A Case of the Runs

Remember this entry in which I donned wore a Milhouse costume ? And in 2008... did not blog about this... but here I am as a Tinkerbell. Thinking back to that Halloween, I was working two jobs and had the worst commute. I rushed to get ready for that year's brother-in-law (to be, at the time) party. Halloween is one of my favorite holidays! I don't like hassling with a costume, but I do like its significance -- that is, the REAL beginning of the holidays! As for my 2010 costume? See below, but in the meantime, I leave you with some shots of Halloweens past: Above: 2006 Above: Also 2006. Above: 2009 -- I mostly worked on the Mario. And now, 2010. The bro-in-law party theme was: Tim Burton Movies . Here's the inspiration of the costumes. I cheated a little and went with the cartoon version, because I don't have any resemblance to Winona Ryder . Here's me without the poncho-thing.... This is more accurate to the Madonna-type fashion in the Tim Burton Beetlejuice m...

Talk about a rocky relationship. A while back, I blogged about my intended re-commitment to go easy on eggs and dairy. For a while, it did not bother me that I wasn't eating too many of these products. I didn't miss them. But I had become an eggs and potatoes kind of girl. That is -- until the massive egg recall we had a couple of months back. Since then, my egg consumption has has lessened, and when I do eat them, they are no longer enjoyable. And certainly, I have not craved them like I used to, and not because they were recalled. But then, my cravings made a turn for the worse -- cheese. As a child, my favorite food was cheese, and even now, my top three favorite foods (1 - pizza, 2 - lasagna, 3 - Potstickers) are mostly cheesy. While I've learned to veganize some of these (e.g., vegan lasagna / pizza ), there's nothing like eating pieces of cheese on crackers. And let's be honest... not even the best cheese subs are quite "the same." I wish d...

This is a completely weird entry, but having read enough blogs by now, I've seen plenty of people disclose their health quirks and statuses. I got a HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act) statement from my new health insurance company. They spent pages upon pages pledging that they would protect my health information under most circumstances. I am definitely grateful for such privacy! And then I thought about the times I've blogged about/alluded to my actual or suspected anemia hematuria lactose intolerance lost toenail mysterious skin lesion slew of running-related muscle/joint pains swollen lip allergic reaction Now, there's plenty (like you wouldn't believe) HIPAA-sensitive stuff that I have NOT shared on here. I think that protecting my confidential information from insurance companies really is sort of an afterthought when I post. Moreso, it's just that I don't want people close to me to know. I did, however, name my blog "A Case ...

Fall is awesome , along with all the flavors that come with it. Here are some of my flavor abuses of the season: Above: Pumpkin oatmeal with hazelnut milk. Above: Oops, this isn't pumpkin, but it IS Fall-related. I tend to crave ramen when it's cold. (No, I did not eat that meat in my bowl, but I know someone who did!) Above: These sweet-potato fries are CLOSE to pumpkin, right? Pictured with a faux-chicken wrap from Green Earth Vegan in Pasadena, CA. This place (and Whole Foods ) has allowed me to stay away from vegan fast food . Above: I was running one evening after work, and the crisp breeze made me crave pumpkin IMMEDIATELY. I picked up an expensive can of pumpkin after my run and whipped up this muffin and some friends below: Above: Plenty was shared an enjoyed by all! They (recipe here ) were moist, but the bottoms didn't want to stay with the rest of the breads. Above: You better bet I tried THIS. The flavor was subtle, but definitely good! Above: Fall-related wine...

EVENT: Camarillo Half-Marathon DATE: Sunday, October 9, 2011 LOCATION: Camarillo, CA RACE BEGAN: 08:00 am FINISH TIME: ??:??:?? I ran this race just earlier this month and have signed up again so quickly. Why? It received bad press due to its difficulties, and I wasn't that impressed by the stretches of farmland that made up most of the course. However, in an effort to vindicate the race for those who ran it, veterans were offered free entry into the 2011 event (if registering before the end of 2010). Given that I had a pretty good race, shortcomings or not, I signed up and paid the $1.25 Active.com processing fee. At that price, if I don't make it for some reason, it won't matter... So if I do indeed show up at the start, I can't wait to see version 2.

