Denver Mom and Wife. Triathlete. Snowshoe Racer. Climber. Positive Hard-Working Chick. Join me on adventures, or live vicariously through me. The choice is yours...
I never thought I liked Rhubarb. Boy was I lame! Last year I tried it and now I totally get it. Rhubarb is like Easter, and new tree growth, and the grass peaking through the snow. It’s a sign that Spring is headed this way soon.
I plan to make Rhubarb an anual thing. After an especially rough winter here in Colorado, and logging more time on my trainer than in years past (times 10), I’m ready for some Rhubarb! Low and behold, one day after I made something with rhubarb, I experienced my first run of 2010 in my sports bra. Coincidence? I think not!
Rhubarb is really best with strawberries, and dessert. That’s where it likes to make it’s debut. This year I went for the Strawberry Rhubarb Tart via my most favorite cooking magazine ever, Eating Well. It came together quickly and it gets a solid 5 stars from the Sonja kitchen. I really wouldn’t post it if it didn’t, why would I do that to you?
Just think, making something with Rhubarb is kinda like inviting spring over for tea and sandwiches. Oh, and if you haven’t tried it before, don’t try it raw! Just find a recipe and cook it up. It gets sweet when you cook it, but raw, it’s no good! Need a change of weather? Give rhubarb a try!
Three boxes arrived from Saucony. Woooot. The door bell rang and I was at the door before you could say “Team Trakkers Rocks”. A photo shoot to rub it all in? You bet cha! You don’t even have to ask twice. Prepare yourself for the return of JUMPING SONJA.
Check out these Go Girl Run Shorts. I bought a pair of these a few months ago and I love them, so I got two more pairs (gotta have a black pair and another blingey pair). I call this “running in air Sonja”.
The top here is the Empress Short Sleeve. This picture is totally blurry but it still makes me laugh. Oh and note the appearance of a pair of the Grid Fastwitch3’s.
Notice the sparkle on my wrist, it’s a little light that is in your sleeve. Sweetness.
Whew, that was a totally exhausting photo shoot. I don’t know how those models do it. Unfortunitially I had to be my own photographer (with the timer on my camera) and my own model. Clothing provided by Saucony, who is one of Team Trakkers sponsors and by Troy, who earns the mooolaahh in this house. I hope you enjoyed it, or at least got a little giggle!
I think that anything is possible with hard work and a smile. It’s a kind of pie in the sky ideal for me. Work Hard, enjoy the process, what bad can come of that?
The task is simple, just work, then smile. Or work…and smile. Simultaneous work/smile combinations tend to make those around you think that you are superhuman.
But really, sometimes it doesn’t quite work out like that. Sometimes I find myself gritting my teeth, gutting through, letting my mind wander to my happy land. When I look back I always say “Sonja, why were you making that harder than it needed to be, where was the smile, where was the joy”?
And sometimes it’s all smiles, all joy, but not a whole lot of hard work. It goes that way at times.
But the goal is always hard work and a smile.
Last night in a discussion back and forth with CV we solved a little HR puzzle. CV’s eyes were opened to how high of a heart rate I can hold for a long time. He hasn’t seen it before (and he’s seen a lot). He said this (I hope he doesn’t mind that I posted this, if he does I’m sure I will hear about it):
I’ve honestly never seen a 168avgHR for 5.5 hours on foot. That shows how tough you really are In a word, tough!
That word just sat there…like Annie taking a Sharpie to the coffee table.
Tough.
Tough.
Me, tough? yea, I guess so. But maybe I never noticed because I was too busy having fun. I think that tough is what happens along the way when you are chasing the fun.
It made me wonder if all my “Ra-Ra”ing that I do to support others is somehow jaded because I’m tough, and maybe others aren’t as tough.
“Well, she can do that stuff because she’s tough”.
And I am tough, I know that, but I just never wanted it to matter because I want to think that others can do what I do, even if they aren’t as tough.
I really like to think that it’s my joy and love for what I’m doing that enables me to persevere through pain and miles. But what if the love and the joy is just a side effect? What if I do this stuff because I’m just a tough MFer?
