About Me

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Rochester, NY, United States
To be frank, I have a lot of energy, I need to keep my mind & body moving or I will get bored or fall asleep. I love to work and in my down time I run, play sports, go out to eat, spend time with friends, etc... I have an interest in just about everything. I guess my biggest downfall is that I work 60+ hours a week and that is a slow week. I try to run an average of 25 miles a week, sometimes it's possible sometimes not so much.

Monday, May 30, 2011

Dash for Dad Prostate Awareness 5k!

Today I had the day off and I decided to run a race early in the morning.  I ran today with my buddy Oliver and his friend from work, Jessica.  It was a pretty awesome day!  We all set PR's today.  Jessica has never run a race before in her running career which began today.  Jessica, for her first race, ran the race in 36:44 which works out to be 11:51 pace, she ran a great race.  Oliver ran the race in 21:50 which works out to about 7:03 min/mile pace and was 2nd place in his age group.  I personally set a record of 24:06 which works out to a 7:46 min/mile and placed 2nd in my age group!  That is f'n awesome!  The only downfall to this day was that I could have run a faster race if I wouldn't have gone to the front of the line.  I took off with all of the big dogs and found myself falling very short.  Aside from all of that BS, I am super excited for all of us, we came, we saw and we conquered! 

Normally we would have recipe of the week day but today we had a cook out at the house.  All I can say is "La Caja China"  this is the most magical cooker!  Joe and I put 5 baby back ribs, 3 chickens and 1 leg of lamb in to cook for 2 hours.  Along with all of the meat were some great sides that we all put together.  Mac Salad, Irish potato salad, and even greek salad.  The end result was great food and Good Times with great friends! 

 Stay Hungry my Friends!  Enjoy!

Tuesday, May 24, 2011

The weather couldn't have been better!

Today I didn't have to be at work until 2:30pm which is always a treat!  I got to run by myself and really think about what is going on in my life.  Lately, I have had the feeling as if there was something missing in my life.  I am not sure why because I think that I have everything that anybody could want.  I have an awesome family, a great career, great friends, and the will to do anything I put my mind to.  What am I missing?  What could possibly be bothering me?  By the end of my run I still haven't figured it out.  Oh well I guess it will pass!  (Just like #9)

Today's run was 6.16 miles in 54:31 which works out to an 8:51 min/mile pace.  Mid run my knee started bothering me again, but I pulled through the discomfort!  I know I should rest my knee but first I want to try out a knee brace and see if that will help.  I love to run and I want to set PR's every race I run.  I don't want a knee injury to stop me from training.  I feel that this is a huge calling in my life and I don't want this to hold me back. 

Anyways, my journey towards my first full marathon is a ways away.  I am going to give my knee a rest so that I can continue to run for a long time!  I will not let this defeat me! 

Monday, May 23, 2011

Recipe of the Week; Eggplant Parmesan Lasagna

If you haven't run with us yet, you should!  We are pretty F'n awesome!  Today we had great weather and a great run.  In addition to Sheila, Eric and myself we finally got Oliver, Chris and Joe together to run yes even Joe.  This is very rare to have this group together at one time, the only missing link was Jen.  I hope your dinner was good tonight Jen because ours was awesome.  Tonight's run was 5.55 miles and we finished in 47:55 which works out to a 8:38 min/mile pace.  We were holding a steady 9:15 pace for the first part of our run but towards the end we all started to pick it up.  At the last mile Chris and I picked up the pace to about a 8:15 pace, that is slow for Chris but a decent speed for me.  Chris is running the Sehgahunda Marathon in Letchworth State Park this weekend so this was a good taper run for him.  Good Luck buddy!  Not only do we run but we definitely know how to eat too!

Recipe of the Week;  Eggplant Parmesan Lasagna

This recipe was inspired by my Mother!  If anyone has inspired me to cook it was definitely her.  My mother cooked most of my childhood and she had to cook a lot.  I grew up the second last child of five, I have three brothers, one sister and we were a very hungry group.  Today I cooked like my Mother had to and it made me appreciate her just a little more than I already do.  Thank you Mom!

Appetizer for fun, Baguette with Fresh Mozzarella and Pesto;



First you must prepare the Sauce, then you must prepare the Eggplant.
Breading;
1.5 cups of breadcrumbs
2 Tblsp. of Pecorino Romano
1 Tsp. Kosher/Sea Salt
1 Tsp. Coarse Black Pepper
1 Tsp. Garlic Powder
Egg mix;
4 Eggs
1 Tblsp. Lemon Juice

Slice eggplant about 1/4 inch thick and wash with egg mix, immediately move eggplant over to the bread crumbs and coat until you can no longer see the eggplant.  Place in to a medium heat pan with oil of choice and cook until golden brown.  Place on a plate with paper towel to absorb excess oil.

