1,000th Post - My 2015 Running Year in Review

When I realized my last post was #999, I knew my next post had to be a good one. It's simply amazing to me that I am currently writing my 1,000th post on this blog. I am so grateful for all of the amazing opportunities that have come my way over the three years and never once do I take anything for granted.

I am dedicating my 1,000th post to my 2015 running year in review. This year has been a little different than 2014, where I went out of control and did too many races which nearly burned me out. I made the decision to run fewer races this year and focus on experiences such as racecations. While I only completed 5 races in 2015, 2 were in other states and 1 was out of the country - less medals isn't such a bad thing when you had an Epic racecation year.

January 
2015 runDisney Walt Disney World Marathon

The 2015 Walt Disney World Marathon was my 4th 26.2. I had run this marathon in 2014 as part of the Dopey Challenge and when my best friend Keri stated she wanted to run her first full marathon, I knew this would be the one for us. We had an amazing time and this was my first (and only) marathon running with a friend. My Mom even met us at mile 25 so we could cross the finish line with a glass of Moet Champagne.

2015 Rock n Roll New Olreans Half Marathon

Two weeks following the Disney marathon, my husband and I headed up to run the Rock n Roll New Orleans Half Marathon where we had the opportunity to run by the exact spot we said "I Do" 4 months prior. I went on a cruise with my best friend the week prior to the RNR Half and I was exhausted from our girls trip (too many cosmos). I nearly considered cancelling our trip to NOLA all together. During the race, I had a full fledge a melt-down. This was my first time where I seriously considered a DNF. I was hurting all over and started crying mid-way through the race. However we pushed through and finished. Afterwards, I reflected on the experience and what I would do different next time (not do back to back races with a 4 night cruise in between). At the end, I would've been pretty pissed at myself if I DNF. I'm not a quitter. This helped me grow as a runner.

February 
runDisney Princess Half Marathon  

In 2012, I ran my first 5K during the Princess Half Marathon weekend with my co-worker Nicole. We decided to celebrate our accomplishments by running the 2015 Princess Half Marathon as rebels - we didn't dress up as princesses. We had an absolute blast at this race and it brought back so many memories. I recall that day in 2012, when we both so nervously started our 5K. Neither of us ever imagined being where we were today. Nicole has ran Dopey twice (while I was a one and done) and between the two of us, we have accomplished more than we ever thought were possible. I've recently noticed so much negativity around the runDisney events and this saddens me. I owe everything to them. If it weren't for the amazing races Disney puts on, I would've never signed up for my first race and would surely not be a multi marathon runner.

March
Rock n Roll DC Half Marathon

The Rock n Roll DC Half Marathon was my first full rain running event. While the 2014 NYC Marathon had awful weather, the DC race was non-stop rain. While the weather was not on our side, both my husband and I fell in love with this event. This is one event we will try to return to in 2015. The course was so much fun and it was great running through the Nations Capitol.

Summer 2015
ASICS Ambassador

After a year of working with ASICS on a non-official level, I finally got the invite to become one of 16 bloggers who were chosen to be the first class of ASICS America's ambassadors. This is such an amazing opportunity and l have a hard time believing I am part of this team. I feel honored each and every day to represent a company I love. I am not a speedy runner. I am not the strongest runner. Yet they believed in me.....and my 15 ASICS besties :)

October 2015
The Dublin Marathon

I completed my 5th Marathon which was also my first international race in October - the Dublin Marathon. This was an amazing once in a lifetime opportunity thanks to ASICS who became their apparel sponsor in 2015. We had an incredible time in Ireland and have memories that will last a lifetime.

On a side note, since starting this blog in 2012, I have completed over 30 running events. 5 Full Marathons and 13 Half Marathons. It's hard for me to fathom. When I started this blog, I had only one 5K under my belt. If I have one piece of advice for anyone, it is your body can do anything your heart desires. Thank you for sticking with me over the last 1,000 posts :) Here's to many great memories to come.

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Simple Homemade Ramen Noodle Recipe

Over the past two years, I have become absolutely obsessed with Ramen. I am not talking about the $0.19 dry packets that we all lived off of in College. I am referring to true Ramen, with homemade noodles and broth that is cooked for days. This obsession has rubbed off onto my husband and while we were in DC a few weeks back, he insisted on eating Ramen everyday we were there.

