Roasted Broccoli and Shrimp

You guys, you will never guess what happened to me at the gym a few nights ago. I was feeling kind of drab and wanted to skip my work out, but decided I would just go to the gym and walk on the treadmill. I figure some form of exercise is better than doing nothing at all. Once I got there and started walking, a really great song came onto my iPod and I. Wanted. To. Run. I didn’t want to want to run. I wanted to run. That might have been the first time that has ever happened to me.

Maybe I was inspired by the awesome (and ridiculously easy) dinner I made myself that evening.

I should start my own minimal effort, 30 minute meal series.

That’s roasted shrimp, roasted broccoli, and homemade cocktail sauce. Well, okay, it’s Heinz ketchup and horseradish mixed together, which is a fine substitute. This takes about ten minutes of preparation, and that might be stretching it.

Now, back to running for a minute. Tonight when I went to the gym, I wanted to run again. I’m maybe sort of, kind of starting to like running. Not enough to actually commit to that 10k I was thinking about, but enough to incorporate it into my exercise regimen. Unfortunately my knees were really stiff and sore, and I could not run without a lot of discomfort. I walked at an incline instead, but it was not nearly as satisfying as running would have been. I’m really hoping that this does not continue.

Roasted Broccoli and Shrimp

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 bunch of broccoli
• Raw shrimp
• Grapeseed oil
• Salt
• Ketchup
• Horseradish

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees
2. While oven is preheating, cut broccoli into spears (tip: do not cut from the top down toward the stalk – cut from the stalk toward the floret – this prevents you from getting little pieces of broccoli floret everywhere)
3. Place broccoli spears on a baking sheet and use a brush to coat with grapeseed oil, then sprinkle with salt
4. Add shrimp to baking sheet
5. Roast in oven for 20 minutes
6. To make cocktail sauce, mix about 2 parts ketchup to 1 part horseradish

Can I Run 8 Kilometers?

Today I ran 2.2 miles. It was slow, about an 11 minute mile, but I did it.

My roommate, Kendall, is planning on running an 8k in DC in March but she wants a running buddy. She has asked me to run with her and I haven’t been willing to commit because I don’t enjoy running all that much. But, I want to like running and I do love achievements. So, I’m spending the next several weeks training for an 8k and seeing how far I can get. If I can break 3.5 miles in the next couple of weeks, I’ll sign up for the 8k. That will give me another month to prepare for the whole 8k. I hope this isn’t too ambitious.

Just so we’re clear, I have trained for shorter distances in the past. In November 2010, I ran my first 5k, a Turkey Trot race. This was my first 5k and my time was 32:53. I don’t really care that this is a really slow 5k time because I’m proud of myself for finishing without walking.  I participated in the 2011 Turkey Trot and my time was even slower and it was really difficult to finish.

A guy in a turkey costume on a bike was the pace-setter

Perhaps if I run enough, I’ll start to enjoy it. I’ve never stuck with it long enough to find out. I do have to admit that I’m a little upset with myself for letting myself lose the running endurance I had built up to back in 2010. I hope to work back up to it.