I don’t know a lot but this I do know. There is a crapload more in me. It’s a little scary to type that, and it could be because I’m afraid of what you out there will think. You must think I’m crazy enough already.
But in life we get no second round. No rewind button. We must find out our limits on this earth, before it’s too late.
“The difference between great people and everyone else
is that great people create their lives actively,
while everyone else is created by their lives,
passively waiting to see where life takes them next.
The difference between the two
is the difference between living fully and just existing.”
Michael E. Gerber
PIC and I were talking yesterday and I said “I want to do Ultraman (10K swim, 261 mi bike, 52 mi run, over three days). She said “Well it’s about time that you admitted that out loud”.
There is more in me. My goals for this year are set and I think some of them are going to show me more about myself than I know. But, there is more in this tough girl. And to pry it out, it’s going to take:
One week out from 62 miles, three weeks to go until 100 miles. This week has been very recovery focused. What does that mean? Do I sit on my tush and eat bon-bons? Nope, I spin A LOT, I flop A LOT, I walk on the treadmill, and I eat huge quantities of organic vegetables, I nap. There are so many slightly annoying ways that you can help your recovery along. The foam roller, the veggies, self massage, flop swims. All of them are mildly cumbersome and seem to take more effort than they are worth, but believe me, they are worth it.
One week later I am 90% back to normal, only feeling a little residual junk deep in my legs, either from the 62, or from the lack of anything since.
This weekend Troy and I had WAY too much fun for married people. We rode up Highgrade together, we went out to dinner with great friends (Thank you Hil’s mom for watching pook), we indulged in a large amount of retail therapy at the Apple store. We caught up with family. There will be times, and they are coming soon where these things need to take a back seat, but it’s nice that we can enjoy them now and prep our friends and family for what’s to come.
Today Troys parents came over and brought Annie some new jammies, socks and jeans. She really dug this dress and her grandpa took about 40 pictures of her posing in it.
It’s going to be hard to get me away from this tasty little specimen that we have been saving and saving and saving for.
Last year we realized that we got barely any family pictures. So, this year I am making a better effort of getting all three of us in one shot. Cuz, we’re a pretty happy family, and you all should see that, right?
It’s taken years of small baby steps for Troy and I to align our life and our $$ in the direction that makes us the most happy. You can always want more $$, but if what you do have is being spent in ways that allow you to fund your dreams and not waste any of it on stuff you don’t really want (like drapes) then your pretty set right?
We are in that place right now. This year is going to rock, we are going to have so much fun, and we’re happy. Annie is thriving and I just crack up at the oodles of personality this little package exudes. I wonder where it came from?
The day started early, driving the 0.8 miles to the starting parking lot with Troy and Annie. Moab 100 kicks off at 7am, so I wanted to start at the same time. I pulled up and to my shock and amazement all of the parking lot and sidewalks were chalked up for me. I had no clue who did it and wouldn’t find out for another 56 miles. Tyler, Boone, and Bret were waiting for me. I thought I would just have Tyler, so this was pretty rad.
At 7am on the dot we took off running. It was great to get to know Bret as this was my first time meeting him. Boone is working on moving out here, and his wife and I are bloggy buddies (soon to be “real” friends). Tyler kept things alive and crazy as usual. I didn’t feel very good at all. I felt like I had already run 20 miles, and at first this scared me a little. But my brain just started thinking “Well, if I can run 62 feeling like crap this, I will know that I can do 100 with a taper and feeling better”.
Pulling into the parking lot for lap two I was shocked to see Julie and John and Jon, none of whom I was expecting. Bret stayed on for another lap as well. We had a great lap chatting and Bret told me some great stories that I will totally think of when I am running the 100 miler, super cool.
Laps 3 and 4 I had a literal entourage. The Jons stayed on for another lap. Keith, Barry, and Melissa joined in, and Melissa brought her husband Ryan and her SIL Jen. Those two were super cute and were running farther than they ever had.
Talking to Sharpie this morning she reminded me that when people come out and run with me they are showing me with their bodies how much they support me. I really am so blessed that I am able to get people out the door to push their limits, that is my MO and main motivator. You all keep me pushing to the next level. It’s truely a win-win!