Ricotta Mix;
1 lbs. of Ricotta
1 egg
Crushed Red Pepper, Basil, Salt & Pepper to taste

Place a thin layer of sauce in the bottom of a casserole dish and place a single layer of eggplant on top.  Spread thin layer of ricotta mix over top of the eggplant add sauce and then a thin layer of mozzarella.  Repeat until the casserole dish is filled.  Finish with mozzarella and bake at 425 for 30 - 45 minutes. 





Then for dessert we had Irish Coffee, I know an Italian meal along with an Irish coffee?  It was tasty! 





Let me know what you think!

Buon Appetito!

Sunday, May 22, 2011

Great weather and good times!

This Saturday Jen, Eric and myself went running around the Irondequoit area!  I am glad that Jen is feeling much better and that she was able to run with us!  We ran 4.66 miles at 42:46 which works out to 9:10 min/mile.  When Jen and I run together we tend to run faster than the pace that we set out to run.  In fact Eric yelled at us about our pace a few times.  I guess once I start running I can't help myself I just want to run faster and faster.  My next race plan is the Irondequoit 4th of July 10k.  If another race comes up before that I may run it if I have the time.

Overall it was a great run and I had good times with my friends.  I am looking forward to my training especially now that Jen is going to run another Marathon!  For local races check out Rochester Races.

Tuesday, May 17, 2011

Vacation, Drinking, Driving Back and then Running

I had a great time in New York City this weekend.  It is always good to see my brother (Mike) and sister in-law (Margaret).  I have decided that I will never drive there again unless I have company with me!  That ride sucks!  On my ride back I was asked if I would like to run when I got home.  I thought about not doing it because of the fatigue that is caused by driving and vacations, but then I thought I haven't run in a week and I really need to!

I am glad I decided to, although I couldn't keep running with Eric, I still felt like a million dollars afterward.  I ran 3.48 miles in 29:59 which works out to 8:36 min/mile.  This was a great run and on top of that my knee felt really good, no pain at all.  Then Sheila made dinner which was absolutely amazing and Alyson made the salad which was really delicious too.  We had Buffalo Style Tofu Burgers and then for dessert a homemade Strawberry Short Cake.  Even after the girls ran 4 miles, they put a wonderful dinner and dessert together.  Shme and Alyson you're the best!

Monday, May 16, 2011

Lauber Imports Wine Tasting

Today I had the opportunity to go to a wine tasting with over 1000 different wines!  It was AMAZING!  I tasted a lot of wines that is too long to begin to list them!  Some wines were unbelievable others were terrible.  I particularly remember a wine that tasted like the throat spray (Cepacol) that you use when you have a sore throat, puke!  I also had some wines that cost over $200, which were very much worth the money.  One of my favorite wines today was from the Joseph Phelps Vineyards.  The wine was a 2006 Insignia which is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot the cost of the wine was $153.  I also enjoyed the food selection.  The arrangements worked out pretty great too.  It just so happened to be in NYC a few blocks from where my brother and sister in law live.  I was super excited that one of my best friends, Christian, was in too!  He came in to visit his sister and go to the Yankees game, sorry about the loss bro, but it was good to see you and your sister!



Since I am out of town I will not be able to share the recipe of the week today!  I will postpone this until tomorrow night.

Tuesday, May 10, 2011

Too soon to start training?

So today I am running 3.38 with Eric and Jen out at Fleet Feet and low and behold my knee starts to really bother me.  I think maybe because I had forgotten to take my Glucosamine Chondroitin today or even that I hadn't drank a sufficient amount of water for the day.  I also thought to myself maybe I should take a few more days off from running to let my knee heal, but then I thought what would cause this annoying twinge?  Webmd says these symptoms are most common in middle age to elderly people.  Wait am I middle age now?  Last I checked I was 29 years old and not half way through my life.

Ahhhhh!  I am trapped in a glass case of emotion! (Anchor Man)  What do I do?  Do I continue to run and train or do I take a break.  Should I just drink more water and test my theory?  Bottom line is that I need to rest my knee and relax.  I will take a break and if the pain continues I will talk to a Doctor!

My run today was a short run and easy, it was 3.38 miles in 28:36 which works out to be 8:27 min/mile.  I am extremely excited to be able to say 8:27 is an easy run.  I have come a long way since I started running again so I guess I can take a break and heal!

Monday, May 9, 2011

Recipe of the Week; Frittata with Spinach and Roasted Tomatoes

Saturday morning was a very light run 7.71 miles in 1:09:19 which works out to 8:59 min/mile.  It was a good run and by the end of it my legs were very tired.  For the first week of training I ran 27.8 miles.  Today I ran 3.2 miles in 23:41 which works out to 7:24 min/mile which is a PR!

Recipe of the Week;  Frittata with spinach and roasted tomaotes,

This recipe was inspired from my father who used to make this when I was growing up.

  

Boil 1/2 pound of spaghetti 
Mix 4 eggs with salt, pepper and pecorino romano
Add mix to al dente spaghetti, spinach and roasted tomatoes
Make sure that you coat everything with egg mix
Take pasta mix and place in a cast iron pan
Cook until it is golden brown, Flip over and repeat

This is a great recipe and don't worry you can add meat to it if you'd prefer!  

