Zopf

At last nights Easter Saturday "Think globally - Drink locally" wine tasting at the Yellow Beacon, this nut bread went over quite well.

Ingredients:

Doug

• 500ml warm milk
• 200g soft butter
• 150g sugar
• 1000g flour
• 1 egg
• yeast
• 0.5 tsp. salt
• 1 tblsp oil

Mix all ingredients to form a soft yeast dough.  Let rise in warm location until doubled in size (tupperware with lid works well)

Filling

• 100g ground almonds or hazelnuts
• 100g sugar
• tsp rum, almond extract or vanilla
• tsp cinnamon
• enough water to make mixture spreadable

Roll out dough into two rectangular shapes of about 0.5cm thickness.  Spread filling evenly onto rectangles.  Cut each rectangle into 3 stripes lengthwise.  Roll up strips so that filling is in the middle.  Pinch seams shut.  Braid 3 rolls into a loaf. Repeat with remaining 3 rolls.

Bake in preheated oven at 165C for about 45min or until golden brown.  If desired, brush braids with egg yolk before baking or cover braids with sugar glaze after baking. 

2015 New Year's Resolutions

It seems I get later and later every year with jotting down my resolutions for the New Year.  Not that I haven't been thinking about them.  2015 will be a year of big goals and changes... But first, since I don't even remember my last year's resolutions, lets have a look how I did:

2014 In Review

Goal #1: Marathon time of under 4h! I signed up for the Abottsford Run For Water Marathon 25 May and are aiming to train for an under 4h time!
(Oops, while I did run the marathon and had loads of fun, I did not make the time to train as much as I should and didn't focus on a PB)

Goal #2:

• Follow training routine for the marathon.  (oops, as above)
• Consistently run 4 times a week (hm, I think 2 runs a week are more realistic. Because of a small injury, I did not run as much as planned)
• mid week runs consisting of one 10km tempo run and one speed work out  (as above)
• weekend runs, ideally two, including one distance run according to the marathon training schedule. (as above, I did keep up my endurance to be able to run 2hs though)
• follow training plan (nope)
• increase pace (do not skip the interval/speed training) - (argh, although, I think I have become a tad faster and have started running with 2 friends in the hope they'd push the pace)
• do not get injured (oops again - I think that was the main damper on my enthusiasm. Hamstring/gluteus irritation seems to finally get better)
• lose another 5kg (hm, need to work on that still)

Goal #3: Participating in the Vancouver New Years Day Fat Ass - custom course of at least 25km - done

Goal # 4: Participating in at least the following other events/races:

• Capilano Canyon MardiGras Night Run - done
• Mountain Highway Madness - done
• Capilano Canyon Midsummer Nite Night Run - done
• Pure Satisfaction - done

Goal #5: run the Trans-Canada Trail. Ideally, parts from Coquitlam to the Coquihalla Summit that I've never been on - not done

Goal # 6: 1 peak in the Peak Bagger Challenge (anticipating being on the road for my marathon training, so keep this one low key) - done, Fromme Mountain with Penny and Hollyburn with Killaine

Goal # 7: ride my bike to work 3x week - weather permitting - done, likely averaged more with the exception of a couple of icy or otherwise heinous weather weeks in November and December!

Goal #8: add a weight/strength routine to my schedule (2x a week at home with free weights and balance ball)  Started out well with this, then waned, then started again with abs and squat challenges, but found I was generally just tired towards the end of the year.  This has to change!

Goal # 9: stretch at least 5 timse a week (focus on calfs, hips and hamstrings) as above, started out well and then somehow lost interest...now everything is so tight, it is not even funny!

Goal #10: Add some other sports to the mix occasionally, ie. skiing , snowshoing, inline skating, badminton, kayaking, swimming, Ultimate. Realistically, I won't have time to add this into a weekly routine, but doing something different every once in a while would be nice.  Well, we ended up mountain biking in Moab.

Goal #11: volunteer for Kneeknacker again (aidstation captain at Cleveland Dam) - done

Goal #12: swim in the ocean at least once a week in the warmer month - hm, I have to try hard to remember...oh right, the beaches in North Van were closed for most of the warm summer months.  That was a real bummer. I did swim Hotel Lake lengthwise with KC and Teresa during one of William's camping weekends.

Goal # 13: have a big athletic adventure of some kind: overnight hiking/snowshoe/bike/kayak trip (or something along those lines) - I think Moab counts, as well as the circle bike route with Wendy from West Van, via Sechelt to Powell River, Comox and Nanaimo and the Cathedral Lakes overnight hiking tour with Ean.

And what are my resolutions for 2014?

