I didn't pass it up. I took the offer.

This past year has been an incredibly amazing journey with many eye-opening experiences.

A humbling experience.
A journey to self-discovery.
A year filled with trials and tribulations.
A light to shine down upon the meaning of "hard work".

It was a true HAWAIIAN ROLLER COASTER RIDE!

A bittersweet ending: Thank you to my fellow coworkers for helping me to survive at Roy's. Had it not been for you, I know I would not have made it this far. Our crew is the epitome of "ohana". Never will I find such camaraderie. I am truly grateful for the opportunity that was provided for me. Though I struggled often through this experience, it definitely was an unforgettable one. You all hold a special place in my heart and definitely are never to be forgotten. I will be seeing you again (but this time, from the other side of the counter). :o)

So what about the future of Bake Cake and Run?

"BAKE CAKE"

When I first started this blog, I had just left the accounting world to dabble in pastries. It's now time to shut the door on pastries. Though I won't be doing it professionally, I am hoping that passion, knowledge, and experience still remains in me to want to do it on my free time.

I definitely still want to mess around with cheesecake recipes. So, if you're up for being a taste tester (and not afraid to be poisoned *chuckle*), let me know. I am always looking for people to consume my good eats, otherwise, before you know it, Kobfa and I will have gained 3000 lbs. *gag* That's definitely something we do not need to be doing!

"AND RUN"
I still have all my bling to collect from all the Rock and Roll races. I am still determined to complete a full marathon in 2011. If only I could muster up enough courage to sign up for one. *sigh*

But for now, I begin my first day on the new job November 16, 2010.

Wish me luck! :o)

Life is not a destination, it is a journey!

The Sweetest Race In Chicago

2010-11-06T22:34:00.005-05:00

RAM Racing Presents:

Hot Chocolate 15K/5K Fun Facts

Hot Chocolate 15K/5K has grown from 3,500 runners in 2008 to 30,000 runners in 2010

There were more than 20+ vendors at the Hot Chocolate Runners Expo

There were over 210,000 ounces of Ghirardelli Hot Chocolate served on Race Day
Over 8,500 pounds of samples were provided by Ghirardelli on Race Day

There were over 140,000 ounces of Chocolate Fondue at the Post Race Party

10,000 pounds of Chocolate were melted for the Chocolate Fondue at the Post Race Party

I had a pretty good run, considering I only had 2 hours of sleep. However, what kept me going and making time (and miles) pass by for me was debating (with myself, of course) whether it was worse to:

A) Run with the sun in my face but wind on my back.
(which is what I had on the way there)

OR

B) Wind in my face but sun on my back.
(which was what I had after the turnaround)

WHAT WOULD YOU PREFER?

For me, running against the wind is never an easy thing. Sun in the face? Sun heats me up too quickly. Plus, I'm more of a night time runner. Based on my work schedule, I'm CLEARLY not a morning person. I'm a vampire. Vampires don't like sun! *chuckles*

Anyways, before I had the chance to figure it out, I could smell the sweet frangrant chocolate aroma filling the air. I picked up the pace to get to the finish line as fast as I could so that I could get my hands on all that ooey gooey goodness...CHOCOLATE GLORIOUS CHOCOLATE!!!

Mmmm Mmm Will Run For Chocolate Any Day! :o)

Headless Monster Dashing

2010-10-31T22:49:00.024-05:00

Okay, so maybe I'll never EVER win an age group category. But that's okay. You know why? Because today, I just won a costume contest award at Team Ortho's Chicago Monster Dash 5K and Half Marathon. *happy headless dance* Yes, when lil Savitre goes all out, she goes ALL out!

After I had signed up for the race and was in the know about the costume contest, I KNEW this was something I just had to win. Dressing up for a race? MY FORTÉ!!! *wink wink* (Once a costume winner at the Lifestart Wacky 5K in 2003 dressed as a banana)

An ode to "running around with my head cut off at work", I couldn't think of a better costume than the Headless Horseman turned Headless Runner.

Thank goodness I signed up to do the 5K. I heard people "ran" into tons of issues for the half marathon. I guess they rerouted the course last minute because Obama was in town.

Then at some point, the bridge on Lake Shore Drive went up and people had to stop for the bridge to come down before they could continue on their run.

Finally, because of the last minute reroute, the course ended up being a little over .4 miles. I personally wouldn't care, but there's been a lot of "discussion" on the Chicago Monster Facebook Wall.

My Memorable Monster Moments:

Being stopped by all sorts of people for photo ops. Is this what it feels like to be a Cast Member dressed up in a character outfit at Disney?

People not knowing where to look at me when asking for a photo. Some were talking to the nub (my neck). Some were trying to avoid looking. Some were looking at the foam head (which I named "Mr. Head") in my hand. TOO HILARIOUS!

During the run, people were trying to figure out if I was a guy or girl inside. It was quite amusing listening to the debate.

Running past people and hearing them talking about me. I would then turn the head in my hand around and have it face them. This was naturally followed by some giggles and chuckles. I even heard people say, "Quick, take a picture! Haha. That's a GREAT picture!"

I stayed mute (I know, hard to believe) throughout the entire race morning. Should anyone ask a question, I would either shrug (with my oversized shoulders) or nod yes/no with the head in my hand. Some were even lucky to get a thumbs up from me.

My Not So Memorable Monster Moments:

At the start of the race, the beanie on "Mr. Head" fell off. As I turned around to go get it (with my little to no peripheral view), I tripped over some poor tiny little pooch and nearly started a pile up. *shakes head*

Running north along the lakefront, we had a major headwind. This was probably the hardest half mile in my entire life. I felt like I was moving my legs but seemed to be getting nowhere fast. *sigh* Definitely no "dashing" for me!

After the turnaround, I was looking forward to the tailwind going south. NO LUCK! As soon as we turned around, there was no breeze. It was just the bright sun ☼ beating down on my entire black costume. Sure enough, I was melting fast!!

Getting to the water station and finish line and realizing that I couldn't access my face. UGH! Clearly, I didn't think this one through completely! *rolls eyes* I was hot, I was sweating up a storm, I was thirsty, and NOW I couldn't even get a drop of water to my lips or post race snacks.

However, I somehow completed the entire 5K in one piece. *phew* We even got one of the coolest medals ever. A stained glass medal to be exact!

I kept telling myself, "Savitre, you wanted to have fun with this race, so HAVE FUN, gosh dang it!" :o)

After the costume contest winners were announced, nothing mattered. I knew I made the right decision when picking out my costume! But now, how on earth am I ever going to top that? *begins brainstorming process*

Now sit back, relax, and enjoy the photo compilation from the race highly talked about in Chicago. Truly a FUN RUN at its best!

S'mores Cheesecake

2010-10-29T19:11:00.003-05:00

Tis the season for sitting near a campfire! :o)

Ingredients:

cream cheese
sugar
sour cream
AP flour
vanilla extract
eggs
semisweet chocolate

Crust:
graham cracker

Decor:
marshmallow (melted)
chocolate shavings
Kellogg's Smorz

Pumpkin Ginger Cheesecake

2010-10-27T06:51:00.007-05:00

My Roy's inspired Pumpkin Ginger Cheesecake

At Roy's (see below) we plate it with cranberry sauce and pumpkin brittle decor.

(Sorry, not the best photo)

However, for MINE :o)

Ingredients:

cream cheese

sugar

flour

ground ginger

vanilla

eggs

milk

pumpkin puree

brown sugar

cinnamon

nutmeg

Crust:

ginger snap

Decor:

sprinkled ground nutmeg

(3) orange and brown colored marzipan pumpkins

Cheesecake Inspiration

2010-10-13T17:25:00.007-05:00

Recently at work we put out a new dessert: The Pumpkin Ginger Cheesecake.

