Seven days until finish two.

One week from today I will be done with my second half marathon (2012 Rock 'n' Roll San Antonio).  Because my first one was so awful (due to improper training- my mom was a rockstar, I was a weakling) it's almost like this is the first one.

I am stoked. I am ready to go out and rock this thing. I am ready to work on my running speed after this is over, since I won't have to focus on my distance.  Saturday mornings will be all mine again.  You see when your jogrun is at about 13:30 minutes a mile (just under 4.5 mph), even the longest run done so far, at 10 miles, takes you over 2 hours.

Last time it took me over 4 hours to finish, and my mom was a trooper with me the whole way.  Justin even provided me moral support by walking a couple of the last miles with us.  He should have just signed up for the whole thing.

This time will be different. With my fully charged iPhone, my awesome mix of music and a little voice telling me to go faster (literally, with an app on my phone).

All I have to do is follow the path shown by the purple line:

Want to pay to get text messages to see where I am on the course? Go here. I swear these people think of everything.

Please send me some positive race day vibes!

City Solve San Antonio- Winners

My friends and I entered a Photo Scavenger Hunt for fun.

Four unassuming young women from the Junior League of San Antonio.

For fun we solved the clues, ran around downtown and Southtown San Antonio in the rain and took multiple pictures with all teammates in them.

I fell behind the group as we ran towards the finish line, but saw the cute couple team, The Tortoise and The Hare, behind me and knew this was no time to walk.

Must keep jogrunning.

We ran into the back porch of The Friendly Spot to check in at the finish line and there was no one else there.

We were the first team to get there and we maxed out the bonuses to further reduce our check-in time.

We couldn't believe it. We just didn't want to be last and we had no clue where we were in the game because teams could go to whatever spot they wanted in whatever order they wanted. All 68 teams.

And we came in first. Can't you tell by the smiles on our faces?

Miami Championships here we come?!

Pinterest Cauliflower Pizza Dough

I have to tell you the truth. 

I'm addicted to Pinterest.

But, and this is something to consider, I've actually made stuff from there. Not as much as some, but more than others. So at least there's that. Which I guess isn't really much. You know what is really something though?

Cauliflower Pizza Dough!!!!!!

I'd seen it and pinned it, twice actually. Here and here.

For this little kitchen experiment, I went with pin numero dos. Which links to a pretty cool site that I haven't spent much time on, but I want to give the Cook Lisa Cook blog the credit it deserves for making this a pretty successful endeavor.  Again, I didn't change the main part of the recipe so please go to her site and give her the hits it deserves. But if I can do it... you know what comes next.

I didn't take pictures of all of the steps, but it looks pretty similar to what you'll see on the Cook Lisa Cook blog when you go for the step by step. 

This was mixing the riced cauliflower with the egg and cheese to bind everything together.

Justin walked in I was mixing the dough. He later told me that when he saw it he was "less than enthused" because he hadn't enjoying the pureed cauliflower experiment that I did not document. Let's just say it has to be really hot to be enjoyable and comparable to mashed potatoes.

The dough all spread out on the countertop convection over tray.

The beef cooking up. I am a meat eater. (Not a "that's what she said joke.")

The dough all crisped up and ready for toppings! I was getting excited at this point.

A bad picture of the finished product, but still tasty looking! Loaded with part skim mozzarella and about 2 ounces of beef on each side of the pizza.

 I do think I would cook it in the big over next time, or use less dough, so it is thinner and crispier throughout.

But even Justin said it was a lot better than he expected, so I'd say it's a win!

Do you think you might give this recipe a spin?

Pinterest Sweet and Spicy Cucumber Salad

More Pinterest recipe success.

Granted, this one didn't call for any real cooking, just the ability to measure and mix. As well as some patience with trying to remove the water from cucumbers.

If you want to repin it from me, then awesome. You can find it right here.

If you want to go straight to the recipe source, because I didn't tinker with it, then that's available here.

