DRAFT Magazine

MCM Mamma

Erika, aka MCM Mamma, is a 30-something blogging mom of two boys who started running to overcome postpartum depression. She enjoyed it so much she started racing, and now she’s working on racing in all 50 states - and hit up brewpubs and breweries along the way. Also, she and her husband hit up the Alaskan Brewery on their honeymoon. That’s +100 wife points.

Occupation: Stay at home mom. In my pre-kids life, I was a librarian

Residence: Arlington, VA

Last beer: Naughty Scot at Rock Bottom Brewery

Last run: 6 x 800 repeats on the treadmill

Favorite beer: Three way tie: Alaskan Smoked Porter/Dogfish Head Palo Santo Marron/New Holland Dragon’s Milk Ale

Fun fact about yourself: My cats (Saranac Black and Tan and Pete’s Wicked Kitty) were adopted on two different trips in 1995 to the SPCA after an afternoon spent enjoying beer at the Carolina Brewery in Chapel Hill, NC.

The Beer Runner: How did you get into running?

Erika: I’ve been running off and on for exercise for years, but I didn’t really start running regularly until after I had my sons. I’m a much better mom after a running related endorphin hit! Then a friend dragged me to a race and I discovered that there was a whole lot more to running than hitting the road for a quick three mile run. Since then, I’ve run the Marine Corps Marathon and done back to back (one each weekend) half marathons and joined the Half Fanatics. The “50 races in 50 states” idea happened when I decided to wait before training for a second marathon and needed a goal.

BR: How did you get into craft beer?

Erika: I took an “enrichment” class at my university, where I first encountered beers that went beyond the typical mass market beers. My education was continued by my now husband who was a home brewer. A trip to the Alaskan Brewery in Juneau on our honeymoon sealed my fate. Every vacation for the last 15 years has included at least one brewery/pub and one trip to Washington and Oregon included more than 20.

BR: What’s been your favorite race so far as you attempt to run 50 races in 50 states?

Erika: The Maine Lobster Festival 10K this past summer. It was a small race, but extremely well organized with a lot of spectator support. The runners were some of the friendliest I’ve met. On top of that, the weather that day was perfect for running, the course went right past our vacation house so the boys could see me, and I had a nice PR.

BR: What is your dream race in your dream state?

Erika: A race that actually exists? I’d have to say the Boilermaker 15K. Saranac Black and Tan was one of my first craft beers, so finishing a race at the brewery sounds great to me! It doesn’t hurt that it’s in a favorite vacation area of ours (upstate NY), is a distance I like, and is a state I still need to get. I plan to be there in 2011. If I could design my own race, it would involve running between brewpubs, likely in the Pacific Northwest.

BR: Is it true you have a beer geek glass collection above your treadmill? Does that motivate you?

Treadmill + beer glass collection

Well, Beer Geek is my blog name for my husband and his beer glass collection is indeed right next to the treadmill. It certainly motivates me not to fall off the treadmill as I’m not sure that breaking any of his glasses would be good for our marriage. And the more calories I burn, the more beer I can drink, right?

BR: What brewpub would you most like to visit during this trek?

Erika: I’d really like to visit the pub at the New Holland Brewery. I’ve already been to the breweries that make my other two favorite beers, so it would be great to visit this one. Honestly, I’ve been to over 150 breweries and brewpubs and I can’t think of one that I didn’t enjoy.

BR: What is your next racing goal?

Erika: My next big goal is to PR at my second marathon in May when I run the Bob Potts Marathon in York, PA. Other near future goals include running the Oak Barrel Half (sponsored by Jack Daniels) in Tennessee in March and running the Soldotna Unity Run 10 mile race in Alaska in July, which will get me my minimum of three new states this year.

BR: I loved your 10 beers that make you happy post. How do you discover new beers to try?

Erika: Events like Savor are a great place to try new beers. We also like to visit breweries and brewpubs on our travels. My favorite way to discover new beers, though, is to buy beers I’ve never had before. I love to walk into a well stocked grocery store (or random other place that sells beer) and find a craft beer I’ve never had. The hard part is limiting myself to buying one or two new beers at a time. Beer Geek often comes home to the beer fridge stocked with beers we’ve never had before.

BR: Any other words of wisdom to add?

Erika: No matter how busy you are, make sure to take some time each week to do something you love. Life’s too short to not have fun along the way.

Photo by Peter DiAntoni

“This is my marathon finish with my (then) 4-year-old daughter Nani running alongside,” says Christopher Bluhm. “I had no idea she was there until she grabbed my hand after crossing the line. I was pretty delirious at that point.”

After a 3-day nap (give or take) he celebrated with a Bridgeport IPA from Oregon, his “deserted island” beer.

“It’s not available in the Midwest that I know of,” he says, “but I have three brothers living throughout Oregon as a pipeline.”

A photographer by trade, Christopher talks to the Beer Runner about marathons, how he got into running and biking, and, in the first for the Beer Runner, his favorite recipe and beer pairing.

What’s your favorite post-run beer?

Which day?  I’m sitting here post-run drinking a Gray’s Oatmeal Stout and it’s extremely delicious. It’s in my Top Five Favorite.  I have fond memories of a stinking hot July evening on the way to a Beth Orton show at Milwaukee’s resplendent Pabst Theater.  A group of us stopped for a bite to eat and, going against most (all?) beer-drinking convention, I ordered a Gray’s Oatmeal Stout.  As the sweat beaded on my forehead from the vigorous walk, I savored every mouthful. On any other day, I’d reach for a Capitol Brewing Amber or a Bell’s Two-Hearted Ale.

Which came first: Your love of beer or love of running?

The archetypal chicken or the egg. Definitely love of beer first. I didn’t start running until a couple years after college. I was working for the summer at Duke University managing the ticket office for the American Dance Festival. Great summer. Ran 5-8 miles in the morning, went to work all day, came home and did a 20-25-mile bike ride. I did this nearly every day and got really fit. I never raced that summer.  I never timed my runs or rides.  I just ran, worked and rode. Ahhh, those were the days…(It’s getting a little dusty in here…)

Finishing kick in the Northface Endurance 10K

What was your first marathon like? Thinking of doing another one?

For a first marathon it was downright brutal with temps in the mid-to-upper 80’s with matching humidity levels. Not the most ideal first marathon experience. I’m strongly considering (negotiating?) jumping back on that horse in 2009.

You do a lot of food photography. Do you have a favorite food-beer pairing?

Why yes, yes I do: Tempeh Fajitas and IPA.

What you need: One package of tempeh, one medium-to-large onion, one medium-to large green pepper, tortillas, cheese, salsa, sour cream and spices.

How you do it: Add expeller-pressed canola oil to two separate skillets, one on medium high heat and one on low heat. Slice the onion and green pepper and place into the pan on low heat. Simmer onions and peppers until they are soft and on the edge of carmelizing. Cut tempeh into thin strips and add to the pan on medium-high heat. Then spice tempeh with garlic powder, chili powder, salt and crushed black pepper, a little onion salt and a little cumin. You can add whatever spices you like to flavor the tempeh.  When the tempeh is browned on both sides (add more oil if needed), add the strips to the pan with the onion and green pepper and let them cook together on low heat for about five minutes so the flavors can intermingle.

Serve: Wrapped in a warm tortilla with your choice of cheese, salsa, avocado, and sour cream. Wow.

Anything else to add?

Do I get a t-shirt or something?