After making my first batch and diving right into it, I soon discovered my new favorite dessert. CHEESECAKES!! MEGA YUMMERS!!!

"Everytime you make, serve, and eat a cheesecake, great things will happen. You will perform random acts of kindness. Cheesecake should never take the place of professional therapy or medical advice. However, it has been determined through anecdotal studies to have a highly beneficial effect on one's mental and physical state." - Joey Reynolds

Mr. Reynolds could not have said it any better. After being in such a funk for (what I consider) an extremely long time, I decided that I LOVE baking cheesecakes. Like ice cream, cheesecakes make for an excellent blank slate to experiment with different flavor profiles.

Creativity + Cakes + Deliciousness = Cheesecake Mania

To begin my adventure into Cheesecakeland, I decided to visit Eli's Cheesecake on Oct. 7th. Voted as #1 Food Factory Tour on Food Network's Top 5 Tasty Tours, I couldn't think of a better place to get ideas, learn from the city's best, and witness for myself cheesecakes made by the dozens.

Unfortunately, they did not allow cameras inside the factory due to 9/11. *sad face*

However, they were able to capture our mug shot and post it on their blog before we proceeded inside the bake shop.

How Cute! We had to wear hair nets for sanitation purposes.

Cheesecake Elves Busy Creating Magic

The Retail Store

We ended up not purchasing any goodies because part of their tour included trivia questions. Like the psycho nutcase that I am, I won myself three slices of cheescakes and Kobfa won one.

They also did a random drawing and some lucky fellow in our group won a whole cheesecake that was decorated in the factory right before our eyes. I must admit that I was quite jealous watching him select all the delectable goodies to put on his personalized cheesecake.

But hey, for $3, walking away with 3 slices of Eli's Cheesecake? I'd say I had a pretty good day! :o)

Work Update: Dinner Not So Impossible!

2010-10-11T04:09:00.005-05:00

I just had to do a post on this because I had NEVER experienced anything like this at work before. *I regret not bringing a camera* At work today, I felt like Robert Irvine on Dinner Impossible. We had to prepare a multi-course dinner for a large group in a fixed period of time.

Tonight, the restaurant was bought out buy an orginization. We were closed to the public for a private event this evening.

There were 200 guests. I'm not sure what the rest of the kitchen had to do to prepare for this, but beginning Saturday night I had been working my tail off to prepare 200 mini souffles, 200 mini pineapple cakes, and 200 tuile cups (along with my other usual daily prep work).

I managed to get most of it done by Sunday night. *phew*

The evening had a strange aura to it.
It was intense, yet exciting.
Stressful, yet calming.
It was extremely odd.

Before we all got to work, we had our usual pre-shift meeting. Our Exec Chef went over the roles and responsibilities of each station and each person. There were only 5 of us staffed. When we do about 200 covers, we normally have 7-9 staffed. One of the line cooks was concerned that we were not going to have enough hands to get us through this (smoothly).

Our Exec Chef's response?
"That's why I scheduled the 'A' team!" *happy dance* :o)

He couldn't have been more right. There were other nights that it was the same 5 people that had been scheduled and I even said that I liked nights like this because you have all the strongest team players working.

After the meeting, I knew the game plan I had set for myself. I knew how much time was alotted and I just started cranking out the last 70 mini pineapple cakes, scooped out 200 ice cream balls, and cut up 200 strawberries. Guests, dressed in fancy attire, began strolling in. I double checked the station and made sure I had enough raspberry and caramel sauce for the plates.

While we all wrapped up what we were working on, the appetizers had already gone out. We then all had a moment to gather ourselves, give each other one last pep talk, and double check our stations. I decided to be productive and cut some souffle paper. I find it quite calming to cut up stacks and stacks of paper. I didn't want to start making something because I had to minimize the mess. Every inch of the front and back kitchen was going to be used.

As the guests were seated and doing a toast, the servers began ringing in the orders. The ticket machines were going kRaZy!! Our Exec Chef started counting out all the salads, all the soups, all the chicken entrees, all the fish entrees, etc. He assigned each of us one item to double check the count.

It's 7:45pm. All courses need to go out at the same time. All plates have to be cleared at the same time. 200 soup and/or salad, 200 entrees, 200 desserts. We have until 9:30pm to complete all three courses. Our time....starts....NOW!

I ran to the back kitchen with two other guys and help push out 75 salad plates.
The other two guys were up front pushing out soup bowls.
Moments later, soups and salads were gone.

Then all the line cooks assumed their position in their assigned station. I was busy cleaning up the back kitchen and getting ready to set up my dessert plates. I only had about 70 plates to start with because they were using some for the entrees.

I set up all 70 that I had with sauces and berries and then the Sous Chef came and told me that half of the entrees had already been pushed out and that I needed to fire the desserts. My oven (along with the other 4 ovens) was being used that night for entrees. They had blasted my oven temperature to 475 °F on high fan. I had to open the doors and let out as much heat as possible. I had 6 trays worth of desserts that needed to go into the oven. Unfortunately, I only had 3 racks. I put the first three in. When those were done, I took them out and threw in the last three.

I ran to the back kitchen and started putting the mini souffles on the plates. A line cook had finished making his entree and came to help. I began to put the pineapple cakes on the plates while he torched the aluminum cups off. Soon, one by one, the other cooks were slowly coming in to help as soon as they finished putting out their entrees.

We normally have 1 dishwasher on hand on a Monday night. However, tonight, they had scheduled 2. GOOD MOVE! As soon as the plates were coming out of the dishwasher, we loaded them up on a cart and brought them to the front kitchen.

In a clockwise motion, we started at one corner (the pastry station) and set up dessert plates all the way around the (rectangular) kitchen. By now, we had an assembly line going. THIS IS WHERE I WISH I HAD MY CAMERA!!! *waaaah* It was truly the coolest thing to see EVER!

Assembly line consisted of:
1 person put out plates
I sauced up the plates
1 person put the berries on the plate
1 person put the souffle on the plate
1 person put the pineapple cakes on the plate

Then...
The first person (the one that put out the plates) went back to torch off the pineapple cakes. I went back and pulled trays and trays of the ice cream I prescooped earlier and we all just grabbed a bunch and started putting them on all the plates.

When the servers all got their dessert plates out, we all started high fiving. All the left over meat and appetizers were cooked off and enjoyed by the FOH and BOH.

This was truly an amazingly FUN night.

A change of pace from our usual daily grind.
This was truly a night to remember. *look of complete content*

Work Update: A (Work) Day In The Life Of Me

2010-10-10T15:37:00.006-05:00

I finally figured out why we have so much difficulty battling the beast I call The Pastry Station.

At most restaurants, you would normally have 1 or 2 pastry people come in the morning before dinner service starts to do production. This could be as early as 4 or 5am. They would make all the desserts in their 8-10 hour shift and put them away in the cooler. Later in the evening (during dinner service), one of the other line cooks would pull them out and plate them.

HAHAHA. NOT WHERE I WORK!!! I AM WONDER WOMAN (I suppose)!!! *rolls eyes*

We normally have one person scheduled daily except Friday and/or Saturday.

Even on days where there would be two people, it's staggered starting. So if I started at 3pm on Saturday, my partner would not come in until 6pm. *shrugs* I didn't make up the rules.