Lap 5 I was still pretty much feeling like dog poo. Not that you would know it, but the end of that lap with Michelle and Keith, and a little bit of Barry was pretty quiet. Inside my head I was just focused and trying to not puke as I was a little nauseous. I couldn’t help but think…only 30 miles in..Oy! Michelle and Keith got me through that one. Also, I really didn’t think I would have anyone with me for the rest of the day until maybe the last lap in the dark where I knew that Ben would come ride with me.
I pulled into the parking lot and I saw people. I got excited. Maybe they were there for me. And sure enough, such an unexpected surprise was Carrie and Tess. I’ve only met Carrie two or three times, and Tess was one of my Mountain Mamas YEARS ago. Tess and I have kept in touch via facebook and she just decided to come help me out (BTW you have to check out Concert for Cash). John also showed up about 1.5 miles into the lap on his mountain bike.
I tell ya, Carrie and Tess are two of the most vivacious people I have met. They both got me headed down a completely different path. By the end of lap 6 I was feeling better than I had all day. It was totally them…all them.
Carrie stayed on for lap 7 and kept me 100% entertained. She’s a great pacer…I tell ya!
Then pulling into the parking lot I was again preparing mentally for a solo lap, but didn’t have to prepare for long. Keith was there with his bike. That was a painful lap for me but he stayed right with me, keeping me company, letting me talk about stupid stuff and slurr my words.
Ben came out for the last two laps. Whew, because I was now eating massive amounts of pink and white Circus Cookies, and Yellow Peeps. I was getting loopy and a little out of it. Ben is perfect for these conditions. He totally kept me on track and moving forward. Ben lets me talk about ANYTHING. I think I spent like 30 minutes retelling him the story of Annies birth, including ALL the gory details. I swear I could talk about my period for an hour with him and he would totally be like “No kidding, Hillary is that way too”. But I didn’t…
At the end of lap 9 Bret had come back to cheer for me in the parking lot, that was a nice bonus. We also realized that somewhere in lap 9 my Garmin had fallen off. Seriously? But it gave me something to focus on for the last lap…finding my $300 Garmin! We looked everywhere and sure enough after like 5 miles of looking, we found my Garmin laying in the middle of the trail. The strap had broken.
Troy followed us in the car the entire last lap. I gave Annie a hug in the last mile and apparently its just what she needed because she fell fast asleep. Finishing was great. I was giddy and pretty high. It was pitch dark and I hadn’t turned on my iPod once, I had company from sun up to sun down.
I hobbled into the car, and straight into the ice bath from hell. After that it was food, jammies, and bed. I couldn’t sleep most of the night, was even up at 2am tweeting. A nap is in order today!
Friends, oh friends, I love you all for helping me. Moab will be so sad alone, but it sounds like many of you plan to make the trek out there to pace me at night and have a bit of Moab fun!
There is one last thing I wanted to share with you. I lost 9 toenails last year. And yea, they hurt and were annoying, but more annoying is my ability to get blisters. Last year every run over 15 I got blisters. I didn’t even mind them after awhile and just assumed it was part of the program. I have always gotten ones on the top of my toes, and I don’t care about those, but the ones that really kill are between my toes. On my 45 mile run a month ago I got a sizable BLOOD blister between my toes. Youch.
This got me thinking that I should try some of those Injinji socks. Wow. For me…blister prone woman, I am sold. I ran through wet mud for 62 miles, I changed socks once because I was just soaked and doing the squish squish dance, and when I pulled my socks off at the end of the day… pruney wet feet…totally BLISTER FREE. Let’s just say I’m now going to have to harass them until they let me be a product ambassador. I don’t even know what it feels like to be blister free. I do have one toe nail that will probably leave me…again…in a couple months. But no blisters after 3 years of weekly blisters is HUGE. Thank you Injinji!!!!!
I am training for the Moab 100 which is a looped course. This was my last big training run and I ran 10X6 mile loops out in Cherry Creek State Park. All my friends came out to run with me and it was a total blast. This is a video of my day, sun up to dark
One thing I love about my life are the companies who support me. All of my sponsors (on the left) are companies that I wanted to represent. I love their stuff and so I went after them, hoping they would let me test their products and put them through the ringer. They help me and I consider each and every one of them family.
