The Chicago Marathon and Chocolate Chip Cookies

After a long weekend running and recovering from the Chicago Marathon, I decided to make some cookies to bring into school.  Now, I decided to make my "famous" Inception Cookies because you cut each cookie in half and you get double the cookies.  It makes baking for my advisory or other classes so much easier! I wanted to celebrate the marathon a little with them and we have a pizza party at the end of the day today and so I figured it was an excellent time to bake some cookies.

A few weeks ago, I decided to try out a new recipe and it was a huge success.  Now, this recipe doesn't have you putting oreos inside of cookies so it's not as cool looking, but it did turn into a really great chocolate chip cookie.  

I found the recipe over at Cook's Country.  I didn't do much to change it up except add a pinch of cinnamon to the dry ingredients.  However, the cookies came out really great! They were chewy with a bit of a crunch, flavorful, and stayed soft for a long time.  Everyone loved them!  Try it out! 

The Chicago Marathon was also a crazy success and a great reason to bake (and eat) some cookies.  It was my third Chicago Marathon and 4th marathon.  I finished with a PR of 4:18:39.  This is 12 minutes faster than my last best time!  I was so excited.  I finished with my best running buddy, Jana, and we were both so happy!  I celebrated with Brian and my family and it was a great day.  

Now, I need to recover and get ready for the New York City Marathon on November 6th!  I'll keep you posted on my ongoing training! 

Marathon Training Monday: Summer Marathon Training

Sorry! I took a little vacation.  And, by vacation, I actually mean I was like really sick for a while!

I ended up finishing up my last day of school and coming down with something.  It was horrible.  I had a fever and just felt like I couldn't move.   Turns out I had a sinus infection and bronchitis!  I took medicine and now I am all better!

I had to take a break from running as well and I am grateful that this illness happened at the beginning of summer marathon training.  I missed a few runs, but nothing that would get my off track.  And, in general, summer training has been off to a great start!  The runs have been pretty hot and I think this is going to be a sizzling summer in Chicago, but at least I have my group that I train with and there is a lot of water support along the lakeshore path where we run.  During the week, to beat the heat, I wake up around 4:45 or 5 and get my run in super early.

Our long runs so far have been 6 miles, then 7, and then 5 this past Saturday.  This week I have to run 3, 3, and 3.  Then, Saturday we jump up to 9 miles.  I feel like this is the week where I am going to really start to feel like I am training for a marathon again.

For those of you that don't know, I am training for TWO marathons.  I got into Chicago and New York through the lotteries and so I am going to do both.  The races are 1 month apart and I am super excited about them.  This will be my third time running Chicago and I just love it.  It will be my first time running New York and so that makes it really exciting.   If anyone out there has any advice for New York, I'd be grateful to hear it!

Madison Half Marathon

I had a great weekend.  I went to Madison, Wisconsin with my family to run the Madison Half Marathon with my bestie, Tamara.  It was her first half marathon and she totally killed it.  We had so much fun hanging out in Madison, eating good food, and celebrating the weekend.  We have already started talking about when we will run our next race!

When we arrived on Friday, we had dinner at Dotty Dumpling's Dowry.  This is a Madison classic with great burgers.  It was delicious.  Then we headed to the Ivory Room where we listened to dueling pianos.  It was a blast.

A beautiful day at the Farmer's Market

On Saturday, we went to the Farmer's Market.  This farmer's market is the king of all farmer's markets.  There are so many great stands and almost all of them are handing out samples.  The veggies, flowers, and cheese are abundant.  We had so much fun sampling things and we even got some scones to take home.  We also ate some famous Stella's Spicy Cheese-y Bread.  Then, we walked down State Street and did some shopping.  I got a super adorable alumni sweater that I am really excited about!  After that, we went to dinner at Cento.  This place was delicious and the perfect place for a pre-race dinner.  Bri and I split a pizza and some risotto and it was amazing!

DINNER!

Sunday was race day.  The race started at 7 am and we finished in 2 hours and 8 minutes.  I was super impressed with Tamara.  Her foot was hurting her, but she wouldn't let that get in the way!  We kept a super consistent pace of 9:47 per mile and we were both really happy at the end.

