Month: May 2020

Marathon #9: The Social Distance Run

Exactly what it sounds like

The only time this race is happening

This pandemic has cancelled many races, as seen in the Vancouver Marathon a couple weeks ago. Orca Running put on the Social Distance Run for the first and hopefully only time for that very reason. The Social Distance Run is exactly what it sounds like: participants choose a distance to run on their own and use a GPS to track their time and distance—all while maintaining a minimum physical distance of at least six feet.

I used the same gear as last time: Osprey 1.5 liter hydration vest, Gu energy gels, and the Strava app on my iPhone.

How it works

There are six distances for this race: 5K, 10k, half marathon, 30k, full marathon, and 50k. I strongly considered the 50k (31 miles), which is an ultramarathon distance. I was already training for the Vancouver Marathon, and with the two races only two weeks apart, there wouldn’t have been enough time to train for an ultra. I chose the next best thing: another full marathon.

This particular race comes with many perks. All participants get to join the private Facebook group for encouragement, motivation, questions and answers, and an endless supply of dad jokes. It’s a highly supportive and responsive group—runners post about their progress, their amazing long runs, and even when training gets difficult.

The Social Distance Run also sends out weekly emails and training programs. I was using my own program since I was already training for two full marathons. They also sent out Pop Tarts for those who signed up for the ultimate race package.

Alone together

There’s more fruit and seeds than oatmeal here

I slowly ate my oatmeal and sipped my coffee for breakfast, the fuel for this long race.

There’s something about running 26.2 miles alone. There are no crowds or spectators to cheer you on. You’re on your own, and you lean on that kernel of faith to keep going.

It’s like a metaphor for life, especially in these strange times: take it one day at a time. One mile at a time. Eat snacks, and drink lots of water. Keep going, stay present, and don’t ever give up.

We’re all in this together

Social distancing protocol still remained a minimum of six feet. When passing someone, I stepped off the sidewalk and ran carefully on the road. We‘d give each other the social distance salute, which is a wave and a nod of acknowledgement and gratitude. The best part was this vivacious old lady with cotton-candy-pink hair and heart-shaped sunglasses cheering me on from the other side of the street. I don’t know who she was, but I love her.

When I ran the Vancouver Marathon, running 26.2 miles alone in the 80-degree heat was an experience. I was a bit apprehensive about having a repeat. The weather this weekend was 20 degrees cooler, which makes a huge difference. Runners are like flowers in the heat—we wilt.

Another marathon completed

Goths enjoy running marathons, too

My time was still on the slower end: 05:34:56. It was still half an hour faster than the last race. Nonetheless, it’s my first time doing two marathons in a month. I’m so happy I did it!

The beautiful laser-cut wooden medal

Quarantine Bread

Quarantoast

We’ve spent nearly 3 months in quarantine due to the COVID-19 pandemic. I’ve been going through ingredients in order to minimize visits to the grocery store. While I’ve maintained a mostly gluten-free diet the last few months, there’s leftover wheat flour that needed to be used. The idea of making quarantine bread hit me.

It turns out that bread yeast is a hot-ticket item like toilet paper. Active dry yeast has become increasingly hard to find, so I ended up asking my neighbors for some through a “Buy Nothing” Facebook group. Now with all the ingredients in tow, I could finally make a loaf of bread that’s simple yet delicious.

Worth the time and effort

This bread takes about 4 hours to prepare and rise; the prep and rise time totals about 3 1/2 hours, and the bake time is half an hour. The end results are a fragrant and fluffy loaf that smells and tastes like heaven.

You will need

  • 3 3/4 cups of wheat flour
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons of salt
  • 1 tablespoon of flax meal (ground-up flax seeds)
  • 2 tablespoons of rolled oats
  • 1 1/2 cups of warm water
  • 1 packet of active dry yeast
  • 2 tablespoons of sugar

Steps to make and bake Quarantine Bread

Stir the sugar in the warm water; the sugar is what the yeast feeds on. Make sure the water isn’t too warm, or else it will kill the yeast.

Stir in the yeast, and let it “proof” for 10 minutes. You’ll know it’s ready when it looks foamy.

Mix the flour, salt, flax meal, and rolled oats thoroughly together.

Dig a little well in the center, and slowly pour in the yeast water.

With a wooden spoon, mix until a sticky dough forms. When the spoon can no longer mix, use your hands to finish this step. If it’s too sticky, you can add more flour, one tablespoon at a time, until it’s no longer sticking to the sides of the bowl.

It will look something like this.

Take the ball of dough out. Clean the bowl thoroughly and lightly grease the sides. Then put the dough back in.

Cover with plastic wrap and set aside for 2 hours. The yeast will work its magic to make the bread dough rise.

It’s so puffy!