Well, because you seem to find yourself back at my blog often enough, they love you too. I have been collecting a few discounts for all of you and wanted to share them in one place.
Check out my newest sponsor, Trimassage. This is a funny story. I met Josh (owner) because I sat next to him and his little lady on the way back from Nationals this past year. Josh explained to me that he didn’t really do massage anymore because he found muscle restoration to be more beneficial. He explained it to me in theory, but I had to see for myself and yup, it’s really good stuff. If you have something nagging, or it isn’t even to the nagging point yet, go see Josh, he’ll fix you. He’s in Boulder, but I drive the 45 minutes from Denver because he’s that good. If you are on the Front Range, he’s worth the drive, hands down.
You can make an appointment here where it says “Schedule Online” and you want the “Muscle Restoration Laser Therapy, Initial Consult”. Tell him “Sonja sent me to you” and he will give you $20 off that initial consult. If you aren’t wondering how the heck he made you all better before you walked out the door, then your a hopeless cause. I’m kidding….kinda. PS he will give you homework.
Rev3 Races. Still wondering were the heck you are going to race this year? Looking for a race that is going to put YOU first and make you feel like you are on the PRO circuit rather than just a massed together age grouper. Wanna meet the pros, get pics with like ALL of them, and send your family to play at the amusement park while you act like a star struck triathlete. Sign up for a Rev3 race. Use my code PracticalRev3 and save yourself a “Jackson” (not to be confused with a Benjamin).
Core Concepts. I love testing products for these folks, they are mom and popish and they are GRAND. I live in their clothes, if you read this blog often enough, you know these things. Want 40% off, it’s like a pro deal, from me to you? Use pro0210sw at their online store for the next few months and get some goodies.
Just a little love from me to you, just in time for your tax returns. Happy shopping.
In 2009 I ran my first 50 miler. It was an amazing experience and a huge part of that experience was due to a darling lady named Jenna Gruben. She was the 2008 winner and also acted as the local volunteer race organizer. She not only helped put on the event, but she also ran the race, and she won it again.
Jenna and I traded of the lead for the entire race. We ran a 6 mile stretch together. When do you ever see two people in the lead position of a race running together, chatting it up, and developing a friendship on the trail? This is part of the magic that is ultrarunning, and also part of the kindness that was par for the course for Jenna. Jenna eventually pulled away from me at mile 42 and took the win, with a smile on her face and jumping into the arms of her husband.
Jenna and I had just a week to add each other on Facebook and throw around a few conversations about teaming up for the Trans Rockies Run this year, but first she was off on a 4 month honeymoon to Nepal. This girl lived life in a big way. She did things that we all dream of. She made them happen.
Recently back from her honeymoon, I saw Jenna on this starting line this weekend. She introduced me to her two running pals Cara and Angie. They were super excited to run the 33K which Jenna called “the fun run”. We exchanged a big hug and it was time for me to hit the starting line.
Jenna ran a great race and placed 4th amongst stiff competition. She hit the road with her gal pals to head back to Steamboat after the race.
Jenna and her two friends were involved in an auto accident on the way home and Jenna is no longer with us. I am so terribly saddened by this, and I know she wouldn’t want me to be sad but to think of the amazing things she did with her life. And, really, her short life was truly an amazing one.
Ah, she will be so very sorely missed.
Today all I can think of is her wonderfully loving husband, her running partners that adored her, and her family. I am willing thoughts of love and strength their direction. We all know what an absolutely amazing person she was, it oozed from her every pore.
One that Jenna liked:
“Life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, chocolate in one hand, champagne in the other, body thoroughly used up, totally worn out and screaming “WOO HOO what a ride!”
What a great weekend! After several days of single momming it while Troy went snow cat skiing in Utah I was ready for an adventure. I really wish Troy and Annie had come on this trip, I always forget how chill and welcoming the ultra community is.
Moab has quite a bit of snow and the race director sent an email the day before the race stating that we would encounter a bit on the course. He said the starting area had the most snow. When we got there that morning there was a fair amount but the road we were to run on was crusty and seemed like it would all be very runable.