Some of my awesome support team! 

We celebrated with brunch at the Great Dane downtown.  I got the Huevos Rancheros and we, of course, split some cheese curds (when in Wisconsin...).  It was such a fantastic weekend and it was a great half marathon!

Marathon Training Monday: Race Day! The Nashville Marathon

Race day was a blast.  Well, sort of.  The day started off a little rough.  It was storming and pouring so the start was delayed and instead of starting at 7:15, I didn't cross the start line until 8:15.

Then, I ran through downtown Nashville.  Nashville is just adorable.  There was a lot to look at as we ran through Honky Tonk Central and Music Row.  However, it was also super hilly.  Around mile 11, the half marathon runners and the marathon runners split.  This was interesting because we went from being part of about 40,000 runners to part of about 5,000 runners.  It was nice to have the space, but it was also a little depressing because you know that they only have about 2 more miles and you have 15.  Plus, as we watched our half friends run away towards their finnish, we had to run up a super long hill.

Hills.  Those hills were rough and they were relentless.  Seriously, there really wasn't a flat part of the course and as the mileage went up and up I got really tired.  I had to walk a few times when the hills just were too much for me.  Although the hills were a downer, a lot of the course was pretty cool.  We got to run through a baseball stadium and get on the jumbotron!  We also finished by Nissan Stadium which was pretty neat and we had to run downhill to get there.  Also, the last part of the course was pretty and through a park.  On top of all of this, the bands were pretty great and there was a lot of music along the course to keep us distracted.  

I was bummed about walking, but I truly had a good time.  It was fun to see so much of Nashville and to run with my training buddies from Chicago.  We all finished and that was also great.  I finished with a time of 4:49.  This is 19 minutes slower than my previous time in Chicago, but considering the heat, humidity, and hills, I am actually pretty proud of this time.  The medals were super cool, the shirts were adorable, and then I went and ate all the food.  Nashville ended up being pretty great!

Marathon Training Monday: Eventbrite and my Favorite Races

So, something super cool happened recently.  Eventbrite inspired me to chat about some of my favorite races.  Eventbrite is the largest self-service ticketing platform.  You can use them to create your own events!  Just go to their Event Planning and Management page and sign up!  They help you get organized and get everything you need to get your event planned and make it happen!

Races are obviously some of my favorite events.  One of my favorite races of all time was the Chicago Marathon.  It is such a terrific event and although I was super nervous to be running a marathon, the event was so well run that it made a lot of my anxieties go away and I could just focus on being there and running well.  I felt like I just had to talk about this phenomenal race today because I was just accepted through the lottery system to run it for my THIRD time!

To prepare for a marathon, I start the week before.  I drink plenty of water to stay hydrated, I eat normally (I don't try anything new), and I wear comfortable footwear.  I start to lay out everything that I will need for race day a few days in advance.  This includes my running outfit, but also my energy gus, sunscreen, chapstick, advil and whatever else I feel like I may need.  Then, I make a reservation at an Italian restaurant for the night before so I can get that typical carb-loading dinner in.  Basically, I have everything planned out and ready to go.  The Chicago Marathon itself is very much the same way.  They have everything super organized and well planned.  When you get there crazy early in the morning and you are feeling nervous, there are plenty of volunteers and signs helping you find your way.  They also have tons of water and gatorade, supplies you may need, and tents for you to change in just in case you need that space.  They are playing music and the overall atmosphere is just inspiring.  This is what really gets me into running and makes me want to run more!

Eventbrite is really great because you can create your own events and they support you by helping with all the logistics as well as the web page.  If I were to create an event, I would want it to embody the same sort of spirit as well as organization as the Chicago Marathon.  Maybe one day I will host my own event!

Marathon Training Monday: The 20 Miler!

Ok, so it is Tuesday, but I was super lazy and didn't post yesterday.  I am feeling super lazy because this past weekend was moving weekend and the 20 miler.  Basically, I am super exhausted.  However, I am also super proud that I completed the 20 miler.

