Go the #ExtraMile for Girls on the Run with ASICS

It's time for you to go the Extra Mile. Are you on Runkeeper®? If not, you need to sign up for it.....

To commemorate the New York Marathon, ASICS and Runkeeper® have partnered with a fantastic non-profit organization, Girls on the Run, to promote self confidence and healthy lifestyles for young girls through running. Since the average Runkeeper® workout is about 3 miles, ASICS wants you to go the #ExtraMile and run 4! Complete this anytime between October 17 and November 30, and ASICS will donate a pair of running shoes to Girls on the Run in your honor.

Each person that completes the 4 mile #ExtraMile promotion will be entered for a chance to win a pair of limited edition New York City-inspired running shoes from ASICS.

Additionally, ASICS will donate a pair of shoes to Girls on the Run for every $100 spent on ASICS products from October 24 through November 7 within select New York City run specialty stores, and at participating ASICS retail locations nationwide.

How awesome is that?! Here are a few details on this promotion:

ASICS will donate up to 50,000 pairs of shoes to Girls on the Run
Running and Walking activities are eligible towards completion
GPS and Stopwatch Mode activities are eligible towards completion
Limited edition New York City-inspired ASICS shoes are subject to availability. Winner responsible for taxes and shipping.

Click here to sign up (or to register) for the Girls on the Run #ExtraMile promotion on Runkeeper.

Girls on the Run is a non-profit organization dedicated to creating a world where every girl knows and activates her limitless potential and is free to boldly pursue her dreams. Running is used to inspire and motivate girls, encourage lifelong health and fitness, and build confidence through accomplishment.

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Sign up for the TCS NYC Marathon today!

Lottery registration opens up today for the 2016 TCS NYC Marathon. I ran my first full at the 2013 NYC Marathon and it will always be my favorite race. The course, the experience, the crowd, the people, you cannot ask for a better 26.2

I have been fortunate enough to run this prestigious race twice. Both experiences were different in many ways yet equally amazing. 

2013 NYC Marathon

I remember registering for the lottery like it was yesterday. Back in 2013, the registration was later in the year and I had just registered for the runDisney Dopey Challenge. I signed up for it without running a full marathon but went in knowing I would have to run one prior to the challenge. After one too many glasses of wine, my friend Darlynn convinced me into registering for the NYC Marathon lottery. Never in a million years did I think an acceptance letter was in my future. 

I was SO nervous. I rode the Staten Island Ferry to the start of the race alone. I couldn't make my brain stop. It was the most anxiety I have had prior to any race. You can read my 2013 NYC Marathon recap here. I rolled my ankle in the beginning of the race and still have issues w/ it 2 1/2 years later. I finished the race, hysterically crying. Swearing I would never do another full marathon after Dopey was over. Boy did I eat those words.

2014 NYC Marathon

The 2014 NYC Marathon was an epic adventure of all time. I was asked to be part of the 2014 ASICS Blogger Challenge, one of 5 bloggers across the US to run the NYC Marathon as part of Team ASICS. I am not a fast runner and it was (and still is) amazing to me that ASICS works with runners of all shapes, sizes and speed. 

The overall weekend experience was unlike anything I would ever imagine. I will always be eternally grateful to ASICS for the 2014 NYC Marathon. Not only was the weekend perfect (except for the weather), I came home with friends that I will have for the rest of my life. You can read my 2014 NYC Marathon recap here. 

I am registering today in hopes to run my 3rd NYC Marathon. This will be ASICS final year as a sponsor and I hope to be there to help send them off in grand fashion. If you've ever wanted to run a marathon, I strongly suggest entering this lottery. Good luck!

Apply today, January 21, 2016 through February 21, 2016 to enter the NYC Marathon Lottery. The 2016 NYC Marathon Lottery selection takes place on March 8th.

What happens if you get in? Your credit card will be charged as follows:
U.S. residents (those who live in the 50 United States or the District of Columbia)
NYRR members: US $216; Non-members: US $255; Non-U.S. residents (including Puerto Rico and other U.S. territories): US $347

Entry fees will be charged upon acceptance. Once you have been accepted, your entry fees are non-transferable under any and all circumstances, and are also non-refundable under any and all circumstances except in the event of cancellation of the marathon (see Rules of Competition & Terms and Conditions below).

Processing FeeRegular Fee: US $11 - This fee, required of all applicants, is non-refundable and is processed upon submission of the application.

• Please ensure when registering for the drawing that you use a credit card that has an expiration date later than March 8 2015.

• Please note that if you are selected for entry in the drawing and you do not have a valid credit card on file, you will lose your place in the entry process.