The race director did a really cool thing for this course which I think more ultras should adopt (as long as they communicate it to the runners). He marked the course with pink, and he marked where you don’t go with blue. You know when you get to a point in a race and you aren’t quite sure which way to go? That blue “don’t go” marking was genious!
Keith and I were running the race, and Andrea and Steve were along with us for their own adventure. They were getting in a 13 mile run, a mountain bike ride, and cheered throughout.
Before I knew it they said “go” and I found myself starting at the back of the group, still taking video and not knowing that we were about to start. Oops, but good too. My guide advised me to go out in a non taxing way and then unleash the “Wieck Fury”. Haha, I love that, and it’s not “Weeeek Furry” it’s pronounced like “Wick”. We started on a road that was snowed over but the traction was good. I ran a little ways with a guy who had one leg. Dang! He rocked and was awesome to watch do his thing.
We turned upwards towards Gemini bridges and I had a lady pass me. After confiding with my watch I let her go and watched her run out of sight. I remember coming down this hill on a mountain bike 8 years ago when I brought Troy to meet my parents. I remember my dad and I hooting and hollering down that hill while Troy remained silent, it was a sign of the future (Troy is a rather quiet guy). At the first aid station I decided to strip down. I went from tights, long sleeve, and beanie, to shorts, short sleeve, and Trakkers hat. I can’t tell you how awesome it was to be running in just a little clothing.
Then we hit crazyness! I call this the “snowshoe race” section of the course. Several miles of mid calf powder. Slick, choppy, gnarley, ankle killer powder. I would have paid $500 for a pair of snowshoes at that point.
It was at that point in the race, the point that comes in every race where the racing gods ask “who are you”? You can respond with frustration (as most did, and believe me, I understand it), you can give up and slowly walk through it (a few took this path), or you can smirk, groan, and dig in, cave[wo]man up. You can guess where I was here. I Grrrrred my way through miles of that stuff. It took 100% focus and constant reminders to keep my chin down, to pull in my core, and to use my snowshoeing skills to put my feet in the right spots. I didn’t dare look at my HR monitor, I think I would have freaked myself out. I passed many people through here, heard lots of groans, and a few F-bombs as well. The Wieck Fury was staring to seep out. I found and passed the lady that took off on me in the beginning, but i completely recognized that I was handling this snow better than most and expected her to reappear.
Around mile 12.7 we hit an aid station and got back onto a snow covered jeep road. While still snowy, it was more manageable and of the 10 or so people that I passed on the “snowshoe” race section, a few passed me back.
Around mile 14 I knew something wasn’t right. My nutrition plan was the same as my 45 miler but I think bc I was going so much harder, I had problems. I’ve never pooped in a race, but I had to bad. I was in the middle of a field, no trees in sight, but well, there you go. I watched 10 people pass by while I huddled behind a bush.
Shortly after that I pulled into the next aid station at about mile 15 and dumped out my entire bladder of EFS. I replaced it with NUUN, and knew I would have to focus more on blocks/beans since nuun is calorie free. Believe me, I will be hitting up the Team First Endurance site big time this week to get this sorted out and get some help with dissecting what went wrong.
Pulling out of that station, the lady that passed me in the beginning and then I passed back in the snow had caught back up to me. She must have cranked out a great pace on the flats.
After a quick descent we were into the strength section of the course. Up lots of hills, down lots of hills. No trail, just the course markings, single track, ledges to jump, snowfields everywhere to cross. There was a section of several miles that I didn’t see a single runner. No one ahead, no one behind, just alone. I hit a low point in there and decided to pull out my camera to take a little video. I suddenly saw someone catching up to me. Yea!
His name was Ryan, he was from Albuquerque. He passed me and I just latched onto him. I just went with him, and within a mile he had managed to pull me out of my funk. We exchanged names, and where we lived and then we ran together the rest of the way. We took turns leading and it was so helpful to have him.
When we hit the final switchbacks and I knew we were close and I just let it go. Knowing that it would all be over too soon, I let loose and ran free and happy all the way to the finish singing and laughing the whole way. Ryan and I finished pretty close, and he probably thought I was a crazy chica those last few miles.