This past Saturday, I ran 20 miles along the Chicago Lake Shore Path.  It was the most difficult and most miserable run I have ever been apart of.  For 10 miles, we ran on ice (take a look at that pic above) and then for another 10 miles we ran into super strong/cold wind.  My face felt destroyed and my legs were hurting so much by the end.  I started the run nervous because I was already sore from moving.  Then, that ice just made me miserable.  You run differently on ice and you hold a lot of strain in your body.  Thus, I am still a little sore.  I also know that if I can do what I did on Saturday, I can definitely run a marathon.  AND, the plus side is now it is TAPER TIME!

Taper means we run less and less over the next few weeks in preparation for race day.  I am officially 18 days from race day and I couldn't be more excited to be at this point and finally tapering.  This week the mileage is 5, 8, 5 and 12.  I know this still sounds like a lot, but it is a far cry from last week's 6, 8, 6, 20.  So, I am very excited.

At this point in training, I am also hungry all of the time! It is sort of crazy.  So, I keep a lot of high protein snacks (like almonds or greek yogurt) nearby at all times.  I also celebrated the completion of the 20 miler with a bloody mary/brunch at Roots.  You even get a mozzarella stick on top of your bloody mary!

I am also stretching and resting as much as I can and I only wear comfy flats to school.  Overall, I am trying my best to take care of myself and get ready for the big day!

Marathon Training Mondays

I can't believe it's April.  It is snowing! Ugh.  My run on Saturday was a 14 mile run which I was excited about because it was a taper run (it is the longest "taper" run).  However, as we ran those 14 miles, it SNOWED.  And, it wasn't just pleasant flurries, nope, it was horrible, wet, blowing in your face, snow.  At this point in training, I would love for it to get warm because I want to sort of dress how I will dress for Nashville.  My actual marathon may be significantly warmer than any of the training runs leading up to it.

To account for this, my running group leader suggested taking really steamy showers just to get used to being warm.  Also, running indoors, while super boring, can allow you to at least get used to the clothing that you will wear for the actual race.

This week is peak week.  This means that I will be running about 40 miles in one week.  This week culminates with the 20-miler.  20 miles is the longest run that I will do before actual race day.  I can't believe I am already at this point!  Today I am planning to run 8, then I just have to run 6 and 6 on two other days.  It is going to be tough, but I am excited and I can't wait to get that 20 miler over with! Wish me luck!

Marathon Training Monday: 18 Miles

Ouch.  This run was tough.  I mean it's 18 miles and that is just plain tough, but for some reason my legs just felt super exhausted the entire time.  That being said, I finished, I ran 10 minute miles the whole time, and I made it through despite my tired legs.  This makes me feel super confident about the race ahead of me.

I'm not sure I would have run continuously had I not had a group to hold me accountable.  Plus, it helped that my running buddies were all going to brunch after the run.  So, long story short, I ran for delicious brunch.  And, the brunch totally delivered.

This week the mileage really increases again.  I have 6, 8, 5, and 14.  This is also the week before "peak week" where you run a ton and end the week with the big 20 miler.  I can't believe I am at this point again!

In other marathon news, I GOT INTO NEW YORK!!!! I am super freaking pumped.  I can't believe it!  I entered my name into the lottery months ago and I found out that I am in! So, on November 6th, I will be joining the thousands of runners who flock to NYC to run through the 5 boroughs!  I am so excited :)

I am also pretty jazzed about the fact that I just got some new shoes and a bunch of new gu gels for all my crazy running.  I have also stopped going to my boot camp class because it was just too much.  I'll pick this up after the race on April 30th, but until then instead of more legwork, I am doing lots of stretching and resting when I am not running all over the place.  With the marathon only 34 days away I want to make sure I am doing everything I can to get ready and not hurt myself!

Marathon Training Monday: 15 Miles

Saturday was the first long run over 13 miles.  The 15-miler is always a run that intimidates me while simultaneously exciting me because it is the first run longer than a half marathon and therefore the first run that makes me feel like a rockstar marathon runner.  Running 15 miles and feeling good afterwards is a the best because it reminds me that I can totally run a marathon.