So on any other given day, I would start at 3:30pm and would have a solid 2, that's TWO, not eight, not 10...but T-W-O, TWO hours of prep time to make the desserts. Yeah, I believe that boxed cakes take about half an hour to bake. That doesn't even count for prep time. WHAT CAN YOU POSSIBLY ACCOMPLISH IN TWO HOURS?!?!?! Perhaps two or three desserts. However, we have to make everything by the masses, not in a standard size home mixer.

Once that ticket machine starts spitting out tickets, I put on my cape and run around the kitchen (at the speed of light). I have to somehow watch the station, plate up desserts, and continue to make more desserts. It IS humanly possible to get all this done, but if everyday you walk in and you're going at it like that, your morale is definitely going to take a huge hit.

Tah Dah...and that's where I am ladies and gentlemen.

Out of the 11 months since I've been there, I would say there was one month when we were able to get ahead and not be as stressed out.

However, depending on the cover count, once it gets over 150, it becomes impossible to get a lot of the prep work done because the ticket machine starts spitting out tickets at a constant rate. Because we have hot desserts (souffle, pineapple cake, bread pudding), it's not like once we get the ticket we just throw stuff on the plate and BAM we're done. It's throw it in the oven, make a plate for it, scoop ice cream, and tend to the other tickets/desserts that need to be put out. Continue process for the next grueling 8 hours.

On October 2nd, I told my Sous Chef that it had been one year since I graduated from pastry school. He was all excited and asked "did you see yourself doing this one year ago?"

My response - "What? Work my butt off, cry practically everyday I'm here, all for basically no pay? Become Lil Miss Grumpy Pants and the most negative person alive? Yes, this was definitely written in the stars (sarcasm intended)."

His response - No, Savitre, look how much you learned. Look how much you've accomplished. Look how far you've come since your day staging here. You overcame many challenges. You've learned to push yourself harder, to even extents you probably didn't know you were capable of. You probably don't realize it, but you're definitely a lot stronger and probably a much harder worker. Any job you take on after leaving here will definitely be a cakewalk.

I did not respond.

However, I did take a moment to reflect on my journey thus far.

I often wonder if I would like doing pastries more if I worked in a different restaurant. It would be nice to just come in and make desserts for 8-10 hours and not worry about tickets OR have all the desserts already made for you and all you have to do is plate it up.

Although where I work is not a norm in the restaurant world, I truly believe that if you could hack it HERE, you will DEFINITELY be able to hack it anywhere else. Perhaps I can't see it now (because I'm brain dead half the time), but maybe all this hardwork will someday payoff.

Work Update: Like a Chicken Without a Head

2010-10-08T02:36:00.003-05:00

I seriously should not count my chickens before they hatch. In a recent post, I said that because I cut down my hours at work, I no longer run around like a chicken with my head cut off. WRONG, WRONG, and WRONG. I did some heavy duty jinxing to myself by saying that.

I had not had a melt down like last weekend since Restaurant Week back in February.

BTW: I definitely win the BIGGEST CRY BABY AT WORK award. (I KNOW this cannot be healthy or a good thing)

I'm not sure what happened or how our station got in the weeds again, but it was bad. It was ugly. Sunday (Oct. 3), when I worked by myself, I had a complete break down because it was already 6 pm and I had not gotten the station set up, the desserts were not pulled out, and I had not gotten the MAIN/POPULAR desserts (chocolate souffle, pineapple cakes, and pumpkin cheesecakes) ready.

It truly was not humanly possible for me to get it all done by myself. There were so many things that had to be done.

Like true soldiers, the rest of the kitchen stepped in to help me get most of it done. By Monday night, the station was back in business.

Now if people *ahem* could just help me keep it that way, then we won't have this problem again, will we now?

I had a hard time recovering during the week because Monday, Oct. 11 was not going to be a walk in the park. Stay tuned for Restaurant Buyout Night.

Truth of The Matter Is (Part 2)

2010-09-27T06:23:00.000-05:00

I'm gaining weight.

I cut my hours at work.

I don't work like a dog.

I no longer run around like a chicken with my head cut off.

However, I still can't seem to make it to the gym

This unhappiness prevents me from getting a lot done.

Since when did running become so competitive?

I run because it brings me joy, helps me think, is my ME time.

Back of the packers are just happy to have gotten their shoes laced up.

I don't post times nor do I mention times on my posts because

Truth of the Matter Is, it doesn't matter.

Well, it didn't!...but for some reason, it DOES now.

I read about people wanting to finish in a certain time.

I read about people wanting to improve their time.

I hear about people getting pelvic stress fractures and one month later running a FULL.

I hear about people running their FIRST marathon and qualifying for Boston.

I read about people closes to me running the Las Vegas half marathon in 1.5 hrs.

How can they all root for me and tell me I finished in great time and did awesome when they would've finished an hour (or more) before me? How is that good? And why do I all of a sudden care? Why does it bring me so much sadness? I am happy for all those people but not happy for myself.

I know, I know.

Everyone has different goals.

Everyone has different abilities.

Everyone IS different.

I miss running when it was to get away from icky boys.

I miss running when it was to not get caught red handed.

I miss running when it was in the middle of the game Mr. Fox.

I miss running.

Truth of The Matter Is (Part 1)

2010-09-27T04:59:00.007-05:00

I'm not happy.
(and no, it's not that time of the month)

I think I keep saying I'm okay, but who am I kidding?

Can I please take off the happy face mask?

I go to bed late as it is, but now I see myself going to bed later and later (and later).

Could it be the fault of Twitter/Internet? As of right now, it's 5AM.
Could it be the fault of The Nanny, Golden Girls, or America's Next Top Model?
TV can be so cruel.

When I close my eyes, I feel my body shutting down (especially my feet).
My brain, on the other hand, feels the need to work overtime.

I'm sad because of #EpicOctober2010 because I won't be there.
I'm sad because of 10-10-10 because I won't be THERE!

Maybe I need sleep. (or just a power nap might do)
Maybe it's time to get a hair cut. (or complete makeover)
Maybe it's finally time to use that gift certificate to Urban Oasis.

or MAYBE I just need to get to the gym. (boosting endorphin production = good)

I just can't seem to snap out of this funk I'm in. *long exhale*

An Apple A Day...

2010-09-25T03:29:00.011-05:00

Oh my goodness. I cannot begin to express the joy that fills me inside.

Today, I just became the proud owner of the NEW Apple iPod Nano.

So what's all the hype about?

Okay, okay, you're probably thinking, it's just another mp3 player, eh?

YOU ARE ABSOLUTELY CORRECT!

However, my boyfriend (my #1 curb crew) got it for me as a kick off gift for my Heavy Medal journey. If you look at my past race pictures, you will see that I have been carrying my (somewhat bulky) iPod Touch in my hands throughout the races.

Was it UNmanageable? NO.

Was it annoying? YES!

Last year when I started doing races (short distances), it never seemed to be a problem.

The only struggle I had with it was trying to carry a camera AND the iPod Touch.

During longer races (half marathons), I can't begin to tell you how many times I've dropped it at water stations because I try to pull out a gel pack and grab water at the same time.

Eventually, I became acclimated to carrying it and switching hands at each mile marker. (It's just so me to make a game of it). :o)

Now, with this cute new little device, I can just CLIP and GO!!!

p.s. Of course it's pink but it's also engraved with my name on it.
TOTAL AWESOME-NESS! :o)

Excited For A Little RnR

2010-09-21T01:23:00.034-05:00

RnR ≠ Rest and Relaxation

That's Right! There will be no Resting and Relaxing in 2011.