This obsession of mine started a few years ago when I went to Seattle for a Food Blogger conference. My friend Leslie is a noodle obsessed foodie and suggested we try Ramen while there. I was sold. What I loved about Ramen is that you can truly make it your own by adding spice, eggs, pork, extra veggies, you name it.

My husband got his first taste of true Ramen when we were in New York a few months ago for the NYC Marathon. It was cold and rainy plus I needed to carb-load. We had reservations at a fancy Italian restaurant the night before the race but I wasn't feeling it. I wanted Ramen and off we went to To To Ramen after seeing this was one of the highest ranked Ramen joints in Midtown East. I ordered the Miso Ramen and added Avocado. To this day, he will tell you this $8 bowl of delicious noodles was the best thing he has ever ate in his two trips to NYC.

Then we went to DC for the Rock n Roll DC Half Marathon and I believe this is when my husband became a noodle addict. We had similar weather conditions to NYC and ran all 13 miles in the cold, wet rain. It was near impossible to warm up and all either of us wanted was a bowl of Ramen post race. Thanks to many recommendations of facebook friends, we found ourselves at Toki Underground, where I fell in love with Kimchi Broth and made it a goal to try and recreate something like this back at home.

The Ramen noodles themselves are super easy to make if you have a Pasta Maker. We were very lucky to receive all of Kitchenaid's pasta attachments for Christmas this past year. Gabe's parents got us the Kitchenaid Pasta Roller Attachment while my parents got us the KitchenAid Pasta-Extruder. We used the extruder for the ramen and had enough noodles for a small army. We found a recipe on Fine Cooking which turned out perfect.

Homemade Ramen Noodle Recipe
(adapted from Fine Cooking)
1 cup hot water
2 Tbs. kansui (see below on where to find kansui or how to make your own kansui)
1 tsp. salt
3-1/2 cups 00 flour or unbleached all-purpose flour
Instructions
Stir together the hot water, kansui, and salt in a medium bowl until dissolved.

Put the flour into a stand mixer using the paddle attachment. Set your machine at level two and drizzle 3/4 cup of the kansui mixture. Scrape the sides of the bowl to incorporate any dry flour. Continue mixing in the remainder of the water 1 teaspoon at a time. Switch to the dough hook and knead by machine for 3 minutes. Remove the dough and finish kneading by hand for 2 minutes.

Shape the dough into a smooth square, wrap in plastic, and let rest for at least 1 hour.

If using the KitchenAid Pasta-Extruder, divide the dough into pasta balls as the instructions suggest. If using the Kitchenaid Pasta Roller Attachment (or other pasta roller), divide dough into 5 squares. Pass each piece through the rollers, starting with setting 1 and working through to setting 5. Coat the dough sheets well with flour to prevent sticking, and then pass noodles through the thin-width cutters. Boil immediately for 2-3 minutes, or wrap well and refrigerate for up to 3 days.
The Mess:
Excuse my messy kitchen / office pic above but I wanted to include something that showed the KitchenAid Pasta-Extruder in action. The not so wonderful thing about living in a condo is that my main living areas were turned into a makeshift office once I started working from home. Plus making homemade pasta is a mess.

The Toppings:
We have done so many variations of different recipes and no matter how hard I try, the photos are not attractive, so I refuse to post them. My favorite to date is a Kimchi Ramen, my attempt to recreate the broth we had at Toki Underground in DC. I used a variation of the recipe found here (I pureed my Kimchi and left out the nori). I added pork which I made in  my slow cooker, saving 1 cup of the broth it cooked in and added it to my Kimchi broth.

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Review of Grand Hyatt Washington DC

We had a wonderful experience in DC last week and it all started at the Grand Hyatt Washington. There are a lot of amenities I look for when booking a hotel but convenience is the most important feature for me. If staying in DC, you will not find a location more convenient than the Grand Hyatt.

Rendering of the remodeled lobby

My husband and I were in town for the Rock and Roll DC Half Marathon. We took the Metro directly from the airport into DC. I assumed we would have to navigate to the hotel once we got off the train, however my GPS told me that the Hyatt was only a few hundred feet away. That's when I saw a sign for a walkway from the Metro to the Hyatt. The Metro Center has direct access to Grand Hyatt Washington's lobby.You don't even have to walk outside to get to your hotel.