I was really pleased with my time for this course, 5:38, for 32.5 miles and 4,500 feet of gain. I felt like given the conditions, this was more challenging than the November Moab 50K. The relentless up and down of the slick rock, combined with the early “snowshoe” conditions made for a particularly challenging day for most. I was also stoked that Ms.Western States, Anita Ortiz ONLY beat me by a little under an hour, hahahaha! I feel like that’s a big feat, to get within an hour of Anita! Still, it’s ultrarunning, so at the end, and for the entire evening, everyone pretty much drinks beer and chats it up.
This was a great experience for me. I ended up 3rd overall which was a complete and utter shock for me. First and foremost I am a triathlete, that’s where my heart lies. But a huge chunk of my soul lies in the hills and mountains, running. I am really getting my trail running “fix” this winter and all this time to think in the mountains brings me strength when I am head down on my trainer trying to keep my heart rate dialed into 140 or 150 or 160… Trail Running gives me a peace and calm that helps me battle the more mundane sessions of doing what I need to do to be the best triathlete that I can. It gives my mind a place to wander off to when I am in the pool, or on the treadmill.
Lastly, I raced this race, I put it out there, I ran smart, it wasn’t conversational (my Avg HR was 168), and I know a little bit more about myself after this race. I am really thankful for that.
Whew, I’m really becoming a swimmer this winter. I haven’t posted a status update recently, and with todays workout involving a time trial (TT) I thought it was about time. Chuckie has me swimming a lot, most days of the week. Not all my swims are huge workouts, and recovery swims have become a staple. I finally really understand how I am supposed to do them (slow, and easy, but throwing in a bit of “work” to get the blood going), and why to do them (because it aids my recovery and I am back to normal quicker after them, sometimes it’s 12 hours quicker, sometimes a day quicker, sometimes it grants me a few hours).
The last several weeks I have learned what strength sets/workouts are. Chuckie has a plan, he has theories. I seriously hope he writes a book some day so that his stuff is shared. I dig his philosophy and because it’s all so new, I am enjoying the work. I say “because it’s so new” because strength sets hurt. Oh yes, they hurt. And I have had a few so I feel competant to say that.
Like yesterday….80X25 all out on 30 seconds. WTF? So much speed? Don’t be duped, it’s a strength workout, see, it’s even listed under STRENGTH on his post. I only had to do 80, not 100. I didn’t have to do them with paddles…but I can see that in my future. It’s was actually a really fun workout, and makes you feel pretty gnarly, especially when you were told to lift upper body weights before the swim.
Yes, my arms LOVE me this month. There are days where I don’t want to lift my arms over my head afterwards, but they always come around by the next swim.
Todays swim entailed a 1000 yard TT. There was other stuff before the TT, and a series of 100’s after the TT at 1000TT pace, those were especially evil. This was a Steady State workout.
I was nervous. I tell ya, just add the word TT to one of my workouts and instantly I am a more diligent athlete. I eat a proper dinner, make sure I get to bed on time, I eat a good breakfast, do the right things for myself, all because of those two little letters.
I met PIC at the pool and we hopped in a lane together. She hates splitting a lane in the pool, but also probably didn’t want to have to pass me repeatedly during her TT either, so she obliged and we split rather than circle swam. Thank you PIC.
The opening warm up and sets were great. Chuckie wrote the workout where when I did 10×50, Michelle did 12X50 so that we stayed together for the workout. Such a little thing, but it meant so much to me as 9 times out of 10 I am the last person to finish a swim workout. After our opening sets it was time for the TT.
We looked at each other, shrugged our shoulders, and off we went. right away PIC is so fast. The first time she lapped me was on lap 8 (lap, not length) and immediately my goal was not to let her lap me again until lap 16 or 15 at the worst. I was going for broke today. I gave it my all, that’s all I can say. I swam as hard as I knew how, checking my split at the 500 mark, 7:13. Ok, Sonja, keep that up, that’s really good. On the way back to the wall on lap 15 PIC passed me again and I didn’t let her go. I stayed on her…for like 7 seconds. But she remarked later that she was proud I went with her. I may not be the fastest, but I’ve got some Grrr in me.