After completing the Disneyland Half Marathon, I couldn't help but reminisce of my journey thus far. Last year I took my first steps back into the running world. Orlando, and of course DISNEY, played a huge role in helping me back on my feet.

brisk runs around Celebration
several Disney races
race followed by a watermelon eating contest
cinema inside Gold's Gym
back to back races in the same day just for the medals

Exactly one year ago, I documented my story of how I began running. Now, one year later, I have completed FIVE half marathons. For me, that is a huge accomplishment. *pats self on back*

Question: What's in store for you and running now?

Answer: I have taken on a HUGE challenge for myself. I will be joining hundreds of others as a HEAVY MEDAL GROUPIE!

Question: What is a Heavy Medal Groupie?

Answer: If you complete two or more races in the Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon Series in a calendar year, you’ll qualify for some serious bling. We all know that bling is MY thing.

Question: What are some of these "serious bling" and what do you have to do to get them?

Answer: Please CLICK HERE FOR ANSWER ☞ Heavy Medal Series Medals

Question: Will this challenge possibly include completing a FULL marathon?

Answer: Though it has been a fun and interesting running year, I am not about to let that momentum die. I know that I definitely enjoy doing half marathons because it's not too long and not too short. Sometimes I like doing the 5K races just to break up the monotony of long distance running. At this juncture, the thought of doing a full marathon does not appeal to me AT ALL!

I think not having the time to train properly and constantly having tired feet from work just turns me off from the full marathon altogether. *sad face*

HOWEVER, I have been known to do some of the most outragious things that surprise even myself. So, YES, I will be attempting to complete a full marathon in this challenge! *tries not to faint*

Although this is my 2011 Challenge, the first race of the series begins in December in VIVA LAS VEGAS! After that race, I should be getting my first Heavy Medal (the 26.2 medal) for doing Chicago this year. EXCITING!!!

Although participants only qualify for Heavy Medals in the same calendar year, the only race to qualify you for the Desert Double Down medal is to do Vegas in December 2010 and then Arizona 2011. So, YUP, that's what I'll be doing.

Tour Dates:

2010

Las Vegas, NV - December 5

2011

Arizon - January 16

New Orleans, LA - February 13

Dallas, TX - March 27

Nashville, TN - April 30 (day after my bday) :o)

San Diego, CA - June 5

Seattle, WA - June 25

Providence, RI - August 7

Chicago, IL - August 21

Virginia Beach, VA - September 4

Philadelphia, PA - September 19

San Jose, CA - October 3

Denver, CO - October 17

St. Louis, MO - October 23

Los Angeles, CA - October 24

Savannah, GA - November 5

San Antonia, TX - November 14

So what cities do I plan on tearing up the town in?

Stay tuned...

I will continue to update the countdown clocks (on the right) as I register for more.

WATCH OUT, I may be coming to a town near YOU!!!!

Disneyland Half Marathon (and more)

2010-09-17T17:29:00.064-05:00

Recapping Via Highlights

(prepare your eyeballs for a long post; trust me, I TRIED to shorten this up)

Doing a post after a long trip has always been very difficult for me because there's so much to be told and so little time for me to do it all in. So without further ado...

I PRESENT TO YOU MY TRIP TO...

Hotel: Good Neighbor Hotel- Fairfield Inn Anaheim ★★★★✩
(this ought to be a GREAT Neighbor Hotel)

I couldn't give it 5 stars ONLY because we couldn't get to our room without having to go all the way around the building (just a minor inconvenience). However, if it weren't for that, it would TOTALLY get 5 stars only because everything and anything about it was wonderful. Front desk was super friendly and helpful. Amenities were excellent. Vacation package that came along with it added the "magic" we needed to make this trip complete. Location to Disney Resort? UNBELIEVABLE!!!! At first we were nervous about not renting a car (especially for getting to and from the race). But when we got there and saw that we were LITERALLY across the street from DL Resort, we knew we had it made! Thank you Fairfield Inn for being so close so I could come home after both races and take a nap. °o°

Health and Fitness Expo:

This was a rather interesting setup. Held at the Disneyland Hotel, the journey began down below in a parking structure. From booth to booth, we went and picked up my Coast to Coast packet, our Fabulous 5K race packet, Pasta in the Park packet, and chEAR Squad packet. GIDDY for GOODIES GALORE!!!! :o)

Then it was up to the Exhibit Hall for $hopping Mania! This is ALWAYS one of my favorite aspects of a race!

Pasta in the Park:

Time to Carbo Load in Disney's California Adventure in Stage 17.

Could this have been done better? Definitely!
Was this worth the money? Definitely Not!

Though we were graced with Mickey and Minnie for photo ops, it seemed a bit dead. The energy level was low and it felt more like a fancy dining experience (though none of us were dressed for the occassion) than a pasta pep rally. Disappointed with the experience, Kobfa and I made several rounds to the buffet table and then we busted out of there. I guess I expected more from Disney. *frown*

I guess the only experience I could compare this to was that of the one in NYC. Prior to the NYC Marathon, under a tent at Tavern on the Green in the middle of Central Park, the pasta party kicked off with fireworks in the sky. Music was blasting, videographers captured excited runners onto jumbotrons, merchandise flew off the racks, and plenty of variety of pasta to feed the hungry runners and their family and friends. This was TRULY a pasta pep rally done New York City Style!

Fabulous 5K :

(5K, Five Years in the Running, Five Classic Characters)

Though excited to get a sneak peek of Disneyland, this had to be one of the slowest races known to man. There were gabillions of runners and not a lot of room to maneuver. After crossing the finish line and pass the runners' chute to the refreshment area was a complete nightmare. I think it took us longer to get our bagel than it did to do the actual 5K *ho hum*. Oh well, it was still fun nonetheless. The floatable "medals"...always a plus.

Half Marathon:

The race began at six o'clock. I, however, did not cross the starting line until 6:30am. There were seven corals A-G. I was in Coral F. Lesson learned: put down your actual anticipated race time when you register because you could seriously get stuck at the back of the pack. Though I love being amongst my fellow back-of-the-packers, a lot of dodging had to be done and waiting to cross the start line was brutal. It was a pretty cool morning. Not moving made it a pretty COLD COLD morning. *Brrr*.

Back where our coral was, we could not hear the anthem play nor did we see any of the other corals take off. Heck, the race could've been cancelled and we'd all still be standing up on the hill behind the trees. By the time they moved our coral over the river and through the woods, it appeared to be ghost townesque. They ended up letting Coral G join in with us (not that it wasn't already crowded as is) and then we were off. No hype. No real excitement. Just READY, SET, GO!

I can't say I remember much of the run because shortly after crossing the start line, I started experiencing pain around my lower abs and back. I was glad that I was running because had I waited at the coral any longer, there would've been trouble. GALS, I'm SURE you know what I'm talking about!!!! When that pain passed, all I could think about was whether or not I had made a mistake in not wearing my knee brace for this run.

After awhile, I went into complete cruise control mode. The only recollection of the race I have is running into Jordan, hearing a Lady Gaga song played by a high school band, and loving the running path just before we entered Angel Stadium (it reminded me a lot of the lake front path in Chicago...just without the lake).

Fearful of having a Rock and Roll Half Marathon repeat, it ended up being a GREAT run! My knee survived the run, I finished in great time as well, AND got my Coast to Coast Medal. YAY ME!

Some get water at the finish line; I got Beer! :o)

ChEAR Squad:

Kobfa's been such a trooper for going to all my races and waiting FOREVER for me to cross the finish lines. Because I knew that he was not going to be able to mile hop and catch me at different spots in this race, I figured I'd splurge a little and get him the Platinum ChEAR Squad Package. His package included:

ChEAR Squad t-shirt, Mickey clappers, bleacher seat cushions, single day Theme Park ticket.