Spacious King Room

Grand Hyatt Washington is in the process of getting a huge makeover and the progress was amazing. The rooms were very comfortable and spacious. Plus we received an amazing treat of homemade granola and wine from Vermont, which made for an excellent pre-race breakfast (the granola, not the wine!!). Oh - and FREE WIFI for all guests staying at the hotel!

Our hotel was located a little over a half mile from the race start, which was at The National Mall. On race day, we walked straight to the start with no lag time, which was great being it was freezing and wet. After the race was over and I warmed up, I quickly headed down to Cure Bar and Bistro for my celebratory glass of champagne.

Along with a great wine list, Cure also has a craft cocktail menu that will make any cocktail aficionado swoon with a rotating monthly special. Cure Bar and Bistro has a great bar menu and I had the chance to enjoy their local charcuterie & a bistro jar of pimento cheese (not pictured). They also offer dinner and a speedy lunch in DC with a share-able style lunch menu that is great for groups (pick 3 items for $13, 4 items for $17 and 5 items for $20).

Along with Cure Bar and Bistro, Grand Hyatt also has a breakfast restaurant called Cabinet that was recently remodeled. Due to lack of time, we weren't able to check it out - however, their menu is pretty incredible with unique healthy options. Another great accomodation included in the remodel is that Grand Hyatt is getting a full serviced Starbucks this May!

I mentioned above that Grand Hyatt Washington was close to everything. We were able to walk to the Staples Center, The White House, The National Mall, Ford's Theatre, The Smithsonian's, Holocaust Museum and the National Archives. Overall, we were very impressed with Grand Hyatt Washington and this will be our "go to" hotel else when we come back to DC for our next visit.  You can follow Grand Hyatt Washington on Social Media to keep in the loop with their upcoming specials and events. Twitter | Facebook | Instagram

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2015 Rock n Roll DC Recap

Register now for Rock n Roll DC 2016

One week only: $50 for Half Marathon and Full Marathon, $25 for 5K

No other coupons or discounts can be applied to this rate. 

My husband and I were in the Nations Capitol this past weekend for the Rock n Roll DC Half Marathon. This was my first trip to DC since I was one years old, so to say I was an excited tourist the entire time is an understatement. Unfortunately it rained the entire race so I have very limited course photos. Plus, I wore a jacket over my bib, resulting in zero marathonfoto of me and having to go through thousands of unidentified pics to find one!

The night before the race, we had dinner at Mike Isabella's Graffiato. I'm a huge fan of Top Chef and was so excited to carb load here. My favorite item that we ordered was by far the Piquillo Pepper Risotto with quail egg and pork belly. It was off the chain. Following dinner, we headed back to our hotel to get a good nights sleep. 

When we woke up on Saturday, the forecast looked better. Upon going to bed, the rain was at 100% - however, it changed to 40%. Both Gabe and I decided against wearing our rain jackets and this was a HUGE mistake. While my jacket kept rain off of me, it wasn't the best for wind resistance. Gabe, wearing a short sleeve shirt, shorts and CEP sleeves, was freezing the entire time. I was head to toe in ASICS, my outfit shown here.

The first few miles flew by. We ran through the National Mall area. We saw the Capitol Building, Washington Monument, Lincoln Memorial, and Arlington National Cemetery. Due to the rain, I couldn't take any photos.  We have one marathonfoto of us running towards Arlington.

Rain aside, we LOVED this race. I will say that it is my top three favorite races, ever. Somewhere between mile 5 and six along the Rock Creek and Potomac Parkway, we encountered a very steep hill, which I quickly renamed to a mountain. This was the beginning of the elevation. We stopped intervals and began walking up the hills and running down the hills.

I will say this was the first time I have ever ran a half marathon without complaining. Maybe I was so focused on the rain that nothing else bothered me. My ankle and knee were pretty much pain free. I would say I probably had a smile on for the entire race - shame we didn't get any marathonfotos!!!!