Friday night, I had a fancy dinner party with some friends.  We cooked some amazing food, but we drank wine while we cooked that amazing food.  This is typically totally fine, but our food wasn't ready until 9:30 and I didn't go to bed until 11:30.  When I woke up at 6 am, I had a bit of a headache and felt exhausted.  Uh oh... So, I took some advil, put on my running shoes/clothes and headed out to our meeting spot for the 15 miler.  All the while, I kept thinking "I'm not so sure about this..."  The first 5 miles were not great.  I felt so tired.  But then, I started to feel better and the last 5 miles felt great.  It was the strangest run, but I am so proud of myself for killing it.  I treated myself to a delish lunch from the whole foods salad bar (salmon, roasted sweet potatoes, and broccoli) and went home feeling very sweaty and very happy.  This past week was a tough one.  I ran a total of 33 miles.  I feel tired, but also strong and I can't believe my marathon is less than 2 months away!

This week the mileage increases even more.  I am going to run 6, 9, 6, and then 16.  That makes for a total of 37 miles.  This is pretty intense.   I have plans to take good care of myself, get to bed at reasonable times and avoid any fancy dinner parties.  I should be fine :)

Marathon Training Monday

Marathon training is really getting into full swing.  On Saturday, we had a taper run, which means that we ran less than the previous two weeks.  It's a nice way to keep running while making sure that your body has time to recover in between build weeks.  This past Saturday was 10 miles.  This is still super long so that is always how I now that I am really into training.

This week is a build week and the mileage is really getting up there.  Today, I ran 5 miles.  Tomorrow is 8 and then on Thursday 5 again.  Then, Saturday is 15!  15 always sounds scary to me because is is the first Saturday run that is longer than a half marathon.  It is an intimidating distance, but when it is done I end up feeling super pumped because I know that I can totally complete a marathon.

This is my third time training for a marathon, but it is the first time that I have continued to do boot camp (strength training).  I was nervous about this because I don't want to hurt myself, but so far I am feeling great and I don't get or stay sore for very long.  So that is awesome!  Also, I am getting faster!  Strength training for the win!

I love my boot camp, but I am also looking into other options to do strength training that helps my running.  If anyone has any ideas, please let me know!

Marathon Training Mondays

I'm not sure what's going on with me, but I am just not that excited about running right now.  I think it is the weather or the season or something, but I am just feeling pretty "blah" about working out.  I just want to sleep!

So...I wrote that, but then I went and ran for 30 minutes and it felt pretty good.  I think that I am just annoyed with running in the dark on a treadmill in the mornings.  I really want to go for a nice run outdoors in nice weather, but I suppose I'll just have to wait a few months...or move to a warmer place.

Speaking of moving, we are looking for a condo and we think we found one that we absolutely love! I'll keep you posted, but we are planning to make an offer today! Woo!

The mileage this week is 3/6/3/12.  I'm not sure if I'll do the 12 since I will be out of town, but that is ok.  I feel like if I miss one long run, I'll be totally fine.  Ok...I'm off to run 6 miles! Have a nice day!

Marathon Training Monday

I hope that everyone had a nice weekend!  My weekend was super busy, but also pretty great.  We had a friend's birthday party, brunch with my family, and we went house hunting!

On top of all that, I had my 9 mile run on Saturday and I went out to breakfast afterwards with my group.  It was a good run, the weather felt cold, but it was also sunny and it was a good group of people!  I caught up with someone I hadn't ran with in a while and after there were 6 of us that went to breakfast at Whole Foods.  Overall, it was a great way to start the day!

This week the mileage increases even more.  I have 3/5/3 for the weekday runs and then 10 on Saturday.

Also, the NYC Marathon Lottery is open!  So, of course, I applied.  I don't have a good feeling about getting in.  I know it is a "random" lottery, but I am applying for the first time and I have never volunteered or anything for that marathon.  I figured, I'll apply for the NYC lottery as well as the Chicago lottery and just see what happens! Wish me luck!  If you have run that marathon before and have any words of wisdom, I would love to hear it!