Included in the entry fee:
Entry to the 2016 TCS New York City Marathon (including fluid/fueling stations, medical support, entertainment, baggage handling*, security, and more)
Runner “goody bag”, including official ASICS technical shirt and official Marathon Program magazine.
Official transportation to the start from Midtown Manhattan, Lower Manhattan, or the Meadowlands Sports Complex (New Jersey); Start festival, including breakfast and entertainment
Finisher materials: medal, food, beverages, Heatsheet™, official results magazine

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ASICS reveals NYC Marathon Collection

My favorite marathon experience to date was being part of the 2014 ASICS NYC Marathon Blogger team. ASICS recently announced the 2015 NYC Marathon Blogger team and you should absolutely check them out and say hello!

Speaking of the NYC Marathon, ASICS is the official apparel sponsor of the NYC Marathon and they have a ton of limited edition products for the event. Friends, this line is HOT!!!! This year, they feature 3 NYC Marathon graffiti sneakers, the Gel Kayano 22, the Gel Nimbus 17 and the Gel Quantum 360.

GEL Quantum 360 NYC (retail $170)

GEL Kayano 22 NYC (retail $160)

GEL Nimbus 17 NYC (retail $150)

Just in case you wanted to go all matchy-matchy, never fear as ASICS has created a line of graffiti apparel for the NYC Marathon! NYC Marathon Graffiti Full Zip Hoodie; NYC Marathon Graffiti Capri; NYC Marathon Graffiti Armwarmer. I strongly suggest the armwarmer's as I wore this style the last two years of NYC Marathon.

Along with the graffiti line, ASICS released the entire NYC Marathon apparel collection. They brought back my three favorite pieces from last year, the NYC Marathon Thermopolis Hoody NYC Marathon Windblocker Jacket NYC Marathon Thermal 2 n 1 Beanie. The windblocker jacket is my absolute favorite ASICS apparel item I own. I get compliments on it whenever I wear it. The 2 n 1 beanie was my lifesaver last year during the marathon. I bring the thermopolis hoody with me whenever I travel since it is lightweight and doesn't wrinkle....I can throw it in a bag and I will never be cold! 

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Dining with the best view in NYC - Bar 54 at Hyatt Times Square

While in NYC this past week for BlogHer, my friend Darlynn and I ventured to a place we normally avoid - Time Square. Why would we do that to ourselves you ask? Oh because we had a great meal with the best view in the city. We experienced Bar 54 located on the rooftop of Hyatt Time Square, the tallest rooftop lounge in the city and for the first time I can recall, we had a very enjoyable time in Time Square.

Bar 54 has extensive views that stretch across Manhattan from the Hudson River to the East River. They offer a wide variety of hand crafted cocktails, fine wines and delicious small plates.

Having a dinner at Bar 54 was the perfect way to spend our Thursday night in the city. We were both looking for a relaxed evening, where we could catch up on life while eating delicious food. This we got, and more!

Since both Darlynn and I are still living in the post-SATC era, we both feel the need to order a Cosmo whenever in NYC. This wasn't the only time this trip we channeled Carrie Bradshaw. The Cosmo at Bar 54 was delicious, all of the juices were fresh (except the cranberry). What makes a perfect cosmo even better? A Cosmo with a view.

Our first course made it's way quickly to the table - candied bacon. I am a huge fan of bacon, and throw some praline on it - we have a winner.

When it came time to order our second drink, we both went with the Moscow Mule made with homemade ginger beer. This drink didn't last long in this world. It was Moscow Mule perfection. 

We decided to split two small plates as neither of us were too hungry. It was the perfect amount of food for two. Eventhough I had a burger at lunch this day, I couldn't say no to the Bar 54 Burger. The first thing I read on the description was "truffle relish". I believe curse words came out both of our mouths after first bite. Yes, it was that good. I am in search for the truffle relish recipe and would go back to Bar 54 every trip to NYC going forward just for this burger.

Darlynn picked out the Porchetta Sliders with pickled cucumbers.  The sliders were delicious, the porchetta was perfect and all the flavors complimented each other nicely.

Other things you can expect to find on the menu: Pigns in a blanket, asparagus bruschetta, deviled eggs, vegan flatbread and much more. The prices for the plates range from $7-$25.

We ended our meal with a nightcap, trying out two of Bar 54 signature cocktails. On the left: Santana's Sour, Tequila, lime, jalapeno, cilantro and pineapple. This was a bit spicy for the two of us but for those who like the heat, it had amazing flavors. On the right: Hawaiian Iced Tea, orange vodka infused with Liliuokalani Tea, Lemon, Mint and Water. I have found inspiration for a new beach cocktail!!!

Hyatt Time Sqaure is located at 135 West 45th Street, NY NY.
Visit them online | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

I will leave you with one final photo - We were a week late for “Manhattanhenge” but still experienced a stunning sunset upon arriving at Hyatt Time Square.