I had VIP access at the finish but both Gabe and I were soaking wet and freezing. All I wanted to do was get out of these clothes and eat a giant bowl of Ramen. I skipped out on my VIP experience (when I have ever been known to turn down champagne) and we headed to the metro. This was the start to many mistakes over the next hour. We headed to the metro with thousands of other runners and were stuck waiting. Gabe was shaking from being cold and I was super concerned he was getting hypothermia. We decided to walk and find another metro station, only to find ourselves walking an additional 2 miles. By the luck of god, we found an available taxi and 5 minutes later were in our hotel.

Since I am not one to break traditions, after I showered and changed, I found myself at Cure Bar and Bistro located inside of the Grand Hyatt Washington. To my bliss, they had Moet, which I promptly got a glass of.

After I finished my delicious glass of Moet, we headed to Toki Underground for a giant bowl of Ramen. This was by far the best Ramen either of us had ever tried. I ordered the Kimchi Ramen with extra noodles. The flavor was incredible and exactly what my body needed after a cold/wet 13.1.

Finally, we couldn't go to DC without going to Georgetown Cupcake.

Overall, this was a fantastic racecation, one that we will probably do on an annual basis. I cannot wait to get back to DC for another trip. Three days was not near enough time. Fortunately, we did see a lot of sites while there, which I will cover in a different post.

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Prepping for rainy weather conditions at Rock n Roll DC

I HATE running in the rain. If it is sprinkling out, I will make every excuse in the book not to go outside for a run. When I started stalking tracking the weather for Rock n Roll DC Half Marathon this weekend, I instantly freaked out. Little did I know when I signed up for this race that DC deals with more rain than Seattle. On a lighter note, did you know DC residents drink more wine per capita than the 50 states? Another thing I learned while researching DC rain.

As of today, Saturday's weather is foretasted to be 100% rain with 77% humidity and 64 degrees during the race. I cannot even fathom this. When ASICS sent me items for NYC Marathon training, they included some rain gear, a 2-N-1 Jacket (which still has tags on it) which will keep me dry and I can pull the arms off if it gets too hot. My original plan for this race was to wear red white and blue since we are running in the Nations Capitol. This has changed due to the weather and luckily, I own a pair of Gel Nimbus 16 that match my jacket!

ASICS RNR DC Rain Outfit

Emma Racerback  / PR Capri pants / 2-N-1 jacket / 2-N-1 jacket / Hat / GEL-Nimbus 16

I'm not too thrilled about the weather and fear 64 will be too warm to wear capri's (especially with the humidity). My other option is to wear my ASICS PR Skort instead of the capris and wear a pair of compression sleeves. I will bring both with me and make my decision on race morning.

ASICS rain gear

PR Skort / Rally Leg Sleeves / Emma Racerback  /  2-N-1 jacket / 2-N-1 jacket / Hat / GEL-Nimbus 16

Tips for running in the rain:

As I mentioned above, I do not run in the rain. It is why my training slacks during the hot, humid and rainy FL summers. I found 10 tips for running in the rain from Verywell.com and most of these will apply for us this weekend.

1. Wear a hat with a brim - the hat will keep the rain out of your face.
2. Dress in layers if it's cold - if it is cold and rainy, you need to layer with the layer closest to your body being a technical fabric which will wick water away from your skin.
3. Don't overdress - Dress for the temperature (this is why I am thankful for my 2-N-1 jacket)
4. Use a garbage bag -We are packing garbage bags to wear to the start line. I know many people who ran Wine and Dine Half last year who wore garbage bags for the entire race.
5. Be visible - bright colors with reflective strips are very important for running in the rain
6. Wear old running shoes at the race start - This is a hard one for many of the races I have done. We will just wear bags over our shoes until the start.
7. Prevent chafing - this goes for all weather conditions, but more important when your skin is wet from the rain.
8. Protect your electronics - Keep your electronics in a zip lock bag. Our arm band is 100% waterproof so I am good here!
9. Just run!
10. Dry out your shoes - After you are done, stuff your wet shoes with newspaper, it will draw out the moisture and help keep your shoe shape intact.

 It isn't my planned Red White and Blue outfit but at least I will match, stay dry and be cute :) Speaking of cute, if it wasn't going to monsoon on us, I would have so worn my brand new Gel Nimbus 17, which I am madly in love with and will be reviewing shortly (best Nimbus to date).

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