I hope everyone has a great week and for all the Midwest runners out there, enjoy the relatively amazing winter weather!

Marathon Training Mondays: New Chocolate Protein Shake Recipe!

Sorry this is a little late...but I have the day off! Yes!  It's MLK Day and so there is no school today.  I actually slept in (ok so only until 6:30, but still) and then I had my New Chocolate Protein Shake and ran 4 miles.

This week's mileage really starts to build.  This past Saturday was our cut-back run and it was only 5 miles.  This week I have 3/4/3 and then 9!  I feel like anything over an hour is a long run so 9 miles will for sure feel more intense than five.  I also did my 4 mile run today instead of my 3 mile run because I figured with the extra time it would be nice to do my run and then relax.

It is also crazy super cold right now.  The high today is like 9 degrees and when I walked downstairs to the treadmill in our apartment, it said the temperature outside was -1.  Yuck!  It is way too cold to run outdoors.  I have been today that it is dangerous to run if it is 0 or below.  So, don't do it :)  Find a way to run indoors or skip the run.  You run so much while marathon training that it is okay to skip a run once in awhile. If you had told me that 2 years ago when I was training for my first run it would have stressed me out, but seriously it is okay to not run once in awhile!

So, today I am going to tell you about a great protein shake recipe!  I feel like this is sort of amusing considering I am currently making some cinnamon rolls in honor of my day off.  However, for the most part I have been all about the protein shakes for breakfast and I have already lost a few pounds over the last few weeks!  Protein powder in smoothies is a great way to support muscle gain and weight loss.  You can check out this article at DbolMuscleSecret for more information and to help you choose the best protein powder for you!  Incorporating protein and into your breakfast is the best way to satisfy any morning hunger you might feel and help you get to lunch without snacking unnecessarily.  I do my workout in the morning, drink my protein smoothie and some coffee and I am good to go until my lunch later in the day!

Chocolate Protein Shake

Ingredients:
1 cup unsweetened almond milk
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 scoop chocolate protein powder (find one with no fat or sugar)
1 tsp almond butter
1 tsp cinnamon
5-6 ice cubes

Directions:
1. Place everything into a blender and blend until smooth!

Enjoy :)

Marathon Training Mondays

It is the beginning of week 3 of marathon training!  I feel like something that I actually love about training is that it really does make time seem to fly by.  Right now, in the dead of winter, I am a fan of time flying.

On Saturday, I returned to my wonderful CARA running group for a fantastic 7 mile run along Chicago's Lakeshore Path.  It was amazing and the weather was so not wintery!  If you have never run with another person, you should try it.  This is especially true for all you "non-runners" out there.  Even if you only go a couple blocks, running with other people is run, you get to know each other really well because you chat while you run, and it makes the time fly by.

This week the mileage is increasing a bit.  I have to run 3/4/3/5.  So, while my mid-week run is longer, the weekend run is actually a cut back!  When we have cutback weeks, my running group always has a happy hour on Thursday...how fun is that?

Alright you crazy runners, I am off to run my 3 miles and I hope you all have a great Monday!

Marathon Training Monday

It is week 2 of winter marathon training!  This week the mileage is 3/3/3/7 and I am excited because on Saturday, for the 7 mile run, I will be back running with my CARA (Chicago Area Running Association) group.  I am super excited to see some of my running buddies from summer marathon training and catch up with them!

Today is also the first day back to school after the two week winter break.  I am excited to see my students, but I am also a little bummed that break is over.  I was getting so much stuff done for the wedding and I was cooking and working out more than usual and it was really nice.  However, school is also pretty great and I'm sure that once I get back into the swing of things I'll be fine.

Combining marathon training with school/coaching is going to be tough.  I am working on a schedule where I don't feel too overwhelmed.  So far, I wake up early (4:45), have a protein shake and drink some coffee, then, around 5:15 I start my run.  Right now I am running on a treadmill indoors because it is too dark to run outside.  Hopefully, as it gets lighter in the morning I will be able to run outdoors.  Then, after my run, I shower, and get ready to go to school.  My goal is always to be ready to go around 6:45/7 in the morning.  We'll see how it goes!  Oh, and get ready to hear all about my protein shakes! I found a ton of good recipes HERE and I'm working my way through them to find a few that I really love!