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Simple Homemade Ramen Noodle Recipe

Over the past two years, I have become absolutely obsessed with Ramen. I am not talking about the $0.19 dry packets that we all lived off of in College. I am referring to true Ramen, with homemade noodles and broth that is cooked for days. This obsession has rubbed off onto my husband and while we were in DC a few weeks back, he insisted on eating Ramen everyday we were there.

This obsession of mine started a few years ago when I went to Seattle for a Food Blogger conference. My friend Leslie is a noodle obsessed foodie and suggested we try Ramen while there. I was sold. What I loved about Ramen is that you can truly make it your own by adding spice, eggs, pork, extra veggies, you name it.

My husband got his first taste of true Ramen when we were in New York a few months ago for the NYC Marathon. It was cold and rainy plus I needed to carb-load. We had reservations at a fancy Italian restaurant the night before the race but I wasn't feeling it. I wanted Ramen and off we went to To To Ramen after seeing this was one of the highest ranked Ramen joints in Midtown East. I ordered the Miso Ramen and added Avocado. To this day, he will tell you this $8 bowl of delicious noodles was the best thing he has ever ate in his two trips to NYC.

Then we went to DC for the Rock n Roll DC Half Marathon and I believe this is when my husband became a noodle addict. We had similar weather conditions to NYC and ran all 13 miles in the cold, wet rain. It was near impossible to warm up and all either of us wanted was a bowl of Ramen post race. Thanks to many recommendations of facebook friends, we found ourselves at Toki Underground, where I fell in love with Kimchi Broth and made it a goal to try and recreate something like this back at home.

The Ramen noodles themselves are super easy to make if you have a Pasta Maker. We were very lucky to receive all of Kitchenaid's pasta attachments for Christmas this past year. Gabe's parents got us the Kitchenaid Pasta Roller Attachment while my parents got us the KitchenAid Pasta-Extruder. We used the extruder for the ramen and had enough noodles for a small army. We found a recipe on Fine Cooking which turned out perfect.

Homemade Ramen Noodle Recipe
(adapted from Fine Cooking)
1 cup hot water
2 Tbs. kansui (see below on where to find kansui or how to make your own kansui)
1 tsp. salt
3-1/2 cups 00 flour or unbleached all-purpose flour
Instructions
Stir together the hot water, kansui, and salt in a medium bowl until dissolved.

Put the flour into a stand mixer using the paddle attachment. Set your machine at level two and drizzle 3/4 cup of the kansui mixture. Scrape the sides of the bowl to incorporate any dry flour. Continue mixing in the remainder of the water 1 teaspoon at a time. Switch to the dough hook and knead by machine for 3 minutes. Remove the dough and finish kneading by hand for 2 minutes.

Shape the dough into a smooth square, wrap in plastic, and let rest for at least 1 hour.

If using the KitchenAid Pasta-Extruder, divide the dough into pasta balls as the instructions suggest. If using the Kitchenaid Pasta Roller Attachment (or other pasta roller), divide dough into 5 squares. Pass each piece through the rollers, starting with setting 1 and working through to setting 5. Coat the dough sheets well with flour to prevent sticking, and then pass noodles through the thin-width cutters. Boil immediately for 2-3 minutes, or wrap well and refrigerate for up to 3 days.
The Mess:
Excuse my messy kitchen / office pic above but I wanted to include something that showed the KitchenAid Pasta-Extruder in action. The not so wonderful thing about living in a condo is that my main living areas were turned into a makeshift office once I started working from home. Plus making homemade pasta is a mess.

The Toppings:
We have done so many variations of different recipes and no matter how hard I try, the photos are not attractive, so I refuse to post them. My favorite to date is a Kimchi Ramen, my attempt to recreate the broth we had at Toki Underground in DC. I used a variation of the recipe found here (I pureed my Kimchi and left out the nori). I added pork which I made in  my slow cooker, saving 1 cup of the broth it cooked in and added it to my Kimchi broth.

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My 2014 Runners Book

What do you do with your bibs after race day? I save ours, putting them in a manila folder for safe keeping and at the end of the year, I create a photo book (check out my 2013 Runners book). Shutterfly offers free books a few times a year through email offers and I upgrade to the 8x11 size, which is perfect to show of your photo memories and race bibs. This book cost me $14 with shipping included.

Typically, you can put your photo highlights on the left page, along with the name of the event and the date, along with your finishing time then leave the right page blank.  The front cover of the book features my favorite pic(s) from the year. I had to get creative with the 2014 book as this year was full of multi-day race challenges and a race weekend in NYC with ASICS.

My 2014 race year started off with the Inaugural runDisney Dopey Challenge. Four races in four days equaled to hundreds of raceday photos. I have been dreaming up this runners book from the day I finished the challenge.

I wanted to dedicate each page to one of the four race days. My Mom ran her first 5K and 10K with me during that weekend so it was extra special picking out the photos for those two pages.