VIP Finish Line lounge seating: Not only was this a supreme spot at the finish line, it was also provided with sofas. YES, SOFAS!!! Not bleachers, not just chairs, but SOFAS!!!

Continental Breakfast: I was worried that he was going to get hungry since we had to get up early, but when I met up with him at the finish line, he was well fed.

Reserved executive style restrooms: What made it so "executive?" Aside from the extra wider space, there was carpeting on the floor, porcelain-like seats, and each stall equiped with their own hand sinks.

I'm glad he enjoyed this pampering experience. The ChEAR Squad was definitely not hard to miss with their bright blue shirts and LOUD Mickey clappers. Not knowing what to truly expect, this ended up being the greatest gift for my #1 Fan. °o°

PLAYTIME

(if you're not completely bored out of your mind...yet...continue to read on)

After we got all the race madness out of the way, we made time, PLENTY OF TIME, to play in the theme parks. Before heading off to Disneyland, I was told by many people that I might find DL to be a bit of a disappointment because it was smaller than WDW.

C'mon guys...it's DISNEY!!!! How could I possibly be disappointed?!?! And boy were they all wrong.

Yes, I can sit here and tell you about all things DisneyLAND....but I won't torment you like that.

So, let me just tell you about my faves (the rest, you'll just have to go there and find out for yourself):

FAVORITE ATTRACTION: Autopia

I was looking forward to going on the People Mover because that's my favorite in WDW, but they didn't have it. *sad face* I thought Autopia was going to be just like Tomorrowland Speedway, but it wasn't. It was WAY cooler!!! The course seemed a lot longer and the off roading part was my favorite. *happiest face on earth*

RUNNER-UPS:

Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage : You need to do this during the day AND at night.

Davy Crockett's Explorer Canoe: With an awesome tour guide and people in our canoe (especially the lady that sat right in front of me) made this for a memorable experience.

Mickey's Fun Wheel: Though this ride could make you nauseous, where else can you find a ferris wheel with sliding gondolas? Of course they also have ones that are fixed to the rims for the weaker stomach riders.

Big Thunder Ranch (small) Petting Zoo: Big Thunder Ranch was mentioned on the map but the description next to it just said "Sponsored by Brawny". *shrugs* It wasn't until the tail end of our trip that we discovered this little hidden area. Boy am I glad we did! I've always been a fan of petting zoos and these goats were nothing short of cuteness! *NOTE: they had troughlike sinks to wash your hands in and BRAWNY paper towels to dry your hands with. :o)

Boudin Bakery Tour: A hilarious sour dough bakery tour with Colin Mochrie and Rosie O'Donnell. No, they weren't live but still funny nonetheless. This brought back some great bread baking memories with Baker Tim and my Notter School friends. Unfortunately, we didn't get to make Mickey Bread in school. °o°

FUN SHOPPING SPOT: Build-A-Bear Workshop in Downtown Disney
I love checking out Build-A-Bear Workshops in different cities because they always have city oriented gear for the bears. Downtown Disney did not fall short in that tradition. My Googly Bears were Disneyfied with their own chEAR gEAR!

A MEMORABLE ENCOUNTER:

I will leave this to Justin's "What about Bob?" post ☜ CLICK HERE!

NO TRIP WOULD BE COMPLETE WITHOUT...

HANGING WITH GOOFY

What on earth are they looking at?

Ahhh...That's What!

♥ I Heart Goofy! ♥

Who's the Goofy one here?

And there you have it ladies and gentlemen...my trip to DISNEYLAND!

Gotta Tri, Tri, & Tri Again

2010-09-02T15:53:00.017-05:00

WE DID IT!!!

This would not have been made possible if it weren't for my loveable, encouraging, motivating, Hunny Bunny, and all those that played a role in getting me in and out of that water.

Hunny, I would like to thank you for all your patience for putting up with me as I floundered about the pool trying to learn how to swim and overcome my fear of putting my head in the water without holding my nose. You are a real trooper for putting up with my spasticness!! Thank you for all the times you took me to the pool because I was too scared to go there on my own for fear of drowning and not having a witness. Above all, thank you for supporting, guiding, and coaching me through the ENTIRE portion of the swim during the triathlon and not leaving me out there to be swallowed whole by the "Lakeness Monster" *smiles*. You're the BESTEST!! :o)

SPECIAL THANKS TO:

-Xsport: for keeping the pool water temperature bearable and making sure no one was in the pool while I was (though going there at 2 in the morning may have had something to do with it).

-Ms. Chlorine: Thanks for all the times we shared, you sure knew how to keep my lungs (and insides) clean. :0)

-Sports Authority: Thanks for providing me my swimsuit, swim cap, and goggles. As I sat and stared at all the nose plug options you had available for offer...I knew I just HAD to resist. Oh the temptations!

-Jenny: Thanks for the email when I needed it most. Thanks for the pre-race pep talk and helping to calm my nerves. However, maybe next time I should consult with your mom...she seems more on MY page with this triathlon gig :o) GO KICK SOME OLYMPIC DISTANCE BOOTY SATURDAY!!!

-Girl on the Beach: yes, that music was VERY intense...glad someone else agreed so I didn't think I was losing my mind. Thanks for the laugh, I definitely needed that.

QUICK RECAP:

I swam, I biked, I ran. THE END! :o)

Okay, okay, there really isn't much to talk about on the bike and run portion of the race because that was that. However, let me recap the swim portion. The swim alone was VICTORY in and of itself.

As we drove on Lake Shore Drive over to the race site, I stare aimlessly out into the lake. I think about how I am going to be this little person in this great big wide body of water. How was I going to survive? As the sun was slowly rising, so was the feeling of nervousness inside me.

We get to the race site and begin to layout our stuff in the transition area. Kobfa looks over into the lake and sees that the lifeguards were able to stand in the water. "LOOK" he cries, "YOU CAN TOUCH THE GROUND" (just like Jenny had mentioned). A sense of relief overcame me.

We head down to the Swim Starting line to hear instructions about the course.

There were people around me who were excited, scared, nervous, fearful, confused, and some that looked like they came to kick some butt.

The Star Spangled Banner played.

Waves 1, 2, and 3 lined up. There were 24 waves. I was in Wave 14. WAVE 14?!?!?! What? You mean I can't be at the back of the pack like I do in running? I don't want to get lapped. I don't want the next wave to take me down because I'm taking too long out there!!

Wave 1 starts. Everyone cheers. Everyone else on the beach studies them carefully so they don't get lost out there. They had lifeguards lined up along the swim route ready to go. Kobfa and I had said that once we made it to the last ladyguard, we'd be home free because that's where it starts to turn and head back to shore and is guaranteed shallow. 6-7 minutes later, they were back. WOW!!! That doesn't seem very far at all. *feeling reassured*

Wave 9 heads out. Some are walking most of it. When they return, they look completely exhausted. *no longer feeling reassured*

Wave 1 were the elite athletes. *DOH!*

The water was 67˚F. Is that cold? The water temperature at the pool always averaged around 82˚F and sometimes I thought I was going to die of hypothermia. However, I had other important things plaguing my brain (like, NOT DROWNING) besides the water temperature. Tons did not have a wetsuit, and neither did I.

Ever seen the show I Shouldn't Be Alive on the Discovery Channel?