Goal #1: This is a non-athletic goal that will supersede all other goals for this year. I am enrolled in the Re-Entry for RN's Program at Thompson Rivers University. This will take all of 2015 and then some. The courses will require about 30 hours of study time per week. I scaled my work days back to 4 and will put my head down...Yikes, nervous!

Goal # 2:

• keep up my running routine of at least 2 weekly runs. 
• do not get injured 
• lose another 5kg 

Goal # 3: Participating in the Vancouver New Years Day Fat Ass - custom course 17km - done

Goal # 4: Participating in at least the following other events/races:

• Capilano Canyon MardiGras Night Run 
• Mountain Highway Madness 
• Capilano Canyon 
• Midsummer Nite Night Run 
• Pure Satisfaction 

Goal # 5: 1 peak in the Peak Bagger Challenge (likely no time for more given my studies)

Goal # 6: continue to ride my bike to work 3x week - weather permitting

Goal # 7: add a weight/strength routine to my schedule (2x a week at home with free weights and balance ball)

Goal # 8: stretch at least 5 times a week (focus on calfs, hips and hamstrings)

Goal # 9: If studies go well and Kneeknacker date does not interfere with courses, volunteer for Kneeknacker again (aidstation captain at Cleveland Dam). This is a stretch goal and might have to give.

Goal # 10: swim in the ocean at least once a week in the warmer month

Goal # 11: have a big athletic adventure of some kind: overnight hiking/snowshoe/bike/kayak trip (or something along those lines)

Goal # 12: Start working on a book I have in mind about my adventures as bike commuter - again this might be a stretch goal given the studies, but I want to at least collect ideas as they come up and have an outline.

Abbotsford's Run For Water

Abbotsford's Run For Water Under My Feet:

• apprehension yesterday due to injury and not putting as much training in as I had planned
• sleepless night. Afraid to miss the 4:00am alarm
• getting up that early was astoundingly easy
• I had prepared a breakfast to take along and coffee for the drive. Coffee making didn't quite work out as I forgot to put the lid on the automatic coffee maker. Ended up with an interesting brew
• good that I gave myself ample time to get to the late race packet pickup, stretch of the highway was closed overnight and required a detour though BBY and Coquitlam.
• pre race routine falls into place. Not many runners milling about. No lineups for start numbers
  or portapotties. 
• start at 7:00. No jostling for space.

• course winds out of town quickly and leads through mostly agricultural land with small farms, cows in barns, horses. Beautiful kept gardens and a very intense smell. 
• aid stations are plentiful and manned with enthusiastic and helpful volunteers. Course is marked every km and there are motivational signs posted even more often. It seems like the whole community is fundraising for clean water for villages in Ethiopia
• What a nice little marathon
• set out too fast for my training with km splits from 5:09 to 5:30 for the first few kms. Figured I seize up after about 21km anyway. Pain in my left hamstring is constant but not getting worse
• having fun and enjoying the scenery, including an abundance of redwing black birds. The weather is perfect, coolish. Light rain starting at about the 1/2 marathon point just over 2 hours in.
• slowing down until passed by a runner who I decided to hang onto. Nice conversation with this marathon virgin who is running for his 50th birthday. We pick up the pace, but eventually he drops back.
• Nice to see Ryan Hill, my physio, cheering along the course. Hang on, he wanted to run this thing....
• pick up a young dude who hit the wall, is in tears and walking. I tell him that it's all mental and will hurt if he walks or runs and 'order' him to start running again . He lasts about 3 km but eventually can't dig deeper.
• trying to pick up the pace for the last 10km but don't have it in me. Digging deep to not walk.
• still, picking off a few suffering half marathoners. Trying to hang on to a woman who by the looks is an experienced runner in my age group. Have to let her go.

• with three Km to go I get passed by a gaggle of East Indian Canadian runners (and their friends running them in) and manage to keep with them.
• Digging deep. Just before the finish chute I pick up another suffering soul and tell him that he can do it. Little did I know that he would fall into a full blown sprint. I fear for my muscles but we cross the finish line together.
• Nicely organised finish area in Mills Lake Park. I load up on food then head to the car to change. The rain is now coming down hard. 
• after putting on some warm clothes I hanker for a coffee and would have liked to mill about the finish area a bit, but I decide against it because of the rain. A bit of a let down end to the run
• happy to have this in the bag... I might have to come back next year for that PB, but for now I will add some more trails to my running routine. Enough asphalt for my legs for awhile. I might even drag Ean out for some yoga with Desmond.
• what is it with the chafing... yowl under the shower...ugh.
• it is not too late to donate on my pledge page for RunForWater. Thanks to all who have chipped in, Kristie, Tundra the Dog and Pat.