When the 2 hours is up, you’ll have a beautifully risen dough. Carefully set the plastic wrap aside. Punch the dough down and lift it out of the bowl onto a lightly floured surface.

Knead about 20 times, then put it in a greased 9 x 5-inch loaf pan.

With the same plastic wrap, loosely cover the dough. Set it aside again, and let it rise for 1 hour.

Just a few more steps.

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Towards the end of preheating, slash the dough diagonally with a knife a few times.

Put the pan with the dough into the oven, and bake for 30 minutes. Towards the end, the fragrance of baking bread will waft in the kitchen, and it’s probably one of the greatest smells ever.

When the bread is done, let it cool for 15 minutes before transferring to a wire rack. Let it cool completely before slicing it.

The most beautiful loaf of bread

It’s so beautiful that I had to swaddle it like a baby.

The end result is a gorgeous, fragrant loaf of bread. The crust is thick and hearty, and the inside is steamy and fluffy. The first bite melted on my tongue, and it tasted like heaven.

The bread can be stored in the fridge for a few days. It does get slightly more dense each day. You can slice and toast it in order to revive the fluffy texture.

Melted plant-based cheese.

This bread is so versatile. You can add your favorite toppings, such as peanut butter, avocado, plant-based cheese, or whatever your heart desires. You can even slice it up and make French toast. There’s no right or wrong way to enjoy this bread.

Marathon #8: BMO Vancouver Marathon, the Virtual Edition

Why, hello there!

The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted just about every aspect of our lives. Events and races have been cancelled, classes have been moved online, and we haven’t seen our loved ones in months. (I, for one, am dying for a warm hug.) Essentially, the world has stopped.

The BMO Vancouver Marathon is no exception, so it converted into a virtual race. A virtual race is where you do the race on your own while using a GPS to record the distance and time.

Our Washington State governor released a stay-home order with a few exceptions of essential activities. Exercise is considered an essential activity, as long as a physical distance of at least six feet is maintained. For this, we are grateful–many countries around the world even prohibit exercise.

Prepping for the solo 26.2 miles

Water and electrolytes are a must.

While I don’t have a smartwatch to record my distance, the Strava app on my iPhone gets the job done.

Because this race is done alone, that means there are no aid stations. Participants must have their own supplies such as water, snacks, and electrolytes. I use an Osprey Dyna 1.5-liter hydration vest. That amount of water weighs a little over three pounds, so the extra weight might take some getting used to if you’ve never worn one of these before.

For electrolyte gels, I switched over to Gu Energy. (I was using Clif Shots before, and these happened to be on sale.) Before you do a big race, it’s good practice to sample a new gel before an easy run and see how your body reacts. Certain people’s systems may react to different gel brands. I personally have never had any problems with energy gels.

The long and slow 26.2-mile journey

As an introvert, I generally recharge from alone time. However, I do enjoy feeding off the buzzing energy from crowds. This is the first full marathon that I’ve done alone. No crowds. No spectators. It was just me and the road.

It was also 25 degrees warmer than what I’m used to. I was training in 50-55 degree weather, and it warmed up to 75 degrees that day! A friend said that the heat can slow down the pace by at least a mile a minute.

Lately, my body has generally felt heavy, slow, and sad. I’m always grateful that I can run this far, but this time it felt strange and even formidable. For the first 20 miles, I shuffled my feet, wondering why I even do these. Earlier in the week, I saw a sign online that said, “Do people who run marathons know they don’t have to?”

But I kept pushing through. I knew this was going to be a more challenging race. My time was going to be on the much slower end. This I knew.

Keep going. You have got to keep going.

I returned to my home after the 20-mile loop to refill my hydration vest. I did not want to set out again for the last 6.2 miles. Still, I had to finish.

I ran under the sun numb. I checked Strava every 10 minutes or so. Counting down one mile at a time. Then half a mile at a time. Then tenths of a mile. I kept going, almost numb to the stinging sweat in my eyes, until the app ticked 26.2 miles.

My finishing time was 5:57:13, my slowest time ever.

Post-marathon self-care

Chu Minh Tofu offers a great vegan feast

After every marathon, I am starving! Running a marathon can burn anywhere from 2,500 to 3,200 calories. This is on top of the daily 2,000 calories that the body burns for its usual functions. After a race that big, you may need 4,500 to 5,200 calories to replenish the energy lost. If you’re like me, you’ll feast on the best vegan food in town. This time I went to Chu Minh Tofu in the International District. This amount of food above was probably enough to feed four people…and I ate it all in one sitting. No shame.

A memory or a lesson

This race may have been the slowest, but I’m still glad that I did it. Everyone has their best races, and then there are ones that could be used as lessons. Did I give my best? Did I keep going? Did I finish? Yes to all of the above. It wasn’t my best time at all, but I still did it. Sometimes it doesn’t matter how slow you go, as long as you don’t stop.