When it came time to build the pages for the half marathon and full marathon, I ran into an issue being I didn't have near as many pics for the half as I did for the full.

The Dopey Challenge took up 6 pages of my book but I was very impressed with the outcome. Seeing all these memories on paper makes me want to sign up for the 2016 challenge. Then sanity takes over and I have to tell myself, one and done (until the anniversary year of course).

Next up was the Inaugural runDisney Glass Slipper Challenge. I ran this with my best friend Keri. The week of the race, my runner buddy and I decided to register for Cinderella's Royal Family 5K.

Kinda crazy to think there was once a day you could sign up for a runDisney race, the week of the event given how fast they sell out now. I had two bibs from that weekend, the 5K and the Challenge bib.

I decided to have the 5K and 10K on one page each and give two pages to the half marathon being Keri and I had so many photos from that event (we stopped for 90% of the photo opps on course).

I had an epic breakdown during the half marathon portion of the challenge, which you would never know by looking at the pictures.

Breakdown aside, I really enjoyed the Glass Slipper Challenge and would do this one again.

The next race was the Sarasota Half Marathon which I ran the relay with my husband. My ankle was in so much pain for this event that I only took one photo and I was pretty sure my long distance running days were over. In fact, this was the last time I ran anything more than 3 miles until a certain email came over from ASICS.

It was a long 6 months until my next race - the TCS NYC Marathon with ASICS. Never in my wildest dreams did I think I would be part of such an amazing team and live this experience. ASICS sent me an email over the summer, asking me if I would like to try out a pair of shoes. Being I run in ASICS, the answer was an obvious yes and I looked at it as them saving me $150. Two weeks later, I received another email, inquiring if I would like to be part of the ASICS NYC Marathon bloggers challenge.

Heck yes. Nearly a month went by, waiting to hear who was selected, and I was one of the lucky 5. It was an experience a runner can only dream about. Four days with other amazing bloggers, who I now call friends. ASICS sponsored shakeout run and breakfast with Olympic athletes Training gear and official merchandise.  Co-hosting a tweet up which was featured on Runners Worlds facebook. Getting a mini-statue of myself, which I carried with me all over the city.

Instead of one page of pics from the race, I chose to capture memories from the entire event. It was the best experience of 2014, aside from our wedding.

Here is where I failed in 2014. I lost my TCS NYC Marathon bib after the race. I am so good at keeping all of my bibs, even no-name local events.....and I lost this one! So I have my "mug shot" and left the second page blank, just in case one day it turns up.

The last two pages were dedicated to my husbands 2014 races, the runDisney Walt Disney World Marathon and the Gasparilla Half Marathon.

The back of my books feature my biggest accomplishment of 2014. It was without a doubt completing the Dopey Challenge.

Do you keep your bibs from races and if so, what do you do with them?

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2015 TCS NYC Marathon registration opens today!

Registration for the 2015 TCS NYC Marathon opened today and I strongly encourage anyone looking to run a marathon this year to enter the lottery. I was very fortunate to run two consecutive NYC Marathons (2013 & 2014) and if given the chance, I would do it for a third time.

With registration so early this year, those who get into the lottery will have plenty of time to train for this epic 26.2 mile journey. You pay $11 to enter the lottery and the lottery is open through February 15th. You can read about my 2014 TCS NYC Marathon here.

The 2013 NYC Marathon was my first full marathon and it will always hold a special place in my heart. I got injured very early on in the race and pushed myself to finish. However, you can see from my face - pure joy.

Click here to enter the NYC Marathon lottery!

Entry Fee
U.S. residents (those who live in the 50 United States or the District of Columbia)
NYRR members: US $216; Non-members: US $255; Non-U.S. residents (including Puerto Rico and other U.S. territories): US $347
Entry fees will be charged upon acceptance. Once you have been accepted, your entry fees are non-transferable under any and all circumstances, and are also non-refundable under any and all circumstances except in the event of cancellation of the marathon (see Rules of Competition & Terms and Conditions below).

Processing Fee
Regular Fee: US $11 - This fee, required of all applicants, is non-refundable and is processed upon submission of the application.

• Please ensure when registering for the drawing that you use a credit card that has an expiration date later than March 2015.
• Please note that if you are selected for entry in the drawing and you do not have a valid credit card on file, you will lose your place in the entry process.

Included in the entry fee:

Entry to the 2015 TCS New York City Marathon (including fluid/fueling stations, medical support, entertainment, baggage handling*, security, and more)
Runner “goody bag”, including official ASICS technical shirt and official Marathon Program magazine.

Official transportation to the start from Midtown Manhattan, Lower Manhattan, or the Meadowlands Sports Complex (New Jersey); Start festival, including breakfast and entertainment
Finisher materials: medal, food, beverages, United Airlines/Foot Locker Heatsheet™, official results magazine

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