Marathon Training Monday: Winter Training

Today is Day 1 of Winter Marathon Training!

I have never trained in the winter before and of course today it is super nasty outside.  However, today was just a 3 mile run to get back into things.  Like a crazy person, I went to bootcamp class at 5:45 in the morning and then afterwards, I ran my 3 miles on a treadmill while watching 30 Rock.  I'm not a big fan of running on a treadmill, but I watching netflix makes it so much better.

I think I am pretty ready.  I have to go pick up my stuff today (I'm training with CARA again so we get stuff) and I already have some nice winter running gear.  I have Nike thermal running tights, Under Armour Cold Gear for a base layer on top, and I got a really cute vest from Athleta for the holidays from my mommy.  I also already have my new pair of running shoes, but I have not started using them yet.

I still have to go get a handheld, insulated water bottle, but other than that I am good to go.

I am training for the Nashville Rock n' Roll Marathon on April 30th and I can't wait!  I also just found out that my bestie, Tamara wants to run her first half marathon and wants me to do it with her.  I, of course, said I would love to!  She wants to run the half in Madison, Wisconsin in May.  I couldn't be more excited about this half marathon as it was my first half marathon!!!  How cute is that?

Anyways, I will keep you posted on all my winter marathon running as I get going.  Here is the mileage for the first week: 3/3/3/6.  I'm planning on getting those three's done, today, Tuesday, and Thursday.  I am also going to continue strength training with bootcamp class on Wednesdays and I will do that until I feel like it is too much.  Here I go!

Marathon Training Monday: Fashion!

Ok, so I know almost nothing about fashion.  Don't get me wrong, I like to look nice/put-together, but my fashion sense is strongly linked to my desire to be totally comfy all the time.  I mean, I am wearing moccasins to school today.  Moccasins are basically glorified slippers.

However, with that being said, I do like to look nice while I am comfy and I have been getting super into looking at fun athletic wear!  I have gotten so into running and I love to treat myself to running clothes that are cute and comfy!

I found out about Fabletics from a friend and I am totally into it.  The clothes are amazing quality and they are so reasonable.  The sports bra that I wore for my marathon was from Fabletics! I love it!  They have the cutest options and if you don't want anything, you just say that and you don't get charged.  It's a great system and I have purchased some amazing things.  So, check it out and have fun looking great the next time you head to the gym or go for a run! You can follow this LINK!

Marathon Training Mondays: Turkey Trot 10K

Yesterday I ran my fastest 10K! It was super exciting and I think it is because of my confidence from completing my second marathon and from all my boot camp conditioning classes I have been going to.  I felt great and I was able to maintain a 8:45 pace.  I usually run at about a 10:00 pace so this is way faster! I shaved more than 6 minutes off my last 10K time!

I ran with Jana which was super fun because it brought back all those marathon training memories.  And, guess what?  We are both going to be doing winter marathon training because we are both running the Nashville Marathon in April!  I can't wait!  Winter training starts January 2nd.  It is going to be super cold.  Yesterday was super cold as well and it went great so that gave me confidence that running in the cold will be totally doable.

I did have the issue yesterday of not having any winter running gear! I work leggings and a longsleeve shirt with a jacket over it.  It was a pretty lame running outfit.  I'll have to look for some actual running clothes so that I am ready for winter training!

Homemade Pretzel Rolls

After you run a marathon, you get this special "eat whatever you want" pass.  This can be dangerous with me since I'll crave something weird and then I'll go an make it.  However, this year I didn't really crave anything that strange.  I have been super into pretzel things lately though.  I decided that I needed to make my own pretzel rolls and then I used them to make sandwiches for lunch or dinner.  They were pretty simple to make.  You just need a lot of time since you have to let the dough rise.  As a post-marathon snack.  These guys are great since they are filling and a little salty.  For a school lunch, they are also amazing since they are a little bigger than slider sized.  They made for the perfect sized sandwich when I don't have a ton of time to eat!  