I managed to turn these bland cucumbers from this:

Into this beauty that I ate every lunch for almost an entire week:

In addition to looking awesome, it actually kept pretty well the entire week too.

Pinterest Zucchini Chips

So I spend a lot of time Pinning stuff on Pinterest.  Probably part of why I'm not blogging super regularly.

Feel free to follow me over there: http://pinterest.com/arianab

I've actually done some of the stuff I've seen on Pinterest.

The shoe organizer on the back of the door to hold cleaning supplies? Done it.

The binder clip to keep that pesky phone cord off the floor cause bending over every night to pick it up is just simply annoying? Done it.

What I do most often though is cook the recipes I see on there. We use the word "often" loosely here.

So I saw this awesome picture of Zucchini Chips and pinned it for the recipe. I link to the recipe because it seems like the right thing to do. I cooked mine in our "vintage" 1984 oven at the lowest temp possible, because  I do not own the dehydrator that the recipe calls for. But I bought the zucchini for this purpose and I'd be damned if it wasn't getting cooked at some impossibly low temperature for 4 hours.

Maybe read instructions for something throughly before you buy more zucchini than you could normally consume. Learn from me people.

Ok, please go look at the recipe and the picture there, or the one that I pinned. And then, only then, should you look at my pictures below. You need a point of comparison for a reality check.

A side note: I used the slicer attachment on my Cusinart for the first time e-v-e-r. This is the Cusinart my Dad gave me when I graduated school, that was already probably 10-12 years old at that time. This puppy still has juice. And it looks "vintage." So yes, those are the instructions lying on the counter in this first picture of the first thing I ever sliced with the slicing attachment.

Yay, I know how to use the slicer attachment!
They don't lie, that blade is sharp!

Some of you are looking good.
Some of you are looking more chewy than crisp.

Maybe they look burnt, but they tasted crispy.
Again, compare to the original pin for  a little chuckle.

Now, I know that I HAVE to get a dehydrator. Justin's gonna love that request.

Half-Marathon Training- Week 10

The USAFIT website is kindly reminding me that the half-marathon is only 105 days away.

And yesterday, was a 5-mile route along the "scenic" frontage road of 1604.

As my friend Erica was passing me by, we waved and then a crazy driver tried to take us out. Not really, but it felt like that. Obviously, when I told my husband the story he was even more excited about the fact that we'll be on a greenway next week.

I don't know how precise Map My Run always is, but it says I did 5.56 in 1:25:11. So that's an average jogrun of 3.9 mph. I hope it's those hills slowing me down.

Here's the route we did:

The best/worst part about completing the Saturday morning route is coming home, cleaning up and getting the rest of a good night of sleep. It's amazing sleep.

Foolproof baked bacon

So baking bacon is supposed to be the foolproof way to cook it.

Key word is "supposed."

My first batch didn't turn out so well.

Yeah, so bad you can't even tell what it is.

Maybe the bacon was too thin, I left it in the convection oven too long or the temp was too high.

I successfully completed a second attempt and by that time we were ready to eat so I don't have a picture of the perfectly cooked bacon.

It took 24 minutes to get there. I could've been almost done running two miles by then.

The lesson: Keep an eye on your pork. Even if the cooking method is "supposed" to be foolproof.

And I ran so far away

Ok, maybe I didn't run that far. More like a good combination of my patented jogrun and some walking to achieve my 5-mile goal this morning in approximately 1 hour and 14 minutes.

This is part of the road to completing the San Antonio Rock 'N Roll 1/2 Marathon this November.

Yeah, so when I signed up for the training, I eventually signed up for the 1/2 marathon too. And after this morning, I know that if I continue to train and build up my mileage, I am going to get there.

I did the 5 miles this morning because I won't be at the training on Saturday. And it was actually only supposed to be 4 miles, but I got antsy and wanted to see what I could do by myself.