The last 250 was pure pain. I got that feeling in my stomach, the “If I keep this up I might puke” feeling…I’m told that’s LT. Oh, LT, great, there ya go. With two laps to go PIC is done, this really got me jazzed to go as hard as I knew how. On my last lap she was doing a little backstroke and I had fun passing her for the first time ever in my life, trying to keep perfect form, making sure I didn’t miss the wall on my flip.
And then I was done, whew, ouch, whew…14:30. Really? 1:27 pace, Ok, Sonja, that’s pretty good. PIC was like 2+ minutes faster…but at least it wasn’t 5, like it would have been six months ago. At least I felt like I sorta, kinda, half-way belonged in her lane. Maybe next time we can circle swim.
Heeeelllllloooo 1:20’s. Watch out cause I’m coming for you. 1:25 pace is next and to think…I’m still in the strength phase. I love being a swimmer.
My daughter, Annie is sick. It totally stinks for her, she’s been coughing coughing coughing. I’ve had to keep her home from school and we have been having fun resting together, lots of stories in bed and down time.
Being a stay at home mom can be tough, your job doesn’t end, and when Annie goes through unhappy times I’m at the brunt of it. But, it’s actually a really sweet job. I’de even do it for free! Ha Ha!
So today I was a little bored and I asked Annie, what do you want to do? She said “I want to go buy bagels”! Ha, this is where super mom comes in, “Hey Annie, let’s MAKE bagels” (Plus tomorrow is pay day, not for me, cause I work for free, but for Troy, who thankfully is a good sharer, and the food envelope has a grand total of $1 in it).
I love my job, its times like this, spontaneous, that we enjoy together, that I know I wouldn’t get if I was sitting in a cube chasing the $$ (like my poor Troy, who I’m sure wishes he was a stay at home dad). So, grab yourself a kid, make them wash their hands like ten times (especially if they are sick like mine is) and put them to work.
Have your kid dump about 3 cups of flour along with 2.5 teaspoons yeast, 3 Tablespoons sugar, and 1 Tablespoon salt into your mixer, or your food processor, or at worst…a bowl. I find it best to measure the ingredients if you have a 4 year old, but that’s optional. Try to keep your kid from eating all the flour, mine likes flour…like plain…she’s going to be in for a rude awakening some day.
Then have your kid slowly drizzle 1.5 sups of water into the mixer while it’s going. You are looking to make a wet dough.
Then slowly add in about 0.5-0.75 cups of flour to the mixer until the dough cleans everything off the sides of the bowl. Attach your kneeding attachment and let it go. You can add more flour if needed, but the ideal is a dough that you can pinch and it isn’t sticky.
Once your there. form it into a ball and throw it in a bowl to rise for an hour.
Like I said, one hour. Want my tip for rising dough in cold Colorado? Stick a coffee cup of water in your microwave and heat it for 2-3 minutes. Then open the door, pop in your dough bowl, shut the door and let it rise in there. Works great.
Oh, and while I’m thinking of it, put on a pot of boiling water with 3 Tablespoons sugar in it, and turn on the oven to 400 degrees. After one hour, dump your dough out, have your kid wash their hands like 10 or maybe 20 more times and then they can pat down that dough.
Divide the dough into 10 chunks and have your kid make them into bagel shapes. This part is super fun for them, Annie ate a lot of dough, and had a blast here.
Now, dump those bagels three at a time into the boiling water. Teach your kid about boiling water and being safe, but let them flip them after 30 seconds. Leave them in there for 1-1.5 minutes and then have your kid lift them out and onto a towel.
You can put toppings on them now if you want. Usually salt, onion, poppy seeds, sesame seeds, cheese, whatever you want. We left ours plain…cause like I said…payday is tomorrow. Then pop them into the oven for 25-30 minutes.
Your kid can watch, although this isn’t necessary.
And in a half an hour. whah-la. You have yummy and full of GLUTEN bagels.
I went to find Annie to deliver her a wonderful hot and tasty bagel, and this is what I found. Poor little thing, but, I’m sure she’ll want one when she wakes up.
Filed under: 