Give it a try and let me know what you think! 

Thursday, May 5, 2011

Training begins!

Today marks the first day of my journey towards my first full marathon.  I am really excited about it because first of all when you start training you can only hope to have great weather like today!  It was 43 degrees and sunny!  This run was great because I had the opportunity to run with my boss.  I call this an opportunity because with all of the hours we put in at work we never get the opportunity to just relax and have a conversation.  Today I got to learn a bit more about him and he as well had the opportunity to learn about me.  This is a very important part of my life so I think that it makes us stronger as a team! 

Today we ran 7 miles in 1:02 which works out to 8:51 min/mile.  Not bad!  I have to remember in my training that holding a slower pace in the first few weeks isn't a bad thing, in fact it will only help me to grow as a runner!  My goal at this time is to finish the race.  I will eventually build a time frame in which I would like to finish the race but for now, just finish!  My friend Jen gave me a running schedule to follow, she is running the full marathon in Cleveland next weekend, I will probably steal a few ideas from that and then develop what I call the Shoooter Plan! 

I hope that whomever reads this will continue to follow me throughout my journey and feel free to leave insightful comments, words of encouragement, constructive criticism and as always jokes.  Everybody needs jokes! 

Monday, May 2, 2011

Recipe of the Week; Pork Roulade with Gouda Dauphinois Potato and Tomato Onion Salad

I did not run today, in fact I don't plan on running until this Saturday.  My legs are exhausted which means that I pushed myself to my limit yesterday.  Today was considered a Calorie Cheat Day.  Which brings me to THE RECIPE OF THE WEEK!

Pork Roulade with Gouda Dauphinois Potato and Tomato Onion Salad;

This was an amazing dinner.  I was going to make a vegetarian dish tonight but my friend Jen couldn't make it for dinner.  So I decided to eat meat tonight!  This meal was inspired by my roommate Joe who LOVES MEAT!

Take a pork tenderloin and slice it along the edge unrolling it until it is flat like a piece of paper
Take spinach, garlic, olive oil and seasoning and par-saute it in a pan
Lightly season the pork and add the spinach along with fresh mozzarella  sliced thin
Tightly roll up the pork and use cooking twine to tie up loose ends
Season, Pan-sear and bake at 350 for about 25 mins

Take Russet Potatoes clean and skin them
Use a Mandolin and slice the potatoes thin
Make a cream mixture with Half and Half and Heavy Cream
Shred Gouda Cheese
Homemade seasoning
Use olive oil to lubricate the pan
Layer the pan by following this method,
First layer of potato, cream, seasoning and cheese
Continue this until you reach the top of the pan
Bake on 350 for 2 hours

Take gourmet tomatoes, white onions and homemade balsamic dressing
Slice the onions thin and quarter the tomatoes
Add the Balsamic Dressing to the Mix and Season to taste


 
This was a delicious dish!  Try it out and let me know what you think!

Training begins again on Saturday!

Sunday, May 1, 2011

Unity Health System Rochester Flower City Half Marathon

First things first, wooooooooo hooooooooooooooooooooo!!  The weather was perfect, the music play list was tolerable, the masses of spectators was great, Joe, Lindsey, Sheila, Eric and Jen are the best motivators to run with and Alyson was the BEST PHOTOGRAPHER EVER!  My original thoughts for the run was to stick around with Eric and Jen through the first six or seven miles and then take off.  Well let's just say, on race day plans always change.



When Jen, Eric and myself were running within the first three miles we passed a "milestone landmark" in my life!  While running we passed by the Radisson Hotel where on May 16, 2003 I smoked my last cigarette and threw a whole pack away!  That may have lit a little fire under my @$$!  I was super excited to pass that landmark and I think it also played a role in my final time!

Runner// Finish Time
Jen         1:45:14    8:03 min/mile
Eric        1:56:43   8:56 min/mile
Joe         1:59:05   9:05 min/mile
Lindsey  2:05:02    9:37 min/mile
Sheila     2:25:01   11:08 min/mile
Great Run!


At mile number five, Jen and I picked up the pace and pushed it hard all the way until the end.  Jen finished in 1:45:14.  She is so fast!  While Jen and I approached where the hills began (5.5 mile marker) she took off!  I mean, I looked at her backside for about another 4.5 miles and then I could no longer see her!  That's correct I was starring at her backside!  ;)

Let's recap;
My first half marathon was 1:57 and my second was 2:02.  Needless to say I wasn't happy with my time increasing by 5 minutes.  Knowing that I have trained throughout the dead of winter, I knew I was going to be ready for this next race.  My goal was to run this half marathon in 1:45 which would have been an 8:00 min/mile.  I did not accomplish this goal.  I am in no way disappointed about my time, in fact I am ecstatic about it.

Runner // Finish Time                             // Placement 
Shoooter   1:47:02     8:11 min/mile            358 out of 1839 (that is awesome)

Overall it was a great day and a great run.  Time to start training for my first Full Marathon, and I hope that you're all there with me the whole way!