I cannot emphasize enough how happy I am that it's time to taper. As you can see by my training so far , I've really been making a better-than-usual effort to stick with the training. And by golly, I've been way better than average when it comes to sticking to it, even though it started sliding off perfection during the second half (of 18 weeks, though). My goals for this taper period are: 1) Appreciate not having to run 8-milers on weekdays. (Thank GOODNESS!!!!!!!!!!!!!) 2) Eat more vegetables. 3) Not get injured. You see, I've been careful not to push too hard in vain efforts to increase my speed. I've learned that I run a whole darn lot faster if I am NOT injured. (I consider this the most important goal.) 4) Keep up with my supplements and SLEEP. 5) Don't get sick. Related to #4. A feat, since I think something is going around. 6) I'm going to make an extra effort not to take anymore walk breaks during my remaining runs. I have been using walk breaks as ...

My latest culinary experiment was making spring rolls. I've been eating these at home since I can remember. Rather than unsuccessfully try to repeat my mom's version: I couldn't find a non-fried version, but these are similar. Photo credit to Tea Time. Also, see this Random Photo Entry for a better version. I had an "Americanized" version of this at Whole Foods and decided to try to replicate theirs. It contained tofu, clear noodles, lettuce, carrot, cucumbers, and cabbage. So I picked up a few things, including this: And made these: The main "meat" is tofu that I pressed and marinated with hoisin sauce before pan-frying it. I added lettuce, spinach, some clear noodles that I boiled, shreds of carrots, cucumbers that I pickled with some vinegar+salt+sugar, avocado, and some yellow bell pepper. You have to soak the wrappers into hot/warm water before putting anything in them, but after that, it's just like makin' a burrito. Obvio...

I ran my first race in 2006, about a month after I turned 21. Above: In boxers (though it is hard to tell from this picture). Also... in this picture, I was pretty darn blind. I can see without glasses, but when I used to race without them, I would often squint. Honestly, it got nauseating at times. So at Tea Time's suggestion, I got contact lenses. Because of my astigmatism , my eyes need special toric lenses that spin around with the movement of my weird-shaped eyeball (which is the cause). They probably cost a little more than TWICE of normal contact lenses, and I can only change them monthly. Well, better than yearly, which used to be my only option. Yes, ONE PAIR of a whole year. Agh! Above: From the balcony of my college apartment. For a point of comparison, here's a picture taken not too long after the (nerdy) above. This shot was at my (now) brother-in-law's family's beach house... a couple of days before I started graduate school. I blogged about those sunglas...

More random photos as of late: Above: This is a list of tasks I need to complete in order to finish my dissertation. Though it may look like a lot, I would say it isn't... because there are details here that are pretty specific. Above: The weirdest snack I've ever seen, courtesy of my sister (hidden with her bass clarinet). Above: When I passed my preliminary orals, I was greeted that evening with this red velvet cake. Above: Months ago, I got some kind of bite on my right upper arm and couldn't help myself much when it came to scratching it (bad!). Just like a parent, "The Ukrainain" told me that if I didn't get my act together, maybe it would get really bad, and I'd need an amputation. Oh geeze! Above: Something I got at the mall... I was starving and desperate and didn't end up eating all that much of this (the dark parts are Oreos, which I DID eat). This was probably the worst slush of this sort I've ever had.

Yard House is one of my favorite restaurants, though it is mostly known as an alcoholic establishment. "The Ukrainian" and I used to come here pretty often, but now that we are older, wise, and poorer (kidding, of course!), Yard House and I had been strangers for a while. A colleague (yes, I know I use that word to describe my classmates AND co-workers, or basically anyone I've met since I graduated from college) and I went to happy hour here. While I have always liked the vegetarian choices here, they started using Gardein , which opened up a whole new world! Above: My raspberry ale. So originally, I wanted to run after this (early) happy hour, but that never happened. I think I was pretty ridiculous to think the run could still happen! But that's okay... I did it the next morning. No, I did not get a hangover. I had maybe half of this and half of another beer. Above: Gardein buffalo pieces. The sauce was AWESOME and definitely had a kick. I haven't had...

Can there be love without that intimacy of words, discourses of deep thoughts that neither of us truly have? Can there be love if you know nothing more of me (and I of you) than a young body and demure wit? Can there be love, me never loving before a man who also loved me? ... This poem, which I wrote almost three years ago, continues. It is a reminder, a fragment of the 450+ poems I have composed during a decade of my life that actually does not seem that distant from me. I had wanted to be a writer when I was a pre-teen. My user handle, "Nobel4Lit," came from the fact that I wanted to win a Nobel Prize for Literature. Yes, I liked to write THAT much. But several things came in between me and that dream -- teachers in high school who brought me down, comparing myself to other people who write better than me, emotional instabilities, intellectual changes, and my gravitation toward the "pseduo-science" they call psychology. Since then, I traded poems for research...