When I thought about posting the Flock of Seagulls song came into my head and now it can be stuck in yours.  Thank me later.

Cinemagram- Chema

Chema

Created with cinemagr.am

First post in who knows how long and this isn't even my puppy. this is my friend Elizabeth's puppy.  I need to get some action shots of Wookie! doing something cute with his head.

Cinemagr.am is a fun and free app that I just downloaded to my iPhone yesterday. It is pretty cool. It will obviously take me some time to perfect it's use.

Intimidation Factor

Did I just register for training to jogrun (maybe even run by November) a half marathon?

I just did that. Who I can blame? Oh I know who I can blame. Or do I give them credit? Maybe it will be credit after the "race," but when I'm up and running at a hour that's too early for a Saturday in Mid-May, it will be blame.

I do have 30 days to change my mind. But NO REFUNDS after 30 days. Is getting a refund on something like this sort of like getting a refund on life?

I registered with the USA Fit group here in San Antonio.

In the meantime (before May 19th) I need to see about getting new running shoes. And thanks to a handy dandy Google Search that doesn't seem intimidating at all.

Only 140 millions results returned in less than a second.

Not intimidating at all.

Aha! Moment- RAISE Your Facebook Influence

I don't have them often. Aha! moments. It's really quite rare.

Today while working on a social media recommendation for a client I had one.

That rare moment when you wonder why your genius doesn't shine through all the time. Not that this is Einstein level genius. But no-duh genius.

There are a million and one ways to recommend people work on increasing their influence on Facebook. I just came up with an acronym to make it easier.  This was an organic process that actually evolved into what you will see below. Brand new and and thought up by yours truly.

If you want to RAISE^TM your brand's influence on Facebook you can start by doing the following:

Reply- to posts and recommendations from fans and other brands, at least like them!
Ask (for engagement)- On Facebook it's one of the few places where it's acceptable to Ask people to like something you do or comment on something you posted.
Inform- use your posts to Inform fans about topics related to your page, or anything that you think they'll like!
Share- make sure to share posts by other brands and tag them so they see you doing it. It should relate to what you do and never conflict with your goals- both online and offline.
Entertain- people are more likely to like something you post if it is Entertains them. A comic, or a funny cat video. Whatever makes someone giggle is more to get shared with their friends too.

There you go. Five seemingly easy steps to RAISE^TM your influence on Facebook. You can book me (Ariana Barbour) for speaking engagements. I'm actually quite entertaining despite the recent barrenness of my blog.

The groundhog saw his shadow!

Phil, up in Punxsutawney, saw his shadow.  This means it's already February. Holy cow.

It's been a busy year already and I was hoping to have posted more by now. I had big plans for that today and went to get some pictures off my iPhone when my lovely little Macbook told me that I didn't have much space left on my computer for many images. So, I'm gonna hold off on exciting posts about my failed spaghetti squash adventure and the successful quinoa "mac" and cheese.

A few firsts for the year though (with pics to come later):

• I gave blood and it was easy and fast and I'm looking forward to doing it again!
• I 've already jogrun two 5ks. One was this morning- Superbowl Sunday!
• I've checked into a gym on 4square 8 days in a row (partially cause the race this morning started at a Spectrum, but I worked out so it counts)

I think this is going to an awesome year, full of fun times with friends and I still can't believe it's already February!

Getting back in the groove!

Over the holidays I did a lot of stuff.

• Hung out with family
• Hung out with friends
• Went to the dog park with Wookie!
• Caught up on Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, New York and Orange County (Thanks Dad!)
• Went to the Hill Country(Boerne and Fredericksurg)
• Saw a movie
• Went to the Riverwalk and saw the lights.
• Ate. A lot. 
• I ate a lot of good food at good restaurants and at home.

What I didn't do:

• Keep up with my running from my couch to 5K training. (Or much exercise period, unless you count Wii bowling, tennis and golf.)