New Year's Resolutions, Looking Back and Ahead!

Now that the Christmas and New Year activities are slowly coming to an end, the Christmas Tree is ready to be taken down and the house is in need of a major post holiday clean-up, I thought I'll give my New Year's Resolutions a shot. CBC Radio had a few good pieces on making and keeping resolutions this week and I felt somewhat smug thinking I did good on last year's set.

So here are my 2013 goals and how I did for the past year:

"Despite feeling more like a cyclist than a runner these days, my athletic goals for 2013 centre around running. Together with pals Wendy and Pat, I signed up for the Berlin Marathon, September 29. Ever since the Berlin wall came down, I wanted to run the Berlin marathon and run through the Brandenburg Gate. Growing up in postwar Germany, running under the Brandenburg Gate was not a realistic thing to have on your bucket list ;-) Well, it is on my list for this year and planning for our trip is slowly kicking into gear, as is the training.

Goal #1: Complete the 2013 Berlin Marathon - done, success

Goal #2: Establish a training routine for the marathon done, success

• find time to add 2 weekday runs to my 3 bike commute workouts (this is going to be the most difficult part for me) 
• consistently run at least 1 day on the weekend, with increasing length according to training plan 
• pending a 10km road pace run, obtain training plan from dad (marathon runner, coach and mentor extraordinaire) 
• follow training plan 
• increase pace (do not skip the interval/speed training) 
• do not get injured  - well, while I didn't get a training injury, I had a bad fall, ripping my MCL (grade 3 tear). Was sidelined for 3 months, but the marathon goal helped me to stay focused and work on recovery and later on getting back into running and increasing mileage to the marathon distance. 
• lose weight to (as the skinny boys participating in the Resolution Contest call it) get into fighting shape - done, success, lost 9kg! 

Goal #3: Participating in the Vancouver New Years Day Fat Ass - custom course of at least 10km - done

Goal # 4: Participating in at least the following other events/races:

• Capilano Canyon MardiGras Night Run - done 
• Mountain Highway Madness done - that is where I ripped my knee... 
• XTC 25K - off running because of above 
• Bill's Great Peak Ascent - off trail running because of above 
• Capilano Canyon Midsummer Nite Night Run -  done 
• Go Deep or Go Home -  done 
• Go Deep -  not done 
• Seymour Super Fun Run - not done 
• Pure Satisfaction - done 

Goal #5: run the Trans-Canada Trail. Ideally, parts from Coquitlam to the Coquihalla Summit that I've never been on - not done, as I was very focused on the marathon goal and didn't do much else after getting back on the road

Goal # 6: 1 peak in the Peak Bagger Challenge (anticipating being on the road for my marathon training, so keep this one low key) - done - DePencier Peak with Ean

Goal # 7: ride my bike to work 3x week - weather permitting (I've been averaging 3.5 per week rain or shine in 2012, but will need to adjust to accommodate my marathon training). done

Goal #8: add a weight/strength routine to my schedule (2x a week at home with free weights and balance ball) - hm, did some as part of my rehab and up until the marathon, but have lapsed since

Goal # 9: stretch at least 5 times a week (focus on calfs, hips and hamstrings) Intermittently successful, needs more of a routine still

Goal #10: Add some other sports to the mix occasionally, ie. skiing , snowshoing, inline skating, badminton, kayaking, swimming, Ultimate. Realistically, I won't have time to add this into a weekly routine, but doing something different every once in a while would be nice. Did go swimming in the summer

Goal #11: volunteer for Kneeknacker again (aidstation captain at Cleveland Dam) done

Goal #12: swim in the ocean at least once a week in the warmer month done

Goal # 13: have a big athletic adventure of some kind: overnight hiking/snowshoe/bike/kayak trip (or something along those lines) Family kayak trip in Desolation Sound"

And what are my resolutions for 2014?

Goal #1: Marathon time of under 4h! I signed up for the Abottsford Run For Water Marathon 25 May and are aiming to train for an under 4h time!