Just before Wave 14 has to start lining up, what do I do? I have a major melt down! A complete break down. Eyes start welling up. Body begins to shake. I say that I need to pull out (actually, I said I needed to "chicken out"). At that moment, I felt GENUINE FEAR! I couldn't do it. I knew my ability. I knew what I could and couldn't handle. Something inside me said that I was not prepared for this. I had JUST learned to swim this year and I had not stepped foot in the lake. I was NOT ready!!!!!

Kobfa turns around, looks at me, and with his soft and gentle voice, reassures me that everything will be okay and that he was not going to leave me out there alone and that he would literally swim right next to me.

They call Wave 14 to line up.

The rope gets pulled behind me (to divide up our wave and wave 15).

It felt like the point of no return. It felt like when you get scared to go on a roller coaster but as soon as that lap bar comes down on you and locks in place...there was nowhere to go but straight.

Horn blows. We all go running into the lake like children. This wasn't so bad. I was having fun!

However, as we turned around a large orange buoy. It was game over. I saw a huge wave coming at us. Okay, I'm not saying it was pipeline type huge, but coming from a pool, any form of current was HUGE.

I tried to hold my ground (bad idea) but the wave got me good. I swallowed water and started coughing. I figured I should stay submerged so that I don't see the waves.

I couldn't touch the ground anymore. Oh no! I try to tread water. I don't really know what I'm doing because I didn't have to tread water in the pool (didn't practice this). I try to move closer to the buoys (where it would be slightly shallower). I couldn't move.

Water was murky. I couldn't see. I PANICKED!!! At that moment, I was gasping for air. I went into what seemed like a hyperventilating mode. I NEEDED AIR!!!! I turned over on to my back and started doing the backstroke. It gave me a chance to catch some air, but it was not enough. I started to get sad. I felt like there was no making it back to shore.

I constantly looked around for Kobfa. To my right, there was a lifguard man floating/manning his station. To my left there were two lifeguards in a row boat. Why weren't they trying to save me? Are they just going to watch me drown? I get worried and start to complain. "Where is that freaken lifeguard lady?!?!?!" She appeared to be moving further and further into the distance. *sigh* Was there going to be any end to this madness, I thought.

I looked behind. I wasn't the last one in my wave. Still three or four more people in my group were back there struggling along. I was not alone. However, the guy in the next group (I called him the Purple Piranha because of his purple swimcap) zoomed right by like this was his usual mode of transportation.

I held on to what energy and OXYGEN was left in me and kept thinking, kick, right arm, left arm, breathe. Just as I approached that ladyguard, I realized that she must be Yao Ming height because I was still not able to touch the ground.

UGH! Disappointments and discouragements after another.

I continued to push through until the last buoy when I could FINALLY stand!

I stood up. I jogged back to shore. I turned around and quickly glanced back at the BEAST I HAD BATTLED AND CONQUERED! I never thought I'd be more excited to be on land than I had at that moment.

Running back on the beach, people (lined up both sides of the boardwalk) cheered as we ran to the transition area. THE RACE WAS OVER!! VICTORY WAS MINE!

"Will you do it again?"

With better/proper training for the swim portion, I will DEFINITELY tri again! :o)

Gonna Give It A TRI

2010-08-27T22:02:00.004-05:00

I can't begin to explain the excitement in me.

It's like running my first marathon all over again.

Nerves are getting the best of me.

Brain is starting to play games on me.

The day I've been waiting for this whole entire year.

The day of MY FIRST TRIATHLON is near.

We're officially marked up.

Outfit is picked out.

(stay tuned for the FASHION FLASH after the race)

Bike is greased up.

Three years ago, Kobfa and I built this bike together. We had taken his brother's old ten speed Schwinn, stripped off the blue paint, built it back up into a fixie, and gave it some Savitre personality. Though I've gone riding this summer, I'm excited to have some bonding time with it on my first triathlon.

Because this is going to be my first triathlon, I was not about to go and do crazy distances.

The breakdown is as follows:

Swim = 1/4 mile
Bike = 6 miles
Run = 1.5 miles

So if I could just make it without drowning on the swim portion, I think I will be home free. (Now watch me fall off my bike, scrape up my knees, and not be able to do the run portion) *sigh*.

Oh well, at least "to tri is to risk failure, not to tri is to guarantee it!", right?

Although my Googly Bear and I are assigned different waves, he is going to start in my wave and be there by my side the entire time. That's why I love him so. Wish us luck y'all!

Swim Bike Run...time to go and have some fun!!!

A-list Celebrities Rock (and Roll) Chicago

2010-08-02T12:17:00.009-05:00

Ummm...yeah. I have no idea what happened between the last race where I rocked it and then this race where I got rocked.

I continued my tradition of lack of sleep and lack of training prior to the race.

However, work has been severly getting to me a lot lately (more on that later), so THAT may have played a huge role in today's train wreck.

There really isn't anything to say about this race except, WATCH OUT CHICAGO, THERE WILL BE REDEMPTION!!! *puts on intimidating face*

Though I didn't have an awesome run, Chicago was filled with tons of awesomeness.

Check it out!

(sorry, no sound included)

Now THAT'S what I call "REALITY"!! *giggles* :o)

Fashion Fun 5K Run

2010-06-20T19:55:00.000-05:00

We interrupt this regularly scheduled Half Marathon program to bring you...

As I was browsing around trying to find a fun race to do to break up the monotony of just doing half marathons, I came across THIS race.

My eyes lit up. "NO WAY JOSE!!!" A race where they are promoting running skirts? Where do I sign up? Included in the goodie bag was NOT another race tee shirt. Women received a black skirt with built in pink shorts. Now THAT'S HOT! (and guys got a t-shirt and visor)

This sounded like so much fun because the girls had a three minute head start.

It then became the Battle of the Sexes. Before the turn around point, we could see the girl that was in first place. Us back-of-the-packers were hollerin' and hootin' rootin' for her and trying to form baracades to prevent the guys from getting through. Though some managed to get through, we definitely did not make it easy for them. GO GIRL POWER!!! Any guesses on which gender won and took home $500?

THE GIRLS, OF COURSE! DURH! *chuckles*

Thank goodness this was just a 5K because it was an evening run in the brutal sun.

After the race, they had a block party with:

FOOD and BEVERAGES

(adult beverages to be exact)

GAMES

LIVE BAND

...and a FASHION SHOW (down to the skivvies).

Oooh la la!! *wink wink*

Before I left, I even managed to get a picture with founder/triathlete extraordinaire Nicole DeBoom. This was definitely a racing event that I needed this year! Thank you Nicole!!!!

Now back to our regularly scheduled programming.

13.1 Chicago (Fastest) Half

2010-06-04T18:15:00.027-05:00

Two weeks later and I was out pounding pavement for another half marathon.
This was going to be a scary race for me. After the Soldier Field 10 Miler, I had no idea what to expect of myself in this race.

After the Soldier Field 10 Miler, I spent every waking moment icing and rubbing Boerick & Tafel's Sports Gel for Trauma on my knee. I drank my daily dose of Joint Juice and continued to do the RICE method for injury treatment.

And what is this RICE method? It is something easy to remember, that you can do at home, and that is the best fast approach for most injuries. It means:

Rest
Ice
Compression
Elevation

Going into this race, I was mentally prepared to walk off the course and cut it short if need be. I knew that it was in my best interest to not run through the pain if I wanted to make it to the Disneyland Half Marathon. THAT, my friends, is a definite half marathon that I MUST do this year!

The weather was perfect. Cloudy (with a little drizzling effect)!! My fave!!! :o)

Because the Blackhawks had just won the Stanley Cup, we were graced at the race by the mascot (and other characters such as the Blues Brothers and the White Sox mascot).