------ This Week's Workouts: Sunday - rest Monday - 0 (of 5) mi; 50 min cardio (elliptical w/arms & s. bike); 20 min strength (abs/hamstrings/upper body) Woke up today with a headache(?) or massive stiff neck... can't tell which. Something told me I needed to take it easy. Pumped my gas, went to the gym, tried to run and once I got over my morning deadweight legs, realized I was running straight toward burnout hell and decided to do other cardio instead and save it for Tuesday. Tuesday - 8 mi - outdoors Done like dinner, punk! (Extra pride due to the fact that I am feeling worn out with questionable health. I've had a sore throat for 6 days now, although today so far feels better than the rest.) Wednesday - 5 mi - indoors; 20 min strength/stretch Thursday - 5 mi - outdoors; 20 min hip-openers yoga Two five-milers (PM and AM in a row... take that, lack of energy!). Friday - 10 min s. bike, 20 min strength/stretch Saturday - 20 mi - outdoors Weekly Mileage: 38

Today is this A Case of the Runs' fourth blog-o-versary! (Can't you see from that picture that' I'm wearing 4 hats?) ;) In March of 2006, I posted this entry in my old LiveJournal account after watching my sisters, Tea Time and Sister S complete their first marathon. I thought it was such a monumental feat and an affirmation that I really thought I could do anything that I strived to do. A Case of the Runs was born on October 16, 2010 in Kerckhoff Hall at UCLA sometime in the afternoon, the day after I ran my second half-marathon in Long Beach , CA. I was hashing out my last quarter of undergraduate studies and wanted to remember my race experiences so that I could pinpoint the good and the bad in the future. My sisters were into scrapbooking, but I did/do not have the patience or creativity for that. The blog was the solution. My site was hosted on my school's domain back then, but in April of 2007, I moved it over to Blogger . That was around the time I realized ...

This week begins the final month of training before the San Antonio Rock n Roll Marathon . I usually don't "look forward" to marathons very much, beyond just getting them "over with," but I think a few things have changed my outlook: 1) Following my sister 's journey to the Chicago Marathon. 2) Running more than 20 miles this weekend without dying (much). 3) I REALLY need a vacation! I haven't been anywhere truly "away" since maybe May in Santa Barbara , or perhaps in June in San Diego . As for plane rides, I haven't been on one of those since June 2008. 4) My CEP compression sleeves , salt-packet sucking, and GU intake strategy have been helping out with these long runs a lot. 5) I've been pretty good about eating well and really good about my supplements , so I'm starting to feel MUCH bette r now than I had been. ------ This Week's Workouts: Sunday - rest Monday - 0 mi (of 5); 45 min cardio; some foam roller; 10 min weights T...

I've actually tried a lot of these vegan cookies, which are about the size of a CD. One cookie will set you back about 400 calories, but for 15 grams of protein, it isn't a bad deal. The flavors I've tried are: oatmeal raisin, lemon poppy seed, chocolate chip, and peanut butter. I featured this peanut butter one because it's my favorite. I like the little peanuts that you can find in it. If you are a non-vegan, these cookies are sure to please. They may not be as crumbly as "normal" cookies, but I personally think they taste better than the "real" counterparts. Best of all, these cookies come from good ol' Los Angeles, a place that I will always consider my home no matter where I end up!

I picked up one of these cookies one day at Whole Foods in the refrigerated bar section. Due to my urge for something sweet, I chose this vegan cookie, which had 7 grams of protein and decent nutrition overall. Here's the shot of the lovely cookie. Look at all that chocolate-y goodness!! I liked that this cookie came cold, because I LOVE refrigerated desserts, probably even more than fresh-outta-the-oven ones. This cookie is dense, not too sweet, but definitely a sweet-tooth pleaser! I categorized this in the " bars " category, because honestly, this is better than most bars. It just happens to be a in round shape! Now if only it were cheaper...

It's been a while since I've done one of these Random Photo Entries ... So in the true spirit of randomness, here are some recent photos: Above: I saw this shirt at Target and thought it would be ironic of me to wear it due to my lactose intolerance. Above: End-of-summer concert at the Hollywood Bowl . Never have I seen so many light sabers being thrashed/pumped in the air at once. Above: My dad claims these are the smallest mangoes in the world. Above: Yogurtland ! "The Ukrainian" and I sometimes go here for dinner (although as implied above, I am NOT the dairy queen). Yes, you read that right -- dinner. We normally share a tub like this. Above: I somewhat regret not getting this dress, but I honestly don't have an occasion or closet space for this. But I still like taking random fitting room pics as sort of a "try before you buy" thing.