Today I have to go back to school after a long weekend.  That is always a little tough.  However, I am excited to see my students and get back into a routine.  I am also trying to get myself moving again so that I can work through some of my soreness.  So, I am up early and I am going to walk on the treadmill in my building.  I'm hoping that once I start I'll feel better.  

I am also planning on heading over the LA Fitness sometime this week for a morning class.  I haven't been there in a really long time and I feel guilty about having this gym membership that I haven't been using.  So, I am going to pack a shower bag and try out a morning workout at the gym.  

Then, since I'm getting my workouts done in the morning, I will have more time to make these awesome rolls again in the afternoon! 

Homemade Pretzel Rolls

(adapted from Mel's Kitchen)

Ingredients:

1 tbsp active yeast

2 tbsp canola oil

2 cups skim milk

1 1/2 cups water

2 tsp kosher salt

6 1/2-8 cups unbleached, all purpose flour

3 quarts water

1 tbsp sugar

1/4 cup baking soda

salt for sprinkling

Directions:

1. Heat the milk and water in the microwave for about a minute.  They should be warm.  Then, in a large bowl, combine the yeast, canola oil, milk, water, and salt.

2. Using a mixer, a spoon, or your hands.  Start to add in 6 cups of flour.  Mix until you have a dough-like consistency.  Add flour as needed so that it is not too sticky.  Once your dough comes together, knead for about 5 minutes. The dough should form a ball and be slightly springy.

3. Grease a separate, large bowl and place the dough in.  Cover with a towel and pace in a draft-free area for about 2 hours or until it has doubled in size. 

4. Punch down the risen dough and start to peel off pieces to make small balls.  You should end up with 16 balls of dough.  Gently roll each ball and let sit on a baking tray or the counter for about 20 minutes.  

5. While the dough balls are resting, pour the 3 quarts of water, sugar and baking soda into a large pot.  Bring to a boil on the stove.  

6. Take 4 balls of dough at a time, pinch one side of the dough to gather it into a ball-like shape and place in the boiling water.  Let them boil on each side for 30 seconds - 1minute each.  Place each finished piece of dough on a lightly greased or parchment covered baking pan.  Repeat this process with all the dough pieces.

7. Preheat the oven to 425.

8.  Using  a very sharp knife, slice a few slits into each ball of dough.  Sprinkle some coarse salt over each one.

9.  Bake the rolls for about 20 minutes.  Let cool and enjoy! 

My Second Marathon!

Guys...I killed it!  It was 15 degrees hotter than last year and the last three miles were tough, but yesterday, I finished the Bank of America Chicago Marathon.  Plus, I did it in 4 hours, 30  minutes, and 7 seconds.  This is 7 minutes FASTER than last year!  It was amazing. 

I got ready by laying out all my clothes and gear bag the night before and I went to Caro Mio for a delicious pasta dinner.  I had one glass of wine with dinner (I figured it might help me fall asleep) and I didn't overeat.  I just enjoyed my pasta until I was full and brought home leftovers.  Then in the morning, I got dressed, ate breakfast, drank coffee, and took some advil.  I also made sure my name was stuck to my shirt and put on sunscreen.  Finally, I took my running belt with 4 Gu's, chapstick (for chafing), my phone and headphones and I was ready to go.  I wore a long sleeve throw-away shirt over everything since it was chilly and it was perfect.  

All ready to go!

Lauren and I are ready!
It was her first marathon and she killed it as well! 

Around mile 15 I found Bri!

After the race, I felt so stiff and so awesome all at once.  Like I said earlier, it was hot so the last 3 miles up Michigan Avenue were tough.  Then, you have to power through this stupid hill on Roosevelt.  But then, you can see the finish.  I didn't think about how tired or hot or sore I was, I just ran and it was awesome.  Here are some after shots:

Right after...

Celebrating with our families and friends!

And this is the best part...eat WHATEVER you want :)