Most importantly, I had an awesome curb crew to cheer me on.

I ran at a comfortable pace (to avoid injury).

I knew that my curb crew had to take the bus out onto Lake Shore Drive to meet me at the half way point and it was going to be iffy whether or not they would catch me in time. As I approached mile 6, I looked around...but nothing. I knew not to get myself worked up about it and just to keep pushing through.

I was enjoying the run because it had started south of the Science Museum at the South Shore Cultural Center (where Barack and Michelle Obama had their wedding reception). The Science museum was the farthest I had ever been. It was a new route, new path, new scenery. It was gorgeous!

As I approached a ridiculous hill at mile 10, I had to make an executive decision of wheather or not I needed to walk up it or just briskly jog up it and take it easy. I chose "C" - none of the above. I plowed my way through (knee brace and all) that hill just to find none other than my curb crew waiting at the top. I was SUPER psyched. They were cheering and telling me how great I was doing and that I was making great time.

I usually don't pay attention to time because I'm just more concerned about finishing in one piece. However, after I crossed the finish line, I looked at my ipod and saw that I DID finish in great time. *jaw drops* As a matter of fact, this was the FASTEST half marathon I had ever run...even on an injured knee. Ooooh BABY!!!

TIME TO CELEBRATE (with Lou Malnati's Pizza, of course).

Will Joint Juice please call me? I would definitely be a spokesperson for them anyday!

...C-y'all at the next half!

-FASHION FLASH-

Cooking With Roy 101- Bueno or No Bueno

2010-05-28T02:31:00.016-05:00

It was 9:30 am on a foggy Saturday morning.

Sleepy heads slowly straggling into work one by one.

Most of us had just gotten off work approximately 10 hours ago. We probably got only about 6-7 hours of sleep. What's the problem with that you ask? We were all (most of us at least) were about to do a 15 (laborious) hour day! YIKES! *look of fear*

Why were we at work so early?

Roy Yamaguchi was here to do a cooking demo for the kitchen staff.
I'm not sure how others felt, but for me, it was like being in school all over again. OH YEAH!

Although this had nothing to do with pastries, I found it intriguing to learn about the whole different world that existed in the kitchen (the savory side).

I was even more excited to meet Chef because he had only great things to say about the pastry team and their dessert. *wink wink* (check out his tweets; pink arrows)

He was definitely interesting to listen to and could definitely make you laugh. I'm not quite sure where and when he learned "bueno" and "no bueno" but that seemed to be his catch phrase. It reminded me very much of Chef Notter and his "funny?" "not funny!" which always makes my heart smile.

As Chef heated up the pan, I was ready with camera in hand ready to take photos; clipboard and marker in hand ready to take copious notes. Notter School prepared me well for this! *high five*

Though this turned out to be an extremely long and exhausting day, it was worth every minute of coming in early to meet and learn tricks and trades of the business from The Big Cheese.

Daaaa Bears

2010-05-21T22:36:00.001-05:00

Top (3) Reasons Why I Had Been Looking Forward To This Race-The Soldier Field 10 Miler:

1) Da Bears - Okay, so I'm not really a Chicago Bears fan. *GASP* I know, SHOCKER! I guess I just never got into watching sports. However, "Da Bears" that I do love are Build A Bear bears.

It was so much fun dressing them up to be a part of my Cheer Bear Squad in the stands! (don't judge, you're never too old for teddies) :o)

2) I get to do another run along the lake front.

3) Finishing on the 50 yd line in Soldier Field Stadium!!!

After the last half marathon, I wasn't super nervous for this race. I made sure to put the gel pack in the built-in-pocket of my mullet running skirt. I got my usual 3 hours of sleep. It was three miles less than the half. My Cheer Bears were going to be there. I had picked out a really cute outfit.

FASHION FLASH!

•If you're looking to keep cool while you take in a Bears game season, this will let you soak up the sun while you show off your Chicago pride. Features full color screen printed logo at left chest over printed overlapping team logo print.
•Contrast color shoulders for sharp look
•Woven Reebok loop label with contrast color bartack at bottom left
•Raw edges at sleeve openings and neck split for casual look and feel
•95% cotton/5% spandex jersey blend is 100% machine washable (extreme comfort, but not condusive for running-especially 10 miles)
•Officially licensed by the NFL

I was ready! What could possibly go wrong?

EVERYTHING!! Okay, not EVERYTHING. However, EVERYTHING about my left leg definitely was not cooperating. I'm not sure what it was. Was it the shoe? Was it the weather? Was it the lack of training? It was probably all of the above.

Nonetheless, as I started out, not even a mile into it, the bottom of my left foot started feeling uncomfortable. I didn't think much of it. By mile 3, the pain started creeping up my shin. *shakes head* "Not good", I thought.

At mile 5 (the turn around), I had to walk. I no longer had sensation in my left knee. I had to stretch. What I really wanted to do was drop down to my knees and cry or perhaps just amputate the leg. I didn't have my cell phone on me. I couldn't call anyone for help. Where were those emergency officials on the course when you need them?!?!

I thought to myself that even if I walked the rest of the race, I could still finish. However, what I was experiencing was excrutiatingly painful that even walking no longer seemed an option. I didn't know what else to do. I looked around. I saw others slowly jogging, walking, limping. I looked to see if anyone had a cell phone on them. NO LUCK! I was doomed.

There I was, my eyes welling up with tears, thinking "I may have to forfeit the next half marathon in 2 weeks if I want to make it to Disneyland". I was sad. I was more upset that it came down to this. I heard of stories where people do severe/permanent damage to their knees and could no longer run. The thought of that broke my heart. I was aggrevated with myself for not having gone to the gym more often. Instead, I thought that I could just bust out these long runs. I was frustrated that I never stretch before or after running and that maybe this pain could have been prevented. The thought of not being able to run at Disneyland completely drained every bit of energy, hope, and determination. DEVASTATION continually resonated in my head. *long sad sigh*

A mile later- - -I was four miles away from the finish line. Four miles away from a car to take me to the ER. Four miles away from this miserable experience coming to an end.

And THEN, the voices in my head begins to chant:

FOUR MILES!?!?!
YOU CAN DO FOUR MILES!!!!
COME ON! FOUR MILES IS NOTHING!!!

YOU'VE DONE WORSE!!!!

So I do what any running nuthead does. RUN THROUGH THE PAIN!

Yeah, brilliant plan! *sarcasm intended*

I got a second wind. I tried to think of everything and anything BUT the pain.

Eventually...

I finished! At that moment, that was all that mattered (and of course the finisher's medal).

However, when I had to get up for work later (after a quick 2 hour nap) that afternoon, I was severly down for the count. It was painful. It was ugly. I was done for. *sad face*

What does the future hold for me and the next half marathon or even Disneyland Half?

*shrugs* Guess we'll just have to wait and see.

The Woo Hoo Line

2010-05-20T19:51:00.018-05:00

Mini Pop Quiz:

It's been three weeks since the Lakefront 10 miler. In those three weeks, how many times did I make it to the gym?

A) 1-5 times

B) 6-10 times

C) more than 10 times

D) Gym? What's that? *gives confused look*

If you answered "D", you are absotutalutely correct! Savitre and her lack of training strikes again! I must admit that even though I recently (2.5 months ago) ran the Disney Princess Half Marathon, I was slightly nervous about having to do this half marathon due to lack of training and the fact that I had to work the night before. Again, I only got 3 hours of sleep before the race. *shakes head in disapproval*

The last time I ran a half marathon in Chicago was in 2006. Running 13.1 miles is NOT the same everywhere. I like running Disney races because of all the festivities and character madness going on throughout the course. Chicago can become a difficult run for me because there isn't much going on. Spectators though, are definitely loyal to the running world in Chicago, but I still prefer to see silly characters along the route.

