2011 Half Marathon #5 - Seattle Thanksgiving Marathon

AWESOME RUN! New personal best time at 2:29:06.



A 2:10 improvement off my last race in October. And a >52:00 improvement off my first race in May of this year. Today's goal was to come in <2:30:00. I'm happy with my accomplishment today in the rain! :) WOOT!



Check it out! 5 Half Marathons (this season) & counting. I'm liking me my "Shiny Sports Bling...!" Getting active & healthy and turning into an athlete has been the best thing I ever done for myself & my future family. Excited to run a race with my son someday.

140# LOST FOREVER & COUNTING! :)

2011 Half Marathon #4 - Leavenworth Oktoberfest

Nailed it...! Half Marathon #4 complete. Unofficial clock time is a 30-35 second improvement! Making a new personal best. AND most of this was trail running.



My friend Steve & I, pre-race.



2011 Leavenworth Oktoberfest Half Marathon official timing chip race results: 2:31:16. A 2:16 "official" improvement in time off of my last half marathon. I'm proud of my accomplishment high in the cascade mountains...!

Half marathon #5, the annual Seattle Marathon is slated for this upcoming weekend.

Chocolate Cake with Peppermint Buttercream

This past weekend was Holly's Birthday. I really wanted to make her a diner style birthday cake. Big flavor, with multiple layers. And on an impressive cake stand. I had fun perusing a few recipes and came up with with something that I felt was moist and not overly dry for the cake after some adjusting. And some tasty peppermint buttercream with the addition of cream cheese. It turned out well.



Dan's Moist Chocolate Cake

3 cups all purpose flour
1 ½ tsp salt
¾ tsp baking powder
1 ½ tsp baking soda
2 2/3 cups sugar
1 cup + 2 Tbsp cocoa
1 cup + 2 Tbsp water
1 cup + 2 Tbsp canola oil
5 large or 4 extra large/jumbo eggs
¾ cup water
1 ½ tsp vanilla
1 tsp espresso powder

Directions for cake:

Preheat oven to 350°F.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, sugar, cocoa & espresso powder. Next, add 1 cup and 2 tablespoons of water and 1 cup and 2 tablespoons of canola oil. Mix for 1 minute. Then add eggs, 3/4 cup of water, vanilla. Mix 5-6 minutes with a whisk, 3-4 minutes with a hand mixer, or 2 minutes with a KitchenAid mixer.

Pour into three prepared 10" cake pans, bake at 350°F for 25-35 minutes (adjust for convection); test by placing and removing a toothpick through the center at 25 minutes. When toothpick comes out clean, loosen from and invert onto a wire cooling rack. Let cakes cool completely on the racks. Wrap in foil, and put in the freezer until firm. I find it easiest to frost a frozen cake.

Dan's Peppermint Cream Cheese Buttercream Frosting

1 pound (4 sticks) butter, room temperature
2 8oz packages cream cheese, room temperature
3 boxes (1 pound each) powdered sugar
1 TBS pure peppermint extract
Pink or Red food coloring

Directions for frosting:

This part is a little harder as it is really done to taste. Cream butter and cream cheese until light and fluffy. Add 2.5 to three boxes of powdered sugar until you get desire consistency. Thin with milk as necessary or add more powdered sugar. Add food coloring to get to desired shade of pink. Add extract to desired flavor. Frost frozen cakes. Once frosted, allow frozen cake to that to room temperate for a few hours.