So this week I  did the following:

• Got back into the gym with a friend on Wednesday
• This morning my office announced another Biggest Loser (Girls vs. Girls and Boys vs. Boys so I might stand a chance with no Europe trip (Sad Panda) in the middle of it.) 
• This afternoon I hit the pavement with Wookie! and did 2.73 miles in 50 minutes

This was not bad for the first time on the streets since early December 2011.  My jogrun was decent, but something was off in my shoes and I ended up walking probably half the time. (And I was getting some awful side stitches.) Apparently, when bonding with Wookie! at the dog park I used some old crummy sneakers and put my good insoles (that help me combat the awesomeness that is plantar fasciitis) in them. 

I never moved the inserts back into my workout/running shoes. (Face.palm.)

I realized this after my workout at the gym on Wednesday when my shoes felt loose.  I remembered laying the inserts next to my sneakers to put them in before the next gym trip and apparently I didn't realize I didn't have them in until I was a 1/3 mile from my house. Far enough to not turn around.

So at about 2 miles in my feet said no more and it took the other 0.73 to get home.  Wookie! was also throwing in the towel and has been recovering ever since we walked in the door.  

Yay for a tired puppy letting us sleep in tomorrow morning!

Fredericksburg's The Rathskeller

Justin and I spent a couple of awesome days in Fredericksburg, TX, before the new year. During this wonderful little trip we were lucky enough to stumble into the Rathskeller for breakfast.  It was across the street from the Fredericksburg Brewery Bed and Brew where we stayed.

If you do one thing while you are in Fredericksburg you should eat breakfast at the Rathskeller.

Image from Trip Advisor

Justin ordered and enjoyed an awesome spin on the typical corn beef hash concept.  His had duck, with perfectly juicy skin. I was jealous when I saw his plate, but that was before I really paid attention to mine. I ordered the smoked salmon on potato patties with over easy eggs, sour cream and caviar. After one bite I realized I needed to replicate this awesome meal at home. While the combination might sound crazy, it's really just crazy good.

I made it and you should too, especially if you can't get to Fredericksburg.

It was pretty simple:

What you need for one plate:

• Two potato patties
• Two to Three large thin slices of smoked salmon
• Two eggs that you'll cook to your liking. (I'm an over easy girl)
• Sour Cream (full fat, low fat, no fat- you pick your poison), top to your liking
• Two to three teaspoons Yellow caviar (or roe)

Now to put it all together:

1. Bake frozen potato patties according to package instructions. (I said simple right! I'm not making these from scratch, through the Rathskeller might've.) You should be able to find these in the frozen food section.  Heck, I bet pre-made hashbrown patties would be pretty tasty too. (I'm kinda hoping it goes without saying that you then put them on a plate next to each in the fashion seen below.)

2. Lay two-three large slices of smoked salmon across the top of the potato patties.

3. Carefully, oh so very carefully, place the almost perfectly cooked over easy eggs (or however you take them) on top of the salmon, one egg per patty. (I cooked them while the potato patties were baking.)

4. Top with sour cream and caviar.  (I might have gone over board on both here, but Justin didn't complain about it.)
                                                

Then just dig in and enjoy!  Sorry no pictures of the empty plates.  You'd probably think they looked weird anyway because we licked them clean. (Just kidding about licking them clean. Sorta.)

The awesome thing about this meal, is you don't have to wait until the morning to eat it, this would be great anytime of the day!

I guess this can be filed under healthy cooking, if you really do bake the potato patties, go with fat free sour cream, and aren't as heavy handed as I was with it. 

Garage Makeovers

Apparently 2012 is the year of the Barbour casa getting some much needed attention. A couple of hours ago Justin wrapped up putting together and installing a work bench in the corner of the garage that contained the chaos of our (er, his?) tools.

Can't wait to see what this baby is going to help churn out. Day one of 2012 and home improvement projects are already being completed.

Here's a before and after!