Since the weather has been getting nicer out, I've been itching to go running along the lakefront. Unfortunately, my work schedule has been preventing me from making it out to the lakefront.

HOWEVER, this race could not have alleviated that itch any more.
The run began (and finished) at The Park at Lakeshore East. Though still under construction, The Park (a hidden gem) is gorgeous. I love that it even has a dog park. I could sure see myself living there. Unfortunately, my salary in pastries will buy me (maybe) just a single blade of grass there. Oh well.

What started out as a brisk morning run, warmed up to a cool comfortable sunny day.

The first 6 miles was a little rough for me but I was excited to see that Kobfa and John made it to the turn around point (via the CTA bus). At the turn around, the scenery was more amazing than ever. THIS was what made me love running along the lakefront, once upon a time, when it all began!

After my departure with Kobfa and John, I was looking forward to taking my Power Gel at the next water stop. However, when I reached back to grab the Power Gel, it was not there. WHAAAA?!?!?! Where'd it go? When did it fall off? Why hadn't I noticed? Noooooo!!! *about ready to fall to knees and yell in agony*

I had pinned the gel pack to the back of my skirt because I didn't think it would fit in the pocket built into the skirt. It wasn't until I got home and tested it. As a matter of fact, it DOES fit. DOH! *slaps forehead* Why hadn't I tested it BEFORE the run beats me. Live and learn, I guess.

NOTE TO SELF: NEVER EVER safety pin gel packs to back of skirt. IT DOESN'T STAY ON!!

At that point, it became a huge mental game. I remember seeing them pass out gel packs at mile 4 (which would be mile 9 on the way back). I had to convince myself to hold on for 3 more miles and then the gel packs would be MINE all MINE!!

I kept telling myself to keep an eye on the skyline. Eventually I went into cruise control and was able to get my mind off the gel packs.

As I approached the 9 mile marker, I didn't see anyone passing out gel packs. Nooooo!!!! This can't be!!! They MUST be around here somewhere!!!! I know I was not hallucinating.

Then as I approached the table where they would have been passing them out, I decided to scrounge around. JACKPOT!!! I found a whole box of them. If I didn't have 4 more miles to go, all those babies would have definitely gone home with me. Instead, I was now sharing them with other gel deprived runners. Aaah! Just what the doctor ordered!!

I was now back in cruise control mode.

Just a couple more steps to the finish line and I would finally be able to say...

"WOO HOO!!!"

*two thumbs up*

It was now time to enjoy some post race grub and my finisher's medal.

I was extremely proud of myself for being able to do this run after lack of training, little sleep, and loss of a gel pack. My fear of tearing up Chi-town has been diminished. However, I did suffer from severe pain for the next couple of days. *sad face* So, let's see how I do before my next 10-miler! Wish me luck in training!

~FASHION FLASH~

Foods For Thought

2010-05-13T12:49:00.006-05:00

Work Updates:

Something about going to Orlando made everything click in my head. Once I got back, I've been working like a machine. Everything has come together so nicely for me. I've learned how to work extremly fast and efficient. *pats self on back* It's a huge difference seeing me work now compared to who I was and how I worked before Orlando. (must have been all that pixie dust *wink wink*)

Now that the weather is nicer (comparatively), they have ocassionally opened up the patio. Eeek!!! That means more room to seat MORE people!! No worries for us though. It seems as though the patio attracts people that just want to stop by and have a few appetizers and drinks while enjoying the nice weather. PHEW!!

Since my return from Orlando, we haven't been extremely busy. It's been kind of refreshing really. It was nice getting our station caught up and reloaded on inventory. The only really busy day we've had so far was Mother's Day where we did 275 covers for lunch followed by 225 covers for dinner. (Psst: Rumor has it that Mother's Day is the start of EXTREME BUSY season...wish me luck!)

Only approximately 40 days left until my Pastry Partner in Crime leaves me to return to St. Louis. *waaaahh, sniff sniff* They still have not found a replacement for him yet. Golly, I sure hope they do before he's gone. If they don't, you'll definitely be hearing from me. :o)

Anyways, check out some of the tasty treats that's been baking in our kitchen:

Not your traditional Key Lime Pie. It's made with sweetened condensed milk. Can you say "YUMMERS?!". Want to know what else you can do with a can of sweetened condensed milk?

Boil small can (purchased from local grocery store) in a pot of water for 3 hours (making sure that the can is COMPLETELY and ALWAYS submerged in water; yes, reloading water will be necessary).
After the (3) hours, remove from hot water and set aside to cool completely.
Once cool, carefully open can.
VOILA...enjoy some scrumptious caramel!!

Toasted Hazelnut Creme Caramel (aka flan). The plate was brushed with cayenne chocolate sauce. Sprinkled on top of the flan was more crushed toasted hazelnut (they sure love their crunch). This dessert was paired with a port wine for the monthly wine party. I wasn't too thrilled about adding more nuts on top of the flan, but surprisingly, it tastes a lot better than it looks. :o)

Prepping Pastry Pillows for a Party

(yeah, try saying THAT five times fast)

Hooray for Beignets! (according to Wiki, it's pronounced bey-yay, The French word for fried dough). However, in the US, beignets are the state doughnut of Louisiana and pronounced ben-yay. There are two types: the US version (the one we made) is simply a deep-fried choux pastry. The other, made with yeast, have a spherical shape filled with fruit or jam.

If you can't make it out to New Orleans, but are in the neighborhood of Disney World, stop by the Port Orleans Resort, French Quarter's Sassagoula Floatworks food court and try one for yourself. It WON'T disappoint! :o)

Strawberry Kaffir Lime Cheesecake. Kaffir lime is lime native to Thailand, Laos, Indonesia, Malaysia, and typically used in Southeast Asian cuisine. It wasn't until I had to make this cheesecake that I learned the name of the evil plant that forever haunts my childhood.

My aunt that used to live with us grew these limes in our house. It was this honkin huge plant with thorns all over it (I know, because I lost many balls and skin cells to that evil plant.)

Every summer, I would help Pa (Thai for auntie) drag that pot of plant (twice my size) out to the backyard in the summer and then back again in to the house before the bitter winter. Also, when the plant decided to shed its leaves, my sister and I were stuck with the chore of picking up the dead leaves so it doesn't clog up the vacuum. This was Pa's baby. Whenever she went on vacation, she ALWAYS made sure that someone was going to be around to water it..."not too much, not too little."

There was a distinct aroma and astringent flavor that came from that plant. I know, because whenever Pa used it in her cooking, I knew right away.

It always makes me giddy inside when I discover the English translation of words and phrases I ONLY know in Thai. :o) Kaffir Lime Leaf to me was ALWAYS/ONLY Bai Ma-gkood.

Toasted Hazelnut Crunch Bar.

Bottom (Crunch) layer: chocolate, nutella, feuilletine, cinnamon, and chopped toasted hazelnuts.

Middle layer: chocolate, vanilla sauce, and ganache folded into whipped cream

Top layer: Ganache

Decor: macerated berries; Chambord was the choice of poison :o) (and of course our cinnamon tuile - that we seem to use on EVERY dessert we plate)

Some say it's a bigger version of a Kit Kat bar. Personally, I don't see it. However, for those of you who are chocoholics, this is DEFINITELY a party in your mouth!!!