Goal #2:

•  Follow training routine for the marathon.  
• Consistently run 4 times a week
• mid week runs consisting of one 10km tempo run and one speed work out  
• weekend runs, ideally two, including one distance run according to the marathon training schedule.
• follow training plan
• increase pace (do not skip the interval/speed training)
• do not get injured
• lose another 5kg

Goal #3: Participating in the Vancouver New Years Day Fat Ass - custom course of at least 25km - done

Goal # 4: Participating in at least the following other events/races:

• Capilano Canyon MardiGras Night Run
• Mountain Highway Madness
• Capilano Canyon Midsummer Nite Night Run
• Pure Satisfaction

Goal #5: run the Trans-Canada Trail. Ideally, parts from Coquitlam to the Coquihalla Summit that I've never been on

Goal # 6: 1 peak in the Peak Bagger Challenge (anticipating being on the road for my marathon training, so keep this one low key)

Goal # 7: ride my bike to work 3x week - weather permitting

Goal #8: add a weight/strength routine to my schedule (2x a week at home with free weights and balance ball)

Goal # 9: stretch at least 5 timse a week (focus on calfs, hips and hamstrings)

Goal #10: Add some other sports to the mix occasionally, ie. skiing , snowshoing, inline skating, badminton, kayaking, swimming, Ultimate. Realistically, I won't have time to add this into a weekly routine, but doing something different every once in a while would be nice.

Goal #11: volunteer for Kneeknacker again (aidstation captain at Cleveland Dam)

Goal #12: swim in the ocean at least once a week in the warmer month

Goal # 13: have a big athletic adventure of some kind: overnight hiking/snowshoe/bike/kayak trip (or something along those lines)

Hot Pepper Jelly

For the last month or so I have been getting the "warnings" from the family, that "we are almost out of Mama's Special Hot Sauce".

Mama's Special Hot Sauce aka Hot Pepper Jelly is a favourite around our dinner table and comes out of the fridge almost every night.

Whipped up a new batch last night.  Unlike in previous years, I used powered pectin as I only had one package of the liquid left and couldn't find more at the store.

Here is the recipe:

• 8 cups finely chopped red bell peppers (I run them through the food processor
• 20 hot red jalapeno peppers, chopped (used peppers from Ean's crop grown with love in pots on our front porch)
• 2 cups vinegar
• 2 packages certo pectin
• 10 cups (yikes) sugar

Sterilize canning jars and lids.  Mix peppers, hot peppers, and vinegar in large saucepan on high heat. Add pectin.  Stir constantly and bring to a full boil. Add sugar and bring to boil again.  Boil for 1 minute, keep stirring. Remove from heat and laddle into hot jars.  Close jars and wait for the pop when the vaccum builds.

Yummy!

Pizza

 I was asked to divulge my pizza dough recipe.  It is embarrassingly easy:

Ingredients:

Dough

• 500g flour
• 1tsp salt
• 1 tbsp yeast
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1 tblsp olive oil
• 400-500ml warm water

Toppings

• olive oil
• minced garlic (lots and lots if you like)
• sliced fresh tomatoes or sliced soaked dried tomatoes
• sliced red peppers or roasted hot chilies
• fresh garden herbs when available (thyme, oregano, sage, chives work well) or dried herbs
• cheese (feta is nice, but you can switch it up and use cheddar, mozerella or parmesan

Mix all dough ingredients well.  Slowly add the warm water to form a kneadable dough.  Cover and let rise for 1h.  divide into three equal portions.  Roll out thin on cookie sheets or pizza stones.
Drizzle with olive oil, garlic and herb.  Then cover with tomatoes and peppers.  Add cheese.

Bake at 175C - 200C for 20-25 minutes.  

Happy Riding

Happy riding today:

• Unexpected sunshine and beautiful sunrise this morning 
• Love my "social circle" of other riders/walkers:
  
  This morning, the chatty Brit, who almost always passes me somewhere near The Bridge, had a big smile on his face, as did I, as we marveled about the unexpected sunshine.
  
  The disheveled looking young man, who looks like he can hardly make it out of bed, yet there is is every morning on the bridge riding to North Van. Last year, he didn't have a bike light nor a helmet, now he at least rides with a light. Last year he stopped to make room for me to pass, but never made eye contact, now he looks at me and after I sing my "good morning, thank you" at him he raises his hand in a military salute. The stories I invent about him...
  
  The girl who I often see mornings and eves: powerful, lean. Not sure where she is going or from where she is coming, but she must add distance, because sometimes she passes me twice. This afternoon, we ended up waiting at a red light together. I didn't recognize her (I guess I only know how her rear looks) and made a comment about what a nice day it was for riding (we were both soaking wet and the rain was teaming down) and she smiled and happily replied, "yes, it is lovely"...and she wasn't being sarcastic and she was right.
  
  ... and then of course there is the guy who I hardly ever see, but his bike is there rain or shine, summer or winter, parked in the underground at work. He has his spot, I have mine. I worry, when his bike isn't there when I arrive in the morning. Ran into the rider today and I remarked that we are the only ones in the building riding year long. He said, he'll soon won't be there anymore as he is getting transferred to North Van.... I might end up seeing him on The Bridge. 
• How many friendly social interactions did you have on your commute today?
• BTW, no incidents with cars today. In fact, there was hardly any traffic both morning and evening.